At the turn of the 20th century, my great-great-grandfather Edwin Layton was a pioneer medical missionary to the Congo (then under Belgian rule, referred to as the Belgian Congo). That’s him on the upper right of below newspaper article, Chicago Sunday Tribune April 10, 1904. My grandpa’s sister is the baby. Here are some excerpts from his diary memoirs, written this very month 109 years ago (August 1902):
‘For fifteen years, the work had its “ups and downs” – mostly “downs” … it was a dark hour … We hope for a spiritual awakening but we must ‘learn to labor and wait’ [August 8th letter to mission society]
“… The outlook is indeed hopeful.” [August 29th] “… To us, the present condition and outlooks is exceedingly hopeful. For the past 6 months … there has been a growing interest in our meetings …”
[How did it start? An earlier letter to the Mission Society explained]
“… Turning from this dark picture, however, there are some visible results of the work here which seem like light amid darkness. The life and labors of a boy called “Josefa” is an example. His name is appropriate for, as a child, he was sold into slavery and carried to foreign parts of the very land where ancient Egypt was situated … He is a hopeless cripple…this “poor, broken vessel” was chosen by the “Lord of the harvest” rather than the “wise” and “mighty” of us whose “calling” was [missionary] … Josefa as a child was carried into captivity by the Bankundo, a strange tribe and tongue. Seen by an early English missionary, he was set free from slavery and at that Mission heard the Good News and found salvation from sin.
… a hopeless and helpless cripple was destined to be the most important factor in the establishment of a native church … Violent contracting muscles broke the diseased bones and the body was covered with boils and ulcers.
He suffered excruciating pain and bent and broken, his body is beyond repair and he remains as uncomely as a leper. Yet Josefa did not “curse God and die.” Through long years, no comforter was found among his own people for he was the only one who knew and trusted God. The medical missionary ministered to him; the Unseen Comforter was there … [unable to make it to the missionary meetings, he heard others at night] around the campfires, they rehearsed the events of the day and Josefa, the stay-at-home, would hear an accurate account of all the white missionary had said and done. He never went to church or school in those days although he could hear the singing at the services. But he came to have the reputation of knowing well “the Words of God”. He held a meeting every night even though but one or two might come. There in that grove in darkest Africa was held a primitive prayer meeting. There indeed many members of the Church today [in Congo] sang that first Lunkundo hymn, “Yesu andango” – “Jesus Loves Me” …
… In the early days of our work, Josefa was overlooked – and no wonder! He was an invalid, unable to move or be moved. Moreover his tongue was partly paralyzed and his vocabulary was a mixture of three dialects. He stammered an almost unintelligible speech … Not without pain, he was carried in a deck-chair by four …[to] meetings … he would say but a few words but his presence in the “pulpit” was essential. The house was packed night after night, and the interest became intense. The beginning of 1902 saw a spiritual awakening up and down the Congo. Locally, it came at a time when least expected, five of the seven missionaries had gone home for health … many [of the Congo natives] were asking “What must we do to be saved” and some had “brought forth fruits worthy of repentance” …
[back to August 9th letter] As many as 23 have asked to be taught the WAY more perfectly [desiring] baptism. These are men and women who have listened to our message from the first. For many “moons” they have professed to love God and have desired to serve Him. There is evidence that they are earnest and sincere. These inquirers meet regularly every day. The outlook is indeed hopeful.”
[Letter at end of August 1902] “… Our little chapel which seats perhaps 200 is always filled to overflowing. For some months we have had to have a meeting in the morning and again at night.”
[The missionary’s annual report called this year] “a great awakening … One day a large crowd came from another town seeking “Baoi ba Nzakomba” – the “Words of God”. After that, a hundred or more in number… attended all our meetings. Bolenge itself awakened at the same time. Meetings were held twice a day and the meeting house was packed. The interest was intense…”
… Another…spectacular scene, was when the delegation of a hundred or more appeared suddenly from the interior [of Congo]. When this long line of savages darkened the palm walk leading to our bungalow, it was like a black thunderbolt out of a clear sky. There had been no intimation of such a movement … The leader, an eloquent and earnest man, stated their purpose as they all stood attentively before our veranda. They were deeply concerned about their “baoi babe” (“bad words” – which might be called their conception of sin) and had come as a delegation to get the “Baoi ba Nzakomba” (Words of God) in their “botema” (“stomachs”, their seat of feeling and intellect). “Where was our [church]”? – And we led the way to the church. They were certainly earnest inquirers. Our village folk were impressed by it and stirred up. They were ashamed to “sit down” and not heed “the wonderful words of life.”
[As they got saved, their version of tithing was each believer gave 10% of earnings so that every 10th believer could be supported and] set aside as evangelists, to tell the Good News, so there was one preacher from the first ten and ten out of the first hundred and so on, supported by the remaining number.
So the saying was fulfilled in Darkest Africa, “The people which sat in darkness saw a great light”. The day came for the first baptisms. We went down to the beach and before a large crowd on the bank–Josefa, in his hammock, among them … loved and respected by all. The Christians see in him their father in the Faith. He [went] in his hammock even to villages beyond the swamps to preach the Good News … He lived to see hundreds, even thousands, turn from darkness to light. He died February 8, 1907, but his “works live after him.”’
