300 RECEPTION AT CAMBRIDGE. 



pioneer of his truth throughout the length and breadth of the 

 land. Besides the action of the London Missionary Society, the 

 Free Church of Scotland sent out the Rev. James Stewart to 

 report on the practicability of commencing missionary operations 

 in the newly-explored territory. The great Universities of 

 Oxford and Cambridge sent for him, and in those grand centres 

 of learning and influence he was glad to appear with the avowed 

 " purpose of striving to awaken a deeper interest in Christian 

 missions to the heathen ; and he spoke with the authority of the 

 greatest of modern travellers among men, and in the places 

 where a missionary spirit ought to prevail pre-eminently." 

 And it is a noble record of those ancient and honorable institu- 

 tions, that in their reception of the man and his message they 

 "proved themselves, as ever before, ready to recognize merit, 

 advance science, encourage philanthropy and promote religion." 

 " At Cambridge particularly," says a contemporary, " the scene 

 in the Senate House was worthy of the most graphic painting of 

 pen or pencil. There was a solemn majesty about it which all 

 must have felt. It was an uncommon occasion. Cambridge 

 elevation and culture came suddenly into contact with the 

 mighty questions of African degradation and progress. Ex- 

 tremes had met. Africa was appealing by the mouth of her 

 warm-hearted advocate in one of the greatest centres of civili- 

 zation and evangelization in the world, for help in her feeble- 

 ness, light in her darkness, truth wherewith to battle her own 

 error, and redress against her cruel wrongs of centuries." 



The period of the doctor's visit to Cambridge was very oppor- 

 tune. The academic body, and especially the chief authorities, 

 were in residence, and among the distinguished men who paid 

 him marked attentions were Dr. Whewell, Master of Trinity 

 College ; Professor Sedgwick, the Astronomer Royal ; Professor 

 Selwyn ; and Dr. Bateson, Master of St. John's College. A few 

 paragraphs of a letter by Professor Sedgwick about that time, 

 for publication, cannot fail to interest every one who reads this 

 book. "In the long period of my academic life," he says, "I 

 have been many times present in our Senate House on occasions 

 of joyful excitement. The few amongst us who remember the 

 early years of this century cannot now forget the thoughts which 

 filled the national heart, if not with fear, at least with sorrow 



