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THE CHRISTIAN INDEX,
JESSE MERCER, Editor.
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The Christian Index and
Baptist Miscellany is permitted at
last, to address its Patrons from its now
home. It comes among them “as an old
friend with new credentials;” and ardent
ly hopes to cultivate an increasing acquain
tance of pleasure and profit with them. It
f desires ttPeXfend its usefulness by engaging
new and lasting connections. Having lost,
by its remove, the familiar attention of ma
ny of its valued northern friends, it asks a
remedy in the extension of its intercourse
to the south ; and most earnestly solicits
its present Patrons, to introduce it to the
kind and familiar acquaintance of as many
of their friends as practicable. It has sus
tained losses and incured expenses, by
changing its location, which it will never
be able to endure, unless it is permitted the
pleasure to prattle its weekly tales of love,
and discourse freely on the interesting oc
currences of the eventful times in which we
live, in a great many families. Its sole
object is to inform, edify and comfort
those, who will listen to its voice; in or
der that the Creator of all may be exalted,
and the Saviovr of men crowned with glo
ry and honor.
Its Editor has nothing of which ho can
boast, as though he did not receive it.
But, as of the ability which God gircth,
he is willing to minister the manifold
grace of God, to the building up of the
Godly in Christ Jesus on their most holy
faith ; and to the convincing of the ungod
ly oftheir danger in sin, and leading them
to the acknowledging of the truth as it is
in Christ Jesus our Lord, and to faith, wnich
is in him, that they may be saved. lie is
rather of the Old, than of the new school;
and inclines to the old fashioned doctrine
of free grace, as preached among the Bap
tists, near half a century ago: Though
he docs not mean to quibble, or criticise
on mere modes of expression, or shades of
difference, where the truth is not compro
mised. He does not fully receive all Mr.
Fuller’s views of the methods of divine nier-
Cy, yet is satisfied with his scheme (as
now generally preached when kept within
its own bounds) as leading to, and finally
securing the same great and glorious re
sults, as those of the most approved and
(to use a common epithet) calvinistic wri
ters of his age. lie will depend mostly on
his talented Brethren to write for the co
lumns of the Index. And their produc
tions shall always be received with thank
fulness. Yet they must leave him free, in
the unquestionable right to judge of, re
strain, or comment on what may be seni
him for publication. He hopes to be ever
liberal & courteous towards all; and as he
will feci no ill-will to any, he hopes none
vill feel so to ards him. And finally he
AMD BAPTIST XIKC KI.I.tVV.
begs an interest in the prayers of all, who
long, and pray, and strive for the coining
of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Interesting Intelligence.
We draw very largely this week on the
American Baptist Magazine for this month.—
Professor Chase's letter on the Religious state
of France, is full of important Religious infor
mation am! Missionary matter. From it and
its Appendix, we make the following extracts.
“The Papal priesthood have not, indeed, that
plei.titu.lo ot* power rhA iurtueuce which they
enjoyed after the restoration of the Bourbons,
and before the late revolution. But they are
far from being disheartened. They are ex
ceedingly numerous; and they,as well as the
comparatively insignificant numbers of the
Protestant clergy and of the Jewish Rabbies,
are salaried by the government. They have
the religious prejudices and the habits of the
great body of the people in favor of their sys
tem. And most commonly they have the plea
sure of at least christening the infants, even
of the most sceptical and irreligious. They
are not idle. But amidst the scoffs of infidels
and the general neglect and contempt of reli
gion that prevail in many places, they seem to
be patiently ami prudently endeavoring to
make the best oftheir situation, strengthening
their influence where they can, relinquishing
it where they must, and lidding themselves
in readiness to profit by any event, and especi
ally any political change that may occur. Some
of them have raised their voices in favor of
such an ecclesiastical reform as would, in cer
tain respects, harmonize with the more liberal
and popular institutions of the present period,
and leave the church unsalaried and unfetter
ed by the government For several years,
the eloquent Abbe Lc Mannais, through the
medium of the press, has excited much inter
est and made a deep impression by his power
ful appals. But ho has been strenuously op
posed by the archbishop of Paris and others.—
Last autumn, he visited Rome for the purpose
of having an interview with the Pope. His
Holiness insisted on its being his own prero
gative to suggest and introduce changes. In
this view the Abbe and his friends Lave, it
seems, thought it wise to acquiesce; and all
again is quiet. *
In the mean time, ‘the Missionaries of
France,’ though not authorized nor encourag
ed by the present government, ure incessant in
their labors. This is an order of priests that
was organized soon after the restoration of the
Bourbons. The object is, by sending gifted
and zealous preachers into the various sections
of France, to aWaken the religious sense of
the people, and attach them to the faith oftheir
ancos ors. Since tiie late revolution, the head
off is order, who, with much skiff, directs
their operations, resides at Rome.
