Our Liberia Mission
It will be seen from the letters of the missionaries, that
prosperity still attends this mission. But we are doing too little --
far too little — for the heathen abroad. True our missionaries are
instructed to labour among them as far as practicable; but their
necessary engagements with the churches within the Colony
prevents any very large amount of effort of this kind. We
sympathize with the feelings of our venerable brother Day on this
subject, and would, were the means at our disposal and could
suitable men be procured -- which we think could be done —
attempt a mission considerably back from the coast. We really
think there would be more hope for the conversion of the natives
from such a mission, than from labours within or near the Colony -
- if we leave out of view the reflex influence of these labours in
coming years. But so great is the hope from this latter source, that,
without a material increase of our missionary force, it would be
impolite to divert those now engaged from their present fields.
The repeated attacks of brother Day together with his
advanced age, prepare us to hear, at any time, of his death. This, in
the present condition of affairs, would be a great affliction to the
mission. We have no man in the field so capable and reliable as
superintendant as he is. In this state of the case, the suggestion of
brother Day, that a white man shall be sent to take charge of the
Academy at Monrovia, and assume the management of the
mission, is worthy of serious consideration. The Board have, all
along, felt the need of a white man as superintendant of the
missions in West Africa. This need induced the sending out of
brother Ball and then of brother Kingdon. True, they were
expected to remain only a short time. But if some one of suitable
character and qualifications, and with a constitution adapted to a
tropical climate, could be found, it might be well to place him in
such a position. We believe that the station would be second in
usefulness to no other which such a man could occupy.
We would also inquire if there are not to be found in our
churches, free coloured men of education, earnest piety, and
prudence, who, for the love of Christ and souls, would be willing
to emigrate to Liberia. Let such place themselves under the care of
the Colonization Society, and, as soon as they have become
acclimated, and are found able and qualified for missionary labour,
they will be gladly supported by the Board. We call the attention
