UNPUBLISHED LETTERS OF GORDON HALL. 
 
 In the following extracts from letters of the late Rev. Gordon Hall, missionary at 
 Bombay, we hear a voice, as from another world, calling upon the young men in our 
 colleges and seminaries of learning, to go forth for the salvation of the perishing nations 
 of the heathen world. They were addressed to the “ Society of Inquiry respecting Mis¬ 
 sions, at Andoverbut are equally applicable to every candidate for the ministry, and 
 to every young man, whose duty it may be to prepare for the sacred office. They have 
 lain concealed among other letters of the Society too long. May they now be read with 
 pious candor, and humble prayer, by every student, and produce the effect so ardently 
 desired by the writer. 
 
 There are among you, brethren, some who have not yet decided 
 whether it be their duty to go to the heathen or not. To such, I can say, 
 beloved brethren, I know how to sympathize with you. Such, for a long 
 time, was the anxious state of my own mind on the same subject. But 
 now it astonishes me, to think that I so long hesitated on a subject so 
 plain. It was no doubt my sin, though perhaps somewhat extenuated by 
 circumstances which no longer exist. When my mind was first exercised 
 on the subject, I knew of but one in the country, who thought of becoming 
 a missionary to the heathen ; and he has not as yet, to my knowledge, 
 engaged in the work. Besides, through all my inquiries, until I had de¬ 
 cided on the subject, it was not known that any support could be obtained 
 in our country. I bless God, that notwithstanding all that opposed, I was 
 enabled to decide as I did. I verily believe it will be matter of joy to me 
 through eternity. Should you make the same decision, brethren, I have 
 no doubt you will find the same satisfaction in it. 
 
 But you are not decided. Each of you anxiously inquires, “ Lord, 
 what wilt thou have me to do? Shall I go to the heathen ?” Here his¬ 
 torical inquiries and geographical knowledge are of little avail. The de¬ 
 cision must be made in view of one single command , and one single fact. 
 Jesus Christ, the God of our salvation, has commanded his disciples to 
 “ go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature .” This is 
 the command. But even at this day, there are six eighths of the population 
 of the globe, to whom the gospel has not been preached. This is the fact. 
 In view of this command and of this fact , how ought you to decide ? 
 
 Eighteen hundred years ago, Christ gave this perpetual command ; 
 and to quicken his disciples in the obedience of it, he gave them the most 
 consoling assurances of assistance, and promises of unbounded reward. 
 But from century to century, so remiss have been his disciples in obeying 
 the command, so unwilling to go into all the world, and preach the gospel * 
 to every creature, that, may we not with propriety, consider the Holy 
 Trinity as saying, “ Whom shall we send, and who will go for us ? ” Lg it 
 your duty to reply, “ Here am I, Lord, send me” ? This is the inquiry, 
 and how simple ! What have protracted researches to do with such a de¬ 
 cision ? When the apostles first received their commission, was it an 
 extensive knowledge of the population, religions, manners and customs of 
 the various nations, to whom they were bid to go, which led them to obey 
 
2 
 
 UNPUBLISHED LETTERS OF GORDON HALL. 
 
 the command? Was it a retrospective view of the former success of 
 religion in this guilty world, or was it the prospect of an easy entrance 
 unto the heathen, and a secure and comfortable residence among them, 
 whiqh made them so ready to go forth, at the command of their Redeemer ? 
 No : it was their love to Jesus, and their reverence for his authority, which 
 forced them to exclaim, “ Wo is unto me if I preach not the gospel,” as I 
 have been commanded. It is when missionaries form their decisions on 
 the same ground, that they eminently glorify Christ, and build upon a 
 foundation which no storms can shake. 
 
 I have been led to these remarks, from an apprehension that there are 
 young men, who are pursuing missionary inquiries in a too general way, 
 with a kind of indefinite expectation, that by and by something may 
 transpire, some further knowledge of countries or events may be acquired, 
 or the subject may be presented in some new attitude, which will render 
 their decision easy and safe. Any such expectation, it appears to me, 
 tends only to darken the mind, and to confuse and enervate its opera¬ 
 tions. 
 
 The subject is more plain and easy of decision at the present day, if 
 possible, than at any former period. What has been found and acknow¬ 
 ledged a truth in England, and in some of the other European states, is 
 now found by experiment to be true in America. God has promised, that 
 he that watereth , shall be watered also himself . 
 
