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DENOU
LÄKTARQATARAMÓTT
ARTES
LIBRARY
HITE
**- • • *
1817
JAJAL
VERITAS
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
TAKIHIRAPATTI
PLUMIGH
TUEROR
VERS-PENINSULAM AMIINAM
IRCUMSPICE
SCIENTIA
OF THE
Received IN EXCHANGE
FROM
Syracuse University
Library
BV
2391
478
1860
CONFERENCE ON MISSIONS.
HELD IN 1860

AT LIVERPOOL:
INCLUDING
THE PAPERS READ, THE DELIBERATIONS, AND
THE CONCLUSIONS REACHED;
WITH A COMPREHENSIVE INDEX SHEWING THE VARIOUS MATTERS
BROUGHT UNDER REVIEW.
EDITED BY
THE SECRETARIES TO THE CONFERENCE.
Fourteenth Thousand,
Bebised.
LONDON:
JAMES NISBET & CO. 21 BERNERS STREET.
MDCCCLX.
Postage Sixpence.
7
LONDON:
STRANGEWAYS and WALDEN (late G. Barclay), Printers,
28 Castle St. Leicester Sq.
ܐ
Ech
Library
Syracuse Univ
5.1541
میگه
Texts
OPENING MEETING OF CONFERENCE.
SELECTED FOR THE
"THIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM SHALL BE PREACHED IN ALL THE
WORLD.”—Matt. xxiv. 14.
Go
"ALL POWER IS GIVEN UNTO ME IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH.
AND, LO, I
YE, THEREFORE, AND TEACH ALL NATIONS.
AM WITH YOU ALWAY, EVEN UNTO THE END OF THE WORLD.'
Matt. xxviii. 18-20.
"How
"IT BEHOVED CHRIST TO SUFFER.
AND THAT REPENTANCE
AND REMISSION OF SINS SHOULD BE PREACHED IN HIS NAME
AMONG ALL NATIONS, BEGINNING AT JERUSALEM."— Luke, xxiv.
46, 47.
"THEY THAT WERE SCATTERED ABROAD WENT
THE WORD." Acts, viii. 4.
Madden
**
1
PREACHING
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? AS
IT IS WRITTEN, HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THEM THAT
PREACH THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, AND BRING GLAD TIDINGS OF
GOOD THINGS!”—Rom. x. 14, 15.
ir
TEXTS.
"ACCORDING TO THE
COMMANDMENT
OF THE EVERLASTING
GOD,
MADE KNOWN TO ALL NATIONS FOR THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH."
Rom. xvi. 26.
"HAVING HOPE, WHEN YOUR FAITH IS INCREASED, THAT WE SHALL
BE ENLARGED BY YOU ACCORDING TO OUR RULE ABUNDANTLY,
TO PREACH THE GOSPEL IN THE
THE REGIONS BEYOND YOU, AND
NOT TO BOAST IN ANOTHER MAN'S LINE OF THINGS MADE READY
TO OUR HAND.”. 2 Cor. x. 15, 16.
S
"THANKS BE TO GOD, WHICH
WHICH GIVETH US THE VICTORY THROUGH
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. THEREFORE, MY BELOVED BRETH-
REN, BE YE STEDFAST, UNMOVEABLE, ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN
THE WORK OF THE LORD, FORASMUCH AS YE KNOW THAT YOUR
LABOUR IS NOT IN VAIN IN THE LORD."-1 Cor. xv. 57, 58.
Introduction.
List of Members
Preliminary Meeting of Conference
FIRST GENERAL PRAYER-MEETING
Resolution of Mutual Welcome
Moved by the Rev. Dr. TIDMAN
Seconded by the Rev. T. GREEN
Address by the CHAIRMAN
Paper on European Missionaries Abroad: by the Rev. J.
MULLENS
""
Address by Rev. R. S. HARDY.
25
Rev. J. M'KEE .
ib.
Rev. B. LAL SINGH
26
Rev. T. SMITH
27
Rev. Dr. SOMERVILLE. 28
Rev. T. GREEN
29
Rev. W. SHAW
Rev. C. B. Leupolt
Rev. Dr. O'MEARA.
Rev. S. HISLOP.
Rev. J. WALTON
""
"
"
""
??
CONTENTS.
"?
""
"}
FIRST SESSION.
"
•
•
•
ib.
31
33
34
35
Address by Colonel LAVIE
Rev. W. SWAN
""
?"
>>
19
39
>"
??
112
91
??
PAGE
•
1
4
10
11
12
13
14
15
17
36.
37
Rev. P. LATROBE
ib.
Rev. T. GARDINER .
38
Dr. LOCKHart
ib.
Rev. H. M. WADDELL. 39
Rev. W. H. STIRLING. 40
Rev. C. HEBERT
41
Rev. R. S. HARDY
42
Rev. P. H. CORNFORD.
43
Rev. G. CANDY.
44
vi
Address by Lieut.-Col. HUGHES
Major DAVIDSON
Rev. J. H. TITCOMB
Rev. Dr. O'MEARA
>>
""
""
Address by Rev. J. GABB
??
MINUTE on Missionaries and their Plans
?"
??
79
SECOND SESSION.
Paper: by the Rev. J. B. WHITING: on the best Means of
exciting and maintaining a Missionary Spirit
""
59
""
""
29
""
99
99
XXK
"
ور
""
•
•
ور
CONTENTS.
·
PAGE
45
47
48
49
·
PAGE
Address by Rev. J. B. WHITING 50
Rev. Dr. SOMERVILLE .
Rev. Dr. TIDMAN
52
53
""
Rev. H. M. WADDELL
64 Address by Rev. P. LATROBE
65
Rev. J. ANDERSON
Rev. J. ToWERS.
Rev. J. FORDYCE
Rev. Dr. BAYLEE
66
Rev. J. WALLACE
67
Rev. T. SMITH
69
Rev. Dr. SOMERVILLE
71
Rev. Dr. TIDMAN
72
Rev. J. MULLENS
W. LEACH, Esq.
Rev. W. CAMPBELL
Lieut.-Col. HUGHES
The CHAIRMAN.
Rev. Dr. STEANE
Rev. F. TRESTRAIL.
73
R. A. MACFIE, Esq.
74
Rev. Dr. TWEEDIE. . 75
Rev. T. GREEN
76
Rev. R. S. HARDY
Rev. C. HEBERT
78
Rev. Dr. TWEEDIE
Rev. Can. WOODROOFFE ib.
Rev. S. HISLOF
79
Rev. Dr. SOMERVILLE
Rev. G. D. CULLEN
Rev. Dr. BAYLEE
Colonel LAVIE
ib.
Lieut.-Col. HUGHES
ib.
Rev. J. H. TITCOMB
Rev. H. M. MACGILL 80
"}
""
SECOND GENERAL PRAYER-MEETING
""
""
313
??
33
??
""
""
::
""
17
>>
99
39
">
MINUTE on the Means of exciting and maintaining the Mis-
sionary Feeling at Home
The Missionary Lectureship: Report: its Plan: and the Com-
mittee appointed
Address by G. F. BARBOUR, Esq., Chairman
·
FIRST MISSIONARY SOIRÉE.
•
•
Dr. LOCKHART, on Medical Missions in China
•
•
·
•
. 82
83
ib.
84
85
87
88
ib.
ib.
89
90
ib.
91
92
ib.
93
•
56
58
95
97
99
100
109
CONTENTS.
vii
Paper on Missionary Education: by the Rev. C. B. LEUPOLT
Address by the Rev. C. T. HŒRNLÉ
Paper on Missionary Education: by the Rev. T. SMITH
??
""
>>
>>
Address by Dr. G. H. DAVIS
Rev. B. L. SINGH
Rev. J. M'KEE
Rev. G. CANDY
Rev. Dr. BAYLEE
Rev. S. HISLOP.
Rev. W. Campbell
Rev. J. WALTON
H. C. TUCKER, Esq.
MINUTE on Missionary Education
79
""
""
"?
"}
Address by Capt. LAYARD
??
**
""
در
>"
""
""
>>
THIRD SESSION.
·
•
""
·
•
127
129
130
131
132
134
135
· 137
139
•
•
·
•
•
Paper on the best Means of calling forth Home Liberality:
by the Rev. JAMES LEWIS
"
•
3"
""
19
118
by the Rev. J. H. TITCOMB. 123
>>
FOURTH SESSION.
140
Address by Rev. J. L. PORTER
Col. LAVIE
142
Rev. Dr. O'MEARA.
144
Rev. T. GARDINER.
ib.
J. CUNNINGHAM, Esq. . 146
Rev. J. SUGDEN
ib.
Rev. H. GUNDERT
148
Rev. J. FORDYCE
ib.
Rev. T. L. BADHAM
149
>>
19
164 Address by Rev. J. L. PORTER.
Rev. Can. WOODROOFFE 165
Rev. J. B. WHITING
Dr. DAVIS
. 166
Rev. Dr. CATHER
167
Rev. T. L. BADHAM. 168
Rev. Dr. TIDMAN
169
Rev. Dr. TWEEDIE
170
Rev. C. RATTRAY
171
Rev. G. SCOTT
172
""
""
""
>>
"
•
15
..
>>
}}
•
•
>"
•
MINUTE on the Means of securing increased Liberality to Mis-
sionary Work .
PAGE
111
116
·
172
ib.
Rev. H. M. MACGILL. 174
Rev. P. H. CORNFORD. 175
JOHN CROPPER, Esq. . 176
Rev. J. MAKEPEACE ib.
Rev. D. THORBURN ib.
Rev. H. M. WADDELL. 177
Lieut.-Col. EDWARDES 178
150
153
178
viii
CONTENTS.
""
Address by the Rev. B. L. SINGH
""
Third GenERAL PRAYER-MEETING .
""
""
(C
Communication from Rotterdam
Address of the CHAIRMAN on Native Agency
Paper on Native Agency in Foreign Missions: by the Rev.
R. S. HARDY
""
3:3
SECOND MISSIONARY SOIRÉE.
Questions by Rev. J. MULLENS
Reply by Rev. R. S. HARDY
Address by Col. DAWES .
199 Address by Rev. Dr. O'MEARA.
. 200
. 201
Rev. I. STUBBINS
202
Dr. LOCKHART
. 204
Rev. W. FAIRBROTHER 206
C. SWALLOW, Esq.
ib.
ib.
. 208
.
209
. 210
""
""
on the Peshawur Mission: by Lieut.-Col. EDWARDES
on Missions in South Africa: by the Rev. W. SHAW
""
FIFTH SESSION.
•
Major DAVIDSON
Dr. MACGOWAN
Rev. T. GARDINER.
Rev. P. LATROBE
•
MINUTE on Native Agents
•
>"
""
""
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""
""
""
""
""
17
·
SIXTH SESSION.
•
•
•
Rev. C. B. LEUPOLT
Rev. J. WALTON
Col. LAVIE
Rev. Dr. TIDMAN
212
Rev. H. M. WADDELL. 213
Rev. G. R. BIRCH
215
Rev. B. L. SINGH
. 216
Rev. F. TRESTRAIL.
. 219
G. F. BARBOUR, Esq.
. 220
Rev. G. PRITCHARD
221
222
. 224
225
ib.
Committee on Income of Religious Societies
Paper on Candidates for Missionary Work: by the Rev. T.
GREEN
•
PAGE
180
185
189
•
191
192
192
194
227
232
233
CONTENTS.
ix
""
PAGE
PAGE
Address by Rev. Dr. BAYLEE
240 Address by Rev. W. SWAN
252
Dr. LOCKHART
244
Capt. LAYARD
253
Kev. G. D. CULLEN
ib.
Rev. J. H. TITCOMB
254
Rev. Dr. O'MEARA
245
Rev. W. HARCUS
. 255
Rev. R. C. KING
ib.
Rev. Can.WOODROOFFE 256
Rev. W. FAIRBROTHER 246
Rev. H. M. WADDELL
iv.
Rev. J. B. WHITING
ib.
Rev. T. SMITH
. 257
Rev. Dr. SOMERVILLE. 247
Rev. J. SUGDEN
259
Rev. G. ScOTT
248
Rev. D. THORBURN
. 261
Rev. F. TRESTRAIL
250
Rev. Dr. CATHER
. 262
Dr. MACGOWAN
252
The CHAIRMAN.
263
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•
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•
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•
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*
FOURTH GENERAL PRAYER-MEETING
??
*
"}
??
*"
"}
""
Resolution on Mr. BICKERSTETH's Letter: on the Special Week
of Prayer in January, 1861, and simultaneous Sermons on
Missions
""
MINUTE on the best Means of obtaining well-qualified Mis-
sionaries
THIRD MISSIONARY SOIRÉE.
Address on Indian Converts in the Mutiny: by the Rev. C. B.
LEUPOLT
·
•
SEVENTH SESSION.
11
266
Address on Missions in Turkey: by the Rev. J. R. TUCKER 270
on Female Education in the East: by Rev. J. FORDYCE 273
on Medical Missions in China and Japan: by Dr.
MACGOWAN
Address of the CHAIRMAN
Paper on Native Churches: by the Rev. F. TRESTRAIL
·
•
•
•
260
264
275
277
278
279
X
CONTENTS.
Address by Rev. J. MULLENS
Rev. G. F. Fox.
Rev. J. WALLACE
Rev. P. LATROBE
Rev. W. SHAW
Dr. DAVIS
Rev. Dr. TWEEDIE,
Rev. T. GARDINER
Rev. B. L. SINGH
R. A. MACFIE, Esq.
Capt. LAYARD
""
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39
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""
MINUTE on Native Churches
Resolutions of Thanks
Resolution on Parting
Address by the Rev. Dr. SOMERVILLE
Rev. G. OSBORN
""
•
">
>>
·
•
287
ib.
288
289
290
291
ib.
. 292
Speech of Major-General ALEXANDER
Earl of SHAFTESBURY
PAGE
283
•
•
•
295
ib.
}
·
Address by Rev. C. B. LEUPolt
Rev. R. S. HARDY .
Rev. J. H. TITCOMB
Colonel LAVIE
Rev. J. MULLENS
Rev. J. SUGDEN
D. F. MACLEOD, Esq.
Rev. H. M. WADDELL
Rev. S. HISLOP
Lieut. S. F. PAGE
Major DAVIDSON
Rev. JOSEPH MULLENS
•
MAYOR OF LIVERPOOL
R. A. MACFIE, Esq.
Earl of SHAFTESBURY
""
"}
·
"J
""
""
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
""
??
""
77
Lieut.-Colonel Sir HERBERT EDWARDES, K.C.B.
Rev. Canon STOWELL
Rev. G. D. CULLEN
Rev. Dr. J. B. Lowe
I
•
*
•
•
•
•
PAGE
296
. 298
299
300
301
303
ib.
306
ib.
. 307
•
309
313, 314
•
•
•
*
314
315
317
318
320
326
329
337
355
360
361
361
362
362
CONTENTS.
xi
INDEX
APPENDIX.
PAGE
375
I. Previous Conferences on Missions: by the Rev. J. MULLENS 365
II. Suggestions: by JAMES DOUGLAS, Esq. of Cavers
III. On the Training of Native Agents: by the Rev. B. LYTH
of Fiji
IV. Modern Works on Christian Missions
SUBJECTS TREATED SPECIALLY.
European Missionaries Abroad: Paper
Missionaries and their Plans
•
Missionary Education: Papers, 111, 118, 123
Means of calling forth Home Liberality: Paper, 153
PESHAWUR Mission: Address
Missions in SOUTH AFRICA: Address
Native Agency: Address, 192; Paper, 194
Candidates for Missionary Work: Paper
Means of obtaining well-qualified Missionaries.
INDIAN CONVERTS in the Mutiny: Address
Missions in TURKEY: Address
Female Education in the EAST: Address
Medical Missions in CHINA and JAPAN: Address
Native Churches: Paper, 279
The Mutiny in INDIA: Address
Results of Modern Missions: Addresses
Conferences on Missions: Paper
Training of Native Agents: Paper
17
MINUTE 56
On the best Means of exciting and maintaining a Missionary
Spirit: Paper, 58.
MINUTE 95
Medical Missions in CHINA: Address
100
MINUTE 150
MINUTE 178
185
189
MINUTE 227
233
264
266
270
273
275
309
337
50, 53, 329
365
377
•
MINUTE
MINUTE
377
381
391
CONFERENCE ON MISSIONS.
INTRODUCTION.
Conference.
Objects.
THE Conference on Christian Missions, the proceedings of which Origin of the
are described in the following pages, originated in a desire to
have brethren brought together, who had reflected on the duty and
the lukewarmness of the churches in respect of Our Grand
Commission; or who could contribute actual experiences; in order
that, by their mutual consultations, all Christians of the United
Kingdom might be stirred up to greater zeal, and to a more com-
plete consecration of time, of effort, and of substance, in this work
of the Lord. In God's good providence facilities were presented,
and readily embraced by a number of the officers and members of
Missionary Committees in London and Edinburgh; who felt that Its proposed
after the many years of continuous missionary labour carried on in
heathen lands; after the solid advance attained in some fields, and the
great experience acquired in all, it would be well for the Directors,
Secretaries, and Missionaries of all Societies and Churches, to ob-
tain an opportunity of meeting together and conferring together
about their common work. It was felt that it must prove a lasting
benefit for them to examine in detail the working of their various
missionary agencies, to compare their different plans, and to throw
into a common stock the results of that valuable experience which
they have earned hardly upon the very fields of heathenism. It
was felt, that while all must find abundant means of adding to
their own knowledge, through the information given by brethren,
all must be cheered by the tokens of missionary success; all must
be stimulated to greater zeal in the service of Christ, the common
Lord; and all must be bound in closer and more loving sympathy
with brethren toiling for the same grand end.
With these views the invitations were issued, and means were Measures
adopted for securing as complete an attendance as possible.
taken.
B
2
CONFERENCE ON MISSIONS.
Its Plan.
of all who could contribute to the full discussion of the topics to
be laid before them; while care was taken that the numbers should
not be so great as to prevent the deliberations from being free and
almost conversational in their general tone. At the request of the
Mission Secretaries in London, unanimously made to him at one of
their united monthly meetings, HENRY CARRE TUCKER, Esq., late
Commissioner at Benares, undertook to conduct the general pre-
paratory arrangements; in which he received assistance from the
Rev. G. D. CULLEN, of Edinburgh, and other friends. The
Invitations. invitations met with a hearty response from leading members of
almost all the Missionary Societies and Committees; officers of
twenty-five or more taking part on the occasion: the most cordial
hospitality was offered by Christian friends in Liverpool; and at
the appointed time, March 19th to 23rd, a hundred and twenty
members of Conference met together to carry out the work which
had been planned. Some doubts and misgivings had been felt.
by a few, but they were soon dispelled by the free and brotherly
tone of intercourse which prevailed, as well as by the frankness
of those who shared in the discussions; and in the end it was
acknowledged, with devout thankfulness, that the Conference had
surpassed the most sanguine expectations of its warmest friends.
It was arranged by the promoters of the scheme, that four
days should be spent in discussing the various plans of missionary
labour at home and abroad; that two sittings should be held cach
day, morning and afternoon, of about three hours and a half each;
that they should be preceded by a morning prayer-meeting, and
followed by a missionary soirée at night: and that while the official
deliberations should be confined to the members of the Con-
ference, all friends should be invited to attend the devotional
services. The plan was carried out with great success; the
general attendance at the opening and closing services increased
day by day; a happy variety was observed in the addresses
delivered, and the fields of labour described; a most delightful
spirit of Christian union, devotion, and prayer prevailed; and the
presence of the Lord, in whose name the work was done, was
largely realised.
Success.
Public
Meeting.
The more general services were brought to a conclusion by a
Public Meeting held in the Philharmonic Hall. It proved to be
the noblest meeting ever held in Liverpool in connexion with
Christian missions, and was most appropriately presided over by
the distinguished Earl who stands at the head of so many agencies
consecrated to the salvation of men, both at home and abroad.
INTRODUCTION.
Co
Discussions.
Of the valuable character of the Conference discussions a Value of the
high estimate must be formed. They were eminently practical
and searching; the addresses delivered were brief and pointed;
and a large amount of earnest work was accomplished during
the brief sittings. Two short-hand writers, Messrs. LEE and
NIGHTINGALE, of Liverpool, were present to record these dis-
cussions as carefully as possible, in order that they might obtain Report.
permanent record, and secure a wide circulation among the
agents of missionary institutions. From their admirable report,
revised by the speakers themselves, they are now published;
with the earnest desire that many who were not present at
these hallowed meetings may catch something of the spirit
which prevailed, and derive benefit from the information that
was offered. The Editors have endeavoured to secure for this
record as much correctness as possible; and trust that all mis-
takes and imperfections may be forgiven. They acknowledge
with pleasure the assistance rendered them by the prompt revision
of their addresses and papers by the various speakers, which will,
they hope, render the work not merely a trustworthy, but a per-
manently valuable work of reference.
They would invite special attention to the various MINUTES, MINUTES
in which the conclusions arrived at by the Conference, respecting
the principal plans of missionary labour and economy, are embodied;
inasmuch as they express, in a few brief paragraphs, the results of
that valuable experience, which it has taken years to acquire in
many parts of the world.
May the Spirit of God bless these efforts made to secure
greater support and efficiency for our missionary operations.
Would that the whole Church of Christ on earth thoroughly
realised its responsibility and privilege as His appointed instru-
ment for making the truth known to Jew and Gentile throughout
the world; and that in obedience, faith, and love, there were con-
veyed and preached, unto all nations, the message of peace and
good-will, this Gospel of the kingdom.
4
Members.
LIST OF MEMBERS.
AIKMAN, Rev. J. Logan, Anderston United Presbyterian Church,
Glasgow.
ALEXANDER, Major-General, Her Majesty's Indian Army; Chair-
man of the Conference.
ANDERSON, Rev. John, formerly Missionary of the Church of
Scotland in India, now Minister of the West Parish Church,
Dalkeith.
ANDERSON, T. D., Esq., Mayor of Liverpool; Treasurer of the
Liverpool and West Lancashire Church Missionary Association.
BADHAM, Rev. T. L., London, Joint Secretary of the Moravian
Missions, and formerly Missionary in the West Indies.
BALLANTYNE, Rev. William, London; Secretary of the Foreign
Mission Committee of the Presbyterian Church in England.
BARBOUR, George F., Esq., Edinburgh; Hon. Sec. to the Amoy
Mission in China; Mem. F. C. Colonial and Jews' Committees.
BARBOUR, Robert, Esq., Manchester; Treasurer to the Home
Missions of the Presbyterian Church in England.
BARRY, Rev. D. T., Southport, Association Secretary C. M.
Society.
BAYLEE, Rev. Joseph, D.D., Principal of St. Aidan's Theological
College, Birkenhead.
BIRCH, Rev. George R., Secretary Turkish Missions' Aid Society,
London.
BIRKS, Rev. T. R., Rector of Kelsall.
BUDDEN, Rev. J. H., Belvedere, Kent, Missionary of the London
Missionary Society at Almora, India.
CAMPBELL, Rev. William, Barnsbury, Islington, formerly Mis-
sionary of the L. M. S. at Bangalore.
CANDY, Rev. George, Missionary at Bombay from C. M. Society.
CARLILE, Rev. Gavin, Glasgow, Editor of "News of the
Churches."
CARPENTER, Rev. Henry, St. Michael's, Liverpool, Hon. Sec.
Liverpool C. M. Association.
LIST OF MEMBERS.
5
10
CATHER, Rev. Robert G., L.L.D., Wesleyan Minister, Londonderry; Members.
Secretary of the Systematic Beneficence Society.
CLEGHORN, Thomas, Esq., Edinburgh, Sheriff of Argyleshire;
Free Church of Scotland's Foreign Mission, Jews, and Colo-
nial Committees.
CORNFORD, Rev. Philip H., Baptist Chapel, Luton, Bedfordshire;
formerly Baptist Missionary in Jamaica.
CRICHTON, Rev. Hugh, D.D., United Presb. Church, Liverpool.
CROPPER, John, Esq., Dingle Bank, Liverpool.
CULLEN, Rev. George D., Edinburgh, one of the Secretaries of
the Conference.
CUNNINGHAM, James, Esq., Queen Street, Edinburgh; Member
of Free Church Foreign Mission Committee.
.
DAVIDSON, Major D., late Bombay Army, Woodcroft, Edinburgh;
Member of Free Church Foreign Mission Committee.
DAVIS, Dr. George Henry, Secretary of the Religious Tract
Society, London.
DAWES, Col. M., late Indian Army, Lay Secretary C. M. Society.
DAWSON, Edward, Esq., Aldcliffe Hall, Lancaster.
EDWARDES, Lieut.-Col. Sir Herbert, K.C.B., H.M. Indian Army.
FAIRBROTHER, Rev. William, London, Secretary for Funds, Lon-
don Missionary Society; formerly Missionary at Shanghai.
FEARNLEY, Rev. Matthew, Miss. in China from C. M. Society.
FFOLLIOTT, Rev. William; Secretary to the Moravian Missionary
Society, Liverpool.
FORDYCE, Rev. John, late of Calcutta, now Minister of Boston
Free Church, Dunse, Berwickshire; Member of Free Church
Foreign Mission Committee.
FORFAR, Rev. Patrick T., Scotch Church, Oldham St. Liverpool.
Fox, Rev. G. F., Durham, Hon. Secretary of the C. M. Society.
GABB, Rev. James, Castle Howard, Yorkshire, Domestic Chaplain
to the Earl of Carlisle, &c.; one of the Adjudicators of the
proposed Prize Essays on Missions.
GARDINER, Rev. Thomas, Missionary of the Free Church of Scot-
land, Calcutta.
GEE, Dr. Robert, Liverpool, Director of the Welsh Calvinistic
Missionary Society.
GRAHAM, Rev. John, D.D., Reformed Presbyterian Church,
Liverpool.
6
CONFERENCE ON MISSIONS.
Members.
GRAHAM, Rev. William, United Presbyterian Church, Mount
Pleasant, Liverpool.
GREEN, Rev. Thomas, Principal of the C.M. Society's Institution,
Islington, London.
GUNDERT, Rev. H., Ph.D., Basle Mission, Malabar Coast, India.
HALKET, Rev. Alexander M'Donald, Presbyterian Minister, Park-
gate.
HARCUS, Rev. William, Toxteth Chapel, Liverpool; London Mis-
sionary Society Committee.
HARDY, Rev. R. Spence, formerly Wesleyan Missionary in Ceylon.
HEBERT, Rev. Charles, Brunswick Chapel, Portman Square,
London; Secretary of the Colonial Church and School Society.
HENDERSON, John, Esq., of Park, Glasgow; Member of Foreign
Mission Committee of the U. P. Church of Scotland.
HISLOP, Rev. Stephen, Missionary of the Free Church of Scotland,
Nagpore, India.
HODGSON, Rev. T. E., Church of England, Liverpool.
HODGSON, Adam, Esq., Liverpool; Liverpool C. M. Association.
HERNLÉ, Rev. C. T., Missionary at Agra, from C. M. Society.
HOWELL, James, Esq., Liverpool; a Steward of the Conference.
HUGHES, Lieut.-Colonel R. Marsh, late Bombay Army, Hon.
Sec. Strangers' Home for Asiatics, and Member C. M. Society.
KELLY, Rev. John, Crescent Chapel, Liverpool.
KING, Rev. Robert C., Association Secretary of Colonial Church.
and School Society, Everton, Liverpool.
KNOX, Rev. A., Incumbent of Birkenhead; President of the C. M.
Society Auxiliary.
LATROBE, Rev. Peter, London, Secretary of the Moravian Missions.
LAVIE, Colonel Tudor, late Indian Artillery, Member C. M. Com-
mittee.
LAYARD, Captain H. L., Secretary of the London Society for Pro-
moting Christianity among the Jews.
LEACH, Wm., Esq., Marlborough Road, St. John's Wood, Trea-
surer of the London Association in aid of the Moravian Mis-
sionary Society.
LEE, Henry, Esq., Broughton, Manchester.
LEUPOLT, Rev. C. B., Missionary at Benares, from C. M. Society.
LEWIS, Rev. James, Free St. John's Church, Leith; Mem. Com.
Medical Missionary Society.
LIST OF MEMBERS.
LOCKHART, Wm., Esq., F.R.C.S., Medical Missionary of the Members.
London Missionary Society at Shanghai, China.
LOGIN, Sir John S., Kew, late H.E.I.C. Service.
LOWE, Rev. J. B., D.D., St. Jude's, Liverpool.
LUNDIE, Rev. R. H., English Presbyterian Church, Birkenhead.
MANN, Rev. James, Congregational Chapel, Birkenhead.
MACLEOD, Donald F., Esq., C.B., Judicial Commissioner in the
Punjaub
M'CLURE, Rev. Wm., Londonderry, Secretary of the Colonial
Mission of the General Assembly of the Irish Presb. Church.
M'CLURE, Thomas, Esq., Belfast.
MACFIE, Robert A., Esq., Ashfield Hall, Neston, Cheshire; Mem-
ber of Foreign Mission Committee of the Presbyterian Church
in England, and one of the Stewards of Conference.
MACGILL, Rev. Hamilton M., Home Mission Sec. to the U. P.
Church, Glasgow.
MACGOWAN, Dr. D. J., of New York, Medical Missionary of the
American Baptist Union, from China and Japan.
MAKEPEACE, Rev. Jonathan, Union Chapel, Luton, Bedfordshire,
and formerly Missionary of the Baptist Missionary Society at
Agra.
M'KEE, Rev. J., Missionary to Guzerat, from the General As-
sembly of the Irish Presbyterian Church.
MATHESON, Thomas, Esq., Liverpool; Hon. Sec. Liverpool Town
Mission, and one of the Stewards of Conference.
MILWARD, Rev. H. C., B.A., C. M. Society, Calcutta.
MULLENS, Rev. Joseph, Missionary of the London Missionary
Society, Calcutta ; one of the Secretaries of the Conference.
O'MEARA, Rev. Fred. A., LL.D., Missionary Chaplain to the Red
Indians on Lake Huron, and Superintendent of Indian Missions
for the Church of England there.
OSBORN, Rev. George, Secretary, Wesleyan Mission House, London.
PATERSON, Rev. John C., Presbyterian Minister, Manchester.
PIKE, Rev. James Carey, Secretary of the General Baptist Mis-
sionary Society, Quorndon, near Loughborough.
PORTER, Rev. J. Leslie, A.M., Missionary at Damascus from the
Irish Presbyterian Church.
PRITCHARD, Rev. George, late Missionary of the L.M.S. at Tahiti.
J
8
CONFERENCE ON MISSIONS.
Members. PRUST, Rev. Edmund T., Commercial Street Chapel, Northampton.
RAFFLES, Rev. Thos., D.D., LL.D., Liverpool.
RATTRAY, Rev. Charles, Missionary of the L.M.S. in Demerara.
ROBERTS, John, Esq., Secretary of the Welsh Calvinistic Metho-
dists' Foreign Missionary Society.
SCOTT, Rev. George, Liverpool, formerly Wesleyan Missionary in
Sweden.
SHAW, Rev. William, General Superintendent of the Wesleyan
Missions in South-eastern Africa.
SMITH, Rev. Thomas, M.A., formerly Missionary in Calcutta, now
Minister of the Free Church, Cowgate-head, Edinburgh;
Member of Free Church Foreign Mission Committee.
SMITH, Rev. Thornley, Bolton, formerly Wesleyan Missionary to
South Africa.
SINGH, Rev. Behari Lal, Licensed Preacher, Free Church of
Scotland, Calcutta.
SOMERVILLE, Rev. Andrew, D.D., Edinburgh; Foreign Mission
Secretary of the United Presbyterian Church in Scotland.
STEANE, Rev. Edward, D.D., Camberwell; Hon. Sec. of the Evan-
gelical Alliance, and one of the Secretaries of the Conference.
STEPHENS, Rev. Wm. Robert, Curate of Seaforth, Liverpool.
STIRLING, Rev. W. H., B.A., Bristol, Secretary to the Patago-
nian, or South American, Missionary Society.
STOKES, Hudleston, Esq., late Madras Civil Service.
STOWELL, Rev. Canon, Manchester.
STUBBINS, Rev. Isaac, General Baptist Missionary from Cuttack,
Orissa, India.
-
SUGDEN, Rev. John, Lancaster, late Missionary of the London
Missionary Society at Bangalore.
SWAN, Rev. William, Edinburgh, formerly Missionary of the
London Missionary Society in Siberia.
SWALLOW, Charles, Esq., Domestic Agent of the British and
Foreign Bible Society.
TAYLOR, Rev. W. F., LL.D., Incumbent of St. John's Church,
Liverpool; Hon. Sec. C. M. Society.
THORBURN, Rev. David, M.A., Free South Church, Leith; Mem-
ber of the Committee of the Edinburgh Medical Missionary
Society, and of F. C. Colonial and Continental Committee.
LIST OF MEMBERS.
9
TIDMAN, Rev. Arthur, D.D., Foreign-Secretary of the London Members.
Missionary Society.
TITCOMB, Rev. J. H., Secretary of the Christian Vernacular
Education Society for India.
TOWERS, Rev. J., United Presbyterian Church, Birkenhead.
TRESIDDER, John Edward, Esq., Member of Committee of the
Young Men's Missionary Association, in aid of the Baptist
Missionary Society, London.
TRESTRAIL, Rev. Frederick, Sec. of Baptist Missionary Society.
TUCKER, Henry Carre, Esq., C.B., Bengal Civil Service, London,
one of the Secretaries of the Conference.
TUCKER, Rev. Joseph Kidger, Incumbent of Trinity Church,
Northwich; Clerical Secretary Turkish Missions' Aid Society.
TWEEDIE, Rev. Wm. K., D.D., Edinburgh, Convener of Com-
mittee of General Assembly of Free Church of Scotland on
Foreign Missions.
WADDELL, Rev. Hope M., United Presbyterian Church Missionary
from Old Calabar, Western Africa.
WALKER, Rev. Norman L., Free Church, Dysart, Fifeshire;
Member of Free Church Foreign Mission Committee.
WALLACE, Rev. James, Missionary to Guzerat from the Irish
Presbyterian Church.
WALTON, Rev. John, Wesleyan Missionary, North Ceylon.
WELSH, Rev. Joseph R., Canning Street Presbyterian Church,
Liverpool.
WHITE, Rev. Verner M., LL.D., Islington Presbyterian Church,
Liverpool.
WHITING, Rev. J. B., Central Association Secretary C. M.
Society.
WHITTEMORE, Rev. W. M., Rector of St. James', London, Repre-
sentative of the Society for Female Education in the East.
WILKINSON, Rev. Henry, Norwich, late General Baptist Mis-
sionary at Berhampore, near Ganjam, India.
WOODFALL, Henry, Esq., Bebington, near Liverpool; a Steward
of the Conference.
WOODROOFFE, Rev. Canon, Alton, Hants.
YOUNG, Robert, Esq., Free Church Foreign Missions Office,
Edinburgh.
Total Members, 126.
10
Chairman.
Executive
Committee.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONFERENCE.
MONDAY EVENING, March 19th, 1860.
Meeting.
Preliminary THE Members of the Conference met at half-past six P.M., in the
lower room of HOPE HALL, for a devotional service, over which
the Rev. ANDREW KNOX, Incumbent of Birkenhead, presided.
The devotions of the meeting were led by the Rev. R. S. HARDY,
Wesleyan missionary from Ceylon; the Rev. Dr. TWEEDIE, of
the Free Church of Scotland; and the Rev. Dr. STEANE.
After tea, a preliminary meeting was held to arrange the
business of the Conference; when it was proposed, and carried
unanimously, that JOHN CROPPER, Esq., be requested to take the
Chair.
PRELIMINARY MEETING.
The roll having been called, in order that the members might
be introduced to each other, the Chairman desired H. CARRE
TUCKER, Esq. to state the proposed order of business.
This having been done,-
It was moved by JOHN HENDERSON, Esq., of Park, seconded
by E. DAWSON, Esq., of Aldcliffe Hall, and carried unanimously,
that Major-General ALEXANDER be requested to preside as
CHAIRMAN over the deliberations of the Conference.
It was then resolved, on the proposal of the Rev. A. KNOX
and the Rev. Dr. TWEEDIE, That the following gentlemen be
appointed an Executive Committee, to arrange the business of
the Conference:
Rev. GEORGE D. CULLEN,
Rev. JOSEPH MULLENS,
Rev. Dr. STEANE,
Rev. C. B. LEUPOLT,
JOHN CROPPER, Esq.
JAMES HOWELL, Esq.
HENRY WOODFALL, Esq.
ROBERT A. MACFIE, Esq., and
H. CARRE TUCKER, Esq.
PRELIMINARY MEETING.
11
It was moved by the Rev. P. LATROBE, seconded by Canon
WOODROOFFE, and resolved, that the
Rev. G. D. CULLEN,
Rev. Dr. STEane,
Rev. J. MULLENS, and
H. CARRE TUCKER, Esq.
be appointed SECRETARIES to the Conference, and EDITORS of the
Proceedings.
FIRST GENERAL PRAYER-MEETING.
TUESDAY MORNING, March 20th.
Speeches.
With a view to economise time, it was earnestly requested Short
that, in the important discussions coming on, all speeches should
be brief, and to the point; and, if possible, should not exceed ten
minutes. Full authority was given to the Chairman of the Con-
ference to interfere, if necessary, in this matter.
After some conversation, it was agreed that the brief papers,
kindly forwarded by friends at a distance, should be referred to
the Secretaries, with a request that they should look over them,
and bring forward such hints and suggestions as they might con-
tain in reference to the topics which may come under discussion.
be framed.
It was also resolved, That, while no intention exists of adopt- Minutes to
ing in the Conference formal resolutions that may be supposed
binding upon its various members, it is most desirable that the
Secretaries should prepare, and, if possible, lay before the Con-
ference, Minutes embodying the general opinion of the Conference
upon the various subjects examined and discussed.
After presenting their thanks to the Chairman, prayer was
offered by the Rev. Dr. SOMERVILLE, and the meeting closed.
Secretaries
The Rev. G. SCOTT of Liverpool, formerly Wesleyan Mission-
ary in Sweden, presided.
General
At 9.30 A.M. the first General Prayer-Meeting was held in First
HOPE HALL, at which a large number of friends were present, Prayer
besides the members of Conference.
Meeting.
The devotions were led by the Rev. C. B. LEUPOLT of Be-
nares; the Rev. P. LATROBE, London Secretary of the Mora-
vian Missionary Society; Dr. MACGOWAN, Medical Missionary at
Ningpo; and Major DAVIDSON.
Hints.
12
First
Session.
FIRST SESSION.
The first session of Conference took place in the Hall at 10.30
A.M., when there was a large gathering of members.
MAJOR-GENERAL ALEXANDER in the Chair.
The Chairman announced that, as an appropriate introduction
to the proceedings of a Conference composed of members of a great
variety of churches and denominations, there would be presented
a Resolution, expressive of the pleasure felt by all in meeting
together under such circumstances, to consider the best interests of
the Missionary cause; and called upon the Rev. Dr. TIDMAN,
who presented the Resolution as follows:-
RESOLUTION OF MUTUAL WELCOME.
Welcome.
.
Resolution of That the members of this Conference, in commencing their
deliberations respecting the work of their common Lord in the
heathen world, desire to express their great pleasure at meeting
each other upon the present interesting occasion, and to offer
to each other a hearty fraternal welcome. Though belonging
to different sections of the Church of Christ, they rejoice in
that close union to each other and that practical co-operation,
which have so largely prevailed among the agents of Missionary
Societies, both at home and abroad. They desire that that union
should grow closer day by day, and their mutual affection in-
crease and abound. Well aware that they hold various opinions
on important ecclesiastical questions, they disavow all wish to
interfere with each other's conscientious convictions; while at
the same time they cling with one heart to the truth as it is
in Jesus, and desire to unite their most earnest efforts in
spreading among the heathen the knowledge of that divinely
revealed Gospel, which is the appointed means of their re-
demption. They pray that in their present meetings the Spirit
J
FIRST SESSION.
13
of power, of love, and of a sound mind, may rest upon them;
that they may all be instructed, cheered, and strengthened in
their work by their mutual consultations; that they may be led
to renewed consecration to that Divine Redeemer who has con-
descended to accept their imperfect service in this great cause;
and that He will so graciously bless their work in His name, as to
render it more efficient than ever in the conversion of immortal souls.
After apologising for speaking on this subject at very brief
notice,
TIDMAN.
Union.
variety in
labour.
Dr. TIDMAN continued:-Sir, I most heartily agree with the Rev. Dr.
spirit of this resolution; that we come together with great plea-
sure; and that that pleasure is founded on our mutual fraternal
love, and still more on our deep interest in the honour and glory of Christian
our common Redeemer. The resolution recognises the fact, which
we, who look upon each other's faces, could not fail to feel, that
we belong to different sections of the Christian Church; but, Sir,
we do not regret that these different sections of the redeemed Church
are engaged after their own manner, and their own deep and
conscientious convictions, in the advancement of the common inte-
rests of his kingdom. I believe that, by this division of labour, Advantage of
much strength is gained, much useful example supplied, many missionary
errors probably prevented; and if we can but carry on our dis-
tinct agencies in this work in the spirit of mutual goodwill and of
constant prayer, then I think, Sir, this variety, like the varieties
displayed in all the works of God, will contribute to strength,
beauty, and efficiency. I hope that our meetings on this occasion Effect of our
will greatly tend to strengthen that feeling which, I am sure,
we all honestly and earnestly wish to cherish and promote;
and especially that we shall meet on all these several occa-
sions in the spirit of those prayers which our brethren have
presented on our behalf this morning; with a feeling of deep
humiliation that we have done so little in a cause that demands so
much; with the conviction that all that has been done is not by
man's wisdom or by man's power; and that "neither is it he that
planteth anything or he that watereth, but God that giveth the
increase." In looking forward to those greater labours and those
more extended glories which we anticipate in the future, our trust
will still be in God, in the faithfulness of His promises, in the
infinite value of the one great sacrifice offered by the Lord Jesus
for the world's transgressions, and in the life-giving and trans-
forming energy of his good Spirit. With these few remarks, Sir,
I cordially offer the resolution to the meeting. (Applause.)
meetings.
14
REV. THOMAS GREEN.
Rev. T.
GREEN.
of the objects
before us.
The Rev. THOMAS GREEN, Principal of the Church Missionary
College, Islington, London, rose with great pleasure to second it.
He felt, they were met together for a great and glorious object,
and that it was the constraining love of Christ which animated
every heart present. They were met as brethren. It had been
justly remarked that they belonged to different denominations;
but they were all fighting under one banner, the banner of the
cross of Christ. They were all moved by one spirit, animated by
one hope, influenced by one great and glorious object; that object
being, the Redeemer's glory in the extension of his kingdom, the
gathering in of his people, and the bringing on of that glorious
day when Jew and Gentile should be one fold under one Shepherd-
Importance Jesus Christ the Righteous. However important the objects which
engaged the attention of other bodies; however important the ob-
jects which engaged the attention of statesmen, politicians, philo-
sophers, and merchants; he felt, and doubtless they would feel also,
that the objects which engaged their attention at the present time
infinitely transcended in importance all others. If one soul was of
more value than a whole world, and that was the arithmetic which
their blessed Lord and Master had taught them, then, surely, the
object which they had before them was of infinite and transcendent
importance. God had already greatly blessed their work, and in
blessing them he had been pouring out his Spirit of light in a large
measure. They had heard of those blessed outpourings in America,
in Sweden, in Ireland, in Scotland, in various parts of the metro-
polis, and other places; and animated as they were by the ardent
hope, nay, the assurance which God himself had given them, that
this Spirit would be poured out upon them on this occasion, they
had come together, knowing that he would bless them, and be with
them from day to day; sure that he would answer the prayers
which had been offered on their behalf, and that a spirit of unity,
love, forbearance, gentleness, and deep humility, would pervade
their meetings.
Real union
in this cause.
Desire for
revival.
Differences
should be
forgotten.
p
If permitted to add another remark, he would simply say: Let
all differences be forgotten; let them not remember that they were
Churchmen or Dissenters, Baptists or Wesleyans, Presbyterians or
Episcopalians; let such thoughts be entirely swept away from
their memory: let them only think that they were Christ's; that
Christ was all in all; that he was verily in the midst of them;
and that now, in an especial manner, he would fulfil his own pro-
mise, "Lo! I am with you alway, even to the end of the world."
With very great pleasure he seconded the resolution, heartily con-
FIRST SESSION.
15
curring in every sentiment spoken by their dear and eminent
brother, Dr. Tidman, whom for the first time he was glad to meet,
and of whose valuable labours in connexion with the missionary
field he trusted they would long continue to hear. (Applause.)
The RESOLUTION was then put, and unanimously adopted.
these Meet-
The CHAIRMAN next delivered a brief address on introducing CHAIRMAN.
the programme of the morning's discussion. He said: This reso-
lution forms a happy introduction to the proceedings of the Con-
ference. I am certain that it is accepted by us all as a Christian
welcome from one heart to another. (Applause.) In this unity, Spirit of
then, and catching up the words of wisdom which God the Holy ings.
Spirit has put into the mouths of those who have addressed you,
let us now commence these most solemn, most sublime, most awful
deliberations; each relying upon the promises of our God and the
gift of the Holy Spirit, that they will result in what will be for
the glory of His most holy name, and for the good of millions
around us who are lying in darkness and in the shadow of eternal
death. Let us now go forward in dependence upon our God, and
his Holy Spirit will undoubtedly be with us. Having welcomed
each other, and given heart to heart in fellowship, let us, as Mr.
Green has suggested, know no church but that one great Catholic
Church, of which Christ is both the Head and the Foundation, and
for the completion of which we wait when the corner-stone shall
be brought forth with shoutings of "Grace, grace unto it!" May
God in his infinite mercy guide us, guard us, keep us;
and so
encourage and restrain us, that every word spoken may be simply
and solely for the glory of His own most holy Name.
The Chairman then referred to the programme which had Programme
been drawn up and printed, containing the subjects suggested for of the day.
discussion. The programme for the morning session was as
follows:
Subject: EUROPEAN MISSIONARIES Abroad.
A Paper, or Address, of ten minutes, by the Rev. JOSEPH
MULLENS, London Missionary Society, Calcutta.
Necessity for a missionary at once mixing intimately with
the natives, and obtaining a thorough mastery of their
language.
The use of the common Colloquial, as compared with the
so-called Sacred Languages.
Vernacular Preaching. Itinerancies.
Visiting from house to house.
16
THE CHAIRMAN.
The
ecclesiastical
Systems of
Europe.
Are they
suited to the
habits and
views of
other
nations.
He advised all present to adhere as closely as possible to the sub-
jects mentioned in the list, and particularly drew attention to
the importance of the point mentioned in italics, the cause of the
failure of missions. In examining the causes which had hindered
in any way the progress of Christian missions, he entreated them
in missions. carefully to consider whether, in the very systems of agency that
Causes of
hindrance
had been adopted for the spread of the gospel, they could not
detect some of the clogs to their chariot-wheels, and find out
why they had hitherto driven so slowly. In mission fields they had
to deal with men of different minds. Take, for instance, the
subtle and intellectual Asiatic in contrast with the Esquimaux, or
tribes that in other lands had sunk to the lowest grades in the
scale of reason and humanity. He would ask, whether it was a
necessary thing that the very systems amidst which we had grown
up; systems that came out of the struggles, contentions, and con-
troversies of the Reformation; systems that had arisen in the
days of Queen Elizabeth, and during the distracting times of the
reigns of the Stuarts, which were manifestly imperfect in them-
selves, though perhaps the best that could be adapted to the
states of mind and difficult circumstances, in which men were
then placed,-whether such systems are what we should take and
fix, like cast-iron matrices, in which to mould without necessary
adaptations, the varying minds and circumstances of American
Indians, Africans, Asiatics, and the inhabitants of the numerous
islands of the Pacific? It was important to see whether we could
not detect in these very systems causes of hindrance. From his
own experience he was sure we could; and, therefore, on this
subject there ought to be the freest and boldest expression of
opinion, founded upon experience, and guided by the word of
God. (Hear, hear.)
At the invitation of the Chairman, the following paper was
then read to the Conference by Mr. Mullens:-
Local Pastoral Work.
Medical Missionaries.
Translation of the Bible and Christian Books.
Causes of Missionary Success.
Causes of Failure.
Should Missionary Effort be concentrated in limited loca-
lities, or diffused over a large surface?
Reflex influence of a greater degree of vital religion
among our European Soldiery and Countrymen abroad.
P
w
FIRST SESSION.
17
EUROPEAN MISSIONARIES ABROAD.
BY THE REV. JOSEPH MULLENS, CALcutta.
of the
1. The European missionary is the most important element in Importance
a system of missionary operations. He commences, maintains, and missionary.
supervises that system. He preaches the divine message, and
teaches others to proclaim it. He is the connecting link between
old Churches and new ones; between the long-settled Christian
Societies of one country and the new plantations founded in lands
hitherto heathen. His position is full of importance in respect to
his office, in respect to the Churches who send him, and to the
people whom he first instructs. As missionaries flourish, are faith-
ful in character, work, and purposes, so will missions flourish: as
they go wrong, are weak, worldly, secular, or selfish, so will those
missions decay. The fidelity of a missionary may tell upon many
generations: the fall of a missionary may be a stumbling-block to
hundreds of souls. Not only, therefore, should missionaries be well
chosen, but be well sustained, and should be followed by the con-
fidence, the affections, and fervent prayers of the brethren who send
them forth.
of his posi-
more.
