66 TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE. 



all likely to meet the fate of Elliot's Choctaw version, a 

 specimen of which may be seen in the library of one of tht 

 American colleges, — as God's word in a language which no 

 living tongue can articulate, nor living mortal understand; 

 but a better destiny seems in store for this, for the Sichuana 

 language has been introduced into the new country beyond 

 Lake Ngami. There it is the court language, and will take 

 a stranger anywhere through a district larger than France. 

 The Bechuanas, moreover, in all probability possess that 

 imperishability which forms so remarkable a feature in tho 

 entire African race. 



Protestant missionaries of every denomination in South 

 Africa all agree in one point, that no mere profession of 

 Christianity is sufficient to entitle the converts to the 

 Christian name. They are all anxious to place the Bible 

 in the hands of the natives, and, with ability to read that, 

 there can be little doubt as to the future. "We believe 

 Christianity to be divine, and equal to all it has to perform ; 

 then let the good seed be widely sown, and, no matter to 

 what sect the converts may belong, the harvest will be 

 glorious. Let nothing that I have said be interpreted as 

 indicative of feelings inimical to any body of Christians, 

 for I never, as a missionary, felt myself to be either Pres- 

 byterian, Episcopalian, or Independent, or called upon in 

 any way to love one denomination less than another. My 

 earnest desire is, that those who really have the best in- 

 tei*ests of the heathen at heart should go to them; and 

 assuredly, in Africa at least, self-denying labors among real 

 heathen will not fail to be appreciated. Christians have 

 never yet dealt fairly by the heathen and been disappointed. 



When Sechele understood that we could no longer remain 

 with him at Kolobeng, he sent his children to Mr. Moffat, 

 at Kuruman, for instruction in all the knowledge of the 

 white men. Mr. Moffat very liberally received at once an 

 accession of five to his family, with their attendants. 



Having been detained at Kuruman about a fortnight by 

 the breaking of a wagon-wheel, I was thus providentially 



