A PARTING WORD ΤΟ PROTESTANT MISSIONARIES. My fellow servants-In the preceding pages I have advocated, not your individual cause, or my own, but have stated opinions which I think of importance to the propagation of the Gospel. These opinions are the result of my experience, and I offer them only as views of the Missionary cause, which appear to me correct. It is notorious that some of our number, during the last thirty years, have deserted, and others have done injury to the sacred cause; and that in former times Missionaries from the Latin Church, under the famous congregation for the propagation of the faith, the Priests of Foreign Missions, during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, appear in Asia to have laboured almost in vain. The Congregation, or Society, founded by Gregory XV. 1622, was enriched with ample revenues; a vast number of Missionaries; books of foreign and domestic languages; seminaries for Christian and Pagan youths, charitable establishments for the relief of the persecuted, &c. But after the labours of two centuries, beyond the limits of Europe, a large portion of the world still remains Pagan or Mohammedan; and in Europe, the ancient and the reformed churches are, according to credible witnesses, greatly degenerated. "The religious orders that made the greatest figure in these Missions, were the Jesuits, the Dominicans, the Franciscans and the Capuchins, who, though concerned in one common cause, agreed nevertheless very ill among themselves; accusing each other of the want of zeal in the service of Christ, and of corrupting the purity of the Christian doctrine to promote their ambitious purposes." It is said of these Missionaries, that they perpetually employed the arts of adulation, and the seductions of bribery, to insinuate themselves into the friendship and protection of men in power, that they were deeply involved in the cabals of courts, and the intrigues of politicians, &c. In what relates to the propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts, much more confidence was placed in the austere sobriety, poverty, industry, and patience of the Capuchins and Carmelites, than in the opulence, artifice, genius, and fortitude of the disciples of Loyola. It is asserted that the Jesuits persuaded the Indians and Chinese, that there was a great conformity between their ancient theology and the new religion they were exhorted to embrace. "The protection of men in power was the great object they principally uimed at, as the surest method of establishing their authority, and extending their influence. And hence they studied all the arts that could render them agreeable or useful to great men; hence their application to mathematics, physic, poetry; to the theory of painting, sculpture, architecture, and the other elegant arts; and hence their perseverance in studying men and manners, the interests of princes, and the affairs of the world, in order to prepare them for giving counsel in critical situations, and suggesting expedients in perlexing and complicated cases. It would be endless to enumerate all the circumstances that have been complained of in the proceeding of the Jesuits." Such is the report of ecclesiastical historians, but I am of opinion that the Catholic Missionaries, with all their faults, have been greatly calumniated. One class of the Catholic Missionaries in Asia, adopted (it is said) the system of a "wilfull povertie," &c. the other class appeared as "men of the world," but both failed. There are modern patrons of Missions, who possess authority in foreign colonies, who write home for "gentlemanly Missionaries," who shall attend to the "higher classes" of natives, instead of preaching the Gospel to the poor. Now it is my humble opinion, that all plots, whether for duping the ignorant, or flattering the learned; courting the populace, or cringing to the great, should, by Missionaries, be totally abandoned. Kindness to inferiors, and respect for superiors in society, must always be cherished; whilst towards both, the Missionary's great object should be the exhibition of CHRIST'S Gospel;-I mention this Blessed Name with the greatest reverence, although it be unaccompanied by any adjunct.-The spiritual Christians, both at home and abroad, have, I fear, too much regard in this day to the patronage of the powerful. Alas! many men at the Head of Governments and of Churches, and among the Counsellors of Monarchs, have as much need of being what our blessed Saviour calls, "yevvnon,” (renatus, or born again) as the Pagans of China, or of India. It is utterly a mistake that by man's efforts merely, or by human learning, or the influence of Rulers, the glorious Gospel can be propagated. God our Saviour must be honoured, and the Holy Spirit continually referred to, by never-ceasing reliance, and ever-constant humble prayer. We should use the best means, but trust only in the Almighty arm. "Not by might, nor power, but BY MY Spirit, saith Jehovah,” shall the conversion of the world be effected. The means to be employed consist, no doubt, of a simple, sincere, and lucid declaration, and reiterated inculcation of the glorious Gospel of the blessed God; with the constant practice of tempers and conduct becoming the children of God, and teachers of the religion of Jesus. Thus occupied, may we be found, when death shall summon us to appear before God in judgment. Amen! We, my brethren, I conceive, should be exceedingly grateful to God, that he has inclined the hearts of his people, in the United Kingdom, to afford us means of a pecuniary nature, and some of us education, without which we could not have carried into effect the pious desires of our hearts. We should esteem them, and love them, for their co-operation in our Saviour's cause. And, O, how careful should we be not to give them just cause of grief and discouragement. They have often had much cause for regret and sorrow, respecting some who seemed to run well for a time, but who have subsequently wasted their strength in strifes which eventually ate up the spirit of Christian piety and zeal. Differences of opinion among Missionaries should be, in a kind spirit, settled on the spot; and not sent home in angry letters, to grieve and dishearten the Churches. From the unavoidable character of popular Societies, they can never, I fear, supply the place of Kindred, and Friends, and Home; and a Missionary must generally submit to be without the natural supports to his mind, which these things afford. I believe, however, that in some Societies there might be less of the frigid manner of mere countinghouse business; and more affectionate attention to the solace of a disconsolate Missionary's mind, than is usually the case. But should we not remember, that it is expected of us to look to Heaven, and gather our consolations from the Gospel of Christ? I do not think that, because we dedicate ourselves to the naturally uninviting office of Missionaries, we have lost our rights, either as men or as Christians; but if the world thinks it may scoff at us, and the Churches look upon us as a sort of devotees, who have voluntarily abandoned our place amongst them, we must bear these things, and still go onward with our work. If, by God's help, we remain faithful, there are bright prospects before us. These hasty thoughts are not, my Brethren, brought before you as any thing new; but as the opinions of a fellow-servant, to be preserved on record, and to appear whenever evidence on these subjects shall be adduced. Farewell! ΤΟ COLLECTORS AND CONTRIBUTORS TO THE CAUSE OF CHRISTIAN MISSIONS. Friends and Fellow Servants, IADDRESS you as Members of the Universal* Church of God, as sanctified in Christ Jesus, as those that call upon the name of Christ Jesus our Lord. You and the Missionaries are under equal obligations to our Divine Redeemer, and should equally have a regard to the accomplishment of what he has commanded in all the labours of Christian philanthropy. The Missionary work may, perhaps, more than the Home ministry, with scriptural propriety, be compared to a warfare. Missionaries are the soldiers who go forth to assail, under the banners of the cross, Satan's usurped dominion over our fellow creatures. It is a just and necessary war, not against our fellow men, but against the powers of darkness, to deliver enslaved sinners from the devil's despotism. Enemies may scoff at a "church militant," but the sneer is superficial. We use the phrase in a moral and spiritual sense; and wo to the church, when in this sense she shall lose her martial character. Alas, that she has so often sunk this character, and instead of resisting with the weapons of truth and Christian fortitude the lovers of sanguinary war, and fighting manfully against satanic usurpation in every land, she has supinely and traitorously associated herself with the enemies of Zion's King! Missionaries, we have said, are the soldiers in this warfare; "But who goeth a warfare at any time on his own charges?" * Catholic has been assumed exclusively by the Romanists, and therefore there is a difficulty in using it. EE |