I HAVE NOT PUT THE PHOTOS AND REPORTS OF THIS ARTICLE HEREUNDER ONTO FACEBOOK BECAUSE TOO LARGE AND TOO MANY BUT WILL GLADLY SEND THEM TO YOU BY EMAIL IF YOU GIVE ME YOUR ADDRESS. THANK YOU. Dear friends Please may I ask you to take the few minutes to read this hereunder – it took me 40 years to compile / write it – and be touched by these pioneers. Please read also the attached biography of Apostle W Schlaphoff which was in the booklet of his funeral, plus the insights about the New Apostolic Church in East London reported approx 50 years ago by pioneer Sister MacDonald. Thank you. The 125-year centenary of the New Apostolic Church on African soil was celebrated from 19-22 June 2014 in the river port of East London in South Africa – see : East London, the first congregation in Africa nak.org/news/news-display/article/18668/ NAC International > News > 08.07.2014 Upon a sure foundation ! naccape.org.za/news/3649-upon-a-sure-foundation-.html NAC Cape – News 2 July 2014 Further to the above two articles which have details and photos of those celebrations and which mention Apostle Klibbe, may I please share with you some details and photos of the history of the origins in East London of our Church in Africa and mention also Apostle W Schlaphoff who joined the Church in East London and his son Assistant Chief Apostle H F Schlaphoff who was born in East London 120 years ago on 3 August 1894. Apostle Wilhelm Schlaphoff led the NAC in Africa from 1913, and during a visit to Johannesburg passed away on 16 Aug 1928 in the house shown in photo 10, 38 Pan Road in La Rochelle, the home of Bishop Indan. His grandson District Evangelist Wilhelm Schlaphoff of East London was born on that day and therefore given his grandfather’s name. Around 1970 I showed DEv W Schlaphoff this house and took this photo of him at the house. He in turn took me in 1972 while on a visit to East London to the homes of Ap Klibbe and Ap W Schlaphoff and to the place where the first New Apostolic divine service in Africa was held around 1892. This hereunder then of some details and photos of the history of the origins in East London shows the beginnings there and the subsequent spread from there of our Church into Africa : 1889 Mission work in Southern Africa began with the arrival of Evangelist Carl Klibbe from Australia. He was born in Pomerania on 24 Dec 1852. He was originally a minister in the Lutheran Church and was already introduced to the Lords Work before he emigrated with his family to Scotland, and eventually from there to Australia. In Australia Carl Klibbe and his family became sealed. Brother Klibbe laboured with much zeal to further the Work of God in Australia and soon received the Evangelist ministry. In 1889 Apostle Niemeyer commissioned him to travel to South Africa to establish the Lords Work here. Apostle Klibbe was ordained as Apostle in 1893. 1907 Photo 1 - shows Apostle conference – behind and to the right of Chief Apostle Niehaus is the later Chief Apostle Bischoff, and to the left of Ch Ap Niehaus is Apostle Klibbe of South Africa who soon thereafter fell away and started the Old Apostolic Church. 1896 Photo 2 - The farm of the Klibbe family Imvani [meaning “the thorns hold you back”] near Queenstown approx 200km from East London 1896 Photo 3 - Apostle Carl Klibbe’s home at 76 George’s Road in East London Photo 4 - The first services in Africa were held in one of these houses in De Villiers Street in East London – Wilhelm Schlaphoff passed here and was drawn in by the singing 1900 Photo 5 - Wilhelm Schlaphoff lived in one of these houses in Walker Street in East London 1900 Photo 6 - East London street scene, many years later the New Apostolic church was built in Oxford Street almost in middle of city centre 1877 Photo 7 - East London railway station from 1877 1902 Pentecost Wilhelm Schlaphoff was Sealed by Apostle Klibbe and later that year sent to Cape Town to start the work there. 1903 After W Schlaphoff had left East London, the congregation there declined steadily. Financial difficulties were rife. Many of the original members left the Church and before long the congregation was forced to sell the little chapel they had built with so much dedication. 1924 Brother and Sister MacDonald moved to East London. From their arrival until 14 years later they were without Church services and only received a Circular and Holy Communion once a month from Cape Town. They went to Cape Town to have their two children Baptised and Sealed. Sister MacDonald was the daughter of Brother Staack, of the second family to join the New Apostolic Church in South Africa, Brother Staack being the faithful and helpful friend of Apostle W Schlaphoff. 1937 Priest Theo Wucherpfennig moved to East London and divine services were commenced in his house, thereby re-starting the congregation of East London. Brother MacDonald later became District Elder of East London. In approx 1940 services were held in room 11 in Union House, Union Street. 