"How much more must we feel it, with regard to out great discoverer and hero, dying so far off!
"But does he regret it? How much he must know now! how much he must have enjoyed!
"Though how much we would give to know _his_ thoughts, _alone with God_, during the latter days of his life.
"May we not say, with old Baxter (something altered from that verse)?
"'My knowledge of that life is small, The eye of faith is dim; But 'tis enough that _Christ knows all_, And he will be with _Him_.'
"Let us think only of him and of his present happiness, his eternal happiness, and may God say to us: 'Let not your heart be troubled,' Let us exchange a 'God bless you,' and fetch a real blessing from God in saying so.
"Florence Nightingale"
History of his life not completed at his death--Thrilling effect of the tragedy of Ilala--Livingstone's influence on the slave-trade--His letters from Manyuema--Sir Bartle Frere's mission to Zanzibar--Successful efforts of Dr. Kirk with Sultan of Zanzibar--The land route--The sea route--Slave-trade declared illegal--Egypt--The Soudan--Colonel Gordon--Conventions with Turkey--King Mtesa of Uganda--Nyassa district--Introduction of lawful commerce--Various commercial enterprises in progress--Influence of Livingstone on exploration--Enterprise of newspapers--Exploring undertakings of various nations--Livingstone's personal service to science--His hard work in science the cause of respect--His influence on missionary enterprise--Livingstonia--Dr. Stewart.--Mr. E.D. Young--Blantyre--The Universities Mission under Bishop Steere--Its return to the mainland and to Nyassa district--Church Missionary Society at Nyanza--London Missionary Society at Tanganyika--French, Inland, Baptist, and American missions--Medical missions--The Fisk Livingstone hall--Livingstone's great legacy to Africa, a spotless Christian name and character--Honors of the future.
The heart of David Livingstone was laid under the mvula-tree in Ilala, and his bones in Westminster Abbey; but his spirit marched on. The history of his life is not completed with the record of his death. The continual cry of his heart to be permitted to finish his work was answered, answered thoroughly, though not in the way he thought of. The thrill that went through the civilized world when his death and all its touching circumstances became known, did more for Africa than he could have done had he completed his task and spent years in this country following it up. From the worn-out figure kneeling at the bedside in the hut in Ilala an electric spark seemed to fly, quickening hearts on every side. The statesman felt it; it put new vigor into the despatches he wrote and the measures he devised with regard to the slave-trade. The merchant felt it, and began to plan in earnest how to traverse the continent with roads and railways, and open it to commerce from shore to centre. The explorer felt it, and started with high purpose on new scenes of unknown danger. The missionary felt it,--felt it a reproof of past languor and unbelief, and found himself lifted up to a higher level of faith and devotion. No parliament of philanthropy was held; but the verdict was as unanimous and as hearty as if the Christian world had met and passed the resolution--"Livingstone's work shall not die: AFRICA SHALL LIVE."
A rapid glance at the progress of events during the seven years that have elapsed since the death of Livingstone will show best what influence he wielded after his death. Whether we consider the steps that have been taken to suppress the slave-trade, the progress of commercial undertakings, the successful journeys of explorers stimulated by his example who have gone from shore to shore, or the new enterprises of the various missionary bodies, carried out by agents with somewhat of Livingstone's spirit, we shall see what a wonderful revolution he effected,--how entirely he changed the prospects of Africa.
Livingstone himself had the impression that his long and weary detention in Manyuema was designed by Providence to enable him to know and proclaim to the world the awful horrors of the slave-trade. When his despatches and letters from that region were published in this country, the matter was taken up in the highest quarters. After the Queen's Speech had drawn the attention of Parliament to it, a Royal Commission, and then a Select Committee of the House of Commons, prepared the way for further action. Sir Bartle Frere was to Zanzibar, with the view of negotiating a treaty with the Sultan, to render illegal all traffic in slaves by sea. Sir Bartle was unable to persuade the Sultan, but left the matter in the hands of Dr. Kirk, who succeeded in 1873 in negotiating the treaty, and got the shipment of slaves prohibited over a sea-board of nearly a thousand miles. But the slave-dealer was too clever to yield; for the route by sea he simply substituted a route by land, which, instead of diminishing the horrors of the traffic, actually made them greater. Dr. Kirk's energies had to be employed in getting the land traffic placed in the same category as that by sea, and here, too, he was successful, so that within the dominions of the Sultan of Zanzibar, the slave-trade, as a legal enterprise, came to an end.