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CANON BECKETT
AT
MODDERPOORT
1867 - 1902
by
Andrew H. Colley

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Published by Andrew Colley
P.O. Box 54 Ficksburg 9730
Copyright ¢ by Andrew H. Colley
ISBN 0 978 - 0 - 620 - 41352 - 7
Printed by 4 Images
(012) 349 1113

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CONTENTS

Preface
Chapter 1 The Brotherhood begins
Chapter 2 1867 and the farms
Chapter 3 1869 and Modderpoort
Chapter 4 1870 and Bishop Webb
Chapter 5 1872 Bishop Webb re-organises
Chapter 6 1873 - onwards
Chapter 7 1878 Father James Douglas
Chapter 8 1891 Bishop Hicks
          1894 Death of Father Douglas
Index

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PREFACE

While carrying out research for a history of All Saints’ Parish, Ficksburg, I came across the Journal or Diary of Canon Beckett in the Diocesan Archives at the Cathedral and, as it was not possible to borrow the book, I made a transcript with Bishop Tom’s permission, not really knowing at that time what I should need for the All Saints’ history.

As it happened, I had been given some other books and papers by the Very Reverend Aidan Cross who was retiring as Dean of bloemfontein, and amongst them were some papers relating to Canon Beckett. This started me on a search which proved fairly fruitful, thanks to the hoarding instincts of the parents and grandparents of various people in the Eastern Free State. Added to this there were the letters of Canon Beckett which were originally published in the Bloemfontein Quarterly. The result, therefore, is this book, which I trust will prove interesting to some and of historic value to others.

I started putting the book together some 15 years ago, but, as itis said, just when you think you have planned your life, God decides what you should do. Now, in 2008, having retired for about the fourth time, I came across my files and decided to do something with them.

The book is really only about the beginnings of Modderpoort and does not cover the details of the ministry carried out, or to 
whom. I have only glossed over those aspects. Hopefully someone else will delve into that, which I think could be an interesting field of study.

My thanks go to all those who helped me in my search, especially Bishop Tom, who encouraged me in the idea when I first suggested it. Also my daughter, Wendy, who tried to keep my English in check, and to the Reverend Graham Elliott, who organised the printing for me. Any errors still belong to me.
Andrew Colley

Chapter 1. The Brotherhood begins

In 1867 a 51 year old priest, by the name of Henry Frederick Beckett, wrote in his Journal:

“1867 May 30. Sailed from England in S.S. “United Service”, Captain James Wilson, accompanied by William Crisp, John E. Williams, William Lacon, H.G. Odell, William Terry and Richard M. Brown, with the purpose of forming a brotherhood of the Order of St. Augustine of Hippo, in the Missionary Diocese of the Orange Free State.
Reached Cape Town, after a very favourable voyage, on Sunday July 7. Landed at 1 p.m. and called on Mr. Lightfoot, who took me to preach to his native congregation at 4 p.m.; then went to tea with the Dean; preached again at Evensong in the Cathedral, and returned on board.
The Dean invited Archdeacon Thomas and Mr. Belson to meet me at dinner on Monday: and on Tuesday morning I and Crisp went to Rondebosch to Archdeacon Thomas’, who showed us his Mission Chapel, and the College (where we saw Mr. Ogilvie, the Head Master (Principal). We returned on board at 3 p.m. and sailed for Port Elizabeth shortly after. Brown had gone to the College at Rondebosch on Monday, and stayed the night: on Tuesday he joined us at Archdeacon Thomas’."

The events leading up to this embarkation arose from Bishop Twells’ arrival in Bloemfontein in 1863 as the first Bishop of the Free State in South Africa, and his subsequent journeys round his diocese. An Association of Friends of the Orange Free State and Basuto Mission had been established in England and in a letter written to them in 1864 to them he wrote, “If we are to enlarge our mission efforts in the Free State, if we are to establish a Mission station in Basuto Land, if we are to listen to the cry from the Transvaal, .... we need more Mission Priests and larger Mission Funds.” After visiting Winburg, Cronstadt (sic), Bethelehem and Harrismith he felt the only hope of supplying these places with regular ministrations was by appointing a missionary clergyman to itinerate among the four. Further “dismayed at the greatness of the work before him, and distressed at the unwillingness of clergy from England to come out to help him” (Crisp, 1895), he then thought of establishing a Missionary Brotherhood to help him. He therefore published a letter in England which was answered by the Rev. H. F. Beckett, M.A., Canon of Cumbrae, and assistant curate to Mr. Paget, at Elford.

Records show that Henry Frederick Beckett was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, on the 29" October 1816., the son of Samuel Beckett, a butcher of Leeds, and Mary (nee Snowdon) who was originally from Calverley, the first ancient parish west of the parish of Leeds.

In the marriage register both Samuel and Mary signed their own names, so could both write, although in the entry Samuel signed his name as Beckitt. Samuel and Mary apparently had at least two other children, Eliza and George Alfred, both younger than Henry. Henry continued to use the Beckitt spelling throughout his education until about 1840, when he changed the spelling to Beckett, as he had found his name spelled in that way in the baptism register when he was baptised on 25 December 1816. Henry was confirmed by the Archbishop of York in 1835.

Henry was recommended for entrance to St. Catherine Hall at Cambridge by Thomas Allbutt of Dewsbury in July, 1836 where he was certified to proceed to the degree of B.A. in January 1840. He took the degree of M.A. in 1844. (Ref. Cam.) 

Of interest in view of his later offering of himself to go to South Africa, he expresses a preference for an agricultural district in a letter dated May 11" 1840 in which he enquires about a possible curacy.

Henry was made deacon by the Bishop of Ripon in 1840, and ordained priest by the Archbishop of York, Vernon Harcourt, in 1841. He was curate of Rawmarsh, Yorkshire from 1841 to 1843, of Farnley Tyas, Yorkshire, from 1845 to 1848, and of St. Saviour’s, Leeds from 1848 to 1851 where he was made senior curate at the instigation of the Vicar, the Reverend T. Minster, whose curate he had been at Farnley Tyas. (We noted above that in 1844 he was taking his M.A.)

During the early part of the 19" Century there was great turmoil in the Church in England. After the Reform Act of 1832 people started thinking in terms of ‘abuses’ and ‘reforms’. At Oxford four young men, John Keble, Richard Hurrell Froude, Edward Bouverie Pusey, and John Henry Newman, played a leading part in the movement for church reform. Although their ideas changed somewhat over time, especially those of Newman, they were nevertheless responsible for what was known as the “Oxford Movement”. Thus there were the Tractarians, Evangelicals, the secularists, High Church, Low Church, Broad Church and those with liberal thought, all causing clergy, as well as laymen, to rethink their “Churchmanship”. Remember, too, that the Church of England is the “Established Church” and therefore very much under the English Parliament, whose members sometimes included men with atheistic convictions.

In 1845, St. Saviour’s Church, Leeds, was built by Pusey at his own expense and immediately started new and suspicious practices. Administered by clergy who lived along monastic lines, services that included a daily Mass, Confession and other “Roman” practices. At that time even lighted candles on the altar and the wearing of a surplice was frowned upon in the Anglican Church. The Bishop of Ripon described the parish as “a plague-spot in my diocese”. Of the first fifteen clergy to serve the church, nine went over to Rome by 1851. Even Pusey was fearful. (Moorman, 1954)

On 2 December 1850 the Bishop summoned the clergy to answer charges with respect to the doctrines and practices customary at this church. Beckett and his fellow curate were inhibited by the Bishop in January, 1851, but Beckett's inhibition was later quashed.

Inhibition was an Episcopal order suspending from the performance of his office an incumbent whose conduct made such action advisable. ( Livingstone 1977) 

In 1852 Beckett was installed as Canon of Cumbrae Collegiate Church in the Diocese of Argyll, and became a Curate of Elford, Staffordshire, from 1854 to 1866.

When Beckett first heard of Bishop Twells’ journey to South Africa, he had thought to join him in his ministry there, but owing to the fading health of his father had felt unable to do so. Then, after reading Bishop Twells’ appeal to the clergy in England, Beckett wrote to Twells expressing his desire to go to South Africa now that he was now free to do so, his father having died shortly before.

From Bishop Twells’ reply of 4 June 1866, it would seem that Beckett was in some trepidation owing to the fact that he was no longer a young man and also that he suffered from some “neuralgic affections”. Bishop Twells, in turn, sympathised with these thoughts but replied that although Beckett might not be able to do the work he might have done when twenty years younger, he felt that, with care, those factors should not play a great part. He wrote -

“For the Head of the Brotherhood we need one who has had of souls — one who can command the respect and regard of young men and incite in them high desires — one who understands the true spirit of the common religious life and can impart that tone to those he gathers around him. ........ "

In the same letter he stated, “So, my dear friend and brother, I do think you fitted for the work, and I ask you at once to make up your mind to take the position of Head of the proposed Brotherhood”. Bishop Twells also insisted that, should he come, he was to retain his title of Canon “(of our little Cathedral which is nearly finished)”.

Beckett obviously accepted the arguments to come to the Free State and the next letter we have from Bishop Twells is one to Beckett “and the Brethren of St. Augustine united with him in religious Society”. In this he looks forward to the work they will do and sets out some thoughts on their discipline in the religious life and service in the Diocese.

Canon Beckett also wrote a paper in which he set out guidelines for those proposing to offer themselves as probationers for the new Missionary Brotherhood.

Although he was quite clear that the Brotherhood’s task was to be Mission in the Diocese of the Orange Free State, he was also very definite in that it was to be a Brotherhood, a Society of those detaching themselves from all earthly things: “to poverty, humility and obedience”.

“The chief external work of the Society being the promotion of God's glory in the conversion of the heathen,” .... “to be ready to go to any work to which the Bishop of the Diocese, with the consent of the Superior, may designate him:” , but also “ It is a call to self denial, hardships and strict discipline; to humility, simplicity, and detachments from the world”.

The paper was given to would-be Probationers, along with a copy of the Statutes as they had been drawn up at that time. This combination of religious order and missionary work, in the difficult times to be experienced in the developing Free state, was to prove too difficult for some, although the same factors had always existed in the difficult task of Missionary Orders in the past, and makes one realize that in those far-off days of evangelism among the Goths and other “heathen”, we only hear of what happened in the conversions, not of those who fell by the wayside.

There is also that dichotomy of building the Brotherhood or Society, and going wherever the Bishop may designate, which was to cause problems for Beckett with Bishops who followed Twells.


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BISHOP E. TWELLS
First Bishop of the Diocese of the Orange Free State

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Chapter 2. 1867 and The Farms

Meanwhile Bishop Twells had been making great efforts to find a place where the new Brotherhood could establish themselves. He had hoped to find a farm near to Bloemfontein but eventually “in despair of finding a suitable farm for agriculture, at any price, near Bloemfontein, have purchased two adjoining lately sold by Government ... and according to Government regulations had at once to make arrangements for occupying them”. A burger by the name of Green had been granted the farms as he had fought in the Basuto wars, but did not want to farm. The farms were therefore sold to the Brotherhood, through the Bishop.

“I buy them on my own responsibility, and it will be for you to judge whether you will accept one (or both) for yourself and the Augustine Brothers.” (letter to Becket February, 1867.)

In his letter the Bishop stated that Modderpoort Farm was about 1200 morgen and Modderpoort Spruit Farm about 1600 morgen.

According to a letter from George Horne dated 25 October, 1869, the cost of Modderpoort Farm was 250 pounds, and Modderpoort Spruit Farm cost 315 pounds. Transfer dues were 22 pounds and 12 shillings.

In a Statement from the General Treasurer of the Bloemfontein Mission, published in the Quarterly Papers of February, 1868, is recorded that, before he left, Canon Beckett collected 2 100 pounds, of which 1 600 pounds had been spent establishing the Brotherhood and sending out the Brothers to Bloemfontein.

Bishop Twells and his party arrived by cart, with an accompanying ox-wagon, on 31st January 1867. With him were two young men who were to “occupy” for him. A Mr.E. Wickens, his ex-sacristan and a lay candidate for the Brotherhood, and a H.0O'Reilly whom the Bishop refers to as a young Africander farmer. Remember, at that time anyone who had been born in South Africa was known as an Africander.

Also in the party were two masons, who were to put up a house of two rooms; also eight oxen, three horses, ten fowls, and two little pigs, “all reposing on the hill-side at hand.”

The men marked out the site of the house, and after digging the foundation, laid the foundation stone at the corner. Beckett wrote that the building was out of the way of the site for the Priory, “behind it and can be used afterwards as outhouses.” At this time Bishop Twells was already thinking of the establishment of a Mission College on the site and in his letter he suggested that Canon Becket should get a plan “from D. Male or Butterfield.” — even if it could never be carried out. Mr. Dudley Male was the architect who drew up the plans for Bloemfontein Cathedral for Bishop Twells.

A description of the site was given in the letter which refers to rocks to the westward, “a quaint tall koppie, on the top of which I would like to put a cross, if it can be reached — this divides my two farms.” “A valley where the drainage runs, and the opposite rise — backed by distant view of the Drakensberg”. The proposed buildings were to be between the koppie and the valley.

Canon Becket obviously followed up, on the suggestion for a plan, because a Dudley Male wrote to him on 20 May 1867 with a suggested plan. Copies of the drawings may be in the archives somewhere although so much at Modderpoort has since been destroyed. However, in his letter Mr. Male mentions various aspects to be considered. Mr.Male was a well-known architect in Church circles and ended his letter by saying that he had instructions to prepare a seating plan for Northfields church and was required to complete a set of working drawings for a church in the Bahamas. He was also well acquainted with church law as at one point he suggests licensing the chapel and not consecrating it, so as to allow for it to be altered when greater accommodation was required.

Canon Beckett, on receiving the drawings, wrote back, “pray thank Mr. Male for his beautiful plans, and tell him, we will preserve them carefully in our museum, as we must content ourselves with something far more humble, and commit the erection to our successors.” From his descriptions it does not seem as if his drawings were ever used to any great extent as the descriptions do not seem to fit any of the buildings still in existence at Modderpoort. He describes a red burnt brick building with a large room over the Common Hall. Some of the description may fit the existing Dining Hall, - an architect might better be able to decide.

So it was that in 1867 Bishop Twells, on reaching Port Elizabeth in Algoa Bay on his way to England to the first Pan-Anglican Conference, learnt that a group of workers for his Diocese had landed at Cape Town. 

The Bishop was on his way from Natal, aboard the “Dane”, to attend the Synod which had been called, and, after landing, celebrated Holy Communion in St. Mary’s church as a thanksgiving for the safe arrival of his own party and that of Canon Beckett. Some discussions were held and then at 5p.m. the Bishop sailed for Cape Town. 

The usual route for new arrivals in South Africa to take when proceeding into the interior, was to continue by ship to Port Elizabeth, then proceed overland to Grahamstown, up to Cradock, and then either towards Aliwal North ( as Bishop Twells did when he arrived in South Africa), or Colesburg, as Beckett did. Beckett then went on through Philippolis because they were part of a wagon train belonging to a Mr. Biddulph, that had cargo bound for Philippolis. From there — on to Bloemfontein, arriving on Friday September 6".

On arrival the Canon found a letter from Bishop Twells, sent from St. Helena, in which he urged Canon Beckett to proceed at once to Modderpoort if possible, otherwise to make temporary plans either near Philippolis or at a farm three hours from Bloemfontein. Bishop Twells also stated in his letter that the Canon should see about the proper transfer of the Modderpoort farm. If conveyed to the Bishop of the Diocese and successors, it must be in trust for the Society Mission Brotherhood.

In Bloemfontein the party was joined by Frederick Cheese who had preceded them in January in order to avoid the cold of early spring in England. Unfortunately the heat of the tropics had affected him as much as the cold of England might have done, and he had stayed in Cape Town for several weeks before proceeding to Bloemfontein.

It should be noted that Canon Beckett was said to have arrived with six companions but, after a brief mention in his journal of Brown in Port Elizabeth, Brown is not mentioned again in the journal. However, in the QUARTERLY PAPER OF THE ORANGE FREE STATE MISSION dated MAY, 1868, Canon Beckett writes “One, from whose professions of devotedness, as well as from his previous history, great  expectation of future usefulness in Mission work had been excited, after giving cause for grave reproof, deserted the company soon after leaving Port Elizabeth.” It would seem that this was Brown, one of three Oxford undergraduates who had decided to join the venture after taking their degrees. The other two undergraduates were Lacon and Odell.

On Tuesday, August 10", William Crisp, Frederick Cheese, and John E. Williams were admitted probationers of the Brotherhood of St. Augustine of Hippo. Cheese had had a medical education and had spent a while at St. John’s, Cowley, before leaving for South Africa.

The Reverend D.G. Croghan had been licensed as the first Priest-Vicar of the Cathedral and Bishop Twells had left instructions with him for Beckett's installation, on the Bishop's nomination, as first Canon of the Cathedral of St. Andrew and St. Michael, Bloemfontein. This was done during morning service on Sunday 8", the Canon elect being conducted to his stall by the Priest-Vicar, the Deacon, and Churchwardens. After re-entering the choir a psalm was sung and then the Bishop’s Chaplain (Croghan) placed Canon Beckett in his stall. The Canonical Oath was then administered and the Reverend Croghan admitted Beckett as Canon of the Cathedral.

