PROTESTANT CHURCH IN MALUKU (± 1800-1864)


 General Condition

Starting from year 1790's until around 1820, Ambon and the Maluku islands are in a state of uncertainty. Twice British people replace the Dutch as rulers (1796-1802, 1810-1817). They ease the burden on residents due to VOC monopoly system. When the Dutch returned (1817), they immediately began to again impose an assortment of obligations to the people, and it contributes to the great rebellion in Saparua. The years of the 1820s was a period of quiet, but starting from 1835 the Central Maluku islands shaken by earthquakes and epidemics. In the meantime, then to runing lives of the Maluku’s people according to a style that has been in force during the VOC. They do not develop their own economic activities other than to obtain the necessities of life especially. Maluku islands poor, and many people who migrate into personnel or soldiers for the Dutch government. In the political field, the Ambonesse remain under the guardianship of Dutch people. Everything is controlled from above, and they were forced to accept what is decided about them.

Nothing pastors
The Church in the Moluccas shared the common influence events. In the 1780s there are three priests in Ambon. But due to the collapse of the VOC, the relationship with the outside world was decided. From 1793 to 1815 there was no longer a priest in Ambon except for a few months; in Saparua remained pastor until 1801. In Ternate and Banda, things are not much different. Then in 1813, the British government brought in a priest from India, that Jabez Carey, son of the famous William Carey. But now he is a Baptist, and not willing to work in order to work as contained in the Moluccas ecclesiastical.

Meaning absence of ministers
Miss-relationship to the outside world at all does not mean that the Christian church in Ambon became extinct. Ambonesse Christians now want to stick to Christianity. Since ancient times, Christians in Ambon primarily maintained by teachers, not by the foreign ministers. And now the teachers continue usual activities at church and at school. Her educated is inadequate. However, among them there are those who lead the congregation in a way that can be accounted for at all. We hear about Guru Lokolo in Amahai guiding his flock with very faithfully preaching about a teacher who was also praised by the missionaries of the all critical; In Saparua, Head of Elementary School Guryu Risakotta, her school in Tiouw rated as an exemplary school. Such teachers also say that they set themselves preaching, and according to the job, they deserve to be called as pastor. They  are should not be ordained sacraments.

Church life is not much changed
Even be said that the Christians in the Moluccas most barely feel any change. Christians in Ambon town is familiar with the administration of the sacraments that rarely happens. And they met face to face with a priest at most once a year; often less than that. So, for those not much changed with the departure of the last priest. Instead vacancy pastor just pointed the shortcomings and weaknesses of existing during the time of the Mission and Reformed churches. For two and a half centuries, Moluccan Christians do not get well-educated labor steward, and told they were not administered the sacraments regularly. Now the relationship with the outside world had been severed, and the church no longer has a priest or sacrament. But in the state of the church in Maluku could live for nearly three centuries.

Maluku People hold on Christianity
Intention Ambonesse want to hold on to the religion handed down to them to be real in the insurgency in Saparua (1817), led by Thomas Matulessy Pattimura called anyway. The rebellion was to a large extent triggered by problems in the field of religion, the church and school. The Dutch government would stop paying the salaries of teachers of cash the country, so for them so will be borne by the countries themselves. Maluku people interpret the plan as damaging Christianity. People even ask to be sent a priest (Netherlands) more, so that spiritual nourishment is assured. One other reason is that the proposed Pattimura Muslims in Maluku would supposedly forcibly Christianized. And finally people get upset because one of the church buildings in the city of Ambon, which was dilapidated, would be shed. Pattimura got full support from the teachers, and they believe that God is on the side of them - of course, there is also the belief as to the Dutch people.

Styling trust the people of Maluku
Of the demands put forward by Pattimura and teachers who support him, we can draw some conclusions else.

Unity of life
a. Moluccan Christians assume that the close relationship between the church, the school and the state, as applicable at the time of VOC, is reasonable. New ideas that have emerged in the West due to the Enlightenment and Pietism, namely that the state did not deal with the church and that the school should be removed from the head of the church, is entirely foreign to them. Among those still held the unity of life as those in the tribal religions and in the Western world before the 18th century.

Chastity = magic
b. Their objection to the sale of a church building may well indicate that they view religious objects as sacred objects. In other words, that for them the "holiness" got a sense of "magic", "sacred", the same as in the tribal religions (but this assumption is widespread also in the midst of Western Christianity). This impression is reinforced by the news about the magical properties inherent in the objects used in worship, such as the story of a young man who robbed contents charity box, and then attacked by the disease which resulted in a hole in a box-shaped mouth that charity. We can also recall the use of the waters of baptism and communion bread as medicine or fertilizer.

No missionary
c. From their reaction to the rumors as if the Muslims would be forced to be a Christian, to show that they view Christianity as a highly valued possession, but that does not have to be forwarded to their brothers and sisters of other faiths. Naturally, if they themselves embrace Christianity; reasonable also that in other countries people embraced Islam. In this case, we also see the influence of tribal religious flavor, which are not members of the missionary on the other.

Direct influence of tribal religions
In the case above, the influence of religion looking indirect interest, namely the influence patterns of thinking found in tribal religions. Shape is determined by her Christian beliefs. In addition they are also the direct influence of tribal religions, the customs derived from tribal religions. Most Christians still keep sacred objects, objects that are tangible ancestors. Priests in the days of VOC combat elements of tribal religions, and if caught, the punishment severe, until threatened with the death penalty. Surprisingly, the pastors were less aware of the influence of religious thinking that indirect interest in the realization of Christianity as found in the Moluccas (or in the Netherlands itself). As a result, these efforts are not successful repeal of infidelity in the Christian churches.

New energy: Jabez Carey (1814 - 1818)
British Government was not happy to see the situation. They asked the new power of the British missionaries in India. Jabez Carey, son of the famous figures missionaries, the William Carey. As in the days of the Dutch VOC priests carry-and the forms and patterns of their church from the ground-water, as well as Carey was put into Ambon distinctive beliefs of his own church, the Baptist church. He even told his father reviewing school books and the books of catechism, attacked the baptism of children, and forming "evangelical churches", which consists of people who truly fear God. But Carey has not managed to achieve this ideal, when the Dutch returned to power in the Moluccas (1817), and kicked him out (1818).

New energy: Thurs Joseph (1769-1833)
Before the Dutch government could pass Ambon, a Dutch priest has started service there. But he remained family members Reformed Church (church people, church-state). His family has a close relationship with the church Herrnhut, and attentively read the news about the evangelistic efforts by emissaries Herrnhut. Joseph wanted to be a missionary as well, but only after his wife died, he may apply to the NZG (the organization does not want to send people who are married). For several years he was educated by monks of the Board NZG. Only later NZG educational school founded missionary candidates. Thurs ordained a priest, and in 1814 he arrived in Java, with Bruckner and another friend again.

"We had seized" the government
Kam and her friends intend to work in the midst of a non-Christian, independent of churches that already exist. But the government considers the maintenance of the churches were more pressing than the third missionary evangelism and was told to fill jobs in the churches. Bruckner placed in Semarang, while the self Thurs sent to Ambon. Before sailing to get there, Kam half years serving congregations Surabaya. There he became acquainted with several people who are sensitive to its message, including a German national watchmaker named Emde. Thurs implanted in their hearts knowing that they are responsible for preaching the Gospel in the midst of the people of Java. In 1815 Thurs landed in Ambon and started working there. She was at that time already 45 years old.