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James Hannington

And the Uganda Martyrs

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Collect

Precious in your sight, O Lord, is the death of your saints, whose faithful witness, by your providence, has its great reward: We give you thanks for your martyrs James Hannington and his companions, who purchased with their blood a road into Uganda for the proclamation of the Gospel; and we pray that with them we also may obtain the crown of righteousness which is laid up for all who love the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Introduction

James Hannington Memorial Kyando Uganda

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Introduction

James Hannington Memorial Kyando Uganda

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Introduction

Yokana 12:24 Omwana womuntu aguluminzibwe. Dala dala mbamba nti Empeke yen’ano bwetegwa mu taka nefa, ebera awo yoka; naye bwefa, ebala emere nyngi. (Biscuit Tin Bible 1884 Luganda Translation)

John 12:24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. -NIV

I was reminded of this verse while researching Hannington. I show it first in the Luganda language,because this is what James Hannington, Alexander Mackay and other missionaries lived and died for, that the Baganda might hear about Jesus in their own language.

Jesus was speaking of his own death and resurrection, but it’s also clear to me that it applies to all those who have given their lives to Christ. Jesus died to save us from our sins. From the very beginning, there have been believers who were willing to give everything for the sake of christ, even to the point of giving up life itself. Some, like St Stephen are mentioned in the bible, some are in recent memory like Nate Saint, others have been ignored or forgotten in some parts of the world like James Hannington. The call to martyrdom, is a call all of us may have to face one day. Indeed, we are all called to die to self and live in christ on a daily basis, even if we live to see the next day. The tales of those who gave up life itself for Christ humble and inspire us. It’s easy to feel that one’s life is insignifigant and meaningless by comparison (especially if all you do is fix cars all day and have difficulty keeping daily offices). Such feelings have often been met with a desire to serve God in a new way, on the mission field.

It may sound strange that martyrdom would inspire people to go into the mission field, but we can find countless examples of people who have given up everything to bring the love of Christ to an unfamiliar country. My Grandmother was so inspired upon hearing of Amy Carmichael’ s death. Hannington was another such individual. He was inspired to become a missionary when he’d heard thea tale of two missionaries to Buganda, Lt Smith and T O’Neil who’d been killed on Urkewe Island in Lake Victoria in 1877.

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James Hannington

James Hannington, “I was born on the third of September, 1847. The only peculiar circumstance connected with my birth was the fact that my father was in Paris at the time. Can this have anything to do with my passionate love of traveling? Because none of my brothers seem thus affected.”

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James Hannington

Boyhood home

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James Hannington

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James Hannington

Boyhood home

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James Hannington

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James Hannington

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James Hannington

“I knew absolutely nothing, the result of private tutorage, and I was put into the fourth class, which was bottom to none”

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James Hannington

“So much for private tutors and private schools. I believe that both systems are equally pernicious”

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James Hannington

“I was always very excitable and noisy, and was called ‘Mad Jim’. In Fact I was one day reported to the Head-Master as ‘verging on insanity,’ and was severely punished”

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James Hannington

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James Hannington

Artillery Uniforms of the period

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James Hannington

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James Hannington

He writes

My Heart, Lord, may I ever raise

To Thee in humble thanks and praise

For keeping me throughout the day

Lord, guard and guide me while I’m here

And when to die my time is come

Oh! Take me to Thy heavenly home

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James Hannington

He took communion for the first time in July following a rigorous observance of Lent.

He took an interest in everything the church was doing, and got to know many priests and bishops in the church.

In October 1868 he left for Oxford where he attended college in St. Mary Hall.

It seems he poured more effort into extra-curricular activities such as the rowing club than into his studies. As a result, the principal suggested he instead study privately with the Rev. C Scriven, Rector of Martinhoe where he would be away from distractions from his books.

He returned to Oxford to pass his “smalls” tests on March 19^th 1870 only to give up on the second day of tests due to a particularly distracting organ grinder playing just outside the window.

He spent the next term in residence at Oxford. He was at this time elected president of the “Red Club”

June 12, 1873 he received his B.A. Degree

He continued to struggle with his studies as he pursued his masters and ordination. He would at times doubt his calling to the priesthood, in no small part to his difficulty in passing required exams.

