journal of thomas wilcoxon, missionary in africa, born c 1839 died 1862,

8/14/2019 Journal of Thomas Wilcoxon, Missionary in Africa, Born c 1839 died 1862,

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THOMAS WILCOXON

Thomas Wilcoxon was a missionary with the Church Missionary Society.According to the register of candidates Thomas Wilcoxon of 83 Canal Street,Ancoats, Manchesterapplied in uly !8"#. $is occupation is gi%en as mechanic in the iron trade and his referee was &e% MacCartie of St ude's Manchester. $e was accepted in at the Church Mission College in !8() andwas appointed to the *oru+a mission on !( cto+er !8(), departing on - /o%em+er 0aged -!1. $eser%ed there until -- March !8(- when he died on -- March.

There is correspondence in the papers of the Candidates 2epartment relating to his application. There arealso papers Wilcoxon sent +ac to CMS head4uarters 0CMS5C A- 885!68 1comprising7

5!6( etters !8()6!8(!9:-)5; $alf6yearly n the !8"! Manchester Census, there is a Thomas Wilcoxon aged !).This loo s highly li ely to +e the correct one.

!; ?eswic Street. Manchester.ohn Willcoxon 33 Mechanic + Middlesex.ane @ 3! Mechanics wife + /ottinghamThomas @ !) Mechanics son + illegi+leliBa ane @ ! Mechanics daughter + Manchester.Thomas Coe married ") Mechanic + /ottingham

!8"! Census83 Canal Street was occupied +y a ohnston family.

EXTRACTS FROM THE LETTERS OF THOMAS WILCOXON 1860 1862Dec 3 1860 Madeira.

2ear Sir, @*ou will +e %ery much surprised to ha%e a letter from me from this place. > suffered so fearfully fromseasic ness and its effects that > was o+liged to +e left +ehind. > firmly +elie%e that had > proceeded, >should ha%e died +efore > reached Africa. > thought > should return to ngland +y the mail which is nowin port, +ut in the pro%idence of od > am to stay on this island as ha%e engaged myself to an nglishMerchant of this place. My outfit Mr Woods has ta en in charge, he will ta e it on to A++eo uta .> amdeeply sorry that my engagement with the Society has come to a +rief termination. > ne%er thought when> left ngland that it would +e so. > shall +e most willing to gi%e the Society an account of all moniesgi%en to me for my outfit etc. My outfit cost me a+out D 33.)), which left me almost penniless. Should >e%er ha%e the opportunity of repaying the money > will do so most willingly. > cannot write a longer letter as the Mail shortly lea%es the har+our. > shall +e most happy to gi%e the Society any informationrespecting this place, which they may desire. =orgi%e this +rief and imperfect note as it is written inhasteE

T Wilcoxon F Mr $olloways=unchal. Madeira

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Dec 1 1860 Madeira.

Two weeks later Thomas is still at Funchal, but has reconsidered leaving the society and writes to the Rev S Dean to tell of this decision.

@ > deeply regret ha%ing under my first trial swer%ed from the path of duty. > am now %ery desirous toexpress my persistence, +efore you recei%e this > shall +e on my way to Africa. The only way > can get is

+y drawing a +ill upon you for my passage from here to agos, the agent of aird F Co thin s if youwrite to them they will not demand the money on it at least they will ma e a compromise, if they will notdo so > must +ear the cost myself.> trust the Society will accept this expression of sorrow on my part. > ha%e +een greatly tempted, +ut >trust faith is to ha%e her perfect wor since > ha%e +een in this place desirous of returning to ngland. >ha%e +een perfectly misera+le, feeling an inward con%iction that > was doing wrong. > trust in Christiancharity that you will forgi%e me. > was %ery lonely and misera+le with parting from my friends and then

so much from sic ness that > was tempted to fall away, +ut > trust that when further sufferings come uponme > shall +e a+le to say @ /one of these things mo%e meEMr ?rown, the nglish clergyman of this place has +een %ery ind to me, it is he that has not onlyconsented, +ut also suggested to indorse a +ill upon you as the only way of getting one from here. Thiscertainly is a most +eautiful place +ut > ha%e found that nothing external will satisfy the inward monitor >f you desire > will tell you in my next letter what > ha%e seen of &omanism in this place >n conclusion >once more +eg you to forgi%e my want of faith > do trust with the help of od > shall ne%er ha%e to as

