THE

RELIGIOUS MONITOR,

AND

EVANGELICAL REPOSITORY.

AUGUST, 1838.

ART. I. An Address to the Students of the Theological Seminary on the subject of Foreign Missions.-BY ONE OF THE STUDENTS.

(Continued from page 55.)

Thus we have endeavored to establish the duty of the church to extend her operations to heathen lands, even while there may be many destitute at home, by an authority, which, if correctly applied, no one can question. And is not the view we have expressed as reasonable as it is scriptural? In the 10th chapter of Isaiah and 17th verse, it is said, "The light of Israel shall be for a fire and his Holy One for a flame, and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briars in one day." Here the light of Israel and his Holy One are compared to fire and a flamethe wicked to be consumed, to briars and thorns, and the time in which it is to be effected, one day.

Now let us suppose that the task of consuming an extensive prairie were assigned, and the shortest possible time allotted in which this work was to be performed-would we kindle a fire in the centre and wait un til the destructive element would spread itself over the extensive plain? Or would we not rather, while the fire was spending its fury here, run with torches in our hands, and enkindle it in distant and different portions? Surely reason would dictate the latter course, and experience attest its propriety. "And is not my word like fire, saith the Lord?" And is it not the duty of those who are appointed to bear this fire to endeavor to scatter it as extensively as possible throughout the vast empire of Satan that the finally impenitent may be consumed in its flames, and the elect of God lighted up in their pathway to glory?

We might adduce other scriptural illustrations of the nature of the gospel, and the duty of those who are called to preach it; but we have drawn largely upon your patience.

Dear Brethren-Do not suppose that the church necessarily weakens her strength at home by attending to the wants of the heathen. No. This we think is a too common though sadly mistaken view. If the VOL. XIV.

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wants of the heathen are regarded, and the gospel is seen to triumph over pagan idolatry, it strikes a chord which vibrates even in the very heart of the christian church. What can be more encouraging to the follower of Jesus than to behold the darkness of heathenism fast receding before the light of the gospel? What can heighten his joy and elevate his songs of praise, more than the reflection that the God and Father whom he worships is the God and Father of those, who, but a short time since, prostrated themselves before their "idols of wood and stone?" That they now all meet around the same throne of grace and shall shortly meet around the same throne of glory, to unite for ever in songs of praise to him that redeemed them to God by his blood out of every kindred and tongue, and people and nation? O, if ever the soul feels a triumph of joy, it is in such a thought as this! If ever the christian sees a power in that religion which he professes, it is when he sees it prostrating the ancient monuments of superstition and idolatry, and swaying a sceptre of love and grace over a once benighted but now redeemed people! No wonder, then, is it, that we are told of Paul and Barnabas, "That being brought on their way by the church to Jerusalem, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles, they caused great joy unto all the brethren." And not only does it strengthen the hands and encourage the hearts of the friends of christianity, but who can tell the convincing effect which it is calculated to produce upon the minds of infidels? Is there an evidence which more clearly establishes the claims of the Bible as a revelation from God, than the change which it produces upon those over whom a long dark night of superstition has reigned? True, it effects a change upon those whom it converts here, but it is a change which the infidel cannot so fully comprehend or appreciate. Here it is a change from a spiritual darkness, often times illuminated with the lights of science and adorned with all the refinements of civilization. There it is a change from a spiritual darkness, rendered deeper still by an ignorance degrading in its nature and disgusting in its appearance. For there no false light shines to delude the infidel, or lead him to imagine that nature's lamp is sufficient for the soul, but all around a moonless and starless night.

But not only is the christian at home encouraged and the infidel convinced by the change which the dispesrion of the Bible produces upon the hearts and conduct, but our holy religion is continually receiving additional confirmation from the discoveries which the researches of Missionaries have made in the manners and religions of the heathen. Here tradition, though degenerated, confirms the antiquity and divine origin of that revelation from which it sprang. Here, in the rights and ceremonies of pagan idolatry, are discovered the funeral obsequies of a once living but now departed religion-a religion, however, which has only changed its abode, not from earth to heaven, but to the land of the christian, where it still lives in its heaven-born purity.

