The Free Church in Southern Africa grew out of the work of the missionaries of the Glasgow Missionary Society (c.1823), and after 1843 came under the care of missionaries of the Free Church of Scotland. Historically, the church has served mainly the Xhosa speaking people in eastern and western Cape region, stretching from Cape Town to Transkei. In 1900 the majority of the Free Church of Scotland joined with the United Presbyterian Church (Scotland) to form the United Free Church of Scotland. All the Free Church missionaries joined the United Free Church, leaving no missionaries to serve the many Xhosa Christians who remained faithful to the old Free Church. In 1908, in response to an appeal from the Xhosa church, Rev Alexander Dewar was appointed to King William's Town, and, for the next thirty-five years, served the church until he died in 1943. Four other missionaries, for longer or shorter periods, served alongside Mr Dewar. In 1944 the Rev Joseph McCracken of the Irish Evangelical Church served with others as Mr Dewar's successors. McCracken retired in 1974 and died in South Africa in 1987. In 1982 the church become independent, though remains in close connection with the Free Church of Scotland.