“..And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
David Livingstone was a famous missionary explorer when he disappeared in central Africa, near modern day Tanzania. After months without word from him, the New York Herald sent his overseas correspondent, Henry Stanley, to search for him. Stanley was a Welsh born American and somewhat of an adventurer. When Stanley asked how much the paper was willing to invest, he was told to spend whatever it took, but find Livingstone!
He did find Livingstone and The Herald published an account of that meeting in July 1872:
Preserving a calmness of exterior before the natives which was hard to simulate as he reached the group, Mr. Stanley said: “Doctor Livingstone, I presume?” A smile lit up the features of the pale white man as he answered: “Yes, and I feel thankful that I am here to welcome you.”
Stanley joined Livingstone and they pressed further into the African continent. Stanley wrote a letter that included “King M’tessa of Uganda has been asking about the white man’s God…. Oh that some practical missionary would come here.” Stanley gave the letter to a French army colonel, but the colonel was killed at the Nile. English soldiers discovered his body, and while burying him, they pulled off his long boots and found Stanley’s letter, stained with the dead man’s blood. The letter was forwarded to the English general in Egypt, who sent it to a newspaper in London.
In 1875, while traveling in Europe, Alexander Mackay picked up a copy of the Edinburgh Daily Review, and as he read the letter a thrill went through his heart. He knew he was the man! God was calling him to Uganda, and Mackay left all, followed God’s call and never looked back! “And you will be my witnesses …to the ends of the earth,” Acts 1:8. He spent fourteen years as a missionary to the Ugandan people and was known as “God’s Engineer.” It was the practical Christian teacher who was needed in Uganda. As soon as he reached the East African coast, he set to work to cut a good road 230 miles inland. It was a huge task for a white man, fording swamps, climbing hills, bridging rivers and clearing forests. Two years later, he reached his destination. King M’tessa was happy to have Mackay with him because of his skill in all kinds of crafts and ironwork, even dug a well in a time of famine. He became a favorite of the king, but never forgot the real work he came to do. Every Sunday, he presented himself at the court, and read and explained the New Testament to a listening crowd in the king’s presence. At first, M’tessa appeared to be interested in his teaching and it almost seemed the whole nation of Uganda might turn to the Lord. There was much that was good about M’tessa, he did protect Mackay from enemies, his mind was convinced of the truth of the gospel, but its moral demands were too much and he turned away from it’s truth. “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” Acts 26:28.
And so began a time of persecution, Mackay’s pupils and converts were tortured and killed, men stole into the houses of the missionaries by night and begged to be baptized, some bolder ones went openly to the court and proclaimed their faith in Christ, knowing they would be killed. It was the tearful sowing of Mackay in those early days that brought about the joyful reaping which came to Uganda years later. “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy,” Psalm 126:5. The “blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church!
Your friend, Jean