1948/49 Our own church building was built in Oxford Street and inaugurated on 13 March 1949. 1961 DEl MacDonald passed away and District Evangelist Wilhem Schlaphoff became responsible for East London area – he was born on the day his grandfather Apostle Wilhelm Schlaphoff passed away – see above. 1920 Photo 8 - Apostle W Schlaphoff setting off on a lengthy journey by ship to Europe to visit Chief Apostle Niehaus. 1928 Photo 9 - Apostle W Schlaphoff (white beard) amongst brethren in Johannesburg after service in La Rochelle. 1928 on 16 Aug - Apostle W Schlaphoff passed away in La Rochelle in Johannesburg in the home of Bishop Indan. 1928 / 1970 Photo 10 - Apostle W Schlaphoff’s grandson District Evangelist Wilhelm Schlaphoff of East London was born on the day his grandfather passed away and therefore given his grandfather’s name. Around 1970 I showed DEv W Schlaphoff this house where his grandfather passed away and took this photo of him at the house, 38 Pan Road in La Rochelle, the home of Bishop Indan. 1928 11 Report - Apostle W Schlaphoff biography in the funeral booklet. 1924 to 1961 12, 13, 14 Reports - Insights about the New Apostolic Church in East London reported approx 50 years ago by pioneer Sister MacDonald. 1889 Mission work in Africa began with the arrival of Evangelist Carl Klibbe from Australia. 1893 Apostle Klibbe ordained as Apostle - the one and only Apostle in the whole of Africa. He served until 1913. Thus Apostle Klibbe was the first leader of the present New Apostolic Church in Africa. It was all ‘one and the same’ area. 1901 Apostle W Schlaphoff and his family became members of the New Apostolic Church in East London and were sealed in 1902. Due to the Anglo-Boer War he lost everything and decided to move to Cape Town, where they arrived on 5 Jan 1903. At that time he was a Deacon of our Church. 1913 Apostle W Schlaphoff ordained as Apostle - the one and only Apostle in the whole of Africa, thus Apostle W Schlaphoff was the leader of the present NAC in Africa - it was all ‘one and the same’ area. 1894 on 3 August (120 years ago) Apostle H F Schlaphoff was born in a wood-and-iron house in Oxford St, East London, and was baptized in the Lutheran Church. 1928 Apostle H F Schlaphoff ordained as Apostle by letter from Chief Apostle Niehaus. - the one and only Apostle in the whole of Africa. He served until 1954. Thus Apostle H F Schlaphoff was the leader of the present NAC in Africa - it was all ‘one and the same’ area. 1932 Apostle H F Schlaphoff made his first visit to the Rhodesia‘s, today Zimbabwe and Zambia, meeting up with Priest Henwood the later first ‘Black’ Apostle. 1933 Apostle H F Schlaphoff was placed into the Chief Apostle Helper ministry, later called Assistant Chief Apostle for the Southern Hemisphere. 1935 Apostle REJ de Vries ordained as Apostle – thus Ap H F Schlaphoff was the one and only Apostle in Africa from 1928 to 1935 - then from 1935 there were two Apostles in the whole of Africa until 1947 when Apostle Wucherpfennig was ordained, whereupon there were three Apostles in the whole of Africa. . In 1889 mission work in Southern Africa began with the arrival of Evangelist Carl Klibbe from Australia. Carl Klibbe was born in Pomerania, whose northern border was the Baltic Sea, on 24 December 1852. He was originally a minister in the Lutheran Church and was already introduced to the Lords Work before he emigrated with his family to Scotland, and eventually from there to Australia. It was only in Australia, however, that Carl Klibbe and his family became sealed. In Hatton Vale, a town in the state of Queensland, Carl Klibbe met three families who testified of the re-establishment of the Apostle ministry. Highly excited, he took great trouble to seek out the man who had converted these families. It was Evangelist Heinrich Niemeyer, whom he had met first in Germany. At this stage, Evangelist Niemeyer owned a farm at the foot of a mountain in the bushland of Queensland. After a lengthy discussion Carl Klibbe became fully convinced that this was indeed the Work of God. He and his family were sealed together with many other families after Evangelist Niemeyer had been ordained an Apostle in 1886. The newly sealed Brother Klibbe laboured with much zeal to further the Work of God in Australia and soon received the Evangelist ministry. In 1889 Apostle Niemeyer commissioned him to travel to South Africa to establish the Lords Work here . The Beginning: 1889 The determination with which Evangelist Carl Klibbe set about his task is reflected in a letter which his sender, Apostle Niemeyer, wrote from Australia to Apostle Menkhoff, dated 21 October 1889. Plainland 21 October 1889 My dear beloved