REMOVAL TO KOLOBENO. 63 



" It was with no small pleasure we found ourselves, soon after our 

 removal, able to resume regular services. The people also undertook our 

 watercourse, while they gladly received our assistance in erecting a square 

 house for their chief. Forty of the older men made the watercourse, and a 

 younger band of sixty-five built the dam. When the house was finished for 

 the Chief Sechele, he requested us to establish a prayer-meeting in it. He 

 said, ' Although I have not yet given up my sin (polygamy), I greatly desire 

 to have prayer in my house every evening.' He invites his people to attend 

 this meeting as well as our other services ; and we are sensible of an increase 

 of knowledge in many." 



The report, in commenting on the above and unpublished portions of 

 Livingstone's letter, says : — 



" Some of the leading men of the tribe are making persevering exertions 

 to acquire a knowledge of reading ; their progress, however, appears to be 

 hardly equal to their diligence ; they seem to experience considerable diffi- 

 culty in the mental effort required to join letters into words, probably from 

 not having been accustomed to any exercises of this kind in their youth. 

 They have been heard to remark, that if the Missionary would give them 

 medicine which would enable them to conquer the difficulty, they would 

 gladly drink it. Sechele and his brothers have been found the most apt to 

 learn among all the natives ; the chief has read through twice the NeTfc 

 Testament and Scripture selections, and he never allows Mr. Livingstone, in 

 his frequent visits to the town, to retire, without requesting him to read and 

 explain one or two chapters of the Word of God. ' Our present position 

 (adds our brother) is one of hope, and all our dependence for success is on 

 the arm of Him who is almighty to save. We expect your prayers that Jesus 

 may be glorified among this heathen tribe, and that we may have grace to 

 ascribe to Him alone all the glory.' " 



In the Missionary Report for 1849, there appears a most interesting 

 communication from Livingstone relative to the conversion of Sechele and its 

 consequences : — 



" The removal of Mr. Livingstone from Chonuane to a more eligible 

 locality, situated on the Kolobeng River, was stated in last report. In his first 

 annual communication from this station, our brother thus describes the progress 

 of his labours and the prospects of his misson. 



" In addition to other effects produced by the Gospel among the Bakwains, 

 circumstances have also developed considerable opposition ; but it has been of 

 a kind which has tended to encourage rather than depress, inasmuch as our 

 most bitter opponents seem to entertain no personal animosity towards us, and 

 never allude to their enmity to the Gospel in our presence, unless specially 

 invited to state the grounds on which it rests. An event which has excited more 

 open hostility than any other that has occurred, was the profession of faith and 



