NUMBER OF MISSIONARIES IN VARIOUS PORTIONS OF THE WORLD. In looking at the unevangelized part of the human family in larger masses, seen that it will be Population. Missionaries. Europe has 17 Africa and African Islands, Asia, (Continental,) Ceylon, Indian Archipelago, and Australia, Polynesia, 500,000 43 America, including the West Indies, Greenland, and Labrador, 30,000,000 237 603 EXCELLENT EXAMPLE.-The Mercer County Luminary, of the 12th inst., contains the plan of an association, proposed by the Rev. Messrs. S. Tait, of the General Assembly, Isaac Beggs, of the Associate, J. L. Dunwiddie, of the Associate Reformed, and the Rev. A. W. Black, of the Reformed Presbyterian Churches, by which the congregations of these respective churches, within the county of Mercer, may unite in the support of a missionary to the heathen, under the care of the Western Foreign Missionary Society: the missionary to be selected from some one of these connections. An adjourned meeting for further maturing the plan is to be held on the 28th inst., when we hope this excellent arrangement will be consummated, and the churches of Mercer county resolve to provide a herald of salvation to represent them in the missionary field. LIST OF CONTRIBUTIONS $110 00 24 50 800 To the Western Foreign Missionary Society, Buffaloe Cong. (Northumberland 32 5 00 Hopewell Cong. Jasper co. Ga., coll. in, 400 Middeford, Del., don. of B. per Rev. Morgantown, Va., Monthly coll. $7; New Geneva, Pa., don. of a friend of 14 93 10 00 14 85 6 50 260 00 186 00 141 64 5 00 25 50 00 36 62 23 00 Canonsburgh, Pa., cong. coll. per Rev. Dr. M. Brown, Crawford Co. Ga., coll. in Pres. Ch. of, per Rev.R. Chamberlain, pastor, 700 Centre Township, Greene Co. Pa., a lady, Congruity Cong. Pa. coll. in addition (see Nov. No.) Rev. S. M'Farren, pastor, Ebenezer, Pa., coll. in addition (see Florence, remittance from Rev. E. Fayetteville, N. C., Rev.C.M'Iver, for George's Creek, Cong. Pa., Gleaning 45 00 St. Louis. Mo., don. of Mr. Matthew 25 44 00 Washington, Pa., monthly con. coll. 8.00 in Pres. ch., $0 74; Miss M. Orr's 80 00 Zanesville and Putnam, Ohio, month 750 26 48 10 00 28.49 50 ly con. coll., per Rev. J. Culbertson, pastor, Subscribers for Chronicle, 18.00 11.00 Washington, ladies of Presb. ch., box of clothing for Western Mission, estimated at $130. FOREIGN MISSIONARY CHRONICLE. VOL. I. PITTSBURGH, MARCH, 1834. No. 12. ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE MISSIONARY SPIRIT AND CHARACTER. The manifestations of moral excel- Christianity of their lives is narrowed lence are calculated to promote the down to a few stated observances, a few happiness of the righteous, and impress formal, but unavailing prayers; and the consciences of the guilty. Crea- even these are unknown and unfelt, tion, providence, and redemption are except in the limited circle of their intended to fill the universe with the most intimate acquaintances. Years display of the perfections of God; and roll on; but there are no such fervent those angels who "are swift to do his " wrestlings" in prayer-no such imwill," impart happiness to each other, pressive acts of a self-denied liberality as well as advance their own, by and no such clear and solemn rad the highest possible efforts to imitate iations of the light, as carry their his example. The saving grace of quickening energies into the hearts of God restores the divine nature to re- slumbering believers, and their pow. newed sinners, and real religion be- erful rebukes to observing sinners. In comes a principle of active manifesta- such a state of things the honor of the tion, as well as of internal enjoyment. gospel suffers, and the world loses Christianity is, in its own nature, dif- every prospect of its evangelization. fusive; and the disciples of Christ are Something far more positive and denot like "candles put under a bushel," cisive in every member of his family, but lights of the world, intended to the Redeemer must require, or one "glorify him in their bodies and their part of his arrangement will not fit the spirits which are his." They are not other. There must be a higher man. "to be conformed to this world," but ifestation of Christian principle, or inby the possession of his spirit, and the dividuals must lose the evidences imitation of his example, to let "all of their piety, and the church itself the men know that they are his disciples." marks of its visibility as the heritage The vital principle of holiness, is, of Christ. It may be laid down as a however, so feeble, and the influence fixed principle, that Jesus Christ reof sensible objects and various temp-quires that every one of his followers tations so strong, that the ordinary should give full proof of real piety, means of grace are not usually suffi-and this proof will vary according to cient to ensure such a manifestation of circumstances. The act of denying godliness as is requisite to the interests him through fear of suffering, was of the Redeemer's kingdom, and the the primitive church, regarded growth of piety in his people. Their most conclusive evidence of incerity, light becomes dim, their active benev- however consistent the profesor might olence nearly ceases- their evidences be in other things; anden the grow perplexed and obscure-their capacity to exert a holy influence departs, and their exhibitions of sancti fication become simply negative. The id ∞ al. great command to go and disciple all nations, shall be fly set before his church, will delinquency here be regarded ip the same light? If he would have a visible kingdom on earth will by the course of his Providence. at all, during the ages of persecution, He has for the most part, so governed it was necessary that he should have the church and the world, as to make followers who would not apostatize; it requisite for all his people to give a and if he would have his gospel pub-stronger proof of their discipleship. lished to all nations, he must have a Look, for example, at the little church people who will obey his last solemn at the deluge coming out, every meminjunction. The exhibition of holy ber from an unbelieving world, and principle requisite to carry out his entering the ark, while as yet there was plan, rests upon all his members, and no sign of desolation, and amidst the is needful to sustain the religious pre- derisions of the multitude. It was not tensions of every one of them. enough for Abraham or his descend To lay down the principle, that few of Christ's servants can be expected to go to the heathen, and that a part only are in circumstances to contribute any effectual aid to the support of the enterprise; and then to argue from this, that the remainder have little more to do