183 2 . 
 
 A. Shirley 
 
THE PROSPECTS OF THE HEATHEN WITHOUT THE GOSPEL 
 
 A 
 
 SERMON, 
 
 PREACHED IN PORTLAND, ON SABBATH EVENING, 
 
 FEBRUARY 26, 
 
 BY BENNET TYLER, D. D. 
 
 Pastor of the Second Cougrpgational Church in Portland, Me. 
 
 PORTLAND: 
 
 PEISTED BY ARTHUR SHIBIET. 
 
 1 832 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 Several ministers, in Portland and the vicinity, have agreed to sustain 
 a monthly Missionary lecture, to be preached on the last Sabbath eve- 
 ning in ?ach month with a view to excite a deeper interest in favor of 
 foreign and domestic Missions. The following discourse was preached 
 on one of these occasions. It is given to the public, at the earnest re- 
 quest of many who heard it ; and with the hope, that through the bless- 
 ing- of God, it may contribute something, at least, towards promoting 
 the grand enterprize of evangelizing the world. 
 
SER M O N . 
 
 ROMANS X : 13-15. 
 
 For whosoever shall, call upon the name of the lord, shall be 
 
 SAVED. How THEN SHALL THEY CALL ON HIM IN WHOM THEY HAVE 
 NOT BELIEVED; AND HOW SHALL THEY BELIEVE IN HIM OF WHOM THEY 
 HAVE NOT HEARD; AND HOW SHALL THEY HEAR WITHOUT A PREACHER; 
 AND HOW SHALL THEY PREACH EXCEPT THEY BE SENT? 
 
 One principal cause of the apathy which extensively pre- 
 vails in regard to the Missionary enterprise, is a total misap- 
 prehension of the character and condition of the heathen 
 world. Many profess to believe, (and among them, some who 
 bear the Christian name,) that although the gospel is a blessing, 
 it is by no means essential to salvation ; and that the heathen, 
 although, in some respects, less eligibly situated in the pres- 
 ent life, have, on the whole, as fair a prospect of happiness in 
 the life to come, as those who are favored with the institutions 
 of Christianity. It is not surprising, that those who entertain 
 these views, should take but little interest in the cause of mis- 
 sions. Whether these views are correct, is a question of mo- 
 mentous interest. If they are, let us sleep on like the genera- 
 tions before us ; and let the heathen live and die in their blind- 
 ness, ignorant of Christ, and trusting in their vain superstitions. 
 
 But if we have reason to believe that they are in a state of 
 sin and condemnation, and are exposed to everlasting perdition ; 
 let us awake to a sense of their condition, and let us consider 
 no labours and no sacrifices too great, to bring them to a knowl- 
 
4 
 
 edge of that Saviour, who came to seek, and to save that which 
 was lost. 
 
 Without attempting to decide the question whether it is pos- 
 sible for any of the heathen to be saved ; my present object 
 will be to follow the spirit of the text, and enquire how they 
 can be saved without the gospel. How shall they call on him 
 in ivhom they have not believed ; and how shall they believe in 
 him of whom they have not heard ? 
 
 In the verse preceding the text, the Apostle says, For there 
 is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, for the same 
 Lord over all, is rich unto all that call upon him. He had 
 before proved that both Jews and Gentiles were all under 
 sin ; — that by the deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified ; 
 and consequently, that the only way in which any one, whether 
 Jew or Gentile, can be saved, is through the atonement of the 
 Lord Jesus. This point he assumes in the chapter from 
 which the text is taken. He begins the chapter by express- 
 ing his ardent desire for the salvation of his brethren the Jews, 
 who being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about 
 to establish their own righteousness , had not submitted to the 
 righteousness of God which is by faith. He then draws a 
 contrast between the righteousness of the law, and the right- 
 eousness of faith ; and comes to the conclusion, that whosoever 
 believeth on him (that is, on Christ,) shall not be ashamed. 
 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek. 
 Both stand precisely on the same ground in regard to justifi- 
 cation. Both are included under sin. Neither can be justi- 
 fied on account of their own righteousness — And to both the 
 same door of hope is opened in the gospel. r J he same Lord 
 over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever 
 shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved. Who- 
 soever — of whatever nation, or character, in a penitent and 
 believing manner, shall come to Christ for mercy, shall obtain 
 it. But how shall they call on him in whom they have not 
 believed; and how shall they believe in him of whom they have. 
 
not heard ; and how shall they hear without a preacher ; and 
 how shall they preach, except they be sent ? These enquiries, 
 demand the serious attention of all those who are opposed to 
 sending the gospel to the heathen. 
 