 This gracious promise he has verified, by uniformly causing religion 
 to flourish among nations at home, in the same proportion in which they 
 are active in promoting missions abroad. The whole subject, then, is 
 brought into this narrow compass :—The great mass of mankind have not 
 yet heard the gospel preachedthe standing command of Christ to his 
 disciples is, “ go and evangelize all nations and to prompt them to a full 
 compliance, he gives the assurance, both by his promise, and its fulfilment, 
 that by their exertions for the salvation of the heathen, they do most effec¬ 
 tually labor for the salvation of their own countrymen. In this simple form, 
 let the subject be viewed. In this simple form, let it come to the reason, 
 the conscience, and the feelings of every one, who is looking forward to 
 the gospel ministry. How can the conviction be resisted ? How can the 
 decision be doubtful ? 
 
 Dear brethren, bear with my freedom. Placed as I am, in the midst 
 of so many millions of perishing heathen, and knowing from the promise of 
 Jehovah, (Prov. xi. 25,) “ The liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that 
 watereth, shall be watered also himself,” that your coming forth would 
 tend to promote religion at home, surely I have a claim on your indul¬ 
 gence. 
 
 Allow me, then, to speak freely. To me, it appears unaccountable, 
 how so many young men, by covenant devoted to Christ, can deliberately 
 and prayerfully inquire, whether it is their duty to become missionaries, 
 and yet so few feel effectually persuaded that it is their duty to come forth 
 to the heathen ! It tends greatly to the discouragement of those who are 
 already in the field. While so great a proportion of those, who examine 
 this point of duty, deliberately decide that it is not their duty to engage 
 in the missionary work, what are we to think ? 
 
 In general, those who excuse themselves from the work, must do it for 
 general reasons, which would be as applicable to others as to themselves, 
 and which would excuse those who have gone forth to the work, as well 
 as themselves. Therefore, must not those men who thus excuse them- 
 
UNPUBLISHED LETTERS OF GORDON HALL. 
 
 3 
 
 selves, think either that those who engage in the missionary work do 
 wrong, or that themselves who decline it, do wrong 7 
 
 Here it would ill become the solemnity of the subject, to cavil and 
 quibble, and say : “ What! shall we all go to the heathen 7 Then what 
 will become of our own countrymen 7 ” Let such quibblers beware how 
 they mock the faithfulness of God. When thousands have gone forth to 
 the heathen, and God has failed to fulfil his promise, that he that watereth, 
 shall be watered also himself, or when he shall not have caused religion to 
 flourish among the people at home, in proportion as they labor for the 
 heathen abroad, then, and not till then, let the objection be heard. 
 
 Some seem to speak as though a man must have some secret or special 
 call, before he can decide in favor of being a missionary. If, on rational 
 grounds, he feels persuaded that he ought to be a minister any where , and 
 if h e feels disposed to go to the heathen, I should think that no other call 
 than this, unless in extraordinary cases, can reasonably be required. I 
 have doubted whether I ought to be a missionary; but it was for the same 
 reasons for which I ought to doubt, whether it was right for me to be a 
 minister any where . 
 
 Brethren, you see that I think there are good reasons, why you should 
 become missionaries to the heathen, and of course good reasons why I 
 should desire it. Certainly I do. And I greatly long to see every one of 
 you strenuously exerting himself to diffuse the same sentiments among all 
 the pious young men in the country. 
 
 Form great plans, and execute them with great zeal and prayerfulness. 
 Every thing that can be desired, might be done by exertion, with God’s 
 blessing. Seize every possible opportunity for impressing the subject upon 
 the mind of every pious youth. But I must stop. 
 
 Brethren, pray for us. May the Spirit of God be with you, guide you 
 in all your deliberations, and make you the instruments of winning many 
 souls to Christ. 
 
 Your affectionate brother and fellow-servant, 
 
 G. Hall. 
 
 Bombay, June 19, 1815. 
 
