Dear Brethren,
Associated as we are, in the service of the
Divine Redeemer, for the especial purpose of promoting his cause in heathen
lands, it is interesting to advert, for a moment, to some considerations, which
unite to invigorate our exertions and confirm our hopes of final success.
Twenty-seven years have now elapsed since the formation of this Society, and
what a surprising revolution has taken place, during that period, in the
sentiments and feelings ot the church of Christ respecting the great cause of
Missions ! When the powerful mind of Carey was first attracted towards this
subject, how few, comparatively, concurred in his views ! The obligations
resting upon Christians to attempt the conversion of the heathen were scarcely
felt or acknowledged, and the efforts which had been made with this view were
almost unknown. The distant regions of the earth were quietly resigned to the
tyranny of the prince of darkness ; and the friends of truth and holiness
appeared calmly to wait, as if some immediate and visible interposition of
divine power were to be employed to deliver the prey from the mighty. The
change is too obvious to be denied, and too re- markable to be ascribed to any
source, but the effectual operation of Him who turneth the hearts of men as the
rivers of water are turned. Attention is now very generally excited; the claims
of the heathen on our compassionate regard are freely admitted ; various bodies
of professing Christians, both at home avid abroad, are diligently employed in
making exertions on their behalf; and these are prosecuted to such an extent,
that there is probably never a day passes over us in which the everlasting
gospel is not proclaimed in different quarters of the pagan world. This is the Lord's
doing, and it is wonderful in our eyes.
To expect that, in all cases,
these attempts would be followed by immediate and uninterrupted success, should
have betrayed great inattention to the ordinary mode in which the God of all
grace has hitherto been pleased to act. But though, in some instances, the
blessing has been delayed, and in others it appears to have been withheld
altogether, yet there is ample proof that these undertakings have, on the
whole, been crowned with the divine favour, and that, by these means, the
kingdom of our Saviour is gradually enlarging. Each Society has to mourn its
disappointments; and each has to mention the loving-kindnesses of the Lord, and
the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed upon
them. Incentives to persevering diligence are thus combined with practical
admonitions against presumption and vain confidence; and while assiduously
labouring, by every practicable method, to advance the interests of truth and
piety, we are still reminded that the great end is accomplished not by might, or
by power, hut h) mi/ Spirit, saith the Lord.
Leaving these general observations, we proceed
to detail our operations for the last year under the respective heads of
Missions including Translations and Schools, Students, Internal Management, and
Funds.
MISSIONS
We commence our narrative of missionary transactions
as usual, with the province of Bengal.
A native brother of the name of
Nidhi-rama has been sent to assist in the work of the gospel at Dinagepour. He
is re- presented as " a good useful man, who seems much interested in the
cause of the blessed Saviour," and a considerable revival has taken place
since he joined the station. In the month of December lust, Dr. Marshman
visited his friends at this place, and baptized eight persons. Including these,
twenty-seven have been added to the church since the last account, and the number
of those who have thrown off cast, and thus openly renounced heathenism, is
upwards of one hundred and twenty.
Krishna continues to reside at
Malda, and make excursions, as he is able, into surrounding places. On one
occasion of this SOI t, he availed himself of a practice common among the
Hindoos, who, in order to circulate pretended revelations from heaven, write
letters to different persons, enjoining them, on pain of the wrath of the gods,
to communicate these revelations in the three next villages. "At Katavaree,"
he writes, " all the villagers were assembled, and they asked us what they
should do with their gods. I told (hem to believe in die atoning death of Christ,
and they would obtain salvation. They then requested Unit I would give them
some instructions from the holy book, and leave them in writing. I then wrote
some passages from the 12th of the Romans ' Brethren, I beseech you by the
mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice to God, which is
your reasonable service,' and * Whosoever believes in the atoning death of our
Lord Jesus Christ, upon him the gods can have no power; but he shall obtain
salvation.' I added, They into whose hands these instructions shall fall, after
reading them, must copy and send them to the three next villages, or stand
charged with the guilt, in the world to come, of the ruin of all those
souls." As this earliest of Hindoo evangelists begins to feel the infirmities
of age, being near sixty, our brethren have it in contemplation to send
Solomon, the converted Jew, from Dhacca, to assist him.