And think you, my friends, that a testimony yielded even by superstition and idolatry, to the claims of christianity, will exert no influence upon her friends and foes even here? May it not strengthen the faith of the former, and from the ranks of the latter call out a host of firm and faithful friends? Even anti-christ, that great enemy which has attacked christianity on her throne, and against which her friends at home have been struggling with so little success, may at last receive her overthrow from a foreign source-a source the more fatal, because the least

expected. Has it not of late been ascertained that the idolatry of India bears at least twenty-five points of resemblance to Romanism? If this be really the case, who can estimate the influence which a testimony so direct will exert in falsifying the claims of popery to christianity?

It may now be inquired-what is the present duty of the Secession Church in this all-important matter? To answer this inquiry as its importance demands, requires one of greater age and experience than he who now has the privilege of addressing you. I shall, however, with due deference to the opinions of those who may differ from me, express the views which I at present entertain on this subject. Let me, however, by way of preface remark, that the fundamental duty of sending the gospel to the heathen, when the season demands it, is recognized by that church to which we have the honor of being connected; and on this point, I feel assured that there is no diversity of sentiment among her members. This remark I would deem unnecessary, were it not sometimes asserted that the Secession Church is opposed to the principle of Missions. Justice demands that this reproach should be repelled, for it is a reproach uttered by the tongue of slander. However remiss the Secession Church may have been in Missionary operations, yet, as it regards her principles on this subject, charity forbids misrepresentation. It is the season proper for sending the gospel to the heathen, and the means by which it is to be accomplished, that, to her, has been a subject of inquiry.

And, in addition to this, I would suggest to those who are disposed to draw comparisons between the respective churches of Christ as to the extent of their Missionary operations, to remember, at the same time, the amount of men and means possessed by those churches respectively, among whom this comparison is drawn. I believe that this is not intentionally passed by, but when we hear of any great work going on by any particular church, we are too apt to form our opinion of the agent by the work, and not of the work by the agent. If the magnitude of the work excels, we associate corresponding ideas of merit to the church by whom the work has been performed, without taking particularly into view her situation and resources.

These few remarks are by no means intended to exculpate our own church, or disparage the laudable efforts made by our sister churches, to disperse, by the benign influence of the gospel, that moral gloom that hangs charged with death over so vast a portion of our sinful globe. We only claim in return from our christian brethren of other denominations, that charity which we would not withhold from them. Is it so that we have not obeyed the calls of mercy heard afar? It has not been because we considered the heathen unworthy of our regard, but that we might attend to those within our reach. That we might feed them with the bread of life-that we might watch over the tender lambs of Christ's flock, and by what we considered a faithful testimony for the truths of God's word, endeavor to preserve the churches of Christ in our own favored land from the influence of those who would turn them from the faith once delivered to the saints. How far this has been effected by the instrumentality of the Secession Church, becomes not us to say. This is known only to Him, who only can say of any church, "I know thy works." We may have been guilty of a criminal hesitancy as to the tempus operandi," but may not others be equally chargeable with a culpable precipitancy as to the "modus operandi."

In all things we sin and come short of the glory of God. Let us, dear brethren, humbly lament our unprofitableness in the service of our Divine Master, and seriously inquire what course does the Lord call upon us now to pursue as a church of Christ on this all-important subject -a subject in which the perishing condition of millions are concerned? I then conceive it to be the present duty of the Secession Church immediately to occupy a foreign field, on the supposition that the necessary means, and persons suitably qualified, can be obtained. The correctness of this sentiment stands or falls, we think, with the truth or fallacy of our foregoing remarks. If the general spread of the gospel is that which was predicted should characterize the New Testament dispensation; if the apostles received a command from their Divine Master to go and teach all nations; and if in obedience to this command they went from city to city, and from country to country, so that according to our Saviour's prophecy the gospel was preached to all nations, even before the destruction of Jerusalem; if the spread of the gospel in heathen lands is in its own nature calculated to strengthen the cause of Christ at home; and, in fine, if it be reasonable to suppose from the nature of things, that a general, and to some degree proportionate division of the spiritual forces of a church, is calculated to exert a more extensive and effectual influence then may we infer, that the heathen should possess a share of that influence which God in his providence may enable us to exert; a share, we say, because, although we conceive it to be the duty of the Secession Church to send the pel, if possible, immediately to the heathen; yet it never can be her duty to send away her main force from that ground which she now occupies. Here is the citadel of her strength, and consequently the main force of the enemy will be directed towards it. This is her vantage ground, and should she relinquish it, it may be her grave. A A regard for her own safety then requires, that while distant parts should, if possible, be occupied, that part where her strength lies, and where her banner has been so long waving in the sight of her enemies, should be most anxiously watched and faithfully guarded. But while we would not have the forces of the church scattered in such a way as to destroy them, no more would we have them combined and concentrated in such a way as to confine their influence and retard their progress. Between these two extremes lies the scriptural medium, and it is for this medium we would plead.

