LIVINGSTONE REFUSES TO TRADE. 105 



thing he possessed, but he refused positively to read the Book 

 which taught that men should have only one wife. He must 

 have "at least Jive wives." He was honest certainly. Any- 

 thing is better than pretending to accept what is said, when the 

 secret thought and determination are entirely the other way. 



As early as possible Livingstone assembled the people for 

 worship. The Makololo observed greater decorum than some 

 of the more southern tribes had on the first presentation of the 

 gospel, though there were many disturbances inseparable from 

 absolute ignorance of such a thing as public worship. 



Among these people, as elsewhere, Livingstone had ample 

 opportunity to take advantage of the kindness and ignorance of 

 the natives and of his being the pioneer of discovery, to engage 

 to great advantage in trade ; but he was too deeply interested in 

 the spiritual condition of the people, too thoroughly consecrated 

 to the service of God. He resisted all temptations in that 

 direction, and though conducting his great work on <£100 a 

 year, out of which the single item of presents for the people 

 through whose territory he must pass was considerable, he 

 pressed on without murmuring. It was his study that he 

 might impress on the minds of the poor people that he sought 

 only their elevation and salvation. 



At first he found some difficulty in finding persons who 

 would learn to read, for the reasons which we have given. At 

 length, however, several prominent men, even the hesitating 

 Sekeletu, began the work. Thus teaching, preaching, and 

 searching with all the industry to be expected of one fully set- 

 tled and " fixed," this wonderful man, a wayfarer only, had 

 thrown himself immediately into his work. The world was the 

 field he was sowing beside all waters. There was great need of 

 the noblest elements of character to prosecute the work of Christ 

 in such a community. It was the heart of spiritual ignorance ; 

 it was the very core of chaos. 



Yet there were ideas of justice, and there was industry and 

 manliness and quite familiar ideas of beauty. The women, for 

 instance, admiring themselves in Livingstone's mirror, were 

 entertained quite as really as any city belle you ever saw, and 

 they were greatly more honest in their impressions. They had 

 never seen themselves before. Very much of the self-corn- 



