A Vision Received, A Vision Passed On The History of EMS 1948-1998: The Birth and Growth of the Evangelical Missionary Society of the Evangelical Church of West Africa (EMS of ECWA)

By Panya Baba

Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord,

I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.' Ezekiel 33:11

The Bible gives a clear picture of God's heart concerning lost sinners. If the condition of the lost is clearly understoo

• Language: English
• Publisher: Midas Touch GEMS
• Release date: Jun 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088213278

Book preview

The Gospel and Africa

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on

those living in the land of the shadow of death

a light has dawned.  Isaiah 9:2

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Earliest Relationships

The Continent of Africa has played an important role in God’s unfolding plan of salvation and redemption from the time of Abraham to the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. There are at least three ways in which Africa is linked to Christianity. The first is in its geographical relationship to Palestine and other areas where most of the events of the Bible took place. Places like Egypt and Ethiopia are mentioned in many Bible stories we read. Cush and Nubia were lands south of Egypt also mentioned in the Bible.[2]  These places are familiar to us. We see ourselves and feel closely related when we read about African countries and people in the Scripture.

The second way Africa is related to Christianity is cultural. Many of the cultural practices in North and sub-Saharan Africa are similar to those recorded in the Bible. Such practices include extended family ties, polygamy, and acceptance of a kinsman redeemer which is described in the Old Testament Book of Ruth in chapters two through four. This practice requires a widow to marry a relative of her late husband.

While some of these cultural practices have diminished, others continue in varying degrees depending on the area and influence from outside. The kinsman redeemer practice has been found widely among the different tribes in Nigeria although it is not as common today. In the Gbagyi tribe it is only in recent times that this practice has diminished to the point that a widow is given freedom to remarry anyone she chooses rather than the kinsman redeemer chosen for her by her late husband's family. Another cultural practice found in Scripture and in Africa relates to harvest time. A number of tribes have the custom of leaving some of the grain behind when harvesting so that those who are needy have an opportunity to come and take freely, just as it is portrayed in the Book of Ruth.

The third relationship between Africa and Christianity is seen in religious practices. Because of Africa’s geographical relationship to the land of Palestine, information about events in Israel and Egypt must have reached countries to East, Central, and West African people. For example, the Passover recorded in Exodus 11 and 12 that took place in Egypt is also reflected in some traditional religious and cultural practices and rituals in Nigeria. Using the example of the Gbagyi people once again, one of the most important rituals practiced in traditional Gbagyi religion is similar to the Passover. At the death of an older person a ritual had to be performed. The people would kill a sheep, ram, goat, or dog. More priority was given to sheep than to goats but then after this, whatever was available would be used. The blood of the animal would then be applied to the top of the door, to the right and left sides and then to the bottom of the door of the room where the body was kept. The body could not be brought out for burial until this very important ritual had been completed.

When young people asked about this ritual and its purpose, the answer usually given by the local elders was that they did not know. They had also asked their own fathers and grandfathers who said they did not know exactly why or when the practice began. However, there was a common belief that unless an animal is sacrificed and blood applied to the doorposts, the ancestors of the deceased person would not open the door for the person to come and join them in their world beyond.  So we can see that a corrupted form of the story of the Passover event reached the people of Nigeria but not the full story.

Many similar instances can be found among the different ethnic groups in Africa. For the most part, sacrifice is a part of traditional religion in all parts of Africa. Musa Haruna, writing about customs in the Southern Zaria area, describes traditional burial procedures among the  Chawai people. They sewed clothing from the skins of sacrificed animals. The clothing was used for the body at burial so that the person would not have to enter the next world naked. Haruna questions whether the people of that area had some notion of the story of Adam and Eve.[3]

There are symbols that can be seen in many areas of Africa that point to events recorded in Scripture. The sign of the cross is seen in Niger Republic among the Tuaregs. The cross is displayed on buildings, furniture, woven cloth, on jewellery and other things. It seems very likely that this sign of the cross goes back to the crucifixion of Christ in Jerusalem. There are other Bible events which can be seen in symbols or practiced in rituals in various African religions. If the pioneer missionaries had come closer to the people and had studied some of their cultural and religious rituals and practices, they would have found a starting point for approaching them with the Gospel. They would have found it much easier to teach the message of the gospel and many would have been attentive to their message, hearing familiar themes with which they could identify. Don Richardson, in his book Eternity in Their Hearts,[4] notes that, embedded in any culture, there is usually some practice or understanding which can be used to demonstrate the gospel. He calls these redemptive analogies.

