H^nunri 
 
 
 JM/LUf-' 
 
I No Shelf 
 
 I LIBRARY OF I 
 
 I T. HARRY SPRAGUE. | 
 
 I Price....../.':'.... Purchased | 
 
 FlIlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIl]? 
 
 3V 3542 .F8 M66 
 , Milum, John. 
 3^ Thomas Birch Freeman 
 
FELLING A FETTSII TREE. 
 
 iV' 12^- 
 
THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAIT 
 
 JHtsstonarn ^pionr^r to ^sbanti, 
 fialjotmn, anb (Sgba. 
 
 BY 
 
 JOHN 'mILUM, F.R.G.S. 
 
 Formerly Missiovary of the Wesley an Missionary Society ii 
 Western Africa 
 
 i 
 
 
 PH|| 
 
 f V V 
 
 r-i 
 
 m% 
 
 
 ^fi 
 
 f^^Mi 
 
 mt^ 
 
 i^% 
 
 ^^^ 
 
 1 
 
 
 ||ii 
 
 m 
 
 
 9lil 
 
 i. 
 
 
 .* 
 
 FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY 
 NEW YORK CHICAGO TORONTO 
 
 Prtblishers of Evaftgelii.al Literature . 
 
rr-','^-/.-V-oV.,;V;?l.-~»«««.-. '\ I'm* -W 
 
 OLD FORT AT WHYDAH, DAHOMEY. 
 
 PKEFACE. 
 
 (CHRISTIAN evangelisation on the Gold Coast by 
 ^ agents of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, is of 
 comparatively recent date, Joseph E. Dunwell, the 
 first missionary to the Fantis, having reached Cape 
 Coast Castle as late as the year 1836. As a child of 
 eight years old, the writer of this preface can well 
 remember the sorrow occasioned in the family of his 
 late grandfather, Elisha Wilson, of Peckliam, from 
 whose class Dunwell had proceeded, on the reception 
 of the news of the young preacher's lamented death, 
 after a short ministry of scarcely six months. The 
 whole subsequent history of the Gold and Slave Coast 
 Mission is embraced in less than two generations, its 
 jubilee having been celebrated in 1880. Over nearly 
 the whole of this period the missionary career of 
 Thomas Bircli Freeman extended, as will be shown 
 in the following j)ages ; and it will be discovered, on 
 
 5 
 
6 PREFACE. 
 
 perusal, that the development of the work in his hands, 
 and in those of his coadjutors, was simply marvellous. 
 What its future will be depends upon the wisdom 
 and energy of its European supervisors, and the de- 
 votion to spiritual duty of its native staff. Lake Chad 
 is its ultimate bourn. Across the swamps to Benin, 
 and round to the bend of the Niger, over the hills 
 to Nkoranza, and thence onward to Timbuktu; through 
 Salagha and the inner lands of the half-pagan, half- 
 Islamite Soudanese, to Sakatu, and thence to Kuka 
 on the Great Lake, is its sco23e. What possibilities 
 of successful extension lie before the young Fanti and 
 Egba Churches ! and what a prosperous future history 
 their annals will become, if, in the providence of God, 
 they resolve to embrace their opportunities ! 
 
 J. F. W. 
 
 22, Western Road, 
 
 St. Leonards-on-8ea. 
 
YORUBAN CHARMS. 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 I. THE MAN 
 
 II. THE PIONEERS 
 
 III. IN THE BREACH . . . . 
 
 IV. A MISSIONARY JOURNEY 
 V. A TRIAL OF PATIENCE . 
 
 VI. THE CITY OF BLOOD 
 
 VII. LABOURS ABUNDANT ; SORROWS OFF 
 
 7 
 
 rA(.ii 
 
 9 
 
 17 
 
 3l' 
 40 
 
 48 
 57 
 69 
 
8 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHA . 
 
 VIII. PLANTING THE CHURCH IN ASHANTI 
 IX. IN THE EGBA METROPOLIS 
 X. IN THE COUNTRY OF THE AMAZONS 
 XI. PERILS AND CONQUESTS . 
 
 XII. SUNSHINE AND SHADOW . 
 
 XIII. GATHERING IN THE SHEAVES . 
 
 XIV. JUBILEE AND GLORY 
 
 PAGE 
 
 81 
 93 
 
 106 
 119 
 132 
 141 
 150 
 
TWYi'OUD CHURCH. 
 
 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN 
 
 /iDissionav^? pioneer to Hsbantl, etc* 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE MAN. 
 
 ABOUT tLree miles from the ancient city of 
 AViiichester Hes the picturesque vilhige of Twy- 
 ford, which has been named by some topographers 
 " the queen of viHages." Whatever may be its merits 
 in i)oint of beauty, there can be no question as to its 
 antiquity ; for (piite recently interesting remains of a 
 Koman village have been discovered within a few feet 
 of the surface of the ground. And though the old 
 church has been repaired and modernised, the ancient 
 yew tree with its uni(pie cone-sha})ed head remains, 
 a much-])rized object of interest, as it probably has 
 been for hundreds of years. 
 
lo THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 It was in this ancient village that Thomas Birch 
 Freeman first saw the light on November 29th, 1809. 
 
 Qnite a romance has gathered about the parentage 
 of this remarkable man, the chief points of which 
 have received confirmation from an old inhabitant 
 who knew the subject of this memoir. His father was 
 a slave, but against his supposed West Indian origin 
 the son strongly protested. Whether it be true that 
 the father of Thomas Freeman was brought to England 
 as a reward for his fidelity in the time of a slave- 
 rising or not, the following has received no denial. At 
 the home of his master he married a European serving- 
 woman of the household, the subject of our sketch 
 being the only issue of the marriage. At the tender 
 age of six his father died, and his mother remarried. 
 We have failed to trace the children of the second 
 marriage, but it is asserted that there are some half- 
 brothers, who might furnish many interesting circum- 
 stances of this period. The fatherless boy grew into 
 youth under the roof of his father's master, whose 
 name he took, " Freeman " being added as an appro- 
 priate surname for one whose father had obtained 
 freedom under the Emancipation Act. 
 
 John Birch lived in a middle-class house facing a 
 three-cornered space, a public-house, " The Dolphin," 
 occupying the second, and a cottage, then used as the 
 Wesleyan preaching-house, the third corner of the 
 triangle. The preaching-house, which was the resi- 
 dence of a shoemaker, has long since been removed 
 to make room for a more modern structure ; the shoe- 
 maker too, who was the Methodist class-leader of 
 the village, died some twenty-five years ago. The 
 public-house and John Birch's house, in which Freeman 
 was born, still remain. 
 
 Twyford was embraced in those days in the 
 Winchester Circuit of the AVesleyan Methodist Church, 
 the little thatched cottage being regularly visited by 
 the preachers of that Connexion for the holding of 
 a simple religious service for the pious villagers ; 
 
THE MAN. II 
 
 whilst the devoted shoemaker did his part, as in 
 hundreds of cases in English villages, all the week 
 through, gratuitously acting as jjastor, giving helpful 
 counsel and advice to all who cared to join the little 
 company. 
 
 The humble thatched cottage not only became an 
 object of interest to many who received there spiritual 
 instruction from the humble lay-preachers and the 
 godly shoemaker, but it was an object of curiosity and 
 a centre for mischief for the village youths, Thomas 
 being one of the number. The roof and chimney of 
 the cottage were about the height of a wall that 
 protected it from the roadway, which was on a higher 
 elevation. To annoy the worshippers Freeman and his 
 companions would climb upon the roof, tie a brick to 
 a string, put it down the chimney, and continue to draw 
 it up and down, greatly to the distraction of those 
 engaged in devout exercises. One Sunday evening, 
 reaching the cottage earlier than his mischievous 
 comrades, he listened through the keyhole, and heard 
 words that were not only the means of his conversion, 
 but which influenced his whole after life. A native of 
 the village connected with the little cottage-church, 
 who has been an honoured lay-preacher for more than 
 thirty years, furnished this particular, and adds that 
 it was a matter of remembrance and rejoicing amongst 
 the earlier Methodists of the parish. 
 
 A neat modern sanctuary in another part of the 
 village, dedicated to public worship on New Year's 
 Day 1851 under the auspices of the Free Methodists, 
 is the substantial outcome of the humble cottage 
 and its simple services, and will stand as evidence of 
 a continuance of the gracious influences that gathered 
 about the godly shoemaker and the early village 
 Methodists. 
 
 At precisely what age this crisis in Freeman's 
 life took place we are imable to state, but subse- 
 quent events indicate that he allied himself to the 
 Church from which lie had received spiritual benefit. 
 
12 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 and soon began to exercise Iiis talents as a preacher. 
 About those early days he was unnecessarily reticent, 
 not even permitting the members of his own family 
 to break through the secrecy with which he sur- 
 rounded this and the earlier periods of his life. It 
 was possibly the remembrance of his father's servitude 
 that galled his sensitive nature and made him so silent, 
 but the honourable position to which he afterwards 
 attained indicates the true nobility of his nature ; and 
 upon him the circumstances of his birth leave no 
 mark of shame : the brand is upon a nation which 
 permitted to so late a date such a degrading condition 
 of things. 
 
 John Birch, however, was no harsh master, and 
 evidently afforded a liberal education and training to 
 the youth ; for soon after we find him occupying the 
 responsible position of botanist and head gardener on 
 the estate of Sir Robert Harlaud at Orwell Park, 
 on the banks of the Orwell, in the neighbourhood of 
 Ij^swich. 
 
 Sir Robert Harlaud ai)pears to have taken great 
 interest in the young man, giving him facilities for 
 improving his education and for the acrpiirement of a 
 special knowledge of botany and horticulture, which he 
 afterwards turned to good practical account in Africa. 
 One of his old friends informs us that she remembers 
 seeing his cosy little library in the gardens at Orwell 
 Park, which proves that his spare moments were 
 utilised in the best possible manner. Both Sir Robert 
 and Lady Harlaud showed him unusual kindness ; but 
 Avhen it became known that he had connected himself 
 with the Methodists of the neighbourhood, it aroused 
 within Sir Robert's breast great prejudice and the 
 strongest opposition. He could not brook the gossip 
 I of his aristocratic friends in reference to his Methodist 
 gardener. He summoned him to his presence, and 
 informed liim that lie would have to make the choice 
 between giving uj) his preaching or his situation, and 
 he would allow him a month to think the matter over. 
 
THE MAN. 13 
 
 The young man consulted liis friends, and especially 
 Mr. Peter Plill of Chehnondiston, at whose house he 
 was a frequent visitor, and for wliom and his family 
 Freeman retained a lifelong affection. He soon decided 
 as to his course of action in the matter. He loved his/ 
 profession, and was mucli attached to his kind patrons ; 
 but he felt that his first duty was to his greater Master 
 and His work. 
 
 At the end of the month the young gardener sent in 
 his resignation, much to the vexation of Lady Harland, 
 who did all in her power to induce him to change his 
 mind. He stood firm to his conscience and the advice 
 of his godly friends. A few aged people still remain 
 in the neighbourhood of Ipswich and in the village of 
 ('helmondiston to testify to the earnestness and the 
 ability of the ministrations of the young man of colour, 
 and also to tlie fact that he was esteemed and beloved 
 by all who knew him. 
 
 As already stated, in Freeman's veins there flowed 
 African blood, and the story of the ills of the race 
 with their long o])pression, and the appeals which at 
 this time were so frequently made in the Methodist 
 churches, soon stirred within his fervid heart a desire 
 to bear the message of the Cross to his father's kindred, 
 fin the year 1837 he offered his services to the 
 \ Wesleyan Missionary Society for special work among 
 the people to whom he was so strangely allied, and 
 was summoned at once to London for interview and 
 consultation. He passed a satisfactory examination 
 before a special committee at the old Wesleyan 
 Mission-house in Hatton Garden, and on the evening 
 of the same day preached a 'Hrial sermon," when the 
 genial Abraham Farrar was present, and encouraged 
 liim by his affectionate manner and kindly face. 
 
 In reference to this event he wrote when he was 
 a veteran in tlie mission field the following apprecia- 
 tive paragraph : " My brief personal acquaintance with 
 the late Rev. Abraham Farrar left an impression on 
 mv mind wliich is as fresli at this day as it was in 
 
14 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 1837, when I first knew him. ... He was appomted 
 to hear me preach my 'trial sermon' in Spitalfields 
 Chapel. ... He sat on that occasion in a side pew 
 down on my left, evidently withdrawn from striking 
 observation, hnt allowing me to see him ; and his 
 conntenance then, as on all other occasions when we 
 met, beamed on me with an affection which made me 
 feel greatly at ease in his presence and entirely at 
 home ; and hence in after-life, whenever the thonght 
 of gentlemanly feeling and bearing, and elegance of 
 mind, and paternal affection associated with the minis- 
 terial character has occurred to me, he has always 
 been the heau ideal of my imagination." 
 
 Those who afterwards were intimately acquainted 
 with the subject of our biography will be ready to 
 accord to him the credit of having attained in after- 
 years to his ideal. There was about him a deference 
 to others, a courtesy of manner and bearing, which, 
 associated with the fashion of his dress, reminded us 
 at times, in his old age, of one of a series of family 
 pictures in an ancient country-house, of some fine old 
 ancestor with gallant pose characteristic of the gentle- 
 man of a former century. 
 
 His brief interview with the committee of the 
 Wesleyan Missionary Society resulted in his imme- 
 diate appointment to the newly-formed mission on the 
 Gold Coast, Western Africa ; and in keeping with a 
 recent decision of the committee, like Wrigley and 
 Harrop, his predecessors in this diificult and trying 
 field, he was advised to marry. His thoughts went 
 at once to Miss Boot, the lady housekeeper at Orwell 
 Park. One who knew this lady, and her sisters also, 
 intimately, and frequently visited her, states that 
 " she was a charming woman, and there is no wonder 
 she was chosen for his wife ; and we knew she was 
 devoted to him, young as ive were." She was a 
 cultured English lady who had it in her heart to do 
 much for the native people among whom her lot was 
 to be cast, and whose affections she rapidly won. 
 
THE MAN. 15 
 
 Thus our yonng missionary and his bride embarked 
 on tlie sailing sliip Osborne for a voyage wliicli was 
 mucli more of an nndertaldno- then tlian now. It 
 was a long, tedions ])assage, arising principally from 
 their being becalmed, nnder the oppressive heat of a 
 tropical snn, for the space of thirty days. The track 
 is now so well known across the Bay of Biscay to 
 Madeira and the Canary Islands, and then skirting 
 the African coast, that it would only weary the 
 reader to relate here the details of such a voyage. 
 In the missionary romance, however, which he wrote 
 when an old man, he evidently embodied his im- 
 pressions of a storm in the dreaded bay, of the beanty 
 and fertility of Madeira, tlie grandenr of the Peak 
 of Teneriffe, with sundry phenomena striking to a 
 traveller for the first time voyaging to Africa. 
 
 He gives us also an idea of his occupations and 
 musings on board ship, all of which gathered about 
 his future work, and his consecration to such a 
 sublime service, which he thought of with soberness 
 and joyful anticipation. The following is quoted 
 from the story above mentioned, which may well be 
 an extract taken from his journal, referring to the 
 approach of the shij) to Madeira : — 
 
 " The air seems almost fragrant, and so soft and 
 healthful, that I have been leaning over the bulwarks 
 looking at the beautiful phosphoric light as late as 
 10 p.m. without the least sensation of cold. Hail ! 
 peaceful hours of meditative thought ! I luxuriate 
 in your temperate sweets. It is at such times as 
 these that faith climbs the ladder of Jacob, and the 
 exalted sympathies of the soul pierce beyond the 
 boundaries of time and wander in eternity. Oh, for 
 that complete control over every feeling, every passion, 
 that I may be able to catch every wind which will 
 waft me forward over the ocean of sacred knowledge 
 which lies expanded before me ! Oh, ye walks of 
 Divine science, I see, I see your vast, your boundless 
 stores of holy fruit and balmy nectar, such as can 
 
i6 
 
 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 satisfy ethereal natures ! Oli, my God, help me daily 
 to eat and drink and live for eternity ! " 
 
 Later in the jonrnal he writes : — 
 
 " Piirsning my Biblical studies, and delighted with 
 the many pleasing wonders which burst upon my 
 mental vision. How beautiful is the harmony of the 
 Holy Scriptures ! God of my life, sanctify me 
 through Thy truth ! Oh, help me to dive deeply into 
 its sacred mysteries, and to become mighty in the 
 Scriptures ! Let their sublime truths constantly 
 occupy and influence my spirit, that I may prove, day 
 by day, that the blessed gospel is indeed the power of 
 God unto salvation." 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE PIONEEllS. 
 
 THE Gold Coast of Western Africa has been more 
 or less familiar to Englishmen for some three 
 hnndrccl years. Onr earliest connection therewith 
 was not of such a character as to canse us great 
 satisfaction. In the days of Queen Elizabeth our 
 daring sailors had discovered that great wealth was 
 to be obtained not only from the precious metal after 
 which the country is named, but more particularly 
 from the accursed slave trade ; and Her Majesty's 
 consent was sought and was reluctantly given for the 
 continuation of the nefarious traffic by an association 
 which finally developed into " The Royal African 
 Company of England." 
 
 Those were the days of piracy on the high seas, 
 when the hardy freebooters knew no right but might ; 
 and on that African seaboard, cursed and blessed in 
 turn by the invasion of Eur()])ean adventurers, the 
 renowned sailors of both the Portuguese and Dutch 
 
 i7 2 
 
1 8 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 were brought into competition with the bold sea- 
 kings of England. For a long series of years great 
 and bitter rivalry existed between these nations for 
 the ascendency over this strip of country in the Bight 
 of Benin, till within the last twenty years the cession 
 of the Dutch fort and town of Elmina, with the 
 famous De Ruyter's staff, has given England the 
 supremacy, and resulted in the formation of the now 
 well-known Crown colony of the Gold Coast. 
 
 Portuguese influence is not, however, likely to be 
 forgotten, inasmuch as the names bestowed by them 
 U23on many of the towns and jDoints of land have 
 gained permanence, as indeed have also many terms 
 woven into the native tongue. Cabo Cor so, now 
 corrupted and anglicised into Cape Coast, was the 
 name given to the point of land upon which the 
 Portuguese built a fortress used chiefly as a strong 
 slavehold. This historic castle fell into the hands of 
 the Dutch, who were subsequently dislodged by the 
 English in 1661. They enlarged and strengthened it, 
 retaining its possession to this day. The great white- 
 turreted castle built upon the black rock, over which 
 the surf breaks into foam, is still the most prominent 
 object to catch the eye of the sailor as he passes the 
 seaboard town of Cape Coast. Within its walls — 
 at first garrisoned by the servants of the Trading 
 Company, then by a small contingent of West Indian 
 troops — a company of armed native Houssa police, 
 officered by Englishmen, has more recently been 
 quartered. Here formerly the President, and since 
 then the Governor, of the Gold Coast lived, and on 
 this building is concentrated a history which is alike 
 tragic and pathetic. A true record of its upbuilding 
 and maintenance would present the chief facts of the 
 history of the town and people for the last five 
 hundred years. The history of its religious life too, 
 as far as Christian missions are concerned, takes its 
 rise within the stone walls of the castle. 
 
 With a strange inconsistency the Englishman, 
 
20 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 especially in the early clays with which we now deal, 
 entered upon his piracy and his slave-dealing uncon- 
 scious of his wrong-doing, and he was careful to say 
 his prayers both before and after his dishonest acts ; 
 and when a company was sufficiently large and 
 wealthy to do so, it was regarded as a legitimate part 
 of the business to employ a chaplain to say prayers 
 for its members. Probably many will see little to 
 choose between the inconsistency of these hard-handed 
 traders and sailors and the slave-holding Christian 
 backed by his parson in the Southern States of 
 America less than half a century ago, or the modern 
 powers whose chaplains pray for a blessing before 
 entering upon the carnage of a battle-field. Thus we 
 find these traders in native produce and " living 
 ebony " were in the habit of receiving a chaplain at 
 Cape Coast Castle, under whose ministrations and 
 prayers their trading transactions might appear to 
 have the sanction of Heaven ; and out of this custom 
 grew a greater blessing to the country than could 
 have been dreamed of by the most sanguine 
 philanthro^nst. 
 
 To one of these chaplains — a missionary of the 
 Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign 
 Parts — must be accorded the honour of making the 
 first attempt to introduce the blessings of the Christian 
 religion to the natives. This was in the year 1751. 
 To his honour it must be stated that it appears as if 
 the chaplaincy were not his primary object ; but it is 
 evident that his official position in the castle gave 
 him an opportunity of carrying forward a work which 
 could not have come to him otherwise. This chaplain, 
 the Eev. Thomas Thompson, M.A., who had already 
 spent five years in America under the auspices of 
 the renowned Society, obtained permission from the 
 directors to proceed to the Gold Coast in order " to 
 make a trial with the natives, and see what hope there 
 would be of introducing among them the Christian 
 religion." After four years of toil his health gave 
 
THE PIONEERS. 21 
 
 way, and lio retnrnod to England much discouraged 
 witli the rosnlt of liis attempt. 
 
 He had, however, sent two native youths to England 
 to be trained, one of whom, Philip Qnaque, graduated 
 at the University, Oxford, and returned to continue 
 the work Thom])son had begun ; and for fifty years he 
 faithfully discharged his duty. Within the castle a 
 memorial of this man may be seen, with the following 
 epitaph : " Sacred to the memory of Philip Quaque, 
 native of this country, wlio, having been sent to 
 England for education, received holy orders 1765, 
 aiul was here employed upwards of fifty years as 
 Missionary from the Incorporated Society for the 
 Proj)agation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, and as 
 C'haplain to the Factory. He died 17 October, 1816, 
 aged 75 years. The African (/Ompany, in token 
 of the approbation of his long and laithfnl services, 
 have placed this memorial on his mortal remains, 
 1817." 
 
 The calumnious report that at the very last he 
 lapsed into heathenism may be safely dismissed to 
 tlie limbo of ill-natured reports which have been 
 so diligently proi)agated by numerous traducers of 
 the Christian missionary' on the western coast of 
 Africa. 
 
 The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel sent 
 four Europeans in rapid succession to continue the 
 work, three of whom died ; and tlie fourth after failure 
 of health returned to England. The Gold Coast, 
 however, remained on the Society's list till 1826, and 
 as late as 1841^ the directors had not given up hope of 
 resuming the work, and still felt that the natives had 
 ''claims upon them." But as no volunteers for this 
 dangerous post were forthcoming, the Society was un- 
 able to reoccupy the position. It therefore graciously 
 stepped aside, and permitted the Wesleyan Missionary 
 Society to occupy the position without interference 
 or jealousy. 
 
 To all appearance the work of three-quarters of a 
 
22 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN, 
 
 centnry was unproductive ; but the faithful labourers 
 had sown the seed of which the harvest is being- 
 reaped to-day. They had nurtured the school held 
 within the walls of the castle, which had developed 
 into the institution known as the Government School ; 
 and there the lads had been taught to read the 
 English Bible, a coj)y of which was presented to each 
 youth on leaving. Administrators like the genial and 
 gifted President George Maclean gave the modest 
 institution the benefit of their powerful influence, 
 delighting to promote the moral and intellectual 
 interests of the natives. Thus the spark was fanned. 
 
 Some of these lads became genuine students of the 
 Bible, its Oriental stories fascinating them, and the 
 New Testament portrayal of their inner life con- 
 vincing them of its Divinity. The Scriptures were 
 carefully examined, and portions committed to memory, 
 with the result that some of the students were brought 
 to a sense of their sinfulness and need of God. In 
 their perplexity they repaired for counsel to a Scotch 
 trader, William Topp, whom they believed to be 
 religiously disposed. By his advice they formed a 
 ^^ Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge," faith- 
 fully living up to the rules which they made for their 
 guidance, and meeting regularly once a week to study 
 the Scriptures and pray for light and leading. Down 
 to a very recent period a few of the members of thivS 
 little band remained ; and fifty years later one at 
 least was spending quietly, in his old age, a well- 
 earned rest from the activities of a long ministry in tlie 
 native Church. 
 
 That native '' Society for Promoting Christian Know- 
 ledge," in its spontaneous formation and its subsequent 
 results, is surely a wonderful testimony to the fidelity 
 and fruitfulness of the work done and apparently lost 
 by the Society for the Propagation of tlie Gospel, and 
 is in itself a theme upon which one might dwell at 
 great length as to the result of honest work and the 
 marvellous fecundity of " the good seed." And what 
 
THE PIONEERS, 23 
 
 a rebuke it administers to missionary despondency, 
 and to the hasty conchisions we sometimes arrive at 
 in relation to missionary work ! That little Society 
 was formed in 1830 or 1831, when the natives had 
 been for some years without the guidance of a mis- 
 sionary and the castle witliout a chaplain. 
 
 The aged native minister to whom reference has 
 just been made, the late E. J. Fynn, recently related 
 an incident which is interesting as a record of the 
 earliest persecution of this little Christian band. 
 Some of the " castle people " entertained a dislike for 
 the little company with their primitive methods of 
 worship, and raised a calumnious report accusing them 
 of dangerous political designs, taking care that the 
 rumour should reach the ear of President Maclean. 
 Immediate steps were taken to suppress the Society ; 
 the leader, William De Graft, was imprisoned, and 
 the rest were threatened with a fine ; whereupon the 
 members, after taking counsel together, sent a copy 
 of the Scriptures, which he himself had presented to 
 one of them, and most courteously requested the 
 President to point out in his own gift, which he had 
 backed by good advice, his authority for the infliction 
 of punishment and fine for the reading of such a book. 
 This appeared to be contumacious, but was not so 
 intended, and the whole band was cast into prison ; 
 whereupon, with the Paul and Silas spirit already 
 develoi)ing among them, these Fanti Christians prayed 
 and sang aloud. The President was not likely to 
 be unjust, and when on inquiry he discovered they 
 were innocent of the grave charges made against them 
 they were released, and they secured his powerful 
 influence and lasting friendship. Thus their trouble 
 turned out for the furtherance of the gospel. 
 
 The exigencies of life in the course of a few years 
 scattered this little band, some in one direction, some 
 in another, as traders and clerks and mechanics. 
 William De Graft, their leader, took up his residence 
 at Dixcove as a trader. The little remnant at Cape 
 
24 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 Coast, finding- tlieir stock of Bibles running short, 
 commnnicated with him, requesting that he would 
 obtain the help and sympathy of some suitable person 
 to secure a fresli supply of Scriptures from England. 
 Soon after, the oi)portunity presented itself by the 
 arrival of the Bristol trading barque Congo, the captain 
 of which was named Potter, and with whom De Graft 
 had transactions. 
 
 Captain Potter was a member of the Wesleyan 
 Church at Bristol, and was not a little surprised and 
 interested to receive a commission for Bibles. He 
 made it his business to visit the little Christian 
 community at Cape Coast, joining the members at 
 one of their weekly gatherings for Scripture-reading 
 and prayer. He not only expressed his willingness 
 to obtain a supply of Bibles, but, to their immense 
 satisfaction, to be the bearer to England of their 
 earnest request for the appointment of an English 
 missionary. John Aggery, who was subsequently king 
 of Ca])e Coast, was one of the numl)er who appealed 
 to Captain Potter to secure for them a missionary. 
 
 In consequence of forsaking the fetish of his country 
 he had been cut oif from the succession to the chieftain- 
 ship, and he and his companions were publicly flogged. 
 But such a change was produced by missionary effort 
 in the country that within thirty years he was elected 
 sovereign, and at the Church anniversary in 1864 
 he publicly acknowledged his sense of obligation to 
 Christianity, and declared that his object should hence- 
 forth be to promote the educational and spiritual im- 
 provement of the people.* 
 
 The captain, on reporting himself to the President, 
 related all he knew, and stated his intention of 
 securing the interest of the Christians of England on 
 behalf of the little company. President Maclean is 
 re])orted to have replied : *' If you propose to obtain 
 a missionary, I would advise one of the Methodist 
 communion; for these people with their fervour remind 
 * " Annual Report of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, 18G5." 
 
26 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 me mucli of the members of that Church in England." 
 Such a recommendation was not likely to be lost upon 
 the godly Methodist captain. When once more his 
 ship arrived in the Bristol dock, and he was free to 
 communicate with the Wesleyan Missionary Society, 
 he delivered the message from these simple-minded 
 Africans. At the same time he offered to take on 
 his next voyage a suitable man, whom the directors 
 might select, free of charge ; and to bring him back 
 on the same terms, should he find it impracticable to 
 establish a mission during the time of the captain's 
 stay, which was sometimes prolonged over many 
 months, on account of his trading transactions with 
 the natives. 
 
 The offer was gladly accepted, and the pioneer was 
 selected in the person of Joseph Rhodes Dunwell, a 
 sturdy Yorkshireman, the story of whose life does not 
 belong to our present narrative. The young men, 
 whose request had thus been so fully met, gladly 
 placed themselves under his direction and care, and 
 on the first Sabbath after he landed, January 4th, 1835, 
 Dunwell began his public ministry at Cape Coast. 
 He found already formed in the regular weekly 
 meeting the peculiar conditions of Christian fellow- 
 ship insisted upon by the Methodist Church as a test 
 of membershi}), and upon that foundation it was 
 comparatively easy to build, which he did as a wise 
 master-builder. The first congregation to which 
 Dunwell preached was composed of the band of young 
 men referred to and a few others, and he thus de- 
 scribes it : '' The deepest attention was manifested ; 
 joy beamed on every countenance " ; and then adds, 
 "Their gratitude is without bounds, and they say, 
 '• We did never think of the missionary's coming to 
 teach black man.' " The little Church, beginning 
 with upwards of fifty adherents, under the direction of 
 this earnest servant of God rapidly increased ; but to 
 the intense sorrow of all, and the dismay of the little 
 community, the unhealthy climate claimed him as a 
 
THE PIONEERS. 27 
 
 victim within six months of his landing, and he passed 
 away to his reward on June 24th, 1835. 
 