Following this part of the ceremony the tentative Statutes and Rules of the Brotherhood were read out and each Brother in turn made the necessary declaration of obedience to the Bishop, the Canon Superior of the religious society, and the Rules and Statutes of the society.

For interest, the provisional rules were as follows:

        +

The following are the Rules proposed to be observed for the present.

To secure an hour in the morning, when possible, for prayer and devotional reading either public or private This was afterward arranged thus. Rise at 6, at 6.30 say Lauds: after which private prayer and meditation till 7.15: then Prime, after which the brethren see to the preparing of breakfast and such other household arrangements as the Superior may direct. At 8 a.m. breakfast shall be served, during which some book approved by the Superior shall be read; and immediately after, Terce shall be said. From Terce to Sext the brethren shall employ themselves in such manual labours as instructed by the Superior. At 12 o'clock Sext shall be said, after which a Refection shall be served of tea or coffee with bread; and the brethren shall engage in some fixed study as directed by the Superior till 2.30. Nones shall be said at 3 p.m.; the preceding quarter of an hour being spent in private prayer or meditation.

Immediately after Nones, dinner shall be served, and then shall follow recreation till 4.30; at which time manual labour or study shall be resumed, as the Superior shall direct. At 6 p.m. shall be said Vespers, after which supper shall be served: and the interval from supper to 8.30 shall be employed in such manner as each brother, with the consent of the Superior, may desire. At 8.30 all resort to the Chapel, and devote 15 minutes to private prayer or meditation, after which Compline shall be said. Compline ended, all shall retire to the Dormitory, the Superior giving them the Benediction, “Dominus vobiscum”, to which each shall respond “et cum spiritu tuo”.

The Brethren shall wear their habits at all the Hours: the bell being rung 5 minutes before each Office, to allow time for putting them on, and for washing the hands etc. 

Strict silence shall be observed in the morning till after Terce: and in the evening after 8.30. Also no mere conversation, or unnecessary talking shall be indulged during the hours of study. 

Some book, approved or directed by the Superior, shall be read at breakfast and dinner. 

On each Saturday the Chapter shall be held in place of the ordinary study, for confession of breaches of the Rule, and other matters concerning the well ordering of the Society. 

The Friday in each Ember Season shall be spent in Retreat.

        +

Terry, Lacon, and Odell would not to bind themselves by the above rules, and caused many problems for the community. Efforts were made to persuade them to adopt the kind of life required in the community for which they had offered themselves and some success was made with Terry. Lacon and Odell, however, were adamant and left in January 1869. Odell returned to England in April of that year, but Lacon was not heard from for some time. It is interesting that the three Oxford men Lacon, and Odell, with Brown, seemed to think that going on Mission would be a “good lark”, without realizing that it required commitment.

Although the farms at Modderpoort were on territory allegedly ceded by Moshoeshoe, there was continual strife in the area which eventually lead to outright war. The “war” consisted mainly of skirmishes and cattle claims by both Basotho and Boer who controlled the Free State, and it was felt that the Brothers should not take up residence on their farms until the disputes could be settled. In fact the Free State army was for some time encamped on the farms. A farm at Springfield, about 15 km from Bloemfontein, was therefore hired as a temporary residence. The aim was to keep the group together and also to grow produce which would help pay the rent. In many respects these aims were not met. As noted, three of the party disputed with the Canon and two left while at Springfield. Drought and locusts ,as well as the failure of fresh water springs, affected their attempts to produce good crops.

It would seem that a Mr. Francis Orpen had been asked to find a farm suitable for the Church. Francis Orpen was the son of Dr. Charles Orpen, a physician from Dublin who had been ordained and put in charge of Colesburg. The Canon had met Mr. Orpen in Grahamstown at Archdeacon Merriman’s house, on his way up from Port Elizabeth. That worthy had endeavored to persuade Canon Beckett to to be involved in a scheme for an English Colony in Waterboer’s country, to be called Albania. The Canon could make no plans with him but suggested a site should be reserved for a church, school and parsonage. Certainly, from the Canon’s journal, the Canon had no intention of going there himself. He states in his Journal, “I trust the Bishop of the Free State will be able to put someone there from the first”. Perhaps this had occasioned the search for a farm by Francis Orpen. Francis Orpen and his brother were both surveyors and Francis was working in the western Free State in 1867, and was thus an ideal person to investigate property for the Brotherhood. The request may have arisen because of the difficulties with settling on the Modderpoort farms. On the other hand Merriman and Orpen may not have been aware of the Modderpoort purchase. However it came about, Mr Orpen and Archdeacon Merriman were in correspondence during November 1867 regarding a possible farm on the Vaal in the Douglas area. A farm was identified but no decision was taken, as both the Archdeacon and Mr. Orpen felt that Bishop Twells and Canon Beckett should view the site before anything was decided. There seems to have been some lack of communication between the parties concerned, because by this time Modderpoort had been purchased and the farm at Springfontein hired as a temporary stop-gap.

In 1867, before leaving for Natal and, subsequently, England, Bishop Twells wrote a couple of papers on “Native Mission Work”. Whether these may be taken as typical of the Anglican ideas about mission work at the time, or merely Bishop Twells’ own thoughts on the matter, they still make for interesting reading. They seem to have been written as though they were papers set for instructing the clergy who would be carrying out mission work in the Diocese, as the one paper starts by setting questions, and then going on to answer them.

However, there are other aspects to the papers as well. From what we are able to glean about Canon Beckett, it would seem that he was possibly of a “High Church” persuasion. Furthermore, Archdeacon Crisp, in his account of the Diocese, referring to Canon Beckett's arrival, states that, “The Bishop, as a young man, had been much in his society”, which should be taken to mean that they were friends at school or college, and nothing more. This could imply that the Bishop was also from a “High Church” background. Bishop Twells, in his missionary papers, emphasizes the need for moving gradually in instruction, discusses the possibility that the natives may have received previous instruction, but may have heard “Gospel Truth in an heretical form”. Which particular missionaries he had in mind can only be guessed at.

In his instruction as to the subjects to be taught he includes the Lord's Prayer, Commandments, Creed, and also the Hail Mary. Elsewhere, however, he states,”’I think pictures are useful in instructing but one ought to carefully keep them from paying respect to Mary”. Later he says he would restrict the use of images to the Crucifixion.

Bishop Twells returned to Bloemfontein from England in April, 1868 and on April 15 confirmed the nomination of the Canon as well as the acceptance of Crisp and Williams. The last named were thereafter called Brothers William and John. Mr. Cheese did not have his probation confirmed as it was felt that a further three months was necessary for him to be sufficiently “settled”. However he was to be called Brother Frederick.

Canon Beckett remained at Bishop's Lodge from February till April 16 when he left for Springfield, going on to Thaba ‘Nchu for the following Sunday. Brother William, who had been at the Mission at Thaba ‘Nchu for eight weeks, returned with Canon Becket to Springfield and then went to Bloemfontein to take Mr. Mitchell's place, who in turn went to Thaba ‘Nchu.

Brothers John and Frederick were kept in Bloemfontein by the Bishop until the 22 April as he wished to get to know them as well as examine them.

Four ordination candidates joined the Canon and his party on April 24, and, although they were not prepared at this time to commit themselves to the brotherhood, agreed to abide by any rules the Superior and brethren laid down, and so were received as Missionary Students. The men were Charles Spencer, Eustace Bubb, William Siddall, and Horace Walker. Two other brethren were absent at this time. Frederick Laxton had fallen ill at Queenstown and Frederick William Doxat had stayed to nurse him. However they rejoined Canon Beckett on May 4. 

On Sunday 10 May the whole Brotherhood were together at Springfield, except Brother William, who was in charge of St. Patrick's, Bloemfontein, at this time.

As the tenure of the Springfield farm was to end in August, Canon Beckett, a Mr. Goodale, and Terry went to Thaba ‘NChu on the 12 May, to inspect the mission buildings there. The object of the irip was to see whether the brotherhood could be accommodated there, perhaps with some enlargement of the buildings. It was thought that the building should be strengthened by two or three buttresses, to re-build the two gables, repair the thatch and to build a new building about 40 yards from the existing ones. Chief Moroka approved these proposals and promised to aid in the work with some of his people, and to supply a wagon and oxen for the required transport.

On Sunday 17 May all the community except Sidall, who was sick, went in to Bloemfontein for the Cathedral Services and Brother Wilfred (F.W. Doxat) was admitted a Probationer of the Society. On the Monday Terry and H. Walker stayed in Bloemfontein to paint the Bishop's house, Brother William stayed in charge of the school at St. Patrick’s, and the rest returned to Springfontein.

This traveling to Bloemfontein for Cathedral services on special occasions, such as Ascension Day and Whitsun, continued while the Brothers were at Springfield. Otherwise services were held in a chapel at Springfield.

In an article written for the Quarterly Paper of the Orange Free State Mission dated May, 1868, Crisp writes,” (At Springfield..) .. we found a moderately well-built house, which by dint of a week’s scrubbing, sweeping, whitewashing, and glazing, was made clean and comfortable. There are six rooms in the house. The largest of these, into which our front door opens, serves us for sitting-room and refectory, two others for dormitories, one we have fitted up as a chapel, another is devoted to our Superior, besides which we have a good sized kitchen and a small pantry. Above these rooms is a loft in which we can store forage. Our floors, in common with most farm houses, are made of mud, and the number of busy ants which work their way through them afford us constant examples of persevering industry.”

On the 5° June Frederick Laxton and William Sidall were admitted Probationers (Brothers Mark and Anthony respectively), in the chapel at Springfield, the Bishop being present and confirming their admission.

By June 22 the work on the building at Thaba ‘Nchu was progressing in earnest, and on Tuesday 30 June the Superior and Mr. Bell visited those at Modderpoort, mainly to give them communion. Canon Beckett returned to Bloemfontein on the Friday and then back to Thaba “Nchu on the 29 July. Mr Clegg, a teacher who had accompanied Bishop Twells from England and had been teaching in Bloemfontein, had contracted typhoid and who had been ill for some time, died on the 31st. 

The tenancy of Springfield expired on 12 August and the Brothers split up between Thaba ‘Nchu and Bloemfontein. Mr. Bubb, who had been residing at Springfield as a Theological student, went to Bloemfontein to stay with the Bishop until, after being examined by the Bishop, he was ordained Deacon on September 20, along with Mr. Jackson of Zululand. Brother Wilfred (Doxat) was ordained Sub-deacon on 2 September, and then both Bubb and Doxat returned to Thaba ‘Nchu with the Superior. 

Later in September the Superior, after examination of Brother William's (Crisp) papers, took them in to the Bishop, who approved them and those of Brother Wilfred, and ordained Crisp sub-deacon on October 1.

Brother Anthony found he could not continue as a member of the Brotherhood and its discipline. As he had no means to pay the expenses for his journey home, for which he was homesick, he requested some means of employment upon which the Bishop offered him food and some salary as assistant to Mr. Mitchell at the Grammar School. He therefore left the order on October 8, 1867, taking up residence at Bishop’s Lodge,and becoming plain Mr. Sidall again.

On October 12, the walls of the Church at Thaba ‘Nchu had reached the height of the eaves and a bottle with a paper inside was fixed in the wall. The paper included the name of the dedication ‘ All Saints’, the important dates of the first stone being laid, and that of the paper enclosure being inserted in the quoin of the North Eastern angle of the building. It was signed by the Superior Canon Beckett, the Warden Wilfred, William, John, Edward, and Mark, all putting O.S.A. behind their names. It was also signed by Terry, as builder. Canon Beckett recorded that it rained in the evening. A decision to change the dedication to that of St. Augustine must have been made before the church was completed.

On 20 December Brothers Wilfred and William were ordained Deacon, together with Mr. John Bell of Smithfield, after all three had spent a week in spiritual exercises and instruction.

On Christmas Eve four of the Brothers went round the Khotla and other houses singing Carols, much to the delight of the inhabitants, and Christmas day was a very happy one with "The Offering of the Holy Sacrifice"” at 7.30 and another service at 10 (well attended), but through an error only Mr. Nelson attended Evensong.

With the Bishop and others from Bloemfontein arriving on the Monday and Tuesday after Christmas, the dedication service of the new church was held on the Wednesday, beginning with a procession at 8 o'clock from the old Mission House. This service ended at 10 o'clock. This was followed by 'a dejeuner”, for the visitors and white inhabitants, and then a feast for the Chiefs and others at 12. The Canon recorded the visitors from Bloemfontein as:- Mr. Goodale and three children, Mrs. Oertil, Mrs. Alex. Donaldson with two girls and her neice, Mrs. James, Mr. Wilson, James Donaldson, H. O'Reilly C. Beck, W. Siddall, H. Walker, Gabriel Griffin, John Crosby with Mr. Mitchell and the Bishop.

Apparently Brother Mark (Laxton) had failed to fulfill his duties as a novice and at the Chapter held on December 26 he was released from his obligations and sent to Bloemfontein until it could be decided what should done for him.

The Church of St. Augustine of Canterbury at Thaba 'Nchu was finished and consecrated on 30 December, 1868. It was "60 ft by 30 ft, 3 arches on each side to admit of aisles, walls 20 ft. high, roof iron. A Crucifix 4 ft. high in recess over the altar 'which the Natives were never tired of looking at.'"

Chapter 3. 1869 and Modderpoort

In January 1869 Brothers William and Wilfred went on horseback to "Nun's Hoek". the Roman Catholic Mission Station in Basutoland. Bishop Allard, of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, had arrived in 1861 and had agreed to bring out those who could teach weaving, after Moshoeshoe requested that his people should learn to make European clothes. Accordingly Allard brought six Sisters of the Holy Family to the country to teach sewing and weaving as well as Christian doctrine.

Brothers Wilfred and William also visited the French Missionaries and it is interesting to read the Brothers' comments concerning their reception by both groups. Canon Beckett records, 'the Roman Catholics looked coldly on them (Brothers Wilfred and William), rejecting their claims to Catholicity, but gave them hospitality. The French Protestants were very kind and hospitable, but frankly said they were very suspicious and that if we (The Brotherhood) proved as 'Catholic as they feared, they must abstain from all communication with us." The Brothers returned to Thaba "'Nchu at the end of the week.

In February 1869 the Governor of the Cape Colony, Sir Philip Wodehouse, arranged a meeting at Aliwal North in the hope of arranging agreement about the boundary line between the Free State and the Basutos, and Canon Beckett set out to meet the Governor to learn what possible arrangements could be made for the occupation of Modderpoort. He was accompanied by Mr. J.Scott, the Wesleyan Missionary at Thaba 'Nchu, who also wished to discuss arrangements regarding some stations of the Wesleyans. The Canon did not get much satisfaction out of the visit and returned to Thaba Nchu, arriving on Friday the 12th February. However, at the meeting at Aliwal President Brand agreed to sign what was known as the Second Treaty Of Aliwal North, and the Free State Volksraad ratified the treaty. By the
24" the Brothers heard that the Basuto Chiefs, though disappointed that they had not had the entire “conquered Territory” returned to them, accepted the convention agreed upon.

Soon after the Superior returned from Aliwal, Brother Wilfred gave him a letter in which he expressed dissatisfaction as a Novice, chiefly because the Community did not come up to Brother Wilfred’s expectation in strictness of Rule. The Canon accepted his resignation as Warden but deferred further requests for other work in the Diocese until he could discuss the matter with the Bishop, who was away for the Consecration of Dr. Macrorie to Pietermaritzburg.

On 9 March the Bishop went to Thaba ‘Nchu and with the Superior left on the 11 to visit Modderpoort, Mr Terry accompanying them to get an idea of the building required. They found the foundations of the building begun under the Bishop's direction two years previously and, after considering all alternatives, confirmed that the site selected by the Bishop was the best for the proposed dwelling. It was agreed that the building would be about 60ft in length and 20ft wide, containing Chapel and Refectory, each the whole width of the building. A further six to eight smaller room would be built on each side of a passage running North and South. The building started by the Bishop would become the kitchen and storeroom attached at the back. 

A hole was discovered in a large rock at the foot of the mountain, and the Superior slept in this, proposing to make it his bedroom when they came to occupy while huts were prepared. 

It might be good, at this stage, to give a bit of a description of the “Platberg”, the mountain at the foot of which the Modderpoort farms nestled.

The Platberg is roughly T — shaped, with an “upright” of about 16 Km. and a “Cross-bar” of about 19 Km. Modderpoort is situated at about the North-east corner of the cross-bar, as shown on the


25 

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“PLATBERG MOUNTAIN”
LADYBRAND DISTRICT


26

sketchmap drawn in 1932. The town of Ladybrand is now situated in the eastern corner between up-right and cross-bar. The farm “Newlands'”, at Westminster is at the South-western end Modderpoort is at about 27° 25 ' East longitude and 29°7' South latitude. The mountain is more or less flat on top as suggested by the name, and at the highest point is about 1776 meters above sea level (about 5 800 ft).
In 1932 the acting director: Geological Survey, in Pretoria, wrote as follows in reply to a query from Sister Marjorie, C.S.M.& A.A. "The Platberg Mountain in the Ladybrand district is made up of horizontally-bedded, cream-coloured sandstone known as the Cave Sandstone which is the uppermost member of the Kaoo System except for the Drakensberg lavas by which it is overlain further to the north-east in the Free State (e.g. near Fouriesburg), and over the greater part of Basutoland. The Cave Sandstone .... derives the name from the peculiar way in which it weathers giving rise to overhanging cliffs and caves" He was adamant that the formation was not 'alluvial rock' as claimed by certain so-called experts who had visited Modderpoort.

