‘ 2 ¥ % Es ee a i at ye : o~ weenie 2. 3 MISSTONAR et WHEN A CHRISTIAN MAY BE SAID TO HAVE DONE. HIS" DUTY TO THE HEATHEN. ; a BOSTON: ~ CROCKER & BREWSTER, PRINTERS. % Ve et Fea yceeredcae Tams ea s 1834. \ 4 = Z ¥ — é et 3 = Z y ht s # 7 zs ‘ Pa - = x “ ‘ * fi ‘“ ~ F ons ‘ze ~ > ' - ~ as s eu : ° % aa y \ ~ ¢ . ‘ 7 x . 2 ~ x - we i " 4 Of a : a % es 7 * f a oa em > ¥ *< mr ay DS . 2 < = \ > . La « 4 ~ : _ ~~ ‘ “ ; : nd 7 - & f ‘ ‘ e MISSIONARY PAPER, NO. WI. WHEN A CHRISTIAN MAY BE SAID TO HAVE DONE HIS DUTY TO THE HEATHEN. Jam much burdened to-day with a consciousness of blood-guiltiness—how dreadful is the reflection, that any should perish who might have been saved by my exertions.—Journal of Henry Martyn. Every Christian sees that the work of sending the gospel to the heathen is a great work. To furnish elementary instruction, and Bibles, and preachers for 500,000,000 of pagans, all of whom are unwilling to make any considera- ble exertions to procure instruction for themselves, is cer- tainly a great work. It appears so, especially, when we reflect, that, includ- ing the whole population of our own country and Great Britain, and of the small portion of continental Europe where the power of the gospel is felt, there are less than 30,000,000 from whom any aid can be expected in accom- plishing it. T’o send the gospel to the heathen, is a work of great exigency. Within the last thirty years, a whole generation of 500,000,000, for aught we can see in their character, or in the word of God, have gone down to eternal death. This flowing tide of generations has not stopped; ‘but while you are reading this paper, it is flowing on, and hundreds are dropping off the stage, and lying down in sorrow. Within a single year millions must die without hearing the gospel, or making any preparations for a future state; and within thirty years more, another generation will be beyond the reach of Christian effort; and another generation still, as ignorant, as miserable, and as unfit as the last for a holy heaven, will be in their places. With such rapidity is this mighty current of human beings fill- ing, and again emptying the world of its inhabitants. Ig not, then, the state of the heathen a state of the most 1 2 Duty of Christians to the Heathen. agonizing exigency? ‘Their souls are at stake. No offers of salvation are made to them. If the gospel is to be sent to the heathen, it must be sent by somebody. ‘The Bible will not translate itself, and travel into India, and put itself into the hands of the wor- shippers of idols, and make itself understood by those who cannot read and do not love it. God will not send an angel to carry the Bible and preach the gospel to the islands of the sea. If this is ever done, it will be done by those who already have the Bible and value it—it must be done by Christian churches and congregations. These 500,000,000—this world full of heathens—must be evangelized by Christians of this generation. We read of the heathen in the time of Paul, and in ages since, and we are apt to regard them as a protracted generation, who have lived down to this day, and may live for ages to come; and to think, that if the gospel is sent to them any time within five or six centuries, it will be soon enough. If they are not evangelized by us, they may be by our children, or our children’s children. But itis notso. A generationof heathens live no longer than a generation of Christians; and the heathens now on the earth must be evangelized by the Christians now on the earth, or they never will be evangelized. We cannot transmit them down to our children. So that the whole burden of sending the gospel to these 500,000,000 heathens must be devolved on the Christians now living, and all to whom they fail to send the gospel must die without enjoying the benefits of it. Under such circumstances, every Christian who knows the worth of the soul, and is convinced that the gospel, and nothing else, possesses power to save it, will ask— What can I do? The work is so great, that my utmost efforts can do but little of it, while the consequences of delay are so fatal to the eternal welfare of the heathen, that none of it ought to be neglected a single day. What efforts then ought I to make? How shall I know that I have cleared myself from blood-guiltiness, by having done all that Christ requires of me? It is to be supposed that every Christian desires to know the real state and prospects of the heathen, the progress of the gospel, what part God requires of him, and what it is his duty to do in this work. No one can wish to neglect Duty of Ministers to the Heathen. 3 his duty, through ignorance, or a want of consideration, and thus involve himself in guilt. If any do not wish to know their duty, or do not think the ascertaining of it to be worth some trouble, to them nothing which can be said will be of any use. The at- tempt here made is to suggest some general principles, which shall aid those who are disposed to give the subject of missions an attentive and prayerful consideration, in ascertaining what the word and providence of God are now calling upon them to do for the heathen world. The following remarks, in order to be more appropriate to those who read them, will be divided into two parts, ad- dressed to Ministers—and to Private Christians. PART I. When has a Minister done his Duty to the Heathen? It is possible that some ministers may ask, what duties they can have to perform to the heathen? When they en- tered on the ministry, they decided that it was not their duty to become missionaries. All their care and all their efforts are due to the church and congregation, of which - they have the charge. What duty, then, can they owe to the heathen, unless it be to pray for them? They read the accounts of the character and condition of the heathen, of missionary operations and success, as matters of interest- ing religious curiosity indeed, but as something not at all designed to lead them to act, or in any way to affect their conduct. ‘There are missionaries, they think, to translate the Bible and distribute it,—to superintend schools and to preach the gospel; and there are missionary societies to furnish funds; and there are individuals designated to se- lect missionaries and send them to the heathen; and whose appropriate business it is to superintend the work of evan- gelizing the world. What special effort, then, can it be necessary for them to make? But are not missionaries, and those who manage the concerns of missionary societies, perfectly dependent!