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TheRhenish Missionary Society (Rhenish – of the riverRhine; German:Rheinische Missionsgesellschaft,RMG) was one of the largest Protestantmissionary societies inGermany. Formed from smaller missions founded as far back as 1799, the Society was amalgamated on 23 September 1828, and its firstmissionaries wereordained and sent off toSouth Africa by the end of the year.
TheLondon Missionary Society was already active in the area, and a closer working relationship was formed with them. The Society established its firstmission station in theCederberg in 1829, namedWupperthal, and predated the naming of theGerman city by 100 years.
Very soon, the missionaries started migrating north through the barren and inhospitable south-western Africa. Here they encountered various local tribes such as theHerero,Nama andDamara, and were frequently in the middle of wars between them. The missionaries tried to broker peace deals between the tribes, and for this reason were later seen as political assets by the tribes.
Around the same time, debate started in Germany regarding its colonial empire, with the activities of the RMS in distant Africa fanning imaginations. The unclaimed area to the north of theCape Colony was proclaimedGerman South West Africa in 1880, but they quickly ran into numerous problems, since Germany was inexperienced at colonization. TheHerero and Nama genocide during 1904–1908 proved to be thenadir of their rule, and combined with the effects ofWorld War I, Germany was unable to maintain a foothold so far from home. South Africa annexed the area in 1915, renaming itSouth West Africa. During this time, missionaries' reactions ranged from compassion and help for the local tribes, to patriotism and support of colonial interests.
In 1861, a station inNorth Sumatra,Indonesia, was launched and it lasted until 1940.[1] A book concerning the missionary work there was written by the first evangelist woman who joined the Society,Hester Needham.[2]
RMS was also active in South China, where they constructed a Hospital in Tungkun, the area is now called Dongguan, Guangdong Province, China. The hospital was supported by several notable medical missionaries, including Dr.Johannes E. Kühne, Dr.Gottlieb Olpp, Dr. Eich, Dr. Zeiß.[3] The RMS legacy survives in Hong Kong under the auspices of theChinese Rhenish Church Hong Kong Synod, which established and operates several schools including the Rhenish Mission School in Sai Ying Pun (since 1914)[4] along with Rhenish Church Grace School in Diamond Hill (since 1982)[5] and the Rhenish Church Pang Hok Ko Memorial College in Kowloon Tong (since 1973).[6] The Chinese Rhenish Church has operated on Bonham Road, Sai Ying Pun since 1898[7] and continues in a church adjacent to the Rhenish Mission School, and the Chinese Rhenish Church Kowloon has existed in Kowloon Tong since 1928.
During the 20th century, the Society focused on its work in southern Africa. The Society ultimately amalgamated all of its mission stations in South Africa into theDutch Reformed Church, except for Wupperthal which chose to join theMoravian Church. The mission stations inNamibia became part of theEvangelical Lutheran Church there.
In 1971, the Rhenish Mission and theBethel Mission were combined into theVereinte Evangelische Mission.
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