 Hut if the heathen are sincere, and live agreeably to the 
 light which they enjoy, will not a righteous and merciful God, 
 overlook their errors, and receive them to favour ? Undoubt- 
 edly he will. For if they live agreeably to the light which 
 they enjoy, they are not sinners, and stand in no need of par- 
 don. They will consequently be justified on the ground of 
 their own righteousness. They have the same claim to the 
 favor of God that the angels have, or that Adam would have 
 had, if he had not apostatized. But the question arises, do 
 any of the heathen live agreeably to the light which they enjoy, 
 and in this way, secure a title to eternal life? 
 
 This will be our first enquiry. Let it be borne in mind 
 that the heathen will not be judged by the written law. It is 
 contrary to all our ideas of justice, to suppose that a moral be- 
 ing should be condemned for not obeying a law, of which he is 
 necessarily, and unavoidably ignorant. But the heathen have 
 no knowledge of the written law, and no means of knowing it. 
 Still, however, they are under law, as the Apostle has decided. 
 These having not the law, are a law unto themselves, which 
 show the work of the Jaw written in their hearts ; their con- 
 science also bearing them witness, and their thoughts the mean- 
 while, accusing or else excusing one another . The great prin- 
 ciples of the moral law are exhibited by the light of nature ; 
 and so far as the heathen are capable of discovering their duty 
 by the light of nature, they are under obligations to obey. As 
 many as have sinned ivithout Jaw, (that is, without the written 
 law,) shall perish without law. And as many as have sinned 
 in the law, (that is, under the written law,) shall be judged by 
 the latv. The Apostle you will perceive, takes it for granted, 
 that those who have not the written law, may sin, and perish. 
 
6 
 
 They are, of course, under law, for where no law is, there is 
 no transgression. Where there is no rule of duty to be viola- 
 ted, there can be no such thing as sin, or desert of punishment. 
 Those w ho are not, in some sense, under law, are not accoun- 
 table beings ; for accountability implies obligation, and obliga- 
 tion implies duty, and duty implies a rule of duty. What then 
 is the rule of duty to the heathen ? Evidently that, and that 
 only, which the light of nature discloses. This, so far as it is 
 discoverable at all, exactly corresponds with the written law. 
 It must be carefully kept in mind, that the heathen and those 
 who live under the light of revelation, are not placed under dif- 
 ferent law r s. The moral law is unalterably the same. It is 
 more fully and more clearly revealed in the Bible, than by the 
 light of nature, but stijl so far as the light of nature points out to 
 man, his duty at all, it is the very same, as that which is en- 
 joined in the written law. 
 
 God has not left himself without witness to the heathen. 
 They have light sufficient to enable them to discover that there 
 is a God, and to form some cox-rect notions of his character. 
 For the invisible things of him, from the creation of the world 
 are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, 
 even his eternal power and Godhead. The heavens declare the 
 glory of the Lord and the firmament showeth his handy work. 
 Day unto day, uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth 
 knowledge. There is no speech nor language, ivhere their voice 
 is not heard. Since, therefore, the heathen are capable of 
 discovering, to some extent, the character of God, they are 
 capable of discovering, to some extent, their duty ; and so far 
 as they are capable of discovering their duty, they are under 
 obligation ; and so far as they fail to fulfil their obligations, they 
 are guilty and justly condemned — as truly so, as those who 
 have the written law and have transgressed it. It is true, their 
 guilt is not so great, nor their condemnation so aggravated ; be- 
 cause they have not sinned against so great light. But so far 
 as they fail to do, what they know or might know to be their 
 
7 
 
 duty, they are as really guilty, and as justly condemned, as 
 any sinners on earth. 
 
 This then is the state of the heathen. They are accounta- 
 ble beings. They are under law, and stand precisely on the 
 same ground in regard to justification with those who enjoy the 
 light of revelation ; that is, they are both bound to obey per- 
 fectly the law under which they are placed, in order to be jus- 
 tified on the ground of their own righteousness. If one who is 
 favored with the Bible, should obey the whole law and not of- 
 fend in one point, he would be justified by his own works : and 
 if a heathen should live agreeably to the light which he enjoys, 
 and not fail to perform a single duty which the light of nature 
 discloses, he would be justified in the same manner. He would 
 be as truly without sin, as Adam was in Paradise, and as the 
 angels are in heaven. But if one who has the Bible, does not 
 continue in all things viritten in the hook of the law to do 
 them , he is pronounced accursed. And if a heathen does not 
 live, in every respect, agreeably to the light which he enjoys, 
 he is also accursed. Both are sinners, and stand condemned, 
 and cannot be saved without the intervention of pardoning 
 mercy. 
 
