74 
Seven Years in Central Africa. [April, 
ILLNESS OF THE KING. 
My own desire is that I may please God by making His 
gospel known in all faithfulness and sincerity, so that His name 
may be glorified by the gathering out from heathendom those 
whom He may please to make the subjects of His sovereign 
mercy. I rejoice to think that for the people we have a full 
and complete salvation to proclaim to every one, but Godward 
we can but cast poor, sinful man upon His sovereign grace and 
mercy. There has been little to try me here in the work, but 
much, much to encourage. I am thankful to say that I have 
received much of the confidence of the people ; they trust me 
now as they did not at first. During my stay at the king's town 
my time was well occupied. Besides having a small day-school, 
and spending time with the people in conversation on the things 
of God, I was much occupied with doctoring, gun-mending, 
teaching them how to sew, make shirts, etc. In the doctoring 
line I was several times very successful, even in important cases 
which had been given up by the native magicians or doctors. The 
king Liwanika himself had been long ill, though he had been 
working away with all his doctors; he recovered slightly, only 
to relapse again. One of his headmen, who has the honorary 
title of "The king's mat," asked me to go and see his majesty. 
I said I did not think I could do much for him, but if I could 
not, God could. I told him to go back to the king, and that I 
would follow, which I did, asking earnestly for the Lord's 
blessing upon the remedy. The next morning the king was 
able to attend a large council meeting, and to all appearance 
looked quite well. Several of the headmen came to congratulate 
me on my cure ; but when I told them it was God and not 
man that had restored the king's health, they gravely shook 
their heads. 
"lequalo." 
" Nambi," the one great spirit who made all and rules over all, 
they believe in, but they look on him as an austere person, who 
only heaps sorrow, death, and punishment upon them. All good 
that comes to them they trace to the power and intercession of 
the spirit of some departed chief or forefather. The idea they 
seem to have is that those departed spirits whom they worship 
