VOLUME
3» МЩВЕЩ
“Go
ус
into all the world and preach fho gospello every creature;'4
Е1ШШ0ЩЩГ1^Ш1
Sciuiljtrn Baptist (tfoimuiion.
Correspondence of tiio l-'orcign Board.
Communications relating to the general busi
ness of tho Foreign .Mission Board, may be ad¬
dressed, post paid, to
James B. Taylor, Cbr. Sec.
Richmond, Va.
Communications enclosing donations, dr relat¬
ing to tho financial department, may bo address¬
ed to Archibald Thomas, Treat.
Richmond, Va.
Truo Christian Sympathy.
True Christian sympathy was ne’er designed
To be shut up within a narrow bound ;
But sweeps abroad, and in its search to find
Objects of mercy, got» the wholo world round.
’Tis liko the sun tejoicing east and west,
Or beautiful rainbow, bright from'south to north;
It has an angel's piniou, mounting forth
O'er rocks and hills, and ieas, to make men bless'd.
No matter what their color, namq, or place,
t It blesses all alike, the universal race.
■ -j. T, C. Upham.
Гог
tho Cocmlulon.
,. : Theory of Missions.
Dr; Franklin onco generously assisted a stranger
in distress, and in reply to hid protestations of
gratitudo and promises to repay, enjoined on him
to do the aamo kindness to tho first man whom
be met with needing assistance, which individual
might cancol his obligation in the same way; and
so on. Thus a small charity might be indefinite¬
ly enlarged and perpetuated. This circumstance
has struck me as affording an apt and beautiful il¬
lustration of tho nature and force of Christian
-obligition, arid oMlie relation of missionary effort
to truo piety.
When tho Christian rejoices in the reception of
the gospel hopo, and feds grateful in the gift of
eternal life, how can ho better shew his apptcci
ation of that hops, his gratitude for that gift,
than by giving them to others. This is tho
course which the Saviour directs. This is tho
proof of giatitude, tho cvidcnco of love, which
he requires. Wc cannot pay him for the pre
cious blood which he spilled for us, but he has
declared, that ho will regard every kindness done
to his children, and evety effort for tho salvation
of a world for which he died, as an offering to
himself. Who will basely scorn tho claim which
a dying world has on every redeemed man and
wnman !— a claim which is strong as life, trans¬
ferred from tho blessed Jesus himself.
If every Christian should act on the principle
of difusing tho blessings which ho enjoys from
the gospel, how soon would tho world bo con¬
vened! A is tho mcams of B'a salvation; U
anxiously seeks to bring C to Christ, who in his
turn induces D to cmbraco tho gospel, and so on,
each convort, not satisfied with tho heavenly gift
himself, seeking to extend it to others,— how soon
would Christian influence leaven tho whole lump
of humanity! How would tho life-blood go forth
from the great lltarl of Christianity until the
wholo body of mortality was renewed ! IIow
would that
того
than electric powerwhich rent
the vail of the temple, and raised tho dead from
their tombs,— which lias struck fetters from many
a captivo soul, bo universally exerted, and whore
ever man. groins in the bondago of sin, free him
from his iron despot, and plant him upon tho rock
of Christian Iibertyl . X. Y, Z.
.Methodical Benovolencc.
That tho period will come vvhert Christians
will exercise a -more conscientious liberality in
the -benevolent uso of their funds, cannot be
doubted. The spirit of tho first church ,in Jeru¬
salem will generally prevail. No ono will call
anything ho possesses his own, bat will aim in
the best possible way to dispose of his.earth'y
possessions for tho spread of the kingdom o:
Christ in tho world. When this period shali, st¬
rive, it will be distinguished by. the method which
God's people will observe in their benevolent dis¬
bursements. Already, in some instances, is this
system adopted. We
ПягеЪееп
pleased in look¬
ing at numerous -testimonies which have been
given on this subject, by those -who have made
tho experiment, These testimonies a;e herewith
presented, believing that they will cxcito some
to a regular and systematic devotion of a certain
part of the avails of their property and labor to
tho cause of God, and of suffering man. The
following- ia tho extract:—
An esteemed and devoted pastor says, “For
many years it has been my delight to ‘ lay by in
sloro as God has prospered
тс.'
I am sure it is
good to do so, arid 1 -hall not only put my name
to'the pledge, but' endeavor to encourage others
to do the same. I shall shotlly send an ordet for
tho documents.” ‘
A father in llto church says, "I subscribe ray
name to tho pledge. Mako what use of it you
please, as approving thfe plan of benevolence pro¬
posed.”