 Now the question returns, do any of the heathen live agreea- 
 bly to the light which they enjoy? If they do, they stand in 
 no need of mercy, and cannot be saved by grace. They have 
 a perfect righteousness of their own, and can claim eternal 
 life, as the reward of their obedience. But do the scriptures 
 teach us that any of the human race will be justified on the 
 ground of their own righteousness ? . Do they not, on the con- 
 trary, declare, that all have sinned, and come short of the 
 glory of God — that there is not a just man upon earth, that 
 doeth good and sinneth not — that all flesh have corrupted 
 their way, that they have together become unprofitable : and 
 that there is none that doeth good, no not one ? Has not 
 the Apostle declared, that he had before proved both Jews 
 and Gentiles that they were all under sin ; and that by the 
 
8 
 
 deeds of the law no flesh living shall be justified ? If these 
 declarations are true, it is certain that none of the heathen 
 can be justified on the ground of L..eir own righteousness. It 
 is equally certain that none of them do live agreeably to the 
 light which they enjoy. 
 
 This truth is also evident, from the history of the heathen 
 world. The Apostle has given us a description of the heathen 
 world as it existed in his day. After mentioning that the in- 
 visible things of God, from the creation of the world, are 
 clearly seen, being understood by the things which are made, 
 even his eternal power and godhead ; he adds — So that they 
 are without excuse ; — Because that when they knew God , they 
 glorified him not as God , neither were thankful ; but became 
 vain in their imaginations , and their foolish heart was dark- 
 ened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools , 
 And changed the glory of the incorruptible God, into an 
 image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four 
 footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also 
 gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own 
 hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves — 
 Who changed the truth of God into a lie ; and worshipped 
 and served the creature, more than the Creator, who is blessed 
 forever. And even as they did not like to retain God in their 
 knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do 
 those things which are not convenient ; being filled with all 
 unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, mali- 
 ciousness ; full of envy, murder , debate, deceit, malignity; 
 whisperers, backbiters; haters of God, despiteful, proud, 
 boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, with- 
 out understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affec- 
 tion, implacable, unmerciful ; who knowing the judgment of 
 God that they which commit such things are rvorthy of death, 
 not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. 
 
 Such was the heathen world in the days of Paul, and such 
 according to the most authentic information, it is now ; and 
 
9 
 
 such we have reason to believe it ever will be, till it shall 
 be illuminated by the light of the glorious gospel of the Son of 
 God. 
 
 Besides. — Why should it be thought that any of die hea- 
 then are more likely to live agreeably to the light which they 
 enjoy, than those who have die Bible in their hands, are, to 
 live agreeably to the light which they enjoy? It is admitted, 
 that those who are favoured with the written law, are, without 
 a single exception, transgressors. And what reason is there 
 to suppose that the heathen have not universally fallen short 
 of their duty ; especially when it is considered, that they are 
 all descended from the same progenitors, and possess essen- 
 tially the same native character. But die Apostle has decided 
 the point. He has assured us, diat all are concluded under 
 sin, and are by nature children of wrath. The heathen there- 
 fore cannot be saved, on the ground that they have lived 
 agreeably to the light which they enjoy ; for none of them 
 have thus lived. Let us enquire 
 
 Secondly — Whether die heathen can be saved on the 
 ground of their sincerity. That they are sincere in some 
 things, there is no reason to doubt. They doubtless really 
 believe it to be right, to practice many of their superstitions. 
 But to believe a thing to be right, does not necessarily make 
 it right ; and if it did, in order to be a ground of justification, 
 it must be universal ; that is, to be justified on the ground of 
 sincerity, a man must sincerely believe, diat every thing which 
 he does is right. He must not knowingly do wrong in a sin- 
 gle instance. But is this true in regard to any of the heath- 
 en ? Can diey sincerely believe it to be right, to b e filled with 
 all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, ma- 
 liciousness, to be full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malig- 
 nity, to be whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, 
 proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to par- 
 ents, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, 
 unmerciful ? But such is their character, as drawn by the 
 2 
 
10 
 
 Apostle, and as verified in the history of all heathen nations, 
 ancient or modern, civilized or savage. 
 
