RICHMOND, DECEMBER 15, 1849,
VOLUME 1, NUMBER 12, “Go yc into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.'
Southern Baptist (Sonurntion.
Correspondence of the Foreign Board.
Communications relating to the general busi¬
ness of tho Foicign Mission Board , may be ad¬
dressed, post find, to
James I). Taylor, Cor. See.
Richmond, Fir.
Communications enclosing donations, or relat¬
ing to tho financial department, may bu address¬
ed to Archibald Thomas, 'l'rcas.
Richmond , Fa.
Paul “Afoot,”
Ho was “ minded ” to mako a journey in this
way, tho record informs us. Of the precise rea¬
son for this wo aro not informed. There were
no rail-cars in those days, upon thh velvet cush¬
ion in which a man might drop himself, and,
after a comfortable nap, find himself half across
tho Homan empire. Steam had not blown its
whistle, and a camel, a liorsu, or a donltey, was
tho means of locomotion. But Paul could not
reach even such a luxury.
Why should not Paul go afoot? Was there
any lack of dignity in the matter! What were
his feet mado for, but to use, and what
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dip
nified and honorable uso could have been made
of them, than to make them carry that prince of
preachers ahout, whero ho could lay waste Sa¬
tan's kingdom, and set up that of God's dear
Son! If Paul might use his tonguo and his
lungs in trying to mako men bettor, why not
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feet, in trying to get where tho souls wero,
whom ho should try to save?
A very distinguished successor of tho apostle
used ono of his feet for a most dignified purpose,
as the whole Catholic world can testify, viz: that
they might kiss it. Surely it cannot bo’less
honorable for Paul himself to use toes, feet, and
all in aiding him to traverse tho territories of the
prince of darkness, and try to plant tho Hose of
Sharon there. Said eminent successor of Paul
had lately to uso his feet for a vory different pur¬
pose, than an object of tho homage of his peo¬
ple, namely, to escape out of his parish with all
possiblo haste, so that, pro tern., them was not a
too of his left in Home for tho pcoplo- to kiss.
Paul had other uso for his while ho was there.
I reckon tho proposal to do homago to his feet
would not have met with a better reception, than
tho proposal to do homago to his head, which tho
heathen priests wished to crown with garlands,
supposing him to bo one of tho gods
Paul afoot! Well it certainly was tho origi¬
nal, and is now a capital mode of locomotion.
Thoso who, like Paul, preach the gospel, might,
in groat numbers, follow his example in this re¬
spect. It is certainly a cheap modo of convey¬
ance about their parishes, and one certainly al¬
ways at hand, and no loss of time in getting un¬
der weigh for any proposed point- thoy would
reach. And certainly it is eminently conducive
to health. To bo a vigorous successor of tho
aposllo in this respect, might abridge somewhat
tho specific gravity, of somo of tho brethren, and
easo them of a triflo of their rotundity ; but a
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healthful life-blood would shoot through
their veins, stronger muscles would knit tho
physical frame together, and they would bo like
ly to know less of tho “dismal peepings and
muttorings” of lacerated nerves, and their peo¬
ple likely to know more of them as tho “ sons of
thunder ” in their work.
Paul afoot! Yes, and ahead of all his succes¬
sors in tho work of preaching tho gospel, and
aided to bo so, in patt probably, by tho vety fact
that ho had the good sense not to bo afraid, nor
ashamed of the vigorous uso of his limbs, ar.d
the good senso to see that ono who was "minded
to go afoot ” to Assur, or any othor placo to
preach, was thereby giving such vigor to his
physical system, as would act happily on the
spiritual.
Paul afoot ! “ Why! Paul you will get cover¬
ed with dust, and sweat, and your garments will
you may get caught in a shower, and when you
get whero your walk is carrying you, you will
look so undignified, and dusty, and rusty, the
people won’t hear you, for they not only want
butter in a lordly dish,’ but they want the bear¬
er to be spruce, and prim, and genteel, with lin¬
en of snowy whiteness, and hands the lily might
envy, and garments not a speck must tarnish.’’
But I believe Paul was minded to go afoot
still, A breath did not mako such a man’s pur¬
pose, and a breath could not break it. And I
believe there aro many in glory, that liavo for¬
gotten whether Paul came to their town, sweaty,
and ditty, or afoot or net. Ono thing they re¬
member, that “ ho came in the demonstiation of
tho Spirit, and with power!"— N. Y. Obserccr.
A Thrilling Appeal.