pardon again for the same offence.E*ours in Christ

&e% W Gnight. T Wilcoxon

!a" 2 1861 F#"c$a%

@>t is now the second of the month and the outward +ound mail has not yet arri%ed, she is two days +ehind her time. The H ArmenianH from the coast arri%ed early this morning. > went along side to ascertainwhether anyone +elonging to the Society was on +oard, +ut there was not. She lay in 4uarantineconse4uently no one was allowed to come on shore. > ha%e now made my arrangements to lea%e this place and shall +e %ery happy to get away. > ha%enothing further to say, than +y your will, you will recei%e with fa%our my expression of feeling containedin my last note. > do assure you Sir, that > will do my +est9 with od helping me to win +ac theconfidence > feel > ha%e lost. The ?ishop of Sierra eone, when here consecrated the nglish Church and

has also confirmed a+out - young people. > ha%e recei%ed my passage tic et accordingly to thearrangement > mentioned in my letter %ia is+on. *ou will indly Sir, en4uire of aird =letcher FCowhether the additional passage money must +e paid,E

T Wilcoxon F &e%. W Gnight.

Added !a" 3 1861.

@The Cleopatra has not yet arri%ed9 she is now more than 3 days +ehind time. > trust nothing hashappened to her as she is as experience pro%es a most unfortunate %esselET Wilcoxon

FE& ' 1861 LA(OS. W AFRICA.

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@ > ha%e much pleasure at informing you of my safe arri%al at this place. > reached agos on an - andA++eo uta on =e+ 3. All are well with the exception on Mr ?u ta and Mr ollmer .The former as youha%e dou+tless heard has lost his wife. $e is, > am %ery happy to say, resigned under this trying affliction.Iray we will all +e found ready when called upon to send our account to od.*ou will recollect spea ing to me a+out a lathe wrench you had sent out here. > ha%e made en4uiryconcerning it, > was told that Mr Crowther is in charge of it. As he has left for ngland it may +e sometime +efore > can see it, +ut there is another %ery good one in Mr TownsendJs compound, there are also

plenty of tools necessary for use, no more will +e re4uired xcuse this +rief note as it is only written totell you of my safe arri%al.E

&e% $ Kenn.T Wilcoxon.

A)( 8 1861 A&&ER*)LA + LA(OS.

@ 2ear Sir, My o+ had se%eral attac s of fe%er, which ha%e sic ened me %ery much. > +less od for ha%ing permitted me to reco%er from each attac . > am still %ery wea . *ou will recei%e +y this mail an accountof the death of Mr =ladL of agos. We were deeply grie%ed when we heard of his death he died as heli%ed trusting in Christ alone for sal%ation. We ha%e had sad news from other 4uarters, news of the returnto ngland +y &e%s Misters ac son and ?rierly and also of the ina+ility of Mr Mea in to return to thisland. The whole of this intelligence has caused us much sorrow and we cannot help +ut thin that thesefacts coupled with the unfa%oura+le state of this Mission should call forth much prayer on our +ehalf. We

pray that if the ord is am %ery than ful > ha%e not +een mixed up in the case. > only now that the congregation of A e will re ha%e +een in A++eo uta > ha%e +een pri%ileged to see much and ha%e now a %erygood idea what my future mission, my wor will +e li e. > ha%e +een to >shagga once and shiella twice,accounts of which will +e found in my hope to +e going to a Station in a short time. > wouldthan the Society %ery much if they would send me one small +ut complete set of would write more were > a+le, as > am not well you will forgi%e thisshort note. Iraying that you may +e long spared to la+our in the cause of Missions +elie%e one to +e.*ours faithfully

&e% W KennLThomas Wilcoxon

SE,T ' 1861

@ *ou will pardon me for trou+ling you again with a note this month, +ut > cannot let my said in my last note that > was una+le to sendit due to sic ness. > am sorry to say that > ha%e +een %ery sic again during the last month, highlysuffering from repeated attac s of intermittent fe%er. n that account > was una+le to copy my was a+le to copy part of that, which > ha%e sent. When > had my fe%er symptoms of sic ness, > was therefore reluctantly o+liged to lea%e out those parts that relate to my con%ersation withthe ?rethren, and %isits to the sic . With this explanation 2ear Sir, you will +e a+le to understand why theaccount +rea s off so a+ruptly. > am well now, and > trust that > shall eep so, as there is a large num+er

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of people to %isit who now nothing of our Christ, and whose homes are perfectly accessi+le at all times,with no hindrance +eing put in the way of anyone who desires to carry in with them the Word of ifeE*ours o+ediently in the Wor of the ord.&e% W Kenn T Wilcoxon

T$ MAS W> C /

N&/A = & T$ $A = * A& /2>/ AN NST 3! st !8(!.

