Missionary Labours and Scenes in Southern Africa

Missionary Labours (1842) by the Scottish missionary Robert Moffat describes his experiences among the Tswana people of South Africa.

Robert Moffat (Author)

9781108007948, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 25 February 2010

668 pages, 21 b/w illus. 1 colour illus. 1 map
21.6 x 3.7 x 14 cm, 0.84 kg

Robert Moffat, Scottish missionary and linguist, arrived in South Africa in 1817 under the aegis of the London Missionary Society. He pioneered missionary activity among the Tswana people and became deeply influential in South Africa, helping to open up the 'missionary road' north of the Cape and later criticising the Afrikaners and becoming an advocate of British imperial rule in the region. He was also the first transcriber of the Setswana language. Missionary Labours and Scenes in Southern Africa (1842) is an autobiographical account of Moffat's time as a missionary and contains, as he states in the preface, a 'faithful record of events which have occurred within the range of his experience and observation' that 'supplies much that may serve to illustrate the peculiar attributes of African society.' Missionary Labours was hugely popular with the Victorian readership and became a classic narrative of missionary activity in Africa.

1. General view of the state of Africa
2. First mission to South Africa
3. Dr. Vanderkemp's mission commenced among the HOTTENTOTS
4. Bushmen apply for teachers
5. Geographical position of Namaqua-land
6. Missionaries settle at Warm Bath
7. The Rev. J. Campbell writes to Africaner
8. The author arrives at Africaner's kraal
9. Projected journey
10. Return homeward
11. Journey to Griqua country
12. Journey to Cape Town
13. Mission to the Griquas
14. Retrospective view
15. Mr. Reed succeeds in obtaining consent
16. Difficulties on entering on a mission
17. Works of creation insufficient
18. Indifference to instruction
19. Influence of rain-makers
20. Prospects become darker
21. Reports of the Mantatees
22. The Griquas arrive
23. Removal of the station proposed
24. The natives and the compass
25. [not present in original publication]
26. State of the public mind
27. Visit to the Barolongs
28. Change of prospects
29. Delightful change
30. Moselekatse's ambassadors
31. The author's stay prolonged
32. The progress of civilisation
33. A journey for timber
34. The Basuto mission.

Subject Areas: Church history [HRCC2]