Brother Menkhoff, Brother Klibbe has just written to me from Africa. He writes with much joy and courage. Brother Klibbe, during his journey there, he received an addition to the family, namely a son, John. They had calculated he would be born when they were already on the African shore, but, because they went by sailing ship, the journey was delayed by 12 weeks and the little one was born at sea … He will experience, however, the truth of the words, “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me” (Psalm 50:15). Since Evangelist Klibbe depended upon farming for his livelihood, when he landed in Cape Town in 1889, he bought a small-holding at Bellville, but later moved and purchased a farm at Worcester. Because he could only speak German, Evangelist Klibbes testimony was limited to the sparse population of German immigrants in both Cape Town and Worcester. Unfortunately, Evangelist Klibbe missionary work at this stage bore no fruit. His thoughts therefore turned to those areas in South Africa where there were actual German settlements. When he heard of the settlement in Berlin about 60 km from East London, a town established by German immigrants disbanded from the British-German Army in 1857, he was persuaded to once again uproot and move to East London. The first congregation in East London: 1892 In East London, Evangelist Klibbe found many German-speaking people who willingly listened to his testimony. In the year 1892 an embryo congregation emerged to become the first New Apostolic congregation in South Africa. So that these and all subsequent members could be sealed – nominated by Apostle Niemeyer in Australia – Carl Klibbe was called to the Apostle ministry by the Apostle College in Europe in a letter dated 8 July 1893. Within a few years the congregation had grown to a figure of 70 members who, from their own means, built a modest chapel in Southernwood, a suburb of East London. In 1901, a shoemaker by the name of Georg Heinrich Wilhelm Schlaphoff, and his family, also emigrants from Germany, visited the congregation in East London. He was deeply impressed and before long he and his family were adopted. They were sealed by Apostle Klibbe on Pentecost 1902. In the wake of the poverty wrought by the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) raging at the time, Brother Schlaphoffs shoemaking business was reduced to ruin, plunging him into severe financial difficulties. Despite these severe times, on Christmas morning of 1902, Apostle Klibbe ordained him into the Deacon-Evangelist ministry and commissioned him to move to Cape Town, the capital city at the time, to make another attempt to establish the work of God there, Klibbe having been unsuccessful in Cape Town earlier. After Deacon-Evangelist Schlaphoff had left East London, the congregation there declined steadily. Financial difficulties were rife. Many of the original members left the Church and before long the congregation was forced to sell the little chapel they had built with so much dedication. Apostle Klibbe had also suffered severe financial loss. As a result, he, too, was forced to leave East London. He bought a farm in iMvani, a small railway siding about 160 km from East London where, with his experience in farming, he hoped to better his financial position and also establish a congregation among the German immigrant farmers there as well as at the nearby town of Queenstown. Regardless of these difficult circumstances, Apostle Klibbe had laid the foundation for future growth and the Lord was to bless the Work in the years to come and give a guiding hand in the times of crisis that lay ahead. The divine services held in the lounge of Evangelist Schlaphoff were soon so well attended that space became a problem. A hall in Station Road, Claremont, was hired to become the second home for the congregation. Later a plot of ground in Palmyra Road, Claremont, was purchased. Here the first church was built and was dedicated by Apostle Klibbe on Pentecost, 4 June 1906. Coupled with the fact that services were almost entirely held in German, the presence of the German Consul on this highly festive occasion caused the local residents, many of whom were also present, to call it the German Apostolic Church. Apostle Klibbe sent servants of God to Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban and Johannesburg. As soon as the congregation in Port Elizabeth flourished servants emerged whom he could send to Grahamstown, King Williams Town, Berlin and other towns in the Eastern Cape. This included the sending of Brother Malachi, a black man, to New Brighton to work among his people there. In 1904 Apostle Klibbe also sent a servant to Kimberley. Apostle Klibbe himself encountered difficulties, however, in that most of the people in the region of iMvani spoke Dutch, or the new