— ‘They are not only dependent on the Spirit of God for suc- Me bAGAT RET RRAMIEE A YEE ARABI Seon SALAS LA NSIS SEDO nt eek ARP EET ETE TSIEN! sive Ads GM abi comes Ss > SENN P 8 MEARE EN 33 ANB IETO FOTN Ne nna "} 4 Duty of Ministers to the Heathen. cess, but they are dependent on their brethren in Christian lands for the means by which to carry on their operation. The Christian community must themselves understand this subject; and they must act according to what they see the exigency to be. Now who are appointed to search the word of God, and ascertain the duties which Christians owe to the heathen, and urge them to perform these du- ties? Are not ministers?—Who are carefully to watch the providence of God, and ascertain what duties God is thus, at particular times, requiring of Christians?’ Are not min- isters? It is impossible for a stranger, unacquainted with the circumstances of individuals, to bring forward principles, which shall apply to every case, and thus tell all that it is the duty of a minister to do for the heathen. He must seriously consult his own conscience on the subject. Some things, however, may be pointed out, which it is the duty of every minister to do, and which, if he has not done, he cannot say that he has done his duty. 1. A minister cannot say that he has done his duty to the heathen, 7f he has not made himself well acquainted with their condition, and with the misstonary operations of the present day. He ought to peruse some of the best books on this sub- ject. He ought to examine the New Testament in the light of a history of the first Christian missions, expressly for the purpose of ascertaining what directions it gives, and what spirit it inculcates, in respect to spreading the gospel. He ought to acquire from thence a scriptural view of the character and condition of the heathen, and of their claims to the sympathy, the prayers, and the efforts of Christians; and to see there how directly the duty of send- ing them the gospel is enjoined, how the apostles and early Christian preachers regarded this injunction, how they felt and labored for the heathen, and what success the gospel had in their day. He will then learn how Christianity was spread at first, and how it is to be spread until it fills the world. He should compare the greatness of the work with the present amount of efforts to spread the gospel, and thus learn how urgent the call is upon the Christian world. He should especially become acquainted with the operations and prospects of American missionary Duty of Ministers to the Heathen. 5 societies—the channels through which our churches send the gospel abroad. This would lead him to a careful peru- sal, every month, of their official publications. He would thus have a clear view of the fields of their labor, of the current results, and of the wants of the respective missions. Interest in the religious state of the world, and in the progress of the Redeemer’s kingdom, ought to induce a minister to seek for such information.—He ought to do tis, even if he had no part to perform in the work. What would be thought of that man’s sincerity, who should make loud pretensions to patriotism, and yet should take no pains to learn the state of his country, and show no desire to know its dangers and its prospects; and that to when his coun- try was in a critical emergency? The Christian minister professes to be a member of the kingdom of Christ, and to love that kingdom. Can he feel as the captive Israelites felt, (Psalm cxxxvii, 5,6,) “If I forget thee, oh Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning: if I do not remem- ber thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth—if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy;” and still feel contented while he is ignorant of its situation and pros- pects? What, especially, would you think of the patriotism of that man, who should held a responsible office, and have a portion of the resources of his country under his control, to be used at his discretion, wherever the exigencies of his country demanded; and who should, notwithstanding, re- main ignorant of these exigencies, and of course, ignorant of what call was made upon him for action? The minister is an officer in the kingdom of Christ. He can exert in- fluence over a portion of its subjects and resources. Can he then be a good and loyal subject, and a faithful officer in his kingdom, while he takes no pains to inform himself of its state and prospects?) This kingdom is now carrying on a war with the prince of darkness, with a world that has revolted, and is lying in wickedness. Shall he take no interest in the progress and success of the war? The church has invaded the empire of darkness; the van of its. armies is in the field; the battle is begun; it will be long and obstinate. Shall the Minister of the gospel, because he is not in the field, or on the frontier, be careless haw the battle goes? \e apie woe hae nr an eristetotet ns naan base vaisinet van aleiioeoneeLPaaaeL eee ELA AN PVE Rec Nk SLA CURLS ores | | 6 Duty of Ministers to the Heathen. A love for the heathen should induce the minister to ac- quaint himself with their condition, and the means of their salvation. The heathen in‘their wretchedness have a claim to be heard by the Christian world. Missionaries have gone forth to investigate their condition; they send back the results of their investigations; and thus the voice of the heathen is made to reach Christian lands. Shall those who lead in the churches refuse to hear? Would such a refusal be kindness to the heathen? Would it be feeling toward them as Paul felt toward the Jews, when he said that he had great heaviness and continual sorrow of heart, for he could wish himself accursed from Christ for his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh, (Rom. ix. 1, 3;) or as he felt when he said, that he was a debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians?’ Would it manifest such a spirit, as he manifested in his epistles, by his solicitude to learn the welfare of the churches, and his incessant and persevering labor to preach the gospel to the greatest poss ble number of individuals? Pause, and think how Christ felt when he wept over Jerusalem, and how Paul felt for a world dead in trespasses and sins, and compare, as accu- rately as you can, your own love for the heathen with theirs. A regard for missionaries now preaching the gospel among the heathen should make a minister desire to learn their situation. and their success. The work of missionaries is one of hardship, perplexity, and discouragement. ‘They are lonely, with little or no Christian society to sustain and comfort them. They are the brethren of ministers at home, and have a claim to their sympathy and aid. They do not expect quiet par- ishes, ample salaries, affectionate churches, or that fre- quent and endeared intercourse which exists among Chris- tian ministers here. They do not ask for the luxuries of life; nor is their principal cry to the churches for what they shall eat, and what they shall drink, and wherewithal they shall be clothed, but they have gone out from the bosom of our churches, to be their representatives in the midst of ignorant and heedless idolaters. They have told these idolaters of God, of the Bible, and especially of Christ and his atonement; and have thus awakened a little cu- riosity. They have persuaded a few toassemble in schools, Duty of Ministers to the Heathen. 7 for the purpose of learning to read these things. The cry of the missionary is for the means of hiring’ instructors, and of printing books to sustain and gratify the curiosity which he has awakened. Shortly, perhaps, by telling them of their sins, of a judgment, a heaven, a hell; by setting before them that blood which cleanseth from all sin, they begin to ask what they shall do to be saved. He then wants Bibles and religious tracts to put into their hands; but he has no meansof obtaining them. He calls to the churches of his native land; he tells them that the harvest is plen- teous, but the laborers are few; the people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, and are importuning him for books and schools. The cry is, Come over and help us.—Will any who have sympathy for their brethren, instead of lis- tening to their cry and sending the needed relief, shut their ears?’ Many do so. The missionary, whose com- passion is excited for the heathen perishing around him, keeps on toiling, and calls again and again, and tries to continue and enlarge his operations, expecting that ample relief will soon arrive; labors to his utmost, faints under it, calls again in the hour of death, and is laid inthe grave while his voice is coming to us; and yet, though it is the voice of a man who has died in the cause, how little is it heeded! Further: A society which has engaged in the work of evangelizing the heathen, has a claim to be heard.—lIt professes to be engaged in a great and benevolent work; one which is enjoined by the precepts of the New Testa- ment, and enforced by the example ef the apostles. Such a society has no resources of its own. Whether it is to be sustained and made efficient, or not, depends entirely on the regular and voluntary contributions of the Christian: public. It may be carrying forward extensive operations this year; but if support is withheld, these operations must entirely cease the next. Encouraged by past support, it has sent forth missionaries, and is pledged to sustain them. To evangelize the heathen, is not the work of the mem- bers or of the officers of a missionary society peculiarly, any otherwise than as they are the organs of their breth- ren. It is a work which belongs to the churches general ly—one for which they are responsible, and of which they ought to take the oversight. If their contributions are not I i SOCIO S eREN epremoe erin gree UA NA PEON ELL TIMER EMANY RR EUNRL NEAL A ITSO NRO RISA ERIN AANA ITS DIY PA RSORITNTEE TEIN er DTTSe Tere RAEN aye eee r 8 Duty of Ministers to the Heathen. faithfully and wisely applied, and if the work is not con- ducted with discretion and energy, they ought to commit it to other men. The object then of such a society, the method of pursuing it, its success, its wants, and its claim to the co-operation of the churches, ought to be examined thoroughly and candidly. A desire to avoid the hazard of neglecting his duty, and thereby incurring guilt, should induce the minister to be- come thoroughly acquainted with the subject of missions. If a minister does not know the extent of the field, the social and religious character of the heathen, what pro- gress the gospel has made among them, to what places it may now be sent, what means are now used to send it, and how far they are from being adequate; in short, if he is not thoroughly acquainted with the nature and exigen- cies of the case; how can he know when peculiar efforts are called for, and