The burden and vision of the early missionaries to take the gospel to Africa to the millions without Christ was commendable. However, the worldview of many of these missionaries did not allow them to see anything of value in the culture of the people. They believed that the total culture and society had to be liberated and redeemed. They believed that every aspect of culture needed to be replaced with the gospel of Christ.[5] Nevertheless, the efforts, sacrifice, and perseverance of the early missionaries to get the full Gospel across to people of generations past must be noted with thanksgiving. God used them to introduce the Saviour to many and to provide basic teaching from the Scriptures to those who believed. Many of the early missionaries gave their lives for the sake of the Gospel and are buried in the soil of Africa. They obeyed God’s call on their lives, they came, and they passed their vision and burden to others.

Africa seemed to have some relationship to Christianity because of the geographic nearness to the Middle East, and similarities in cultural and religious practices. However, the familiar themes that existed in these practices in Nigeria contained only corrupted forms, or hints, of the gospel message until the Gospel came in full measure. The coming of Christianity during the modern missionary era did not take place until the middle of the nineteenth century.

While it took many centuries for the Gospel to reach sub-Saharan countries in Africa, the Church in North Africa had been well established during the early centuries of Christianity.  However, this Church did not endure.

Early Church in Africa

We understand from the Scriptures that the revelation of God touched African soil as early as the days of Abraham, and during the times of the prophets and kings. However, the most significant event relating to Africa is recorded in Matthew chapter two. Jesus Himself was brought to Egypt and lived on African soil for a brief time. Later on there were the African representatives in Jerusalem during Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2:8-10. Acts 8 also records the story of the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch. These events show the participation of Africans in the spread of the Gospel and establishing of churches in East and North Africa during the earliest stages of Church history.

Historical accounts indicate that the churches in North Africa were well established and flourishing in the first centuries of Christianity. A theological institution was established in Alexandria in Egypt. Notable theologians lived in North Africa and wrote during these years. There were churches in Tunisia, Algeria and other places but they had disputes over theology and their leaders struggled over positions in the Church. This contributed to the decline of Christianity in North Africa. Another thing that troubled the church was that the foreign leaders who were in charge did not understand the culture of indigenous people. In addition, they did not see the importance of translating the Scripture into the language of the people so that they could read and understand the Word of God. The Christians in the North African Church, faced with these challenges along with geographical barriers, did not make an effort to reach sub-Saharan countries with the gospel. There was no vision for those beyond their borders who had no knowledge of Christ.[6]

Spiritually, the early churches in North Africa went into decline. In the midst of struggles over position and theology, and with no focus on indigenous peoples, Islam strengthened and became the dominant religious force. This example is a challenge for each generation. When the leaders of any church become involved in local disputes and begin competing for position, they do not have time to give consideration to evangelism and reaching those people who do not know Christ. They lose sight of the need to teach Scriptures consistently to the people among whom they minister. Such a church is in serious danger and is already on the road toward spiritual decline.

While there may have been places here and there where remnants of the church remained, for the most part, it seemed that Christianity in North Africa disappeared. However, God’s desire for the African continent would be fulfilled. The Gospel message would come again through His servants from other lands.

