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"Missionary at Mankazana" source: A.O. Thompon's genealogy - [Confirmed.  Glenthorn Mission is in the Mankazana valley]

In «b»1851«/b» we find Thomas living in the home of his grandfather, MacKenzie Bell (78) at Dalrymple Place in the parish of St Cuthberts,  Edinburgh,  Midlothian, Scotland.  Also in the home are his parents, William Shearer (33), his mother, Agnes Shearer (39) and sister Agnes Shearer (11), and two brothers, William Shearer (8) and James Shearer (2).

In «b»1871«/b» Thomas was a Theological Student and presumabley still living at the same address, which in this census is given as 4 Dalrymple Place.  Neither his grandfather nor his father are listed so presumably they had died. He was living with his mother, ....

«b»1874«/b» "«i»He joined the mission and began an earnest and laborious ministry at Glenthorn. He formed a profitable connection with the church of Adelaide and that of Somerset East«/i»" (Source: Slowan, William J. «i»The Story of Our Kaffrarian Mission«/i»)
«b»1875«/b» Mention is made of him being at the Glenthorn Mission, Bedford (Source: «i»Lovedale, Past and Present.«/i»)
«i»"One of those who have successively ministered to the small group of European farmers and their families, and to the thinly scattered and very mixed native community at Glenthorn" «/i»(Source«i»: «/i»Lennox, M.A. Rev John: «i»Our Missions in South Africa)«/i»
It appears that he went out to the Cape soon after graduating as his children William, Mary and Thomas were born there.  However in «b»1886«/b» they were back in Scotland, probably on furlough, for daughter Agnes, was born in Auchterarder (the home of his wife's parents).  Two years later they were back in the Cape when James was born.

At the time of the «b»1891 Scotland Census «/b»the entire family are again back in Scotland, this time staying with brother-in-law «b»William Tasker Lundie«/b», his parents and three sisters at 3 Glengyle Terrace, parish of St Cuthberts,  Edinburgh, Midlothian.

Rev T. Shearer was attached to the Glenthorn mission from 1874-1894.
Source: (Source: Slowan, William J. «i»The Story of Our Kaffrarian Mission - «/i»p. 18, 34-5, 52, 61, 63, 67, 92-3, 95, 118-9.)
In 'With Christ in the Valley' (150th anniversary brochure) is an image of Rev Thomas Shearer and the dates he was attached to the mission is confirmed.

«b»1894«/b» "«i»He was compelled by continued ill-health to retire from mission service. He gave much attention to the young and the first Sabbath of the month was known as 'children's day'«/i» " (Source: Slowan, William J. «i»The Story of Our Kaffrarian Mission«/i»)

«b»1901«/b» "«i»He and the two Misses Shearer from Burnshill visited Lovedale"«/i». (Source: Lovedale Missionary Institution Report 1901) Burnshill is located at Keiskammahoek, about 60 miles from Bedford.   [ Rev Stuart who married Mary Shearer was stationed at Burnshill...]

In «b»1901«/b» the eldest son, William was lodging in Edinburgh, Scotland, at the house of Elizabeth Bayne.

Thomas' death certificate reads: Thomas Shearer, minister of the United Free Church of Scotland and missionary to Kaffraria, (retired), married to Helen Lundie [died] 9th May, 1909, 9 h a.m.  StU [?] 3b Promenade, Portabello, M, 63 years [parents] William Shearer, Tailor (Master) (deceased) & Agnes Shearer M.N. Bell (deceased) [Cause of death] Angina pectoris, 1 month. as certified by Wm. Darling. MB [ Informant] Wiliam Shearer, son, present.

Thomas Shearer's brother-in-law, Rev John Lundie and his wife, Flora and Mary were in Britain on sabatical at the time and Mary went to stay with her bereaved "Aunt Nellie". This is recorded in Mary Lundie's 1909 diary [as yet not transcribed]. There is a picture of "Aunt Nellie and Mary Lundie at the sun dial in Brighton Park, Portabello taken during this time.

