A wonderfully clean, crisp 2pp ALS by Samuel Ajayi Crowther [1807-1891]. Born in Yorubaland [modern Nigeria], he was taken captive by Muslim slave traders and traded six times before being sold to the Portuguese. As part of the British anti-slavery patrol of ships coming to Europe, the ship Samuel was on was intercepted, boarded, and the slaves set free and transported to Sierra Leone. There Crowther became a Christian and began training for the ministry. He officially began working in Nigeria as a missionary in 1841.

After this initial expedition, Crowther went to England and studied at the CMS College in London. His studies there led to his ordination by the Anglican Church in 1843. After his ordination, Crowther and several others opened a new mission in Yorubaland. He made important linguistic contributions, publishing A Vocabulary of the Yoruba Language, and later translating the Bible and The Book of Common Prayers into the Yoruba language.

Crowther returned to England in 1851 to promote his missionary work. He ultimately earned support from the CMS to open a mission along the Niger River with a staff composed entirely of Africans from Sierra Leone. After the success of this mission, Crowther was ordained in 1864 as “Bishop of the countries of Western Africa beyond the Queen’s dominions,” making him the first African Bishop in the Anglican Church. 

The present letter is one of the very first he wrote after being officially ordained Bishop.

The story doesn't end well. Over time, CMS views shifted toward having European missionaries in control of all foreign missions. There were attempts to discredit Crowther and his work. Ultimately, the staff was entirely replaced by white missionaries. Crowther, distressed by the conflict, died from a stroke on December 31, 1891. A European bishop replaced him.

Though Crowther’s ambitions were quelled toward the end of his life, his ordination as the first African Bishop in the Anglican Church was a milestone in nineteenth-century society. His translations of the Bible and The Book of Common Prayer into Yoruba were instrumental in his pioneering of Christian-Muslim interactions in the Upper and Middle Niger regions.

"Church Missionary House
Liverpool. July 23, 1864

Dear Sir,

Though on the eve of embarkation, I must drop you a line to acknowledge the receipt of the one guinea per Post office order for the Bishopric's fund and to return many thanks for it and the expression of deep sympathy for me and for the work in which we all take such deep and lively interest.

With my best respects
I remain
Dear Sir
Yours Faithfully
Saml A. Crowther
Bishop"