DAVID LIVINGSTONE
FOE OF DARKNESS
by JEANETTE EATON
1947
[p.] 25
[...] He had
done so well in his medical course that he had decided to
apply for work as a medical missionary in China. His old
instructor at the church in Hamilton urged him to present
his application to the London Missionary Society. That
liberal group was ready to send out young men from any
Protestant church. [...][p.] 33
Often David laid his finger against a spot on the
map nearly a thousand miles north of Cape Town. It was
called Kuruman. There the most northern Presbyterian[p.] 34
mission had established a school, chapel, and houses for
workers. [...]
He [My. Robert Moffat] had translated the New Testament
into the Sichuana laguage--the root language of Africa.
Now and then the speaker's eyes rested on David's
absorbed face.
After that David always managed to be present
when Dr. Moffat came to the students' house. He also
heard the missionary speak at various churches. At last
one day the youth found an opportunity to ask the
founder of Kuruman a personal question.
"Dr. Moffat," he said shyly, "the London Society is
considering me as a medical missionary to Africa. Do
you think I would do for the assignment? I'm very
strong, used to hard work and to long journeys afoot.
It is my hope, sir, to devote what talents I have to the
cause of Christianity."
The missionary's quick glance took in David's angu-
lar face and spare, muscular figure. "I've heard you are
doing very well in medicine, Mr. Livingstone," he said
in a kindly tone. "I think you would be of value in Africa[p.] 35
if you don't stick to a missionary station which is already
well set up. Go to a new place. In the vast, unknown
plain I have sometimes seen in the morning sun the
smoke of a thousand villages where no missionary has
ever been."
The words thrilled David through. "The smoke of a
thousand villages!" What a picture! [...]
and pioneered in Scotland
rose to meet this challenge. Africa would be adventure
--adventure for the Lord. From then on he could hardly
wait to set out upon his mission. He got a copy of the
Sichuana Testament and began to study the language.
[...][p.] 36
[...] He [David] was formally ordained as a missionary in St.
[p.] 37
Albans Chapel. [...]
[...] "Where are you bound for, sir?"
"Africa," replied David.
[...][p.] 42
At every mission the two
young men distributed copies of Dr. Moffat's translated
Testament. David read aloud paragraphs from it every
night at the camp service. It gave him practice in the
native language and he picked up as much as he could
from the guides.
[...][p.] 45
David was given a room in Dr. Moffat's house. A
grave, middle-aged man named Roger Edwards took
charge of him, [...][p.] 46
[...]
For several of the sick were Bakwains and he began to
make progress in that dialect. [...][p.] 48
Through an interpreter he told his visitors that
they should go on to Lepelole many miles north to see
the Bakwain chief, Bubi. As he listened, David was more
sure than ever that knowledge of the language was the
master key to acquaintance with the people.
[...][p.] 52
David told him of his mission and the chief
begged to learn about the white man's God.
[...]
Then suddenly the chief flung out both his hands in
passionate entreaty. "I wish you would change my heart.
Give me medicine to change it, for it is proud and angry,
angry always."
Looking into the glowing dark eyes, David said
gently, "If you will let the loving spirit of Christ enter
your heart, it will be changed."
"Nay!" cried the chief and beat his breast with both
hands. "I wish to have it changed by medicine and to
have it changed at once, for it is always very proud and
very uneasy and continually angry with someone."
David smiled pityingly at this very human wish for
a quick dose of holiness. "Alas, medicine heals only the
body. Love, a thing of the spirit, must push anger from
your heart."[p.] 53
For eight months Livingstone had to remain at
Kuruman. He practiced medicine, taught school,
preached in the chapel, walked miles around the coun-[p.] 54
try, and studied the African language. [...]
David had written the London Society that native
teachers ought to carry on missions founded by English
workers. In that way more ground could be covered.
He hoped Mebalwe would demonstrate the value of this
idea. [...][p.] 63
"Well then, did your forefathers know what you
told us today? Did they know that they would be
brought before the judgment seat of God?"
"Yes, Chief Sechele, they knew that. They had been
told of the awful moment when a soul rises into heaven
and appears before Him from Whose Face earth and
heaven shall flee away."
"Ah!" cried out Sechele with his hand on his heart.
"These words make my bones to shake. I have no more
strength. But why were our fathers not told this?
They passed into darkness knowing not where they were
going."
[...][p.] 65
[...]
Edwards objected to David's manner of preaching. In-
stead of making an emotional appeal for repentance of
sin and belief in Christ, the Scotchman seemed to be
telling a story. [...][p.] 122
[...], he faced
the future squarely. This was a dark hour. He was stak-
ing all he possessed, all he cared about in life, on his
hope of doing something essential for Africa. [...]
But he could never have
imagined the adventures awaiting him in that land
marked on the big map "Unexplored."[p.] 192
November saw the publication of David's Mission-
ary Travels. 12,000 copies were sold before
the first edition left the press, and already another edi-
tion was on the way. [...][p.] 195
"I beg to direct your attention to Africa. I know that
in a few years I shall be cut off in that country which
is now open. Do not let it be shut again. I go back to
Africa to try to make an open path for commerce and
Christianity." Suddenly his voice rose to a shout. "Do
you carry on the work which I have begun! I leave it with
you!"[p.] 245
Smiling shyly, he made an obvious effort to speak
calmly. In a choked voice he asked, "Dr. Livingstone,
I presume?"
Wondering a little at this show of emotion, David
held out his hand. "Yes. Welcome to Ujiji!" he said.[p.] 251
[Henry M.] Stanley left Livingstone on March 14, 1872. [...]
[p.] 252
[...] There in the heart of Africa on
a soft May Day morning David Livingstone had died.
What happened then is one of the great stories of
the world. [...]
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