 Dearly beloved brethren, —When I attempt to say any thing on the 
 subject of missions, I am often greatly perplexed and distressed. This 
 does not arise from a belief, like the maxim of the worthy Moravians, 
 “ that none should be persuaded to engage in Missions.” Believing, as I 
 cannot but believe, that Christ has given it in perpetual charge to his 
 disciples, to see that his gospel is preached in all the world, to every crea¬ 
 ture, and that this is an indispensable duty binding upon every individual 
 Christian according to the rank which he holds in the church, I can see 
 no good reason why they should not be persuaded to the performance of 
 this duty as well as any other. No other duty involves, to an equal extent, 
 both the glory of God and the happiness of men. In the same degree in 
 which the duty is performed, will the consequences be happy ; and so far 
 as the duty is neglected, in the same degree that neglect brings guilt to 
 Christians, dishonor to God, and ruin to the souls of men. Why, then, 
 should we not persuade Christians to the performance of this duty? 
 
 No : my embarrassment is of very different origin. When I advance 
 any of the arguments, which show that Christians ought immediately to 
 use the proper, the adequate means for evangelizing the whole world, and 
 that it is the duty of every individual without exception, to exert himself 
 
4 
 
 UNPUBLISHED LETTERS OP GORDON HALL. 
 
 with a zeal, activity, and faith, proportionate to the magnitude of the work; 
 every argument and motive seems like telling those to whom I write, that 
 they need to be convinced that the Son of God has died for sinners, that 
 there is salvation in no other, and that the salvation of souls is a matter of 
 great importance. In a word, it seems like telling them that they are not 
 Christians. 
 
 For what is it to be a Christian ? Not merely to bear the name of 
 Christ, but to have his divine image impressed on our souls and manifested 
 in our lives. Jesus had a heart, which embraced every human being with 
 a love that made him willing to suffer poverty and disgrace, anguish and 
 death, for their salvation. And how can his heart be like the heart of 
 Jesus, how can he be a Christian, who does not love all mankind with a 
 love which makes him willing to suffer the loss of all temporal things, and 
 even to lay down his life, if thereby he can promote the salvation of his 
 fellow men? That such is the duty of Christians, is a truth as con¬ 
 spicuous in the Scriptures as the sun in the heavens. 
 
 How comes it to pass then, that a duty so great, so solemn, and so plain, 
 has been so far overlooked and neglected by the great mass of Christians ? 
 This is a phenomenon in religion, which, in some respects, strongly resem¬ 
 bles that monster of irreligion and barbarity, which the progress of moral 
 illumination has almost exploded from the Christian world. Now, when 
 the heart even of the unprincipled ruffian recoils at the enormities of injus¬ 
 tice and barbarity of that human traffic which has long filled all Africa 
 with lamentation and wo, how hard is it for us to believe, that, a few years 
 ago, all Christian nations were the advocates of this infamous commerce 
 in human beings ! But such has been the progress of light, and such the 
 revolution of conscience on this subject, that now, should any man advo¬ 
 cate the slave-trade, and at the same time profess to be a follower of Jesus, 
 he would be esteemed a prodigy of inconsistency. 
 
 But such great changes cannot take place without great exertions. 
 Great effects require powerful causes. When a great nation is to be 
 aroused to a sense of its duty—when the slave-trade—a commerce partici¬ 
 pated by all Christendom, bringing wealth and luxury to thousands, and 
 confirmed by the lapse of centuries—when such a commerce is to be anni¬ 
 hilated, a Clarkson must come forward. He must consecrate his life and 
 his all to the object. He must study day and night, explore every corner 
 of the kingdom for materials, write his pamphlets and his books—print 
 them at his own expense—distribute them with his own hand, and employ 
 all possible means for engaging individuals and the public in favor of the 
 object. Societies and associations must every where be formed on purpose 
 for devising ways and means for enlightening and persuading the public 
 mind, and the object must be pursued with increasing exertions, w r hatever 
 may be the expense or labor, until it is accomplished. 
 
 So when the prisoner’s woes are to be mitigated, a Howard must arise, 
 openly espouse, and zealously plead the cause of suffering humanity ; and 
 travel from prison to prison, and from country to country, with the same 
 self-denial, activity, zeal, and perseverance. 
 
 Why did these men do and suffer so much? That they might relieve 
 thousands of their fellow beings from the pressure of temporal wo—an 
 object, a work, for which the blessings of multitudes have already come 
 upon them. 
 