«u»References from other sources.«/u»
«i»Death of Rev Thomas Shearer...took place at Portobello 9th May [1909].  Mr Shearer went out to SA in 1873 to Glenthorn one of  the stations of the United Presbyterian Church.  He laboured there with great acceptance until 1894, his geniality and kindness making him a great favourite.  His intense devotion to work led once and again to a breakdown in health and ultimately to hs retiral from active service.
After five years during which he slowly recovered his health he was able to respond to a call of the Mission Board in an emergency and went out again to SA in 1900, but in three years a fresh breakdown compelled him to come home.  Undismayed the veteran in 1906 again ventured once more to return to the land he so much loved, going out at his own expense and giving valuable service at several stations but in a too brief period health again compelled him to return this time with constitution altogether shattered...sincere sympathy to his widow and family.«/i»
Source:
United Free Church of Scotland. Foreign Mission Committee, 1908-12. page 162, Item 1419

His wife, Helen died  in the Morningside area of Edinburgh in «b»1933«/b»
The death certificate of his wife says "widow of Thomas Shearer minister of the United Presbyterian Church.."

Carstairs wrote this about his visit to Thomas Shearer in 1883;
On Thursday [2nd Aug 1883] we drove from Adelaide to Glenthorn, crossing the Koonap by a drift that has an evil reputation, and when in flood will obviously deserve it, and then proceeding northward through the valley of its tributary, the Mankazana, which we crossed and recrossed through some twelve drifts.  The wild olive abounds, and the Babylonian willow fringes the banks of the stream.  The track leads over the Swartkop, or Blackhill, and through beautifully wooded valleys, the giant peak of the Great Winterberg to the north-east towering over all.
It is not to be wondered at that to the Scotch settlers of 1820 this country appears "beautiful and inviting, being well -watered and pleasingly diversified with glens and mountains, and picturesque rocks and forests; the open grounds covered everywhere with verdant pastures, over which thousands of wild game fed undisturbed, though the forest kloofs and jungles were still held possession of by the elephant, lion tiger and other beasts of pray."  So Thomas Pringle the poet describes in 1825 the upper Mankazana valley, which is still held by his kinsmen.  The game is certainly less abundant now, than when he wrote, and most of the wild beasts have receded before the advance of man.  But the beautiful scenery remains unchanged; the fertile valleys by the aid of irrigation have been brought under cultivation.    The country then depopulated by the extermination of its former Kaffir inhabitants, is now occupied by thriving settlers and the natives who work on their farms; cattle and sheep grazing is
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combined with agriculture, ostrich farming, and fruit growing, the orange groves  in themselves bring in a large revenue to some of the estates.  But best of all, the hopeful anticipations of the Christian poet have been fully realised, when in that desolated district, gazing on the roofless ruin, scathed by fire and smoke, that showed where once the mission chapel stood, the answered the sad question 'Why is it thus?  Shall evil baffle good?"
'Yes - for a season Satan may prevail
And hold, as if secure, his dark domain;
The prayers of righteous men may seem to fail,
And heaven's glad tiding be proclaimed in vain.
But wait in faith: ere long shall spring again
The seed that seemed to perish in the ground;
And fertilized by Zion's latter rain,
The long parched land shall laugh, with harvests crowned
And through those silent wastes Jehovah's praise resound.'

