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thing St. Paul affirmeth, saying, “Let to have him set at liberty. While men esteem us as the ministers of they thus preach to the people that Christ, and dispensers of God's mys- dead images (which at the first were teries.” But what is to be looked for set up only to represent things absent) in a dispenser ? This, surely, “that not only ought to be covered with he be found faithful,” and that he gold, but also ought by all faithful truly dispense and lay out the goods and christian people, yea, in this of the Lord; that he give meat in time of scarceness and penury,—to time,-give it, and not sell it,-meatbe clad with silk garments, and those and not poison. For the one feedeth also laden with precious gems and and nourisheth the eater, the other jewels. And besides all this, they doth intoxicate and slay. Let him are to be lighted with wax candles, not neglect nor defer the doing of his both within the church and without office, but let him do his duty when the church,-yea, and at noon day,time and need require it.

as though no cost can be too great. This is also to be looked for, that In the mean time we see Christ's he be one whom God hath called, and faithful and lively images, bought put in office, and not one that cometh with no less price than with His most uncalled, unsent for; not one that of precious blood, to be an hungered, himself presumeth to take honour athirst, cold, and to lie in darkness, upon him. Who is a true and faith- wrapped in all wretchedness; yea, to ful steward? He is true, he is faith- lie there till death take away their ful, that coineth no new money, but miseries. seeketh it ready coined of the good While they preach these will-works, man of the house; and neither chang- which come of their own devising, eth it nor clippeth it, after it is taken although they be not so necessary as to him to spend, but spendeth even the works of mercy and the precepts the self-same that he had of his Lord of God, yet they say in the pulpit and spendeth it as his Lord com- that will-works are more essential, manded him; neither uttering it to more excellent, and, plainly to utter his own advantage, nor, as the sloth- what they mean, more acceptable to ful servant did, hiding it in the God, than works of mercy;—as though ground. Are there not some, who, now man's inventions and fancies despising the money of the Lord, as could please God better than His copper and not current, either coined own precepts : while they thus preach new themselves, or else uttered abroad that more fruit, more devotion, cometh that newly coined by others ?—some of the beholding of an image, than is time either adulterating the word of got by reading and contemplation in God, or else mingling it, (as vintners Scripture. do, who brew and utter the evil and Be these the Christian and Divine the good both in one pot,) sometimes mysteries, and not rather the dreams giving out the dreams of men, instead of men ? Be these the faithful disof God's word. While they thus pensers of God's mysteries, and not preach to the people the redemption rather false dispensers of them ? that cometh by Christ's death, is to whom God never put in office, but serve them only who died before His rather the devil set them over a micoming, in the time of the Old Testa- serable family, over a house miserably ment; and that now, redemption and ordered. Happy were the people if forgiveness of sins, purchased by mo- such preached seldom. ney and devised by men, is of efficacy, And yet it is a wonder to see these, and not redemption purchased by in their generation, much more pruChrist. They have a wonderful pretty dent and politic, than the faithful example to persuade to this,—that of ministers are in their generation; a certain married woman, who, when while they go about more prudently her husband was in purgatory, in that to establish men's dreams, than these fiery furnace that hath burned away do to hold up God's commandment. so many of our pence, paid her hus- Thus it comes to pass that works band's ransom, and so of duty claimed lucrative, will-works, and men's fan