Mr. Terry returned to Thaba 'Nchu, while the others set out to Koro Koro' where the police sent up from the Colony were based From there they went on to the Roman Catholic Mission Station at Nun's Hoek where they were favorably impressed by the girls at the Mission School under the care of the R.C. Sisters. They then returned to Koro Koro in pouring rain, "without any detriment as, by the kindness of Father Hidien, the Superior, they were both encased”.

At Koro Koro they stayed with the deputy inspector and on Sunday the Superior celebrated at a 7.30 a.m. Holy Communion service for those Anglicans at the post and then, later on, held a general service for all, at which the Bishop preached. Evensong was held at 5 p.m., at which the Superior preached. 
On the Monday morning they traveled to call on Messr. Joussed of the French Mission Station. They found the missioner in the church instructing a class and Canon Beckett commented that "the class ...seemed to be under strong excitement, and gave vent to many groans and sighs, and some almost hysterical cries, especially during a prayer, which was uttered with great fervency and gesticulation.”

After a journey through pouring rain, and an attack by mosquitoes while the party were camped that night, they eventually returned safely to Thaba 'Nchu.

Holy Week services were disturbed by heavy rains, which kept other residents of the area at home, and at the early service on Easter Day "only Mr. Pullings was present.”

April was the month for the move to Modderpoort and preparations were made so that on Tuesday the 6h, when the wagons arrived, they were loaded up and started on their way. The Superior left on the Thursday but soon overtook the wagons which had got stuck in holes and also stuck at the Leeu and little Leeu rivers, which were flooded because of the heavy rains. The wagons finally reached Modderpoort just before dusk on the Friday. On the Saturday the whole party started cutting grass for thatching to go to Thaba 'Nchu, but George Fleetwood arrived from Newlands, and said he had a better grass for the purpose which he would send to Thaba Nchu. Because of their experience with the frequent showers they therefore started clearing a covered space under a rock for a chapel and dining room.

On the Monday a stonemason, named Mr. Clark, arrived and offered his services which were accepted. On Tuesday, a German brick maker and thatcher named Charles Asn was engaged at £1 a week. 

In the weeks thereafter they continued to make bricks and enlarge the Canon's cave by breaking away stone, with intermittent trips back to Thaba 'Nchu. However rain destroyed many bricks that were out for drying and this delayed the building program.

28

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"THE CAVE"
Scetch by Rev. J.W. Barrow

29

On Saturday 1 May, a meeting of the “Grantees” for the area was held at Modderpoort, with Mr. McCabe representative for the Government. The Superior went to the place of meeting hoping to make the acquaintance of those present but arrived just in time to watch McCabe and some others leaving. At the meeting Mr. W. Hanger was chosen as their Feld Cornet, erven were granted to all applicants who would undertake to occupy within a month. The Superior immediately applied for three erven, for Church, School, and House.

In mid May the Superior went to Maseru where he held two services on the Sunday, then went to Thaba ‘Nchu in order to be present at Mr. Mitchell's ordination to the priesthood. Mr. Mitchell offered himself for a year to assist in the establishing of the new Station, and returned with the Superior on 27 May.

Most of June continued as previous, with the Superior going to the stations in Lesotho and Maseru, to take services, and then on the 19" going to Thaba ‘Nchu.

During June the Reverend W.H.R. Bevan, Mr. J.W. Barrow, Mr. S. W. Steven, and Mr. E.Y. Dixon, arrived from England and accompanied the Bishop to Modderpoort on the 26 June. Bevan offered himself as a Priest Associate for three years, if the life should suit him. John Barrow was another who had been an undergraduate at Oxford and was drawn to the work in South Africa. Barrow, Steven and Dixon offered themselves as Probationers. On the 29 June the Reverend George Mitchell was confirmed as a Priest Associate for one year. The Reverend Bevan was received as a Visitor for six weeks to test the life and agreed to act as Tutor to the Probationers. The subjects for study were as follows: English Reading ; Holy scripture - the Pentateuch; Church History - Palmer and Robertson; Prayer Book — Freeman, Blunt, Procter; Latin - Grammar; Vulgate; St. Augustine; Dogmatic Theology — Sadler (Second Adam) and Blunt — The sacraments. Mr. Mitchell undertook to instruct in Sechuana.

Al the beginning of July the Superior, accompanied by Brother John, went to Maseru, stopping at Mr. Maiten’s who offered to exchange blankets for wheat and corn. On the 10" they went again to Lesotho to take services at different places.

During July there was a sudden departure and resignation of his see by Bishop Twells. This must have been quite a blow to Canon Beckett, firstly because of the accusation of a homosexual scandal which caused Bishop Twells to flee the country, but also because they had been friends for many years, however Beckett does not mention it in his Journal.

Archdeacon Merriman was appointed Vicar-General by Bishop Gray and at the (first) Provincial Synod in Cape Town in January 1870 Twells’ resignation was formally accepted and the see declared vacant.

Canon Beckett, accompanied by Mitchell, celebrated Communion a number of times in Lesotho during August, and on the 21% traveled with Bevan to Thaba ‘Nchu to meet Archdeacon Merriman. On the Sunday the Canon celebrated Holy Communion and was told afterwards that the Archdeacon was “somewhat startled by the green vestments which he wore”. One wonders if this was because he wore vestments,  because they were green, or were they a particular green, which caused the comments.

The Brothers now all came together at Modderpoort for the feast of St. Augustine, and Canon Beckett described the commemorative services in his Journal as follows. 

“The services began on the Evensong of Friday 27 August with Choral Evensong. The Holy Sacrifice was offered on five days during the Octave, when the service for St. Mark’s Day was used. At Mattins and Evensong special lessons were read, and the Collect for Sts. Simon and Jude was said throughout the Octave: and the proper Antiphons and Responses were used at the minor offices. A retreat was held on Tuesday 31%, and the Feast day was transferred from Saturday to Wednesday 1 September.“

On Wednesday 1 September, [the Festival (by transference) of St. Augustine] “a procession was formed from the house to the ground partially enclosed for a garden where the Superior planted a Fir Cone brought by Mr. Steven from Madeira, and the first vegetable seeds were sowed (sic). Ps cxiv was sung, and a service from the Priest's Prayer Book with Hymn 119 used as a Benediction of the ground and an Invocation of the divine blessing on the crops to be sown in it.

Before Evensong on this day the Superior admitted Andries Jan as a Catechuman, making a short address, and saying the two first prayers in the Baptismal service, with a suitable benediction.”

On Sunday October 3 (19 Trinity) Andries Jan was baptized with the name Michael and with Bevan and Dixon as sponsers.

During the latter part of August Archdeacon Merriman stirred up a bit of a hornet's nest by writing a letter to the Canon citing a very nice young fellow”, Appolos Moperi, "he apprises me he is living as a Christian man, married to one wife”. The letter from the Archdeacon went on to the effect that the farm on which the Brotherhood had established themselves was Moperi's father's former residence. The Archdeacon proposed a setting up of a Mission Station for the father between Modderpoort and Harrismith. “I am sure you will feel as I do that that would wipe out the objection that I cannot help feeling towards the occupation of Modderpoort."

To this the the Bishop's Commisary in England replied, after consulting with Bishop Twells, "Don't belleve him, his town was at Mr. Keck's station, not at Modderpoort. When the latter was first bought the Bishop enquired of Moshesh himself as to who had lived on it, and could learn no more than that they were of no note. Paulus Moperi was present when the enquiries were made. As to Appolos Moperi, he has two wives if not three already." It has been queried whether Merriman was still upset that his proposal for a farm on the Vaal had not been taken up.

Around this time Canon Beckett alse queried the payments of the farm and it was in response to this that Mr. Horne wrote to him in October, 1869, giving the costs as he far as he could determine. He also told the Canon “there is nothing more to be paid on them - except the Quit Rent payable yearly to the Government."

From Modderpoortthe fortnightly services at Maseru and monthly services at the Police Post, “Advanced Post”, were regularly held and also monthly visits to Thaba Nchu by the Canon.

By November the membership of the Brotherhood had dwindled. Laxton had left, as had Sidall and Bubb. It had been proposed to give them each £100 to help them return to England. Sidall then stated he wished to stay in the country but the funds had not been available to help the others.

Mr. Croghan was to go down to the Synod and, Mr. Clulee having his own work, it was considered that the work at Thaba Nchu was too much for one, and as the four Probationers at Modderpoort were still insufficiently trained, the Superior therefore placed Mitchell there, although with some misgivings. Mr. Homne has stated his wish that Mr. Bevan would be able to be sent.

Ladybrand, together with Ficksburg and Wepener, had been established at the end of the Third Basotho War. On 22 June 1867 the “Gouvernments Courant"” had asked for tenders for the measurement of erwe in these three dorps. Now we read that on 5 December 1869 Mr. Bevan rode to Ladybrand to give a service at Mr. Rensberg's house, with 12 people present. It was proposed that a service would be given every Sundayand, in time, erect a church at Ladybrand.

The “Ladybrand Courant' of 16 March, 1905, records the reminiscences of “An Old Settler”, who wrote that he had arrived soon after the survey of the town by De Kok, the Government surveyor. As there were no houses, he said that the rocks around “Moyershoek" were their only shelter. The first house was builtin Ladybrand in 1869, but as we see, the locals were already proposing to build a church.

Just before Christmas Mr. Barrowset exams in Greek Testament, Sesuto, “Sadlers's second Adam”, and Latin, for his four pupils. They all received marks between 50% and 88% except Brother John, who only achieved “about 1/3 of full marks for Sesuto".

During November Merriman had also forwarded two letters, one from a Mr. Webber and the other from a Mr. Parkinson. It would seem that both were interested in joining the group at Modderpoort, and Parkinson also had a sister who wished to offer her services in the Diocese.

In November the Superior wrote to Bishop Twells, who was now in England, asking his advice. Apparently both Crisp and Croghan were urging the Brotherhood to return to Thaba 'Nchu. People were looking for early results, although there was still much work to be done with the Brothers themselves before they became effective. Beckett presents all the Pro's and Con's and asks for counsel on the matters. It would seem that the Bishop replied positively, as the Brothers continued at Modderpoort. 
In a letter dated 14 April, 1869, and printed in the Quarterly Papers of the Orange Free State Mission, Canon Becket wrote about his cave. "By building up a wall of stones we have contrived to enlarge the area, so as to get a room, twelve feet by fourteen, for a chapel, besides a small sleeping room, screened off by a large detached stone. Both rooms we have much improved by digging away the floors, so that I can now stand upright in the chapel, and sit upright in the bedroom." A sketch of their accommodation, by one of the brothers, is included in this book. It shows that the Reverend Mitchell was living in a nearby hut, as were Steven and Dixon. As Steven and Dixon only arrived in June the sketch must have been made at a later date, but shows the sort of living conditions the Brotherhood experienced in those early days. Bishop Twells, forwarding the note to the Quarterly Papers, was highly amused at the idea of 'a Canon living in a Cave'.

The work at Modderpoort continued into 1870 with services extending beyond those previously taken. These included starting services at Ficksburg and Wepener. The Brothers also visited the French Mission stations from time to time. Canon Beckett persevered in the study of Dutch and Sesotho until he was able to minister in them both. When one considers that he was no longer a young man and reputedly without special linguistic ability, this says much of his determination to provide the best that he could. The Brothers were now providing services both to the white population as well as to the Basuto and Bechuana. On the return journey from one of the visits to Lesotho, Brother William was twice thrown from his horse, the second time landing on his head and suffering slight concussion. He was still suffering from this when he returned to Thaba ‘Nchu on 11 January.

During January of 1870 Mr. Croghan went to Cape Town to represent the Diocese at the Provincial Synod in Cape Town. It was at this Synod that Bishop Twells’ resignation was accepted. During his absence Mr. Bevan went to Bloemfontein to help with the church services, Barrow and Dixon accompanying him. 

Mr. Alex. Donaldson had come from Bloemfontein to become their Bailiff , a sort of estate manager, and it would seem that a house had been built for him as well as a shop constructed. The ‘covering’, probably thatching, of the house was completed in April but the plastering was not completed till 16 May when Mr. Donaldson and family arrived. There was still a lot of work to be done on the house, which gave Mrs. Donaldson a lot to complain about. The Donaldson’s now took over the shop. 

The Government regulations required that a house be built on the West side of the Poort for the farm Modderpoort and of course the cave was not suited for a dwelling house. It would seem that Terry had built himself a small house on the property because it was decided that a new house would be built according to the regulations and Terry would move into that while the Canon would move into Terry's existing house. However, after a start had been made on the foundations, Terry reminded the Canon that he had sngaged to serve the community for three years and the time was now up. Terry was therefore given a present of £10 and a sontract was made for the completion of the building.

When the building was nearly finished Mrs. Donaldson said she would like to move into it. A third bedroom was added to it and on gompletion in September, Mr. Donaldson and his wife moved in. “Alter 17 September the cave and huts were only used as store rooms etc.”

During March, 1870, another major occurrence took place which affected the missions in Lesotho and the surrounding area. The death of Moshoeshoe.

Born in the village of Menkhoaneng, to the east of Leribe. Born ‘when there was fighting in the village about a person accused of witchcraft’, he was named Lepoqgo by his parents, meaning ‘Dispute’. The date given for his birth is somewhere between 1780 and 1794. Thompson reckoned it was probably about 1786.

Soon after his initiation into manhood he led his age-mates on a caltle-raid against a neighboring village which was a great success. He claimed to have shaved off the village chief’s beard, meaning he had carried away his cattle. Thereafter he was known us ‘The Shearer’, or ‘Shaver’, Moshoeshoe, the sound a blade makes when shaving or shearing.

During Moshoeshoe’s youth, wars commenced between Zwide, Dinglswayo and Shaka which had tremendous repercussions throughout eastern Southern Africa. There are those who dispute the claims of others regarding the exact events which took place. Nevertheless, disruptions certainly occurred and the isolated and vonservative society of Moshoeshoe’s world was utterly disrupted. Thousands died and it was from the desperate groups of demoralised survivors that Moshoeshoe built up a kingdom, based first at Butha Buthe, and then Thaba Bosiu.

Moshoeshoe encouraged the coming of the Missionaries, and had a good relationship with them, although he was never Baptised. This is thought to have been for political reasons. However, towards the last days of his life he decided that he would accept baptism, and the date for the event was set for 13 March 1870. Moshoeshoe died on 11 March.

However, one baptism had did take place, was of a person who was also to play a role in the life of Modderpoort and whom we remember to this day.

In 1851, when it looked as though war was going to break out, a woman, unknown until that time, by the name of Manchupa, or Mantsupa as she is now commonly known, claimed that she had fallen into a trance. She told Moshoeshoe that a “being” she called ‘HIM’ had told her to tell the tribe that the enemy would come but that they should be on the defensive and the enemy would be destroyed in a short sharp battle. After the battle there would be peace when they could sow their seed and, with plentiful rain, they would have a good harvest which could be gathered without fear.

The French Missionaries claimed that they were informed of this prediction three weeks before the battle. 

On the 28 June, Warden moved off from Platberg towards the North-west. Mosheshoe was prepared for the fight and massed his forces mainly at Viervoet. The attack began at about 7 a.m. and by 4 p.m. the fight was over. Warden's forces, not being acquainted with the terrain, were utterly defeated, many falling to their deaths over precipices.

The woman in question was Mantshupa Makheta, born around 1793, who figured largely in Basuto history. She became a Christian. Thompson records that, according to Jousse, she was baptized by the French Missionaries in 1868, taking the name of Anna. On the other hand Gill states she was baptized on 13 March 1870, two days after Moshoeshoe’s death and on the day Moshoeshoe himself was at last to have been baptized.

According to the records her home was across the Caledon River near Platberg. She did not use the customary divining bones but was Inspired by visions. She was apparently famous for predicting Moshoeshoe’s victories over Warden, Cathcart, and Sekonyela. Legend has it that she was banished from Lesotho by Mosoeshoe because of some upset, and that she then moved to the Free State, on a farm between the Platberg and the Caledon River. She did come to live at Modderpoort, possibly after the Society of the Sacred Mission arrived. Beckett does not mention her in his Journal.

She died at Modderpoort in 1904, and was buried in the cemetery there.

By 1869, diamonds had been discovered on the banks of the Vaal River, and then the rich diamond mine at Kimberley was discovered after careful prospecting. This drew large numbers of fortune seekers from all over and so clergy were wanted in the area, putting a great strain on those already ministering.

Dr. Cotterill, the Bishop of Grahamstown, had reason to visit the Northern part of his Diocese in September so, as the Free State Diocese still had no Bishop, the 18 September, became the opportune time for Doxat and Bell to be ordained priests and Barrow to be admitted Deacon, the Canon presenting them to the Bishop. Beckett returned with Barrow via Smithfield, where they left Bell, going on to Thaba ‘Nchu, then to Bloemfontein, and finally returned to Modderpoort on Wednesday 30 September, a round trip of not less than 700 Km. without any serious accidents.

