SUCCESS OF MISSIONS,

No. VII. Remarks.

1. The success which has attended missionary efforts affords encouragement to all the friends of the missionary cause. There are in every departinent of moral and religious duty correspondent encouragements and discouragements. One of the principal sources of discouragements is want of immediate success. "Those prompt charities," says an English writer, are easy in which the benefit instantly and visibly follows the remedy. Few persons would withhold assistance from a suffering stranger who must evidently expire if deprived of it; but where the benefit is distant, where the means are only elementary and the result is afar off, where months and years must elapse before the seed sown in sorrow shall bring forth its harvest of joy,there the heart is too apt to become chilled, and our wishes, outrunning our expecta tions, refuse to expand in a field where the prospect of a crop is so distant. Combined with the delay which often attends the success of charitable exertions is the frequent inadequacy of the success when it comes to satisfy our sanguine expectations. We are apt not only to miscalculate the time of the harvest, but to exaggerate in our estimation of the expected quantity of the crop."But when we look upon the missionary efforts of the present age

there is no reason for discouragement in either of these respects. It is true that success has not, in all cases, been immediate, and, this, from the nature of the enterprize, and the difficulties attending it, could not have been expected.Long established prejudices and habits and customs, and customs, especially those of a religious kind, which have enlisted the conscience, and which have been handed down by tradition from fathers to children through many generations, and which, of course, are connected with all their early associations, cannot be changed at once.

We might naturally suppose that many years must elapse before much fruit would be gathered.The rugged soil is to be broken up and the seed is to be sown and time is to be allowed for it to take root and grow and bear fruit. Now considering what was to be done, and the inadequacy of the means, the very small and disproportionate number of laborers, and vastly more has been accomplished than we had a right to expect in so short a time. The seed is sown for an abundant harvest, even in India where the least success has been manifest. And in the Society and Sandwich Islands, and among the indians on our borders, the crop has already been partially gathered. And in all the places where the missionaries are laboring the prospective view is truly cheering

The signs of the present time are not to be mistaken. The

that the most, if not the only successsful way, to civilize a savage people, is to christianize them.— Look at the Society Islands, and see what influence the gospel has had upon their civil state. The whole population of Otaheite has been civilized. Their whole character is changed. Activity has taken the place of indolence, and good will of enmity. All that is dear to the human heart, in the enjoyment and exercise of friendly feeling and intercourse, all that is tender in the relative affections of domestic life, is introduced to a whole society of human beings, but lately drenched in the polutions of vice and barbarity. Dark ness is dispelled from the minds, treachery from the hearts, and murder from the social intercourse of a whole nation.' This yields an amount of blessing and a prospect of happiness, which will flow through many generations to come. Now what produced this great and happy change in their social and civil interests? The whole nation answers," It was the gospel of Christ, brought to us by the Missionaries."

The same effect you will notice has heen produced, in a considerable degree, upon the Sandwich Islanders, and upon the Indians in our western forests, so far as the Gospel has gained an influence over them. Experiment now proves that christian principles are, and they only are adequate to transform an idle, dissolute, ignorant, wanderer of the

forest into a laborious, prudent, and exemplary citizen. Oth

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means have been tried without effect. But the plain preaching of the cross has done all this, and infinitely more. It has changed the whole current of desires and affections, imparted a strict conscientiousness, and induced those who were influenced by it, to lead lives of prayer, to practice all the christian virtues, and aspire after heavenly rewards.'

It is the natural tendency of the gospel to civilize. For it both requires holy principle and prescribes a pure morality. It has a power in its sanctions and motives above all things else, to subdue the corrupt and selfish propensities of the human heart. It inculcates disinterested love-the benevolent desire for the best interests of the human family.— Wherever, therefore, the gospel gains an influence, whether over an individual or a community, it reforms and purifies. Now the highest degree of civilization is, where there is the purest morality, and the only efficacious system of morality is contained in the Bible. It is a divine system, not only in its origin, but in its effects, and is not only "given by the inspiration of God," but it "is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work." And hence we see the happy ef

fects of christianity in all christian nations. By its transforming influence, it enlightens the dark, and reforms the wicked portions of the earth, and raises them to a participation of the blessings of a civilized community. Such, as we have seen, have already been its effects, and such will still be its effects wherever it is carried, for it has either a direct or an indirect influence over all our institutions, charitable, social and civil. Wherever the hand of charity has been most efficient, it has been under the influence of the gospel, which teaches us "to do good unto all men as we have opportunity." Wherever social happiness has been enjoyed in its purity, it has been under the influence of the gospel, which inculcates all the relative duties of the social state. Wherever civil liberty has been established and preserved, it has been the effect of the gospel which teaches the equal origin and rights of men. Indeed the gospel may justly be considered the indirect source of almost all temporal comforts. Would we only compare the present condition of christian and pagan nations, this truth would appear obvious. By this comparison we should find, that to the influence of the gospel is to be attributed the existence of orphan houses, hospitals, and asylums for the relief and comfort of the distressed and afflicted. Before the introduction of Christianity there were not, nor are

there now, in pagan lands, any systematic efforts for the alleviation of human misery. But in christian nations humane institutions are established for the relief and support of the friendless orphan, the disconsolate widow, the sick and needy stranger. The rights of man are better understood, and better systems of government are adopted. Comfort and happiness are more generally and equally diffused. Who then can doubt, that the gospel is to be the grand instrument of civilizing the uncivilized parts of the world? Wherever it is sent, it produces, upon the social and civil interests of the community, the most salutary effects. Like an overflowing river, which every where enriches and fertilizes its banks, the gospel has every where carried along with it an unfailing stream of mercy to civilize, to enoble, to bless the human family.

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3. Humanity and philosophy as well as christian principle teach that it is the duty of all to be liberal in the missionary cause.If such be the consequences of the successful introduction religion of the bible, (and none who will open their eyes upon events now transpiring in the world can doubt,) then hard must be the heart, and cruel the hand that refuses to be warm and liberal in the support of those means which are used to send the gospel to the destitute. Every genuine friend of liberty, civilization and human

John Smart and Thomas Steady were fellow apprentices to a respectable tradesman in a considerable country town. Thomas was a serious, intelligent and amiable youth, who had been religiously educated under a pious uncle. John had more vivacity and quickness both of wit and temper, and was too much disposed to be what is called unlucky, but which is, in fact, wicked; he had seen nothing at his father's house (who was a wealthy farmer) but a jovial and merry life.

Their master was a worthy man in his dealings, and sometimes went to church; but did not concern himself about the religion of

the seriousness of Thomas, nor the levity of John, so that they attended diligently to their business.

Every Sunday both the boys went home to their respective friends, and spent the day as they had been accustomed. Thomas went to church with his uncle, attended very seriously to the minister, and when they returned he read the scriptures and other religious books. On the other band, John generally spent the Sunday mornings in rambling about the fields; sometimes maying, or birds-nesting, blackberrying, or fishing, as opportunity served and his afternoons and and evenings were commonly spent in indolence and sport, or in foolish talking and jesting in his father's family.

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