The Jesuits, as such, are not recognized nor
openly visible in France ; but they arc there
in reality anil in effect. In their magnificent
and venerable establishment at Rome, they
can act without disguise; and the influence
is incalculable which they must exert upon
the Gallatian church, and upon a large and
interesting part of the French people.
Within a few years, many ingenious and
able books have been published; such as re
futations of infidelity in its various forms;
defences of religion in general, and of the
Roman Catholic in particular; treatises in
tended to promote devotion and practical piety,
and others for the religious and moral instruc
tion of the young. But most of these, being
identified or at. least confounded with the sup
port of the manifest errors of the Papal sys
em, have little weight with millions of the
people. Stiff a large portion of the priesthood
attribute their want of success to the over
throw of Charles X. They identify the cause
of the old dynasty with the cause of religion,
and they fondly cherish the hope of a now
revolution.
Before proceeding to speak of the Protes
tants, it may not be uninteresting to mention
a society which lias existed at Paris eight or
ten years. It consists of liberally minded men,
whether Papist or Protestants. I allude to
the Society of Christian Morals. Many of its
former active members are now occupying
eminent stations in the government. Several
years ago, it awarded a prize for the best Es
say on the Freedom of Religious Worship.—
Tiie successful essay, making a respectable
octavo volume, was published by the society;
and it has doubtless contributed much to es
tablish in France the great principles of re
ligious liberty. More recently the society
has awarded a prize for a Refutation of St.
Simonianism. It has not, however, published
the refutation; and perhaps it will not. There
is some reason to fear that this society has
seen its best days. But it is an encouraging
fact, and it ought to be known, that, at one of
its late meetings, after mature deliberation, it
adopted a worthy and important resolution, the
substance of which had been proposed by our
missionary, Mr. Rostan, who, from the first,
has been a member. I allude to its resolving
to offer a premium for the best essay in reply
to the question, Is it every man's duty to en
deavor Inform settled prinaiplcs in matters
of religion, and always to conform to them
in his words and actions!
The Protestants of the two confessions (the
Geneva and the Augsburg that is, the Calvin
ists and the Lutherans, ure recognized by the
government; and their ministers, as well as
the Papal priests, receive a salary from the
national treasury. Either the one or the oth
er of those two confessions may he adopted,
but neither*of them must be varied at all, with
out the approbation of the civil authority. —
The ministers are required, at least for the
most part, to be educated in France, either at
Montaban or at Strasburg. The dominant
influence of the Theological Faculty at each
of these places is understood to be, and for
many years, to have been latitudinarian, and
far from the scriptural standard. Under this
influence most of the pastors have been train
ed. And the churches, from the’ nature of
their organization, and from their connexion
WASHINGTON, SATIRMI, SEPTEMBER SI, 1833
with the civil government, exhibit too often
the sad characteristics of all national churches.
At the same time, there is a considerable
and increasing party that answers to the Evan
gelical in the English Establishment, and
very nearly to the ‘Orthodox’ in the congre
gational churches of Massachusetts, before
the bate separation. The party is not large;
hut it endeavors to make up in diligence what
it wants in numbers.