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James Hannington

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James Hannington

Dr William Paton MacKay

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James Hannington

“I was in bed at the time reading. I sprang out of bed and leaped about the room rejoicing and praising God that Jesus died for me. From that day to this I have lived under the shadow of His wings in the assurance of faith that I am His and He is mine.”

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James Hannington

St Mary Hall Oxford

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James Hannington

St George's Church, Hurstpierpoint

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James Hannington

“Jan 1^st 1877, --The New Year breaks in upon me. How? How? Under a new Epoch I am engaged to be married. I who have always been supposed, and have supposed myself to be a confirmed bachelor, cross, crabbed, ill-conditioned! What a change in the appearance of everything of this world, and to make me cold and dead. Lord Jesus, grant that we may love Thee each succeeding hour more abundantly. Amen, amen.”

Her name was Blanche Hankin-Turvin, the second daughter of Captain James Michael Hankin-Turvin.

Hannington had once thought as Paul did (1 Cor &:7-8) that it was better to be single and that marriage could be a distraction that could make ministry more difficult, Hannington had begun to see ways in which his ministry might be helped by being married

Blanch and her mother were regular attenders of St George’s and he thought she was fit for the duties of a clergyman’s wife, even before he had given up the idea of being a bachelor.

She was an excellent match for him and they were quite happy.

They were married February 10, 1877 and they had three children over the next 4 years.

James Edward Meopham Hannington ,

Caroline Scriven Hannington,

and Paul Travers Hannington.

Paul was 1 year old when James first left for africa.

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James Hannington

“Our little band which is about to set forth needs all your sympathy to encourage them. You may depend upon it that it requires some courage to leave home on an expedition of this sort. I speak from personal experience. When all men are against one, saying that one is making a mistake, that he is utterly wrong, that he is running away from the work God has given him to do, and is seeking other work for himself, no small courage is needed to go forth. But I should not dare to stand up before you if I believed that I were going out to find work for myself. I firmly believe that I have been sent forth by God. From The Beginning I have placed the matter in the hands of God. I dare not Weigh my own motives or fathom my own heart, but I ask God to guide me by his Holy Spirit. I pray that if God will not go with me, He will not let me go”

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James Hannington

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James Hannington

St George's Church, Hurstpierpoint

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James Hannington

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Hannington’s First Missionary Journey

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Hannington’s First Missionary Journey

This is a map that I found at the back of James Hannington: First Bishop of East Equatorial Africa by E.C. Dawson. I’ve colorized it, approximated modern national borders, and the route his first journey took.

Charles Henry Stokes joined the party and took charge of the expedition in Zanzibar,

They landed in Saddani June 27, 1882.

Their first camp was Ndumi where they first tasted from an african well. Hannington writes, “you might cut the water with a knife. An English cow or an Irish sow would have turned from it. However it boiled well, and added body to our tea!”

it was a taste of many hardships ahead. Just a few days later Hannington was dropped in a river by his porters and fell terribly ill soon after. Hostile natives, wild animals and tropical diseases plagued them the entire journey with the only respites being the few established mission stations on the route.

On the way to Mpwapwa, Hannington fell into a 10 foot deep deadfall trap set for game. Thankfully, this one had not been outfitted with spears at the bottom as so many were.

Hannington took the time to explore and collect specimens whenever his failing health would permit. For his trouble he was swarmed and badly bitten by an “enormous caravan of black ants”. He also encountered a red castor bean plant Ricinus Communis, and made the mistake of touching the bright red harry seed pods while attempting to collect a specimen. This beautiful plant contains ricin, a highly toxic poison that can cause severe pain, madness or death. The hairs are sharp and will expose the victim to enough ricin to cause a great deal of suffering.

At Pero, on the frontier of Ugogo, they were forced to drink from a well full of rotten dead rats and toads with the most foul stench imaginable because there was no other water to drink. By the next Sunday, august 6^th Hannington had fallen ill once again, but resolved to keep walking but it wasn’t long before his fever reached 110º and “was seized with violent rigors” and “alarming fainting fits” The hospital donkey carried him while he recovered.

The next camp was afflicted with the pungent smell of rotting animal carcasses. Hannington’s condition again took a turn for the worse with high fever and dehydration. Still he managed to keep in good spirits and write in his journal of some humorous interactions with the natives.

