"Dilger to Basel"

Much of this report is printed as appendix to the 1885 Annual Report Jahresbericht (pp65f part 1). In a subscript to the Manuscript Ramseyer reports that this is the same old Abraham in Mpraeso about whom he has written: he feels sure that he is lame because of a stroke. Additional material which appears in the manuscripts: The old man's parents though Akwapims had moved to Mpraeso before he was born. Amankwa's successor was Bowi and he was only taken into the service of Adow of Abetifi after the latter had consulted with Bowi. The old man's day-name was Kwasi. Dilger remarks that Kwabi is outstanding in his knowledge of thousands of proverbs and pointed phrases which are the common usage in Twi, and he knows how to use them in explanation and argument. It was in this way that he managed to convey to the old man the Christian message. Abraham was the name usually given to the oldest or first catechumen in a place. Dilger remarks that the love of the world won away from the church the people baptised before him in Mpraeso. So he really is the foundation of the Mpraeso church. Dilger dares to think it is a good foundation and says they can point him out to the candidates and say that his example of faith and the life of faith is a good one. As to his inner life Dilger cannot say, since the old man really has no opportunity to lay it open, but every time Dilger goes to Mpraeso, he says, he finds his face more beautiful, more clear, and more striking. Dilger took a difficult palaver to him, and he sorted it out easily (there were questions of truthfulness and untruthfulness of statements involved).

21.04.1884

21.04.1884

Text