Do you seriously believe that India will be
converted to Christianity? is a very natural ques¬
tion. If put by a man of the world, I should
reply to it by asking, " Do you seriously believe
that a people so rational and inquiring as the Hin¬
doos, will forever worship stocks, cows, monkeys,
birds, and snakes! Do you seriously believe
that thoy can long continuo to do so, after the
light of chiislianity has reached them?” But
if that question come from a Christian, I reply :
“ Yes ; and do you seriously doubt that the pow¬
er which converted your soul, is unequal to the
conversion of the Hindoo! I do seriously and
joyfully believe that tho rapid conquest over In¬
dia by British arms, is the preparation and will
prove the type of the conquest to bo gained over
it by the glorious gospel.” “ If,” said the Bish¬
op of Calcutta, preaching before the Church
Missionaiy Society, “ If the succeeding lea years
should be blessed _ in tho. samoifathTss 'the jist
ten, half a million of soub would be brought
under Christian instruction in India alone, and at
the end of a period equal to the length of the
Society’s past labors, tho whole population of
British Hindoostan would be tho Lord's. And
yet wo are inert. The immense number of fam¬
ilies enriched, by India; ate asleep. Tho spirit¬
ual church shrinks back. Selfishness lays its
icy band on the warm scat of life. Tho mother
starts at tho thought of patting from her beloved
son. The kindred intei pose between Christ and
the testimony of his blood before the nations.
Our Universities and Colleges refuso the flower
of their students. An outburst of inquiry is
beginning. India is in a stato of transition from
a prostrate, timid, slavish apathy, to thought,
activity, and enterprise. God is at work. I
firmly believe, that from tho first promulgation
of tho gospel, a crisis of such importance as the
present, for the salvation of such a population as
that of India,
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never occurred. Occupy it
then. Not a moment is to be lost. Eternity
presses on. Souls are perishing ! ’’—Puritan
Recorder.
Influence of Missions upon the Lit¬
erature of Heathen Countries.
Wo havo considered, in some previous arti¬
cles, tho important infiucnco of missions upon
out own literature. We now look abroad- to
those pagan nations upon which thb agency has
acted.
1. Missions havo furnished benighted nations
with a written language. It is needless to state
how fettered and cramped must be llio mind-
how feeble its own progress— bow faint its influ¬
ence over other minds— and bow little can be
done, in any way, toward intellectual elevation
without a written language ! Its communication
to a benighted people is the night and morning
star of hope concerning their advancement,
What was not the value to tho philosophy, elo¬
quence, and every form of intellectual improve¬
ment of Greece, of the visit of that Phoenician
get soiled, and your hands will get sunburnt, andj traveler who gavo her an alphabet 1 Was it nnt
the starting-point of all her intellectual great¬
ness? And what have not modern missionaries
done for modern uncivilized nations, by giving
them a written language! . No words can tell
the valuo of tho gift. The givers havo set in
motion tho’watcrs that shall pour floods.of ines¬
timably precious blessings upon such nations.
“ VVhen letters wero invented,” says a Chinese
witter, .“ the heavens, the earth, and the gods
were agitated. The inhabitants of Hades wept
at night, and the skies, as an expression of joy,
tamed down ripe grain.”
Next look at the school system which mis¬
sions always introduce into heathen lands. “We
must begin with tho young,” has been the motto.
There had been next to nothing known of caro
for tho intellectual culture of the young. But
the powerful agency of schools is one of the first
things to be set in motion by the missionary.
He extends his influence through all the future
relations of his pupils, and in this way affects
the literary interests of the people as truly
аз
thqir moral and social interests. There is an
intimate connection between the literature of a
nation ar.d the early education of its youth.”
The schools, established at first by the mission¬
aries, created, after a while, the necessity, and
opened the way, for higher seminaries of learn
ing, so that now, connected with all the older
missions, are institutions furnishing facilities for
entering tho higher walks of science, and occu¬
pying a posilion similar to the colleges of our
own country.
3. With the written language has of course
me the press. What barriers to intellectual
improvement it has broken down! When we
can say of any pagan land, “The press is at
work there,” wliat an agency of mental impiovc-
ment‘\vo are permitted to-announcc’ What a
lever is here to overturn those colossal supersti¬
tions which have crushed, for thousands of gen¬
erations, the human intellect, and what a kind
hand is here to lead tho down-trodden captive
forth into glorious freedom ! Ten years ago, tho
missionaries of the American Board alone, had
given a written language to seven pagan nations.