As he was sick much of the time it was decided to have a team of porters carry him in a hammock for their next attempt to reach the lake. On Oct 16. Hannington writes, “If I had good health, I should be too happy. What wonderful mercy surrounds us. Truly underneath are the everlasting arms”

Slowly his health returned and by the 6^th of November he was back on his feet again Two days later the party reached Msalala just at the start of the rainy season.

They were forced to wait until the rainy season ended. While they built shelters and prepared to wait there for months, they faced swarms of mosquitoes, ants, and lions. Stokes prepared a return caravan back to zanzibar. Some porters would remain with Hannington and the others.

Hannington’s fever continued to come and go, but his spirit was indomitable.

On January 2nd, they attempted to cross the lake in leaky canoes,, to a land ruled by a chief named Romwa. They landed January 9^th, but the chief wouldn’t let them continue to Buganda. Also unfortunately, soon after arriving at Romwa his health took a serious turn for the worse. On February 9^th, he began his long journey back to England. He reached Saadani on may 9^th1883. He was so sick he nearly died on the way, and it didn’t help that his porters dropped him a few more times along the way. It took another month for him to make it back home from there.

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Hannington’s Second Journey

Joseph Thomson

(14 February 1858 – 2 August 1895)

In England while he’d recovered from is fever, hannington had been following the exploits of the explorer Joseph Thomson who had been sent by the royal geographical society to find the shortest route to the lake. He proved you could go through massai country and reach lake victoria. Up till then the Maasai were so feared this was thought impossible.

October 21, 1884 Hannington wrote in his journal, “Interview with Thomson of R.G.S. I liked him exceedingly”

November 3, two days before hannington left England, Thomson presented his account of the expedition to the royal geographic society.

The following addendum is found in the royal geographical society minutes

“The Right Rev. Bishop Hannington wished to pay his admiration for the wonderful journey he had performed”

It is important to note that Thompson never actually reached Buganda. He went as far as Kavirondo and turned back because the Waganda or the Wasoga were at war with the people of Kavirondo

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Hannington’s Second Journey

Joseph Thomson

(14 February 1858 – 2 August 1895)

Before the Bishop left England I was asked to attend a meeting of the Church Missionary Society at which the advisability of utilizing the Masai route was discussed I spoke in such emphatic terms against the proposal that the meeting unanimously concluded that the time had not yet come to adopt the Masai route for communicating with Uganda

However Bishop Hannington began to think differently when he found himself again in East Africa and he then made up his mind to accept the advice of my caravan assistant James Martin in preference to mine

In a letter sent home to the Society announcing this fact he begged the Secretary not to refer the question to me again knowing that I be opposed to the project Curiously enough this paragraph is from the published letter

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Hannington’s First Missionary Journey

The CMS were also considering appointing a bishop over the region to help shepard and organize the young church. After much deliberation and due to Hannington’s rapid recovery, he was not only cleared to return to Africa, but consecrated Bishop on June 24 1884. He would be bishop over what is now Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

It was planned that he and his family would move to Mombasa, but his wife had become pregnant with their fourth child named Mary Mackenzie Hannington. This delayed his departure for africa somewhat, and also meant that the family would stay in england while Hannington got everything ready for them.

November 5, 1884 he set sail for Africa for the last time.

After some stops in the holy land and in cairo, he reached Mombasa January 24, 1885

Hannington first settled into his role as bishop in Frere Town a settlement for freed slaves established by the Church Missionary Society which served as CMS headquarters for east africa. As the first bishop, job #1 was figuring out what needed to be done. Among other things that meant building a new church and getting to know everyone. He was well liked by all the missionaries in his charge, and he sought to raise up leaders in the church from local tribes.

The hardships he’d encountered inland was never far from his mind. He was hopeful that one day there would be a better way to get to Uganda, but for the time being, he felt it was too dangerous for married women of childbearing age to attempt the journey with their husbands. He did feel that women were needed on the mission field, both in frere town and in Uganda, but much of what is now Tanzania would be off limits.

In March he set out on a journey to a distant mission station at Taita some 200 miles inland. Along the way he encountered several swahili slave merchants who ran in fear at the sight of a white british man thinking he was there to arrest them. They simply left their merchandise and fled. Hannington helped send these pour souls back to Frere Town, though many were in such bad health by the time Hannington found them that they unfortunately didn’t survive the journey to freedom.

