Robert Moffat - The Apostle to South Africa

Robert Moffat – The Apostle to South Africa – 1795-1883

Only one Life
It will soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last



The history of Africa cannot be written without the mention of Robert Moffat. While today the vestiges of British colonialism are being washed away in the new tide of African nationalism, the name of Moffat is still respected.

Born in a small village in Scotland of simple and devoted Presbyterian parents, Robert Moffat came into the world at the end of the 18th Century. Like other young boys in love with the ocean, young “Bobbie” dreamed of a life as a sailor. Not given much to study or books, his parents allowed him at age ten to sail for a few years in the company of a friend. Perhaps this sense of adventure on the high seas would be used by God as he fearlessly entered into new regions of what was known then as the Dark Continent. Robert eventually received an education and as a young man set his eyes on London to further his education. His mother made him promise to read his Bible daily and once he swore to his mother, he felt compelled to fulfill his sworn duty. He was after all a Scotchman. Reading the Bible at first was just a mere duty, but something happened as he read Romans that transformed the whole of his life. After his conversion to Christ, Robert fell in with some friends who introduced him to missions. He applied to the London Missionary Society but was rejected at first. After a year working as a gardener, and studying on the side, Robert reapplied and was accepted.

At the young age of 21, Moffat was sent by LMS to South Africa, where they had a mission established at Capetown. A few years later Robert returned to England and there fell in love with Mary Smith, the only daughter of a man who he used to work for. The father was not too happy about sending his daughter to Africa. Moffat went back to South Africa still single, but found great happiness when finally Mary Smith arrived in Capetown with the blessing of Mr. Smith. It was the beginning of a blessed missionary marriage. Mary was the model missionary wife who provided support and a true spirit of partnership to her husband. The fruit of that happy union resulted in ten children, three who died early in life, and seven who all went into Christian Missions.

Known as the “Apostle of South Africa”, Moffat was not the first Protestant missionary to Africa. His title is to describe the influence he had in Southern Africa to bring the gospel to warring tribes and the sustaining contribution of a life’s work. He was instrumental in the conversion of one notorious tribal chief by the name of Afrikaner. Moffat at first saw little fruit in the way of conversions as he relied mostly on a version of the Dutch language to communicate with the tribesmen. He eventually learned the language and was the first to translate the Bible in an African language. He even bought a press to print them. The Bible in their own language, plus a translation of The Pilgrim’s Progress and a hymnal, proved to be the basis for giving the Africans the means to greater discipleship and growth as a church.

Moffat is overshadowed in the public view by his famous son-in-law, David Livingstone another great missionary to enter into the deeper regions of inland Africa. Moffat actually met Livingstone while visiting Scotland and encouraged Livingstone to come with him to Africa. So, while Livingstone remains legendary in the annals of British history, (receiving a resting place at Westminster Abbey!) Moffat did more to give and to influence Africa for Christ. Robert and Mary Moffat spent over 50 years ministering the Gospel of Jesus Christ all over Southern Africa. They retired back to England due to the health of Mary. There he received the reception of a national hero, being awarded an honorary doctorate from St. Andrews, eating breakfast with the Prime Minister Gladestone and meeting Queen Victoria. In 1883, from his estate in Kent, Moffat who wrote that "I have sometimes seen in the morning sun the smoke of a thousand villages where no missionary has ever been," went into the presence of the Light of the World, whom he had faithfully served for so many years.

Todd D. Baucum

For Further Reading:
Vance Christie, Into All The World (Heroes of Faith Series), (Barbour Pub., 2004).

Ruth Tucker, From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya (Zondervan, 1983).