2. The position and office of a missionary are peculiar. A Peculiarity
minister of Christ in any country is a Christian and something tion.
He is a teacher, guide, and ruler in the household of faith.
A missionary again occupies a post beyond this. He is a minister,
and something more. He is that minister holding a special relation
to the Saviour; a special relation to the Churches; a special re-
lation to those whom he has come to enlighten. Missionaries are
eminently representative men. They are the messengers of the
Churches, examples of what those Churches are and do. They
are ambassadors for Christ, holding his treasure in earthen vessels,
yet counted "the Glory of Christ." To the heathen they bear a
new religion; they expound it, explain, and defend it. They en-
force it in every way they can; by head, by heart; by tongue, by
life; by love, by suffering, by patience, and by toil. In these things
the New Testament teachings are their best guide; they were in
many cases addressed to missionaries and mission churches by an
Apostle who was himself a model missionary.
character.
3. Apart from every peculiarity in his sphere of labour, and His personal
in his plans of usefulness, the personal character of the missionary
C
18
MR. MULLENS'S PAPER.
Questions
respecting
should be his prime object of concern. He must be "blameless, as
the steward of God;" "giving no offence in anything, that the
ministry be not blamed; but in all things approving himself as a
minister of Christ." All secularity must be avoided.
"No man
that warreth entangleth himself in the affairs of this life; that he
may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier." Everything
unchristian in his character and plans must be removed, for "if a
man strive for masteries (even over heathenism), yet is he not
crowned except he strive lawfully." Opposers he will have many,
still "the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be patient unto
all men;" that he may be able "by sound teaching to exhort and
to convince gainsayers;" pure, sober, hospitable, kind unto all men,
he who is of the contrary part will be ashamed, having no evil.
thing to say of him. Thus watching like a faithful servant; in
doctrine sound, decided, and sincere; in temper gentle, self-re-
strained, and patient; in conduct holy and approved unto God;
pressed by the Apostle's burden, "Woe is unto me, if I preach not
the Gospel," he will be earnest, in season and out of season, in
preaching the divine word of grace; making full proof of his mi-
nistry; and purifying himself from all evil, will strive to become a
vessel unto honour, sanctified to the Master's use, filled with the
Spirit, and even upon earth made meet for heaven.
4. Securing, however, missionaries of sound religious character,
his qualifica- many questions arise respecting plans, and prominent before some
tions, minds come inquiries like these:-
مجھے
1. Are piety, good religious character, and zeal, sufficient
in the missionary; or,
2. Do we require very intellectual and able men ?
3. Should all study the vernacular; should they confine
themselves to it; or,
4. Should they study, besides, the learned languages?
5. Should these studies be carried on to any extent in Eng-
land?
6. Should missionaries deal chiefly with the common people
or with the learned?
7. Should they fix themselves in one locality or be on the
move?
A careful survey of our wide fields of labour, and of the ex-
perience acquired during many years, will show that truth does
not lie exclusively on the side of any single answer to these questions.
Many answers are possible, each of which shall be correct in its
FIRST SESSION.
19
own sphere: a careful discrimination will, however, without fail,
enable us to distinguish where to apply them.
5. Several of these questions will find their answer in consider- His purpose.
ing another: What is the purpose which the missionary has in view?
Leaving out of our calculations the ministers who go forth to in-
struct our countrymen in the colonies, let us consider, that the
missionary who goes among the heathen aims to convert souls, to
found churches, to set over them native pastors, and so to build
them up and bring them forward to manhood in the Gospel, that
they shall both sustain it among themselves and carry forward
missionary work amongst others. To accomplish all this, he has
to employ one divine instrumentality, the Gospel; and this Gospel
he must convey into the minds and hearts of the people to whom
he is sent. He must therefore consider his own agency, as well as
the circumstances of the people.
health.
a. In regard to himself, he must study the conditions of sound His own
health in the country of his sojourn, and the arrangements for his
own comfort necessitated by its climate. Here he will find no rules of
universal application, but should seek for the advice of experienced
men who know his sphere of labour.
6. b. As to the people, he must seek also thoroughly to know Necessity of
knowing the
them. He must know their language, their customs, their notions, people well.
their habits, their religious ceremonies, the motives by which they
are most powerfully swayed. He should understand all the accom-
paniments and agencies of that training which has made them what
they are. His own training, knowledge, and habits are usually so
different from theirs, that, quite apart from the difficulty of getting
Christian doctrine into their minds, in ordinary intercourse with
them he may make such mistakes, and so offend their prejudices,
as quite to set them against him and his plans. By carefulness in
these things, by correct information, and by that consideration
which wins confidence all the world over, he may break down the
barrier which divides him from them, and secure an open door for
the word which he bears to them from heaven. He ought, there-
fore, to know them, that they may know him. He acts in this
matter under a general law, which rules every minister of Christ
in the world, that he must adapt himself to those whom he is going
to instruct.
learn their
He must know the current notions, customs, ceremonies, prac- He should
tices, ruling motives, superstitions, hopes and fears, of the people language.
around him. He must know not merely ancient China, ancient In-
dia, ancient Africa; he must know living China, living India. And
20
MR. MULLENS'S PAPER.
:
Beginning
at home.
Manual.
The language
to be learned
at once:
to know them intimately, he must be able to communicate with
them. Hence it would seem to be a good rule, right and wise,
that every missionary going to a heathen land should thoroughly
master the current vernacular, and be able to address the people
in their own tongue. It was partly for this great end, as well as
a divine seal of their commission, that at the outset of missionary
labour the gift of tongues was bestowed upon the apostles and
their brethren. There may be exceptions to the rule in cases
where the heathen understand the language of the missionary, as
in a few great cities in India. We know many honoured and use-
ful missionaries so situated; but I do not know one missionary
who does not consider that, to have learned the language when
commencing missionary life, would have added greatly to his use-
fulness. To be able fluently to preach in the language of a heathen.
people is a great talent, most powerful for their evangelisation.
7. Where should a missionary learn the language and manners
of a foreign people? He will learn the greater portion best upon
the spot, among the people themselves, and from constant conver-
sation with them. But the human mind moves slowly, takes in
slowly, especially the beginnings of what is new. There are cer-
tain points in grammar, language and ideas, which are almost en-
tirely matters of memory. Hence I draw the inference, confirmed
by experience, that the beginnings of his knowledge a missionary
may well secure at home. While continuing other studies, he may
for twelve months give attention to his new language; to the
verbs, nouns, and common terms; and endeavour to secure the
thorough acquisition of a small vocabulary. The pronunciation he
should learn under a competent teacher.
With a view to secure this desirable end, might I suggest that
every Missionary Society should have prepared, and be able to put
into the hand of every new missionary, when his sphere of labour
is fixed, a BRIEF MANUAL of the language, customs, notions, and
eligious ideas of the province or country to which he is going:
including a few rules, or hints respecting climate, dress, health,
food, and the like; a statement of the labours carried on by the
brethren whom he will join, and the like. Such a manual need
not exceed 120 pages, and would not be expensive to prepare.
This he should learn by heart, and know thoroughly by the time
he reaches his station. His progress then will be rapid, and his
course of usefulness sure.
8. With such an efficient preparation, let every missionary, on
his arrival at his sphere of labour, strive to enter as much as
FIRST SESSION.
21
possible among the people. That he may learn the language
thoroughly, let him devote a considerable time each day to its
acquisition. Let him walk abroad, and though he cannot speak among the
people
much, let him see much, and familiarise himself with all the outer themselves.
manifestations of native life. For the first year or two, his prin-
cipal attention should be given to the language and to books about
the natives. He need not, however, be inactive in his direct
work. Where opportunity is given, to teach young people for a
short time each day will both add to his knowledge and stir up
his zeal. It is an excellent plan at the outset for a missionary
to reside at a country station. Even with the best advantages,
however, the work is hard. I never learned to speak a thing
rightly, without having first said it wrong. Still, let every mis-
sionary persevere; he will learn much from his mistakes. A
native preacher may speak more correctly than he, but he will
speak with most authority.
preaching
tant.
9. When settled in work, vernacular preaching will generally Vernacular
occupy the most conspicuous place in his plans, as the most direct most impor-
method of reaching the souls of the heathen. But it is not a
common work. It is not anything that will do here. He needs
well-prepared discourses, that clearly expound the gospel, show
where it opposes idolatrous views and practices, anticipate objec-
tions, fall in with native modes of thinking, and, starting from
their own platform, convey knowledge which they never had
before. Extensive study will be required, and great material,
before any one becomes very competent and distinguished in so
wide and valuable a field of labour.
The time seems now to be come for employing this agency to
the largest extent. Books, tracts, and portions of Scripture have
long been available as its auxiliaries. Much knowledge of gos-
pel truth has been spread, and efforts already made should be
closely followed up. Where a large population exists, it is well to
maintain settled stations, that the missionary may repeat his in-
structions again and again until the gospel is thoroughly under-
stood, believed, and accepted.
also.
10. But with this settled plan, itinerancies in ill-instructed Itinerancies
parts of a country well agree. These itinerancies should if possible
be made systematic, be repeated, be limited to comparatively small
districts each time, and each time be carefully carried out in
detail.
Vernacular preaching is a work of such great importance, and
the power to carry it on is so valuable, that missionary societies
22
MR. MULLENS'S PAPER.
Schools.
Medical
missions.
Varieties of
acquire-
ments.
Varieties in
the spheres
of labour.
should give it their best attention. Wherever they secure men
thoroughly competent to carry it on, whether native or European,
they should secure them for that work alone, and set them free
from all other pressing toil.
11. Many other agencies may also be legitimately employed in
carrying out the great purpose of evangelising a people. The
position occupied in the system by mission-schools will be specially
discussed hereafter.
Sometimes a mission is not able at once to reach the heart of
a people: there are barriers in the way, arising from their igno-
rance, prejudices, customs, and other causes, which it is desirable
to remove; and all agencies that are efficient for this end may be
legitimately employed in the cause of the gospel.
Medical missions have proved especially valuable in this way.
Like the miracles of healing in the first days of the church, they
exhibit, in a most prominent manner, the humanity and benevo-
lence of the gospel and its professors: and by their works of disin-
terested kindness, conciliate those who would otherwise be prejudiced
against missionaries as foreigners and people of a strange faith.
In China and other countries, where real medical skill is unknown,
they are specially useful. India has been largely supplied with
dispensaries and surgeons by the Government, and to a consider-
able degree they are not so necessary. But there are many cities,
towns, and retired districts, in which they might be employed
with great benefit to the mission cause.
-
12. We advance to another question. Will piety, with ordi-
nary capacity, suffice; or do we require men of great mental
ability and acquirements in the missionary work? This question
is answered by another. Abroad, as at home, all spheres of labour
are not alike. There are many kinds of labour now, as in apostolic
days. "When he led captivity captive, he gave gifts unto men."
Look at the case in England. We do not ask Dean Alford to go
into St. Giles's. We do not expect the Marian of St. Giles's to
preach in the Britannia Theatre, or sit in the Professor's chair.
13. Apart from theory (though that is in favour of men of all
grades of ability,) a due regard to the varying condition of the
spheres of missionary labour will indicate the kind of men required
for missionaries. Look at the different countries of the world: the
Negro population of the West Indies and West Africa; the Hot-
tentots, Caffres, and Bechuanas of South Africa; at pastoral work
in the South Sea Islands, literary work in China, varieties of work
in Burmah and in India. There is simple work among people of
FIRST SESSION.
23
simple notions and habits of life; work of wisdom in guiding grow-
ing communities; careful scholarship in providing Christian and
general literature; grasp of mind in dealing with great systems,
lordly, clever priesthoods, and dangerous, deep-seated errors. It is
a matter of plain common sense that, according to the sphere and its
demands, so should be the man who is to occupy it. Missionaries
should be adapted to the places they occupy, and the labours they
are to carry on.
modern
sionaries
14. Spheres, too, may change their character: the same place Tendency in
does not always demand the same work. I would point out a missions to
peculiar tendency now visible in all our older missions, even in make mis-
India, which has a most important bearing on missionary character superintend
and labours. When missionaries began their labours abroad, advisers.
everything was heathen. They had to begin everything; gram-
mars, dictionaries, translations, first studies of heathen customs,
ceremonies, and religions. Naturally, the missionary became the
first pastor of the native church, when it was gathered. Now, in
almost every land, progress has been made. And there is a strong
tendency in the very circumstances of their work, to throw
missionaries back into their true position, not of pastors of single
churches, but superintendents of many: not teachers of one con-
gregation, but advisers and helpers of the native teachers. Look
at Mr. Vinton, superintendent of forty-two Karen churches; at Instances.
Mr. Thomas, in Tinnevelly, at one time superintendent of 5000
Christians; and so with many others. Missionaries in the South
Sea Islands have been superintendents of whole islands, and pre-
sided over theological seminaries. Who is not glad and thankful
to see it so? Here is a practical New Testament Episcopate, sprung
not from theory, but from circumstances; an episcopate forced on
men of all churches,-Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Independents,
Wesleyans, and Lutherans: an episcopate, however, more flexible
than any one of our many systems, and specially adapted to the
case of young Christians, who are dependent upon the advice and
experience of Christians in churches established for many years ·
a missionary episcopate which entirely disappears when the
churches grow out of their tutelage, attain full growth, and
need the foreign missionary no longer.
now needed.
If such be the tendency of modern missions, a tendency in- Kind of men
creasing year by year, it seems to furnish an argument stronger
than any other I have heard for great carefulness in the selection:
of missionaries. Such superintendents ought to be wise men;
men of large hearts, of comprehensive views; men not wedded to
24
MR. MULLENS'S PAPER.
Dealings
with native
scholars.
The learned
languages.
Wise to win
souls.
Rev. W. M.
WHITTE-
MORE.
Are Euro-
peans supe-
rior to
English ecclesiastical systems, but willing to suit their measures to
the circumstances of their flocks and of the idolaters around them.
15. In respect to idolatry, too, a higher position has been
taken. We have dealt in controversy with common notions,
traditions, ceremonies; and an immense deal remains to be done.
Good plain men, who can speak the language fluently, and argue
with common people clearly and cogently, are still needed, and
will be needed for long years to come. But we do need also the
few who can study the notions and deep theories on which Hin-
duism and Chinese Buddhism are based, and deal boldly and
successfully with the ultimate points of controversy, on which
learned scholars rest. For them we must look not to young men
newly arrived, but to men of experience, who have been training
themselves by long studies for such things.
16. The same great rule brings us forward to another point.
As a missionary acquires experience, comprehends the current life
around him well, and speaks the vernacular well, in a few years
he will perceive that many of the notions most tenaciously held
by the people are traceable to old times, and are defended by
ancient authorities. Let such a one, if he possesses the faculty,
study Sanskrit, learn Arabic and Persian, like Dr. Pfander; go
deep into Chinese lore; master the controversies, and provide
books not only suitable for the heathen, but for his brethren.
That is one sphere of missionary labour, and all must feel that
- it is but right to have it supplied.
in missions.
The Rev. W. M. WHITTEMORE wished to ask two questions:
First, did he clearly understand Mr. Mullens to say, that the
Secularitics missionary should be altogether disconnected from secular engage-
ments: for it was a very interesting point to decide whether the
missionary should be altogether given up to the work, or whether
he might usefully connect with the missionary work anything like
a secular occupation by which a man got his living. The second
point was, whether the superiority which Mr. Mullens ascribed
to the European preacher over the native arose, in his judgment,
17. Be this as it may; though differing in judgment as to the
details of their work; though endowed with various gifts, and
feeling predilection for peculiar spheres of labour; though occu-
pying various positions of usefulness, all bearing upon the progress
of the kingdom; let every missionary, consecrating all his powers
to the Redeemer with a single eye, daily make it his prayerful
study that he be "WISE TO WIN SOULS."
FIRST SESSION.
25
from the fact of his being a European, or from the superiority of Natives as
his previous theological training over that of the native preacher?
preachers?
MULLENS.
Mr. MULLENS replied, that his own conviction was, decidedly, Rev. J.
that the less a missionary has to do with secular employment the
better; it is one of the great benefits of missionary societies that
they enable a man to devote himself entirely to the work of God.
The superiority of the European over the native arises from Answer.
many considerations. It arises partly from his being a European;
also from his energy of character, his superior knowledge; and
especially from his being, as a missionary, the source whence
knowledge of the doctrine and life of Christianity, the new reli-
gion which has displaced the old, is to be first derived.
HARDY.
English-
remem-
The Rev. R. S. HARDY, formerly Wesleyan missionary in Rev. R. S.
Ceylon, said, he must be allowed to answer the second question,
having been a missionary in Ceylon for upwards of twenty years, man's ser-
and having had very considerable intercourse with the natives.
It was frequently his duty to catechise the children on the Mon- bered.
day, after he and others had been preaching to them on the
Sabbath-day. He invariably found, when he asked them about
the sermons preached by the European and the native, that rela-
tively they could always give better answers as to the sermons of
the European, than they could with respect to those of the natives.
Of course, the idiom spoken by the natives was much better than
what the Europeans could possibly acquire; but with the disci-
pline which European missionaries had to go through, the com- Why?
parative clearness of their ideas, and the readiness with which
they threw them before the people, without that circumlocution
which an uneducated native must almost necessarily exercise, he
invariably found that they could tell much more about the sermon
of the European than about that of the native; and he accounted
for it in that way. Not that the native children, as some might
suppose, had much greater respect for the European than for the
native minister; but the clearness and precision of the ideas of
the former had made a deeper impression, and his teaching was
more easily recalled.
M'KEE
The Rev. J. M'KEE, missionary to Guzerat, said:-With re- Rev. J.
gard to the secular employment of the missionaries, we, in India,
find that it is almost impossible for a missionary to keep himself
altogether free from secular employment of a special kind, though
+
REV. BEHARI LAL SINGH.
26
!
K
Industrial
schools
where use-
ful.
Rev. B. L.
SINGH.
Native
agents the
best trans-
lators.
A native
agency to be
raised up.
not needed for his own support; that is, he must have an indus-
trial establishment of some kind, less or greater, according to
circumstances. The circumstances of some missionaries are such
that they cannot altogether avoid it. An inquirer comes to us
he embraces the truth-he has, probably, been driven from his
home and obliged to give up everything. The missionary must,
therefore, in some way or other, find employment for him. Hence
we find, for example, our missionary presses and our farming esta-
blishments are required. I think that if inquiry be directed to the
subject, it will be found that wherever we have had industrial esta-
blishments to any extent they have been perfectly successful.
The Rev. BEHARI LAL SINGH, licensed preacher of the Free
Church of Scotland in Calcutta, though he regarded with very
great respect the remarks of those fathers and brethren who had
spoken on the subject of native agency, believed they had not yet
fully appreciated the value of that native agency. The history
of all Christian nations, for example, proclaimed the fact, that
Christians who were natives of the soil were the most successful
translators of the Bible into their own language. Hitherto the
plan of translating the Bible had been conducted as though
foreign missionaries were the only successful or competent trans-
lators. There was a considerable difference of opinion amongst
the translators themselves, and the friends of the Bible Society,
as to the faithfulness, intelligibility, and acceptableness of the
present versions; and he asked, whether the present versions of
the Bible in the various dialects of India would ever become the
standard versions of the native church? Though he made these
remarks, he must also say that he honoured the memory of those
venerable men who had expended their time, strength, talents,
and accomplishments, in the work of translation. Was it not,
then, he asked, now desirable that they should spend their time
and strength in raising an effective native agency to translate
the Bible with far greater purity and precision than it had ever
been done before? So also with regard to the preaching of the
gospel, and teaching in the schools and colleges, he believed that
the same principles should be adopted, and that the same results
would follow. The European missionaries sent to India should,
of course, endeavour by all means to do all they could in the
native language; but it would be a greater thing if these mis-
sionaries raised up a really superior native agency to teach and
preach the gospel, and translate in the vernacular. The sub-
FIRST SESSION.
27
**
work.
jects for that day's discussion included all the legitimate methods
employed in bringing the truths of the gospel to bear upon the
native mind. They were sanctioned alike by the direction of
Scripture and by the examples of the Apostles. It was quite
true that the Apostles did not translate the Scriptures; but if
the Jewish Scriptures and the Septuagint had not existed and
been extensively circulated, there could be no doubt that the
translation of the Bible would have occupied the Apostles' atten-
tion. In order to fulfil the duty and command delivered by our various
Lord, we must take two things into consideration. We must con- for mission
sider the peculiar sections of the Hindoo and Mahomedan com-
munity, and the particular qualifications and departments of the
missionary work for which the missionary was qualified, by his
previous training, habits, tastes, and inclinations. The mis-
sionary who by his previous training was qualified for one de-
partment of missionary labour, did not necessarily shine in others.
The missionary who was qualified by his knowledge of the
Oriental languages, literature, and philosophy, successfully to
encounter the arguments of learned Hindoos and Mahomedans,
would not equally shine in the work of translation and in general
teaching. So, therefore, the missionary should confine his time
and strength to that department of missionary labour for which
Providence had qualified him.
SMITH.
medical mis-
India.
The Rev. THOMAS SMITH, formerly missionary of the Free Rev. T.
Church at Calcutta, expressed his belief that native preaching,
when it was of the right kind, would be found better than any Value of
European preaching. Mr. Smith went on to say that he did not sions in
agree with Mr. Mullens as to the somewhat low place which he
had assigned to Medical Missions; as, for instance, in India. Per-
haps there it might not be so high as in China; but from what he
saw in Bengal, and in South Africa nearly twenty years ago, he
was persuaded that in these countries there was a very large and
important field for medical missions. Although there was some-
thing like truth in what Mr. Mullens had said respecting the What
provision made by Government for supplying the medical wants has done.
of the native community, it seemed to him that these were just
like a drop in the bucket in comparison with what was really
needed. It was quite true that there were dispensaries in the
large towns; but, as far as he had seen, they did not extend in
any degree whatever into the country. He did not think the
medical missions in India had had anything like fair play, or done
Government
+
28
REV. DR. SOMERVILLE.
Where to
place them.
the good which they otherwise might have done. They had
generally been placed in large towns and cities, in the very places
where the wants of the people in that department were supplied:
whereas medical missionaries should be sent to villages or clusters
of villages, and go from house to house, very much as country
practitioners do at home, carrying with them their medical skill
and the love of God in their hearts, resolved to do good to all as
they had the opportunity. From his own observations he should
say, that there were openings for such men that no other kind of
missionaries whatever could obtain. They were aware that in
India it was taken as a matter of course that every European was
skilled in medicine: they all got the credit of being physicians,
and lawyers, and everything. No doubt, many of his missionary
brethren present had often been applied to, as he had been, to
Their great prescribe for cases which they knew just as little about as any
man living. He had often, from this false impression in regard to
his medical skill, had opportunities, on the faith of being a medical
man, which he could not have had otherwise, of doing good spiri-
tually to the people; and he had no doubt that the medical men
in the Bengal villages could have access to the people, both males
and females, in a way which no other missionary could.
influence.
Rev. Dr.
SOMERVILLE.
Order of
topics to be
discussed.
CHAIRMAN.
The Rev. DR. SOMERVILLE, Secretary of the Foreign Missions
of the United Presbyterian Church, had listened to Mr. Mullens's
very able paper with great interest, and thought the Conference
were exceedingly indebted to him for its production. If pub-
lished, it would, no doubt, be found of extreme value to those who
had the conduct of missionary operations. With respect to the
order of discussions, the Chairman had suggested that the two
central points should be "the causes of missionary success and
failure." If this met the mind of the Conference he had no objec-
tion, but there were other points which might also be suggested,
and other topics which might be advantageously dwelt upon; such
as "the object the missionary was sent to accomplish," "the best
way of accomplishing the missionary work," and "the best mode
of training missionary converts." Now he apprehended, that if
such general topics as these were submitted, they would embody
everything.
The CHAIRMAN reminded Dr. Somerville, that what he had
suggested actually comprehended the whole programme, and that
FIRST SESSION
29
it would be much better to adhere to central points during each
particular discussion.
GREEN.
Rev. T.
should be
The Rev. THOMAS GREEN, Principal of the Church Missionary Rev. T.
Institution, London, said that he had a missionary friend in North
India, the Rev. Mr. Bruce, whose observations upon the subject Note from
under discussion were so pertinent that, though the remarks were BRUCE.
made at a distance of some ten or fifteen thousand miles, they
might possibly give a practical turn to the present conversation.
Mr. Green then read these remarks, which were to the effect, that
in learning the native language the first year was everything. If
the missionary made the language his sole work, in six months Languages
the difficulty of acquiring it would be broken. Mr. Bruce had learned at
now given up the English Bible. "Take up," said he, "the lan- once.
guage in a half spirit, and years will pass away ere you can speak
properly in it; or rather you never will. Give yourself wholly to
it, mix but sparingly in English society, and my opinion is, that
the most ordinary intellect will be sure to acquire the language
after a short time. With all humility I would say to a missionary:
If he cannot give himself wholly to the work in this way, he
had better stay at home." Mr. Green concluded by saying that it
was only fifteen months since Mr. Bruce had gone out to India,
and he was now going about preaching to the people in their own
tongue. (Applause.)
SHAW.
The Rev. WILLIAM SHAW, Wesleyan Missionary from South Rev. W.
Africa:-I am quite aware, Sir, that I can have no claim to address
an assembly of this kind, except that which arises from the mere
fact of my having been a missionary, labouring in a very exten-
sive region of Southern Africa, for more than thirty-three years.
(Applause.) I have listened to the admirable paper read by Mr.
Mullens with the deepest interest, and, I trust, with much instruc-
tion; and I entirely concur (speaking from African experience) Similarity of
in the conclusions to which my esteemed friend seems to have experience.
been brought by his Indian experience. If I failed to hear any-
thing in that paper which seemed particularly new to myself, it
was not the less interesting to me; but it afforded rather a con-
firmation of the feelings and interest raised in my mind by the
important topics introduced, to find that men in such different
spheres of action had been brought, in the prosecution of their
missionary labours, to very much the same conclusions. (Hear,
hear.) It is of the utmost importance that a missionary should
30
Don't be
afraid of
mistakes.
very early acquire the vernacular of the country to which he is
sent. There are, however, in some instances, serious difficulties.
in the way.
There is a class of pioneer missionaries, who have
Difficulties
in learning
guages.
had to go into new countries, where languages have not been
formed or written. Of course their difficulties are of a very
native lan- peculiar character, inasmuch as they can have no previous
acquaintance with the language they are required to learn; and
usually in countries of that kind, there are many extraneous diffi-
culties not found in more civilized regions. But I would humbly
express it as my opinion, that, even under these very unfavour-
able and trying circumstances, it is the first duty of the mis-
sionary to endeavour to acquire the language of the people
amongst whom he is sent to labour. I shall not speak of the
peculiar difficulties of attempting to reduce an unwritten lan-
guage to writing, and then proceeding afterwards to the trans-
lation of the Holy Scriptures; but I conceive the missionaries,
under these circumstances, are shut up to only one possible
method of acquiring the language; and if I may judge from the
experience of several honoured brethren of various missionary
Intercourse societies, I believe intercourse with the people is the best prac-
with the
people
essential.
+
REV. WILLIAM SHAW.
ticable way of acquiring their language. Of course I don't mean
to say that there are not instances where a judicious and sensible
man may avail himself of every benefit and advantage, which he
can derive from the written labours of predecessors or other
gentlemen, who are able to assist him in so important an inquiry
as learning the language which he is to speak. But, even if all
these advantages are afforded, he must endeavour to acquire it
from actual conversation with the people; and I would venture to
express an opinion, that though grammars and dictionaries may
afford help at first, they will be a very imperfect means of learn-
ing a language, unless followed up by direct personal intercourse
with the people. (Hear, hear.) It will require that the missionary
should indulge a little feeling of self-sacrifice; indeed, a man
must be first willing to become " a fool for Christ's sake," in this
respect. I have known some of the most able men spend a long
time before they became perfect in the language; and I strongly
suspect that this was because they were unwilling to make blun-
ders in their first attempts. (Laughter.) This is a lesson which
all missionaries, and especially young ones, should bear in mind,
that it is no matter if, in the first instance, they should make a
few blunders; for there is even amongst the most barbarous tribes
all the world over, and particularly those of Africa, such a natural
a
FIRST SESSION.
31
Greek
politeness, that when they see a man really striving to convey
some information, they feel that some indulgence ought to be
exercised towards him in his mode of conveying the truth. (Hear,
hear.) I am not so sure that even the Apostles themselves, when
they went forth with the gift of tongues, were in every instance
able to speak with the correct pronunciation and exact style of
the people among whom they were sent to labour. I very much doubt
whether that noble protest, which St. Paul made upon Mars' Hill was Paul's
at Athens, against the polytheism of that period, and in which the perfect?
assertion was made of the power and goodness of the one great God—
I very much doubt whether that protest was uttered in language
exactly such as would have been used by the celebrated orators of
that famous city. (Cheers.) I suspect that there would be some-
thing of an uncouthness, and of a foreign accent, even in St.
Paul's utterance (laughter); for it is in that way that I understand
the remarks made by the Corinthians who were opposed to hım,
when they said that his "speech was contemptible." There may
have been these peculiarities in his speech, and some verbal pecu-
liarity in his mode of uttering the truth; but of this much I am
quite sure, that if we go forth, beginning with the few words we
have, giving a few simple lessons, and learning as we go on, even
our blunders will become instructive to us, and by and by we
shall preach, with fluency and freedom, the glorious gospel of the
blessed God. (Applause.)
The New mis-
I
sionaries not
to be too
old:
I will conclude with one or two practical suggestions.
Societies should endeavour to send out their men not too old.
don't mean to say that God has no use for elder men, or that he
has not done much by many men who are beyond the age at
which it is possible to learn a language so as to speak it fluently;
but, as a rule, it is most desirable that your missionaries should, if
possible, get into their work before they are twenty-five years of under
twenty-five.
age. The other suggestion I have already anticipated, that the
missionary, as soon as he arrives in the country, should endeavour
to learn the language by constant personal intercourse with the
people.
LEUPOLT.
The Rev. C. B. LEUPOLT, of Benares, said,-Every mis- Rev. C. B.
sionary committee should make a law, as inflexible as the laws of
the Medes and Persians ever were, that no missionary going to a
new sphere of labour should have anything to do with English for
a year and a half, even though he be appointed a teacher to one
of the English colleges. He should be requested to spend his first
32
At first
every mis-
sionary
should study
the verna-
cular exclu-
sively.
REV. C. B. LEUPOLT.
year and a half entirely in studying the language of the new scene
of his efforts; and if he does not acquire the language in that year
and a half, he will never learn it at all. (Hear, hear.) This is
what I have seen during the twenty-six years I have been in
India. (Hear, hear.) Clearly no missionary will be able to preach
in a bazaar, or other place where he may meet with natives, who
has not mixed extensively with the people. If what he knows is
only the result of studying the learned books of the Hindus, the
people will not know, on his addressing them, whether he speaks
That is, the in Greek or any other language. He must learn the language cur-
current
vernacular.
He should
also learn
rienced mis-
sionaries.
rent amongst the people; he must study chiefly the dialect which
they speak in their daily life; and then he will be able to come
home to the hearts and minds of the people. I would likewise
recommend to the missionary committees that they request their
missionaries, after they have spent six months in studying the lan-
guage, to commence work, if possible, under some experienced
from expe- missionaries; or, at all events, to go regularly with the elder mis-
sionaries of the city to hear them preach, and to see with their
own eyes what is going on there. If they do this, I am perfectly
sure that they will soon acquire the language, and prove them-
selves efficient missionaries. But I will repeat again, that if a
young man have not learned a good deal of the language in the
first eighteen months, he never will be hereafter an efficient
missionary.
Age on
going out,
Age, also, is a most important consideration. I myself was two
twenty-five years too old when I took to the acquisition of language. If I
were to remain fifty years in England, I should never be able to
speak clearly the idiom and style of the English language. A
missionary applying himself when twenty-seven years of age may,
however, still learn a language, but not so easily as he might have
done at an earlier age. If practicable, a missionary should reach
Itinerancies his station before he is twenty-five. With regard to itinerating;
to be made
very care-
fully.
in North India it can only be done during five months in the year.
I do not think any missionary is able in the Upper Provinces to
itinerate any longer; at any rate, he should never take too large a
circle during the five months, but rather go slowly over the
ground, preaching for some time in each place: for if he make a
long tour of some three or four hundred miles, he will be like a
man who goes into the jungle, and sows here and there,
and leaves the seed alone. It may spring up, or it may
not. I have a theory of my own, which I should like to
see adopted with regard to itinerating. I would divide certain
FIRST SESSION.
33
them.
districts into parishes, if you like to call them so, and place in A good mode
of preparing
every large central village a catechist and reader. Each missionary the way for
might have from ten to fifteen readers, and these he should visit
constantly; praying with them, preaching, assisting, and helping
them upon every hand. By these means he would always find a
large congregation in these villages. I have experienced, when I
have come a third time to a heathen village, that a great deal of
enmity had arisen meanwhile. I have not known why, but it was
so. I have been opposed, and could scarcely get a congregation Progress.
together. But where Christian catechists are stationed in villages,
the feeling of the people has changed within the last nine or ten
years. At first when we came to the district we were hated, and
could not get a bit of straw for our people to sleep upon. But now
I can go from zemindar's house to zemindar's house, and get my
breakfast; and the people assemble around me, to whom I can
speak fully the word of God. (Applause.)
O'MEARA.
Red Indian
The Rev. Dr. O'MEARA, of the North American Indian Mission, Rev. Dr.
said,—As I am the only missionary present connected with the Red
Indians, it may not be out of place to give my experience in con- tongue un-
nexion with the subject of languages. The language which I have written.
been enabled to acquire, and into which I have had the privilege
of translating a great portion of the Scriptures, is one of those
which have been mentioned as not previously written. When the
application was first made to me to go amongst the Red Indians
of North America, I was told that I should find no difficulty with
regard to the language, and that all missionaries before me, and
those then engaged in the work, had preached and were preaching
through interpreters. I believe this is a practice, in a great Interpreters
employed.
measure, confined to North America, and that it does not exist in
Africa or in Asia. I think myself, it is an unfortunate mode of Objections
impressing religious truth upon the mind; and when I said that I
thought I should be able to learn the language of the people, and
speak to them myself in their own tongue, a smile passed over the
countenance of the missionary who was speaking to me.
"No
white man," he said, "could ever get his tongue round the long Difficulties
Indian words which seemed to have been growing since the deluge tongues.
itself, so long and so immense are they in size." I remember an-
swering him, that I was quite convinced that God was the author
of language, and also the author of revelation; and that I did not
believe that God was the author of any language into which the
method of salvation was not communicable and translateable. I
to the plan.
of the Indian
D
34
REV. DR. O'MEARA.
Mode
adopted.
effort to
learn the
language.
said;
I was quite convinced that it was my duty to endeavour to
acquire the language, and if I did not succeed, it would be a proof
to me that my mission was not to labour amongst the Indians of
North America. I went forth under this impression, and declined
Successful altogether the assistance of an interpreter during the first year of my
labours. I went away sometimes forty or fifty miles from where
any person could speak a word of English, and where the only
white face was my own. I placed myself amongst the Indians, and
listened to their language. At first it appeared a very strange
language; the words were so long; even the sentences appeared
to consist of but one long word. My first step, no unimportant
one, was to ascertain where one word began and another ended;
but under the blessing of God I attained that step, and then pro-
ceeded by signs and otherwise to find out the nouns of the lan-
guage; then the verbs; and then to put verbs and nouns in a very
summary way together. I then endeavoured to form sentences.
One of our brethren to-day has spoken of blunders: those "blun-
ders" were my only teachers; and a smile upon the countenances
of the poor Indians sufficiently indicated when I had made a
"blunder." I always took care, however, that these blunders were
in common things, and not in matters of consequence, which might
leave an impression on their minds not easily removed. I rejoiced
when their smiles indicated my blunders, and I rejoiced also when
their looks of intelligence showed me that they understood what I
said. The first year was spent in this way. I afterwards obtained
the assistance of an interpreter; but his principal work was to aid
me in getting a more extensive vocabulary of the language. By
the blessing of God, at the end of about three years, without any
assistance from teachers or books, I felt myself able to minister to
the people in their own language, and I have now been more than
twenty years engaged in that happy work. (Cheers.) I look upon
it as of paramount importance, that every people on the face of the
earth should have the gospel preached to them; not through a
language they do not understand, or through the imperfect medium
of an interpreter, but in their own language, and from the mouth
of the messenger of God. (Applause.)
Value of
blunders.
Result.
Rev. S.
HISLOP.
The Rev. S. HISLOP, Free Church missionary at Nagpore,
said:- Mr. Mullens had covered the exception he was about to
take to the discussion; namely, that every missionary shall be
required to learn the language in his first year. He appealed
Exceptions to the Chairman's own experience, and his knowledge of their
FIRST SESSION.
35
now ad-
mutual friend, JOHN ANDERSON, of the Free Church in Madras, to the rule
who had laboured quite as successfully as most missionaries in vocated.
India, though even at the end of his life he was not familiar with
the native language. He should regret if it were to be understood
as an essential qualification for every man, without exception,
and whatever the circumstances in which he were placed, that he
should learn the language of the natives, and could not be useful
without it.
The CHAIRMAN:-I think you will remember that, in the CHAIRMAN.
opening of his paper, Mr. Mullens brought before us very beauti-
fully the entireness of the missionary field, and showed how
every labourer has his particular sphere of operations. Most Spheres for
assuredly there is a wide scope for our Free Church brethren;
and if John Anderson, whose memory I love, as I loved him in
person, were here, he would, I believe, coincide in what Mr.
Mullens has said.
all.
HISLOP.
Mr. HISLOP remarked, that he agreed with Mr. Mullens, Rev. S.
though he dissented from the opinions of some of the subsequent
speakers on this point.
WALTON.
between the
the spoken
India.
The Rev. JOHN WALTON, Wesleyan missionary from Jaffna, Rev. J
in Ceylon: With regard to interpreters, I can say of India, that
there is no such practice amongst the missionaries in any of the
churches with which I am acquainted. Many of the remarks
made this morning have touched my early experiences. In the
study of the Tamil language I lost a great deal of precious time.
I had been six months engaged in this study at the mission-house Difference
before I discovered that there are in Tamil a written language written and
and a spoken language; and when I had made considerable pro- languages of
gress, as I thought, in the knowledge of the written language, I
found myself incapable of holding a common conversation with
the people in whose midst I lived. I found that, in attend-
ing the ministrations of some of our European missionaries, I
could understand them much better than I could the natives;
and that when I began to preach, the natives could not under-
stand me. There was some point of communication between
myself and my European brethren, not arising merely from the
fact of their being Europeans, but from another cause: they had
devoted themselves chiefly to the study of the written language of
the people. Now, it seems to me, one of the best tests of a man's
C
36
REV. J. WALTON.
Beschi's
anecdote.
Test of a
man's know- progress in Tamil or any other Indian language, is his ability
ledge of the to hold a discussion with a Hindoo of ordinary intelligence. I
language.
Colonel
LAVIE.
shall never forget such a discussion which I myself held, after
I had been in the country about eighteen months. A native
member of the congregation objected to something I had said,
and challenged me to discussion. I shall never forget my feel-
ings when, warmed with discussion, that native began to talk ;
for I have met nowhere with eloquence like Indian eloquence.
When the man answered my questions, and addressed himself in
reply to me, I did not know what he said, and I felt myself
confounded in his presence. (Laughter.) The learned Beschi, in
his Grammar, tells an anecdote of this kind:- A missionary had
been preaching in Tamil (as he thought) to a large audience.
I strongly suspect Beschi meant a Protestant missionary. After
speaking to them for about half an hour with great earnestness,
an old woman in the congregation rose and begged that he would
tell them in their language what he had been so eloquently de-
scribing in his own. Beschi adds: "The man was ashamed, for
he thought he had been speaking Tamil."
Colonel LAVIE, late in the Indian Artillery, said:— He had
known very few officers who spoke the native language with
Language in fluency, who had not been able to pick it up during the first two
the first two
years.
or three years of their residence in the country. If they did not
attend to this on first arriving in India, they seldom proved good
linguists. If we were to have itinerating missionaries and evan-
gelists, one of their first considerations should be, to learn the
language as speedily as possible. The next question was, How
was this to be done? Whether was it best for missionaries to
acquire the language in the Presidency towns, and among Eu-
ropean societies, or to go into the country districts to acquire it
by intercourse with the natives? His opinion was, from long
experience in the Presidency of Madras, that those who remained
for any lengthened period at Madras itself had not picked
up the language as rapidly as others who had gone into the
Best learned interior; and, in fact, that until they had gone into the interior
in the in-
terior.
they possessed a comparatively imperfect knowledge of the lan-
guage, and were not able to communicate freely with the multi-
tude. He repeated, therefore, his firm belief, that if they wanted
evangelists or itinerating missionaries, the more closely they were
kept during their first twelve months in India to the study of
the language, the better.
FIRST SESSION.
37
SWAN.
the first
should bave
The Rev. WILLIAM SWAN, formerly missionary of the London Rev. W.
Missionary Society in Siberia, concurred, to a great degree, with
what had been said regarding the initiatory processes of mission-
ary work, and the necessity of moving about among the people,
in order to acquire, as early as possible, the native language. Language
The first thing should be to acquire the language. Another point, work.
however, should be borne in mind. They had been contemplating
the missionary very much as an isolated individual, labouring in
a field by himself. This must necessarily be the idea of the
minds of some who themselves have been solitary in the field;
but they must bear in mind, that if missions were to be conducted
wisely, and with a view to great success, every mission should Each mission
have a full staff of missionaries, and these men would gradually several men.
find out the department of work for which each was best fitted.
The man who had the greatest fluency in the use of the language
would be the best suited for the itinerating work; and he of
great research, study, and learning, would be the most fitted for
translating and other literary duties. In the course of years
there would, in every mission thus organised, be found a sufficient
number of men to engage in the various departments, and each Variety of
would find his proper place and work. As to the importance of them all.
itinerating, and whether large or small districts should be occu-
pied by those who went out, such questions would very much
depend upon the varieties of place and district; and no general
rule could be laid down applicable to all cases.
spheres for
LA TROBE.
land.
The Rev. P. LA TROBE, Secretary of the Moravian Mis- Rev. P.
sionary Society, said:- My colleague and myself being the only
representatives of the Arctic missions, I beg to observe that the
experience of our missionaries in Greenland and Labrador fully Experience
bears out the truth of the remarks made by the majority of the in Green-
brethren here, upon the importance of missionaries going early to
their work, and of giving all possible pains to acquire the
language; mixing with the people, and getting acquainted with
their modes of expression, so as to learn the best mode of reaching
their hearts. Many of our missionaries in Labrador and Green- Good lin-
land have manifested very extraordinary talent in acquiring lan-
guists there.
guages. Some of them have really done wonders in the transla-
tion of Scripture; but these are not always the most successful
spiritual labourers. (Hear, hear.) That is a very important dis-
tinction to draw.
38
REV. T. GARDINER.
Rev. T.
GARDINER.
should be
be repeated.
The Rev. THOMAS GARDINER, Free Church Missionary in
Calcutta, said:-I entirely agree with Mr. Leupolt, that in the
Itinerancies work of itinerating it is desirable that missionaries should confine
limited, and themselves to districts of limited extent. This plan would not,
perhaps, be found the most pleasant for missionaries themselves.
A missionary goes to a village for the first time, and gathers the
whole people around him without difficulty; they listen; he is a
stranger, or a European, and they manifest the utmost interest.
"The people were very attentive," may form an entry in his
journal: he sends it home, and it will probably be quoted as an
illustration of success in the simple preaching of the gospel. But
let that missionary go a tenth time, or a twelfth time, and I will
venture to say that his visit will have lost its interest-the
novelty will be worn off; and instead of their coming in crowds
to him, he has to go to seek them. This is, no doubt, very trying:
it is very much more pleasant to gather a crowd in a village than
to go into a verandah, or into a shop, to speak to single persons.
But still, in order to speak successfully to people living in a world
of thought, and feeling, and sympathy, different from ours, and
going there to tell them a strange story, requiring the importing
of new terms, paraphrases, and words to be coined for the occasion,
to get them to understand our message, it is perfectly clear that
we must go to them again and again; nor must we be discouraged,
though the interest they have at first, through politeness or from
a sense of novelty, shown, have given way; and to carry on the
work will require the true evangelizing spirit of which we speak.
Therefore, I agree that if a missionary wishes to evangelize
thoroughly a district by itinerating alone, he must confine
himself to one of limited extent, returning thither from time
to time; and go forward in the strength and grace of God,
believing that he is doing God's work, and preaching his free
Gospel. Leaning not upon any human instrumentality, but sim-
ply on the might of God's Spirit, I believe he will do the work
of itinerating most efficiently, and, by God's blessing, with great
success.
Novelty.
Patience
needed.
Dr. Lock-
HART.
Dr. LOCKHART, Medical Missionary of the L.M.S., at Shang-
hai, observed that he had seen a great deal of the itinerating work
in China. With regard to the question of language, he believed
that no missionary would be worth retaining in China who did not
Every China thoroughly learn the language. Although there might be excep-
FIRST SESSION.
39
should learn
tional cases, he thought that the rule ought to be strictly laid missionary
down by all Societies, that the acquisition of the language was Chinese.
essential; for if a missionary learned not the language, the sooner
he returned home the better.
there very
to be
With regard to itinerating, it was one of those plans which Itinerancies
had been most blest of God in China, and had been productive of successful.
greatest success. In the station where he was employed they had
carried out a succession of itinerancies, which had been com-
menced in the first instance by Dr. Medhurst and himself in
1843, and had been continued to the present time.
They had Value of
principal
adopted the plan spoken of by Mr. Leupolt, in having one large stations.
station where there were several missionaries; and he pressed
upon the secretaries and officers of Missionary Societies the great
advantage of having large and efficient establishments in certain
localities, with a sufficient force of itinerants to go into the sur-
rounding districts. It was essential to observe, in regard to Itinerancies
itinerating, that single visits were almost useless. It was by repeated.
keeping up a steady succession of efforts through a district of
country that the real good was done. At Shanghai they had
repeated instances of the good effects which followed these itine-
rating labours. The missionary remained a week in one place;
then went to another and another, and returned to Shanghai in
the course of a few weeks; from whence he began the same circuit
again. The impression was thus kept up, and at all the mis- Good result.
sionary stations of the London Missionary Society near Shanghai
little churches were springing up. He had been informed by
recent letters from his colleagues, that many little places and
villages, with which he was well acquainted, were being brought
to a knowledge of the truth; and that within a circuit of fifty to
eighty miles round Shanghai little churches had been formed,
which had been in the first instance gathered together by this
practice of itinerating, and which were now under the care of the
various native agencies. In conclusion, Dr. Lockhart observed,
that at a subsequent period of their deliberations he should like
to make some remarks upon the work of the medical missionary,
being a medical missionary himself.
WADDELL.
The Rev. HOPE M. WADDELL, Missionary of the United Rev. Hope
Presbyterian Church from Calabar, West Africa, said:-The cir-
cumstances of different countries and of their inhabitants are so
various, that I apprehend no general rule, either as to itinerating
or language, will apply to all. (Hear, hear.) With regard to
40
REV. H. M. WADDELL.
Value of
central
stations.
repeated.
itinerating, my own experience of twenty-nine years in the West
Indies and in Western Africa warrants me to say, that the best
plan I have found is to have a fixed centre, and make that the
principal scene of labour, radiating thence in itinerancies, but con-
solidating our labours there. As far as we can, the visits should
be regularly repeated; for with a people very low and degraded,
Visits to be it is quite obvious that a single visit must be all but lost. They
scarcely know the sound of your voice and the meaning of your
words; and "line upon line, and precept upon precept," are neces-
sary for them to know what you are about. True, they may at
first appear interested, from the novelty of the circumstances, or
out of the respect due to a stranger; and it may be from the hope
of benefiting in some way, though perhaps not in the way you anti-
cipate. But if you establish a central point, bring all your labours
to bear upon that point, and make frequent visits to surrounding
places, the work will be best accomplished. Certainly it is of the
first importance that a missionary should acquire the native lan-
guage as soon as possible. There are circumstances, however, in
which he cannot give himself entirely to this work, and in which
Interpreters he may find it of great importance for a time to use an interpreter.
I have been in such circumstances, where God has blest the
labours of preaching even through an interpreter. Again, the
missionary may be in circumstances where he cannot give up his
own language; where, for instance, the people wish to learn his
English also. language, and open their towns to him, and go to his school on this
condition. In these cases, we go to them on certain terms, and
promise to teach them English if they will learn other and better
things; and in teaching them our language and our Bible, we
open to them the treasures of all languages, and give them access
to the literature of the world. (Applause.)
useful:
Rev. W. H.
STIRLING.
Abstract
rules not
admissible;
force of cir-
The Rev. W. H. STIRLING, Secretary of the Patagonian or
South American Mission, remarked, that what they had to consider
was, not the best means in the abstract of making known the Gospel
of Christ, but the best means under the circumstances. These
circumstances were of a most varied character; and, therefore,
cumstances. although they might agree that the acquisition of a language was
of primary importance, and that mingling with the natives was a
work of scarcely secondary importance to the acquisition of lan-
guage--and, indeed, a most essential means of acquiring the lan-
guage--yet the modes of approaching the people, and communi-
cating to them the Gospel, were subjects for very fair discussion,
FIRST SESSION.
