Right before we left America, I stumbled across a 1858 1st American Edition of the book Dr. David Livingstone wrote regarding his first 16 years of missionary service in Africa. The book had special meaning as it was during a Sunday School class back in 2002 when we were discussing the life and ministry of Dr. Livingstone that I felt the Lord nudging me into full time missionary service. So, out of interest and sentiment I purchased the book.
I have started to read the book in earnest the last few days. I have been amazed at how some things have not changed in Africa in over 150 years. Now, lest I be accused of pulling a Dan Quayle (remember the VP debates way back in 1988 when the Democrat Floyd Benson slammed Danny Boy with "I knew JFK, and your'e no JFK"), I am no David Livingstone. But I like his grit. In even the first 50 pages he lets the reader in on his worldview. He even makes a commentary on support raising.
Because I think it is such interesting reading, I have decided, for better or worse, to include some excerpts from his book, to use as a comparison and contrast of missionary life now. I hope you will enjoy.
Our first excerpt comes from pages 46-47. Dr. Livingstone describes "the mode of spending the day."
"To some it may appear quite a romantic mode of life; it is one of active benevolence, such as the good may enjoy at home. Take a single day as a sample of the whole. We rose early, because, however hot 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 all being invited. School over at eleven o'clock, while the missionary's wife was occupied in domestic matters, the missionary himself had some manual labor as a smith, carpenter, or gardener, according to whatever was needed for ourselves or for the people.After dinner and an hour's rest, the wife attended her infant school, which the young, who were left by their parents entirely to their own caprice, liked amazingly, and generally mustered a hundred strong; or she varied that with 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 labor till the sun declines. After sunset the husband went into the town to converse with any one willing 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 became dark, we had a public religious service..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..Show kind attention to the reckless opponents of Christianity on the bed of sickness and pain, and they never can become your personal enemies. Here, if any where, love begets love."
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