Newspaper Page Text
132
fll i9stoit ar ji Department.
[for the Christian Index.}
Richmond* Va., April Gth, 1840.
Beloved Brethren. —The Foreign Mission Board of the
Southern Baptist Convention, have been, in many respects,
favored of God. They have found those, who for Christ's
sake, were willing logo forth ami preach to the heathen.—!
The meuns neecssuiy to sustain rinse operations have also,
been furnished by the churches. Though some of their mis
sionaries have fallen in the field, and other trials of their faith!
hove been endured, they have not been left without manifest
tokens of the lJivine blessing on their labors. They have
now, for China and Africa, including assistants, twenty eight
missionaries under their patronage. Some of these have
been recently appointed. Others have indicated a desire to
labor in the Foreign field, und have applied for appointment.|
The Board are satisfied that God in his Providence is loudly
culling upon them to expund their operations. They hovel
determined with the Divine blessing to attemptgrea/rr thing*,’
in this work during the next finaneiu! year.
With reference to this ohjeet, the Board propose that in
each church of the South, a contribution he secured, during
the month of April of May. To you, dear brethren, we ap
pcal/or help. You are properly Christ’s missionary Some ;
ty. From you, should sound out the word of the Lord to the
perishing earth. Will you not, as recipients of the gospel,j
aid to send it toothers? JPc believe you will. Yours is
the obligation ; wo trust you will esteem it an invaluable!
privilege. Permit us, in reference to this wvrk, tomak!
few suggestions:
I. I ’poll someone of your regular days for meeting, let u
decision he determined with reference to this object.
-■ L< t a subscription he opened, payable in cash, or with
in one month.
3. Appoint njudicioun and active committee of brethren
and sisters, to call upon absentees for their contributions. |
4. The work should he entered upon and carried on, with
humble and earnest prayer.
Kadi disciple should give liberally, as the Lord hath
prospered. It would be wrong to give too much; it is equal
ly wrong to give too little, Every one contemplating hi-;
resources, and the wretchedness of a world lying in the
wicked one, ought to determine conscientiously, and in the
fear of Gi and, the amount of his contributions, The. Divine
love should be surveyed, ns a suitable stimulant to his he- i
nevolence. “ God so hoed the world, that lie gave his ot)l\
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him might not per
ish, lint have everlasting life.” What a gift was this I li
was an unspeakable gift ; tho richest, God could bestow.—
When Jesus entered upon tho work us oi:r snlmiion, In- jj.iv. i
himself ! ‘-Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, ‘
who though ho was rich, for our sitko-s became poor, that
ye. through his poverty might ho rich.” lie laid down his
“HJe for the sheep.”
0. The benefactions of the diseiples should be cheerful. 1
We would not, if we could, extort a reluctant ofterino.
“Kvery man, according os he purpose!!) in his heart, so let
him give, not grudgingly, or of necessity, for God loveth n
cheerful giver.” •‘Remember the words of the Lord Jesus
how lie said, it is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Dear brethren, we commend the subject to your aonsider 1
•tion. “Now he that ministereth seed to the sower, both!!
minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown,
and increase the fruits of your righteousness.”
* Funds may be forwarded to the subscriber, or to A. Thom
•s, Treason r, Richmond, Va.
On behalf of die Board,
I remain yours, affectionately,
JAS. B. TAYLOR. Cor. See.
f. m. u. a. b. c... ;!
BAPTIST MISSION TO CALIFORNIA.
A letter han been received at iho Home Mission I’oorrs
from I lie Hi v O. C. Wheeler, dated Sun Bias, February I lib
1840, nt which port tho steamer California, in which lu
was a pnssenirer, arrived that day, intending to stop hut n
few hours. Fie pmhahly arrive*l nt San Francisco nhotii
(•ho 4th or sth of March. The crossing of the Isthmus and!
detention nt Panama until the steamship sailed, occupied!
thirty four days; nml then a small inconvenient, nod ill-se
leeted state.mem was assigned to him and his wife on lx>iii\i
the ship : and In twe< n three and fbur hundred pnssengers
we re admitted, while her accommodations were insufficient j
far the eomfoit of one hundred and tilt s'. He and Mis.;
Wheeler had sutler* and much from sea sickness during lit* !