41
and plans of
nian Mis-
and involved wide differences of opinion. He was connected with
a Society, the aim of which was to introduce Christianity to the
aboriginal races of South America generally, but some of whose
immediate objects of attention were usually considered amongst Character
the most degraded of the human race. Their missionaries were the Patago-
brought into contact not only with Indians dwelling in the forest, sion.
or the plain, but with tribes who lived almost entirely in their
canoes, and upon fish. Their subsistence was of the most pre-
carious kind, and they were destitute of all the resources of civil-
ized life. Yet, under these circumstances, the missionaries had to
approach them, and, as they were destitute of written forms of
language, to provide them with those forms. The present was the
third attempt made to approach these people; two former attempts
having been unsuccessful. The circumstances, therefore, attending
these labours and modes of operation, were of a remarkable kind.
Their station, and basis of operations, was in the Falkland Islands,
and they approached the natives by "itinerating" in a mission
vessel. They went up and down amongst the channels of Tierra
del Fuego, in a vessel bearing the honoured name of ALLEn Gar-
DINER. (Hear, hear.) In order that their efforts might be attended
with more permanent advantages, they had succeeded, under God's
providence, in bringing over to their station natives from those A fixed
parts, who were submitting to instruction; and from whom they begun.
had acquired, to a considerable extent, an insight into the language
they used. By these means the way was being prepared for
future settlements amongst these people. Therefore, if any one
were to apply the principles of Indian missions to the missions
in these Antarctic seas, they would come, perhaps, to unfavourable
conclusions. He rose, therefore, at that moment, to prevent the
conclusion being come to, that no means were to be adopted
under peculiar circumstances like these, except such as were
successful in India, China, or Africa. It was not that he
had anything specially new or important to communicate; he
merely wished to point out the peculiar features of a special
mission, lest principles not applicable to that mission should be
adopted exclusively, and sanctioned by the Conference.
settlement
HEBERT.
The Rev. CHARLES HEBERT, of the Colonial Church and School Rev. C.
Society, was desirous of drawing the attention of the Conference to
the immense importance of what he might call the "border-land"
of missionary work, and the very great necessity which exists for
remembering that every European who went to foreign countries
42
REV. R. S. HARDY.
Missions
necessary
'among
Europeans
abroad.
Rev. R. S.
HARDY.
in villages;
by the
missionary;
and by
pastoral
visits.
given in
detail:
plan, upon which there were the names of twenty-seven different
Instruction villages, to each of which villages we gave religious instruction
every Sabbath. Sometimes a schoolmaster would read the ser-
mon, which had been translated or written by a native assistant
for that purpose; sometimes the village was visited by a catechist;
and sometimes by what what we call a local preacher; that is, a
person, permitted to preach, but engaged in secular matters during
the week, and receiving no pay from the mission. Each place was
also regularly visited by a missionary, so that, though the mission-
ary
could not often visit these places on the Sabbath, still he had
each place in some measure under his eye, and knew what was
going forward in each. By these means, each place had every
Sabbath the preaching of the gospel, and the people were ac-
customed to assemble in these villages in the same way, and with
preachers; the same regularity, as they do in England. Those preachers who
by native
were more particularly under the care of the missionaries assembled
on Fridays, and generally told us what subject they were going to
talk about on the following Sabbath, and the manner in which
they were going to treat it; or if such an opportunity was not pre-
sented, they told us on the Friday afterwards, so that we knew the
manner in which they taught the people. Then, as to pastoral
visitation, the missionary visited each village in the week-day,
was a missionary either for good or evil; and that, therefore, those
Societies which endeavoured to promote religion among the English
who went abroad, required very much of the support of the Christian
community at home. He had heard, and those who had been in
India would say whether it was true or not, that the success of
missions in India, where numerous Europeans resided, was but
small; and that the success was chiefly in the country places, where
the European population were found but in a small degree.* If this
were a fact, it was evident, that a Society which endeavoured to
promote religion among our countrymen abroad must be of the very
greatest value. He was happy, however, to be able to say, that
the Government of India gave a hundred rupees monthly to every
person sent out by the Society with which he was connected, who
could occupy the post once occupied by a chaplain in India.
The Rev. R. S. HARDY said:-I resided for a number of
years
at the station of Negombo, in the island of Ceylon, and the way in
which the station was worked was this:-We had what we called a
* Other causes, however, besides the absence of Europeans, contribute to the
greater numerical success of the country missions.
FIRST SESSION.
43
in Ceylon.
taking them in as great numbers as he could, and visiting from Visitation
house to house. There is not that objection among the Buddhists
of Ceylon to family visitation, which there would be among the
Brahmins of India and other places; during one year I have visited
no less than 1700 houses belonging to the natives, and had an op-
portunity in each of saying something relative to the work of God,
and in almost every house was permitted to pray with the people.
In addition to this we occasionally itinerated in the manner adopted Itinerancies.
upon the Continent of India; but taking tours of one to two hun-
dred miles simply for the purpose of scattering tracts and copies of
the Scriptures, in places where we thought they would be appre-
ciated and read. In some instances there are as many perhaps
attendant upon the services of that neighbourhood, in proportion
to the population, as in any part of England.
Again, we not only visit the people in the way we have repre- Classes.
sented, but we also meet them afterwards in what are called Classes:
—that is, every quarter or so, all the communicants are privately
spoken to, relative to the progress of the work of God in their
souls. This is the course we Wesleyans generally pursue, and we
have found that it has generally been attended by the blessing of
God.
CORNFORD.
to work
the lowest,
The Rev. P. H. CORNFORD, formerly Baptist missionary in Rev. P. H.
Jamaica, observed, that Missionary Societies were generally poor,
and the great question was, How should the work be done
with the greatest measure of success? If with small means they
attempted the accomplishing of everything at once, it was evident
they must fail to a very considerable extent. He was impressed
forcibly with the idea that missions had been attended with the
greatest success where the missionaries had gone to the very Missionaries
poorest and lowest of the people; made common cause with them; also among
shown themselves to be their friends in every possible way; and
thus endeavoured, as far as possible, by evangelistic labour, to
spread the cause of God. The higher branches of missionary
work would grow out of this. Missionaries must identify them-
selves with the temporal condition of the people, and the failure
of missions arose, in some instances, from the missionaries them-
selves not going low enough, nor humbling themselves sufficiently.
The missionaries in the West Indies, in the South Seas, and among
the Karens, had enjoyed the greatest measure of success, but they and help
had addressed themselves to the poorest of the people, and made every way.
common cause with them. Sometimes missionaries had been
them in
44
REV. G. CANDY.
Rev. G.
CANDY.
C
denounced for being too political; but circumstances frequently
required missionaries to take a political interest in the people.
This was not always necessary; but there might be occasions
when it was desirable. The medical knowledge, also, with which
every missionary should be invested, was one great aid to in-
fluencing the natives. The vernacular of the heart was under-
stood in all countries. Missionaries should not regard too much
their own dignity, nor endeavour to fix themselves among the
people as pastors, but should divest themselves of anything likely
to elevate them too far above the level of the people, and by
visiting them from house to house and cot to cot, they should
take every means to gather the hearts of the people, and prepare
them to receive the word of God. He was desirous of impressing
such considerations upon the attention of every missionary meeting
and missionary secretary throughout the world.
The Rev. GEORGE CANDY, of the Church Missionary Society,
Bombay, was afraid that the "causes of success and failure" would
not come before the Conference, unless they kept these important
points more closely in view during the discussion. A residence
of nearly thirty-six years in India would enable him to say some-
thing upon nearly every point brought forward, but he did not
know that he could throw any new light upon the valuable sug-
gestions already made. Certainly the impression produced on his
Fixed rules mind had confirmed the conviction, which he before held, that, if
inadmissible.
it were possible for them to arrive at the best modes respectively of
conducting the missionary work, they would be no gainers
thereby. If they set themselves to make laws like those of the
Medes and Persians, he was quite sure they should go contrary to
the mind of God. The principal thing was for each labourer to
live in daily and hourly communion with God, to be able to appre-
hend the will of God, and to follow that will. Alluding to the
point of the reflex influence of a greater degree of vital religion
Buropeans among our European soldiers and countrymen abroad, Mr. Candy
Influence of
missions on
said that the consideration of this point would help them in a
great measure to discover the causes of failure and success. It
was thirty-nine years ago since he went out to India; on his
arrival in the country the state of religion among his own coun-
trymen was exceedingly low, and the success of the few missions
which were established, at the lowest point: but, no sooner did it
please God to begin a good work amongst the Europeans there,
than it told immediately upon the minds of the people. When the
FIRST SESSION.
45
of their
natives.
natives had an opportunity of seeing Christianity embodied in the Good effect
conversation, temper, and conduct of those who called themselves piety on the
Christians, they perceived a power in Christianity which they had
failed to see before. Previously they had looked upon the exhorta-
tion of the missionary, merely as the setting forth of some theory
or system similar in its character to their own. The views and
opinions of a native did not influence his conduct: his religion con-
sisted in his observances, and not in his theories; and so our mis-
sionaries failed to produce much effect upon the minds of the
natives, until the latter had an opportunity of seeing Christianity
as exemplified in the lives of our fellow-countrymen.
When first
he arrived in India he was struck with the low state of religion
among the English officers and gentlemen residing there. Being
himself at that time in the army, he had an opportunity of ob-
serving this very closely, and of noticing the change which took
place when the Gospel spread amongst his fellow-countrymen.
With respect to India, he considered that the causes of failure had Other causes
been
very much owing to the slackness of their countrymen at home.
There had not been that unremitting zeal and devotedness for the
good cause which ought to have been manifested. The conduct of
the British Government also had had a most important bearing
upon missionary operations in that country.
of hindrance.
Mr. CANDY'S
The CHAIRMAN observed, that they would all sympathise with CHAIRMAN.
and appreciate the remarks of Mr. Candy as to the conduct of pro-
fessors of religion abroad being one of the causes of the failure of
missions. The conduct of professing Christians had been the Confirms
reproach of our religion in India. He requested that some of their views.
experienced brethren, who had been working at home in sending
out missionaries and watching their progress abroad, would bring
this subject before the Conference clearly and concisely. He urged
also that, in considering the hindrances to the progress of missions,
we should examine whether in our own ecclesiastical systems there
were any impediments to prevent the free course of the gospel
among peoples who had not grown up in habitual conformity to
them.
HUGHES.
Lieut.-Col. HUGHES, Secretary of the Asiatic Strangers' Lieut.-Col.
Home, said:- It is a lamentable and yet an acknowledged fact,
that the ungodly walk and conversation of professed Christians at
home and abroad has been, and continues to be, one of the great
hindrances to the spread of the gospel. From the experience I have
46
I
Neglect of
natives of
foreign
lands, when
arrived in
England.
Instance.
He
London.
had during the past five years amongst the natives of the East who
have visited this country, I can bear my testimony to the fact that
many of these natives have visited Christian England no less than
on seven or eight occasions, and that during the time they were in
this Christian land they never had a word regarding Christ or
his gospel set before them. On one occasion I was making some
visits in the East of London, and met several natives of India, one
of whom told me that he had on seven different occasions within
the last fifteen years been in England, and that he had never heard
a word about Christ. On another occasion, when speaking to a
native of India, I asked him if he had heard of the Gospel.
said,-Often. I said,-Where? He replied,-I heard it in Cal-
cutta. I put Henry Martyn's Testament into his hand and asked
him if he had seen it before. He said,-Yes, I have seen it and
heard it read at Calcutta; but he told me that he never heard a
word regarding Christ or the Gospel in Christian England. I
was walking in the East of London on another occasion with a
A Sepoy in few friends, when a native of India passed us. We stopped him
and asked him who he was. He told us that he belonged to the
34th Bengal Native Infantry, and having heard much of England,
he had come over on leave of absence to see what it was like.
He had heard great things of Christianity in England, and yet,
though that man had been six weeks in London, he had never
heard a word about Christ or his Gospel ! He said he was
acquainted with several missionaries, and with the excellent
Colonel Wheeler; that he knew several chaplains and pious.
officers in India, who had repeatedly spoken to him of the word of
God and set before him the gospel; but that he had never heard
a word on these subjects in Christian England during the six
weeks he had lived there. That man was a member of the Baptist
communion, and a few days afterwards returned to India. What
an account must he have taken back of what he had heard and
seen in England! In this matter we have not been faithful
to our God. We have neglected these poor men and foreigners
who have come to our shores; and shame to us that we have not
set before them the gospel!
Another.
Another
example.
LIEUT.-COL. HUGHES.
I will give you another instance. In the year 1854 there were
twenty-eight Tahitians cast adrift on the streets of London from
two American vessels. They were found sleeping under some
carts in Whitechapel by a City missionary, and a few of them
were taken by a friend of my own to the neighbouring workhouse,
whence they were driven away by the porter with curses. And
FIRST SESSION.
47
ought to do.
who were these men? Why, these were the converts of the
beloved and esteemed Williams. The greater portion of them had
been members of a Christian church for many years. They had
heard of Christian England, and had taken service in the Ameri-
can vessels, knowing they were coming to Christian England, and
expecting to meet with Christian liberality and Christian commu- What we
nion. What a reproof is this to us! I trust, that what I have
spoken in so imperfect a way will lead to greater efforts being
made to set the truth before those who come amongst us; so that
when they return to their native land they may take back with
them a good report of what they hear and see in this professedly
Christian country.
DAVIDSON.
Major DAVIDSON, lately in the Bombay army, said:- I have Major
very great pleasure, Mr. Chairman, in adding my testimony to
that of Colonel Hughes as to the advantages which we owe to
missionaries in India; at least, those of us who are soldiers. I
have great satisfaction in following Colonel Hughes, for it brings
back to my recollection the circumstances of my early life, when,
as a very young Ensign, I commenced my career in India; and
when, as perhaps Colonel Hughes himself may not remember, I
was put under his immediate care as the adjutant of the first
regiment in which I did duty. We have not met since then; and
it affords me very great pleasure that we should meet now under
circumstances like these. (Cheers.) After doing duty for a short
time with that regiment, the first ten years of my career were spent
in places where we had no regular chaplain. At one station there
was nothing to distinguish the Sabbath from the week-day, but the Good done
flag flying from the citadel of the fortress. Now, considering that aries in
the only ministerial advantages we could enjoy were those that Europeans.
we received at the hands of the missionaries, I am sure it would
be unbecoming in us not to testify to the great advantages which
Europeans in India derive from the missionaries. (Hear, hear.)
I have been at a good many stations where there have been mis-
sionaries, and have observed that some missionaries felt it their
duty to act differently from others with respect to labours amongst
Europeans. At one station they went professedly very little
amongst the Europeans, but gave themselves to the work of the
mission to the heathen. At that station there was a chaplain,
whose duty it was to labour amongst the Europeans. The mis-
sionaries, therefore, confined themselves to having a weekly
prayer-meeting for Europeans, and, under the circumstances in
by missiou-
India among
48
MAJOR DAVIDSON.
Example.
Rev. J. H.
TITCOMB.
Importance
of training
a native
pastorate.
which they were placed, I conceive they acted rightly. But it
is well for Europeans in India that all missionaries do not find it
necessary to confine themselves to one rule in this respect. I was
at another station where there was for years only one poor feeble
witness for Christ. It was visited by a missionary who made it
his business to go about from house to house, and to speak to
every European at the station about his or her soul. He was
only three days at the station; yet the result of that visit was
such, that for months afterwards there was a remarkable revival
amongst the Europeans there. There were meetings at each
other's houses for prayer and reading the word; grace was said at
the mess-table; and after the mess a few of the officers would
retire to each other's houses, to unite in the reading of the word
of God and in prayer. These same officers were wont to meet
every morning also at eight o'clock, for the same purpose. This
all resulted from the visit of a missionary which extended over
only three days. He certainly had his heart in his Master's work,
and he made us feel so; for he left the most precious savour of his
presence behind him. (Cheers.)
The Rev. J. H. TITCOMB, Secretary of the Christian Verna-
cular Education Society for India, said he was perfectly satisfied
that the remarks of Colonel Hughes with regard to the reflex
influence of the conduct of our countrymen in India upon the
natives, formed a painful, but most true and melancholy com-
mentary upon the apparent inefficiency of our own mission work.
What struck him, however, as the most important of all was,
that they had not in their various Missionary Societies depended
sufficiently upon native agency. The subject of vernacular preach-
ing was fundamentally important; and in connexion with it
he would, therefore, beg to refer the Conference to a report of the
South Indian Missionary Conference, where a paper was read by the
Rev. J. Scudder of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of
America, who in his remarks on vernacular preaching endeavoured
to show in strong terms, that one great advantage of that system
of missionary labour was the indirect manner in which it tended
to foster a native pastorate. It appeared to him that, if in the
itinerating preaching of their missionaries they were to gather
together their most useful converts, take them with them, and use
them as adjuncts for their own work for the sake of preparing
them for, and instructing them in, the duties of the pastorate, they
would not only do a good work in this way by their own labour,
FIRST SESSION.
49
but they would be preparing indirectly, and building up the founda-
tions of a native church, which might afterwards be successfully
carried on by the labours of those native pastors. By means like
these, he believed that missions would be endowed with much
greater success, and under God's blessing they would be enabled
to leave the work to others, and plant in India, America, and
Africa an indigenous church, which would be the only permanent
hope of Christianity in those lands. (Applause.)
O'MEARA,
conduct of
on the North
Indians:
The Rev. Dr. O'MEARA said:-I rise to mention a circum- Rev. Dr.
stance bearing on this most important subject. We have all heard
of the visit of the Ojibbeway Indians to this country, thirteen
years ago. Some two years ago, in the performance of my duty
as superintendent of Indian missions on Lake Huron, I visited a Effect of the
very flourishing mission on the banks of the St. Clair river. Europeans
The missionary there, who has been most successful and laborious, American
told me, that there was one Chief over whom he had no influence
whatever, and he said, "I think that you, from your greater
acquaintance with the language, and much longer experience
amongst the natives, will have some influence with him; and I
beg, therefore, that you will go and see him." I went to see him,
and entered into conversation with him, talking to him about his
opposition to Christianity, and asking his reason. It turned out
that this was the very Chief who had been in this country at the
head of the body of Indians who were brought over by a white man,
an adventurer, for his own purposes, and that he might make a show
of them. He said to me, "Your missionaries are always telling
us that there is no way like your own way. You tell us that the when in
England,
people across the Great Salt Lake, where the sun rises, hate our
ways and dislike them. I went over there with my people, and we
were very well received and treated; but we never heard of those
things of which the missionaries are always telling us." He said,
very shrewdly, "People don't usually pay for what they dislike.
You tell us that we are superstitious; that our war and medicine-
dances, and so on, are bad things; that they are from the Evil
Spirit, instead of from the Good Spirit; but the people of Eng-
land don't seem to think so, for they were very glad to see us
dance our scalp and war-dances, and see us do all the things you
spoke so much against. I cannot, therefore, put any confidence in
what you say, having seen such a different state of things from
what you describe." Thus much, Sir, for a visit to Europe on
the minds of those Indians! I will mention another fact, in
F
50
REV. DR. O'MEARA.
and in their reference to the effect of the character of Europeans on the natives
own country.
in their own country.
I remember an Indian chief on Lake
Huron who had given special opposition to the Christian work
amongst his people. I visited him, and I spoke my mind to him.
very freely, telling him that it was not so much a love of his own
superstitions, as a love of the fire-water, that made him dislike the
mission; that he wished to have his young men join him in his
drunken frolics; and did not wish them to become Christians,
for he knew that if they became Christians they would cease from
such doings. I shall never forget the way in which that Indian
chief drew himself up to his full height, and the look of scorn
with which he regarded me when he said, "Is it you, a white
man, who address me in that style? Who brought the fire-
water to us? We knew nothing of it till you came amongst us;
we ate the flesh of the deer; and when we had got enough of
that, we went to the edge of the lakes and rivers and drank our
fill, and it did us no harm: but you white men came with this
fire-water in your hands. We thought it strange, bad medicine, at
first; but you told us that it would do us good, make us happy and
joyful, and we took it and drank it.
It did make us very happy
and joyful; and since then we have liked it, and we will have it
whenever we can get it. If you want us not to take the fire-
water, go and tell your own people so. We cannot make the fire-
water; if they don't make it, we cannot get it; and if they don't
bring it amongst us, your work is done: but teach your own
people about it first." (Applause.) There is another matter also
I would wish to mention. It has often been said that commerce
is the handmaid of religion; but I am sorry to say, that amongst
the North American Indians commerce has proved the enemy of
Opposition religion, and the missionary has often to become the enemy of the
trader. The trader finds, that when the Indians are Christianised
they become civilised; that their minds are improved; that they
begin to know the value of their own wares; that he cannot carry
on so profitable a trade; and, therefore, he hates and abhors the
progress of Christianity, because he cannot put so much of this
world's pelf into his own pocket. The missionary, therefore, has
often to stand in opposition to the trader, in the defence of those
whom the trader injures in their temporal prosperity.
from traders.
Rev. J. B.
WHITING.
The Rev. J. B. WHITING, Central Association Secretary of
the Church Missionary Society, remarked, that he did not quite
like the word "failure" in the programme. (Hear, hear.) It had
FIRST SESSION.
51
been failure
ber of con-
modern
Our
stles.
been his duty, as an advocate of the Church Missionary Society, Has there
to plead the cause of missions in various parts of England, and he at all?
had endeavoured to acquire some information as to the amount of
success with which God had blest missionary efforts. He found
that the Bible had been translated during the last sixty years into
upwards of 100 languages. There were 100,000 professing Christ- Great num-
ians in New Zealand; 100,000 in Burmah and Pegu; 112,000 verts in
Protestant Christians in India; 5000 or 6000 in Mesopotamia; missions.
250,000 in Africa; 40,000 in America; and 250,000 in the islands
of the Pacific. There were Christians in China, Madagascar, Mau-
ritius, and many other parts of the world. There were 200,000 or
300,000 Negroes under the care of Christian pastors in the West
Indies. There are more than a million and a quarter of living
Christians who, but for the labours of the missionaries, would all
have remained idolaters. We were apt to compare the missionary
successes of the present time, in disparaging terms, with the successes
which attended apostolic labour. He had inquired, however, from equal to that
the most competent authorities, as to how many individuals, in of the Apo-
their opinion, were gathered out of heathendom by the labours of
the inspired apostles during the first sixty years of mission work,
after the Ascension of the Saviour; and he had been assured that,
as far as they could judge, not more than one million of living
Christians were found after those first sixty years. They must
remember also the hundreds of thousands who were now sleeping
in their graves round the mission churches; and how many had
gone to their heavenly home from far-distant recesses of heathen-
dom, who were never known to the missionaries, but who had
learnt from tracts, Bibles, and other means, of the salvation
which is in Christ. (Applause.) Then, again, the 1600 mission- Number of
aries, who had gone forth from Europe and America, were now Agents.
accompanied by more than 16,000 native ministers, religious
catechists, Scripture-readers, and schoolmasters, who were evan-
gelising their own fatherlands. The native ministry, moreover,
had passed into the second generation; and from our schools and
orphan-asylums the native apostles would arise, whose crown of
rejoicing would be multitudes of Christian converts. They ought
not, therefore, to indulge in a spirit of despondency, but rather lift
up their hearts in devout gratitude to Almighty God, for the great
success with which he had so far blest missionary labours; and
indulge in the joyful hope of still greater blessings in days to
come. (Applause.)
Native
52
REV. DR. SOMERVILLE.
Rev. Dr.
SOMERVILLE.
Spirit.
The Rev. DR. SOMERVILLE trusted that one effect of their
proceedings would be to encourage their esteemed brethren labour-
ing in the mission field; and though they produced no other effect
than this, they would have to thank God and be grateful that they
had come together. It was most desirable also, that the results of
their proceedings should be of a practical character, and influence
the whole church. There were various reasons for missionary
success as well as for failure, arising from the peculiar habits of
the people amongst whom the missions were planted. To these
Work of the he would not advert. They must all recognise, however, this most
important principle, that "it was not by might nor by power,
but by the Spirit of the Lord of Hosts," that the work was to
be done. It was the province of God to make a new creation as
he made the first; and whatever causes they might assign for
success, they were all secondary to the work of the divine and
gracious influence. He was forcibly impressed with the thought.
that there was a most intimate connexion between missionary
success and the state of the home church. Missionaries were
messengers of the churches: they went to do the work of the
home church. Now he was afraid that the home church had
satisfied itself too much with the position of merely sending forth
the men and giving them support. He had been looking into the
Scriptures closely of late, and he was prepared to make this
statement—and if his brethren should hesitate about it, he asked
on deep piety them to consider the matter and examine it for themselves. The
Success in
missions
dependent
at home.
statement was this, that there is not, in the word of God, an
intimation of very rapid success in the extension of the Gospel,
that is not preceded by an account of the revival of religion in
the home church; and that, on the other hand, there is not, as far
as he had been able to ascertain, a statement of the revival of
the Church of God, of the manifestation of his gracious presence
and of the outpouring of his Spirit, that is not succeeded by an
account of the rapid extension of the Gospel. Now, if this be
true, how were they to get success abroad? They must begin
at home. They must get their own hearts warmed. They must
plead with God with the urgency of Jacob for the conversion of
the heathen. He was satisfied, that if the home churches were
to realise their responsibility, were to plead with God and to
give him no rest upon this point, they would hear of the
most glorious results in all parts of the earth. Having alluded to
the recent revivals, Dr. Somerville said he rejoiced in the move-
FIRST SESSION.
53
home bring
abroad.
ment which had thus spread, believing that from it would go forth Revivals at
an influence which would animate and make more productive all revival
other religious movements. Since this revival movement had
taken place, he had not had a letter from a foreign missionary in
which joyful reference was not made to the fact, and in which
thanks were not given that the home church was holding up the
hands of the missionaries and helping them in their work; and in
which anticipations were not expressed that the blessings which
God was pouring out over this country would soon reach the most
distant lands. Let us impress upon the home church that the
salvation of the world is within their reach. There were persons
who said that the success of missions had been very limited and
very small.
Let those persons be told that they were themselves
responsible for such comparatively small results; that the fault
was their own, and not that of the missionaries; that the mission-
aries were labouring nobly, zealously, and with great self-denial.
Let the home church be told that, if they wanted to see a harvest
waving with holy grain, this would only be the result of an
increased spirit of prayer and vital godliness manifested by the
whole church.
TIDMAN.
been failure?
The Rev. Dr. TIDMAN.-We have heard a great deal about the Rev. Dr.
failure of missions, but I have yet to learn, Sir, where missions have
failed. I have yet to learn, that in any region where the great Has there
command of Christ to preach the Gospel has been carried out,
and where this has been accompanied by humble dependence and
earnest prayer, there has been failure. I assent, of course, to all
that our friends have said, that there are grievous impediments to
success. That is one thing; but, when we saw evil and only evil
sown, no wonder that the fruit was bitter and deadly. No wonder
that, when our countrymen, calling themselves Christians, went to
India, and lived as heathen, they confirmed the heathens in their
heathenism, and impeded the progress of better men. But never- Success
theless, Sir, have we not proved to-day that the carrying of the own country-
Gospel to India by our missionaries has done much for our own
countrymen? (Hear, hear.) Do we not know that there was a
period within the lives of some present, when an eccentric, but
good man, advertised for a Christian in Calcutta; and do we not
know now, have we not heard to-day, that our excellent friends,
both military men and civilians in India, are some of the most
valuable auxiliaries the missionaries now have? (Cheers.) Peo-
ple from India, no doubt, come to the east of London and see
among our
men.
?
54
much vice and very little good; but that is not sufficient to
Our success prove the failure in missions. Considering the amount of work
has been
very great.
Success in
Polynesia.
we have abroad, the limited agency we have employed, and the
comparatively recent period in which this great work has been
accomplished, we have had a measure of success, that has far
exceeded the sanguine expectations of the fathers and founders of
modern Protestant missions; and that should make all our hearts
rejoice and give thanks to God. (Applause.) If we want more
success, our first duty is with ourselves, for we lie under serious
responsibility. I agree with Dr. Somerville, that the Church at
church back- home has not done its duty to our missionary brethren abroad;
The home
ward,
that we have not sufficiently considered their difficulties and dis-
couragements; not sufficiently prayed for their prosperity and
success; and therefore, Sir, sin lies at our door, which no parade
about our liberality and zeal will by any means counterbalance.
But as regards the general view of the mission-field, let me
remind you that within the last fifty years the Gospel has been
carried from England and America, and from a few Protestant
Churches of Europe, to almost every region of heathenism.
And
tell me where it has failed. Why, we heard just now from Mr.
Whiting, that in the islands of Polynesia more than a quarter of
a million of human beings- if they could be regarded as such.
before the Gospel reached them-cannibals and murderers, have
been brought under its influence, and elevated not only to civilisa-
tion, but in some instances to the highest forms of Christian
excellence. A Christian friend once told me that, when he first
went to Polynesia, a man lived near him, who in the days of his
heathenism was often seen with a piece of human flesh attached
to a hook, and thrown over his shoulder; he knew not how many
he had slain; and all, or nearly all, he had destroyed, not from a
spirit of revenge, but from a love of human blood.
That man
lived to be a teacher of the Gospel, and to exhibit it in some of its
most refined amenities. (Cheers.) In all the missions of Polynesia—
and you will remember, almost every missionary institution has its
missionaries there- there has been a greater amount of success
than has attended the labours of our brethren elsewhere. (Applause.)
When we look to India, that most difficult of all missionary fields,
especially remembering what it was half a century ago, has there
been failure in India? (No, no.) I won't talk about the number
of professing Christians,-from 120,000 to 130,000,-but we have
had specimens of Christianity among the natives lately that may
well make us ashamed. Don't we know that during the mutiny,
Example.
REV. DR. TIDMAN.
Success in
India.
FIRST SESSION.
55
martyrs.
whilst some nominal Christians denied their faith rather than The recent
submit to the fearful consequences which a confession involved,
there were Christian natives, men of yesterday, mere babes in
knowledge and faith, who laid down their lives gladly for the sake
of the Lord Jesus Christ? (Applause.) Sir, I admit, many of
these heathen converts are very deficient in knowledge and
defective in character; but don't I learn from the Epistles of the
New Testament that that is one of the inseparable adjuncts of a
recent redemption from heathenism? Do our missionaries find in
their churches at this day any crimes and weaknesses which are
not marked in those inspired letters? But although in some
respects they bring with them these early disadvantages, they
bring with them also the freshness of that new nature and the
vigour of that Divine life which God has imparted to them.
Let us not talk about failure, when we have such instances of
primitive power and Christian dignity as we have lately seen upon
the plains of India.
Africa.
Look to Africa, and thank God the different parts of Africa Success in
are dotted almost everywhere with the results of missionary
efforts, and look at those churches which have been under
cultivation more than twenty or thirty years. Has there been any
failure there? Is it not true that one of our honoured brethren
work.
the friend of my early age and still my friend, now I am
no longer young-Robert Moffatt, when he plunged into the Moffatt's
deserts of Africa, did he not find a race of the most degraded and
savage creatures which could possibly be pictured to the imagin-
ation? He went amongst them as their friend; lived with them
as one of themselves; learned their language from their own lips;
then gave it back to them in a written form; and now he has
lived to present to them the Word of God, translated, and printed,
and published in South Africa, by his own immediate influence.
Now, there are hundreds and thousands of those people who
were at first astonished at a letter, and thought it a spirit, who
can read intelligently more so, perhaps, than many around us
the Word of God, which they love and which they honour.
(Applause.) I want to know what we ought to have expected,
Sir, beyond the success which we have had? Had we done more
we should have had a larger reward. If we send more men, the
harvest will be greater. I thank God, too, that we have had
such agents as He has given to us; that we can point to men of
our own country and time with delight and thankfulness, whom laboured.
God has made not only faithful, but learned, and great; and
Character of
missionaries
who have
56
MINUTE ON MISSIONARIES AND THEIR PLANS.
that he has given us men for every kind of work which the
circumstances of the Church demand. Let us persevere in the
spirit of cheerfulness, confidence, and gratitude. Don't let us
mourn over obstacles and temporary obstructions. These are
Hard work what we must expect to meet. If this world is to be evangelised,
remains.
The mis-
sionary's
character.
Language,
&c.;
how
learned.
Aim one.
The members of this Conference consider that in all systems of
missionary labour, the gravest importance should be attached to
the position and the personal character of the European missionary
himself. It appears to them a wise general rule, that every mis-
sionary on going abroad should at once endeavour to attain a
thorough knowledge of the language, manners, customs, and reli-
gious views of the people to whom he is sent; and that he will
best do so by entering into close, constant, and personal intercourse
Adaptation with them. They consider that he should strive to adapt all his
plans to the circumstances and condition of his sphere of labour ;
but that whatever forms his plans may assume, his aim should
ever be, as directly as possible, to convey the Gospel of divine
grace into the minds and hearts of those whom he instructs.
Preaching. Amongst those plans they regard the work of preaching the
of his plans.
Gospel to the people in their own tongue as one of primary im-
portance, whether carried on by European or native agents.
While recognising the necessity of maintaining fixed stations in
important localities, they consider that a missionary should not tie
himself down to pastoral work, except in the infancy of a mission;
and that he should always aim to make his labours tell upon the
Stations,
it must be by hard struggling and long-continued toil. But let us
toil on, and in twenty years to come we shall find,—at least, those
of
my young friends who may see twenty years hence, will find -
that the seed which is now sowing for the second or third time
will bring forth corresponding results; and it may be our happi-
ness to look down from a brighter and better world, and find our
joy even there augmented as we witness the growing splendours
of the Saviour's kingdom in this lower sphere. (Loud applause.)
The following Minute on this discussion was unanimously
adopted:
MINUTE ON MISSIONARIES AND THEIR PLANS.
FIRST SESSION.
57
heathenism of the country. While he preaches constantly in a Itinerancies:
fixed station, they think it well that at favourable seasons he
should itinerate in the more retired and ill-instructed districts.
Such itinerancies they reckon as of high value in spreading sound their
scriptural knowledge, and preparing the way for a future extension
of the mission by the establishment of new stations. But to be effec-
tive, they should be systematic, limited to a comparatively small
district, carefully carried out, and repeated again and again.
character.
missions.
Medical missions they consider a valuable auxiliary to the direct Medical
work of the gospel, in densely peopled countries, as China and
India, where deep prejudices against its teachers may be removed
by their means, and where medical aid is largely needed. But
every medical mission should be a Christian mission, and faithful
instruction should ever accompany the humane work of the phy-
sician.
among
They learn with pleasure that, though not primarily sent to Efforts
their countrymen abroad, the occasional labours of missionaries in Englishmen.
English congregations have been blessed to their spiritual good;
and have in many countries tended to diminish the hindrances to
the gospel found in the lives of ungodly Europeans.
modern
In looking at the results of the Christian missions carried on Results of
during the last sixty years, and to the high position which they missions,
have now attained, they record with adoring gratitude that, not-
withstanding their own imperfections and shortcomings, the Lord
has blessed them with great success. They pray that all impedi-
ments existing to the progress of the gospel abroad may be
entirely removed; and that the Church at home may be largely
revived; while the glory of all that has been accomplished they
humbly ascribe to the Spirit of grace, under whose ministration
this work of mercy is carried on.
The Conference concluded the morning session with prayer.
58
Missionary
spirit
defined.
SECOND SESSION.
TUESDAY AFTERNOON, March 20th.
AFTER dining together at the London Hotel, the Members of
嘈
​Conference re-assembled at Hope Hall, at four o'clock;
MAJOR-GENERAL ALEXANDER in the Chair.
After prayer had been offered by the Rev. W. SWAN, the
following Programme of discussion was taken up :-
Programme. Subject: How BEST TO STIR UP, DIRECT, AND WORK, THE MIS-
SIONARY FEELING AT HOME.
A Missionary Intelligencer. Missionary Periodicals.
Correspondence of Missionaries with University Prayer-
Unions, and Missionary Associations in their Native
Towns.
Deputations.
Juvenile Associations, and Missionary Effort on the part
of the Young.
A Professorship of Missionary History at the Universities.
At the call of the Chairman, the following paper was then
read by its Author:-
A
ON THE BEST MEANS OF EXCITING AND
MAINTAINING A MISSIONARY SPIRIT.
BY THE REV. T. B. WHITING, C.M.S.
By a missionary spirit is to be understood, not that cold
acknowledgment of the duty which unlocks the purse at stated
intervals; but such an interest in the cause as will ensure self-
denial in its behalf; make it an object of frequent thought and
SECOND SESSION.
59
deep affection, and a principal topic in prayers and thanks-
givings. The question before us is: How can we most effec-
tually increase the number of individuals animated by such a
spirit, and the number of churches thoroughly identified with the
work?
The object of our missionary enterprise is the ultimate ruin of
the empire of Satan by the establishment in every heart of the
throne of the Lord Jesus. The human means for accomplishing
this object is the proclamation, in all its simplicity, of that gospel
which is "the power of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth;" and which we are bound by the command of the ever-
lasting God to proclaim "for a witness to His Name," and "for the Its subjects.
obedience of faith." It follows, that none but the subjects of divine
grace can be animated by a true missionary spirit. The increase
of the missionary spirit, therefore, depends upon the number of
truly converted hearts. Therefore every labour for the advance-
ment of true religion, and all that tends to excite and maintain a
spirit of vital godliness and living faith, will tend to excite and
maintain a missionary spirit; and although a revival may not be Its manifest-
attended by an immediate increase in the aid afforded to Christian
missions, yet such revival will speedily multiply the zeal, the self-
denial, the money, the men, the missionary prayers and thanks-
givings, which indicate the existence of a spirit of aggressive
Christianity in a church, and in individual disciples of the
Redeemer.
ations.
fostered.
But, like every other Christian grace, the missionary spirit To be
needs to be fostered in the hearts of God's people. It is only too
sadly true, that the intensity of the existing missionary spirit is
utterly disproportionate to the number of true believers. Thank
God, there are Christians fully alive to the missionary obligation!
Thank God, the number has largely increased of late years; but
where are the churches filled with burning zeal and unceasing
prayers?
Some of the following suggestions may commend themselves
to the minds of one and another of those who desire to foster the
missionary spirit:-
missionary
1. We must exalt the missionary spirit to its proper position, Exalt
on an equality with other Christian duties; as, for instance, with duty.
prayer. Active hatred to the reign of sin is a part of holiness.
Self-denying effort to win sinners from sin and eternal death,
is an important element of charity. It is not something which
we may or may not do, but which we must do. It is a means
60
MR. WHITING'S PAPER.
Foster it in
pastors:
in laymen.
Information
to be sought
by all.
A catholic
spirit.
By prayer.
of grace to ourselves, and essential to the fulness of spiritual
life.
2. We must fan the flame of missionary zeal in the pastor.
Can an icicle light a fire? If the pastor feels no warmth of mis-
sionary zeal, his attempts to arouse the hearts of his people will.
fail. If he knows and cares little about the work, his people will
be in like case. (May I not add, that much the same may be said
regarding the influence of the pastor's family?) "People will
always give to the missionary if the parson do uphold them." It
is of great importance, then, to omit no exertion to influence the
minds of the students in our theological colleges, that the future
pastors may have a lively interest in the cause.
3. We should neglect no opportunity of winning the interest
of influential laymen. Each Christian should strive to impress
his or her own family. The best means of doing this will be, not
to weary unwilling listeners with the whole of a periodical, but
to read privately the Records, &c., to mark the most interesting
facts, and to bring these regularly every month before the family.
If this can be done on a stated evening, so much the better.
4. Whoever, pastor or layman, desires to excite, and espe-
cially to maintain, a missionary spirit in others, must strive that
his own love for the cause should increase, and seek to have an
intelligent knowledge of the mission-field, both as it has been
and as it is, so as to be ready to impart information and meet
objections. It is mournful at a missionary meeting to hear a
pastor or Christian say,- "I really can give you no information.
I will, therefore, make a few general remarks." Every heart
animated by a thorough missionary spirit will bring especial
details from the mission-field before the throne of grace. We
should earnestly recommend the practice to our friends; it will
deepen their love for the work, maintain their missionary zeal,
and greatly tend to spread the missionary spirit.
5. We must be careful lest we seem to work for a system, a
particular Society, or a party, rather than for the advancement of
the Redeemer's kingdom. We ought to have a reasonable pre-
ference for the Society we support; but nothing will more cer-
tainly damp a rising feeling of missionary interest than an unkind
display of feeling against, or even a forgetfulness of, every other
institution except our own. While nothing elicits a more cordial
response than an appeal which manifests a catholic spirit.
6. Private prayer. The Christian grace of a missionary spirit
is eminently a work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart; and then.
SECOND SESSION.
61
shall we most effectually labour to inspire missionary ardour,
when we labour upon our knees in our closets, praying that our
God would reveal even this unto those who do not adequately
feel the obligation.
7. The pulpit affords the opportunity of making the subject In the
pulpit.
familiar to the people by frequent allusions. For instance, by
illustrating our subject by incidents from the mission-field.
Many a sermon might thus be enriched, and afford interest, and
arouse the attention of fatigued listeners. These allusions should
be very frequent. It is not enough to have an annual sermon
to excite a transient enthusiasm. The missionary idea should
be a ruling principle in the mind of a preacher.
8. The friendly and social intercourse we have with our In society.
neighbours affords many opportunities of introducing the subject,
and supplying the lack of information which exists so widely.
Missionary evening parties might be gathered, and thus throw a
fresh interest into the communion of saints.
9. Newspapers afford a very powerful means of spreading The press
widely missionary information. Incidents and facts introduced
into newspapers, would catch many an eye which would never
look upon a missionary periodical.
periodicals.
10. Missionary periodicals should be circulated in book-clubs, Missionary
and in every possible way. They should be written in a
thoroughly interesting and clear manner, and contain not merely
dissertations, but histories, memoirs, and facts. Letters from
the mission-field should contain incidents and descriptions. We
cannot, of course, expect that incidents of an interesting cha-
racter will always be at hand; but our dear brethren will, I trust,
pardon my mentioning the matter. The nature of the commu-
nications required is well described in a few admirable lines in
Mr. Mullens's South Indian Missions, a book worthy of wide cir-
culation. "To understand a mission thoroughly, we should know
something of its locality; the people among whom it is carried
on; their former condition and history; their habits of life; the
history of missionary effort among them; its discouragements and
pleasing features; its present character and fruits." P. 91.
schools.
11. Reading-books, &c., used in schools of all classes, have Readers in
been almost entirely overlooked as a means for carrying out our
object, but they might become a most abundant and powerful
channel of information. Introduce missionary scenes into the
reading lessons; circulate quarterly tokens, instructors, and pic-
ture-cards.
62
MR. WHITING'S PAPER.
1
Prints.
Missionary
meetings.
Information
to be given.
Facts, facts.
Dull speak-
ers not
allowable.
12. Larger coloured missionary prints might also supplant
"the unseemly relics of depraved and immoral art" upon our
cottage walls, and finely-drawn pictures might lie upon drawing-
room tables. The pictures should always be true scenes, and not
creations of the fancy. For the originals of these we must look to
our friends abroad.
13. Missionary meetings were held in apostolic times, and the
missionary speeches of Paul and Barnabas caused "great joy to
all the brethren." Some have called missionary meetings neces-
sary evils. They are evil, if badly conducted. But when a holy
spirituality pervades the speeches, and when facts of an interesting
character are related and recent information given, they have con-
tinually proved to be blessed means of grace, and powerful agencies
for exciting and maintaining a missionary spirit. This result is in
accordance with the constitution of the human mind, which God
has made very sensible to the sympathy of numbers, and peculiarly
apt to be influenced by the living voice. Thus information is
largely imparted, and burning zeal enkindled, which will after-
wards seek to interest others.
M
What is wanted on these occasions is not orations-nor
portions of sermons-but short affectionate appeals, clear state-
ments of missionary principles, and, above all, a simple answer to
the question, "What are you doing? What is going on now in
the mission-field?" The living missionary can best give this
answer with reference to his particular field. Those who have
studied missionary records can do it in a more comprehensive
manner. We have much accessible information from missionaries.
If the advocates of missions would study, dig out, condense,
arrange, and relate the facts and incidents within their reach in
the various periodicals, missionary meetings would exercise a more
pervasive influence upon society at large; and it ought to be im-
pressed upon Christian laymen, and especially upon ministers of
religion, that it is a duty to spend a few hours every month in the
acquisition of this information, that they may always have "some-
thing to say."
Let no consideration permit a defective speaker to weary an
assembly; and I venture to think that we ought never to ask any one
to preside, however influential in other respects, who is not himself
truly a Christian. I will also add, that it appears to me that a very
sad tendency exists to make the cause depend upon the presence
Are "great and advocacy of great and popular men, rather than upon its own
merits. There is too great an eagerness to have a
men"
needed?
"well-known
SECOND SESSION.
63
man," or a person of distinction. This may create a transient
excitement, but the cause of missions must depend upon its own
greatness, and its own sacred and intrinsic interest.
Will it not be well to introduce a larger element of prayer and
praise into our meetings?
more devő-
14. The last remark is especially applicable to the quarterly, Meetings
or more frequent meetings. It might be well to bring the cause tional.
of missions monthly before a congregation: such a meeting might
last an hour, or an hour and a half a hymn, a prayer, a portion
of Scripture, a short comment, an address of twenty minutes, a
hymn, and a prayer embracing the topics alluded to, with a collec-
tion, would form the programme of such a meeting. The address Information
might relate in successive months the missionary work in Benares,
Liverpool, Sierra Leone, Madras, London, Tahiti, &c. These
more frequent meetings are necessary. It is not enough to stir
the flame of missionary zeal once a-year. Dissolving views of Dissolving
missionary scenes might be occasionally introduced.
to be given
on system.
views.
15. Lecturers before literary societies have abundant oppor-
tunities of alluding to the missionary work.
parties.
16. Ladies' missionary-working parties are an important means Working-
of enlisting sympathy in the cause. They should always begin
with prayer and a portion of Scripture, and the passages read
should be well selected and interesting.
societies.
17. Juvenile Associations are especially important, not only on Juvenile
account of the large sums they produce, but also because they
early enlist the sympathies of the heart.
tion.
18. Every Association should be, if possible, thoroughly Organisa-
organised. It should have a president, secretary, treasurer, and
committee; and the members of such committees should be regu-
larly supplied with all the important recent information, even
when it is not possible to obtain frequent meetings of committee.
able for
work.
19. Increase the number of families and parishes represented Youths suit-
in the mission-field. A representative returning home and telling mission-
his fellow-parishioners and companions, what "Christ hath
done by him, to make the gentiles obedient by word and deed,"
will wonderfully excite and cherish the missionary spirit. The
friends of missions should bear this always in mind, and keep their
eye upon promising youths, aiding them by counsel and instruction
to prepare to offer themselves for the work.
20. A great impediment to the diffusion of a missionary spirit Christian
is to be found in the irreligious conceptions which so lamentably liberality.
prevail, as to the proportion of money to be devoted to the service
64
REV. JAMES GABB.
Rev. J.
GABB.
of the Lord. This is a large subject and cannot be more than
touched. But we should labour to inspire the Christian Churches
with the glowing ardour of devoted affection, which will impel
them, "whether they eat or drink, or whatsoever they do, to do all
to the glory of God." It is the duty of every pastor to give his
flock frequent opportunities of contributing to the great cause, and
to leave to the people the responsibility of not giving.
But, after all, we return to the statement already made,—that it
is to the increase of the converted people of God, and to this alone,
that we must look for an enlarged missionary spirit. It is the
humble believer who exclaims from his heart,
"Jesus, I love thy charming name,
'Tis music to mine ear;
Fain would I sound it out so loud
That earth and heaven might hear."
May God, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, be pleased to
pour out his Holy Spirit, and cause a great revival of true godli-
ness throughout all Christian Churches. Amen.
The Rev. JAMES GABB, Domestic Chaplain to the Earl of Car-
lisle, was desirous of bringing before the Conference two sugges-
tions, and of ascertaining the general feeling with regard to them.
The first he made at the request of the Rev. C. Hodgson, Rector
of Barton-le-Street, who had for twenty-five years been a diligent
and successful advocate of the interests of the Church Missionary
Society in the north of England. He believed the period had
newspaper. arrived when a weekly penny missionary newspaper, containing
A penny
missionary
selections from all the Protestant missionary publications of this
country and America might be published with advantage and
success. It would be Catholic in spirit, and greatly conduce to
Christian union; and there was sufficient room for the dissemi-
nation of such a periodical, without interfering with existing
denominational publications. The periodicals at present cir-
culated were thought to be imperfectly read by many; perhaps
because the details they contained were too diffuse, and required
a more minute acquaintance with foreign countries, their geo-
graphy, politics, &c., than most readers possessed. The news-
paper, however, which he proposed, would contain the cream of
such publications; and if published at a low price, and perhaps.
illustrated, would be acceptable to a large body of poor people in
the country and elsewhere, who did not read the publications
themselves. Such people, for the most part, took in their Saturday
SECOND SESSION.
65
penny newspaper, containing the news of the district in which
they lived, and would be glad to read an intelligible periodical
giving the missionary news from abroad.
Review.
The other suggestion he had to make was, that the missionary
work might be greatly advanced amongst the higher and more
intelligent of the middle classes by the publication of a first-class Missionary
Quarterly Review of Missions, devoted to the discussion of all those
subjects which had brought this Conference together; and in which
men of ability, experience and piety, might advocate their views in
regard to the home and foreign operations of Missionary Societies.