Chapter 4 1871 and Bishop Webb

While Merriman had been in the Orange Free State he had accepted the nomination to be the new bishop but, after returning to Grahamstown, withdrew his acceptance.

By the end of 1869, the Reverend Clulee had visited Modderpoort in connection with the vacancy of the See, and the names of Ramsbotham, Brook, and Basyham, (replaced by Dawson by the Rev. Croghan) were recommended as representatives to the Metropolitan by the Canon.

Archbishop Gray went to England at the end of 1870 and chose the Reverend Allan Becher Webb to be the new Bishop of the Free State. He was consecrated on the Feast of St. Andrew in the Cathedral of Inverness by the Metropolitan of Cape Town, assisted by the Primus of Scotland and the Bishop of Lichfield, Bishop Selwyn, the founder of the New Zealand Church, and the Bishop of Aberdeen.

It had always been the tradition to take the title of the Cathedral city where the Bishop had his seat, as for instance the Diocese of Blackburn, the Diocese of Cape Town, etc. Bishop Twells, not knowing where his “seat” would be, had styled himself “Bishop of the Orange Free State”. Now the new bishop took the title of the Bishop of Bloemfontein. This new Bishop,Webb, had been a fellow of University College, Oxford, and then vice-principle of Cuddesdon under Edward King. At the time of his selection he was Rector of Avon Dassett, in the Diocese of Worcester. He was 31 years old, married, and had two children.

The latter part of 1870 was extremely wet, with rain causing rivers to flood. This weather caused severe disruption of services, both because the Brethren were hampered in traveling, and also because the congregations were home-bound.

During 1870 a number of boarders had come to Modderpoort for tuition. Canon Beckett records that Alma Coleman came in May, paying £20 per annum. In November, two Bezuidenhouts, Mendrick and Pieter, “paying 10/- per month for tuition, and to bring a sheep monthly, and each two sacks of corn a year in totum for their food.” These were apparently day boarders.

On 22 December, Mr. Bevan left Modderpoort for his return to England. He was driven to Bloemfontein for a farewell visit, then back to Thaba ‘Nchu, where he proposed to stay for a week. 

There is a tendency to confuse the Modderpoort Mission, the brotherhood, and ‘Mission’ generally, in the country. It should be realized that all church work in Southern Africa was, at that time, regarded as “Mission Work”, whatever the organization or Denomination. Each place where a church worker established himself was known as a ‘mission station’. So, therefore, Canon Becketts’' Society of St. Augustine, or “Order of the Society of St. Augustine”, was part of the Mission work in the Orange Free State, but not all mission stations or missioners were necessarily part of the Brotherhood’s work. Furthermore, although some of the men who had been part of the Brotherhood left Modderpoort and the Society, they did not necessarily stop doing Mission work under the Diocesan Bishop, either as clergy or teachers. 

The comings and goings of the various men associated with the Diocese is also a bit confusing so, in order to clarify some of this, the following table taken from the Quarterly Paper of the Orange Free State Mission dated June 1871 is given.


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Bishop

The Right Reverend Allan Becher Webb, D.D., 

Priests

Rev. H.F. Beckett, M.A. Canon of Bloemfontein; Superior of the Mission Brotherhood, Modderpoort. 
Rev. D.G. Croghan, B.A., Trinity College, Dublin. Priest Vicar of the Cathedral; Mission Priest for Bloemfontein. 
Rev. Charles Clulee, Queen's College, Birmingham. 

40

Precentor of the Cathedral of Bloemfontein, Master of the Grammar School; Mission Priest to Natives.
Rev. John Bell, Training College, York. Mission Priest, and Master of the Grammar School at Smithfield
Rev. F.W. Doxat, B.A. Oriel College, Oxford. Mission Priest of Philippolis and Fouriesmith.
Rev. George Mitchell, St. Augustine’s College, Canterbury. Mission Priest of Natives at Thaba Nchu.
Rev. Henry Saddler, M.A. Mission Priest at the Diamond Fields.

Deacons 

Rev. William Crisp, Member of the Mission Brotherhood; Mission Deacon of Thaba Nchu.
Rev. John William Barrow, St. Mary Magdalene College, Oxford. Member of the Mission Brotherhood; Mission Deacon at Modderpoort.
Rev. W. Richardson, Mission Deacon at Potchefstroom, Transvaal.
The Rev. J.W. Rickards, B.A. Asst. Curate of St. Cyprian’s Mission Church, Marylebone, hopes to leave England in a few weeks’ time to join the Bishop.

Students.

John Williams, Oxford and Cuddesden College. Member of the Mission Brotherhood.
S.W. Steven, Associate of the Mission Brotherhood.
Edward Dixon, Associate of the Mission Brotherhood.

The underlined were members of the Brotherhood.

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During 1870, Mr. Crisp left Thaba ‘Nchu with a large party of Baralong to go to a settlement of their tribe in the North-West of the Transvaal. Canon Beckett records the place as ‘Mashannen’. He returned in December with his knowledge of the language ‘much increased’. In his absence Mr. Mitchell had sole care of the Mission at Thaba Nchu.

On 5 January, 1871, Mitchell returned to Thaba ‘Nchu after a visit of a few days at Modderpoort. Travelling for services was still hampered by the weather, as for example on 7 January when Barrow was unable to cross the Caledon, but on the 14™ he managed to get to Advance Post. The Superior had services in Ladybrand on the Sundays of 8,15" and 22™. Thus services continued where possible, February and March also being months whan the Caledon River continued full.

Canon Beckett noted in his Journal that the boarder, Alma Coleman, had gone home for the Christmas holidays and did not return.

According to notes on Modderpoort written by members of the Society of the Sacred Mision at the time of the Modderpoort Centenary, a visitor had written, “the miserable cave, which has post as much as a house would have done, leaks in many ways. During the rain the floor was just a puddle.” Then, in January 1871 he wrote, “I found they had left the cave which, romantic though it may have been, was never better than a rat trap and I found them living in a decent dwelling house.” As recorded earlier, the cave had only been used as a dwelling for about eighteen months.

During March the Governor of the Cape Colony and its Dependencies, Sir Henry Barkly, visited Modderpoort on his way from the Diamond Fields to Lesotho. He travelled through Bloemfontein and Thaba ‘Nchu and arrived at Modderpoort on 11 March, accompanied by Mr. Bowker, Captain Swinney, and his son Mr. Barkly. “They arrived about 7.30 a.m. and, having visited the cave, gardens, and gathered ferns, they breakfasted, and about 9.30 went onward.”

During March Crisp went to the Diamond Fields with Novices and, Mr. Mitchell being single handed, the Superior went to Thaba “Nohu from the 17 March (Friday) and returning on the 20".

On 24 March, the Superior and Mr. Dixon went to Ficksburg where they ware the guests of Mr. Mitchley at Imperani. They spent the weekend at Ficksburg, visiting people, taking services, and planning for the building of a church. During the following week they continued in a Northerly direction, going to Bethlehem and ‘Zuuring Kranz’, back to Clocolan, staying with a Mr. Warden, and taking services wherever they went. In a letter written on 6 April, Beckett said that they had intended going on to Harrismith but they had found the distance greater than expected, and therefore turned at Bethlehem.

The Canon said he had been very encouraged by the response to his visit at Ficksburg, but that Bethlehem was less hopeful and encouraging.

As Mr. Crisp was still away “at Boshof and Moroko’s” the Superior was at Thaba ‘Nchu as Mr. Mitchell needed occasional help.

In the Quarterly Papers of October,1871, is recorded Mr. Barrow’s excited notice of the intention to build a church. He said that he had wished that it would be built before their house. The foundations were started on the Monday of Easter week, but Terry was called away and the work continued very slowly. As the ground was so sandy it was necessary to have very deep foundations, and these were only completed by Ascension Day. The corner stone was laid on Wednesday 10 May, the service used being that in the Priest's Prayer Book, with a Hymn. 

Mr. Barrow records, “the Rev. Canon Beckett laid the corner stone of the Church, on a site between the Mission House and the little house where some of us sleep. At two o'clock the Rev. Superior with the brethren walked in procession to the place. The service commenced by the intoning of special prayers. Special Psalms were chanted, and hymn 214 (Ancient and Modern) was sung. The stone was then laid, and the ceremony brought to a close by the singing of the National Anthem. The style of the church is Gothic, entire length 40 ft. by 20 ft. chancel 20ft. separated from the nave by a stone arch and screen. The entrance will be by a porch at the north side, which will also serve as a vestry.

Mr. Terry then dug out and put in the foundations for the South wing of the house, so as to allow those of the Church to dry and settle.

At the beginning of June the Superior again left for Ficksburg, then via Zuuring Kranz, Sand River and Bethlehem to Harrismith, returning to Modderpoort on Tuesday 20 June. Ficksburg had again pleased him as bricks and the windows for a new school chapel were already available. Bethlehem was a bit more encouraging on this trip. However, at Harrismith, not one person of fourteen families of Church people, was prepared to join them in the celebration of the Eucharist on the Sunday morning.

Mr. Mitchley had loaned the Canon his mules to go on to Harrismith, as it was felt that the horses would not be able to go to Harrismith and return, and then accompanied Becket from Emperani back to Modderpoort so he could continue to use the mules.

On arriving back at Modderpoort the Canon found letters awaiting him with the welcome news that two students and a priest would be accompanying the new Bishop to Bloemfontein. This, after initial information that the Bishop had been unable to induce any men to come with him.

The new Bishop was eagerly awaited and in July the Superior and Mr. Barrow went to Bloemfontein to welcome him. Dr. Allan Becher Webb arrived on Friday 28 July, (having been delayed by snow on his way up) and was enthroned in the pathedral on the following Sunday.

The Superior and Mr. Barrow returned home the following Friday, accompanied by W. Clark and W.H. France who were theological students.

Almost Immediately after his arrival the Bishop sent Doxat to the Diamond Fields and then in September Barrow was sent to Philippolis to take Doxat's place. It had been hoped that Mr. Rickards, on his way from England, would fill Barrow’s place, but immediately on his arrival he was also sent to the Diamond Fields. Mr. Steven had for some time expressed a wish for independent work and so in August was sent to Fauresmith.

In November the Bishop made his first visit to Modderpoort.

Chapter 5 Bishop Webb re-organises

The intention by Bishop Twells in accepting Canon Beckett to form the Brotherhood at Modderpoort would seem to have been that the Brothers would be trained up at Modderpoort as an Order, and then go out from there itinerating through the Diocese as members of the Brotherhood. It must have been very saddening to the Canon to find the men either unable to accept the discipline of the order, or to have the Bishop send men off irrespective of the Canon’s wishes. Presumably the Canon accepted the latter as inevitable, allowing that the Bishop’s priorities were different to his, and knowing that he must obey his Diocesan. Nevertheless, very frustrating, one would suppose.

In 1968, the Centenary of the arrival of the brothers, a paper was written by someone who just signed himself with the initials “P.T.” raising the whole question of why the community did not “catch on”.

“P.T.” refers to Peter Anson’s “The call of the cloister”, in which there is no mention of the Modderpoort Fathers. He states that, according to Anson, in the nineteenth century, there were a number of experiments being carried out to revive the religious life in the Anglican Church, and the ideas known as Augustinian were far more attractive to clerics than those of a more conventional monastic type. It would seem that the Augustinian idea gave more freedom of movement than the conventional monastic rules and there was not the idea of permanency stressed as is implied in monastic vows. This seems to have been behind the decision of Twells and Beckett in their founding of the Modderpoort Fathers. The rule of St. Augustine lays stress on the abandonment of personal property and possessions and it does not emphasize silence. It allows greater freedom of movement to its members and, in England, was usually attached to a church or other church establishment.

“P.T.” raises the question as to whether there can be a community of absent brothers? Why did so many people not stay? He also quotes two letters, "....I was sent to Philippolis for two months. I have been here for three years and two months ...". This was the Rev. J.W. Barrow, who went on to say,  ....only visiting Modderpoort once, for - what was a great event - the consecration of the Brotherhood Church, in 1872. The second letter P.T." quotes from, reads, “the Rev...... who came to join the community at Modderpoort has been persuaded to change his mind ...”As I wrote earlier, it was the Bishop who decided the actions of the brothers, not the Superior of the Order !"Bishops with large dioceses and untended flocks will look to communities for help but they may be killing the community by so doing."P.T" also states that he could not find a copy of the rule for the community. I have not compared the rule of the Brotherhood to the Rule of St. Augustine.

In a paper given to aspirant Probationers Canon Beckett wrote, "The chief external work of the Society being the promotion of GOD's glory in the conversion of the Heathen, and in the edification of the Christian people in and around the Missionary diocese of the Orange Free State, each member of the Community is to be ready to go to any work to which the Bishop of the Diocese, with the consent of the Superior, may designate to him: but to have the opportunity, if desirable, of three months residence with the community in each year." 

Perhaps the "if desirable"” clause may have been misunderstood. It is not clear who might think it desirable. Also, he refers to the chief external work, which, to the Bishop, actually became the only work.

Bishop Cotterill had been Bishop of Grahamstown, but in 1871 he was translated to Edinborough, leaving South Africa in July of that year. (“Translated is a technical word used when a person who is already a Bishop of a Diocese, moves to become Bishop of another Diocese.) Archdeacon Merriman, who had become Dean of Cape Town in 1870, was now elected Bishop of Grahamstown in Cotterill's place. Bishop Webb duly went to Grahamstown to assist in the consecration on St. Andrew’s day. On his return to the Orange Free State he was met at Philippolis by Croghan and Bell and on 14 December consecrated the church there. Mr. S.W. Steven had been ministering as a Catechist at Fauresmith and on 15 December the Bishop ordained him to the Diaconate and licensed him to Fouriesmith as Mission Deacon. On returning to Bloemfontein on 21 December, an alternative date for celebrating St. Thomas’ day, the Bishop ordained Mr. J.E. Williams as deacon. The Superior and Brother Williams returned to Modderpoort in time for Christmas Day.

At the beginning of 1872 the new bishop immediately set to work to re-organise his Diocese. He summoned the clergy and churchwardens of the Diocese to meet in Synod. In fact two distinct synods were established, a Clergy Synod and a Diocesan Synod, and constitutions for these synods agreed upon for the future. At the Clergy Synod the Constitution for the Cathedral Chapter was settled. There were six priests, two deacons and seven lay members.

Mr. Croghan was appointed the first Archdeacon of Bloemfontein, and on the Sunday he was installed as a Canon of the Cathedral with Canon Beckett as Chancellor, and Mr. Doxat, Rural Dean of Griqualand West. The Bishop also ordained the Rev. W. Richardson of Potchefstroom as priest.

Bishop Webb, accompanied by the Venerable D.G. Croghan, travelled to Modderpoort on 23 January and, on St. Paul's Day, 25 January, consecrated the Church in the names of St. Augustine and St. Paul. Messrs. Barrow, Crisp and Mitchell also came over for the services.

How sad that this long anticipated church would need rebuilding by 1899.

Mrs. Webb and their children accompanied the Bishop to Modderpoort and Canon Beckett made a small house on the farm available to the family. They stayed for about a fortnight so that Mrs. Webb could have a rest after the Synod, because, “(her) exertions were great during its sessions, in domestic arrangements.”, as the Bishop wrote in a letter for the Quarterly Papers. The Bishop took the opportunity to visit Ladybrand and Maseru, writing that, by the time of his return, the Caledon River had risen some thirty feet higher than when he had first crossed it two days earlier.

Early In 1872 Mr. Clulee went to the Diocese of Cape Town to beoome Rector of Malmsbury. He was the last remaining of the clergy who had come with Bishop Twells, and this left the Grammar School without a master. The work there was carried on for a short time by Mr. E.W. Stenson who had come to Bloemfontein during the Synod, but at Easter he was ordained Deacon and sent to minister at Barkly, as Klipdrift was now called. Mr Widdicombe was then removed from his post to take charge of the Grammar School at Bloemfontein.

The Superior then goes on to state, in his Journal, that Mr. Dixon “who was of a morbid, unsettled disposition”, went as assistant to Mr. Bell at Smithfield and soon after became engaged to a Miss Wabb, sister of Mr. Jonathan Webb, the Wesleyan Minister. He became a clerk in a store, married Miss Webb at Easter 1873, and then after a time went to Klerksdorp as clerk in a store. However he continued to work as an Evangelist and Catechist and in 1879 was ordained Deacon by Dr. Callaway, the Bishop of St John's.

Mr. Bevan had been in England, and returned in March 1872, bringing Mr, H. W. Stockdale with him. As recorded in my previous Book on the church in the Ficksburg area, the Reverend Mr. Bevan had visited the Reverend Stockdale while on holiday in England. Hentelta Stockdale was still living with her parents but already very enthusiastic with the idea of the Orange Free State Mission. Her brother, Henry Walter, was just eighteen at the time and very much 'at a loose end'. It was suggested that he should go out to Modderpoort to work the farm there. However, within a year of his arriving he wanted his independence and, taking as his partner Mr. W.H. France, who the Superior records as “being unsuited for holy orders”, set out to rent a farm. He later acquired the farm, “ALMA". Mr. Bevan joined Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Crisp at Thaba Nchu.

