Tivane, Daniel

When Daniel Tivane first heard “Jesus is here” at his home at Incaia in 1903, he and the other boys asked, “Where is he?” He was told to come to school and he would see Him. They went on Monday and the teacher sent them home to get permission from their parents to attend school. Daniel’s father angrily refused to allow him to go to school. His father was famous throughout the country as a traditional doctor and wanted his son to follow him in that work. This did not stop Daniel from going to school however. He still wanted to see Jesus.

One Sunday the pastor said that if a person believes in Jesus, forsaking all evil activities, he would see Jesus and find everlasting life. It included forsaking stealing, lying, smoking tobacco, adultery and worshipping the demons. Daniel went forward to pray and cried over his sins. He asked forgiveness and cleansing from them. He joined the probationers’ class and in 1908 was baptized and became a full member of the church. Then Tivane began telling others of this great spiritual doctor that could heal the disease of sin.

He met with the International Holiness Mission while working on the Johannesburg gold mines and became leader of the church at Randfontein on the West Rand. He found himself troubled by desires of evil including jealousy, pride, vengeance and anger. The missionary, Rev. David Jones, explained the possibility of entire sanctification to him. Being a leader he was ashamed to admit his spiritual need publicly. So he waited.

Then on October 17, 1917 the Nazarene missionary from eswatini, Rev. Harmon Schmelzenbach, visited the Ferguson Church. He preached about the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the need for the “old man” to be taken out. Tivane got up from his seat and went to pray at the altar. He cried and prayed, “May this person of fear be removed. Cleanse me with the fire of the Holy Spirit.” At that time Tivane found this great treasure.[1]

Tivane was ordained and in 1930 went back to his home and built a large church at Incaia. He was appointed the senior leader in Gazaland. Rev. Tivane was a real shepherd and a diplomat. His tact and patience averted many catastrophes in the church.[2]

Paul S. Dayhoff

Notes:

1. Daniel Tivane, “Testimony,” Umphaphamisi (The Herald), Swazi-Zulu magazine of the Church of the Nazarene for eswatini and South Africa, (Florida, Transvaal, South Africa: Nazarene Publishing House, May-June 1936), 8.

2. H. K. Bedwell, Black Gold: The Story of the International Holiness Mission in South Africa, (Cape Town: Cape Times Limited, 1936), 46.

This article is reproduced, with permission, from Living Stones In Africa: Pioneers of the Church of the Nazarene, revised edition, copyright © 1999, by Paul S. Dayhoff. All rights reserved.