538 LIFE OF DA VID LIVINGSTONE, LL.R 



ceeding of the same nature as that in Madagascar, but each process has 

 something in its favour. 'The native Christians wanted a bishop.' Well, 

 all who know natives understand exactly what that means, if we want to 

 cavil. 'An intelligent Zulu' soon comes to the front. I overheard an intel- 

 ligent, educated negro aver that the Bible was wrong, because an elephant 

 was stronger than a lion, and the Bible says, ' What is sweeter than honey ? 

 what is stronger than a lion ?' But I did not wish to attack the precious old 

 documents, the 'Scriptures of truth,' and his intelligence, such as it was, 

 shall remain unsung. The excellent bishops of the Church of England, who 

 all take an interest in the 'Central African Mission,' will, in their kind and 

 gracious way, make every possible allowance for the degeneracy of the noble 

 effort of the Universities into a mere chaplaincy of the Zanzibar Consulate. 

 One of them even defended a lapsus which no one else dared to face ; but 

 whatever in their kindheartedness they may say, every man of them would 

 rejoice to hear that the Central African had gone into Central Africa. If I 

 must address those who hold back, I should say : Come on, brethren ; you 

 have no idea how brave you are till you try. The real brethren who are 

 waiting for you have many faults, but also much that you can esteem and 

 love. The Arabs never saw mothers selling their offspring, nor have I, 

 though one author made a broad statement to that effect, as a nice setting to 

 a nice little story about 'A Mother Bear.' He may have seen an infant sold 

 who had the misfortune to cut its upper teeth before the lower, because it 

 was called unlucky, and likely to bring death into the family. We have had 

 foundlings among us, but that does not mean that English mothers are no 

 better than she-bears. If you go into other men's labours, you need not tell 

 at home who reared the converts you have secured ; but you will feel awfully 

 uncomfortable, even in heaven, till you have made abject apologies to your 

 brethren who, like yourselves, are heavenward bound. 



"Having now been some six years out of the world, and most of my 

 friends having apparently determined by their silence to impress me with 

 the truth of the adage, ' Out of sight, out of mind,' the dark scenes of the 

 slave-trade had a most distressing and depressing influence. The power of 

 the Prince of Darkness seemed enormous. It was only with a heavy heart I 

 said, ' Thy kingdom come !' In one point of view, the evils that brood over 

 this' beautiful country are insuperable. When I dropped among the Makololo 

 and others in the central region, I saw a fair prospect of the regeneration of 

 Africa. More could have been done in the Makololo country than was done 

 by St. Patrick in Ireland ; but I did not know that I was surrounded by the 

 Portuguese slave-trade, a blight like a curse from heaven, that proved a bar- 

 rier to all improvement. Now I am not so hopeful. I don't know how the 

 wrong will become right, but the great and loving Father of all knows, and 

 He will do it according to His infinite wisdom." 