Christian missions in all ages; the condition and relations of
ancient and modern churches; missionary biographies in con-
nexion with the work; special features of particular missionary Its topics.
fields; heathen systems of religion and philosophy; books of
travel, and the like,—so far as these cross the path, or affect the
proceedings of the missionary-might be discussed with great
advantage to the Committees of the various Societies, to mis-
sionary students, and to the missionaries themselves.
Such a
Review would afford the means of discussing critically, com-
prehensively, and philosophically, all the secondary influences
which affect and determine the religious faith of men, and would
be read by a numerous class of persons well disposed to the
mission cause, who would be more interested in that cause, if they
had its principles and proceedings brought before them in a
higher form than is done in the monthly publications and occa-
sional meetings of the year.
WALDELL
Quarterly
wanted.
The Rev. H. M. WADDELL observed, that some of the Rev. H. M.
missionary periodicals were very admirably conducted, while in
some, perhaps, there was room for improvement. They had, in
the North at least, a monthly missionary newspaper, called the
News of the Churches and Journal of Missions, very much like
what had been suggested. A quarterly missionary review, how- A good
ever, was still very much wanted, and had been long, in his
opinion, the desideratum of missions. Our literary men would not
read the Missionary Monthly Intelligence; they were ignorant
of the facts contained therein, and yet they expressed low opinions
of the work which influenced multitudes of minds. They them-
selves required to be enlightened; and if they could get the facts,
and arguments, and philosophy of missions, set forth in a first-
class literary style, in a Review which would command its position
in the country, no doubt these men would read it.
This was so
F
!
66
REV. DR. BAYLEE.
Rev. Dr.
BAYLEE.
The same.
shaped by
controver-
sies.
systems:
The Rev. Dr. BAYLEE had a very strong opinion as to the
want of a first-class missionary publication. He had now under
his training fifteen missionary candidates, and the number was
steadily increasing; and he felt very greatly the want of some
assistance, such as a first-class periodical of this kind would
afford. He cordially agreed with the observations which had
fallen from the Chairman as to the defects of our human systems
Our human of theology. The attention both of Christians at home and
missionaries abroad had not been sufficiently directed to this
point. He deeply felt that our theological systems- and he
did not except the Church of England-were the products
of controversy; and had, in consequence, departed from the
simplicity and fulness of the teaching of the Bible. A large
proportion of the Thirty-Nine Articles were chiefly anti-Romish,
and bore the impress of a controversial age. The West-
minster Confession of Faith and the Assembly's Catechism par-
took too largely of scholastic and controversial features to be
fit instruments for presenting Christianity to the heathen world.
He would go farther, and venture to say of that magnificent
confession of our faith, the Athanasian Creed, that even it,
gloriously true as it was, wanted that scriptural simplicity in
which the Apostles presented Christianity to its first converts.
It was not that he doubted the truth of any of these documents;
he was prepared to defend every statement in the Thirty-Nine
Articles and in the Athanasian Creed; but they presented Christ-
ianity from the view of its historical and controversial develop-
ment; and if we were to win the world over to the faith of Christ,
we must go amongst the heathen with the simplicity and fulness of
the Word of God itself. All human systems of theology presented
not Divine truth, but human views of Divine truth, and therefore
partook of human infirmity. God would bless His own word as
our simple and all-sufficient standard. Another great want with
regard to the missionary work, was the want of a scriptural study
of human nature. We sent out men primed with texts of Scrip-
be studied. ture, and well primed also with the ecclesiastical systems of the
Human
nature to
important a subject that he hoped a Conference like this, com-
prising the representatives of all Societies, would not break up
without resolving to have a first-class missionary publication for
the review of all topics bearing upon missionary operations,
which were now a power in the world, and should be worthily
exhibited.
SECOND SESSION.
67
different schools, but knowing very little indeed of human nature
as the Bible presented it to us. Having expressed the pleasure
which he felt at meeting with the Rev. Mr. Hardy, whose works
he had read with so much profit and satisfaction, Dr. Baylee
alluded to Mr. Hardy's able work on Buddhism; and related an
anecdote of a discussion between a Buddhist priest and a Christian Instance.
missionary, in which it was doubtful which had the best of the
argument. The missionary was thrown away from his texts of
scripture and his theological systems, to discuss the best condition
of human nature with regard to God, to eternity, and to the
subjugation of the human will. He was not prepared to meet his
opponent. In conclusion, Dr. Baylee observed, that a periodical
which would deal with subjects of this kind, in a large and not a
textual sense, but in the true spirit of the Bible, would be of great
use in preparing an elevated class of Christian missionaries.
(Applause.)
WALLACE.
Heathen-
dom:
in
The Rev. J. WALLACE, missionary of the Irish Presbyterian Rev. J.
Church in Guzerat, said;-I think it is exceedingly important in
directing public feeling at home upon the subject of missions, that
the public should be enlightened as to the nature of the mission
field. A great many people in thinking of heathenism, and, I fear, Two fields in
sometimes even the advocates of missions themselves, just think of
it in the mass, without drawing a distinction between one mission
field and another. Now, in foreign missions there are two great
fields; one where there are people of organised systems, based upon Civilised;
pretended revelations, and the other where they are in a state of
comparative barbarism, and in a great measure unsophisticated. Barbarous.
It will be found, I think, that hitherto the great success has been Success
amongst the comparatively barbarous people; and, therefore, it is the latter.
of great importance that the public at home should be thoroughly
enlightened upon this point. Dr. Tidman has well said that India Difficulties
is probably one of the most difficult mission fields in the world, former.
just because there we have a regularly organised system: the
people feel that they have something to defend, and that they
must give up something if they accept the Gospel. We find the
same in Buddhist countries. I was much struck with an observa-
tion in the life of Dr. Judson, bearing upon this point. In tracing
the great success of missions among the Karens, as compared with
their success among the Buddhists, he said that the Karens were
like men with empty vessels, that only wanted filling; while the
Buddhists had vessels to empty, and they were most unwilling to do
in the
68
REV. J. WALLACE.
so. (Hear, hear.) It has been mentioned that a missionary in Ceylon,
in disputing with a Buddhist, had really the worst of the argument.
I think, therefore, that in missionary periodicals, special attention
Our friends should be drawn to the character of the subjects in the different
understand fields, and the character of the qualifications which those who work
should
this.
in those fields should possess: and, in the same way, that the public
generally should be enlightened on these points. If this were the
case, we should not find parties, as I believe is sometimes the case
now, speaking of the want of success in India. We should re-
member that in India we had a citadel of sin, and that in the
South Sea Islands there existed only some of Satan's outposts.
(Hear, hear.) The Church at home should feel this, and, when
they go to take the citadel, it should be with determination. They
should endeavour to increase the number of agents, and, in parti-
cular, should feel the necessity of special prayer in behalf of such
places. When they speak of the difficulties connected with the
spread of the gospel in India, in Buddhist countries, and where the
Mohammedan delusion prevails, they should bring this difficulty to
the throne of grace, praying for a special outpouring of the Spirit
Missionaries of God. (Hear, hear.) I would also suggest that those who labour
would qua-
lify them-
selves for
such
spheres.
among the Buddhists, or Mohammedans, or Hindoos, should feel
the necessity of specially qualifying themselves for the work, by
learning the nature of the system with which they have to con-
tend. We are not to suppose that the Spirit of God will supply
those defects in our labours which arise from our own indolence
and want of preparation for the work. I throw out these hints,
rather for the guidance of other speakers; and, in conclusion,
I will observe that, in the conversion of foreigners generally,
the great distinction between the mission fields themselves has
been very much overlooked, in speaking of the success in some,
and of the want of success in others.
Prayer
would
follow.
Note from
J. DOUGLAS,
The Rev. G. D. CULLEN here read a brief paper forwarded by
Esq., Cavers. Mr. Douglas of Cavers, observing that Mr. Douglas was a munifi-
cent supporter of missions; that he had published on the subject
long ago; and had furnished the article on "Missions," to the
Encyclopædia Britannica. (For the paper read see Appendix.)
Mr. CULLEN.
Mr. CULLEN said:- The hints which their esteemed friend
had thrown out in his paper illustrated the advantage of a well-
conducted and well-supported Quarterly Review. Objections to
multiplying periodicals had often been made, and the opinion
SECOND SESSION.
69
periodicals
had been expressed—an opinion with which he sympathized-Existing
that it would be much better to get missionary intelligence may be used.
diffused through existing periodicals than to institute a new
one; but the idea, which had been so well suggested, was to
bring out something like the Calcutta Review, in which might be
published well-prepared articles on the philosophy of missions.
The Rev. Mr. WHITING, referring to Mr. Douglas' desidera-
tum, said the Church Missionary Society were about to publish
the contents of the works of Dr. Pfander.
J
SMITH.
very poor.
The Rev. THOMAS SMITH:-My attention has been much Rev. T.
turned to the subjects introduced into this paper-namely, the
pulpit, the press, and the platform. I shall confine myself now,
however, to the subject of the press. I think the tone of the dis-
cussion indicates that there is a felt want in regard to this matter.
There are various classes of existing periodicals, general and de- Missionary
periodicals
nominational. I have not seen them all; but of those I have seen, generally
I should-being about to pronounce a pretty sweeping sentence of
condemnation—except one-the Church Missionary Intelligencer
--which is, I think, a really good publication. Be it understood, I
have not seen all; but, with that exception, I think they will be
found to fall very far short of what such publications ought to be.
The information they contain may be, on the whole, correct. They
give statements, but they give no idea whatever of what is going on
in the mission field as a whole; and it is sometimes impossible to
make out anything intelligible by putting their statements together.
You read in some of them, that at some place with an unpro- Often not
nounceable name Mr. So-and-so had baptized ten converts; and
that, perhaps at some other place ten thousand miles off, some
other person had baptized three other converts. Now, I beg to
suggest that that is not missionary intelligence to any practical or
useful purpose. And this is very much the character of most of
the denominational periodicals of this kind. Mr. Whiting, in his
paper, threw some of the blame on the missionaries for not sending
more information; but the greatest share of the blame is not due
to them, but to the fault, or rather the misfortune, of the editors to
whom that information is sent, and who do not know in what way
to make a good use of it. (Laughter.) The result is, in point of
fact, that our denominational missionary periodicals are not read
to any great extent, and I believe the reason is, that they do
not deserve to be read, and ought not to be read.
intelligible.
This may
70
REV. T. SMITH.
The press
moves public
Christian
opinion.
seem strong language, but it is a subject on which I feel
very deeply: I think it is one which lies at the root of the whole
matter with respect to the future prospects of Christian missions.
The press is a most powerful agency in bearing upon public
opinion; and Christian opinion is public opinion; and it is upon
Christian opinion, feeling, and sentiment, that the success of mis-
sions depends. (Hear, hear.) It is in direct proportion to Christian
sentiment and Christian feeling with regard to missions at home,
that there will be success with regard to missions abroad. I do
hope, therefore, that this subject will occupy a very full share of
attention not only here, but when the members of the Conference
return to their own homes, and that they will bring their influence
to bear on our denominational bodies with respect to it. This
kind of publication, after all, in the special circumstances of the
Church, is fitted to be most effective. There is something in the
denominational feeling which we may regret or approve.
There
are differences between us, and they do affect us so that people
will, whether they wish it or not, take more interest in the mis-
sions to which they themselves subscribe, and which are con-
Our periodi- ducted according to their own views, than in others. Therefore, I
cals should
be improved. think the time has not yet come to give less importance to the
Former
proposed
Quarterly.
denominational publications, or to abolish them; and that being
so, I do hope that a vigorous effort will be made by the various
Churches for elevating, and for improving their various deno-
minational periodicals. The only really good one I am ac-
quainted with is, as I have said before, the Church Missionary
Intelligencer. I do not mean to say that it cannot be made better;
but it may be taken as a sample, and the others have a very great
stride to make before they come to its level. Perhaps by that
time, it will also have taken another stride in advance, and I hope
it may. (Hear, hear.) When all this, however, has been done,
there remains the other question of a more important kind of
periodical, which should discuss principles, and contain articles of
length on subjects bearing on missions. I recollect a very distin-
guished man in the literature of our country,-Mr. Isaac Taylor
- sent a detailed prospectus to India, about 1844 or 1845, pro-
posing to establish a Missionary Quarterly, and requesting contri-
butions. Not being in this country at that time, I do not know
why it was not set a-going; but I suppose there was not found
sufficient pabulum, either in the way of contributions of literary
matter, or sufficient support of a pecuniary kind. But, if this
were the case then, I hope it need not be the case now, because it
G
SECOND SESSION.
71
establish
was stated this morning that the number of missionaries during
the last fourteen years has been about doubled. I am sure the
interest at home has also been doubled during that time. And
the time must have come now, if not then, when a man like Mr.
Isaac Taylor, or some other giant of our literature, might conse-
crate his strength to the diffusion of information, and the elucida-
tion of sound principles through the medium of such a publication.
For practical and immediate purposes, the daily press is the most
powerful engine; next, the weekly; and then the monthly; and I Why not
suppose it is to these we must look, at present, as a kind of smaller one now.
musketry: but still we should bring the heavy cannon of the
quarterly press to bear, in order to demolish the strongholds of
prejudice and ignorance at home. I never thought before of the
points mentioned by Mr. Waddell, in regard to the training of
missionaries by the press, but it seems to be a very important
question. At a meeting, in Edinburgh, some months ago, I ex-
pressed a hope that one result of this Conference would be the
establishment of such a periodical as that which has been now sug-
gested. If such a periodical is to originate in the Conference, as
I certainly hope it will, I beg to say to all our Liverpool capitalist
friends, that we want no help from them. (Laughter.) If it suc-
ceeds, it must succeed simply and entirely by its own merits, and
not by being propped up with contributions. No publication can
do good, unless it pays itself by circulation. Recollect, we are not
begging for such a publication. If it cannot help itself, let it fare
as it deserves.
SOMERVILLE
Mr. Smith's
The Rev. Dr. SOMERVILLE submitted that it was scarcely fair Rev. Dr.
in Mr. Smith to condemn a class of publications en masse, without objects to
giving their names or stating how many he had read. He had censures.
excepted one for commendation; and he thought that, as Mr.
Smith had stated that he had not read all, he was bound in
equity to specify those which he considered unworthy of being
read. He felt personally interested in this matter, being himself
an editor (laughter); though he felt satisfied that Mr. Smith's
statement could not apply to his publication, which had a cir-
culation of upwards of 40,000 copies, and which he had reason to
know, was generally read. If such sweeping condemnations as
Mr. Smith's went abroad, they could not fail to injure the various
missionary publications.
The CHAIRMAN reminded Dr. Somerville that Mr. Smith had CHAIRMAN.
}
72
REV. DR. TIDMAN.
Rev. Dr.
TIDMAN.
been speaking in all the freedom and confidence which was par-
ticularly desired. He had spoken, not of persons, but of things.
Of course Mr. Smith had spoken generally. (Laughter.) A
publication, like Dr. Somerville's, with a circulation of 40,000,
was excepted.
regular
periodicals.
The Rev. Dr. TIDMAN,-Sir, it falls to my lot to conduct one
of these publications; and my great relief is, that our good friend,
who is the censor, does not take the trouble to read what he con-
demns. That goes a great way to neutralise the force of his cen-
Value of the sure. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) There are more than 200,000
missionary of these monthly missionary periodicals circulated by the different
societies; and it is worthy of grave thought whether anything
should be said in this Conference tending to depreciate that means
of extensive good. It may be all very true that there are many
gentlemen like the speaker, who look upon these penny publica-
tions not with favour; but there are hundreds of thousands of our
cottagers and villagers, and others, who look upon these penny
publications with great interest, and whose missionary life de-
pends upon their contents. Now, as we depend for our funds
upon the many, and not upon the few, I submit it would be an
injurious influence, which I should be sorry to see go forth from
this Conference, if anything should tend to depreciate the value of
that, which in its place is truly good and essentially needful. With
regard to that higher class of periodicals, it is nothing new to
many in this Conference. My friend opposite (Dr. Steane), and
of the Quar- other gentlemen now present, were engaged fifteen years ago in
Difficulty
in the way
terly,
securing the services of Mr. Isaac Taylor for this quarterly
periodical; and it was no fault, either of those who planned,
or of Mr. Taylor, who was ready to undertake it, that it was
not carried into effect. Much as our friend, Mr. Smith, despises
money, the fact is, that want of funds was the cause of that
failure (laughter); and if you are to depend, at the outset,
upon the merits of that kind of work, you will never secure
it from one year to another. There is a great difficulty in
getting these periodicals up the hill; though, when they attain
the acclivity, they may go on pretty well; still, it must tax the
pockets of our Liverpool friends, and other friends, too, to raise
the sum of 5000l. as a minimum to establish a quarterly publi-
cation of this sort. And when you have got the money,
where are the men to conduct it with efficiency? Nothing is
more difficult than to conduct our Quarterlies; and were it not
Money
required,
and men.
SECOND SESSION.
73
for the great interest put forward to support them, who knows
which would fall first?
TRESTRAIL,
The Rev. F. TRESTRAIL, Secretary of the Baptist Missionary Rev. F.
Society, observed, that he had taken a lively interest in periodicals
connected with the religious body to which he belonged. Take,
for instance, the Baptist Magazine. He invariably found amongst
his brethren a class of gentlemen who were extremely literary,
and loved everything that was highly intellectual, polished, and
refined. This class did not like the Baptist Magazine; they Periodicals
always condemned it; but they never read it. This was true
also with periodicals, which represented their missions. Their
friends of this class did not read them; that was the fact. The
great bulk of the support of all Societies came from the mass
of the people; the Bible Society not excepted. It was the
mass of the people who read these things. Some years ago,
in consequence of the great difficulty experienced in getting
the publication into the hands of their friends, their quarterly
paper was put an end to; but a year and a half ago, they got
the consent of their committee to re-establish it; and now,
through the medium of the book-post, they could send consider-
able quantities for a penny. They announced through their Demand for
magazine, and through their secretaries and collectors, that these
publications would be given away to every subscriber of one
penny a-week. During the first quarter they had only applica-
tions for 3000, but now the demand had gone up to something like
12,000 or 13,000. It was increasing every quarter; and he had
no doubt that in a short time it would reach 25,000. They knew
that it went into the hands of the people; for, unless they wanted
it, and felt an interest in it, they would not have it.
them.
of editors.
The editors were charged with not knowing how to use the Difficulties
information communicated to them; but they did use what they
got. They did not manufacture the facts, nor trust to their ima-
gination for the things recorded. They certainly exercised their
discretion as to what proportions of the communications they used;
and sometimes it required a glossary to unravel the difficulties
and changes in the technical terms employed. To his knowledge,
the spelling of the word "Koran" had altered half-a-dozen times
within eighteen months, and they were obliged constantly to send
out to the missionaries to request them to use those terms with
which people were now familiar at home.
With respect to the order in which the information was gene-
useful
among the
mass of con-
tributors.
74
R. A. MACFIE, ESQ.
rally placed in the periodicals, he could state that it was placed in
a definite order; that India, Africa, and the West Indies, had
their respective positions; and that there was never a jump of ten
thousand miles from one sentence to another. He thought that
Mr. Smith's condemnation was much too sweeping. He thought
that this great publication-the proposed Quarterly Review-
for the few. could only be for the few. A large number of persons could not
The quar-
terly only
be influenced by it. Even if launched, and supported by all the
talent that the Church could afford, it would not reach the great
mass of the people, in whose hearts they wanted to keep alive the
love of God and pity for dying men. The editors would be glad
to receive suggestions; and he begged to assure Mr. Smith that,
if the missionary papers were not interesting, it mainly arose from
the fact that their missionary brethren abroad did not take suffi-
cient pains with their communications; while their friends at
home were too apt to expect that their missionary intelligence
was to be filled every month with something marvellous and
extraordinary. It was unwarrantable, however, to suppose, that
they should have to detail more marvellous results than occurred
at home, unless, indeed, they wished to put their missionaries to
fighting tigers and rhinoceroses. With regard to the pictorial
illustrations, he believed that, for the most, they had been
faithful and authentic.
R. A. MAC-
FIE, Esq.
R. A. MACFIE, Esq. said,-They had been told that missionary
publications are not read by certain classes in society, and it was
important to reach them. He did not think the want was so
much in the quality of the publications as in the way in which
they were made use of. He thought the primitive system, oral
communication of intelligence, was the Christian system and the
prudent system. The principal place which these periodicals
ought to occupy, was, in his opinion, that of providing ministers
with information, which they in their turn might communicate
The pulpit from the pulpit on the Lord's-day forenoon. The true use of
missionary periodicals was to supply the means of giving to the
people, in this way, information of what the missionaries were
doing. He himself subscribed to a considerable number of peri-
odicals, whose excellence he did not doubt: but he knew little or
nothing of their contents, for he did not read them; and busy
people could not be got to read them, as they might not find time
to look at them on week-days, and on Sundays they were occu-
pied with Sabbath-schools, their families, and other duties. The
used to a
larger extent
and on
system.
SECOND SESSION.
75
pers
read on the
only way to reach the hearts and minds of the people was by the Printed pa-
minister of each church reading information to his congregation. be statedly
These sentiments were not entertained by himself alone. They Sabbath.
had been brought before the Missionary Committee of the church
to which he himself belonged, and they received such favourable
consideration that it was proposed to ask the Synod to sanction
a publication of a character somewhat different from those which
now existed. It was suggested not to issue this periodical in any
bulky form or at any regular interval, but as an "occasional Periodicals
paper:" if there was only little to say, to say that little, issuing the purpose.
for instance only half a sheet, and even that, only when there
was matter to communicate: this publication would be sent to the
ministers of the several congregations, to be read publicly at ordi-
nary diets by authority of the Synod and its Mission Committee.
There could be no objection to a paper of this kind being read
from the pulpit on Sunday forenoons.*
tag
proposed for
TWEEDIE.
Free Church
The Rev. Dr. TWEEDIE, although belonging to the same Rev. Dr.
church as Mr. Smith, differed from his brother upon the present
occasion, and that very widely. He saw, moreover, one or two
editors present, modest men, who were in the habit of hiding
behind the majestic monosyllable wE, and who might be shy of
speaking for themselves. (Laughter.) He might be allowed to
mention, therefore, what took place with reference to periodicals Defends the
in the section of the church to which he belonged. They had a periodices.
monthly, with a circulation ranging from 20,000 to 23,000 copies,—
not a very large circulation, but still leavening a goodly number
of thousands with the truths which the missionaries conveyed.
They had also a quarterly publication. Mr. Smith might under-
value it in a literary point of view; but the matter which it
contained was just such as that esteemed brother himself was
accustomed to send home when he was a missionary far away
in India. (Laughter.) Of this about 95,000 copies were circulated
every quarter, and if they thus reached 95,000 persons with only
one sound idea, they would do some good. (Hear, hear.) He quite
agreed with Dr. Tidman with regard to the larger periodical, and The quar-
had done what he could to promote its establishment many years able, if prac
ago. Could it be revived he had no doubt it would be produc-
tive of great benefit to the missionary cause; and for this reason,
that the ideas which came to govern the public mind were first
planted in one mind, or two, or twenty, and were thence conveyed
to the minds of the masses; and could they work out strong and
* Sanction has since been given.
terly advis-
ticable.
76
REV. T. GREEN.
Rev. T.
SMITH.
Rev. T.
GREEN.
powerful thoughts about the missionary cause through some high-
class periodical, and get it to bear with all its weight in high
quarters, he had no doubt that, beginning with the higher minds,
they would work downwards, and so influence myriads of the
minds of the country. Mr. Smith had discountenanced pecu-
niary contributions for such a work, but he (Dr. Tweedie) had no
doubt that contributions for it could be got up before the Con-
ference closed, if it were thought desirable. He was quite sure
that if such a periodical could be started, of which he was far
from sanguine, it would do good in the sphere to which it would.
be limited, perhaps five or six hundred being, he feared, its
maximum circulation. He would not, however, have it for a
moment supersede the smaller and simpler class of publications.
-
The Rev. THOMAS SMITH explained that he had distinctly
stated that the smaller periodicals must be the great means of in-
fluencing the people. It was to the improvement of these pub-
lications that he was directing his attention, and the establishment
of the other literary undertaking he regarded as a secondary,
though still a very important matter.
The Rev. T. GREEN would follow up the remarks of Mr.
Macfie, which he deemed exceedingly important. He believed
that if they wished to influence and direct aright the public
feeling with regard to the missionary work they must adopt the
The pulpit
suggestion which Mr. Macfie had made, particularly in the use of
ought to be the pulpit; for it was marvellous how little the pulpit was used in
used more
largely.
reference to that great object. If they looked at the New Testa-
ment, they would be surprised at the amount of missionary in-
telligence which that portion of the word of God contained, when
contrasted with the very slight references to missionary matters
which the pulpit, in the present day, generally gave forth. He
would not allude to the missionary journeys of our Lord, narrated
in the four Gospels, nor to the details of missionary journeys in the
one-eighth Epistles; but looking at the Acts of the Apostles, which was from
The "Acts"
of
the beginning to the end a missionary record, he asked if they had
ever considered how large a proportion the Acts of the Apostles
bore to the whole of the New Testament? They would find that
it was one-eighth part of the entire book which was thus taken up
by a missionary record; what proportion then did the missionary
work bear in their own pulpit discourses to this New Testament
proportion? Mr. Macfie had stated that persons like himself
rarely perused the monthly, or even the quarterly, missionary
SECOND SESSION.
77
efforts in
publications, and that if they were to be made acquainted with
them at all it must be from the lips of their pastors. When he His own
(Mr. Green) had charge of a parish, some time ago, he was in the this way.
habit of directing the thoughts of his people to missionary sub-
jects on the Sabbath-day, at stated intervals, exactly in the way
described: sometimes speaking of one mission and sometimes of
another, and he could truly say that much more interest was
excited whenever that Sabbath came round than by the ordinary
ministrations of his Church: for thus a pleasing variety was im-
parted to those ministrations, at the same time that he was carry-
ing the introduction of the missionary element prominently into the
pulpit. The effect of this and of other measures which he adopted
with the same object in view was the formation of a missionary
association, and from 30l. which they raised in the first year
they went on increasing, from time to time, until in the last year Their result.
that he was there (ten years altogether) they were able to send up
to the funds of the Parent Society a sum of 2001.
He thought
that this was mainly due to the giving of information from the pulpit
in the way already referred to. He should state further, that
the congregation consisted almost entirely of operatives, and con-
tained only some half-dozen persons of moderate or affluent
means.
aud cheap
for the
Adverting for a moment to the subject of periodicals, he might
remark that members of the Church of England had no reason
to complain with respect to their treatment at the hands of Mr.
Smith, for he had spoken very kindly of their Missionary Intel-
ligencer; but, much as he (Mr. Green) valued that periodical, he Need of good
felt that it operated on a very small portion only of their con- periodicals
tributors, some 3000 copies being sent out every month, while many.
they had 60,000 contributors, whose names appeared in their
Annual Report, and probably 600,000 contributors, whose names
never appeared in any Report, contributors of their pence, their
halfpence, and their farthings, weekly, to their missionary work.
(Hear.) They wanted to influence these 600,000 minds, and the
only way of doing this was by giving them something in the shape
of a halfpenny or a penny periodical. He knew that the little
Juvenile Instructor, unpretending as it was, had been the means
of sending many a missionary student to the College at Islington,
where he had become fitted for the labours of the missionary field.
Other missionary publications were filled almost entirely with
communications from their missionaries abroad. Until he read
these publications, he (Mr. Green) had regarded them as unin-
78
REV. C. HEBERT.
Rev. C.
HEBERT.
Rev. Canon
WOOD-
ROOFFE.
Periodical
meetings.
The Rev. C. HEBERT, in reference to the best means of
stirring up the missionary feeling at home, observed that nothing
had been said about missionary prayer-meetings. (Hear, hear.) He
was inclined to believe that they had come to a time in the history
Prayer to be of the Church when prayer would exercise a greater influence than
it had yet done; it was one of the peculiar features of the present
time that people came together gladly and regularly for prayer
alone. This was a most mighty engine that ought to be enlisted
in the missionary cause to a much greater extent than it had
Example of been hitherto. One of our great Missionary Societies, during the
its results.
teresting. (Laughter.) He would recommend Mr. Smith to read the
two last Numbers of the Church Missionary Record, the numbers
for February and March, and he had no doubt that he would
then admit that he had had a rich spiritual treat. They con-
tained a most interesting communication from the Bishop of
Rupert's Land, as well as other communications of great interest,
from Africa and elsewhere.
past year, had determined to call special attention to this subject;
and its rolls, which before, were almost destitute of candidates
for the missionary work, were suddenly replenished; so that
when its friends met together to consider what they should do,
their minds were filled with gratitude, and the language of scrip-
ture was put into their mouths: "Before they call I will answer;
and whilst they are yet speaking I will hear." (Hear.) He be-
lieved that if the authority of this Conference were given to the
establishment of missionary periodicals, either monthly or quar-
terly, and of missionary prayer-meetings, they would gain a new
fund of strength, and secure a blessing from God, which would
tend more than anything else to the increase of the missionary
spirit.
The Rev. Canon WOODROOFFE, of Alton, Hants, wished to
say a word by way of supplementing Mr. Green's remarks. He
regarded it as one of the best means of gaining support among the
working classes, to have periodical meetings of a devotional cha-
racter, and to make those meetings the means of disseminating
missionary information. It had been his practice for years to
assemble his people thus once a-month, for prayer and reading
the scriptures, and for communicating missionary intelligence upon
scriptural principles. He had found no lack of heart or interest
among his congregation with reference to the smaller missionary
!
SECOND SESSION.
79
"
publications. The little children came eagerly for their Juvenile
Instructors, and the working men for their quarterly papers, and
they might depend upon it that whenever the work was taken up
in earnest in centres of this kind, a blessing would be sure to
follow.
1
HISLOP.
missions
pious poor.
The Rev. S. HISLOP advocated the formation of Missionary Rev. S.
Associations, which should meet quarterly, for the reception of
missionary intelligence, for the giving of contributions, and for
engaging in united prayer. He had enjoyed the privilege of
forming such a Missionary Association in a locality recently
blessed by a remarkable outpouring of God's Spirit; and he had Interest in
had the happiness of witnessing the lively and earnest interest among the
with which poor fishermen, who had only recently themselves.
tasted of the grace of God, had entered into this grand work of
diffusing that salvation, which they had thus experienced, over the
whole world. He (Mr. Hislop) gathered fresh encouragement to
go forward in his work, from the knowledge that these men, who
knew what prayer was, were meeting together for the promotion
of this great missionary work.
Colonel LAVIE observed, with reference to the circulation of Col. LAVIE.
periodicals, that in the neighbourhood in which he himself resided,
-Blackheath, Greenwich, and Deptford - there was a good work Periodicals.
going on in this respect. Last month he had been asked to preside Instances.
at a missionary meeting of the children composing a Sunday-school,
gathered in from the Ragged Schools of the neighbourhood. The
missionary boxes, with the contributions of these children for the
three previous months, were opened at this meeting; and, to his
astonishment, in farthings, half-pence, and pence, the collection
amounted to no less a sum than 47. 1s. 1d.; and on inquiry he
found, that the interest of these children had been brought about
to a very great extent through the reading amongst them of this
Church Missionary Juvenile Instructor, known by them as the
"good green book," and by other similar simple publications.
HUGHES.
Lieut.-Col. HUGHES observed, that he had been permitted Lieut.-Col.
some six years ago, to establish a Juvenile Association in St. John's
Wood, which now numbered upwards of 2000 members, and which
had contributed altogether during the last six years a sum of 12007. Juvenile
In order to show the remarkable interest taken by Sunday-school their extent
children, -the children of the poor, in the work of Christian
associations,
and useful-
80
REV. HAMILTON MACGILL.
Great value
of the mis-
sionary
periodicals.
Rev. H.
MACGILL.
Example.
The Rev. HAMILTON M. MACGILL entirely agreed with those
who thought that a periodical of a higher class would be of immense
service and with respect to the inferior class of publications
being more widely circulated, he believed it was quite possible to
information show, that contributions to missions had increased in proportion to
Liberality
the circulation of those periodicals; the diffusion of missionary
sentiment creating a demand for missionary publications, and the
publications, in their turn, ministering to that sentiment, and
leading to larger and more liberal contributions. He could name a
church—the United Presbyterian Church-consisting of 157,000
communicants, in which 74,000 copies of periodicals are circulated
and paid for by the readers, monthly. When the circulation of
these periodicals began, the missionary contributions of that
church amounted to about 50007., whereas now they had reached
25,000l. a-year. Facts like these threw some light upon the use-
fulness of this minor class of publications in the advancement of
the cause of missions; for in that cause the contributions had
increased pari passu with the increase in the circulation of the
periodicals. There were one or two other matters bearing upon
the missionary spirit in the Church at home to which it was
missions, he would mention the fact, that in no single instance,
during the six years, had he received less than 407., and, in two
instances, he had received upwards of 50l. in pence, halfpence,
and farthings, from Sunday-school children. He had circulated
monthly, during the six years, at the rate of never less than
500, but usually from 600 to 700 copies of the Church Missionary
Juvenile Instructor and the Gleaner. He had received on an
average 31. quarterly, or thereabouts, for these publications;
for they held their regular quarterly meetings, and this money
came, not from the rich, but from the poor Sunday-school children.
When he told them that 63,000 copies of the Church Missionary
Juvenile Instructor were circulated monthly, chiefly among the
poorer classes of society, and that contributions were received by
the Church Missionary Society in small sums from the poor
amounting to 20,000l. annually, he was sure they would say
that a great evil would be done if the circulation of these
admirable publications was in any way curtailed. Although a
publication of a higher order might be required by persons in the
higher ranks of society, yet it would be doing a great injury to
the missionary cause if these little penny publications were to be
put a stop to. (Hear, hear.)
SECOND SESSION.
81
must be
desirable to look. He believed that in proportion as men worked
out the missionary principle in their own lives, in that same pro-
portion would they be able to induce others to go along with
them, either in the way of personal exertions, or of contributions
to the cause of Christ. He believed, however, that the work must
begin with the pastors. Those most emphatic words, which Pastors
formed the very jet and essence of their commission, "Go ye into missionary.
all the world, and preach the Gospel unto every creature," must be
better understood. The pastor must "go" himself, and work the
work of a missionary, as he had opportunity; and acting thus
himself, he would be led to employ his people in the same way,
giving them all an inducement to work for the cause of Christ.
The great missionary lesson must be learnt by personal work.
"If any man will do the will of the Lord, he will know of the
doctrine:" and in proportion as he carried out into his personal
life and labours the true missionary spirit, in that same proportion
would he be blessed, in inducing others to go along with him, and
to join with him, both in prayer and in Christian contributions,
for carrying on this great work. Christian contributions must be
regarded as being as certainly Christian, and as certainly devo-
tional, as any other act of the Christian life. And until their Giving is
people thoroughly understood this, their efforts to enforce the devotion.
habit, and the duty, of Christian contribution on their respective
congregations, would never be attended with full or perfect success.
Both in the Old and in the New Testament this duty of Christian
contribution was presented as matter of worship. In the 72d
Psalm, they were told, "And he shall live, and to him shall
be given of the gold of Sheba. Prayer also shall be made for
him continually, and daily shall he be praised." Thus the
giving of gold and prayer were spoken of in the same breath
by God himself. In this matter of giving, much depended on
the circulation of ideas, the old idea being, that a man might
give a gift to the cause of Christ, provided he happened
to be in particularly good circumstances.
had recently waited on him, and made an offer of 10001. for expressive
missionary objects upon certain conditions. A relative of this ideas.
kind donor, shortly afterwards, waited on him, and cordially
agreed with him in saying, that the very idea of giving a
a thousand pounds to the missionary cause was worth ten
thousand. He was persuaded that they were ruled very much
by the ideas that were abroad; and it was important to re-
collect that these missionary publications had, during the last
an act of
A friend of his Style of
giving is
of current
G
82
REV. H. M. MACGILL.
Rev. P. LA
TROBE.
Contribu-
tions of
twenty years, been circulating the thoughts which had resulted in
these large gifts. He found, from an article in the Encyclopædia
Missionary Britannica, that the missionary contributions of all Christendom,
in behalf of heathendom, amounted to about 600,000l. a-year,
excluding contributions made to Bible Societies. He believed
this was an under statement. But, even supposing that the real
amount was 1,000,000l. there were a hundred men in Christendom
who ought to give every farthing of that amount, leaving the
missionary contributions of all the rest of Christendom entirely
out of the account. (Hear, hear.) We were now only at the
The Church beginning of the work. When God saw the Church to be pre-
life, the rest pared for it, he would put more substance into her hands; and
needs more
will follow.
when she had more life, she would obtain more means in the
shape of Christian contributions for carrying on this great
work. The great want of the Church, indeed, was more life.
And when she had more life she would have more prayer
and larger contributions. They had special reason to thank
God for the revival with which he had visited many parts
of their country. That very morning he had opened a letter in
the Conference, telling him of a most striking revival of religion
which, during the past week, had taken place in one of the towns
of the North, and which was deeply impressing the people there.
If this movement were to extend over the country; if there were
more life and Christian exertion in the Church at home; they
would very soon find that God would pour a larger blessing on the
heathen world; and the type of Christianity, which existed at
home, would, if they thus laboured, be reproduced abroad. (Hear,
hear.)
periodicals
All kinds of
are needed.
The Rev. P. LA TROBE thought that all the three methods of
circulating missionary information, which had been recommended,
were very desirable and could not be dispensed with; yet a quar-
terly journal of a higher character would be a great addition to
missionary literature. He (Mr. La Trobe) was one who assisted
at the consultation with Mr. Isaac Taylor, fifteen years ago, and
could confirm Dr. Tidman's statement as to the causes of its failure.
He, however, quite agreed with those who thought that only a
small portion of those interested in missions would be benefited
by such a periodical. They could not altogether dispense with
their present quarterly and monthly missionary journals, though
such publications might doubtless be improved, and greater dis-
crimination exercised in selecting the matter. He felt, however,
SECOND SESSION.
83
Mag
especially as regarded ordinary and juvenile readers, that they
would sustain a very great loss—a loss, of which they would feel
the consequences were they to put a stop to these periodicals.
Their missionary brethren and sisters abroad, to whom these
publications were fraught with instruction and interest, would
sustain a serious privation, and have just ground of complaint,
were they withdrawn. It was most important also, to bring
missionary information more frequently forward from the pulpit, The pulpit.
and that periodical meetings of Associations should be held; Meetings.
advantage being always taken, when possible, of the presence of
missionaries visiting Europe, and of such as had retired from
active service. They would all agree as to the necessity of more Prayer.
fervent, united, and continuous supplications at the throne of
grace. Periodical prayer-meetings on behalf of the missionary
work would do much to increase the zeal and interest of congrega-
tions at home, and to edify the hearts, and support the efforts, of
missionaries abroad.
ANDERSON.
should come
tual men.
The Rev. J. ANDERSON, formerly of Calcutta, said, that since Rev. J.
his return to England, he had felt very deeply how necessary it
was for ministers in this country to hold up distinctly, prominently,
and constantly, the idea that every member of the Christian
Church, be he great or small, had a work to do with regard to
the conversion of souls. First, with regard to his own household;
secondly, amongst his companions and fellow-countrymen; and All gifts
thirdly, amongst the heathen. It was preposterous for the treasury from spiri-
of the Lord to be filled with contributions for carrying the gospel
to distant parts of the earth, from individuals who were not known
in any way to manifest a warm love for Christ and his gospel in
their hearts and lives. He wished therefore to know the mind of
the Conference upon this point. If the treasury of the Lord was
to be filled, in order to carry on his work, should it not be by the
Lord's people offering spontaneously and entirely from their own
hearts that which their love of Christ and their appreciation of
the glorious gospel led them to give.
TOWERS.
The Rev. J. TOWERS, of Birkenhead, approved very much of Rev. J.
the suggestion of a weekly newspaper or periodical, which should
bring before the churches the great mission work which was going A weekly
on in all denominations. It was hard for a minister to make
bricks without straw, and in giving information once a-month on
missionary subjects, he had often felt this difficulty; whereas if
newspaper
very desir-
able.
84
REV. J. FORDYCE.
i
Rev. J.
FORDYCE.
Trials of
missions stir
up prayer.
information
into cxisting
papers.
The Rev. J. FORDYCE, late of Calcutta, thought it very de-
sirable to have a quarterly review of missions, but did not approve
of the proposal for starting a missionary newspaper. The News
of the Churches and Journal of Missions, which was already estab-
Good to get lished, and was not denominational, answered very much the
which had been suggested by Mr. Towers. It would be
purpose
better he (Mr. Fordyce) thought, though perhaps more expensive,
to infuse more of a Christian spirit into the cheap newspapers
already existing, than to establish a cheap missionary newspaper.
They might have a quarterly for a higher style of missionary
periodical. He thought it would be well also if the editors of
their denominational publications could keep in view the re-
marks and criticisms which had been made, as much good might be
done in this direction. When he himself was in India, he had little
cause to complain of with reference to his communications not
being published; though he did hear those who had been longer
in the country, and who were more experienced, complain of the
treatment which many of their letters had received at the hands
Bright para- of editors. A complaint he heard more than once, was this:
missionary That there was too much culling of the bright paragraphs from
graphs in
letters.
the missionaries' letters, and too much repressing of those things
which they wrote in the agony of their hearts. (Hear, hear). He
wished particularly to draw attention to this, because when
travelling at home in support of missions, he had found good
reason to believe, that those passages which indicated the trials
of missionaries were just the passages to quicken the missionary
spirit and to draw forth missionary prayers. With regard to
ministers were supplied on Saturday morning with a missionary
newspaper, giving an account of what was going on in various
parts of the world, they would be able to warm and interest the
hearts of their people in the missionary cause, and a prayerful and
liberal feeling would be established. He greatly preferred this
proposal to that of the magnificent quarterly. (Laughter.) Work-
ing men with their wives and families would value such a news-
paper, and soon consider it a necessity; while the acquaintance
which it would bring about, amongst Churchmen and Dissenters,
would be in itself a happy and important feature of its position.
By being thus mutually informed as to what was going on in their
respective churches in the department of missionary operations,
much of denominational exclusiveness and ignorance would be
dissipated.
SECOND SESSION.
85
Missionaries
should
as
deputations, though large deputations no doubt did a great deal
of good, he wished to call attention to a humbler class of de-
puties and localities. He had often found after his return
home, that in large towns a missionary from India was a very
frequent visitor; but, that in going to remote and country places, issid visit
crowds were collected by the visit of an Indian missionary, who villages as
had perhaps never been seen before, and enthusiastic and successful towns.
meetings were held. He believed if some of their friends from
abroad or missionaries at home, who had strength for it, would go
round in this way to some of those country towns, many fresh
springs would be opened up, which, although not very productive
in money, would be fruitful in prayerful interest, and perhaps
result in more real benefit than did the great public meetings in
some of our provincial towns. It was most important that the Importance
interest amongst the juvenile portion of the church should be societies.
thoroughly maintained and encouraged; not only from the value
of the juvenile offerings themselves, but from the fact that these
children would be amongst the chief supporters of missions some
ten or fifteen years hence, and that many from amongst them
might yet go forth as the messengers of the churches in heathen
lands.
MULLENS,
should mis-
ters dwell
The Rev. J. MULLENS, alluding to the remark made by Mr. Rev. J.
Whiting as to the character of the communications sent home by
missionaries, said that he and his missionary brethren present
would be glad to receive any hints that their experienced brethren What point
at home might give them, as to the kind of letters they should sionary let-
write and the topics which they should discuss. The fact was, upon.
that all the details of missionary life became so familiar to them,
that things which a stranger would regard as of great interest,
they were apt to pass over as an ordinary matter not worth describ-
ing. He had been quite astonished to find how references to
Indian customs, and to the details of Indian life, which they in
India passed over as ordinary, attracted considerable attention
among friends at home. With regard to Deputations, he thought
that it was well for missionaries, when they came home, to receive
a few hints upon this subject. Many missionaries had made the Missionary
mistake of confining themselves, in their sabbath services and
even on the platform, to addresses enforcing the duty of carrying
on missions, and the like. These general topics the people say they
can hear discussed by their own ministers at any time; but from
a missionary, whether on the sabbath or on other days, they like
deputations
should give
facts.
86
REV. J. MULLENS.
Sympathy
excited by
trials.
to hear everything he can tell them of what his eyes have seen in
the work of the Redeemer abroad. He thought it both right and
wise for all missionaries, when going through the country as depu-
tations, to keep this desire in mind. He had himself made mistakes
in the matter at first, but latterly had made it a rule to bring
before his audiences the facts of Indian missionary life, the history
and prospects of various fields, and striking incidents that had
occurred. He had found that their friends felt a deep interest,
not only in the successes, but also in the discouragements, of
missionaries. He never found that the relation of cases, where
the hearts of missionaries had been grieved by the open and
avowed apostasy of some of their converts, did the slightest injury
to their interest in the mission cause; for they showed to their
friends the true character and difficulties of the mission work;
they showed how it was carried on now under the same conditions,
as was the work of our blessed Lord himself, and of his Apostles,
who met with the same discouragements. Some persons have,
indeed, spoken in disparaging terms about the relation of stories
at missionary meetings; but while they would all object to pander
to a morbid appetite for stories about alligators, monkeys, and
tigers, stories about converts were only instances of Christianity
individualised. Such were the stories of Cornelius, of Lydia,
and of the Gaoler. The way in which the truth worked and
Christianity brought forth its fruit was illustrated by these details of indi-
vidual life in the New Testament; and what could the mission-
aries do better than adopt the same course? It was the glory
of Christianity, as propagated in a true Christian spirit and
method, that it took hold of individuals. The whole world was
to be Christianised by the Christianising of individuals; and the
gospel went from individuals to their connexions, their families,
and the nations to which they belong. The progress of the gospel
among the devil-worshippers of South India was most interesting;
the story of the progress of the gospel among the Karens was
more interesting still; and he thought that his missionary brethren
could not do better than give all the information they possess about
the facts of their missionary life, and the progress of the gospel
in heathen lands.
in indivi-
duals.
Stories.
Dr. O'MEARA
The Rev. Dr. O'MEARA thoroughly coincided with Mr.
Mullens' observations, that it was by facts, and facts alone,
that the individual interest in missionary work was to be kept
up.
SECOND SESSION.
87
Esq.
Christian
funds.
case.
WILLIAM LEACH, Esq. of London, referring to the proposed w. LEACH,
aid from Juvenile Societies, expressed his regret that active effort
to obtain support for missions was comparatively little used by Work for
lay gentlemen-persons who were impressed with the importance laymen in
of the object, but who rendered comparatively little help in the gathering
great work.
The amount of assistance which might be rendered
by laymen was inconceivably great. If all did their duty in this
respect, missionary operations, so far as resources were concerned,
might be increased a hundred-fold or more. If gentlemen would
give their energies to the subject-as Colonel Hughes, for instance,
had done there would soon be a wonderful spread of missionary
supply. They all knew, who attended committees in London, how
difficult it was in many Societies even to get a quorum, and how
little was done out of the Committee-the work most needed.
Unwilling as he was to refer to his own case, might he be permitted His own
thus to encourage others to "provoke to love and to good works?"
He was himself induced to take up a work of this kind, in connexion
with a particular Society; and he well recollected the remarks
made to him by a much-respected clergyman who consigned that
Society to his care: he said, "Do all you can to call forth the
help of brethren, the Lord will bless you in it, but don't expect it
to be an easy work, for it will be a cross as long as you live."
This was more than fifty years ago, and he (Mr. Leach) could
truly say that, though these works had been acts of self-denial,
the blessing of God had largely attended his efforts, to Him
alone be the praise. — He recollected very well an observation Asking for
made not long ago by Lord Shaftesbury: "I have learnt that if important
we want money, we must ask for it." This, he was sure, would
be the experience of the Church, and they must not be above
asking; for it was an occupation which Apostles did not dis-
dain to follow. They sought the contributions of those who
were under their influence, and were not ashamed in person to
convey those contributions to the relief of the poor saints at
Jerusalem. He hoped that this discussion would have much
effect in calling forth the missionary spirit, and a determined
feeling to help forward the work of God in any way that they
could. He could fully testify to the fact that, whilst engaged
in very laborious occupations he could always find some time.
for helping such objects; and he recommended his brethren
to consider engagements of this sort as primary obligations
and as work to be done for God, which must always take the
precedence of all minor engagements.
an
work.
88
Rev. W.
CAMPBELL.
Valuc of
deputations.
The Rev. W. CAMPBELL wished to offer one or two remarks
about Deputations. A very excellent man in Bristol said to him,
not long ago, "Your deputations are the life-blood of your
societies." With this sentiment he fully agreed; but he could
not, also, help mentioning as a fact, that he had heard of gentle-
men preaching for Missionary Societies and not once mentioning
the name or work of the Society whose cause they professed to be
They should advocating. Was this pleading the missionary cause? It was
give
mation in
a mistake, in his opinion, to reserve all the facts for the missionary
meetings; for missionary meetings, as a rule, were generally but
poorly attended: people were not sufficiently interested in the
subject, and would not come out to attend them. To meet this
difficulty, it was necessary that deputations should fill their
sermons with great facts respecting the missionary work. He
fully agreed with Mr. Macfie with respect to the importance of
pastors being well posted in regard to missionary information, in
order that they might diffuse it among their people on the sabbath-
day. Until the seed was sown among the people, they could not
expect the results.
the pulpit as
well as on
the plat-
form.
Lieut.-Col.
HUGHES.
REV. W. CAMPBELL.
clergy.
