The Life . and Missionary Labours of . M. Smith . Translated from the Original Manuscripts, Written, by Herself in Dutch, With an Attempt to Describe Her Character . by a Lady

The Life. And Missionary Labours Of. M. Smith. Translated From The Original Manuscripts, Written, By Herself In Dutch, With An Attempt To Describe Her Character. By A Lady by Matilda Smith chronicles the life of Matilda Smith, a Cape-born laywoman whose Dutch manuscripts reveal her spiritual awakening, family bereavements, and lifelong dedication to Christian mission work in Southern Africa. Beginning with her birth at the Cape in 1749 and moving through early piety, conversion, widowhood, and repeated trials, the memoir traces her ascent from private devotion to public service. It details her transformative friendships with Cape ministers, her leadership at Rodezand, Bethelsdorp, and Genadendal, and her tireless efforts to train and support both enslaved people and indigenous communities. Interwoven are devotional reflections, catechetical instruction, and accounts of founding charitable institutions (including a Ladies’ Society for the Relief of the Poor and a Juvenile Missionary Society) that shaped colonial church life. Her life ends with a testimony to perseverance in faith, missionary zeal, and the Glory of God, leaving a lasting legacy in African missions.