 The Wesleyan Missionary Society, "unable to 
 reconcile with their conviction of duty the abandon- 
 ment of a work which had been so auspiciously begun," 
 resolved to send two married missionaries, " on the 
 principle that the interests of a mission in such a 
 climate as that of Western Africa ought not to be left 
 to the care of one, . . . and that their wives might 
 attend to the improvement of the native females." 
 Such a resolution, it may be understood, gave un- 
 bounded joy to the bereaved Church. A young 
 Lancashire man, George 0. Wrigley, with his recently 
 wedded wife, sailed on August 12th, 183G. With great 
 energy he applied himself to the work of acquiring 
 the language, and laid the foundations of a large and 
 commodious place of worship, the beginning of the 
 present stable building ; whilst his wife gathered about 
 her for instruction the native girls and young women. 
 They continued their hazardous toil for four months, 
 when it was their joy to welcome a young Derbyshire 
 man, Peter Harrop, and his wife. 
 
 But within a few weeks Mr. and Mrs. Harrop and 
 Mrs. Wrigley died from the effects of the climate, and 
 Wrigley was left alone. This is an epoch of tragic 
 interest in the mission, and even at this distance of 
 time one can scarcely read the pathetic story told by 
 the surviving and solitary missionary without tears. 
 It is not surprising that he writes, just from the 
 graves of his companions, " This is indeed a land of 
 death." 
 
 He buried his sorrow, however, in prodigious labour, 
 applying himself with greater devotion than ever to 
 the work of the mission. " Your mission," he wrote 
 to the secretaries of the Society, " will feel the loss 
 severely. The natives here, especially the females, 
 are in a most depraved and degraded state. The 
 persevering efforts of my beloved partner had done 
 much on their behalf ; the girls' school was more 
 
28 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 prosperous than it ever had been at the time of her 
 death, and her three classes of females were jnst 
 beginning to reap the benefit of her pions instructions, 
 two of them raised by herself, when, alas ! all was 
 stopped. I am keeping the school together as well as 
 I can until you send more help. Surely others will 
 be found to occupy the places of those who are goue ! 
 There is indeed a large harvest of souls waiting to 
 be gathered in here ; but everything outwardly seems 
 opposed to its accomplishment. Nevertheless, I will 
 not despair. I will yet hope to see better days in 
 Cape Coast. The departure of our friends has raised 
 various opinions among the natives, some of which 
 among the baser sort are not of the most friendly 
 nature to the cause of truth. Pray do send me 
 assistance as soon as possible ! I have also again to 
 urge the sending of a quantity of elementary and other 
 books for schools ; they are much wanted. Three 
 boys' schools may be commenced immediately, and 
 also a few Sunday-schools in the small villages 
 surrounding Cape Coast. I cannot stir without books, 
 and I do hope the committee will send them. I have 
 also again to urge the immediate reinforcement of the 
 mission. What is one single individual among so 
 many ? I hope, notwithstanding the sad news which 
 these sheets will communicate, that others will be 
 found to fill up the ranks, and in the sj)irit of one now 
 slumbering alongside the dust of Harriet Newell* in 
 the Isle of France, ' Come to this hell, if it be even 
 to die here.' I hope in reference to myself, in the 
 midst of my discouragements, — and I have them 
 from a variety of quarters, — that I can say, ^ Neither 
 death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor 
 powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor 
 
 * A devoted American missionary who died at the early age 
 of nineteen. " She is interred in a retired spot in the burying 
 ground in Port Louis (Mauritius), under the shadow of an 
 evergreen." The missionary Sargent, to whom this saying is 
 attributed, lies by her side. 
 
THE PIONEERS. 29 
 
 height, uor depth, nor any other creature, shall be 
 able to separate me from the love of God which is in 
 (Uirist Jesus,' and from my work in this section of 
 the mission field until my appointed time." 
 
 This is not tlie language of defeat or despair. A 
 man like that is not easily beaten. He wiped away 
 his tears and went to work. 
 
 Already there was a call from Ashanti that had 
 come in the montli of January. One of the members of 
 Wrigley's flock had been residing in Coomassie, where 
 he was visited by the royal princes, with whom he had 
 often i)rayed and conversed on religious matters ; and 
 on Christmas Day he and a few others, by request of 
 the king, had conducted religious worship in the 
 palace. Wrigley's sympathies were drawn towards 
 this benighted kingdom, but he was never i)ermitted 
 to do more than urge its claims upon others and 
 pray for it. What with his cha2)el-building, visita- 
 tions, preaching, and teaching, he was "in labours 
 more abundant " ; and he continued to manifest this 
 earnest spirit in the work of his Divine Master till 
 early in the month of November, when, returning from 
 Anamabu by water, he was smitten with a fatal illness, 
 and died at Cape Coast on November lOth, 1837, 
 having survived his wife about ten months. He died 
 as he had lived in the full triumph of the Christian 
 faith, and devout men carried him to his burial, the 
 whole town mourning his loss. The testimony to his 
 worth, borne by his brethren in the Wesleyan Methodist 
 ministry, found expression in the words of the obituary 
 in the Minutes of their annual Conference, and is 
 one which any true servant of Christ might covet : 
 " He entered on his work with great zeal and judg- 
 ment, and was instrumental in the conversion of many 
 people to the knowledge of Christ." 
 
 Thus the deadly climate had claimed the little 
 pioneer band, and when the last of the standard- 
 l3earers fell we cannot wonder that a sense of desola- 
 tion possessed the infant Church. The great conflict 
 
30 
 
 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 in Western Africa has always been serious ; but in 
 those first days it was heart-breaking in the extreme, 
 and none but the most devoted and loyal would attempt 
 to lead '^ the forlorn hope " and maintain the position 
 at so costly a sacrifice. 
 
 It was just at this juncture that Freeman stepped 
 into the breach, less than seven weeks after the grave 
 had closed over the remains of Wrigley. No flag at 
 half-mast told him of the falling of so brave a man ; 
 but the empty rooms, the unfinished task, and the 
 tearful voices of the bereaved members of the Church 
 were part of the greeting of our hero when he stepped 
 ashore and prepared for work. 
 
BACK VIEW OF MISSION-HOUSE, CAPE COAST, 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 IN THE BREACH. 
 
 MR. and Mrs. Freeman landed at Cape Coast on 
 January 3rd, 1838, expecting a welcome from 
 tlie missionary Wrigley, wliose voice had been silent 
 in deatli for some weeks. We can well imagine Mr. 
 Freeman's dismay at finding himself and his yonng 
 wife thus suddenly face to face with the great respon- 
 sibilities of the entire management of this important 
 mission. The members of the native Church, who had 
 j)assed through such a series of trying bereavements 
 with the light-heartedness which is so marked a 
 feature in the African character, soon found their tears 
 giving place to joy, and trooj^ing in from various parts 
 they gave the newcomers an open-armed welcome. 
 
 With the fervid zeal and undaunted hope so cha- 
 racteristic of Thomas Birch Freeman, he entered upon 
 his holy work, gathering up the loose ends and un- 
 ravelling the tangled threads, and doing this with such 
 clear judgment and patience that all were filled with 
 
32 
 
 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAA. 
 
 confidence in the young missionary who had at this 
 critical juncture succeeded the brave men so recently 
 passed to their reward. His experience at this time 
 is reflected in the pages of his little book, The Mis- 
 sionary Enterprise no Fiction. " The circumstances 
 of a Christian missionary recently arrived in a foreign 
 and uncivilised country," says he, " and in a sickly 
 and dangerous clime, are peculiarly trying and difficult. 
 
 GROUP OF FANTIS. 
 
 Ko man arriving in the same region for, other jjurposes 
 can possibly be placed in a similar situation. . . . 
 Arriving in a pagan conntry from a land of Bibles, 
 from the region of gospel light and the glorious 
 liberty of the children of God, he experiences a thou- 
 sand strange sensations as he moves about among 
 a people given to idolatry. ... No village bell sounds 
 in his ear its hallowed associations ' with thoughts 
 that speak and words that burn ' ; he sees no jjublicly 
 
IN THE BREACH. 33 
 
 recognised Sabbath. The fisherman casts his net, 
 and the husbandman toils on his farm ; the carpenter 
 works at his bench, and tlie mason at his bnilding ; 
 and the j^^&^^^i procession, with its rude band of 
 music and the wild intoxicated dance, j)arades the 
 street on the first, as on any other day of the week. 
 He meets, perhaps, with men of education among the 
 l)C()ple to whom he has come ; but they, alas ! are too 
 many of them, i)ractically, pagans still. Upon them 
 the light of knowledge has already dawned ; but it has 
 only played around the head, it has not afi:ected the 
 lieart. He meets also, perhaps, with some of his own 
 countrymen, who were cradled like himself amidst all 
 the blessings of evangelical light ; but they, alas ! 
 have lived in the midst of corrupt influences, until, far 
 removed from all the helps and appliances of Christian 
 conventionalities, they have contracted a painful and 
 destructive taint, and need his aid and sympathy to 
 expel from their hearts the deadly poison of moral 
 corruptions. On every hand, therefore, he sees around 
 him antagonistic influences, debasing superstitions, 
 and exhibitions of evil calculated to discourage, to 
 depress, and to overwhelm even himself unless 
 perpetually sustained by power from on high." 
 
 Tims it was with Thomas Birch Freeman ; and as he 
 continues his reflections we see the portrait of himself. 
 
 "Newly arrived in the burning clime of torrid 
 Africa, now comes the vital and anxious question, 
 AVill he stand firmly in the day of battle ? and will 
 he eminently endure hardships as a good soldier of 
 Jesus Christ, as ' seeing Him who is invisible ' ? . . . 
 Thousands of miles from his home and friends, and 
 surrounded by a perishing people who have not seen 
 the heavenly and life-inspiring vision, he has no human 
 aid at hand, no earthly friend or counsellor. There is 
 neither Aaron nor Hur to hold up his hands, and aid 
 and sustain him in the conflict. . . . Happy, indeed, 
 for him that he can say, ' And yet I am not alone,, 
 because the Father is with me.' Now comes the test 
 
34 ■ THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 of his faith and patience. Like the husbandman, he 
 must wait for the precious fruit, and have long patience 
 until ihoi Lord sends the early and refreshing rain. 
 Yes, he must toil on, through many a dark, cloudy 
 day, ploughing and sowing in hope. Bearer of the 
 precious seed, he will doubtless weep, for he is indeed 
 in the vale of tears ; but faith beholds in the distance 
 the time of rejoicing amidst the fruit of a glorious 
 harvest. . . . Onward, then, our beloved missionary ! 
 Onward, lonely messenger of mercy, warrior of Messiah, 
 greatly valorous ! AVhen thy hands hang down and thy 
 spirit droops, remember Cahary ; panting under the 
 burning heat of noon, remember Calvary ; and should 
 life ebb out, a solitary wanderer for the benefit of 
 mankind in a pagan land, remember Calvary, Be 
 this thy banner, thy watchword, tliy rallying-point, — 
 yea, be this thy life, to remember Calvary : Calvary 
 with its dying love ; Calvary with its world-crucifying 
 power ; Calvary with its glorious hopes ; Calvary with 
 its wondrous prospects ! " 
 
 Thus wrote Freeman, when an old man, recalling 
 this early time in his history ; and though disguised 
 under another name, we have good reason to know 
 that he effectively portrays his own circumstances and 
 state of mind. 
 
 Very soon his manhood and Christian fortitude were 
 put to a severe test. Within a few weeks the zealous 
 young missionary was smitten down by the dreaded 
 malarious fever, then commonly spoken of as the 
 ^'seasoning fever"; an ordeal through which the 
 stranger with very few exceptions must as inevitably 
 pass as must children through the whooi^ing-cough 
 and measles. 
 
 In those early days "the fever," which was usually 
 of the intermittent form, proved fearfully f\xtal ; but, 
 thanks to healthier dwellings and surroundings and 
 a more skilful treatment, it has now lost much of its 
 terror, thougli it is still a too fatal malady on the west 
 coast of Africa. 
 
IN THE BREACH. 35 
 
 Wliile watcliiiig with wifely solicitude tlie sick-bed 
 of her linsband, who now regarded it as a s})ecial 
 providence that his partner had accompanied him, 
 Mrs. Freeman was seized with a violent inflammatory 
 com])laint, which terminated her life in a few hours, 
 on February 20th, 1838, within seven weeks of her 
 arrival. Her death was a great loss to the mission, 
 for she had it in her heart to do much for the native 
 females, and all classes of the community bore testi- 
 mony to the respect she had gained for herself. Once 
 more the afflicted Church was plun'^ed into mourning, 
 and the joy so recently manifested on tlie arrival of 
 the young missionary and his wife gave place to tears. 
 Thus in the first three years of the mission no less than 
 six precious lives had been laid down for the work, and 
 one solitary smitten man was left to hold the fort and 
 fight against the fearful odds. 
 
 Freeman gradually recovered from this severe 
 affliction, and, crushed tliough he was at first to find 
 himself so utterly alone, his noble spirit soared above 
 his personal grief and loss. He girded up his loins, 
 took a stronger grip of his sword, and led on his small 
 army to victory. How bravely and well he did his 
 duty is the business of these pages to tell. 
 
 The first imjiortant work needing his attention was 
 tlie completion of the Wesleyan Church at Cape Coast. 
 He found a large portion of the building which Wrigley 
 and Harrop had begun had been washed away by the 
 heavy rains. The work of rebuilding Freeman actually 
 entered upon on January 17th, just a fortnight after 
 his arrival ; and it is more than likely that it was this 
 early exposure to the tropical sun which j^rostrated 
 him. On rising from his sick-bed he resumed the 
 work, and by the end of April the walls were ready 
 for the roof. Many of the natives volunteered their 
 services to obtain the needful material to repair and 
 cover the " swish " walls of the building. No fewer 
 than four thousand pieces of stone had been brought 
 from the distance of a mile for the purpose of re2)airing 
 
36 
 
 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 the LreacL. The collection of the material for thatch- 
 ing seems to have been a joyous and simultaneous 
 work. Thus we find it recorded that, " on the chosen 
 day, April 26th, the members of the Church, the 
 scholars of our own and those of the Fort School, 
 were busily engaged in bringing four thousand bundles 
 of grass, from a place six miles distant, for this 
 jjurpose, and the sacred buildiag was comijleted, for 
 the i^eojde had a mind to work." 
 
 ^Ik: 
 
 
 VIEW OF CAPE COAST, FEOM MOUNT HOPE (WESLEYAN CHURCH 
 IN BACKGROUND). 
 
 On June 10th "Mr. Freeman had the satisfaction 
 of conducting the opening service in a substantial 
 place of worship, large enough to accommodate from 
 seven hundred to a thousand persons on the ground 
 floor. Two commodious vestries were also attached 
 to the church." 
 
 Since that time galleries have been built right round 
 the interior, and a fine scpiare tower erected, in which 
 a bell and an illuminated clock have been placed. The 
 
IN THE BREACH. 37 
 
 l)nil(lin,2,- occupies a commanding site on an elevated 
 ])osition in the middle of the town, and in front is a 
 line open sqnare. Tims it is one of tlie most prominent 
 and interesting objects of tlie town ; and, now hallowed 
 by half a century of blessed memories, and the scene 
 of many spiritual revivals, though since that time it 
 has been improved and beautified, it still remains a 
 substantial memorinl of the labours of this indefatigable 
 man. 
 
 The first service was attended by President Maclean 
 and several otlier Europeans, and by at least twelve 
 hundred natives ; for those who were not able to 
 obtain admission within the edifice crowded round the 
 door and windows, and in this way participated in the 
 sacred service. The President and otlier English 
 residents contributed handsomely towards defraying 
 the expenses of the erection. 
 
 On September 3rd of the same year the first 
 missionary meeting was held within the church, 
 when President Maclean, who had just brought his 
 wife, the celebrated poetess L. E. L., from England, 
 and who had taken such a lively interest in the 
 establishment of the mission, presided, contributing 
 £25, thus swelling the collection of that first mis- 
 sionary meeting to £50. Since then more than fifty 
 similar meetings have been held within the walls of 
 this fine native church, several of which the author 
 of this biography has been privileged to attend, and 
 one of which he cherishes as exceeding in enthusiasm 
 anything he has ever witnessed either in Africa or 
 England. 
 
 It must not be imagined that the success herein 
 recorded was permitted without opposition from the 
 native priest. He had been attacked in his strong- 
 hold, and was not likely to relinquish his power 
 without a fight. Beecham * records, in substance, the 
 following particulars. Shortly after the commence- 
 ment of the mission, a fetishman, named Akwa, came 
 
 * Gold Coast and Ashaiiti. 
 
38 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 from the interior to Cape Coast, and professed to be 
 able to perform certain feats, by which he obtained 
 credit with the people. He crushed beads to powder, 
 and then pretended to restore them to their former 
 state ; he thrust his finger through a stone, and in 
 evidence produced the stone with a hole ; all of which 
 to the simple-minded and superstitious people was 
 evidence of his supernatural power, which he might 
 exert for evil upon them if false to the faith of their 
 fathers. 
 
 The writer remembers hearing Freeman speak of 
 these times, and of this individual, who appeared 
 to chew his arm, eating away the living flesh, and 
 in evidence the blood seemed to flow freely. The 
 missionary detected the fraud, and found that the 
 blood was produced by the chewing of a piece of well- 
 known wood. Akwa, however, claimed to have 
 power, not only over the mineral and vegetable world, 
 but he averred that he had influence to summon apes 
 from the bush, and make tliem talk with the people ; 
 but this lie could not do in the daytime, as the apes 
 were timid and shunned the light. He therefore took 
 his dupes into the forest after dark, and they returned 
 into the town quite convinced that they had conversed 
 with apes. By such exploits he gained much renown, 
 impressing the people with the great powers of his 
 fetish. His deception was, however, exposed by a 
 native trader, who had become sufficiently enlightened 
 under Christian influences to susi)ect the cheat. 
 Having expressed a wish to witness some of the 
 wonderful feats of Akwa, he accompanied him to the 
 forest in the darkness of the night, taking care, how- 
 ever, to instruct his servant "boys," who attended 
 him, as to their part. These " boys " carried the usual 
 present of rum — about a gallon. At the appointed 
 place and time Akwa began to call for the apes, and 
 presently a rushing sound was heard, and a small 
 voice said, " We have come ; give us some rum." 
 When the hand was stretched forth a servant caught it, 
 
IN THE BREACH. 39 
 
 aud called out to his master, " My father ! my father ! 
 it is not an ape ; I have caught a boy's liand." 
 " Hold it last," replied the trader, " until 1 come and 
 satisfy myself" ; bnt in the struggle whicli ensued the 
 captive gained his liberty, and the servants, ])ursuing 
 the fugitives, found that they were a number of boys 
 who had been trained by Akwa to personate apes. So 
 great was the panic that the fetish boys abandoned tlie 
 bottles they had brouglit into which were to be emptied 
 the trader's flasks of rum. Akwa himself fled, and 
 was never heard of more in the town of Cape Coast. 
 This discovery broke the spell with which the popular 
 superstition had bound the mind of the trader, and he 
 soon after became a member of the Church. Such an 
 exposure, too, had its eftect upon the minds of the 
 people generally. 
 
 Later, at a great fetish dance, a stone was tlirown, 
 which struck the chief fetishman in the face, who 
 demanded, in his Avrath, that the offender should be 
 discovered. The retort came from the people that 
 unless the fetish could inform him it was useless to 
 apply to them for counsel. They then threw down 
 the drums, to the sound of which he was dancing, and 
 left the priest to his own meditations. 
 
 The whole passjige, with other incidents therein 
 related, is worth reading in the pages of Beecham's 
 interesting but scarce volume on Ashanti and the 
 Gold Coast, and indicates how the current of (yhristiau 
 influence was gaining force, and that already a dis- 
 integration of the p()])uhir superstitions was taking 
 })la{;e. 
 
 -^:;^,5^.... 
 

 
 
 A 
 
 
 ■"■^^^ 
 
 If 
 
 .i' 
 
 K. -, 
 
 &s. 
 
 
 
 :^' 
 
 ELMINA CASTLE, GOLD COAST. 
 
 CHAPTER lY. 
 
 A MISSIONARY JOUENEY. 
 
 THE successes and acliieYements of Freeman's first 
 year's toil provoked a desire for larger enter- 
 prises. From the beginning he liad set liis lieart 
 upon winning Aslianti for Christ. In his first letter 
 to the missionary committee he stated that he should 
 not consider his work done nntil he had unfurled the 
 banner of the Cross in Coomassie. He records the 
 following in the published Journals : '' The tales of 
 horror, wretchedness, and cruelty which I had often 
 heard respecting the Ashantis, wrought in my mind 
 the deepest commiseration, and a constant restlessness 
 to commence missionary operations among them." 
 Early in his second year he hastened to carry out this 
 great purpose. 
 
 There were many objections to the project. The 
 expense of the journey, danger to health, the doubtful 
 success with the despotic king of Ashanti, the pro- 
 longed absence from the infant Churches already 
 
 40 
 
A MISSIONARY JOURNEY. 41 
 
 formed, and the importance of being at Cape Coast 
 to receive a fellow-labourer whom he liad been expect- 
 ing for weeks, all received fnll consideration. 
 
 These obstacles were one by one met by the gene- 
 rosity of the people of his charge, and the promise 
 of necessary assistance from President Maclean. Tlie 
 latter provided him with two soldiers to accompany 
 and conduct him to Ashanti, with a letter of recom- 
 mendation to the king. Moreover, the excellent 
 William de Graft expressed his willingness to take 
 charge of the mission during Freeman's absence. 
 
 Such a journey could be accomplished only on foot, 
 or by hammock borne by men, the usual metliod of 
 travel on the Gold Coast. For some unknown reason, 
 though it has been carefully and scientifically sought, 
 horses cannot live in this part of West Africa. Thus 
 the European who is judicious enough to care for his 
 health has not only to submit to this strange method 
 of locomotion, Imt his food and clothing must be 
 borne also upon the heads of natives. The preparation 
 for a journey to the interior is, consequently, suffi- 
 ciently exacting, apart from its actual performance. 
 
 " Deeply sensible," Freeman writes, "■ of the difficult 
 and dangerous nature of my undertaking, and not 
 forgetful of that eternal Source from whence I must 
 receive all my strength, both physical and spiritual, 
 I took an affectionate leave of our Society at Cape 
 Coast on Tuesday evening, January 29th, 1839. On 
 follomng morning I left for Coomassie, and reached 
 Anamabu at noon." 
 
 He rested at this place till the following morning, 
 and then proceeded by way of Domonasi, that he 
 might encourage the little Church there. On reaching 
 Domonasi he was prostrated with a slight attack of 
 fever, the result of his anxieties and labour in organ- 
 ising the expedition. 
 
 On recovery he moved on to Yankumasi, where he 
 was well received and entertained by the young chief 
 Asin Chibu, who presented him with a sheep and 
 
42 
 
 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 green plantains, and also supplied liim gratuitously 
 with five carriers for liis luggage to the next stopping- 
 
 HAMMOCK-TRAVELLIIsG. 
 
 place. Mindful of his function, Freeman conversed 
 witli tlie young man concerning the worship of the 
 true God, and found him more receptive than most of 
 
A MISSIONARY JOURNEY. 43 
 
 the Fanti cliicfs wiMi whom lie liad hecii hroiif^lit into 
 contact. 
 
 When he reached Mansu lie was weh-oiucd l)y tlio 
 chief Gahri and his captains. Botli (^ahri and his 
 mother were lieedful of native etiquette in sending 
 presents of fruit, vegetables, aud a sheep. Here the 
 fever returned, and Sunday, February 3rd, found liim 
 still at tliis town. The fever having somewliat abated, 
 lie preached in the afternoon to the chief and his 
 principal men, and to many of the i)eople, taking 
 for his text, " Go ye into all the world, and preach 
 the gospel to every creature." 
 
 He adds : " Considering their ignorant condition, 
 they behaved very well. I do not remember that I 
 ever witnessed a more soul-refreshing and interesting- 
 scene than that which took place at the close of the 
 sermon. The sublime truths concerning the mysterious 
 plan of human redemption — God becoming incarnate, 
 and dying to save His rebellious creatures, to bring 
 them to eternal glory — made such an impression upon 
 the minds of the chief and his captains that they 
 could not contain themselves. Spreading abroad their 
 hands, and lifting up their yoices, they acknowledged 
 the lovingkindness of God, and declared before their 
 people that they would worship Him. I verily 
 believe they would, if they could be watched over 
 aud attended to continually by a missionary or teacher." 
 
 Leaving Mansu his " path lay through a dense 
 forest, abounding in lofty silk-cotton and other trees, 
 and many handsome varieties of fern." He travelled 
 along the banks of the sacred river of the Ashantis, 
 with the beauty of which lie was deeply impressed. The 
 river Prah is tlie natural boundary between Fanti and 
 Aslianti, and Freeman described it as being ''the largest 
 he liad yet seen in Africa. With its thickly wooded 
 banks, abounding in palm trees and viimosece^ it pre- 
 sented a beautifully picturesque and interesting scene." 
 
 He halted on the banks of the river for a day, giving 
 the carriers the opportunity of rest and refreslinieut 
 
44 
 
 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 to be obtained by bathing in its waters. This place 
 is about eighty-five miles from the coast, and mid- 
 way between Cape Coast and Coomassie. 
 
 He describes the country over which he had 
 travelled as " covered with luxuriant vegetation, con- 
 sisting of plantains, bananas, palms, bamboos, many 
 
 large forest trees covered with climbers. Epiphytical 
 Orchidece, and ferns. Among the shrubs and her- 
 baceous plants 1 noticed a very pretty variety of 
 Crotan ; also Lantana Odorata^ and a species of 
 Gardenia Iledjjchium, or garland flower, Canna 
 Indica, and a handsome blue variety of Maranta, the 
 leaves of which were on the upper side a pale green 
 colour, and underneath a bright purple." Not only 
 
A MISSIONARY JOURNEY. 45 
 
 were liis botanical tastes gratified, but Lis " ears were 
 charmed with the notes of some of the feathered 
 songsters of the forest ; and my attention was also 
 arrested by the well-known sound of the woodman's 
 hook and axe, eni})loyed to clear small tracts of 
 ground in the forest for the cultivation of yams." 
 
 Crossing the Prah " in a large heavy canoe," he 
 entered the country of Ashanti, and quickly discovered, 
 wliat all African travellers find out sooner or later, 
 that many petty difiiculties stood in his path, and 
 that great patience was needed to overcome them. 
 The strong h.armattan wind was blowing, " affecting 
 the eyes, and producing a sensation like that felt by a 
 violent cold in the head." One morning he was morti- 
 fied " to find that a rat had eaten some of his hammock- 
 strings, which rendered it almost unfit for use." 
 
 He jmssed over the Adansi hills, and arrived at the 
 small town of Kwisa. Here he was informed that he 
 could jn'oceed no farther without permission from the 
 chief, who resided in the " neat little town " of 
 Fumana, a mile distant. Korinchi, the chief of Adansi, 
 a man of drunken habits, proved his evil genius by 
 delaying him for several precious weeks. 
 
 Those weeks were not spent idly, but the delay was 
 most tiresome to the ardent missionary. From his 
 journal we get a glimpse of the young man making 
 the best of the opportunity to work for his Master. 
 He was delighted to find here some native C/hristian 
 traders, and they, with the missionary's company, 
 formed the nucleus of a congregation for public 
 worship. They also supported and encouraged him in 
 his interviews with tlie chief. This border-chieftain 
 did not fail to magnify his office, and received the 
 missionary in semi-royal state, seated under his 
 gorgeous umbrella, and surrounded by his captains 
 and people. There were the usual complimentary 
 passages so characteristic of this and other African 
 tribes, followed by inquiries as to the object of the 
 missionary's proposed visit to Coomassie. 
 
46 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 This gave Freeman the opportunity of making 
 known, probably for the first time, the gospel to the 
 chief and his vassals. He disclaimed any commercial 
 or political intention, and stated that he had " come 
 into the country to promote the best interests of the 
 king of Ashanti and his people, by directing them in 
 the way of peace and haj)piness through the preach- 
 ing of the gospel." The chief rei^lied tliat he should 
 like to hear the gospel in his town before Freeman 
 proceeded any farther into the country. 
 
 The missionary at once opened his commission, and 
 spoke to the chief and all present on the existence of 
 a God. Holding up to their view a leaf which had 
 fiillen from the banyan tree under which he was 
 standing, he asked if they could make one like it. 
 They answered, '' i\^(9." He then further asked if they 
 thought it possible for the combined wisdom, power, 
 and genius of the world to make such a leaf. Again 
 there came back in ready chorus, " NoP From this 
 simple illustration he led their thoughts up ^' to the 
 almighty power, mercy, and truth of ^ God who made 
 the world and all things therein,' and declared to 
 them the nature of the Christian religion.'' They 
 bade him come again on the morrow that they might 
 hear more. 
 
 Next day, being Sunday, the missionary took his 
 stand under the same trees, and had the pleasure of 
 2)reaching to Korinchi and a congregation of five 
 hundred natives. The little band of Christians 
 gathered about him, and they sang " Plunged in a 
 gulf of dark despair, etc." Then a native Christian 
 offered prayer in their own tongue. Again the little 
 Christian choir struck up : — 
 
 '' Lord over all, if Thou hast inacle, 
 Hast ransomed every soul of man, 
 Why is the grace so long delayed ? 
 
