VOLUME 2, NUMBER 8, “Go yc into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.’’ RICHMOND, AUGUST 15, 1850.
Soutljcra Baptist (Hommttiou.
Correspondence of the Foreign Board.
Communications relating to the general busi¬
ness of the I'oteign Mission Board, maybe ad¬
dressed, post pin'd, to
James B. Taylor, Cor. See.
Richmond,
Га.
Communications enclosing donations, or relat¬
ing to the financial department, may bo address¬
ed to ■ Archibald Thomas, Treas.
Richmond, Va.-
lor the Commlasloa.
Call for Missionaries.
Many of our readers will recognize, by the
style, the author of tho following communication.
Brother Bowen writes from a full heart. When
shall his earnest. appeals bo heeded!
"More than fifty years ago, when a call was
made for missionaries to go to Tahiti, thirty per¬
sons offered their services. They embarked in
1*00, at London, and reached their destination in
about seven months. At first they met with
many difficulties, but were at length successful,
and tho once savago Island of Tahiti is now a
civilized nation.
List year an earnest appeal was made by tho
Southern Baptist Board for men to carry the
gospel to the partially civilized and highly inter¬
esting people of Central Africa. Only two
white men and a colored assistant could bo pro¬
cured. They sailed last December, and on
о
of
thu missionaries, Mr. Goodale, died soon after
reaching the coast. His surviving colleague is
now in Liberia, waiting for the close of the
rains, almost without hope of finding compan¬
ions, yet resolved to proceed next fall, if the
Lord permit. Who does not deplore — or rather
who dues deplore— the fact, that men cannot be
found for this mission ! Yarriba, Nufo, Ilaussa,
Ac., with God’s blessing, might become civilized
nations, full of schools and churches, within the
next fifty years, if they were taught. But
where are the men who will say, “ Hero nro we,
send us! " Mechanics are as necessary as min¬
isters themselves, where tho people arc to be
civilized. God has joined labor and religion to¬
gether, and man cannot put them asunder. Who
will hasten to Africa and join our weak party! ”
Monrovia, Liberia, May 11, 1850.
life.” Said he, "when 1 meet with persons who
are skeptical on the subject of missinns, I delight
to point them to thechristian villages among the
Karens, and their .loutishing and interesting
churches.”
In conclusion, he lead a letter which he had
just received from one of tho native preachers of
Assam, begging gospel aid for his benighted
countrymen, and appealing to the Ametican
churches in a manner so touching, as could not
fail to enlist the sympathies of every person,
unless their hearts were made of adamant. I
felt as if I wanted every anti-missionary in our
land, and even those who at8 lukewarm on the
subject, to be present, and listen to this Macedo¬
nian cry. If I did not know that you demand
shoit pieces for your paper, I would hero make
an appeal to your readeis, and show the influ¬
ence that such facts, as are above stated, should
have upon them. But I must leave them as
fad j, trusting that they will mqct with candid
hearts and be allowed to havo their duo weight,
To mo they speak volumes in behalf of missions.
А. В.
C.
lor tho Commission.
Interesting; Pacts.
Madison University.
Perhaps an account of the exercises recently
held in tho village church, may he interesting to
the readers of the Commission. In the afternoon,
For the Commltsion.
Arduuo and Laxus.
( Continued.)
"You say,” said Atduus, " that it is a labor
sufficient lo engage all the powers of body and
soul of man, to secure his own temporal and
eternal welfare! 0, how such a low and narrow'
view (pardon me) dishonors the noble capacities
of our nature ! Let us beware how we desecrate
the blessed munificence of God, and trample be¬
neath the foot of scorn, those g'utinus privileges
and capabilities of beneficence with Which1 we
aro endowed ! ”
“ The scriptures say,” replied Laxus, "every
man shall bear his own burden; and, Making
heed to this sure word of prophecy,’ if he save
his own soul ho shall do well, without taking
heed to any other man's."
