Chap. II. MODE OF SPENDING THE DAY. 41 
because, liowever bot the day may have been, the evening, night, 
and morning at Kolobeng were deliciously refreshing; cool is not 
the word, where you have neither an increase of cold nor heat to 
desire, and where you can sit out till midnight with no fear of 
" coughs or rheumatism. After family worship and breakfast 
between six and seven, we went to keep school for all who would 
attend; men, women, and children being all invited. School 
over at eleven o’clock, while the missionary’s wife was occupied 
in, domestic matters, the missionary himself had some manual 
labour, as a smith, carpenter, or gardener, according to whatever 
' was needed for ourselves or for the people; if for the latter, they 
worked for us in the garden, or at some other employment; 
skilled labour was thus exchanged for the unskilled. After 
dinner and an hour’s rest the wife attended her infant-school, 
wliich the young, who were left by their parents entirely to their 
own caprice, liked amazmgly, and generally mustered a hundred 
.'Y strong ; or she varied that mth a sewing school, having classes of 
girls to learn the art; this, too, was equally well relished. During 
the day every operation must be superintended, and both husband 
and wife must labour till the sun declines. After sunset the 
husband went into the town to converse with any one ^villing to 
do so; sometimes on general subjects, at other times on religion. 
On three nights of the week, as soon as the milking of the cows 
was over and it had become dark, we had a public religious 
service, and one of instruction on secular subjects, aided by 
pictures and specimens. These services were diversified by 
attending upon the sick and prescribing for them, giving food 
and otherwise assisting the poor and wretched. We tried to gain 
their affections by attending to the wants of the body. The 
smallest acts of friendship, an obliging word and civil look, are, as 
St. Xavier thought, no despicable part of the missionary armour. 
Xor ought the good opinion of the most abject to be uncared for, 
when politeness may secure it. Their good word in the aggre¬ 
gate forms a reputation which may be well employed in pro¬ 
curing favour for the Grospel. Show kind attention to the reckless 
opponents of Christianity on the bed of sickness and pam, and 
they never can become your personal enemies. Here, if any¬ 
where, love begets love. 
When at Kolobeng, during the droughts we were entirely 