offshoot of this language called Cape Dutch, the forerunner of Afrikaans. For this reason Apostle Klibbe requested Evangelist Schlaphoff to send Priest Christian Kreunen, who spoke Dutch, to assist him. So, in 1907 Priest C. Kreunen and his family moved to Queenstown where, without further formality, he began to testify. Few in Queenstown showed interest, but he was able to establish a congregation at iMvani. Christian was later joined by his younger brother, Jacobus, and Sunday after Sunday they travelled from Queenstown to iMvani for services there. Until the calling of the Chief Apostle ministry in Apostle Krebs on Pentecost 1897, Apostle Klibbe had looked to Apostle Niemeyer, the one who had sent him to South Africa, for guidance. In 1906, following the example of all the Apostles all over the world, Apostle Niemeyer journeyed to Europe to visit Chief Apostle Niehaus. He urged Apostle Klibbe to do the same. Apostle Klibbe held a farewell service on his farm in iMvani in 1908 and set out on his journey to the Chief Apostle. In Cape Town, the Brethren accompanied the Apostle to the quay where they bade him farewell. Months went by before he arrived back at the same quay. Amid much jubilation Apostle Klibbe related many wonderful things. It was a very happy time. On his arrival back at iMvani, Apostle Klibbe found devastating natural circumstances on his farm. He realised then that the South African farm could not be managed the same as an Australian farm. Crops had failed and deaths of livestock had accumulated to a dangerous level. There was no alternative but to sell the farm. He was left penniless. Priest Kreunen offered him and his family accommodation in his home in Queenstown which the Apostle accepted. Soon financial stress was also felt in Queenstown. Motivated by this as well as the still fervent desire to spread the Lords Work, Apostle Klibbe asked the younger brother, Jacobus Kreunen, to move to Indwe, about 100 km away. Here only one family was initially drawn to his testimony: the family Jordaan. But it was here that Brother Jacobus Kreunen found his future wife, and he married Johanna Jordaan in 1910. They had all but settled when Apostle Klibbe felt the urge to move to Johannesburg where he heard the testifying work was making headway. In 1910 Apostle Klibbe asked Priest Christian Kreunen to accompany him to Johannesburg because, not only was he familiar with the Dutch language, but with the city of Johannesburg as well. Upon their arrival Apostle Klibbe again resided with Priest C. Kreunen in their new home in Jeppe, a suburb of Johannesburg. Apostle Klibbe held services there for the two families and the few souls that had been testified to. Soon a vacant shop was rented wherein probably the first sealing service in Johannesburg took place. As soon as he arrived in Johannesburg, Apostle Klibbe also called young Brother J. R. Kreunen, who had recently married, to leave his home in Indwe to take up residence in Pretoria, in 1911. In 1912 the Church in South Africa saw the beginning of a time of crisis when Apostle Klibbe suddenly drew away from Chief Apostle Niehaus. The exact reason for his decision remains obscure. We do know, however, that by this time Apostle Niemeyer in Australia had also withdrawn from the Chief Apostle and the teaching of the New Apostolic Church in Germany. We read in an Australian newspaper report about the Apostolic Church in that country, that Apostle Niemeyer had appointed his son as Bishop and Apostle in 1912 – a decision not ratified by the Chief Apostle – and that both father and son had then journeyed to Germany and South Africa. It could well be that during this visit they strongly and adversely influenced Apostle Klibbe. Then the Chief Apostle invited Wilhelm Schlaphoff to travel to Germany to clear up various matters. In the meantime Apostle Klibbe made his position clear. He returned all mail received from the Chief Apostle unopened. Through this he clearly indicated his severance from the Chief Apostle and the Apostle Unity. While he was in Germany, Wilhelm Schlaphoff received the Apostle ministry from Chief Apostle Niehaus on 21 September 1913. A measure of stability was restored to the congregations in Cape Town. For much of the country, however, it heralded a period of confusion and unrest, for from that moment on, for the next 13 years, there appeared to be two New Apostolic Churches: one led by Apostle W. Schlaphoff and the other by Carl Klibbe, who ignored the fact that he had been removed from office in 1913. The congregation in Pretoria remained loyal to Priest Kreunen. In Johannesburg, however, the two large congregations in Jeppe and Benoni remained with the former Apostle Klibbe. Only the handful in La Rochelle left him to follow Priest Kreunen. Then came the next shock: World War I was declared