The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1922, Page 62

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62

The Lutheran Pioneer

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‘They are, however, degraded low enough, and no
nation needs more the humanizing influence of the
Gospel than the African.”

Further on he continues: “I must now send
family and all away, somewhere, for two years at
least, in order to ascertain whether one may live,
in spite of the fever, in Sebituane’s * country.
I think of sending them to Scotland. Have pro-
posed this to the Directors of the London Mis-
sionary Society, their mother taking them home for
education. ... If the Directors agree to my pro-
posal, I shall wend my solitary way into the region
of the Zambesi and spend, if I live, two years hard
at work, in a state of widowhood. [ shall feel part-
ing with the children very much. It will be like
tearing out my entrails. But more is done for
Queen Victoria every day and no boohoo about it.
I hope that I am not such a sorry sojer to our
Captain as to fail in my duty. Pray for us; they
will be orphaned. But there is a Father to the
fatherless, and I believe He will accept my work
and my sacrifice.”

In a letter written to his brother from Cape
Town in April, 1852, he says: “My poor wife and
family sailed by the Trafalgar on April 23, and
I am now like the worthy sparrows on the housetop
of whom we used to sing as ‘companionless.’? My
heart is very sore. I shall never see my children
again — they will grow out of my knowledge and
will all forget me. But I grudge Him nothing who
died for me. My tears flow, but He knows that my
heart grudges Him nothing of all that I have. May
He accept my service and use me for His glory and
grant that my children may not rise up among the
number of His enemies. It would be a sad sight
at last to see them on the left side, and hear them
say, “You cared more for the heathen than for us.’
Pray for them.”

Livingstone was not only a missionary, but like-
wise a naturalist and scientist of no small caliber.
However, how different he was from many of our
- scientists of to-day! Here is what he writes in
a letter from Kuruman, in September, 1852, while
on his journey from Cape Town into the interior:
“T have other work on hand, namely, the formation
of a Sichuan dictionary, and a work in imitation
of White’s History of Selborne. I admire the won-
‘derful works of God, and the wisdom He has dis-
played in the animal kingdom; and as I have

* Sebituane was the head chief over many native Af-
rican tribes in that region. He was very friendly to Liy-
ingstone, but died not long after the writing of this letter.

already some facts not known in works of natural
history, I think a work written after the manner of
White, with neither tawdry sentimental reflections
nor idolatrous spouting about Nature, but with a
manly acknowledgment of the Divine Wisdom and
special operations in all developments of instincts
and adaptation,” ete., ete.

He then continues in the same letter: “I mean
to have hands full of work (for fear the devil should
find mischief still for idle hands). ‘This great work
must be done, whether the others are proceeded in
or not. I need not tell you to be kind to my chil-
dren if I never return. I give you Agnes if I am
cut off. The Directors will take care of Mary and
the other children; or, better still, He who has said,
Leave thy fatherless children, and let thy widows
trust in Me. My dear brother, I must succeed or
die. See how people perish for gold. hey are not
enthusiasts, of course. It is a wonder that we are
not more enthusiastic for the glory of Him who left
His glory and for our sakes became poor. May He
accept our service!

“You think much more highly of me than I de-
serve. You see the outside. I see the heart, and
He who knows the heart sees in me a bitter fountain.
Behold, I am vile. The Providence of God has been
most graciously manifested to me, notwithstanding
all my defects and sins.”

For Livingstone, the humble sinner, who knew
himself redeemed by the blood of Jesus; there was
but one purpose in life. And all other things, no
matter how dear to his heart they may have been,
he counted as naught. With Paul he said, “For me
to live is Christ.” Christ was his passion, and to
make Christ, whom he knew to be the only Savior
of sinful man, known to sinners was what he lived
for. To those who would hold him back he said:
“Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s
business ?” F.J.L.

Items of Missionary Interest.

‘Santa Monica, Cat. — Pastor W. F. Troeger,
of Santa Monica, is doing pioneer work for some’
future Colored mission-worker. He ‘is regularly
preaching to a number of Colored people and is also
supervising a Sunday-school for their children. —
The Ladies’ Aid Society of his church is also active
in missionary work. Some one was kind enough to
favor us with several samples of an invitation sent
out by this society. On the face of the card is