passage from New York to Chagres, and alter leaving Pa.
tioma ; and from the crowded state of the California, wlios*
passengers were of almost all description, they endured
•nany annovnners and great inconvenience. N< veithijess.
he says, “God in his great mercy has been pleased to pr*>.
serve us hv sea and by land. Amid the storm and the pesti
fence his band has been our shield, and the smile of his lav,
ourjoy. While others have been arrested in their coursi
,ly disease and many by death, we have been span and, and, a*
iyef, enjoy ns good limith as could be expected alter tho fa
tigues and changes through which we have pasted. ‘IK
has indei and strewed our pathway with mercies and made out
bed in pence. He has raised up for as many Irh mis among
our fellow.passengers, and allowed us many swet l seasons ol
converse about the pilgrimage of this life and its termination
to Coil's children, in the life which is to come.”
His anticipations of reaching his adopted home at an early |
dajr in .March, and entering upon his oppropniute duties, wert,
very cheering, though the expectation of finding society in!
an unsettled and confused state, and involved in many moral
•eils was not very pleasant.
©if
Uloral ai ft Clinton 9.
| TWO OLD SOLDIERS.
From the Correspondence of M. De Pres sense. Agent if the
British und Foreign Bible Society in Paris.
’ In the neighborhood of Toulon, one of our agents met with
two old soldiers, who managed a small farm. He offered
them a New Testament, accompanying the ofTer with a few
words of a serious tendency.
I “We lm*e no occasion fur your warea,” cried one of them.
“and you have too much thp appearance of a priest in disguise
to admit of your passing off your absurdities upon us. As
for myself, lam no great friend of priests. I made the war
in Spain ; and while there I witnessed so many abominations
committed by them, that I have taken an oath to have noth-,
ing further to do with any of them.”
On hearing this tho colporteur made himself better known,j
declaring that he was nether a Catholic priest nor a Protes
taut minister, and that he had nevt r been in Spain ; but that
ho knew one tiling, namely, that a religion founded on any
other basis than the sacred volume, which he was endeavor
ing to sell, was altogelfier fulse, no matter under wliat name
it passed.
“Ah!” replied the second soldier, “f now understand
I what you are: you are a I’rotestant—one uho believes in
everything that is contained in the Bible; and that being the
ease, let us give one another the hand of fellowship, for we
ane good fritnds. 1 lyself have been in Protestant coun
tries; have listened ti their public discourses; and (declare
that all I have sees oi Protestants has prejudiced me in their
!! favor.”
il “What!” interrupt and the first soldier, “have we a Pro
testant here?” The! taking the colporteur by the hand,!
I agree with my frit id,.” said he, “and feel interested in
von; for during our ci mpnign in Prussia I fi ll in with one of
your ministers, who s owed me many proofs of friendship,
and who I remember i le dav, pointing to his German Bible,;
: expressed an anxious wish that it were in his power to pre
sent me with one in French; and at the same time be j
isought me to purchnsi one if ever I had it in mv power to
.lose, The word* of he worthy minister have ever since
remained engraven oi my memory;- and though it is n long
lime ago, I have not fc rgoiten his great kindness to me. K.
lien fore you have the same Bibles trvsell asthose which are
circulated in Prussia, I slnill ba glad to purchase a copy.”
The uargain was qj ckly concluded; ami tin- colporteur./
on preparing to quit the houso where the two soldiers lived in
j brotherly harm ny, felt convinced, that God had made him 11
j-in instrument of blessing to them. They themselves were!
■> gratified with his visit, that they were resolvid not to part !
will) him so easily. ’IVV construincd him to spend a whole 1
o lay wiili litem, a nor ,%• I'u.l' hut express their admiration j
! ,ftho labors of tho Mlo Soiietirs, und of your society in
particular, which scrupled not to make the greatest sacrifices j
tin- tJm benefit of nations that haibso long been at enmity with
their own. |j
A I’RIUST DISTRIBUTING THE SCRIPTURES!
