Robert Moffat / The Missionary Hero of Kuruman

ad to hear that there is now a definite prospect of welcoming again to England our veteran missionary, the Rev. Robert Mo

, and we both have for some time past begun to feel some of the labour and sorrow s

landed at Southampton, thus returning to their native land, to leave it no more, after

pose, in the Board Room of the Mission House, in Blomfield Street. At that meeting, alluding to his

ind no printing-office that would undertake it. The Committee of the Bible Society very kindly-as they have always been to me, I say it with pleasure-forwarded paper and ink to the Cape expecting I should get the work done there. As I said, there was not a printing-office that would undertake it. Dining with Sir George Napier, the Governor, I informed him of the difficulty. He sa

of the importance of getting the New Testament put in print in a new language!' He invited me to dinner again and said, 'Have you come to a conclusion? I wish I could give you mine. I feel

MOF

ns.' I was nervous at the thought. I was not a nervous man in Africa. I could sleep and hear the lion

ting, he was entertained at a public

ed in visiting different parts of the country, Edinburgh included, where he met with ma

was presented to Robert Moffat as a birthday gift, a most cheering

his joys and sorrows, his hopes and discouragements, and many of his privations and perils, lay dying. A troublesome cough, a difficulty of breathing, a few long deep breaths, and she was gone, without even a word

"For fifty-three years I have had her to pray for me," and writing to his old friend and fellow-labourer, Roger Edwards, who w

vices were continually in requisition for missionary meetings, and doubtless many of our readers will be old enough to remember the bronzed face, with its full flowing beard, blanched by

Old Testament in Sechwana. While there he was, by Her Majesty's own desire, introduced to the Queen, whom h

rn been pressed upon the attention of the Directors, several thousand pounds were subscribed, and, as a way of doing honour to the veteran who was now in their midst, it wa

d as could be desired, presented Robert Moffat with a sum of upwards of ￡5000. This liberality provided for his wants during the remainder of his life, enabled him to serve the Directors and

with this work, which hall was thenceforward called by his name. On the same day he received many congratulatory tokens, among them being an address signed by a great number of Congregational ministers from every part of the country. Prior to

could not or would not see that he was getting old," he frequently said; but people knew that as l

breakfasting with Mr. Gladstone, in the house of the Rev. Newman Hall. In the following year by invitation of th

d somewhat over two years later was the guest of the then Lord Mayor, Alderman,

a, and with him Moffat at once got into conversation. The man's delight was unbounded. He had been in the train of a son of Moselekatse, and had heard of the missionary. "A u

ar Tunbridge, where he was the tenant of the late Samuel Morley, Esq. From both Mr.

d the meeting of the London Missionary Society on the 10th, and in July paid a visit to Knockholt, where he met Mr. and Mrs. George Sturge. From this visit he returned seeming better, but in a few days unfavourable symptoms again showed themselves.

peaceful Sabbath at home. He was very fond of hymns and would often repeat one after another. In the evening he chose several which were sung, though feebleness prevented him from joining the singing. Among those chosen were: "The sands of time are sinking," "Com

times to the garden. In the evening he became very ill and had a fainting fit, but managed after awhile to get upstairs, and, after remaining on the bedside for some ti

in peaceful sleep, and partly in converse with his children who were then present. His daughter says, "He was ju

t, his daughters read to him. He repeated many hymns, among them the Scotch version of the hundred and third Psalm, but stopped and said, "There is nothin

d then a quietness? and the pilgrimage was over, the spirit had fled to be present w

f August, 1883, in hi

d, Sir Bartle Frere, Mr. Samuel Morley and several other Members of Parliament, deputations from the various Miss

e to the grave, nor one more tho