 But what does he strive for, who labors to persuade the churches to 
 evangelize the world ? He labors for that which will relieve from temporal 
 
UNPUBLISHED LETTERS OF GORDON HALL. 
 
 wo, seven eighths of the human race. For where the pure, peaceable 
 religion of Christ does not prevail, there mankind groan under a multitude 
 of temporal evils which flee before the approaching light of the gospel. 
 
 But this is not all. No : he labors for that which will redeem a vast 
 proportion of the whole ivorlcl, both from temporal and eternal misery. 
 
 By what an infinite difference then does this latter object surpass in 
 magnitude, those for which Clarkson and Howard did and suffered so 
 much, and were so justly and highly commended ! 
 
 Yet from the days of the apostles to the present moment, no individuals 
 have appeared among the churches to plead the cause of the unevangel¬ 
 ized world, with such enlarged views and such an entire devotedness to the 
 object, as these philanthropists evinced in the pursuit of their plans for 
 removing the temporal sufferings of comparatively a trifling portion of 
 mankind. 
 
 The common feelings of humanity and the ordinary impressions of the 
 Christian religion, had formed in the minds of Christendom a predisposi¬ 
 tion to the abolition of the slave-trade. Nothing was wanting but the 
 application of the appropriate means. The public needed only to be con¬ 
 vinced that the slave-trade was a heaven-daring wickedness, and that to 
 persist in it would be no better than renouncing the obligations of Chris¬ 
 tianity. 
 
 Very similar is the case of the churches in regard to their duty of 
 publishing the gospel in all the world, to every creature. That Spirit of 
 Christ, which has always pervaded his churches, holds his people in readi¬ 
 ness continually to fly into every corner of the world to preach his gospel, 
 as soon as the proper means are employed to awaken them to a sense of 
 their duty. 
 
 As yet, these means have not been employed, and Christians do not 
 understand their duty in this respect. It avails nothing to say that mis¬ 
 sionary sermons are preached, missionary societies formed, and missiona¬ 
 ries sent forth in various directions. 
 
 Reckon up the multitudes who have never yet been told that Jesus 
 tasted death for every man ; and it will be found that there is not more 
 than one Protestant missionary to 20,000,000 of souls, who are this moment 
 perishing for lack of that knowledge, which, 1800 years ago, the merciful 
 Redeemer commanded his disciples immediately to impart. 
 
 Again: estimate the number of Christians who may with propriety be 
 said to be exerting themselves for the universal spread of the gospel, and 
 how small a proportion do they bear to the whole mass of Christians ! 
 AVhen we consider what a very small part of Christians are engaged in the 
 work, and what a very trifling part of the work has been accomplished, it 
 is apparent that the subject needs to be taken up as though nothing had 
 been done. Not that we should despise the day of small things, but 
 rather thank God for them and take courage. All that has yet been done 
 when compared with nothing , is every thing ; but compared with what 
 Christians ought to do, it is nothing. 
 
 Yes, the subject needs to be brought before the churches as entirely and 
 thoroughly as though nothing had been done. 
 
 In doing this, three things are necessary.—Christians must be convinced 
 that it is their duty to evangelize the whole world—they must be convinced 
 of the means to be employed in accomplishing this—and that Christians 
 may be convinced of these two things, adequate means must be employed 
 to enlighten and persuade their minds on this momentous subject. 
 
6 
 
 UNPUBLISHED LETTERS OF GORDON HALL. 
 
 Christians must be convinced that it is their duty to evangelize all 
 nations. Could Christ mean any thing less than this when he commanded 
 his disciples to go into ail the world and preach the gospel to every crea¬ 
 ture ?—when he commanded them expressly to go and teach, or evangelize, 
 all nations? 
 
 How can any one who pretends to be a Christian, think to shift off this 
 duty by saying that the command was given to the apostles, in an age when 
 the gospel was to be spread through the world in a miraculous manner; or 
 that it refers to a future glorious period of the church, when Christ will in 
 some wonderful way bring all nations to a knowledge of the truth ? It 
 might with equal propriety be said that the moral precepts of Christ were 
 not given to be obeyed, except in the days of the apostles or in the millen¬ 
 nium. , 
 
 What! are not the souls of men as precious, is not the blood of Christ 
 as efficacious, is not the power of the Holy Spirit as effectual, is not Christ 
 as worthy to be obeyed, in one generation as in another? Christ did mean 
 that his disciples should go and preach his gospel in all the world, and 
 that they should continue to preach it through all ages. 
 