Atwilier agtJ clergyman, whoso chititias have
been widely diffused, states, th»t for fifty years
he has acted on a written pledge, made by him¬
self before God alone, and that when his means
increased, he increased the proportion sacredly
devoted to charity. >
A distinguished civilian Says, 11 1 have for ma¬
ny years adopted tho rule of setting aparta por¬
tion of incomo ‘as tho Lord has prospered me.:
I have felt that more than a tenth was my duty ;
and 1 can testify to the blessed influence of the
system. It enables its tbs better to discriminate
between the various objects; fo discover how far
w'e havo denied oorwbee for Christ "and i perish¬
ing world ; and benevolence thus becomes intet-
woven with our Christian principles, uur high
and sacred duties.”
Another civilian says, “Tho system has' my
cordial assent. The pledge 1 like, and have
adopted. Tho tracts and essays upon the subject
I hope may have a wide circulation.”
A distinguished citizen says of the system of
“laying by in store on tho first day of the week,
as God has blessed us,” “ I havo practised it for
several years, and found a blessing in it. It is
God’s own plan, nnd therefore better than any
other. So evety ono will find it, who will but
try. It increases our charity fund many-fold,
without our perceiving any diminution of capita!
or income; and the fund thus set apart being con¬
secrated to the Lord, we arc .able to distribute it
without grudging, and with a mom unbiassed
judgment, as occasion arises. My namo h at
your servied as ono of tho witnesses for God,
that in this matter, as in all others, he is good.’’
An eminent clergyman says, in confidence, “1
have for many years had a fixed system of devot
ing from one-fifth to a quarter of my income to
religious and charitable uses. I have' hid oilt
my plan at tho beginning of each year, keeping
a private account of all donations, and leaving
nothing to mere accident or excited feeling at the
moment. At the end of about thirty years, dur¬
ing which I have carried on this system, I find
my pioperty materially increased ; and 1 am sur¬
prised to find, on looking over my accounts how
many hundreds of dollars 1 havo thus been per¬
mitted to dontriblite to the cause of benevolence.”
In the papers of the lato Eliphalet Wickes,
Esq'r, is found tho following, dated August 1,
1S2G: “Having declined business in a great
measure, I now' devote to tho Lotd one-tenth of
my incomo'from this day, praying that the great
Head of the church will direct me in the appro
priatioh to thoso objects which shall be for his
glory.”
Л
pVospemiis merchant says, "I ime.mystif
acted on this principle for many years ; and have
somo'faith to believe that spreading before tho
people the gieat principle of systematic giving is
to -be amighty instrument in the bands of God
fortha conversion of the- world.”
' 'Another merchant, in largo business, says, “ I
wimld not cqnsent to proclaim my charities; but
carihot hesitate to unite with others in adopting
the teripture system of laying by in store, stated¬
ly, ai God prospers, irrespective of anv jmrrcdi.
ate call.”
A'u pmicent jotist says, “ Impressed as, I am
with the correctness, and gieat practical import¬
ance, of the three simple principles— ‘ the scrip¬
ture plan of benevolence’— that everyone should
give, and at staled periods, . and as God hath pros¬
pered him, I cheerfully consent that you record
myihamo as one who wishes to adopt the system
and pledge proposed.”
An officer of . ono of our benevolent societies
says, “J.givo my deliberate and cordial adhesion
to tho plart of each one’s I laying by in store,’
1 upon the first day of tho week,’ or at other
staled periods, ‘as God has prospered,’ for (he
purposo of creating a private fund fot religious
charities. It is the scripture plan in ri; pertectly
simplo form that I.assent to, as ably tot forth in
the prizo essays, especially by Rev. Dr. Cooke,
and i mote concisely in the- tract, ‘ Religion wl
Beneficence.’ ”
!An officer of another benevolent sneietyiays,
“ I,havo acted substantially oil this plan for neair
]y . thirty. -years, keeping an accurate record of ail
I give, and at the end of each year comparing it
with my. total receipts, that in the sigbt.ef God I
may give as he has prospered me ; and lbs total
amount fills me with joy and gratitude to him.
Thu amount would be a valuable legacy for my
wife and children, but it has been given at the
call of God, and to his ever watchful and gracious
providence I commit myself. and them. On the
first of January last I adopted the pledge p:o-_
posed, privately consecrating to charity for the
present, a tenth of what 1 may receive, believing
it will assist me and may encourage others in ths
better performance of duty."
Missions to South America.
We insert an article from the Christian Times,
because it is intrinsically valuable. But we have
another reason. At tho recent meeting of the
Southern Baptist Convention, it was determined
to make
а того
direct attempt for the evangeliza¬
tion of certain pottions of our Southern liemi-
-phcie. Much interest was awakened try able
addresses, and tho valuable report of the commit¬
tee appointed to consider the subject. Whether
the Board will find euitablo men to enter this
field, remains to bo seen. It is our duly to seek
such, and wo trust tho Head of’ the church will
call and thrust them out into this great harvest.