On of our fr.i rds met with a very cordial reception from
iLe Cure ofacerluin parish, with whom he held a long and
interesting conversation, in the course of which the priest do-!
dared that ilia wo>k of colp.ortago np|ieared to him a very
laudable wo k. On hearing this unexpected avowal, the;
!colporteur addressed him thus :
“If this is really your opinion,yon have now an opportu
jnity ol assisting mo in the prosecution of this work; andj
perhaps you will conduot mo to somo of your parishion
ers.”
“That would I willingly do,” replied the other, “were I
not nppre he nsive ol being looked upon us a Protestant, from
my joining in a Protestant work.”
“W. II then you can ctlcast purchase a few copies of the
New Testament, and in disposing of them yourself, you will,
sen ret ly incur any great inconveni* noe”
! Upon this the Cure bought a copy ; but this did not satis
fy our friend* “A single volume,” said he “will not enable
you to make s,> many of your parishioners happy as might
[be wished. I have at this moment seventeen olhtrs in my
knapsack, and they archill at your service.
| “No !” exclaimed the other, “seventeen are too many ; be.
•mb s, by distributing thorn L should nui the risk of commit
[ling myself.”
The colporteur, without seeming to- notice the objection
! proceed. .1 to enlarge on the happy effects pioduced by read
mg the Scriptures, and til a few minutes tho priest begged|
jiliat lie might have another New Testament, observing thatj
he might easily dispose of two copies. “Take it,” cried the!
(colporteur ; and then, he continued his address on the bless
lings already vouch safe* by the Almighty, to those who.j
11 rom a love to Ins Holy, holy word, seek to disseminate it
around them. The more feelingly ho dwelt on this subject.’
ihe more deeply affected was the cure, so that from time to
(time lie interrupted tho speaker, by entreating him to spare!
| him one copy more, until at length he end, and taking the!]
j whole seventeen volumes which the colporteur had retained !
jin I. is-knapsack ; who, on his port, bid adieu to the Cure,!
! under an impression that he would carryout tho work in his
j ovii parish in a much more satisfactory manner than lie
iiinis* If could have done, and with tho encouraging eonvio
lion that it would be attendtd with a blessing both to the ven
dir audio the purchasers.
____
Honorable Tribute to the English Baptists —Let it never be
forgotten of the Canicular Baptists of England, that they form
the and. nomination of Fuller, snd Carv, and Ryland.and ila'l,
and buster; that they have originated among the greatest of
all missionary enterprise* ; that they have enriched the lite
future of our country with authorship of the most exalted pie-
Jty, as well as the first talent, and the first eloquence; that
they have waged a very noble and saeoessful war with the
! hydra of Antinomianism; that perhaps there is not* more in.
tellectuul community of ministers in our island, nr who have
: 1 put forth, to their number, a greater amount of go,
jjtmty, in the defence and illustration of our common B,'njj •
and what is better than all the triumphs of genius anj utj*
;i dorstanuing, who, by their zeal, and fidelity, and paskraV
labor among the congregations which they had reafcd,.
.have done more to swell the lists of genuine discigleshinia
the walks of private society, and thus both to uphold and <£.
tend the living Christianity “of the nation.— Dr. Chalmers.
the Door opened for Bible Distribution. —The revolutions
in Europe have worked wonders in breaking down the bar
riers to the distribution of the holy scriptures. The walls of
China were seemingly but little more fbrbidding to the en
trance of missionaries a few years since, than the obstructions
;in Papal nations to the admission of the scriptures and their
circulation among them. But now the intelligence comes ti>
us that there is no difficulty in scattering them anv where
unless in hpain and Portugal; even in the dominion of th
Pope they are now circulated and read without hindrance..
I lie papal princes have had an abundance to do to take care
of themselves, amid the strong efforts of their subjects for
liberty, and the poor Pope him* If has had little time to think
of issuing hulls against Bible distribution, amid bis anxietiea
lor bis only personal safety. The remarkable and sudden
change which God lias brought about in this matter, claims
the special regard of Christians, and their grateful acknowl
edgements for his gracious interposition.