 Nor would he have his people esteem it an irksome and painful duty. 
 No: It was for the joy that was set before him, the joy of having the 
 heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his 
 possession, that he endured the cross, despising the shame. When to this 
 end he descended from the throne in heaven to the manger in Bethlehem, 
 then it was that the angels of God flew with a like joy to proclaim to the 
 shepherds that a Saviour was born, and shouted the new anthem : “ Glory 
 to God in the highest, peace on earth, good will to men.” With the same 
 transporting joy would Christ have his people seize the glorious message, 
 and fly into all the world to proclaim—“ A Saviour is born, Christ the 
 Lord ; he has tasted death for every man ; look unto him and be ye saved, 
 all the ends of the earth.” 
 
 To be zealously engaged for the diffusion of these glad tidings through 
 the world, is no less than to be engaged in putting Christ in possession of 
 the heathen, of the ends of the earth, of that inheritance for which he so 
 joyfully endured the pains of the cross. It is laboring to build up and 
 complete that blessed kingdom which is to exist forever, and to be the 
 glory of God and the joy of all holy beings in the universe. 
 
 Now, how grievous it must be to Christ to find that his people think it a 
 grievous duty to be made co-workers with him in perfecting his glorious 
 kingdom ! Though the duty should call them to the loss of all things —to 
 poverty—to pains—and to death itself—still, how can they think the duty 
 hard ! How can they be so unwilling to be as their Lord and Master ? 
 
 Angels would gladly do the work, but the noble privilege is reserved for 
 men. Is it possible that Christians should shrink from the duty ? Consid¬ 
 ering what the duty is, and what an infinite weight of motives urges to a 
 prompt performance of it, we should answer, No. 
 
 But looking at the fact, we must say they do, with but few exceptions, 
 all shrink from the duty, and leave it undone, and the heathen to perish in 
 consequence of their neglect! 
 
 Christians must be convinced of the means to be employed for evangeliz¬ 
 ing the world. They must be informed how many hundred millions are 
 now perishing ; and how many times ten thousand missionaries must be 
 sent to them, or they cannot be saved. They must be convinced that 
 the churches are able to do all this. 
 
UNPUBLISHED LETTERS OF GORDON HALL. 
 
 7 
 
 In Christendom there are young men enough, if they were only dis¬ 
 posed to deny themselves, take their commission from Christ, and go forth 
 to the work. The churches have money enough, and might send them, if 
 Christians were only willing to consecrate what God has given them, to a 
 work which would bring everlasting glory to Christ and such inconceivable 
 happiness to men. 
 
 If professing Christians would lop off their superfluities in dress, equi¬ 
 page, eating and drinking, and reduce their expenses to the wholesome 
 limits of gospel simplicity, and devote the money thus redeemed to the 
 great work, the missionary treasury would soon contain its millions. 
 Christians need to have this laid before them in figures. 
 
 But Christ demands more than these crumbs. As he requires our roJioIe 
 heart to be given to him, so he requires all that we have, and our life itself, 
 to be voluntarily made over to him, and employed in such a way as shall 
 most effectually advance his glorious work of saving souls. The privilege 
 of doing this is as great as the duty is solemn and momentous. 
 
 But who must be convinced of all this? Not missionaries only—not 
 ministers—-not bodies of Christians—but every individual who belongs to 
 Christ, of whatever denomination, age, or sex. Every one has a part to 
 act. All must firmly embrace the object in their hearts, and support it 
 daily by their prayers. In this part of the duty there is no difference 
 between the rich and the poor. 
 
 Parents must devote their sons to the work, and their sons must conse¬ 
 crate themselves to it. Here, again, all, the rich and the poor, have an 
 equal privilege of advancing the kingdom of the Redeemer. Every one 
 must exhort and animate his neighbors to the work. Societies for promot¬ 
 ing the work must every where be formed—the rich must give liberally, 
 and the widow cast in her mite. Some must be employed in looking out 
 suitable young men, to be educated ; others must educate them. Young 
 men must offer themselves to the churches, and the churches must send 
 them forth. 
 