Canon Beckett appears to have written his Journal from memory as his dates are sometimes confusing. In the 1872 section ot his Journal, just one paragraph after recording Stockdale's arrival in March 1872, he writes  "... and when this is written (June 10 1873) he is gone to Bloemfontein to get an agreement drawn out ...."

William Crisp records that he and Mr. Barrow were ordained Priests in the Cathedralion Whitsunday, 1872, but the Superior does not mention the ordination in the Journal. 

Immediately after this ordination Bishop Webb left for the northern parts of the Free State and into the Transvaal, and then returned through the Diamond Fields.

Canon Beckett does record that there 'was much fever at Thaba 'Nchu", and in August Mr. Mitchell was dangerously ill. He recovered, went to Modderpoort for a period of convalescence and then, still not being well, went in November for 3 months holiday. Mr. Crisp also suffered from attacks from time to time, necessitating Brother John, Mr. Clark and W. Lacy to be sent to assist at Thaba Nchu. According to William Crisp, three of their converts died during the attack of fever which turned out to be Typhoid.

During the return journey from his convalescence in the Cape, Mr. Mitchell was pitched out of the Post-cart, fell on his head, and received severe contusions on the neck and shoulders. He continued to suffer from this accident for some time. 

Bishop Gray, first Bishop of Cape Town and Metropolitan, died on 1 September, 1872, the body being laid to rest in Claremont churchyard beside that of his wife. Bishop Gray had followed his beloved wife just 15 months after her death.

With the death of Gray the tangled legal position became more apparent. The Province battled to elect a successor, meeting at an elective assembly on 18 December, 1872, but, with suspicions rife after the Colenso controversy, no progress was made and the meetings adjourned, met again, and still could not come to an agreement. During these meetings new complications came to light and it was only on 3 October 1873 the Archbishop of Canterbury, to whom the matter had been referred, offered the
see to William West Jones.

One is inclined to forget that there were two parts to the Colenso incident. The one aspect everyone refers to was the accusations of heresy. To a certain extent that took a back seat to the other aspect. This was whether the British Government and its law courts had jurisdiction over the Anglican Church in South Africa. In England the Anglican Church was"the Established Church". Established by court of law. Even today the church there can make very few changes without approval by Parliament.

Bishop Gray was adamant that the Church in South Africa would not come under the authority of the British Government. This was the basis for the "Church of England in South Africa" to assert that the Anglican Church in South Africa had seceded from that in England. Unfortunately for C.E.S.A. the Church in England recognized the Anglican Church of Southern Africa but did not recognize C.E.S.A., their Bishops were not invited to the Lambeth Conferences.

The assemblies obliged Bishop Webb to go to Cape Town, which delayed ordinations in the Diocese until June 1873.

One of those whose ordination was delayed was Mr. Clark, who had believed he would be ordained at Christmas 1872.

When Canon Beckett first came to South Africa he was already suffering from “neuralgic affections”, and the rough life in the wet weather they had experienced in their years at Modderpoort, living under canvas and in caves, meant that his health had deteriorated further. He now suffered greatly from arthritis and found riding horseback very tiring. 

He was given a cart to ride in but, unfortunately, a cart could not move across country where there were very few roads. The superior therefore delegated the care of the tribal villages, and Ladybrand itself, to Mr. Clark.

The Canon did, however, continue to visit Ficksburg every six weeks and go on to Zuuring Kranz, Bethlehem, and Harrismith each altemnate journey. That is, once in three months.

During 1872 the General rules of the Mission Brothernood of S. Augustine of Hippo at Modderpoort were published in the Quarterly Paper of the Orange Free state Mission, dated October, 1872. This published rule was much shorter than the Rule finaly adopted by the Brotherhood. The full Rulewas possibly only drawn up in detail after the Reverend James Douglas became Superior.

The published Rule read as follows.
1.
General Constitution.
The Community shall consist of three grades.
(1). Brethren who are definitely pledged to the Rule of Life adopted by the Society. [After probation, each member to engage solemnly to adhere to the Rule of Life for three years, at the end of such time, the engagement to be renewed, as before God every year. If any one be not so disposed to renew it, let him be at liberty to quit the Society and depart in peace.]
(2). Probationers - who must before admission express their hearty desire and intention to devote themselves to the Common Religious Life according to the Rules and purposes of the Society.
(3). Associates - who desire for a time or from time to time, for special purposes to live in Community with the Brotherhood in obedience to the Rule, (e.g. as students).
(4). It is most desirable that there should be Serving Brethren associated for the performance of household or domestic work; or servants employed for that purpose, it being inexpedient that Theological Study should be let and hindered by interruptions incident to such work.
II.
The General Principles of the Brotherhood.
(1).A strict rule of frequent devotion, self-denial and obedience.
(2). Theological study to be the main work of the day unless there be a preference or special aptitude on the part of any member for manual labour which may be followed
instead with the permission of the Superior; but in any case one hour at least of Theological or devotional reading, and two hours of manual labour, to be required of each
daily.

Otherwise, the work at Modderpoort, and the work of the Brethren, continued in a fairly routine way during 1872. The Quarterly Papers are almost entirely devoted to reports from the Diamond Field, and the work being done there by the Brothers and other men sent there by the Bishop. He had come to the conclusion that the Diamond Fields were the most important areas to concentrate his small force. The need for ministry in that area had not existed when Canon Beckett had arrived in the Free State, and the important ministry at that time had been the eastern part of the Free State and the Basuto peoples.

The Orange Free State Mission members in England were very active in sending parcels of all sorts of needy articles to the Free State. Apart from items of furniture, books and farming implements, they were told that "articles of clothing to sell are almost worth more than money, and Barrow wrote, from Philippolis, of a sale which had taken place under church auspices in the Court Room of the town. He wrote, 'The day fixed was Saturday, June the 13th, because on that day a good many of the Dutch would be in town for their 'Nachtmaal', but as the store-keepers could not have attended on Saturday, we opened the doors on Friday evening, at 8 p.m., after having arranged and fairly priced each article." Church Jumble Sales have a long history in South Africa.

Early in 1873 Archdeacon Croghan left for a visit to England, and at the same time Bishop Webb left for Cape Town in connection with the events surrounding the election of a new metropolitan referred to earlier. He returned to Bloemfontein in time for Holy Week and Easter.

In 1873 the Brotherhood began to have a service in Ficksburg on the first Sunday in each month and in May Mr. Clark accompanied the Superior to Ficksburg, Bethlehem, and Harrismith. Mr. Clark then stayed on at Harrismith with the intention of a monthly visit to Bethlehem, as well as visiting Heilbron and Frankfort as often as he could. He continued to visit Bethlehen until 1876, when Mr. Allum arrived to take charge there. The distance to Heilbron and Frankfort proved so great he only visited there once. He continued to minister in Harrismith until the death of his wife in 1879 when he went to England with a year’s leave. 

In a letter to the Quarterly Paper, Canon Beckett wrote that he had planted over a 1000 trees at Modderpoort. The trees were chiefly willows, poplars, and about twenty “blue-gums”. In a “Conversazione” held in Clifton some years later, a question and answer session with the Rev. Barrow raised the question of trees. “ Are there any laws for preserving woods and forests?”, to which Barrow replied. “No! And for a very good reason, for we have no woods or forests!” He went on to say that when the first English soldiers occupied Bloemfontein in 1847, there were trees and low brushwood, mainly Olive, but these had gradually disappeared, as needed for firewood. Canon Beckett wrote, “So, I hope in a few years we shall be able to write of our woods and forests.” However, many trees were later cut down for use by the military during the Boer War.

It must have been about this time that the need was realized for a mission sisterhood in the Diocese. In a paper in the Quarterly Papers of July, 1873, this need was publicized with an article titled, “Proposed Mission Sisterhood of SS Michael & All Angels, Bloemfontein.”

It outlined the need in the Diocese for the supply of Education, Nursing, and Mission Work among the Native Women. “the female education needed is not one of the fashionable boarding school type, but careful training in lady-like demeanour and self-disciplined habits.” Obviously the girls in the Diocese were growing up a bit wild according to those brought up in the drawing-rooms and schools of England. There was also mention of a Convalescent Home at Bloemfontein.

During his visit to England Archdeacon Croghan made arrangements for ladies to go out to the Sisterhood, and he wrote that two ladies, Miss Young and Miss Peltre had already gone; the Sisterhood of St. Thomas, Osney House, Oxford, had offered the services of Sister Emma to be the first Superior, and two lady associates, Miss Stockdale and Miss Sibley intended to accompany him on his return to South Africa.

Of course, Canon Beckett and the Brotherhood were not envisioned as having much to do with that aspect of Diocesan Work, but it shows the rapid development which was taking place in the Orange Free State, especially after the discovery of the diamond fields.

Chapter 6 1873 Modderpoort ownership.

The Bishop was still trying to find men to work in his Diocese, but the emphasis was by now quite changed from Bishop Twells’ vision. Now there was a need for active medical staff, teachers as well as clergy. How about a Master of the Cathedral Grammar School, later St. Andrew’s School? This was filled by the appointment of the Rev. Douglas McKenzie, M.A, of St. Peter’s College, Cambridge, “33rd Wrangler, and formerly Vice-Principal of the Training College for Schoolmasters at Peterborough.” It sounded as though they needed wrestlers to handle the boys. But no! A wrangler at Cambridge was a person placed in first class of the mathematical tripos, the Honours examination for degree of Bachelor of Arts. He ‘Wrangled’ with the examiners on mathematics etc.

But there was still some endeavor to find Brethren and students for Modderpoort, and the Superior continued to minister to the countryside with the small Brotherhood remaining.

In his letter to the Associates of the Orange Free State Mission in England, which he wrote just prior to leaving England, Archdeacon Croghan mentions that there was a need to find a priest to take charge of the Brotherhood as Canon Beckett was starting to feel the strain of the work.

It would seem that Bishop Webb believed that Modderpoort belonged to him and his Board of Finance, to close or dispose of at their will, and in fact appeared to be considering the possibility. Canon Beckett therefore wrote to Bishop Twells and asked him to clarify the matter. Bishop Twells, in his reply, dated October 8th 1873, strongly denied that Modderpoort was the property of the Diocese. He wrote: “I am grieved that there should arise, even for a moment, any misunderstanding about the Brotherhood farms, but the Bishop cannot know the facts and when they are explained to him, I can imagine no more difficulty. There is no difficulty in replying to your first question. The farms were paid for out of the Fund you collected in England for the founding of a Mission Brotherhood; and that the Brotherhood should be located on a farm was one part of the scheme as laid down in my printed letter before you offered yourself, and in the Appeals printed and viva voce, which you made in various parts of England. The purchase was vested in me the Bishop simply because at the time he seemed the proper Trustee for the Brotherhood. In the purchase of the Farms I may mention that I proposed to my brother William paying for them myself, and giving them to the Brotherhood, but as Treasurer he thought it better that the Funds collected in England for this end should be so devoted.”......
"If the Brotherhood is to be “burked", you are quite right in your determination to be no party to it, and to leave the Diocese. But you must not allow this and you have true standing ground for resisting unjust oppression."......
"To try to get you 'to take more part in the general work of the Diocese' ie: “to become like an ordinary young missionary and to give up the farm entirely”' is not only a pennywise and pound foolish policy, but unjust and inconsiderate to you. Unjust to the friends and supporters of the great scheme for which you have given yourself and your all and (I am convinced) calculated to do the greatest possible injury to the Diocese. GOD forbid that this should be.'

It becomes obvious that Bishop Webb was not a supporter of the Brotherhood, and in fact may have been instrumental in discouraging men coming out to join the Brotherhood. He was more interested in Clergy under his control. All this may explain why the Brotherhood did not “take off”. Or perhaps it was that he did not have the same vision of what Modderpoort should be as did Canon Beckett.

In November 1873, Mr. G.M. Russell went to Modderpoort as a Theological Student but was unable to read much. He occasionally took services at Ladybrand and Maseru. Canon Beckett wrote of him, “Good and earnest, but not much power.” He moved to Koppie Alleen, near Ficksburg in September 1874, giving fortnightly services in Ficksburg for about a year and acting as schoolmaster at Koppie Alleen. Eventually he went to Theological College in Bloemfontein at the end of 1875.

This aspect of ‘reading’ for Orders relates to studying the books required, which must have been difficult under the circumstances, considering that their mentors, when present, were not really trained academic lecturers. This matter is noted again with Mr. Liley, who came from Folkestone and Warminster. The Bishop sent him to Modderpoort in 1874 to read for Orders, and again Canon Beckett records, “... but although very energetic, fond of school teaching and taking services — in which he was very useful — he would not, or could not, read.” He stayed at Modderpoort for two years before being sent to help Canon Doxat in the school at Barkly. Doxat was appointed to a Canonry at the second Synod in 1874.

In December 1873, Brother John’s (Williams) mother came out, accompanied by her sister, Miss Champernowne, her son Anthony, and her nephew Richard Keble Champernowne. They remained until May 8, 1874, living in a cottage, but having meals in the refectory.

Mr. Champernowne decided to remain in the Diocese and was ordained Deacon in the Cathedral. Anthony Williams also remained for more than three years.

Archdeacon Croghan returned from his visit to England in April, 1874. The ladies, referred to earlier, came out with him, as well as a Miss Grimes, and the Reverend W.T. Gaul, at the time a Deacon, but later being priested and then eventually an Archdeacon in the Diocese.

William Lacy, who up to now had remained at Modderpoort, now went to Thaba ‘Nchu as schoolmaster under Mr. Bevan, where he remained for two years, going to Thlotsi with Mr. Widdicombe in 1876. Tragically, he was drowned in the Caledon a year later.

The second session of the Diocesan Synod was held on 8 July, 1874, and attended by seven priests, four deacons, and nine lay members.

In January of 1875, Mr. Steven and his family were moved into the cottage, as he had been appointed to minister in Lesotho, or Basutoland, as it was known. They remained there for six months before moving to Maseru, and then to Mohali’'s Hoek in 1877, where he built a house and church.

In March, 1875, the Bishop and his family left for a visit to England but were struck with the tragedy of their daughter, Alice, dying while they were still in Cape Town. She was buried next to Bishop Gray's grave in Claremont.

In September, 1875, Mr. Neville went to Modderpoort as Bailiff, and, although energetic, was not successful. After an illness he left Modderpoort in 1877 and eventually became the manager of the farm ‘Oriel’ which Anthony Williams had bought.

Towards the end of 1875, Mr. Crisp, thanks to Mr. Widdicombe’s return to Thaba ‘Nchu, was free to make a second visit to South Bechuanaland, where he spent about three months. This was in response to a request from the people to the Bishop during a visit to Barkly in 1874. In 1876 a new mission was established in South Bechuanaland, and Mr. Bevan and Mr. Crisp placed there. 

It was in 1876, soon after his return from England, that Bishop Webb started to establish a Theological College at Bloemfontein. This was made possible by a generous offer from the Bishop’s friends at Cuddesdon, as well as further assistance from others when they heard of the project. It was formally dedicated in 1877 and named St. Cyprian’s Theological College.

Unfortunately it was not a successful venture and in 1883 it was found necessary to close it.

Perhaps a word should be said about the titles given to the men working in the Diocese. In Anglican terms, a priest could be referred to as the Reverend Father so-and-so, or the Reverend Mister so-and-so, usually depending on whether he was of a High Church persuasion or an Evangelical. At the time of this history there was a tendency to avoid any High Churchmanship in the Anglican Church, hence the referral to Mr. even for an ordained man. At the same time, even if he was an ordained priest, the person might be referred to as Brother so-and-so if he was a member of an Order. Further, Canon Beckett had been a Canon before coming to South Africa, was then made a Canon of the Bloemfontein Cathedral, appointed Chancellor at the Synod in 1872, and in addition he was the Superior of the Brotherhood of St. Augustine. Inevitably, when referring to the records, all of these titles, or sometimes no title, merely the man’s surname, might be used when speaking of him.

An extract from Sister Emma’s Journal, of the voyage to Bloemfontein, was published in the January, 1875,Quarterly Paper, and, reading it, one is struck by the courage of these young ladies, many from ‘protected homes’ in England, who ventured into the wilds of Africa. To give some examples of the difficulties experienced on their way up overland, she writes,” .... A small kind of inn at Zout Pan’s Drift ....... but bad was the best as far as the food went. The bread was musty, mildewed and sour; we opened seven eggs, which were bad, ........ the only meat which was eatable was a salt leg of mutton which had no taste at all, - but no taste was better than bad taste.” ... “At Philp’s there was a plague of flies.....” Their horses went missing, and when they were found the white driver was missing and they went on without him, only being helped by a youngster who had never been up the country before. Etc., etc. Crossing rivers was an expedition in itself, at one such crossing Miss S. fell in and got very wet. 

Letter from Rev. W. Gaul of who was now in Bloemfontein dated May 3rd 1876.

Quarterly Paper 34.0ct. 1876. p.40
"..........I have been sent on a tour round this part of the Diocese, for a change. I left home with the Bishop, who was going as far as Thaba ‘Nchu, to hold a Native Confirmation, but had to hurry on the next day, and reached Modderpoort (Mud Gate) by sunset, having been eight hours in the saddle each day.

