William_Percival_Johnson
William Percival Johnson
Anglican missionary; translated the Bible into Chinyanja
William Percival Johnson (12 March 1854 in St Helens, Isle of Wight – October 1928 in Liuli, Tanganyika) was an Anglican missionary to Nyasaland.[1] After education at Bedford School (1863–1873) and graduation from University College, Oxford, he went to Africa with the Universities' Mission to Central Africa, under the Bishop Edward Steere.[2]
He translated the Bible into the Likoma Island dialect of Chinyanja, under the title Chikalakala choyera: ndicho Malangano ya Kale ndi Malangano ya Chapano[3] which was published in 1912.[4] Together with another Universities' Mission missionary, Arthur Glossop (1867-1949), he also translated the Book of Common Prayer into Chinyanja (1897, revised 1909).[5]
Johnson also published two other books: Nyasa, the Great Water, being a Description of the Lake and the Life of the People (Oxford University Press, 1922)[6] and My African Reminiscences, 1875-1895 (London: Universities Mission to Central Africa, 1925).[7]
He died at Liuli, Mbinga District, on the shores of what is today the Tanzanian side of Lake Malawi in 1928,[8] the site of the largest mission in the Ruvuma region of Tanzania.[9] He is regarded locally as a saint and there is a "St Johnson's Day" celebrated. Local demands for his canonization were referred by letter to the Lambeth Conference in 1958, where a compromise that he was regarded as "Blessed" was offered. The Anglican Diocese of South West Tanganyika continues to regard Johnson as a saint.[10]