" But 1 you know that no murderer hath eter-
nallife;’ and that hois a murderer who loves
not his brother's soul, tho scriptures have left us
no room for argument. On this point, let us ex¬
amino the 'appropriate testimony of John, that
aposilo of the gospel of love. (I John iii: 10,
including 17.) Dwelling on that blessed ‘law
of Christ,’ the law of love, ho declares that ‘ in
this tlio children of God are manifest, and the
children of the devil; whosoever loveth not his
brother is not of God; ’ accordingly, is ‘ of tho
devil ' — of him who 1 was a murderer from the
beginning.’ Here wo see tho whole human
race divided into two classes as distinct as heaven
and hell— the one, ‘ the children of the devil’—
a missionary gave a sketch of his labors in llur-
mah, from 1823 to the present lime. Ho said,
fur
того
than a quarter of a century lm and his
companion had been endeavoring to fulfill tho
Saviour’s last command, and during this time
they had found his promise, “ Lo, I am with you
altvat,” sure. It had comforted and sustained
them amid all their trials and difficulties.
When they first landed in Burmalt, they found
only 18 native converts, now them were 15,000.
He spoko nf tho influence of the gospel upon
them, their appreciation of its blessings, and
gratitudo towards those who made them ac.
quainled with it ; and showed that there was
great consolation in tho missionary work, though
they had to meet with trials and difficulties.
In the evening, Mr. Bronson from Assam gave
us an account nf his labors in that country, which
was encouraging to tho hearts of all Christians
present. When he first went nut, ho was sent
to Burimli, and, said he, “I shall never forget
the introduction I had, on my arrival, to an old
Karen mother in Israel, who, on being told that
I had
сото
out as a missionary, raised her hands
and eyes to heaven, and witli tcat3 stieaming
down her cheeks, thanked God that one more
person had ct.me to teach her people the way of
murderers— the other, 1 the children of God ’ —
the instrumental saviours of life, Under the
force of what awful sanctions of life and death,
comes to us ‘ the message that we heard from
tho beginning, that we should love ono another!
"Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one and
slew his brother. . . Whosoever liateth
his brother is a murderer.” Ho that loveth not,
then, hateth, There is but one alternative by
which we can avoid the crimson guilt of murder.
We must love: thus 1 live nut to ourselves.’ If
wo live to ourselves, tve riot on the price of im¬
mortal souls, in a spiritual cannibalism, more
iniquitous than any which has ever come under
the execration of man.
О
with what zeal and
fear are we to walk in tho example of Christ, if
wo would shun to bo murderers ! Hero only we
have that divine pattern of luvo, by conformity to
which, wo can bo separate from those who are
murdetets; here, in Mhe blood that speakelh
better things than the blood of Abel’ — the blood
of sacrifice— we hear the voico which tells us
‘ we ought also to lay down our lives for the
brethren.’
‘Hetcby (in this example,) perceive wo the love
(perceive the true charactet of that love which
is required of us, as opposed to the murder-gen.
dertng passion of selfishness,) in that he laid
down his life for us; and (the irresistible deduc¬
tion is,) we ought also to lay down our lives for
the brethren. But whoso hath this world's goods
and sceth his biolher have need, and shuttelh up
his bowels of compassion against him, how
dwelleth tho love of God in him? ’ A form of
interrogation appealing to every sentiment and
conviction of mete reason and conscience, more
striking and conclusive than positive assertion;
cutting off such an ono from every shadow of
right to profess participation in the love of God,
and leaving him classed with the enemies of that
love.” E. A, L.
(To be continued.)
Prosperity of tho Churches
Promoted.
If we were asked— By what means the pros¬
perity of Baptist churches may be best promo¬
ted! We should say — By inducing them to
cherish a deep interest in the great work of
converting the world to Christ, to pray for it,
and contribute liberally of their means towards
it. Then God would take delight in them, and
prosper the wotk of tlieir hands. The arqount
given to the Foreign Mission would not be sub¬
tracted from tho Domestic Mission cause, but
contributions to that cause would prepare the
way for more generous benefactions to this.
When the Philippians sent Epaphioditus to
Rome, with a gift for Paul, it was a contribution
to the Foreign Mission cause. Paul received it
with a glad hut disinterested heart. " Not,"
said he. “ becauso I desire a gift.” Tho noble
man was unconcerned about himself, having
learned the difficult lesson To be content in what¬
soever state he might be placed. “Bar I desire,”
he continued, “ fruit that may abound to your
account." Such fruit was this gift—" an odor
of a sweet smell, a saciifice acceptable, well
pleasing to God.” This gift, Paul well knew,
would redound to theii own good. “ But my
God,” he adds, "shall supply all your need ac¬
cording to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
Jeter.
Seasons for Staying at Home.
