David Livingstone > Quotes

“God, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. And sever any tie in my heart except the tie that binds my heart to Yours.”
― David Livingstone

“If you have men who will only come if they know there is a good road, I don't want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all.”
― David Livingstone

“I will go anywhere, provided it be forward.”
― David Livingstone

“All that I am I owe to Jesus Christ, revealed to me in His divine Book.”
― David Livingstone

“If a commission by an earthly king is considered an honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?”
― David Livingstone

“There is one safe and happy place, and that is in the will of God.”
― David Livingstone

“Nothing earthly will make me give up my work in despair.”
― David Livingstone

“I will place no value on anything I have or may possess except in relation to the kingdom of Christ. ”
― David Livingstone

“The best remedy for a sick church is to put it on a missionary diet.”
― David Livingstone

“Sympathy is no substitute for action.”
― David Livingstone

“For my own part, I have never ceased to rejoice that God has appointed me to such an office. People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa. Is that a sacrifice which brings its own blest reward in healthful activity, the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, and a bright hope of a glorious destiny hereafter? Away with the word sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, or danger, now and then, with a foregoing of the common conveniences and charities of this life, may make us pause, and cause the spirit to waver, and the soul to sink; but let this only be for a moment. All these are nothing when compared with the glory which shall be revealed in and for us. I never made a sacrifice.”
― David Livingstone

“I place no value on anything I have or may possess, except in relation to the kingdom of God. If anything will advance the interests of the kingdom, it shall be given away or kept, only as by giving or keeping it I shall most promote the glory of Him to whom I owe all my hopes in time or eternity.”
― David Livingstone

“Christ alone can save the world, but Christ cannot save the world alone.”
― David Livingstone

“God had an only Son and He made Him a missionary.”
― David Livingstone

“This generation can only reach this generation.”
― David Livingstone

“I have found that I have no unusual endowments of intellect, but this day I resolve that I will be an uncommon Christian.”
― David Livingstone

“If we have not enough in our religion to share it with all the world, it is doomed here at home.”
― David Livingstone

“It is not all pleasure this exploration.”
― David Livingstone, The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death: 1869-1873

“I will go anywhere, provided it is forward.”
― David Livingstone

“—What is the atonement of Christ? It is Himself: it is the inherent and everlasting mercy of God made apparent to human eyes and ears. The everlasting love was disclosed by our Lord's life and death. It showed that God forgives, because He loves to forgive. He works by smiles if possible, if not by frowns; pain is only a means of enforcing love.”
― David Livingstone, The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death: 1869-1873

“19th March, 1872.—Birthday. My Jesus, my king, my life, my all; I again dedicate my whole self to Thee. Accept me, and grant, Gracious Father, that ere this year is gone I may finish my task. In Jesus' name I ask it. Amen, so let it be.”
― David Livingstone, The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death: 1869-1873

“Seven days west of Katañga flows another Lualaba, the dividing line between Rua and Lunda or Londa; it is very large, and as the Lufira flows into Chibungo, it is probable that the Lualaba West and the Lufira form the Lake. Lualaba West and Lufira rise by fountains south of Katañga, three or four days off. Luambai and Lunga fountains are only about ten miles distant from Lualaba West and Lufira fountains: a mound rises between them, the most remarkable in Africa. Were this spot in Armenia it would serve exactly the description of the garden of Eden in Genesis, with its four rivers, the Gihon, Pison, Hiddekel, and Euphrates; as it is, it possibly gave occasion to the story told to Herodotus by the Secretary of Minerva in the City of Saïs, about two hills with conical tops, Crophi and Mophi. "Midway between them," said he, "are the fountains of the Nile, fountains which it is impossible to fathom: half the water runs northward into Egypt; half to the south towards Ethiopia.”
― David Livingstone, The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death: 1869-1873