cies, reign ; but Christian works, ne- not that all men may hear, but all cessary and fruitful works, are trod- your care is, that no layman do read den under foot. Thus the evil is it; surely, being afraid lest they, by much better set out by evil men, than the reading, should understand it, and the good by good men, because the understanding, learn to rebuke your evil are more wise than the good in slothfulness. This is your generation, their generation. These are the false this is your dispensation, this is your stewards, whom all good and faithful wisdom. In this generation you are men every day accuse unto the rich most politic, most witty. These are Master of the household, not without the things that I hear of your degreat heaviness, that they waste His meanour. I wished to hear a better goods; whom He also one day will report of you. Have you thus decall to Him, and say to them: “What ceived me? or, have you rather deis it that I hear of thee?Here God ceived yourselves? Where I had but partly wondereth at our ingratitude one house, that is to say the Church, and perfidy; partly chideth us for and this so dearly beloved by me, that them; and being both full of wonder for the love of her I put myself forth and ready to chide, asketh us, “ What to be slain, and to shed my blood; is this that I hear of you?” As though this Church at my departure I comHe should say unto us, All good men, mitted to your charge, to be fed, to in all places, complain of you, accuse be nourished, and to be made much your avarice, your exactions, your of. My pleasure was, that ye should tyranny. They have required in you occupy my place; my desire was, that a long season, and do yet require, ye should have born like love to this diligence and sincerity. I commanded Church, and like fatherly affection. you that with all industry and labour For thus I taught openly, “He that ye should feed my sheep : ye ear- heareth you heareth Me, and he that nestly feed yourselves from day to despiseth you despiseth Me." I gave day, wallowing in delights and idle- you also keys, not earthly keys, but ness. I command you to teach my heavenly. I left my goods that I have commandments, and not your fancies; most highly esteemed, that is my word and that you should seek my glory and sacraments, to be dispensed of and my advantage : you teach your you. These benefits I gave you, and own traditions, and seek your own do you give me these thanks ? Can glory and profit. You preach very you find in your hearts thus to abuse seldom, and when you do preach, do my goodness? Have you thus denothing but hinder those that preach ceived me? No, ye have not deceived truly. O, what I hear of you! You me, but yourselves. Because ye have who ought to be my preachers, what contemned the clemency of the Master other thing do you than apply all of the house, ye have right well deyour study to bring my preachers to served the rigour and severity of the envy, shame, contempt?' Yea, more Judge. Come forth, then, and give than this, ye pull them into perils, an account of your stewardship; ye into prisons, and, as much as in you may have no longer my goods in lieth, to cruel deaths. Your care is your hands.

THE GOSPEL IN INDIA. A PAMPHLET, bearing the title of summary of the progress of the Gos“ The Results of Missionary Labour pel in India, and the actual force and in India, reprinted froin the Calcutta result of the missionary work in that Review, of October, 1851,'has reached gigantic dependency of this country. us, which combines the Reports of The writer has given us the details, the Calcutta and Madras Bible Socie- not only of the operations of the Bities, and contains a most valuable ble Societies at work throughout India, but has furnished very interesting sta- and Ireland ; new sacrifices, new gifts, tistics of the various missionary agen- new self-denial, alone will avail to cies employed in ploughing that im- secure the men and the money, which mense field of christian labour. We our agency requires. It is true that are delighted to learn that these agen- missionaries in India are many in one cies are on the best christian terms sense. They constitute nearly onewith each other. “It is a most gratify. third of the entire missionary body ing fact, that notwithstanding the throughout the heathen world. They numerous and sometimes bitter con- are many, as compared with none; troversies which occur among Chris- but as regards sufficiency, their numtians of the western world, their mis- bers are quite inadequate. Neither sionary messengers in the East Indies are they many, as regards the proporexhibit a very large amount of prac- tion of labourers to the people to be tical and efficient Christian union. evangelized. The Sandwich Islands, While occupying stations apart from with 80,000 inhabitants, have thirtyeach other, and thus avoiding occasion one missionaries. The Navigators' of mutual interference with each Islands, with a population of 160,000, other's plans, in numberless instances have fifteen missionaries to instruct the labourers of different Societies them. New Zealand, with 100,000, cultivate each other's acquaintance. has forty. The population of the and preach together to the heathen. South Sea Islands under instruction Almost all use the same versions of is 800,000, and is taught by 120 the Bible; and the Christian tracts missionaries. In the West Indies, and books written by one missionary there are not less than three hundred become the common property of all and fifty missionaries to instruct a others. At Calcutta, Madras, and population of two millions and a half. Bombay, the missionaries of all socie- More than seventy missionaries are ties are accustomed to meet monthly crowded into the Five ports' of for mutual conference and united China and the Island of Hong Kong. prayer. In these meetings, all gene- But in India, for 130 (or as some say ral questions relating to the more effi- 200) millions of people, we have but cient conduct of missionary opera- four hundred and three missionaries. tions, to common difficulties and com- Whole provinces, and large towns mon success, are brought forward and with thousands of inhabitants, are discussed; while frequent occasions wholly uninstructed. In Bengal and are furnished in private, for cultiva- Behar it has been reckoned that ting personal friendships of the closest eighteen millions never heard the kind.” We should like to give much Gospel. Within fifty miles of Calof the valuable matter with which the cutta, there are towns and villages republication of this review has fur- with 30,000, 20,000, and 10,000 innished us, as it is a cheap and brief habitants, that never saw a missionary compendium of what is doing for till the present year; and were so Christ in India; we must, however, unknown that no map accurately reprint the concluding appeal for help, described their position and size. with the devout hope and prayer that Delhi, with 150,000 people, much its arguments may lead to some greater more populous than New Zealand, aid than has hitherto attempted to has no missionary at all. Midnapore, meet the enormous wants of a country with 70,000, has none. Azimghur, so gigantic as India.

