SERMON, DELIVERED IN BOSTON, SEPT. 17, 1823, BEFORE THE AMERICAN BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS, AT THEIR FOURTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. BY JEREMIAH DAY, D.D. LL.D. Published by request of the Board. BOSTON: PRINTED BY CROCKER AND BREWSTER, No. 50, Cornhill. SERMON. NEHEMIAH vi, 3. AND I SENT MESSENGERS UNTO THEM, SAYING, I AM DOING A GREAT WORK; SO THAT I CANNOT COME DOWN. WHY SHOULD THE WORK CEASE, WHILE I LEAVE IT, and come DOWN TO YOU? WHILE Nehemiah was residing at the Persian court, at a distance from the land of his fathers, he was deeply affected, by the accounts which he received of the desolations of Jerusalem. As he was ministering in his office, the King observed his dejection, and inquired the cause. "Why should not my countenance be sad," he replied, "when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?" Having fasted, and prayed to the God of Israel, he found favor with the King, and received from him a commission, to go to Jerusalem, and rebuild its walls. But when Sanballat and Tobias, and other enemies of Judah heard of it; "it grieved them exceedingly, that there was come a man, to seek the welfare of the children of Israel." They endeavored to divert him from his purpose, sometimes by threats, and sometimes by expressions of contempt and derision. They said, "If a fox go up, he will even break down their wall." Nehemiah answered them, "The God of heaven, he will prosper us. But ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem." When they found, that notwithstanding their opposition, the work was still going forward, they assumed a more conciliatory tone. They sent to Nehemiah, saying, "Come let us meet together; let us take counsel together." But he sent to them, saying, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease, while I leave it, and come down to you?" The friends of missions, like Nehemiah, are engaged in a cause which they assuredly believe the God of heaven will prosper. They hope they are performing some humble part, in the great scheme of measures for repairing the desolations, not of a temple or a city, but of a world. They are not attempting to lay again, the foundations of the earthly Jerusalem; but from the wilds of heathenism, to gather materials for the spiritual Sion. To this labor of benevolence, they find that opposition is raised. While the world around them is generally looking on, with contemptuous indifference; there are those who manifest a decided hostility. A numerous class, however, would disclaim the character of opposers to the missionary cause; though their counsels, if followed, would retard or suspend its operations. They would advise to measures which are more in accordance with the spirit of the world. They would be cautious of moving forward too rapidly. "The time is not come," say |