Believer's Heritage- Robert Moffat

Robert Moffat was a missionary to Africa for 50 years. He arrived in South Africa in 1817 and began to tell the heathen tribes about the Lord Jesus Christ. His love, Mary Smith, wasn't given her parents permission to marry him because he wouldn't stay in England. He left a single man to do the work of the Lord and to trust God with his future. God worked in the hearts of Mary's parents and three years later she became his wife, helping him on the mission field and in the work of the Lord. Learning to trust God with his wife gave him the ability to trust God with every aspect of his life.

He was noted for saying that he came to Africa not to seek gold, but souls. During his time there he translated the Bible and The Pilgrim's Progress into Sechwana and also gave the natives a hymn-book. He wrote two missionary books on South Africa: Labors and Scenes in South Africa and Rivers of Water in a Dry Place. He survived lion attacks, harsh cold nights and hot days. God's grace gave him the courage to stand up and preached to murderous natives and tribal warriors. He led many to the knowledge of the Lord. It was said that in that wild country sprang up a church composed of men and women with black faces, but with hearts made white in the blood of the Lamb.

His heart was so burdened for lost souls, and he was able to pass this on to his children. His oldest son spent some time as a missionary to the Africans and two of his daughters married missionaries to Africa (David Livingston and Roger Price); another daughter married a French missionary (Jean Fredoux). After he left Africa, he spent his last days travelling all over England petitioning Christians to accept the Lord's calling to tell lost souls about the Savior.

"My album is the savage breast,
Where darkness reigns and tempests wrest.
To write the name of Jesus there
And point to worlds both bright and fair,
And see the savage bow in prayer
Is my supreme delight."
—Moffat.

For more on his life, read here.