whether he has made all the effort which he ought to make? He cannot say that he has performed the duties of any station, unless he knows what the cir- cumstances and duties of that station are. He cannot say that he has done his duty to the poor in his own neighbor- hood, until he has learned what their condition is. Inthe same manner, if a minister does not obtain information re- specting the heathen and missionary labors, there may be an exigency, and he not know it. Missionaries may be detained at home the translation and printing of Bibles and religious tracts may be impeded, schools may be ren- dered inefficient or given up, and all operations at home and abroad seriously retarded, and the heathen left to per- ish, because those who are placed as watchmen in the church, and who ought to have pointed out to Christians their duty and urged them to perform it, would not be at the trouble of acquainting themselves with the subject. 2. A minister has not done his duty to the heathen, if he has not instructed his people, as a church and congre- gation, in their duty to him. The minister’s first and great duty to his people, is, to present the gospel to them for their acceptance—to urge . them to flee from the wrath to come, to lay hold on the hope set before them, and to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling. But he is not merely to teach them the way to heaven, and hasten them onward in it; ~~ Duty of Ministers to the Heathen. 9 he is also to search and see what duties God, in his word and providence, is laying upon them, these he should urge them to perform—not only the duties, which they owe to their neighbors with whom they have intercourse and transact business, but those also, which they owe to the whole human family. If the minister is to inculcate upon his people all the duties enjoined in the Bible, the question then will arise, whether it is enjoined upon Christians in the New ‘Testa- ment to send the gospel to the heathen?—This will prob- ably be answered in the affirmative. The minister should then ask, whether his people properly obey this command. If they do not, why ought he not to urge them to do it? Why ought he not to make it a part of his instruction on the Sabbath, just as much as any other duty enjoined in the Bible?—Your church and congregation owe duties to their neighbors with whom they transact business—they are to be honest in their dealings: you of course inculcate honesty; and you consider it as being essential to the character of a Christian and a moral man. ‘To the hea- then, ten thousand miles off, they owe the duty of sending the gospel: it is enjomed by the same authority, yet per- haps they neglect to perform it; and you neglect to incul- cate it, while you regard them as moral men and Chris- tians. Where is it said that a minister must inculcate, and men must perform the duties which they owe to the trader, who lives one mile from them, while they may neg- lect the duties which they owe to the heathen who live ten thousand? or that the man, who, being informed of them, neglects his duties to the ‘latter, is any more entitled to the character of a Christian, or a moral man, than he who neglects his duties to the former? «And how is that min- ister faithful to his Master and the souls of men, who neg- lects to teach and inculcate the»latter, any more than * who neglects to teach and inculcate the former? A minister, also, has influence, for which he is responsi- ble. What a man, in a public station, can himself do, is only a small part of that for which he is responsible. Ev- ery man can have more or less influence over those by whom he is surrounded; and, of course, from that circum- stance, becomes responsible for all the results which he might produce by the faithful exertion of this influence; 1 erase, arent id Duty of Ministers to the Heathen. and he ought just as much to condemn himself for not ac- complishing the good which he might induce others to do, as for not accomplishing that which he might do with his own hands. This is especially true of a minister. His character, his employment, and the kind of intercourse which he is allowed to have with his people, especially with his church, give him opportunity, and make it his duty to exert a very great influence. He may naturally bring forward, in many of his sermons, the character and condi- tion of the heathen, the importance of sending them the gospel, the command of Christ, and the consequent duty of Christians to engage in this work without delay: he may often converse on this subject in his visits, and do it with an interest which shall show to all how important he considers it. He may present facts, the promises of _ God, and the animating prospects of the church. Besides; a people always expect their minister to take the lead in every thing pertaining to the spread and pros- perity of religion, whether at home or abroad. ‘They sup- pose he will know what they ought to do, will point out to them their duty, and urge them to perform it; and they will not be Itkely to condemn themselves, unless they fall very far short of what he tells them to be their duty. This imposes a responsibility on a minister, the amount and im- portance of which he ought very seriously to consider. But a minister may say, that his people dislike to be pressed on this subject.