828 LIFE OF DA VID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



been done by their joint efforts, that in recent years the Directors of this 

 Society, in the belief that its special work has been completed in the Colony 

 and in Kaffirland, have resolved steadily to close their labours in those pro- 

 vinces, and confine their efforts entirely to the Bechuana and Matabele tribes, 

 north of the Orange Eiver, who stand in much greater need of Christian teach- 

 ing. For the past seven years they have maintained a staff of twelve mis- 

 sionaries in Bechuana-land for service south of the Zambesi; and these bre- 

 thren occupy a line of stations running northward from the Kuruman into the 

 heart of the Matabele country. 



Now, that the providence of God was opening another door for them in 

 Africa, they were glad to embrace the opportunity of extending their opera- 

 tions on that continent. There was something peculiarly suitable in the se- 

 lection of Ujiji on Lake Tanganyika. It seemed already to belong to the 

 London Missionary Society, inasmuch as Livingstone, who was himself for 

 fifteen years a missionary of the London Missionary Society, made Ujiji his 

 resting-place, and was there found by Mr. Stanley when distress and necessi- 

 ties were pressing heavily upon him. The Directors of that Society therefore 

 unanimously accepted the noble offer made them, and resolved to start the 

 mission as speedily as possible. Much, information, however, was needed re- 

 specting the means of transit into the interior; and it was thought desirable 

 that a properly qualified and experienced man should be sent to the East Coast 

 to make every inquiry. But who could be found for this purpose. The ques- 

 tion was soon answered. Just about the time that Mr. Arthington sent his 

 offer of £5,000 to the Society, the Rev. Roger Price returned for his furlough, 

 after about seventeen years' faithful and successful service in South Africa. 

 The directors conferred with Mr. Price on the subject of African travelling, 

 when it was found that he would not be unwilling to forego his rest among 

 his kindred and friends in order to make the inquiries alluded to above. He 

 was elected to this responsible post, and sailed on March 18th for that pur- 

 pose. After an absence of six months, he returned ; and, at a meeting of the 

 Directors, gave a deeply interesting statement of what he had seen and heard 

 and discovered. 



Mr. Price is a Welshman. He was educated for the mission work at 

 the Western College, Plymouth, and, in company with Mr. and Mrs. Helmore, 

 left England for South Africa in 1858. There the early part of his career 

 was one of disappointment and bitter grief. He lost his dear wife, and both 

 Mr. and Mrs. Helmore. He buried them all, and was left alone in a strange 

 country and among a strange people. But he was not to be shaken from his 

 purpose. Though cast down, he was not destroyed. He set himself to the 

 work of his life, and God rewarded him. Ultimately he was blessed with 

 another companion in the person of a daughter of the venerable Dr. Moffat, 

 who, partaking of the spirit of her father, is in hearty sympathy with the 



