London Missionary Society facts for kids
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The London Missionary Society (LMS) was a Christian group started in England in 1795. It was made up of different types of Protestants, mainly Congregationalists, Presbyterians, and Methodists. Their main goal was to share the Christian message around the world. They sent missionaries to places like Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. Today, the LMS is part of the Council for World Mission.
Contents
How the London Missionary Society Started
The idea for the London Missionary Society began in 1793. A minister named Edward Williams wrote a letter. He said that different Christian groups should work together to spread their faith globally. This idea was very popular.
Around the same time, another minister, John Eyre, started a magazine called Evangelical Magazine. This magazine helped share the idea of forming a missionary society.
The Call for Missions
In 1794, a Baptist minister named John Ryland received a letter. It was from William Carey, a British missionary in India. Carey wrote about the great need to spread Christianity. He suggested that different Christian groups should team up. This would make it easier to raise money and support missions overseas. Before this, it was hard for small groups to keep missions going.
Edward Williams continued to be involved. In 1796, he spoke to the first missionaries sent out by the new society. The society wanted to help Christians work together. They also wanted to support missions financially.
Early Supporters and Meetings
After John Ryland shared Carey's letter, many people quickly offered support. Henry Overton Wills, who fought against slavery, was one of them. Scottish ministers like David Bogue also joined.
David Bogue wrote an important article in the Evangelical Magazine in 1794. He asked Christians to remember how they learned about their faith. He said they should now send messengers to others who had not heard the message.
Many people responded, and money was raised. The first meeting was held in London. Eighteen supporters agreed on the society's goal: "to spread the knowledge of Christ among heathen and other unenlightened nations." By Christmas that year, over thirty men were ready to form the society.
In 1795, a large meeting was held at Spa Fields Chapel. Hundreds of Christians attended. This event officially marked the start of the Missionary Society. Soon, they began receiving money and interest from people who wanted to become missionaries.
First Missions and Challenges
Joseph Hardcastle became the first Treasurer of the society. John Eyre, the magazine editor, became the first Secretary. This gave the society a way to share its news and goals. The society quickly started interviewing people who wanted to be missionaries.
Voyage of the Duff
In 1796, a brave captain named James Wilson offered to sail missionaries for free. The society bought a small ship called the Duff. It could carry 18 crew members and 30 missionaries.
The Duff left England in late 1796. Seven months later, it arrived in Tahiti. Seventeen missionaries got off the ship there. They were told to make friends with the local people. They also needed to build a mission house and learn the local language.
However, the missionaries faced problems. The local people had guns. They also had bad experiences with diseases from earlier ships. This made them very suspicious of the new arrivals. Because of these difficulties, eight of the seventeen missionaries soon left Tahiti.
Disaster and Recovery
The Duff returned to Britain and was sent back to Tahiti with more missionaries. But this journey was a disaster. A French privateer (a ship like a pirate ship) captured the Duff. The missionaries were left in Montevideo, and the ship was sold. This loss cost the society ten thousand pounds, which was a huge amount of money.
Even though it was a big setback, the society slowly recovered. In 1807, they were able to start a mission in Guangzhou (Canton), China. This mission was led by Robert Morrison.
Early Missionaries and Their Work
Many dedicated people joined the LMS.
- In 1815, William Ellis and his wife Mary went to the South Sea Islands. He later became the Chief Foreign Secretary for the society.
- In 1816, Robert Moffat began his work in South Africa. He served there until 1870. His wife, Mary Moffat, joined him. The LMS preferred married male missionaries. The Moffats had several children who also became missionaries or married missionaries.
- In 1817, Edward Stallybrass was sent to Russia. He started a mission among the Buryat people in Siberia. The Russian emperor, Alexander I of Russia, supported this mission. However, it was stopped in 1840 by the next emperor, Nicholas I.
Later Work and Famous Missionaries
In 1818, the society officially changed its name to The London Missionary Society.
Work in Africa
John Philip became the superintendent of LMS missions in South Africa in 1822. He worked hard to protect the rights of the local people.
One of the most famous LMS missionaries was David Livingstone (1813–1873). He went to South Africa in 1840. Livingstone was a doctor, missionary, and explorer. He met Robert Moffat around 1841. In 1845, Livingstone married Mary Moffat, Robert and Mary's daughter. Livingstone worked with the LMS until 1857.
The LMS also started a school in 1842 for the sons and orphans of missionaries. It is now called Eltham College. David Livingstone sent his son Robert to this school. Eric Liddell, a famous Olympic athlete and missionary, also attended this school later.
Work in the Pacific Islands
John Williams was a key missionary in the Pacific.
- In 1821, he became the first recorded Reverend of the Cook Islands Christian Church in Aitutaki.
- In 1830, John Williams landed in Samoa. He was welcomed by a powerful chief, and the LMS mission quickly grew across the Samoan Islands.
- In 1832, he visited what is now American Samoa.
Sadly, John Williams's missionary work ended in 1839. He was killed and eaten by cannibals on the island of Erromango in the New Hebrides while preaching. A memorial stone was put up in his honor on Rarotonga. His remains were later brought back to Samoa for a large funeral.
Another missionary, Reverend George Pratt, served in Samoa for many years (1839–1879). He was a linguist and wrote the first grammar and dictionary for the Samoan language.
In 1844, the LMS established Malua Theological College in Samoa. This college trained local men to become village clergy. Also in 1844, the LMS sent Samoan missionaries to nearby islands like Niue, Tokelau, and Vanuatu. Over 300 Samoan missionaries served in Papua alone.
Other Notable Missionaries
The London Missionary Society sent missionaries all over the world. This included India, China, Australia, and Madagascar. Some other famous LMS missionaries were:
- Robert Morrison (1782–1834), who went to China in 1807.
- John Smith (1790–1824), known as the "Demerara Martyr." His experiences in the West Indies led to his trial and death in prison. This drew attention from anti-slavery campaigners like William Wilberforce.
- James Legge (1815–1897), a scholar of Chinese culture and language.
- Griffith John (1831-1912), who worked in China from 1855.
- John Mackenzie (1835–1899), who went to South Africa in 1858. He fought for the rights of Africans and helped create the Bechuanaland Protectorate (modern Botswana).
- Fred C. Roberts (1862-1894), who brought medical help and famine relief to China.
- Eric Liddell, the 1924 Olympic gold medalist in the 400-meter race, who served as an LMS missionary in China.
Merger and Legacy
In 1966, the London Missionary Society joined with another group called the Commonwealth Missionary Society. They formed the Congregational Council for World Mission (CCWM). Later, in 1972, it changed its name again to the Council for World Mission (Congregational and Reformed). In 1977, it became the Council for World Mission, a more international organization.
The historical records of the London Missionary Society are kept at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.
See also
- List of London Missionary Society missionaries in China
- Protestant missionary societies in China during the 19th Century
- School of Oriental and African Studies in London
- List of ships named John Williams, seven LMS missionary ships
- Missionary Day, a holiday in French Polynesia celebrating the arrival of the Duff in 1797
Images for kids
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London Missionary Society, Samoa (1949)
