William Kendall Gale
Encyclopedia
William Kendall Gale was a pioneering English Methodist missionary in northern Madagascar
between 1908 and his death in 1935.
, Yorkshire, the son of a master stonemason and Methodist preacher. He was baptised at Mount Hermon Wesleyan Reform Church, as it was then known, in July 1873. He was educated at Addingham National School
, leaving at 15 to work for a Burnely firm.
After studying in London
, he returned to Addingham as pastor
of Mount Hermon. In September 1908, he left for Madagascar with his wife and children, to serve as a missionary with the London Missionary Society
. Some of the locals were initially hostile, and met him armed with spears and axes. He also suffered malaria
, black water fever and dysentery
.
Kendall Gale and his family returned to England every five years and his work gained a following. In 1918 he published a report of his journey to the Marofotsy, Sihanaka
and Bezanozano
peoples. He established over 250 village churches in Madagascar, plus schools for training teachers. He had intended to retire in 1937, hoping to have established 300 churches. However, he suffered complications from an operation and died in 1935 in Anjozorobe
, Tananarive. He is thought to have founded more churches than any other LMS missionary.
Kendall Gale wrote an account of his work in Madagascar which was published posthumously.
A plaque in his honour was unveiled at Mount Hermon Chapel in September 2011.
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
between 1908 and his death in 1935.
Life and work
Kendall Gale was born in AddinghamAddingham
Addingham is a village and civil parish in the English county of West Yorkshire. It is situated on the A65, west of Ilkley, north west of Bradford and around north west of Leeds. It is located in the valley of the River Wharfe and is only from the Yorkshire Dales National Park...
, Yorkshire, the son of a master stonemason and Methodist preacher. He was baptised at Mount Hermon Wesleyan Reform Church, as it was then known, in July 1873. He was educated at Addingham National School
National school (England and Wales)
A national school was a school founded in 19th century England and Wales by the National Society for Promoting Religious Education.These schools provided elementary education, in accordance with the teaching of the Church of England, to the children of the poor.Together with the less numerous...
, leaving at 15 to work for a Burnely firm.
After studying in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he returned to Addingham as pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of Mount Hermon. In September 1908, he left for Madagascar with his wife and children, to serve as a missionary with the London Missionary Society
London Missionary Society
The London Missionary Society was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists, largely Congregationalist in outlook, with missions in the islands of the South Pacific and Africa...
. Some of the locals were initially hostile, and met him armed with spears and axes. He also suffered malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
, black water fever and dysentery
Dysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
.
Kendall Gale and his family returned to England every five years and his work gained a following. In 1918 he published a report of his journey to the Marofotsy, Sihanaka
Sihanaka
The Sihanaka are an ethnic group in Madagascar concentrated around Lake Alaotra and the town of Ambatondrazaka. Their name means the "people of the swamps" in reference to the marshlands around Lake Alaotra that they inhabit...
and Bezanozano
Bezanozano
The Bezanozano are believed to be one of the earliest Malagasy ethnic groups to establish themselves in Madagascar, where they inhabit an inland area between the Betsimisaraka lowlands and the Merina highlands...
peoples. He established over 250 village churches in Madagascar, plus schools for training teachers. He had intended to retire in 1937, hoping to have established 300 churches. However, he suffered complications from an operation and died in 1935 in Anjozorobe
Anjozorobe
Anjozorobe is a large town in Analamanga Region, Madagascar, approximately 90 kilometres north-east of the capital Antananarivo.Anjozorobe is famous with its corridor and with a pilgrim city of Anosivolakely where the Virgin Maria is reported to have appeared in 1990.Anjozorobe Forest Corridor is...
, Tananarive. He is thought to have founded more churches than any other LMS missionary.
Kendall Gale wrote an account of his work in Madagascar which was published posthumously.
A plaque in his honour was unveiled at Mount Hermon Chapel in September 2011.
Biographies
- Harold A. Ridgwell, Kendall Gale: Pioneer Missionary in North Madagascar 1908-1935. London: Livingstone Press, 1935.
- Joyce ReasonJoyce ReasonJoyce Reason was a British author of missionary biographies and historical fiction for young readers.- Life and Works :Joyce Reason was born in Canning Town, London...
, Go and Find It!: Kendall Gale of Madagascar. London: Edinburgh House Press, 1942.
- Albert Frederick Bayly, Kendall Gale. London: London Missionary Society, 1960.