Modderpoort is a farm belonging to us, where the Brotherhood is established. It is at present in abeyance, but we are praying for its revival. Canon Beckett is in charge; he is about sixty-five years of age, and worn out with his long tiresome journeys and hard life; and yet he drove me in his rickety cart for twelve hours, on to small village called Zuuringkrantz, where there are a few scattered sheep to be ministered to.”

At the end of July, 1876, the Reverend Widdicombe started out from Modderpoort with Mr. Lacy to visit the Northern parts of Basutoland. They traveled in an open bullock cart, which was the only vehicle available, with a driver and a youngster to lead the oxen. Reaching the Caledon just after sunset, they out-spanned above a Mr. Franklin's farm. The next day they continued, visiting ‘Advanced Post’, the police station between Maseru and Leribe, then on to ‘Jonathan’s Town’, Leribe. While there the magistrate, a Major Bell, offered them a grant of land about ten miles to the south of Leribe at a village he called “Mapatsueng”. This was about five miles from the junction of the Tlotse and Caledon rivers. Visiting Chief Molappo of that area, the Chief told them it was good to have four kinds of Christians near him. It was like having four cows; sometimes he could milk them all, when some failed him, he could rely upon milk from the others. “Ma-Franse, and Ma-Wesley, and Ma-Roma, and Ma-Churche, all supply us with good things, in their own way, out of the Word of God.”

Widdicombe and Lacy then went on to visit the French Missionary, M. Colliard. On the way they met Father Gerard, the Superior of the Roman Mission.

After returning to Leribe they returned through Ficksburg to Modderpoort. They had taken ten days for their tour.

Canon Beckett's Journal has almost no entries for this period, writing, 1876, “No memorable events occur to me. The Bishop was absent in England. In February I think Archdeacon Croghan paid us a visit of 2 or 3 days. During the greater part of the year Mr. Barrow was here, and he relieved the Superior, by taking services at Klokolaan and Ficksburg.” That was all he wrote for the year.

Canon Beckett wrote to the Commissary in England entreating him to keep in mind the need of an efficient head for the Brotherhood at Modderpoort. The Canon was really suffering in health as well as from the frustrations of the work at Modderpoort not going in the direction he had dreamed of. The Bishop, too, was asking for a volunteer from England, to go to Modderpoort to take over from Canon Beckett. Their entreaties and prayers were to bear fruit but not as soon as they would have liked.

During 1877 events continued in much the same routine. The Superior continued to give monthly services at Ficksburg and Clocolaan, as well as going to Maseru and Ladybrand. At Zuuringkranz he took quarterly services. Mr. Allum had by now gone to Bethlehem, which relieved the Canon from going there. He was also helped by Brother John officiating at St. Augustine’s in Dutch and Sesuto, and going once a fortnight to Ladybrand.

In March Bishop Webb paid a hasty visit at Modderpoort before going on to Maseru for Confirmations.

In September, the Metropolitan, the Most Reverend W. W. Jones, traveled up to Bloemfontein for a few days, and then progressed with Bishop Webb on a tour of visitation through the Transvaal, to Zululand and Natal. Before setting out on the tour, however, the Archbishop and Bishop Webb visited Modderpoort, arriving there at dusk on October 4. They had been expected earlier and as a result Bishop Webb had to administer Confirmation to 18 people at 9 p.m. that evening. Everyone then had to stay the night, receiving communion from Bishop Webb the next morning.

Later that day the Superior accompanied the Bishop and Archbishop to Ficksburg and then to Bethlehem for the consecration of the Church of St. Augustine there. Widdicombe, Balfour, Clarke and Allum all assisted at the consecration. The group stayed over Sunday and then the Archbishop and Bishop continued from there to Pretoria and then Natal. They returned after about a month through Maritzburg.

Mrs. Webb and the children had accompanied the Bishop to Modderpoort and Ficksburg, then on to Thlotsi, where she stayed on for a month. Mr. Lacy stayed with them as protector and guide back to St. Augustine’s, Modderpoort, but, returning homeward, was drowned in the Caledon at Ficksburg on November 9. Apparently Mr. Lacy had attempted to cross the Caledon, even though it was in flood, as he was anxious to get back to Modderpoort. He was washed off his horse by the force of the flood and, although the horse was found uninjured, Mr. Lacy’s body was not recovered until the 14th. It was caught in the branch of a tree about a mile below the Ficksburg drift, and was by all reports, hardly recognizable.

Canon Beckett, writing in October, reported that the season had been unusually hot and dry, and with only a few slight showers. This type of weather is usual for the area, and the fact that only one month later the Caledon was in flood will be recognized by those who know the country around that part of the Free State and Lesotho. Indeed, Canon Beckett wrote again that on the 27 October there were beautiful showers through the night.

During the summer of 1877, Canon Doxat suffered a severe bout of sunstroke, and, with his continued illhealth, afterwards decided to return to England. He continued to take an interest in the Diocese, however, and later went to the mission in Korea.

As the purpose of this book is mainly to give some account of the work of Canon Beckett at Modderpoort, or of those who moved through Modderpoort, not much has been written here about activities of the church elsewhere in the Diocese, but an indication of the rapidly expanding work under Bishop Webb can be seen from the list of the Clergy at the beginning of 1877.

Apart from the Bishop and Archdeacon Croghan at the Cathedral, the list includes the Reverends , Allum in Bethlehem, Balfour at Du Toits Pan, Bell at Smithfield, Bevan at Phokoane, Borton at Kimberley, Crisp at Phokoane, Clark at Harrismith, and Champernowne at the Theological College in Bloemfontein. Then there was Gaul at the Cathedral, Lang and Maud at Kimberley, Mitchell at Thaba ‘Nchu, Reynolds at Philippolis, Steven at Fauresmith, Tobias at Rouxville, Canon Beckett and Williams at Modderpoort, Widdicombe in Basutoland, and Stenson at Mohales Hoek, also in Basutoland. Other clergy serving in the Diocese were Doxat as Master of the High School in Barkly, Wright, also at the High School Barkly and McKenzie, Principal of St. Andrew's Diocesan College, Bloemfontein.

Take those, as well as the five priests in the Transvaal, which was also in Bishop Webb's Diocese, and one appreciates that the growth of the Church from the time of Bishop Twell’s arrival in 1863 was phenomenal. Apart from the Brotherhood at Modderpoort, two large schools and a Theological College had been established in Bloemfontein, as well as schools elsewhere; and a Sisterhood for Education and Nursing. No wonder that Bishop Webb had a different picture in mind to that of Canon Beckett. Things had changed fast even in those days.

Chapter 7 1878 Father James Douglas.

In 1878 the second Lambeth Conference was held and Bishop Webb sailed from Cape Town on the 19 February in order to attend the Conference. He was to stay in England for a year. This visit to England proved to be important to Modderpoort as, apart from attending the Conference, the Bishop undertook a number of preaching engagements while in the country. At one of these, at which he spoke of the work being undertaken in the Orange Free State, the attention of a member of the Society of Mission Preachers was drawn to his appeals for help. This was the Reverend James Douglas, a member of the Brotherhood at Stoke which had recently become dissolved.

Through the generosity of the Superior of the, now dissolved, Society, the Reverend Douglas would be able to travel to South Africa at no cost to the Diocese. He set sail from England on 5 December, 1878 and so arrived in Bloemfontein on 12 January, 1879, a month before the return of the Bishop. Accompanying him on the journey was a young man named Milward, who went as a student at St. Cyprian’s Theological College.

Father Douglas stayed on in Bloemfontein for some time, preaching a course of sermons in the Cathedral during Lent, finally leaving for Modderpoort on 26 April.

James Douglas was born in 1843 in the County of Durham. He was the youngest son of the Reverend Henry Douglas, Rector of the parish of Wickham and a Canon of Durham. 

As a child he had been obliged to wear irons as he suffered from a weakness in his legs. When he was about seven years old he was almost drowned when he fell into the river Wear and was brought out unconscious.

As a child he had the reputation of being almost morbidly conscientious, with a strong sense of duty. After attending a preparatory school he went to the Durham Grammar School for four years, spent a time with a private tutor, and then entered Pembroke College, Oxford.

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THE REVEREND JAMES DOUGLAS
1843 - 1894
Second Superior of the S.S.A

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He took his degree in 1867 and was ordained and became curate of Tarporley in the same year. After a Curacy at Kirkby Mísperton he joined the Stoke Brotherhood in 1875 through which he worked in holding Parish Missions, and served as Spiritual Director to a number of individuals both through personal contact and through letters.

Thus it was, in 1878, at the invitation of Bishop Webb, and with the sanction of the Stoke Brotherhood, that he left England to succeed Canon Beckett as Superior of the Community of St. Augustine's at Modderpoort.

In a letter written after only a fortnight at Modderpoort, Father Douglas wrote of the pretty garden with its roses, chrysanthemums, etc. comparing the lovely setting of the house and cottage with what it must have been like when Canon Beckett had first lived there.

The intention was that Father Douglas would take over the room in which Canon Beckett was residing in the Priory building and Canon Beckett would move to one of the four rooms in the cottage. At the time, the only other member of the Brotherhood staying at Modderpoort was Brother John.

The Bishop returned to Bloemfontein at the end of February,1879, with a party of seventeen workers, mostly young ladies to help in the Sisterhood Schools and Hospitals. The Sisterhood, which had taken the name of the Community of SS. Michael and all Angels, were by now working at Kimberley as well as Bloemfontein. During the Zulu War, in 1879, their help was requested to take charge of the Hospital in Ladysmith in Natal and later at another hospital established in Wepener. Then before the withdrawal of British troops from the Transvaal, they took care of the Military Hospital at Newcastle. In 1879 a branch house was opened in Harrismith.

The Reverend Douglas McKenzie, the “wrangler" from Cambridge, had come to the Diocese in 1874 after being Vice-Principal of St. Andrew's College, Grahamstown. He was appointed to a Canonry on Low Sunday, 1876, and appointed Chancellor during the Synod of 1877, Canon Beckett having resigned the office. At the end of 1879 Canon McKenzie was appointed Archdeacon of the newly created Harrismith, the second Archdeaconry of the Diocese. He was not to hold that position very long.

Before taking up the new appointment Archdeacon McKenzie left for a trip to England, staying over, on his way, with his uncle, the Bishop of Grahamstown, and then with the Metropolitan in Cape Town. As both Bishop Merriman and the Metropolitan saw the potential in McKenzie, correspondence took place between South Africa and the Bishop of Carlisle, as well as patrons of the Zululand Mission. The result was that McKenzie was offered the see of Zululand and he was consecrated Bishop in Cape Town Cathedral on St. Andrew's Day, 1880. Unfortunately, after only nine years in office,he died from an attack of Typhoid fever at Isandhlwana in January 1890.

The fourth session of the Synods of the Diocese of Bloemfontein was held in January, 1880, and was attended by twenty-two priests, five deacons and twelve laymen. 

Father Douglas was admitted formally as the Superior of the Community on 5 May 1880, and immediately started attempting to rebuild the Community. In the Quarterly Papers of the Bloemfontein Mission of July 1880 a letter of his was published appealing for funds for building.

Although there had been great activity in the Diocese, as given to us in Archdeacon Crisp's book of 1895, the Community at Modderpoort appears to have been drifting for some time. Now that the new Superior had taken over, life once more appeared to take hold of The Order of St. Augustine of Hippo. Perhaps something more should be said about St. Augustine at this stage, as some may be a bit bewildered at the reference to St. Augustine of Hippo. This designation is used to differentiate this St. Augustine from others, particularly that Augustine who was sent by the Pope to England in 597 A.D. and is commonly referred to as St. Augustine of Canterbury.

Hippo Regius was a town on the Algerian coast at the site of the modern Annaba. Briefly, Augustine was born to a Christian mother at Tagasta (modern Souk-Ahras), a small town about 72 km. south of Hippo. He was not baptised in infancy and strayed from the teachings of Christianity until, as given to us in his "Confessions”, he had a mystical experience in 386. By 387 he was ready for baptism by Ambrose, after which he established a community with friends in Tagasta. He was ordained as assistant priest to the Bishop of Hippo, Valerius, in 391, much against his will, as he wished to remain a contemplative. When Valerius died in 396, Augustine became Bishop of Hippo. His writings have had a great influence on Christian thinking, especially since the Reformation, but it was the the community at Tagasta, and the Rule he drew up for that community, that was the basis for the community started by Canon Beckett.

The death of Chief Moroka on 8 April, 1880, resulted in great disruptions at Thabanchu. Conflict erupted between Moroka's stepson, Tshipinare, and Samuel, the son of Moroka's first wife. This discord had an immediate effect on the Church's Mission at Thabanchu. Mr. Mitchell left and went to St. Matthew's Mission in Kimberley, and Canon Crisp turned to other work , eventually moving to what was then British Bechuanaland, in 1886. Canon Crisp's book gives further details of the turbulence at Thabanchu and its outcome.

Further troubles also broke out in Basutoland, as the Bishop found when he visited Thlotse Heights in April. Discontent arose over the Cape Government's decision to disarm the tribe. Dissent broke out in July, 1880, and the Colonial Mounted Rifle Corps were sent to enforce order. The Mission in the country suffered greatly, as did that of both the French and Roman Missions. Churches were ransacked and burnt. Refuge in the Free State was not far away, but the Caledon River was treacherous and in flood as Mr Woodman, from Sekubu, crossed it on horseback with the Altar vessels slung on his back. After he had left a great deal of his station was destroyed by a party of marauders.

On 3 November 1881, the Clergy met in Conference at Modderpoort to, mainly, discuss the need for a complete regeneration of the work in Lesotho due to the uprising which had taken place. The Reverend E.W. Stenson was asked to give a full report on what had taken place at the various Mission Stations. The report was subsequently printed in the Bloemfontein Diocesan Magazine Vol. Il No. 20, dated January, 1882. 

Ministry around the Diocese then continued much as it had before. Canon Crisp, as an example, visiting Dewetsdorp, a village between Bloemfontein and Wepener, over a period of twelve months in 1881 and 1882. Places such as Senekal, Boshof and Dewetsdorp were found unable to support a priest and so could only be served from a larger Church centre.

On 24 February, 1882, the Reverend Herbert Haworth, a deacon who had travelled with Father James Douglas to Modderpoort in December 1881, passed away after an illness. His brother, Reginald was able to arrive from Bloemfontein in time for the burial, but himself passed away on 28 April from what was referred to by the Bishop as “scarlatina”, namely Scarlet Fever, of which there had been an outbreak in Bloemfontein.

By this time Mr. Sanderson had joined the Brothers at Modderpoort and they had rebuilt the wing, housing the Superior’s room, which had been considered unsafe.

An interesting note was made in Father Douglas’ diary, to the effect that while on a visit to the Reverend Balfour near Morijah, they had got up at 3 a.m on 11 October, 1882, to see the Comet.

In November Father Douglas made his first visit to Winburg. 

Provincial Synod was held in Cape Town in January, 1883 and this, the third session of Synod, was attended by the Bishop, Archdeacon Croghan, Canon Crisp, Father Douglas as well as Mr. Bourdillon and Mr. Carter.

While in Cape Town the Bishop was approached by the representatives of the Diocese of Grahamstown to translate to Grahamstown. Bishop Merriman had been killed in a cart accident and the Diocese was in turmoil. Immediately after Synod the Bishop sailed for England to join his wife and elder son. On his return he was advised that the Elective Assembly held in Grahamstown had chosen him as Bishop. After consultations with the Metropolitan and the Archbishop of Canterbury, and then a further telegram from Bishop Jones simply saying “Go”, he accepted the position and resigned from the see of Bloemfontein. 

Archdeacon Croghan was appointed Vicar-General and summoned the Diocesan Synod to meet at the end of September and the Elective Assembly at the beginning of October, 1883. The Assembly delegated the right of choice to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishops of Truro and Edinburgh. 

The problem concerning the ownership of Modderpoort once again raised its head in 1884, when, as a reply to a letter written by Canon Beckett, and probably after discussions with Father Douglas, Bishop Twells wrote a letter headed ‘Clifton. August 6. 1884." In the letter Bishop Twells repeats what he has stated before. “... certainly I can support what you remember about the purchase of the two farms, and when some years ago Bp. Webb thought he had power to sell them, I was astonished that he so mistook his part as Trustee. They were bought by me, - for the use of the Mission Brotherhood, - as everyone at the time knew, - & with the money you collected for the establishment of the Society. When bought, the Society was not formed, - you were in England- & the Bp. was the only person in whom they could rightly be vested for the purposes intended.” Bishop Twells goes on, “ What the Trust was, under which the Bp. was to hold the farms, could not then be mentioned in the Deed of Conveyance.” After some suggestions as to what could be done when a new Bishop was appointed, and some referral to common friends, he ends with sending his “Kindest regards to F. Douglas.” Unfortunately further queries were to follow in 1889.

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Group Photograph of Members of the S.S.A about 1884
Father James Douglas and Canon Beckett seated
Rev. Sanderson standing left, Rev. Champernowne on the right.

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The young Brother standing, centre, is possibly Brother Arthur.

