James B. Eddie and the Congo Mission

Family legend was that James B. Eddie had contact with Stanley in Africa.  I found this report on the web which mentions Eddie and Stanley almost on the same page.  It is in the American Baptist 73rd Annual Report Proceedings of the Annual Meeting Held in Minneapolis, Minn  May 27.  Eddie was in England at the time of this report.

B O S TO N

MISSIONARY ROOMS , TREMONT TEMPLE

1887

Rand Auery Company, Printers, Boston

"THE CONGO MISSION .

The past year has been one of marked interest in the mission on the Congo. For several years much faithful and patient work had been done in acquiring the language, in translating hymns and portions of Scripture, and in preaching the gospel to the people as opportunity offered, but without large apparent results. In August, 1886, a remarkable movement manifested itself among the Congo people, who began to throw away their

fetich idols, and to profess the religion of Jesus Christ. The interest centred at Banza Manteke, where, in the course of a few weeks, one thousand and sixty-two professed themselves

followers of Christ; but the tide of feeling overflowed to other stations of our own mission, and to those of other missions.

The first Christian church in the Congo Free State was organized Nov. 21, 1886, at Banza Manteke, of forty-two members. The missionaries have been very cautious in

receiving candidates for baptism ; but, up to the last advices, ninety-seven had been baptized at four stations, and others will be received from month to month, as the brethren are able

to satisfy themselves that their faith is sufficiently intelligent to enable to adorn their profession as members of the body of Christ. There is an encouraging interest at all the stations; and especially at Banza Manteke the missionaries are tasked to their utmost in the work which presses upon them of training the Christians, teaching inquirers, and providing for the innumerable demands of the new work which has suddenly assumed such hopeful proportions.

The agreement adopted by the Baptist General Association of the Western States and Territories, and afterward ratified by the Executive Committee, and printed in the Missionary Magaz ine for December, 1886, provides that the association shall adopt its own measures for the collection of funds, appoint its missionaries, and select their fields of labor, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee; and also agrees that, “ at the earliest practicable moment, the association shall be represented in the Board of the Missionary Union, and also in the Advisory Committee at Chicago.” In pursuance of this

agreement, the two missionaries of the association have been placed on the list of the Missionary Union, and are now laboring at the station of Mukimvika, at the mouth of the

Congo. Great interest in the Congo Mission has been shown by the brethren of African descent, throughout the country; and much assistance in carrying on this interesting work may be expected from them, both in men and means. The charter of the steamer “ Henry Reed ” to the Congo Free State expired March 29 of this year. It is supposed that the steamer would take part in the transportation to the Upper Congo of Mr. Henry M. Stanley’s expedition for the relief of Emin Pacha, after which it will resume more directly evangelistic work. An association, called “ The Henry Reed Steamboat Company,” has been organized for the maintenance of the steamer and

its missionary work on the Upper Congo; by means of which has been collected, in the first three months of this year, mostly from the children in Sunday schools, $724.21.From the nature and exigencies of the work, frequent changes in the location of some of the missionaries are necessary; but the following is a list of the stations and missionaries at the last information : —

1. Mukimvika : Rev. T. E. S. Scholes, M.D., Rev. J. E. Ricketts.

2. Palabala : Rev. Joseph Clark and wife, Mrs. S. J. White, Mr. J. J. France (lay

assistant).

3. Banza Manteke: Rev. Henry Richards and wife, Rev. Edwin Small, M.D.

4. Mukimbungu : Rev. T. H. Hoste.

5. Lukunga : Rev. C. H. Harvey and wife, Mr. C. E. Ingham and wife.

6. Leopoldville: Rev. A. Billington, Rev. A. Sims, M.D., Mr. J. B. Murphy.

7. Equator Station: Rev. John McKittrick, Mr. F. M. Gerrish.

On the way to the Congo : Mr. J. H. Camp (engineer), Mr. J. M. Lewis, Miss Lina Faulkner, Miss Lenore Hamilton, Miss L. C. Flemming.

In England: Rev. P. Frederickson, Rev. Charles B. Glenesk, Rev. Charles B. Banks, Rev. James B. Eddie, Mr. Herbert Probert..."