At leasttwoor three able and worthy men
are specially occupied in spreading its influ
ence. Persons of this class have been the
projectors or the prominent supporters of most
of the societies in the capital of France, in
tended to caff forth the Christian efforts of
Protestants. They have a school in which
eight hundred children are instructed. They
have a Protestant Book-store. They have
brought into circulation several good religious
books, and a few for the use of children. They
are now publishing, in French, Scott’s Com
mentary on the Bible, and Milner’s Church
History. They also publish the periodical
entitled Archives of Christianity (Archives
du Christianisine,) and a religious paper, The
Sower, (Le Semeur;) while their ingenious
opponents publish another religious paper,
entitled The Protestant. They sustain a
small blit very efficient missionary school at
Paris, under the direction of a most worthy
minister, who also edits a Missionary Maga
zine; and they have planted a promising mis
sion in the interior of Africa. .Respecting
another matter, too, they have, at least in one
instance, set a laudable and ]>olitic example ;
they have recently been building up a church
on the principle of its supporting the ministry
of the gosi>el without a salary from the gov
eminent. And they are vigilantly striving to
bring into close connexion with the Protestant
or Reformed churches ‘as by law established,’
the small independent, evangelical churches,
which, here and there, in different parts of the
kingdom have been organized separately, be
cause the members could not live in the Es
tablishment.
In the class of Christians of which I have
been speaking, embracing, as it does, some of
‘the excellent of the earth,’ it was natural to
look for men who, under their deep impres
sion of the spiritual wants of France, would
welcome the aid which could he extended by
the American Baptists. With this hope,
many were waited on, in a respectful and af
fectionate manner. They were assured that
it was the wish of the Board to co-operate, as
far as practicable, with other Christians in
making common cause against the common
enemy; and I liar, alter having gone as far to
gether as we could, without a seeming sacri
fice of truth and duty, we should ask only to
bo permitted to pursue, according: to our con
victions, tne path in winch the Saviour would
have us go. A consultation was held; and,
very soon I was given to understand, in a
manner that could not bo mistaken, that per
sonally I should rccoivc a friendly welcome,
but not as connected with a Baptist Board;
that, as such, no one could be encouraged there;
that any effort from such a source was to be
regretted, as being likely to divert the atten
tion of French Christians from the Gospel, and
to make known in France another sectarian
division; and, finally, that in order to secure
any countenance to the mission, we ought to
merge entirely the subject of baptism, and
keep it carefully out of sight.
Thus some of the best men in Paris have
verily thought that they were following the
dictate of an ‘expansive charity’ in assuming
their present attitude; an attitude which,
•while it caffs us to the exercise of faith and
patience, will, I trust, induce us to proceed
meekly and conscientiously, yet firmly, as the
apostles did when Peter and John made the
impressive appeal, ‘Whether it be right in the
sight of Gori to hearken unto you more than
unto God, judge ye.’
Gladly would 1 have passed over this matter
in silence. But it isofso grave and important
a character that I have felt constrained to
make, as I now have done, with much grief,
this simple statement of facts.
* * * *
But I must now proceed to make some re
marks on the State of the French Baptist
Churches.
Os these there are three classes.
1. The feeble remnants of the Petrobrusians
and ancient Baptists of the Southern valleys.
These are very few. Their number has been
diminished by various causes. Many oftheni,
in times of persecution, were destroyed by fire
and sword. Some removed to Flanders, nnd
doubtless to other regions, in hope of an un
molested retreat. Others, aftoi the Protes
tant Reformation, it is easy to believe, became
connected and at length amalgamated with
neighboring Protestant Pedobaptist churches
that enjoyed an able and active ministry. The
rest seem to have thought it expedient and
right to yield an external conformity to the
Roman Catholic church,and content themselves
with maintaining their own meetings privately,
and promoting only in secret, and, as it were,
by stealth, what they considered to he impor
tant religious truth and duty. Akin to this,
and somewhat illustrating it, is the case of a
venerable old man with whom 1 met in the
South of France. Ho was in the midst of a
Roman Catholic population: and, through
their good opinion, he was occupying a situa
tion on which he was entirely dependent for
the maintenance of his family. I visited him
several times, and gained his confidence. At
length, in one of our interviews, he spoke
freely of the corruptions of the Romish church,
and then in substance added, “ I do all 1 can by
means of my situation, to promote the funda
mental principles of the pure gospel, as con
tained in the. scriptures. By reading these,
too, I became convinced of the duty of belie
vers’ baptism. But in rny religious views I
was alone. What could 1 do! 1 went to a
river ; and, with none present but God, 1 bap
tized myself.” After this statement, ho laid
liis finger on his lips in token of secrecy, and
charged me not to betray him.
