John Campbell (missionary) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Campbell
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| Born | March 1766 |
| Died | 4 April 1840 (aged 74) |
| Occupation | Missionary |
John Campbell was a Scottish missionary and explorer. He was born in March 1766 in Edinburgh, Scotland, and passed away on April 4, 1840, in Kingsland, London. He is remembered for his important work in South Africa and for helping to start several helpful organizations.
Contents
Early Life and Important Work
John Campbell went to the Royal High School in Edinburgh. For a time, he learned the trade of a goldsmith. But his true calling was to help others and spread religious messages.
He played a big part in starting several important groups:
- The Magdalene Society
- A Religious Tract Society of Scotland in 1793
- The Missionary Magazine in Edinburgh in 1796
John Campbell strongly disagreed with the slave trade. This led him to help create the Society for the Education of Africans. He worked with James Alexander Haldane to bring around 30 to 40 African children to England for their education.
Later, Campbell became a minister in the Congregational Church. He was the minister at Kingsland, a church he had started himself, from 1802. He also helped found the British and Foreign Bible Society and became a leader at the London Missionary Society.
Journeys to South Africa
The London Missionary Society asked John Campbell to visit their mission stations in South Africa. He made two long and important trips there.
First Journey: 1812-1813
In June 1812, Campbell set off for the Cape. He started his journey from Cape Town in February 1813. He visited several places, including Bethelsdorp and Grahamstown, which was a military base at the time.
He then traveled north to Graaff-Reinet and Klaarwater (which later became Griquatown). He went even further north to Litakun. This was the home of the Batlhaping chief, Mothibi.
His trip back took him through Klaarwater again, then Pella and the Kamiesberge. He arrived back in Cape Town at the end of October 1813. When he returned to London in 1815, he wrote a book about his adventures. It was called "Travels in South Africa, undertaken at the request of the Missionary Society." The town of Campbell, east of Griquatown, was named in his honor.
Second Journey: 1819-1821
John Campbell returned to the Cape in February 1819. This time, he traveled with John Philip. Their job was to check on the mission stations. Many of them had not been well cared for.
During this visit, Campbell told the missionary Robert Moffat to start a new mission. This mission would be among the Bechuana tribe. Campbell explored the interior of the country again. He left Cape Town in January 1820. He traveled as far north as Mosega in Barotseland. On this journey, he also found the large settlement of Kaditshwene near the Limpopo River.
He left for England in February 1821. He published two more books about his second journey. After that, he gave many talks about his missionary work.