Modderpoort now suffered a great tragedy with the death of Canon Beckett. On Ash Wednesday, 1885, he had felt sufficiently unwell not to go in to meals or the Offices, but did get up in the afternoon to look out at his trees and the mountain. On the Thursday he did not get up and only wanted a cup of cocoa. He as apparently suffering from diarrhoea and, by the Sunday, doctors Veal and Kellner were sent for. He continued to suffer painfully and died on Sunday afternoon, February 22nd.

Canon Crisp had been sent for, and the coffin was placed in the church after Evensong on Monday. The lid of the coffin was slightly ajar, so that his face could be seen. He was buried on Tuesday 24 February. A plain wood coffin, stained, but with no inscription except a full-length cross on the lid. A purple red pall were used to cover the coffin during the service, and a cross and wreath placed on the top. Three tall candlesticks with candles were placed each side of the coffin. The service took the form of Requiem Mass, Father Douglas being celebrant. A letter from a young missionary student, writing in the Quarterly Papers, stated “.. everything was white: a very bright and solemn service, with a large, mixed, and most reverent congregation.” The Pall Bearers were given as Messrs. Roberts, Martin, White, John and Charles Gardner, and Vincent. According to “The Friend” newspaper, of March, about 400 attended the funeral, including the Landrost of Ladybrand, who spoke at the graveside, saying Canon Beckett's name was a household word throughout that part of the country.

The processional hymn to the grave was “Brief of life is here our portion”, and the service concluded at the grave with the hymn “Oh! What the joy and the glory must be.”

Although heavy rains had been experienced in previous years, causing the Caledon River to flood at times, the country had recently experienced a severe drought. Being an agricultural community based on farming, this had a great finiancial effect on everyone. At St. Augustine’s, Modderpoort, the supply of water from their well failed altogether. This necessitated finding an alternate source for their needs. A spring was tapped, about a kilometer from the house, and a pipeline installed. Although this was thought to cost them about 300 pounds, it was hoped the supply would be sufficient, not only at the present time, but for their needs in the future.

In May Father Douglas was sent to England. at the suggestion of Bishop Webb and the Metropolitan, to visit the Committee and Association generally, in order that he could give them a personal account of the condition and prospects of the Diocese. As Father Douglas wrote in the Quarterly Papers while he was in England, “...to try and place before our Associates and friends the position of our Diocese; and also to awaken the interest of some, which seems to have died down to some extent.” He lamented the fact that no Bishop had yet been found for the Diocese after Bishop Webb’s departure, and it seems that the motivation behind his trip was to reassure prospective clergy, as well as bishops, that financially the Diocese was not in trouble.

During Father Douglas’ absence in England, Bishop Webb travelled up to Bloemfontein, from Grahamstown, to dedicate a new nave of the Cathedral on a Sunday morning and confirm about thirty persons in the afternoon.

The Reverend T.A. Meyer, who was at that time the priest living in Ficksburg, a potted picture of Ladybrand is given as he wrote of his travels on holiday. He relates, “Ladybrand is a very pretty 
place, and much bigger than Ficksburg; most of the streets are lined with noble gum-trees.”!!

Writing again in October, Father Douglas states that the Bishop of Bedford had been tasked with finding a new Bishop but without success. He goes on to say, “I should like to say that although undoubtedly there have been several refusals of late, the question of finance has NOT been the difficulty in the minds of those lately asked; either Doctors have put their veto on the person going abroad, or there have been some special ties in England which could not conscientiously be broken; or they have been too good for us, i.e. they could not be allowed to leave their present work in England.”

With regard to re-awakening interest in the Diocese, Father Douglas felt he had been successful. During his visits to the various branches of the Association, less was being heard of the Diocese’s financial difficulties, and he had hopes that people were beginning to trust a little more in that respect. Archdeacon Croghan, the Vicar-General for the Diocese, wrote to say he felt that Father Douglas should remain in England until he had visited every branch of the associates.

In December, 1885, Bishop Webb wrote to the Associates that the Bishop of Bedford had wriiten to him that “Mr.” G.W.H. Knight-Bruce had accepted the invitation to become Bishop of the Free State, and in February, 1886, Knight-Bruce was already appealing for funds for the Diocese.

Dr.-Knight-Bruce had graduated from Merton in 1876 and was ordained the same year. He served his curacy in Bibury, Gloucestershire, till 1878 when he moved, as curate-in-charge, 10 St. Wendron’s, Cornwall. In 1881 he was given St. George's, Everton, but shortly after offered himself as a preacher for East London (England). He accepted the charge of the parish of St. Andrew’s, Bethnal Green. Now, on 25 March, 1886, he was consecrated to the bishopric of Bloemfontein. A fast mover, and unfortunately, he continued to move, as by 1891 he was Missionary Bishop of Mashonaland. Here he showed great zeal, but after the Matabele rising of 1893 he was a spent man and had to resign in 1894 when his health failed.

When Father Douglas returned to South Africa in May, amongst those accompanying him was”Miss E. Douglas, Guest House, S. Augustine;”. This was Father Douglas’ sister who had asked to join the Modderpoort residents. In addition Miss Burrows accompanied her.

By 27 August 1886 Bishop Knight-Bruce was in Bloemfontein and he was enthroned on 29 August. “The Friend of the Free State” newspaper, dated 2 September 1886, had a long article about his arrival in Blemfontein and enthronement. Among those present at the enthronement were the Presiden and Lady Brand, the Chief Justice, Mr. Justice de Villiers, Mr. Justice Gregorowski, and the Mayor with members of the Town Council. Also the Landdrost, the Auditor-General, the Inspector-General of Education, the Rector of Grey College, the Portuguese Consul, etc, etc. 

At the evening service, both Canons Douglas and Holbech were formally installed as Canons.

A “Report of the Diocese of Bloemfontein.1886”, published in the “Bloemfontein Mission”, recorded the Priests of the Community at St. Augustine’s as, Rev. Father Douglas, Superior; Rev. Father Shaw, Rev. Father Sanderson; and Deacon, Rev. C. Lambert., and the comment “no debt.” However, the clergy list in the same edition of the Bloemfontein Mission” Papers lists a Deacon, Rev. R. James, Modderpoort, but not given as a member of St. Augustine’s. Presumably he was attached to St. Augustine’s for studies and training, but not a member of the Brotherhood. 

In August 1887, Canon Douglas wrote that the Community had grown to five professed, and that they hoped to be joined by Mr. Carmichael from Zululand. He records that Mr. Deacon had joined them as a layman but after ordination to the diaconate, the Bishop had licensed him as their curate. Mr Lambert had left to go to Kimberley to help Canon Gaul.

Father Douglas’ sister and Miss Burrows were living in the guest house. They held sewing classes for the local women, acting as nurses and teaching in the Native School. Miss Burrows was due to leave to go to Masite, but Miss Douglas was to stay on.

For some time very little is recorded of the Brotherhood. In January, 1888, Bishop Knight-Bruce began his first journey up to Mashonaland, reaching Buluwayo by 5 June, where he had great difficulty getting Lobengula’s permission to enter Mashonaland. He suffered inflamation of the lungs in his travels, but quickly recovered and finally returned to Bloemfontein on the evening of 20 December. The Diary of his journey was later published in the “Mission Field”, of July to December 1889.

It would seem that Father Douglas had again travelled to England during this period, he was ordered away by the doctor for fifteen months and returned in December, 1888.

The next news we have is a letter, from Bishop Allan B. ow of Grahamstown, and dated August 8, 1889, stating in legal terms, “So far as any interest and responsibility may be considered attach to me with regard to the purposes and objects for which the property and premises known as St. Augustine’s Ladybrand O.F.S. have been held in trust by the Bishop of Bloemfontein for the time being, I can see no valid reason why the said property should not be held in trust by the Superior of the Community for the purposes of the Community subject to a Constitution approved by the Bishop of the Diocese and to the condition of the Bishop being Visitor of the Society.

Following the above letter, Bishop Twells wrote another to Father Douglas from Enfield, Middlesex, England, and dated August 28th 1889, The matter of ownership again seems to have arisen and the Bishop states the situation in no uncertain terms.

“I repeat the statement the two Mission Farms were purchased for the Community and not for the Diocese.

1. The money necessary for the purchase of the farms and the erection of the needful buildings was collected in England by the late Rev. Canon Beckett, the first Superior of the Society.
2. The two farms were conveyed to myself as Bishop of the Orange Free State in trust for the Superior of the Brotherhood.
3. From that time the Brotherhood fund has never asked for or received any grant in aid from the General fund.
4. The Superior of the Brotherhood has always had full power to administer the funds given for the purposes of the Society.
5. The balance sheet of the Community, published from time to time in the Quarterly Paper, has always been kept altogether seperate from the Diocesan balance sheets.”

It would seem that Father Douglas was intending to get the matter finalised, legally, once and for all.

In a letter to the Quarterly Papers dated 16 August, Father Douglas wrote that the two lay brothers left for a six month holiday in England, and Father Shaw had been sent to Johannesburg for a change, in order to work under Mr. Darragh. 

The Brotherhood had plans to begin Branch work in Basutoland, while their work in Ladybrand, Clocolan and Ficksburg would hopefully be handed over to a priest from England. This was to be the Reverend Gresley Douglas, not to be confused with Father James Douglas. The idea was that the Mission work would emanate from Branch houses in Basutoland, while Modderpoort would be the home for training those who might offer themselves in the future.

Chapter 8 Bishop Hicks -

Death of Father James Douglas

On 24 January, 1891, the fourth session of the Provincial Synod commenced in Cape Town. At this the Bishops decided to found the new Diocese of Mashonaland and offered it to Bishop Knight-Bruce. During August a letter was received by the Diocese from the Bishop, bidding farewell as he had accepted the See of Mashonaland. On 11 November the Elective Assembly met and elected the Reverend John Wale Hicks. 
Dr. Hicks had graduated in arts, science and medicine at of Physicians. He felt called to the priesthood and had gone to Cambridge on the advice of the Bishop of London. After graduating he had remained at Cambridge where he continued to take part In the medical academic life, as well as being Vicar of St.Mary-the-Less, at Cambridge.

The Bishop-elect landed in Cape Town on 10 September, 1892, together with the future Dean of Bloemfontein, the Reverend J.R. Vincent, and three others. The consecration of the Bishop look place on 21 September in Cape Town Cathedral. He arrived in Bloemfontein about a week later and was enthroned in the Cathedral on the feast of St. Michael and All Angels.

In October Bishop Hicks visited Modderpoort and Thaba ‘Nchu, and in January, 1893 he journeyed to Modderpoort and then on fo Thlotse Heights and the north of the Free state.

On 16 August, 1894, Father James Douglas died at the age of fifty-two. He had not been well since 1887 when his health had broken down. There had been talk of an aneurism and he had gone to England for medical advice, afterwards making a voyage on a sailing-ship to New Zealand.

Bishop Hicks was in England, but Dean Vincent was on a visit to Modderpoort with the only two brethren at home at the time, Brother Arthur and Father Carmichael. Father Sanderson was able to return by the following Sunday when the funeral took place, conducted by the Dean.

“The Friend of the Free State” newspaper reported that Memorial Services for Father Douglas had been held all over the country, including East London, Kimberley, and St. Mary’s Church, Johannesburg.

Four brethren now remained at Modderpoort and Father Sanderson was to became Superior. On his return from England, Bishop Hicks visited them, and on the 19 October announced that the Community had elected Father Sanderson as their Superior. For constitutional and parochial reasons the appointment would become official at the next Festival of St. Augustine.

Subsequently the Bishop sent clergy, students, and ordinands to live with them for a while. In this way Mr. A.C Read, who was later ordained; the Reverend M.J. Mocatta; the Reverend Arthur Edwin Day, from Warminster, who became curate of Ladybrand; and the Reverend R.S. Barker, from Knysna, who came for his health, all arrived to help. 

The Brotherhood therefore kept up its services and life, but limited itself to Modderpoort and district, and to the native work there and in Ladybrand. The Reverend F.M. Lane and then the Reverend L.W. Olive took charge of Ficksburg, and the Reverend G.P.T. Johnson came to be the first resident Vicar of Ladybrand.

Archdeacon Crisp had previously written a short tract on the Bloemfontein Mission. Now, in 1895 he published his book, “Some Account of the Diocese of Bloemfontein”, 1000 copies of which were printed, and cost one shilling. In 1896 he published a small book titled, “The Bechuana of South Africa”. 

The end of 1895 saw the Jameson Raid, beginning the unsettlement which was to end in the war of 1899. The First Boer War, also known as the First War of Independance, had taken place in 1880 and 1881. By and large the Bloemfontein Diocese had only been affected by this in that a number of their clergy had gone to the Transvaal to work in that area from the early days of the Diocese's life, and, of course, by the fact that they were all from England. The new war was to have a personal effect on the lives of the Diocese as a whole, including that of the Brethren.


79

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THE REV. H. C. SANDERSON

3rd Superior of the Society of St. Augustine, Modderpoort

As recorded in “The Church Magazine” of 15 October, 1896, a new sacristy for the church was dedicated on Monday 17 August, the anniversary of Father Douglas’ death, in whose memory the Sacristy was erected. From the description given the layout was very similar to the that of the church which was built later on the foundations of the old.

The Sacristy was to serve as the Chapter House for the Community. “The building is a square room joined to the choir entrance of the Chapel by a short passage, and connected at the other end with the entrance to the Superior’s room by a small projection from the roof forming a ‘covered way’. It is well and solidly built of white stone, with a hipped roof terminating in a lantern light, which inside has a pleasing effect, the light being thrown down through a small dome supported by a concave ceiling almost crypt-like in appearance, which some day perhaps will be covered with frescoes should a Fra Angelico arise amongst us. Ample room is provided inside by means of two long presses for the disposal of Altar frontals, vestments, etc.” It is possible this addition was retained during the building of the new church. 

In March, 1897, the Church Magazine recorded that the Memorial to CanonBeckett had consisted of a stained glass window on the Eastern side of the Chapel. As there had been money left over from the fund raising for this purpose, the Sanctuary had been enlarged and Stalls and a Sedilia supplid. There were also two chancel gates of wrought iron which had been sent out from England, as a gift from Mrs. Sanderson, the mother of the Superior. These were all dedicated at Evensong on the anniversary of the funeral of Canon Beckett.

In 1898 the new church in Ladybrand was dedicated to St. James, and also as a memorial to Father Douglas. 

Soon after, Father Sanderson considered the enlargement of the one at Modderpoort as it was no longer large enough. It was thought that it could be lengthened and an iron roof put on in place of the thatched roof. When the grass was taken off, however, heavy rains affected their plans. In addition it was found the old walls were not strong enough, nor were the foundations. It was therefore decided to build a new church.

The Rinderpest broke out in 1898, ravaging all of South Africa, and affecting all around them. When one remembers that the Whole social system of the Basuto’s was built on their cattle and that the wealth of the country consisted almost entirely of cattle, one can have some concept of the impact on the people. The slaughtering of cattle by officials in an attempt to stay the plague in Matabeleland infuriated the tribesmen, and war broke out there, a peace eventually only ensuing when Rhodes made terms with the Matabele indunas in the Mattopos.

A report in the Quarterly Papers of October 1899 stated that a distant native service was held in July on the farm Uitkyk, in the Ladybrand district, but nearer Wepener. Up to this time ministry had been carried out from an outstation of Masite and from Wepener, but that the Rector of Wepener had asked the Modderpoort Mission to help him in ministering to them. 

Bishop Hicks usually spent St. Augustine’s Day with the community and arranged, in passing through to Basutoland, to come and lay the foundation stone for the new church at Modderpoort.  Unfortunately, while in Masite he was seriously affected by varicose veins. Dr. Long took him to his own house at Maseru and Canon Weigall came up from Masite to nurse him, as he had hospital experience. The diagnosis was ‘thrombosis of the femoral vein”.

The Bishop died, with the Canon, the nurse, and the doctor in attendance, on 11 October, 1899. This was also the day the Boer War broke out. The Bishop was buried at Maseru early on 13 October.

Meanwhile, Father Sanderson had laid the foundation stone at Modderpoort on 21 September. But work now had to stop because of the war and would not pick up again for three years, as workmen were called off to the war.

82

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The Lichgate, St. Augustine’s Church Modderpoort

A Lichgate is so called because a corpse, in a bier, may be rested under it, before entering the church.

Taken about 1902

The Church is in the background, without a roof

83

During October the Reverend Carmichael wrote from Modderpoort that the local Veldt Cornet had called men between 16 and 60 (except those exempt) into camps and all householders to furnish food and substance. Their first levy was 5 bags flour, 5 bags of mealie meal and meat, 5 bags potatoes, 3 spades. 

For six months Modderpoort was completely isolated, no post going from it or reaching it from overseas. In May, Father Carmichael wrote a short letter to the Quarterly Papers, saying they were well and that they had been well treated by the government.

For two and a half years they were allowed to stay on only the area for a year, and then the Northumberland Fuseliers for another year, garrisoning the Poort. They also had a fort on the top of Platberg.

Ladybrand was besieged for three days and after the siege was lifted the military occupied the town until the war ended. The town became a centre for hospitalisation, the school and other buildings were used for this purpose. Father Sanderson had great responsibilities, and had to act with wisdom and tact, first with the old O.F.S. government, and then with the military and civil authorities.

