Kim Groop With the Gospel to Maasailand - Åbo Akademi

our fallen brothers’, the so-called Chagga Conference decided that all
measures be taken to ensure that Meru become Lutheran. 71
In two articles published in 1904 and 1914, the director of the
Leipzig Mission, Dr. Carl Paul, discussed the relation between the
German colonial power and the German Christian mission. He pointed
out that German colonialism did not benefit mission work in a direct
way, but that it created a favourable atmosphere for the mission
enterprise and, as such, paved the way for the mission. Colonialism
brought about improved communications, such as direct boat connections
between Europe and East Africa, but also railways, roads, postal
communication and telegraph use within the colony. Colonialism,
moreover, favoured the mission education system, seeing that German
officers often encouraged people to send their children to school. The
advance of colonialism, according to Paul, also brought with it medical
research, leading, for instance, to the discovery of quinine – a vital step
in the battle against malaria. 72 But, above all, Paul noted that colonialism
brought security.
To this came the protection granted for the missionaries on dangerous outposts,
which by no means becomes important only when missionary stations are warned
about an imminent attack or threatened missionaries are gathered behind the
protecting walls of the military station. The mere presence of a military base in
accessible proximity has a calming effect on the recklessness of African despots.
All this has contributed greatly to prepare the road for Christ’s messengers. 73
Paul, however, made it clear that the Protestant mission
dissociated itself from the political side of colonialism. Whereas Catholic
societies, according to the director, took advantage of the military power
by setting up missions in close proximity to military stations, the
Protestants tried to distance themselves from the same. Although there
had been incidents in which Protestant missionaries had been politically
71 Müller 1936, 21.
72 Paul 1914, 220-222; Paul 1904, 113-115.
73 Paul 1904, 114. Translation by author.
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