xi 6 DAVID LIVINGSTONE. [chap. ix. 



ance of the previous lesson. that the Holy Ghost might enlighten 

 them ! To His soul-renewing influence my longing soul is directed. 

 It is His word, and cannot die." 



The long absence of Livingstone and the want of 

 letters had caused great anxiety to his friends. The 

 Moffats had been particularly concerned about him, and, 

 in 1854, partly in the hope of hearing of him, Mr. Moffat 

 undertook a visit to Mosilikatse, while a box of goods 

 and comforts was sent to Linyanti to await his return, 

 should that ever take place. A letter from Mrs. Moffat 

 accompanied the box. It is amusing to read her motherly 

 explanations about the white shirts, and the blue waist- 

 coat, the woollen socks, lemon juice, quince jam, and tea 

 and coffee, some of which had come all the way from 

 Hamilton ; but there are passages in that little note 

 that make one's heart go with rapid beat : — 



"My dear son Livingston, — Your present position is almost 

 too much for my weak nerves to suffer me to contemplate. Hitherto 

 I have kept up my spirits, and been enabled to believe that our great 

 Master may yet bring you out in safety, for though His ways are often 

 inscrutable, I should have clung to the many precious promises made 

 in His word as to temporal preservation, such as the 91st and 121st 

 Psalms — but have been taught that we may not presume confidently 

 to expect them to be fulfilled, and that every petition, however fervent, 

 must be with devout submission to His will. My poor sister-in-law 

 clung tenaciously to the 91st Psalm, and firmly believed that her dear 

 husband would thus be preserved, and never indulged the idea that 

 they should never meet on earth. But I apprehend submission was 

 wanting. ' If it be Thy will,' I fancy she could not say — and, therefore, 

 she was utterly confounded when the news came. 1 She had exercised 

 strong faith, and was disappointed. Dear Livingstone, I have always 

 endeavoured to keep this in mind with regard to you. Since George 

 [Fleming] came out it seemed almost hope against hope. Your having 

 got so thoroughly feverised chills my expectations ; still prayer, un- 

 ceasing prayer, is made for you. When I think of you my heart will 

 go upwards. ' Keep him as the apple of Thine eye,' ' Hold him in the 

 hollow of Thy hand/ are the ejaculations of my heart." 



1 Rev. John Smith, missionary at Madras, had gone to Vizagapatam to the 

 ordination of two native pastors, and when returning in a small vessel, a storm 

 arose, when he and all on board perished. 