—Supposing this to be true, what has that to do with his duty? Will he say nothing to them which they do not like? If they should dislike to hear preaching on their own depravity, or the penalty of the divine law, or the necessity of regeneration, would he therefore forbear to preach on these points? He is affec- tionately and judiciously to preach to them all the doc- trines and precepts of the Bible, whether they will hear er forbear, so as both to save himself and them who hear him. | He may say his people are poor, and can with difficulty support the gospel among themselves. This is no reason why they should not be instructed respecting missions, and made to feel and pray for the heathen. It is proba- ble, too, that few churches are so poor, that, after providing for the support of the gospel among themselves, if the same Duty of Ministers to the Heathen. Ii grace of God should be bestowed on them, which was be- stowed on the churches of Macedonia, they would not, even in a great trial of afflictions, make the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abound unto the riches of their liberality. Nor is it to be feared that, while they feel for the heathen and contribute to save them, they will less prize their own minister or less liberally support him. If they are made thoroughly to know the wretchedness which the want of the gospel occasions, and the peculiar blessings which they derive from it, will they be any the less eager to retain it themselves? If a minister wishes his people to prize the gospel, and support him liberally, can he adopt a surer way of doing it, than to spread before them the wretchedness of the heathen in this world, and their prospects for the future? Moral economy does not seem to be well understood: men seem incapable of learn- ing it from facts. Yet let any Christian look around and see if there are not facts which might teach him. Were a church and congregation ever known, which contributed liberally for sending the gospel to the heathen, and which at the same time neglected to support. it liber- ally among themselves? Do not facts uniformly show that churches and congregations, which have been insensible to their obligations to aid in evangelizing the heathen, when they come to feel them, and to engage heartily in this work, manifest a proportional increase of zeal in pro- moting religion around them?) They, and they only who think the heathen are well enough off without the gospel, will poorly realize what benefit the gospel has been to them- selves. Churches which are pained to think that three quarters of mankind are debased by ‘ignorance, idolatry, and sin, and who are striving to reclaim them, will not allow themselves, by neglect of religious institutions, to fall into the same state. What, now, if a minister, through neglect, or from fear of displeasing his people, should not search the Bible, and learn himself and tell them what they must do to be saved? Would he have done his duty to that people, or to Him, whose ambassador he is? God has said how it should be: “That people shall die in their sins, but their blood will I require of the watchman’s hand.” What ifhe should neg- lect to learn from the word and providence of God, and lita lA ial ABR As iambic de sAbLaanbladaliahiel phys bieenanithelislenieinhiniitida bution) site ilitainlilllde iLiad habia bsbesudandtibatn Lanse lla sas 2 FUrmrtut Cervo e Hen Le frat Neale NCTON ES WU UEIyS DW IVESAMED DIDNT ST SOT SPATTER ORENT SOAP TR SO RIIY Ome T ONE TT SRM ETON aR 12 Duty of Ministers to the Heathen. teach his people any point of Christian practice, and they should fall into sin, and be ruined through his neglect? would not their blood be required at his hand? If he neg- lects to teach his people the state of the heathen, and the obligations to send them the gospel, may not his people neglect their duty, and contract great guilt, and perhaps fail of the grace of eternal life through his unfaithtulness? If ministers had felt their responsibility on this subject, and had fully told their people of the wretched and guilty state of the heathen; set before them the greatness and urgency of the work to be done; kept them looking at the command of Christ, and their own indispensable duty growing out of this command, and urged them to perform it;—how much more enlightened would the churches have been on this subject; how much more willing to do their duty; and how much more of their duty would already have been done:—to how much larger a portion of the heathen would the gospel have been preached; and how many of those who have perished, or are now perishing in ignorance, would have been saved. Is not the fact, that the churches are so in arrears in this great work, very much to be ascribed to the neglect of ministers? Have not generations of the heathen been perishing, and is not the present generation perishing, through the neglect of ministers? Will the minister, then, feel that he has done his duty to the heathen, and cleared himself from the blood of souls, if he has not faithfully instructed his people on this sub- ject? ; 3 That minister has not done his duty to the heathen, who has not taken measures to render the Monthly Concert for Prayer interesting The minister may ask in what way he shall do this? No method can be prescribed, which will enable those to do it, who do not feel a strong love for the heathen, or those who will not be at the trouble of collecting informa- tion, and thinking on the subject until they obtain clear and systematic views of it. Such men will have no enter- prize, no zeal, and no fertility in devizing plans to excite interest. It is those only, whose love for the cause leads them to seek information, and to reflect on it, who will be able to make such meetings interesting. Duty of Ministers to the Heathen. 13 The Monthly Concert is especially designed as a meet- ing for prayer.