March 3, 2026

Baker, John

Key Points

John Baker was a pioneering wesleyan missionary sent to The Gambia in 1821.
Baker was originally commissioned in 1818, tasked with spreading the Church's influence.
Despite initial delays due to illness, Baker eventually arrived in 1821, a month after a colleague.
His journey reflects the challenges faced by early missionaries in West Africa.

Abstract

John Baker was one of the first two founding Wesleyan Methodist missionaries to the Gambia. He was commissioned a reverend minister of the Church in 1818 in England before being sent out by the General Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society (GWMMS) to Sierra Leone (1819-1821). Baker was redeployed to St. Mary’s Island, The Gambia and was expected at his new station in January 1821. In the event, Baker fell ill, was delayed, and could only arrive in in March 1821, about a month after his younger colleague, the Reverend John Morgan, had landed.

Baker, John

Key Points

Abstract

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