Besides the causes which I have mentioned
as tending to diminish the first class of Bap
tists, there is another, which must have had a
deadening and destructive influence. It is
their bavin* been led, by an erroneous inter
pretation of certain prophecies, to wait for a
new revelation or some miraculous dispensa
tion of heavenly light ns being yet necessary
to precede the general prevalence of pure
Christianity.
Theyliave been inclined to think that there
is at present no church upon the earth; and
they cull their little communities, not chur
ches, but families. Upon the approach of win
ter, many of them, with their flocks and herds,
pass beyond the southern boundary of France
into Spain, for the advantage of a milder cli
mate, and return in the spring. My limited
time and the unfavorable season of the year
made it impracticable for me to search them
out ill their remote and secluded dwellings,
anJascertain all that it is desirable to ascer
tain respecting their circumstances. It is cer
tain, however, that tfiey arc in a feeble and un
promising state; that they need instruction;
and that, like frighted sheep that have wander
ed, long, and fir away, they need to be called
by’thc voice of some kind shepherd, and to be
gathered from the wilderness in which they
wqre scattered in the dark and cloudy day.
2. The few, chiefly on the northern border
of France, who have been publicly known as
Mcnnonists, or as they have often been oppro
brieusly called,. Anabaptists. Many of this
class, it is well known, are to he found in Hol
land and some parts of Switzerland, in Prussia
and various other German states, in Prussian
Poland, and in at least one part ofßussia. So
far ns my information extends, those in France,
generally speaking, are similar to these, with
some of whom I became acquainted when in
Holland and Germany, in the year 1824, and
whose religious state I am not expected here
to^xhibit.
3. The Baptists of more recent origin.—
These ase not numerous; but, on several ac
counts, they are the most directly accessible to
our fraternal aid; and if suitably cherished and
instructed, there is much to be hoped from
their co-operation in the great work which, we
trust, is to be accomplished on the continent of
Europe. At present, owing to various circum
stances and influences, their views of church
organization, of administering baptism and the
Lord’s supper, of supporting the gospel minis
try, and of a few other matters, more or less
intimately connected with the usefulness and
prosperity of a church, are, in too many in
stances, very indistinct. Os this they are be
ginning in some measure to be sensible, and
there is much truth in what one of them re
marked in a conversation on tho subject,—
“ We are,” he said “ like persons coming sud
denly out of thick darkness into tho light—you
must not wonder if we do not at first see
clearly.”
Most of t’.ieso RaptusU arc in tho department
oft)!'North, tdn Nnrrl.} Thorp are some
in the neighboring departments, and a few in
Belgium. Respecting those in thedepartment
of the North, besides verbal communications
from various sources, I have received a written
statement from an intelligent and zealous
French brother, intimately acquainted with the
condition of the churches. Os his statement,
the following, with a little abridgement, is a
translation.
At Waterloo there is a congregation of
about fifty persons. It is visited by M. Dus
sart, who is employed by the Continental So
ciety. The whole congregation are Baptists
in sentiment; and several have been baptized.
At Roubaix there is an unusual attention to
religion. Some have already been converted.
M. Dussart has visited there. But the meet
ings have boon occasional, not stated.
At I .annoy there is a church consisting of
about sixty members. M. Dussart preaches
there, and is one of the pastors. All this
church is Baptist; yet there are some mem
bers that partake of the Lord’s supper, who
have not been baptized, though they are Bap
tists in sentiment, and do not have their infants
baptized.
At Sally a meeting is Held. All have the
Baptist sentiments. None any longer have
their infants baptized. But they are not or
ganized into a church. They are about twen
ty-five in number; eight or ten of whom are
decided Christians.
At Baisieux a church is organized. The
assembly amounts to about forty. All are not
members of the church; but all have the Bap
tist sentiments; and a considerable number
have been baptized.
