Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

hands of some who may peruse this volume, I shall here present it entire. I shall only say further, that the writer is an intelligent christian minister known to me; and one who will not be found unwilling to act upon his own plan, should an opportunity be presented.

It seems to be the opinion of the best informed persons in the political world, that the state of England calls imperatively for extensive emigration, and many thoughtful individuals, though possessed of a little property, look with much anxiety on families growing up, from the increasing difficulty found in so fixing young persons as to enable them to marry and provide for themselves and their children.

"In the religious world an idea begins also to prevail, that the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom might be greatly promoted by forming Christian set

tlements in heathen lands.

"I have therefore to propose, that a number of persons of piety and good character, members of Christian societies, (suppose fifty or a hundred families,) should emigrate in a body, at their own expense, with the two-fold object of providing for the temporal and spiritual good of their own offspring, and of extending the kingdom of Christ in the world. Serious persons, from the labouring classes, might be taken out as appendages, for a time, to those in better circumstances.

"By wise and prudent measures, a tract of good

land, in some healthy climate, might easily be procured, at a trifling expense. Matters might be so arranged, that the settlement thus about to be formed, should be subject to such scriptural regulations as at once to secure the fullest liberty of conscience, and yet to exclude immorality.

J

[ocr errors]

"A body of serious persons thus going out together, and fixing near each other, would possess advantages of various kinds, too obvious to be enumerated in your columns. Religious worship, education, friendly intercourse, &c. would easily be brought within the reach of all, and most of the circumstances which make emigration formidable might thus be provided against. Some experienced individuals might go out first to select the situation, and arrange every thing against the arrival of the body of settlers, so that every facility might be in readiness to forward them to their place of destination immediately on landing.

"Were such a plan undertaken wisely, and in the fear of God, the good to be anticipated seems incalculable. If the design is thought to deserve encouragement, let it be put into execution without an hour's unnecessary delay. Let a few persons of piety, experience, character, and some property, form themselves into a committee, either with a view to their own emigration, or the encouragement and direction of others. Such a committee might collect information from the Secretary of State for the

[ocr errors]

British Colonies, from the conductors and histories of Moravian and other settlements of a religious character. Cotton Mather's account of the first settlers in New England, would furnish many valuable hints, if culled out from the strange mass of matter he has furnished. The minds of many are at this moment simultaneously directed to the object proposed. The thing need only to be begun in a truly humble, prayerful spirit, and it will, I trust, go on and prosper beyond expectation. The writer is willing to communicate, through the Editors, with those who think with himself, that the project deserves attention."

I trust I shall not be regarded as wandering from the object of these remarks on the "New Model," by the introduction of this topic. In discussing the division of labour in the management of Christian Missions, I think it right to show the kind of division which may be most advantageously prosecuted; and to call the attention of the christian public to some means which it has yet in its power to employ, and which the providence of God seems to demand.

The following passage in the "New Model"” I think objectionable, and calculated to convey far too strong a view of the inadequacy or ununsuitableness of the means which we are at present employing. After commending the well

meant zeal and philanthropy of the conductors of missions, the author remarks:

[ocr errors]

"Nevertheless it may still be true that the modern system of missionary exertion, taken as a whole, is fundamentally defective, and such as can never, unless miracle comes to its aid, achieve an extensive conquest for christianity. Nothing less than the exalted virtues and admirable temper of the founders and principal supporters of the modern Missionary Societies could have hidden so long from our eyes the capital error on which we have been acting. We have been putting contempt, not only upon the requirements of christianity, but upon those universal maxims which the experience of mankind has proved to be indispensable to success wherever human agency is concerned. Our error is so great, and the good sense of the age so efficacious, when once set in movement, that reform cannot be distant. The elements of christian zeal must presently be dissolved, and recomposed upon a new model." P. 8.

If the system we are pursuing be indeed fundamentally defective, then, of course, little good is to be expected from it, and the sooner it is overthrown the better. Miracles themselves, I conceive, would do little to remedy a fundamentally defective system of operation. They were not intended to remedy or supplement such, deficiences at first, and, of course,

could not do so were they now restored. But I submit that only one of two things can render a system of missionary operation fundamentally defective-a deficient or erroneous system of christianity, as the thing propagated, or the employment of unchristian or unworthy instruments in its propagation. Other errors may affect the degree of success abroad, or the degree of efficiency and comfort in the administration at home; but these evils alone can affect the whole plan, and render it finally abortive. The impression which the cited paragraph is calculated to make, therefore, is mischievous; though, I am sure, the author had no mischievous intention in framing it. For, suppose that he does not succeed in "dissolving the present elements of christian zeal," and in recomposing them upon the New Model"-which it does not require prophetic augury to foresee that he will not--it will then follow that the whole christian world is engaged in the fruitless prosecution of a scheme which is radically and fundamentally wrong. A more discouraging view of matters, or one more likely to paralyze exertion, it is not possible to present. ›¦

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Such a new modelling as the author proposes, I believe to be impracticable, to be undesirable, and to be unnecessary. It is impracticable

« ForrigeFortsæt »