“Three times in one day was I delivered from impending death. My attendants, who were scattered in all directions, came running back to me, calling out, "Peace! peace! you will finish all your work in spite of these people, and in spite of everything." Like them, I took it as an omen of good success to crown me yet, thanks to the "Almighty Preserver of men." We had five hours of running the gauntlet, waylaid by spearmen, who all felt that if they killed me they would be revenging the death of relations. From”
― David Livingstone, The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death: 1869-1873

“The evangelist must not depend on foreign support other than an occasional supply of beads and calico; coffee is indigenous, and so is sugar-cane. When detained by ulcerated feet in Manyuema I made sugar by pounding the cane in the common wooden mortar of the country, squeezing out the juice very hard and boiling it till thick; the defect it had was a latent acidity, for which I had no lime, and it soon all fermented. I saw sugar afterwards at Ujiji made in the same way, and that kept for months. Wheat and rice are cultivated by the Arabs in all this upland region; the only thing a missionary needs in order to secure an abundant supply is to follow the Arab advice as to the proper season for sowing. Pomegranates,”
― David Livingstone, The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death: 1869-1873

“Several market people came to salute, who knew that we had no hand in the massacre, as we are a different people from the Arabs. In going and coming they must have a march of 25 miles with loads so heavy no slave would carry them. They speak of us as "good:" the anthropologists think that to be spoken of as wicked is better. Ezekiel says that the Most High put His comeliness upon Jerusalem: if He does not impart of His goodness to me I shall never be good: if He does not put of His comeliness on me I shall never be comely in soul, but be like these Arabs in whom Satan has full sway—the god of this world having blinded their eyes.”
― David Livingstone, The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death: 1869-1873

“11th March, 1871.—I had a long, fierce oration from Amur, in which I was told again and again that I should be killed and eaten—the people wanted a "white one" to eat! I needed 200 guns; and "must not go to die." I told him that I was thankful for advice, if given by one who had knowledge, but his vehement threats were dreams of one who had never gone anywhere, but sent his slaves to kill people. He was only frightening my people, and doing me an injury.”
― David Livingstone, The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death, Volume II (of 2), 1869-1873 Continued By A Narrative Of His Last Moments ... From His Faithful Servants Chuma And Susi

“15th June, 1872.—Lewalé doubts Sangara on account of having brought no letters. Nothing can be believed in this land unless it is in black and white, and but little even then; the most circumstantial details are often mere figments of the brain. The one half one hears may safely be called false, and the other half doubtful or not proven.”
― David Livingstone, The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death: 1869-1873

“Luambai and Lunga fountains are only about ten miles distant from Lualaba West and Lufira fountains: a mound rises between them, the most remarkable in Africa. Were this spot in Armenia it would serve exactly the description of the garden of Eden in Genesis, with its four rivers, the Gihon, Pison, Hiddekel, and Euphrates; as it is, it possibly gave occasion to the story told to Herodotus by the Secretary of Minerva in the City of Saïs, about two hills with conical tops, Crophi and Mophi. "Midway between them," said he, "are the fountains of the Nile, fountains which it is impossible to fathom: half the water runs northward into Egypt; half to the south towards Ethiopia.”
― David Livingstone, The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death, Volume II (of 2), 1869-1873 Continued By A Narrative Of His Last Moments ... From His Faithful Servants Chuma And Susi

“1st January, 1872.—May the Almighty help me to finish my work this year for Christ's sake!”
― David Livingstone, The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death, Volume II (of 2), 1869-1873 Continued By A Narrative Of His Last Moments ... From His Faithful Servants Chuma And Susi

“Calling him close, he asked him to bring his medicine-chest and to hold the candle near him, for the man noticed he could hardly see. With great difficulty Dr. Livingstone selected the calomel, which he told him to place by his side; then, directing him to pour a little water into a cup, and to put another empty one by it, he said in a low feeble voice, "All right; you can go out now." These were the last words he was ever heard to speak.”
― David Livingstone, The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death: 1869-1873