The Gospel and West Africa

The first attempt to sow the seed of the Gospel in West Africa, particularly Nigeria, was made by Portuguese traders and Catholic missionaries who came to Benin and Warri around the end of the fifteenth century. Their efforts did not bring any lasting results and historians give several reasons for this. Tribal wars and disease, especially malaria, made it difficult for Europeans. Traditional religion and culture dominated the lives of the people. While a few priests continued to come they did not make much of an effort to train local catechists who might have provided continuity in the work. Then, the lifestyle and commercial interests of the clergy, often including the slave trade, were contradictory to the teachings of Christianity. In addition, there was often political instability. Local rulers were often concerned with expanding and protecting their territories. If they saw that mission work could advance their interests, they may have welcomed the presence of priests. But, for the most part, these early missionary efforts did not see Christianity take root.[7]

By the middle of the nineteenth century, the modern missionary era in Nigeria was under way. It is notable that freed slaves, who had become Christians while in different countries, played a significant role in taking the Gospel back to their home countries in various parts of West Africa. By 1842 many former slaves had returned to their people in the Lagos, Badagry and Abeokuta areas. Thomas Birch Freeman, a Methodist born in England, the son of an English mother and an African father, spent many years as a missionary in the Asante Kingdom, the area now called Ghana. During this time he also travelled to Dahomey (Benin) and Yorubaland in Nigeria to try to establish churches in those lands.[8]

Samuel Ajayi Crowther of the Church Missionary Society established a station at Abeokuta.[9] Crowther was one of those who had been recaptured while on a slave ship and rescued from slavery. Slavery had been abolished and he and many other recaptives, were sent to Sierra Leone to live in colonies established for freed slaves. It was there that he became a Christian and was educated. Around 1843 Crowther returned to Nigeria and made a significant contribution that extended beyond preaching the gospel. He wrote a Yoruba Grammar, translated many books of the Bible into Yoruba, and even produced a primer in the Igbo language. He also published his journals describing the expeditions he took on the Niger River. Crowther eventually became the first African Bishop in West Africa.[10]

African freed slaves contributed a lot as pioneer missionaries in Nigeria. They, with their converts, were used by God to open the West Coast of Africa to the Gospel. One historian notes that by far, the most successful missionaries in nineteenth- and twentieth-century West Africa were Africans.[11] Glory be to God.

In 1850, the Baptists from America began to send missionaries to this area. By the end of the nineteenth century, the Western missionary movement made advances, taking the Gospel into the Interior. New mission societies came to Nigeria seeking ways to penetrate inland from the coast.  The Qua Iboe Mission from Britain sent European missionaries in 1887.  The Sudan United Mission (SUM) and the Sudan Interior Mission (SIM) sent missionaries soon after. The SIM pioneers landed at Badagry on December 4th, 1893. The story of EMS begins with the coming of SIM to Nigeria.

Summary

The light of the gospel that gave birth to a flourishing church in North Africa had grown dim in the early centuries of Christianity. Although it took many years, the light came once again to Africa, this time to sub-Saharan countries. Many who walked in darkness heard the gospel and accepted the message of salvation. They opened the door and prepared the way for many who followed their footsteps and were responsible for the spread of the gospel in West Africa. The light had truly dawned once again.

The Beginning

And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent?

Romans 10:14, 15

Foundation of Prayer

The history of EMS begins far away from Nigeria with people who had a burden for the vast unreached mission fields around the world. The Holy Spirit, Who is the Master of the harvest, put a heavy burden on the heart of a Mrs. Gowans in Canada.  She spent many years praying for the salvation of souls in Africa, especially the area known, prior to colonial rule, as the Sudan, or Soudan. At that time, Sudan was a term that described the whole area south of the Sahara and north of the equator. It was the wide territory between the Niger River in the west and the Nile River in the east. Mrs. Gowans believed that unless some missionaries took a bold step and had the courage to come to West Africa, then known as the white man's graveyard, and share the gospel, people there would remain in darkness. Her prayers, born of this deep burden for Africa, led to the founding of the Sudan Interior Mission (SIM) whose missionaries encouraged the establishment of EMS.

The Holy Spirit answered Mrs. Gowans' sincere and honest prayers in a wonderful way. Her own son, Walter Gowans, touched by the Holy Spirit, answered God’s call to go as a missionary to that part of the Central Sudan which is now Nigeria. Two more young men, Thomas Kent and Rowland Bingham, soon joined Walter Gowans. These three young unmarried men dedicated themselves to God, and followed the example of the Apostle Paul, who in Acts 20:24 said, ... I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. Their commitment left them without choice. They assumed the obligation to take the Gospel to the Central Sudan and in doing so, faced death in the African bush. They did this for the sake of the gospel and Christ's Kingdom.