Lieut.-Col. HUGHES observed that his experience during the
last eight or ten years had convinced him that the great opposition
Work for the and difficulties with which he had to contend, had arisen from the
little interest taken by the clergy and ministers of the gospel in
missionary efforts. Unless ministers of the gospel, to whatever
denomination they belonged, took an interest in the question, and
brought it fully and regularly before their congregations, it was
impossible for any layman to do what Mr. Leach recommended.
CHAIRMAN,
ill giving.
The CHAIRMAN, touching the point mentioned by one of the
preceding speakers, as to the spirituality of giving, said that one
Spirituality of the first lessons which he had learned when it pleased God to
draw his heart towards Himself, had reference to this subject.
He thought he was doing a very meritorious thing in contributing a
liberal sum for some missionary purpose. He took it to a brother
officer, who knew very well what his life had been, and who,
looking him earnestly in the face, said, "I don't think I ought to
take this from you at all.” "Why not? it is for the missionary
work." The officer questioned him closely as to his motives;
and this lesson had never been lost upon him. Remembering this
incident, he felt quickened by the address of his friend on the
left, Mr. Anderson; and he urged them all to remember that it
SECOND SESSION.
89
was "not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the
Lord." However empty the treasury might be, let them go for-
ward in faith, and be sure the Lord could do his own work with a
little money, by means of his ministering servants, as well as by
much. He trusted that in future they would look more to the
gift being sanctified by the spirit which presented it.
speakers not
best friends
Adverting next to the subject of deputations, the Chairman Eloquent
asked if they had never seen men who, for their intellectual powers always the
and eloquence, were brought to meetings, such, for example, as of missions.
those which would shortly take place in the metropolis, go back
from those scenes, and in other parts and spheres take a more
active part against the pure gospel of Christ than they had ap-
peared to give assistance to it by their eloquence on the platform.
These were important considerations for the Church; and here
he thought, in connexion with other inconsistencies, might be
found one of the causes of that want of success in missions
which, under the name, of "failure," had been inserted in the
programme. With regard to the influence of publications in
exciting sympathy and gaining means of support for missions,
the Chairman said that he believed it was to Scotland we were Schools sup
porting con-
indebted for the first movement in a most beautiful characteristic verts.
of missionary work-namely, Sunday-school children supporting
converts in far distant lands, and thus establishing a bond of
Christian love that spanned the hemispheres, and united in one
spirit now those who shall hereafter be worshipping spirits around
the throne of Christ in heaven.
STEANE.
should be
missionaries.
Christen-
The Rev. Dr. STEANE remarked that there was another aspect Rev. Dr.
of the subject. We expected our missionary brethren to send us
information: had we ever thought of what was due from us in Information
sending information to them of what was going on in our own sent to
churches? He had been the editor, for fourteen years, of a perio-
dical (Evangelical Christendom) which interested itself more
particularly with the Continental and other Churches, the Churches “Evangelica 1
of the Reformation and the Oriental Churches. He might men- dom" sent
tion a fact which he felt assured would gratify the meeting, that
the proprietors of that journal had come to the resolution of
sending it monthly, free of all cost, to every Protestant mis-
sionary throughout the world. (Applause.) It had been sent
already in considerable numbers to missionaries belonging to
different Societies; and the letters received from their dear
brethren, especially those at the outside stations, and far from
to them all.
90
REV. R. S. HARDY.
Rev. R. S.
HARDY.
Improved
tone of the
modern
press.
Captain
LAYARD.
Rev. Dr.
STEANE.
Weeklies
have more
influence.
Rev. Dr.
TWEEDIE.
the centres of information, showed how highly they had been
gratified, how their hearts had been cheered and encouraged, and
how much they prized the information which such a periodical
afforded them.
Dr. STEANE, having had some practical experience of periodi-
cals, would like to add a remark in reference to the proposed
Quarterlies Quarterly. The Quarterlies, and the larger publications of that
influence. kind, were now obtaining less and less circulation; and it was
losing
The Rev. R. S. HARDY would merely observe, as a missionary,
that they would omit a great duty if they did not express the
deep gratitude which they owed to the editors of Evangelical
Christendom. He also wished to express his own sense of grati-
tude at the change which had taken place in the principles of our
chief Quarterlies, such as the Edinburgh and Quarterly Reviews.
They were not yet all that they could wish them to be, but
certainly their tone had very much changed from what it was a
few years ago.
With reference, also, to the daily press, The
Times especially, he felt he could make the same remark: though
the public newspapers were not what they should like them to be
in all particulars, yet they had very much changed in their tone
and tendency for the better within the last few years. As to
the News of the Churches, he read it regularly, and was much
interested by its varied and valuable contents.
Captain LAYARD, as the representative of the Jews' Society,
begged to thank Dr. Steane and the supporters of the publication
in question, for the valuable information it contained, and for the
liberal manner in which it had been distributed.
with extreme difficulty that some of the most intellectually valu-
able ones maintained their ground. He thought if they could
bring the sanctified intellect of the Church into a periodical such
as the Saturday Review, it would obtain a far wider circulation
and greater influence than any which could be hoped for from a
Quarterly.
The Rev. Dr. TWEEDIE rose solely to express his regret that
they could not go, even at some length, into the last subject
mentioned in the Programme; the subject of a Professorship of
Missionary missionary history and duties at the Universities and Colleges.
professor-
ship.
There was a difference of opinion as to whether it would be better
SECOND SESSION.
91
of theology
instructed
to have a separate professor for that department, or whether more
of the missionary spirit should be infused into the work of all the
professors? It was an open question; but he thought it was the duty
of the Conference not to omit all reference to the subject. And he
was sure it must be the feeling of all who were interested in the
training of the future labourers of the Churches at home or abroad, All students
that as certain a sound as possible should be given with respect to ought to be
the importance of thoroughly training students for the missionary in missions;
work. As a student of theology himself, he did not recollect
having heard a single missionary lecture while attending the
Hall. They had, of course, information out-of-doors, through
Societies and various other agencies; but professionally they were
not trained in any right views of the work: and although, of
course, there was a great improvement in the course of a quarter
of a century, since he studied, he did not know whether even
now, in the theological institutions of any section of the Christian
Church, missionary principles and missionary views received the as an essen-
prominence which they deserved, or which the New Testament their studies.
gave them.
He thought the subject should have more attention
bestowed upon it than could be given in a course of half-a-dozen
lectures. He knew a devoted missionary who was offered the
opportunity of delivering six lectures in the course of the winter,
to the students attending a Hall; but he declined the offer on
principle, although he could have done it easily, and would doubt-
less have done it admirably; because he would not, he said,
accept a composition, when he wished for full payment, with
reference to this great subject. If something of this kind were
well impressed upon the minds of all, it would be of great service
to our future ministers and missionaries and be blessed, he was
sure, to revive and invigorate all the Churches. (Hear, hear.)
tial part of
SOMERVILLE,
The Rev. Dr. SOMERVILLE said,—He had felt this subject to Rev. Dr.
be one of great importance; and he might state, that the Church
to which he belonged had Synodically enacted, that it was a part
of theological teaching, incumbent on the theological professor, to The same.
bring missionary subjects before his students; touching on the
claims of the mission-field, the qualifications necessary for the Synod of the
work of a missionary, and the best methods of performing that have so
work. They could not look into the New Testament without ordered.
seeing, that the missionary enterprise was the outstanding and
prominent part of theology. The commission given by our Lord
immediately before his ascension was, "Go ye into all the world
U. P. Church
92
REV. DR. SOMERVILLE.
1
New York
Missionary
advised it
also.
and preach the Gospel unto every creature ;" and no professor
could teach the Bible without teaching missions. He would
mention a fact, which many of them, perhaps, were aware of;
that at the New York Missionary Conference, held in May
Conference 1854, the following recommendation on this very point was
agreed to" Moreover, that, for the due preparation of candi-
dates for the foreign field, it were very desirable that provision
were made, in our theological seminaries generally, for bringing
the entire history and obligations of the missionary enterprise
before the students, in what may be briefly designated as a course
of evangelistic theology." He (Dr. Somerville) was not pre-
pared to say that we had reached the period when a professorship
of missionary history would be an advantage; but, certainly,
every theological professor should make it a matter of duty to
act on this inculcate missionary principles, and to enforce missionary obliga-
Professors
'ought to
principle.
Rev. G. D.
CULLEN.
Rev. Dr.
BAYLEE.
The Rev. Mr. CULLEN observed, that Dr. Coldstream, of
Edinburgh, a very enlightened friend of missions, had, during the
last session, delivered a course of lectures on ethnology and ethno-
lectures on graphy, which had proved exceedingly useful to the missionary
Dr. Cold-
stream's
ethnology.
tions. Much had been said about a higher class of missionary
periodicals, but he believed that if they could get missionary
principles introduced into the Universities, and into the prælec-
tions of the Professors, they would thus influence the educated
minds of the country, and, through them, would influence the
literature of the country also.
cause. Medical missionary students and other friends had been
invited to attend these lectures, which were prepared with very
great care, and contained much valuable information such as the
missionary required. He (Mr. Cullen) knew of nothing more
calculated to diffuse through the University, and, by means of the
Universities, throughout the church at home, a love of missionary
enterprises, than lectures of this kind.
The Rev. Dr. BAYLEE observed, that the subject was one of
the deepest importance. Some years since he had brought before
the Jewish Missionary Society a plan of Christian Advocacy in
Liverpool, in which he proposed that some man who had studied
the subject should give four or six lectures annually in Liverpool,
treating the Jewish subject in its higher and more philosophical
aspects.
If all our large towns had an annual course of lectures of this
SECOND SESSION.
93
mends an
missionary
kind, he believed they would be looked forward to with as much Recom-
interest, as in Oxford, people looked forward to the Bampton annual
Lectures. The subjects should be varied from year to year. He lecture.
believed that the adoption of this course would be much more ad-
vantageous than the institution of Professorships in the Uni-
versities. The number of persons in the Universities was neces-
sarily limited.
might do.
can't teach
He could speak with great feeling on this subject, having What it
nearly sixty theological students entrusted to his care; and if his
friend Mr. Hardy, for instance, were to deliver in Liverpool a
series of lectures on Buddhism, he could promise him, as often as
he chose to lecture, an audience of at least fifty. Such lectures
would be a most important aid to professors in his own position.
A Professor of Theology had too many things to attend to to make Professors
himself master of all. It was quite impossible, for instance, for everything.
him to be a Professor of Buddhism, or a Professor of Brahminism;
although, of course, he ought to know a little of everything; but,
really, to know subjects like these, as a Professor should know
them, required a man to give his whole study to them. He be- How the
plan may be
lieved that the adoption of some such plan as that which he had carried out.
ventured to suggest would lead to the development of a higher
class of talent among missionaries. The men who delivered these
lectures should be those who had distinguished themselves in
their own particular departments. The lectures themselves might
be delivered in London, and repeated in the leading provincial
towns: as, for instance, in Liverpool, Bristol, and Leeds; and
afterwards published. He was convinced that the lectures would
be advantageous, not only to theological students, but to large
numbers of intelligent persons, who would listen to them with
interest and profit.
TITCOMB
in
The Rev. J. H. TITCOMB, — I have resided for fourteen years Rev. J. H.
in the University of Cambridge, and I may, therefore, state what
is doing there in connexion with missions. There are one or two
annual University sermons preached by request for the express Missionary
purpose of setting forth before students the missionary work. Cambridge.
There is an officer who holds the appointment of Christian Ad-
vocate, whose duty it is to publish a work each year bearing upon
the subject of Christianity in relation to various forms of idolatry The "Christ
and false philosophy throughout the world. In addition to that, cate."
we have three divinity professors, one of whom, by his office, is
obliged to deliver periodically a series of lectures upon pastoral
ian Advo-
94
REV. J. H. TITCOMB.
The stu-
dents.
theology. The subject of missions, of course, comes within these
lectures as a particular department. With regard to the students,
although there is no professed or formal and stated examination
in connexion with missions, there is a very large amount of
exertion every term going forward among the young men on their
behalf; and thus without any formal training, they are being
practically trained for their future work. Year after year num-
bers of young men come up from the very first term of their
residence, determined to devote themselves to the missionary work.
They meet with every favour that the parochial ministers can
give them in order to foster and encourage these principles.
Beside which, there are Terminal meetings, at which one of the
Secretaries of the Church Missionary Society usually attends. In
connexion with this body of young men there is also a missionary
reading-room, to which the publications of all Societies are sent.
In addition to these, there is a large number of young men not
merely interested in reading, but who deny themselves so far as
to go, through evil report and good report, collecting in their
various colleges contributions for the missionary cause. Then
The prayer there is the Missionary University Prayer Union. Some years
union.
ago a number of good and earnest young men'in Cambridge
started that union, the object being to pray for the outpouring
of a greater missionary spirit in the University itself and the world
at large; and it has now extended to Oxford and Dublin, and I
believe it has ramifications in the Law and other departments of
the professions in London. Taking, therefore, all things into
consideration, I think the missionary spirit in the University of
Cambridge is by no means lacking. Perhaps a professorship of
missionary history in the University is scarcely possible or desir-
able; nor do I think it at all necessary. I think the free and
unreserved labour of love which I have described is amply suffi-
cient to carry on that work, if it is carried on only with the
same faith and earnestness.
Prayer-
mectings.
MINUTE.
The following MINUTE, embodying the view of the Conference
on the important subject of this discussion, was, after careful
consideration, unanimously adopted :-
SECOND SESSION.
95
MINUTE ON THE MEANS OF EXCITING AND MAIN-
TAINING THE MISSIONARY FEELING AT HOME.
The members of this Conference consider, that a variety of Minute.
agencies may with great propriety be employed to stir up the
hearts of the several classes of contributors by whom Christian
missions are supported. They consider, that while the work of
missions should be enforced as an appointed Christian duty, no-
thing will tend to increase and sustain an interest in this work so
much as the widest diffusion of correct information respecting all
its departments. That information, in their opinion, should be as
full and as clear as it is possible to make it. It should embrace
not only the facts of missionary life and labour, but the explana-
tions needed to put them in a proper light; not only the favourable of what
elements of the picture, but the difficulties and disappointments
with which missionaries meet.
kind.
Information
essential.
For the spread of such information they think that the pulpit, The pulpit.
on the Sabbath-day, ought to be much more extensively employed
than it has been; and they would rejoice to see all the pastors and
ministers of our churches so endeavouring, systematically, to
inform and stir up the hearts of their people in the work of the The pastor.
Lord. For the stated missionary prayer-meetings, so long main-
tained by all branches of the Church of Christ, they express their Prayer-
heartfelt gratitude; but they desire to see them more numerously
attended, sustained with deeper interest, and more completely
employed both for directing to mission fields the minds of Christ's
servants, and drawing down upon them the blessing of the Most
High.
meetings.
Under the same conviction they think that in public meetings, Deputations
held for missionary purposes, the diffusion of information should
be kept very prominently in view; and that Deputations, espe-
cially missionaries, both in their sermons and addresses, should do
their best to convey it as fully and clearly as they can.
In the same cause they reckon as of high importance the The press.
influence and the employment of the PRESS. They rejoice to
find, that the cheaper periodicals of the various Missionary Societies
96
MINUTE.
Missionary have secured so large a circulation, and have proved so exten-
periodicals.
sively useful, in increasing the knowledge and deepening the
interest in missions, of the great mass of their supporters. They
are thankful also that several other missionary publications, of a
more general character, ably sustain the mission cause.
A high-class
ditto.
Efforts to
enlist the
young.
They deeply feel, however, that it would be exceedingly
desirable to secure the establishment of a periodical of a higher
class, that shall treat of Christian missions at large; so that while
the friends of missions naturally support the periodicals of their
own Societies, they may, through such a general periodical, also
secure regular and full information respecting the numerous
missions of their brethren. Till its establishment, however, they
suggest that attempts should be made to employ in the cause of
missions the service of existing periodicals.
The careful maintenance of Juvenile Associations, and other
efforts to infuse a missionary spirit into the hearts of the young of
all classes and ranks in the Church of Christ, they deem to be an
object of immense importance, and worthy of the most able and
systematic attention. They feel that all Christian children should
be trained to take an interest in the mission cause; they may
then, under God's blessing, rise up in large numbers to be the
future supporters of missions, and many will probably become
missionaries themselves.
Missions to
be intro-
duced into in
gical course.
the theolo-
+
They further consider that the subject of Christian missions,
all their bearings, their history, difficulties, successes, and
obligations, should be brought systematically before theological
students, as a part of their college course: that they may thus be
trained in the practical conviction that missionary work is the
regular work of the Church of Christ; acquire information
respecting its position; and themselves go forth to share its toils.
A COMMITTEE was appointed to consider Dr. Baylee's sugges-
tion of a Missionary Lectureship; and the Conference, after
singing the Doxology, adjourned.
97
MISSIONARY LECTURESHIP.
At a subsequent sitting, the following Report was brought up by
the Committee, and unanimously adopted.
Lectureship
lished.
The Committee appointed to "consider and report on the Missionary
desirableness and practicability of instituting a permanent Lecture to be estab-
on Christian Missions," in presenting a Report on the important
subject committed to their consideration, must throw themselves
on the kindness of their brethren, to make allowance for any
imperfections in the form in which their conclusions are presented,
attributable to the circumstance that they have had so short a
period in which to prepare them. On the other hand, the subject
had so long individually occupied their thoughts that, when they
met together, they were greatly strengthened in their views by
the unanimity of judgment which they found to obtain among
them.
They are induced, therefore, to present the following pro-
positions to the Conference for their consideration, and, if they
deem them of sufficient practical value, for their adoption:—
1. That a LECTURESHIP be instituted, for the discussion of the Its object.
principles involved in those higher relations, under which
the great subject of Christian Missions may present itself
to those who have hitherto given little or no consideration
to it; but who, from their intellectual superiority, literary
attainments, or commanding position, exert a powerful
influence in forming and directing the public mind.
2. That, in order to the attainment of this object, a FUND be Funds.
immediately raised, sufficient to defray the expense of the
proposed Lectureship for Five or Seven Years, at an
estimated cost of 300l. per annum.
3. That a COMMITTEE be appointed by the Conference, to Committee.
whom the necessary arrangements for carrying this scher ve
into effect shall be confided; and that this Committee con-
H
98
MISSIONARY LECTURESHIP.
Lecturer.
Permanency
of the plan.
Committee
appointed,
sist of a selection of brethren from the different bodies of
Christians engaged in missionary work, as represented at
this Conference, with power to add to their number.
4. That the Committee be instructed to appoint a LECTURER,
if practicable, annually, who shall deliver his Lectures in
one or more of the principal centres of population or of
learning, as the Committee may direct; and that his
Lectures be afterwards published in a Volume. The
Lecturer in each case should have the selection of his own
subject, but the choice should be sanctioned by the Com-
mittee.
5. That in the event of this experimental measure proving,
under the Divine blessing, successful, the Committee be
instructed to adopt such plans as may seem to them proper
for making the Lecture a permanent institution, and raising
funds for that purpose.
6. That the Conference will be gratified if the following
brethren will act on the proposed Committee, and they are
hereby, on acceding to the request, appointed:-
Rev. H. VENN.
Rev. G. OSBORN.
Rev. Dr. TIDMAN.
Rev. Dr. STEANE.
Rev. P. LA TROBE.
Rev. Dr. NORMAN M'LEOD.
Rev. Dr. TWEEDIE.
Rev. H. MACGILL.
Rev. Dr. GUTHRIE.
Rev. Dr. HAMILTON.
Rev. Dr. MORGAN.
Rev. C. J. GOODHART.
Secretaries,
G
Rev. M. THOMAS.
Hon. A. KINNAIRD.
H. CARRE TUCKER, Esq.
THOMAS FARMER, Esq.
T. M. COOMBS, Esq.
Sir S. M. PETO, Bart.
W. LEACH, Esq.
Sir J. CAMPBELL.
JAMES CUNNINGHAM, Esq.
J. HENDERSON, Esq.
R. A. MACFIE, Esq.
[Rev. EDWARD STEANE, D.D.
Rev. H. M. MACGILL.
99
FIRST MISSIONARY SOIRÉE.
TUESDAY EVENING.
AFTER tea and social intercourse in the rooms beneath Hope Soirée.
Hall. a Public Meeting was held at eight o'clock, at which a large
number of ladies and gentlemen, with most of the members of
Conference, were present.
GEORGE F. BARBOUR, Esq., of Edinburgh, having taken the
Chair, a hymn was sung, and the Rev. J. B. LowE, of Liverpool,
offered prayer.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings observed, that we CHAIRMAN.
lived in a very remarkable age; that we were entering into a new
era of the Christian Church; and that we had reason to expect
the fruit of the Divine blessing in a new impulse being given to
missionary exertions, and in the opening of the hearts of the
Christian people of this country in a way never previously known.
Having reviewed the leading topics which had occupied the atten-
tion of the Conference during the day, the Chairman touched The Church
upon the question of contributions, and observed that the Christian
Church was much to blame, not only for its small and niggardly
contributions, but also for the mixed and doubtful motives which
had often influenced those contributions, and which had, to a
great extent, prevented a blessing upon their missionary work.
Their hearts, also, should condemn them for the very little
prayerful energy which they had put forth. Perhaps they had
too much looked at missions in the light of a question of arith-
metical calculation: Given a certain amount of labour,-so much
money and machinery,— that the result would be a relative
amount of blessing. But the whole history of Christian missions
showed the falsity of such calculations. God, in his own sovereign
grace, worked in his own blessed way; and it was our duty,
whatever our engagements or fields of labour, to sow the seed
in faith, working earnestly and perseveringly in the path allotted
backward in
gifts, prayer,
and faith.
100
ON MEDICAL MISSIONS IN CHINA.
Dr. Lock-
HART.
Their object.
Their plan.
Suitable in
India and
China.
1
Dr. Lock-
hart's per-
sonal
labours,
to us, and believingly looking to him for that blessing without
which our work would be useless. (Applause.)
He rejoiced that there were present that evening two success-
ful labourers in one special department of the missionary field,
that of Medical Missions; who had been invited to detail the re-
sults of their experience in this difficult but most interesting
sphere of mission work.
ON MEDICAL MISSIONS IN CHINA.
BY DR. LOCKHART OF SHANGHAI.
Dr. LOCKHART, of Shanghai, who was received with hearty
cheering, then rose and said;—I am glad to have the opportunity
of advocating the cause of MEDICAL MISSIONS in this, my native
town, which I left more than twenty years ago, to proceed to
China under the auspices of the London Missionary Society.
Probably you all know the object and scope of Medical Missions.
They were commenced by the various Missionary Societies in
England and America, in imitation of the example of Him "who
went about doing good," and "healing all manner of sickness and
disease among the people." The experiment thus made was to
send out surgeons to various heathen lands, to endeavour to win
the affections and confidence of the people, by healing their infir-
mities; while at the same time their minds were directed to Him
who is the "Great Physician," and who can cure them of the
deeper malady of sin. In 1838, I was sent out by the London
Missionary Society as their first medical missionary to China.
The experiment has been tried in India to some extent; and it is
said, though I think erroneously, that the operation of medical
missions in India is not so much required as in other lands. I
believe that, if fairly tried in that country, they would be found
quite as useful as in China. In China, by this means, we have
met with great success. We have won the confidence and respect
of the people; and I think the same results would take place
in India were the agency employed to the same extent.
In 1838, I began my medical labours in China, in the city of
Macao; where I remained for some time, and until I was expelled
that city with other English residents. After a short sojourn
in Batavia and other places, in 1840 I went north to the island of
in Chusan: Chusan, which had been shortly before occupied by our troops,
FIRST MISSIONARY SOIRÉE.
101
and placed under the British Government. I was the first Pro-
testant missionary who went to reside in the north of China.
My work was new amongst the people, and they neither compre-
hended my object nor my errand. I went alone, and began my
hospital immediately on landing at Chusan. In the first place I
opened my house, prepared it for the reception of patients; and
then went into the various towns and villages about Ting-Hai,
telling the people, if they came to my house, they would be received
and have their maladies attended to. During the first few days
only some three or four came; shortly afterwards about twenty;
and after the lapse of a week, some hundreds arrived, so that my
hands were soon filled with work. After some six months' resi-
dence at Chusan, when that island was restored to the Chinese, I
returned to the south of China; and subsequently, when the Treaty
of 1842 had been made, I again went north, and settled in Shang- in Shanghai,
hai; there I continued to labour until I was compelled, about
two years ago, by domestic circumstances, to retire from China for
a time.
work:
The nature of the work performed in the medical part of the Nature of the
mission was something of this kind. A house was taken for a
dispensary and hospital; and the people round about were in-
formed, that at that place they would receive gratuitous medical
attendance. At Shanghai, Dr. Medhurst and I were alone; Dr.
Medhurst preaching to the people in their own tongue. This, in its popu
a great degree, won their confidence; and when I opened the dis- larity.
pensary, and the people discovered its object, they came to me in
great numbers; so that in the course of a few weeks our house
was quite full, and the street was crowded every morning with
patients flocking to us for aid. In China, although they have
physicians, who learn the art of healing internal diseases, their No native
surgery is of the crudest and most barbarous kind. They know surgery in
nothing of it in its scientific character; and consequently, persons
who are exposed to various external accidents, diseases of the eye,
and so on, are in a hopeless condition in the hands of the native
practitioners. We found large numbers, quite prostrated by these
diseases; but when they found that the foreign surgeon could
relieve them from their various infirmities, they came readily,
and placed themselves in his hands. This was at a time, not
as now, when there are several surgeons and medical mis-
sionaries at Shanghai; but when, in that city, they had hardly
seen the face of a European before. They were at first Fears over
afraid to come near our houses; and still more terrified, when come.
China.
102
ON MEDICAL MISSIONS IN CHINA.
5
healed and
Laught.
we approached to speak to them; but when they found them-
selves relieved of their diseases, their confidence and esteem were
won. They came in great numbers, day by day; and it was
pleasant to see how soon, by this work of humanity, we could find
a way to their affections and their hearts. I was glad we could
employ this means of commencing our European intercourse with
The people the people of northern China: for, while I was engaged at the
hospital and dispensary in relieving their maladies, Dr. Medhurst,
at that time, and afterwards other colleagues who joined the mis-
sion, would preach to them of "Christ and his salvation." It was
most gratifying to see how the people who had been thus relieved
would dwell upon the words of the preacher. I believe the truth
thus found its way to the hearts of many, who without the hos-
pital would never have known the "glad tidings of the gospel."
(Applause.) Many persons came from the northern and western
provinces of the empire to the hospital at Shanghai. When, under
treatment there, they heard the preaching of the gospel. Re-
turning to their distant homes, they took with them portions of
the word of God, and various religious tracts; and thus the mes-
sage of salvation found its way into large districts of country,
which, without this agency, we had no means of reaching. This
is the great object of Medical Missions. We strive to win the
confidence of the people; to get them around us; to open their
hearts by kindness to receive the Divine word; and sowing the
seed at a favourable time, bring many to know Christ, whose
hearts might otherwise have been prejudiced against his truth.
Extent of its We repeatedly heard of patients who, having been to the hospital
influence.
1
and attended the preaching of the gospel, carried with them por-
tions of the word of God to their native villages, and induced others
of their friends to come down, in order to participate in the same
benefits. So the work went on; and I say it with confidence,
that Medical Missions in China have been successful in winning
an entrance to the hearts and consciences of the people, which no
other agency could have so well effected. (Cheers.) I believe the
experiment has been carried out fully and efficiently; and therefore
I come back to tell the churches in England of my labours there
with much satisfaction, confidence, and joy. Glad I am that I
ever left my native town to spend my days in China; and were
I a young man, about to commence life again, I would go out
more earnestly, hopefully, and trustfully, to those far-distant
regions. (Renewed cheers.) Permit me now to state a few par-
ticulars as to the character of the cases which came under my
How the
system
works.
Its success.
Cases:
Aa
"
FIRST MISSIONARY SOIRÉE.
103
observation. And first, with regard to the practice of vaccination. Vacciuation:
You probably know that in Eastern countries smallpox commits
great ravages amongst the people; spreading from village to vil-
lage, from city to city, and devastating large populations. They
have no means of effectively checking or removing it. They cer-
tainly do inoculate their children in early life, and that is a little
protection; but inoculation is only a doubtful benefit. Many
children take the disease in this manner to a very severe extent,
and occasionally lose their lives or their sight. Inoculation of the
smallpox perpetuates the disease in the country, and keeps it ever
present among the people; whereas vaccination in most cases
prevents, and in all cases mitigates, the disease of smallpox, and
does not tend to perpetuate that fearful malady. The Chinese in
the south of the country had been made acquainted with the
principle of vaccination; but in the north of China it was wholly
unknown till I introduced it, shortly after my arrival. When I it becomes
popular:
went to Shanghai, I was enabled, through the kindness of friends
in Calcutta and London, to procure some vaccine lymph; and I im-
mediately began the practice of vaccination with a few children.
The people were at first astonished and amused; and for some time
they could not be persuaded that this was a beneficial process, and
would relieve the children from dangerous disease. When they
found, however, that it was really a preventive, more children
were submitted to the treatment; and by and by crowds were
brought every day. Soon the officers of the Government heard
of the foreign system, and brought their children; and their ser-
vants also brought their children. The colonel of the garrison
at Shanghai sent all his children; and having sent word to his
relatives in Soochow, a crowd of children were brought from that
place also. I was sent for by many of the respectable families
in Shanghai to operate on their children: so that, by means of this
process of vaccination, I obtained, together with my wife and
the other ladies in the mission, more access to the families of
the respectable Chinese, and especially to those of the officers of
the Government, than by any other agency which I could have
adopted. We thus saw more of domestic Chinese life than we
could otherwise have done. (Hear, hear, and cheers.)
in official and
respectable
families.
Then with regard to diseases of the eye. There are epidemics Ophthalmia
of purulent ophthalmia in China. It is a fearful malady, which common.
particularly affects the Chinese and other Eastern nations, and
though very readily cured by our modes of treatment, is utterly
incurable by theirs. When an epidemic of the kind seizes a
104
ON MEDICAL MISSIONS IN CHINA.
Benefits of
the Mission
hospital.
Surgery:
Work done
by others.
battles.
With regard now to operative surgery. At one time the city
of Shanghai was taken by a number of pirates, the members of
one of the Triad Societies, called, by way of distinction, the
Dagger Society, or Small-knife Society, and held by them for
some time; these were in their turn besieged by the troops of the
after several Imperial Government. There were constant battles; and great
numbers of gunshot wounds were inflicted. The wounded were
immediately brought to the hospital, which sometimes almost
presented the appearance of a field of battle, the large hall
being covered with blood. Hard work it was for me to
attend to all the wounded; yet such was the confidence in the
relief afforded at the hospital, that in its wards were to be found at
the same time the wounded pirates, the imperialists, and the poor
unfortunate natives who had been wounded by both parties, all
receiving equal attention, and the best aid we could afford. (Loud
cheers.)
I have thus endeavoured to give a brief account of the mission
in which I have spent many years of my life, and have spoken in
the first place of my own work, as being that in which I could
address you from personal experience; but I think it desirable
that some account should be given of others who have been
engaged in introducing the principles of medical missions, and
in affording medical relief to the Chinese suffering from disease
and pain.
The first English surgeon who attended to the wants of
the Chinese, was Mr. Alexander Pearson, one of the surgeons of
the East India Company's civil service in Canton. In 1805 he
vaccinated great numbers of the Chinese, and was enabled to
establish a vaccine institution in the city of Canton, where multi-
tudes of the people were vaccinated: this was placed under the
First efforts
in Canton
and Macao.
village large numbers become blind. Such an epidemic once
raged in Shanghai and the district round it, while I resided there.
A few people came to the hospital, and after two or three days'
treatment, though they were almost blind when they came, the
pain was removed, the disease was checked, and they returned to
their families in perfect health, with their sight restored. The
news soon spread throughout the district; and day after day I
was besieged by large crowds of these people, who were suffering
from pain and disease to such an extent that they were led in a
helpless and miserable condition to the hospital. These in their
turn, however, being relieved and restored to sight, returned home
and spread further still the fame of our doings.
FIRST MISSIONARY SOIRÉE.
105
care of an intelligent native who was taught the art of vaccination,
and this establishment is still carried on efficiently. In 1820 Mr.
Livingston, another surgeon of the Company, in connexion with
the Rev. Dr. Morrison, established a dispensary for the relief of
sick Chinese. Subsequently in 1828, Mr. Colledge, also surgeon
to the British factory, opened a dispensary in Macao for the relief
of diseases of the eye, which was conducted by him with encouraging
success for several years.
mission.
labours and
The idea of using the practice of medicine as a means of afford- First medical
ing opportunities to introduce Christianity among the Chinese,
was first practically adopted by the American Board of Commis-
sioners for Foreign Missions. and Dr. Peter Parker proceeded to
China with that view. He opened an ophthalmic hospital in
Canton in 1835; and his labours were attended with a success
that his most sanguine hopes could hardly have anticipated.
His work was long continued; and he won the confidence of
the Chinese in a remarkable degree. Since that time various
other medical missionaries, with myself, have occupied important
spheres of labour in the country. Dr. Hobson was sent out by Dr. Hobson's
the London Missionary Society in 1839, and conducted a large literary
hospital at Hong Kong, afterwards at Canton; where much good
was done, and several of the Chinese were brought to a know-
ledge of the truth. Dr. Hobson also published an extensive
series of translations into the Chinese language of English
works on Medicine and Surgery. One was a treatise on Anatomy;
one on general Surgery and on Diseases of the Eye; one on Mid-
wifery; one on the Practice of Medicine; and also a treatise on
Natural Philosophy. These works have had a wide circulation, and
have been reprinted by native gentlemen both in China and
Japan. Dr. Wong-fun, a Chinese educated in Edinburgh, has
had charge of the hospital at Canton belonging to the London
Mission; and Dr. Kerr, an American medical missionary, also
labours at Canton.
works.
At Amoy, Dr. Cumming and Dr. Hepburn, from the American Amoy.
Churches, and Dr. Hirschberg of the London Mission, have had
hospitals for several years; and Dr. Carnegie of the English
Presbyterian Church Mission has an hospital there at present.
At Foochow, the late Dr. Welton of the Church Missionary Foochow.
Society, conducted an hospital with great efficiency for several
years; till failing health compelled him to return home to England,
where he died.
106
ON MEDICAL MISSIONS IN CHINA.
Ningpo.
Shanghai.
Appeal for
more men,
Great ob-
stacle to the
gospel in
China:
the vices of
our sailors.
At Ningpo, Dr. Macgowan and Dr. McCartee, from the
American churches, have each conducted hospitals for many years
with a very large measure of success; and Dr. Macgowan edited a
Chinese magazine which had a large circulation. Dr. W. Parker,
from England, has also within the last few years been a medical
missionary at the same place.
At Shanghai the Chinese hospital, that I was enabled by the
liberality of foreign merchants residing there to establish, is now
intrusted to the care of Dr. Henderson, who lately went out on
account of the London Missionary Society. Dr. Burton, from the
American Baptist Society, has also been a medical missionary at
Shanghai for some years past; and Mr. Collins, of the Church
Missionary Society, has commenced his labours there, having a
dispensary attached to that mission.
Such is the work in which we have been engaged. Are there
any surgeons in Liverpool who will go out to carry on this under-
taking? There is a wide field of effort, not only in the stations of
the London Missionary Society, but in those also of the Church
and Wesleyan Missionary Societies; and also, Sir, in the stations.
of your own Mission of the English Presbyterian Church; for
your missionaries have laboured long and most assiduously in the
island of Amoy. I hope some will be found in this town to con-
secrate themselves to this work. Though at present there are
obstacles which prevent our entrance into the heart of China,
the day, I believe, is not far distant when we shall have free
access to the cities, towns, and villages, of that mighty empire;
and beginning the work through our medical missionaries, win-
ning the esteem and confidence of the people by relieving their
bodily infirmities, we may lead them to the "balm of Gilead,"
and to Christ the Physician of their souls. (Cheers.)
Before I close, I would allude for a moment to one thing,
which has been found a great obstacle to the success of missions
in all Eastern and heathen countries; and, in a sea-port like this,
I would speak of it with all the power and emphasis that I can
employ. I refer to the debauchery, licentiousness, and wicked-
ness of our sailors, who go forth and sow the seeds of wickedness
and sin in all heathen lands, and in none more than in China.
It makes the heart of the missionary sad indeed, to see his work day
by day undone by the wickedness and debauchery of these sailors.
It is the same in the ports of India, in the South Seas, in Africa,
and in the West Indies. When the Chinese see, for instance,
FIRST MISSIONARY SOIRÉE.
107
Chinese.
In Japan.
our sailors on leave ashore on the Sabbath-day getting drunk, How they
going into the various villages, and by their violence and wicked- affect the
ness setting the minds of the people against them, they naturally
say to us "You teachers come and preach the Gospel of Jesus
Christ; do you call these men Christians? Is it to make us men
And
like these that you preach to us the Gospel of Christ?"
what can we say in reply? (Hear, hear.) Here are men from
Christian England exhibiting not the fruits of holiness, but of
wickedness and sin. I call your attention to this great obstacle
to the success of missions; because much can be done by getting
the fact thoroughly known in England, that this, more than any-
thing else I know of, interferes with our success. (Cheers.) Look
at late events in Japan. That empire is now almost shut against
us a second time, solely and absolutely from the depravity and
viciousness of our fellow-countrymen. (Renewed cheers.) I hope
that by your personal influence, and in various other ways, you
will endeavour, as far as in you lies, to get this well known in
your own town and throughout the country; in order that we may
have public opinion brought to bear upon it, and get it removed
out of our way. Labouring zealously in Christ's name, and for Prospects.
his service, we may look forward to that glorious time when China
and all other heathen lands shall be won to Him; and the people
thereof shall sing to the "praise, and honour, and glory of Him
that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb for ever." (Loud
applause.)
Dr. MACGOWAN, Baptist Medical Missionary from Ningpo, Dr. MAC-
was then introduced and loudly cheered. He said; that as the hour Gowan.
was late, he would reserve his address for one of their meetings
on a future evening.
Rev. Dr.
The Rev. Dr. CRICHTON, of Liverpool, in the name of the
Committee appointed to manage the affairs of the Conference, CRICHTON.
expressed their pleasure at meeting so large an audience.
LAYARD.
Capt. LAYARD briefly alluded to the intelligence just received, Capt.
of the death of their valued missionary brother Dr. MACGowan,
of Jerusalem, after a lengthened service of eighteen years. He
died triumphing in the knowledge and love of Jesus.
The Rev. W. H. WRIGHT, of Christ-Church, Liverpool, ad- Rev. W. H.
dressed a few words of welcome to the strangers present, and WRIGHT.
1
1
108
ON MEDICAL MISSIONS IN CHINA.
Rev. J.
MANN.
more especially to the missionaries who had come down to at-
tend the Conference. He trusted that the proceedings of the
Conference would result in a measure of blessing which should
be felt to the ends of the earth.
The Rev. JAMES MANN, of the Congregational Chapel, Birken-
head, having made some observations on the same subject, the
proceedings were closed with prayer and the Benediction, by the
Rev. WILLIAM BALLANTYNE, of the Islington Presbyterian Church,
London.
109
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONFERENCE.
WEDNESDAY, March 21st.
SECOND GENERAL PRAYER-MEETING.
WEDNESDAY MORNING.
meeting.
The second general Prayer-meeting was held at Hope Hall, Second
at 9.30 A.M., when as on the previous days a large number of Prayer-
ladies and gentlemen joined the members of Conference in suppli-
cating the Throne of Grace.
The Rev. CANON WOODROOFFE presided.
The devotions of the meeting were led by the Rev. GEO.
CANDY, of the Church Missionary Society in Bombay; the Rev.
HAMILTON M'GILL, one of the mission secretaries of the United
Presbyterian Church in Scotland; Lieut.-Col. HUGHES, Secretary
to the Asiatic Strangers' Home in London; and the Rev. G. R.
BIRCH, Secretary of the Turkish Missions Aid Society.
THIRD SESSION OF THE CONFERENCE.
WEDNESDAY MORNING.
Major-Gen. ALEXANDER in the chair.
The following are the topics contained in the Programme pro- Programme
posed for the present sitting :-
of the
session.
Subject: MISSIONARY EDUCATION.
Paper, or Address, of ten minutes, by Rev. C. B. LEUPOLT,
C.M.S., Benares; also Papers by Rev. T. SMITH,
110
ON MISSIONARY EDUCATION.
Education.
Literature.
Free Church Mission, Calcutta ; and Rev. J. H. TIT-
COMB, Secretary of the Christian Vernacular Educa-
tion Society.
English Schools and Institutions.
Village Schools.
Orphan and Boarding Schools.
Industrial Institutions.
Female Education.
Vernacular Training Institutions, as Nurseries of Teachers
and Evangelists.
Government System of Education in India, its effects.
Necessity for basing it upon the Bible.
Should Missionary Schools be open to all Classes?
Should non-Christian teachers be employed?
Results of the different kinds of Schools, as regards,
a. Direct conversion.
b. The formation of efficient mission agents.
c. The general enlightenment of the country.
Should Education, so far as it is supported by Mission
Funds, have a direct reference to the training up of
Native Mission Agents?
VERNACULAR LITERATURE, PERIODICALS, TRACTS, AND
SCHOOL BOOKS.
Style of such works.
How they can best be circulated, so as to permeate the
country.
The Conference having been again formally opened, the first
of the appointed Papers was read, as follows :—
111
ON MISSIONARY EDUCATION.
BY THE REV. C. B. LEUPOLT,
MISSIONARY OF THE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY IN BENARES.
missionary
tality.
Education being made the subject of our second day's Confer- Education a
ence, it is evident that we consider the direct preaching of the instrumen-
Gospel the primary instrumentality of making known the glorious
Gospel of our Lord. A second instrumentality for carrying out
our Lord's command is education by means of schools.
The kinds of educational institutions which we require for
this great end are those in which the primary object is the conver-
sion of the children to God. With this object a second should be
combined, that of imparting to children such an amount of secular
knowledge as will qualify them to become useful members of
society.
These institutions require to be of two kinds; for they have to Two ends.
aid in accomplishing a double end; that of promulgating the
truths of the Gospel among those who are not Christians, and
that of consolidating the Church of Christ where it is already
planted.
reached by
Although missionaries daily preach the gospel, there still Classes not
remain two classes of human beings in India whom the missionary preaching:
in his preaching cannot reach at all, or but partially; these are the
young and the female population.
Our bazar preaching is but partially adapted to the young; the young :
the juvenile and immature mind requiring teaching in a manner
peculiar to itself. As regards the female population, they are pre- and women,
vented from attending our preaching by the customs and usages
of the country; and as neither missionaries nor their wives have,
as yet, with few exceptions, access to the zenanas, females can
only be reached by the gospel in schools.
of English
In order, therefore, to make known the gospel to these two Advantages
classes we require English, village, and girls' schools.
No mis- schools.
sionary establishment in a great city is complete without an
English school. At the present time English schools have some
advantages over vernacular schools. There is a certain class of
young men whom the missionary cannot reach by vernacular
schools; for they are able to obtain a knowledge of their own
language at home; but they cannot obtain English, and will
112
REV. MR. LEUPOLT'S PAPEr.
Their plan.
Vernacular
schools.
Girls'
schools.
Female
missionaries.
therefore, for the sake of acquiring English, gather around the
missionary, and thus come under the sound of the gospel.
Again, lads attending English schools usually remain much
longer under instruction than those attending vernacular schools;
and the missionary is thereby enabled to impart to his scholars a
more complete knowledge of Christianity, than he is able to do in
any other way, preaching included.
Of the plan of instruction for these schools, nothing definite
can be laid down. Each school will require a plan adapted to
the scholars. One error, however, should be avoided, which is,
that of aiming at subjects too high for the scholars. Solidity in
all our instructions should be preferred to high-sounding names.
The vernacular should be thoroughly cultivated and be made
the medium of all scriptural instruction.
If vernacular education is to be connected with English schools,
two Europeans will be required for the establishment; one to
devote to himself to the English, the other to the vernacular de-
partment. If one man is to attend to both, the vernacular educa-
tion will be but a nominal one; as it is in many schools. The
scholars should also be made to pay.
English schools, however, are insufficient for the country at
large. In these we can only teach a limited class of youths
residing in towns; but the children in the villages, and of the
poor, have also souls to be saved. We require, therefore,-
2. Village or Vernacular Schools, for the millions of India.
I fully agree with Mr. Josenhans, the Principal of the Basle
Mission College, that the newly-formed Vernacular Education
Society has fixed upon the right plan to benefit India at large;
and I hope that, when they commence active operations in India,
the missionaries will offer to take the superintendence of their
schools, and connect with them their missionary operations in the
villages. We require further;
3. Female Schools. - The necessity of girls' school is now
thank God! felt by all; and I hope increased efforts will be made
to bring a large portion of females under scriptural instructions.
If all the mothers of India were imbued with gospel truth, what
a different aspect India would exhibit as to the moral character
of her sons! We can, therefore, never overrate female education.
But I would go a step further, and advocate the agency of
female missionaries in India. It would not be their duty to
preach in the bazar; but to go from house to house, and speak to
the native women of the love of Jesus, wherever they find access.
THIRD SESSION.
113
tion of
communities
The second great object of our educational institutions must Consolida-
be to aid in the consolidation of Christianity where it is esta- Christian
blished. If we desire to perpetuate, under God's blessing, a
pure, scriptural profession of Christianity in our missions, we must
impart to our young people, from their infancy, sound biblical
knowledge. For this purpose we require,
schools.
1. Infant-Schools, Schools for Christian Children, and Orphan Infant-
Schools. Rightly conducted infant-schools exercise an immense
influence in a native Christian congregation. We have experienced
this in Benares; and I cannot too strongly recommend the estab-
lishment of such a school in every mission settlement where there
is none.
Whilst they elevate the minds of the children and raise
the moral tone from childhood, they affect the mothers at home,
and prove a source of blessing to the congregation at large.
Infant-schools should be conducted in the vernacular, though
each of them might have an English class to which the most
talented children might be admitted.
Christian
2. Schools for Christian Children must follow. They will Schools for
build upon the foundation already laid in the infant-school. They boys.
should be separate establishments from the schools attended by
heathen boys, but in every respect equal to them; so that Christ-
ian parents may not be obliged to send their children to an Eng-
lish school, consisting of heathen boys, in order to insure for them
a superior education. English classes, therefore, should be formed
in each of them; but English should be taught only as a lan-
guage; Scripture, and all secular knowledge, should be communi-
cated in the vernacular. Fees should be required for English;
additional fees.
3. Orphan Schools. —No mission should be without an orphan orphan
establishment for boys and girls, where such children are to be schools,
had. These institutions have advantages which no other school
possesses. The children are usually received when very young,
and thereby escape contamination from their heathen countrymen.
They are entirely in the charge of the missionary. He can operate
on their minds at prayer, in and out of school; for they form, as
it were, one great family with the missionary, and he has full
opportunity of impressing his own mind upon them.
Orphans should likewise have separate schools; for the ex- separate.
perience of many years has convinced, me that our orphans are
injured by attending the same institution with heathen lads ;
because the number of orphans is usually too small to affect a
large school of heathen boys; and, consequently, if they are not
I
114
MR. LEUPOLT'S PAPER.
Industrial
element.
Training-
schools.
Native
agents.
essential.
decidedly pious, they lose ground themselves. Orphans and the
children of Christians might be instructed in the same institution.
As not all the orphans sent to our institutions are possessed
of great abilities, manual labour should, from the first, be introduced
into the plan of their education; for if they have been occupied
in mental pursuits, unaccustomed to any kind of manual labour
until the fifteenth or sixteenth year, yet have no hope of ever
being able to earn their bread by mental labour, they find it then
most difficult to apply themselves to manual labour; they become
therefore unsettled, idle, find it almost impossible to earn a live-
lihood, and are for years a trial to the mission.
4. But, to carry out these missionary efforts, we require a
fourth kind of schools; namely, Training Institutions for Teachers
and Evangelists.
As the number of teachers required for English schools will ever
be but small, they can easily be trained, as regards a knowledge of
English, in the English Institution; but for our preaching depart-
ment and vernacular schools we require special institutions for
training native teachers and evangelists. We need able native
assistants; for European missionaries alone will never be able to
convert India, nor fill it with the sound of the gospel from one end
to the other. We must have able male and female native teachers
throughout the land, and until we have such, our efforts will be
limited, and our success small. There are several such establish-
ments now maintained in India; and they are, no doubt, sources
of great good to the districts in which they are established. We
have one at Benares on a small scale, called our Head Seminary;
and although we have never had a missionary able to give his
whole time to it, we have, nevertheless, raised a number of valuable
assistants for the great work, two of whom were last year ordained,
and three more are qualified for ordination. We hope in future
to be able to establish such institutions for both sexes on a large
scale; the Lord having already given us an earnest towards it.
Under present circumstances I would not confine these training
institutions to Christians, though they should, at all times, form
the majority; but I would admit well-disposed young men and
women of any creed; for whilst the Scriptures should be taught
only by Christians, there are many branches taught in every
school which others can teach. I would, however, make it a point
of never admitting any Hindoo or Mahommedan opposed to Christ-
ianity, nor employ such in our schools. The training of teachers
for our vernacular schools should be confined to the vernacular.
I
THIRD SESSION.
115
ignored.