Bareilly, Purnea, Mymensing, and "Millions of men appeal to our sym- hundreds of other important towns pathies, and with far greater ear and districts, have none at all. Exnestness and with far deeper reason, cepting two missionaries at Lahore cry. Come over and help us.' The and one in Sindh, the Punjab, Sindh, present missionary force in India is the Bhawalpore states, all Rajputana, utterly insufficient for the completion all Oudh, Budelkhund, the Nerbudda of the grand object in our view. New valley, and the great state of Hyderefforts therefore in Europe and Ame- abad, have no missionaries whatever. rica; new efforts in England, Scotland Even Agra, the chief seat of the North

West Provinces, has but eight mis- India : a new line, it is confidently sionaries, of whom one is absent; hoped, will ere long be added, and the and Benares, the holy city,' with a present means of intercourse be inpermanent population of 300,000, has creased and improved. Communicabut eleven. The two towns of Saugor tion is improving also within the and Dacca alone, contain a population continent itself. Numerous steamers equal to that of all the Malay-peopled now ply along the Ganges, and have Islands of the South Seas put together. begun to navigate the Indus. Our In those islands one hundred and railroad is fairly commenced : our twenty missionaries are labouring; postage rules are about to be modified: while in the former two cities, there an immense number of native newsare but four ! In the whole Presi- papers have been called into existence; dency of Agra, containing numerous and the English language has made large towns, and peopled with the a giant stride among the young, in finest races in India, there are only the province of Bengal. Within the as many missionaries (57) as are last year, a regular intercourse has engaged in the small Negro settle- been opened with China by monthly ments on the West Coast of Africa. steamers. California and its cities These things are seen in India ; in have created new wants and new India, under an English Government; commerce; and numerous ships have in India opened to the Gospel ; in found their way hither from that India, white to the harvest. Has the newly settled territory. New ties are Church given to it its proper share of connecting India with the Australian agency? Grand efforts are made to colonies. The Great Exhibition has open doors that are closed; while shewn, upon a large scale, what India doors wide open are neglected! Oh! contains, and what its nations can for more of the spirit of Him, who produce. In the east and west, its

had compassion upon the multitude, voice is being heard. It is claiming when he saw them as sheep without a an important position in the public shepherd.'

eye, and men are beginning to acThis is not the time for the Church knowledge the justice of our appeals to withdraw from its appointed duty in its behalf. It is no time then for in evangelizing this great land. the Church of Christ to forget it; to During the past ten years, the provi- forget that it is open to the Gospel; dence of God has in a remarkable to forget that the contest between way been calling the attention of the truth and error can be carried on whole world to its interests, and to upon fair terms; or to forget that the strange events of which it has been hand of God has directed His people the scene. During the past ten years, hither. As if to compel a greater the Chinese war has opened a way to attention on the parts of religious the Gospel in the celestial empire: men, that Providence which has and to the success of that war Indian opened the way to India has been troops and Indian steamers contributed closing up other fields. Within ten not a little. Within ten years, the years, missionaries have been driven awful Affghan war, with its massacres, from Siberia; the Madagascar misand captivity, and deeds of prowess; sions have been broken up; Tahiti the war with Gwalior; the conquest has been left a wreck; the Sandwich of Sindh; the two wars in the Punjab, Islands have been threatened; cholera with their murderous battles and final has decimated the West Indies; and conquest; have directed all eyes the Kaffir missions have been twice hither. And that attention, excited destroyed. Have these things no by strange catastrophes, and striking meaning? Has that Almighty Spirit, occurrences, has been retained. who suffered not' His servant to go Within ten years, two lines of steam- into Bithynia; and “forbade him to ers have been established through the preach the word in Asia,' no object; Red Sea and the Mediterranean, and in thus closing some doors of usefulhave maintained a rapid and constant ness, while the largest of all remains intercourse between England and wide open? We trust that these

