Mary SlessorMissionary to Nigeria

(1848-1915)

By Dr. Peter Hammond

Mary SlessorMissionary to Nigeria

(1848-1915)

Raised in Poverty

Mary Slessor was born, the second of seven children, into a poor and troubled home in Scotland. Although her mother was deeply religious,

her father was a violent drunkard, who brought the family to abject poverty, fear and misery.

Their one-roomed home had no water, lighting or toilet and hardly any furniture. Mary slept on the floor. Mary’s older

brother died, leaving her as the oldest surviving child.

When her father died, the burden of supporting

her family fell upon her young shoulders.

At 10 Mary began work as a half-timer, spending half her time at school and half her

time at the mill.

At 14 years Mary began working full time - a 58 hour week at the looms. However, her mother ensured that

Mary went to Church every Sunday.

Mary was frightened into the Kingdom of God by an old widow who warned her of the dangers of hell fire. Horror seized her

and she could not sleep until she came to repentance and faith.

Conversion

Mary became a tireless Sunday school teacher,

who gave herself completely to working in

a mission to the slums around the Church that she attended.

Called to

Missions

Her mother’s interest in missions, her memory of her older brother

(who had often spoken of becoming a

missionary) and the death of a younger

brother (who also had been dedicated to

becoming a missionary in Africa) led Mary to

wonder if it was possible that she could

take her brother’s place! At that time

single women in missions were unheard

of.

In 1874, the news of the death of David Livingstone settled the matter for her.

Training

In 1876, Mary left home in Dundee for missionary training in Edinburgh.The United Presbyterian Church appointed Mary as a missionary

teacher and she was assigned to a mission station in Calabar(in present day Nigeria).

Evangelising Animists

The tribes amongst whom Mary was sent were animists who worshipped the sky, sun and rain, and the spirits of the rocks, rivers and

trees. Enslaving people of other tribes was an accepted and entrenched practice.

Enthusiastic

Soul Winner

Mary was enthusiastic and impatient, finding the progress of work at the

established mission station far too slow.

She ached for more demanding tasks, and was

reputed to have climbed every tree in the region! Frequent

illnesses, and attacks of fever, which almost took her life on

several occasions, did not seem to diminish her zeal for winning souls for Christ. Mary maintained a cheerful faith.

Missionary to Calabar

Mary was assigned to a mission station at the Old Town on the East bank of the Calabar River.

The people in this area were utterly degraded.

Amongst the many things which horrified Mary was

the practice of killing twins: “A woman who gave birth to

twins was regarded with horror. The belief was that

the father of one of the infants was an evil spirit, and that the mother had

been guilty of a great sin to bear twins.

At least one of the children was believed to be a monster, and so twins were seized, their backs were broken, they were crushed into a calabash or water pot and taken out – not by the doorway, but by a hole broken in

the back wall, which was at once built up again, and thrown into the bush, where they were left to be eaten by insects and wild beasts!”

Mary’s fierce, red-headed passion raged against this massacre of innocents.

The Loss of Her

Family

While Mary was desperately ill in 1883, a sister died in Scotland.

Mary then received news of her mother’s death, soon followed by news of the death of another

sister in Devon.

These were dark and difficult days for Mary. “Home” no longer existed. She threw

herself even more wholeheartedly into serving

her new adopted family in Calabar.

For practicality, she cut her hair short,

abandoned all Western comforts and Western food (except for tea as her only “luxury”) and went about barefoot!

A Simple

Lifestyle

Mary moved to Creek Town, where she began caring for the many abandoned children. She was constantly interrupted by people coming

to her for help. The sick needing treatment, the hungry seeking food and those with disputes seeking her counsel to bring about resolution.

Ministering to Body, Mind and Spirit

Mary set up schools in Ekenge and Ifako. Soon churches were built alongside the school houses.

Amidst rampant witchcraft, drunkenness and immorality, Mary undertook much of the manual work of constructing the school and church buildings herself, as well as the daily tasks of education and

evangelism.

Mary served as a teacher and nurse, dispensing medicines and conducting four services each Sunday, walking many miles each day.

Healing Bodies and Saving LivesOnce when

instructed to heal a dying chief, Mary knew that if she

failed she would be blamed for his death.

First she got rid of all the witchcraft charms

and sacrificed chickens, then she

prayed and gave the chief good medicine and nursed him back

to health.

His wives were particularly grateful as they would have otherwise been killed and

buried with the chief. They were keen to learn about

“the Book”.

The Harvest is

Large and the

Workers are Few

A report of Mary’s pioneer exploits in the Missionary Herald prompted a young Scottish carpenter, Charles

Ovens, to come out to Africa to help her

with the carpentry. His arrival was a great

encouragement and practical help.

Missions Above

MarriageIn 1891, during her furlough in Scotland, Mary was courted by

Charles Morrison and became engaged.

However, when Mary realised that her marriage would mean settling in Scotland and not returning to

Calabar, she broke off the engagement

and returned to Africa.

Mother of all

the People

At this point the British government recognised

that Mary Slessorenjoyed an unparalleled

trust from the local people who called her

Eko Kpukpro Owa -Mother of All the

People - and appointed her as a Consular Agent.

Later she was promoted to being Vice-President of the Itu Native Court. All the public affairs of the Okoyong were conducted through her. She

presided over court cases and ensured that justice was served.

Confronting WitchdoctorsOn one occasion as a woman

was spread-eagled on the ground to have boiling oil

poured on her, Mary boldly intervened and physically

prevented the witchdoctor from harming his victim.

The people were astounded ather courage in

confronting chiefs and witchdoctors - and that she survived!

They concluded that it was the power of

her God which protected her.

Consular Agent of the Crown

Mary was held in the highest respect by the local people, although the British government would not have approved if they had known of the

extent to which she went in her court cases.

Mary never let legal technicalities get in the way of fairness. One plaintiff, while having his suit upheld against another,

was punished for not treating his mother properly, failing to maintain adequate hygiene and for neglecting his farm!

Converting Cannibals

Mary was seldom free from illness. When the population moved, she moved with them. In 1903, Mary had the joy of seeing the first seven

young Christians baptised, and the first Communion service held.

Shortly afterwards she moved to the Itu, which was notorious as a market place for slavery, and where cannibalism was still practised. Soon

she had gathered a congregation of 300 and established a school with 68 pupils.

Perseverance

Despite illness and discouragements, Mary was tireless in her hard work and pioneering of mission stations, schools and churches.

Fever and sickness constantly afflicted her until in February 1915, at the age of 66, she went to be with the Lord.

A Legacy of

LibertyBecause of her efforts,

many schools and churches had been

established, the killing of twins ceased, slave

trading in Calabar was eradicated, drunkenness,

killing and witchcraft diminished and most of the people of Calabarcame to embrace the

Gospel of Christ.

“Those who are wise shall shine

like the brightness of the firmament,

and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars

forever and ever.” Daniel 12:3

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