I Divinity in Humanity. —lt will be the employment nfhear.
ea to behold the glorv of Christ when he became flesh.—
Ihe Word was made di sh.'’ Christ did not get more glory
by b< coming man, but lie manifest, and his glory in anew way.
lie did not gain ono perfection more by becoming man ; he
bud all the perfections of God before. But now these per
fections were poured through a human form. 7'be alrnigkti
ness of God now moved in a human arm. The infinite tots
!of God now beat in a human heart. The compassion of God.
to sinners now glistened in a human eye. God was love be
, fore, but Christ was love covered over with flesh. Jut e
you have seen the sun shine through a colored window; it-ia
the same sunlight still, and yet it shines with a mellow lu
ire.. So in Christ dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
. I ho perfection of tho Godhead shone through every pore,
| through every action, word and look ; the same perfections;
iliey were only shining with a mellowed brightness. The
veil of the temple was a typo of his flesh, because it covered
the bright light of the holiest of all. But just as the bright
light of the shechinah often shone through the veil, so did tho
Godhead of Christ force itself through the heart ofthe man
Christ Jesus.— McChcyne.. ‘
The Splendid Preacher — Ho (Richard Baxter,) preach.
ic<i, as filing that the truths of Gol were too great and glori
(ons in themselves to be covered up with the little trapping*
of human adornments. He would as soon have thought of
[hanging the rainbow with tinsi I. His eloquence consisted not
in rounded sent, nc s. He never preached a sermon to dis.
.play hi* scholastic learning,or his power of logic; but his aim
Iw a* ever to win souls.to Christ. If fine and elegant sermon*
| i,re tolerated at all, it is in the press only, w hen they are to
be read ns discussions of a sul.j. c t, and read either as, an in
tellectual exercise or a discipline of conscience. In the pul.
pit, splendid sermons are splendid sics. Thev dazzle, and
amuse, and astonish, like brilliant fireworks, but they throw
daylight on no subject.. They draw attention to the preacher
instead of the subject. The spl. ndi.l preacher, like the pyr.
oterhnisl, calculate* on a dark night among his attendants;
, und amid the corruscntions of the pulpit, his skill and his art
‘•re admired and applauded, but Christ is not glorified. If
[angels weep and devils mock, it is at the pulpit door of a.
splendid preacher.— American Pulpit..
Themes for tlir Pulp ‘d :— l n the department of Christian,
morality, I think many of those who ure distinguished a*
evangelical preachers greatly and cu’pably deficient. They
rarely, if ever, take someone topic of moral duty, as honesty
veracity, impartiality, Christian temper, forgiveness of inju.
rn s, temperance—in any of its branches, —and investigate
[specifically its principles, rules, discriminations, adaptations..
, Phene is none of the casuistry found in many of the old di.
-vines,. Suuh discussions would have cost far more labor of
[thought than dwelling and expatiating on the generil evan
gelical doctrines but would have been eminently useful;
land is very necessary, in order to set the people’s judgment
[and consciences to rights* It is partly inconsequence of
[this neglect, (very generally I believe.) that many religiou*
| kind of people have unfixed and ill-fated apprehensions of
moral discriminations. Hail told Anderson that in former
years he had oftener insisted on subjects of this order. —John
Foster..
Firry Child goes Home at Night —-Though the children
i°t <fidi l rent families are mingled together in play or at school
[during the day, yet when night cones they all go home t
I I heir father’s house. So now the righteous and the wicked,,
believers and; infidel's are mingled together ; they sit in the
same san tuary, live in the same ho jses, and partake of ma
oy of the blessings of God togeihcr ; but when the night of
death coini s, every one will go la his own home.. The chil
dren of the Devil will go to their further’s dark and horrible
[abode and the children of God will go to their Father’s light
joyful and glorious mansion. Dear reader, whither will
[you go? Remember the words of Jesus: “If ye believe not
that lam he, yc shall die in your sin*. Whither Igo ye can .
not come.’’ Come to him now, and ye shall find the way to
i God and He an n.
[jlprU