Persevering Christian love, combined with strong faith, much prayer, and untiring labour, had changed the barren wilderness into a fruitful land.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER VIII.

VISIT TO ENGLAND.

The work of Bible translation had been steadily pressed forward; all available time having been devoted by Robert Moffat to that undertaking.  By the end of 1838, the whole of the New Testament had been rendered into the native tongue, and a journey was made by the Moffats to Cape Town, to recruit their health, and to get the Sechwana New Testament printed; the task being too heavy for the mission press.  Cape Town was but little better off than the Kuruman for accomplishing a work of this magnitude, and it speedily became apparent that the printing would have to be undertaken in England.

Twenty-two years had passed away since the youthful missionary stood upon the deck of the Alacrity, and bade farewell to the land of his birth.  During that time he had never allowed his interest in the affairs of his native country to grow cold.  Letters and newspapers had been eagerly welcomed, and the memory of friends in the far distant isle had been most keenly cherished, both by him and his Mary.  Now once more they were to tread upon its well-loved shores, and to tell to its people the story of God’s work among the savage tribes of South Africa.

There were no floating “Castles"[A] at that time, making the journey in twenty days, and a passage had to be taken in a small ship homeward-bound from China, having troops on board.  Measles raged at the Cape, and sickness was on board ship.  Between the two the Moffats had much to endure, and the vessel had not left Table Bay when another daughter was born to add to their joy and anxiety.  Three days’ after his sister came, dear six-year-old Jamie, lying beside his prostrate mother in her cot, was called to the Better Land, with the words, “Oh, that will be joyful, when we meet to part no more,” upon his dying lips.

[A]:  [Donald Currie’s line of Mail steamships, the Garth Castle, &c., which make the voyage to the Cape in twenty days.]

On the 6th June, 1839, the ship anchored off Cowes, and a few days later reached London.  The reception of Robert Moffat was most enthusiastic, and so great was the demand for his presence at public meetings, that it was with the utmost difficulty he procured liberty to visit his own friends.

Twenty years had made great changes in the homes at both Dukinfield and Inverkeithing.  Mary Moffat’s aged father was living, but her mother and a brother had been called away, another brother was in America, and a third was a missionary in Madras.  Robert’s parents were still living, but a brother and two sisters had passed away.  Many friends, whose kind and generous thoughtfulness had often cheered the heart of the faithful missionary and his faithful wife in their voluntary exile, now gathered around them, among whom were Mrs. Greaves of Sheffield, the donor of the Communion Service, and Miss Lees of Manchester.