Glimpses of old Glasgow

Foreign Missionaries

David Livingstone, LL.D.

THIS "prince of missionaries" was born in Blantyre on the 19th March, 1813. Of Highland descent he inherited all the good qualities possessed by the valiant sons of the hills, and also the proverbial canniness of the lowlander. His father, Neil Livingstone, was a genuine Christian, proud of the probity of his forefathers. On his deathbed he said that if one of his children would take to dishonest ways he would be unworthy to bear the name of Livingstone.

God leads His chosen people by paths they know not, and He led David Livingstone to prepare himself by a course of study to be a medical missionary, not for China, where his affections lay, but for the dark continent - Africa, whose tears of blood he did much to wipe away.

On 20th November, 1839, young Livingstone was ordained, and on 8th December he sailed for Africa, and from the Cape proceeded to Kuruman. In 1843 he was at Mabotsa, where he got married to Mary Moffat, daughter of the illustrious missionary, Robert Moffat.

From Mabotsa he removed to Chomwane, from whence after a brief residence he went to Kolobeng. Setting out from this place Livingstone, accompanied by two friends, Messrs. Murray and Oswell, started on an expedition of discovery, and on 1st August, 1849, came to Lake Ngami, returning to Kolobeng by the banks of the river Zouga.

In April, 1851, he went northward, and on 3rd August discovered the Zambesi. On 11th November, 1853, he began his journey across the continent, reaching the Atlantic on 31st May, 1854, and afterwards explored the Zambesi route. On 3rd November, 1855, he discovered the Victoria Falls on the Zambesi river. He returned home on 9th December, 1856, when he received quite an ovation.

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Returning to Africa he resumed his labours. On 27th April, 1862, Mrs. Livingstone died, and from that time Livingstone devoted himself to making known as much of Africa as he could. He returned to England on 23rd July, 1864, and in August, 1865, he again went back to Africa, and set out for Lake Tanganyika. Of the anxiety in Great Britain caused by there being no news from the great missionary - of Stanley's expedition to his aid, of the meeting of the two men, of the explorer's account of Livingstone, and the great joy experienced over the civilised world when it was known that the renowned Scotsman was alive - I need not write, these events being so recent; nor need I refer to what is so well-known - the death of Livingstone, the faithfulness of his followers, his legacy to his countrymen, the geographical knowledge added to the little known about Africa, nor the results lately obtained, the addition of hundreds of thousands of square miles to the area of the British Empire.

I was present in the City Hall when Sir Andrew Orr, the Lord Provost of Glasgow, presented to Livingstone the freedom of the city. The hall was literally packed. Sir Andrew spoke of the missionary's perseverance, his love for the down-trodden African, his discoveries, and added that Glasgow honoured herself in bestowing honour upon such an eminent man. The vast audience cheered those remarks, but when the noble missionary rose to return thanks, they sprang to their feet and cheered with a depth and a volume such as I had never heard before. Several minutes elapsed ere the distinguished traveller was allowed to say a word.

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Then he spoke something like this:-

"I thank you for your warm welcome, and for the evidence of your sympathy in what I have done. It is not so much myself you are honouring, for I have only done my duty, but you feel that what I have been privileged to do is a work for humanity and for Jesus. I am about to return to Africa alone. Here are my two sons (they were seated near him); may I commend them to your sympathy, as I have besought God to spare them, and make them a blessing to their fellow-men? When I get to Africa, if God so will it, I shall carry on the work I have begun, and my prayer is that ere many years have passed the slave trade among the dark children of Africa, may be thoroughly uprooted and destroyed."

Loud cheers assured Dr. Livingstone that he had the heart of the meeting with him. It was clearly evident that he was both moved and gratified by the warmth of his reception. One thing I noticed: This celebrated son of Scotia, great as were his discoveries, and illustrious as was his character, was the most humble man it is possible to imagine. He evidently believed what he said, that he was honoured for his work's sake. But not one in the meeting forgot that the work owed its success to the worker, and honoured him as missionary, philanthropist, and explorer. He died of dysentery in Ilala, Central Africa, on 1st May, 1873. The story of the two negro boys who lovingly carried his bones from Ilala to Great Britain is touching in the extreme. While in Westminster abbey there repose the ashes of David Livingstone, a monument to him is erected in George Square, Glasgow.