 Why unfulfilled the saving plan ? 
 The bliss, for Adams race designed, 
 When will it reach to all mankind ? " 
 
A MfSSIO.YARV JOURNEY. 47 
 
 Then followed a sermon, rendered into Fanti l)y an 
 interi)reter. The preacher explained the nature of the 
 gos])el, and proved the Divine origin of the Bible. 
 A great solemnity pervaded the congregation, and 
 the"dee])est attention was paid, assent l)eing given 
 every minute or so by a hearty '' Yes'' from the 
 listeners. 
 
 At the close Korinchi and his ca])tains pronounced 
 it a *'good palaver," and declared they would like 
 to hear more as to what God liked and what He 
 disliked. The missionary retired with the promise 
 to preach again when desired. The chief and his 
 ])eople were greatly impressed with the disinterested 
 character of Freeman's mission, and expressed tlieir 
 astonishment that so great a sacrifice should be made 
 on the part of a stranger to benefit them. That in 
 itself led them to conclude that the religion he pro- 
 fessed must be good. 
 
 Before leaving, however, lie made clear to the chief 
 that his office as a Christian minister precluded liim 
 from conforming wholly to the custom of making- 
 costly presents. Tliis drew fortli tbe ready reply that 
 such was not expected from him. They desired rather 
 to become acquainted with the gospel he preached. 
 His inquiry as to when he might be permitted to 
 proceed to Coomassie was evaded, a form of procedure 
 with whicb be was to become bitterly familiar. 
 
 In his more mature years Mr. Freeman became 
 thoroughly acquainted with the arts and wiles of chiefs 
 and kings to cause delay, but in his inex2)erience he 
 now felt it a great trial. His mind was constantly 
 harassed with anxiety about the flock of nearly seven 
 hundred left behind. Yet he was filled with intense 
 longing to go forward to proclaim the glad tidings 
 in regions beyond, although he had fears that his 
 health might give way, exposed as he was in a poor 
 hat in the midst of the hat-mattan season. 
 
CHIEF NEXT IN COMMAND TO KING OF COOMASSIE. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 A TRIAL OF PATIENCE. 
 
 AT last after varied excuses a messenger arrived from 
 Coomassie with a present of nine ackies of gold 
 dust (equal to two pounds five shillings), and with a 
 promise that the king would send for Freeman in a few 
 days. 
 
 Korinchi now offered Freeman the privilege of 
 waiting the king's 2)leasure at Fumana, of which he 
 gladly availed himself, the latter being more open 
 and healthy than Kwisa. 
 
 His conversations and public services provoked a 
 desire to hear more. And so much in earnest were 
 they that Korinchi sent one morning at eight o'clock 
 to summon the missionary to explain to him and his 
 captains some of the truths of Christianity. The 
 doctrine of the resurrection of the dead greatly puzzled 
 them ; but their teacher succeeded in convincing them 
 of the possibility of such an event. He then directed 
 their attention to the doctrine of future rewards and 
 jmnishments. 
 
 One dav he swung his hammock under a large 
 
A TRIAL OF PATIENCE. 49 
 
 banyan tree in the principal thoroughfare. The chief 
 visited him, and a hirge group of people gathered 
 aronnd. lie led tliem into a general conversation, 
 and ])ointed out the folly of their sui)erstitious offerings 
 wliich lie had seen them preparing for their fetish. At 
 first they resented this, but subsequently said " their 
 fetish told them nonsense and deceived them." 
 
 In his lodgings he held a meeting for Divine worship, 
 which the chief and his captains attended by his 
 invitation. All seemed deeply impressed with its 
 solemnity. Whatever hopes might have been enter- 
 tained by the missionary of the chief's conversion 
 from heathenism were soon blighted. A few days 
 after this solemn service a sister of Korinchi died. 
 As Freeman walked out early the following morning, 
 he was shocked to see in the public street the 
 mangled corpse of a i)Oor female slave, who had been 
 beheaded dnrins; the ni^'ht to attend her mistress 
 in the ghostly sphere to which they believed the 
 departed had gone. He had reason to think that his 
 presence had a restraining influence, or many more 
 slaves would have been immolated. Half ashamed 
 that the stranger should see the result of their super- 
 stition, the people had partly covered the poor body 
 with a native mat. 
 
 '' In the course of the day," he adds, " I saw groups 
 of natives dancing round this victim of superstition 
 and cruelty with numerous frantic gestures, and who 
 seemed to be in the very zenith of their hai3piness. . . . 
 Thoughout the day I saw females fantastically dressed, 
 with their faces and shoulders daubed with red ochre, 
 ])arading the town as mourners for Korinchi's sister." 
 The mangled trunk of the slave was cast into a ditch 
 by the roadside to lie and putrefy, or be devoured by 
 turkey-buzzards or beasts of prey. 
 
 As might be expected, such an incident made a deep 
 impression on the missionary's mind, and he gave 
 himself earnestly to prayer that God would clear away 
 the darkness resting upon the people. 
 
50 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 A few days after he writes : " Early in the moroiDg 
 the fetish tune was played through the town, to 
 assemble the people for finishing the ' custom ' for 
 Korinchi's sister. In the afternoon nearly all the 
 principal persons of the town were dressed in their 
 gayest attire. A large group of them gathered under 
 the fetish tree to see and hear the fetishman while 
 he made his orations and danced to the sound of several 
 drums, which were played by females. The appear- 
 ance of the priest was very much like that of a clown. 
 His face was daubed with white clay ; he had a large 
 iron chain about his neck, worn as a necklace. This 
 chain I tried to get as a curiosity, but without success. 
 Around his legs were tied bunches of fetish, and in 
 his hand he held an immense knife, about fifteen 
 inches long and two and a half broad. Sometimes he 
 danced with many frantic gestures, and at other times 
 stood gazing around him with every indication of a 
 vacant mind. 
 
 '' While I was looking at him, he set out and ran 
 to a distance of about a hundred yards. Anxious to 
 keep him in sight I walked forward, j)ast a small shed 
 which would have concealed him, and saw him with a 
 musket at his shoulder taking aim at a turkey-buzzard 
 on a tree hard by. Having fired without hitting his 
 mark, he returned to the tree from whence he started 
 and began to make a speech. 
 
 "It is at these public meetings that such men deliver 
 to the poor credulous people the messages which they 
 pretend to have received from the fetish, which are 
 esteemed by the great body of the inhabitants as 
 sterling truth. Thus the funeral ' custom ' dragged 
 itself on after the fashion of the country amidst 
 drunkenness and debauchery." 
 
 In a half-drunken condition Korinchi attended a 
 Sunday service held by the missionary. A few days 
 after Freeman made an opportunity of remonstrating 
 with him. He also pointed out the folly of their 
 ' customs," and the wickedness of human sacrifices. 
 
A TRIAL OF rATIRXCE. 51 
 
 The chief offered nn excuse not iiiikiiowii in civilised 
 lands. They were so unlia]ipv, so Jie stated, at tlie 
 loss of relatives tliatthey were glad to liave recourse to 
 drnidvenness to drown their sorrow. The missionary 
 directed liim to God as the ordy real source of comiort 
 in times of affliction. 
 
 The very next night, however, Freeman was kept 
 awake by the noisy drumming of the fetish wor- 
 shippers, wliich he discovered was but the prelude to 
 another human sacrifice. The next day he saw the 
 headless body of the victim, a young man about 
 eighteen years of age. Already the turkey-buzzards 
 were feasting upon the corpse. But what filled the 
 missionary with painful emotion was regarded with 
 the utmost indifference by the mass of the people 
 familiar with such horrible scenes. 
 
 Tliat heathen, however, such as these are not 
 entirely without conscience is evident from an incident 
 which occurred at a imblic service on the Sabbath. 
 Freeman's text was, " If thou wilt enter into life, 
 keep the commandments." During the delivery the 
 chief and his retainers grew very excited, especially 
 when the preacher explained the Decalogue. They 
 often stopped him to ask questions. '' Is the offer- 
 ing of human sacrifices murder ? " questioned one. 
 The missionary answered, " It is even so ; and you 
 will henceforth be left without excuse, if you persist 
 in that horrible practice." 
 
 Proceeding to explain the excellency of the com- 
 mandments, the preacher turned questioner. '' Who 
 are the happiest persons," asked he, " those wlw) 
 conscientiously keep God's commandments or those 
 who wilfully break them ? " Without hesitation 
 there came the api)arently sincere reply from the 
 people, deeply impressed with the solemnity of tlie dis- 
 course, " Those who keep them." Subsequently this 
 discourse was a subject of conversation between the 
 chief and his ca})tains, who were disposed to dissent 
 from tlie missionary's teaching that the keeping of 
 
52 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 the Sabbath was obligatory upon them. They believed 
 that God had apjioiuted different sacred days for 
 the nations : one for the Ashantis, one for the 
 Fantis, and another for the Wassaws. They feared 
 that they would expose themselves to great dang-er by 
 giving up their fetish days and keeping the Chris- 
 tian Sabbath. This objection was met by Freeman 
 tellino' them of what Eno-land once was in its state 
 of heathenism, and of the mighty change since the 
 introduction of Christianity. " This argument was 
 too strong for them, and they gave up the point." 
 
 So the days passed, and the missionary grew weary 
 of waiting for permission to proceed. Now we find 
 him searching the forest for floral specimens, now 
 climbing a hill to become enraptured with the glorious 
 prospect, then remonstrating with the chief, and 
 telling him that he half suspected that he or those 
 whom he influenced were to blame for the long- 
 delay. Then he gathered about him his fellow- 
 travellers, and entered into close personal conversation 
 concerning the salvation of their souls. Again and 
 again he preached the words of life to those willing 
 to hear. The days grew into weeks, and still there 
 was no answer from the king, whereupon he deter- 
 mined upon the stratagem of threatening to return 
 to the coast. 
 
 To show that he was no longer to be trifled with 
 by the treacherous chief, he packed his boxes, and 
 put himself in a state of readiness to return. Alarmed 
 at the consequences to himself when the matter 
 reached the royal ear, he came hastily to Freeman to 
 entreat him to exercise further patience. To this he 
 agreed, on the condition that the chief would provide 
 on the following morning a messenger to accompany 
 his with a letter he intended to write to the king. 
 " After he had used every means to persuade " Free- 
 man " to the contrary," the '' chief consented with 
 great reluctance." 
 
 Next morning, when the missionary's messenger 
 
A TRIAL OF PATIENCE. 53 
 
 was prepared, he sent to Korioclii to iiicpiire if his 
 messenger were ready. There came a series of answers 
 characteristic of the duplicity of the heathen African 
 ruler. " The king's path-keeper was not found," or 
 " had not arrived," and so the delay was continued. 
 The missionary acted with promptitude, and repaired to 
 Korinchi's house, only to be informed that the chief 
 was not within. He then proceeded to the house of 
 the king's messenger and vigorously protested, and 
 was politely informed that they were simply waiting 
 for linguists belonging to other chiefs before they 
 prepared the escort. Feeling displeased witli the 
 manifest deception, Freeman ordered his people to 
 make ready to return at once to Cai)e Coast. 
 
 Before turning his back entirely upon the place, he 
 paid another visit to the chief's house, taking the 
 precaution to send one of his men to the back door 
 whilst he went to the front. Again, with profuse 
 apologies, he was politely informed that Korinchi was 
 not within. Taking the matter in his own hands, he 
 presumed, to their astonishment, to enter tlie house 
 before any one could give warning. As he suspected, 
 the chief was there, and most leisurely taking his 
 breakfast. 
 
 The missionary upbraided the wily chief for his 
 unjust conduct, and reques-ted that he would find the 
 promised messenger as soon as he had finished his 
 repast. He then retired to another apartment to 
 await the result. Half an hour passed, and though 
 the chief had made a faithful promise, he did not 
 appear. Freeman sent an attendant to inquire the 
 cause of delay, and discovered that the chief had 
 again eluded him. He had finished his breakfast and 
 made liis escape. More delays of the same tedious 
 kind followed, and then, persuaded that Korinchi was 
 dealing treacherously with him, the missionary started 
 some of his attendants with i:)ackages towards the 
 coast. 
 
 The poor chief, now in a quandary, sent in great 
 
54 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 lia^te to inform Freeman that the messenger was 
 nearly ready. He was no longer in a mood, however, 
 to be played with, and requested to see the messenger, 
 hut none came. The loads were now all despatched, 
 and his people were told to wait on the road whilst 
 the missionary sought Koriuchi to take leave of 
 him. It was not a pleasant interview for either 
 party. Mr. Freeman says the chief " appeared stupid, 
 brutal, and sullen, and would not give me his hand. 
 I consequently turned from him, and waited a moment 
 to tell the king's messenger I was going. Before I 
 parted with him, I asked whether he did not think 
 forty-six days a sufficient length of time for me to 
 wait patiently, especially as I was getting short of 
 provisions and the rainy season was fast approaching. 
 He candidly acknowledged that I had been detained 
 too long, and that he could not blame me for return- 
 ing. I had but proceeded a short distance when 
 Korinchi sent begging me to stoj) and speak with 
 him, to which message I thought it right to pay no 
 attention." 
 
 The chief was now truly alarmed, and sent messenger 
 after messenger to entreat Freeman to return. He 
 offered an abject apology, and promised to send that 
 night, by torchlight, a messenger to Coomassie. The 
 night drew on, and with it came a tornado, and 
 Freeman was glad to find shelter in a six-feet-square 
 hut, into which he also invited the chief's messengers. 
 These men did their best to conciliate and dissnade 
 the missionary from his purpose of recrossing the Prah. 
 
 That night Korinchi tried to console himself for the 
 missionary's sudden departure in his usual way when 
 trouble was upon him. He spent the whole night in 
 drinking, drumming, and dancing. 
 
 Believing that Korinchi would no longer put 
 obstacles in his way, Freeman slowly yielded to the 
 entreaties of the messengers. These men were so 
 rejoiced at having overcome the apparent reluctance of 
 the missionary, that they gladly acted as carriers of his 
 
A TRIAL OF PATIENCE. 55 
 
 heavy luggage, and were most profuse in their thanks. 
 Such was the effect of the scare that within half an 
 hour of his return a despatcli arrived from the king 
 rc([n(\sting liim to ])roceed to Coomassie. Freeman 
 thouglit that, thougli the cliief '' was deserving of 
 censure, much of his conduct was due to jealousy 
 on the ])art of the king." He does not even blame 
 the king, but ascribes his conduct to evil influences 
 brought to bear upon him by Mohammedan and fetisli 
 priests, who would do their utmost to prevent the 
 introduction of (/hristianity into the country. 
 
 He subse(piently wrote : '' I believe my long deten- 
 tion . . . was the Lord's doing. The great length of 
 time which I remained there gave me an excellent 
 opportunity of becoming acquainted with the peo2)le 
 and of gaining tlicir affections. I also became accus- 
 tomed, by gradual degrees, to those horrid and awful 
 scenes, wliich are every-day occurrences in that j^lace." 
 After visiting Coomassie he considered Fnmana a 
 more desirable place for a mission tlian the capital. 
 He thouglit the people more i)repared to receive the 
 gospel, and in spite of the treachery and drunkenness 
 of the chief Korinchi he considered him on the whole 
 exceedingly well disposed. 
 
 The missionary's suspicion that the king's jealousy 
 had much to do with his detention at Fnmana received 
 confirmation. The king sent a messenger to see 
 what sort of a person he was, and on his return was 
 interrogated as follows : — 
 
 King : " You have seen the fetishman ? " 
 
 Messenger : " Yes." 
 
 King : " Had lie plenty of drums with him ? " 
 
 Messenger : '' I saw no drums." 
 
 King : '' Why, he is a fetishman ; he must have 
 drums with him." 
 
 Messenger : " I saw no drums. He has plenty of 
 boxes, but I cannot say what they contain." 
 
 King; "Why did you not endeavour to learn 
 whether the boxes contained drums or not?" 
 
56 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 Whereupon tlie king became exceedingly angry 
 because the messenger could give no satisfactory 
 answer. The king evidently brooded over the matter, 
 and was sorely puzzled that a stranger should desire 
 to visit him on such an errand. " Never since," said 
 the king, '' the world began, has there been an English 
 missionary in Ashanti. What can he want ? " 
 
 Freeman, once more on the path with his face to the 
 capital, was impressed with the fertility of the country 
 and the luxuriant vegetation, and was struck with the 
 kindness of the natives through whose towns and 
 villages he passed. Every day he received presents 
 of palm wine and fruits. 
 
 On April 1st he found himself at the small village 
 of Franfraham, a mile and a half from Coomassie. In 
 consequence of the delays, he had been two months 
 covering the hundred and seventy miles from the 
 coast ! 
 
 This village was the halting-place for strangers 
 visiting the capital. Here the missionary, in keeping 
 with the customs of the country, awaited further 
 invitation from the king. The interval was well filled 
 with the partaking of needful refreshment, and a 
 jjrayer-meeting to implore the blessing of the God 
 of missions upon the undertaking. 
 

 fi^li'lii^*'^ 
 
 'vi 
 
 CHAPTEli VI. 
 
 THE CITY OF BLOOD. 
 
 THE eDtiy of the first Cliristian missionary into the 
 blood-stained capital of Ashanti will be best 
 described in his own words. We copy from his journal 
 under date of April 1st, 1839 : — 
 
 "At 2 p.m. a messenger arrived from the king 
 requesting me to proceed as early as possible. I 
 immediately dressed myself, and while doing so three 
 others arrived, each bearing a golden sword, requesting 
 me to hasten forward. I then advanced towards the 
 town, preceded by the messengers and some soldiers 
 bearing arms. 
 
 " Having reached the outskirts we halted under 
 a large tree, and there waited for another royal invita- 
 tion. In a short time His Majesty's chief linguist, 
 the A])oko, came in a palan(]uin, shaded by an immense 
 umbrella, and accompanied by messengers bearing 
 canes nearly covered with gold. These took charge 
 of my luggage, and saw it safely lodged in the residence 
 intended for me. All this being properly arranged, 
 
 57 
 
58 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 another messenger arrived, accompanied by troops and 
 men bearing large umbrellas. I was requested to 
 proceed to the market-place. ^ The king's command- 
 ment' being 'urgent,' we pushed along with speed, 
 preceded by a band of music. 
 
 '' As soon as we arrived at the market-place I got 
 out of my travelling-chair. Walking through the 
 midst of an hnmense concourse of persons, a narrow 
 path being kept clear for me, I paid my respects to 
 the king, his numerous chiefs and captains. These 
 were seated on wooden chairs, richly decorated with 
 brass and gold, and under the shade of splendid 
 umbrellas, some of them large enough to screen twelve 
 or fourteen persons from the burning rays of the sun. 
 These state umbrellas were crowned with images of 
 beasts and various devices, and covered with gold. 
 Eound about the king and the chief were the native 
 troops and a multitude of attendants, lending impres- 
 siveness to the ceremony. 
 
 " I was occupied for half an hour in walking slowly 
 through the midst of this immense assembly, touching 
 my hat and waving my hand, except before the king. 
 In his presence I, of course, stood for a moment 
 uncovered. I then took my seat at a distance, accom- 
 l)anied by my people and several respectable Fanti 
 traders who were staying in the town. Here, according 
 to the usual custom, we received the return-compliments 
 of the king. 
 
 '' After I was seated the immense mass began to be 
 in motion. Many of the chiefs first passed me in 
 succession, accompanied by their numerous retinue. 
 8ome of them cordially shook me by the hand. Then 
 came the officers of the king's household attended by 
 their peoj^le. Some Ijore on tht'ir heads massive ])ieces 
 of silver jjlate, otliers carried in their hands gold 
 swords and canes, native chairs and butfets neatly 
 carved and almost covered with gold and silver, and 
 tobacco pipes richly decorated with the same precious 
 materials. 
 
6o THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 " Amidst this ostentatious display I saw wliat was 
 calculated to harrow up the strongest and most painful 
 feelings. The royal executioners displayed the blood- 
 stained stools on which hundreds, perhaps thousands, 
 of human victims have been sacrificed by decapitation. 
 They also carried the large death-dnim^ which is beaten 
 at the moment when the fatal knife severs the head 
 from the body, the very sound of which conveys a 
 thrill of horror. This rude instrument, connected with 
 which are most dreadful associations, was literally 
 covered with dried clots of blood, and decorated with 
 the jaw-bones and skulls of human victims. 
 
 " Then followed the king, Kwaku Duah, under the 
 shade of three splendid umbrellas, the cloth of which 
 was silk-velvet of different colours. These were sup- 
 ported by some of his numerous attendants. The 
 display of gold which I witnessed as His Majesty 
 13assed was astonishing. 
 
 " After the king followed other chiefs, and lastly 
 the main body of the troops. This immense procession 
 occupied an hour and a half in passing. There were 
 several Moors in the procession, but they made by 
 no means a conspicuous appearance. I suppose the 
 number of persons which I saw collected together 
 exceeded forty thousand, including a great number of 
 females. The wrists of some of the chiefs were so 
 heavily laden with golden ornaments that they rested 
 their arms on the shoulders of some of their attendants. 
 The ajjpearance of the procession was exceedingly 
 grand and imjjosing. 
 
 " The contrast between the people themselves and 
 their large umbrellas, seventy in number and of various 
 colours, which they waved uji and down in the air, 
 together with the dark green foliage of the large 
 banyan trees, under and among which they passed, 
 formed a scene that was novel and extraordinary. 
 I gazed on this concourse of heathens with feelings 
 of sorrow and joy. I sorrowed in the reflection that 
 motst, and perhaps all, were totally ignorant of the 
 
THE CITY OF BLOOD. 6i 
 
 great Author of their being, and without one ray 
 of Divine consolation to cheer them amid tlie changing 
 scenes of this visionary workl." 
 
 Mr. Freeman happily did not know at tliat time 
 tliat two newly-made earth-mounds on either side of 
 the way as he entered tlie town were the graves 
 of two human beings who had just been buried alive. 
 These victims were to serve as a powerful fetish to 
 avert any evil likely to arise from the presence of 
 so unusual a visitor as the Christian missionary. It 
 is significant evidence of tlie fears which had possessed 
 the king, causing the delay of the visitor on the patli 
 from the coast. 
 
 On this day he writes in the journal a most elo- 
 quent and touching appeal to British Christians to 
 render help to bring the light to this dark place. 
 The appeal breaks out here and there like the 
 " burden " of one of the prophets, the storm of emotion 
 finishing in langnage of joyful anticipation. Such 
 an appeal the lovers of Africa still ring oat for a 
 bold march to evangelise the tribes in the regions 
 beyond. 
 
 When the arduous duties of that first day in 
 Coomassie were over, the wearied missionary retired 
 to his quarters, spread a cloth upon the floor, and 
 sank to sleep. 
 
 The place where the missionary party was located 
 was very circumscribed and intensely hot. It consisted 
 of ten little sheds about six feet square each, with 
 one small opening into a common yard about ten feet 
 square. The heat was increased by the native followers 
 being obliged to use the yard for cooking purposes. 
 The missionary took steps at once to relieve himself, 
 by sending his followers to the forest to obtain 
 materials to erect a bower to protect him from the 
 heat of the sun. In this contracted space he received 
 Mohammedan visitors and king's messengers ; but all 
 his movements were watched and reported to the 
 king. It was evident that he was regarded with 
 
62 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 great suspicion, and it was difficult to make the 
 king's officers understand the disinterested nature of 
 his mission. The Apoko, chief linguist and foreign 
 minister, an influential State officer, had charge of the 
 stranger. To him Mr. Freeman complained of being 
 confined in so close and unhealthy a place, and desired 
 permission to walk out into the town for the sake 
 of his health. This, however, was denied for a few 
 days, in consequence of the " custom-keeping " for the 
 death of a royal relative. 
 
 From his quarters the missionary could see the 
 ominous wheeling of the birds of prey over the spots 
 where he learnt the bodies of the victims lay. 
 Throughout the day he heard the muffled sound of 
 the dreadful death-drum. Its language is distinctly 
 understood, and the natives know from it the moment 
 when the sacrifice is made. " Hark ! " said Mr. 
 Freeman's interpreter to him ; '' do you hear the drum ? 
 A sacrifice has just been made, and the drum says, 
 ^ King, I have killed him ! ' " Throughout the day 
 the bloody work proceeded ; not only in Coomassie,for 
 the villages surrounding contributed to the sacrifice. 
 The heads of the poor village victims were brought 
 into the town in baskets. 
 
 During the day the king's messengers arrived with 
 a small present and a kindly message, entreating the 
 missionary not to stir out, as His Majesty "knew 
 Europeans did not like to see human sacrifices." 
 Another day brought this part of the dreadful funeral 
 custom to a close. Forty mctims had been immolated 
 within two days. The headless bodies were permitted 
 to lie in the streets till in a state of decomposition. 
 Mr. Freeman was amazed to witness the callous indif- 
 ference of the people, who walked about among the 
 putrefying corpses smoking their pipes, and utterly 
 unmoved by a scene which so agitated him. 
 
 At last he was permitted to view the town. He 
 found the streets large, clean, and uniform, with a 
 breadth, in some instances, of quite thirty yards, and 
 
THE CITY OF BLOOD. 63 
 
 "an average length from three to six linndred yards." 
 Some of the streets were delightfnlly shaded by a 
 row of sphindid banyan trees. On each side were the 
 honses of the chief inliabitants. These had unique 
 open fronts, carved and beantifnlly polislied witli red 
 ochre. The floors were raised two or tliree feet above 
 the level of tlie ground, and served as the reception- 
 room for callers. Behind these open rooms were a 
 number of small sheds hidden from observation, the 
 private apartments of the people. All the houses were 
 erected on the same plan. Mr. Freeman fnrtlier 
 describes the town as situated on a bed of granite, 
 and the streets as rongh and full of dangerous holes 
 washed out by the heavy rains. There was only one 
 stone-built house, which was within the royal premises, 
 and was known as the " Castle." " All other buildings 
 were of wood and swish, and by no means durable." 
 There was a large market-place, on one side of which 
 the bodies of the victims were cast, and from which 
 there arose an intolerable stench. 
 
 A mile distant from Coomassie is the suburb of 
 Bantama, where is the mausoleum in which repose 
 the ashes of former kings. Here also the skulls of 
 great enemies are kept, which are brought forth for 
 display on some great festivals. Through the silent 
 streets of this sacred i:>lace, with its fetish houses and 
 great banyan trees, the missionary walked, a privileged 
 visitor. Before leaving the sacred precincts he was 
 received by the Amankwa Tia, one of the great state 
 officers, who regaled him with palm wine. 
 
 As they passed under the banyans on their way 
 back one of the party unwittingly plucked some leaves 
 from one of the sacred trees. As Mr. Freeman, led 
 by his botanical i)i'Oclivities, had been seen gazing 
 into the trees, this plucking of the leaves was con- 
 strued into a significant act. Jealous watchers sum- 
 marily stopped the visitors to make explanation. It 
 was, however, with difficulty that these keen detectives 
 could be persuaded that the plucked leaves were not 
 
64 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 meant for some evil fetisli. To the Apoko our mis- 
 sionary explained more fully, showing him coloured 
 illustrations of many varieties of orchids, a beautiful 
 specimen of which had attracted his notice in one of 
 the trees. 
 
 A few days later he noticed a large crowd of 
 persons gathered about an umbrella, where the king- 
 sat drinking palm wine with his chiefs. A band of 
 music was playiug, and a hnman victim was lying 
 on the ground exposed to jmblic view. This public 
 ceremony of palm-wine-drinking was the prelude to 
 a week's partial retirement to the palace to complete 
 the " custom " for his deceased relative who had died 
 a week before. 
 
 Thus the weekdays were filled by the missionary 
 in making observations, and the Sabbath was spent in 
 declaring the gospel to those who would hear. His 
 anxiety, however, to return to the coast increased as 
 he noted that the rainy season was rai)idly approaching. 
 The last Sunday he spent there on this occasion brought 
 an undoubted warning that if he would reach Cape 
 Coast in safety there was no time for delay. He 
 writes as follows under date of April 14th : — 
 
 " Early this evening I held a j^rayer-meeting, which 
 was no sooner concluded than the rain, which had been 
 threatening for several hours, commenced with awful 
 violence. In a few minutes the small yard was 
 covered with water to the depth of twelve or fifteen 
 inches ; and as the thatch of my sleejjing-shed was 
 in bad repair the rain jDOured in upon my jdIIIow. I 
 soon began to feel the evil effects of the damps, and 
 had some fears as to the consequences, which fears 
 were heightened by the consideration that my pro- 
 visions were so nearly exhausted." 
 
 Mr. Freeman had made a good impression, and in 
 the fortnight had by no means worn out his welcome, 
 but he saw the need of an early departure. Already 
 he had appealed to the king through the Apoko for 
 permission to return. The tornado described made 
 
THE CITY OF BLOOD. 65 
 
 iiira more in earnest to attenijjt tlie jonrney back. 
 The (lay after tlie storm the king's permission, with a 
 characteristically diplomatic message in reference to 
 the establishment of a mission in Coomassie, readied 
 him. The Apoko, attended by royal servants bearing- 
 presents, consisting of gold dust and a slave, waited 
 on Mr. Freeman and spoke the king's words : — 
 
 '' His Majesty knows that you cannot sto}) longer 
 on account of the rains. As the thing which you have 
 mentioned to him requires much consideration, he 
 cannot answer you in so short a time. If you will 
 come up again or send a messenger after the rains 
 are over, he will be prepared to answer you." 
 
 With this message the missionary was pleased, and 
 promised either to come again himself or send as 
 desired. He then repaired to the palace to take a 
 formal leave of the king. He was received with great 
 cordiality, and desired by His Majesty to convey his 
 compliments to President Maclean. As he proceeded 
 along the street the Ajjoko, who had proved a true 
 friend, followed to give him a hearty hand-sliake to 
 testify his affection. 
 
