NEW SCHEME FOR EXPLORING AFRICA. 841 



them in the hope, to justify them in the assurance, that the sons and daugh- 

 ters of Africa would yet be amongst those who would not only be honest 

 traders and honest people, but true followers of that dear Lord who lived 

 and died for Africans as well as other sections of the human race. The intro- 

 duction to Africa of the civilising Gospel would do that country good, and 

 the labours of Bishop Mackenzie and Bishop Steere would yet result in a far 

 different report from the interior of Africa, than the truthful and pathetic one 

 they had heard that night. He would not ask three hearty cheers for those 

 noble men, Lieutenant Cameron and Mr. Cotterill, who were going out upon 

 a noble work, but those present, when on their knees before God that night, 

 would ask that He would protect them, make them the means of great bless- 

 ing to many millions, and would bring them back to the bosom of their fami- 

 lies — great, not only because they had aided in opening up a new country for 

 commerce, but great because they have assisted in opening up a great con- 

 tinent for the introduction of the Gospel; that Africa, already rich in 

 her gifts of nature, might become yet richer far in her endowments of 

 grace." 



Other gentlemen addressed the meeting, speaking of the grandeur of the 

 object contemplated, and calling for sympathy and substantial aid. The 

 Vicae of Brighton said, it had sometimes been reproachfully stated that they 

 were a mere nation of shopkeepers, and it might be that English traders had 

 not left on the pages of colonial history the best mark; but they would thank 

 God that a better view was passing over the face of the English trade ; that 

 they were recognising it as one of those Divine gifts which was becoming an 

 instrument of religion — he said not civilisation, for they cared not for that, 

 unless it carried religion in its train, and the deep sympathy of man for man 

 — the great boast of Christianity, and the death-knell of slavery. The meet- 

 ing closed with the announcement of various subscriptions towards the ex- 

 penses of the Expedition. 



There cannot be a doubt as to the wisdom of these philanthropic under- 

 takings ; and every true lover of Africa — indeed, every one who desires to 

 see the social and moral elevation of mankind, must rejoice in them and 

 wish them success. Let such enterprises be multiplied a thousand-fold, till 

 slavery be utterly banished, and commerce, sanctified by Christianity, spread 

 throughout the vast African Continent. Already a vast scheme has been pro- 

 jected under distinguished patronage for exploring the country, with a view 

 to the promotion of commerce and science. Representatives of several coun- 

 tries have united in carrying it out ; and in some quarters great and beneficial 

 results are anticipated from it. But for ourselves, we place more confidence 

 in the labours of wise Christian philanthropists than in all other forms of 

 effort. The true successors of Livingstone will be the men who, with the gos- 

 pel in one hand, and commerce and education in the other, will visit the African 

 G 4 



