Comparación de los PAOs empleados en la eliminación de fenol

It is essential to understand why the 1956 General Conference opted to elect Francis Herman Gow as a bishop for the missionary work in South Africa.

An article in the Cape Times (1956) notes that Gow was born in 1887 (cf Cape Times 1956). His father, Francis McDonald Gow, was a West-Indian citizen who immigrated to South Africa in the early 1880’s. Gow (Sr.) moved to District Six, Cape Town, where he became a fulltime photographer. When the AME Church was organised in District Six, Cape Town in 1898, Gow Sr., became a member. He was subsequently ordained as a minister of the AME Church and assigned as the second Pastor of Bethel Memorial in District Six.

Francis Herman Gow completed both his primary- and secondary education in District Six, Cape Town. He left South Africa in 1904 to further his studies in America.

Wright (1963: 188) remarks that Gow attended Wilberforce University, Tuskegee  

Institute, Miami University and Lane Theological Seminary. He received the DD-degree from Morris Brown College and the LLD-DD-degree from Allen University. After the completion of his theological studies he served AME congregations in Cincinnati, Charleston and West Virginia. On his return to South Africa in 1924 he served at Bethel Memorial AME Church in District Six, Cape Town.

While in America, Gow taught at Tuskegee Institute as a member of the Department of Music. He also served as pipe organist at the Alabama School. In 1924 he turned down several offers of employment in the United States to accept the appointment as principal of the Wilberforce Theological School in Johannesburg (cf Pittsburgh Courier, 19 May 1956: 2).

Wright (1963: 189) notes that Gow, during his more than twenty years in America, was granted American citizenship. He served his country in the First World War.

However, he did not serve a long time because of his belief that war cannot be a way to reconcile people.

Back in South Africa, Gow made his presence felt immediately. His involvement in the upliftment and empowerment of the coloured people attracted him to the African People’s Organisation, a body which was established to secure political rights for the coloured people in South Africa. Lewis (1987: 190 - 192) notes that in 1939 the federal council of the National Party petitioned the Parliament for the social, political and economic segregation of coloureds and whites. To oppose the ideas of the National Party, Abdurahman, the President of the African People’s Organisation, launched a protest action on 26 March 1939. Gow was very prominent in the organisation of this protest action.

This protest action was preceded by a National Day of Prayer, which was conducted by Gow in Wynberg. Almost 3000 people attended this gathering. Lewis (1987: 203) furthermore comments that at a special meeting in May 1942 Gow was elected President of the African People’s Organisation. Upon his election, Gow‘s commitment to the social welfare of coloured people became the driving force behind his revival of the organisation. He and his secretary toured all four provinces to rebuild the African People’s Organisation.

Lewis (1978: 211 - 212) notes that in 1943 Gow and seven African People’s Organisation members joined the Coloured Advisory Board that was introduced by the Parliament for the upliftment of the conditions of the coloured people. Gow was again elected chairperson of this Council. At the inaugural meeting of the Council, Gow made it clear that in order for the Council to make constructive progress, the Government had to discontinue its idea of segregating whites and coloureds; that no Coloured Affairs Departments be established and that it should not tamper with the votes in any elections. The Coloured Advisory Board drew up a memorandum in which it declared its main concerns about better nutrition, health services and housing, improved educational facilities, a wider range of employment and improved wages and economic conditions for coloured people.

The Parliament acknowledged the aspirations of the Council. However, Gow soon discovered that Parliament was not serious in addressing any of the issues raised by the Council. Gow therefore resigned from the Council when he realised that his efforts to improve the relationships between the Government and the Coloured Advisory Council did not bear fruit (cf The Drum Newspaper, July 1956: 27). Lewis (1987: 222) observed that at the conference of the African People’s Organisation in March 1944, Gow was replaced with Dr. ET Dietrich as President since the conference maintained that although Gow had resigned from the Coloured Advisory Council, he continued to consult with members of Parliament for better conditions for the coloureds.

Gow’s love for music secured him a post as music master at the Zonnebloem College for four years. During his tenure at Zonnebloem College he took liberty in connecting himself with other musical institutions. He established the Coleridge-Taylor Musical Society which was responsible for performing a play called “The Emancipation Pageant”. This play was in commemoration of the centenary celebration of the liberation of slaves in South Africa. Seven hundred people took part in the play which was presented at the Green Point Track in 1935. This two hour play was attended by more than two thousand people (cf The Drum Newspaper, July 1956: 27).

Wright (1963: 189) notes that Gow was elected a delegate to every General Conference between 1936 and 1956. He served on various committees at the General Conference. Gow made three attempts to become a bishop in the AME Church. The unhealthy situation between the connectional AME Church and the Union of South Africa paved the way for Gow to eventually be elected as bishop at the General Conference of 1956.

He was elected on the first ballot with 1 355 votes out of 1 544, one of the largest majorities ever obtained by a candidate in the history of the AME Church. In an interview with Albert Dunmore, journalist for The Pittsburg Courier, Gow not only expressed his gratitude towards the church, but promised that he would constantly liaise with the representatives of the Union of South Africa to lift the restrictions placed on African American bishops to serve in South Africa. Gow was assigned to serve the South African branch of the church for eight years (cf The Pittsburgh Courier, 19 May 1956: 2). At this General Conference the 14^th Episcopal District became the 15^th Episcopal District which comprises of the Union of South Africa and the erstwhile South West Africa.