The afternoon [Thursday 2nd Aug 1883]  was well advanced when we reached Glenthorn, and were welcomed by Mr Shearer.  Mrs Shearer and the family were absent in Scotland, and Mr Shearer was dependant on the assistance of the native interpreter and his wife, in entertaining us under his roof.  We appreciated his kind exertions for our comfort, and have pleasant recollections of our brief and busy sojourn.
The church at Glenthorn is a neat stone structure erected by the late Mr Pringle on his own lands in 1840, and improved last year at considerable cost by Mr Robert P. Pringle, the present proprietor.  It is leased to our Presbytery at a nominal rent, and is used for both European and native services.  A piece of ground extending to about 400 acres, little more than a mile distant, is also leased from another proprietor where a school and teacher's house have been erected which Mr Pringle would not allow at Glenthorn because of the proximity to his residence.   Negotiations are pending for the purchase of this ground, with the view of building a larger church for the native services, and making further necessary provision for the development of educational work.  Contributions have already been gathered to the amount of #143,18s,6d towards the cost of the proposed buildings.
On Friday [3rd Aug  1883] we had a meeting with the European congregation from half past ten until after twelve, then from one to four we had a service with the natives, immediately followed by a meeting with the elders from four to half past five.  At these meeting we went fully into the congregational affairs, which we trust will be put on an improved footing, especially in the matter of finance, as a result of the suggestions we offered.
At the English service it had been arranged to have a special meeting to pray for rain.  The drought had been severe and protracted, no rain we were told, for five months, and very little for three years.  Among other passages I turned their attention to James V, 16-18; Isaiah XXXV,7; Xliv, 3-5; and Malachi iii, 7-10 the last as preparatory to pointed and practical addresses on the duties of church members, with which Mr Cosar and Mr Slowan followed.  Within a week we had reason to remember that special meeting, when, like Ahab, we faced the storm
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in our chariot. 'The heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain.'  I trust the Mankazana farmers got their full share, and found comfort in what was a serious discomfort to us, and had their faith strengthened, while our endurance was tried.
Exhausted though we were with the protracted services, we had much satisfaction in the subsequent conference with the native elders, with whose earnestness and ability we were very favourably impressed.
We examined the church records and communion-roll, and found them carefully and neatly kept.  At each monthly meeting the session go over the roll and list of candidates.  The care that is taken in the admission of members is shown that some are kept for two years in the candidates' class, and besides being taught by the missionary, are also dealt with from time to time by the elders at the weekly prayer meetings. We had evidence, also, that discipline is faithfully maintained.
The native congregation numbers 242 members, with 11 elders.  The attendance at Glenthorn is 250, and at the out-stations 600.  There are six weekly, four fortnightly and one monthly prayer meetings, with an aggregate attendance of 365.    The number of prayer meetings at out stations is accounted for by the wide extent of the territory worked from this, our oldest station.  It measures about thirty mines from east to west, and twenty mils form north to south.  The population of the district is over 2500, more than four-fifths being natives located on the farms into which this tract of mountainous territory is divided.
Mr Shearer devotes four days of the week to itinerating, visiting the farmers and so reaching the natives located on their ground, and in this way the gospel is systematically carried into the most remote and inaccessible corners.  With what result, we had convincing evidence in the effecting testimony of the brethren to the power of the truth.  One told of the obstacles that stood in the way of a heathen Kaffir, and how much he had to overcome before he could be  received into the Church of Christ; another with tears in his eyes spoke of his own former ignorance, and unwillingness to listen to the gospel, and of the cords of love with which the Saviour drew him to his bleeding side; another , contrasting the naked heathen, smeared with red clay, with the Christian Kaffirs, said that the first thing that  Christianity does for the Kaffir is to wash him, and the next thing it does is to clothe him, and while his neighbours laughingly approved the sentiment, I thought to myself is that not Christianity,
After tea Mr Slowan and I accompanied Mr Shearer by moonlight to call on Mr Pringle, who expressed great satisfaction at our visit, though ,like every one else, he deplored the shortness of our visit.  The rest of the evening
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was devoted to examination of  the whole particulars  of Mr Shearer's work, and specially of the out-stations.
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Some matters of business were also gone into regarding the proposed purchase of ground.
Next day [Saturday 4th Aug 1883] was largely spent on the saddle. At eight o'clock we started  in the twilight, our friends in the trap, and Mr Shearer and I, accompanied by his native assistant, Matunjwa, on horseback, Mr Pringle having most kindly provided for me.  We inspected the proposed site of the native church, and then proceeded to Austrey, where we breakfasted with Mr John Cumming, son of our old friend at Emgwali, and nephew of Mr. Pringle.  We greatly enjoyed our visit to his pleasant home, and spent two happy hours with him and his kind lady.
At eleven Mr and Mrs Corsar and Mr. Slowan started for Adelaide, and Mr. Shearer and I again mounted and rode up the glen to visit Mr Bennet, the proprietor of Austrey.  Here we again off-saddled and dined.  Setting our immediately after dinner we halted at the hut of a red heathen, Klaas Umlonzeni, whose son, and young man of about five-and-twenty, was apparently dying of consumption.  It was a sad scene, and yet not without some ray of hope in it, for after I had conversed with the young man, the heathen from the surrounding huts gathered in to take part, and evidently with an intent interest, in the little service I held before leaving.  Surely among these reds there are some not far from the kingdom of God.
