"Annual Report for 1870 (Lodholz' Handwriting)"

In the course of the year Missionary Haas had joined the station. There were 34 members of the community at the end of 1870 (there had been 37 the previous year), 17 communicants (21 before), and 6 catechumens. There were 15 pupils in the boarding school, and 5 day-pupils. In Kukurantumi the number in the community had increased from 11 to 13, 5 of them communicants. Certain minor adjustments had been made to the boundaries of the mission lands and longstanding quarrels had thus been ended. A special building for the Boarding School was being put up, but this was hindered by the fact that the Okyenhene's opposition to the missionaries had recently been expressed in a law charging them 32 dollars for every tree they cut down – and since one tree often only yields 1000 shingles, this is a serious hindrance. It appears there was a missionary presence in Begoro for quite a long time. Lodholz travelled there in June (his other major journey was to Akanteng in West Akim) Kwabi was there for most of the time from January to August. In the community, besides the absolute decrease in numbers there were 6 members excluded from the Communion service. 2 were excluded from the community on account of misdeeds, one man moved away and is now attending the Wesleyan church in Anomabu. 2 boys from the Kibi school entered Middle School in Akropong. There were 6 baptisms, but none of adults. Morning and evening prayers were attended only without enthusiasm by a number of members. The 2 excluded from the community were a youth and girl who had committed adultery, the girl being one of those under Mrs Kromer - from the same group two girls left being unwilling to live under regular discipline, and are among the numbers of those excluded from communicating. The community is weakened by the fact that there is no regular source, of income for the members - it would be better if there were, for example, a locksmith's centre where they could be employed. Kukurantumi - the land case is still unsettled, and likely to remain so since the man who originally sold the land to the Akwapims is now dead. The congregation, and the town, are anxious about having their catechist removed - Lodholz thinks, however, it is too late for them to repine, now important developments in the community have occurred in the year. Two schoolboys, one of whom had given up the Kibi school, the other having been expelled from Akropong and refused the place of carpenters' apprentice which Missionary Bellon found for him, had returned to Kukurantumi but were very weak in their adherence. One of the two people excluded in the previous year had returned, having both confessed the sin of marrying a heathen, and having given the marriage up. The other showed no signs of applying for re-acceptance. The pupils in the Boarding School had declined from c25 to 13-15, partly due to the natural process of pupils reaching the end of their course, partly because a few had it left of their own free will, partly because in Kibi the chief and elders had not fulfilled a promise to send more boys, while beyond Kibi the town was thought of as a hungry community. One explanation for the small number of the increase in Kibi is the fact that there is an agreement among the chief and elders that should a slave or pawn announce himself for baptism, he should be sold away from Kibi. This accounts for the fact that an old man from Piedu’s household, though had been a close friend of Abraham Boama, though he applied for baptismal instruction, has not completed it. Towns in Akim visited by preachers in the year - Apapam, Date-Ntem, Apedya, Tete, Asiakwa, Tafo, Siim, Annyinasen, Mase. In Tafo Kwabi writes that the fetish has prohibited his preaching there any more on the grounds that if this is not done the snails will not return. In conclusion he characterises their work as the seed-time in Akim, whose fruits will be shown in future generations. The elders of Akim show indifference or downright hostility to mission work at the moment.

03.01.1871

03.01.1871

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