St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-10-17
Moffat, who was 60 years a missionary

still as bright and active as many
man twenty years his junior; still GO
ing and coming, addressing the churches
Sabbath after Sabbath, and missionary
meetings week after week. He is in
constant demand for such services, and
wherever he goes his simple presence
is considered an appeal and a benedic-
ton. He is perhaps doing as much now
for the cause of missions as he did while
in Africa, bearing blessed fruit in his
old age. His name and the principal
events of his life are so we'll known al
ready to the great public, that we trust
it is not a betrayal of confidence if we
add some particulars received from his
own lips.
He was sent out as a missionary to
South Africa in 1916, when he was but
II years of age. He went up into the
interior to Namqualand, where the
great and terrible Africaner was lord of
the whole country a man who was the
terror of all South Africa, who had been
outlawed, price put upon his head-a
thousand pounds to anyone who would
deliver him up, dead or alive. Mr..
Moffet was warned not to go near him
that he would do it at the peril of his
life; that he would not be permitted to
live week within reach of the blood
thirsty chief. But he went--went di-
rectly to Africaner, lived with him two
years, and was the means of his con-
version.
But the chief marvel is that the good
missionary survived the privatiOns of
that period. He did not taste bread in
all that time, and for food there was
literally nothing but milk and meat.
The country was bare and desolate no
fruits, no grain. He would get up in
the morning, drink glass of milk, read
and explain the Scriptures, have
prayers with Africaner and his family,
then take his gun and go out for game /;
perhaps get some meat in that way,
perhaps not. If not, then milk was his
only diet for the day and upon that he
snbsisted, teaching and preaching as he
could to a poor heathen people.
He had not labored two years, how
ever, before he was more than reward
ed by the conversion of the terrible
Africaner. Then he had occasion to go
to the Cape for supplies. His clothes
were giving out, and it seemed best for
health to get some flour and other nee
essaries of civilized life. He proposed
to Africaner that he should go with
him. The chief at first thought the
missionary was jesting, and when he
found he was really in earnest, he was
amazed. "Why," he said, "have you
forgotten that | am an outlaw that
price has been put on my head that
whosover kills me will be rewarded for
it? l should not live to get half way to
the Cape"
"No," said the missionary, 81 will
protect you. l will take you through
safely. You need feal nothing, only on
one condition you must go as my ser
want. You are king here in your own
country, and I am your subject; but
must be king on this journey, and you
my subject"
"Well," said the chief, 81 must think
about it and pray over it," But next
day he was ready, and so doffing all the
rude trappings of barbaric royalty, put
attendant hepeeffh hohggb hgb m an the saheT G5Ger
of clothing there was but little differ
euce between the master and the man.
They passed safely to the coast, no one
suspecting that the missionary's attend
ant was the renowned and dreaded
Africaner.
As they neared Capetown, little in
cident occurred which illustrates the
apprehensions of the people. The mis-
sionary called at the house of pious
Dutch family, where he had rested for
a short time, when on his way to Nam
aqualand. He had been treated very
kindly by them two years before, and
needing food, thought he would renew
the acquaintance. He found only the
woman within. He greeted her almost
as an old friend; but she did not know
him. "What," he said, "don't you re-
member the young missionary going to
Namaqualand, whom you treated so
kindly two years agO?"
"But," she replied, "you are not he.
We heard he was dead long ago. You
must be his ghost, if you are not some
body else" And She ran out to call her
husband, and told him she verify be-
lieved there was ghost i'll the house.
He came in with evident apprehension,
at first did not venture too near the
stranger, and when at length he became
somewhat assured that he was not a
ghost, but real flesh and blood, his hand
still trembled as it was extended to
take that of the missionary. When
however, the recognition was complete
there was no limit to the hospitality
proffered, or to the interest manifested
in the story which the young mission
ary had to tell. But when he came tC
the conversion of Africaner, that was
almost too much to be believed. AnC
when once this truth also was received
the good man of the house lifted hi
hands and exclaimed, "Well, well
there is nothing too hard for God ! How
| would like to see that man who il
such a miracle of gracep'
When he found that the missionary
expected soon to return to his station
he actually expressed a desire to q
with him, that he might see for himsel
what change God had wrought OIL
that fearful savage. "Would you, in
deed,n said DIR. Moffat, ''like to see AT
ricaner? If so there he is. He is m,
helper. He has come with me. l an
taking him to the Cape" But thi
again was too much for faith, until tn
man had questioned the chief for him
self. care you Africaner 2" The chic
! rose from the ground, took off his hat
J bowed with the grace of king, an
+ said, 81 am Africaner."
The chief was kindly received at tn
Cape, was introduced to the governor
received from him present of "a wagO
). and returned safely to his country, n
J. longer an outlaw. He lived and died
!, simple, earnest Christian. But M
Moffat did not himself return to Mama
i qualand. A more promising field seen
4 ed to open further in the interior, an
4 he was sent to the Betchuanas, 7C
miles north of the Cape, where he sper
most of his missionary life. He W;
!, accompanied this time by a wife and