-- Memoirs of Edwin A. Layton
The story is also told in Bolenge: A Story of Gospel Triumphs on the Congo, by Eva May Dye, published in 1909
‘For fifteen years, the work had its “ups and downs” – mostly “downs” … it was a dark hour … We hope for a spiritual awakening but we must ‘learn to labor and wait’ [August 8th letter to mission society]
“… The outlook is indeed hopeful.” [August 29th] “… To us, the present condition and outlooks is exceedingly hopeful. For the past 6 months … there has been a growing interest in our meetings …”
[How did it start? An earlier letter to the Mission Society explained]
“… Turning from this dark picture, however, there are some visible results of the work here which seem like light amid darkness. The life and labors of a boy called “Josefa” is an example. His name is appropriate for, as a child, he was sold into slavery and carried to foreign parts of the very land where ancient Egypt was situated … He is a hopeless cripple…this “poor, broken vessel” was chosen by the “Lord of the harvest” rather than the “wise” and “mighty” of us whose “calling” was [missionary] … Josefa as a child was carried into captivity by the Bankundo, a strange tribe and tongue. Seen by an early English missionary, he was set free from slavery and at that Mission heard the Good News and found salvation from sin.
… a hopeless and helpless cripple was destined to be the most important factor in the establishment of a native church … Violent contracting muscles broke the diseased bones and the body was covered with boils and ulcers.
He suffered excruciating pain and bent and broken, his body is beyond repair and he remains as uncomely as a leper. Yet Josefa did not “curse God and die.” Through long years, no comforter was found among his own people for he was the only one who knew and trusted God. The medical missionary ministered to him; the Unseen Comforter was there … [unable to make it to the missionary meetings, he heard others at night] around the campfires, they rehearsed the events of the day and Josefa, the stay-at-home, would hear an accurate account of all the white missionary had said and done. He never went to church or school in those days although he could hear the singing at the services. But he came to have the reputation of knowing well “the Words of God”. He held a meeting every night even though but one or two might come. There in that grove in darkest Africa was held a primitive prayer meeting. There indeed many members of the Church today [in Congo] sang that first Lunkundo hymn, “Yesu andango” – “Jesus Loves Me” …
… In the early days of our work, Josefa was overlooked – and no wonder! He was an invalid, unable to move or be moved. Moreover his tongue was partly paralyzed and his vocabulary was a mixture of three dialects. He stammered an almost unintelligible speech … Not without pain, he was carried in a deck-chair by four …[to] meetings … he would say but a few words but his presence in the “pulpit” was essential. The house was packed night after night, and the interest became intense. The beginning of 1902 saw a spiritual awakening up and down the Congo. Locally, it came at a time when least expected, five of the seven missionaries had gone home for health … many [of the Congo natives] were asking “What must we do to be saved” and some had “brought forth fruits worthy of repentance” …
[back to August 9th letter] As many as 23 have asked to be taught the WAY more perfectly [desiring] baptism. These are men and women who have listened to our message from the first. For many “moons” they have professed to love God and have desired to serve Him. There is evidence that they are earnest and sincere. These inquirers meet regularly every day. The outlook is indeed hopeful.”
[Letter at end of August 1902] “… Our little chapel which seats perhaps 200 is always filled to overflowing. For some months we have had to have a meeting in the morning and again at night.”
[The missionary’s annual report called this year] “a great awakening … One day a large crowd came from another town seeking “Baoi ba Nzakomba” – the “Words of God”. After that, a hundred or more in number… attended all our meetings. Bolenge itself awakened at the same time. Meetings were held twice a day and the meeting house was packed. The interest was intense…”
… Another…spectacular scene, was when the delegation of a hundred or more appeared suddenly from the interior [of Congo]. When this long line of savages darkened the palm walk leading to our bungalow, it was like a black thunderbolt out of a clear sky. There had been no intimation of such a movement … The leader, an eloquent and earnest man, stated their purpose as they all stood attentively before our veranda. They were deeply concerned about their “baoi babe” (“bad words” – which might be called their conception of sin) and had come as a delegation to get the “Baoi ba Nzakomba” (Words of God) in their “botema” (“stomachs”, their seat of feeling and intellect). “Where was our [church]”? – And we led the way to the church. They were certainly earnest inquirers. Our village folk were impressed by it and stirred up. They were ashamed to “sit down” and not heed “the wonderful words of life.”
[As they got saved, their version of tithing was each believer gave 10% of earnings so that every 10th believer could be supported and] set aside as evangelists, to tell the Good News, so there was one preacher from the first ten and ten out of the first hundred and so on, supported by the remaining number.
So the saying was fulfilled in Darkest Africa, “The people which sat in darkness saw a great light”. The day came for the first baptisms. We went down to the beach and before a large crowd on the bank–Josefa, in his hammock, among them … loved and respected by all. The Christians see in him their father in the Faith. He [went] in his hammock even to villages beyond the swamps to preach the Good News … He lived to see hundreds, even thousands, turn from darkness to light. He died February 8, 1907, but his “works live after him.”’
-- Memoirs of Edwin A. Layton
The story is also told in Bolenge: A Story of Gospel Triumphs on the Congo, by Eva May Dye, published in 1909
What a beautiful thing to read and what a rich heritage your family has in the Congo! Thank you for sharing this!
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