Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

heaven, are so manifest traits in their character, that the world cannot refuse to see them. These are the men of God. Their light shines illustriously in a dark world. The good effects of their labors. and their zeal, their prayers and their example, cannot remain long unobserved. At the final consummation they will be acknowledged as ranking among those, who have turned many to righteousness, and will shine as the stars forever and ever.

There are several things, which discourage even a faithful minister from engaging vigorously in the daily labor of diffusing religion around him by his warnings, reproofs, admonitions; in a word, by his faithful testimony. Some of these discouragements I shall enu

merate.

A

1. Religious conversation is disagreeable to men of the world; that is, to almost all men, who are not religious. The introduction of religious topics gives them pain; especially if conducted in a solemn manner; so as to reach the conscience and the heart. This is plainly perceptible, and is strongly felt by all men, who are conversant with mankind, and who observe the operations of the soul. man of delicate feelings hates to give pain to any one; especially to those, whom he is most solicitous to benefit. He therefore defers the allusion to subjects which he is afraid will be ill received. He waits for a favorable opportunity till no opportunity at all remains. I appeal to every man, who has attempted to make a serious duty of religious conversation, if this has not been his case frequently. What deplorable evidence of the apostasy, ruin, and wretchedness of the human race is afforded by statements of this sort. How humiliating hat men, under all their obligations to love their Creator, and to become acquainted with his character, to repent of sin and seek salvation, to esteem this world as a mere passage to heaven, should treat with aversion all serious approaches to these interesting subjects.

2. Good men have their worldly attachments remaining, some in a greater and some in a less degree. They can join in conversation on nany temporal subjects with spirit. They can make themselves greeable; and I need not add that it is much more pleasing, so far as nere intellectual enjoyment is concerned, to carry on conversation with life and animation, than to drag it along by main strength, gainst the feelings of some of the parties. This circumstance operates powerfully; and the discussion of religious topics, which had cen earnestly desired by the faithful minister, or the fervent private Christian, is too often supplanted by less important, but more uniersally acceptable, themes of conversation.

3. Many ministers are desirous of acquiring and retaining influnce, and think it necessary, in order to secure this point, not to offend heir people, or other men, by bringing home the solemn realities of ternity to their minds. Though such calculations are exceedingly mistaken, as well as culpable, they have their effect, and deter from many duties, which might otherwise be discharged.

4. As this world is unfavorable to the growth of Christian virtue, nd the promotion of real godliness, some good men and sincere inisters, are so little used to religious conversation, that they cannot anage it discreetly and without embarrassment. With religious

[ocr errors]

persons they find no difficulty; but, when others are present, they are less possessed; and when opposition is to be encountered, or arrogance repressed, they are entirely disconcerted.

I would remark, in conclusion, that ministers lose much more than they are aware of, by yielding to cowardice, to policy, or to the allengrossing spirit of the world. They lose, or at least do not secure, the warm attachment of animated Christians. They lose the respect of many, who are not religious; and never obtain that weight of character, which the ministerial office is calculated to give. They lose the means of improving in the Christian life. They lose many precious opportunities of serving God, and of doing good to the souls of men. And what do they gain? What can they gain as a fair equiv alent for their loss?

The grand remedy for all defect,in the performance of Christian duty, is love to God, to Christ, and to the souls of men. Let every person, who is conscious of great defects in this matter, labor and pray that the love of God may be shed abroad in his heart, and that he may be constantly under the influence of this holy principle. Then may he expect, that God will give him boldness, discretion, well tempered zeal, and happy success.

EXTRACT FROM MR. HUMPHREY'S SERMON.

A. B.

In the closing address to the audience, the following timely remarks, are deserving of particular regard; especially by those, who have any agency in forming and directing the public sentiment in this momentous

concern.

