LECTURE ON LIVINGSTONE AT ST. PAUL'S CHURCH.

North Otago Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1283, 24 May 1876, Page 2

LECTURE ON LIVINGSTONE AT ST. PAUL'S CHURCH.

The claims of the British and Foreign Bible Society received earnest and able advocacy last evening at the hands of the Rev. Mr Backhouse. The subject of the lecture was well chosen ; Livingstone was pre-eminently a Bible agent. It wu to the Bible he looked to accomplish the end of all his toils and sufferings — the redemption of his beloved Africa. After a brief introductory address by the Rev. A. B. Todd, the reverend lecturer stated that the subject of his address would be "Livingstone and the Bible in Africa." His object, he said, was not so much to describe Livingstone as a mere explorer, but as a Christian missionary and .traveller. He then referred to the j

•wonderful power which Livingstone possessed of gaining the respect, confidence, and affection of men of all classes, colon, and creeds ; and to this power, and the earnest piety whieh lay at the root of it, he attributed the success of Livingston 1 ! labors. Mr Backhouse then went on to give a brief sketch of the early life of the great traveller; and showed that in this case, as in so many others, the child was father of the man. Interesting details regarding the various tribea of Southern Afric* were then given, as also particulars of the. lecturer's personal intercourse with Livingstone himself, and the venerable Dt Moffat. He then went on to describe Livingstone's early missionary life ; his preparation for tbe great work that lay before him ; his manful determination to prosecute the object which he had at heart, and his reliance upon the Bible as the great instrument by which that object must be accomplished. Want of space forbids our following the reverend gentleman through his interesting narrative of the great traveller's marvellous journeys. But this we must say— the interest of tbe audience never once flagged — it being judiciously kept alive throughout by reference to, and explanations of, the attractive diagrams — illustrative of life and adventure in Africa. The reverend lecturer possesses a. rich fund of anecdote, which goes far to enliven the narrative of travel, and to keep up the attention of his hearers. He concluded by urging upon his audience the claims of the great catholic Society which he had come to represent, and expressed a hope that the time was not far distant when it would be practicable to establish ft Branch Bible Society in the rising town of Oamaru. The collection, we are glad to state, amounted to the very respectable sumofLll 4s 6d.