As regards the admission of boys into our schools, established in Caste
towns and villages, for other than Christian children, I would admit
every boy that came and paid his entrance-fee, irrespective of his
caste: yea, I would not even enter his caste into the school-register,
nor ask of what caste he is. This can be done without upsetting
our schools, because we have admitted low-caste boys; the London
Society in Benares has done the same; and indeed the rule is
universal in missionary schools.
schools.
native re-
The results arising from these schools will not be everywhere Results of
the same.
Speaking from my own experience and conviction, I
should say that from the nature of the institutions, direct conver-
sions will proceed more from orphan and Christian schools. Be-
fore leaving India I wrote down the names of all our converts, and
classified them, as far as we can judge: and I found that we had
more real conversions from among our orphans than from our
united efforts in preaching and in schools. This will also hold
good as regards the formation of missionary agents. In our mis-
sions at Benares the number of agents in the field are three to one
from the orphan institution. But with regard to the spread of
a general knowledge of Christianity, preaching stands foremost;
and next to preaching, schools. Schools based on the Bible are Effect on the
mighty engines in undermining the whole fabric of Hindoo and ligions.
Mohammedan superstition, and for diffusing light in religion
throughout the land. The knowledge of the gospel imperceptibly
influences the hearts of the pupils, and raises the tone of their
morals. And the simple fact that throughout the late mutiny,
among the thousands of rebels who joined the mutineers, not a
single man was found who had been educated in a mission-school,
declares loud enough that the word of God taught in these schools
affects the heart and morals of the pupils in after-life. The
general effect of our schools upon the population is, therefore,
great; and if our gracious Queen really wishes to benefit her sub-
jects in India, and make them good and loyal subjects, let her
follow our plan, and base the instruction in all her educational insti-
tutions on the word of God.
and laymen
But what kind of Europeans are required for carrying out this Missionaries
great object of educating the young for time and eternity? Should both suit-
they be missionaries or laymen, or what? My conviction is that able.
training the young is such an important branch of missionary
labour, that those engaged in it should be in nowise inferior to
those engaged in preaching. We require men for this second branch
of missionary labour, with minds well trained for school-work;
116
MR. LEUPOLT'S PAPER.
Ordained
men suit-
able.
Laymenalso.
Circles of
schools.
Rev. C. T.
HORNLE.
devoted in heart and soul to their Master's cause, apt to teach the
young; otherwise let them not engage in this branch of missionary
labour; patient, persevering, never weary in well-doing; for in
India their patience and perseverance will be tested to the utmost.
But are ordained missionaries justified in devoting a part of
their time and strength to secular instruction? Some think they
are not; but I would say, yes! Let those who engage in training
the young devote all their energies to them; let their prayers,
their labour, their influence in and out of school, centre in the
training and welfare of the young. Let the missionary operate
upon his pupils in school hours, and draw them around him out of
school hours; so as to prevent them from losing at home what they
have learnt in school, and to enable him to impress his own mind,
as much as possible, upon his pupils. A right-minded missionary
can make every branch of instruction subservient to the gospel.
But if it be thought preferable to have laymen for schools,
have them; only let them be missionaries in heart and soul and
qualifications; no inferior Europeans should be employed in our
schools. These laymen should be placed on a level with ordained
missionaries; and, after a few years' faithful labour, be eligible for
filling the posts of principals. If this position be not granted
them, they will strive for ordination in order to obtain it. Every
European engaged in our schools should possess a good knowledge
of the vernacular, so as to be able to impart instruction in the
vernacular in every branch taught in his school. As regards the
external arrangements of our educational institutions for both sexes,
I would propose to form circles of schools; in one Society, each
missionary district to form one circle. I would then introduce
into all the schools the same course of instruction; and appoint a
general inspector, either an ordained or lay missionary, for visiting
these schools, to strengthen the hands of and to advise and help
those engaged in their most arduous, difficult, but blessed task
of training the young. Thereby unity would be obtained in our
system of education; a host of difficulties removed as regards plans
to be pursued and books to be used; and the great end of our
schools — that of aiding in making known the gospel to the young,
and of building up infant churches already established-would be
best secured.
The Rev. C. T. HERNLÉ, of the Church Missionary Society
in Agra, said:-He had witnessed the influence which these
schools had exercised; he was convinced that, as far as the
4
THIRD SESSION.
117
ignored.
Christian
native Christians were concerned, it was necessary to give them a
good education, and, to some extent, he thought they had been
successful. He would strongly recommend that, with regard to Caste to be
caste no distinction should be made; and with regard to the
Bible, it had all along been the conviction of missionaries that
education should be based upon the Word of God. Whatever
objections had been made to it had, he thought, been disproved
by the actual experience of their missionary schools. In the
schools at their station of Secundra, in Agra, half the number
of boys were Hindoo and Mahommedan, and the other half
Christians. The school was open to all; but those who wished
to attend must conform to the rules laid down, having the
option to come or not to come. He did not know a single Heathen
boys willing
instance of any boy ever having made an objection to the rules to enter
laid down; he did not recollect a single instance in which an schools.
objection had been made to reading the Bible, learning the
catechism, or attending the Scripture instructions in the school;
but he knew that in the morning, when the school was opened with
prayer, the heathen boys and the Christian boys were kneeling
down together, and uttering the same prayer in the name of Jesus
Christ. (Hear, hear.) He knew that all were glad to read the
New Testament; and as he was frequently in the school himself
giving instruction in the Scriptures, he knew many instances
where heathen boys gave replies which were by no means in-
ferior to what he would have received from Christians; and he
knew instances of gospel truth having been carried home by
them. He would refer only to one. One of the boys left the
school, and he (Mr. Hornlé) expressed a regret to his mother
that she should have taken him away so early. She replied,-
"Never mind, he has brought his books, and he reads out of
those books to me in the evening when he is at home." As to
the infant-schools, he could only say, that it was a pleasure to see Infant-
the little children brought under their instruction; and he would
strongly recommend that every mission should have an infant-
school attached to it. The great difficulty, however, was to get
suitable teachers.
schools.
The second paper appointed was then read, as follows:
118
MR. SMITH'S PAPER.
Education a
legitimate
sphere of
labour.
May we
teach other
things than
the gospel.
ON MISSIONARY EDUCATION.
BY THE REV. THOMAS SMITH,
Controver-
sies on this
In
been nume-
rous.
There is, perhaps, no branch of missionary work that has been
subject have the subject of more or keener discussion than Education.
venturing to bring this important subject before the Conference,
I might, perhaps, be disposed to claim for my sentiments a certain
amount of respect, on the ground of their being the result of
twenty years' laborious experience; but I am quite aware that
another reading of that phrase would be twenty years' accumu-
lated prejudice. I shall, therefore, beg that all reference to the
author be waved; and shall, with much deference, submit a few
arguments, which, I trust, will be received and considered without
regard to aught but their intrinsic soundness or unsoundness,—a
few facts, for whose accuracy alone I vouch, leaving to the judg-
ment of the Conference to determine whether they are pertinent or
otherwise.
LATE MISSIONARY OF THE FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND IN CALCUTTA.
1. My first proposition is, that Education is a legitimate
branch of Missionary operation. In defending this position,
I will not make use of an argument that has sometimes been used
in discussions on this subject, to the effect that teaching is either
put on the same footing with preaching in the commission given
by our blessed Lord, or else that the two terms are convertible.
This statement is quite true; but I am quite willing to admit that,
The point at as an argument with respect to the only point really at issue, it is
issue.
of no value whatever. For that point is not whether the Gospel
is to be made known in one way or another; whether in the way
which is now technically called preaching, or in that which is
technically called teaching; but in reality, whether it is right for
the missionary to teach other things than the Gospel, with the
view to the introduction of Christianity into a country, and the
establishment of it there. Now I maintain that education, in its
proper sense, of at once storing the mind with instruction, and cul-
tivating all its faculties and powers, is a legitimate method of
fulfilling the great object of Christian missions. In this respect,
I would put it on precisely the same footing with that method which
Such is done is so nobly connected with the name of the venerable fathers of
in the Mora-
vian system: modern missions, of whom it is our privilege to have at least one
honoured and worthy representative amongst us.
Our educational
THIRD SESSION.
119
missions in India are just a carrying out of the Moravian system;
which again is substantially that adopted by the most successful
missionaries of our times, those in the South Seas, and that adopted
by the missionaries of all denominations in South Africa. It is
substantially the same also with that system which last night
received so hearty a recognition from this Conference and the
Christian people of this city, who so cordially united with us in
giving glory to God for the success that has attended Medical Missions:
in Medical
Missions.
male educa-
I would call attention also to the fact, that even the most
violent opponents of educational missions that I have ever met
with, virtually admit the principle for which we contend in their and in Fe-
advocacy of Female Education in India. I have never met one tion.
who has not admitted that, if the millions of Indian females are to
be Christianised at all, it must be to a great extent by means of
educational operations. But if this be admitted, then I submit
that the whole principle is conceded. The only question that
then remains is as to the existence or non-existence, in particular
cases, of the circumstances which may render the application of the
principle expedient.
opposing
education.
I would now very briefly point out what I conceive to be a Mistakes in
mistake that lies at the root of a considerable portion of the missionary
opposition that has been offered in this country to Educational
Missionary operations. I wish I could be as sure of finding terms
in which to describe it, which may not give offence to any of my
hearers, as I am sure that I do not wish to give offence to any of
them. I refer to the fallacy, unintentional no doubt, of confound-
ing things that are essentially different, because they happen to
be called by the same name. In this country there is not, and
probably there never was, any such thing as a Missionary-school.
I send my sons to school, not with a view of their conversion to Aim of
God, although with a humble and earnest desire that all their England.
acquisitions made there may be sanctified, so as to make them
better men and better Christians. Still my object in sending
them to school is not their conversion, and the object of their
teachers in meeting them there is as little their conversion. Now
in this respect there is, indeed, no essential difference (I mean
essential to the argument) between the ends and aims of the
English parent, and the ends and aims of the Hindoo parent. But Aim of the
there is all the difference in the world between the ends and views, in India.
missionary
the perfectly legitimate ends and views of the English teacher, and
those of the Missionary teacher. Now no one who thinks of the
education in
May
Um
.....
.....
120
MR. SMITH'S PAPER.
-
Educational
work not
suitable to
all localities.
difference.
Effect of the matter can fail to perceive that this difference will entirely modify
the whole course of the education; and it will be evident that
any argument which concludes that missionary schools are not
legitimate instruments of carrying on missionary work, on the
ground that such schools as alone we have in England would not
be such, is altogether faulty and utterly valueless as an argument.
To say that the conductors of Missionary Institutions do not always
keep this distinctive end in view, is simply to say that they are
imperfect and weak men. I am myself conscious of an almost
overwhelming amount of imperfection in this respect; but I have
sometimes realised the great object to such an extent as to con-
vince me that it was possible to realise it habitually; and I have
seen it realised by my colleagues to a far greater degree.
able.
2. My second proposition is, that while Educational operations
are not suitable to some localities and circumstances, they are pecu-
liarly suitable to others. The former branch of this statement needs
no enlargement or enforcement, as I presume that no man ever did or
ever will controvert it. The latter branch of it I cannot do aught
like justice to within the limits prescribed to me. I can only
indicate a few of the circumstances which in my mind seem to
point out a locality as a suitable one for educational operations as a
branch of Missionary work. If I find, then, that there is in a
land a system of heathenism mainly supported by a system of
Where suit- education pervaded, both as to the matter taught and the manner
of teaching it, by that heathenism;—if I find that the effect of that
heathenism is utterly to pervert the understanding and to sear the
conscience, so as to make it to the whole body of a people a matter
of most earnest, and, in one sense, most honest, belief that there is
and can be no distinction between moral good and evil, no differ-
ence between God and the creature, and, consequently, no respon-
sibility; and that the great body of the people not only, like unre-
generate men everywhere, do not feel the guilt of sin upon their
consciences, but constantly believe and feel that sin is an impos-
Where it is sibility and a contradiction in terms;-I think myself as much
entitled to try to teach the people of that land that there is a
real and actual difference between moral good and evil, and
between truth and falsehood, as I should feel entitled in a land of
cannibalism to strive to put a stop to the horrid practice. And
if I find that in that land, or in certain places of that land, there
is excited, by providential circumstances, an earnest desire for
that sound training of the mental and moral faculties, which is the
legitimate and heaven-appointed instrumentality for eradicating
needed:
and where a
desire for it
exists.
THIRD SESSION,
121
such notions, subversive of all morality and all religion, I dare not
turn a deaf ear to the call that seems addressed to me by God in
his providence, to make use of the means wherewithal he has
furnished me to do what is unquestionably a work well-pleasing to
him. And the call, perhaps, comes with redoubled force, if I find
that there are other means and agencies ready to supply the felt
want, and yet to leave the real want utterly unsupplied. To no
one even slightly acquainted with the state of things in India,
and certainly to no member of this Conference, need I point out
that I have been describing the actual condition of many parts of
it; and I humbly submit that those who in those localities have
regarded Educational operations as a legitimate means of intro-
ducing the Gospel, merit no condemnation at your hands, but
rather a frank and hearty and brotherly God-speed.
not to
much
too little at-
3. My third statement is, that even in the localities the best Education
suited to educational operations, these ought not to engross too engross too
large a proportion of Missionary strength and means. What is labour.
the due proportion it is impossible to determine abstractly. I am
free to admit that I think this proportion has probably been
exceeded in Calcutta; not because there is too much labour or
means expended on Educational operations, for I think there is
still too little, but because there is far too little expended on other
departments. When I joined the Church of Scotland's Institution
in 1839, the whole amount of missionary strength given to educa-
tion was the labour of myself and one colleague, and a very limited
portion of that of another. At that time there were ten or twelve In Calcutta,
men whose whole time was devoted to vernacular preaching. tention given
Now the amount of vernacular preaching by Europeans is certainly
not greater than it was then, while the amount of labour devoted
to Educational Institutions has been increased, I suppose, not less
than sixfold. Very glad were we to welcome our brethren of the
London and the Church Missionary Societies as fellow-labourers
in the Educational field, which we had begun to think peculiarly
our own; and we know that it is only by the hand of God sending
sickness and death, that the number of vernacular preachers has
been sunk below its proper proportion. But while we should
greatly grieve to see the Educational resources of Calcutta dimin-
ished, we earnestly hope that the proportion may be restored by
a large increase of the number of vernacular preachers.
to preaching.
4. Did my limits permit, I should now enter upon a considera- Success.
tion of the success that has attended Educational operations in
India, and especially in that part of it with which I am most
122
MR. SMITH'S PAPER.
Public
opinion
raised.
acquainted. This I cannot do, but shall merely indicate the
points on which I should have dwelt had there been time. I
should have spoken of the elevation and social changes that
have been produced, and the general elevation of public senti-
ment, which every one who knows India will testify to be very
great, and which few will deny to be mainly the result of Educa-
tion. Then I should have spoken of number the of conversions,
which, although not many, have yet been far more numerous in
proportion to the missionaries employed than those effected in
the same place by other means. Then I should have spoken of the
influence exerted and likely to be exerted by the converts, in con-
sequence of their education, and the position that many of them
are occupying, and are destined to occupy, in society. Then I
should have said something as to their qualifications for evan-
their preach-gelistic work among their countrymen. This last is the only point
ing power. on which I shall venture to ask the indulgence of the Conference
Converts:
their in-
fluence:
Kind of
Evangelists
wanted.
Very diffi-
cult to get
them:
i
and why.
for a single remark. There are many classes of native labourers
required for India; and for some departments of work the converts,
who are the results of Missionary Institutions, and who have con-
tinued their studies in these Institutions after their conversion,
with a view to missionary employment, are undoubtedly well, and, I
may say, peculiarly fitted. But for others, and those important ones,
it must be admitted that the system adopted in these institutions
has not specially qualified them. My ideal of an evangelist for
the village population of Bengal would be realized provided we
could combine two terms that have hitherto, in general, been al-
most antagonistic, and raise up a body of Christian Pundits;
that is to say, if we could give sound Christian principles
and sound Christian learning, and retain the simple habits and
the national feelings and sympathies which give the Pundits so
strong an influence over the people. But it must be admitted that
it is difficult to educate, without, to a certain extent, denational-
ising. It is true that the denationalising effects and the edu-
cating effects of the process will not be proportional; that is to
say, that the best and strongest minds will get the maximum of
good and the minimum of evil from their education, just as
amongst ourselves, we have men of mighty intellect who equally
excel in handling the deepest themes, and in preaching the simple
Gospel in its simplest form to the simple poor; while minds of
inferior order are often unfitted for the simple duties of their call-
ing, until they unlearn a considerable portion of their little learn-
ing. I have stated this with all frankness as a weak point of the
1
THIRD SESSION.
123
It
cular needed.
system that I have taken upon myself to defend. But I believe
the evil is capable of a cure, and that cure is already at work.
is by improving and giving a proportionally larger share of atten- More verna-
tion to the Vernacular department of the educational course, that
the denationalising tendency is to be counteracted. It has always
been a difficulty to get those who were acquiring an English edu-
cation to pay sufficient attention to their own language. I believe
I may say, that the superintendents of our Missionary Institutions
in Bengal have, ere now, come to the conclusion that the difficulty
must and shall be overcome; and that they are bringing to bear
upon it an energy which has, by the blessing of God, overcome
greater difficulties, and will, by the same blessing, overcome this
also. I ask for them the hearty sympathy, in their most laborious
and difficult work, and the frank, brotherly recognition, and the
fervent, effectual prayers of all the members of this Conference,
and of all who long for the overthrow of Satan's kingdom, and the
establishment in righteousness of His throne whose right it is to
reign.
The Rev. J. H. TITCOMB, having also prepared a paper on the
same subject, was requested to read it, which he did as follows:-
ON MISSIONARY EDUCATION.
BY THE REV. J. H. TITCOMB,
SECRETARY TO THE VERNACULAR EDUCATION SOCIETY FOR INDIA.
this subject.
What is a mission school? What is its proper place in the Questions on
field of missions? How should it vary in different places, and in
different stages of a mission's growth? More important questions
can scarcely be asked; nor can any be considered with greater
advantage to the progress of the Gospel in heathen lands.
In making the following remarks as a contribution toward
their settlement, I observe that education, to be really effective,
ought always to be developed according to the progressive advance-
ment of the mission for which it is intended. There appear to be
three stages in this development; which I venture to call the Three stages.
introductory, the permanent, and the reproductive.
1. Introduc-
I. The Introductory stage of Missionary Education. When tory.
a mission is opened in a new country, it must be necessarily
started by providing schools for the heathen. In doing which it
124
MR. TITCOMB'S PAPER.
2. Per-
mament
stage.
English
schools
useful:
their
dangers:
The vernacu-
lar now
greatly
needed.
naturally commences by teaching the English language: because
(1) the missionaries are most familiar with it themselves; (2) they
have no printed books in the vernacular; (3) it is sure to attract
the natives; (4) it opens to them all our own stores of sacred lite-
rature.
When a mission grows, however, and converts have been made
in the surrounding villages, then the school which was formerly
used for heathen, becomes occupied by the children of native
Christians. Meanwhile, a few native teachers having been edu-
cated, facilities for vernacular education spring up. Until, at
length, the mission, having extended itself far beyond its original
centre, English becomes gradually of less importance in a mission-
ary point of view, and the vernacular proportionately imperative.
W
Under these circumstances we are led to consider
II. The Permanent state of Missionary Education. -I believe
it is now universally allowed that, to evangelise a large heathen
population, we must create a native agency which shall be capable
of enlightening the masses through the medium of their mother
tongue. It is, therefore, obvious, that the form of education most
permanently required will be vernacular.
G
The question is,-how shall we best adapt our missionary ar-
rangements to promote it? And here, let me add, that in all my
following remarks I shall refer more especially to British India.
There is no doubt that, in order to qualify our superior con-
verts for important positions in the native church, good English
schools will always be wanted. At the same time, if care be not
taken, they may exhaust too much of our missionary strength, and
impede the progress of a native pastorate. For, (1) they have a
tendency to hinder missionaries in their acquisition of the verna-
cular. (2) The education they give the students unfits them for the
humble and unremunerative labour of village-teaching. (3) They
are not wanted now as formerly. At first they were necessary
starting-points for mission work. But now the case is altered. We
have advanced to higher ground; and are not so much called upon
to educate the general community as to develope the resources of
native agency.
Let us remind our missionaries, therefore, that they have passed
the introductory stage of education; that they are now beyond the
need of mere pioneering and civilising processes, and should take
advantage of their position to mal. l their educational institutions
hear more directly on vernacular instruction.
TIIIRD SESSION.
125
Are these views peculiar? They were felt so strongly by the
American missionaries five years since, that, after conference with
a deputation sent to India by the American Board of Commis-
sioners for Foreign Missions, they resolved on introducing exten-
sive changes into their Anglo-vernacular seminaries. At Batti-
cotta they reduced the number of its students, and restricted their
studies solely to preparation for village mission work. In the
Mahratta mission they reported, "There is no reason for the
study of English in schools for catechists and teachers, at least in
the Deccan." In the same spirit the Madura mission decided that
young men preparing for schoolmasters, catechists, and pastors,
"should be restricted purely to Tamil studies." Even Dr. Duff
has lately expressed his opinion, that if we are ever to evangelise
the ignorant masses, it must be simply and entirely through the
vernacular.
Granting, then, that vernacular village schools must form the
permanent stage of missionary education, it is obvious that we
want greater facilities in preparing suitably qualified agents for
conducting them. I therefore pass to the third point of inquiry,-
ductivo
III. The Reproductive Stage of Missionary Education. 3. Repro-
Nothing can be really permanent unless it contain within itself stage.
the germs of reproduction. Indifference to this truth has been
one of the greatest weaknesses of our whole missionary system,
which has hitherto depended too much on the constant supply of
new missionaries, and relied too little on the capabilities of its
own converts. It is, however, one advantage of these schools,
that they develope the internal resources of a mission, and become
nurseries for native teachers and pastors.
But for these offices further training is needed. How can it
be effected?
schools.
It will often happen that the parents of the most promising Boarding-
pupils are too poor to support them after they can earn their own
living; in which case we see the great use of boarding-schools,
where such lads may be received at the expense of the mission,
and be properly superintended while studying for future service;
and, similarly of industrial schools, where, though learning some
trade, in order to be less burdensome to the mission, they may,
nevertheless, join the other students in their classes, and become
prepared for some higher employment.
In regard to the method of training, the example of our
American brethren is worthy of all imitation. English and Angli-
126
MR. TITCOMB'S PAPER.
Village-
schools.
Training-
schools.
cising influences must be abandoned. Proper institutions must be
formed in the midst of village districts; by means of which the
native church may not only ultimately become self-sustaining, but
at no very distant day aggressive. Let it not be said that this
will involve our Missionary Societies in too great an expense. It
is a vital question; especially in reference to schoolmasters. The
school of the village is the corner-stone of the native church;
for while the master produces the pupil, it is from the pupil we
must draw the catechist and pastor. Thus any radical inefficiency
in the first will necessarily injure the whole. It therefore appears
idle to rest satisfied with the employment of heathen or half-
trained Christians on the ground that separate institutions are
expensive. Shall we be slower in learning our duty than the
Government? The State has long since perceived that to reach
the masses of India it must train its own schoolmasters; and it
has already instituted sixteen normal vernacular colleges for that
purpose. Why should it be otherwise with Missionary Societies?
Will they be content to yield the race to their non-Christian
rivals ? Shall labour or expense prove a hindrance, when it can
clearly be shown that without such means the native churches of
India can never flourish?
But here another difficulty opens:-Who is to train these
native masters? The technical routine which is necessary for this
work can never be effectually accomplished by ordinary mission-
aries. In an early stage of missions the attempt is necessary; but
as schools multiply and education improves, a division of labour
comes into play, and men are required to train teachers, who have
been themselves trained for the work, and who can devote their
whole time to it. Where, then, are our Missionary Societies to
obtain native masters who shall be capable of conducting training-
classes?
C
The Verna-
cular Educa-
Happily, the solution of this difficulty may be found in a
tion Society. Society which has been lately formed for promoting Christian
Vernacular Education in India, and which is about to commence
its operations by opening an institution in Madras for training
native training-masters. Its object will be to gather from the
various missions a number of well-selected converts; and, having
qualified them for the work of training others, return them for
employment in their mission service. Thus each Society may soon
have its vernacular institutions in good working order, and from
thence supply all its village-schools with Christian teachers. A
central agency of this kind will prove a great economy of labour.
THIRD SESSION.
127
It appears to me that, in regard to the reproductive stage of mis-
sionary education, this lies at the root of the whole matter, and
will ultimately have a most important bearing on the prosperity
of the native churches of India.
schools.
I may add, that all which has been here said regarding boys' Girls'
schools will apply with even greater force to girls'. If a native
church is to become strong and healthy, female education must
be recognised as a social institution. To this end boarding-
schools and Zenána tuition are, no doubt, extremely valuable;
but eventually we must look forward to a much more general and
systematic method of instruction. We must have girls' day-
schools, for which mistresses shall be as carefully trained as we
propose to train the masters. The difficulties attending such an
effort will be gigantic; yet, I fear, we shall be only trifling with
our responsibilities till we set ourselves more seriously to accom-
plish it.
literature.
Another work which needs to be taken up with equal energy, Vernacular
if ever we are to utilise the reproductive powers of missionary
education, is the promotion of Christian vernacular literature,
especially for the young. As village-schools grow, and a thirst
for reading is excited, we shall want an increasing number of
simple, lively, educational works, adapted to the Oriental mind,—
some for the school, and others for the home; we shall want a
serial literature adapted for all classes, books on experimental
religion, commentaries on Scripture, &c. In prosecuting this
purpose we shall do well to lose no time. The native presses of
Delhi and Calcutta are annually producing large editions of secu-
larising literature. Let us hasten to cast salt into the waters.
Let the various Tract and School-book Societies, aided by that
valuable auxiliary to Christian vernacular education before
alluded to, enter with greater and more concentrated efforts into
this great work. They will in that way consolidate and crown
our missionary education, and become largely instrumental in
bestowing upon British India the inestimable blessings of an
indigenous Christian Church.
DAVIS.
Dr. G. H. DAVIS, Secretary of the Religious Tract Society, Dr. G. H.
said:-The latter part of the paper just read introduced a
subject which he found on the list for that day, but to which
the other papers did not appear to have drawn attention, namely,
"Vernacular Literature; how it may best be circulated." A Vernacular
document had come into his possession on the previous day,
literature.
128
DR. G. H. DAVIS.
Native
presses in
India.
not transla-
tion,
which showed how vernacular literature might be circulated
by native colportage; and when good Christian books were put
into circulation in that way, he thought it would be much
for the benefit of India. But Christian vernacular books ought,
if possible, to be originals rather than translations. Those
acquainted with the language of France and Italy said:-
"Your English translations don't suit our mind: English
Adaptation; translations don't reach the hearts of the people;" and the
same must be true in the East. While an English book may
furnish the skeleton, we must clothe it in the vernacular idiom if
it was desired to reach the hearts of the people. (Hear, hear.)
From the native presses of Madras a large number of vernacular
works issued of a very deleterious character. Dr. Murray Mit-
chell has pointed out the extent to which the native presses in
Bombay poured out vernacular literature, and the necessity for
meeting them with a Christian literature. In the year 1857,
Their books: 571,670* books had been issued for sale from the vernacular
presses of Calcutta; and he (Dr. Davis) was grieved to say, that
of the whole of these not more than 9550 were distinctly Christian,
published for sale by the Bible and Tract Societies. Nearly
80,000 had been circulated by those two bodies, but the number
printed for sale was only 9550. As to the character of these
native works, he would say a word. The Almanacs printed for
sale and he had no doubt sold-numbered 135,000. What
did these Almanacs teach?
number:
character:
Almanacs.
Education.
Obscene
books.
C
-
"They were as necessary for the Ben-
galee as his hookah or his pan. Without it he could not deter-
mine the auspicious days for marrying (twenty-two in the year);
for first feeding an infant with rice (twenty-seven days in the
year); or for feeding a mother with rice in the fifth month of
gestation (twelve days in the year); or for commencing to build
a house; and the like." Then they came to educational works,
relating to agriculture, algebra, arithmetic, &c., of which 145,300
were issued, and from them religion was systematically excluded.
He who read them learned nothing of God, or of Christianity, or
of moral and spiritual truth. There were printed also 14,250
books of an "erotic" character, books abounding in obscene
passages; 33,050 copies of works of fiction, amongst which the
cleverly-written but indecent tale of Vidyà Sundar, composed
last century, with all the ability and licentiousness of a Fielding,
* Dr. Davis quoted these statistical details from a Report, in his hand, on
the Vernacular Press of Calcutta in 1858, prepared by the Rev. JAMES LONG,
C. M. S., and published bythe Government of Bengal.
THIRD SESSION.
129
holds a prominent place, and is sold sixty pages to the anna.
Besides these, there were 96,150 copies of works printed to
sustain the systems of Mythology and Hindooism. The Bible Hindoo
Society and Tract Society distributed only about 80,000 Christian books.
books, which were met by 96,150 on Mythology and Hin-
dooism. Christians must awaken to these facts, and endeavour
to produce something at least equal to the native issues. It
was quite clear that if it were only to meet the issues
of the native presses something must be done; done on a
large scale; and done right speedily. (Applause.) Missionaries
had done much to meet the want;-much more than was gene-
rally supposed, and they deserved all credit for their labours.
In Bengalee, during the last ten years, there had been published Christian
thirty-nine tracts and fifty-eight books, including Wayland's books.
Moral Science; in Canarese, seventeen tracts and nineteen books,
including the Tract Society's editions of Paley's Hora Paulina;
in Gujerati, seven books, three of elementary instruction and four
for adults, amongst which was the life of the Rev. S. Flavel; in
Hindi, nineteen tracts and sixteen books; in Hindustani, fifty tracts
and thirty-three books; in Malayalam, eleven tracts; in Mara-
thi, nineteen tracts and thirty-six books; in Uriya, twenty-
eight tracts and ten books; and in Tamil, eighty-six tracts and
fifty-five books. The Christians of Ceylon acted with extraordi-
nary power and vigour under the guidance of Mr. Murdoch, who
in India was almost ubiquitous and universal; for he (Dr. Davis) be done.
found his name as Secretary of the Singhalese Vernacular Society,
of the Madras Society, and also Secretary of the Calcutta Society.
(Applause.) He would just leave these facts before the Con-
ference; and hoped, that from them some impetus would go
forth throughout the whole of India, to urge their brethren to
engage more energetically in the production of a vernacular
Christian literature. (Applause.)
More must
SINGH.
The Rev. BEHARI LAL SINGH said,- He was most desirous Rev. B. L.
to impress upon the fathers and brethren of the Conference,
that the natives would be found the most successful trans-
lators of the Bible into the vernacular, if they were properly
trained for the work. With regard to the results of missionary How to test
institutions in the form of native agencies, it was most desirable, education.
in order to be able to judge of them properly, to inquire how many
of these young men, who had been fed, clothed, and educated,
at the expense of Missionary Societies, were now in the ministry
the results of
K
4
130
REV. BEHARI LAL SINGH.
Character of
vernacular
books.
Rev. T.
SMITH.
Rev. J.
M'KEE.
and how many had left for other pursuits? (Hear, hear.)
Next, how many of those who had been ordained were satisfied
with their present position, or with a moderate salary? If
any of the principals and professors of our missionary colleges
could enlighten us on this point, the church would then be in a
position to improve our great educational system, which has pro-
duced in other respects such unparalleled results. He made this
remark without in any degree wishing to disparage missionary
institutions; in one of which he had been brought up, and to
which he owed all his religious and educational training; but it
was necessary, in his opinion, while the virtues and great doings
of our agents were extolled in the missionary magazines, that their
weaknesses and imperfections should be brought forward, in order
that prayer and sympathy might be exercised on their behalf in
these matters.
Government
education.
With regard to our vernacular literature and periodicals, it
depends a great deal upon the various sections of the native com-
munity for whom these vernacular books and papers are intended.
Many of the books in the vernacular have been written in a very
simple style, suited for the mass of the people; but he did not think
our learned pundits and moulvies would take much interest in
these books; and that they would require a higher style of lite-
rature and class of thought. He believed, with great deference
to all his European fathers and brethren, that it would be well if
much of the production of vernacular literature were left to able
and pious natives.
The Rev. J. M'KEE, missionary to Guzerat, wished to make
a few remarks on the Government system of education. He hoped
that the Conference and people generally at home would fully
understand the action of the Government of India in this respect.
Government said to the natives, "We wish you to understand that
we have no religion at all;" and this was just what the natives
would not understand. They understood that every man had his
religion; and, therefore, they did not understand our Government
when they said they were of no religion at all; hence the mistrust
Government of Government on the part of the natives. Another point, also,
not neutral. was, that Government had not been neutral, but had closely con-
The Rev. Mr. SMITH suggested, that the only two books that
should be translated should be Robinson Crusoe and Pilgrim's
Progress.
THIRD SESSION.
131
festival.
nected themselves with the idolatry of the country up to the present
time. He was rejoiced to say that with regard to the temples in
India, a very great change for the better had taken place; but
there was still a close connexion between the Government and the
heathen festivals of the country. In illustration of this he would
instance one fact, because it affected the neighbourhood where he
resided. In the native principality of Baroda there was a great Baroda
heathen festival every year; it was observed over the whole of
India, but principally in Baroda. On this occasion the priest of
Baroda collected a great many Brahmins, and multitudes of natives,
and the image of Gunputti having been prepared, they marched
forth to celebrate the honours of Gunputti. He had not time to
give the whole details with reference to this festival; but it was
the law of the Government that the Resident Officers and sepoys
must go out and meet the ruler, the Guicowar, and present the
salaam of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, while he and his people
were engaged in this procession. He would also mention one other
fact with reference to the discouragement which our Government
gave to Christianity. He could give a great many facts illustrative
of this; but this one recently occurred in the Punjab:-The 24th The 24th
Punjaubee
Punjaubee Native Regiment had got a few native tracts, and Regiment.
having been impressed with them, and there being no missionary
at hand, they applied to some officers for further information
regarding particular statements. Our officers, as free men, and
enjoying liberty of conscience, expounded to them the nature of
Christianity; and in the absence of a missionary, a few meetings
were held. Immediately, however, or shortly after it became
known, a positive command arrived from the Viceroy that no such
information should be given, that no such meetings should be held,
and that our officers should never converse with sepoys respecting
Christianity. Mr. M'Kee further observed that he believed as
long as we withheld the truth from the sepoys and the native
soldiery, India would not be safe.
CANDY.
to
The Rev. GEO. CANDY, of Bombay, said he wished to make Rev. G.
two remarks. Though English people at home are entirely unfit
to prepare works for India, yet English people who have spent Englishmen
a long time abroad are perfectly competent, and in some respects native books.
more so than the natives. He would stimulate native brethren to
try to excel, or to do better, yet he could not agree to leave the
work to them. The other point is with regard to the dissemi-
nation of vernacular literature. Some seven or eight years ago
132
REV. DR. BAYLEE.
Sale of
tracts in
Bombay.
Rev. Dr.
BAYLEE.
Principles
for trans-
lating the
Bible.
they com-
bine their
knowledge.
The result.
the Bombay Tract Society came to the resolution not to give any
more tracts away, but to put a merely nominal price upon them.
There were some at that time who anticipated an injurious result
from this resolution, but there were others who as confidently
anticipated success. It was a matter for thankfulness that they
were borne out by the result. The circulation after this reso-
lution increased, in four or five years, five-fold. (Hear, hear.)
The Rev. Dr. BAYLEE said he had not had much practice in
translation, but he had been at various times engaged in reli-
gious controversy and teaching with the natives of different
countries.
He had for three years conducted the services of the Church
of England in the Irish language on the west coast of Ireland ;
and as the principle of translation was the same, whether in Ire-
land or in India, the experience which he had gained there would
apply to India.
His own
The feeling of this want had induced Mr. Nangle and himself
experience. to attempt a revision of the Bible in Irish. They had a school-
A triad:
master, who was what he might call an Irish pundit. He was a
man well acquainted with the oral literature of his native land.
He could recite, for example, 1200 lines of Ossian in the original
Irish without hesitation.
That man knew nothing but Irish, and what English he had
learned colloquially.
In reading the Church Service in the Irish language, they had
been obliged to alter some of the expressions to come nearer to
the popular idiom.
He (Dr. Baylee) knew very little of Irish; only what he had
acquired by book study: but he had given years of attentive
study to Hebrew and Greek, as well as to the general philosophy
of language.
Mr. Nangle knew nothing of Hebrew, and was not a scholar
or a linguist; but he had a thorough familiarity with Irish, and
had had the ordinary University education.
Each one was, therefore, very imperfect; but he would venture
to say that the three combined constituted very nearly perfection
for the particular task which they undertook. (Laughter.)
Dr. Baylee could tell Mr. Nangle the exact meaning of the
Hebrew word; and knew enough of Irish to judge whether the
Irish sentence, as composed by Mr. Nangle, and explained by the
Irish pundit, corresponded with the Hebrew.
THIRD SESSION.
133
It was on some such plan as this that our present Indian
versions may be thoroughly adapted to the wants of the natives.
It will take generations before the natives themselves will be
able to execute the task of a native version.
On this subject, we must not confound two very distinct ques- Two things.
tions; original treatises on religious subjects, and the translation
of the Bible.
Educated Christian natives may write better books for their University
countrymen than Europeans could do; but our University train- training.
ing, our philological studies, our centuries of experience in bib-
lical versions, have given us a discipline for which the native
mind is at present unfit.
language.
The knowledge of a language vernacularly, and even the What is
knowledge of it extensively, in its literature, is a far different knowing
thing from a philosophical and critical knowledge of the same
language. For example, in English, take the word Religion. He
would venture to say that nineteen out of twenty of any culti-
vated audience in England would be unaware of the meaning of
that word. Let him ask them individually the meaning of Jas. i.
27, "Pure religion and undefiled," they would almost universally
say that it meant "godly piety." They would be startled at being
told that it meant no more than a true attention to the outward
services of religion. Yet every competent Greek scholar would
agree with him.
In the Bible the word religion is never once used for godliness
or piety. Some time since he (Dr. Baylee) was much struck with
a passage in Philo Judæus, who says of the ignorance of the
heathen; "They have a religion (@gnozu), and they call it god-
liness (εὐσέβεια).”
It may seem paradoxical; but he (Dr. Baylee) would venture
to say, that a first-rate Greek scholar from Oxford or Cambridge
was more critically acquainted with the Greek language than was
Chrysostom, or Basil, or even Plato.
In the present day we have a remarkable proof of this amongst The Jews.
the Jews. Every body knows the wonderful amount of know-
ledge which a learned Jew has of the literature of his own lan-
guage. Dr. Baylee has had much controversy with men of that
class. He had had the happiness of baptizing in his own church
nearly twenty Jews.
In controversy with them, he found his critical knowledge of the
Hebrew was far greater than theirs, although they had read a hun-
dred times as much as he. This was to be attributed, not to any
134
REV. S. HISLOP.
The English
and German
versions.
Rev. S.
HISLOP.
System of
selling
tracts.
Need of
vernacular
schools.
superior talents, but to the inestimable advantage of our University
training.
It would also interest English readers to know how incom-
parably superior our English version is to all others. In dealing
with German Jews, Dr. Baylee constantly found Luther's German
version fail him. He never found this with the English. To
give one example. That important passage, "Let thy hand be
upon the man of thy right hand, upon the Son of man whom thou
madest strong for thyself:" (Ps. lxxx. 17) Luther renders "man,"
das Volk, "the people of thy right hand;" thus destroying the
sense of the passage. His version is a noble one; but he con-
stantly sacrificed critical accuracy to the beauty of poetic feeling.
On those grounds, therefore, he would earnestly press on the
Conference the great difference between original compositions by
natives of India and the translation of the Bible.
The Rev. S. HISLOP, of Nagpore, stated, that the countenance
given by Government to the religion of the natives was not con-
fined to Baroda, but extended to Cutch, Indore, and Gwalior, at
all of which courts the Rajas continued to receive honours that
were necessarily associated in the minds of their subjects with
the festivals, on which they were paid. The same practice had
prevailed at Nagpore till the period of its annexation, since
which the encouragement given to Hindooism had not ceased,
but only changed its form. He wished to make a remark sug-
gested by what had fallen from the respected Secretary of the
Tract Society, and his friend, Mr. Tucker. In Bombay they
had adopted the plan of selling all their tracts. From the
experience he had had during the first year and a half of their
mission of the Madras system of free giving, and the experience
he had had since of the Bombay system of sale, he greatly pre-
ferred that all the missionaries of India should adopt the latter
practice; and in order to render it more efficient, it was desirable
that they should employ the services of colporteurs. They
had followed it up for about thirteen years, and found it at-
tended with the best results. They now sold as many tracts as
ever they could have given away gratuitously, and they had al-
ways the gratification of knowing that the tracts were prized, and
preserved, and read, with an interest that could not be inspired in
any other way. (Hear.) He would like, also, to refer to the
Christian Vernacular Education Society, which he thought was
likely to be a blessing to the people. At Nagpore they could not
THIRD SESSION.
135
t
rance in
complain of the Government education, for there was none to
complain of. There had not been an attempt of the smallest kind
made by the Government to enlighten the natives. This, perhaps,
some may think better than if the Government were to interfere
at all at least, to introduce the system established in other parts.
Still, it is sad to think that the paucity of readers is so very great.
There are five districts into which the province is divided; and
in the most cultivated of these perhaps the proportion of readers Gross igno-
to non-readers is about one to two hundred; but in other dis- Nagpore.
tricts, where the hill tribes reside, the proportion is far less. It
may be one to six or eight hundred. Only one reader to eight
hundred people! Now I think it is the plan of the Vernacular
Education Society that, when a native teacher is trained, he is
sent forth to establish a school, which shall be supported by the fees
of the pupils. Here, however, arises a serious practical difficulty;
for it is exactly where the educational destitution is greatest, that
the demand for learning, and, consequently, the willingness to
support a teacher, is least. I should rejoice, if our church could
increase her agency, and do more to supply the distressing want
of Christian instruction that exists at Nagpore; but meanwhile
that want continues, as I have represented it. (Applause.)
Sp
CAMPBELL
The Rev. WILLIAM CAMPBELL, formerly of Bangalore, rose Rev. W.
and said, I am an old missionary, and belong to the old school,
and was in India at a time when there was little English taught.
On my arrival at Madras, a missionary said to me, "Now,
Mr. Campbell, it has almost become an axiom in India, that if a Need of
missionary does not get over the difficulties of the language within learning the
the year, there is little likelihood of his getting over them at all.” tongue.
Of course this spurred me on amazingly; and, by the blessing of
God, I soon acquired the language, and the ability to circulate
the truth among the natives.
In the Telloogoo Hitopadeesa there is a story to the following Anecdote.
effect. In the city of Madras, there lived a certain major who
did not learn the languages of the natives, and who was, con-
sequently, dependent on his butler as his interpreter. As he was
very fond of seeing jugglers exhibit, a company came to his resi-
dence one day and erected their pole, and went through their per-
formances, much to the amusement of the major, who sat in his
verandah to watch them, and give them his sanction.
They expected a very large fee, and at length the major called
his butler, "Ramaswami, there are ten pagodas for these men."
136
REV. W. CAMPBELL.
"
|
Ramaswami, thinking that this reward was far too high for such
exhibitions, what did he do? He put nine of the pagodas into his
own pocket, and gave the jugglers one, telling them to go about
their business. The jugglers were very much dissatisfied with
the conduct of the butler, and came to make their complaints to
his master, giving utterance to their disappointment, and showing
the one pagoda in their hand. But they could not make the
major apprehend their meaning, so he appealed again to the butler,
"Ramaswami! what do these men want?" Why, sir," said
Ramaswami, “they say that among the ten pagodas, which your
honour has given them, there is a bad one, and they wish you to
give them another in exchange for it." "Ramaswami,” cried the
major, "bring me the horsewhip!" and the poor jugglers were
obliged to flee before the violence of the storm. But the moral of
the story is this: that those who will not learn the language of the
natives, do a great injustice to the people.
66
The dreadful mutiny has just passed over us,— a mutiny that
will be held by the British in everlasting remembrance. What
Example of have been the causes that produced it? Sir Thomas Munroe-
Sir T.
Munroe:
also of Mr.
Elphinstone.
PË
one of the first advocates of the vernaculars-the man who, in
the midst of anarchy and confusion, restored peace and order to
the Ceded Districts, by his thorough use of the Canarese, was after-
wards embraced as the father of the people, and why? Because
he insisted that every officer, civil and military, should learn the
language; that he should be clever in discharging his duties among
the people; that he should administer law and justice and every
good in their own mother tongue; thus creating love and sym-
pathy between the governors and the governed, and securing
liberty, and right, and order, to every department.
Mr. Elphinstone, on the side of Bombay, followed in the same
line, and rendered his government popular and respected. What,
I ask, has been the state of the Madras and the Bombay Presi-
dencies during this mutiny? Their people have been strong in
their order, and affection, and loyalty, and their armies have been
the strength of England in this terrible disaster.
But let us turn for a moment to Bengal. Has not her Go-
vernment pursued a system the very reverse, and given education
to her subordinates in a strange and foreign language? Yes;
English has long been paramount; and thousands of young men
from English schools and English colleges have been scattered
over the Provinces to dispense law, and justice, and order, in the
name of the Government, and according to their own authority.
THIRD SESSION.
137
What has young Bengal become? They have become the middle-
men of India-they have become the stewards of the estate—
they have become an immense wall to separate the governors from
the subjects—to bury love, and sympathy, and hope, in the dust,
and to do great injustice to the people. If Bengal had continued
to follow the system of Madras and Bombay-if the Government
there had given to the people the Bible and the worship of the
living God, they would have counteracted these evils, which created
this rebellion, and which have rendered Bengal the Ireland of India.
WALTON
The Rev. JOHN WALTON, Wesleyan missionary from Jaffna Rev. J.
in North Ceylon, having observed that he wished to give some
information respecting the island of Ceylon, and that he sub-
stantially, though not entirely, agreed with Mr. Leupolt's paper,
proceeded; I have been connected with vernacular and English English
schools in
schools of a superior class in Ceylon for thirteen years.
When Jaffna:
I first went there, there were four first-class English seminaries
maintained in the island; one maintained by the American
Missionary Board, another by the Wesleyan, and two by the
Church Missionary Society. There were three first-class English
seminaries in the province of Jaffna, amongst the Tamil people;
and in the south there was a first-class seminary amongst the
Singhalese people, maintained by the Church Missionary Society.
Some years ago the Americans in the Jaffna district abolished their
seminary; but the Church and the Wesleyans continue to main-
tain theirs. From these seminaries we have gained the majority
of our converts, catechists, and native preachers, and, though their
we think them improvable, we have no idea of giving them up.
You must not, however, suppose that English education has
ceased where the American missions lay; for I may mention a
very interesting incident which will be most gratifying to the
gentleman who last read his paper, and which followed immedi-
ately upon the abolition of the American seminary at Batticotta. Recent
change of
A private English school of a first-class character was forthwith system.
commenced by a native Christian. This, I think, is the repro-
ductive stage, and is a matter of special interest. This man, ~
thorough Christian, had been employed as a tutor in the old
Batticotta seminary. He commenced his school without pecuniary
assistance from the missionaries or from Government, and asso-
ciated with him half-a-dozen converted educated natives as a
teaching staff. He collected about 150 boys, and for nearly two
years he worked without pecuniary help from anybody, except
success.
138
REV. J. WALTON.
Success of a the fees which he received from the people. Very recently the
private na-
tive school. Government inspector of schools visited the school, and was so
thoroughly satisfied that he recommended a small annual grant
for the purchase of school materials, and for supplementing the
teachers' salaries,—a grant of 507. This is emphatically a Christian
school. The American missionaries took great interest in it, and
have given part of the old premises to the masters, the school
being also held in their premises; they visit it, examine it, and
discharge all the duties of Christian pastors to the boys. The
boys regularly march to chapel on Sunday mornings; all heathen
signs and symbols are discountenanced, and the American mis-
sionaries think the school is answering the ends of a Christian
school in a more striking manner than any other of a similar kind.
I think it a duty which I owe to the Ceylon Government to state
that in the Government schools of Ceylon the Bible has been
Government introduced from the first. (Cheers.) For nearly twenty years the
The Bible
in the Ceylon
schools,
Central School Commission has been carrying on school education,
ramifying throughout the whole country, and one of the rules is
that the first hour every day shall be devoted to the reading of the
Bible. The attendance on that lesson on the part of the boys is
optional; but I never heard of a single instance of a boy not coming
to school during the first hour when the Bible was read. They
know (for Hindoo boys are very sharp) that it is the most important
lesson of the day, and it is never missed.
Rev. F.
TRESTRAIL.
Rev. Mr.
WALTON.
Caste
ignored.
The Rev. F. TRESTRAIL having interposed a question as to the
influence of caste,
The Rev. Mr. WALTON said,-I cannot illustrate the feelings
of the boys better than by relating an instance which took place
some years ago. There was a disruption of our principal educa-
tional establishment in Jaffna on the caste question. A boy of
the fisher caste was introduced into a school composed chiefly of
the cultivator caste. The boys of the first class, to which from
his attainments he was entitled to be admitted, instantly rose, and
said they would not sit with nor learn with him. After every
measure had been exhausted on the part of their parents to induce
the missionary to expel the fisher boy, the Brahmins and many of
the Vellalas formed a caste school on rival principles. The master
was a rigid heathen, but the parents insisted that in the school
the Bible should be introduced. This idea thoroughly possesses
the mind of the people of Ceylon that there can be no thorough
THIRD SESSION.