 Innumerable are the ways and means of promoting the work. These 
 will multiply and discover themselves more and more as the work advances. 
 Christians will be quick to discover them, when they are once convinced 
 of their duty and persuaded to do it. The very first thing necessary in 
 the great work, therefore, is, to employ the proper means for convincing 
 Christians of their duty and of the manner of performing it. 
 
 But, alas ! it seems to be thought enough that a few missionary sermons 
 be preached and printed in a few scattering counties ; and that by them 
 Christians will learn their duty ! 
 
 It was not thus, that England was convinced of the sin of the slave- 
 trade— it was not thus, that all Christendom was roused to a zeal, which 
 sacrificed property and life in visionary plans for plucking Jerusalem from 
 the hands of the infidels, and for planting the banner of the cross upon 
 the walls of the holy city, by a crusade.—O that a Peter, a Clarkson and a 
 Howard, might arise in the churches to plead the cause of the unevangel¬ 
 ized nations with a zeal proportionate to the magnitude of that cause ! In 
 awakening the churches to this work, let every minister be a Peter, every 
 candidate for the ministry a Clarkson, and every deacon a Howard. Then, 
 something would be done. 
 
 As yet, a considerable portion even of the clergy can hardly be said to 
 be on the side of missions. They do not inform themselves on the subject 
 at large, they do riot preach about it, and of course their churches 
 
8 
 
 UNPUBLISHED LETTERS OF GORDON HALL. 
 
 remain ignorant of their duty. What can be done unless ministers are 
 engaged ? 
 
 How important that every minister should thoroughly acquaint himself 
 with the subject, and zealously engage in advancing the object! Then he 
 would preach often and faithfully to his people about it, and his church 
 would know their duty and be ready to do it. O that ministers every 
 where would do this ! Then all the churches would at once be prepared 
 to act—there would be hope concerning the heathen. 
 
 Small pamphlets on the subject should be prepared with the greatest 
 care and ability ; printed in great numbers and in constant succession ; 
 gratuitously distributed ; put into the hands of every minister of every per¬ 
 suasion, to be distributed in every corner of the country. Such pamphlets 
 would find their way to many persons where the preacher’s voice is not 
 heard. 
 
 Societies should be formed in every direction, whose object should be to 
 devise ways and means of convincing Christians of their duty and of 
 persuading them to do it without delay. 
 
 Dear brethren, I must send my letter without finishing, and what I have 
 written unrevised, as my time is unexpectedly cut short. 
 
 O fly for the salvation of the heathen, and for the glory of Christ among 
 the Gentiles. Persuade a thousand to come. 
 
 Pray for us. The Lord fit you to do his will and pleasure in all things. 
 
 Your brother and fellow-servant in Christ, 
 
 Gordon Hall. 
 
 Note. —There are in the United States, 1,500,000 members of evangelical churches. 
 Supposing the average number of members in a church to be 75, it would require only- 
 one man from each church to supply the whole heathen world with one missionary 
 to every 30,000 souls. This would be a number sufficient to place a Bible in every 
 family, and with the aid of the press, and native assistants, make known the gospel to 
 every creature. If, then, all the churches were animated with the spirit of Jesus Christ, 
 could they not furnish men enough to supply the world with missionaries ? 
 
 Again : suppose each church member to contribute $5 a year to purchase the Bibles, 
 and support the missionaries. The sum would be $7,500,000. The expense of giving 
 the Bible to every heathen family, in 30 years, would be $3,333,333 a year, leaving 
 $4,166,666, which would support 6,944 missionaries, at a salary of $600 a year. If the 
 number of church members should continue to increase in the same ratios as at present, 
 it would be, in 1837, not far from 2,280,000. Contributing, as before, $5 a year, they 
 would support 13,127 missionaries. In 1842, ten years from the present time, the num¬ 
 ber of church members would be not less than 3,300,000, and they would support 21,944 
 missionaries, or more than enough to give the gospel to every human being. The work, 
 then, can be done. For who can doubt the ability of the members of the churches 
 generally, to give $5 a year for this object ? Almost any one might save it from the ex¬ 
 penses of the table, or of dress, by the practice of a little more economy, or self-denial; 
 or might earn it by a little increase of industry. Christians pay much more for articles 
 of mere luxury and fashion, than would be necessary to defray the expense of evange¬ 
 lizing the world.