—In order, therefore, to make it interesting, a minister must make his prayers on the occasion interest- ing. Noman can pray earnestly, and feel interested in praying for an object, when he has little knowledge respect- ing it, and when all his views of it are indistinct. The minister is the man on whom the character and interest of these meetings depend. The people expect him to lead in their devotions, to give direction to their thoughts and fervor to their prayers. If then the minister goes to these meetings without any love for the heathen, any dis- tinct views of their number and _ their wretchedness, or of the exertions to spread the gospel among them, or the need of the divine blessing to give these exertions success, his petitions will necessarily be vague, and formal, and un- interesting. He will perform the exercises merely as a part of his ministerial duty. His heart will not be in them. The object will seem to him distant, and small, and hardly worth praying for. ‘The people seeing how little the min- ister is interested, will think there is little worth praying for, and will feel it to be a burden to attend the meeting. Thus the Concert in many places has languished, or per- haps been abandoned, owing to the coldness of the minis- ter. But let the pity of a minister be excited by a near view of the miseries of the heathen; let his mind grow familiar with, and absorbed in a contemplation of the worth—the capacity for happiness or misery of 500,000,000 of immor- tal souls, polluted with sin, and exposed to the wrath of God; let him reflect on the fact, that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life; and on the love of Christ, who, though he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich; and that after these provisions are made, nothing prevents the heathen from being saved but the neglect of Christians to send them the gospel,—and_ will he not have matter enough for earnest and interesting pe- titions?’ Will not his holy fervor and importunity so show itself in his thoughts and language, so bring the heathen as it were near, and place them before the audience, and give such a reality to their existence and their wretched- ness, and the eternal retribution which awaits them, that 2 14 Duty of Ministers to the Heathen. every Christian who unites with him, will feel the object to be one of intense interest, and the Monthly Concert to be the place where his soul is filled with the most ardent desires for the advancement of the Redeemer’s kingdom, and the salvation of the world? And will he not have such a delight in uniting with his fellow Christians in prayer, that no common hindrance will detain him from the place where they assemble? A minister may render the Monthly Concert interesting, by the intelligence which he may communicate. Here again it is necessary that he feel an interest, and be at some trouble himself. It is not enough that he read shalf-hour from the Misstonary Heraup. The mere reading of facts from a printed book, which his hearers ought to have in their possession, if they have not already, will never sustain the interest of a promiscuous assembly, and call them regularly together. It is not enough that he reads and reflects, so as to be able to say in general terms, that the heathen are destitute of the Bible, that they wor- ship idols, that they are ignorant, wicked, and miserable. He must so arrange and condense his facts, and so make them bear on particular points, as that they shall produce effect: sometimes illustrating the condition of the heathen, and thus exciting Christian compassion for them; and sometimes showing the success of Christian effort for their benefit, and thus increasing the courage of his people;— and at all times putting his communications in such a shape, as to stimulate to action. ~ This would require some regular preparation. In order to bring forward one part of the subject, so as to make a deep and vivid impression, he must arrange his materials and illustrate his leading facts by others of the same class. He might, for example, at one time, look at the moral character of the heathen; examine a few volumes of the Misstonary Heratp, and select some of the most striking facts to illustrate his subject; draw from other books or papers such further illustrations as might occur to him; and compare these with what Paul says of the gentiles in the first chapter to the Romans; and then show the neces- sity there is for sending the gospel to them. He might, at another time, look at the heathen as members of civil so- ciety, in their social relations, and in domestic life, and Duty of Ministers to the Heathen. 15 show how much they suffer, in all these respects, for want of the gospel. He might, in the same way, show how in- active their minds are, how destitute they are of all kinds of useful knowledge, and what a mass of intellect is given over to waste and uselessness by heathenism. He might show the want of preachers of the gospel, and the effects of their labors; the want of Bibles and religious tracts, and illustrate their effects by anecdotes; the want of schools—trace their progress, their extent, and their util- ity, as seen in the change effected by them in the districts where they are established, and what they promise to ac- complish for the next generation. In all these respects, he might compare pagan with Christian countries, and show that the gospel alone makes the difference. At another time, he might spread out before his people the greatness of the work to be done; the call for immediate, vigorous, and systematic effort; the duty of every Christian to be- come acquainted with the subject, to pray over it, and to labor in the cause. Again, he might encourage them with a view of the success of missions, the firmer hold which this cause is taking of the Christian community, and the more liberal support it is receiving, and the increasing ex- tent of the field which is cultivated. He might point out the strong claims which the cause of missions has to the prayers and efforts of Christians, set before them the pre- cepts of the New Testament, the example of Christ and his Apostles, and urge his people to imitate them. The minister might, in the course of his