/ot +eing in charge of a station as yet, > find the tas which resol%es upon me a most difficult one simply +ecause > cannot +e said really to ha%e entered upon my missionary wor . > will howe%er endea%our toshow that my time has not +een spent unprofita+ly and will also mention some of the things that > thin worth recounting.

!AN 23.

Arri%ed at agos after a %ery pleasant %oyage from Madeira. n the following morning the danger signalwas hoisted on the +each informing those on +oard that it was unsafe to cross the ?ar. The first canoe thatleft the ship was upset on the ?ar, fortunately +ut one life was lost. >n one hour from that time > had tothan od for ha%ing +rought me safely o%er. > met with a %ery ind welcome from the &e% A MadenLwith whom > stayed three days whilst a canoe was +eing prepared to carry me to my destination. > arri%edin A++eo uta on the ! st of =e+ruary after +eing a little more than four days on the way. n my arri%al atAg+amiyaL > found that the &e% $ Townsend has %ery indly sent me a horse, as there was eight miles totra%el on a narrow une%en path +efore arri%ing at A++eo uta.

> was indly recei%ed +y &e% = ?u ta with whom > was to stay for a time, and also other ministers. >was startled on my first night +y a low continuous drumming and +y the howling of a num+er of people.> new then that > was in the midst of heathenism, a+out midnight the noise ceased and all was silent. Thefollowing morning > was %ery anxious to now what was the cause of all the noises > had heard. > wastold that most pro+a+ly an execution had ta en place in the night. > was told that if that was the case >might easily see the heads of those that had +een executed, a few days later > did so where > had +eentold, and a more hideous sight > had ne%er +efore +eheld.There were a num+er of trees +efore the %ery distance, on which were the s ulls of malefactors, andho%ering o%er them at all times are a %ery large num+er of Tur ey +uBBards, a class of +ird which arealways to +e found in his country where%er there is any carrion. The sight > saw sic ened me and > turnedaway from the scene, on one of the trees were the heads of the two who had +een executed on the night

of my arri%al.n the !3 th =e+ruary > was seiBed with my first attac of fe%er, +ut with the +lessing of od > was a+le tolea%e my +ed in fi%e days.

!AN MARCH.

The Christians of NruaL Station +eing without a regular pastor, on instruction 0on the death of Mr Ihilips1 > was appointed to ta e their ordinary ser%ices. >t was %ery gratifying for me, a stranger to seethe deep interest in the worship of od +y these simpleminded +ut earnest +elie%ers, and deeply than fulwas > for the fer%ent trust and prayers, which in a +ody they expressed to me +efore lea%ing, that my lifewould +e spared to la+our long amongst their fellow countrymen.

S)NDA- MARCH 10


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S)NDA- A,RIL 28

SeiBed with an attac of fe%er, which wea ens me %ery much. > was howe%er 4uite restored to health infour days.

MA- 12

All the uropean agents unwell, it was with difficulty Mr Wood could get through the Morning Ser%ice. >was he only one well enough to ta e the %ening Ser%ice. Mr ?u ta is %ery ill indeed. The Wesleyanmissionary and his wife are +oth suffering from fe%er. At this time of the year the rainy seasoncommences, the sudden change from the hot dry of the dry season to one of hea%y and continual rains isimmediately felt, not only +y the uropeans +ut +y the nati%es themsel%es. *ou will easily imagine whattimes of trial these %isitations of sic ness are, we need to +e in prayer %ery much, and we also need the

prayers of Christian =riends at home.T)ESDA- MA- 1

n this day there is a silence, which is ne%er nown on any other. The sheds are deserted and so whenyou will, you are sure to meet men on their way to the Gings S4uare when meetings are held on suchdays. These meetings here of late ha%e +een con%ened in order that men might +e as ed to go to the War,and to gi%e pu+licity to the different reports and statements which ha%e +een recei%ed, respecting themo%ements of the >+edansL > ha%e wal ed a+out the town se%eral times on such days, +ut ha%e only seentwo women, one was an >suBuL woman who during the night had sought refuge in the A a compoundnowing that on the following day she dare not let herself to +e seen a+road. The other woman had +een

