Church of Uganda Makes 140 Years

140 years ago, the first Anglican Church  Missionaries  from the Church Missionary Society arrived in Uganda, thus officially starting the Anglican Church of Uganda.

The 140 years have happened silently without the Anglican Church in Uganda holding thanksgiving prayers or doing anything to commemorate such a milestone. If I were part of the leadership of the Church, this day would be celebrated annually with an open air crusade at Munyonyo- Mulungu Landing site where the first Missionaries landed on June 30, 1877.

On this day June 30, 1877, two Church Missionary Society (CMS) missionaries from the Church of England arrived in Uganda through Munyonyo Mulungu port. They were taken directly to Kabaka Muteesa I 's palace at Lubaga.

The two were Lt. Shargold Smith and Rev. CT Wilson. Alexander Murdoch Mackay joined them later in November of The same year.

Missionaries at Kabaka Muteesa's Palace in Lubaga

The two were part of a team of missionaries that had responded to Muteesa's famous letter that had appeared in The daily telegraph requesting for missionaries. In 1875, Henry Morton Stanley met Kabaka Muteesa at his Lubaga Palace where the present day Lubaga Cathedral sits and preached to him. The outcome was that famous letter that brought Christianity and western civilization to Uganda.

Ssekabaka Muteesa I

The Leader of the CMS was Lieutenant Shergold Smith whose Royal Nav career was ended by losing sight in one eye after an attack of fever; Smith had known enough of Agfrica and its troubles to want to stay there in another role.

Smith is said to have written a note asking to be sent to Africa to serve in another capacity and that’s how he became a missionary. In His book entitled Eating Uganda: From Christianity to Conquest, Cedric Pulford writes that Smith struck the right note, telling the society, “Send me out in any capacity, I am willing to take the lowest place.” Aware of his capabilities, the recruiters sensibly decided otherwise.

Muteesa I

He had to march 600miles from Zanzibar to Munyonyo – Mulungu landing site along the shores of Lake Victoria. They started the expedition with their missionaries’ own boat carried in parts that would take them across to Buganda. The CMS party went off in sections, Mackay left on August 27, 1876, in the company of two (unrelated) Smiths – his great friend, Dr. John Smith, and the expedition leader. Ahead of them was a trek of about three month. It must have been a disappointment to Mackay that after 73 days he had to turn back. Seriously ill with fever, he returned to the coast helped and often carried, by faithful bearers.

The book goes on to report that the party found it necessary to split into several parts. Shergold Smith and an ordained man C.T. Wilson had the honour of being the first missionaries in Buganda. Crossing the lake, Smith had met with a personal tragedy. They were stoned by inhabitants of an island en route. Broken glass from his spectacles went into  his one sighted eye, and blinded him. The  horror of being so handicapped in such a situation is almost unimaginable. Neverthless, they continued, reaching Rubaga on June 30, 1877. The next day, the Sunday, was passed in retirement. They called on Muteesa on Monday. This is what Smith wrote about the meeting with Kabaka Muteesa I

“This was our reception. I could not see, so my report is that of ear.

“The King rose as we entered, and advanced to the edge of his carpet and shook hands. A fine fellow over six feet, broad shoulders and well made; grace, dignity and absence of affectation in his manner. He motioned us to seats. Then five minutes were allowed for drum beating and looking round. I longed for sight to see.

“ Calling one of our guides, I heard his animated report. Then the Sultan of Zanzibar’s letter was read, after which the CMS’s .

“It was read in Swahilli by a young fellow named Mufta [he was also called Dallington], one of the boys Stanley had brought with him and left with the king at his request to teach him to read the Bible. At the first pause, the king ordered a fue de joie to be fired and a general rejoicing for the letter; but at the end, where it was said that it was the religion of Jesus Christ which was h foundation England’s  greatness and happiness and would be of his kingdom also, he half rose from his seat, called his head musician, Tole, to him and ordered a more vigorous rejoicing  to be made…

Archbishop Stanley Ntagali laying a memorial stone at Munyonyo Mulungu

“The following day we went twice. In the morning it was a full court as before, and from some cause he seemed suspicious of us and questioned us about Gordon and rather wanted to bully us into making powder and shot, saying ‘Now my heart is not good’ We said we came to do as the letter told him, not to make powder and shot and if he wished it, we would not stay. He paused for some time and then said, ‘What have you come for – to teach my people to read and write?’ We said ‘Yes and whatever useful arts we and those coming may know.’ The he said, ‘Now my heart is good: England is my friend. I have one hand in Uganda and the other in England.’

Clergy attend a Musa Mukasa Memorial service at Munyonyo
June 30, should be a day to comemorate the coming to Uganda of the CMS Missionaries

“He asked after Queen Victoria and asked to know which was greatest, she or the Khedive of Egypt. The relative size of their dominions was explained to him and referring him to our letter, I said how desirous England was that his kingdom should be prosperous…”

Shergold Smith was soon to die He and another mission member, T, O’Neill, were massacred with most of their party on Ukerewe Island on the South Side of Lake Victoria, aftere gallantly refusing to give up an Arab fugitive they were sheltering. Mackay’s great friend John Smith, also died of fever.

Alexandar Murdoc Mackay

Alexandar  M. Mackay (1849-1890) was a pioneer engineer-missionary to Uganda. Arrived in Zanzibar in 1876; he reached Uganda in 1878. Built 230 miles of road to Uganda from the coast. Translated Matthew's Gospel into Luganda. Died in 1890 having spent fourteen years in Africa without once returning home to native Scotland.

here was no road to Uganda, so his first work on his arrival in East Africa was to build such a road from Mpwapwa, two hundred and thirty miles inland. It was no plaything, this. His companions retired, one after another, on account of ill-health, and the last two were murdered, but Mackay went on steadily and fearlessly. For two years he toiled north-westward, towards the great lake.

Lieutenant Smith and Mr. O'Neill, his two companions, had transported a sailing boat to Lake Victoria, but they were killed; and when Mackay reached that great inland water basin, at the south end of it, at a place called Kagei, he found that the Daisy had been destroyed by white ants, hippos, and the heat of the sun. So, after building the road, he built a boat; and when this was finished, he made friends with the murderer of his two companions, Chief Lkonge, on the Island Ukerewe.

The call to Uganda had come to him in January, 1876. In November, 1878, Mackay entered Ntebe, the harbor of Uganda, and five days afterwards was in the capital of the country, Rubage, a place now known as Mengo.

Mtesa, the Kabaka (king of the country), welcomed him, and his real life-work began.