The importance of tho work is referred to in
tho article below:—
It has often occurred to us as being a singular
fact, that none of the missionary sociolies ia the
United States havo attempted to establish mis¬
sions in any part of South America, The prox¬
imity of that portion of tho Western continent to
our own, the numerous and intimate, commercial
relations which exist between them, and our com¬
parative acquaintance with the Spanish language,
which is generally spoken there, would seem to
point it out as onq of the fields which would very
early attract tho attention of tho directors of our
foreign missionary operations. And yet, strango
as it may seem, there are, wc believe, not more
than t\vo or threo protestant missionaries in all
tho vast regions south of the Isthmus of Panama.
Perhaps it may be said, that South Amciica is
ono of the strongholds of popery, and that, there¬
fore, it is a field which is most unpromising of
favorable resalts. Butwhero is thscoantiyin
either hemisphere, in which protestant missiona¬
ries have not been obliged to encounter this om¬
nipresent enemy of tho truth They have found
it at the Sandwich Islands, among the mountains
,of Persia, upon the plains of Hindostan, and the
coast'of Chink; There' id' u no'speKclf tiorlan-
guage” which popery has not mastered, that it
might control the popular rated,. and no country
which it has not pre-Occupied and entrenched,-
that it might dispute the entrance of the liumbje
niisdidnary'bf the cross. South America, 'there¬
fore, .presents no unusual, obstacles, to the labors
Of Christian missionaries; and if it did, the posi-.
live command of Christ, “Go ye into all ‘the
world, and preach ihe gospel to every cfealurfi’,"
would not bo repealed. . This imperative injunc¬
tion requires tis to send tho gospel to Brazil, to'
Central America, and, to' Patagonia, as’ well as to
tho Choctaws', the 'Burmese, and the Hottentots.
In this commission of- tho- Saviour-do. evangelize
the world, we do not find that any of the territo¬
ries of popery in South America are excepted:
The souls of men are equally impoitant in
етегу
part of the globe, 3nd ‘liey equally need there-,
covering power of the gospel. What excuso,
then, can tho chutches in these United States
render for tiieir manifest disregard of the'last
command of the Redeemerl We incur the ex¬
pense of sending missionaries
“To tho farthest Terjc-of this green earth, " J
To distant, «Icltycllm;?, .;
And rliers unknown to long,”
while the broad savannahs, and mountain ranges,
and populous cities of the South, are unvisited
uy biin who publishes tho! gospel of peace. Tho
cries of perishing millions on tiro other side of
tho globe elerirify tbe choiphes, while- the ap;
peals of our Southern neighbors are -echoed .by
no missionary society, and fall powerless npen
the public ear. “ Greenland's icy mountains,”
and ’‘India's coral strand,” are as familiar as
household words to tho hvmnology of nor month;
[y concerts of prayer, and they animate the sub¬
lime chorus of the “ thousands of Israel,” as it
ascends and reveiberates atound the ibfone of
GoJ ; but what muse has been inspired to invest
Chili and Peru with associations so sacred and
exciting? The Ganges is lined on either side by
the radiating lights of.Chtistian civilization, send¬
ing their beams into the very heart of Asia, but
tho Amazon flows for thousands of miles through
territories of unbroken moral darkness. Our mis¬
sionaries are lifting up their voices on the heights
of Lebanon and Carmel, but when shall be heard
the song, “How beautiful upon the” Andes
are the feet of him that liringeth good tidings',
that published peace, that bringeth good tidings
of good, that publisheth salvation, and saith unto
Zion, ‘ Thy God leigncth !’ " • ’!
What has, God wrought ?
The following table exhibits the results of
what has been accomplished in the last fifty years
amongst the heathen 2,000 missionaries, 7,500
assistants, 4,000 churches, 230,000 converts,
3,000 missionary schools, 250,600 children and
adults belonging to them, 200 dialed* into wbiefi
the Bible has been translated, 32,000,000 of lit1-
bles scattered ovet the earth, in languages spoken
by 6,000,000 of people. But such a table can
givo no adequate idea of vvliat lids been acconf-
plished. If no one can estimate the influence
which a singio regenerated soul can exert on tho
corrupt mass of humanity, what shall bo said of
the influence which 250,000 can exert scattered
among the heathenized millichi'.
jf. and F Record.
The Gospel as an element of
progress.
Tho sons of Chinese peasants could read and
.write when the princes of England were igno¬
rant of both. China has since made no advance:
while England has reached a height of civiliza¬
tion that no ono at that timo could have formed
any idea of. England has had tire gospil, Cliioa
lias been without it. This'accounts'fbr their rel¬
ative change of position.— A