A number of others have since received the same
blessing at their hands. By this Board there
have been sustained the present year, ticelce serrr
inaries for the training of native preachers and
teachers, and other institutions of different grades,
containing ahout twelve thousand pupiB. This
does not include the Sandwich Islands schools,
as they aro now sustained by that government
containing more than twenty thousaud pupils,
bat which are the direct result of missionary la¬
bors.
It may be added, that several pagan naliens
are now indebted for everything they have in the
shape of literature, to those who have carried
them tho gospel. All the works of education,
and science, and history, &c., have been put in
their possession by this agency. The school
books and various scientific treatises, which are
promoting the cultivation of tho intellect in our
own land, havo been translated into those lan¬
guages, which the missionaries themselves havo
reduced to the written state, and are now aiding
mental improvement among the millions of be¬
nighted nations.
If missions had done nothing more than to
cut off the burdens which have crushed the hu¬
man intellect in pagan lands, and raise it to high
and noble aspirations, it would have dono a work
of incalculable value to those countries.— Bos'on
Traveler.
and $ 10,000 a year for the Indian mission be¬
side, and that too without any thing which could
properly bo considered as sacrifice, if the amoun1
were equally distributed."
For the Commission.
Short Sermons— No. t
“Nowifanyman have notthe spirit of Christ,
ho is nono of his.” — Romans viii : 9.
As 11 the heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately wicked,” (Jer. xvii: 0,1 it is hot
strango that many are deceived with regard to its
condition, and their prospect for eternity. (Luke
xiii : 20, 27.) That we may not be found want¬
ing in the day of trial, let us weigh ourselves in
tho scripture balance in time. To aid us in this
duty, God lias kindly given ns many plain scrip¬
ture tests, of which the text is one.
1. Tho prime trait in the character of Chtist
was his love for tho Father. It was his meat to
do his will. (John iv: 54.) He was submis¬
sive. His own will, even to escape suffering,
was lost in the will of God. (Malt, xxvi: 39.)
2. His lovo to
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He loved him when he
was holy, and made his other creatures subject
to him, to contribute to his happiness. (Gen. i :
23.) He loved him when he had fallsn , and died
to savo him. (Rom. v. 8.) He specially loves
him when converted, and promises him a mansion
in heaven, (John xiv : 2, 3.)
3. His tender compassion. Ho sympathized
with and relieved every object of pity; (Matt,
xi : 5.) So deep was his sympathy for man in
his lost condition, that he suffered in his stead.
(Isaiah liii : 3-5.)
■1. His forgiving spirit. His desire to forgive
all men was manifested in his dying for them.
His ‘willingness-to-forgivo-his-moot -inveterate
enemies was expressed on the -cross. (Luke
xxiii: 34.)
Application. Inasmuch as we have the spirit
of Christ, we shall be like him. His primo busi¬
ness was to glorify God in the salvation of men.
This should be our business. He being rich bc-
camo poor for our sakes. Surely we should con¬
tribute liberally to benefit the perishing sinner,
even thoogh by doing so we should deny our¬
selves many temporal comforts. He left heaven
as a missionary to earth. We should not hesi¬
tate to leave country and home, to publish salva¬
tion to the heathen He left his Father and holy
angels. Tho tie-thartinds us to our kindred
must not hinder us from the work of saving souls.
Ho persisted in his.work through scorn, persecu¬
tion and death. “Yea, and all that will livo
godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecutions."
(2 Tim. iiir- 12.)
II. G.
Tor too Ccauaiision.
True.
In a letter to the corresponding secretary of
the Indian Mission Association, brother F. A.
Willard, remarks :
“If we did but know it, we are able in Ken¬
tucky alono to raise one-half of the annual ex¬
penditures of the Mission Board at Richmond,
Kentucky For. Missionary Society,
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Society, in connection with the other
State anniversaries, at Lexington, has just closed
its meeting. The location of the Society was
removed to Covington, a new Board of Managots
elected, and I trust the work of Foreign Missions
in this Stale will now proceed efficiently. The
Board was authorized by resolution to employ a
suitable agency for the accomplishment of the
woik.
The writer mado a missionary address before
tho Society, after which about $ 100 were col¬
lected for tho Foreign Mission Board, chiefly in
subscriptions of five dollars each.
Tho Society recommended by resolution to the
Foreign Mission Board, at Richmond Va., the
appointment of an applicant, a’s a female mission¬
ary from this State to the China mission. W ould
it not be well, whenever practicable, lo accompany
such recommendations with anolher resolution,
assuring tho Board that, if appointed, the salary
shall, if possible, be forthcoming annually from
the recommending party ! Then tho Board would
feel less need of caution "in taking the desired step