in 1914, at which date Apostle Schlaphoff was, as a German subject, interned and forced to leave his home in Cape Town. What seemed like a disaster proved to be a blessing. At first he was imprisoned in Pietermaritzburg for one and a half years where the brethren there were able to visit him in his concentration camp. In 1916 he was transferred to Kimberley, where in 1913 Priest Tobin had followed Apostle Klibbe refusing to accept the new leadership. Sub-Deacon Bell, whom Apostle Klibbe had transferred there in 1911, and Brother Sandilands, later the Rector of this congregation, remained loyal. Apostle Schlaphoff was eventually allowed to live with Priest Sandilands and conduct services at his home. A full year went by. Then, in 1917, after renewed petitions, Apostle Schlaphoff was allowed free travel to Pretoria. He stayed in a boarding house in Vermeulen Street from where he could freely move to hold services and strengthen Gods children. This proved to be a time of consolidation for the Church, but in 1918 Gods people also had to cope with a great influenza epidemic that swept through the country. Many lives were taken by this scourge. At the end of the war in 1918, Apostle Schlaphoff returned to his home in Cape Town. From there he set about the task of strengthening the faith of the Lords own in all congregations. On 30 October 1921 he ordained his son, Heinrich Franz Schlaphoff, into the Community Evangelist ministry to care for the congregations in Cape Town while he travelled throughout the country. In the meantime, Carl Klibbe, having refused to acknowledge his removal from office in 1913, continued his independent activities under the name, New Apostolic Church. This brought confusion and bitter conflict that could only finally be settled in a court hearing on 26 December 1926. Here it was ruled that Carl Georg Klibbe had vastly deviated in his teaching from that of the New Apostolic Church in Germany and that he was in future to carry on his activities under the name of The Old Apostolic Church of Africa. This was officially registered in June 1927. Today, the Old Apostolic Church is not affiliated in any way to the worldwide activities of the New Apostolic Church. In 1928 Apostle W Schlaphoff again set out on a journey to visit all congregations. Upon his arrival in Johannesburg he suddenly became ill. He passed away peacefully in the arms of his wife in the home of Bishop Indan in Johannesburg, on 16 August 1928. His body was brought to Cape Town where, on 26 August 1928, he was buried in Woltemade Cemetery. All the members throughout South Africa, comprising over 7000 souls from 39 congregations, personified the tribute read at his funeral: “Seek ye his monument, you will find it by us, who learned to know and to love him!” 1892 New Apostolic Church (NAC) starts in Africa - i.e. in later South Africa in East London which at that time was in the Cape Colony. 1893 Apostle Klibbe ordained as Apostle - the one and only Apostle in the whole of Africa. He served until 1913. Thus Ap Klibbe was the first leader of the present New Apostolic Church in Africa. It was all ‘one and the same’ area. 1910 NAC starts in Johannesburg. 1911 NAC starts in Pretoria. 1913 Apostle W Schlaphoff ordained as Apostle - the one and only Apostle in the whole of Africa, thus Ap W Schlaphoff was the leader of the present NAC in Africa - it was all ‘one and the same’ area. 1928 Apostle W Schlaphoff (father of Apostle H F Schlaphoff) dies in La Rochelle (Johannesburg).. 1928 Apostle H F Schlaphoff ordained as Apostle by letter from Chief Apostle Niehaus. - the one and only Apostle in the whole of Africa. He served until 1954. Thus Ap H F Schlaphoff was the leader of the present NAC in Africa - it was all ‘one and the same’ area. 1928 membership in Africa is 7000 and by 1948 it is 45100. Thanksgiving is held on the first Sunday of August each year. 1929 Apostle H F Schlaphoff makes his first visit to Europe and is ordained by Chief Apostle Niehaus. In subsequent years thereafter he makes many visits to various countries in Europe before and after the Second World War including to give considerable help in many difficulties. Sept 1928 to 2.11.1929 the court case against former Apostle C G Klibbe who fell away around 1911, Klibbe having parallel ‘New Apostolic Church’ which he was forced by Court Order to re-name and he chose ‘Old Apostolic Church’. Sadly, Apostle Niemeyer in Australia also created his own Church, but the New Apostolic Church survived this, as also happened in South Africa. Do read about Apostle Niemeyer and the subsequent development of his own Church, and the survival and emerging again of the New Apostolic Church there, in Down Under jubilee in Our Family Oct 2008 page 28 to 31. Love and best wishes, Alan Woodman
Posted on: Tue, 15 Jul 2014 08:57:13 +0000