Chronological overview of Flad’s life and ministry
Organised according to Flad’s centres of gravity and with cross-references to his autobiography, 60 Jahre in der Mission […] (Gießen: Brunnen, 1922)
CHILDHOOD AND TRAINING (1831–54)
[Cf. Flad, 60 Jahre, p. 24–40]
Jan. 1831: Johannes Martin Flad was born to a farming family in Undingen, Southwest Germany. His father died when Martin (his call name) was still very young. Due to financial restrictions, Martin had to learn a trade (saddler).
1849: Martin Flad worked as a craftsman in Winterthur (Switzerland).
1850‒54: During his study at the missionary training institute at St Chrischona, Flad and three fellow students were selected to work in Abyssinia. Before being sent to Jerusalem, Flad served as a preacher and catechist in South Germany.
- During the rise of Kassa Hailu (later Emperor Tewodros II), Bishop Samuel Gobat saw an opportunity to send Protestant missionaries to Ethiopia. To awaken and promote the Christian faith without causing a public stir, the craftsmen trained at St. Chrischona were to work in their profession and only witness and distribute Bibles privately.
First Stay in Abyssinia (1854–55):
SURVEY WITH KRAPF
[Cf. Flad, 60 Jahre, p. 40–84]
1854–55: Journey with Krapf from Jerusalem via Adwa and Gondar to meet Bishop Salama and King Tewodros II. Return to Jerusalem via the Sudan and Alexandria.
Second Stay in Abyssinia (1856–58):
MINISTRY IN THE GONDAR AREA
[Cf. Flad, 60 Jahre, p. 84–96]
1855/56: Travel to Abyssinia with fellow missionaries Bender, Mayer and Kienzlen.
1856–58: Schools for boys, devotions and Bible distribution as well as outreach to Beta Israel in Gondar and surrounding. Due to serious health problems, Flad left Abyssinia in 1858.
Wedding in Jerusalem (1858)
[Cf. Flad, 60 Jahre, p. 96]
1858: Flad accompanied Bishop Gobat on a journey to Germany. Back in Jerusalem, he married Pauline Keller, a nurse and pharmacist.
Third Stay in Abyssinia (1858–66):
MINISTRY IN AMBA MARIAM, GAFAT AND JENDA
[Cf. Flad, 60 Jahre, p. 96–165]
1858: The Flads and the new missionaries Saalmüller, Waldmeier and Schroth travelled via Nubia to Abyssinia.
1859: The Flads established schools for boys and girls in Amba Mariam (aka Maqdala) and distributed Bibles to visitors. Flad taught Zännäb English so that he could look up parallel passages in the Bible.
1860: Emperor Tewodros II transferred Flad and his fellow missionaries to Gafat (near Debre Tabor), where they built workshops and a school. Start of missionary outreach to the Beta Israel together with Henry A. Stern.
1861: Flad was passed on to the London Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews. Their mission station was in Jenda (near Gondar).
1863: The Emperor’s relationship with the Protestants deteriorated; most of the Europeans were put in chains the following year.
1866: Flad sent to England to obtain craftsmen and tools for Emperor Tewodros II.
Audience with the English Queen and Return (1866–67)
[Cf. Flad, 60 Jahre, p. 188–205]
1866-67: Due to the severe condition of the European prisoners in Amba Mariam, no additional workers were sent to Emperor Tewodros II. On his return journey, Flad finds boxes of Amharic Bibles / NTs in Massawa.
Fourth Stay in Abyssinia (1867–68):
IMPRISONMENT IN AMBA MARIAM, etc.
[Cf. Flad, 60 Jahre, p. 205–243]
1867/68: Flad and his colleagues were held as prisoners. Cruel behaviour of Emperor Tewodros II against his people. Lord Napier and his troops from England and India conquered Amba Mariam in 1868. Afterwards, foreigners had to leave the country.
Translation work and outreach to Jews in Germany (1868–70):
[Cf. Flad, 60 Jahre, p. 243–51]
1868–70: The London Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews later wanted to continue its work among the Beta Israel and, therefore, asked the Flads to remain in their service. Having settled in Korntal in 1869, Flad translated tracts into Amharic and carried out missionary work among Jews in Southern Germany.