caught9 she had +een in the Gings S4uare where she would remain till night, when she would +e gi%en toNro, or in other words +e put to death. When Nro is said to +e out,, a woman must not only confineherself to her home, +ut must a%oid +eing seen. This rule also applies to the wi%es of the nati%e agents asto the heathen. Although the gate of the A e compound is closed, they will close their shutters and doorsand all the houses ha%e the appearance of +eing deserted, so great is the terror of the people here, notonly of Nro +ut also of the power, which the Chiefs exercise in the name of this imaginary influence0they do not call Nro a od1. This power is not only exercised +y the Chiefs, +ut also +y the maleheathen.

FRIDA- MA- 1

Went to >shagga in company with Mr &oper. There is a small town +etween A++eo uta and >shagga,called Mara. At this place we stayed a short time to ta e refreshments and to spea to the Scripture&eader, who alone is in charge of the place.?y the time we arri%ed in >shagga we were %ery much +urnt with the sun, and with a hea%y tornadosetting in directly the sudden change of temperature caused one to ha%e fe%er. > was therefore almostuna+le to do anything whilst there. A +oy, a resident of >shagga had gi%en himself to Nro, the od of thunder, the act +eing accompanied +y the theft of a fowl from the schoolmaster. This was reported to theGing and the rest of the chiefs. To the credit of the authorities, they too the matter up directly and wentto the house where the +oy li%ed and demanded the retri+ution of the fowl and threatened if the fowl wasnot gi%en to the rightful owner the parents house would +e destroyed. This threat was not to +e thoughtlightly of, as the guilty party seemed to thin for the following morning a fowl was +rought, much larger than the one that had +een stolen. > mention this case not on account of its importance, +ut +ecause it willshow how some shagga is a small townof a+out -))) inha+itants lying in the district of 2ahorneyL >n the e%ent of the Ging of Sahorney

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fulfilling his threat, %is. that he would destroy A++eo uta, he would destroy >shappa +y the way inre%enge for the part the people of >shappa too when the father of the present Ging of 2ahorney attac ed

A++eo uta and was defeated in !8"!. >shagga is there fore entirely dependant upon A++eo uta as +eingthe only place the people could flee to in the time of danger.The inference to +e drawn from this is, > +elie%e the following9 the >shaggans are entirely in the power of the A++eo utans and are careful how they treat anyone coming from the latter place, especially theuropeans who are %ery much suspected in A++eo uta.

arly on Monday morning > went to address the people in the mar et, we soon had a crowd surroundingus, who listened with much interest to the words which were +eing said unto them of our +lessed ordand Sa%iour esus Christ. >t was howe%er with great pain we afterwards found that they were far moreinterested in the present war +etween >+adanL than anything that was said to them a+out their souls. They seemed to thin and say for more a+out the war than the A++eo utans themsel%es. When we

were returning from the mar et a num+er of young men 0a+out 8)1 re4uested us to go to a compoundclose +y and repeat to them all that was said. We stayed with them almost an hour, Mr &oper spea ing tothem mostly all of the time, > +eing so wea as almost una+le to stand. ?efore lea%ing them the usual4uestion was put @ Can you tell us anything concerning the WarE. When they recei%ed an answer theyadded. @ We are trou+led %ery much a+out it and can scarcely thin of anything else, when it is o%er wewill go to Church and listen to more of the words of your odE. We were %isited +y the Gings and Chiefswho came to ma e us presents consisting of a sheep, two fowls and a +as et of guinea corn and a num+er of cola nuts. /ot one of the chiefs professes Christianity, one howe%er, there is a great deal to +e hopedof, he is the ?alopenL next in line to the ?ashmanL and Commander in Chief, he has not a single nisha

+elonging to him in his house ha%ing cast the whole of them out, and were it not for fear > +elie%e thatfrom what > ha%e heard and seen of him he would em+race Christianity strictly.