Hannington evaluated possible mission station sites along the way. He climbed Killamanjaro and proposed a station be set up nearby. As usual he collected specimens and made sketches of what he saw. What was most important to Hannington, was that unlike his previous adventure in africa, this time the climate was more temperate, he didn’t get sick, and if anyone travelling with him did, it was followed with a speedy recovery.

The primary concern was the fierce Maasai warriors who lived in this country. It was said in Zanzibar that there was no return from Maasai land. But hannington found the natives to be quite friendly, and there were ways to negotiate with them. I should note, here that he once faced down a Maasai warrior at spearpoint. he simply pushed the tip of the spear aside and said, “Do you really want to kill a white man?”

He was back in Frere town sometime mid to late june with his recent trek in mind. He set his thoughts again on Buganda.

It occurred to him that since the northern road was easy, and the southern road brought death, disease, and great tribulation, that he should attempt to reach Buganda by another route.

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Hannington’s First Missionary Journey

At some point Hannington decided that the potential dangers of a northern route were far less than those of the southern route. Hannington’s biopgrapher E.C. Dawson says Hannington was unaware of any danger and that he did his due dilligence in assessing the danger and feasibility.

He set out from Rabai (near mombasa) thursday july 23, with 200 men including one William Henry Jones (an ex slave set free in 1847 now an ordained clergyman). They made excellent progress and were in Njemps by Sept 22. The expedition had fewer provisions with them on the journey but sustained themslvs off of wild game. Hannington even managed to bring down an elephant to feed everyone. As before, it was relatively easy going compared to the southern route.

Within 2 weeks they were in Kwa Sundu

On October 12 1885, Hannington picked fifty men to go with him the rest of the way to Buganda, leaving Mr. Jones in charge of the rest of the expedition. Jones would wait for word from Hannington at Kwa Sundu

He was by all accounts unaware of the trouble brewing in Buganda ahead.

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Changes in East Africa

Danieri Basammula-Ekkere Mwanga II Mukasa (or Mwanga II of Buganda)

While Hannington was recovering in England, events began to unfold in East Africa that would drastically change everything.

Mtesa I died October 9 1884 at the age of 47

He was succeeded by Mwanga II of Buganda on October 18 1884 at the age of 16

Succession was traditionally a process that took 5 months, and used to involve a great deal of human sacrifice. This 5 month period was a time of mourning when the new kabaka was hidden away, cheifs prepared for war, and it was a time of anarchy. Mwanga’s father Mtesa had managed to skilfully hold together several factions, and he also reasserted the dominance of the kingship over the cheifs and nobles by greatly shortening the length of this time to a little over a week. Mwanga was expected to show very quickly that he was a strong ruler,and that meant executions.

Mtesa had requested christian missionaries to come and teach his people farming, medicine, metalworking, reading, and writing at the king’s expense

Mwanga II however was suspicious of foreign missionaries, due in part to Gemain colonial efforts in modern day Tanzania, as well as a prophesy that Buganda would one day fall to an invasion from the easy through neighboring Busoga.

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Uganda

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Changes in East Africa

Danieri Basammula-Ekkere Mwanga II Mukasa (or Mwanga II of Buganda)

January 31 1885 saw the beginning of his persecution of the Bugandan church with the execution by dismemberment and burning of 3 anglican page boys who worked closely with Alexander Mackay.

By July the Catholic missionaries, for reasons of security, had abandoned the Ugandan mission and re-located temporarily to the southern end of Lake Victoria. In the absence of the missionaries, Joseph Mukassa became leader of the catholic church in Uganda. He was Mwanga’s Prime Minister or Katikiro

Mackay received word that Hannington was to attempt to enter Buganda from the East and wrote to Zanzibar warning Hannington to go by the southern route, but it arrived after Hannington had already left. Some sources indicate that he sent someone to go find Hannington and warn him, but that his messanger was unable to reach him in time. It may not have mattered anyway. Before he joined the CMS he once entered a house stricken with smallpox to deliver milk to a sick child, ignoring all warnings and even orders of a health official to stay out.

On October 25th one of Mwanga’s pages reported that a tall white englishman who was missing a thumb had entered Busoga and was advancing towards Buganda.

