The St Andrew's Scottish church mission in Cape Town, 1838 - 1878.

Abstract

• Opsomming: Na die vrystelling van slawe teen die einde van 1838 was die Presbeteriaanse St Andrew's Scottish Church die eerste Kaapstadse gemeente wat Swartes as lidmate aanvaar het. Om hierdie rede het bekeerde, vrygestelde slawe by St Andrew en nie by ander gemeentes nie aangesluit. Onder die leiding van die predikante George Morgan en G. W. Stegmann het die St Andrew-Sending grootliks bygedra tot die verwestering van sy lidmate. Die Sending het nie ʼn uitsluitlik godsdienstige taak gehad nie, maar was gedurende die veertigerjare vir die vrygestelde slawe ook 'n opvoedkundige en welsynsorganisasie. ’n Botsing tussen Morgan en Stegmann het tot ʼn skeuring in die Sending en tot die stigting van ʼn onafhanklike Kleurlinggemeente St Stephens aanleiding gegee. In 1878 het onenigheid tussen die St Andrew-gemeente se Blanke en Sendinglidmate gelei tot die beëindiging van die voortgesette St Andrew-Sending. In 1893 het die pasgestigte Kaapse Ring sendingwerk onder die Swartes oorgeneem.

• Summary: When slaves at the Cape were emancipated at the end of 1838, St Andrew's Presbyterian (Scottish) Church became the first church in Cape Town to open its membership to Blacks. This accounts for the fact that ex-slave converts joined St Andrew's and not other churches. The St Andrew's Mission became an important 'westernizing agency' under the Rev. George Morgan and the Rev. G. W. Stegmann. It performed not only a religious function, but also became an educational and welfare organisation for ex-slaves during the 1840s. A clash between Morgan and Stegmann resulted in a split in the Mission and the establishment of an independent Coloured congregation at St Stephen's Church. Later, in 1878, dissension between the White congregation and the mission congregation at St Andrew's Church caused the closure of the continuing St Andrew's Mission. The mission to the Blacks was taken over by the newly formed Cape Presbytery in 1893.