JANUARY--- 1852.

indications of His purpose will be appealing to Societies; let us write to met by the hearty response of a particular friends and public bodies; let willing church. We trust that, with us afford correct intelligible information. the increase of communication with Let us send specific and individual inviEurope, the Churches of both Europe tations; and let us pray the Lord of the and America will put forth new exer

HARVEST, that He would SEND FORTH tions and devise new schemes for

MORE LABOURERS INTO HIS HARVEST.' extending missions in our Indian “Butin what spirit and in what manEmpire. May He be with them, who ner shall such appeals be met? Will said to His people in ancient days: our English friends, especially, meet • I will send mine Angel before you, them on the old cold plan, in which and he shall drive out the Hittite and all alike, rich and poor together, too Amorite from the land.' May He idle to discriminate, and unaccustomed fulfil His promise speedily; The to self-denial even in the best of causes, gods, which have not made the hea- gave, as their sole contribution to misvens and the earth, even they shall sions-gave to each society, the great perish from the earth and from under and small alike-the formal fee of one These heavens. We conclude this guinea ? If we appreciate at all as we brief review in the words of the should the transcendent importance Bishop of Calcutta:

and grandeur of the missionary enter

prise; if we value as we should that " What can exceed the inviting pros- Gospel, which is the power of God pect which India presents ? The fields unto salvation to every one that bewhite for the harvest and awaiting the lieveth,' we shall not be content to do hand of the reaper! Nations bursting the little, or to spare ourselves in this serintellectual sleep of thirty centuries ! Su

vice. We shall think of the misery perstitions no longer in the giant strength

that sin now entails upon the earth; of youth but doting to their fall! Britain placed at the head of the most extensive

of the value of the souls that missions empire ever consigned to a western scep

may be appointed to save; and of the tre: that is, the only great power of Eu- glorious future for which missions are rope, professing the Protestant faith, en- preparing ;-even that coming time trusted with the thronging nations of Asia, when the Sun of Righteousness shall whom she alone could teach! A pater- arise with healing in His beams on nal government, employing every year of every land where the prince of this tranquillity in elevating and blessing the world now reigns. If thus all who people, unexpectedly thrown upon its pro- profess and call themselves Christians tection. No devastating plague, as in realize their duties, there will be no Egypt; no intestine wars; no despotic hea lack of labourers, and no lack of means. then or Muhammadan dominion prowling We shall no longer have to beg for för its prey. But legislation going forth

more liberal succour—and to beg in with her laws; science lighting her lamp; education scattering the seeds of know

vain? No longer shall we appeal to ledge; commerce widening her means of

those whose zeal, piety, and talent fit intercourse; the British power ever ready

them for labour in the Lord's vineto throw her ægis around the pious and yard, and be met with fancies and discreet missionary.

with fears. All then will act as men “Oh! where are the first propagators who count themselves alive from the and professors of Christianity ? Where dead, and their members as instruare our martyrs and reformers? Where ments of righteousness unto God.' are the ingenuous, devoted, pious sons of

All then will remember the test: 'His our Universities ? Where are our younger servants ye are, to whom ye obey.' devoted clergy? Are they studying their The days of timid, faint-hearted serease? Are they resolved on a ministry

vice will be over. The fruitless symtame, ordinary, agreeable to the flesh ? Are they drivelling after minute literature. pathy of sentimentality at home will poetry, fame? Do they shrink from that

give place to holy and devoted men toil and labour which, as Augustine says, men in every land where the Lord, OUR COMMANDER, Noster Inuperator, ac

er Inperator, ac- by His providence, calls His servants counts most blessed ? ..... Let us unite in to labour. Then, the love of Christ removing misconceptions ; let us join in constraining them, His ministers will

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