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chapter, however, their core function remained the preaching of the
Christian Gospel. The extent of the Lutheran missionary activities and their
remarkable legacy in the Makgabeng area is evidenced by the number of
stations which had been built since they first appeared in that area. Towards
the end of the 19 th century in addition to the Leipzig and Makgabeng
mission stations, there were already outstations at Ga Manaka, Ga
Maunatlala, Setupung, Monobeng, Mokumuru, Ga Mojela, Okuli, Silwermyn,
Non Parella, Bayswater, Ga Mokobane, Sankobela, Slaaphoek,
Schoongezight and Ga Hlako 293 . Although some of these outstations were
sometimes abandoned, their congregations in most cases remained to
continue with their activities. Some of the earliest staunch Black Lutheran
converts who also became leaders of concregations in the Makgabeng area
included Simon Setumu (in Bays Water), Joshua Monyebodi(in Ga
Monyebodi), Matheus Ngwepe (in Schoongezicht) and Adolf Mamabolo (in
Bochum) 294 . Black Christian converts were a clear, visible new form of
religious identity brought to the Makgabeng area.
Even though there is this traceable legacy of the missionary activities in the
Makgabeng area, the missionaries were sometimes discouraged by their
efforts which were at times fruitless and their progress sometimes very slow.
Reversion to old ways of life by those who had been converted to
Christianity was one of the major setbacks which undermined the
293 M. Jackel, Gananoa, p. 25.
294 Ibid, p. 34.
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