At Nomain there is an organized church,
composed of about forty-five members. Tiie
whole assembly amounts to about one hundred
and twenty-five persons. All ure Baptist.—
This is the first church; and it was founded by
Mr. Pyt, in 1820. All the places of which 1
have siwken, and those which I am about to
mention, were awakened by the ministry of
Mr. Pyt. The meetings at Waterloo and
Baisieux have been established since that
time, by the visits of colporteurs, that is, as
tho word is- here intended to signify, men em
ployed in currying about and selling, or
otherwise distributing Bibles and .tracts, and
conversing on religion. All the persons who
compose the assembly at Nomain, as well as
all tiie other assemblies that I have mentioned,
have come from tiie Papal church. All of them
have the Baptist sentiments, even those who
are not yet church members.
At Aix also there is an organized church.—
It has about fifteen members.
At Orchies, Mr. Barbcy, employed by the
continental society, is now laboring to estab
lish a meeting. He is not a Baptist. There
are in that town eleven Christians that have
been baptized. They were formerly of the
Romish church.
All these churches, and the others that I
shall mention, have their pastors chosen from
among themselves by tho .church. None of
the pastors are educated men, except .Mr.
Barbey. They ate all men of the country,
who labor daily for their living, that they may
give broad to their children; For they receive
nothing from the churches, which are general
ly poor.
At Saulzoir there is an organized church, of
which Mr. Joseph Thieftry, employed by the
Baptist society of England, has the charge.—
He has care also of the meeting at St. Wuast,
and of another at Quicvy. These meetings
are small. At Saulzoir the number is about
thirty; at St. Waast, about twelve; at Quie
vy, about fifty. Here are two instances, where
a meeting has been made up of persons from
the national Protestant church, for at Saul
zoir and at Quievy there are large Protestant
congregations. But, except in these two in
stances, the meetings have been composed of
individuals that have left the Romish church.
At Reumont there is a meeting of about one
hundred persons, without there being at pre
sent any organized church. All of them have
the Baptist sentiments; and many of them
have been baptized. They have, as at No
main, a baptistery in their chapel.
At Bertry, M. Poulain the father, employed
also by the Baptist continental society of Eng
land, takes care of the church in that place,
and visits four other small meetings that are
held in the neighboring villages.
*******
Such is the statement in regard to our
brethren in the department of the North; and
it is confirmed by the various verbal accounts
that I have received.
I the department of Aisne, there are some
Baptist members at Hargicourt, but the pastor,
M. Ilosea Gainbier is a Pedobaptist. The
congregation amounts to about one hundred
and twenty. At St. Quentin there is a con
gregation of about fifty, to which M. Poulain,
tho son, preaches, lie is the only Baptist;
and he is sustained and directed by Pedobap
tists. At Parfondeval there is a congregation
consisting of perhaps forty. M. Beujart, the
father, a Baptist, is the preacher.
In the department of Seine and Oise, at
Versailles, M. John Bap. Ladam, a Baptist, is
employed as a colporteur by the Continental
Society.
In the department of Seine at Paris, M.
Henry Pyt, a Baptist, is employed as pastor of
a Pedobaptist church by the continental socie
ty. Himself and his wife, with two others,
are the only Baptist members. Ilis church
amounts perhaps to sixty or seventy, and the
whole congregation to about one hundred and
fifty. lie has thought it expedient to waive
the subject of baptism. “ For if I hail not done
so,” he reasons, “ I should not have been per
mitted to enter the promising field of useful
ness that I now occupy.”
In the department of Euee and Loire, at
Gaubert, near Orleans, M. Anthony Porchat, a
Baptist, is also employed as pastor of a l’edo
paptist church by the Continental Society.—
Himself and his wife are tho only Baptist mem
bers. Since this connexion, he lias not ad
ministered baptism at all; and he has taken
care that the infant sprinkling be performed
by other hands. Ilis whole congregation
amounts toubouttwohundred.
These brethren have been placed in trying
Oiteo** niufiOHuoa I f iu to Lw *Jt nt OS
well asotiiers, will yet see clearly the path of
their duty, and each have the wisdom to walk
in it, encouraged by tho heavenly voice, As
tliy day, so shall thy strength be.
