Personal life of David Livingstone, chiefly from his unpublished journals and correspondance in the possession of his family / by William Garden Blaikie.

  • William Garden Blaikie
Date:
1880
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Personal life of David Livingstone, chiefly from his unpublished journals and correspondance in the possession of his family / by William Garden Blaikie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    147 so utterly the childreu of the devil, dwelling in fear and continual irritation. They bestow honours and flattering titles on me in con- fusing profusion. All from the least to the greatest call me Father, Lord, etc., and bestow food without any recompence, out of pure kindness. They need a healer. May God enable me to be such to them. . . . “ 31si August.—The slave-trade seems pushed into the very centre of the continent from both sides. It must be profitable. ^ '‘September 25, Sunday.—A quiet audience to-day. The seed being sown, the least of all seeds now, but it will grow a mighty tree. It is as it were a small stone cut out of a mountain, but it will fill the whole earth. He that believeth shall not make haste. Surely if God can bear with hardened impenitent sinners for thirty, forty, or fifty years, waiting to be gracious, we may take it for granted that His is the best way. He could destroy His enemies, but He waits to be gracious.^ To become irritated with their stubbornness and hardness of heart is ungodlike. . . . “lUh October.—Missionaries ought to cultivate a taste for the beautiful. We are necessarily compelled to contemplate much moral impurify and degradation. We are so often doomed to disappoint- ment. We are apt to become either callous or melancholy, or, if preserved from these, the constant strain on the sensibilities is likely to injure the bodily health. On this account it seems necessary to cultivate that faculty for the gratification of which God has made such universal provision. See the green earth and blue sky, the lofty mountain and the verdant valley, the glorious orbs of day and night, and the starry canopy with all their celestial splendour, the gi’aceful flowers so chaste in form and perfect in colouring. The various forms of animated life present to him whose heart is at peace with God through the blood of His Son an indescribable charm. He sees in the calm beauties of nature such abundant provision for the welfare of humanity and animate existence. There appears on the quiet repose of earth’s scenery the benignant smile of a Father’s love. The sciences exhibit such wonderful intelligence and design in all their various ramifications, some time ought to be devoted to them before engaging in missionary work. The heart may often be cheered by observing the operation of an ever-present intelligence, and we may feel that we are leaning on His bosom while living in a world clothed in beauty, and robed with the glorious perfections of its maker and preserver. We must feel that there is a Governor -among the nations who will bring all His plans with respect to our human family to a glorious consummation. He who stays his mind on his ever-present, ever-energetic God, will not fret himself because of evil-doers. He that believeth shall not make ha.ste.” “ 2Qth October.—I have not yet met with a beautiful woman among the black people, and I have seen many thousands in a great variety of tribes. I have seen a few who might be called passable, but none