"Ramseyer to Basel"

The letter to the Basel Conmittee is an appeal to be allowed to visit Kumasi with the end in view of establishing a Basel station there. His reason for writing at that moment seems to be alarm at the prospect of a Catholic station being set up. Bonnat told him that when he had approached the Holy Ghost fathers they had told him that they could not contemplate a Kumasi mission, at that time, but perhaps again in 2-3 years when Bonnat himself was in the country they might, and that was 3 years ago. He feels that his period of captivity was a call to him personally to work in Kumasi, and gives the Basel Mission the best right of any society to work there. Equally once let, the Roman Catholic mission get established and it will become much more difficult for the Basel Mission to get started. He also thinks he could act as peacemaker between Asante and Kwahu. Several Kwahus have approached him in this connection. His wife agrees that they should accept the parting for at most 3-4 weeks, especially as the journey can now be undertaken with no risk at all. He also seems to have a consciousness that financial difficulties are worrying the Basel Committee, saying that one storey swish built house with four rooms would be adequate as a start, and that an actual station in Kumasi would be good from the aspect of getting collections in the supporting churches.

28.08.1878

28.08.1878

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