538 
HISTORY OF STEPHANAS. 
with attention. The pious people now at Griqua town say, 
that he spoke much about Jesus Christ, and him crucified; 
which indeed many Roman CathoHcs do more than some 
Protestants. His zeal appeared to be fervent, and consider- 
able impression was made upon the poor Griquaas. They 
not only sighed and wept when hearing him, but many, who 
had been accustomed to have a plurality of wives, deter- 
mined to live according to the rules he produced from the 
Scriptures. 
Such effects following his exertions, disposed him to think 
highly of himself, and to make the people believe he was at 
the head of all Missionaries. He appears to have learnt by 
rote what he heard from Mr. Kicherer, and to have repeated 
it without judgment. His fame was of short duration among 
the most discerning, by his paying too much attention to 
dreams, visions, and voices, that some of the people pre- 
tended to have had, which was contrary to the instructions he 
had given in the early part of his career. One of these 
dreamers, who was probably in league with Stephanas, pre- 
tended that God had given an order that a grand Church 
should without delay be erected. This imposition obtaining 
general credit, men, women, and children, went to work with 
alacrity and zeal ; and in a short time a spacious building 
w^as nearly finished, the walls of which are still standing, 
which 1 passed when travelling across the continent to Na- 
macqua land. Little more than a roof is wanting to complete 
the building. 
The Griquaas say he endeavoured particularly to explain 
the Bible to them ; and frequently directed their attention to 
its most striking parts — such as the death, resurrection, and 
ascension of Jesus Christ, &c. 
After a time, Stephanas began to sanction the having two 
wives, like the heathens around, and afterwards he set the 
example by taking two himself. This also being opposite 
to his first instruction, caused many of his followers to with- 
draw from him. 
About this time, he wrote an account of his proceedings to 
Mr. Kicherer, who, finding that he was deceiving the people, 
and propagating many pernicious and destructive principles, 
insisted upon his leaving them ; which he did, and wandered 
backward and forward for some time in the vicinity of the 
Great River. He afterwards travelled into the Namacqua 
country, where he was murdered; but on what account we 
could not ascertain, nor any of the circumstances that at- 
tended his death. 