The station at Cutwa retains the
same truly missionary aspect, and presents the same encouraging features of
success, as we have had to notice on previous occasions. A goodly number of
natives are employed in itinerating under the direction of Mr. W. Carey, who
observes, in writing to Mr. Ward, " 1 have much reason to bless God for
the blessed prospects now before me." As the sphere of labour in this
district is very extensive Mr. Carey has been strengthened by the addition of
another European brother, a Mr. Hart, who appears to be animated by a similar
spirit, and has met with considerable encouragement in the commencement of his
labours. He resides at Shiooree, in Bheerboom, about fifty-six miles from
Cutwa, and it was in contemplation to form the native brethren and sisters
around him into a distinct church under his care. Of the consistent character
maintained by these recent converts from heathenism, an honour[1]able testimony was
lately borne from a quarter which gives it peculiar weight: "I have had
some conversation," says Mr. Hart, "with the magistrate, respecting
the native brethren iiere. 1 am happy to say, that the account he has given of
then), is ia all points consistent with their being Christians indeed."
Among several new inquirers at this station, a brahmun is mentioned who brought
Mr. Hart his idols and shasters, and going down soo« after to Serampore, Mas
baptized there.
At Moorshudabad, the ancient
capital of Bengal, Mr. Ricketts appears to have been very active, and to have
met withh several circumstances of an encouraging nature. Towards the close of
the year he expressed his hope of forming a small church in this city; but soon
after he was taken ill, and obliged to leave the station for Serampore. Since
his removal, Mr. Sutton, who, soon after the death of his valuable partner, had
proceeded to Cutwa to pursue the study of the Bengalee, under the direction of
Mr. Wm. Carey, has fixed his residence here, and recent advices inform us of
the commencement of his labours in this populous city. The neighbouring station
at Berhampore is discontinued, as the individuals who composed the church have,
with one or two exceptions, removed from the place.
Jesaore.—The journals of Mr.
Thomas, who resides at Saheb gunj, in this province, afford ample proof of his
diligence and evangelical labour. At home and abroad, to considerable numbers
or to a solitary individual, he seems ready freely to communicate that which he
has freely received. A divine blessing has crowned his efforts. Several
pleasing additions have been made to the church, and some whose irregular
conduct had rendered it necessary to separate them from its fellowship have
been restored. Four natives, under the direction of Mr. Thomas, make monthly excursions
through the district. The journal of a single month enumerates neatly one
hundred villages visited in this way. The result appears to be, that much inquiry
is excited respecting the doctrine they teach. As one proof of this, Mr. T.
mentions, that, in the month of August last, a Musulman of considerable influence
visited him for conversation, and wished to know if several hundreds of his
friends came for instruction, how they were to be maintained. Some Roman
Catholics also, from Hasnabad, a distance of five days' journey, had called
upon hin), who complained that their priest prayed in a language they did not
understand, and expressed their desire to see a missionary among them. These
symptoms lead us to cherish the hope that divine truth will, ere long, rapidly
extend itself through tills populous and interesting scene of labour.
The attempt lately made to renew
the station formerly held at Dhacca appears likely to succeed. The schools
formed here arc watched over with much assiduity by Mr. Leonard, and such is
the general conviction of their probable utility, that several most respectable
gentlemen, occupying official stations in the city, have formed themselves into
a Committee for their encouragement. The Jew who, with his wife, was baptized
here at the close of 1817, is said to make a pleasing progress in Bible
knowledge, and evidently to grow in grace and love to the Lord Jesus. He feels
deeply interested for the salvation of his benighted brethren of the race of
Abraham. At this station the gospel has been heard by several of the followers
of the Sut Gooroo—otherwise called Saadhs—a religious sect of whom an
interesting:' account has lately been given by the Rev. Mr. Fisher, of Meerat.
Three of these people have been baptized, together with a young man and his
wife, whose relations are Catholics, and who had to encounter much severe
persecution on account of their attachment to the gospel. An opening has lately
presented itself in a neighbouring village, inhabited by Roman Catholics, in
which the people have shaken off the yoke of the priest on account of
oppression. On the whole, the prospects in this neighbourhood appear highly
encouraging.
To read full article and download pdf book visit here.
0 Comments