"Report for the First Quarter 1886 on Boso"

On the receipt of presents for the Boso church from Europe the Boso chief said that they would have to treat the Christians in a friendly way - partly because they were known in Europe. Asante reports that the chief and elders have once more turned back to hostility, however. Asante claims that the reasons for this are two. Firstly the treatment of wives in the Christian village is so much better than it is in the heathen village, that wives are divorcing their husbands to become Christians (he cites one case of this happening at the beginning of February with the help of the wife's brother). Secondly the chief’s second son was on the point of becoming a catechumen - he had prepared for this several years ago by sending away two of his three wives - and with him were likely to come a number of other men. This would have started a mass conversion. As a result chief and elders decided that (1) In future no woman might become a catechumen without either her husband or her parents. If a woman did become a catechumen nevertheless she must repay to her husband 100%, and not as was customary 50% of the money he gave her at marriage. (2) From then on no man was to become a Christian whoever did become a Christian was to be treated as an outlaw. If this still did not deter him his relatives must hand him over to the chief for a fine of 150 marks as a delinquent. Upon the teacher and elders of the community remonstrating with the chief and eldere of the village, the second rule was withdrawn and another substituted. The Christians might not evangelise in the houses, but only in the streets. The chief's son has joined the community but has been deprived of his land, and there are threats that he will be 'taken away’ from a service. They are afraid that he will be 'taken away' from his baptismal service.

07.04.1886

07.04.1886

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