John McKendree Springer

John McKendree Springer (7 September 1873 – 2 December 1963) was an American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church and The Methodist Church, elected in 1936. He was also a pioneering missionary instrumental in developing Methodism on the continent of Africa. While in Africa he introduced schools which came to be welcomed by many of the tribal chiefs and which the young Africans came to grow very fond of. Springer is noted for exploring and journeying 1500 miles across central Africa on foot in 1907, along with his wife Helen.

Family background
Springer was born in Cataract, Wisconsin, the son of the Rev. Henry Martin Springer, and the grandson of the Rev. Elihu Springer, both M.E. Preachers. Elihu Springer was a soldier in the American Indian Wars. Henry Springer served four years with the Colorado Cavalry during the American Civil War.

In 1905, Springer had become mission superintendent of Old Umtali where he married Helen Emily Rasmussen, whoalso did missionary in Southern Rhodesia.

After the death of Helen in 1946, Springer married a second Helen, Helen Newton Everett, who did missionary work in the Congo.

On December 1, 1963 Springer died in the Congo and was buried at the United Methodist mission station in Mulungwishi, Katanga Province, DRC.

The Springer family is of Swedish origin. John's mother was descended from the Scarritts family, which was involved in the Indian Missions.

Education
Springer graduated from Northwestern University (1895 and 1899). He went on to earn a B.D. degree from the Garrett Biblical Institute (1901) and Taylor University. Having performed missionary work in many capacities throughout most of Africa he authored a number of books about missionary work in Africa during the course of his career. His first wife, Helen, also authored a work about life in Africa in 1906



Missionary service
Springer was appointed a missionary in 1901. He was assigned as a pastor and the superintendent of the Old Umtali Industrial Mission in Rhodesia from 1901 until 1906. He and his wife crossed central Africa by foot in 1907, walking approximately 1,500 miles. During their voyage they found accommodations at Cachoa in a house where the explorer and missionary David Livingstone had stayed some years before. He is said to have known Africa as the average man knows his home county. He took furlough, 1907-09. Upon his return to Africa in 1910, he was stationed in the Lunda country of Angola and Belgian Congo. He held various appointments between 1910 and 1915, including Kalalua in North Western Rhodesia (1910–11), Lukoshi in Belgian Congo (1911–13), and Kambove (1913-15). He took a second furlough, 1915-16. Upon his return to Africa in 1916, Rev. Springer became superintendent of the Congo Mission Conference, helping other medical missionaries, such as Dr. Arthur Lewis Piper, get acclimated. He returned to the U.S. in 1918 to work on the Centenary and Inter-Church World Movement projects. In 1920 he was appointed Superintendent of the Elisabethville-Luba District. In 1921 he was transferred to the Rhodesia Mission Conference to serve as Superintendent of the Mutumbara District. Another transfer occurred in 1924, when Springer joined the Congo Mission Conference a second time, again appointed Superintendent. During this time he was stationed at Panda-Likasi. A third furlough took place 1925-28, again returning to the U.S. In 1936 he was elected bishop for Africa, serving until his retirement in 1944. Both John and his wife were gifted and admired orators. They wrote books highlighting the needs and opportunities of Africa. They established the Methodist higher education for many of the African peoples where they founded the Congo Institute. His wife Helen translated hymns and scriptures, and established Methodist girls’ education. She translated and published a Shona grammar in 1905.

Works