168 CHURCH IN THE WILDERNESS. 



stones are scattered in detached masses, interwoven 

 with tangled bushes, and abounding with snakes 

 and lizards in great variety. The site chosen for 

 the church was an elevated space immediately at the 

 top of the ground marked out for a village, and 

 which commanded a full view of the valley. The 

 most that can be said in favour of the spot selected 

 for the new settlement is, that from its central 

 position it possesses many local advantages, and lies 

 in a direct line of communication with the various 

 Missionary Stations, to the North-east of the Orange 

 River. 



This being the day appointed for laying the 

 corner-stone of the new church, the Commissioner 

 from Graaff-Reinet performed the ceremony ; after 

 which Mr. Murray delivered an appropriate address, 

 anticipating that the church now about to be erected 

 might prove an effectual nursery for religion, and be 

 the means, under God's blessing, of a great spiritual 

 regeneration in this benighted region ; adding that 

 their childrens' children might have reason to vene- 

 rate the memory of the present generation, for the 

 good work they were now assembled to perform. 

 The farmers had cheerfully subscribed the sum of 

 seven thousand rix dollars, so desirous were they 

 of possessing a place of worship, and upwards of four 

 hundred more were this day added to the amount by 

 the sale of twenty plots of ground to various indi- 

 viduals, anxious to support the design of forming a 