139
*
education in English without the English Bible; the Bible was
introduced into this school, and it held together for about twelve
months.
The Rev. Dr. TIDMAN,-Are the teachers in these Govern- Are the
ment schools, who teach the Bible, heathens or Christians?
teachers
Christians?
The Rev. Mr. WALTON,-In different parts of the island of
Ceylon there are a number of sub-committees of Government
schools, and it has ever been an admitted principle that all candi-
dates who apply for the vacant places of teachers should be no-
minal Christians. It has been taken for granted in all sub-
committees on which I ever sat, that a man who was a heathen
could not conscientiously teach the Bible, and he was never
appointed; but I believe that lately, within the last year or two, Sometimes
in some stations, heathens have been appointed to these Govern-
ment schools. In these countries very much depends upon the
circumstance whether there is a missionary or colonial chaplain How?
in the neighbourhood, who is a member of the sub-committee, or
whether the gentlemen connected with the civil service, who form
it, are men of strong religious feeling.
not:
Dr. TIDMAN,—A second question I wish to ask is, whether in
this process of English education, there are any school-books in
English, or whether the Bible is merely the model of English
instruction?
books.
Mr. WALTON:-The schools are of two grades-elementary and School-
central. The latter schools are of first-class character; in them
education is conducted to its furthest limits; and the boys will
compare with any boys you have in your English schools. Various
school-books have been used, but for the most part, I believe they
are the books of the Irish National Society.
H. CARRE TUCKER, Esq.-With reference to the Governments н. C.
TUCKER, Esq
of Agra and the Punjaub, I beg to say that they lay the greatest
possible stress upon their own officers, civil and military, learning
the language as soon as possible; and their promotion is only ob-
tained by passing a successful examination. With reference to village-
schools, the Government has been raising a one-per-cent fund on
the revenue from all the villages, and has been covering the whole
country with village schools: my own Division of Benares is
schools in
Agra.
Σ
140
H. CARRE TUCKER, ESQ.
The Bible
read.
22
Training-
schools.
Native
Christian
teachers.
Rev. J. L.
PORTER
1.
covered with village schools. It then became a question: if we
could not supply these schools with Christian teachers, whether they
would not be doing more harm than good. With the permission,
therefore, of Mr. Colvin, the late Governor, I established at Benares
a vernacular normal Training Institution, which was carried on
upon strictly Christian principles. I selected the two best Christ-
ian masters I could find; one of them being the teacher in Mr.
Leupolt's own school, who has since become a Christian missionary.
We had one hundred young men, and I told them I considered it
necessary that they should read the Bible as the foundation of all
that was good. At first, two or three Mahommedans objected; I told
them, however, there was no compulsion; but all the Hindoos took
to it; and these Mahommedans in a few weeks found it wise to swim
with the tide, and agreed to read the Bible. The mother of one of
these teachers told me that they made her quite ashamed of herself
as a Christian woman, when she sat up-stairs and heard these young
men read their Bibles. Mr. Colvin came down and presided at one
of our meetings, where prizes were delivered to the most successful
students, the first prize-holder receiving a gold-watch. Government.
have established sixteen vernacular Training Institutions of their
own; and it is deeply incumbent on all Missionary Societies, either
directly or through this vernacular Training Society, to do their
best to prepare a native Christian agency: otherwise we shall have
a Government native agency. The best way in which missionaries
in general can direct their efforts, is to prepare a Christianised
agency, which can get admittance as teachers into Government
schools, and thus throw a strong, a Christian element into the
teaching of these schools. With reference to the Government neu-
trality, the Association in London has published a declaration
of the rights of Christian servants of Government, a copy of which
will be laid upon the table to-day, and any gentlemen who choose
to sign it can do so. It declares that the right of a Christian
man should not be forfeited by his becoming the servant of the Go-
vernment. (Applause.)
The Rev. J. LESLIE PORTER, missionary of the Irish Presby-
terian Church at Damascus :-For the sake of variety, I will say
a few words about another mission-field. While India is a most
important branch of mission work, there are other fields in the
world quite as important, and there is at least one far more
intensely interesting,-I refer to Palestine. Our programme alludes
to vernacular literature, periodicals, tracts, and school-books: as
+
THIRD SESSION.
141
*
If
works.
well as to Christian education. I want to bear my testimony to The Chris-
tian press in
the immense advantage which has accrued to Christian missions Turkey:
in Turkey, especially in Syria, from the translation of English
books in Arabic, Turkish, and Armenian; the printing of these.
books in the mission presses, and their distribution by the
missionaries. I believe if you had gone to Turkey thirty years
ago, you would not have found a single treatise upon Christianity
in any of the languages of the country, with the exception of one
or two of the old books, copies of the Fathers, in some of the con- Very active.
vents, covered with dust, and which nobody had ever read.
you go there at the present day, you will find in every large city
throughout the Turkish Empire, immense numbers of Christian
periodicals, Christian tracts and books, and especially Bibles and How it
Testaments, issued at the mission presses, and distributed by the
missionaries. To show the effects they are calculated to produce,
I will just mention one case :-We have in Damascus a man of
great influence, a native-his name may have been heard by some
-I refer to Dr. Meshakah, one of the most learned natives of Example.
Syria, and one of the most acute reasoners in any country. He
wields a powerful and ready pen, and has been for the last ten
or twelve years employing all his influence and power and literary
talents for the advancement of the cause of Christ; and yet this
man has never received one single farthing from any Missionary
Society. (Cheers.) How then was he brought to the knowledge
of the truth? Fourteen years ago he was a member of the Greek
Church; then he became connected with the Latin Church; then
he became a professed infidel; and then, by chance and under the
direction of the Spirit of God, he fell in with a copy of Keith's
Evidence of Prophecy, translated long ago by the missionaries,
and circulated in Syria. He then studied and read the Bible,
and the Spirit of God impressed the Bible truths upon his heart.
Another instance: I stated that he was a literary man, and that he Another.
has written some five or six large treatises which have been printed,
as well as little tracts which have been printed also. Some
three years ago, we heard in connexion with our mission at
Damascus of a labouring man who lived in a distant part of
Eastern Syria, a man who was most faithful in advancing the
cause of God; he was a poor man, and his name is Khalil. When
that man goes to plough, he teaches the Gospel to the man who
drives the oxen, and to those who are engaged with him in that
manual labour. When he returns in the evening to his village,
2.
142
REV. J. LESLIE PORTER.
Col. LAVIE.
instead of enjoying his pipe, like most other Orientals, or sitting
down in his own house, he goes to the gate of the village, takes a
copy of the Bible, sits down, and gathers round him all that he
can; and there he reads and interprets Bible truths. How was
that man, who never saw the face of a missionary until he had
been engaged more than a year, brought to a knowledge of the
truth? In this way :-A man, who would come to Damascus and
visit the mission book-shop, had taken a little book published by
Dr. Meshakah and a copy of the New Testament. These fell into
Khalil's hands, and led to his conversion. I believe this man from
his prayerful devotion and success may well be called the apostle
Book-shop. of Bashan, for that is the district where he labours. We have
opened a book-shop in Damascus in the street called "Straight."
It contains books in ten different languages, and these books are not
given away, but they are all sold. We find that the people come
from the ends of the earth to buy books there. I found there one
day a Nestorian from the mountains of Kurdistan: he introduced
himself to me as a man from Kurdistan, and his story was this :-
A friend of his had been on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem the year
before, and in passing through Damascus he had been attracted
to the book-shop, where he bought a Bible and two or three tracts;
took them with him to Jerusalem, where he gave the tracts among
a few friends, and carried the Bible home. That Bible was car-
ried to the house from which that man from Kurdistan came; he
was the oldest son of that house, and through the instrumentality
of that Bible, he had been brought to the knowledge of the truth.
(Applause.)
Heathen
teachers in
Christian
schools,
Colonel LAVIE, late in the India Artillery, said:— On the
question as to what part Missionary Societies should take in edu-
cation, that it was clear to him "Teaching the Gospel" was only
secondary to "Preaching the Gospel," and, if wisely conducted,
was thoroughly missionary work; but he entirely disapproved of
the employment in missionary schools of native teachers who have
been instructed for ten and twelve years in Christianity, possessing
a thorough head knowledge of its principles, even acknowledging
its pureness as a religion, yet who are unwilling, by baptism, to
declare to their countrymen they are Christians.
This subject had for many years been an anxiety to him, as,
from what had come under his notice, not only in South India, but
elsewhere, he has considered the employment of native heathen
THIRD SESSION.
143
teachers a positive evil, and feels assured that where the practice an evil.
exists, there must necessarily be a low standard of Christianity in
the native Church.
They should
Christians;
If native Christian teachers are only partially procurable, employ only
missionaries, in his opinion, should confine the education given, to
the children of converts only, till Christian teachers are raised up
for them, when they may extend the privilege to the heathen
children. So anxious had he long felt on this point, that nothing
would rejoice him more than to hear that Missionary Societies had
made it a rule that no heathen teacher should be employed in
missionary schools; and he would go further, that no native
teacher should be employed in missionary schools who had not
given satisfactory evidence that he was himself a converted man, converted
men, abroad;
capable of teaching on Christian principles. Let this be done,
and the result, under God's blessing, would surely be an improved
tone of Christianity in the native Churches, and a stock of teachers
of Christian character might be looked for, not only for the mission,
but for Government and other schools. He expressed a wish that
in our English system of education, parents, when placing their and in
children in schools, would more generally require that not only England.
their Head Master, but also the under teachers, should be converted
men, when we might look for better results from schools among
our own people at home.
He would like to say a word in reply to the question put a
short time back, "How is it that Heathen boys attend missionary
schools, and schools where the Bible is taught?”
then boys
bible-taught
Pachapah's school at Madras has English-educated masters, Why hea-
receiving high salaries, men of ability capable of giving the best attend
English education, but the Bible is a prohibited book; he has schools.
known many heathen boys to give up the advantages of their
position in this school to enter a missionary or other school where
Bible instruction was given; and on inquiring from them the
reason, he has been told by those who could clearly express them-
selves, to the effect, that in their opinion boys instructed from the
Scriptures were more clever and better than those taught in
schools where there was no Bible; and his experience would lead
him to say distinctly, that of the many hundred boys with whom
he had conversed, all had expressed their wish for Bible instruc-
tion; and on speaking with their parents on the subject, the very
general expression was, that they had not the smallest objection
to their children being taught from the Bible; he had certainly
met with a few exceptions, but they were very few.
144
REV. DR. O'MEARA.
English
books not to
The Rev. Dr. O'MEARA said, it occurred to him that when they
spoke of a vernacular literature, they did not mean merely certain
English sounds, represented by certain vernacular sounds, but re-
ferred also to the style of thought. They did not go for verna-
cular English to a classical library, but to such books as Ryle's
be translated tracts, than which, he believed, there was nothing more excellent.
but adapted.
He had translated tracts into the language of the North American
Indians, but the author of those tracts would not know them if
they were translated back again. He had translated the tract of
The Young Cottager, but the description of the scenery of Eng-
land and the Isle of Wight would have been lost to the Indian: so
he was obliged to leave it out or considerably alter it, so as to
bring it more nearly to the Indian style of thought. He thought
that was a very important subject to be kept before the minds of
their missionary brethren. About five years ago, he was very
anxious to translate a book which would be generally useful to
Indian missionaries in connexion with Indian congregations, and
he obtained a very liberal list of one of the London Societies. He
found a tract that had been prepared for the Indians in the colo-
nies about a hundred years ago; and thought that was one he could
make something of, but on the very first page there were two or
three utterly untranslateable expressions, which would be incom-
prehensible by native minds. He thought the preparation of new
tracts, adapted to the style of thought of the natives, would be
much more advantageous than the literal translation of English
tracts.
Rev. Dr.
O'MEARA.
Rev. T.
GARDINER.
Christian
teachers not
always to
be had.
Why?
The Rev. THOMAS GARDINER, Free Church Missionary in
Calcutta, said, that in their Institutions in Calcutta they had con-
siderable difficulty in getting Christian young men to undertake
the work of teaching. Every Christian youth had not a liking for
it. Then they had another difficulty in the low salaries which
only they were enabled to give. Young men said, "If we were to
give ourselves to secular work, we could do very much better,
and at the same time exercise a large amount of influence for
good." A further difficulty was, that when some of the young
men became Christians, the missionaries had a call at once made
upon them to send them forth into the country districts to evangelise
others. With regard to the general subject of Education, he
rejoiced that there had not been a single sentence uttered against
the great work of Christian Education as a means of evangelising
the youth of India. That was the ground upon which their Mis-
:
THIRD SESSION.
145
of education
cation may
sionary institutions had always been maintained, and upon which
he was persuaded they would stand the test of every inquiry. But
it must be admitted that their work, from its very nature, in pro-
viding this valuable English Education, raised up for them diffi-
culties in the way of obtaining a native evangelistic agency.
English Education had a high pecuniary value in the market, and Money value
all the young men in India, including their Christian young men,
knew this; these latter saw how they could be useful as Christian
magistrates, as Christian merchants, and in other capacities, with
the knowledge they had acquired, and they did not see why they
should neglect their own interests. He thought all missionaries
engaged in Education should look these difficulties calmly in the
face. If they did, they might be able to remove some of them,
and get their young men to engage in the work. He believed also Secular edu.
there was a danger of carrying secular education too far. They go too far.
found that almost all young men in their schools, at some time or
other, generally when they were in the higher school, or junior
College classes, came under strong convictions, not merely of the
truth of Christianity, but personal convictions, more or less, of their
own sinfulness and of their need of a Saviour. If they passed that
critical period without publicly professing their faith in Christ,
they generally became indifferent, and there was less hope, humanly
speaking, of their becoming Christians. He thought it might be
an undue expenditure of missionary resources to carry on in
advanced secular studies young men of that description, and that
they should ever estimate their educational work according to its
value and direct bearing upon the progress of the Redeemer's cause
in the hearts of men. (Hear, hear.) He felt there might be a
danger of spending unduly missionary resources, resources raised
for the preaching of the gospel in that direction. (Hear, hear.)
He would therefore give an education carried to the point of Point where
advancement at which it was in their junior College classes to such
young men as came to them. He would carry them to that inter-
esting period when they usually came under those religious con-
victions; and after that he would expend missionary resources in
training specially those young men who might be willing to become
helpers in the missionary work, instead of going on to teach the
secular branches to those young men who presented, humanly
speaking, but little hope of becoming Christians.
There was
another very important question. Several of their missionary
schools in India had been affiliated with the Universities. They
had agreed to take the lists of books and subjects prescribed for
it may stop.
L
146
JAMES CUNNINGHAM, ESQ.
f
the new
Influence of University examinations by the Senates, which were very mixed
universities. bodies of men. He felt it was a grave question to be considered,
J. CUNNING-
HAM, Esq.
JAMES CUNNINGHAM, Esq., wished to throw out a suggestion.
In the north, they had long felt the want of a good missionary
map; constant reference was made to missionary fields, and they
missionary had no information as to their exact position. He believed such a
A good
map.
map would require to be formed on a large scale; and he could
not but think that in a commercial point of view it would be an
advantageous undertaking to any one of our large publishing
houses; greater completeness would be obtained than could be
expected from any particular Missionary Society. However, they
wanted two classes of maps; one on a large scale, for lecture
and school-room purposes, and which would be useful in their
families; and another, in which the friends of different denomi-
nations would indicate their own special mission localities. He
was quite satisfied that such maps would be exceedingly useful to
deputations, and enable the Christian public better to understand
many of the missionary periodicals. The precise position of mis-
sionary stations is known only to a few, and the many do not take
that interest in missionary labours which they otherwise would.
If each Society would bring out maps of their own, with a few
statistical remarks, they would form a most valuable volume of
reference.
Two kinds
nceded.
Being made.
Rev. J.
SUGDEN.
whether, as missionaries, they were justified in putting themselves in
the position of being bound to take lists of works which upon the
whole might not be what they themselves would have chosen.
And then there was another point connected with this subject, the
general secularising influence possibly resulting from having in
view the preparation of young men to pass examinations for degrees.
Formerly they had simply laboured to evangelise; now there was
an additional object in view, that their young men should be
able to pass certain examinations. These subjects should be
considered, being of the most grave and important kind. (Hear,
hear.)
The CHAIRMAN intimated that the Church Missionary Society
were preparing maps similar to those which Mr. Cunningham had
indicated.
The Rev. J. SUGDEN, formerly missionary at Bangalore, ob-
served, that much of the value of the Conference would depend
THIRD SESSION.
147
in moderate
schools
on the substantial agreement of those who composed it. He be- Agreement
lieved that there was a thorough agreement as to the different views.
plans of missionary operation: the points on which they had dif-
fered being the relative positions which those various movements
should occupy.
He was exceedingly thankful to Mr. Gardiner,
who had last spoken, for his remarks on education. There was
a general misconception and prejudice amongst churches, abroad
and at home, against English education in India. Their Free-
Church brethren, and those who had taken an active part in Eng-
lish education in India, had, on the present occasion, expressed
themselves in the most guarded and temperate terms possible;
they had, he thought, only done simple justice to themselves, and
not altogether done justice to the great subject they had in hand.
During his missionary experience in India, he was most tho-
roughly interested in vernacular education. He would put ver- All kinds of
nacular preaching and vernacular education in the first place; needed
but he thought that a great and glorious work was to be achieved
in some spheres of labour, especially in India, through English
teaching and English schools. He hoped that the field which had
now been opened by the Vernacular Education Society would be
entered upon by the friends of that institution, and that they
would have the most cordial and ready co-operation of every
Missionary Society, and every true friend to Christian missions,
throughout the three kingdoms. In reference to education, they
had, perhaps, been too prone to generalise from the requirements
of their own particular position; forgetting that each country, and
often each station, has its own special demands. With regard to
the literature, if they had had to depend upon that prepared by
native Christians, they would have been, at this day, without any
Christian literature at all. He submitted that very little, if any,
of the best native Christian literature now in existence had been
prepared by native hands. Their dear Christian brother present,
Behari Lal Singh, would be able to tell them what had been done
in Bengalee by native Christians. If the present Christian Christian
literature was available for any purpose in the conversion of souls prepared
in India, he (Mr. Sugden) was sure it had been
much owing
very
to those dear and devoted European and American brethren, many
of whom had now gone to heaven. They had entered into their
rest, but generations to come would be blest by the fruit of their
labours. They would remember well a dear Christian friend of
his own, William Hoyles Drew, a great and godly man (hear, Rev. W. H.
hear, and cheers): who, though an Englishman, was such a per-
literature
chiefly by
missionaries.
Drew.
148
REV. DR. GUNDERT.
Native
female mis-
sionaries.
Dr. GUN-
DERT.
1
Rev. J.
FORDYCE.
fect native scholar, that he could write in the Tamil language books
which could be read, appreciated, and loved by the native popula-
tion, both Christian and heathen. He gave much of his time,
perhaps, as he had confessed, too large a proportion, to the study
of heathen literature; and his example was a proof of the fact,
that an Englishman might prepare books in the native language
which were thoroughly idiomatic, and exceedingly acceptable,
not only to the native population, but to the most talented of the
native pundits. With regard to Mr. Leupolt's paper, he (Mr.
Sugden) was not aware of one single point in which he differed
from that gentleman. He believed that if the suggestion thrown
out by Mr. Leupolt were acted upon with regard to native female
missionaries, it would be attended with the most important bene-
fits; for his (Mr. Sugden's) experience was, that there were many
Christian Tamil women who would find a ready access to the
homes of their own people, and who, by God's blessing, would be
made the means of their salvation.
The Rev. H. GUNDERT, Basle Mission, Malabar, was desirous
of bringing forward a few suggestions with regard to teaching the
Can Chinese Chinese language. He observed that the Chinese written lan-
be written
in Roman
letters?
guage represented ideas by images, but that these images did not
represent sounds; and that it required ten years to become familiar
with the written language; whereas, if books in the Romanized
character were prepared, somewhat after the plan of Dr. Lepsius
of Berlin, persons might master the language in three or four
months. He recommended, in order to reach the national mind,
that more should be done in order to render available this system
of writing. The dialect could be perfectly represented in Roman
characters, and multitudes might thus be reached, who could not
be gained by any other system.
H
The Rev. JOHN FORDYCE (Calcutta) said there was one point
he wished to bring before the Conference, viz. the relation of the
work of female education to the Missionary Societies. Hitherto
it had been left very much to associations of ladies. It might be
well that it should continue to be so; but he thought that all
Missionary Societies should see that the work of female education
was carried on by their agencies, or supplementary; and, if this
were done, he was sure it would be far more effectually accom-
plished than it had hitherto been. There were two Societies in
Scotland for this object in India, connected with the Free and
THIRD SESSION.
149
education.
Established Churches. In London there had long been a Society for
Female Education in the East; and more recently an association Female
of Wesleyan ladies had been formed; and also a committee to aid
female normal schools in India. The resources of these Societies
were too limited. The London Society's income seldom reaches
4000l., though supported by all denominations, and having schools.
in Turkey, Africa, India, China, &c. Such incomes may do, if
the great Societies share the responsibility; but if the enterprise
is to be left, as hitherto, to ladies' societies, they should have larger
means. The London Society, for example, with a sphere so vast,
instead of an income of 40007., should acquire an income of
50,000l. at least.
BADHAM.
adapted.
The Rev. T. L. BADHAM, Joint Secretary of the Moravian Rev. T. L.
Missionary Society, said that, while deeply interested in the dis-
cussions of the morning, he could not but think it seemed rather
like a Committee on Indian affairs than anything else. India, no
doubt, was a very important subject, but there were souls to be
saved in America, in Africa, and in the Arctic seas; and it was
from the west, the north, and the south, as well as from the east,
that many would come and sit down in the kingdom of God. He
would also point their attention to the large numbers of Indians in
the North and South American continent, and to the poor degraded
Esquimaux tribes on the shores of the great Polar basin. To all Books to be
these the unsearchable riches of Christ were to be made known.
He would make one remark in reference to vernacular literature.
This was very much wanted, not only in the East, but in Green-
land, among the Esquimaux, and throughout North and South
America. It was also wanted among our English-speaking fellow-
subjects of the West Indies, and South America. Very useful
books and tracts, published by the Tract Society, were, after all,
not suited, in many respects, to the variety of natives in the
West Indies, and South America; the allusions, the imagery,
and references to social and domestic life, being all calculated for
English readers. This was a very important subject, and one
well worthy of consideration.
The following MINUTE on the morning's discussion was una- MINUTE.
nimously adopted :-
150
Schools
quite proper.
To be suited
to each
station.
Vernacular.
English,
Orphan.
Female
education.
MINUTE ON MISSIONARY EDUCATION
The Conference believe that Educational plans legitimately fall
within the province of Christian missions; as affording means both
for consolidating native churches, and promulgating the gospel
among the heathen.
They consider that on this subject, more than on any other,
attention should be paid to the great rule:- That, preserving their
single aim of spreading the gospel, all missionary agencies should
be most carefully adapted to the numerous varieties of places,
people, and spheres of missionary labour; and that experience
should be followed as the most valuable guide.
In all countries, as a general rule, VERNACULAR SCHOOLS,
carried on in the language of the country, are the most natural
and most important, both for the children of converts and for those
of the heathen. The Conference believe that such schools should
be increased in number, and be made as efficient as possible in the
character of their teaching.
In some countries and localities where the natives earnestly
desire to obtain a knowledge of the English language, ENGLISH
MISSION SCHOOLS have been established on good grounds, have
turned that desire to good account, and have been blest with a
variety of valuable results. Their value has been proved partly
in the conversion of souls; and chiefly in the extensive diffusion of
a knowledge of the gospel, in spheres of usefulness which other
plans of labour have not reached. Efforts, however, in this
direction the Conference think should not be carried too far.
In some countries, especially in India, where caste is so power-
ful, ORPHAN and BOARDING SCHOOLS, in which young people have
been brought up, separated from heathen influences, have been
found greatly useful in the conversion of their scholars, and in
securing well-instructed native agents for the service of the
mission.
Considering the position of women in the heathen world, the
Conference think that great attention to FEMALE EDUCATION is
not only desirable, but necessary in every mission; and that all
}
¿
THIRD SESSION.
151
opportunities for extending it and increasing its usefulness should
be eagerly embraced, and thankfully employed.
schools.
They consider that, as the sphere of education widens, where Training-
teachers are demanded, and can be obtained, TRAINING INSTI-
TUTIONS for teachers should be established and efficiently main-
tained.
Christian
literature.
They regard with much satisfaction the progress already made Vernacular
in raising up in various missions a VERNACULAR LITERATURE
suitable both to Christian and heathen; and they think it a work
of the greatest importance, that such a literature should be still
greatly extended; especially in countries where the press is
extensively employed by the heathen to circulate wrong views of
religion and morality.
For most valuable help in this important matter, this Conference
recognise with pleasure the generous support given to all mis-
sionaries and Missionary Societies by the Bible and Tract Societier
of England and America.
The Morning Session closed with singing the Doxology.
$
152
Programme.
Paper.
FOURTH SESSION.
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
The members of Conference again dined together, and resumed
their sitting at four o'clock.
MAJOR-GEN. ALEXANDER in the chair.
The following is the programme of subjects suggested for dis-
cussion :-
Subject: How THE MISSIONARY FEELING AT HOME SHOULD BE
SO STIRRED UP AS LARGELY TO INCREASE THE PRESENt
INCOME OF MISSIONARY SOCIETIES.
Paper, of ten minutes, by Rev. JAMES LEWIS, of Leith.
The great Expense of Religious Societies, from the
necessity of constant begging, and the general neglect
of St. Paul's advice (1 Cor. xvi. 2), to lay by periodi-
cally.
Private hospitality, and private carriage for Depu-
tations.
How to avoid collectors' per-centage.
The Paper prepared was then presented to the Conference, as
follows:-
FOURTH SESSION.
153
$
THE BEST MEANS OF CALLING FORTH HOME
LIBERALITY.
BY THE REV. JAMES LEWIS,
OF ST. JOHN'S FREE CHURCH, LEITH.
portion of
given to
more.
I feel the responsibility of being called to throw out even a
few thoughts on a subject involving so deeply the practical success
of missions, as the best means of awakening on their behalf the
home church. That the Church, in all its sections, now confesses
to her missionary obligation, let us gratefully acknowledge; but Small pro-
that our past deeds fall far short of our British capabilities, is our wealth
broadly attested by the single fact, that the entire contribution for missions.
foreign missions does not exceed half a million, whilst the public
revenue of Great Britain, to say nothing of the immense revenue
of its individual members, is seventy millions annually. The
question, therefore, is not uncalled-for: How may a larger portion How to get
of the wealth of Britain, the wealth that is in the hands of the
professed members of its churches, be turned into missionary
resources, and become the medium of bringing glory to God in
the highest, and on earth peace? This is the problem for our
solution. By many good men it is solved with great facility.
Let but the religious life of our Christian community be quickened,
and they are confident that there will be a consequent revival of
missionary zeal, and a great outpouring of missionary liberality.
It is not perceived that a revived Christian community possesses Increase of
only a greater susceptibility for missionary action, a greater necessarily
underlying power of being stirred to missionary self-sacrifice and liberality.
work; that it is not necessarily and in itself more missionary.
There have been revived seasons when the whole force of the
quickened Christian mind has been turned in other directions;
when missions have reaped no fruit amidst the in-gathering of a
general spiritual harvest.
life does not
secure larger
opinion.
The fact is not sufficiently adverted to, that the expenditure Influence of
of a Christian's income is, to a great extent, influenced by the
reigning ideas of his time; the wave of thought along which he
is borne determining that it shall flow in one channel, and leave
another utterly dry. We must calculate and wield the subordinate
forces that go to make up the wave of thought; or under a lively,
154
REV. MR. LEWIS'S PAPER.
Two points:
Now, there are two elements that determine the state, at any
time, of the Christian mind in relation to missions:-first, Their
home organisations; second, their foreign operations.
First. The hold that missions have upon the Christian
mind is largely dependent on the home organisation through which
they are wrought. The products of our manufactures, in the
curious perfection of their fabrics, are not more the result of the
machinery by which they are woven, than the products of our
missions are the results of their respective organizations. To
perfect these, for the communication of missionary intelligence and
the collection of missionary offerings, should be the great aim of
the friends of missions. We offer the following hints as a
contribution towards this end. Some of them may have been
thrown out in the discussion of yesterday. Still we present them
in the form and order in which they arose to our mind when called
to the preparation of this paper :—
1. Let our missionary organization meet at the first dawn of
intelligence and responsibility the Christian child. He has been
baptized by a command that has wrapt in it the great missionary
commission, "Go ye into all the world baptizing;" and he ought
to know that in virtue of his reception of that baptism he is brought
into connexion with that command. The fact of his Christian
name should be bound up from his earliest years with the "Go
into all the world;" and missions have the benefit of his freshest
morning thoughts, those thoughts that never altogether die.
Yet, after looking over not a few school collections, we do not
recollect having found a missionary passage. With religious
School-books extracts our school-books abound; but why do they strike no
should refer missionary note? The incidents of missions and of missionary
to them.
travels, their scenes of strange lands and stranger races of men
and children, are the very subjects to play around youthful ima-
ginations, and by their rich, pictorial impressiveness, reach their
hearts. Something, therefore, ought to be done by our Missionary
Societies to secure that our subject should have its place in the
preparation of our school-books. Let it have a fair start that it
fall not behind in the race of thought, and be left to be taken up,
with all the difficulties of a new subject, in after-life.
Sabbath-
schools to
2. I would suggest, as intimately connected with this first
be brought thought, that something ought to be done after a more regular
in more sys- plan for laying hold of the immense juvenile influence that is
tematically.
Organisation
to be en-
listed.
spiritual state of the Church the mission treasury may still be
empty.
Children
must be
trained to
sustain mis-
sions.
FOURTH SESSION.
155
lessons to be
associated with our Sabbath-school system. Much has been done,
by the circulation of juvenile missionary magazines and papers, for
the spread of the more touching and telling incidents of missions.
But to a great extent it has been done at random, and as teachers
may have chanced to be imbued with the missionary spirit. Ought
not the attempt to be made in a more systematic way to embrace
the range of that great influence? Sabbath-school teachers, espe-
cially in all our larger towns, are bound together by Unions,
which are the centres of conference and action. Through com-
munication with these, by an agent from some authorised body,
arrangements might be made for introducing as part of the weekly Missionary
instruction of such schools, missionary intelligence; so that each frequent.
school should have its missionary lesson, or its periodically recur-
ring missionary night, with accompanying offerings. In a poor
city district that came under our own observation, and from which
we had gathered four hundred children in Sabbath-schools, the
missionary contribution of the children for several successive years
amounted annually to from 171. to 221.: a sum larger than was Result to
collected at the time from a congregation of upwards of four lars and
hundred members of all ranks and classes in the same district.
But the pecuniary would be the least of the results. The Sabbath-
school teachers, a great present moral force, and who are rising
as the administrative men of the future to be a still greater,
would be imbued with the missionary spirit, whilst the children
under their charge would suck in missions with the first milk of
the Word.
both scho-
teachers.
the races on
It may appear a small matter to advert to, but it would be Pictures of
found fraught with great consequences if, in any arrangement that the walls.
may be made for pervading the Sabbath-schools with the mission-
ary element, pictures of the different races of men, black, red,
olive, copper-coloured, curly, woolly, tufted, silken, or bristly-
haired, with which our missions have been brought into contact,
should be hung on the school walls. We should give our children
the benefit of a personal introduction to the Hindoo, the Polynesian,
the African, or the Chinese; and make them as familiar with the
colour and contour of these races as with their own home faces.
"No longer strangers and foreigners, but brought nigh," let them
share in our early sympathies, partake of the interest of our
familiar, and mingle with the warmth of our home thoughts, and
there will be less difficulty in securing for them a large place in
our British liberality.
3. And more important, I would suggest, in relation to
156
REV. MR. LEWIS'S PAPER.
ation
House-visit- our adult community, as the most efficient means of sustaining
its interest in missions, and drawing forth most largely its libe-
rality, the minute organisation of domiciliary visitation.
essential.
The time is past when the friends of Missions should be
satisfied with the results of the occasional impulsive movement of
the pulpit and the platform, or be content that their cause should
live upon the stimuli of periodic eloquent advocacy. Till they
can live and thrive upon common fare, their health is precarious.
No man, who has not had the subject experimentally brought
before him, can conceive of the difference of results, of leaving a
community to move to the missionary treasury, and of the mis-
sionary treasury moving systematically towards it. Organisation,
on the principle of domiciliary visits, is a sine quâ non to a pros-
perous missionary treasury. Nothing can take the place of it, and
where it is sustained in cfficiency, it can dispense with much else.
Dr. Chalmers was wont to say, that a house-going minister made
a church-going people; as the people were sure to show the cour-
tesy of returning the minister's week-day visits by their sabbath-
day attendance. A house-going agency, we should, in like manner,
say will be sure to make a thriving going mission.
But let us not be misunderstood. We think we estimate, at
their proper value, the mission demonstrations that have been made
over England and Scotland by such men as Williams, and Knill,
and Duff, and Livingstone; and that are annually being made by
the Deputations sent forth by our Missionary Societies. We have
no objections to the provincial echoes of Exeter Hall, or to the
occasional roar of a great African or Indian lion, as it starts
across our ordinary, quiet-going, working-day life. But there are
three conditions to which we would subject these spasmodic
agencies; three conditions, at least, that are necessary to preserve
the waste of their powers. (1) We would use them for extra-
ordinary appeals, when a special fund has to be raised; or when
an emergency has to be got over. Their quickening addresses
admirably serve the temporary purpose of shaking out a contribution
that is to be given once for all. (2) We would use them in prepa-
auxiliaries, ration for setting-up a regular district mission agency. By all means
founding
let the angel descend and trouble the pool, around which have lain,
in time past, the halt, the maimed, and the withered. Or (3) we
would use their agency in reconstructing such organisations where
they had fallen into disrepair. Experience shows, that from the
languor that steals over all human arrangements, or from the shifting
of the residence of agents, the most completely organised system of
Deputations
valuable,
but should
be used for
special
appeals,
or reviving
them.
-
FOURTH SESSION.
157
domiciliary visits gets out of full working trim in four or five
years.
A district loses its agent, or an agent becomes forgetful of
his district. The machinery becomes shaky. I would therefore
suggest, as a great advance upon the practical productive work of
deputations, that, instead of simply delivering themselves of their
speeches, they should be charged with an inquiry into the organ-
isations of the districts to which they are commissioned, with
setting-up new, or repairing old organisations. Their speeches
would then be condensed, as a steam force, in the mission agencies
they constructed anew or perfected, and would remain a working
power long after the sound of their voices had died away.
4. Whilst we have named the School Book, the Sabbath School, The regular
pulpit to be
the Domiciliary Agency, as means by which the Mission Spirit more largely
may be quickened and sustained, we name, lastly, the Pulpit.
enlisted.
periodicals.
In speaking of the impulsive and therefore transient power of
pulpit or platform demonstrations, unless linked with a permanent
agency, we do not include the pulpit in its ordinary ministrations.
We have no hesitation in placing amongst the foremost means of
quickened missionary action the pulpit in its normal sabbath
influence. Could our cause have but its full sustained representa-
tion from the pulpits of Britain it would need, I would not say no
organisation, but no other vehicle for the diffusion of its informa-
tion, or for its advocacy amongst the masses of our Christian
people. Our faith is not great in the power of printed missionary Better than
intelligence. It is an important help, and we cannot dispense
with it. But the lower we descend in the scale of mental culture,
the influence of it is the less; with all, it is little compared to a
word fitly and warmly spoken with the accompaniments of sacred
time, and place, and the sympathy of numbers. Let the pulpit
give its proper place to the subject that was the vision of prophets,
the song of sacred poets, the consolation of the Redeemer, the
labour of Apostles, the ingathering of the Gentiles; and missions
would have a new standing in the church, a fresh development in
the world. It is to us a mystery, the abstinence of good men
from this divine theme, their reluctance to keep their people
abreast of the good news of the spread of the kingdom. That
there is such a reluctance is a fact; a reluctance, in many
instances, passing into a strong aversion, that missions should be
the subject of sabbath discourse. How the strong-hold of the
pulpit is to be gained is a great question. If our time had per-
mitted, I might have offered some suggestions on the best shape of
presenting occasional missionary facts from the pulpit; or on the
Reluctance
to use it.
158
REV. MR. LEWIS'S PAPER.
.Missionary
professor-
ship.
reasonableness of our churches recommending or ordering
periodical missionary discourses; but I forbear entering upon
subordinate points on this question. The difficulties that accom-
pany it lie deeper than can be affected by minor ecclesiastical
arrangements; they lie in the existing education of our young
divines. I make no reflection on the training of our theological
to our stu- colleges, when I say they teach theology. They are not mis-
Missions
not taught
dents;
sionary. Missions do not form part of their intellectual and
spiritual wealth. The subject does not bulk in the attention of
their students, is not incorporated with their studies so as to
become inwoven with the texture of their forming minds and
hearts. Missions are consequently, through life, an exotic to the
theological mind, and never have the kindly, luxuriant growth
of an indigenous or thoroughly naturalized plant. Ministers are
missionary, by starts and by external impulse, rather than through
the resistless tendencies of an inward seed growth developing after
its kind. Give to missions their place in the colleges of the rising
thoroughly ministry; let them become an essential element of early and
but they
ought to be,
and on
system.
studious thought; and they will live and grow throughout the
student's life. Make him familiar with the home methods of
missions, and with their foreign operations, with the races with
which they have been brought into contact, their superstitions,
their forms of heathenism, the philosophies inwoven with them,
with their failures and their successes, and you will lay deep the
groundwork for after continuous interested thought. You will
put your mission seed into your future ministry at the spring-
time, when all seeds are being sown that find a subsequent growth
in the word of the pulpit and the organisations of the parish.
There is a chair in all our Universities, known as the Chair of
Political Economy, and which has for its subject the causes that
influence and determine our national prosperity. Why, in our
Christian Universities, and in their more immediate theological
departments, should there not be a chair, having for its corre-
sponding subject, the Economy of the Kingdom, the ways and
means through which its prosperity is to be advanced, until its
destined extension be accomplished in the inheritance of the
earth?
Missionary
lectureship.
It may be long years before a Missionary Chair be erected in
our Universities, and their fruits reaped in our British pulpits.
But let a beginning be made by the establishment of a Lecture-
ship on missions--in connexion with one or more of our theolo-
gical colleges; and we should witness the commencement of an
FOURTH SESSION.
159
in the way:
influence destined to carry with it the pulpit as the great mission
power.
We cannot speak with confidence as to the way in which
such a Lectureship might be most easily wrought into the arrange-
ments of the English University system. That our English
Universities are now practically moving in the direction of missions
will make the introduction of such a lectureship, were provision
obtained for its maintenance, a comparatively easy task. We have, Practicable:
in the Bampton, Hulsean, and Warburtonian lectures, examples of
what might, in the first instance, be attempted in this department,
and attempted in accordance with the usages of the English
Universities. I feel certain that the heads of our Scottish colleges
would hail the appointment of such a Lectureship. There would
be difficulties in the way of the institution of a regular Missionary difficulties
Professorship. It might be felt to interfere too violently with the
present curriculum of study; but a Lectureship, with its limited
course, annually or biennially recurring, under conditions in har-
mony with college arrangements, would meet with no opposition ;
and the Scottish churches, we are persuaded, would not be slow to
recommend or require attendance upon it from theological students.
The desiderata are the funds. For these we must look to the funds
intelligent and wealthy members of the Church; and, if only a
brief annual or biennial course were at first contemplated at the
seats of our principal theological colleges, the draft on the
liberality of the Christian community would not be excessive.
Let the subject, and its importance, be kept steadily before the eye
of the church, through our various missionary organs; or, better Let the
still, let a start be made by this Conference, or by parties con- begin it.
nected with the localities of our several Universities, for the
creation of a lectureship-fund, and the means will come. Missions
are every day occupying a larger space in the attention of the
Christian community, and a deeper place in its convictions; and a
liberality which it would at one time have been extravagance to
have anticipated, may now be calculated upon by the most cautious
minds. It is time that missions should have the professed
expositors of their principles, methods, and fields of operation.
needed.
Conference
ence of
We now pass to the second division of our subject. We stated Reflex influ-
at the commencement of our paper, that there were two elements foreign
that determined the state at any time of the Christian mind, in operations.
relation to missions. 1st. Their home organisations. 2d. Their
foreign operations. We have offered our suggestions on the first
of these. We now glance at the reflex influence of foreign opera-
tions on home mission liberality. A missionary income being an
160
REV. MR. LEWIS'S PAPER.
1
they will
be well sus-
tained.
If approved, income of opinion, depends for a response to its appeals on the
felicity with which these strike the Christian mind or the dif-
ferent orders of Christian mind in a community. If a foreign
war be popular with a nation, the war-tax is willingly paid; but
if the telegram of battles and sieges has no echo in its heart, the
impost is murmured against, and finally the supplies are cut off.
Have our foreign mission operations been so planned as to call
forth the largest amount of home liberality, self-sacrifice, and self-
consecration to the missionary cause; or what has been wanting
for that end? It may appear presumptuous to question the wis-
dom that has presided over the missionary enterprise of Britain;
its piety, its fervour of holy zeal, have been so pre-eminent, its
judgment so marked in carrying out the plans it has adopted, and
in fitting them to the numerous and untried fields of operation.
But has the enterprise been laid on a foundation so broad as to
commend itself to all orders of Christian minds, and to draw from
all their tribute of support? We think not.
1st. The limitation of its agency to one kind of labourers has
excluded a wide range of talent and capacity that might have
been embraced in its service, and ought to have been summoned
to its side. The modern mission has been mainly formed on the
idea of sending forth the man who could preach; and subsequent
action has been revolution round this primary conception. Be-
yond a project for erecting additional missionary schools, or circu-
lating more widely the Bible and Christian books, or commission-
ing another teaching agent into the field, our missionary thought
has not extended. Missions have oscillated within the range of
shifting the phase of the teaching man. The book and the tongue
have been their recognised organs for the propagation of the gos-
pel. Whilst we possess an embodied Christianity, a Christianity
Subsidiary transfused into our civilisation, a presence everywhere discernible
in our British social, industrial, domestic life, we have adhered to
the idea of presenting it to the heathen through a teaching
medium. We have not presented with sufficient breadth to the
eye or feelings of the heathen that industrial, domestic life which
is the product of Christianity, which is, more or less, radiant with
its light, and attractive to its light, as the early miracles were
attractive to the truths they symbolised. An occasional mechanic,
as in the South Sea and African missions, has followed in the
wake of the missionary; and Churches and Societies have been
drawn out by circumstances into a freer allowance of this subsi-
diary agency than their principles originally contemplated; still
agencies
Doubts.
Ought mis-
sions to be
confined to
ordained
men?
only par-
tially em-
ployed.
·
FOURTH SESSION.
161
the rule of the modern mission has been to use but one kind of
talent, the talent that could take the stamp of ordination, that
could be commissioned to teach.
benevolence
It may even be questioned whether the men of strong faith
and noble daring, who first went forth into the heathen field,
the tongue of the preacher their only instrument, and God their
confidence, would have accepted the aid of other means. To
have allied other agencies to the Word and Spirit of truth, in the
hope of preparing their way or strengthening their influence,
would have been regarded as the indications of a faltering faith.
The fact was overlooked that there are ways and means of influ- Schemes of
encing the human heart established by Providence, and which, if very useful.
placed within our reach, it were folly to neglect. Our Lord's
miracles of healing, and deeds of compassion wrought to win
human hearts to the Word, were his divine authorisation of those
means that have been so sparingly introduced into the modern
mission. He refused not to ascend through the lower in order
to attract insensible minds to the higher spiritual benefits he dis-
pensed. He opened hearts by the familiar key of human kindness
and earthly good things, that they might open more readily to the
grace of his kingdom, through the seen and temporal making way
for the unseen and eternal.
monasteries:
2d. This limitation in the conception of mission agency has
necessarily limited mission action, and left the foreign field with
comparatively little visible attractive fruit. Those who are ac-
quainted with the history of the propagation of Christianity
amongst the Saxon and Gothic nations during the sixth and
seventh centuries, are aware of the effective place that was occu-
pied in the conversion of these nations by the missionary monas- The early
teries or communities of the period. In later times monasteries
became dormitories; monks, beggars; their prayer-book, the rosary;
their worship, dead-men's bones; and their presence, an offence to
an industrious society. When they went down under the shock of
the Reformation, they had long outlived both their first necessity
and use. Instead of the centres of aggressive missionary work,
they had become the vanguard of the Popery which had matured
into a new paganism. But the earlier monasteries were a mission
power, in which all the members were not clergy in the modern
sense of wielding the books or the tongue as the instrument of
their mission; though all, according to the habit of the times,
were ecclesiastical persons. There were in their ranks men more handicrafts
expert in handling the plough, the spade, the saw, or the hammer,
in them:
M
162
REV. MR. LEWIS'S PAPER.
than the word of doctrine or exhortation; who could do whilst
others spoke; who made the desert disappear before them, and
introduced amongst barbarous nations the arts and tillage which
the church had preserved amidst the dissolution of the Empire. In
this variety of their action lay the strength of these early mission.
institutions for bearing down upon a heathenism, the combined pro-
duct of superstition, ignorance, and social degradation. While
great good teaching the doctrines of the Christian faith, they presented to the
heathen the accommodations and attractions of Christianised life;
trained their new converts to the energy of self-support; enclosed
them within the order; and threw around them the shield of regu-
lated society; or taught them how to constitute such a society for
themselves.
done by
them.
They should
continue
laymen.
planters,
Do we seek to rebuild these fallen institutions of a medieval
age? Certainly not. But we would translate the variety of their
mission action into the methods of our own times. It is not
necessary, in availing ourselves of their experience, to adopt their
principle of community life. In harmony with our own habits of
thought, the strictly-teaching missionary might still go forth as
the accredited agent of the Church or the Missionary Society, whilst
Capitalists, the Christian capitalist, planter, or factory proprietor, left to the
mechanics, bent of his own mind, could choose and organise his field of
mission- operation; yet so co-operate with the missionary teacher as that
each should have the benefit of the services of the other, and the
heathen the benefit of both. Why should not the arts, and agri-
culture, and mechanic skill of our British Protestants, be called to
pay tribute to missions through their own characteristic channels, in
rearing the foreign factory, cultivating the tea, indigo, rice, sugar,
and cotton; and by prosperous industrial settlements exemplify to
barbarous or half-civilised nations the arts of Christian social
life?
should share
work now.
If a capitalist who has ten thousand at his command, and busi-
ness skill to use it to advantage in a foreign field, be desirous of
dedicating his skill and his capital to the gospel, why should he be
compelled to turn himself into a preacher, and his capital into a
fund for the support of preachers, before he can lay himself and
his gifts on the altar? Let him go forth, and be encouraged to go
forth, to the mission-work as he is; and gathering the heathen
around his African or Indian settlement, he will prove more than a
pioneer of the teaching missionary's work. He will be a choice
fellow-worker, embodying to the eye the results of the word spoken
to the ear, and more surely than by words training to those moral
t-
163
FOURTH SESSION.
habits, without which Christianity amongst a rude or half-civilised
people can have no permanence.
tired of the
let them
To establish missions of this more comprehensive nature in People are
Africa, and widen thereby the circle of British sympathy in the old tales:
mission enterprise, is the great work opening before our intrepid
missionary traveller, Dr. Livingstone. Why should it be his
alone? Other fields are ripe for the same operations. A large
class of our practical working minds are becoming wearied with
the oft-repeated tale of missionary preaching tours, bazaar-con-
versations, tract-distributions, and school-examinations; all ne-
cessary and invaluable means of sowing the good seed. But why
these alone or exclusively? It is asked that other methods be
incorporated with our missions, and other results presented than see the con-
the reported pious lives of their converts. Let them be seen Christian
doing as we ourselves do; living in industrial, domestic, well- ties.
ordered communities; their new religion subjecting them to law
and order, disciplining them to self-support, and binding them
together in the spread of their own faith, to work with their own
hands to give to them that need; and fresh strength would be
brought to the mission cause, and convictions of its great work
flashed upon many still doubting minds. It is from the higher
measure in which the Polynesian missions have exhibited these
results, that they have always commanded the liberal support
and the warm sympathy of the British Christian mind.
verts natural
communi-
3d. The limitation of mission agency and its consequent limita-
tion of action have necessitated the dependence of the modern mis-
sion, its inability to rise to self-support. Dr. Livingstone has asked
the question,-"Why the former mission stations, the early mis-
sion monasteries, were self-supporting, rich, and flourishing, as
pioneers of civilisation and agriculture, from which we even now
reap benefits; and modern mission stations are mere pauper esta-
blishments, without that permanence or ability to be self-support-
ing, which they possessed?" We need not go far to seek an an-
swer to this question. Missions, from which has been eliminated
every capacity but that which could preach or teach could not
possibly be self-supporting. An action more varied, an organisa-
tion more complex, is demanded to reach this state. To attain
it they must embrace in their conception, and ally to themselves
all consecrated ability.
Self-support-
ing missions
necded.
The mercan-
nity approve
And, because wanting in the element of self-support, or in tile commu-
the organisation from which it would grow, missions have failed of such.
to lay hold of the British Christian mercantile mind. The
164
REV. MR. LEWIS'S PAPER.
Why?
Summary.
Capt.
LAYARD.