 Suppose, then, that the heathen are sincere in the belief and 
 practice of many of their superstitions ; and suppose that this 
 sincerity so far as it goes, furnishes an ample excuse for their 
 errors ; — still, it cannot cancel the multitude of known sins, of 
 which they are guilty. If we admit that they are not blamea- 
 ble for their abominable idolatries, because they are sincere in 
 them ; still it will appear that they are blameable for number- 
 less other things in which they cannot be sincere. So that on 
 this ground they will still be condemned. 
 
 But we do not admit that their sincerity is a valid excuse for 
 their superstitions ; because they have light sufficient to teach 
 them better. Saul of Tarsus verily thought that he ought to do 
 many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth ; but his 
 sincerity furnished him with no excuse, because he had the means 
 of being better informed. If he had not shut his eyes to the 
 light that shone around him, he would not have fallen into such 
 a delusion. So with tire heathen. It is not for the want of 
 light, that they have fallen into such gross idolatries and su- 
 perstitions ; but because they love darkness rather than light. 
 The Apostle has assigned the true reason. Because they did 
 not like to retain God in their knowledge , he gave them over 
 to a reprohate mind to do those things which are not conven- 
 ient. We see then that the heathen cannot be saved either on 
 the ground, that they live agreeably to the light which they 
 enjoy ; or on the ground of their sincerity. 
 
 We are brought therefore to the conclusion, that the heath- 
 en are justly condemned ; and if saved at all, they must be 
 saved through the intervention of pardoning mercy. It is easy 
 to see therefore, that no injustice will attach to the character 
 of God, if they are not saved. They will perish as justly as 
 those who reject the gospel. Their condemnation, it is true, 
 will not be so aggravated, because they have not violated so 
 
11 
 
 great obligations ; but to the extent of their deserts, they will 
 suffer as justly as any transgressors in the universe. 
 
 It may be asked, however, — How r can God justly punish the 
 heathen, if they are never presented with the offer ol pardon ? 
 This question involves a principle which tends to subvert the 
 whole system of the gospel. It supposes that God cannot 
 justly punish sinners, till he has first offered them pardon. On 
 this principle he cannot justly punish the apostate angels, for 
 no mercy has been offered to them. Nor could lie justly have 
 punished one of the human race, if he had not provided a Sa- 
 viour. On this principle the gift of Christ is not an act of 
 grace ; nor is the offer of pardon an act of grace. The whole 
 system of grace is overthrown. But let us put this principle 
 to the test. If it is sound, it w ill hold good in all cases. 
 Suppose, then, that a man is convicted of murder. Can he 
 not be justly punished, until he has had the offer of pardon ? 
 Whoever thought of admitting such a principle in the adminis- 
 tration of justice ? But if the principle is unsound, die objec- 
 tion which is founded on it, is groundless. 
 
 The heathen, it is true, cannot be justly punished, for re- 
 jecting offered mercy ; nor can they be punished for disobey- 
 ing the precepts of the written law ; any -Tardier than they are 
 inculcated by the light of nature. But they can be justly pun- 
 ished for all the sins of which they are guilty ; and that diey 
 are sinners has been made already sufficiently apparent. 
 
 If, then, any of the heathen are saved, it will not be, because 
 God would be unjust not to save them. They must be saved 
 on the ground of mercy. But mercy cannot be extended to 
 sinners except through an atonement. Without the shed- 
 ding of blood, there is no remission. And there is no oth- 
 er name given under heaven among men, whereby we can be 
 sa ved, but the name of Jesus Christ. He is the propitiation, 
 and the only propitiation for the sins of the world. To him 
 give all the prophets ivitness, that through his name, whosoev- 
 er believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. 
 
12 
 
 But how shall they believe in him of whom they 
 have not heard ? It is impossible for them to exercise faith 
 in a Saviour of whom they have no knowledge. And how 
 
 SHALL THEY HEAR WITHOUT A PREACHER? Tile neWS of a 
 
 Saviour must be published. And how shall they preach 
 except they be sent ? With these interrogations of the 
 Apostle before us, what opinion must we form, in regard to the 
 prospects of the heathen ? 
 
