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Page 44
The winter of 1871 was passed at Ventnor, in the Isle of Wight, and
occupied in revising proof sheets of the Old Testament in Sechwana.
While there he was, by Her Majesty's own desire, introduced to the
Queen, whom he had never seen before. He also received the degree of
Doctor of Divinity, from the University of Edinburgh.
To meet the need for training a native ministry, which had been felt by
Moffat and others engaged in the work of the Bechwana Mission, and which
had shortly before his return 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 was proposed
to call the Institute that was to be founded, "The Moffat Institute."
This now stands as a centre of influence amidst the tribes surrounding
the Kuruman station.
In 1873, a number of friends, who thought that the liberal contributions
which had been subscribed to the Institute, hardly gave such a direct
proof of their esteem for their venerated friend 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 the cause of missions, without being any longer
a burden upon the funds of the Society, and also placed him in a
position to meet the wants of his widowed daughter and her fatherless
family.
While living at Brixton, Robert Moffat attended the ministry of the late
Rev. Baldwin Brown, in whose mission-work in Lambeth he was much
interested. On his eightieth birthday, 21st December, 1875, he opened
the new Mission Hall in connection 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 this in the same year, he had lectured upon Missions in Westminster
Abbey, and in the preceding year he had performed the melancholy duty of
identifying the remains of his son-in-law, Dr. Livingstone, upon their
being brought home from Africa.
Engagements and constant requests for his services made great inroads
upon his time. "People either could not or would not see that he was
getting old," he frequently said; but people knew that as long as he had
strength to speak, he would not grow weary of addressing audiences on
missionary work.
In 1876, we find him dining on one occasion with the Archbishop of
Canterbury at Lambeth Palace, and on another breakfasting with Mr.
Gladstone, in the house of the Rev. Newman Hall. In the following year
by invitation of the French Missionary Society he visited Paris, and
while there addressed a meeting of 4000 Sunday-school children.
On the 20th of December, 1878, he received the freedom of the City of
London, and somewhat over two years later was the guest of the then Lord
Mayor, Alderman, now Sir William, McArthur, for several days, a banquet
being given in his honour.
During the time that Cetewayo was in England Robert Moffat was much
interested in him and paid him a visit. Among the Zulu king's attendants
was a man who could speak Sechwana, 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 Moshete?"
(Are you Moffat) he asked again and again, with beaming eyes exclaiming
when convinced of the fact, "I see this day what my eyes never expected
to behold, Moshete!"
For the last four years of his life Robert Moffat resided at Park
Cottage, Leigh, near Tunbridge, where he was the tenant of the late
Samuel Morley, Esq. From both Mr. and Mrs. Morley he received much
kindness, which continued until the day of his death.
The end now drew near. In 1883, he complained of great weariness and
intermittent pulsation. This troubled him so constantly that advice was
sought. For a short time this availed. He attended the Bible Society's
meeting in the second week in May, and 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. Yet the strong frame, that had endured so much, seemed loath
to give in, and, whenever able, he was in and out of his garden. He also
took two drives, Mrs. Morley very kindly sending her carriage for that
purpose when he felt able to make use of it.
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