 Mr. Freeman was not a slave-holder for long. On 
 again reaching the little village of Franfraham, lie 
 halted a few minutes to emancipate the j)oor fellow. 
 He was a native from the far interior in the prime 
 of his life. The missionary's statement is worth 
 reading : " On my informing him that he was now a 
 free man, he appeared overwhelmed with gratitude, 
 and almost fell on the earth before me in acknow- 
 ledgment of the boon. He had not all the pleasure 
 to himseli', however ; for while I enjoyed the luxury 
 of doing good, many of my people looked on him 
 with delight. Our satisfaction was heightened Avhen 
 he told us that he had twice been brought out 
 for the purpose of sacrifice during the recent 
 ' customs.' He had twice been put in irons and sent 
 back alive. When he was brought out this morning 
 he expected to be sacrificed in the course of the day. 
 
 5 
 
66 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 Hajipy change ! Instead of having his head cut off 
 and his body thrown to the fowls of the air, he now 
 finds himself in the enjoyment of liberty, safely 
 proceeding with ns, far away from the scenes of his 
 bondage." 
 
 The party proceeded with speed. Sometimes they 
 had to take shelter from a fierce tornado, but scarcely 
 dared to rest long in one x)lace, or even halt to take food. 
 As Freeman states, " he pushed onwards like a man 
 escaping for life." Already the clayey paths were so 
 slij)pery that the carriers frequently fell. So danger- 
 ous was it that he scarcely dared trust himself in the 
 hammock, but accomplished a great j^ortion of the 
 journey on foot. 
 
 He reached Fumana wet, weary, and hungry, but 
 received a flattering welcome from his old acquaint- 
 ance Korinchi. Here is his record : " He seemed 
 overjoyed to see me, gave me a hearty shake with 
 both hands, put his arms around my neck in transport, 
 and made me a present of palm wine and a mess of 
 soup made from the flesh of the monkey. I then 
 retired to my lodgings, and thankfully partook of the 
 chief's monkey-soup to satisfy the cravings of hunger, 
 having little else to eat." 
 
 Having received the chief's promise to help forward 
 Freeman's scheme for the establishment of a mission 
 in Coomassie, and his assistance in the suj^ply of four 
 men to carry one of his attendants who had fallen ill, 
 he sped away over the Adansi hills and through the 
 forest, till from sheer weariness he was obliged to rest 
 in a small village for the night. Early in the morning 
 he was again on the way, travelling all day with little 
 food. When he drew near to the river Prah he found 
 that " the God of providence had kindly furnished 
 him with a table in the wilderness. A wild hog had 
 been killed in the neighbourhood, a portion of which 
 he purchased and found very delicious." And there 
 under a rough shed he slept the night. At daybreak 
 ■he started for the Prah, crossed the river, and at 
 
THE CITY OF BLOOD. 67 
 
 Priisliu, oil the Fanti side, partook of brcaki'ast. 
 There he rested a few hours for his followers to 
 refresh themselves in the river, which again flowed 
 between him and Ashanti. 
 
 With all his desire to reach Cape Coast he was 
 mindful of the Sabbath. At Fesu he rested on the 
 holy day, and preached to tlie people from the words, 
 *' AVhat sluill it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole 
 world, and lose his own soul? or what sliall a man 
 give in exchange for his soul ? " To his deliverance 
 the natives paid great attention. He closed the day 
 with a prayer-meeting. 
 
 Next day at Mansu he met a messenger from the 
 coast bearing a welcome supply of food. " Thus," he 
 added, " I was enabled to take a comfortable breakfast 
 consisting of suitable food, the want of which I had 
 felt severely during the last seven or eight days. My 
 people, who had seen with regret the privation I 
 suft'ered, sat at a distance looking upon me whilst 
 I was taking my breakfast. Their countenances told 
 how happy they were to see my wants sui)plied." 
 
 With renewed strength he pushed bravely on. He 
 found that already the rains had quickened the luxuri- 
 ant vegetation. In many places the j^ath was almost 
 overgrown, making it difficult to push through. He 
 did not slacken, however, till he was within nine miles 
 of Cape Coast, when he found his carriers so utterly 
 weary that they could proceed no farther. 
 
 Here he left the greater i)ortion of his following, 
 and, with his hammock men, proceeded under the 
 bright hglit of a tropical moon to complete his journey. 
 He reached the mission-house at Cape Coast about 
 nine o'clock on the night of Tuesday, April 23rd, 
 1839, "and obtained a refreshing view of the ' deep, 
 deep sea,' with feelings of humble gratitude to 
 Almiglity God who had mercifully preserved him in 
 the midst of so many dangers, and brought him home 
 ill health, peace, and safety." He had thus covered 
 the distance from (Joomassie in eight days, a journey 
 
68 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 which had taken two months to accomplish on his 
 way thither. 
 
 Thus he had been to the city of blood. He had 
 witnessed for himself the human sacrifices, and his 
 heart yearned to save the poor degraded people. 
 Ashanti now rested as a great burden upon his heart, 
 and he would not rest till he had committed the 
 Missionary Society to the establishment of a mission 
 there. He wrote to the secretaries as follows : " It 
 is true that this spiritual Jericho at present stands 
 strong, and that Satan, its monster king, still has the 
 triumph of seeing thousands of helpless men for 
 whom Christ died dashed into the dust in dishonour. 
 But Israel shall surely triumph. The mystical ram's 
 horns shall not be blown in vain. The enemy shall 
 be taken in his stronghold, and the Redeemer shall 
 have these ' heathen ' for His ' inheritance,' and the 
 ^ uttermost parts of the earth for His possession.' " 
 
EMBARKING THROUGH SURF AT ACCRA. 
 
 CHAPTER VIL 
 
 LABOURS ABUNDANT ; SOREOWS OFT. 
 
 THE l)uil(ling of the cliurcli at the coast town of 
 Aiiamabn, about twelve miles to the east of Cape 
 Coast, had evidently absorbed much of Freeman's 
 time and thonght. The foundation had been laid ten 
 months before the time of his visit to Ashanti, and 
 similar scenes to those we have described in connection 
 with the building* at Cape Coast were witnessed. All 
 classes of the people were to be seen busily engaged, 
 sometimes as early as two or three o'clock in the morn- 
 ing, carrying clay and other material for the structure. 
 
 To their pliysical labour they added their gifts, 
 and their noble efforts were crowned with success in 
 securing the buikling from the destructive influences 
 of the heavy rains. 
 
 So interested was Freeman in this enterprise tliat 
 he gave himself only a few days' rest, which he 
 occupied in copying and sending off his journal to the 
 missionary committee. Then, taking with him a few 
 carpenters and bricklayers, he hastened to the help of 
 the Anamabu Christians, so as to ensure the com- 
 pletion of their sanctuary by the time of the opening 
 ceremony. 
 
 69 
 
70 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 The foundation was of stone, the upper portions 
 of the walls were of s?vish, and the roof was thatched 
 with the long grass of the conntr}'. It was fift3^-three 
 feet long by thirty broad, and was estimated to seat 
 four or five hundred persons. 
 
 Seventeen years after, when the people were ])Ye- 
 l^ring for a more pretentious building, it was 
 pronounced by a visitor* ''a rude structure, and 
 inconveniently small " ; but at this time the j^eople 
 looked with pride upon this house which they had 
 erected for the Lord, and Snnday, May 26th, 1839, 
 the date of opening, was a high day with these 
 simple-minded Christians. 
 
 The people repaired early to the house of prayer, 
 and at 7 a.m. Freeman conducted the service, preach- 
 ing to an attentive congregation from Psalm c. 3, 4 : 
 " Know ye that the Lord He is God : it is He that 
 hath made us, and not we ourselves ; we are His 
 l^eople, and the sheep of His jmsture. Enter into His 
 gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with 
 praise : be thankful unto Him, and bless His name." 
 " Many felt it to be a delightful service, and the tear 
 of gratitude to Almighty God was shed." Many of 
 the church members of Cape Coast were present to 
 share with their fellow-Christians the blessings of 
 the day. Li the afternoon at three Freeman again 
 jn-eached to a congregation, in and around the building, 
 of about a thousand people, taking for his subject 
 the beautiful description of the rest of the people 
 of God in Heb. iv. 9-13. Li the evening he con- 
 ducted a third service, preaching to a large and 
 attentive congregation from Heb. iv. 14-16, on the 
 High-priesthood of Christ. All these themes were 
 singularly appropriate to the occasion, and many 
 felt it "good to wait on the Lord." Considering 
 their previous exertions, the collections that day 
 were remarkably good, amounting to more than ten 
 pounds. 
 
 * Life of Daniel West, p. 220. 
 
LABOURS ABUNDANT; SORROWS OFT. 71 
 
 Tlie gentlemen residing at Anamabn looked favour- 
 ably npo-n the undertaking, and contributed liberally 
 to the building fund ; whilst otliers at Cape Coast 
 added their names to a subscrijition list which sliowed 
 tlie substantial sum of thirty-two pounds. Mr. Henry 
 Barnes receives lionourable mention l)y Freeman, for 
 he not only contributed liandsomely, but superintended 
 the work in Freeman's absence, sending his own 
 workmen to assist in the building without charge, 
 and freely opening his house to the missionary when- 
 soever he visited Anamabn. 
 
 Mr. Freeman then continued his journey east- 
 ward along the coast, lialting at Winnebah to inspect 
 the church in course of erection ; and having arranged 
 to expedite the work of completion he proceeded to 
 Accra, where he was shown great kindness by the 
 commandant and other gentlemen. 
 
 During his stay at Accra the commandant per- 
 mitted him the use of a large hall in the fort, in 
 which to meet the members of tlie church, which, 
 with the schools, he found in a flourishing condition. 
 There were thirty-five members. 
 
 In tlie boys' school, which had been established six 
 months, he found sixty-five scholars ; and in the 
 girls' school, which had been established two months, 
 twenty. The local government had undertaken to 
 bear half the expense of the boys' school, and, till 
 permanent provision could be made, located them in 
 the fort, and also made comfortable arrangements for 
 tlie master and mistress. 
 
 Freeman was pleased with these early beginnings, 
 and considered the prosi)ects most encouraging. When 
 writing to the missionary secretaries he begged that 
 a missionary should be sent to this place without 
 delay. 
 
 Having encouraged the Christians of Accra and 
 satisfied himself as to the nature of the work, in the 
 course of a few days he retraced his steps to 
 Winnebah, where lie jiroceeded to put the finishing 
 
72 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 touches upon the little church. This is his own 
 record : " In eight daj^s after my return we had a 
 neat pulpit erected, the floor fitted up with fixed 
 benches, and every arrangement made for opening it 
 on Sunday, June 23rd, 1839. At 7 a.m. we held a 
 prayer-meeting ; ... at eleven I read prayers, and 
 preached to an attentive and serious congregation 
 from ' For thy Maker is thine Husband ; the Lord of 
 Hosts is His name,' etc. (Isa. liv. 5-8). God was in 
 the midst of us, and blessed us. 
 
 " The chief and many of the more respectable 
 heathens in the town were present, many of whom 
 paid deep attention to the words spoken. At 3 
 p.m. I again preaclied to a large congregation, from 
 ^It is appointed unto men once to die' (Heb. ix. 27). 
 The chief and his captains again attended and behaved 
 well. 
 
 "The respectable conduct of these heathens re- 
 minded me of the great change which has taken place 
 in the character of the Winnebah people during the 
 last few years. Some time ago there was a small 
 English fort in the centre of the town. Misunder- 
 standings having arisen between the natives and the 
 commandant, the former rebelled against tJie latter 
 and killed him. The consequence was that some 
 British men-of-war fired on the town as they sailed 
 past it, and battered the fort to the ground, causing 
 the refractory inhabitants to retreat into the forest. 
 On the very spot where the fort stood, and where 
 these unhappy events took place, stands our chapel ; 
 and here also were gathered together, peacefully 
 listening to the words of eternal life, the descendants 
 of those who had in former days been assembled 
 to shed l)lood. This happy change has taken place 
 ])artly through the instrumentality of the local 
 government of Cape Coast, and partly by the intro- 
 duction of that incomparable blessing, Christianity." 
 
 After the afternoon service Freeman conversed with 
 the people on the subject of establisliing a school 
 
LABOURS ABUNDANT; SORROWS OFT. 73 
 
 foT tlio instrncfion of tlie cliildrcii. Findino- tliem in 
 sym])atliy, Ue arrang'ed to send one of tlie yontlis 
 he had in training at C^ape C'Oast to begin this 
 work. 
 
 Freeman regarded Winnebah as of great importance 
 to the mission, and gives the following as one of his 
 reasons : *' While toiling along the coast for a distance 
 of nearly a hnndred miles visiting onr societies, I 
 find Winncliah a delightfnl retreat from the heavy 
 sandy beach, the burning rays of an almost vertical 
 sun, and the strong breeze from the Atlantic. I hope 
 to see much lasting good result from the erection 
 of the chapel and the establishment of a school." 
 
 At this time he also reports that a few Christians 
 at Salt Pond, eight miles to the east of Anamabu, 
 which lie describes as a small " croom," but to-day is 
 an imi)ortant palm-oil mart, were intending to build 
 a place of worshij) at their own expense. Freeman 
 promised to return, when the rains were over, to begin 
 the building for them. 
 
 He had been a few days only at Anamabu, when 
 the unpleasant news arrived that the heavy rains were 
 seriously damaging the church at Cai)e Coast. He 
 hastened to view the reported damage, but to his 
 joy he found nothing to cause alarm. He purchased 
 and at once pulled down two old native houses, 
 which, in case of fire, would endanger the church. 
 We then find him negotiating the purchase of ^'the 
 present mission-house," and contem])lating the re- 
 moval of the girls' school to these premises from the 
 old house taken by Mr. Wrigley. 
 
 Calls were coming from all directions, and Freeman's 
 labours at this time must have been prodigious ; but 
 he devoted himself with apostolic ardour to the 
 accom])lishraent of his great purpose, laying a broad 
 foundation for the uprearing of a splendid monument 
 of Christian missionary enterprise. 
 
 Before the close of the year he was able to write 
 the following good news to the missionary authorities 
 
74 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 in England : '' The results of my mission to Ashanti 
 are now beginning to be manifest. The king, I hear 
 from good authority, is becoming anxious respecting 
 the establishment of a school in Coomassie, and is 
 expecting me to pay him another visit ; and many 
 of the Ashantis who became acquainted with me 
 during my late visit call at the mission-house to see 
 me when they come down to Cape Coast. A brother 
 of Korinchi has this morning (September 17th) paid me 
 a visit, presenting his regards, and stating that they 
 will be very hap2:)y to see me in Ashanti again. If 
 the advantage already gained can be followed up, I 
 have no doubt that, under the blessing of the God of 
 missions, we shall in due time meet with abundant 
 success." 
 
 In the meantime Freeman's journals of his visit 
 to Ashanti, extracts from which we have already 
 made from time to time, had been read and considered 
 by the missionary officials, and this is the conclusion 
 at which they arrive : " On the receipt at the Wesleyan 
 Mission in London of Mr. Freeman's journal . . . 
 the question '- What shall be done ? ' became the 
 subject of grave consideration on the part of the 
 missionary committee, under whose direction Mr. 
 Freeman acted. The ordinary annual income of the 
 Society was already pledged for the support of existing 
 missions ; and yet the committee durst not take upon 
 themselves the responsibility of refusing to attempt., 
 at least, the establishment of a mission in Ashanti. 
 It was at length resolved that Mr. Freeman should 
 be allowed to return home for a time, partly for the 
 l)urpose of recruiting his health, but more i)articularly 
 with a view to a special effort being made, in order 
 to raise the funds necessary for the new undertaking ; 
 and two missionaries were immediately sent to relieve 
 him for a time from his laborious duties at the 
 Gold Coast." Freeman continued, however, in his 
 lonely toil, so far as European aid was concerned, 
 to tlie end of the vear 1839. 
 
LABOURS ABUNDANT; SORROWS OFT. 75 
 
 On January 13t]i, 1840, lie liad the joy of welcoming; 
 the two missionaries referred to, the liev. J. M. Monnt- 
 ford and Mrs. Monntford, witli ]lev. Kobert Brooking. 
 
 After a few montlis of fellowsliip witli tliese two 
 liononred brethren, tlie former of whom is now passing- 
 a quiet eventide in retirement after the Labours of a 
 long- lif(^, Freeman voyaged to England, and under 
 date June ISth, 1840, the secretaries of the mission 
 made the following announcement : " We have plea- 
 sure in stating that the Rev. Thomas Birch Freeman, 
 the senior AVesleyan missionary on the Gold Coast 
 in Western Africa, . . . arrived in London on Thursday 
 last." It was further announced that he was accom- 
 panied by AVilliam de Graft, and that their stay 
 would be about four months, when '' Mr. Freeman 
 hopes to return, . . . accompanied by six other mis- 
 sionaries. Four of these are intended to be his 
 companions in the glorious enterprise of attempting 
 to establish a mission among the four millions of 
 men who constitute the population of the powerful 
 kingdom of Ashanti and its dependencies ; and thus 
 to introduce (Christianity, education, and civilisation 
 into one important portion of tliat great continent 
 to which Britain owes so vast a debt of reparation 
 for the wrongs and miseries of the accursed slave 
 trade. This mission may now be considered as fully 
 determined upon by the AVesleyan Missionary Society, 
 in accordance with the resolution of the late annual 
 meeting in London." 
 
 During this visit Mr. Freeman was entertained as 
 an honoured guest at Orwell Park by his old 
 employer, Sir Robert Harland. Lady Harland had a 
 house purposely constructed for the care and culture 
 of some valuable tropical plants which their old 
 gardener had brought with him as a present. 
 
 Mr. Freeman and his native companion were enthu- 
 siastically received by the English audiences which 
 they addressed. De Graft's manuscript journal, which 
 he once lent to the writer of this book, makes frequent 
 
76 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 reference to these wonderful receptions. We take tlie 
 following from the official statement : — 
 
 " The results of Mr. Freeman's visit to several of 
 the princi])al towns in Great Britain and Ireland were 
 of the most gratifying description. Members of the 
 Church of England, some of whom are in the higher 
 walks of life, and Christians of other denominations, 
 as well as the members of the Wesleyan community, 
 responded to the novel and deeply interesting appeal ; 
 and by these united exertions the proposed sum of 
 £5,000 was placed at the disposal of the Wesleyan 
 (yommittee, to enable them to send with Mr. Freeman, 
 on his return, six additional missionaries. ... At 
 Mr. Freeman's suggestion, the committee agreed so 
 far to comply with the established African custom of 
 offering presents, as to send for the king of Ashanti 
 . . . a suitable carriage, which was noticed with 
 approbation by Her Most Gracious Majesty and His 
 Royal Highness Prince Albert, to whose inspection 
 it was submitted by Mr. Sims, the builder." 
 
 On Monday, December 1st, 1840, a special ordination 
 and valedictory service was held at Great Queen 
 Street Chapel, London, in connection with the depar- 
 ture of the missionaries ; and although very little 
 previous notice was given, so keen was the interest 
 that the chapel was well filled. 
 
 The service was conducted by the well-known 
 ministers Bunting, Hannah, Alder, Beecham, and Hoole ; 
 and the five missionaries were solemnly ordained, after 
 giving a brief account of the circumstances which led 
 to their offer for the arduous service in Western 
 Africa. 
 
 Mr. Freeman, on being introduced to the audience, 
 expressed his gratitude for the kindness extended to 
 him during his visit, and for the deep interest mani- 
 fested in his mission. William de Graft, who was 
 now received as a regular agent, took his leave of 
 the Christian public in an interesting address ; and to 
 him Dr. Bunting presented a copy of the Bible, and 
 
LABOURS ABUNDANT; SORROWS OFT. 77 
 
 expressed a liopc tliat he would continue to spread 
 its important truths among liis countrymen. 
 
 The saintly Dr. Hannah then delivered an a])pro- 
 ])riate charge, and Dr. Bunting led the audience in 
 fervent prayer for the success of the missionaries, 
 and thus brought to a close a memorable public 
 service. 
 
 The next day there was a formal leave-taking of 
 the general committee and the ministers of London 
 and its vicinity at Hattoii Garden ; and on Thursday, 
 December 3rd, 184U, this large missionary party, con- 
 sisting of eleven persons, embarked on the brig 
 Osborne^ and sailed from Gravesend. 
 
 Mr. Freeman had been so fortunate as to find 
 another English lady to accompany him as his wife. 
 This lady was a native of Bristol, from which place 
 Mr. Freeman married her a few weeks before his 
 departure, and " was eminently calculated by her piety 
 and talents to aid him in his important operations." 
 
 In addition there were two other ladies, the wives 
 of Messrs. Hesk and Sliipman. Mr. Freeman had a 
 native boy and William de Graft accompanying him, 
 whilst Messrs. Watson, Thackwray, and Walden were 
 unmarried. Never was a missionary party dismissed 
 from the shores of England with a more intense feel- 
 ing of interest and symi)athy. The j)rayers of the 
 Avhole Methodist Church and many of other Christian 
 communions followed the missionaries and the inter- 
 ests of the mission to which tliey were designated. 
 Freeman subsequently refers to a " delightful and 
 happy Covenant Service " held on board on the lirst 
 ►Sunday of the New Year. 
 
 On Monday, February 1st, 1841, the whole i>arty, 
 in the enjoyment of good health, and full of large 
 hopes, reached their destination, — tlie largest con- 
 tingent of Wesley an missionaries that ever landed at 
 one time on the Gold Coast, re^jresenting in the most 
 emphatic manner the intensity of feeling created in 
 England in reference to this interesting mission. 
 
78 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 The Cape Coast annual missionary meeting liad 
 been postponed to Marcli 29tli, to secure the advan- 
 tage of the presence of Freeman and his companions. 
 With his usual urbanity and liberality, President 
 Maclean consented to preside ; and there must have 
 been unusual excitement, for whilst the collection in 
 cash amounted to fourteen pounds, many gave in 
 kind, bringing goats and sheep, which, when sold, 
 realised a good sum, the total reaching to the 
 respectable amount of nearly fifty-two pounds, in- 
 dicative of the whole-heartedness of the Fanti 
 Christians. 
 
 The pleasing prospect of having so large a party 
 of fellow-workers was soon blighted by the treachery 
 of the climate. The first reduction of the staff was 
 occasioned by the needful return to England in the 
 month of March, only a few weeks after their arrival, 
 of Mr. and Mrs. Mountford. In the month of May 
 William Thackwray died at Anamabu, after a brief 
 illness of eight days. Mr. and Mrs. Freeman had 
 gone" thither, intending to accomj^any him to Domo- 
 nasi, his intended station. From thence Freeman 
 had written a letter to the committee stating that 
 all the brethren had proceeded to their stations, except 
 Mr. Thackwray, who was ])reparing to start early the 
 next morning. The young missionary himself also 
 wrote a letter, which was full of hope, and stated that 
 he had been permitted to introduce the gospel into 
 Ega, a small beach village about a mile from Anamabu, 
 a place visited by Mr. Wrigley, but from jjressure of 
 circumstances afterwards neglected. He also stated 
 that his com2)anion, Mr. Hesk, had been ill. It is 
 evident that the j)urpose of going to Domonasi was 
 never fulfilled, and Freeman had the sad duty of 
 bringing back his dead body to Cape Coast for 
 burial. 
 
 Charles AValden was the next to fall a victim to 
 the fever of the country, and passed away on July 
 29th. Then there fell ujjon Freeman a heavier blow, 
 
LA HOURS A/iUXDAXT; SORROWS OFT. 79 
 
 ill the death of his second wife. Soon after tlieir 
 arrival it was feared that Mrs. Freeman woiikl not be 
 al)h' to endure the climate, and preparations were 
 being made for her to return to England ; but before 
 an opportunity oftered she was seized with illness, 
 wliicli terminated fatally on August SOth, 1841. 
 
 President Maclean, in writing to the missionary 
 committee in England, states that " her d(!ath was 
 occasioned by an hereditary and peculiar complaint." 
 
 Three days after, Mrs. Hesk, too, died at Anamabii, 
 and her body was brought to lie by the side of 
 her companions in the burial-yard attached to the 
 AVesleyan Church at Cape Coast, but which now, 
 owing to extensions, is covered by the rostrum and 
 communion. 
 
 Mr. Hesk's health failed him soon after landing in 
 Africa ; and though he tried the effects of one or two 
 short voyages on the coast, he continued in a very 
 debilitated state, and in September he embarked for 
 England. 
 
 Thus in about six months the mission staff was 
 reduced by more than one-half ; but the indomitable 
 spirit of our missionary shows itself in the statement 
 he makes in a letter to the secretaries at this time, 
 which we quote : " Though my ox)portunities of be- 
 coming accpiainted, since my return, with tlie spiritual 
 state of our Societies have been rather limited, yet 
 I rejoice to say that 1 find many things of a very 
 encouraging character. There is a marked attention 
 paid to the preaching of the AVord of Life. Our seasons 
 of grace at the Lord's table have been of the most 
 hallowed description. The prayer-meetings are very 
 exhilarating means of grace, and the congregations are 
 generally good." 
 
 At this time the ships of the noted Niger Ex2)edi- 
 tion arrived, bringing the two Ashanti princes who 
 had been educated in England, William Kwantamissah 
 and John Osoo Ansah. Whilst at Accra, President 
 Maclean, Captain Tucker of the Iris, and the two 
 
8o THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 Captains Allen of the Soudan and Wilberforce, called 
 upon Freeman, who was visiting the Church there. 
 They urged tbe desirability of sending a missionary to 
 the banks of the Gaboon, and offered to convey a 
 suitable man to inspect, and bring him back to the 
 Gold Coast. Freeman entreated the committee to 
 send a man for the proposed station. This enterprise, 
 however, was never taken uj). 
 
 On the arrival of the Ashanti princes, Freeman 
 hastened his preparations to start on his second 
 journey to Ashanti, and arranged that during his 
 absence the coast stations should be left in the charge 
 of Messrs, Shipman and Watson. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 PLANTING THE CHURCH IN ASHANTI. 
 
 ON Saturday, November 6th, 1841, Freeman started 
 on his second journey to Ashanti. He was 
 accompanied by the yonng princes, who were attended 
 by an imposing retinue, numbering in all some three 
 hundred and forty men, one-half of whom were 
 Ashantis, the larger proportion of the remainder being- 
 employed for the difficult task of conveying the car- 
 riage brought from England as a present to the king. 
 
 Mr. Brooking also accompanied Freeman, to take 
 up the honourable and perilous duty of the first resi- 
 dent missionary in Coomassie. With some advantage 
 ho had occupied Mansu for two months ; Freeman 
 noted that this short residence had produced a good 
 effect upon the people in the removal of prejudice ; 
 and doubtless the young missionary had obtained 
 valuable experience, which was calculated to be of 
 service to him when more entirely cut off from his 
 brethren on the coast. 
 
 President Maclean's interest was shown in the 
 8i 6 
 
82 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 sending of a sergeant and six soldiers to the banks 
 of the Prah ; whilst Mr. Henry Smith, a prominent 
 native Christian gentleman, accompanied the party all 
 the way. 
 
 Along the track already described in a former 
 chapter, Mr. Freeman toiled with his large following, 
 and with incredible labonr dragged the carriage 
 throngh the forest, across the river, and over the hills. 
 At first it was borne bodily npon the men's shoulders 
 and heads, and then placed npon wheels, as probably 
 an easier method of procedure. Here clearings had to 
 be made through the narrow '' bush path," and there 
 a huge forest tree removed or a new way cut around 
 it. Freeman tramped nearly the whole of the journey, 
 and worked as hard as any labourer in bringing this 
 strange present to the king of Ashanti. He suffered 
 from constant violent attacks of toothache, aggravated 
 by his being wet in his feet and legs nearly all day 
 long, caused by the incessant rains. 
 
 The journey, however, was enlivened by the excite- 
 ment caused in the villages and towns by so large 
 a party passing through. Sometimes the " rustic 
 bands," with their strange music, turned out to lead 
 the party triumj^hantly into their village ; and then a 
 number of native labourers would assist in clearing 
 the path and help the carriage through their territory. 
 Occasionally darkness would settle upon them while 
 the party were in the heart of the forest, miles from 
 any village, when a number of men had to remain on 
 the spot all night to guard their unique treasure. 
 
 The Sabbaths were times of rest and refreshment, 
 and the . little towns were made to echo with sacred 
 song, and the AVord of Life was declared by Freeman 
 and his companions to the natives who gathered round. 
 
 On reaching the Prah he was met by a royal 
 messenger bearing a letter from Kwaku Duah, urging 
 him to quicken his steps. The king was evidently 
 becoming impatient to see Freeman and the present 
 which was being conveyed with so much difficulty. 
 
PLANTING THE CHURCH IX ASHANTI. 83 
 
 The carriage was placed upon two canoes fastened 
 togetlier, and tlins ferried across the sacred river 
 dividing Fanti from Ashanti. Soon they came to the 
 Adansi Hills, and here another messenger from the 
 king presented himself, with fifty men to help the party 
 over the hills and on the rough way to the capital. 
 AVith such a contingent the carriage was drawn up 
 the steep ascent witliout halting. Seventy men were 
 pulling the ropes and pushing the vehicle till near the 
 snmmit. For two or three hundred yards tlie ascent 
 scorned nearly perpendicular. At this juncture Free- 
 man describes the scene as " almost terrific : the 
 appearance of the carriage winding up among the lofty 
 forest-trees, surrounded by from one to two hundred 
 Fantis and Ashantis actually shouting for joy, as they 
 beheld the carriage steadily ascending without ac- 
 cident." His heart was filled with thanksgiving as 
 he saw so many representatives of these two tribes, 
 usually entertaining feelings of deej^est hostility, now 
 engaged in a work calculated to produce a beautiful 
 harmony. Yet, in the midst of all, he could not 
 prevent his memory from recalling the distress and 
 anguish through which he had passed six months 
 previously in the burial of his wife and his fellow- 
 missionaries. 
 