The Journal of Missions thus appeals on be¬
half of the American Board
A solemn voico comes over the waters from
all parts of the world. God, in his providence,
as ho unbars the gales of the nations; God in
his grace, as he subdues many to the obedience
of the faith ; t'no heathen themselves and the fal¬
len churches of the East, who are waking up
from the sleep of ages; and the care-worii mis¬
sionary, who sees the harvest perishing around
him; all echo and re-echo the Macedonian cry.
And does it waken no responsive chord in the
bosoms of young men! Must they allow their
missionary brethren to die for want of help!
Shall thirty-eight laborers be imploringly called
for a whole year and not ten obtained! Aro
candidates for tho ministry sure they are doing
right by staying at homo! Is the question fully
settled with conscience!
A Hottentot’s Reproof to Christ¬
ians.
A simple Hottentot, having experienced the
blessedness of tho gospel in his own. soul, and
the sweetness of a Saviour's love, asked a mis¬
sionary why Christians, who have so long had
this treasure, did not sooner send it lo the poor
peiishing peoplo of Africa! Tho missionary
tried lo explain the matter as well as he could.
“ Oh, but,” said the other, “ it was not light of
your peoplo when they found this sweet honey
to say to ono another, ‘ How good this honey is!
how sweet this honey is ! ' Why did they not
brealf off a piece of the tweet comb, and send it
to others! ”
Privilege of Living and Dying
in West Africa.
Mrs. Boshnell, who recently died at the
Gaboon river, regarded her missionary life as an
exalted privilege which had been conferred upon
her, and wondered that others were so slow to
obey tho last command of the Saviour, and em¬
bark in this heaven-born enterpriso. Sho said
with tears to her husband, “Tell young Christ¬
ians in America that my dying testimony is,
that the missionary work is a blessed work, even
in Africa. I have found the service of Christ
easy and pleasant here, and now I find it good to
suffer bis will.”
In this connection, the following order, sent
to Mr. Hill, the Treasurer of the Board, will
have a peculiar emphasis.
A. Merwin, Esq., 150 Nassau St., New lork:
Please pay to the treasurer of the
Л. В.
C.
F. M. tho fifty dollars, with interest due on the
same, which 1 left in your hands to be placed in
the Savings Eank. Jt was the property of
Mrs. L, A. Bushnell, my deceased wife. On
her dying bed she bequeathed it to the Board, as
a dying thank-offering, for having had the privi¬
lege of laboring thirteen years (including two
spent on a visit to the United States) on the
shores of Western Africa.
Yours truly, &c.
a. bushnell.
Baraka, Gaboon River, March 13, 1850.,
Journal of Miss.
How to Aid Missions.
An old laboring man, in a village in Kent,
when first told of the Church Missionary Socie¬
ty, exclaimed, “ Well, 1 have always wondered,
when people talk about India, why it, was that
God had given us that large country ; but now l
know." He immediately became a collector^
and brought £0 or £7 every year, which ha
had got in small sums from his neighbors.
When asked how he war, able to collect so much,
he said, " Why, ma’am, I take some missionary
papers with me, and go of an evening, after my
work, to a village, and ask the peoplo if I shall
read to them ; they generally are very glad I
should,— so I sit down and lead till sometimes
they cry, and I cry too, and then they are sure
to give me something.” He often used to say,
“ Ah ! ifl wete young, and God would let mo
go, I would not stay in England. But I am too
old— he must go instead,” — alluding to a beloved
grandson, whom he had brought up, and whom
he ardently desired should be employed in mis¬
sionary work. The desire of his heart was
granted, and one of the last pieces of earthly in¬
telligence that reached his dyipg ear was, that
his grandson had entered on his labor in a distant
land.— South Indian Sketches.
Christian Liberality.
Abraham gave one- tenth of his possessions to
religious uses ; and so did Jacob, and many other
Old Testament worthies. And it is worthy of
notice that the Jews, who, as a nation, gave more
lo religious purposes than any other people, were,
as a nation, more prosperous and wealthy than
any other that ever existed. Even tho heathen
—the Arabians, accmdiug to Pliny, and the Gre¬
cians, according to Xenophon and Herodotus—
gave no
1езз
than a tenth part of everything to
sacred uses. And shall the Christian do less fur
his God than did the Jews under tho old dispen¬
sation, or the heathen for their idols ?— Christian
Witness.
Episcopal Church. — An Episcopal church
has been built and consecrated in Shanghai, Chi¬
na. Mr. Appleton, of Boston, contributed S 5,000
toward its construction.
