“CONSIGNMENTS OF THE SCRIPTURES HAVE BEEN SENT OUT TO MOST OF THE BECHUANA MISSION STATIONS WHERE THEY ARE EAGERLY LOOKED FOR” MOFFAT (Robert, 1795-1883, Missionary-Explorer in Bechuanaland, Father-in-Law of Livingstone)

Exceptional Autograph Letter Signed to Mrs Passan, saying that he has heard “from our mutual & very dear friend Mrs Wills I understand that you are continuing to suffer so much as to be almost continually confined to bed. Deeply do I sympathise with you in your severe affliction, & who that knows you would not desire to have a part were it in their power... but the hand divine can impart relief in your deep affliction. No voice but His who calmed the Galilean Sea can breath into your spirit the peace that the world cannot give. Bu I am only repeating what you now know better than even I can. You have long been in the divine crucible & have had experiences far beyond my power to describe. I can only give expression of my deep feeling for you. I can also remember you at the throne of our Heavenly Father, that our Adorable Redeemer may smooth your path & lay under you the everlasting arms of His mercy, & continue to brighten your prospects, that when you have suffered His will here you have an abundant entrance administered to you into those mansions of bliss when the inhabitants will no more say ‘I am sick’...” he then continues that “After the new edition of the Sechuana Bible was finished I took about a six months tour of the North of England and Scotland engaged in advocating the Missionary cause wherever I came. Consignments of the scriptures have been sent out to most of the Bechuana mission stations where they are eagerly looked for. I feel the bad weather much. The wet, cold & gloom does not agree well with a constitution accustomed to a... warm... climate for more than half a century...”, 4 sides 8vo., on mourning paper, 7 Bedford Cottages, Barrington Road, 5th June lacking a small part of the top edge of the first page with the loss of a few words, professionally repaired

Moffat translated the whole of the Bible and The Pilgrim's Progress into Setswana. Besides his early training as a gardener and farmer, and later as a writer, Moffat developed skills in building, carpentry, printing and as a blacksmith. Robert and his wife Mary had ten children, their daughter Mary married David Livingstone and their son John Smith Moffat became an LMS missionary and took over the running of the mission at Kuruman before entering colonial service. Their grandson Howard Unwin Moffat became a prime minister of Southern Rhodesia. For the last twelve years of his life, Robert spoke throughout England, seeking to raise interest in the mission work. He was presented to Queen Victoria twice at her request and was presented with a Doctor of Divinity degree from Edinburgh University.

Item Date:  1873

Stock No:  40621      £675

             Add to Wish List     Order/Enquire