 At Fumana he found his old lodgings, but not 
 his old friend Korinchi. He had been disgraced and 
 removed to another and inferior position by the king, 
 who thus marked his displeasure at his turbulent 
 conduct when at court. But other old friends came to 
 greet Freeman, and large congregations gathered to 
 hear him and his companion preach, and to salute the 
 princes, who were objects of interest everywhere. 
 
 More royal messengers arrived, but now to inform 
 Freeman that, as the Adai " custom " had begun, his 
 reception would have to be postponed for several days. 
 He wished him to salute his nephews " with a kiss " 
 for him. 
 
 In the midst of all the rough work, Freeman had an 
 
84 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 eye for the floral beauties and insect life of the country, 
 and notes the large and superb butterflies and moths. 
 He states : " One of my men caught a fine species of 
 hawk-moth ; unfortunately, the rich down was so 
 much rubbed off from the wings that I did not see it 
 in perfection. Its principal colour was green." 
 
 The Ashantis and Fantis of his following, — who 
 often passed the early hours of the night in dancing 
 together to the sound of their rough music, — some- 
 times gave him a little trouble, especially if he had 
 granted them a longer rest than usual. One morning, 
 desiring to start early, the men were not forth- 
 coming. Freeman thus writes of the event : " I 
 sent for them a second time, but they came not. I 
 then thought it best to go after them myself ; and 
 on entering their quarters I found them all comfort- 
 ably seated, taking an early breakfast. This was out 
 of all order, as they were allowed plenty of time to 
 take their meals whenever we rested during the day. 
 They knew they were wrong, and took the alarm the 
 moment they saw me. As I entered, they jumped up 
 and flew in every direction. They had been sitting- 
 round a large earthen pot of soup, out of which they 
 were all feeding with their fingers. In their hurry 
 they broke the pot to pieces, spilling the contents on 
 the ground. The doors of the native dwellings are 
 generally small ; and as several of them tried to rush 
 through at the same time, they knocked down a part 
 of the wall near it. One of them ran into a small 
 yard, where his progress was retarded by a wall about 
 six feet high, plastered with swish or clay. Deter- 
 mined not to be foiled by the wall, though a pretty 
 strong one of its kind, he, with astonishing activity, 
 commenced pulling a part of it down, occasionally 
 looking over one of his shoulders, to see if I was 
 coming after him ; and in a little time that seemed 
 almost incredible, he was at his post with his com- 
 panions. I need not say that this fracas caused me 
 no small amusement ; and as these frail buildings are 
 
PLANTING THE CHURCH IN AS/IANTI. 85 
 
 SO easily repaired, the damages were not enough to 
 cause much regret." 
 
 Drawing nearer to Coomassie, Freeman found that 
 tlie king had had the road cleared and rough bridges 
 constructed across the streams, to facilitate his journey 
 with the carriage. He passed near Bekwa, a large 
 and important town, and heard of a repetition of the 
 bloody scenes in connection with the '' custom," with 
 which he became only too familiar on his former visit. 
 On the morning of December 13th, the thirty-seventh 
 day after starting from the coast. Freeman halted 
 at the entrance to Coomassie, and was soon surrounded 
 by all those tokens of barbaric splendour which have 
 been described in a former chapter : gold swords and 
 ornaments, and the blood-stained stools, all except the 
 death drum, being borne along in the procession. The 
 princes were well received, and the presents, especially 
 the carriage, excited great curiosity and gave immense 
 satisfaction. With some figured coloured muslin caps 
 sent by friends from Keighley,the king was greatly de- 
 lighted, and declared that his captains should wear them. 
 A few days after, according to native eti(iuette, came 
 ])resents from the king in return, consisting of cattle, 
 vegetables and fruits, with gold dust to the value 
 of hfty-six pounds. Messrs. Freeman and Brooking's 
 share amounted to twenty-seven pounds, which was 
 at once j)assed to the credit of the mission. The 
 missionaries then proceeded to one of the most 
 elevated parts of the town, whei-e the king seated 
 himself to drink palm-wine and return thanks for 
 the royal gifts. Freeman's description of the king 
 drinking wine will be found of interest. 
 
 '• Shortly afterwards his servants arrived with palm- 
 wine and a large calabash, partly overlaid with g(jld, 
 fur him to drink out of, and a large silver bowl to 
 hold under the calabash, to receive the palm-wine 
 which might run down His Majesty's beard. While 
 he was drinking the large drums were played, and 
 several arrows were shot from the bow, to let the people 
 
86 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 know that Lie was still holding the calabash to his 
 mouth. He then sent us a sup2)ly of the wine, after 
 which he returned to his residence." 
 
 In subsequent interviews Freeman acquainted the 
 king with the motives which actuated the British 
 Government in securing the princes, his nephews, a 
 liberal education in England. It was desired to show 
 him what Christian civilisation might do for his 
 country. On the subject of slavery Freeman told him 
 of the antipathy which Great Britain felt to it, and the 
 great sacrifice which she had made to emancipate the 
 slaves of the West Indies. The whole party, including 
 the young princes, entered into a spirited conversation 
 with the king on the wonders of civilisation, the arts 
 and sciences as seen in Great Britain. Freeman took 
 the opportunity of informing the king that their 
 special object as missionaries was the introduction of 
 Christianity into his dominions. The king promised 
 them his j^rotection, and presented them with land on 
 which to build a mission-house. 
 
 Freeman and his friends kept their Christmas-day in 
 Coomassie, making it as nearly like an English Christ- 
 mas as they could. Twelve of them dined together 
 off roast beef and j^lum-pudding, under a shed which 
 they had decorated with green boughs and flowers 
 from the forest. 
 
 Divine service was held, and the meaning of Christ- 
 mas was explained to the king. He sent presents of 
 fat sheep to the missionaries. This probably was the 
 first Christmas-day that the gospel was preached in 
 Coomassie. Freeman makes the folloAving entry in 
 his journal that day: — "After dinner we sang some 
 hymns, and then went out for a walk. On our way 
 home I saw the corpse of a young slave, about twelve 
 years of age, slung to a pole and carried by two men. 
 This led to the disclosure of the fact . . . that all 
 slaves, except a few favoured ones, are considered not 
 worth the trouble of decent burial . . . but are thrown 
 into the water which runs round the town ... as food 
 
PLANTING THE CHURCH IN ASHANTI. 
 
 87 
 
 for tlie thousands of fishes," which may be liere men- 
 tion are sacredly preserved. These fishes are very 
 tame, and Freeman witnessed, what he had heard 
 
 COOMASSIE. 
 
 stated with some incredulity, some of them move 
 several inches out of the water to obtain crumbs 
 and then return to their native element. 
 
88 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 To iill appearance perfect freedom was given to the 
 people to attend the teaching and preaching of the 
 missionaries, and in other ways the king took pains 
 to show that he regarded his visitors with favour. 
 Hitherto they had dwelt in a damp house in a low 
 part of the town ; but on it being represented that their 
 health was suffering, he took care to have them 
 removed to a healthier spot and into a better house. 
 Perhaps the greatest mark of favour was the invita- 
 tion to dine with His Majesty on December 28th. 
 Freeman gives particulars of this wonderful repast, 
 covering several pages of his journal. The king 
 arrayed himself in gorgeous European attire of very 
 ancient make, and as nearly as possible adopted English 
 customs, and had a native band to discourse music 
 which perhaps would scarcely be considered '^ sweet" 
 by the visitors ; but Freeman was surprised that they 
 managed to render a few English airs so correctly. 
 Surrounded by his royal relatives and high officers 
 of state, the king partook of the English dishes, 
 tasting them and passing them on to his officers. Then 
 followed toasts and dessert, and a visit to the stone 
 house built by Osai Tutu Kwamina, which ai)pears 
 to have been a store of curiosities from various parts 
 of the world, royal presents to Kwaku Duah and his 
 kingly predecessors. Best of all, the king expressed 
 his entire satisfaction with Freeman and his proposed 
 mission. 
 
 AVe cannot refrain from quoting the closing entry in 
 his journal for the year 1^41. "The last day of an 
 eventful year, during which 1 have enjoyed greater 
 happiness, and have had greater trials, than at any 
 foimer period of my chequered life. At the com- 
 mencement of the year I was in possession of one of 
 the most amiable and best of wives. At the end of 
 the year I mourn her early death, and am left a 
 widower in a foreign land. How powerfully does 
 she, being dead, yet speak, reminding me to be ' also 
 ready ' to meet my Judge ! Amidst all these poignant 
 
PLANTING THE CHURCH IN ASHANTI. 89 
 
 sufferings, — tlie loss of my wife, and that of some of 
 
 my brethren who liad hiLoured with me in the same 
 
 iiekl, — I rejoice tliat I can say, ' Bk^ss the Lord, 
 
 my soul, and all that is witliin me bless His Holy 
 
 Name. Bless the Lord, my soul, and forget not all 
 
 His benefits.'" 
 
 On the first Sunday of the year 1842 Freeman 
 
 ])reached twice to interested congregations, Mr. 
 
 15rookin<r beino- unwell. In the evenin"' the little 
 
 . ^ . . '^ . . . 
 
 mission family, including the two princes, joined in 
 
 a solemn covenant service of consecration to God, 
 and partaking together the sacrament of the Lord's 
 Su])])er. 
 
 Tlie following day the king conferred upon Freeman 
 and Brooking, in company with the two princes, 
 uni(|ue honour. They were invited to a semi-private 
 rece})tion. The king, and his wives, whom no man 
 is })ermitted to meet or look upon, wei'e assembled in 
 one of the palaces. His Majesty explained that he 
 was desirous of thus showing his gratitude to the 
 English peojde for their kindness and care of the 
 j)rinces and himself. The band played, and several 
 young women, beautifully attired, danced gracefully 
 before the com})any, all beliaving with the greatest 
 decorum. ^Vhen they ceased the king descended from 
 his stool and danced, explaining to Freeman that it 
 was not usual for the king to dance before his wives 
 in tlie presence of any one, but he did so before him 
 in lionour of the Queen of England. Tlie queen- 
 mother followed, dancing and ])roclaiming the '' strong 
 names" of tlie king and his ancestors. This kind of 
 exercise continued until all must liave grown very 
 excited. Then, in honour of Freeman, the women 
 sang an im})roviscd song, which has thus been rendered 
 into English : — 
 
 " The iMiglivslimau lives in Selni Scki, 
 To-day lie has come to visit the King, 
 The King lias danced before him 
 In the presence of his wives, 
 
90 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 And done what he has never done to 
 A European before. He has walked 
 Up and shaken hands with him."' 
 
 The king was now on the most intimate terms with 
 the missionary party, and placed great confidence in 
 Freeman. The day after the reception the king sent 
 in haste asking Freeman to send medicine to a female 
 member of the royal family living at Juabin, a town 
 of some importance about twenty-one miles north- 
 east of Coomassie. Freeman explained that he conld 
 not undertake to send medicine unless he knew the 
 ailment from which the lady was suffering, and as she 
 was too ill to come to Coomassie he offered to go to 
 Juabin and prescribe for her. Leaving one morning 
 about ten o'clock, he reached Juabin about seven, an 
 liour after sunset, and at once made his way to the 
 liouse of his royal patient Seiwa, the queen of Juabin. 
 He was kindly received and welcomed to her town, and 
 on his return to the lodgings allotted to him, she sent 
 an acceptable present of food. Freeman then collected 
 his little family about him, and, as he states, " a 
 strange and extraordinary thing took place in Juabin : 
 an altar was for the first time erected to the Lord 
 God of hosts, and the whole of that beautiful hymn, 
 
 ' Jesus, the name high over all/ 
 
 ascended to heaven from grateful hearts." 
 
 He found the queen suffering from a nervous 
 affection which had deprived her of the use of her 
 left arm, the large muscle being constantly agitated, 
 accompanied with great pain. She ascribed it to 
 poison, the usual African explanation of a malady, 
 and believed that the movement was caused by a 
 worm. He found the lady somewhat intractable, but 
 gave her medicines which relieved her. On his return 
 to Coomassie he treated a chief for bilious fever, and 
 gained the reputation of having saved his life. These 
 matters added largely to his influence. 
 
 Freeman describes the revoltino,- barbarities in con- 
 
PLANTING THE CHURCH IN ASIIANTI. yi 
 
 nection with the executions which he witQCSscd. To 
 prevent the victim from using a solemn oath which 
 all regard as binding, the poor wretch has his cheeks 
 l)iercecl with knives previous to deca])itation. A slave 
 once swore by the king's head that the king must 
 kill him that day ; all feared to go near him, lest he 
 should also add that the king should also slay his 
 nephew.* Therefore the precaution of piercing the 
 cheeks described by all visitors to Coomassie. The 
 executioner, whom Freeman saw behead two poor 
 victims most adroitly, was a lad about eighteen years 
 of age, and told Freeman a few weeks before that he 
 had then executed as many as eighty victims. 
 
 Another excitement awaited the missionaries. 
 Whilst they were conversing with the Apoko concern- 
 ing the establishment of a mission school, they heard 
 the alarm of fire. The tall grass at the rear of the town, 
 behind the house in which the missionary party lodged, 
 was on fire, and the flames were approaching with great 
 rapidity. Freeman took the precaution quickly to cut 
 down the grass near his quarters, and by a providential 
 change of wind the danger was averted as far as the 
 mission party was concerned. Other portions of the 
 town were soon ablaze, and the king's quarters were in 
 danger. Freeman with his friends exerted themselves 
 to stay the flames and preserve the royal buildings, 
 but the fire consumed a large number of houses, and 
 many people lost their lives. Freeman again received 
 the thanks of the king for his disinterested exertions. 
 
 A nephew of the king met Freeman when walking 
 near the royal residence, and said, " We are very 
 sorry you are going to leave us soon. When you 
 came to Coomassie before, we were afraid of you ; but 
 
 * The binding nature of a solemn oath, like the vow of 
 Jephthah, according to their code of morals, must be recognised 
 at all costs. Human sacrifice is based upon the religious senti- 
 ment. The victim is a solemn offering to their deity, and any 
 oath of his, especially when first preparing for the fearful 
 ordeal, comes with peculiar force to their superstitious minds. 
 To swear by the king's head is the most solemn of oaths. 
 
92 
 
 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN, 
 
 we liave no fear now, and are glad to see yon here." 
 Later the same individual said, referring to the 
 2)rovidential saving of the premises of the mission 
 when the fire raged, " God preserved you Christians 
 from the fire." 
 
 On January 31st, having gone through the usual 
 ceremony of taking leave of the king and high officers 
 of state, Freeman turned his Lack upon Coomassie, 
 leaving Mr. Brooking in charge, with good ^jrosj^ects 
 of building up a spiritual Church in this blood-stained 
 city. 
 
 As he ai)proached the coast he was gladdened with 
 the news of the arrival of a further contingent of 
 missionaries from England, Messrs. Allen, Rowland 
 and Wyatt, and very soon he took ste])s to appoint 
 these brethren to different stations. We find him 
 now at Dixcove, settling Mr. Watson ; then on the 
 way to the Prah, to accompany Mr. Rowland on the 
 journey to Coomassie. Again he is settling Mr. Allen 
 at Domonasi, and then encouraging Mr. and Mrs. 
 Shipman at Accra, who had started an unpretentious 
 theological institution ; but the end of the year 1842 
 finds him attempting another large enterprise, the 
 description of which we must reserve for another 
 chai)ter. 
 
MARKET WOMEN, ABEOKUT. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 IN THE EGBA METROPOLIS. 
 
 MANY of the slave-sliips wliicli had been captured 
 by our gnu boats on the West African coast were 
 towed into Sierra Leone, and their human freight dis- 
 charged and cared for under the shadow of the Britisli 
 flag. A motley population was thus collected, speaking 
 a hundred different tongues. Amongst these were a 
 large number of the Yoruba race, known in Sierra 
 Leone as Akus, from tlieir frequent use of this word, 
 which is their most common salutation. The members 
 of this tribe are well known in West Africa for their 
 marvellous trading propensities. 
 
 In the year 1838 a half-caste trader in Sierra Leone 
 purcliased a ship and sailed down the coast on a 
 trading expedition. Many of the Akus joined him. 
 In tlie course of their voyage they reached a large 
 trading town in the Bight of Benin, which they were 
 told was Lagos, but which they recognised as the 
 
 93 
 
94 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 great slave depot Eko, and they knew they were on 
 the borders of their own country. 
 
 On landing they gathered some little information 
 as to the condition of their fatherland and kindred, 
 which induced them to ascend the river Ognn in 
 native canoes till they reached its navigable limits, 
 and there found the object of their search, the now 
 well-known but then recently formed town of Abeokuta. 
 Here they were welcomed by relatives from whom 
 they had been sundered for long j^ears, and to them 
 they told the story of the wonders they had seen in 
 the white man's country. Sierra Leone, and astonished 
 them by recounting the story of the efforts made to 
 secure their liberty and education. Descending the 
 river, they reached Lagos again, and returned to Sierra 
 Leone, rejDorting to their kindred there what they 
 had seen, and bringing loving messages from rela- 
 tives to many from this great Egba city of Abeokuta. 
 This led to other similar expeditions ; the freed slaves 
 buying with their hard-earned money some of the 
 old slave-ships and making an exodus to their native 
 land. 
 
 The slave-dealers of Lagos soon became sus2:)icious 
 that this wonderful movement boded no good for their 
 vile business ; and not only served some of these 
 civilised natives cruelly, but blocked their way back 
 to Abeokuta by Lagos. Thus the pilgrims sought and 
 found another port of landing at Badagry, some forty 
 miles to the east of Lagos — a town protected by the 
 Egbas, who kept an open road to the coast this way. 
 
 Some of the liberated African Christians who had 
 returned to Abeokuta sent an urgent request to the 
 Wesleyan Missionary Society for the appointment of 
 a Christian teacher. One letter to the missionary at 
 Sierra Leone was couched in impassioned terms. ''For 
 Christ's sake come quickly. Let nothing but sickness 
 prevent you. Do not stoji to change your clothes, to 
 eat or drink or sleep, and salute no man by the way. 
 Do, for God's sake, start this moment." 
 

 TYPES OF NATIVES, ABEOKUTA. 
 
96 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 To onr missionary, Freeman, fell the conge oial duty 
 of Leaving the response of the Wesleyan Missionary 
 Society to these urgent appeals. On Saturday, Sep- 
 tember 24th, 1842, we find him landing through the 
 dangerous surf from the ship which had brought him 
 from Cape Coast. 
 
 His former native companion, William De Graft, 
 with his wife, had accompanied him ; and he had 
 brought some materials for constructing a house, and 
 a number of native workmen, who were soon hard at 
 work under Freeman's supervision. 
 
 Eunning along this coast, stretching almost con- 
 tinuously from the river Niger to the Yolta, is an 
 interior waterway parallel with the coast line, into 
 which there flow the waters of numerous rivers. 
 This network of lagoons has proved the natural high- 
 way for the nefarious slave traffic, and more recently 
 for legitimate commerce. The strip of land separating 
 tlie lagoon from the surf-beaten coast varies from a 
 few hundred yards to four or five miles, whilst here 
 and there the bulk of water has made for itself a 
 breach opening into the sea. 
 
 When Freeman landed he found he had about a 
 mile to walk across the strip of land to the edge of 
 the lagoon, on the other bank of which is situated the 
 town of Badagry. The lagoon here has the appear- 
 ance of a good broad river, with the current setting 
 towards Lagos. This crossed. Freeman expressed his 
 tliankfulness to be once more on shore, after his un- 
 comfortable voyage of five days from Cape Coast. 
 
 Lander found Badagry one of the vilest places 
 imaginable, human sacrifices being an almost daily 
 occurrence, with a huge fetish tree, from the branches 
 of which were suspended various portions of human 
 bodies, whilst human skulls were scattered on the 
 ground underneath its shadow. Our missionary found 
 it little bettor. The people at that time were addicted 
 to the most revolting and abominable practices. 
 
 A few visits of inspection to the forest and along 
 
IN THE EGBA METROPOLIS. 
 
 97 
 
 tlie lagoon convinced Freeman that lie could find 
 such timber as he needed for building purposes, and 
 by December 3rd he had completed the shell of a 
 liouse and covered it with a good thatch roof. It 
 was a large air}^ dwelling, suitable for a European 
 family, raised from ten to twelve feet from the ground 
 on twenty-two stout cocoanut pillars averaging about 
 three-quarters of a ton each in weight. 
 
 Already he had received communications from 
 Abeokuta, and urgent requests to hasten tliither ; and 
 now that he had so far completed the work of building 
 
 NATIVE CHRISTIANS AT ABEOKUTA. 
 
 the mission-house, he felt free to start for the interior. 
 The great Egba chief Shodeke had sent fourteen men 
 to escort him, and previously had forwarded a present 
 of a native pony with trappings complete. 
 
 On December 5th, Mr. Freeman, accompanied by 
 De Graft and his wife, started for the town of Abeokuta, 
 about seventy miles north-east from Badagry. Early 
 in the afternoon they reached the Egba encampment, 
 which had been pitched close to Adu, to keep in 
 clieck the people of that ])lace, who were given to 
 plunder and kidnapping. Here he was courteously 
 received by Shamoye, the brother of Shodeke, who 
 
 7 
 
98 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 held the position of General, and at his urgent request 
 spent a day in his company. 
 
 The country through which he passed was some- 
 what different in its nature from that of the Gold 
 Coast. He noted the extensive farms and fine planta- 
 tions, the very rough forest paths and the well-sup- 
 plied native markets — all indicative of the industrious 
 character of the j^eople. On December 10th he had 
 reached Owayadi, a village on the summit of a hill, not 
 far from which may be seen on a clear day the great 
 town of Abeokuta. The general aspect of the country 
 now indicated that the missionary was approaching the 
 African metropolis. Some Sierra Leone emigrants came 
 out to meet him, accosting him in his own language, 
 whilst numerous native salutations were offered. As it 
 was too late to enter the town that day. Freeman 
 rested at the little farm village of Ok warn, sending 
 a messenger to inform the chief of his approach, and 
 requesting that he might be permitted to enter at 
 once, as the morrow was the Sabbath ; but as the night 
 gathered this became impossible. 
 
 At six o'clock on Sunday morning a mounted escort 
 arrived to conduct the missionary and his party into 
 the town. He crossed the river Ogun, which here 
 flows in a south-westerly direction, and is about 
 seventy yards wide, to the landing-place, Aro. Then 
 for a few miles over the grassy plain to one of the 
 gates of this great walled town. As he passed through 
 the streets a perfect chorus of native salutations greeted 
 him. *' Welcome ! ivelcome ! white man I " " Blessing I 
 Long life to you, white man ! " The crowd increased as 
 he proceeded, and the salutations grew louder, till he 
 was brought into the compound of the great chief, 
 who held the supreme position in the plutocratic 
 government of this native state. 
 
 Shodeke was a superior man, who had shown great 
 skill in guiding the counsels in the government of 
 Abeokuta, and by his righteous dealing had won for 
 himself the esteem and affection of the people. In 
 
IN THE RGB A METROPOLIS. 99 
 
 their admiration they ascribed to him prophetic powers, 
 and some of his statements are still recalled, as the 
 predictions of an old seer. His mind had been greatly 
 exercised in relation to religion, for tlie incnrsion oi 
 the Mohammedans into the nortli of Yornba and the 
 ju'eaching of their priests had prodnced an element 
 of doubt in the minds of the most thoughtfnl con- 
 cerning their idolatry. Already Mohammedanism 
 was j)owerfnlly represented in the town, and the 
 priests had been welcomed by Shodeke, and encouraged 
 to display their proofs of the truth of their religion. 
 The native priests also were desirous of maintaining 
 their supremacy. On the spot where the controversy 
 occurred, the author has heard from the lips of the 
 older race of Christians how this contention waxed 
 warm, and how each side strove to produce its '' strong 
 I'easons." At this juncture the Christian missionary 
 arrived, and was welcomed by the great chief. Shodeke 
 was not long before he received fresh light on the 
 great question which had exercised his mind, and was 
 so thoroughly convinced of the truth of the Christian 
 religion brought by the stranger that he dismissed 
 the angry contending priests, and announced his 
 determination to accept " the white man's religion." 
 
 The foiled priests vowed vengeance, and, not long 
 after, carried their threat into execution by craftily 
 poisoning Shodeke. As the enlightened old ruler lay 
 dying, he turned with words of sorrowful rebuke upon 
 the priests, and said, " You have succeeded in poisoning, 
 me, but you will never get another Shodeke ! " In 
 the chequered history which has since followed the 
 peojjle remember these fateful words. To-day, as the 
 old peojDle recall those times, with the halo of romance 
 which they have placed in their imagination about 
 the brow of their old chief, they say, " On the day 
 that Shodeke died the sun forgot to shine and the 
 birds to sing." 
 
 The romantic story of the founding of the great 
 town of Abeokuta has been so often told tliat tlie 
 
TOO THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 slightest sketch is all that is needful here. The 
 Mohammedan Fellani had crossed the Niger, and at 
 last threw off the guise of friendship which had led 
 to an alliance between them and the chief of Yoruba, 
 seizing large portions of the country and asserting 
 their authority. In their true character of cruel, 
 greedy self-seekers, they depopulated and destroyed 
 large towns, and thus carried on the profitable but 
 wicked slave-trade. The king was driven from his 
 capital, one hundred and thirty towns and villages 
 were destroyed and the people seized as slaves. The 
 remnant kept in hiding for a time, and then formed 
 the community in which we are now interested. 
 
 In the south-west of this great Yoruba country, and 
 on the eastern bank of the river Ogun, in the midst 
 of undulating ground covered with tropical verdure, 
 there rises a huge hill of rough granite, the shelving 
 sides of which form a cave of large proportions, which 
 in ancient days was a hiding-place for robbers. To 
 this rocky retreat the refugees fled, about the year 
 1825, in such numbers that soon they were able to 
 occupy the fruitful valleys and build a wall to enclose 
 their new resting-place. 
 
 The great granite rock which had sheltered them 
 in the day of their distress they called " Oluma " 
 (" The Builder"), The inhabitants sacrifice their sheep 
 and fowls to it to-day, regarding it as one of their 
 greatest '•^ orishas,'' or idols. They named the town 
 "Abeokuta" ('' Understone "), from the interesting 
 fact of its origin as described. Its fame soon spread, 
 and to it there gathered the remnants of the clans. 
 To-day it is estimated that its great clay wall and 
 trench, some fifteen miles round, enclose a population 
 that cannot be less than one hundred thousand. 
 
 The enemies of the people were soon alarmed at its 
 strength, and determined upon its destruction ; then 
 it was that the inhabitants placed themselves under 
 the leadership of the brave man Shodeke, as their first 
 ruler, who, by his prudence and courage, extended the 
 
IN THE EGBA METROPOLIS. 
 
 lOl 
 
 fame of the town and kept open the jjatli to the sea- 
 board for k^gitimate trade. 
 
 This is the man to whom Freeman was introdnced. 
 He found him " seated on the floor, on a large native 
 mat, supporting himself against a beautifnl leather- 
 covered cushion of native manufacture. He wore a 
 
 UOCK OF OLUMA. 
 
 liandsome damask cloth, thrown lightly over his 
 shoulder, and a scarlet cloth cap with a blue tassel on 
 the crown of it. Before him stood a large glass bowl 
 of European manufiicture, well supplied with kola- 
 nuts." This large astringent seed, which contains 
 many valuable properties, is used extensively by the 
 interior tribes, and serves as a good corrective to 
 
I02 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 the laxative native food. It is also used to stave off 
 hanger-pangs, in visits of ceremony, in declaring war 
 and the expression of friendship, the presentation of 
 certain numbers having a symbolic significance. After 
 brief ordinary greetings. Freeman was permitted to 
 retire to the quarters allotted to him. 
 
 There were present a number of Christian emigrants 
 from Sierra Leone. " I shall never forget," Freeman 
 writes, " the joy which beamed in their countenances 
 as they seized me by the hand and bade me welcome. 
 ^ Ah ! ' said they, ^ we told our king that the English 
 people loved us, and that missionaries would be sure 
 to follow us ; but he could hardly believe that any one 
 would come so far to do us good. Now what we told 
 our king has come to pass ! Master ! you are 
 welcome, welcome, welcome ! ' 
 
 " Shodeke seemed quite overjoyed, and, as we were 
 walking across the conrt-yard, he clasped me in his 
 arms before all the people, and thus testified his 
 extreme satisfaction. Shortly afterwards he came to 
 our apartments and talked ... in a free and familiar 
 manner. ' My people,' said he, ' told me they were 
 sure their friends in England would not neglect 
 them ; but I feared you would not venture to come 
 so far. Now I see you, and my heart rejoices ; and 
 as you have now come to visit us, I hope the English 
 will never leave us.' My feelings were of the most 
 intense character. I saw in Shodeke's open and 
 manly countenance something which gave the seal of 
 truth to all he said. His remarks were not vain, 
 empty compliments. I believe they came from his 
 heart, and were sj)oken in sincerity and truth." 
 
 In the afternoon of this first Sabbath in Abeokuta 
 the missionary conducted a service in the court-yard 
 of the chief, expounding the Scriptures and holding 
 a prayer-meeting. Shodeke seated himself beside 
 Freeman, and for his benefit all that was said was 
 interpreted into the Yoruba language. Thus began 
 most aus2jiciously the work of the AVesleyan Missions 
 
IN THE EGBA METROPOLIS, 103 
 
 ill Abeoknta, wliicli lias continued with more or less 
 snccess to this day. 
 