reading, and reflection, make out a brief outline of the several branches of this subject, with proper illustrations, and references, which would be of essential use to himself and his people, by keeping before them large and connected views of it. In his prayers, in his attempts to communicate informa- tion, and in his remarks, the minister should himself feel, and make others feel, that the object for which they as- semble to pray, is immensely important. What object of the Christian’s prayer and Jabors can be so important, and excite such interest, as 500,000,000 of souls perishing for want of the gospel? The minister, who reflects on it care- fully and studies it, cannot, if he have any Christian sym- pathy, pray, or talk coldly respecting it. He cannot but feel that the Monthly Concert as much demands thought 16 Duty of Ministers to the Heathen. and regular, prayerful, and laborious preparation, as the exercises of the Sabbath; and that his labor in the former case, is likely to tend as much to save men and promote the Redeemer’s kingdom, as in the latter. 4, A minister has not done his duty to the heathen, un- less he has extended to Missionary Associations a fostering and superintending care.—A. minister is the public servant of his parish. Every thing of a moral and religious nature is regarded as embraced in his department; and it is con- sidered as his business to devise plans for promoting the progress of religion, and see to carrying them into execu- tion, Not that he is expected or desired to dictate to his people on such subjects; but they commit the oversight of them to him, in pretty nearly the same way, that they en- trust their schools to the school-committee, or the appor- tioning of taxes to the assessors; and they expect his sug- gestion, his advice, and his example; so that his agency and his superintendence are almost indispensable. ‘The minister, then, becomes responsible, to.a very great degree for what his parish are able to do. He ought, therefore, not only to look at the field of labor and tell them of their obligations to enter it, but he ought also to acquaint him- self with the best methods of operating, and be ready to render his assistance in superintending all the proper measures. If ministers would take missionary publications and read them, and devote a small portion of thought to the subject, they might, in many cases, perform all the duties of an agent, without any serious loss of time, or other inconve- nience. They would know when the missionary operations of the church are impeded, and the missions suffering for want of funds, and would place the exigency in its proper light before their people. They might, by a little super- intendence, see that associations in aid of missions were managed with vigor and system, and not suffered to de- cline. ‘They might, by instructing their people on the sub- ject, prepare the way for an agent. If ministers would take this interest in the subject, the Auxiliaries and Associations would not so soon grow in- efficient and become disorganized; and of course, would not so soon need to be revisited by an agent. All their operations, would go on regularly, with increasing vigor Duty of Ministers to the Heathen. 17 and interest, under the watchful and fostering hand of the minister. Without this, the missionary feeling dies, and needs, in a year or two, to be excited anew. | 5. A minister has not done his duty to the heathen, who has not set an example to his people, by contributing liber- ally himself for the support of missions. A minister should not only be an instructor, but also an example to his flock in all things. It is easy for him to obtain bright and animating views of this subject—to point out the nature and extent of the Christian duty—to abound in warm addresses and urgent appeals to his people, and thus tell them how important and interesting he esteems the cause of missions to be: but his people will judge of the real importance which his mind attaches to it by what he does for it. He cannot reasonably expect that his in- structions and addresses will produce more effect on their minds than they do on his own; if they only cause him to approve and to talk, they will probably only cause his peo- ple to do the same: if they impel him to make efforts and sacrifices, they will probably impel them also, to make similar efforts and sacrifices. The minister should, there- fore, let the motives to missionary effort be seen to exert on himself just the influence which he wishes to have them exert on his people. He should, therefore, contribute as largely, in proportion to his means, as he wishes any of his people to do. Having set his own standard high, he can with confidence call on his people to do the same: not as one, who, supported by their labors, lives at ease, and keeps aloof from pecuniary cares; but as one, who, while he shows by his diligence in his sacred calling, how readily he would spend and be spent for them, shows also, by his economy and self-denial in order to spare for the heathen, how little he regards the luxuries and fashions of life, com- pared with the salvation of 500,000,000 of souls perishing In ignorance and sin. He will thus cause his own preaching to have greater in- fluence on the minds of his hearers. He will show them that preaching is not with him a mere trade; but that he feels it a privilege as well as a duty to labor for the simple purpose of saving his fellow men. The minister is the man, above all others, who ought to show, by his conduct, how much he thinks the soul is worth, and how much effort should be made for its salvation. # pies pe sce csnrrneetren era eon Cn fhe Se cea oe 18 Duty of a Private Christian to the Heathen. But, perhaps, a minister may suppose that his people only intend to furnish him a support; and that