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Home » Publications » Free Presbyterian Magazine » 1926 » February 1926 » The Conversion of Africaner, the Notorious South African Chief

The Conversion of Africaner, the Notorious South African Chief

ONE of the most remarkable cases of conversion in modern times is that of the notorious African Chief Africaner. “His name,” says the biographer of Robert Moffat, “carried dismay even to the solitary wastes.” A Namaqua chief, pointing to Africaner, said to Robert Moffat:—”Look, there is the man, once the lion at whose roar even the inhabitants of distant hamlets fled from their homes. Yes, and I, for fear of his approach, fled with my people, our wives and children, to the mountain glen or to the wilderness, and spent nights among beasts of prey rather than gaze on the eyes of this lion, or hear his roar.” He was the terror of the white and coloured races in Cape Colony, and the Government placed a considerable sum upon his head if so be that the country would be rid of this scourge and terror. But God can tame where man is helpless. Under the preaching of the Gospel by Mr Ebner, Africaner became as a lamb—the wild, roaring beast of prey became meek and subdued. When on a visit to Cape Town, Moffat purposed to take Africaner with him, but the chief at first refused, reminding the missionary that a sum of money had been placed on his head, and that the Government officers would hang him when he reached Cape Town. At length on receiving assurances of protection from Moffat, he was willing to accompany him. On the southward journey Moffat called at a Boer farm, and on announcing to the farmer that he was Robert Moffat, the missionary, he received the unexpected reply—”Don’t come near me, you have been long ago murdered by Africaner.” “I am no ghost,” protested Moffat. The man was not reassured, and only became more alarmed as he added—”Everybody says you were murdered, and a man told me he had seen your bones.” Moffat assured him that no such calamity had overtaken him, and that Africaner was now a changed man, but on learning that this man’s uncle had been murdered by Africaner, he deemed it wise not to make known for the present at least that the dreaded Africaner was the man that accompanied him. After a time, however, he introduced the Boer to Africaner, and the simple-minded, pious farmer lifted his two hands to heaven and gave praise to the God of all grace in these words:—”O Lord, what a miracle of Thy power! What cannot Thy grace accomplish!”

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