Henry Callaway
Encyclopedia
Henry Callaway was a missionary for the Church of England
and a bishop of St. John's, Kaffraria
, in the Church of the Province of Southern Africa (now the Anglican Church of Southern Africa).
maker. He was educated at Crediton Grammar School
and became a teacher in 1835. His headmaster was a Quaker, and Callaway soon joined the Society of Friends.
Later, he was a chemist
's assistant and a surgeon
's assistant. He began to study surgery
and in 1842 he was licensed by the Royal College of Surgeons
. He was licensed by the Apothecaries' Society in 1844.
He married Ann Chalk in 1845. In 1852, when his health began to fail, he sold his practice and spent a year in France
. By the next year he had graduated from King's College
, University of Aberdeen
, with plans to become a physician
.
work. In 1854, he was ordained
as a deacon, having become a member of the Church of England two years earlier. Soon afterwards, he went as a missionary to Africa
. Initially, he was stationed at Ekukanyeni (near Pietermaritzburg
), but, after being ordained as a priest in 1855, he was made rector
of St. Andrew's
in Pietermaritzburg.
In 1858, he was granted land near the Umkomanzi River and settled at Insunguze, which he renamed Spring Vale. It was here that he began his study of the Zulu religious beliefs and other customs and obtained the information which enabled him to write his books Nursery Tales, Traditions, and Histories of the Zulus (published in 1868) and The Religious System of the Amazulu
(published in 1870). He also translated the Book of Psalms and the Book of Common Prayer
into Zulu
.
In 1873, he was recalled to England so he could be consecrated as the first missionary bishop
of St. John's, Kaffraria. He left England the following year. In 1876, he moved the seat of his diocese
to Umtata
, where he founded St. John's Theological College.
His health, however, began to fail, and he resigned his post in 1886. The next year he returned to England, making his home at Ottery Saint Mary, where he lived until his death in 1890.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
and a bishop of St. John's, Kaffraria
Kaffraria
Kaffraria was the descriptive name given to the southeast part of what is today the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Kaffraria, i.e. the land of the Kaffirs, is no longer an official designation...
, in the Church of the Province of Southern Africa (now the Anglican Church of Southern Africa).
Pre-missionary life
Henry Callaway was the son of a bootBoot
A boot is a type of footwear but they are not shoes. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle and extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece....
maker. He was educated at Crediton Grammar School
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Crediton
The former Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Crediton, Devon, England was founded in 1547 by Edward VI and re-endowed and renamed in 1559 by Elizabeth I.-Foundation:...
and became a teacher in 1835. His headmaster was a Quaker, and Callaway soon joined the Society of Friends.
Later, he was a chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
's assistant and a surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
's assistant. He began to study surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
and in 1842 he was licensed by the Royal College of Surgeons
Royal College of Surgeons of England
The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an independent professional body and registered charity committed to promoting and advancing the highest standards of surgical care for patients, regulating surgery, including dentistry, in England and Wales...
. He was licensed by the Apothecaries' Society in 1844.
He married Ann Chalk in 1845. In 1852, when his health began to fail, he sold his practice and spent a year in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. By the next year he had graduated from King's College
King's College, Aberdeen
King's College in Old Aberdeen, Scotland is a formerly independent university founded in 1495 and an integral part of the University of Aberdeen...
, University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
, with plans to become a physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
.
Missionary work
Soon after graduating, he became interested in missionaryMissionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
work. In 1854, he was ordained
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
as a deacon, having become a member of the Church of England two years earlier. Soon afterwards, he went as a missionary to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. Initially, he was stationed at Ekukanyeni (near Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality...
), but, after being ordained as a priest in 1855, he was made rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of St. Andrew's
St Andrews (disambiguation)
Saint Andrew is the Christian Apostle and brother of Peter the Apostle.St Andrews is a town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife, Scotland, United Kingdom.St Andrew may also refer to:-Saints:...
in Pietermaritzburg.
In 1858, he was granted land near the Umkomanzi River and settled at Insunguze, which he renamed Spring Vale. It was here that he began his study of the Zulu religious beliefs and other customs and obtained the information which enabled him to write his books Nursery Tales, Traditions, and Histories of the Zulus (published in 1868) and The Religious System of the Amazulu
The Religious System of the Amazulu
The Religious System of the Amazulu is a book by the English missionary Henry Callaway and was published in 1870. It is one of several books he wrote about the Zulu people and their beliefs....
(published in 1870). He also translated the Book of Psalms and the Book of Common Prayer
Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
into Zulu
Zulu language
Zulu is the language of the Zulu people with about 10 million speakers, the vast majority of whom live in South Africa. Zulu is the most widely spoken home language in South Africa as well as being understood by over 50% of the population...
.
In 1873, he was recalled to England so he could be consecrated as the first missionary bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of St. John's, Kaffraria. He left England the following year. In 1876, he moved the seat of his diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
to Umtata
Mthatha
Mthatha is the main town of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The town has an airport, previously known by the name K. D. Matanzima Airport after former leader Kaiser Matanzima....
, where he founded St. John's Theological College.
His health, however, began to fail, and he resigned his post in 1886. The next year he returned to England, making his home at Ottery Saint Mary, where he lived until his death in 1890.
His books
Besides The Religious System of the Amazulu and Nursery Tales, Traditions, and Histories of the Zulus, Callaway also wrote:- Immediate Revelation, published in 1841,
- The Way to Christ, published in 1844,
- Memoir of James Parnell, published in 1846,
- The Good Tidings of Great Joy, published in 1854,
- The Last Word of "Modern Thought", published in 1866,
- Some Remarks on the Zulu Language, published in 1870,
- A Sermon on the Ordination of Two Natives, published in 1872,
- Kaffraria Church Mission, published in 1874,
- A Fragment on Comparative Religion, published in 1874,
- Missionary Sermons, published in 1875,
- On the Religious Sentiment Amongst the Tribes of South Africa, published in 1876,
- From Pondoland to Cape Town and Back, published in 1877,
- and A Brief Account of the Kaffraria Church Mission From 1874-1877, published in 1877.
External links
- Henry Callaway at The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge
- The Good Tidings of Great Joy, Which Shall Be to All People. A Sermon Preached in the Cathedral Church of Norwich, on Sunday, August 13, 1854, on the Occasion of Ordaining Henry Callaway, M.D. (Late A Member of the Society of Friends,) as a Missionary among the Heathen in the Diocese of Natal, By the Right Reverend John William Colenso, D.D., Lord Bishop of Natal (1854)