 I will not undertake to decide that none of them are saved. 
 I know that God is able to change the heart of a heathen, and to 
 •communicate to him all that light in regard to the way of par- 
 don, which is essential to salvation. I cannot say but there are 
 such instances. But to suppose that this is a general fact, or 
 a fact which exists to any considerable extent, is inconsistent 
 with the tenor of the Bible, and with the whole history of the 
 heathen world. “ The kingdom of God, is a kingdom of 
 means and the gospel is ordained as the grand means of 
 bringing sinners to repentance, and preparing them for heaven. 
 After that the world, by wisdom, knew not God, it pleased 
 God by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe. 
 God might, if it were his pleasure, sanctify and save all his peo- 
 ple, without the instrumentality of any means. And lie 
 might also, if he pleased, give us food and raiment without the 
 use of our labour. But such is not the plan, which his wisdom 
 has devised. He might have changed the heart of Henry 
 Obookiah in Hawaii, and made to him a special revelation of 
 the Saviour ; but this would not have been according to the 
 economy of his providence. No — Obookiah, must traverse 
 the ocean, and come within the sound of the gospel, in order 
 to be made a vessel of mercy prepared unto glory. And to 
 say the least, what evidence have we that any of the heathen, 
 have been converted and saved without the gospel ? But ad- 
 mitting that there may have been individual cases, we cannot 
 rationally suppose that they have been very numerous. 
 
 If the gospel is not, in all ordinary cases, necessary to the 
 
15 
 
 salvation of the heathen, why were the Apostles commissioned 
 to preach to them the gospel ? The heathen of that day need- 
 ed not the gospel, any more than those of the present day. 
 Why, then, did the Apostle Paul, perform so many tedious 
 journies, encounter so many perils, and endure so many hard- 
 ships, to preach Christ among the Gentiles. If they might be 
 saved as well without, as with the gospel ; why all this waste 
 of time and labour ? 
 
 Besides — What was the object, for which Paul was commis- 
 sioned to preach to the Gentiles? It was to open their eyes, 
 and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the tow- 
 er of Satan unto God, that they might receive forgive- 
 ness OF SINS, and inheritance among them that are 
 sanctified. This commission implied that the Gentiles were 
 under the dominion of Satan, and stood in need of forgiveness — 
 And that they must be evangelized, in order to receive for- 
 giveness, and an inheritance in heaven. 
 
 And further — What was the tenor of the Apostle’s preach- 
 ing to them ? Did he take it for granted that any of them 
 were interested in the favour of God ? On the contrary, did 
 he not invariably address them as sinners justly condemned, 
 and inculcate repentance and faith as the only conditions of 
 pardon. And in his epistles to the Gentile churches ; in what 
 one instance, does he intimate that any of the members of those 
 churches were in a state of justification previous to their conver- 
 sion to the Christian faith ? How often indeed does he inti- 
 mate the contrary. 
 
 Again. If the gospel is not, in all ordinary cases, necessa- 
 ary to salvation, why was that grand commission given to the 
 Apostles? Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel 
 to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall 
 be saved, and he that believeth not, shall be damned. Does 
 not this imply, that the gospel is the great instrument which 
 God employs for the salvation of men ; and that those who are 
 not favored with the gospel, in all ordinary cases, at least, 
 
14 
 
 remain under condemnation ? Agreeably to that divine dec- 
 laration, ivhere there is no vision , the people perish. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 1. This subject reminds us, how highly we are exalted, 
 above a great part of our fellow men. Upon us the light of 
 revelation has shone, while a large portion of our race, are 
 groping in pagan darkness. While they have never heard of 
 the Saviour, and never seen the Bible, and are trained up, in 
 all the ignorance, superstition and cruelty of pagan idolatry ; 
 it has fallen to our lot to be born and educated in a Christian 
 land. We hear the joyful sound. To us the gospel with all 
 its glad tidings is proclaimed. And why is it that we are thus 
 distinguished ? It is not, because we are better than others ; 
 but it is owing entirely to the distinguishing mercy of our Cre- 
 ator. How great then the weight of responsibility which rests 
 upon us. Of those to whom much is given much will be re- 
 quired. 
 
 2. How aggravated will be the condemnation of those who 
 perish from under the light of the gospel. If even the heathen, 
 with that glimmering of light which is furnished by the light of 
 nature, are without excuse ; how great must be the condem- 
 nation of those who enjoy the gospel and abuse it. While the 
 former will be beaten with comparatively few srtipes ; the latter 
 will be beaten with many stripes. The heathen will not be cal- 
 led to answer for rejecting Christ, and despising the blood 
 bought salvation ; and if even they die without mercy, of how 
 much sorer punishment shall those he thought worthy who 
 have trodden under foot the Son of God? Of all sinners who 
 dwell on the face of the earth, there are none who will exper- 
 ience such a fearful doom, as those who shall perish from under 
 the light of the gospel. It will be more tolerable for Tyre and 
 Sidon, and for Sodom and Gomorrah than for them. Far bet- 
 ter, not to have known the way of righteousness, than after we 
 have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered 
 
15 
 
 unto us. Far better, to be brought up in all the ignorance of 
 paganism, than to go clown to perdition, after having abused 
 such privileges as we enjoy. 
 
