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Page 41
In 1865, the Mission was reinforced by the arrival of the Rev. John
Brown, from England, and by John Moffat, who had returned from the
Matabele. The relaxation from the active duties of the station thus
afforded was utilised by Robert Moffat in the work of Scripture
revision, the preparation of additional hymns, and the carrying of
smaller works through the press.
Mention has been made of the marriage of their second daughter, Ann, to
Jean Fr�doux, a missionary of the Paris Evangelical Society, who was
stationed at Motito, a place situated about thirty-six miles to the
north-east of Kuruman. He was a man of gentle disposition and addicted
to study. Early in March, 1866, he had started upon a tour to carry on
evangelistic work among the Barolong villages along the margin of the
Kalahari desert. While visiting one of these, a low class trader arrived
who had been guilty of atrocious conduct at Motito. The natives insisted
upon the trader going to Kuruman, where his conduct could be
investigated, and, upon his refusing to do so, prepared to take him by
force. He intrenched himself in his waggon with all his guns loaded, and
dared any one to lay hands upon him. Fr�doux seeing the serious state
that matters were assuming quietly drew near to the trader's waggon, and
urged him to go peaceably to Kuruman, assuring him that the people were
determined he should go, if not peaceably, then by force.
While thus pleading with this man, a fearful explosion took place, the
waggon and its occupant were blown to atoms, Jean Fr�doux and twelve
natives were killed, and about thirty more were injured.
This was a further heavy affliction for Robert Moffat and his wife. As
soon as they heard of the catastrophe, Robert hastened to succour his
widowed daughter, and to consign to the grave at Motito the shattered
remains of his son-in-law.
A few months later another visit was paid to the open grave, this time
to consign to its last resting place the body of Mrs. Brown, the wife of
the Rev. John Brown, who a short time before had taken up his abode at
the Kuruman as a colleague of Robert Moffat.
In 1868 the missionary staff at that station consisted of Robert Moffat
and his son John Moffat. The former had now more than completed the
three-score years and ten allotted to man as the duration of human life,
and unlike the great leader of God's chosen people, of whom it is said,
"his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated," Robert Moffat felt
the infirmities of age creeping very rapidly upon him. Yet he held on
his way for two years longer. A short and constant cough during the
winter months aggravated his natural tendency to sleeplessness, and at
last he felt himself reluctantly compelled to accept the invitation of
the Directors to return finally to England.
Going home to England it could hardly be called, his home was with his
loved Bechwanas, with those for whom he had toiled and prayed so long.
The ashes of his son Robert, and of his devoted daughter Mary reposed
beneath the sands of Africa; his early and later manhood had been spent
beneath its scorching sun. The house he was to leave had been the
birthplace of most of his children, and his home for more than forty
years. Yes, it was hard to leave; and the expectation had become very
real to him that his body and that of his faithful partner would be laid
side by side in that little burial-ground in the bushy dell, marked by a
few trees, at Kuruman. But the final determination had been arrived at,
and with slow and hesitating steps, as though waiting for something,
even then, to prevent their departure, preparations were made for
leaving the station for ever.
Of the general aspect of affairs at the Kuruman during these last two
years we have a graphic description from the pen of the Rev. John
Moffat, who in a letter to the Directors dated 12th October, 1868, wrote
as follows:--
"The public services on the station are a prayer-meeting at sunrise on
Sunday; preaching in Sechwana, morning, afternoon, and evening, with the
Sunday school twice, and a juvenile afternoon service. The early
prayer-meeting is left entirely to the natives, the three preaching
services entirely to the missionaries, and the Sunday school, with the
juvenile service, to my sister. There is also a Wednesday evening
service, a monthly missionary prayer meeting, a church meeting, and a
prayer meeting on Thursday afternoon. This last is in the hands of the
natives. No native takes any part in the preaching on the station,
except in extreme cases, when it is regarded as a makeshift. My father
and I share the preaching between us. Occasionally, say once in three
weeks, one of us rides to two villages to the north-west, holding
services at each; they are respectively eight and twelve miles distant.
My custom at home, in the regular way, is to give New Testament reading
in the morning, a topical sermon in the afternoon, and Old Testament
exposition in the evening. On Monday evening I have a young men's Bible
class, which is to me the most interesting work I have to do, more
especially as I have much encouragement in it.... On the Monday evening,
also, my sister and I hold a practising class for the purpose of trying
to improve the singing. On Tuesday evening I meet male inquirers, on
Wednesday, before the service, I have a Bible class for women, on
Thursday we have an English prayer meeting, and on Friday evening I meet
female inquirers. I need not mention the school conducted by my sister
and three native assistants."
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