48 
JOURNAL OF A 
people could liardly restrain their desire of expressing their 
thanks, till he had finished his speech, when there was a general 
burst of thanksgi ving from old and young. 
6th. The festival of Epiphany was celebrated as usual, with 
much solemnity, being the commemoration of the first call of 
tlie heathen to their incarnate God and vSaviour. The history of 
that event was read and explained to the congregation, from the 
second chapter of St. Matthew's gospel. After the public service 
in th-e afternoon, two catechumens Avere baptized. This was the 
first baptism of converts from among the heathen, at wdiich I was 
present; and the whole transaction made an indelible impression 
on my mind. One of them, whom I baptized, was a daughter 
of the Hottentot captain Klapmus, of Lauweskloof. Her fa- 
ther had former!}^ been a noted enemy of the missionaries. His 
daughter, at the commencement of the Mission at Groenekloof, 
joiiied in opposition to the missionaries with much bitterness ; but 
has since heard the gospel, and been convinced of the necessity of 
conversion. Though the old man persisted in his iiDstile dis- 
position, he would not oppose his daughter's wishes to be in- 
structed in the doctrines of Christianity, and even now declared 
his satisfaction at her being baptized. He was present, and af- 
terwards visited the missionaries in their house; by whom he 
was kindly received, and admonished not to put off the day of 
his conversion. He even shed tears at parting, and we hoped, 
that, in his case also, by the Lord's unlimited mercy, " where sin 
abounded, grace may yet much more abound." 
Having been requested to insert, in this narrative, some account 
of the internal course of the Missions of the Brethren among the 
heathen, as I wish to avoid prolixity, I will here, once for all, 
describe the order of baptism. . 
Aher the public service on Sunday morning, the infants of bap- 
tized parents are brought by them into the church ; the mother being 
generally churched at the same time. First, a short hymn is sung, 
and a discourse delivered, addressed principally to the children, ex- 
