Brotherhood of St Augustine of Hippo
Encyclopedia
The Brotherhood of St Augustine of Hippo was an Anglican Brotherhood founded in the Free State, South Africa
, in 1867, and based at Modderpoort
from 1869, in the Diocese of Bloemfontein
.
Bishop Edward Twells
, the first Bishop of Bloemfontein, had called for the establishment of a Missionary Brotherhood in 1865. In response, the Revd Fr Henry Beckett left England for the Free State in July 1867, with seven young men who would be the founding members of the Brotherhood of St Augustine of Hippo.
Twells had purchased the farms Modderpoort
and Modderpoort Spruit in 1865 as a base for missionary work in the area, but conflict in the region prevented the first group of brothers from settling there right away. The Brotherhood thus established itself initially at Springfield near Bloemfontein
, starting its missionary work at Thaba Nchu
.
Three of the group of seven fell away before the Brotherhood finally occupied Modderpoort in the autumn of 1869. Initially they occupied a cave.
A Priory and a sandstone Chapel dedicated to St Augustine were built by the brothers.
Modderpoort was taken over, in 1902, by the Anglican Society of the Sacred Mission
(SSM).
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, in 1867, and based at Modderpoort
Modderpoort
Modderpoort, also known as Lekhalong la Bo Tau or ‘The Pass of the Lions’, is the site in the eastern Free State, South Africa, where the Anglican Missionary Brotherhood, the Brotherhood of St Augustine of Hippo, was established by Bishop Edward Twells in the late 1860s...
from 1869, in the Diocese of Bloemfontein
Anglican Diocese of the Free State
The Anglican Diocese of the Free State is a diocese in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.-History:The first service North of the Orange River to be taken by an Anglican clergyman was conducted in 1850 by Robert Gray, the first Bishop of Cape Town. In 1863, Edward Twells was consecrated the...
.
Bishop Edward Twells
Edward Twells
Edward Twells was the first Bishop of Bloemfontein in South Africa from 1863 to 1869.Twells was consecrated Bishop of the Orange Free State in Westminster Abbey in 1863 under the Jerusalem Act, and went out to the colony, in the interior of South Africa, with three priests and two schoolmasters.In...
, the first Bishop of Bloemfontein, had called for the establishment of a Missionary Brotherhood in 1865. In response, the Revd Fr Henry Beckett left England for the Free State in July 1867, with seven young men who would be the founding members of the Brotherhood of St Augustine of Hippo.
Twells had purchased the farms Modderpoort
Modderpoort
Modderpoort, also known as Lekhalong la Bo Tau or ‘The Pass of the Lions’, is the site in the eastern Free State, South Africa, where the Anglican Missionary Brotherhood, the Brotherhood of St Augustine of Hippo, was established by Bishop Edward Twells in the late 1860s...
and Modderpoort Spruit in 1865 as a base for missionary work in the area, but conflict in the region prevented the first group of brothers from settling there right away. The Brotherhood thus established itself initially at Springfield near Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
, starting its missionary work at Thaba Nchu
Thaba Nchu
Thaba Nchu is a town in Free State, South Africa, located 60 km east of Bloemfontein. Its population is largely made up of Tswana and Sotho people. The town was settled in the 1830s and officially established in 1873...
.
Three of the group of seven fell away before the Brotherhood finally occupied Modderpoort in the autumn of 1869. Initially they occupied a cave.
A Priory and a sandstone Chapel dedicated to St Augustine were built by the brothers.
Modderpoort was taken over, in 1902, by the Anglican Society of the Sacred Mission
Society of the Sacred Mission
The Society of the Sacred Mission is an Anglican religious order founded in 1893 by Father Herbert Kelly, envisaged such that "members of the Society share a common life of prayer and fellowship in a variety of educational, pastoral and community activities in England, Australia, Japan, Lesotho,...
(SSM).