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Now, according to Woodbridge's Geography of 1831, there are within the bounds of the United States, including the territories, thirteen millions five hundred thousand inhabitants. Of this number, five hundred thousand are reckoned savages. Now the very lowest calculation makes the population of the whole globe to be eight hundred millions. Of this eight hundred millions, two hundred millions are christians by name, though of this number the two-thirds helong either to the Greek Church or the Church of Rome, and well deserve the name of heathen. But including these under the denomination of christians, and subtracting the whole two hundred millions from the population of eight hundred millions, leaves six hundred millions of perishing heathen, who know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Would you believe it, dear brethren, that one thousand eight hundred years after the apostles received their commission to go and teach all nations, six hundred millions of immortal beings are posting onwards unprepared to the tremendous bar of God! Since I have arisen to ad

ress you, how many guilty souls have taken their departure from this world to meet their fearful sentence, and according to the ordinary calculation, forty years hence, should they remain as they now are, six hundred millions shall have passed the confines of time! O what a call for you and me, and all of us, to consecrate ourselves and our all to the service of our Divine Master. According to the latest statistics, there are within the bounds of our church, ninety-two ministers, and these, with a few exceptions, confined to the United States. Here, then, are ninety-two ministers, divided among thirteen millions of civilized inhabitants, and six hundred millions of degraded and idolatrous heathen left entirely destitute!

Is this the christian's charity? But to render the contrast still more striking, there are in our church fifteen thousand communicants, which, divided among ninety-two ministers, will leave to each minister about one hundred and sixty-three communicants. This is the average proportion. Some of our ministers have more and some less. Now is there any thing so remarkable in these people that points them out with such unerring certainty as deserving the attentions and ministrations of God's ambassadors, to the neglect of so vast a multitude of perishing heathen? Nay, when we look at the number of years which some of our ministers of piety and worth itinerated without receiving a call, may we not fear that these are too evident indications to the contrary? Have you not sometimes seen competition and rivalship for a very ordinary congregation in our own country, and yet no striving to carry the bread of life to the vast regions of heathenism-regions teeming with a crowded population of famishing souls? Ah! here are the posts of danger and self-denial to the Missionary!

But there is another consideration which presents this subject, if possible, in a still stronger light. We presume no one present will dispute the correctness of this principle, viz.-That where there is the least knowledge of Christ, and the least probability of attaining this knowledge, there (other things being equal) are the greatest claims upon the ambassador of Christ.

To illustrate this principle, let us suppose two individuals are laboring under a bodily disease-one of them is cut off from all access to to physicians or medical advice; the other, it is true, is affected with the same disease, but is within the reach of physicians, or is so situated, that he may receive the necessary instructions. Now, with regard to one, a recovery is impossible, absolutely impossible. But with regard to the other, a recovery is at least practicable. For, although the physicians to whom he has access may be very unskillful, yet they may render some aid to the afflicted patient, and suggest some remedy that will stay the progress of the disease. Would not humanity-would not charity, direct a physician to him, for whom, if left destitute, there can be no hope? Now the application of this illustration to the case before us, is simple and plain. We have seen that the number of our ministers in this country is ninety-two. These added to the number of ministers in the various protestant churches will make at least twelve thousand. Now the number of ministers, including all who are employed in giving instructions in heathen countries, are not more than seven hundred. Here, then, upon the most favorable calculations, are twelve thousand allotted to fifteen millions in this country; while among the poor heathen are not more than seven hundred allotted to