"Ramseyer's Yearly Report for 1881"

Station Census: Missionaries: Ramseyers & Dilger. Catechist: Ph. Kwabi until July, then he was in Mpraeso Teachers: Emm. Dako (married), and since July Johannes Koranteng (unmarried). Reporting on the progress of the Christian community (it is not clear whether this is all Kwahu or just Abetifi). Ramseyer raports 6 baptisms - 3 of adults and 3 of children. Equally there have been 3 exclusions, only one of them, James Boaman, has shown penitence and continued to associate with the Christians. Indeed he has come to live on the mission station. There is every hope that he will be re-admitted in course of the next year. The Ramseyer's ex-maid, Salome, was one of the exclusions. All were excluded for 'sins of the flesh'. One man was re-admitted – Thomas Entiamoa – after 18 months of exclusion. Judging by the information here the re-admission process involved interviews about the penitence of the person involved, a period under observation to see what his or her behaviours was now like, and in the case of someone who had publicly attacked the Christians as Entiamoa had done, a public statement of penitence. Kwabi in Mpraeso has been vainly concerned with the building of his house so far, and thus hindered from travelling which will be his main responsibility. However he holds regular morning and evening prayers in Mpraeso, and on Sundays has been preaching in Obomeng, Mpraeso and Aibie. Several youths have gathered themselves around him, however, as catechumens. Ramseyer doubts their motivations until they (the mission staff) have had more time to see how they get on, but one has just brought Ramseyer his collected house fetishes, and destroyed them in his presence. He has reported separately on his journey to Kumasi in September, but his main impressions were that Asante is far weaker than before, and cannot seriously contemplate war; and equally that Kwahu has nothing to fear from Asante, which is a great comfort to the missionaries. The year has been significant for the development of the pre-existing (his phrases imply for several years) contacts with Asante-Akim. After his journey there and Dilger’s, they regard these 2 towns as coming und Abetifi's missionary area - it will be regularly visited, and they hope to send a teacher to live there, as the people have been asking. In Kwahu they have been busy with preaching journeys, and usually have a large and attentive audience. In Abetifi itself they have been house-to-house visiting, and there are individuals who have been touched by what has been said - and Ramseyer says he knows which they are. In Abetifi itself they are troubled by the fact that they no longer have a catechist. The two teachers regularly go out on preaching journeys to the north-east, but they have not altogether the right gifts. Dako is conscientious and zealous, but he lacks character and warm-heartedness for preaching. Koranteng although a lovable man must always be guided in his work. In the Abtifi they are especially happy with the development of the Elder, who has also taken on the position of evangelist. His work as evangelist is sporadic, since he has to do his farm work to support himself, but he has often accompanied Ramseyer (he went with him to Kumasi) and Ramseyer is always very pleased to hear his warm-hearted preaching and arguments drawn from his own experience. They have also been overjoyed by the way that for 2 weeks the Christians and catechumens of Abetifi have voluntarily and without pay been working on the building of the catechist's house at Mpraeso.

02.02.1882

02.02.1882

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