 This first Christian missionary to Abeoknta caused 
 considerable excitement. Wheresoever he walked 
 abroad scores of the jjeople gathered about him, follow- 
 ing him in the streets and greeting him with strange 
 salutations. Oni Oku Ojjimbo ! Okie Abo Oyimbo ! 
 " Long life to you, white man ! A blessing on you, 
 white man, in your coming," with other phrases of 
 native welcome, were heard from the people, who were 
 delighted at the missionary's presence in their town. 
 
 He noted that the irregular streets contrasted un- 
 fjivourably with the uniform and regular thoroughfares 
 of Coomassie, but he also observed that the town was 
 ([uite twice as large, and estimated the population at 
 fifty thousand, which must have been under rather 
 than over the mark. He also found that there were 
 a large number of Haussa settlers there, some of whom 
 came to greet him ; and learning that their country was 
 only seven days' journey on horseback, he evidently 
 longed to carry forward the Cross of Christ into that 
 Mohammedan state, and cherished the thought that 
 lie might at a future time be able to accomplish 
 this. 
 
 Freeman's visit extended to ten days, when Shodeke 
 very reluctantly permitted him to depart for Badagry, 
 where other enterprises were awaiting him. The chief 
 accompanied Freeman to the outskirts of the town, 
 the people crowding into the streets to bid farewell 
 to the missionary. " Good-bye," said many of them 
 as they waved their hands : " come again soon ! come 
 again soon ! " '^ Shodeke parted with us with con- 
 siderable emotion, and was, I think," adds Freeman, 
 ^' sorry that we had left him." 
 
 Freeman pushed on rapidly to the coast, with no 
 extraordinary incident to record. He noted a very 
 usunl incident of African travel, but perhaps of some 
 interest to the English reader, that, on rising early 
 to finish the journey, the dew saturated him as he 
 
I04 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 travelled tlirougli the long grass, and when he had 
 gone for several hours and felt hungry he could not 
 obtain his breakfast, because his carriers were left 
 far in the rear. His upper clothing saturated with 
 perspiration and his lower extremities cold with the 
 dew, he became somewhat concerned. So hungry 
 was he that he was glad to purchase a pot of native 
 soup, ''' made with pork and palm-oil. A mussel-shell 
 supplied the place of a spoon, and though I could 
 scarcely fancy taking palm-oil in such a wholesale 
 manner, I found the soup to have a refreshing and 
 invigorating effect." 
 
 The people of Badagry were pleased but surprised 
 to see him return. On remarking this, one of his 
 attendants told him that the chief had informed them 
 that he would be killed if he attempted a journey 
 to the interior ; and one night, before Freeman started 
 for Abeokuta, Wawa came to this servant and said, 
 "It is not good for your master to go into the 
 interior : the people are not to be trusted ; perhaps 
 they will kill him. Try and persuade him not to go." 
 The servant replied, " My master does not care for 
 that ; his work just now is in the interior, and he will 
 therefore go. If he live, it will be well ; if he die, 
 it will be well : he does not care ; he has a good 
 home to go to when he dies." No harm came to him, 
 except that for a few days he was ill with fatigue ; 
 but as soon as he recovered he was again on the 
 move. 
 
 Badagry, with its mission-house, became an im- 
 portant station, the first agent in charge of which 
 was De Graft, whom Mr. Freeman left behind. Its 
 subsequent history is full of interest. 
 
 Christmas Day was spent with Mr. Towns end, who 
 had just arrived, bound for Abeokuta in the interests 
 of the Church Missionary Society. On the day Mr. 
 Freeman left for tlie ship Mr. Townsend started for 
 the interior. 
 
 On December 29th the chief Wawa, with some of 
 
IN THE EGBA METROPOLIS. 
 
 105 
 
 Shodeke's men who had escorted Freeman, went to 
 the beacli to see the missionary safely throngh the 
 snrf, which was rnnning very high. Although one 
 of the native canoes upset, the missionary party got 
 safely through, with nothing worse than a good 
 soaking from tlie waves which had broken over the 
 boat. They were soon safely on board the ship Queen 
 Victoria, and the next day set sail. 
 
 On the last niglit of the year 18-1:2 they anchored 
 in the Whydah roads. 
 
 OKI (HEAD.) 
 
HUMAN SACEIFICES IN DAHOMEY. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 IN THE COUNTRY OF THE AMAZONS. 
 
 JANUARY 1st, 1843, fell on Sunday, and Freeman 
 had decided to hold a service. But the ship was 
 small and uncomfortable, and many of Freeman's 
 followers were so sick with its incessant rolling, that 
 he decided upon landing as early as possible. In 
 consequence of the nnusually heavy surf breaking 
 here, the beach of Whydah is one of the most 
 dangerous spots on the whole line of coast for landing. 
 After accomplishing this in safety. Freeman was 
 dismayed to find that the town was between two and 
 three miles inland. To reach it a broad expanse of 
 lagoon has to be crossed and a swamp waded, the 
 town itself being situated on the slope of a hill. The 
 work of conveying the packages from the beach to 
 the town, with the vexatious delays which usually 
 take place, to Freeman's chagrin, absorbed so large a 
 l)ortion of the sacred hours of the Sabbath that it was 
 altogether too late to attem})t a service. 
 
 1 06 
 
BARTEKINU FOE tSLAVES. 
 
io8 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 The skve trade attracted to tliis spot a number of 
 Europeans, who found it a convenient place for their 
 vile purpose. Here they acted as middlemen to the 
 king of Dahomey, who extended to them his pro- 
 tection in their trade of " living ebony." To the 
 Europeans were allotted certain quarters of the town 
 for the establishment of factories, which were strongly 
 fortified. To this day the names of the nations remain 
 to indicate the divisions of the town. 
 
 The town, which has a population of some twelve 
 thousand people, and is very healthily situated, is 
 disfigured by hideous symbols of idolatry, the most 
 prominent figure being the obscene Legba. Here 
 also is the famous snake-temple, the python being a 
 great object of worship. Our missionary found him- 
 self face to face with idolatry of a grosser type than 
 he had yet met. 
 
 He made his way to the quarter known as English 
 Town, and lodged in the English Fort, in the hall of 
 which he held divine service and received visitors. 
 On Sunday, January 8th, he preached to a small 
 congregation, composed chiefly of his own followers, 
 with a few natives and some Christian emigrants from 
 Sierra Leone. 
 
 One of his first duties was to call upon the Yevogah, 
 the viceroy who resides at Whydah. He explained 
 to him the object of his visit, and expressed a strong 
 desire to see the king, that he might lay his plans 
 before him, with a view to obtain permission to begin 
 a mission in the country. At first he was regarded with 
 some suspicion, but subsequently with greater favour, 
 and assistance was promised. 
 
 Mr. Freeman had an interview also with the great 
 slave-dealer, De Souza, who, notwithstanding his 
 well-known and degrading occupation, received him 
 very courteously. From him the missionary learnt 
 that rumours of his doings at Badagry had reached 
 Whydah and Abomi. His house had been magnified 
 into a fort, and it was freely stated that on his visit to 
 
IN THE COUNTRY OF THE AMAZONS. 
 
 109 
 
 tlie interior lie had carried with him two ])ieces of 
 artillery. 
 
 Freeman then proceeded to the Leach to see the 
 rest of his goods landed, and settle with the captain 
 of the shi]). He had brought with him three horses 
 
 " THE BOAT WAS BORNE HIGH UPON THE CEEST OF A BILLOW." 
 
 from Yornba, one of which he landed at Whydah, 
 while the other two he sent to Cape Coast, believing 
 that they could live away from the coast. The last 
 load was being bronglit ashore, when the snrf-boat was 
 borne high upon the crest of a huge billow and flung 
 with such violence upon the beach that to his great 
 
no THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 mortification it broke into pieces and mucli of his 
 property was destroyed. In the conrse of a few days 
 lie was fortnnate enough to obtain another boat to be 
 sent on to Badagry — a necessary aj^pendage to such a 
 mission station in those days, when the missionary 
 was dependent upon the ships that called to obtain 
 needful supplies. 
 
 Week after week passed, Freeman being repeatedly 
 disappointed at not receiving the royal permission to 
 proceed to the capital of Dahomey. He then deter- 
 mined to proceed to Cape Coast without seeing the 
 king, but was persuaded by De Souza to linger a little 
 longer. Then his mind was troubled by misrepre- 
 sentations, which were also satisfactorily explained. 
 But the weary waiting produced fever symptoms, and 
 he chafed at the restraint under which he found him- 
 self living. 
 
 On February 5th a ship arrived from Cape Coast 
 bringing him the sad news of the death of Mr. 
 Shipman, of Accra, which occurred on January 2nd ; 
 but the same mail informed him of the arrival of more 
 missionaries at Cape Coast. 
 
 His enforced stay, though trying, obtained for him 
 influence among the chiefs and others. On Sundays 
 he conducted divine service, but seems to have had 
 a few only of the natives to listen to the gospel. 
 Thus the time passed on, and it was not till the 
 beginning of March that he received the much-desired 
 permission to proceed to Dahomey. This obtained, 
 he started at once for Abomi. 
 
 The path to Abomi along which Freeman travelled 
 was the same rough, unimproved way over which the 
 writer passed thirty-eight years after. The whole 
 journey is a gradual ascent, with a few minor depres- 
 sions here and there. Till the Agrimi swamp is 
 reached — a good half of the journey — the path is for 
 the most part pleasantly shaded by trees, whilst on 
 the Dahoman side of the swamp it is bare of trees 
 and wearying to traverse during the day. There is 
 
/A THE COUNTRY OF THE AMAZONS. in 
 
 compensation, however, in the good hard road which 
 leads to Kaiia, whence the whole eight miles to 
 Abomi is broad and well-kept. There are a nnmber 
 of villages along the way, with features much in 
 common, — a few poor mud-huts, roofed with palm 
 leaves, with fetish images and shrines with offerings. 
 Each village has imposed upon it by royal mandate 
 the necessity of building and keei)ing in order a 
 large shed as a resting-place for travellers and 
 royal messengers. Some of them are clean, others 
 unwholesome. At the entrance of each village of 
 importance is a " king's gate," a structure much like 
 a rough football goal. Here the native bares his head 
 and shoulder in respect to royalty, and the gate- 
 keeper exacts toll. This humble officer acts in the 
 double capacity of toll-collector and detective. The 
 })ath from the seaboard to the capital is thus well 
 watched, and the chance of escape for either slave or 
 criminal is very small. 
 
 It was along this path that our missionary travelled. 
 He met the usual obstacles in starting, as the carriers 
 of his luggage were with difficulty got together. 
 Having at last seen the porters before him, he mounted 
 his pony. In a short time he had passed over the 
 corduroy road across the Nynsin swamp, and reached 
 the village of Savi, interesting as the ancient capital 
 of Whydah, and as the scene of a remarkable native 
 battle. Another three hours and a quarter of travel 
 brought him to Torri, about eleven miles from Why- 
 dah. Here a colony of sacred monkeys may be seen 
 playing in the branches of the magnificent trees. 
 They presume upon their protection, descending into 
 the market-place, and in the most flagrant manner 
 steal tit-bits from the baskets of the women. Freeman 
 made this spot his bivouac, as there were many 
 laggards of his party who did not arrive till nightfall. 
 
 The second night of the journey he spent at Allada, 
 a town formerly of considerable importance, in which 
 centres a story of great interest in the history of 
 
112 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 Dahomey. A royal residence, a large two-storied house, 
 is situated here, and in certain ceremonious acts 
 pertaining to royal oaths the jDlace is occasionally 
 visited by the monarch. Mr. Freeman calls the 
 house a country-seat of the king. He noted what most 
 travellers in Dahomey have described: the extra- 
 ordinary colony of bats, the fine trees being quite 
 black with tens of thousands of these vam23ires in 
 the daytime, the sky in the evening becoming quite 
 darkened when they fly off in search of food. 
 
 The next night he rested at Akpey, on the borders 
 of the great Agrimi swamp. The following is an 
 extract from his journal. " As the shades of evening 
 closed in, and the moon was throwing her silvery 
 light over the dark foliage of the forest in the distance, 
 one of my people came to tell me that he saw a strange 
 sight in the heavens. I came out of my tent ; and, 
 to my great delight, I saw the comet with the nucleus 
 just above the tops of the trees, and its enormous 
 tail in length equal to the chord of an arc of 45°." 
 
 The next day Freeman reached the outskirts of 
 Kan a, fifty-two miles from Whydah, a suburb of 
 Abomi, where the king was in residence. 
 
 Here he found himself again face to face with 
 horrible human sacrifices. " We passed," he writes, 
 " within five or six yards of a gibbet, from which was 
 suspended the body of a man, . . . hanging with its 
 head downwards, the legs being lashed to the beam 
 just above the ankles. One hand appeared to be 
 dropping off; having probably been partly severed 
 by some sharp instrument. Two or three turkey- 
 buzzards were feeding underneath the gibbet. . . . 
 It was indeed a frightful sight." 
 
 Drawing nearer, the missionary and his party halted 
 under the shade of a tree. Whilst there a number 
 of the king's wives passed, with water-pots on their 
 heads, and in deference to the king the people turned 
 aside. This is Freeman's description of what followed. 
 " After we had rested but a short time, we heard the 
 
IN THE COUNTRY OF THE AMAZONS. 113 
 
 drums begin to play, and soon saw a party of native 
 soldiers at a distance approaching us, with arms, flags, 
 and native music. As they advanced towards us we 
 moved nearer to the tree, and collected more closely 
 together, allowing room for the soldiers to march 
 around. They then drew near. I could perceive 
 their captain among them, who was riding on a mule 
 under the shade of a large umbrella. . . . The chief 
 saluted me as he sat on his mule. . . . Then they 
 made a circuit, singing as they went ; after which 
 the chief dismounted, and danced before me for a 
 few minutes. This was succeeded by several of the 
 soldiers firing a salute with muskets and blunder- 
 busses ; and then, the chief's stool being jilaced near 
 me, he came and shook hands with me, and joined 
 our party. 
 
 '' The streets were filled with companies of soldiers 
 for a considerable distance, each party having its 
 res23ective flags, banners, and umbrellas. They pre- 
 sented a gay and exciting appearance." Mr. Freeman 
 was evidently treated to the display which every 
 European visitor witnesses : flag-staves tipped with 
 human skulls, stools and other parai^hernalia decorated 
 with jawbones of enemies, and almost every conceiv- 
 able device to impress the onlooker with the monarch's 
 deeds of blood. 
 
 The various companies having passed, led by their 
 chiefs, each one under his large umbrella, they formed 
 in double circle, which Freeman and his party traversed 
 nine times to give his salutations. This accom- 
 plished, he took his seat near the king's gate, and 
 there received salutations in return from all the high 
 officers of state, the captains and great men. He was 
 then handed over to the care of one of the chiefs as 
 his " house-master," and to one of the women of the 
 royal household as his " mother." After these cere- 
 monies he was conducted to his lodgings, and on the 
 way had to pass round a part of the royal premises. 
 At each gate an ofiicer and party were established, to 
 
 8 
 
114 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 * 
 
 salute by discharging forty muskets. Weary with the 
 day's procedure, he was glad to retire to his quarters, 
 which he found very roomy. 
 
 Two days after, he was permitted an interview with 
 the king. There was the usual ceremonious approach. 
 Proceeding a short distance, he was bidden to halt ; 
 then he was invited a little nearer. Again he had to 
 enter a large square and wait for another invitation. 
 The royal messengers then advanced in a stooping 
 position, repeating in a low voice, " May we come ? 
 may we come ? " He was conducted through another 
 gate and under a thatch verandah, where sat Gezo, 
 king of Dahomey, surrounded by his many wives, and 
 the renowned Amazons as his body-guard. 
 
 The king was seated upon a European chair, and 
 before him was a small European table laden with 
 different kinds of European liquors. The messengers 
 prostrated themselves on the ground at his majesty's 
 feet, and threw dust upon their heads, whilst the 
 chiefs who conducted the stranger knelt on the ground 
 opposite the king. Gezo arose and cordially greeted 
 Freeman, shaking his hand, and giving him a hearty 
 welcome to Dahomey. Then he was requested to 
 be seated, and the king desired him to drink his 
 health. A salute of twenty-one guns was fired in 
 honour of the Queen of England, the tally of which 
 the king held in his hand in twenty-one cowrie- 
 shells, which he showed Freeman. This salute was 
 followed by another of nine guns for the missionary 
 himself. 
 
 After ordinary matters had been discussed Freeman 
 entered upon the great subject of the object of his visit. 
 He strove to remove any wrong impressions which the 
 king had received from the false rumours concerning 
 the oj^erations at Badagry, and assured him that his 
 ''operations there were of a strictly religious, and not of 
 a political nature. He seemed well satisfied with these 
 explanations . . . and immediately said, ' Cannot you 
 do something at Whydah also ? ' to which I answered, 
 
IN THE COUNTRY OF THE AMAZONS. 115 
 
 'My particiiJar business with your majesty is conceruiiig' 
 the mission at ]>a(lagry ; but if you wish us to com- 
 mence one at Whydah, we will try and attend to your 
 request as nearly as possible. . . .' He said he wished 
 us to do so." 
 
 Freeman then gave him a brief account of the 
 circumstances which had led to his visit to Abeokuta, 
 and also told him of the work accomplished in 
 Coomassie. He also assured the king of the great 
 desire on the part of the English Government to 
 benefit xifrica. At the close, the missionary expressed 
 a desire to see Abomi, and to be permitted to return 
 as soon as possible, as he had been so long absent, and 
 many pressing duties called him back to Cape (bast. 
 Permission was at once given for him to visit Abomi 
 within a few days, and the king promised that there 
 should be no unnecessary delay in his departure to the 
 coast. At the close of the interview the king accom- 
 panied him through two courts, and as he took his 
 leave the Amazons fired another deafening salute from 
 their muskets. 
 
 In a private interview the next day the king 
 confirmed his statement in reference to Whydah, and 
 emphatically desired that a mission should be com- 
 menced at that place. 
 
 On the day ai)pointed he was escorted from Kaila to 
 Abomi. As he passed down the wide road, with two or 
 three hundred Dahomans and their chief as an escort, 
 and drew near to the king's fetish-house, the jiriest 
 came forward to pronounce a blessing. " Though I 
 pitied the people," he says, " on account of their super- 
 stitions, yet I could not help admiring their apparent 
 sincerity." In the capital he was taken the round of 
 the palaces. First he visited the Coomassie quarter, 
 then Abomi proper. He then passed to the palace 
 usually occupied by Gezo, the walls of which he noticed 
 were decorated with human skulls. During the 
 writer's visit there was no lack of skulls and blood 
 and human sacrifice, but these barbarous trophies had 
 
ii6 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN, 
 
 been removed. Freeman describes a characteristic 
 scene of Abomi as follows : — 
 
 " As we passed along the street, still near the walls 
 of the royal premises, one of the Whydah people said 
 to me, ^ Do yon see that man ? ' and on looking up, I 
 saw, close to the wall on the ontside, a kind of gibbet, 
 on a pole fixed in the ground, and about twenty feet 
 high above the ground was secured the body of a man 
 seated upright on the top of the pole. On inquiry I 
 found that the body had been dried and salted, and 
 had been preserved in this position for nine months. 
 The man was a public offender, and had been guilty 
 of a great crime." 
 
 Thus he had seen Abomi, a city founded on blood, 
 and whose whole history might be written in blood. 
 But its despotism has been at last curbed by the 
 occupation by French soldiers at the end of 1892, 
 and probably Dahomey will never again assert her 
 independence. 
 
 Freeman returned to Kana, and within a few days 
 bade farewell to the king and turned, his face to the 
 seaboard. The king gave presents for the Queen of 
 England, for President Maclean and himself, con- 
 sisting of slave girls ; and two boys and two girls 
 were entrusted for education, to be sent back to the 
 king. Freeman brought no less than eight children, 
 whom he soon placed under Christian influences. 
 Then, amidst the firing of guns from the Amazons, 
 Freeman obtained permission to return. He adds in 
 his journal the following : — 
 
 " As soon as I reached my quarters, I informed the 
 little Aku slave girls that they were now all free ; that 
 they should go with me to Cape Coast for education, 
 and afterwards be sent honie to their own country. 
 When the little creatures fully understood me, their 
 tears, which had been for some minutes flowing apace, 
 were all dried up, their countenances beamed with joy, 
 and they became so noisy and riotous that I was 
 obliged to scold them. The little Dahomey children 
 
ii8 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 seemed alarmed at first ; "but when they knew their 
 destination and prospects they soon ceased to grieve." 
 
 Early next morning the king sent a bountiful 
 supply of food, and enquired if Freeman were ready to 
 start. The king was waiting to bestow his last favours ; 
 and as the missionary and his party started, Gezo, with 
 his bodyguard surrounding him, accompanied Freeman 
 a short distance. More salutes were fired, and then 
 a cordial " farewell " was uttered. Two priests ran at 
 utmost speed along the path for about a hundred yards, 
 made a full stop, spread abroad their hands towards 
 heaven, invoking a blessing on his journey, a,nd then 
 informed the missionary that the path was open before 
 him. A few days more, and he v>-as again at AVhydah, 
 having accomplished the fifty-two miles between 
 Kana and AVhydah in a much shorter time than on 
 the journey up.* 
 
 He spent a week at Whydah, then went by lagoon 
 to Ahgwey, where he expected a ship to call, in which 
 he intended to voyage to Cape Coast. Whilst waiting 
 at Little Popo the arrival of the ship, he visited the 
 chief, George Lawson, a native who had journeyed to 
 England. He found the old gentleman trying to raise 
 a school in which to teach the children elementary 
 English. He eagerly accepted Freeman's ofi'er to send 
 a teacher, and Lawson promised to supply books and 
 do more if possible. This was the first step in the 
 formation of the Popo Mission, which has continued 
 with few intermissions to this day. 
 
 On April 9th, 1843, Freeman again safely landed at 
 Cape Coast, full of gratitude for the preservation of his 
 life and health. 
 
 * The distance from Whydah to Abomi is about sixty miles. 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 
 PERILS AND CONQUESTS. 
 
 AT Cape Coast Mr. Freeman found George Chapman 
 awaiting his directions, the young man having 
 arrived in the previous January. As soon as possible 
 lie made arrangements to accompany him to Ashanti. 
 In the meantime he paid a flying visit to Dixcove, and 
 reported a great change for the better. 
 
 "Our work," he writes, "is beginning to assume 
 a more cheerful character. The labours of a good 
 missionary would^ I am persuaded, be speedily produc- 
 tive of great good. I am surprised at the wonderful 
 change which has taken place within the last two 
 months. When I was tliere I not only met the 
 members of the Church, but all the head men of the 
 town ; and they have promised to countenance and aid 
 the mission by all means in their power." 
 
 In August 1843 Freeman for a third time journeyed 
 to Ashanti, the new missionary Chapman accom- 
 panying him, Robert Brooking having been compelled 
 to return to England through impaired health a few 
 
 119 
 
I20 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 months before. On this occasion he occupied the new 
 mission-house in Coomassie, which has been the home 
 of all the missionaries and agents since, and which, 
 though veiy dila^^idated, was the home of the captive 
 German missionaries till the conclusion of the Ashanti 
 war in 1874. 
 
 Now in every direction from Dixcove to Badagry, 
 and from the interior stations cheering tidings came 
 of the ra23id growth of the good seed ; but disease and 
 death constantly diminished the ranks of the workers. 
 Mr. Allen writes, in September 1843 : "In that whole 
 range of country we can have access to the people, 
 and have only four missionaries ! May I not ask, in 
 Scripture language, ' What are we among so many ? ' 
 And may not these people, to whom we are obliged 
 to turn a deaf ear, say, ^ No man careth for my soul ' ? " 
 
 Freeman had now to pass through an ordeal more 
 trying to him than that of the pestilent climate. He 
 had to learn the bitter trial of '^ peril among false 
 brethren." A young man, one of the large company 
 which he brought back to the coast in 1841, who had 
 compromised his character and left the mission, 
 returned to England in 1843, and at once made 
 reprisals by publicly denouncing Freeman and his 
 work. The controversy raged for some time, and was 
 eventually taken up by The Times newspaper. 
 
 This, with the financial condition of the Society, 
 combined with the desirability of a needful rest for 
 recruitino' his health, brouo^ht Freeman to Eno-land 
 again in the middle of the year 1844. Many unfounded 
 charges were brought against the devoted missionary 
 and his work, all of which he was happily able to 
 refute. A keen observer and missionary historian says 
 that " Mr. Freeman came out of this trial ' more than 
 conqueror ' " ; and that it had the effect of raising him 
 and the mission still higher in the estimation of the 
 friends of missions in general, and also of obtaining 
 some additional supporters to the same hallowed cause.* 
 ■^ Fox's History of Wcslcyan Missions, p. 577. 
 
PERILS AND CONQUESTS. 121 
 
 That these unjust aspersions were a great grief to liini 
 may be gathered from an extract from a private letter, 
 which the writer has been permitted to peruse, addressed 
 to a brother missionary. It is written from 11, Lloyd 
 Street, Lloyd Square, Pentonville, London, the resi- 
 dence of Dr. Beecliam, and dated November 14th, 1844. 
 
 " I am glad to find that you have written to the editor 
 of the Watchman respecting the heartless attack 
 
 of the apostate on me and my bretliren, and our 
 
 missions on the Gold Coast. ... I sincerely thank 
 you for the excellent letter in question. ... I was 
 aware when he left the Coast that lie would embrace 
 every opportunity of injuring me and the missions 
 under my superintendence, but I also felt satisfied 
 that, while the Christian public believed nothing but 
 the truth, he could do us no permanent injury. I was 
 aware that he would give a wrong colouring to every- 
 thing which would admit of a twofold representation. 
 How could I Jielp the work being retarded at Domo- 
 nasi, or how could I be accountable even for an 
 irregularity on any station wliile my brethren were 
 dying around me, and place after place was left 
 unoccupied by a European missionary ? " 
 
 This incident, ])ainful as it was, did not prevent a 
 hearty reception being given to the missionary wher- 
 ever he went advocating the claims of his mission. 
 Few returned missionaries had so marvellous a story 
 to tell as he, and the progress which had been made 
 was amazing, in spite of disease and death. Thomas 
 Fowell Buxton headed the list of special contributions 
 for the Gold (^oast Mission with the munificent dona- 
 tion of £200, and Thomas Clarkson wrote a review of 
 Freeman's published journals, commending the mission 
 to the sympatliy and support of Christians generally. 
 
 In spite of this the committee found itself seriously 
 hampered, and announced at the annual meeting of 
 1845 that there was a debt connected with the Gold 
 Coast Mission of £7,935, towards whicli the general 
 treasurers liad received from special contributions 
 
122 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 £3,000. Before the end of the year, however, they 
 were able to announce that they had received an 
 additional £.2,500. Mr. Freeman spent nearly twelve 
 months in England on this occasion, and by his various 
 addresses and testimony generally helped up the funds 
 of the Society. It was proposed that he should visit 
 the West Indies, possibly with the idea of strengthen- 
 ing the mission by West Indian missionaries ; but 
 that project was abandoned. He embarked for Africa 
 for a third time from the Isle of Wight. Here the 
 Jane called to take on board a boat presented by Mr. 
 White, the eminent ship-builder of Cowes, for the 
 Gold Coast Mission. Freeman took with him a young- 
 man of colour from the West Indies, Henry Wharton, 
 who became, and remained for many years, a successful 
 missionary in Western Africa. After a favourable 
 voyage the missionaries landed at Cape Coast on 
 June 23rd, 1845, where they were welcomed by 
 Mr. Brooking, who had returned to his work in 
 Africa, and Mr. Chapman, both of whom looked 
 wound-up and ill from the effects of the climate. Mr. 
 Chapman had returned from Coomassie in consequence 
 of a serious attack of Gidnea-ioonn. 
 
 Thus the mission received the oversight of this 
 tireless man, who sped from place to place year in and 
 year out. Shock after shock came, but he seemed 
 invulnerable and kept steadily at work. 
 
 In the year 1848 Christianity was introduced into 
 the little beach village of Assafa, twenty-two miles 
 eastward from Cape Coast. In its immediate vicinity 
 was the sacred grove of Mankessim, the mysterious 
 abode of the great National Bosum. This spot was 
 consequently the great centre of pagan influence for 
 the Fanti country. 
 
 John Warden, a native Christian of Anamabu, and 
 Imnter of wild game, made this his temporary abode. 
 By his consistent conduct and his regular observance of 
 family worship the villagers were attracted and became 
 inquirers. Two priests became sincere converts to the 
 
PERILS AND CONQUESTS. 123 
 
 Christiau faitli, and joined the Christian liunter in 
 fellowshij). Very soon they were visited by the 
 mission agents under Freeman's sn])ervisionj and a 
 little Church was formed with a membership of thirty 
 persons, and the hunter appointed as their leader. 
 They soon built a chapel. Then followed in rapid 
 succession a series of severe trials. 
 
 Some of these Christians cultivated a small tract of 
 land in the neighbourhood, which gradually extended 
 into a small i\irm village with native huts. All went 
 calmly till the year 1851, when, without duly consider- 
 ing the strength and prejudices of the priests, they 
 encroached upon the sanctity of the sacred grove by 
 cutting down a pole for their use in the plantation. 
 
 This act of indiscretion met with severe and undue 
 reprisals. The priest influenced the chief of Mankessim, 
 who led an armed band against the unsus})ecting 
 Christians, cai:»tured them whilst at their work, flogged 
 and imprisoned them, placing them all in irons. The 
 farm village was burnt down, and the farm, the fruit 
 of their industry, destroyed. 
 