On the eastern frontier adjoining Switzer
land, there is, at Montebeliard, in the depart
ment of Doubs, a church consisting of about
fifty members, most of whom are Baptists.—
It lias two pastors. One of them, M. Vierne,
a Baptist; and the other, M. Vivien, is a Pe
dobaptist.
At Geneva, in Switzerland, there is a church
of about four hundred membors, a majority of
whom are thought to be Baptists. It has three
pastors. Two of these are l’edobaptists; and
the other, M. Guers, is a Baptist. At Carogtle,
near Geneva, there is a church of about fifty
members. Most of these are Baptists; and
M. Bost, a Baptist, is the pastor. At Nyon,
also near Geneva, there is another church of
ahout forty or fifty members. Tiie pastor, M.
Duplessis, it is reported, has very recently de
clared himself a Baptist; and it is thought
probable that most of the church will follow
him.
But in France and Switzerland, the word
Baptist does not always mean all tliat it does
in America. To illustrate this, and to show
the mixed and chaotic state of the churches, I
would mention the following incident:
A young man from Switzerland, who had
been a theological student at Geneva, was in
troduced to me at M. l’yt’s, in Paris, as a Bap
tist. In the course of his studies he liar! be
come convinced of the nullity of what had been
done to him ns baptism in his infancy; and,
amidst much opposition and great sacrifices, he
had lately, I was informed, been baptizsd by a
Baptist minister tliat was under the patronage
of the Baptist continental society. I invited
him to breakfast with me at Mr. llostan’s. In
conversation after breakfast, we perceived
tliat instead of having been immersed by the
Baptist minister, lie had only had a little wa
ter poured upon him or sprinkled on His face.
When we endeavored to expound to him the
way of God more perfectly, it was evidentthat
the facts which we exhibited relative to the
act of baptism had never particularly arrested
liis attention. lie had duly considered who
should be baptized; hut lie had scarcely thought
of the question, What is baptism, truly and
properly speaking, and according to tho scrip
tures ! It ought to be added that he manifes
ted an amiable docility, and. promised to exam
ine the subject 1 had several interviews with
him afterwards; nnd I took my final leave of
him in London, where, I have reason to trust,
he has, before this tune, been baptized and or
dained.* It is his intention now to repair to
his father’s house in Berne, and, at his own
charges, to devote himself entirely to the min
istry of the Gospel. He is about twenty-seven
years ofage, and, considering his youth, lie lias
already had an uncommon share of experience,
both in the world and in religion. Some years
ago, for following the dictates of his conscience
in connecting himself with a church of more
purity and spiritual life than the one establish
ed by law, he was threatened with the loss of
the honorable place which ho held in tho go
vernment. lie held fast his integrity, and
lost his place with all his worldly prospects;
and, still holding fast his integrity, he was
imprisoned, and banished. All this he seems
to have borne with the unaffected dignity and
meekness of a primitive Christian. He writes
and speaks the French,as well as tho German,
which is hip native language; and there is
Vol. 1 # No* 11.
much to encourage the hope that he is
ed for signal usefulness. His name is Carl
von Rodt, or, as coming, through the French*
it would be expressed in English, Charlen de
Rodt. .. .
Connected with the church at Montebeliard,
that has already been mentioned,, there is &
zealous brother, Peter Roth, who formerly be
longed to an ancient Baptist, or Alennonist
church, m which he was a preacher. Though
a plain, unlettered man, he is highly esteemed
by his religious acquaintances; and he is ar
dently desirous of laboring to resuscitate the
piety and Christian vigor of the Mennonists,
considerably numerous conimunities of whom
are to be found in the neighboring regioni of
Switzerland. ,
Here it may not be improper just to remark
that in Tuscany, one of the Italian States, I
found residing at Leghorn some exemplary
and active Christians connected with the
church of England, and heard some sponta
neous avowals of an impressiou in favor of our
distinguishing sentiments ; and that, m Rome
itself, I had the .unexpected pleasure of ad
ministering baptism, though it was in circum
stances that reminded me, impressively, of the
first baptism at Rangoon, under the frowning
brow of Gaudama. -
After this brief survey of the Baptists in
France and its vicinity, it remains for me only
to say a few words in reply to the questions,
“ Can we by any means be serviceable Ut them,
and to the general cause of pure and iindc-
Jiled religion ; and if so, in what way!”
