1S36-40.] MISSIONARY PREPARATION. 25 



of the young ; improving, so far as in his power, the 

 temporal condition of those amOng whom he labours, by 

 introducing the arts and sciences of civilisation, and doing 

 everything to commend Christianity to their hearts and 

 consciences. He will be exposed to great trials of his 

 faith and patience from the indifference, distrust, and 

 even direct opposition and scorn of those for whose good 

 he is labouring ; he may be tempted to despondency from 

 the little apparent fruit of his exertions, and exposed to 

 all the contaminating influence of heathenism." He was 

 not about to undertake this work without counting the 

 cost. " The hardships and dangers of missionary life, so 

 far as I have had the means of ascertaining their nature 

 and extent, have been the subject of serious reflection, and 

 in dependence on the promised assistance of the Holy 

 Spirit, I have no hesitation in saying that I would will- 

 ingly submit to them, considering my constitution capable 

 of enduring any ordinary share of hardship or fatigue." 

 On one point he was able to give the Directors very 

 explicit information : he was not married, nor under any 

 engagement of marriage, nor had he ever made pro- 

 posals of marriage, nor indeed been in love ! He would 

 prefer to go out unmarried, that he might, like the great 

 apostle, be without family cares, and give himself entirely 

 to the work. 



His application to the London Missionary Society was 

 provisionally accepted, and in September 1838 he was 

 summoned to London to meet the Directors. A young 

 Englishman came to London on the same errand at the 

 same time, and a friendship naturally arose between the 

 two. Livingstone's young friend was the Rev. Joseph 

 Moore, afterwards missionary at Tahiti ; now of Congleton 

 in Cheshire. Nine years later, Livingstone, writing to Mr. 

 Moore from Africa, said : "Of all those I have met since 

 we parted, I have seen no one I can compare to you for 

 sincere, hearty friendship." Livingstone's family used to 