Whilst staying at >shagga we recei%ed the sad intelligence of the death of the death of the Consul of agos, we could scarcely +elie%e it, as +ut a %ery short time had elapsed since he was amongst us, andseemed to +e enn the midst of life we are in deathE > ought to ha%e said +eforeclosing the account of the %isit to >shagga that Mr inithL who had +een in charge of the station, was %erymuch en4uired of especially +y his friend the ?alopen. As we were then una+le to gi%e any account of him, much disappointment was felt, and a desire was fully expressed that he would shortly return and +eonce more in this midst.

MA- 2

Kery ill with fe%er, nor am > the only one. Messrs Ward, &oper and =oul es ha%ing the same sic ness. >

ha%e formerly had fe%er a+out once a month, +ut lately > ha%e had one e%ery wee May the ord sanctifythese trials to the good of our souls.

!)L- 1

This is a day long to +e remem+ered +y all our Christians. The first annual meeting of our +elo%edSociety +eing held, the church +eing crowded to excess, many +eing una+le to o+tain admission. Mostinteresting words +eing gi%en +y Missionaries of our Society, the Wesleyan Society and the American?aptist Society. At the close there was a collection, which amounted to a+out D-".).). The people herecannot +e told at the close of a collection how much has +een contri+uted. Though not a+o%e half wascollected in cowries it would ta e a person two days to count them.

!)L-

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Another attac of fe%er lasting four days. > pray that > may +e ept close to esus, especially during thesetrials. >t is remar a+le what a change of temper ta es place when the fe%er comes on, e%en those who are%ery calm and happy when well +ecome irrita+le the moment fe%er is felt and this often a cause of complaint much greater than e%en the fe%er itself.

!)L- 1

Iu+lic Meeting for Irayer. > had loo ed forward to this day with much interest, +ut had to +edisappointed with not +eing a+le to attend, howe%er > could lie and thin of the many prayers which weredou+tless +eing offered all o%er the world for the con%ersion of the heathen. This > scarcely need say wasa great comfort to me.!)L- 21

&ecei%ed the painful intelligence that Mr =loodL had died in agos three days +efore. $is sic ness didnot last long, he died trusting in esus. May my last end +e li e his.May the time soon come when these poor heathen shall indeed @Cast their >dols to the moles and the

+atsE when they shall form a part of the Gingdom of Christ.ANN)AL LETTER !AN)AR- 22 1862

agos W Africa.

2ear Sir >t is with feelings of than fulness to the ord for his mercies during the past year9 > +egin this myfirst annual letter. Many changes ha%e ta en place in A++eo uta within the last twel%e months, some for the +etter, others for the worse. The War which +egan towards the close of the year !8"# still continuesnor is the least expectation of its speedy termination. >t is impossi+le to estimate the int would seem that the twocontinuing parties are in%ol%ing the whole of the country into War of late. >shagga has +een in danger andif the state of things does not change there is not the least dou+t that this town 0>shagga1 will +e destroyedand not only it, +ut many more, the reason why demands explanation. ?efore the g+as +ecame as

powerful as they now are, the whole of the towns +etween A++eo uta and agos were su+g+asL and now0as is generally the case1 their su+mission is a newL ne, at present it would seem they are loo ing whicharmy will +e %ictorious, the A++eo utan or the >+adan. >shagga is one of the towns and many of the

people in that town ha%e declared themsel%es against the >g+as hence the danger in which it is placed.?ut trade is not the only thing that is hindered +y the War9 the Word of od cannot reach where it hasdone +efore, the country +eing closed in almost e%ery direction. Missionary +adan, it +eing six months now since we had the last communication withthem. Mr Ma eLhas in%estedL himself %ery much in order to send them the means to procure food, +ut all his efforts ha%e

+een useless, one man can scarcely now +e found who will ris his own life in attempting the passagefrom agos to >+adan, our friends are in the ords hands and dou+tless he will help them whene%erything else fails, truly they ha%e nothing else +ut his promises to trust to. The only two chiefs who ha%e fa%oured Christianity in this place ha%e died during the last year,their names were Sho ena and fu+onna, +oth sent children to our school where they still remain, withthe exception of those who ha%e +een put to trades. We ha%e reason to re


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> ha%e transcri+ed these as accurately as possi+le, and hope that you ha%e found them to +e as interestingas > ha%e.

A dwards nee Wilcoxon.

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journal of thomas wilcoxon, missionary in africa, born c 1839 died 1862,

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