The Personal Life of David Livingstone: Chiefly from his Unpublished Journals and Correspondence in the Possession of His FamilyBlaikie, William Garden
Religion
The Personal Life of David Livingstone: Chiefly from his Unpublished Journals and Correspondence in the Possession of His Family
Blaikie, William Garden
Livingstone, David, 1813-1873
"_22d May_.--I will place no value on anything I have or may
possess, except in relation to the kingdom of Christ. If
anything will advance the interests of that kingdom, it shall
be given away or kept, only as by giving or keeping of it I
shall most promote the glory of Him to whom I owe all my
hopes in time and eternity. May grace and strength sufficient
to enable me to adhere faithfully to this resolution be
imparted to me, so that in truth, not in name only, all my
interests and those of my children may be identified with
his cause.... I will try and remember always to approach God
in secret with as much reverence in speech, posture, and
behavior as in public. Help me, Thou who knowest my frame and
pitiest as a father his children."
When Livingstone reached the Makololo, a change had taken place in the
government of the tribe. Ma-mochisane, the daughter of Sebituane, had
not been happy in her chiefdom, and had found it difficult to get along
with the number of husbands whom her dignity as chief required her to
maintain. She had given over the government to her brother Sekelétu, a
youth of eighteen, who was generally recognized, though not without some
reluctance, by his brother, Mpepe. Livingstone could not have foreseen
how Sekelétu would receive him, but to his great relief and satisfaction
he found him actuated by the most kindly feelings. He found him, boy as
he was, full of vague expectations of benefits, marvelous and
miraculous, which the missionaries were to bring. It was Livingstone's
first work to disabuse his mind of these expectations, and let him
understand that his supreme object was to teach them the way of
salvation through Jesus Christ. To a certain extent Sekelétu was
interested in this:
"He asked many sensible questions about the system of
Christianity in connection with the putting away of wives.
They are always furnished with objections sooner than with
the information. I commended him for asking me, and will
begin a course of instruction to-morrow. He fears that
learning to read will change his heart, and make him put away
his wives. Much depends on his decision. May God influence
his heart to decide aright!"
Two days after Livingstone says in his Journal:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account