But what a contrast it was, when after a couple of hours ride, and making a brief call at another farmhouse by the way, we reached the home of Martinus, an old Basuto elder, in Damon's kloof.  Bedridden for two years, he, too was near his end.  Weakness of body and at times pain depressed his spirit, and he spoke diffidently of his own experience. 'He did not feel as he had sometimes done.' But when I spoke to him of the unchanging Saviour, how his face lit up with a holy joy at the name of Jesus, and what a testimony he bore to the all-sufficient grace of the Divine Redeemer.  It seemed as if the light of the coming glory already shone on him, when, after kneeling beside him in prayer, where he lay on his rude bed on that earthen floor, I made tryst with him, as we parted, bidding each other farewell, with finger pointed to heaven.  There is a common tongue that defies the confusion of Babel, when the voice of God is heard.  As we left that lowly hut there was a beautiful evening glow on the hills ar
After a smart canter we got home as the brief twilight was passing into the darkness of night, and spent a pleasant and not unprofitable evening together, comparing experiences in the Lords work in our widely different spheres.
Sabbath (August 5), refreshed by a few hours deep sleep, and a good tub of cold water, I was ready for the work to which the bright morning
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invited.
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Exactly to the minute, unlike some other places we had visited, the bell rang at half-past nine for the English service.  The little church was comfortably filled.  There were fifty five present besides children.  Of course it holds more than a hundred natives.  Mr Shearer has as many as 200 in it but of course it is suffocating. They sit huddled together on the floor, as we had them on Friday.  I took for subject, 'Burden bearing' (Gal vi.5; Gal vi. 2; Ps lv.22; and Matt xi. 28) the consciousness of ministering to a people earnestly hungering for the Word carried me on beyond intended limits.  It was a hallowed time and the service was blessed to us all.  I could only add a brief word to the children from Proverbs vii.17, and the service closed a little after half-past eleven, by which time the natives had begun to gather.
After many affecting farewells, I hurried down with Mr Shearer to the house, and snatched a hasty meal, and was up at the church again by twelve.  It was evident at a glance that no service in the church was possible.  The forms were brought out and the candidates sat in front on them.  One seat was reserved for a bridal party, who appeared in great state; the husband and young Kaffir farm servant, with great display of white shirt, black coat, and light trousers and vest, and large white rosette in his coat; the dusky bride in blue silk dress, white veil and orange wreath; and three bridesmaids with their attendant young men all gaily dressed.
The seats not needed for these were taken up as usual by the lords of creation, but did not nearly suffice of r half of them, for it was a great audience for such a sparsely peopled country that had assembled, many from very great distances.  Over the mountains and up the kloofs they came -Kaffirs, Fingoes, Basutos, Hottentots, Moszambiques and mixed.  There were over 450, besides children including more than 100 red heathen.  I stipulated that the best place near the centre should be reserved for these, for I was uncertain how my voice might carry in the open air, and wished that they, at least, should hear the gospel message.
There was no need for misgiving on that score.  It was a delight to speak in that pure elastic atmosphere.  After the opening devotional services, there were fourteen members admitted by baptism, and three children of members baptised.  Of the fourteen seven were men and seven were women.  There were four Kaffirs, four Basutos, five Fingoes and one Mozambique.  One of the Kaffirs was baptised by the name of 'Jack' and one of the Basutos was named 'Adonis Kokwana'.  After I had baptised them, kneeling in the line upon the ground, I addressed them on some of the names by which Christ's people are described in Scripture, enlarging specially on the designation 'saints'.  This gave me the opportunity of preaching a sermon for the Christians present.  The two interpreters had a hard time of it, for I was obliged to insist on their following instantly and quickly at each other's heels, or it would have been impossible to hold the attention of the audience.  The sentences had to be short and clear, and after
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me Matunjwa translated in to Kaffir, and then Plaatje rendered from Kaffir into Dutch, to suit the Hottentots and others, who know little either of Kaffir or English.
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After praise and prayer lead by a Basuto elder, Andreas Keis, I preached the gospel from John xvii. 3. It was a rare opportunity, and I enjoyed it greatly, standing bareheaded under the Mimosa tree, with the interpreters on either side, and the red heathen before me, and all the congregation grouped around.  The interpreters were powerful men, especially Plaatje, but they were beginning to give signs of exhaustion when the slanting sun warned me that the day was declining, and reluctantly I had to close.
During the brief prayer many (including the red heathen) were deeply affected.  I gave out a hymn and while they were singing it, slipped away quietly around the back of the church, and ran for it down the hill.   The horses were already inspanned and Mr Pearson, the farmer who had kindly agreed to drive me, was ready to start.  I drank off a cup of tea without sitting down, shook hands with Mr Pringle of Glenthorn, who had come t to say goodbye, and jumped into the cape cart, Mr Shearer following on the spur of the moment, and off we were, the sound of the hymn still heard through the trees as we drove away, at twenty minutes to three.  It was a wind drive through the drifts of the Mankazana, over the Zwartkop, and through the Koonap drift, and by a quarter to six we were at Mr Davidson's door at Adelaide.  They kindly gave me a cup of tea in my own room, so that I might have a quiet half  hour before going to the pulpit for the evening service.

Source: Carstairs, George L. . «i»A visit to South Africa and our Kaffrarian Missons«/i» transcribed from newpaper clippings held at the National Library Scotland. [my pagination p 68-73]

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