"Ramseyer's Report of the Station in the Year 1892"

Part of this report is printed as an annex to the 1893 Annual Report pp48ff with two case studies of converts. Changes in personnel - boarding master at Abetifi B. Martinson, Sam. Kwafo to Mpraeso, D. Okyere to Nkwatia P. Tieku to Asakraka, Imm Boakye from Kpalime to Bepong, Th. Asiedu from Bepong to Larteh. Land has been bought at Aduammoa after long delays due to the chief staying 'at the coast'. Abetifi - a father with five children was lost to the station partly because of the pressures of his wife and relative, but also because he disliked having to send his children to school. He moved away to a farming village. Another had to be excluded for adultery, but had caused them much worry beforehand. As a hunter he had a period of extraordinary success - in about 2 months he shot 6 buffalo (value £4 each) and as a result got prouder and prouder, and less and less disposed to accept the rulings of the presbyters and missionaries. Since his exclusion he has been severely wounded by an attack from a buffalo - all the Christians see this as the hand of God at work. Ramseyer continues to be worried about the 12 hunters they have in the community. They stay away so long (4-6 weeks at a time). Ramseyer understands they gain money that way, but he puts before them the text about what use it is if you win the whole world. A third man was excluded, though asked vehemently not to be sent away from the station. 15 adults and 6 heathen children were baptised. He thinks the spirit on the station is very good people who used to be proud take correction and advice with thanks, and go about their work quietly. The services are well attended including morning and evening prayers. He thinks almost everyone without exception attends the Sunday services and the weekly bible study and prayer meeting. The Mission Anniversary brought in £21 including a gift of £1 from the Kwahuhene. The year has been very unhealthy. In Nkwatia three adults were baptised, and two more previously excluded re-accepted. During the year members of a family left the station (two apparently excluded, the others going with them) after a man’s heathen wife had committed adultery, and the adultery fee was paid – according to regulations - into the community funds in the keeping of the Presbyters. Eventually the man's opposition to this came to a head in an incident when his nephew struck the Nkwatia catechist (the fee was £2). Ramseyer judges that with the pressure of Bowi's tyranny removed the mission is at a stillstand. Mpraeso and Atibie - Atibie ten baptised in the course of the year. (Nathaniel Odame from Atibie is the oldest Christian in Kwahu). They have bought new land in Mpraeso 150 yards from the old, since the Mpraeso Christians complained that the old land was not suitable for'a mission village. But only two have moved onto the new land. During theyear after strife between the Mpraeso chief and an underchief a new Mpraeso was built for part of the people, the other side of the mission land. Bepong - little information except considerable praise for Imm. Boakyea whom Ramseyer describes as 'well known'. More land was bought during the year. Obo - 6 adults and 4 heathen children baptised - two of the adults have moved onto mission land. Asakraka - out of a group of catechumens two lapsed after one of them had died of a stroke. James Boamma had wanted to give a present to the Abetifihene when he was posted to Bompata. His idea was a bottle of beer which Ramseyer forbade on the grounds that it was against the regulations, to give drink to a chief, and in any case, it did not come well from him who given drink up. He advised him to give him a light instead. Boamma had received his training from Perregaux, he was not very literate, and the chief was curious to know how he could work as an evangelist and be illiterate.

16.03.1893

16.03.1893

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