The fort England chapel.

Abstract

• Opsomming: Die verhaal van evangeliebediening by Fort England is ouer as die kerkie self. Eerw. William Shaw het die eerste godsdiensoefeninge gehou in die nuwe leërbarakke wat deur die Hottentot Cape Corps beman is. Die gedagte het by hom ontstaan om vir die manskappe 'n kerkie op te rig en 'n Sondagskool te stig, maar baie jare sou verloop voor die ideaal verwesenlik word. Dit was eers in 1861 dat die Metodistekerk die Fort England-kerk net buite die militêre grens gebou het, hoofsaaklik vir die garnisoen se gebruik. Toe die ou fort in 1875 in 'n sielsiekegestig omskep is, het die inwonende kapelaan sy eie dienste in die sale gehou; die kerkie was tot in 1891, toe begin is om daar vir hulle dienste te hou, vir die pasiënte verbode. In 1913 is die kerkie uiteindelik deur die regering vir £2 000 van die Metodistekerk gekoop en word sedertdien uitsluitlik vir die Fort England-hospitaal gebruik.

• Summary: The story of religious ministry at Fort England is much older than the chapel itself. The Rev. William Shaw held his first local services in the rough army barracks manned by the Hottentot Cape Corps. He conceived the idea of a chapel and Sunday-school for the men on the site, but it was many years before this could be realised. It was not until 1861 that the Methodist Church built the Fort England Chapel just outside the military boundary, primarily for the use of the garrison. When the old fort became an asylum in 1875, the resident chaplain conducted his own services inside the wards; the chapel was out of bounds to patients until 1891, when services began to be held for them there. Eventually, in 1913, the government bought the chapel from the Methodists for £2 000, since when it has served the Fort England Hospital exclusively.