 3. This subject teaches us very strikingly, the duty ol send- 
 ing the gospel to the heathen. If the gospel is a blessing of 
 such infinite value, as has been shown ; how can those who 
 enjoy it, answer it to their consciences, or to God, if they refuse 
 to do all in their power, to disseminate it through the world ? 
 It is estimated that there are at this moment, not less than 
 000,000,000 of our race, sitting in darkness and in the re- 
 gion and shadow of death. All these, my brethren, are im- 
 mortal beings, like ourselves. They are descended from the 
 same progenitors — are polluted with the same depravity, — 
 and are hastening to the same eternity. Each of them has a 
 soul infinitely more valuable than ten thousand worlds. And 
 how are they to be saved ? To whom shall they look for mer- 
 cy, but to a crucified Saviour? But how shall they call on 
 him in whom they have not believed ? And how shall they 
 believe in him of whom they have not heard 1 And how shall 
 they hear without a preacher 7 It is amazing, that the Chris- 
 tian world have so long slumbered over the state of the heathen. 
 Eighteen hundred years have elapsed, since our Lord gave the 
 command, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to 
 every creature. Since this command was given, sixty genera- 
 tions of the heathen have gone down to the grave, and even 
 now, but a small part of the world is evangelized. Do you 
 ask, why this has been permitted in the Providence of God ? 
 The question admits of the same answer with numberless oth- 
 ers. You might ask, why God permits dtousands who hear the 
 gospel, to reject it and perish? You might indeed ask, why 
 God permits sin and misery to exist at all ? And the true an- 
 swer to all questions of this sort, is, Even so Father, for so it 
 hath seemed good in thy sight. But if you inquire for the 
 criminal cause, why the heathen have not been evangelized, 
 it will be found in the apathy and inexcusable neglect of those 
 
16 
 
 who enjoy the gospel. The apostles did what they could, to 
 publish the gospel to every creature ; and had those who came 
 after them, prosecuted the object with the same diligence and 
 zeal, the world would long since have been evangelized. To 
 the shame of the Christian world, whole centuries have elapsed 
 while this great object has been forgotten. But blessed be God, 
 a new era has commenced. The Christian world are waking 
 from the sleep of ages, and are beginning to exhibit some of 
 that spirit which characterized the apostolic age. They are 
 beginning to feel a deep interest in the welfare of those who 
 are perishing for lack of vision ; and to make efforts for their 
 salvation. Missionary Societies have been established in this 
 country and in Europe ; and not a few have offered themselves 
 to the Missionary service, and have bidden farewell to their 
 country and kindred, that they might preach Christ, where he 
 has not been named. Numbers more, are ready to go, so soon 
 as adequate means shall be obtained for their support. How 
 shall they preach except they he sent ? Who shall transport 
 them to the distant heathen, and support them there, if those 
 who enjoy the gospel, and who are blest with abundance of this 
 world’s goods, refuse their aid ? 
 
 Now, my hearers, are you all disposed to enlist in the cause 
 of missions, and to lend your aid to the mighty work of evan- 
 gelizing the world ? 
 
 That tills is a cause which God approves, I have no doubt. 
 Nor have I any doubt, that it must eventually commend itself, 
 not only to every disciple of Christ, but to every friend of hu- 
 manity. What is the great object of the missionary enterprize? 
 It is to ameliorate the condition of the human family — to dis- 
 pel the darkness which covers the earth, and the gross dark- 
 ness which covers the people — to rescue from ignorance, su- 
 perstition, and vice, the degraded pagans, and to extend to 
 all men the blessings of civilization, and the richer blessings 
 of the Christian religion. 
 
 Who can be the enemy of such an enterprize ? Is he a 
 
17 
 
 Christian ? A Christian opposed to the spread of that gospel 
 which he presses to his bosom as his choisest treasure ; and 
 which contains the charter of all his hopes ! A Christian, op- 
 posed to the spread of that gospel which his Lord and master 
 came down from heaven to teach, and which he commanded 
 his disciples to publish to all nations ! — that gospel which 
 brings life and immortality to light, and which points a fallen 
 race to the Lamb of God who taketli away the sin of the world ! 
 A Christian, — one who has imbibed the spirit of his di- 
 vine master, who has been taught to love his neighbor as him- 
 self, and to pray for the universal reign of righteousness and 
 peace, opposed to the extension of Christ’s kingdom on the 
 earth ! There cannot be a greater paradox than this. 
 