if he has money to give away, they will be dissatisfied. The right, or the privilege, of contributing for the spread of the gospel, is one which belongs to every body. It is the common privilege and duty of every man in Christen- dom; and every public servant ought to be so liberally paid, that, with proper economy, he may be able to bear his part in converting the world. It is believed; that no Christian church and congregation, if they see, from the preaching, the prayers, the conversation, and the efforts of their min- ister, that the salvation of the heathen lies with weight on his mind, and that he is impelled by his feelings and his views of duty, to do all in his power to save them, will grudge what may enable him to set before them an exam- ple of liberality in contributing to the support of missions. - He may say, that the special duties which he owes to his parish demand all his attention; and that he has not time to do all for missions which has been suggested here. Every man in active life, especially every man in public life, may say the same, The farmer, the mechanic, the merchant, and the lawyer, all see that there isa great deal more work to be done in their respective occupations, than they are able to perform: so the minister will always see that there is much work remaining to be done, and how- ever much he may do, there will still be enough left undone. But he is to ask himself where he can bestow labor most profitably—and whether it is not enjoined upon the church to send the gospel to the heathen, and whether he has not an important and indispensable part to bear in it. PART II. The appeal is now to Private Caristians. Lach indi- vidual is requested to think what is his personal duty,—to think candidly, and to let his conscience speak, and his love to Christ, and his views of the worth of the soul, and his hope of heaven. You are requested to consider these remarks as addressed to you as an individual. Do you not wish to know your duty? 'Thus to think of your own obligations can do you no hurt. It may save you from sin, Duty of a Private Christian to the Heathen. 19 and thus do you much good. Addressing, then, an indi- vidual, the matter may be put in a very simple light. When has a Private Christian done his Duty to the Heathen? 1. A private Christian has not done his duty to the heathen, if he has not taken pains to inform himself re- specting their condition and prospects. Almost every motive that can be used to influence a minister to acquaint himself with the state of the heathen, and what is doing to enlighten and save them, may be pressed with equal force upon the private Christian. The exigency in which the heathen are placed is such, the openings for missionary labor among them are so numer- ous and wide, and the demand for more vigorous exertions in their behalf is so imperative, as to call urgently on ev- ery individual of the Christian community to come to this work. You are not expected or desired to act, until you have become well acquainted with the work which you have to do; with the present miserable condition and pros- pects of the heathen, and with the power possessed by the gospel to renew and save them. ‘To obtain this knowl- edge you must read on the subject, and study it. You ought not to depend on what you hear in the common in- tercourse of life, or from your minister. ‘The merchant does not make his bargains and adventures upon mere ru- mor, and without knowledge or thought, but in view of the best information he can obtain from all sources, after the most diligent inquiry and consideration. You must learn the facts for yourselves: you must decide, on your own re- sponsibility, what influence they should have upon you. You must give account for yourself, when both what you actually did for the heathen, and what you might have done, will be brought into view. Will you dare then, when the souls of the heathen who perished through your ignorance or neglect are before you, to urge your igno- rance in excuse for your neglect, when the means of in- formation came within your reach?. Facts show that those who know little respecting the heathen and missionary operations among them, do little for their salvation; while those who know most, do actually feel most—pray most— 20 Duty of a Private Christian to the Heathen. contribute most—labor most. It is to be feared that some professed disciples of Christ dare not acquaint themselves thoroughly with this subject, lest, if they did, their con- sciences would compel them to contribute more liberally of their property and labor. Indeed, it cannot be believed for a moment but that, if the whole Christian commu- nity would thoroughly acquaint themselves with this sub- ject, their exertions for converting the world would be greatly augmented, and the command of the ascending Savior immediately obeyed. It is, therefore, of great im- portance that some ‘publication bringing to view the ap- palling facts respecting the present character and condi- tion of the heathen, and the encouraging facts respecting the success of missionary efforts among them, should go into every family; so that all may judge for themselves what their duty is to a world lying in wickedness, and so that the heathen may not continue to perish because Chris- tlans are unacquainted with their condition and the means of improving it. The aim of the Missionary Herald is to give this information, and it would be well for the church and for perishing souls if a copy of it were taken and read by every family in the nation. This and other means of obtaining similar information should be placed in the hands of children, and they be trained to know and feel on this subject. Have you obtained such information for yourself and your family? If you have not, you have not done your duty to the heathen, 2.