On the Edina Road: Part I

Stele in Edina, Bassa County
commemorating the Bassa King
Bob Gray, so named by the settlers

   After only a few years following the arrival of the first ship carrying freed slaves from the United States, the Americo-Liberians pushed inward, following the Montserrado River and the St. Paul River, and along the coast of Liberia to the Southeast of Monrovia. As they went they encountered indigenous tribes, sometime hostile to the settlers, and were stunned by the resources of their new home.

   Edina (eh-DYE-nuh) was a town established in the late 1832. The name honors Scottish supporters of the efforts of the American Colonization Society. The “edin” in Edina is a reminder of Edinburgh. The settlement appeared to be an ideal place with fresh water (the newcomers called it St. John River) and a stretch of shore on the Atlantic Ocean that seemed promising for fishing and, perhaps, the construction of a port from which to engage in commerce. Virgin forests offered lumber for local use and commercial potential. A variety of palm tree that produced oily nuts eventually gave rise to a booming business in palm oil. And, of course, there were the coconut palms, plantain and banana trees in abundance.

   The bright future of Edina soon was eclipsed by another settlement on the eastern side of the St. John. What came to be Buchanan had a better port site than Edina. Soon Buchanan—named for the last white Colonial Governor of Liberia, Thomas Buchanan—was a thriving settlement, despite some unfortunate conflict with local tribes that erupted in the “Fish War” of 1838.

   Edward Wilmot Blyden describes Buchanan’s success as Governor and his important work toward laying a foundation for a republic:

   In the month of May, 1839, Governor Buchanan again arrived from the United States, quite unexpectedly, and to the great joy and relief of the settlers. This sagacious philanthropist and statesman soon summoned the hostile chiefs and arranged matters on a satisfactory footing.

   I had read about Edina and its promise and trials. When I told my host, Olu Menjay, about Edina and Edinburgh he smiled and said, “Maybe you should go there and preach at the First Baptist Church; I can arrange it.”

On the Edina Road

   On 3 February 2013 I went. The going and coming was at least as exciting and informative as the being there.

   There is a paved road from Monrovia to Buchanan. We made our way in that general direction for a couple of hours. Abruptly, the Revered Al Green, pastor of FBC Edina (he had come to Monrovia on Saturday so he could guide us through the bush), ordered James Blay, our driver, to leave the paved road. For the next hour or more we followed a narrow dirt road, passing villages, crossing creeks, all while listening to BBC World on the radio.

A village on the Edina Road
The cut wood will be turned into charcoal,
one way villagers make a living.

   As usual, I was full of questions. I inquired about the flora. I wanted to know how the villagers were able to make a living (“They make charcoal, make a cassava farm, or rice,” Rev. Green said). I asked permission from my Liberian travel companions to take photos of some villages. I did not ask permission to photograph the road.

   I did not know what to expect to find in Edina, but I was imagining something other than I found. The First Baptist Church was founded in 1832; the present structure was built in 1868. Bamboo scaffolding surrounded the bell tower, but that did not prevent the ringing of the bell that called the small congregation to worship.

First Baptist Church
Edina, Bassa County, Liberia
Est. 1832

   “We are making some renovation,” Rev. Green explained. “It will take some time. The people do not have jobs and they make a little by farming or fishing so they can bring their tithes and offerings into the storehouse.”
   Before the service we had a short walking-tour of a few sites: the ruins of the house of the Reverend John Cheeseman, former President of Liberia (d. 1896 in office), a memorial angel in Cheeseman’s honor, a simple stele adorned with a bust of the Bassa king (see photo above) with whom Governor Buchanan made peace, and the compound of the sitting mayor.

   Cheeseman was from Edina. He was one of the early pastors of the First Baptist Church. It was he, too, who provided the energy and early leadership for the founding of the Liberian Baptist Convention. Even now the shadow of John H. Cheeseman is well defined on the landscape of Liberia and Liberian Baptists.

Memorial Angel
John J. Cheeseman
Edina, Bassa County, Liberia

   In a prominent place in the village Cheeseman is memorialized with a quite southern-looking monument. (I've seen similar angels in Macon's Rose Hill Cemetary, dating from the late 19th century.)

   We returned to the church where some already had gathered and were singing.

   The service was an interesting mix of what I imagine to be the church experiences of the parishioners. We sang out of a 1977 edition of The New Broadman Hymnal, cast-off copies from a Georgia Baptist church whose name and locale was stamped on the now soiled and tattered books. I noted, however, that even though we knew the page of each hymn, the tunes we sang did not always correspond with the signatures for the hymns. And, too, there were idiosyncratic changes in the lyrics. We recited the Apostles’ Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. The offering time coincided with “fellowship time,” which meant the lone usher was having to dodge people in the aisles. I noted that the usher had a pretty good bead on who had or had not put something in the basket!

With Rev. Al Green
at First Baptist Church
Edina, Grand Bassa County, Liberia

   The service ended and promptly restarted. A deacon placed poles over the open doors at the back of the room as Rev. Green and I negotiated how we would share the officiating of the communion service. And, yes, after communion we sang “Blest Be the Tie.”

   Rev. Green invited all in attendance to get in a photo with “our guest from beyond the Atlantic Ocean.” We gathered for a photo. (Please see photo in the next post, "On the Edina Road: Part II.)