 Is he a philanthropist ? Let him look over the heathen and 
 Mahometan world, and survey those dark places of the earth 
 which are full of the habitations of cruelty. Let him contem- 
 plate the degradation, pollution, and wretchedness of pagan 
 nations ; and then turn his eye to those more favored portions 
 of the globe, upon which the light of revelation has shone. 
 Let him contrast our present condition with that of our pa- 
 gan ancestors, and contemplate the happy changes, which the 
 gospel has never failed to produce, where it has been dissem- 
 inated in its purity. Let him ask himself, what nation since 
 the Christian era, has emerged from a state of barbarism with- 
 out the gospel ; and into what barbarous nation it has penetra- 
 ted, where it has not carried with it all the blessings of civili- 
 zation — Where it has not struck up the light of science — in- 
 troduced the useful arts — elevated the character of the female 
 sex — tempered the spirit of the government — mitigated the 
 horrors of war — ameliorated the condition of the poor, and 
 spread a benign influence over the whole face of society. And 
 can he be a philanthropist, who is opposed to the spread of 
 that gospel, which never fails to carry with it such a train of 
 blessings ? 
 
 2 
 
18 
 
 But 1 rejoice that the open enemies of this cause, are fast 
 retiring from the field. And well they may retire, for it is too 
 late in the day, to oppose the cause of missions with any hope 
 of success. God has purposed, that the world shall be evan- 
 gelized, and if the voice of prophecy and Providence be not 
 entirely misunderstood, the time has come, when this purpose 
 is about to be executed. A mighty impulse has been given 
 to the church, and a series of efforts has commenced, which 
 we hail as the sure harbingers of a brighter day than has yet 
 shone upon the world. The king of Zion is marshalling his 
 hosts, and leading them from conquering to conquer. The 
 heathen may rage , and the people imagine a vain thing : — the 
 kings of the earth may set themselves, and the rulers take coun- 
 sel together against the Lord and against his anointed — Infi- 
 dels may scoff and oppose, but all their efforts to arrest the 
 progress of the gospel, are like the puny efforts of an insect, to 
 stop the planets in their course. They might as well under- 
 take to dam all the rivers in the world, and dry up the ocean ; 
 as to stop those streams of charity which are making glad the 
 city of our God. 
 
 It is interesting to Look back and trace the events of the last 
 thirty years, and then to look into the book of God, and sur- 
 vey the opening prospects of Zion. The church, hitherto 
 small and despised, is not destined to live always in such ob- 
 scurity. This world was made for Christ, and it shall one day 
 become the habitation of his church. The promise is sure, 
 that he shall have the heathen for his inheritance, and the 
 uttermost parts of the earth for his possession. The little stone 
 cut out of the mountain without hands, shall become a great 
 mountain and fill the whole earth. The kingdom and the 
 dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole 
 heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most 
 High. And we believe diat the time is not far distant, when 
 these things shall be realized. Already we see indications too 
 plain to be misunderstood, that the redemption of Zion draweth 
 
19 
 
 nigh. We live in an eventful day. Many prophets and righ- 
 teous men have desired to see the tilings which we see, and 
 have not seen them, and to hear the things which we hear, and 
 have not heard them. The events of the last thirty years, 
 have so far surpassed our expectations, that we dare not con- 
 jecture what thirty years more may bring to pass. 
 
 But while we rejoice in what has been achieved, let us not 
 forget that we are engaged in a stupendous enterprize, and 
 that the work is but just begun. Three quarters of our globe 
 are still covered with pagan and Mahometan darkness ; and 
 of the other quarter, more than one half is still under the do- 
 minion of the man of sin. And even in Protestant Christendom, 
 how small a portion of die people are imbued with the spirit of 
 die gospel. The true church is still but a little band, few in 
 numbers, and feeble in strength ; and what can she do towards 
 conquering die world ? — a world long held under die dominion 
 of die prince of darkness — a dominion which he will not re- 
 linquish widiout an obstinate and formidable struggle. When 
 we contemplate the magnitude of the undertaking, and the 
 weakness of the instruments by which it is to be achieved ; if 
 we looked no farther, our hearts would fail, and we should sit 
 down in despair. But our confidence is not placed on human 
 efforts. There is an invisible hand concerned in diis enter- 
 prize ; and while human instrumentality is not to be dispensed 
 with, the excellency of the power is not of men, but of God. 
 We can employ means : we can disseminate the scriptures, 
 and send forth die heralds of salvation. And these means 
 simple and powerless as they are in themselves, are mighty 
 dirough God to the pulling down of the strong holds of Satan. 
 God can bless the means of his own appointment. He can 
 clothe his word with divine energy, and make it the power of 
 God unto salvation. Yes, my brethren, God can convert the 
 world. He can bind the prince of darkness, and confine him 
 to the prison of hell, that he shall deceive the world no longer. 
 
