"Mohr to Basel"

The letter is marked private. Being called to the coast on 27th April, he had considered it necessary to take his wife to Aburi although her confinement was due on 9th May, but they had got to Aburi in 3 days, without any rain, and with no carrier slipping in the mod to cause an upset. In the Police—Court process in Accra the mission is represented by Mr Bannerman, and the Okyhenhene's side by Mr Moss. Most of the letter is taken up with protest against a letter written by the departed Governor. Points made: 1. He has never been in conflict before in his l2 years of service with the mission in Akim. As missionary in Begoro he had seen everything from a distance and had nothing to do with earlier difficulties with Ata. The difficulties with Ata in December 1886 were only his second time of having dealings with him. In May 1886, the first occasion for having dealings with him, he had invited Mohr to eat with him, and sent him food for 10 days. He had asked him to measure his stone house, and to make plans and proposals as to its extension. Everyone knew Mohr was his 'friend' — in his many letters to him Ata had called him "M'adamfo pa“. 2. When Ata lay dying, he is said to have asked to be baptised. He confessed his sins and asked this urgently, his sister Ohyerewa refused (at first) and then offered to find a Wesleyan, but he asked for a 'German' missionary because he knew them,- and knew too that their services were the right ones. They knew how to put him off, however, and he died before his wish mas acted on. Mohr thinks this must be true - if it were not then the heathen would not any tell this story - an important Akim man who is now a catechumen also told Mohr the same tale. 3. Mohr also protests that he never accused Ata, only asked for protection. The legal relationship was that Ata was the accuser of Bosompem. It was the Governor who called Ata to Accra, and the Governor who would not begin proceedings till M. was in Accra. The Governor asserts that the heathen accuse Mohr of being responsible for Ata's death, but no-one knows who has said this and when. 4. Mohr points out that no Christian has levelled charge against Ata since his return from prison. Boakye's charges were made against the Asuum people. Charges against Ata have been made by heathens — Mohr cites one of an Abomoso man who swore the king's oath was then imprisoned, fined, and an attempt made to force him to drink the blood of three sheep in one sitting who appealed to Government. Comparing his case with Asante's Mohr points out that there had been many points of conflict between Ata fin and Asante. He particularly protests against the idea of being transferred to Anum, and faced with still more building - it is only a year since Dr. Fisch despaired of his recovery from yellow fever,- and in any case he badly wants a chance to devote himself to study and preaching. Mohr's recipe for a settlement is Government backing in restoring the Kibi, Apapam, Tete and Apedwa communities to their former places, and when that has happened he feels sure that no-one except a few people in Ata's immediate family will hold anything against him.

02.05.1887

02.05.1887

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