The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1937-05-06
The Ganda Bible

George L. Pilkington has been called
zone of Gods best gifts to Africa"
Born in Dublin on June 4, 1865, of
excellent parentage. He was prepared
for the university in Uppingham public
school. From there, having obtained
a classical scholarship, he went to
Cambridge, where he distinguished
himself, and was fifty rewarded by a
place in the highest division of the
Classical Tripo. An aggressive, evan
gelistic set was active in the univer-
sity when Pilkington came into resi-
dence at Pembroke college and it was
under their influence that he found rest
for his soul, and his vocation. His first
intention was to go as missionary to
China; but under the persuasion Of
his parents he deferred this plan for
two years. In this interim he taught
school, but was also an effective evan
gelist to boys and young men.
The call came to him from Africa
through Douglas Hooper, and without
hesitation he accepted it. The master
of Pembroke college said Of him, 81
have never had any pupil who has gone
out, in my opinion, so qualified spiri-
tually, Intellectually, and physically.
In January, 1890, he left England as
one of party in the service of the
church Missionary Society, bound for
Uganda. At that time there was no
railroad from the coast so that the
long march had to be made on foot.
Almost a year was required for the
journey. Pilkington was camp cook,
but found time to learn Swabili, and
began to acquire the Ganda tongue
from the native carriers. So enthus-
iastic was he in learning the Ian
guage of the people that when he got
hold of man who would help him he
almost made his life burden to him.
So keen was he, and so great his
ability, that he was able to talk to
the people when he reached Uganda.
The people were eager to learn what
the missionaries had to teach. Swabili
became so much the language of re-
ligion, that the idea gained ground that
to read and speak Swabili made a man
a Christian. However, previous trans
lators had only done the four Gospels,
and only st. Matthew was in print.
Pilkington soon recognized the
superiority of Ganda to Swabili, and
that it was, moreover, the peoples own
tongue. With the invaluable aid of
Henry Wright Duta, the best educated
of the natives, he set himself the task
of producing the first complete New
Testament in Ganda, which was pub
lished by the British and Foreign Bible
Society in 1893.
Pilkington returned to Ireland on
furlough in 1895, spending his time
largely in making revision of the
| Ganda New Testament, and in COM
pleting the Old Testament in that
language. The whole Bible was issued
from the press in 1896.
Returning to Africa in 1896, our
translator performed the remarkable
exploit of travelling by bicycle from the
coast to Uganda, reaching Mengo in
IA days after leaving London. He hao
great plans for further literary work,
but the mutiny of the Sudanese
soldiers breaking out in 1897, he
offered himself to the government as
an interpreter. In fighting which oc-
CURED on December II, he was killed.
But his work did not die. Up to De-
cember, 1892, the Bible Society had
issued 95,O73 Bibles and Old Tesla
ments; 166,995 New Testaments, and
Psalms, and 1876, 189 Portions in Ganda.
Without the sacrifice and devotion of
George Pilkington this gracious work