it is a most conspicuous feature in our present condition, that a new and earnest spirit of missionary enterprise is manifesting itself far and near amongst our churches. It is an indubitable symptom of Christian vitality. It is an auspicious sign of continuance and progress. If it had not sprung up now, when everything in our external condition is so favorable for enlarged activity, and more extensive usefulness, our churches would have gradually dwindled to death, and would have deserved to die! But as it is, they are showing new life — true life—which is always expansive, diffusive — causing every church that feels it to grow up, not like the solitary oak upon the plain, but like the spreading vine in the forest, reaching forth its tendrils from tree to tree, and binding the groves together, as the pillars and arches of a beautiful temple. The most valuable feature of this benevolent movement is, that it is decidedly and expressly a religious, and not a sectarian movement. It did not spring from a desire to propagate an ism. It was not a project started in the deliberations of a council of theologians, or in a conclave of the leaders of a religious party, consulting how to make proselytes to their dogmas. It has been rather a spontaneous motion of the hearts of our people, awakened to increased religious interest, and longing for enlarged Christian activity. It has been rather the natural result of the workings of the devout mind within itself, when it contemplated the vast religious wants of our great country and the world, and saw clearly that we ourselves had the means in abundance, if we only had the will, to supply many of those wants. It has been the natural action of the Christian heart, as it has felt new influxes of the bonevolent spirit of Jesus. If it had been otherwise, if it bore the odious marks of a merely sectarian enterprise, much as I long to see in our churches an activity of benevolence proportioned to our means and worthy of our Christian calling, I could not have had the heart to engage in it myself, or to have commended it to others. do, we must do something, But, plainly, we ought to aye, a great deal we ought to be doing, for the spread of the Gospel. And how can we do it except with our own instrumentality, and in our own way? Shall we do nothing, because God has given us sentiments and views of his character and of the religion of his Son, that are in some respects peculiar to ourselves? -- There are many feeble churches which bear our own name, and sympathize with us in all our sentiments. Shall we leave them to suffer and to die, because they happen to be of our own kindred and household of faith, — and because therefore, we consider that it could be a sectarian measure to give them aid ? There are vast regions in the South and West, where they have no churches, and no ministry, and are not able of themselves to procure them. Shall we leave all these places destitute of the blessings of the Gospel institutions, rather than send them preachers of our own sentiments? There is a large and increasing want of devoted Christian ministers, laborers for the harvest that is already white in the distant portions of our land. Shall we do nothing to supply this want, because what we do would take the form of a sectarian enterprise? Something, if we have any of the spirit of Christians, we must do, - something we cannot refrain from doing for all such objects as these. With regard to the way, VOL. XVIII. * choose for ourselves. But is there any way we can do it, except in connection with our own Christian brethren, or with those of some other Christian communion? Is there any more natural, more consistent, more noble way of doing it, than in concert with those, amongst whom, and of whom, God has appointed our sphere of duty. Besides, does any one feel that there is any peculiar tendency to sectarianism in the Christian views which are held by us? Will their propagation be likely to increase and foster the divisions amongst Christians; or will they not rather tend, (is it not one of the chief reasons why we love them?) to diffuse a more liberal spirit, to qualify the bitterness of sectarian warfare, to undermine the partition walls, that bar the love of Christians from one another and oppose the onward progress of their common faith? - But I have not the time, nor have I the heart, to seek out all the objections which might be raised against the missionary effort which a portion of our churches have recently associated to make. I would rather believe that we have within ourselves a fund of Christian generosity, large enough to cause us to respond at once to a truly Christian call, in spite of all the suggestions of a calculating and worldly spirit. I would fain believe that we have amongst us something of the spirit of the Macedonian churches. Others may bé richer in the means, but I trust that none is richer in the will. Others may give more abundantly, but I hope none more generously and nobly. Though some of our churches are poorer in worldly goods, I pray God, they also may be rich as the richest in the priceless and joyous grace of Christian beneficence. Let it be that we must make a sacrifice to give as much as we desire and ought to give. Thank God! We would not give without a sacrifice. We would not give what it would not hurt us to throw away. We would give a costly, though a willing offering. We would give as Christ gave to us. We would give as if we were giving to Christ himself. And, would to God, that, like the Christians of Macedonia, we might first, all of us give ourselves to the Lord, make a solemn and heartfelt dedication of our own bodies and spirits to the Father,present ourselves living sacrifices, holy and acceptable unto God. If we would do this, how small a thing would it seem afterwards, to part with our earthly treasures! How freely should we pour out our gold and our silver on the altar of Christian love! It ought to be distinctly understood by us, and forcibly impressed upon our people from every pulpit, that, as liberal Christians, we are not yet engaged in, or even designing, works worthy of the noble principles we hold, or of the generous and hopeful sentiments in regard to God's purposes towards man, by which our hearts are animated. If there were consistency between our doctrines and our practice, our professions and their fruits, we ought certainly to be the most active and the most enterprising of all the Christian denominations, — the most earnest and indefatigable laborers for the instruction of the ignorant, the elevation of the lowly, the freedom of the oppressed, the reformation of the wicked, the conversion of the world. Our pulpits should be the very central stars of Christian illumination, -the very altars of humanity. Never was there presented to a Christian body a grander theatre of action and influence, than is opening before our own, at least on this Western continent. Never, in modern times, did God's providence address to any band of the followers of His Son, more animating calls to Christian enterprise, -nor offer, I believe, more encouraging prospects of success. There is a peculiar adaptation of our views to the genius of our free institutions, and to the moral and religious wants of our nation. Our internal condition, also, is eminently favorable to increased and extensive activity. If we prove unworthy of our advantageous position, and faithless to our trust, great will be our condemnation. - But it shall not be so with us. The heavenly truths we are learning in the school of Christ, the noble principles we hold, will themselves inspire the zeal that is needed to propagate them, and raise up men of that enlarged and devoted spirit, which their excellence demands in those who are set for their defence. Our trust is strong in the pure doctrines of our faith, and we look forward, with bright anticipations, to the results of that reviving life which has already begun to diffuse itself through our churches. |