20 
 
 He can bring the nations to bow to the sceptre of his son. 
 He can cause the Jew to embrace that Saviour whom his 
 fathers crucified, and whom he has been taught from his child- 
 hood to revile and blaspheme. He can bring the pagan to 
 cast his idols to the moles and to the bats, and to sit down at 
 Immanuel’s feet. He can bring the Mahometan to forsake 
 his Koran, and renounce his prophet, and to embrace a religion 
 which breathes not blood and carnage, but peace and good 
 will to men. He can purge away the corruptions of Christen- 
 dom, repair the waste places of Zion, and bring the thousands 
 who hear the gospel and reject it, to fall down and sue for 
 mercy. He can renovate this sin polluted and sin destroyed 
 world, and fill it with his praise. And because he has prom- 
 ised to do it, we believe he will. 
 
 We need not therefore, be appalled at the magnitude of 
 our undertaking, nor shrink from the work under a sense of 
 our impotence. Let us set our hope in God, and rely on 
 him to bless our feeble efforts, and rejoice that we may be al- 
 lowed the privilege, and the honor, of being co-workers with 
 him in the great work of evangelizing the world. And who 
 of us is not emulous to have a part in this noble enterprize ? 
 Who of us can wish to stand idle in such a day as this, and 
 look with cold indifference on the perishing millions of our 
 race ? Do we, my hearers, esteem the gospel a blessing, or 
 do we consider it a curse ? Should we be willing to exchange 
 places with the heathen, or to be set back to that state of dark- 
 ness, in which the gospel found our ancestors ? If so, let us 
 burn our Bibles and demolish our sanctuaries. Let us send 
 into exile the ministers of religion, and abolish our schools. 
 Let us sweep away those Christian institutions in which our 
 fathers gloried, and which they deemed the richest legacy 
 which they could leave to their children. Let us set our car- 
 penters, and our masons, and our smiths to work, to make us 
 gods of wood, and of stone, and of iron. Let us fall down be- 
 
21 
 
 fore our senseless idols, and cause our children to pass through 
 the fire unto Moloch. Let us erect our swinging posts, and 
 our funeral piles, and burn our widows with the dead bodies of 
 their husbands. Let us degrade the female sex to the con- 
 dition of slaves, and wallow in all the pollutions of the heathen 
 world. 
 
 But if we are not willing to return to this state of barbarism 
 — if we prize the gospel as an invaluable blessing, let us think 
 of those who have it not ; and remember the words of the 
 Lord Jesus, — Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto 
 you, do ye even the same to them. 
 
 And while we weep over a world lying in wickedness, and 
 do all in our power to ameliorate their condition ; let us rejoice 
 in the opening prospects of Zion. When I look through the 
 glass of prophecy, and down the vale of time, I see the church 
 coming up from the wilderness leaning on her beloved. I see 
 the kingdoms of this world becoming the kingdoms of our Lord 
 and of his Christ. I see Satan’s kingdom falling as lightning 
 from heaven, and the church all glorious, rising on its ruins ; 
 looking forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the 
 sun, beautiful as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, and terrible as 
 an army with banners. 
 
 Yes, and without the prophetic glass, I think I see the king 
 of Zion, coming to take possession of the earth. I see the 
 ilses waiting for his law', and Ethiopia even now stretching out 
 her hands unto God. I see the man of sin fast passing to 
 perdition, and the false prophet following after, and the altars 
 of paganism crumbling to ruins. I see an angel flying through 
 the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach 
 to all nations, and kindred, and people, and tongues. And I 
 hear songs of salvation rising from the plains of Hindoston, 
 and echoing from the isles of the Pacific. 
 
 Yes, my hearers, the darkest period of the church is past. 
 The millenial day begins to dawn upon the world. Already 
 
22 
 
 streaks of light begin to guild the eastern horison ; and though 
 neither we nor our children may live to see it, our children’s 
 children may, perhaps, see the sun of righteousness rise, in full 
 orbed splendour upon the world. 
 
f