Weatherforecat.com

More on James B. Eddie

I found an address for James B. Eddie in his hometown of Elgin, Scotland.  It is 10 Murdoch's Wynd.  This appears in Proceedings and Debates of the Church Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland, Held at Edinburgh, May 1881, ed. Reverent John Thompson.  Edinburgh:  John Ballantyne and Co. 1881.

Another piece of information about James B. Eddie is found the the Crocker's San Francisco Director online: 

St. James' Mission (St. Paul's Parish). Location 
—Clement street, near Fifth avenue. James B. 
Eddie, Lay Reader. Sunday services, 7:30 p. m. only; 
Sunday School at 2:30 p. m. 

"Some Notes on Family History" memories from Margaret Leddy

I ran across these notes on family history which I wrote in pen probably in my early twenties or late teens...so probably in 1968-1972 (there is no actual date on the notes).  I believe I took these notes while interviewing my grandmother at her home during a visit to Costa Mesa.   "Margaret Leddy (my grandmother) remembers Uncle John and her father seated in the living room debating scripture.  At that time here father had become interested in Christian Science [her brother Hamish Leddy became a Christian Scientist].  Uncle John had converted to Catholicism after having introduced Catholic novelties into his Presbyterian church [I have posts on this on this site - his conversion was discussed nationally and there were even opposition pamphlets printed].  Margaret says that Uncle John converted twenty seven people to Catholicism on the boat over from Scotland [and] when he arrived in Altadena where the Edies were then living:  he also converted Margaret and her sisters.  The children had already been attending Catholic church services as they were much disillusioned with the Episcopal Church.  Margaret says that her rather resigned from the Church because of jealousies on the part of the Bishop [Salt Lake City...the issue was more complex as can be seen in my other posts on James Eddie].  However many of the parishioners supported them and when they moved to Altadena they were largely supported by contributions from the former parish.  Mr. Eddie became a real estate man at one point, and was fairly successful in this capacity."

In these notes I also described some photographs of Margaret's: "The young Hamish seems bright and self-possessed.  Margaret has an airy almost ethereal dreamy look.  Iona has bright wide-opened eyes even when young.  There is one picture of Iona with an Indian nurse, Merge Annie in 1898.  Another picture shows Hamish in the choir at St. Mark's Cathedral, Salt Lake City.  The daughters obviously adored their older brother who almost seems conceited in his photographs.  Another picture shows Hamish behind his mother on a horse in the Utah Mountains 1904-5.  This picture is notable for its recording of camp life.  Women wore white, boys wore sports-coats and caps, white laundry was hung on fences, the tents were large[ly] white (probably).  There is even a chair on a platform and a tin bucket.
      Hamish appears again and again,  In one picture 1906 at Uncle Charles' estate in Kirkconnel Scotland, he has on a white cap, striped shirt, and knickers.  This is a coy picture, no smile, the same self-confidence.  Another in 1894 is titled "Hamish and his framed picture of Gladstone."  The frame is an extremely simple affair made of four pieces of wood hammered together.  Hamish looks proud of his work:  is wearing a sailor's suit.  In the same year he is pictured with Nelie the horse in a buggy wearing a large hat.  Also in this collection is a picture of Hamish at graduation from Pasadena High School 1912 wearing a false white collar.
     There is a photograph of Elgin Scotland which is James B. Edie's birthplace.  Artifacts from Congo, Africa, are said to be in the museum there (as he was a missionary).  "His ideals were Stanley and Livingston."  The picture is quite large showing a farm in the foreground and a town with about five churches in the background.  Another picture shows Elgin Cahtedral West Towers with cemetery.  The cathedral is in ruins.
     Other pictures of note:  a charming picture of Margaret 1898, one of her mother Margaret."  The document cuts off there.  

The Elgin Museum still exists.  It's web site says "Elgin Museum is Scotland’s oldest independent museum.
The collections are housed in a Grade A listed building at the east end of the High Street. Here you will find objects displayed from all around the world, but especially from Moray, dating from before the dinosaurs to the present day.".

John Barnes Leddy remembered N6EM

In honor of my dad John Barnes Leddy whose birthday is today and who passed away now a little more than two years ago I am posting images of his QSL card.