Chap. VI. MISSIONS AND CONVERTS. 79 



interesting question whether their faith has the elements <A 

 permanence, or is only an exotic too tender for self-propa- 

 gation when the fostering care of the foreign cultivators is; 

 withdrawn. ]f habits of self-reliance are not encouraged the 

 most promising converts are apt to become like spoiled chil- 

 dren. In Madagascar a few Christians were left with no 

 other aid than their Bibles ; and though exposed to persecution, 

 and even death itself, they increased tenfold in numbers, and 

 are, if possible, more decided believers than when, by an 

 edict of the queen of that island, the missionaries ceased their 

 teaching. In South Africa such an experiment could not 

 be made, for a variety of Christian sects have followed the 

 successful footsteps of the London Missionary Society, and if 

 any converts are thrown on their own resources they are 

 eagerly adopted by one of these denominations. The people 

 are in this way more likely to be injured than trained tc 

 the manly Christian virtues. Another misfortune is that the 

 Missionary Societies consider the Cape Colony itself as the 

 proper sphere for their operations, although, in addition to a 

 well-organised Dutch Established Church, and schools for 

 secular instruction, maintained by Government, in every 

 village of any extent, there are a number of other sects — 

 Wesleyans, Episcopalians, Moravians — all labouring at the 

 same good work. It is deeply to be regretted that so much 

 zeal should be expended in a district where there is so little 

 scope for success, to the neglect of the millions of unenlightened 

 beings in the regions beyond. I would earnestly recommend 

 all young missionaries to go at once to the real heathen. 



When Sechele understood that we could r.o longer remain 

 with him at Kolobeng, he sent his five children for instruction 

 in all the knowledge of the white men to Mr. Moffat, at 

 Kuruman, who liberally received the young folks and their 

 attendants into his family. 



Having been detained at Kuruman about a fortnight by the 

 breaking of a waggon- wheel, I was providentially prevented 

 from being present at the attack of the Boers on the Bakwains. 

 The news was brought by Masebele, the wife of Sechele, who 

 had her jelf been hidden in a cleft of a rock, over which a 

 number of their assailants were firing. She brought Mr. 

 Moffat a letter, which tells its own tale : — 