 At this point the English Government interfered, 
 and, while admitting the indiscretion of the Assafa 
 Christians, called the chief to account for his lawless 
 violence. The persecuted converts were set at liberty 
 and a fine was imposed upon the chief. The Christians 
 received substantial sympathy from their fellow- 
 Christians at Cape Coast and Anamabu. To their 
 credit it must be added they showed no resentment 
 against the priests, who however, could not refrain 
 from persecution. 
 
 The rainy season which followed was very mild, and 
 the crops in consequence not very productive. The 
 calamity the priests ascribed to the apostasy of the 
 Assafa Christians and their trespass upon the sacred 
 grove. The great Bosum in anger had withheld the 
 needful rain, and the converts were pointed out as 
 the cause of the drought. 
 
 This culminated in the pagans suddenly attacking 
 
124 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 the converts, who were lodging with some Anamabii 
 Christians, and violently expelling them from the 
 town. Among the number was the hunter. When 
 he called upon Mr. Freeman to report the circum- 
 stance he appeared joyous and resigned, though in 
 the scuffle he had received a severe blow in the eye 
 and was otherwise bruised. 
 
 The chief and one or two of his most influential 
 captains were summoned to Cape Coast to answer for 
 this unlawful proceeding. They were fined five ounces 
 of gold dust, equal to eighteen pounds sterling, and 
 £52 of gold dust as compensation. 
 
 Although the persecution partially subsided, it was 
 evident from the haughty bearing of Edu, the chief of 
 Mankessim, that a spirit of rebellion was fermenting 
 and a crisis approaching. He refused to pay the 
 amount adjudged as compensation to the Christians. 
 When ordered to appear at the castle he refused to 
 obey in terms which proved that he reckoned upon 
 the sympathies of the great mass of i)agans in the 
 neiglibourhood. It was therefore evident that, if the 
 English Government would keep up its supreme 
 authority and moral influence, force must be used. 
 
 The expelled converts were not permitted to rest 
 in any of the villages along the coast, and finally it 
 was thought prudent to send a police escort to protect 
 them, and they were lodged in Anamabu Castle. At 
 Assafa the few Christians were peremptorily ordered 
 to cease their worship, the pagans telling them 
 they would shortly put a stop to this '' going to 
 school " throughout the country. It was plain that 
 a widespread persecution of the Christians was in- 
 tended. 
 
 Encouraged by the i^opular feeling and led on by 
 the priests of the secret oracle of the grove, Edu 
 continued for tmany weeks to defy the Government, 
 and refused to answer the summons. To prevent a 
 conflict which would j)robably have resulted in blood- 
 shed, some influential natives of Cape Coast begged to 
 
PERILS AND CONQUESTS. 125 
 
 be permitted to try a last effort to persuade the chief 
 to appear at the castle, which happily succeeded. 
 
 At length Edu arrived, accompanied by a large 
 body of armed supporters. He appeared before the 
 governor in the great hall of the castle attended 
 by numerous chiefs and headmen from Cape Coast, 
 Mankessim, and the interior of Fanti. At first, 
 supported by popular clamour, he refused to enter the 
 castle, and demanded that his case should be heard 
 outside the gates. The governor refused to listen to 
 this request, and Edu was obliged to yield. When 
 questioned as to his contemjjt of authority, he retorted 
 by charging the judicial assessor, Mr. Cruikshank, 
 with undue severity, and requested that the whole 
 case between him and the Christians might be re-heard. 
 
 Mr. Freeman, who watched the trial, states that at 
 this stage the whole affair became deeply interesting 
 and exciting. Christianity was now on its trial before 
 the authorities — persons of the greatest influence both 
 European and native. How would it pass the ordeal? 
 
 Twenty-two of the Christian converts were called, 
 and related their persecutions and their losses. It 
 was proved that three only had tresi)assed upon the 
 sacred grove, and they did so without the knowledge of 
 their brethren, who with Kwesi, their aged headman, 
 had reproved them for their folly. It transpired that 
 they had simply cut a strong pole for the more 
 convenient carrying of green withes for a fence — an 
 act which had often been committed with impunity 
 by the pagans living near the grove. 
 
 One stated that he was at work on his farm when 
 some one told him the little village was in flames. 
 On hastening to the scene of destruction he was met 
 by Edu and his band, who questioned him as to 
 whether he was a Christian ; then he was seized, 
 stripped, flogged, and put in irons. 
 
 During the examination many of them stated their 
 reasons for embracing Christianity. Edumadsi, a 
 converted fetish man, was peculiarly interesting. " I 
 
126 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 was a fetish man myself," said lie, " and I understand 
 the secret movements of the fetish men. There is 
 no God who can give or take life save the great 
 Jehovah, who created all things and causes medicine 
 to be provided for the use of man. As to the whole 
 art of the fetish, I was taught it by the priestess 
 Oto Mokama. That I was expert in my jjrofession, 
 those who saw me in my mad career can testify. 
 That there were gods iu the grove at Mankessim 
 I seriously believed." 
 
 He then detailed how his wife had gone to consult 
 the oracle, and had been outraged by the priests. He 
 was thus led to see the folly of their pretensions, and 
 went boldly to the great shrine and accused the 
 priests of their wickedness. After severely upbraiding 
 them he departed, telling them that this had decided 
 him to become a Christian. 
 
 Continuing his narrative, he said : '' From that time 
 the priests knew that I intended to expose them." 
 On returning he passed the house of a brother priest, 
 whom he informed of the treatment he had received 
 from the sacred grove. This man begged him to say 
 nothing of the matter elsewhere, and at once made a 
 pilgrimage to the grove to upbraid the priests for 
 acting so foolishly. They entreated him to act the 
 part of mediator, and offer an apology and any pecuni- 
 ary satisfaction. Anything was better than exposure. 
 '' To these overtures," said Edumadsi, " I would not 
 listen, but started for my village. The name of that 
 friend, who is still alive and in this room, is Kwesi 
 Kuma, and I beg that he may be called upon to say 
 whether I speak truth or falsehood." 
 
 Kwesi Kuma corroborated every })articular. He 
 said he had not yet become a Christian, but that he 
 was so alarmed at the intrigues of his order that he 
 was resolved to give his aid in an entire exposure of 
 the practices with which he himself had been too long 
 connected. He accused the priests of the great oracle 
 of being the cause of Edu resisting the authorities 
 
PERILS AND CONQUESTS. 127 
 
 and bringing the country to the verge of ruin. Pro- 
 ducing great sensation, he declared, too, that since 
 tlieir arrival at Cape Coast they had been plotting the 
 death by poison of three influential persons, whom he 
 mentioned by name. 
 
 Edu, the chief, offered a very weak defence. The 
 governor and council of Europeans, enlightened natives, 
 and pagan chiefs, retired to consult on the case. The 
 former decision of flue and compensation was con- 
 firmed. In addition to this, however, Edu was bound 
 over to obedience to the English Government and to 
 keep the peace with the Christians. As a guarantee 
 of good behaviour he was ordered to lodge in the 
 castle, for the space of three years, fifty ounces of gold 
 dust, value one hundred and eighty pounds sterling. 
 
 After the evidence of Kwesi Kuma in reference to 
 the conspiracy, nearly the whole troop of priests were 
 taken into custody preparatory to a strict investiga- 
 tion. A few days after, the affair was inquired into. 
 
 The case was opened in the great hall, in the 
 presence of Edu and the chiefs. The evidence was 
 clear and convincing. Several of these deceivers con- 
 fessed that their fetish was nothing but their own 
 wicked intrigues and an utter delusion. On account 
 of the great crimes of which they were convicted 
 several were sentenced to be publicly flogged and to 
 work in irons for the space of five years. 
 
 The chiefs were indignant that they had been so 
 long duped, and the evidence clearly showed that their 
 national religion consisted in nothing but the intrigues 
 and villainy of such men as they saw before them. 
 They gave their hearty assent to the punishment ap- 
 pointed. Leaving the castle saddened and excited, they 
 asked : '' What shall we now do when we get rich ? " 
 then adding, as though a hopeful solution had suggested 
 itself, " We had better all go to school together." 
 
 The execution of one part of the sentence on the 
 convicted priests was not long delayed. These un- 
 happy deluders of their countrymen had the measure 
 
128 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN, 
 
 of tlieir disgrace filled np by being publicly flogged 
 before the castle gates for their conspiracy to j^oison 
 certain individuals. On that day the greatest con- 
 tempt was shown for these men by those who till 
 recently believed them to be holy ministers of their 
 most sacred oracle. 
 
 So Christianity came ont of the fire tried and pmified, 
 while the greatest disgrace fell upon the fetishism. 
 The sacred grove, no longer venerated, was regarded as 
 the scene of dark abominations and wicked intrigues ; 
 and eventually it fell under the woodman's axe and 
 was cleared. 
 
 The chief, Edu, returned to Mankessim, dejected 
 and vexed that he had been made the dupe of such 
 men. As usual he went to consult the oracle, and the 
 great Bosum answered out of the darkness as hereto- 
 fore. But the suspicious chief had placed men in 
 ambush, who suddenly pounced upon the sjjot whence 
 the mysterious voice proceeded and captured the 
 speakers, who were no gods, but men no better than 
 the rest of men about him. For the mystery there 
 was no longer respect or fear. The angry chief at 
 once put these priests in irons and kept them prisoners, 
 somewhat gratified that he could bring upon their 
 heads a little of the shame which he had been made 
 to feel in formerly championing their cause. 
 
 This exposure of the fetish clergy known as the 
 Brafo was a heavy blow at the fetish, and was a cir- 
 cumstance of the greatest importance to the spread 
 and establishment of Christianity. There was at once 
 a great desire for the teaching of the gospel on all 
 sides. 
 
 The chief, Edu, became friendly with the Christians, 
 and welcomed the establishment of a school at Man- 
 kessim, supplying fifteen children from his own house- 
 liold as a beginning. 
 
 The fall of the Mankessim Brafo was followed by 
 other incursions upon the fetish. Yamaki, the chief 
 of Aberadzi, near Domonasi, at his own expense built 
 
PERILS AND CONQUESTS. 129 
 
 a little chapel for Christian worship iii his village. 
 To sliow his contempt for the superstitions of liis 
 former clays, he cut down a majestic bombax standing 
 at the entrance to the village, which was regarded as 
 the great fetish-tree. While it was being felled, and 
 as it tumbled to its doom, he addressed it thus : — 
 " Ah, if YOU were a man I would make you refund all 
 the gold dust and fine fat slieep and goats and the 
 rest, which I have in past days lavished upon you." 
 
 Soon, another ancient sect of superstition yielded to 
 the power of the gospel. Freeman's own account of 
 his visit there and to Mankessim is deeply interesting, 
 but too full to be inserted here. Akrodu, a village 
 forty miles in the interior, was noted for a more ancient 
 fetish establishment than even that of Mankessim. 
 Mr. Freeman took his stand under a tree and preached 
 to the fetishmen and the villagers. A few days after, 
 at Anamabu, he held a public baptism service. 
 '' The old fetishman of Akrodu was present ; and 
 when the question was proposed to him, ' Wilt thou 
 then be baptised in this faith ? ' he exclaimed aloud, 
 ^ What ! will I be baptised ? Yes. I want all the 
 water from the vessel poured over me.' " Mr. Freeman 
 remarks, " What an echo of ' Lord, not my feet only, 
 but also my hands and my head ' ! " 
 
 Close upon the trials, to which reference has been 
 niade, a gracious wave of revival swept over the 
 mission. All the stations on the Gold Coast seemed 
 to have been more or less visited. Mr. Freeman was 
 incessant in the glorious toil. At Anamabu he was 
 called upon to receive a number of adults by baptism 
 into the Church. These catechumens had aJl been 
 prepared by a long trial. 
 
 '' They thronged the communion rail all]round four 
 deep^^ says Freeman, '' and I found at the conclusion 
 that 1 had baptised eighty-two adults and eight infants. 
 ... It was indeed a delightful scene to witness 
 
 ' Crowding ranks on every side arise, 
 Demanding life, impatient for the skies ! ' " 
 
 9 
 
I30 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 A notable lovefeast held at Cape Coast in 1852 
 closed up a series of remarlvable meetings. Kwesi, 
 the old grey-headed patriarch from Assafa, with fifty 
 young men from Mankessim, were present. The 
 venerable man spoke of his experience with artless 
 fervour, moving those who knew all the circumstances 
 of his persecution and loss to tears. Then followed 
 a sacramental service, when the crowds were so great 
 that it was ai)proaching eleven o'clock at night before 
 the service concluded. 
 
 Although the people had been thronging the church 
 from five in the morning to that late hour, they were 
 again at the sacred place for the early morning prayer- 
 meeting on Monday at five o'clock ; again at the 
 ordination service of the native minister at eleven 
 o'clock, and still with undiminished interest they 
 crowded in to share in a valedictory service. Mr. 
 Freeman writes as follows : — 
 
 " Thus ended a series of services far exceeding, in 
 deep and powerful interest of the best and holiest kind, 
 anything I have ever witnessed in this 2>art of the 
 wodd." 
 
 Whilst spiritual progress was made, Mr. Freeman 
 did all he could to promote the education of the people 
 in the peaceful arts, which ever follow in the wake of 
 true religion. Governor Hill in a despatch to Earl 
 Grey wrote with approval of the mission under the 
 supervision of Mr. Freeman, and appended a report by 
 him of an industrial agricultural school established at 
 Beulah, about eight miles in the interior from Cape 
 Coast. This report was considered of such importance 
 that it was published as a parliamentary j)aper. 
 
 Some years before, Mr. Freeman had examined with 
 interest the industrial schools of the German mission- 
 aries at Accra, and on a small scale had attempted 
 a similar thing at Domonasi — which prepared the way 
 for the more extensive undertaking at this spot which 
 our missionary called Beulah. The station was 
 intended to serve as a sanitarium for the missionaries 
 
PERILS AND CONQUESTS. 131 
 
 us well us Jill industrial school. It })roved a i)loasaiit 
 resort for the inhabitants of Cape Coast, who freipiently 
 spent a holiday there. The garden was richly stocked 
 with fruits and ])lants of all descriptions, and was 
 exceedingly productive. Had it been more liberally 
 sustained it would eventually have been a source of 
 income to the mission. When the writer became 
 ac(piainted with it its glory had passed away, and it 
 was })erishing from neglect. Nevertheless even then 
 the mission table was well supplied with fruit from 
 this source. The work of cultivation was done by the 
 scholars, assisted by a few labourers, and overlooked 
 by an agent, who also cared for the spiritual needs of 
 the small societies around. 
 
 The house which Freeman built remained to the 
 year 1874, when the Ashanti army comj^leted the 
 wreck. Very little now remains except tangled coffee 
 l^lants, to indicate where once was a beautiful place of 
 resort. On the spot has sprung up a small village, 
 still known as Beulah, an out-station of the (Jape Coast 
 Mission. 
 
LAGOS. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 SUNSHINE AND SHADOW. 
 
 IN 1854 Mr. Freeman made another journey to 
 Dahome}', taking with him Henry Wharton. First 
 they called at Whydah, and here they saw a sight 
 which happily is not a frequent one to-day. When 
 they came to an anchorage in the Whydah Roads 
 they were the unwilling witnesses of a slave ship- 
 ment. By aid of their glasses they saw a number 
 of large canoes skirting the breakers and making 
 rapidly for a spot marked on the beach by a Portuguese 
 flag. Presently a swift slave ship flew by them and 
 anchored just opposite the flag. Then a line of 
 hammocks issued from the sheds on shore, surrounded 
 by a swarm of naked negroes, male and female. 
 Through the telescope they could plainly see the 
 thongs fastened to the necks of these poor helpless 
 slaves as they were driven to the beach for shipment. 
 Six hundred and fifty poor wretches were put on board 
 the ship. Four were drowned from leaping over the 
 side of the canoe on the way to tlie ship, preferring 
 death to slavery in a foreign land. One poor mother 
 
SUNSHINE AND SHADOW. 133 
 
 was torn from her few-days'-old child, notwithstanding 
 her j)iteous ap2)eals. Snch were the horrors of the 
 West African slave trade ! 
 
 By the middle of the day the slave ship had taken 
 in her living freight, and was flying like a gnilty thing 
 before the breeze to a distant land. Mr. Freeman 
 commnnicated the information of what he had wit- 
 nessed to the English Government, which resnlted in 
 a closer watch of these shores, and the strengthening 
 of the West African fleet of gunboats. 
 
 By his watchfulness the ship in which they were 
 travelling was saved from being wrecked. A furious 
 storm blew up, and Mr. Freeman of all the party 
 alone remained on deck. As he peered into the dark- 
 ness he thought they were suspiciously near another 
 ship. Calling up the captain, he discovered that the 
 anchor was dragging, and that they were in danger of 
 being driven ashore. Another anchor was let go to 
 stay the vessel, and thus the danger was averted. 
 
 Mr. Dawson, the native assistant- missionary, and his 
 wife, who had been stationed at Whydah, received and 
 entertained the missionaries as well as they were able. 
 
 They were soon on their way to Dahomey, with the 
 road to which the reader has already become acquainted 
 when Mr. Freeman made his former journey. Gezo 
 received them cordially. Accomimnying the mission- 
 aries were the two girls entrusted to Freeman for educa- 
 tion, who had been baptised Grace and Charity. These 
 were returned safely into the hands of the king, who 
 manifested no sort of gladness. 
 
 After a short stay with the king, with the usual 
 ceremonies and dreadful displays, the missionaries 
 returned to Whydah and up the lagoons to Ahgwey, 
 Little Popo, and right along the beach to Accra. 
 
 Later on in the same year we find him visiting 
 Abeokuta again, where he strengthened the hands of 
 the Christians. At this time, too, he visited Lagos, 
 where some two years before the Wesleyan Missionary 
 Society had begun a mission. 
 
134 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 Our notice of this important place must be brief, 
 to bring it within our present limits. Lagos was a 
 notorious slave-mart. In 1851, with the object of 
 stopping this vile traffic, the Englisli Government sent 
 a consnl to enter into a treaty with Kosoko, the king, 
 a great slave-dealer. For some years Kosoko had been 
 the means of stirring up great strife, and the whole 
 lagoon from Lagos to Badagry had been rendered 
 unsafe by his war-canoes. Kosoko refused to enter 
 into a treaty to put an end to the slave trade, and 
 was therefore removed from his kingly position, and 
 Akitoye, the rightful king, whom he had deposed, 
 reinstated. 
 
 Akitoye had appealed to Britain for help to regain 
 his throne, and promised to suppress slavery. He was 
 taken on board an English ship which entered the 
 river, and after a decisive engagement with Kosoko, 
 who fled, Akitoye was placed on the throne of his 
 fathers. 
 
 On New Year's Day, 1852, this important treaty 
 with England was signed. The king promised to put 
 down the slave trade, abolish human sacrifices, and 
 give i3erfect liberty and protection to Christian mis- 
 sionaries to follow their vocation. A few months after 
 the Wesleyan missionaries entered the place, and have 
 occupied it ever since. Lagos has proved to be, from 
 its peculiar position, the true key to all Yoruba-land. 
 It is but a small island, three miles by two, but it 
 stands at a point of the lagoon where the great water- 
 courses converge and debouch into the sea. 
 
 The history of the establishment of Christianity in 
 this island would read like an exciting romance, and 
 deserves to be told in detail. The beginnings were 
 not encouraging ; the work was hard and the dangers 
 not a few. 
 
 It was to promote the establishment of the work 
 here, and to encourage by his counsel the agents wlio 
 were appointed to this difficult sphere, that Mr. Free- 
 man visited the town in 1854, on his way to Abeokuta. 
 
SUNSHINE AND SnADOW 
 
 135 
 
 As Lao'os o-row in im])ovf,n,nco as a mission station, 
 l>;ulagry waned, till at last it bccanic an nninipoi-tant 
 ont-station. For some years it was iinoceupicul l)y the 
 Wesley an Mission, but more recently the work has 
 Ix^en resumed. 
 
 A LAGOS VILLAGE. 
 
 Wlien Freeman arrived he found Lagos enjoying* a 
 com])arative calm, after terrible strife and civil war. 
 Rival factions had kept the town alive witli their 
 fights, and more than once the missionaries received 
 protection from Englisli gnnboats. At last Kosoko 
 
136 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 had retired, and, for a time at least, had given up the 
 struggle to regain the throne. Akitoye had died sud- 
 denly, and Dosumu, his son, was reigning in his stead. 
 
 The foundation of a mission deep and broad was 
 being laid at this time by the missionaries, and as a 
 result the Lagos Church is one of the most flourishing 
 to-day in West Africa. Mr. Freeman and his com- 
 panion were met by the Euroi)ean missionary Gardiner, 
 stationed at Lagos, and the following day they began 
 special religious services in the little temporary bamboo 
 chapel, which were attended by Christian emigrants 
 from Sierra Leone, school-children and a few natives. 
 King Dosumu and Consul Campbell received him very 
 kindly, whilst the members of the Church rejoiced 
 greatly at his visit. On the Sunday he preached twice 
 to large congregations. A week later, on his return 
 from Abeokuta, December 5th, 1854, he held the first 
 Wesleyan missionary meeting in Lagos. This must 
 have been a service of great interest. The English 
 Consul presided, and the king of Lagos, who was 
 present, surrounded by his chiefs, made a speech and 
 emphasised it by a subscription of five pounds. The 
 collection on the spot amounted to sixty-five pounds. 
 
 The following clay Mr. Freeman met the missionaries 
 and in'incipal leaders of the Church to consult and 
 devise means for the promotion and prosperity of the 
 mission. They projected plans for chapel building 
 and extension generally. Thus he brought to a close 
 his first successful visit to Lagos. 
 
 The journey from Lagos to Abeokuta, which was 
 made in a native canoe up the river Ogun, is well 
 known to the writer of this biography — across the 
 broad expanse of lagoon, through the Agboi Creek, 
 reeking with mangrove swamp slime, and offensive 
 with the scent of alligators. Then into the open river, 
 here and there beautiful with overhanging trees and 
 picturesque windings. All this Mr. Freeman noted. 
 On tlie fourth day he arrived at Abeokuta. 
 
 At Aro he was met by the native minister Bicker- 
 
SUNSHINE AND SHADOW. 137 
 
 steth, and many members of the Church. Shamoye, 
 tlie brother of Sliodeke the great cliief, who liad died 
 some time before, honoured his okl friend, wlio liad 
 spent the day in the Adu Camp witli liim, on liis 
 first visit, by sending ^'a beautiful war-horse gaily 
 caparisoned in Moorish fashion." Visits of ceremony 
 were tlien paid to Sagbua, wlio had succeeded Shodeke 
 as the chief ruler to Shamoye and otliers. 
 
 Shamoye reminded Freeman that on his visit in 
 1842 lie had made choice of a piece of ground for a 
 mission station, and that, although since Shodeke's 
 death others had applied for it, the land had been 
 carefully preserved for him. Freeman was pleased 
 that he had been so well remembered, and said the 
 land should be taken possession of, and the station 
 should be a memorial of the old chief. 
 
 The next few days were filled with services ; there 
 were several baptisms and weddings, and then a well- 
 attended missionary meeting. "After the object of 
 the meeting had been stated, Mr. Bickersteth stood at 
 the communion-rail to take down the names of the 
 subscribers. It was very delightful to see the people 
 . . . leaving their seats and coming up, one after the 
 other, saying, ' Five shillings,' ' Ten shillings,' ' Fifteen 
 shillings,' and so on." 
 
 After a hasty call upon the Church missionary, 
 Henry Townsend, and his wife, and also upon Sagbua, 
 Freeman was once more hurrying back to the 
 coast ; and by poling day and night the canoe-men 
 landed him and his companion at Lagos in two days. 
 A few days after he embarked on the mail steamer 
 for the Gold Coast. 
 
 In the midst of a rebellion at Accra, which imperilled 
 the little Church, and in the face of pagan opposition 
 at Cape Coast and Anamabu, in reference to the 
 (yhristian fishermen prosecuting their calling on the 
 pagan fishermen's sacred day, and yet withal successes 
 in nearly all the stations, Freeman plodded on at his 
 work. 
 
138 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 So successful was he, tliat lie found extensions and 
 enlargements necessaiy, which involved an embar- 
 rassing outlay upon the missionary committee. Then 
 followed a correspondence between Mr. Freeman and 
 the secretaries of the Society which was painful in 
 the extreme to both. Such were the wonderful 
 openings for missionary enterprise, that no good 
 man would willingly do anything to stop a work 
 so manifestly owned of God. Nevertheless, the 
 members of the committee, feeling themselves already 
 so heavily involved, thought it prudent to inform 
 this ardent servant of God that the expenditure 
 must necessarily be lessened. Such a huge piece 
 of machinery had been set in motion, however, that 
 it was not possible all at once to cut off supplies on 
 the coast or in the interior. 
 
 Retrenchment, painful as it might be to the 
 committee, was much more so to the devoted mis- 
 sionary who had sacrificed so much and laboured so 
 unsparingly. He felt that other hands should lower 
 the flag, for he was reluctant to show any signs of 
 retreat. 
 
 The painful correspondence culminatedin the appoint- 
 ment, by the committee, of the admirable Eev. Daniel 
 West as a delegate to inquire into the condition of the 
 Gold Coast mission, financial and otherwise. He, with 
 the Rev. William West, who was appointed financial 
 secretary to the mission, arrived at Cape Coast at tlie 
 end of the year 185G. 
 
 Daniel West spent about four months in the country, 
 personally inspecting as much of the mission as was 
 possible, even mailing a journey to Lagos and Abeokuta. 
 Mr. Freeman was delighted with the intercourse lie 
 had with him, accomi)anying him in all his journeys 
 and giving every facility for a clear understanding of 
 the condition of things. This able and devoted 
 minister never reached England to report to the 
 committee what he had seen, but died at the Gambia 
 on February 24th, 1857. Mr. Freeman was of opinion 
 
SUNSHINE AND SHADOW. 139 
 
 that had lie been al)lo to present his report in person 
 to tlie committee, tlie subsequent results Avonld liav(; 
 been difl'erent. 
 
 Mr. Freeman was now relieved of the ])urden of 
 the finances by the Rev. William AVest, who liad been 
 a])])()inted secretary, and soon after he was su})erseded 
 by him as the general superintendent of tlie mission. 
 Then conditions were proposed which Mr. Freeman 
 found he could not comply with ; and the friction 
 was so painful that he reluctantly severed his connec- 
 tion with the Wesleyan Missionary Society. 
 
 During his twenty years' continuous service Mr. 
 Freeman had been incessant in his labours to spread 
 the gospel. Such had been his success that the Coast 
 had been dotted with stations from Dixcove to 
 Lagos, a distance of three hundred miles. He had 
 borne the gospel to Ashanti, Dahomey, and Yoruba, 
 and hundreds of heathen had been won to Christ as 
 the seal to his ministry. 
 
 Mr. Freeman retired to Accra with his wife, a 
 native of the Gold Coast and the mother of his 
 children. Though, for a time, he was severed from 
 the ministry of the Wesleyan Church, he still took 
 the deepest interest in the mission, and frequently 
 filled the pulpit, and served its interests in other 
 useful ways. 
 
 The Colonial Government was glad to avail itself 
 of Mr. Freeman's experience and knowledge of the 
 country and the people, and employed him on delicate 
 political embassies to tribes in the interior, and freely 
 consulted him on matters of importance. 
 
 He was free now also to put to a practical test what 
 he had from the beginning believed an important 
 means of civilisation. He secured a large tract of 
 land within the bend of the river, some eight miles 
 interior from Accra. Here he cultivated fruits and 
 vegetables to jierfection, and sup])lied the Europeans 
 and others at Accra. He thus fornied another 
 Benlah, which it is to be hoped will not suffer the 
 
I40 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 same fate through neglect as the gardens near Cape 
 Coast. 
 
 He not only gave himself to these agricultural 
 pursuits, but went to considerable pains, in the 
 interests of science, to procure rare and valuable 
 species of orchids from the forests. For many 
 years he corresponded with the authorities at Kew, 
 and supplied not only rare specimens of plants but 
 also useful information. Thus the years went on, 
 and Mr. Freeman became increasingly respected, 
 especially by the community at Accra, with whom 
 he was brought more frequently into contact ; for 
 his social qualities were of the highest order. He 
 was a most interesting companion. On this estate 
 he built a house, in which the writer has had the 
 23leasure of visiting him. Here, and in the town of 
 Accra, his family grew up about him. 
 
 It was well, perhaps, that such an ardent nature 
 should have a time of quiet rest. This interval 
 extended over sixteen years, and the writer feels it to 
 be one of the honours of his life that he had a part 
 in persuading Mr. Freeman to resume the duties of 
 an active missionary life. 
 
 In the year 1873 he returned to the Mission, and 
 received a hearty welcome by all the missionaries 
 engaged on the Gold Coast under the auspices of the 
 Wesleyan Missionary Society. He was appointed at 
 once to take charge of the now important mission at 
 Anamabu, and entered with his usual ardour upon the 
 work he knew so well how to do. As the reader 
 will know, he was upon familiar ground, and under 
 his fostering care the cause marvellously prospered. 
 

 INTERIOR OF THE CASTLE, CAPE COAST. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 GATHEEING IN THE SHEAVES. 
 