Foundation of Faith

The three pioneers, Walter Gowans, a Scottish Canadian, Thomas Kent, an American, and Rowland Bingham, an English Canadian, had strong faith in the missionary vision they had received. They did not allow any obstacle or trial to frustrate them. Although, at the beginning, they did not get enough support from local churches in their home countries, this did not stop them from being obedient to the missionary call from God. The churches in America, Canada, and Britain were reluctant to support them because they knew that many missionaries from the West had died in West Africa as they attempted to take the gospel to that land. It seemed to them that there was no value in supporting those who were likely to die.

Because their effort to raise support was not successful, they eventually ended up working in order to raise enough funds to pay for their voyage to Nigeria. The pioneers arrived at Badagry, Lagos, on December 4, 1893 with only about thirty British pounds left for the three of them. They had no mission board at home to stand behind them but they had the Almighty God who called them. When God gave the command to go and preach the gospel, He gave his promise, And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age, (Matthew 28:20). Their faith led them to depend on God without any reservation. They left for Nigeria in the same manner that Jesus requested His disciples to go: Take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandal, or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep, (Matthew 10:10). When considering the lives of the three pioneers, it is easy to see how the SIM motto, By Prayer, developed. They kept their confidence in God who called them and who had begun the good work in them. In prayer and in faith, they were able to foresee the joy, knowing that  those who sow in tears will return with songs of joy; he who goes out weeping carrying seed to sew will return with songs of joy carrying sheaves with him (Ps. 126:5,6). Their song from those early days was, Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees, and looks to God alone; Laughs at impossibilities and cries, It shall be done![12]

Foundation of Commitment

Even prospects of death did not cause the young pioneers to falter. As they landed at Badagry, they met one of the older Western missionaries who asked about their mission. They responded that they had come to take the Gospel to the interior of the Sudan.  This missionary then told them, You will never see the Sudan, your children will never see the Sudan, your grandchildren may.[13] They heard stories of death and illness but they continued. They were committed to the vision to see the Gospel message take root in places far from the coast.

Their concern, deep love, burden and compassion for lost sinners became the vehicle that kept driving them through the thick, dark and dangerous African tropical forest. They were committed to the vision and nothing could discourage them to the point that they gave up. They were real disciples imitating Christ and following His footsteps. Less than a year after they arrived in Africa, illness brought the hand of death to embrace Gowans and soon after that Kent. Walter Gowans died on the 17th of November 1894 and was buried at Girku, somewhere in the bush. Although there is not much information as to how he was buried, it is known that Gowans’ faithful Liberian helper was with him when he died. It was this young boy who made the long journey to Ogbomosho to take what was left of Gowans’ property to Mr. Bingham. Thomas Kent met his death on the 8th of December 1894 and was buried near Bida, one of the Muslim cities in the middle belt of Nigeria. Two young missionaries from England, also attempting to enter the Sudan, were with Kent when he died.[14]  Both Gowans and Kent were called by their loving Master and went to be with the Lord, passing on to their reward.  Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? (1 Corinthians 15:55).

Nothing is known about how the funerals of Walter Gowans and Thomas Kent were conducted. It is clear that there was not a common programme of service held for them. There were no clean and attractive clothes for their bodies, no choirs to sing, no friends close by who could give testimonies about their lives before they were buried. These soldiers of the cross, the heroes of the gospel, died and were buried silently in the African bush without having seen the fruits of their labour. However, there must have been a big gathering of the angels in heaven to welcome them into their glory as they looked to the future and saw the millions of redeemed Christians that would follow after their death.

Rowland Bingham, the only one left of the three pioneers, also narrowly escaped death when he suffered a severe attack of malaria. He went back to the USA and Canada. He visited Walter Gowans’ mother and took the few possessions left behind by Gowans. It is said that Mrs. Gowans took Roland’s hands and said, "I would rather have had Walter to go out to the Sudan, and die there,