DAVID LIVINGSTONE, THE BELOVED MISSIONARY 301 



heads of the Society to the Rev. Richard Cecil, who examined him in 

 common with several other candidates, and gave an unfavorable report, 

 especially in regard to the young applicant's powers as a preacher. It 

 was, in consequence, by the merest chance that he was accepted. Some 

 one pleaded in his favor ; he was given another opportunity, and finally 

 his services were engaged. It had been the young applicant's desire to 

 make China his field of labor, and he had studied medicine with that 

 end in view. But the opium war which had broken out with that 

 country closed it for the time to the Europeans, and a meeting with 

 Robert Moffat, who had lately returned to England from his mission 

 in South Africa, led Livingstone to determine on that almost unknown 

 region as the scene of his future labors. Dr. Moffat has left an account 

 of this meeting, which has a special interest in the light of the lifelong 

 connection which was to unite the two men, and a portion of it may be 

 quoted here. 



''He asked me whether I thought he would do for Africa. I said 

 I believed he would, if he would not go to an old station, but would 

 advance to unoccupied ground, specifying the vast plain to the north, 

 where I had sometimes seen, in the morning sun, the smoke of a thou- 

 sand villages, where no missionary had ever been. At last Livingstone 

 said: 'What is the use of my waiting for the end of this abominable 

 opium war? I will go at once to Africa!' The Directors concurred, 

 and Africa became his sphere." 



Livingstone had been studying both theology and medicine in 

 London for some time, and toward the end of 1840 he returned to 

 Glasgow, and obtained that medical diploma to which reference has 

 already been made. He was now therefore equipped for the fight, and 

 with the ardor of his nature was willing and anxious for service. He 

 had not long to wait. Within a few days he received the summons, 

 and on the 17th of November bade farewell to his relatives and friends, 

 and returned to London. His father, for whom he had both affection 

 and respect, he was never to see again. Sixteen years later, when 

 Livingstone was winning glory in the heart of Africa, the old man 

 died, but not before he had heard with pride and thankfulness of his 

 son's achievements. In simple language the son has written a beau- 

 tiful elegy upon him, closing with these pregnant words : "I revere 

 his memory." 