The first question, it is.certain, must be an
swered in the affirmative. , . , , ,
The present charter or constitution of the
French government proclaims religious free
dom to all; and whatever temporary vexations
the malice of individuals, here and there, may
produce, it is unquestionably the settled policy
of the present administration not to molest any
person of decent moral principles in the free
and constitutional exercise of liis religion. In
deed, whoever may hereafter occupy the
throne, he will probably find it expedient not
to trample under foot so precionsa right of the,
people. But whatever may occur hereafter,
we have at present nothing to fear from tho
government. We may even expect Its pro
tection in doing all that we wish to do.,
Certainly we have resources at. home suffi--
cient to enable us, with tiie blessing of God to
he serviceable in some degree to our brethren,
and to the cause of pure and undefiled religion
in France. , •••.. ;
That country, with its busy, intelligent,-
spirited, immense population, is accessible to
us. We have regular, monthly, and almost
weekly communication with it by the packets
plying between New York ana Havre, to say
nornmg or otner ships and other ports; and
we can have correspondence and intercourse
witli our friends at Paris, about as easily aa
with our friends in some parts of our own
country. ,
Our French Baptist brethren are willing
and desirous to receive our aid. They ear
nestly implore it. And the peculiarly favora
ble predisposition of the great mass of the
people towards us as Americans, ought to givo
us peculiar encouragement ill our efforts for
their spiritual welfare. . . ..
Difficulties we must expect to encounter.
But He that said to his disciples, ‘Go ye into
all the world,’ was aware of every difficulty
that would oppose the progress of the gospel.
Our hope is in his power and his grace. Re
lying on his power and his grace, wa have
contributed freely of our silver and gold, and
sent forth from among us some of our dearest
brethren and sisters to the far distant heathen,
to regions distinguished above oilier heathen
and idolatrous regions, for cruelty, superstition,
and perverse disputing, to a land where no
toleration was promised, but where, every
step the missionaries proceeded, they proceed
ed at their peril. And yet all are now becom
ing convinced that, through our instrumental
ity, something could lie done evervin.that land,
remote from us as was the held of labor, —
quite on the other side or the globe,—and un
favorable as were the circumstances in which
it was approached. Yoe; the Saviour has ful
filled his promise. He is.now fulfilling it—•
And He, surely, can help us as easily in France
as in’ Burinah. • • i
But when I recollect whom I am addres
sing, I trust it is unnecessary for me to expa
tiate. The considerations which I have men
tioned will, l am confident, be deemed suffi
cient to show that the question must be an
swered, most decidedly, in the affirmative.—
We can do something for France,
‘And if so, in what way! 1 . , *
By strengthening the mission at Paris; and
by providing for the suitable instruction of such
brethren, of ‘lie continental churches, as may
desire to receive it and increase their useful
ness, in the ministry.
Our mission at Paris must be strengthened,
in order to secure the advantages of what wa
have already done. All the great, impressive
considerations in view of which it was begun,
exist stiff in all their force. And now, what it*
was important for us to begin, that, as in duty
bound, we might be useful, it must be still more
important for us to sustain with vigor, tiff tho
grand object be attained. We have entered
the field. Our Izrrd in his providence has
given ns peculiar facilities for cultivating it.
We have only to make a discreet and faithful
use of them, and all will be well. Our station,
too, besides its .other advantages, will, if pro
perly manned, enable us eflon to socond and
greatly facilitate the efforts of our English
brethren, so as most effectually to co-operato
with them in the great work that is to be ac
complished in France and throughout the con
tinent of Europe.
To give suitable instruction to such breth
ren of the continental churches, as desire to
receive it and increase their usefulness in tha
ministry, is, under God, the surest, the most
beneficial, and the most economical way of
supplying France and the adjoining countries
* While this Letter is in the press, intelli
gence lias been received tliat he was baptized
on the 2d of June, and ordained thenext day.
(See 4th page.)