A letter, obviously in reply to a letter of complaint to the authorities, and dated 10 October, 1899, stated, “I think your contention a fair one. I have seen the Secretary of the “Krygs” Commission and he has promised to see to it that the articles commandeered from you or the Brotherhood will be returned you as soon as possible and necessary instruction will be sent to the Landdrost of Ladybrand to that effect at once. I am sorry you should have been worried and glad to have been able to be any service to the Brotherhood.”

A note dated 16 May, 1900, ordered that no property belonging to the Brotherhood should be commandeered or touched. It was countersigned by the Captain Administrator. The signatures on the order are difficult to decipher to obtain the names of the officers concerned.

A permit was issued on the 3 January, 1901, giving Father Sanderson and Father Carmichael of Modderpoort permission to ride or drive about the district within the outposts in the performance of their duties - by day. This permit was extended at the end of March 1901, to 30 June, 1902.

No fresh recruits would now come to the community, and, with the election of Bishop Chandler to the See in July 1901, consideration was given to asking the Society of the Sacred Mission to help them with the work at Modderpoort.

Brother Arthur died unexpectedly in February 1902 and the three remaining members put themselves in Bishop Chandler's hands. After discussion, Father Sanderson wrote to the Society of the Sacred Mission in England, asking them to consider taking over the Mission work at Modderpoort. The result was the coming of Father H. Kelly, Brother Colin Millington, a deacon, and Brothers Samuel and William to Modderpoort on St. Augustine’s Day, 1902.

The community was dissolved but members of the old society continued their obligations to their Life and to the Diocese. The other two members were promised “provision for life” as laid down in the Constitution of SAA, relating to dissolution of the Society. Father Sanderson waived the right as he believed he would remain to help the new community, and to hand everything over. At that time his decision was to stay on at Modderpoort for, possibly, the rest of his life. He had an income through his deceased father’s will which, as is normal for members of a Religious order, was annually handed over for the use of the Society.

Father Carmichael was asked by the Bishop to go to Mohales Hoek and Quthing.

Brother Bernard at first joined the Reverend E. Rose at St. Patrick’s, Bloemfontein, and then the Reverend G.C. Day at Thaba ‘Nchu. He joined Father Carmichael at Mohales Hoek in 1910. Brother Bernard was later taken ill with enteritis and had to go to hospital at Mohales Hoek. He did not seem to gain in strength but managed to travel to Modderpoort, but within a month died on 18 February 1922, aged 73.

In December 1902, Father J. W. Barrow, who had been one of the early members of the community and later returned to England, wrote a reply to Brother William, SSM. He was then at Chaldon in the Sarum Diocese. 

In his letter he answers a query from Brother William regarding the Cave Chapel. “I can tell you exactly where the cave chapel was, if the structure has not been much changed to meet the arrangements of the military. From your sketch, it is evident that one of the doors has been made into a window. I cannot remember exactly how the rocks were placed, inside the cave. I mean, their natural positions. Of course, when furnished these were partly covered, and there were curtains marking the divisions of the rooms. On the side against the mountain, there was a large wall of rock out of which shelves were cut to hold our plates and cups, all of iron: and between the chapel and the Superiors room, (in which Bro. John Williams also slept), and which was on a lower level than the chapel, there was a large intervening stone. Outwardly the appearance was a huge mass of stone, or rock, of great size, with grass and vegetation in clefts near the top, and above all - the bell! This great mass looked as if supported by the wall of unburnt brick, which was built round the lower side, facing the veldt. ..... The Altar was a small portable one, such as is sometimes used in sick rooms, the space being very limited. Mr. Steven, .... used to be of our number, and played the harmonium, as well as acting as cook.”


---------- formatting

Amongst the papers of Modderpoort is a Statement from G. Rohde, dated October 1st. 19083, for building the church as per contract agreed upon, £1458 -- --

for extra foundations (etc) £1200 9 =

for extra Carpenter work (etc,etc) £ 161 7 1

To making Bishop’s Chair £ 18 10 -


86

Father H.H. Kelly returned to England in 1902, but his brother, Father A.D. Kelly arrived early in 1903.

In December of 1903 Father Sanderson wrote a letter to Father A.D. Kelly (SSM) in which he said that he had lately come to realise that it would be better if he moved away from Modderpoort because “I have had a growing conviction that as long as I remain on the M’poort Staff neither the new Clergy nor the different congregations (European, Half-Caste & Native) will be able to adequately recognize, still less realize, and act duly upon, the new relationship and mutual responsibilities under which they now exist.”

Father Sanderson proposed moving to Prynnsberg, where the Bishop had agreed to set up a new Mission. The Mission was entirely financed, and supported, by the Newberry family. At that time a “School Chapel” was in the process of being built and Father Sanderson had already started visiting the farm to minister to the people. Father Sanderson also realised his financial situation would be radically affected by his move. He therefore asked Father Kelly to free the income from his father’s will for his personal use, as he was no longer a member of the dissolved order. It was also obvious that the cost of living had drastically increased after the War and that he would need all the support he could get. Father Kelly replied, saying that Father Sanderson had every title to properties and funds as suggested, and in addition Father Sanderson would alway be welcome at Modderpoort. Father Sanderson became a Superintendent of Native Missions, and began work in the Northern Free state, living at Prynnsberg, Ficksburg and Harrismith. He retired to Modderpoort, living with his sister, Mrs. Vernon, and died there at the age of 80 on 15 September, 1925. He was followed, at Prynnsberg, by Father Olive, who in 1903 was still Rector of Ficksburg.

With the dissolution of the Society of St. Augustine, and the dispersal of the last members, a new era began at Modderpoort under the Society of the Sacred Mission. Their story really belongs in a different book. It is sufficient to briefly record the highlights of their stay at Modderpoort.

In 1911 a query arose as to the ownership of the house in which the Bishop normally stayed while visiting Modderpoort. Father Sanderson wrote from Bethlehem, advising that it was NOT the “Bishop’s Manse”. The house was originally built for the Farm Manager with money advanced by his Father-in-law and afterwards repaid by the Brotherhood. This made it Community Property, and secondly because by purchase by the community.

Later it had become used as a house for guests as a new farm manager had been unmarried and had lived in a small cottage. It had been let out at one time but this had been stopped by Father Sanderson. The then Bishop enlarged the house in lieu of a rent for when he visited. No formal agreement had been made but it was felt that it would be good for the Episcopal Visitor to have a place to stay when he visited. In between times the Brotherhood used it as a guest house.

In 1915 Father Carleton became South African Superior of the SSM and, with the addition of new men, they started on institutional educational work. Initially this consisted of training whole-time paid Catechists. Later a class to train men for the Diaconate was formed, with a village of huts being built for the wives and children. In 1921 six Native Deacons were ordained in Modderpoort Church and, after a year’s work around the country, returned to Modderpoort for preparation for the priesthood. Money being in short supply, this work was discontinued, but a new venture was started with the Modderpoort Secondary School for Natives, dedicated by Archbishop Carter in 1928.


Other work was undertaken including a Sesuto Hymn Book, Catechisms in Sesoto and a Sesoto Prayer Book. A retreat House was also maintained. Probably the most famous of all the works done at Modderpoort during that time was the African High School and teacher training college. 

The school closed down in 1955 as a result of the implementation of the Bantu Education Act of Dr. Verwoerd. The old school buildings were then used as a retreat and Conference centre. In addition the “Modderpoort Fathers” continued to serve the surrounding districts as Rectors and itinerant priests. Again the number of Brothers declined at Modderpoort and the Provincial Chapter took the decision to close the Province in South Africa. This was ratified by the General Chapter which met in August 1989.

The Conference centre was closed for a period of about six months after Father Frank Green and Father Anthony Perry returned to England in May 1988. The Modderpoort property was subsequently handed over to the Diocese and registered in the name of the Diocese of Bloemfontein. Brother Andrew Longley stayed on as the Farm Manager, continuing to live in the old Priory. At the time of the transferral the SSM made certain provisos as to the use of the income derived from the Estate.

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North-easterly view from the Priory steps, Modderpoort.

About 1998

The objectives of the new Estate were given as:

To maintain a presence in the Diocese of Bloemfontein which will provide a Centre for Meetings, Conferences and Retreats for this Diocese and other Dioceses of this Province as may be required.

To endeavour to carry out the above objective in the spirit of the Objects of the Brotherhood of St. Augustine of Hippo in the Diocese of Bloemfontein (1867 - 1902), as contained in Chapter 5 of the Rule of the Brotherhood as confirmed by Bishop John Hicks on the third day of September, 1895.

A Board of Governors, or Advisory Board, was established in 1990, with the Bishop of the Diocese as Chairman.


90

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES.

Arbousset, J.T. Narrative of an exploratory tour to the north-east of the colony of the Cape of Good Hope Cape Town 1846

Bloemfontein Diocesan Magazine. The, 
Church Magazine for the Diocese of Bloemfontein.

Casalis, E. The Basutos Facsimile Reprint Struik 1965

Colley, A. And all the Saints All Saints Parish, Ficksburg 1992.

Crisp, W. Some account of the Diocese of Bloemfontein

James Parker, Oxford. 1895

“The Friend” Newspapers. Bloemfontein

Gray, The Rev. C.(ed) Life of Robert Gray, Two Volumes.

Rivingtons 1876.

Hinchliff, P. Anglican Church in South Africa D.L.T. London. 1963

Gill, S.J. A short History of Lesotho

Morija Museum and Archives. 1993

“The Ladybrand Courant” . Ladybrand.

Livingstone E.A. (Editor). Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian

Church. OUP 1977

Moorman, J.R.H. A History of the Church in England

Adam and Charles Black 1954

Muller, C.F.J.(ed) Five Hundred Years — A History of South Africa.

Academica 1969

Occasional Papers of the O. F. S Mission 1863 — 66

Pama, C. British families in S. A.Human & Rousseau 1992

Quarterly Papers of the Orange Free State Mission 1868 ff.

Thompson, L.. Survival in Two Worlds — Moshoeshoe of

Lesotho 1786 — 1870 Clarendon Press 1975

Tylden, G. The Rise of the Basuto Juta 1950

Walker, Eric A. A History of South Africa Longmans, Green.1928.

The following are in the Anglican Provincial Archives in Cape Town

Transcript of Canon Beckett's Journal

Cambridge University. from records of St. Catherine’s College.

General Letters in the Archives

Letters to and from Canon Becket

Index

A

Advanced Post 32, 59

Albania 17

Allard, Bishop 23

Allum 52, 60, 61

Anson 44

Asn 29

B

Bantu Education Act 88

Baralong 40

Barker 78

Barkly 41, 47

Barrow 29, 34, 37, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 48, 51, 52, 85

Bechuana 78

Bechuanaland 57, 67

Beck 22

Beckett made Canon 14

Bell 20, 37, 40, 46, 47

Bethlehem 41, 42, 43, 60, 87

Bevan 29, 34, 39, 47, 48, 56, 57

Bezuidenhout 39

Bishop of Bloemfontein 38

Black Watch 83

Boer War 78

Boshof 42, 68

Bourdillon 69

Bowker 41

Brand 74

Brother Anthony 20, 21

Brother Arthur 70, 77, 84

Brother Bernard 84

Brother Frederick 19

Brother John 18, 19, 48, 56, 60

Brother Mark 20

01


92

Brother Wilfred 20, 24 Diamonds 37

Brother William 18, 19, 20, 34 Dingiswayo 35

Brother William, SSM 85 Diocesan Synod 46

Brown, RM. 5, 14 Dixon 29, 34, 40, 41, 47

Bubb, E. '19,21,32 Donaldson 22, 34, 35

Burrows, Miss 74 Douglas 63, 64, 65, 70, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 80

Douglas, Miss E. 74

C Douglas, Gresley 76

Callaway 47 Poxat 19,20, 21, 37, 40, 43, 46, 36, 62

Carleton 87

Carmichael 74, 77, 83, 84 F

Carter 69 Fauresmith 43, 46

Cathcart 37 Ficksburg 32, 41, 43

cave 29, 33, 41 Fleetwood 27

Cave Chapel 85 France 43, 48

Champernowne 56, 70 Frankfort 52

Chandler 84 French Missionaries 23, 36

Cheese, F. 14, 18 G

Clark 27, 43, 48, 49, 52

Clarke 61 Gaul 56, 74

Clegg 21 General Constitution 50

Clergy at the beginning of 1877 62

Clocolan 42

Clulee 38, 39, 47

General rules 50

Gerard 60

Gill 36

Coleman 38, 41 Goodale 22

Colenso 49 Grammar School 47

Colliard 60 Gray 38, 48

Comet 68 Green 88

Cotterill 37, 46

Crisp 5, 14, 21, 40, 42, 46, 48, 57, 68, 69, 71, 78

Croghan 32, 33, 34, 39, 46, 52, 53, 56, 60, 69, 73

Croghan, Archdeacon 14

Gregorowski 74

Griffin 22

Grimes 56

Crosby 22 H

D Hanger 29

Harrismith 42, 43, 66

Darragh 76 Haworth 68

Day 78, 84 Heilbron 52

De Kok 32 Hicks 77, 81, 89

de Villiers 74 Hidien 26

Deacon 74 Holbech 74

Dewetsdorp 68

Diamond Fields 41, 43, 48, 51

Horne 32


94

I McKenzie 54, 65, 66

Merriman 17, 30, 31, 33, 46, 66, 69

Imperani 41 Meyer 72

J Millington 84

Milward 63

James 22, 74 Mission Sisterhood 53

Jameson Raid 78 Mitchell 19, 22, 29, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48

Johnson 78 Mitchley 41, 43

Jones 61 Mocatta 78

Jones, Bp. 49 Modderpoort 20, 24

Jousse 27, 36 Modderpoort Church 42, 46, 80, 81

K Modderpoort, cost 11

Modderpoort Mission 39

Kelly 84, 86 Modderpoort, move to 27

Klipdrift 47 . Modderpoort Secondary School 87

Knight-Bruce 73, 74, 75, 77 Modderpoort, size 11

Koppie Alleen 56 Modderpoort, transfer 13

Koro Koro 26 Mohales Hoek 57, 84

Moperi 31

L Moroka 19, 67

Lacon 5 Moshoeshoe 16, 23, 35

Lacon, W. 5, 14, 16 N

Lacy 48, 56, 59, 60, 61 ]

Ladybrand 32, 41, 47, 50, 60, 72, 78, 83 Native Mission Work 18

Ladybrand Church 80 Neville 57

Lambert 74 Newberry 86

Lane 78 Northumberland Fuseliers 83

Laxion 19, 20,22, 32 Nun’s Hoek 23, 26

Liley 56 0

Lobengula 75

Longley 88 OdelLH.G. 3, 14, 16

Oertil 22

M Olive 78, 86

Macrorie 24 O'Reilly 11, 22

Maiten 29 Orpen, C. 17

Male, Dudley 12 Orpen, F. 17

Manchupa 36 ownership 69

Mantshupa Makheta 36

Mantsupa 36 p

Mapatsueng 59 PT. 44

Mashonaland 75 Parkinson 33

McCabe 29 Pelire 53


97

96

Perry 88 St. Augustine of Hippo 67

Philippolis 43, 46, 51 St. Augustine’s Church 82

Platberg 24, 83 St. Cyprian’s Theological College 58, 63

Probationers guidelines 9 St. Patrick’s 84

Prynnsberg 86 St. Patrick’s, Bloemfontein 19

Stenson 47, 68

Q Steven 29, 40, 43, 46, 57

Quthing 84 Stockdale 47, 53

Subjects for study 29

R Swinney 41

Read 78 Synod 56, 69

Rensberg 32 Synods 66

Richardson 40 ys

Rickards 40, 43

Rohde 85 erry: 5,416,26,:34,-42

Roman Catholics 23 Thaba Bosiu 36

Roman Mission 60 Thaba ‘NChu 19

Rose 84 Thaba ‘Nchu church 21, 22

Rules and Statutes 15 Theological College 57

Russell 55 Thlotse Heights 67, 77

Thlotse 56, 59, 61

S trees 52

Saddler 40 Ishipinare 67

Sand River 43 [Twells 11,13, 18, 33, 38, 54, 69, 75

Sanderson 68, 70, 74, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 83, 84, 86, 87 Twells, E. Bishop 8

Scott, J. 23 Twells’ resignation 30, 34

Second Treaty Of Aliwal North 23 V4

Sekonyela 37

Sekubu 68 Vernon 86

Senekal 68 Viervoet 36

Shaka 35 Vincent 77

Shaw 74, 76

Sibley 53 id

Sidall 20,21, 32 Walker, H. 19, 20, 22

Siddall 19, 22 Warden 36, 37, 42

Sister Emma 53, 58 Webb 38, 39, 43, 46, 48, 49, 52, 54, 57, 61, 63, 72

Sister Marjorie 26 Webber 33

Sisterhood 65 Weigall 81

Smithfield 37, 47 Wepener 32, 81

Society of the Sacred Mission 84 Wesleyan Missionary 23

Spencer, C. 19 Wickens, E. 11

Springfield 16, 19, 20, 21 Widdicombe 47, 57, 59, 60, 61
98

Williams 5, 14, 40, 46, 56, 57, 85

Winburg 69

Wodehouse 23

Woodman 68

Y

Young 53

Z

Zuuring Kranz 42, 43, 50,59, 60

Zwide 35