Mwanga held a council and it was decided that this stranger should be put to death. Mwanga was hesitant at first and initially insisted that he merely be turned back, however for the sake of plundering Hanningtons small detachment, it was decided that they be put to death.

Hannington had been captured and dragged into captivity some four days prior. He’d reached the shores of the lake on the 11th and had continued west along the coast, but now was being held captive by the King of Busoga until word came from Mwanga.

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James Hannington

Miraculously his journal from this time survives. He was not treated well and developed a fever, yet he remained convinced that Mwanga would order that he be set free. His last entry is for October 29, 1885

“I can hear no news, but was held up by psalm 30, which came with great power. A hyena howled near me last night, smelling a sick man, but I hope it is not to have me yet.”

The previous day there had been much drumming and shouting from the natives. When Hannington and his men asked why, they were told that Mwanga had ordered that Hannington and his men be released and allowed to continue to Buganda. The next day, he and his men were attacked by wassoga warriors who speared to death 46 of hanningtons caravan. Hannington’s last words before he was executed were, “Tell the king I die for Uganda. I have bought this road with my life.”

Only 4 of hannington’s caravan of 50 was allowed to live, because they’d agreed to open the locked cases in the caravan’s possession.

November 8th word reached Mr Jones’ caravan of Hannington’s death and they began the sad march back to frere town.

Within a year, at least 44 had been brutally executed, many times for protesting hannington’s death. Some 32 of which were simultaneously burned to death on June 23, 1886 for refusing to renounce their faith. June 23, is now Martyrs day in Uganda, a national holiday. The exact number of Christians sold into slavery, castrated, or tortured and killed at this time is not known. Reverend Ashe reported that it was over 200. We only know for certain the names of 22 catholics, and with considerable probability the names of 23 protestants, but John Faupel and others say that an estimate of around 100 victems wouldn’t be far off the mark. It’s hard to know how big the church was at the time. Dawson puts the anglican church at 80 and mostly ignores the catholics. Some books on Lordel put the catholic church at 120. Whatever the numbers really were, only heaven knows.

The news shocked England, and in 1888 the Crown backed a rebellion led by christian and muslim converts, and successfully overthrew Mwanga II.

This was the beginning of a series of wars that pitted protestants against catholics, and christians against muslims. Two more Kabakas would rise and fall by 1889 when Mwaga led a rebellion to retake his throne. He agreed to hand over some national sovereignty to the British East Africa Company in exchange for british support. Mwanga then rebelled against the british to try to gain more independance, but failed. Uganda became a British protectorate in 1894. Mwanga was exiled, baptised into the anglican church, and finally died in 1903.

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Introduction

James Hannington Memorial Kyando Uganda

While It’s true that Hannington’s death was a catalyst for british colonial rule, it’s also true that it was a catalyst for church growth, and mission. It's said that as many as 50 joined the church missionary society upon hearing of Hanningon's death.

For over a hundred years now his story, and the story of the martyrs that died during that time, has inspired people to come to christ and live for Jesus. His shrine is visited by pilgrims to this day, and a shrine has been built at namugongo to commemorate the many many other Ugandan’s who died for their faith in Jesus.

I’d like to read you an excerpt from the Anglican church of Uganda’s website

“These early Christians were martyred at Namugongo. Their martyrdom produced a result entirely opposite of Mwanga’s intentions. The example of these martyrs, who walked to their deaths singing hymns and praying for their enemies, so inspired many of the bystanders that they began to seek instruction from the remaining Christians. Within a few years the original handful of converts had multiplied many times and spread far beyond the court. The martyrs had left the indelible impression that Christianity was truly African, not simply a white man’s religion. Most of the missionary work was carried out by Africans rather that by white missionaries, and Christianity spread steadily. Uganda now has the largest percentage of professed Christians of any nation in Africa.”

Today the church in Uganda is strong and vibrant. As recently as 2002 there were almost 9 million anglicans, and an estimated 13.6 million catholics in Uganda.

While James Hannington is largely forgotten or unknown in America, his life, his message, and his sacrifice will always be remembered in Uganda. In all 84% of the countries population profess to be christian.

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Question time

If Christ came knocking on your door tonight, and asked you to go preach the gospel to a people who didn’t speak your language, some far away country knowing that you might never return, could you?
Will you die to self and live for Christ every day?
If someone threatened to kill you unless you renounced Jesus, would you deny Christ?