"But my brethren, what are the preparations now making, in comparison with the actual wants of the single island of Owhyhee? Are we not in great danger, while we are doing a little, and crediting ourselves largely for it, of forgetting how much remains to be done? A vast empire is to be subdued "to the obedience of Christ," by his blessing upon the efforts of the Church. Fired with zeal te bear a part in this glorious enterprize, we despatch a file or two of volunteers, to occupy a single out-post, in a remote corner of the empire, and then, even before, they depart, we felicitate ourselves and congratulate each other, as if the capital had already surrendered. Our hearts are pained, perhaps, when we think of the "dark places of the earth, which are full of the habitations of cruelty;" and we say they must be enlightened. We enter at first with ardor into the good work. We joyfully cast our gifts into the treasury of the Lord, in hopes perhaps, that a few such offerings will suffice; and when it is found that giving increases the urgency of new and more frequent applications, some are ready to ask, are these importunities to be always sounding in our ears? Are we never to be released from this tribute to the heathen? No, my friends, never, unless you will abandon them to their fate and deprive yourselves of the honor of being instrumental in their conversion. There is much more to be done than is likely to be accomplished in our day. We shall have at last to leave a great work for our children; if not also for their posterity. Instead of closing our hands, or relaxing our exertions, when we have fitted out this expedition, we shall certainly find occasion to redouble our diligence in behalf of the heathen. If the world is ever to be evangelized, the efforts of Christian benevolence must not only be every where continued, but greatly increased."

We give the closing paragraphs of the charge as containing advice and direction, suitable to the occasion, and fitted to impress the reader with the great and multiplied dangers and sacrifices of the missionary life.

"But time would fail to recount all the duties and the doctrines, which it is incumbent on you to do and teach. This holy Book contains your commission. This have we received of the Lord, and this do we commit unto you. Bind it upon your heart. Let it be your director and your comfort-a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path.

"To a people of a strange language, you will be called, for many years: to preach even more by your benevolence, meekness, fortitude, patience, and holy deportment, than by your precepts. These speak a language which every rational being can understand. Even heathens will judge men by their fruits. "All your external conduct will be regarded by them as parts of your religion.” They will be influenced by your instructions no farther than they perceive them to influence yourselves.

"Remember, dear brethren, the sad downfall of Lewis, of Broomhall and of Veason. "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."

"The ordinary aids and consolation of ministers in Gospel lands will be denied to you. The advice and Christian faithfulness of your brethren you cannot enjoy. You must therefore draw your support immediately from the infinite, fountain, and be eminently men of prayer. In that moral wilderness you must gather your manna daily or perish.

"But let none of these things move you. "They that be with you are more than they that be with them." The consolations and encouragements prepared for you, if you continue faithful, are abundant, rich, and cheering. You do not go out under untried circumstances. A cloud of witnesses have already explored the "dark places of the earth which are full of the habitations of cruelty," and have encountered the dangers. You will avail yourselves of their experience.

"You may be assured of an interest in the prayers of many. But above all stay your trembling hearts upon covenanted faithfulness, and live upon the promises of God. You have put your hand to the plough; you cannot look back. You have forsaken parents and friends, and the elegances of civilized life, to labor and wear out in far distant and benighted lands.

"We have now consecrated you to God and to the heathen. You are, henceforth, dead to the world, dead to the refinements of civilized society, and the endearments of social ties in the bosom of your native land. Our eyes are shortly to behold you no more! But our prayers and our hearts go with you. Be faithful unto death, and may the blessing of many ready to perish be your reward and the crown of your rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus. AMEN."

MISCELLANEOUS.

For the Panoplist.

CHRISTIAN EXERTIONS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES.

MANY people labor under great mistakes respecting the exertions of this country for the extension of Christianity, compared with those of other nations. It is not uncommon to hear persons extol our religious charities in such extravagant language, as would lead one unacquainted with facts, to suppose, that the amount contributed to such purposes in the United States, exceeds by far that given by any other class of professing Christians in the world.

This error is injurious on two accounts. First: like all other false opinions, it retards the progress of truth on the subject to which it relates. Those, who hold the opinion, that Americans are now doing more for meliorating the condition of mankind than any other nation, will naturally imagine our relative importance to be much greater than it really is. Not contented with allowing, that the nation to which we belong may be an important instrument in the work of

introducing the millennium, they seem anxious to make out our claim to be now reckoned the greatest of all.

