- Robert Moffat
Robert Moffat (21 December 1795 – 9 August 1883) was a Scottish
Congregationalist missionary to Africa.Moffat was born of humble parentage in
Ormiston ,East Lothian . He began as agardener , but in 1814, when employed at the West HallHigh Legh inCheshire , offered himself to theLondon Missionary Society (LMS). After difficulties with his employers in High Legh due to his Methodist sympathies he found a new interim post at Plantation Farm inDukinfield where he first met his future wife. In 1816 he was sent out toSouth Africa and his fiance Mary Smith (1795–1870) followed him 3 years later. After spending a year inNamaqualand , with the chiefAfrikaner , whom he converted, Moffat returned toCape Town in 1819 to marry Mary Smith (1795–1870). She proved to be a remarkable woman and most helpful wife.In 1820 Moffat and his wife, Mary, left the Cape and proceeded to
Griquatown , where their daughterMary Moffat was born (who was later to marryDavid Livingstone ), and ultimately settled atKuruman , among theBechuana tribes living to the west of theVaal River . Here he worked as a missionary until 1870, when he reluctantly returned finally to his native land. He made frequent journeys into the neighboring regions as far north as theMatabele country. The results of these journeys he communicated to theRoyal Geographical Society ("Journal 25-38" and "Proceedings ii"), and when in theUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on furlough (1839–1843) he published his well-known "Missionary Labours and Scenes in South Africa" (1842). He also translated the whole of theBible and "The Pilgrim's Progress " intoSetswana .Moffat was builder, carpenter, smith, gardener, farmer, all in one, and by precept and example he succeeded in turning a "horde of bloodthirsty savages" into a people who could appreciate and cultivate the arts and habits of civilized life, with a written language of their own. He met with incredible discouragement and dangers at first, which he overcame by his strong faith, determination and genial humour. It was largely due to him that
David Livingstone , his son-in-law, took up his subsequent work. On his return to England he received a testimonial of 5000 pounds.His son
John Smith Moffat also became an LMS missionary and took over running of the mission at Kuruman before entering colonial service. His grandsonHoward Unwin Moffat became aPrime Minister ofSouthern Rhodesia .He died at Leigh near Tunbridge Wells, on 9 August 1883, and is buried at
West Norwood Cemetery See "Lives of Robert and Mary Moffat", byJohn Smith Moffat (1885); andC. S. Home , "The Story of the L. M. S." (1894).Residents of High Legh organise a Robert Moffat Memorial 10k run beginning and ending at the location of his cottage. http://www.highlegh.org/race.htm
References
*1911
External links
* [http://www.fownc.org/newsletters/no26.doc Friends of West Norwood Cemetery (Word format)]
* [http://www.wholesomewords.org/missions/imoffat.html Robert Moffat biographies]
* [http://www.southafricaholiday.org.uk/history/le_robert_moffat.htm Moffat Mission near Kuruman, Northern Cape, South Africa]
* [http://www.highlegh.org High Legh Village website]
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