John McKendree Springer

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John McKendree Springer (7 September 1873 – 2 December 1963) was an American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church and The Methodist Church, elected in 1936.^[1] He was also notable as a pioneering missionary instrumental in developing Methodism on the continent of Africa.

Birth and family

Springer was born in Cataract, Wisconsin, the son of the Rev. Henry Martin Springer, and the grandson of the Rev. Elihu Springer, both M.E. Preachers. Elihu Springer was a soldier in the American Indian Wars. Henry Springer served four years with the Colorado Cavalry during the American Civil War. He is buried at the United Methodist mission station in Mulungwishi, Katanga Province, DRC. His grave marker indicates that he died on December 1, 1963.

The Springer family is of Swedish origin. John's mother was descended from the Scarritts family, which was involved in the Indian Missions.

Education

Springer graduated from Northwestern University (1895 and 1899). He went on to earn a B.D. degree from the Garrett Biblical Institute (1901).

Missionary service

Springer was appointed a missionary in 1901. He was assigned as a Pastor and the Superintendent of the Old Umtali Industrial Mission in Rhodesia from 1901 until 1906. During 1907 he and his wife journeyed across the African continent. He took furlough, 1907-09. Upon his return to Africa in 1910, he was stationed in the Lunda country of Angola and Belgian Congo. He held various appointments between 1910 and 1915, including Kalalua in North Western Rhodesia (1910–11), Lukoshi in Belgian Congo (1911–13), and Kambove (1913-15). He took a second furlough, 1915-16.

Upon his return to Africa in 1916, Rev. Springer became Superintendent of the Congo Mission Conference, helping other medical missionaries, such as Dr. Arthur Lewis Piper, get acclimated.^[2] He returned to the U.S.A. in 1918 to work on the Centenary and Inter-Church World Movement projects. In 1920 he was appointed Superintendent of the Elisabethville-Luba District. In 1921 he was transferred to the Rhodesia Mission Conference to serve as Superintendent of the Mutumbara District. Another transfer occurred in 1924, when Springer joined the Congo Mission Conference a second time, again appointed Superintendent. During this time he was stationed at Panda-Likasi. A third furlough took place 1925-28, again returning to the U.S.A.

References

↑ 'Historical dictionary of Methodism,' Charles Yrigogen, Susan Eltscher, Scarecrow Press: 2005, Biographical Sketch of Bishop John McKendree Springer. pg. 286
↑ First Meeting. Belgian Congo, Africa: Web. 11 Oct. 2013.

Papers of Bishop John McKendree Springer, General Commission on Archives and History of The United Methodist Church (Madison, New Jersey).

External links

Papers of Bishop John McKendree Springer, 1840 - 1961

v t e Protestant Missions to Africa

Background	Christianity Protestantism

Missions timeline	Christianity in Africa

People	William Anderson Frederick Stanley Arnot John Arthur Samuel Bill Joseph Booth Daniel Coker Daniel Kumler Flickinger George Grenfell Carl Hugo Hahn Joseph Hardcastle Joseph Crane Hartzell Johannes Ittmann Franz Heinrich Kleinschmidt Johann Ludwig Krapf Margaret Nicholl Laird Christian Ignatius Latrobe David Livingstone Mary Livingstone (née Moffat) Alexander Murdoch Mackay Joseph Merrick Robert Moffat Andrew Murray Helen Roseveare Hans Paludan Smith Schreuder John Philip Martti Rautanen Alfred Saker Heinrich Schmelen William Henry Sheppard Mary Slessor John McKendree Springer Charles Studd William Taylor Gottlieb Viehe

Missionary agencies	American Board Africa Inland Mission Berlin Missionary Society BMS World Mission Congo-Balolo Mission Christian and Missionary Alliance Church Mission Society Finnish Missionary Society Heart of Africa Mission Livingstone Inland Mission London Missionary Society Mission Africa Mission to the World Paris Evangelical Missionary Society Rhenish Missionary Society USPG WEC International

Pivotal events	Slave Trade Act 1807 Slavery Abolition Act 1833

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Authority control	VIAF: 73555209

Persondata
Name	Springer, John McKendree
Alternative names
Short description	American Methodist bishop
Date of birth	7 September 1873
Place of birth
Date of death	2 December 1963
Place of death

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