who never forsakes those
that trust in Him. May we all see, and especially the youth of our land,
as we read the records of such noble lives, that true godliness detracts
not from true manhood, but rather that it glorifies and ennobles it,
until evil is overcome, and the wicked are put to silence.
In writing this brief sketch of the life of the Rev. Dr. Moffat, the
author has been much indebted to those who have trodden the path before
him; especially to the two well-known works, "Robert and Mary Moffat,"
by their son John S. Moffat, and to Robert Moffat's own book,
"Missionary Labours and Scenes in South Africa." He also owes his
acknowledgments to "The Missionary Magazine," "The Chronicle of the
London Missionary Society," to the Reports of various Missionary
Societies, "A Life's Labours in South Africa," and to other works from
which information upon the subject has been gathered. To the two first
named the author especially refers those of his readers who wish for
fuller details than are given in this volume.
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CONTENTS.
I. PIONEER MISSIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA, 9
II. CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH, 18
III. DEPARTURE FOR THE CAPE, 27
IV. MARRIAGE AND ARRIVAL AT LATTAKOO, 49
V. THE MANTATEE INVASION, 63
VI. VISIT TO MAKABA, 71
VII. THE AWAKENING, 85
VIII. VISIT TO ENGLAND, 101
IX. THE SECHWANA BIBLE, 118
X. CLOSING SCENES, 141
XI. CONCLUSION, 150
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ROBERT MOFFAT.
CHAPTER I.
PIONEER MISSIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA.
The history of missions in South Africa abounds in interesting facts and
incidents. Stories of heroism, strange adventures, and descriptions of
journeyings among savage tribes and through countries frequented by
beasts of prey, form part of its details. Its theme is love to God and
love to man, and its facts have been called into existence through the
efforts of noble-minded and true-hearted men and women to bring their
coloured brethren and sisters to the knowledge of the Saviour, Jesus
Christ.
Many names are held in veneration in connection with these missions,
names of those who, having laboured faithfully upon earth, have been
called to their reward; among these none stands forward with greater
prominence than that of Robert Moffat.
A brief glance at the development of the colony at the Cape of Good
Hope, and at the early efforts made to evangelise the native races, may
enable the reader better to understand the wor
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