than to witness the achievement and ants in Egypt, that they should simply observe a religious life themselves, but exemplify their faith and obedience by becoming "strangers and pilgrims in the earth." membership implied, not only this, but In the primitive church the right of the probable confiscation of property, rejoice in it, is, not only to make a dis-and the seal of martyrdom: and every convert joined it under the implied consent to display before a whole community the power of godliness, in the act of dying for the glory of the Master, if he should require it. With the witnesses of the truth in the dark ages and at the Reformation, it was much the same. The fact that times have changed, and one series of Providential administrations has ended, is cer tinction unknown to the New Testa. ment, but to exonerate a part of the church from the binding obligation of a law of Christ intended for the personal sanctification of its members, as well as their relative usefulness. The common sense of mankind would at once decide, that such an interpretation could not be admitted, and that, if it were, it would leave a portion of the church to lapse into apostacy, while tainly no proof that the standard of visible holiness has been let down, or the other was carrying the gospel to the heathen. Besides, deep concern,the same measure of it with a far less that Christ's disciples can now acquire continued and fervent prayer; and ac tive effort according to one's ability, active instrumentality. in all. Instead of is as requisite in some, as a disposition thinking that this is all the Savior now to go, or a willingness to give munifi-requires of them, to give every possible evidence of their sincerity, the Chriscently is in others. There needs to be the manifestation of the same spirit look for the development of the same tians of these times should solemnly principle of administration under some If it should be supposed by any other form. They should consider, priva Christian, that this is, in his or that, as neither human nature nor the her cast, sufficiently done by the exhi-mind of Christ has changed, the withbition of a consistent, irreproachable, drawal of one plan by which to proand decidedly Christian character induce and exhibit to the world the love the ordinary was of life, without any and self-consecration of his people is ulterior or more ausive expressions introductory to another. What this of the spirit of Christ, the answer is, is the book of Revelation and of Provthat such has not been to judgment idence must determine. And if the of the Mediator, if we can earn his voice of Prophecy was ever re-echoed 1. Notice the religious sentiments and exercises in connection with which the purpose of going has itself origi nated. "O why do I not always walk with God, forgetful of a vain and perishable world? faithless foolish heart, and suffers me to Amazing patience! He bears with this come laden with sins to receive new pardon, new grace, every day. Why does not such love make me hate those sins that grieve by that of Providence, is it not now is one in all its members; and instead done in the testimony that the Redeem- of thinking that the disciples at home er intends that the light and power of may content themselves with a less holiness in his church should be unfol- measure of love and devotedness, than ded in strenuous and ardent endeavors the disciples abroad, to aim at spiritual to build up his kingdom in every land? attainments equally great, and display It is perfectly easy to see, that those their piety by works and actions equalof his disciples who are called to for-ly decisive. Illustrations of the spirit sake their country and their homes, and character of those who have gone and "endure hardness" in planting his to heathen lands with the message of gospel among barbarous nations, and the cross, drawn from the facts and in sickly climes, may find in this a their own statements, many serve the means of sanctification, and a mani-double purpose of showing how all festation of love to Christ, similar to Christians are to feel on this subject, that of other generations; but how is and how far facts in reference to the this to extend itself to the entire compa- missionary service are sometimes misny of believers? How is this self-de-understood. We may, nied and evangelical spirit to be unfolded in every disciple who remains at home, and lives amidst prosperity and affluence, and in a society where religion is so much respected, that a consistent, pious example is itself a gaiu rather than a loss to its possessor? The only answer is, by exertions, in every judicious and practicable form, to extend and build up the Redeemer's kingdom on earth, so active, and persevering, and self-denied as to liken the toils and pains-taking of the disciple in one part of the vineyard unto that of the disciple in another. But this never can be anticipated until the spirit of consecration to God in the one approximates at least unto that of the other. The question, therefore, comes to every professing Christian in the church in this form. Do you feel unwilling to dispense with an important part of those means of sanctification which the Savior has, in former times, regarded as so needful to his people? If not, it is a manifest unquestionable duty so to take hold of the work of evangelizing the world, as to let your light shine, and the influence of your exertions and your prayers be felt as extensively as you can. How else can the permanent growth of holiness in our churches be ensured? The first thing is to believe, and act upon the belief, that the spirit of the kingdom him?" "At this time, I solemnly renewed my self-dedication to God, praying that, for his days in continued suffering and separation service, I might receive grace to spend my from all I held most dear in this life, forever. Amen."-Memoir of Rev. H. Martyn, PP. 134, 170. "I feel, that, if Christ had not died to make an atonement for sin, I could not ask God to dishonor his holy government so far as to love so polluted a creature; and that even now should he condemn me to suffer eternal punishment, it would be just. My chief happiness now consisted in contemplating the moral perfections of the glorious God. I longed to have all intelligent creatures love him, and felt that even fallen spirits could not be released from their obligations to love a being possessed of such glorious perfections.”—Memoir of Mrs. Judson, p. 18. "It is impossible for any rational creature to be happy without acting all for God. I long to be in heaven, praising and glorifying souls, were they worth any thing, I would him with holy angels. Had I a thousand give them all to God."--Brainerd. |