 SOON after Mr. Freeman's return to the work of 
 the ministry the threatened invasion of Fanti 
 by the warlike Ashantis became a dreadful reality. 
 The invading hordes drew very near to Cape Coast 
 and other coast towns ; and to avert a worse calamity 
 it was needful to seek aid from England. Sir Garnet 
 Wolseley was sent out by the English Government, 
 and led his little army of Englishmen and native con- 
 tingents against the fierce foe, driving them gradually 
 back until he had to recross the Bosum Prah. The 
 victorious General followed up his successes by enter- 
 ing Coomassie and leaving it in ruins. Sir Garnet 
 obtained the permission of the AVesleyan Missionary 
 Society to secure the services of Mr. Freeman for a 
 time, as no one was so well able to furnish informa- 
 tion such as the General needed. As soon as possible 
 Freeman was happily released from a duty that could not 
 be pleasant, and which was likely to compromise him. 
 A fearful scourge of small-pox had ravaged the 
 141 
 
142 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 Gold (Joast a few years previously, and now the 
 country was suffering from the awful scourge of war. 
 These terrible calamities had the effect of chasten- 
 ing the people, and doubtless prepared the way for 
 a gracious work in which our friend took a prominent 
 part. He had lived to gather some of the precious 
 fruit and to rejoice as men do in harvest. We con- 
 dense from his own report the blessed experiences which 
 he records in detail between the years 1876 and 1877. 
 
 Early in October 1875 he visited Kuntu, an out- 
 station of Anamabu, where he found the Christians 
 greatly quickened and in great spiritual expectancy. 
 During his preaching the people were deeply moved and 
 cried aloud. As they knelt penitently at the com- 
 munion rail many trembled exceedingly, and clutched 
 the rail to prevent their falling, such was their deej) 
 emotion. A few days after, at Anamabu, he adminis- 
 tered the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper to three 
 hundred communicants. In the same month he 
 visited Cape Coast and joined the excellent native 
 minister, Andrew W. Parker, in conducting a special 
 prayer-meeting for penitents. Such was the gracious 
 influence resting upon the people that cries for mercy 
 resounded through the schoolroom. Many found the 
 peace they sought, while the remaining penitents 
 adjourned to the house of one of the leaders and 
 continued all night in earnest prayer. 
 
 At Salt Pond, which was such hard soil to break in 
 his earlier days, he preached to a crowded congregation 
 in a large sanctuary, and administered the Sacrament 
 of the Lord's Suj)per to a church full of members. 
 At the after meeting the same wonderful scenes were 
 repeated, and many penitents sought Divine favour. 
 At Accra he ministered to another crowded congre- 
 gation, and at the close desired those who were not 
 members to leave, as he would give the Lord's Supper 
 to those alone. None moved, and he was sur])rised to 
 find every one in the over-filled church a member. 
 
 At Elmina, in company with the Rev. George 
 
GATHERING IN THE SHEAVES. 143 
 
 Dyer, who had recently arrived from Enghmd, and the 
 native ministers Messrs. Lain"; and Parker, lie held 
 a notable service. The chapel was thronged, whilst 
 others pressed ronnd the open door and windows. 
 Mr. Freeman adds : " There was a gracions in- 
 flnonce resting on the congregation. We invited 
 penitents to the commnnion rail, to which they came 
 in crowds. Tlien the Blessed Spirit brooded over lis, 
 and we had a fine revival-meeting. Scores of the 
 congregation were in tears and crying for mercy, and 
 many Ibniid peace and joy in believing." Such a 
 meeting had never been known in Elmina. 
 
 At Anamabu again he called npon the peoi)le to 
 rei)ent, and then reproached himself for his weakness 
 of faith. Here is the touching entry in his journal : 
 " Oh, for more cliild-like confidence in God, that He will 
 endue me with greater nnction, and with a tongue 
 of fire ! Then 1 may hope to be a more successful 
 preacher of the glorious gosi)el. I never leave the 
 ])ulpit without a feeling of dissatisfaction with myself. 
 That feeling is ever i)resent, but at certain times 
 painfully intense, — Lord, help me ; Lord, save me ! " 
 At Great Kormantine the people " cried mightily to 
 the Lord for salvation." Leaving the chapel he 
 ])reaclied to the fisliermen in the open air, " who were 
 moved by the great truths declared; " and subsequently 
 he " repaired to the chapel to perform marriage cere- 
 monies. Three couples were to be married ; but 1 
 had to wait some time, as one of the young brides- 
 elect had fallen insensible on the floor under the 
 hallowed fervour of the morning prayer-meeting, and 
 there was some delay occasioned thereby in her being 
 made ready for the marriage." 
 
 Such were the multitudes now attending divine 
 worship at Cape Coast that Mr. Freeman consulted with 
 the trustees of Wesley Church as to its enlargement. 
 They decided that the boys' school should be fitted up 
 as a chapel-of-ease. He immediately made arrange- 
 ments for commencing operations. Whilst thus 
 
144 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 engaged at Caj^e Coast he received letters from bis 
 wife, who remained at Anamabu. Tbe extracts are 
 simple and touching, and prove her deep interest in 
 the spiritual work that was progressing. " Please 
 tr}^ and come down again, because yesterday our 
 congregation at the chapel was very much people. 
 Many had to sit outside : it is very wonderful. I have 
 never seen anything like this at any time." A few 
 days after she wrote again : " I like very much that 
 you will eome down. On Monday evening the con- 
 gregation was the same as on Sundays. While one 
 girl was praying and crying all that were in the chapel 
 trembled. I hope that you will come down and see 
 these wonderful things, and say something to encourage 
 and strengthen their hearts." Still another letter 
 says : " One of our sisters reports that, as she was just 
 now passing along the street she met a group of about 
 twelve heathen people, men and women, from the 
 fishermen's quarter of the town, who were saying : 
 ' We will go to chapel to be Christians ; we will go 
 to give ourselves to God omnipotent.' " Then followed 
 a series of remarkable services at Anamabu, where he 
 was driven to do as was being done at Cape Coast — 
 fit up the schoolroom as a chapel-of-ease to accom- 
 modate the crowds that came. 
 
 Early in December of the same year, 1875, he 
 visited Salt Pond again. The candidates for baptism 
 were so numerous that he had to remove to the shade 
 of some banyan trees and there perform the ceremony. 
 " The candidates occupied a line of benches extem- 
 porised for the occasion, forty-seven paces in length. 
 The scene was beautiful and imposing." 
 
 Returning the same day to Anamabu the congrega- 
 tion was " overwhelming," and he had to repeat the 
 Salt Pond experiment. '^ Two hundred and twelve 
 candidates received baptism in the presence of assem- 
 bled hundreds." That day he had received into the 
 Church by baptism some three hundred souls. His 
 brief description of the watch-night service on the last 
 
146 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 night of the year 1875 at Aiiamabu is worth recording. 
 " A crowded congregation and a blessed influence. I 
 preached from 1 Kings xx. 39, 40. At midnight a 
 mighty influence rested on the congregation. Stifled 
 sobs soon rose into loud cries all over the chapel. 
 Oh, what a scene ! At length I succeeded in giving 
 out and raising the hymn, ' Sing to the great Jehovah's 
 praise.' We sang it through, but in the midst of cries 
 and tears strangely mingled with the harmony. At 
 12.30 the meeting closed, but the people would not 
 leave the chapel. They had a special prayer-meeting 
 conducted by the leaders, kept up till 3.30 a.m." 
 
 On the first Sunday of the year 1876 the Church at 
 Anamabu joined, in accordance with Methodist custom, 
 in a solemn covenant service ; and Mr. Freeman notes 
 that there were about five hundred communicants at 
 the Lord's Sui3per. 
 
 There were many extraordinary cases, which might 
 rank with some recorded in John Wesley's journals. 
 We give his description of one case — and there were 
 many of a similar character — which occurred at 
 Anamabu at the service for receiving adults into the 
 Church by public baptism. "One female adult was 
 much excited at the communion rail, first trembling 
 violently, and at length breaking out into loud cries as 
 though under intense bodily or mental sufteriug. She 
 seemed to lose her powers of volition, and had to be 
 taken out of the chapel by some of her friends who 
 were present." 
 
 He expresses his opinion of such cases which may 
 be of interest to some. " In these cases of extraordinary 
 excitement I see nothing acted fwid unreal on the part 
 of any who seem thus to sufi'er. I look upon such 
 experiences as purely physico-mental, and as arising 
 out of the intensity of religious feeling acting upon 
 the brain, and upon the entire physical system." 
 
 On Jauuary 20th he went to Assafa and married 
 five couples. " Then under the shade of some banyan 
 trees . . . baptised two hundred and sixty adults and 
 
GATHERING IN THE SHEAVES. 147 
 
 children. . . . There were many children and infants, 
 as the new converts who were heads of families, 
 coming themselves for baptism, bronglit tlieir children 
 with them and offered them to the Lord. Thns whole 
 honseholds were baptised." 
 
 Among some later candidates for baptism was ^' the 
 head of a pagan family, very recently remarkable for 
 an nnnsnally extravagant drinking festival in cnstom- 
 making for the dead. They consumed one puncheon 
 of rum and commenced another, besides ale, wine, and 
 other intoxicants. These are the blessed changes now 
 effected by the operations of the Holy Spirit. Glory 
 to God ! " 
 
 Later on he organised an extraordinary camp meet- 
 ing at Great Kormantine, which was the first service 
 of the kind ever held on the Gold Coast. Slight 
 booths were erected for the people who came from the 
 villages round. The Christians brought cooked food, 
 so that no time might be wasted. Before daylight on 
 Sunday, April 9th, 1876, the Christians came flocking 
 into the village, and by ten o'clock a thousand persons 
 were present, who joined in public worship. " When 
 the service closed, the congregation dispersed to take 
 breakfast in groups under the shade of clumps of 
 cocoanut trees. That being over, several larger groups 
 collected for exhortation, prayer and praise. This was 
 a beautiful scene, the culminating point of the day. 
 Over an extent of ground of three or four hundred 
 yards square, dotted with clumps of cocoanut palms, 
 ill every direction the voice of prayer and praise was 
 heard, while others were walking about in the open 
 spaces engaged in earnest Christian conversation. In 
 tlie afternoon a lovefeast was held, at which there 
 must have been fifteen hundred people present." 
 
 At Mankessim, near the site of the grove of the 
 sacred oracle, Mr. Freeman was obliged to move 
 from the chapel to the shade of some trees for the 
 baptism of the numerous catechumens. The record he 
 makes is most encouraging, considering that this was 
 
148 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 formerly the stronghold of fetishism. " This was, 
 upon the whole, the most extraordinary and affecting 
 baptismal service I have ever witnessed. It cannot 
 fail to make a deep impression on the pagans of the 
 town, many of whom were gathered in observant 
 groups near at hand." 
 
 In September of the same year another camp meet- 
 ing was held at Great Kormantine, when the people 
 gathered in greater numbers than before. Mr. Free- 
 man estimates that there were two thousand people 
 present. There were similar scenes to those before 
 described, and gracious influence rested upon the multi- 
 tude. 
 
 At the end of the year 1877 it was found that no 
 less than three thousand persons had been added to 
 the Church, and Mr. Freeman himself had baptised 
 fifteen hundred persons. These, added to the baptisms 
 of the previous year, showed an increase of some four 
 thousand five hundred, and still the gracious revival 
 continued. No wonder that the missionaries, when 
 assembled at their annual gathering, '' started to their 
 feet as one man, and with moistened eyes sang the 
 doxology " ! 
 
 Mr. Freeman was a true bishop, and watched the 
 flock with tender solicitude. We flnd him holding 
 conventions with the leaders, and advising them how 
 to act in various phases of the revival in progress. 
 Lest the people should come to view loud cries and 
 tremblings as a necessary part, or as adjuncts to con- 
 version, he exhorted them to guard carefully against 
 all unnecessary excitement. Thus he went from 
 village to village, and the scenes were the same 
 everywhere. Here and there whole villages deserted 
 their idols to serve the living God, and Mr. Freeman's 
 heart was very full of thanksgiving that he had been 
 permitted in his old age to see such a gracious " Pente- 
 cost." 
 
 Another camp meeting was held in the same place 
 as the previous ones in the year 1878. In addition to 
 
GATHERING IN THE SHEAVES. 149 
 
 other services a moonlight prayer-meeting was held 
 mider the palm trees, followed by a lovefeast. '' As 
 speaker after speaker told of the wonders of redeeming 
 love displayed to them, the assembly rose in the 
 briglit moonlight and sang doxology after doxology." 
 The most remarkable testimony came from a recent 
 convert. It was as follows :— 
 
 " Under the moonlight you do not see me clearly. 
 If you could })lainly see my face, you would see what 
 an ill-looking, worthless fellow 1 am. My father was 
 a fetish man and my mother a fetisli woman, and 
 I used to be their drummer. If any one had said to 
 me at that time that I should by-and-by become 
 a Christian, I should have angrily said to him, ' You 
 are a liar ! ' Nevertheless the change has come ; a 
 good and a blessed one, and Jesus has done it all." 
 
 Mr. Freeman remarks : '' It may be deemed im- 
 l)ortant to notice that the extraordinary success of tlie 
 camp meetings m feeding the revival has been their 
 suitableness to the national genius of the people. In 
 their pagan life they are accustomed to frequent and 
 extensive gatherings in their occasional and annual 
 customs. Thus the national habits have been utilised 
 to promote the spread of the gospel, and to uplift the 
 Church of Christ into a higher atmosphere of Christian 
 life." 
 
 Then followed the usual weeding ; but much true 
 wheat remained, and within those three or four years 
 between four and five thousand believers were added 
 to the Church of God, to testify to the spiritual ])Ower 
 of this wonderful revival. 
 
MISSION HOUSE, LAGOS. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 JUBILEE AND GLORY. 
 
 AFTER six years of coiitiinioiis labour at Aiiamabu 
 and the villages around, " Father " Freeman, as he 
 was now affectionately known to his colleagues in the 
 work, was appointed to take charge of the mission at 
 Accra, which embraced not only this important centre, 
 but a great number of small towns and villages reach- 
 ing to Winnebah on the west, to the Volta on the 
 east, and to some distance over the Akwapim hills in 
 the interior. He entered upon his work here in 1879 
 with his wonted ardour, and was privileged to see great 
 success. 
 
 In 1881 he received fifty -two persons into the 
 privilege of Church membership. Two-thirds of them 
 had been won from paganism. He had then under 
 instruction for baptism a woman who had abandoned 
 her hereditary calling. She had received special 
 training, but refused initiation into the mysteries of 
 the fetish priesthood, which would have brought her 
 
 150 
 
JUBILEE AND GLORY. 151 
 
 great gain. In 1883 he met with nnprecedented 
 snccess at Accra. He had formed evangelistic bands, 
 which were doing a good work, and re])orted tlic con- 
 version of an Ashanti prince from Jnahiii, named 
 Akympon, who had become an nnpaid evangelist. 
 
 In 1884 the writer of tliis biogra])hy was reqnested 
 by the committee of the Wesleyan Missionary Society 
 to visit his old mission with a view to the settlement 
 of certain dillicnlties which had arisen. At his special 
 request Father Freeman was associated with him in 
 this im2)ortant undertaking. He readily accepted the 
 trying duties that were likely to be imposed upon 
 him, and joined the author on board ship at Accra. 
 During this year his health had broken down, and 
 the change did much to recruit and invigorate hhn. 
 
 For several weeks we were in closest association. 
 We journeyed to Lagos together, and there he dis- 
 played his mature judgment in the settlement of the 
 difficulties which had arisen. The greatest reverence 
 was shown to the veteran, and the people listened 
 with the deepest interest to his public utterances. 
 There were a few old people in the town who 
 remembered his former visits, and they were specially 
 delighted to greet the man who had introduced the 
 mission. 
 
 On our return from Lagos, early in the year 1885, 
 we had the pleasure of sitting together at Cape Coast 
 with the ministers in charge of the various stations of 
 the Gold Coast. It was the annual Synod, when all 
 reports were received for the year and arrangements 
 made for the following year's Avork. Be it remem- 
 bered, too, that this was the actual jubilee year of 
 the mission. The meeting was therefore of unusual 
 importance. To the experienced missionary, the 
 composition of the Synod was suggestive of the 
 wonderfnl work accomplished in the half-century. 
 The European element was very small, but there were 
 fourteen native ministers, choice men, who joined in 
 the counsels and gave cheering reports from their 
 
152 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 various stations. Eacli one of these men represented 
 the centre of an organisation, inclnded in wticli were 
 scores of other native agents, paid and unpaid, all 
 diligently carryiDg on the work of God. One man 
 had come from Bekwai, a province of Ashanti ; another 
 had come from Apollonia, to the east of the Gold Coast, 
 who could tell us of the new gold mines in Takwa ; 
 another from Anamabu and from Winnebah ; and 
 Father Freeman, as the reader knows, from Accra. 
 
 By special permission there were also present the 
 Juabin chief Akympon, and Frimpon his brother. 
 They had come to plead with the Synod on behalf of 
 a colony of Juabins who had settled behind the Accra 
 hills. Such a plea as they presented could not be 
 resisted, and though the finances were extremely 
 limited, it was decided that an agent should be sent 
 to their help. That night the old Wesley Church 
 was more than crowded for the annual missionary 
 meeting. The open doors and windows were full of 
 eager listeners. The spacious platform contained all 
 the ministers, and as speaker after speaker told the 
 story of his mission the enthusiasm was such as the 
 author has never witnessed elsewhere. The culmi- 
 nation was reached when Akympon, with his brother 
 Frimpon by his side, spoke and appealed for a mission- 
 ary and " The Book." The grace and force of his 
 appeal made his plea irresistible, and spoke volumes 
 to us who knew the long years of bitter hatred and 
 strife which had existed between the Ashanti and the 
 Fanti. Mr. Freeman was delighted with the appoint- 
 ment of a devoted native minister to this station, 
 (which continues to this day), especially as he had 
 taken the deepest interest in the chief, who was a 
 member of his church at Accra. 
 
 This Synod also made arrangements for a suitable 
 celebration of the jubilee of the Gold Coast mission 
 throughout the length and breadth of the now exten- 
 sive district. As part of the rejoicings, the native 
 Church proposed to send Father Freeman on a visit 
 
father" freeman. 
 
154 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 to England at their own expense. Of this offer he 
 never availed himself, hesitating very much from the 
 fear of the English climate. 
 
 These gracions jnbilee services began at Cape 
 Coast on Snnday, February 1st, 1885, and produced 
 immense enthnsiasm. The Rev. W. Terry Coppin 
 furnislied a brief account, which was published in the 
 English papers. As early as three o'clock in the 
 morning the spacious church was full of earnest 
 l)loaders with God, and the j^rayer-meeting continued 
 till day-dawn. Then at seven o'clock a native minister 
 ])reached. Calico awnings were placed along each side 
 of the church, to protect the people who could find no 
 room within from the fierce heat of the sun. The first 
 English service of the day, however, was that con- 
 ducted by Father Freeman at half-past ten. The 
 patriarch of seventy-six chose the appropriate i)assage 
 from the blessing of the dying Jacob uttered upon 
 his beloved Joseph. " The blessings of thy fathers 
 have prevailed above (exceeded) the blessings of my 
 progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting 
 hills." The old man with great energy and eloquence 
 drew upon his rich experience, contrasting the past 
 with the present. 
 
 Who could have preached so well from such a text 
 to this people ? It was he who had completed the 
 building of the revered sanctuary in which they were 
 assembled, and his missionary life among them had 
 covered nearly the whole period of fifty years. He 
 had been the chief human agent in extending the 
 work from one end of the district to the other. The 
 old father pi-eachiiig the jubilee sermon was as com- 
 plete a finish to the marvellous record of fifty years 
 as any historian could wish. 
 
 The two following days were devoted to i)ublic 
 thanksgiving meetings. Mr. Coppin Avrites : " After 
 a short introductory address . . . remarkable experi- 
 ences and some equally remarkable gifts followed. 
 Ministers and laymen followed one another in joyous 
 
JUBILEE AND GLORY. 155 
 
 haste, promising amonnts varying from five to fifty 
 guineas. Then came the largest offering of the day 
 — one hundred guineas from a young native mer- 
 chant whom God had prospered in business." After 
 a short recess, they reasseml)le(l with increased 
 entliusiasm. Two or three at a time wer(> upon their 
 feet to speak of God's love and mercy to tlicm and to 
 subscribe their amounts. Mr. Coppin adds : " I was 
 greatly touched by a statement from an aged woman : 
 ' I am nothing, 1 have notliing, I can do little else 
 tluxn nothing." Yet I cannot sit here and see and liear 
 otliers giving their offerings to God and remain silent. 
 With myself and children I will try and get a guinea : 
 please jmt my name down ! ' Many a widow's mite 
 after this manner has gone into the Lord's treasury 
 to-day. . . . One old lady said she was associated 
 with ''those who first invited Captain Potter to bring 
 tliem a missionary. She alone was left of her female 
 friends who joined to welcome Mr. Dunwell. . . . 
 Then the work was very poor and hard, and she 
 marvelled to see it spread as it is doing now. Aged 
 and poor, she possessed very little, but she would try 
 and get a pound as her offering. . . . The people 
 seemed as if they could not do enough. . . . Better 
 than all, many heathen present publicly renounced 
 heathenism. 
 
 " When a young native minister announced that lie 
 had that evening walked arm-in-arm to the church 
 with the chief of an obscene dancing club called 
 * Ganga,' and that the young man had renounced his 
 sinfuf life, giving himself to C'hrist and His service 
 as a mission agent, the emotion which moved the 
 congregation was most intense. Si)Outaneously the 
 large assembly rose and sang the doxology with a 
 pathos and power very blessed. . . . Four members 
 of the ' Ganga Club ' sent a letter stating they had 
 severed themselves from it, had given themselves 
 to God, and sent twelve guineas as a subscription to 
 the Jubilee Fund." 
 
156 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 Another letter ran as follows : — " Fetisli men and 
 women live in our house, but I find no Saviour in 
 them, so I give myself to Jesus and send my present 
 of thirty shillings." 
 
 Old Father Freeman, with others, gave suitable 
 addresses, bringing the remarkable series of services 
 to a close. 
 
 The enthusiasm spread throughout the district. At 
 Accra Mr. Freeman did his utmost with his usual 
 ardour to jDromote the interests of the jubilee 
 celebration. In a letter which the author has now 
 before him, Mr. Freeman states that the people of 
 his circuit had promised £2,920 towards this fund, 
 which was to be appropriated to the extension and 
 maintenance of the work of God in the country. 
 
 The meetings in connection with this jubilee 
 celebration, whether the finances were helped or not, 
 were productive of deep sj^iritual feelings, and did 
 immense good. In them all tliere was no happier 
 man than our dear friend, the story of whose life we 
 have tried to relate. 
 
 Mr. Freeman continued in active native work till the 
 year 1886, when the earnest labourer reluctantly stepped 
 aside to rest. He would have i)referred carrying on 
 his holy toil, taking his full share of responsibility ; 
 but yielding to advice, he became a supernumerary 
 minister in the midst of his own people at Accra. He 
 found it necessary to supplement his allowance by 
 again resorting to his garden. So his time passed, in 
 the performance of such duties as he could perform 
 and in occasional preaching, and down to the last 
 taking the deepest interest in the Christian work all 
 about him. 
 
 Then came frequent i)hysical ailments ; and his 
 eldest son fitted up a house for his father, where the 
 patriarch dwelt in greater comfort. On the arrival 
 of the European missionary Price, Mr. Freeman went 
 to the church to hear him preach. The result was 
 that he caught cold, and his friends thought the 
 
JUBILEE AND GLORY. 157 
 
 end had come. God spared liim, however, a little 
 longer. 
 
 Again in the following May he was taken seriously 
 ill, when he was removed to the mission honse, and 
 subsequently rallied. His eldest son, who has furnished 
 the writer with these particulars, states : '' About a 
 fortnight after his removal he began to mend, was 
 able to sit in his armchan* in his dressing-gown, and 
 even answered some letters received just before liis 
 illness. He got me to trim his hair. He looked fresh, 
 and walked up and down the verandah ; on my arm at 
 first, and afterwards without tliat aid. He incpiired 
 when his next appointment would be due, witli a view 
 to prepare a sermon for it. We all were looking for- 
 ward to the time, which did not seem far distant . . . 
 of welcoming him home once more." 
 
 '' But that was not to be, for on August 0th he had 
 an attack of influenza, . . . which brought on a 
 relapse. The complaint itself, an affection of the 
 kidneys, had been checked . . . but the fever had 
 so exhausted his strength that there remained little 
 rallying power. 
 
 " The doctor told me," continues his son in the 
 letter, ^ A¥e are fighting, not so much against disease 
 as against old age.' " The son watched by his father's 
 bed. On the morning of August 9th he replied, in 
 answer to his son's incpiiries, " I think I am better, bat 
 very tired." The letter continues : " On that day the 
 doctor told us that he would not recover, and that the 
 heart was failing in its action. He could only utter a 
 word at a time, and was constantly calling me, but 
 only took my hand for a time and dropped it. 
 
 " As I was conversing with him the day before tlie 
 fatal relapse, he directed my attention to several pas- 
 sages that seem to favour the idea of our Lord's 
 second coming as a near event. ... He believed him- 
 self very near it, and was in daily expectation of being 
 caught up to meet the Lord in the air. He said he 
 was like a little bird with wing ready raised for flight. 
 
158 THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 When the doctor gave him up on the Saturday I 
 asked him : ' Haven't you anythius; to say to us, 
 papa ? ' He seemed to be musing. I inquired : 
 ' Nothing more than what you said to me on Wednes- 
 day ? ' He brightened up and shook his head." 
 
 " One of the last entries he made in his journal is : 
 ^ Mr. Parker's text was from a very familiar chapter 
 of mine, John xvii. 24, " Father, I will that they also, 
 whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am," etc. 
 dear and blessed Jesus, this is what I daily feel ! 
 Nothing can satisfy me but seeing Thee in Thy glory. 
 Oh, when wilt Thou bow the heavens and come 
 down?'" 
 
 " At the last family prayer he joined in, he gave 
 out the hymn beginning, ' Now I have found the 
 ground,' etc., throwing much pathos into the fifth verse, 
 repeating the last line and adding, ' Amen.' 
 
 '' ' Though waves and storms go o'er my head, 
 
 Though strength, and health, and friends be gone, 
 Though joys be withered all and dead, 
 Though every comfort be withdrawn, 
 On this my steadfast soul relies, — 
 Father, Thy mercy never dies.' 
 
 " He was thus ready, with his loins girt, often 
 exclaiming, ^ Amen, come, Lord Jesus ! ' And though 
 he was not actually caught up alive to meet the Lord 
 in the air, his departure can hardly be called death. 
 On the last day he was quite free from pain, and slept 
 a good deal. Li his waking moments he looked 
 tenderly on us." 
 
 The hours i^assed away, and the veteran slept peace- 
 fully till ten o'clock at night on August 11th, 1890, 
 when without " knowing death " he passed away home 
 to God. His son, who watched his dying father, 
 writes : " There was no struggle, no groan, no sigh ; but 
 gently and gradually the pulse beat slower and slower 
 . . . and life ebbed out and the spirit was ^ safe in 
 the arms of Jesus,' So gradual was the transition, and 
 
JUBILEE AND GLORY. 159 
 
 SO gentle, SO soft, so restful, was the last slumber, that 
 neither mother nor myself could perceive the exact 
 [)oint of time when the altogether imperceptible change 
 took place, thougli watching so closely." 
 
 Many went to view the body of this servant of God 
 as it lay in tlie mission-house, and on August 13th thc^ 
 remains were taken to the Weslevan ChurcJi, where he 
 had so often held fortli the Word of Life. The Revs. 
 T. J. Price and S. B. Solomon conducted the former 
 })art of the funeral service. A vast crowd followed 
 liis remains to tlie grave in the AVesleyan Cemetery, 
 where the Rev. D. G. AVilliams, M.A., of the Anglican 
 I'^piscopalian (/hurcli, concluded the service. The 
 native minister, Phinge, who had wept like a cliild at 
 the loss of one with whom he had been associated for so 
 many years, between his sobs gave an address ; whilst 
 the Rev. Carl Reiudorpt, of the German mission, also 
 testified to the love and respect in wliicli he was 
 held. 
 
 At the same hour a memorial service was held at 
 Ca})e Coast. The following week, at another service, 
 many were glad to bear testimony to tJieir great love 
 of the departed by raising a subscription, forty pounds 
 of which were sent to the widow. The remaiucler was 
 kept to raise a suitable memorial to be placed within 
 the church at ('ape (Joast, which Mr. Freeman had 
 been so instrumental in building. 
 
 The testimony of his brethren, as embodied in the 
 official obituary, is as follows : — " Mr. Freeman was a 
 true missionary, loved and respected by all. His 
 mellowed piety, patience, resignation and humility, 
 were characteristic. He served his Church faitlifully, 
 and, as his reward, gained the reverent love of all tlie 
 people of the Gold Coast." 
 
 A few more such ardent souls, and the wastes of 
 Africa shall be won for Christ. "The desert shall 
 rejoice and blossom as the rose," and the continent, 
 cursed by the cupidity of man, shall smile with the bene- 
 diction of the Gracious Saviour, whose loyal servant 
 
i6o THOMAS BIRCH FREEMAN. 
 
 our missionary was. He was in the habit of saying, in 
 reference to his enjoyment of tropical heat and bright- 
 ness, " I am a child of the sun," and we know that he 
 loved his adopted country with greater affection than 
 that of a patriot. The whole Church may well be 
 thankful for such men, and that section of it to which 
 he specially belonged has a right to be proud of such 
 a representative. And surely those whose inheritance 
 it is to bear the banner so nobly unfurled by this 
 loyal soldier of Christ will not linger along the path. 
 Let the Church be but faithful in encouraging and 
 sustaining the Christlike enterprise, and many more 
 apostolic men like Thomas Birch Freeman will be 
 found willing to seek the redemption of Africa. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 Printed by Haxell, Watson, <Si Yiuey, Ld., London and Aylesb'.uy 
 
^/ 
 
DATE DUE 
 
 ^ 
 
 VM.. 
 
 ^^^_ 
 
 HIGHSMITH #45230 
 
 'W^ 
 
Theological Semmary-Speer Library 
 
 1 1012 01039 7893