Fifth Stay in Abyssinia (1870–71):
BIBLE DISTRIBUTION IN METEMMA, etc.
[Cf. Flad, 60 Jahre, p. 252–57]
1870–71: Flad met with Debtera Biru and other converts in Metemma; outreach and distribution of Bibles and Christian literature.
Ministry in Mannheim, etc. (1871–73):
[Cf. Flad, 60 Jahre, p. 257–64]
1871ff: Distribution of Christian literature and outreach to Jews in Southern Germany.
Sixth Stay in Abyssinia (1873–74):
MINISTRY IN METEMMA
[Cf. Flad, 60 Jahre, p. 264–96]
1873–74: Flad accompanies graduates of the Chrischona seminar to Abyssinia; ministry in Metemma and Jenda. Audience with Emperor Yohannes and Patriarch Atnatewos II in Dembecha. Flad did not receive permission to settle in Abyssinia for a few years and to do missionary work among the Beta Israel.
Ministry in Germany (1874–80)
[Cf. Flad, 60 Jahre, p. 296–320]
1874f: Editing of Amharic literature and outreach to Jews in Germany.
1876 ff.: Flad was invited to Egypt and offered a position as Governor of Southern provinces. He declined the offer. Correspondence with local missionaries among the Beta Israel.
Seventh Stay in Abyssinia (1880–81)
MINISTRY IN METEMMA
[Cf. Flad, 60 Jahre, p. 320–48]
1880–81: More than 10,000 evangelistic tracts, school books (for Beta Israel), and Scriptures were sent to Abyssinia; two months of ministry with Gebru Desta in Metemma. Due to travel restrictions, the conference with the other mission workers could not take place.
Ministry in Germany (1881–90)
[Cf. Flad, 60 Jahre, p. 348–72]
1881 ff.: Ministry among Jews in Germany. Correspondence with the Abyssinian evangelists among the Beta Israel, especially Debtera Biru and Mika’el Aregawi.
1884–90: Thanks to the financial support of the British & Foreign Bible Society, Flad concentrated on revising the Amharic Bible (eventually printed in just one volume). In 1885, Mika’el Aregawi worked with Flad in Korntal for several months [p. 365].
Eighth Stay in Abyssinia (1890)
CONFERENCE IN IMKULLU
[Cf. Flad, 60 Jahre, p. 372–75]
1890: Due to the great challenges faced by the Abyssinian co-workers in the late 1880s, Flad invited them to the Swedish mission station in Imkullu in 1890. There, they met for a two-week conference. In addition to outstanding wages, Flad brought Christian literature.
Ministry in Europe (1890–94)
[Cf. Flad, 60 Jahre, p. 375–416]
Flad was elected to the local council in Korntal in 1886 and served for many years. He also continued correspondence with the Abyssinian mission workers among the Beta Israel.
Ninth Stay in Abyssinia (1894):
Conference in Imkullu
[Cf. Flad, 60 Jahre, p. 416–24]
1894: To discuss matters of mission to the Beta Israel, Flad again called a conference in Imkullu. Due to attacks from Mahdist forces, the mission workers had fled from their former stations in the 1880s but planned to return now. Mika’el Aregawi was appointed leader in Abyssinia.
Remaining years in Europe (1894–1915)
[Cf. Flad, 60 Jahre, p. 424–40]
Krapf led the mission among the Beta Israel through correspondence until the end of his life. However, due to the difficult situation on-site, he often only received letters from Abyssinia once a year. Flad translated part of the correspondence and published it in periodicals of the St. Chrischona Pilgrim Mission. He also continued to serve the Korntal congregation in many capacities.
After a choking attack, Flad had to live with a tube in his throat for nine years until his death on Maundy Thursday, 1915. His gravestone in Korntal bears the Bible verse Psalm 68:31, “Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.” (KJV)
Picture
(photograph deposited in the Basel Mission Archives)
Further reading
» View bibliography with links