Secondly: the greatest positive injury is done in preventing the diffusion of the Gospel. The man who thinks he has done more than any others, and far more than his fair proportion, in supporting any particular cause not immediately advancing his personal interest, does not usually press upon himself the obligation to increase his gratuitous labors. Men rarely fail to place their own estimated good deeds in a full view before their own minds; they are wonderfully alert in discovering when the amount of their benefactions exceeds that of their neighbors. Especially is this true, when the great work to be done, is of acknowledged general utility, and therefore demanding the support of all.

For the information of those persons, who suppose the Christians of the United States to have done more than their full share in attempting to spread the Gospel,-and who speak of it with an air of exultation, as if we might glory in being foremost in the ranks of benevolent enterprise,-I make a short statement of the monies received in England by the principal Missionary Societies in one year.

The London Missionary Society received in the year ending April 1, 1819,

Church Missionary Society for the year ending March 31, 1819,

$ 94,614 29

121,958 65

Wesleyan (Methodist) Missionary Society for the year ending June 24, 1819,

101,839 60

Baptist Missionary Society for the year ending December, 1817,

29,547 06

The Society for propagating the Gospel, in the year ending Nov. 1819,

193,474 64

S 541,634 24

Total for missions, received by these five Societies,
To the collections for missions, I add the net receipts of
the British and Foreign Bible Society, for the year,
ending May 5, 1819,

419,141 74

$ 960,775 98

To form a just estimate of the exertions and of the real sacrifices necessary to produce such effects as these, let it be remembered, that England has been suffering the inconceivable distress and privations of a twenty year's war:-that the nation is groaning beneath an almost insupportable load of debt:-that taxes are levied to an enormous amount, not only on all the luxuries, but on almost every necessary article of subsistence:--that millions of her inhabitants are nearly or quite destitute of employment; that the number of persons assisted by the poor laws is beyond all example in any other nation: and that the extensive charities at home supported by British munificence, are without a parallel in ancient or modern times.

Now to compare the above amount of charities for two specific objects, viz. missions abroad and the diffusion of the Scriptures, with

what is done in this country for the same purposes, affords the Christians of the U. States no very plausible ground for celebrating their own acts of beneficence.

The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign
Missions received, in the same year as abovemen-
tioned, the sum of

The Baptist Board of Foreign Missions received, from
May 1, 1818, to May 1, 1819,

The not receipts of the American Bible Society for the year ending May 13, 1819, were

$ 34,166 68

18,942 17

$53,108 85

38,036 29 $91,145 14

It ought to be observed, that I have not been able to collect the receipts of the Edinburgh Missionary Society, the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, (one of the oldest in Great Britain,) the treasury of the Moravians, &c. nor of the numerous Societies formed to promote religion within the limits of Great Britain and Ireland. Nor have I at hand the receipts of the United Foreign Missionary Society in our own country. They were not large, however. I am not sure as I have the receipts of the Baptist Board right, as they are stated in two separate accounts, one of the Treasurer, and the other of the Agent; and one may be partly included in the other. Our Missionary Societies, formed for promoting religion within our own limits, and all other associations of the same kind, which are omitted here, do not by any means equal those in Great Britain, which are likewise omitted.

From this statement it appears, that the people of this country give less than one tenth part as much to spread the Gospel among the destitute, especially those in foreign nations, as is given for that purpose by the people of Great Britain. Yet our population is about two thirds as great as theirs; and I stand ready to prove, by a long induction of particulars, that the people of the United States are much more able to pay one million dollars a year for the spread of the Gospel, than the people of Great Britain and Ireland are; or, in other words, that the payment of that sum does not require so great a sacrifice on our part, as on theirs.

The Methodists of Great Britain and Ireland, who possess comparatively little property, give three times as much money to send the Gospel abroad, as is given to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. Let American Christians consider this subject well. MONITOR.

THOUGHTS ON DUELLING.

AMONG the many evils, which form parts of the duelling system, some good will be educed from the developement of character, which is

« AnteriorContinuar »