Stanley summarized his high estimation of the Doctor by stating in his book How I Found Livingstone: “My friendly reader, … God grant that if ever you take to traveling in Africa, you will get as noble and true a man for your companion as David Livingstone! For four months and four days I lived with him, in the same house, or in the same boat, or in the same tent, and I never found a fault in him. I am a man of quick temper, and often without sufficient cause, I dare say, have broken ties of friendship. But with Livingstone I never had cause for resentment, but each day’s life with him added to my admiration for him.”
If a non-Christian who was somewhat skeptical toward Christians and Christianity were to have a close-up view of us going through months of adversity, what would he or she then have to say about our Christian beliefs, behavior and character?
That’s precisely what we see in Henry Stanley’s extremely positive pen portrait of David Livingstone after the two men spent four challenging months together in inner Africa. For those of us who are Christians, there is a lot for us to consider and relate to our own Christian life and witness as we contemplate Stanley’s favorable portrayal of Livingstone.
Stanley was the American newspaper journalist who delivered Livingstone from destitution and provided him with hope-reviving support near the end of the renowned missionary-explorer’s career of service in Africa. For a period of four months Stanley was Livingstone’s daily companion, living in close quarters with him, often under trying circumstances. Those difficulties included threatening encounters with suspicious tribesmen, spells of severe illness, a grueling overland journey on foot during the rainy season, and being attacked by a swarm of wild bees.
Following their time together, Stanley recorded a number of observations about Livingstone’s character, temperament and conduct. What makes the newspaperman’s testimony of Livingstone even more compelling is that Stanley himself was probably not a born-again believer at the time. By Stanley’s own admission, he had a fiery temper and was easily offended. He had an obvious wariness toward any type of Christian legalism or hypocrisy. All these factors inclined him to be reserved toward rather than receptive of a missionary doctor and his Christianity. Yet the consistency, genuineness and winsomeness of Livingstone’s Christian lifestyle could not be denied and made a strong positive impression on Stanley.
Stanley summarized his high estimation of the Doctor by stating in his book How I Found Livingstone: “My friendly reader, … God grant that if ever you take to traveling in Africa, you will get as noble and true a man for your companion as David Livingstone! For four months and four days I lived with him, in the same house, or in the same boat, or in the same tent, and I never found a fault in him. I am a man of quick temper, and often without sufficient cause, I dare say, have broken ties of friendship. But with Livingstone I never had cause for resentment, but each day’s life with him added to my admiration for him.”
Of Livingstone’s commendable characteristics, even in the face of marked adversity and sacrifice, Stanley revealed: “In Livingstone I have seen many amiable traits. His gentleness never forsakes him. His hopefulness never deserts him.”