-
British thought is self-support, and help only to men to help
themselves. If missions be permanently wrought in antagonism
to this thought, our great mercantile community may contribute
to missions, but its' contribution will be as the dole that is ex-
tracted from the reluctant. It will be a contribution that will
leave untouched the mass and magnitude of its wealth. Con-
tinued dependence is repugnant to the British mercantile mind.
It suspects an enterprise that is wrought for long years in reliance
on foreign aid and continual foreign drafts. It ceases to have
faith in it. If we would draw from the mercantile community
according to the vastness of its resources, we must ask it to give
in character, and work our missions in the line of its dominant
idea. They must proceed on the principle that has made our
nation the coloniser and merchant of the world. There must be
inwrought into them the power of developing into self-support,
of advancing on the strength of their organisation from enter-
prise to enterprise, till, like the colonies of our empire, they
engirdle the earth. In a sense more literal than has yet been
conceived, the merchandise of Tyre must become holiness to the
Lord; the tea, the sugar, the indigo, the cotton, which are the
materials of our traffic, must become the products of our foreign
missions, the fruits of their Christian industry and their support.
Practically, then, under the second division of our subject, we
would suggest,
(1st.) That missions should give prominence in the advocacy
of their interests to the fuller conception of mission work, that
all gifts of Providence, as well as preaching and teaching gifts,
have their missionary sphere.
(2d.) That they should summon by special appeal capitalists,
planters, agriculturists, factory masters, to the work of missions,
according as openings occur, for the beneficial employment of
such agents in their respective fields of operation.
(3d.) That they should have an especial eye upon the move-
ments now being made in every direction for the supply of the
foreign products of our trade and manufactures.
There is no reason why Christian capitalists, with their busi-
ness and administrative talents, should not be induced to enter
into such fields as well as others. It were a great point gained
were the truth established that, not preaching, but all other capa-
bilities, might be consecrated to the direct service of missions.
Captain LAYARD observed, that the great question was; what
FOURTH SESSION.
165
sary.
was best to be done, in order to prompt their fellow-Christians
to this great work of helping forward the cause of the Lord.
Deputation work was one involving a great deal of expense, Deputations
though they could not say it was an unnecessary work. They but neces
had been attacked on all sides as to these expenses; and in reply
to such attacks, he said: "You object to the expense of Depu-
tations; it is in your own hands; as soon as you will give the
money more freely, we shall be happy to save the trouble and
expense of deputations." One great want, in connexion with the
support of missions, was that of pulpit ministrations. If every
clergyman were to take up the question, and bring it forward on The clergy
the strong ground of Christian duty and sympathy, depend upon greatly.
it much of the expense which was complained of would be saved.
The laity could only go forward with weak hands, unless they
had the hearty concurrence of the clergy of their parish, or the
minister of their congregation. (Hear, hear.) In his view, the
missionary cause should be so closely identified with the church,
that relaxing in the missionary spirit should be deemed an ex-
hibition of indifference to the great objects of the gospel of
Salvation.
can help
J
WOODROOFE.
lesseus these
The Rev. CANON WOODROOFFE, of Alton, Hants, said:-I Rev Canon
think we have very little to do, so far as the London collectors'
poundage is concerned; that is a matter to be left to the judg-
ment of the London Committee of each Society. Experience
enables me to say that the expenses of the Church Missionary
Society incurred in visiting the country Associations have been
exceedingly moderate. Previous to the existence of railways I
was in the habit of travelling about four thousand miles every Hospitality
year; and a considerable saving in the Society's expenditure was expenses.
effected by the Christian hospitality of those friends, who not only
received its representative at their houses, but forwarded him on
his journey from place to place. I remember on one occasion,
after going from London to Derby by the mail, I travelled through
the county, preaching sermons and attending meetings every day,
and scarcely a shilling was expended from the Society's funds,
till I paid the fare for my return. The hospitality shown by
friend after friend was in fact a large contribution to the Society's
funds. I may say the same of the counties of York and Lanca-
shire, and many others, where scarcely anything was expended, His own
except for the cost of the direct journey from London and back.
We are all concerned in diminishing this charge on the funds of
case.
W
166
DR. DAVIS.
:
L
Dr. DAVIS.
each Society, as far as means admit; but it must be dealt with by
the London Committee as any other item of needful expenditure.
But a considerable saving has been affected to the Church Mis-
sionary Society, and, I doubt not, to others also, by the Christian
liberality of provincial friends.
Christians
also have a
reward.
Dr. DAVIS, With respect to one part of the address, which
refers to children, I am quite sure there can be no question upon
any mind in this room, that it is most important that the children
of our Christian households should be trained to understand and
to sympathise with the missionary cause. But it would be
necessary to look much higher for adequate contributions to the
missionary cause. If children subscribed their pence, merchants
must give their thousands. A friend had asked him that very
Merchants day how it came to pass that the Anti-Corn-Law League could
give in order
to receive.
get its thousands, at any time, from the merchants of Liverpool,
Manchester, or elsewhere, while you can only get your hundreds
from Christian men, or your tens from Sunday-school children?
It was obvious to reply that every one of those gentlemen believed
he was going to get his ten thousand pounds. They knew per-
fectly well that anything they gave would be largely returned to
them. Now does not God take advantage of this principle in
human nature, and appeal to it in the Holy Scripture? While
salvation is of grace through faith is it not equally true that there
is a reward of grace? But is that great principle of Christianity
brought out in our pulpits as it ought to be, and made a motive
as it might be, to induce those who have large possessions to give
largely to the cause of God? I ask, is there not to be a return
for every sacrifice that is made for the sake of Christ? It is not
a return of thousands here, in the enlargement of trade, or houses
or lands, but it is one that is eternal. And I ask, is it not right
to say to those who are saved only by grace, that the Lord is not
unfaithful, and will not forget their services and their work of
love, but will recompense them out of the princely riches of his
The wealthy own royal heart? If these great principles were brought more
stimulated fully before our wealthy people, I ask, should we be thrown back
for our chief support upon our Sabbath scholars and the poor of
our churches? Would not the wealthy merchants, of whom there
are so many in Liverpool, and London, and Manchester, instead of
giving their annual donations of five or ten pounds, be prepared
at any time to come forward, and in the name of the Lord give
not to a Missionary Society, but to the Lord who gave himself for
should be
by it.
M
S
FOURTH SESSION.
167
them, their thousands and tens of thousands? He could not help
regarding it as rather disgraceful to the Church than otherwise,
that there is scarcely a Missionary Society that is ready to enter
the doors which the Lord has thrown open. He has thrown open
doors in every land; but you want men, and you want means, and
why should this be where Christians are living, surrounded with
every comfort which skill can devise, or art and science can
secure? Let us look to it. There is a reward of grace; let us
teach that doctrine clearly, yet consistently with the doctrines of
grace, in the pulpit; and we may hope that thousands, which are
now locked up as useless possessions, will be cast ungrudgingly
into the treasury of the Lord. (Applause.)
CATHER
liation
The Rev. R. G. CATHER, of Londonderry, though he rejoiced to Rev. R. G.
hear the statements made on the previous day by Dr. Tidman re-
specting the success with which God had crowned the labours of
the Christian Missionary Societies, had wondered, during the pro-
ceedings of the Conference thus far, not to hear a single expression More humi-
of complaint, of humiliation, and of ardent and agonising desire, necessary.
for a great increase in the number of missionaries, and a vast en-
largement of the field of labour. He believed that the object of
missions was, by preaching the Gospel in obedience to Christ's
command, and in dependence upon his promise, to convert the
whole world to the Church and faith of Christ. Now while
Dr. Tidman had perfectly established the success of missionary
labours, so far as they had gone in the past, and though there
never could be failure where believing effort had been put forth,
there had been failure, if the object of the fathers of the Church
of Christ was to convert the whole world. It was a patent fact
that the world was not converted to the faith of Christ; and in Why?
the view of that great fact there was abundant room for consider-
ation, whether our views and the scale of our efforts were in
harmony with the principles and spirit of our Divine Master.
Mr. Cather then alluded to his connexion with the Systematic
Beneficence Society, and observed that this formed his reason
for speaking at the present point of the discussion. Missions, as
he understood them, were an essential and integral claim, a part Missions and
of the whole claim, of Christ upon his people. He never could
distinguish between the claim of missions and of home churches.
He believed the words, "Go ye into all the world and preach the
Gospel," were inseparable. It was our duty, however, to provide
for the heart, and then, as Dr. Chalmers had expressed it, the
home work
one.
168
REV. R. G. CATПER.
Rev. T. L.
BADHAM
each other.
extremities would be invigorated. If our churches at home were
pinched and struggling for support, if ministers were ill supported,
They act on if all the charities which the Church was bound to see fed, lan-
guished or were with difficulty maintained, how could we expect
but that missions would share in these difficulties? There would
constantly be found a reaction, and while the zeal and eloquence
of deputations on behalf of Missions would stir up the hearts
of the people, after a little time they would begin to say,
"Ought we not to do more at home?" No doubt missionary
liberality increased home liberality; and therefore he took the
ground that this Missionary Conference had a common interest
with the home churches and all the agencies of Christianity, in
increased on increasing upon principle the contributions offered to the cause of
principle.
Christ. The individual Christians in this country have more than
enough money for home purposes. With regard to the particular
object of their present consultations, how the missionary feeling
at home should be stirred up. He was satisfied with Mr. Lewis
The pulpit and Captain Layard, that the pulpit was really the responsible
Liberality
should be
should do
more in
exciting it.
power; though he did not believe that the pulpit would ever
work the Church on the principle referred to a moment ago; that
they would ever overcome the reluctance of ministers to preach
about missions, while there was the feeling in their minds that
they were constantly telling the people to give-give-give.
He had been told by ministers more faithful than himself, that
they had preached for forty years, and had never used such texts
as "Honour the Lord with thy substance;" "There is that
scattereth and yet increaseth, and there is that withholdeth more
than is meet and it tendeth to poverty." He held that these
questions of Christian economics should be cheerfully and heartily
entered into; for until ministers believed that they were un-
faithful expositors of the word if they did not tell the covetous
world and the covetous church the things which God commanded
them to tell, they should never have the riches of the Gentiles laid
at the feet of Christ.
The Rev. T. L. BADHAM remarked, that the Church seemed
to have forgotten that the work of missions was the business of
the Church. It was looked at too much as a question apart, and
the consequence was, that many considered themselves good Christ-
ians, and would wish to be thought so by others, who, after all,
took very little interest in the spread of the knowledge of the truth
as it is in Jesus. Some of the new churches formed from the
FOURTH SESSION.
169
churches an
English
heathen would put us to shame by and bye. There was a spirit Some native
of liberality in congregations of the Western hemisphere, which he example to
thought, under God's blessing, would lead to very great results. ones.
Those congregations reasoned in this way; they said, "Our
friends across the water have been doing much for us for a length
of time. We have obtained great privileges through their instru- ·
mentality; we are now able to help ourselves; and it is our duty
to support ourselves and help forward the Word of God in less
favoured countries." That was the right principle on which the
Church ought to go.
TIDMAN.
should be
The Rev. Dr. TIDMAN said,-Sir, I do not see that we have Rev. Dr.
yet agreed on one practical conclusion (hear, hear), and our
precious hours are passing away. My object is to bring the Con-
ference to this point :-What is really to be done? What are the Ministers
best means of increasing the missionary feeling at home? I think more mis-
what we have to do, above all other things, is to imbue our Minis- sionary.
ters with the missionary feeling. I find the young, and especially
the poor, are forward to give to the missionary cause; there is a
great deficiency in the higher classes of society; but I never
found a minister who is in heart and soul a missionary man, who
did not carry with him a missionary church, and a missionary con-
gregation. (Hear, hear.) When you are told that many brethren
in the ministry-and I believe it is perfectly true-do not from the
beginning of January to the end of December preach a missionary
sermon, you cannot wonder that the people are cold, heartless,
and neglectful. (Hear, hear.) How can you blame the people if
they do not systematically give, as my friend who has last spoken,
would induce them to do? I hope it will go forth as an expression
of our feeling in this cause, that we earnestly entreat our brethren
in the ministry to cherish the missionary cause, and to instruct
the people in this matter as one of the great branches of Christ-
ianity, and as one of the great means that God is now impressing
on the Church with double force as its peculiar duty. I do not
mean making missionary collections; people do not like to give
money just because the sermon is about giving money. I do not Systematic
like to hear the subject of Missions merely as an occasion of beg- required
ging; but if my brethren would take a portion of the Scriptures
once a-month, and employ the Sabbath morning in the serious,
deliberate, and intelligent discussion of great missionary principles,
I am convinced, Sir, that we should have a missionary spirit,
and should not want ample funds. I believe the less we say about
teaching
from them.
A missionary
pastor makes
a missionary
people.
170
REV. DR. TWEEDIE.
His own
case.
A good
cause brings
money.
Rev. Dr.
TWEEDIE
money the better. We shall get the more money the less we talk
about it. (Hear, hear.) It was once my happiness to be the pastor
of a small congregation not exceeding six hundred persons, and I
obtained a larger amount for Christian missions, home and foreign,
than I received for salary; I induced the subscriber of one pound, to
give five pounds; and the man of five pounds, to give ten pounds; and
it is only in this way that you can carry on this great cause with
efficiency. Now, Sir, I do hope that in the little time that remains
we shall try to sum up our thoughts, and to put upon record our
views as to how we may best promote the missionary spirit in our
churches. (Hear, hear.) I again say—and I have some interest
in the financial question—that I do not think we shall have any
difficulty in getting funds when we have a good case to present.
It is a good argument to tell our friends that within the last six
months we have sent out six missionaries; if such be the case,
they see that something is doing; that God has heard their
prayers by raising up men, and that it is their duty to follow them
with their sympathy and their support.
The Rev. Dr. TWEEDIE said he did not rise to weaken the force
of what the last speaker had said by repeating it. His experience
was not so extensive nor so deep as Dr. Tidman's, but as far as
it had gone it was the re-echo of what he (Dr. Tidman) had said.
He rose to try to deepen the effect of those remarks by suggesting
a very practical measure. He found from the paper that their
attention was to be drawn to the great expenses incurred by
religious societies in gathering their funds, and to the difficulty of
Secretariat avoiding collectors' percentage. That expense, he knew, was often
lectors in the very heavy. Now these were two very practical points, and if
and Col-
Free Church
unpaid. they could dispose of them in a practical way, he thought they
would have arrived at something to embody in their minutes to
show that this Conference had conferred a benefit on all the
churches. And in the section of the Church with which he was
connected he thought they had arrived at a practical solution of
every one of the difficulties; for he was not aware that in the
course of a year they were at the expense of a single sovereign
on these heads. They collected about 300,000l. a-year for all
their purposes;
their annual income was from 275,000l. to
325,000l.; at least, for the last eighteen years, their revenue had
ranged between these sums, and upon the whole amount they had
no collectors' commission to pay-not one farthing, he believed.
They were charged, of course, the Queen's-head upon each letter
agrees.
FOURTH SESSION.
171
number.
sent, but they paid nothing more. The explanation was: they
had from 10,000 to 12,000 voluntary agents and collectors spread Their
over the Church; they had so many in each of their congrega-
tions; the elders, deacons, and collectors, in the churches went
voluntarily, he believed in the great majority of cases most cor-
dially, to collect the money contributed to the different objects
home and foreign. They placed it in the hands of 1000 or 1200
local treasurers; they send it up monthly to the Edinburgh trea-
surer for distribution, and thus the object is gratuitously gained.
Now he would like if the Conference could see their way to some
practical measure of this kind; and would submit that suggestion
as his contribution. He should be glad if they were able to say,
as the result of their deliberations, We have succeeded practically
in getting entirely quit of the collectors' percentage, or even
have begun a plan tending to that result. Dr. Tidman said he
believed that the people were far ahead of many ministers, and
he (the speaker) entirely concurred in that sentiment, for he was
convinced that many in their congregations were in a riper state
for yielding the harvest of the Lord than some of those who oc-
cupied the pulpit. (Hear, hear.)
RATTRAY.
nence will
funds.
The Rev. CHARLES RATTRAY, missionary of the London Mis- Rev. C.
sionary Society in Demarara, could not forbear mentioning a most
important subject in connexion with the funds required for the
support of missions, viz. the practice of using intoxicating drinks, Total absti-
and the amount of money expended in this way. Whether they increase
would or not, this would very soon become the question of the
Christian church. God would not bless their labours if they did
not deny themselves in a matter of this kind. In the mission-
field with which he was connected, if a new missionary were
appointed who was not an abstainer he would be deemed to lack a
most important qualification. They had just been hearing that
half a million was expended by the whole church in the missionary
cause; how much, Mr. Rattray asked, was expended by the whole
church in the use of intoxicating drinks?
lious a-year
spirits, &c.
The CHAIRMAN stated that the whole expenditure in Great Fifty mil-
Britain upon intoxicating drinks was fifty millions annually; spent in
and recommended Mr. Rattray to peruse Isa. iii. 16, as it con-
tained a very full subject for exposition with regard to self-
denial.
1
172
REV. G. SCOTT.
Rev. G.
SCOTT.
missionary
work.
The Rev. GEO. SCOTT wished to throw out a single practical
suggestion with regard to the money part of the question. He
was convinced that God never sent his Church a warfare on her
own charges. If, on the one hand, God had been opening up wide
Divine fields for action in foreign lands, He had on the other been pro-
preparations
for modern viding the means at home for entering into and cultivating those
fields. During the last twenty-five or thirty years many of God's
children had been prospered, not for their own luxury or profit,
but for the purpose of carrying on God's work more exten-
sively. The question, then, was how to bring out the amount of
liberality really required for the large amount of missionary work
to be done. His suggestion was that some simultaneous use of
the pulpit thoughout the whole country might be arranged, which
would greatly help the object in view. They had lately had an
invitation to prayer from a most interesting portion of the mission
field; this had been responded to very generally throughout
Christendom. Should they not send a practical response to their
brethren labouring in these distant fields of missions, and arrange,
altogether separate from any collection, to have a simultaneous
presentation of the missionary subject from all the pulpits of the
churches and chapels of the various Protestant communions through-
out Christendom. (Hear, hear.)
Simulta-
neous ser-
mon on
missions.
Rev. J. L.
PORTER.
Monthly
missionary
prayer-
meetings.
Rev. J. B.
WHITING.
:
The Rev. J. L. PORTER, of Damascus, mentioned the practice
followed by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign
Missions, of having monthly missionary meetings on a certain
evening. This practice was adopted wherever, throughout the
world, they had a missionary settled or a missionary station. He
had been present at such meetings in Constantinople, Smyrna,
Malta, Beyrout, and Damascus; and he could hardly express how
much the missionaries were stirred up and encouraged by such
gatherings, when they knew that at that time in every part of the
world a little body of truly Christian people were assembled
together with the same purpose as themselves; to get information,
and ask for God's blessing upon the work of missions. Could
nothing be done like this generally?
The Rev. J. B. WHITING, in allusion to what had fallen from
previous speakers, said:-Where are the ministers to derive the
information to be given to the people? No doubt the existing
periodicals were abundantly sufficient, but it is a fact that these
are not regarded as a sufficiently simple means of obtaining infor-
FOURTHI SESSION.
173
information,
mation. A great impulse would be given to the cause, if short Increased
papers were drawn up and circulated by the various Committees.
This would be of great assistance to ministers, and would greatly
enlarge the number of those who were willing to go out as depu-
tations.
In vindication of the editors of the Church Missionary Society's
publications, he said that no documents from the mission-field were
overlooked, but, as far as possible, all intelligence was given to
the public. The Intelligencer was especially designed to contain Pastors to
be supplied
important communications from missionaries. The Church Mis- with it.
sionary Society had published a beautiful Atlas of their missions,
and there was some intention of publishing a large missionary
map of the world. The friends of missions should relieve the
Societies of the cost of such publications.
giving.
He thought "systematic giving" was a subject of very great systematic
importance. He knew that in a parish in Suffolk the clergyman
had been enabled to induce his people to give thank-offerings
for every blessing which they received. A farmer gave a thank-
offering because his horse had fallen and had not broken its knees. Thank-
offerings.
It was not a matter to smile at, because the pastor had taught his
people a thankful spirit, and they were accustomed when they
received a blessing from Almighty God, as a matter of praise and
as a sacrifice of gratitude, to offer an acknowledgment. (Hear, hear.)
He said they ought to impress upon their people, not that they
should give to this society or that, but that they should give to
God according as He had blessed them, and at stated intervals.
The weekly offerings recommended by St. Paul were of great im- Weekly
portance. They wanted to teach the people to have a charity box;
let them have a charity ledger, and with all the accuracy of a man Charity-
of business put down what they gave to God. If we could get
people to look back and see what they had given to God they
would be ashamed. A gentleman had said to him that he would
be glad to get out of his charitable payments for 101. a-year; but
when he got that gentleman to enumerate what he had given it
was found only to amount to 21. 17s. 6d.
offerings.
ledger.
map.
Mr. CUNNINGHAM asked if the map to be published by the Missionary
Church Missionary Society would contain all missionary sta-
tions?
The Rev. Mr. WHITING replied that it would refer to the whole
mission-field.
174
REV. H. MACGILL.
Rev. H. M.
MACGILL.
Approves
Mr. Scott's
proposal.
The Rev. HAMILTON MACGILL thought they were deeply
indebted to Mr. Scott for the practical proposal he had made.
He trusted that, throughout all their churches, that proposal would
be adopted, and that they would have the benefit of universal
sympathy on this subject through all their congregations on one
Sabbath in the year. He was persuaded that what had been
said in regard to the power of the pulpit in relation to missions
was of very special importance. No minister could preach the
Gospel intelligently and faithfully, without frequently bringing
their duty with regard to missions before his hearers. This ought
to be done, not, by any means, in a spirit of petulance and fault-
finding, but in a spirit of faithfulness and love. It was, he held,
impossible to preach aright without continually expounding what
was the duty of the whole Church, and of all its members, in
order that the great prayer for the coming of God's Kingdom,
which they were ever offering, might really be answered.
ought to be
atic
He did not think they should gain their object, unless atten-
Benevolence tion was secured in favour of systematic contribution. It was not
as system- required of the rich man merely that he should give of his abun-
dance. He remembered the poor widow and her "two mites." He
looked upon that small gift as being as important in the sight of
God as thousands given by a man who was as able to spare his
thousands as the widow was to spare her mites. Christian giving
and personal exertion were intended for spiritual discipline in the
Church. God had given them missionary work to do, that they
and frequent might be prepared to serve him in other forms on earth; and at
last and for ever to serve him in heaven. Contribution, like
prayer, for the extension of the Redeemer's Kingdom, ought to be
frequent, as well as universal, among Christians. What would
they think of a quarterly prayer? It was the design of Christ
to teach his people, by continued habit and discipline in this mat-
ter, to go not only to his throne of grace, but to his altar
with their gifts, that with every sacred offering, great or small,
there should be conjoined a separate exercise of Christian prin-
ciple. Unless such views were carried into practice, they would
would never gain the chief end for which Christian giving was
intended. Systematic contribution was enjoined, not merely in
order that missionary enterprises should be supported; not merely
that the gospel might be preached unto all the world; but that
the givers themselves might be made better men and better Chris-
tians. Their people might thus make to themselves "friends of
the Mammon of unrighteousness," which, on the other hand, if
Missions
ought to be
preached
fully and
constantly.
as prayer.
-
FOURTH SESSION.
175
abused, might prove their foe. What was the history of some of
those nations which in ancient times grew rich and powerful? Nations
corrupted
Their wealth, having found no benevolent outlet, corrupted them; by wealth.
and he trembled more for fear of the corruption that might come
from such a quarter as this into the heart of our country, than on
account of any foreign foe. If all their people should give sys-
tematically, on principle, and with frequency, he believed that
thereby they should be offering to God what he would accept as Liberality
acceptable
a species of worship, as a service acceptable and well-pleasing in to God.
his sight.
grows by
In the church with which he was more immediately con-
nected, there was a Synodical recommendation, largely and in-
creasingly acted on, that collectors should go through the families
of each congregation, once a-month, to receive their missionary
contributions. They had found that the disposition to give Giving
grew by exercise. It was like all other good Christian dispo- exercise.
sitions; it was strengthened by frequent repetition. He believed
every Christian ought closely to connect working with giving;
and if their pulpits were faithful in this matter; if ministers
impressed upon their people the necessity of not only giving to
the cause of God, but of personally working in that cause, the
disposition to work and the disposition to give would mightily aid Working
each other; and the result would be not only to strengthen the
missionary spirit, but to invigorate all the great principles of the
Christian life.
also.
CORNFORD.
churches
culties.
The Rev. P. H. CORNFORD,-I cannot but suppose that all Rev. P. H.
the artillery directed against the pulpit has been directed by those.
who have never had the charge of young churches; of churches Some
oppressed with debt, or in want of repair; but I am sorry to say are in diffi-
I know from experience, that there are circumstances in which
it is impossible to bring the churches immediately to do all
that we feel desirous they should do, on behalf of the mission-
ary work. Where increasing sabbath-schools want increased ac-
commodation; where there is a large tract-distribution to attend
to and provide for, and where there may be a large amount of
interest to be raised upon a debt, you cannot, surely, lay all the
blame upon a man who, perhaps, has not the heart to press his
people for money for missionary purposes. I beg leave to plead not
guilty to the charge. (Hear, hear.) In conclusion, Mr. Cornford
said, that in his opinion the remedy for this want of missionary
176
REV. J. MAKEPEACE.
Weekly
offerings.
J. CROPPER,
Esq.
JOHN CROPPER, Esq., of Liverpool, said, that the practice of
collection, which had prevailed in the place of worship with which
he was connected, had worked wonderfully well in bringing in
theweekly systematically by weekly contributions an amount quite equal
Success of
offering.
to the amount ever previously raised by begging, by book or con-
gregational collections, or by any other process. The plan adopted
was to place a box at the entrance of the chapel, into which
every one, on coming in, placed what they had laid by for the
purpose during the week. The sums thus gathered have amounted
to 6501. annually; while all the trouble and pain attendant upon
the begging or ordinary collecting systems were saved, and are
divided amongst religious institutions each half year.
Rev. J.
MAKEPEACE.
Rev. D.
THORBURN.
The Rev. J. MAKEPEACE, formerly of Agra, hoped that Mr.
Cornford's case was an exceptional one. Great deference, Mr.
Makepeace thought, should be paid to the excellent suggestion of
Mr. Scott. One grand point should have the attention of the
Pastoral zeal Conference fastened upon it; namely, that the pastors of churches
for missions. should be more eminently imbued with the missionary spirit, and
should more frequently avail themselves of the pulpit for the
diffusion of missionary intelligence. As an instance of the result
of pastoral zeal and earnestness in the mission work, Mr. Makepeace
mentioned the case of a friend of his, a returned missionary, who
undertook the pastorate of a church in England. When he settled
first in the town, the missionary contributions of his own denomi-
its influence. nation did not exceed 351. annually; whereas, before he left the
Instance of
town, after fifteen years' labour, his own church alone raised
between 4007. and 500l. Not a sabbath passed over without his
making a reference to, or offering up his prayers for, missionary
enterprises; and this was the secret of his success. (Hear, hear.)
Extent of
Christian
obligation.
liberality was to establish the habit of systematic benevolence: to
cultivate the Christian habit of giving week by week.
The Rev. DAVID THORBURN, of Leith, believed, that one
great means of increasing the resources employed in propagating
the gospel was the delivery of addresses from the pulpit to stir
up the missionary spirit. He had not heard, however, any re-
marks made, indicating the views of the members of the Confer-
ence with regard to the nature and extent of the obligation im-
posed upon members of the Christian Church. So far as he had
1
177
k
FOURTH SESSION.
tithes.
heard, it seemed to be understood that the obligation was one
entirely of an indeterminate character: that though God had said
every one should lay aside according as God has prospered him,
yet the extent of the obligation was to be judged by the individual
himself. Whether this were the case or not, it was not the case
under the Patriarchal or Levitical dispensation. In the Patriar- Patriarchal
chal age, we found the nature and extent of the obligation indi- and Jewish
cated in the "first-fruits" and "tithes;" and passing to the Levi-
tical, we found the obligation somewhat more definitely specified.
The presumption was, that it would be stated more clearly in the
dispensation under which it was our happiness to live. Such,
however, was not the general impression. But there was a time
in the history of the Christian Church when another opinion
extensively prevailed, that the obligation to give, to a certain
amount at least, was a determinate obligation. For many centuries
such was the universal opinion throughout the Church. He (Mr.
Thorburn) believed that our present views with regard to the Christians
obligation were defective, if not erroneous; and that, considering give more.
the vastly more important objects for which we were called upon
now to give, it was surely reasonable to suppose that we should
give more than was required under a former dispensation. In the
New Testament, both by our Lord and his Apostles, the principles
were very clearly laid down which should guide us in this matter.
In the commendation given by the Saviour to the Pharisees for
the scrupulousness with which they paid their tithes, he indicated
that, to a certain extent, the duty was determinate as to the mini-
mum, but indeterminate as to the maximum. Weekly gifts, also,
were pointedly enforced by the Apostles.
ought to
66
WADDELL.
in giving.
The Rev. H. M. WADDELL:- I have observed that the words Rev. H. M.
'missionary feeling" have occurred often in the course of the
discussion. In my view this is not a matter of feeling, but of
conscience. It is a duty; and a sense of duty is a surer foun- Conscience
dation than any feeling. A man feels bound to pay his debts, his
minister or his pew-rent, but he does not feel bound to give a
missionary contribution. Why so? It has been a matter optional
to them; not felt as obligatory. In looking for funds, when they
fall short, whence are they to be obtained before we trench upon
the necessities of individuals? There are luxuries in the Church Luxuries to
be cut down.
that can be kept down. There
There is a tendency in the Church of the
present day to run into a luxurious style of living, following the
example of the world. As to wine-drinking, I will endorse all
N
178
MINUTE.
Lieut.-Col.
EDWARDES.
A sugges-
tiou.
what has been said by the friend from Demerara. I apprehend
that the missionary supporters at home ought to be as self-denying
as the missionaries abroad. This matter should be carefully
looked into by brethren in this country, that they may not follow
worldly fashions by increase of luxuries of the table and house-
hold furniture, and general style of living, but cut down such
expenses to enrich the treasury for the spread of the Gospel over
all the world. (Applause.)
Lieut-Col. EDWARDES,-I merely wish to throw out one prac-
tical suggestion which struck me as I was listening to Dr. Tidman.
How would it answer for the various Missionary Societies to draw
up once a quarter an interesting and popular account of the state
of the mission-field in one separate quarter of the globe, and to
issue that account to the pastor of every parish or church in con-
nexion with their own Society, with an urgent request that that
pastor would kindly consent either that himself, or one of his own
fellow-labourers, should preach a sermon embodying that account,
during the quarter? If that were done I think you would get
Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, systematically put before each
congregation in a popular way, and you would diffuse and excite
an interest at a very easy rate. (Hear, hear.)
MINUTE ON THE MEANS OF SECURING INCREASED
LIBERALITY TO MISSIONARY WORK.
The Conference are of opinion that love to perishing souls,
for the sake of Him who died for them, as the command of
Christ and the essence of the Gospel, is the rule of genuine
The ule of Christian liberality; and that this liberality stops short of its
liborality.
highest, yet legitimate exemplification, where it leads to no self-
denial. They believe that giving to the support of schemes, which
are maintained for speading the Gospel among the heathen, is itself
a solemn duty, a part-fulfilment of the great commission; and
that it is as much a duty to give as it is to labour or to pray.
The proportion of income which should be given to this great
Conscience object, in their view, rests with the conscience of every individual
Christian. While in the Patriarchal and Jewish dispensations a
stated proportion was laid down for all classes, they consider that
under the Gospel the people of God are taught, that while all
the guide.
FOURTH SESSION.
179
belongs to Him and must be accounted for as such, each of them Extent of
giving.
should contribute according as God has prospered him. They
consider that the exact amount such prosperity demands should
be made a matter for prayerful, scriptural, and solemn delibera- How deter-
tion: and that Christian benevolence should thus be based upon
principle, and be exercised on system.
mined.
As the disposition to give grows by exercise, they consider
that the result of such a mode of consecrating a due share of in- Effect.
come to the Saviour's cause, would be a readiness to add to regular
gifts, when new supplies were bestowed; and a hearty and prompt
response to those special calls made upon the Church, when the
providence of God opens, by special means, new and enlarged
fields of usefulness in which the Gospel may be preached.
pastors.
They think that in the cultivation of this benevolence, as a Work for
vigorous principle, a great deal rests upon all pastors of churches:
experience showing that, where a pastor possesses an active mis-
sionary spirit, urges that spirit upon his people, strives to give
them much information on mission-fields, and systematically presses
their claims, his people become missionary likewise, and are pre- Result.
pared to give with a large heart to all worthy objects of Christian
benevolence.
That such a spirit of increased consecration and of self-
sacrificing liberality, may be poured out upon all the churches of
Christ, is their earnest prayer; and that Christians may be able
to abstain from copying the luxurious habits of the world, in
order that they may overtake more efficiently the vast territories
of heathenism yet lying unblest with divine truth.
The Doxology was then sung, and the Fourth Session closed.
Systematic.
180
Rev. B. L.
SINGH.
The law of
missions.
Free Church
Mission in
Calcutta.
SECOND MISSIONARY SOIRÉE.
WEDNESDAY EVENING.
A second missionary Soirée was held on Wednesday Evening,
at the conclusion of the discussion above reported:-
JOHN CROPPER, Esq., presided.
After prayer had been offered by the Rev. J. M'KEE, the Rev.
BEHARI LAL SINGH, licensed preacher of the Free Church of
Scotland in Calcutta, delivered the following address:-
ADDRESS BY THE REV. B. L. SINGH.
Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, the great command and
charter of missionary work is, "Go into all the world and preach
the Gospel to every creature; go and teach all nations.” Here
is the warrant, here is the encouragement, here is the time,
here is the place. "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end
of the world." "Why was the world created? For the manifesta-
tion of Jehovah's glory, for the habitation of man. And after
man's fall why was it preserved?" Not for the gratification of
man's selfishness, his pride, or for political intrigues; but for
higher purposes, even for the manifestation of Jehovah's glory,
for a state of preparation for God's elect in all righteousness, the
nursery for the education of the children of God till the time of
the restitution of all things should come; till all his gracious
designs should be completed; which is and has been the cherished
hope of his sons. Our Lord distinctly told his disciples that "other
sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring
and they shall hear my voice." To gather in these sheep is the
work of missions.
Leaving other fields of labour, it is expected that I should say
a few words respecting the Indian mission with which I have been
connected for the last sixteen or seventeen years; they shall be
very brief. There is no lack of knowledge among you respecting
the means that are employed in India for bringing the truths of
the gospel to bear upon the Hindoos and Mahommedans, by
SECOND MISSIONARY SOIRÉE.
181
preaching in the English and vernacular languages, and circulating
Christian books. But whether it be that some go throughout the
length and breadth of the land, or those who go to preach the Its labours.
gospel in our large public towns, the teaching of all is drawn
from the Bible. Whether it be those who are engaged in the
work of teaching in the schools or colleges, they make the Bible
a class-book, and a book of continual reference. Let me invite
of
your attention, then, for a few moments to the divine power
the Bible, to what the Bible, through the blessing of the Spirit,
has done for my poor and perishing countrymen.
Let me
bring to your notice that the Bible has been welcomed, re-
ceived, and read; that the law of the Lord has been proved
by the conversions that have been effected in my native land.
the
year 1844 seven Jews and Jewesses were publicly baptised by
Dr. Duff at Calcutta: the eldest was a venerable patriarch, who
understood only Arabic; the second was a rabbi, and rather well
versed in the Arabic and Hebrew scriptures; and there was a
man of considerable attainments in the Hindostanee and Arabic.
The Jews met in the house of a pious layman, and read the
Bible in the Arabic and Hebrew languages, with a converted Jew
who was employed as reader. They were put under my charge;
I was the medium of communication between the Jews and the
European missionaries. Some years afterwards some of them died,
and whilst they were lying in their last illness in the Government
hospital, they were severely tried by their countrymen who
endeavoured to induce them to deny Jesus; but I, as well as many
missionaries who witnessed their deaths, am glad to testify that
they remained faithful unto death.
In Success
among Jews
history.
A venerable father in this Conference has asked me to give a His personal
short narrative of how I became connected with the Indian mis-
sion. (Hear, hear.) I do not assume, as a matter of course, that I
am a converted man; the Lord alone knows my many imperfec-
tions and deficiencies. I feel rather diffident in speaking of the
inward working of my heart; but I shall let you know a few
facts connected with my external history: how I have been to
this land, this highly favoured land; and how I came here privi-
leged to speak a few words in such a meeting as this. I am sorry
to say I belong to the rebel race of North-West India; still if
you convert the rebels they will fight for you. (Hear, hear.)
They will become your loyal subjects; they will defend your
lives. (Applause.) I need not say much on this, as my friend,
Mr. Leupolt, will bring many things to your knowledge respecting
it. About forty years ago my father came down to Calcutta,
Birth.
182
REV. B. L. SINGH.
Religious
knowledge.
there being no missionary or school in the North-West Provinces.
Education. My father was anxious that I should get a knowledge of the
English language in order that I might obtain a Government
appointment. He came down with myself and my brother in
the year 1830. Dr. Duff, the first missionary of the Church
of Scotland, opened his chool in Calcutta, and there I and my
brother went to study the English language. Some years after,
having finished his education, my brother got a Government ap-
pointment and returned to his native country; I remained some
years longer in Dr. Duff's institution. I read the Bible. I read
the Bible just as I read any other common class-book. It was
not reading the Bible in school that moved my heart; but it was
the private ministrations of that great and good man, Dr. Duff,
and of his excellent colleagues, Dr. Mackay and Dr. Ewart, that
moved my heart to become almost a Christian. I had bright
prospects before me; I was a favourite with a military officer,
the late Major-General Macleod. I went from Dr. Duff's school
to Medical College and learned the higher branches, natural phi-
losophy and botany: then I passed an examination, got a Govern-
ment appointment, and came in contact with a přous civil officer,
who had defrayed the expense of my education in Dr. Duff's
school, as well as in the Government Medical College. It was
the pious example of this gentleman, his integrity, his honesty,
of Christian his disinterestedness, his active benevolence, that made me think
Influence
example.
that Christianity was something living; that there was a loving
power in Christ. (Hear, hear.) Here is a man in the receipt of
2000 or 3000 rupees a-month, he spends little on himself, and
gives away the surplus of his money for education, the temporal
and spiritual welfare of my countrymen. This was the turning-
point of my religious history, and led to my conversion. About
that time, my brother, who was also in the Government service,
His brother had prepared his mind to embrace Christianity; but of his history
a Christian.
I need not say anything, as my friend Mr. Leupolt knows him very
well, and also my friend Mr. Tucker, who has been his great
patron. He came to me and said, "I am ready to embrace Chris-
tianity, and I want to become a teacher. I must give up all, and
you must support me." My father got a copy of the Persian
Bible from Dr. Mackay, and the objection my father had to em-
bracing Christianity was that the morality of the Bible was too
high for man to follow. (Hear, hear.) We all made up our minds
to embrace Christianity, and I am glad to say we did not suffer as
much persecution as many of my brethren in Hindostan have
suffered. My brother fell into the company of a very good and
་་
SECOND MISSIONARY SOIRÉE.
183
4.
pious missionary of the Church of England, by whom he was
baptised, and he is now labouring in connexion with the Church
Missionary Society. As I had received the truths of Christianity
from Dr. Duff's instruction, I felt it my duty to go down to Baptism, &c.
Calcutta to be baptised in connexion with the Free Church. In
all my trials and difficulties as a Christian, and as a subordinate
missionary to my countrymen, I have been strengthened and
encouraged by the example of another officer and his lady, whose
testimony for the Lord Jesus has been so remarkable, so simple-
minded, and so consistent, as to lead my blinded countrymen to
confess that he is after all their best friend. [Here the speaker
turned his face to Major-Gen. Alexander and said,]-The officer,
Sir, was the adjutant of the regiment of which you were the dis-
tinguished commander. Afterwards I laboured as a teacher in
the Free Church institution, then as a teacher among the Jews,
and then as a city missionary, and, last of all, a teacher among the
Mahommedans of Calcutta.
Hiudoo girl.
Brah-
pil-
Few of you, dear Christian friends, will rise from the hearing
of the following affecting case without feelings of increased respect History of a
and veneration for the pure and gentle religion of Jesus, and feel-
ings of hatred for the cruel spirit of Hindooism. Some of you may
have seen the little narrative published by Dr. Sutton, of the
General Baptist Missionary Society, of a Brahmin girl whose life
was wonderfully preserved, and who was brought up by him and
his lady in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. For the in-
formation of those of you who have not read the narrative, I beg
to mention a few leading incidents connected with the wonderful
preservation of this little girl. In 1829, among the pilgrims who
travelled to the shrine of Juggernaut, there was a Brahmin family, The Br
consisting of husband, wife, and a little babe, about six months grims.
old, with one or two servants. On the arrival of the pilgrim party
at Balasore, 150 miles distant from the temple, the wife of Punda-
Narain, for that was the name of the husband, was seized with
cholera. Narain was not to be found at this critical time. Whe-
ther he fell a victim on the way to this disease, or not, no one could
say.
The unfortunate woman found that everybody had forsaken
her. Thus, a stranger seized by the ruthless cholera, with a
feeble infant at her breast, she wandered to a neighbouring village,
where she was informed medical aid could be obtained. Although,
however, she reached the door of the doctor, who was a fat,
wealthy Brahmin, she could get no assistance from him. How
long she remained here is not certainly known. But it was so
ordered that, in the good providence of God, Dr. Sutton went
Cholera.
184
REV. B. L. SINGH.
one evening to preach in the village, and found the poor woman
and child lying under the shade of a large tree. The shadows of
the evening were closing apace. Not far from the spot were
lying the bodies of many pilgrims who had fallen victims to this
frightful malady, and where the jackals, the pariah dogs, and vul-
tures, were tearing the flesh of the dead. Overhead, too, they were
canopied with thick darkness, sadness, and gloom, as the great
dense clouds were gathering from the west, and were threatening
to burst upon them in a tempest of thunder, lightning, and rain.
Dr. Sutton's The missionary ascertained the nature of the disease and adminis-
efforts.
Visit to
America.
tered some medicine which he had with him. He went to the
neighbouring village and pleaded long in vain for some food for
the poor and starving infant. No one would give her any. At
length an egg-cupful of milk was procured, and never was a more
pitiful scene beheld than when the starving child crawled to the
missionary, and, looking up to his face, seemed to say, "O sir,
pity me, I have no friend in this wide world to care for my body
and soul!" Dr. Sutton removed the helpless woman to a neigh-
bouring shed, where he attended her for three days, but at the end
of that time she expired. When the missionary perceived that the
poor woman was fast expiring, he inquired of the Brahmin doctor,
who was standing by, what was to be done with the child? to
which the monster replied, "Oh! let it die also, what else?" The
mother had some gold and silver ornaments about her, besides
some money, and the possession of these was what the doctor
sought to obtain. This he effected, and was unwilling to undergo
Orphan girl any trouble respecting the child. Seeing how matters were likely
to go, the missionary determined to save the little girl, so he took
with him an old female servant and intrusted the child to her pro-
tection. When the poor infant was brought to his house, some
rice-pudding was placed on a plate on the floor before her, while a
spoon was sent for; but no sooner did the child perceive that it
was food, than she crawled towards the plate, and, helping herself
with both hands with the utmost greediness, would not suffer
herself to be removed until the whole was eaten up. As the mis-
sionary had no children, the little girl was soon adopted as a
daughter. She went with her foster-parents to America, where
she was put to a boarding-school. She returned with them
afterwards to her native land. After affording satisfactory
evidence of her conversion, she was admitted into the Christian
church by the sacred ordinance of baptism. She was for many
years an assistant-teacher in the female schools of Orissa. It has
been my privilege to have been 'united in marriage to this
saved and
educated.
SECOND MISSIONARY SOIRÉE.
185
Christian native lady. In India, when a man is married, it is His wife.
not husband and wife that see each other and consult, it is the
mothers and fathers or some distant relative, by whom the affair
is settled. But such was not the case with us. I went down
to Cuttack and shared the hospitality of the excellent Christian
missionaries of the General Baptist Missionary Society. I stayed
there for a long time, and then when both of us came to the
conclusion that we should be a suitable match, then-we got
married. (Laughter and applause.)
ON THE PESHAWUR MISSION.
BY LIEUT.-COL. EDWARDes.
EDWARDES.
of the
Lieutenant-Colonel HERBERT Edwardes, who on rising met Lieut.-Col.
with a most hearty reception, then addressed the meeting as fol-
lows: I have been asked to give you an account of the PEshawur
MISSION, and I do so with pleasure, because the history of that Eng-
lish mission cannot but be an interesting and valuable narrative for
all friends at home to hear. I suppose there can be no mission
in any part of the world, which can reach a lengthened existence
without exhibiting in its history some very interesting events.
The Peshawur mission must necessarily have many instances of
this. I will first tell you the position which that mission occupies.
You will all suppose you have got a map of India at the end of Position
this room and at the top, the very north-western outpost of your Peshawur
valley.
Indian empire, across the river Indus, there stands Peshawur. It
is in fact the picket to British India. Peshawur, geographically
speaking, is part of Afghanistan. The people who inhabit it are
therefore Afghans. On the east is the river Indus, on the western
side the Suliman range of mountains, in which stands the Khyber
Pass. From that pass to the Indus is about fifty miles, and on the
south side stands the Kohat Pass. The hills of Swât shut in the
north. The valley lying between these ranges and the river Indus
is most fertile, and produces crops and fruit in luxuriant abundance.
For this valley the tribes have all contended for ages past, and the Its tribes.
tribes that inhabit those mountain-ranges are the fiercest clans that
can be found anywhere on the face of the globe. I do not think
that finer specimens of physical human nature can be found.
Nurtured on those hills with very little to support them, they have
been reared in constant warfare. Each man is armed to the teeth,
and he goes forth with his hand against every man, prepared to
L
186
LIEUT.-COL. H. EDWARDES.
Meeting.
meet every man's hand against him. Whatever truth or whatever
falsehood there may be in the great Lord Macaulay's description
of the mountain clans of our own north, I must say that if you
were to take those pages, and apply them to the inhabitants of the
Khyber Pass and the Afghan mountains, you would find it suit
exactly. They possess every vice with which human nature is
afflicted. But they have their virtues. They have the great virtue
of manly courage, and they have the great virtue of hospitality.
When the English soldier is brought in contact with them, it is a
refreshment, after coming from the slavish plain, to meet a race
able to struggle with him for empire. (Applause.) If you were
to look over the map of Asia, certainly over the map of British
The mission India, and were to select the spot most ungenial for the establish-
founded.
ment of a mission you would put your finger on Peshawur; but I
am glad to be able to tell you that a mission has been planted there
and flourishes at this time. (Applause.) The founder was a
military officer, one of the best, and most consistent and earnest
among our Indian Christians, Colonel MARTIN. (Applause.) He
first conceived the design of having a mission there, and he and
others united in prayers for this object. But they did not see
their way clearly for a very long time. There were sundry hin-
drances in their path which are too painful for mention, and the
persons who did hinder them were removed in the providence
of God from off the scene. Permission was given ultimately by
the authorities in the valley of Peshawur for the establishment of
the mission. A great meeting of the civil and military officers
was called to consider the question, and there was not one dis-
sentient voice. (Applause.) I attended that meeting myself and
I did not hear in the room where we were gathered one person
who seemed to have any misgiving on the point of introducing a
mission into such a place as that. When the subscription list went
round there was, however, one name put down on that list,-I
won't mention it as it is unnecessary,—and to it was sarcastically
appended "one rupee." That is a thing which in India wer
fling about or give away just as we would a sixpence in Eng-
land. The subscription of one rupee was intended to throw
contempt upon the undertaking, and opposite the subscription was
written, "To buy a revolver for the first missionary." Well it is a
most extraordinary thing that that officer was one of the very first
victims of the Indian mutiny, and it made a great impression on
me afterwards when I came to look back on it. Here was a man
who considered that in a frontier valley full of such a hostile race
A sarcastic
donation:
its end.
G
SECOND MISSIONARY SOIRÉE.
187
a Christian mission was unsafe, and who noted down one rupee to
buy a revolver for the first missionary who should dare to enter
that valley; he goes away to what he considers a safe cantonment
in the very heart of our empire, and yet that man and his family
in that safe place were among the first victims of the mutiny. I
wonder if, when that sad hour came, any such thought flashed across
his mind as that he had looked unharmed upon danger in dangerous
places, and found it where he thought he was safe. How much
better it would have been to have trusted his life and the lives of
others in the hands of God. Well, the programme of the mission
was put out, and it was responded to at once throughout India in Response to
the appeal.
a remarkable manner. There was something enterprising, some-
thing thoroughly missionary about the undertaking, which, like the
sound of a clarion, seemed to awake the sympathies of every
Christian in India; and the response to the call was immediate
and loud. In a short time no less than 30007. were subscribed:
and from that day forward the mission has gone on prospering.
(Applause.) We were blessed certainly with most admirable Its first
missionaries. The first, I think, the father of the missionaries,
was Dr. Pfander, a most admirable man, who had spent forty years Dr. Pfander.
of his life in missionary labour. He was well constituted for the
purpose. He used to go down into the streets of that city, which
contained 60,000 inhabitants, and with the Bible in his hand
would take his stand in the street. It was a service of danger
to go into the streets of that city and preach the gospel of
Christ; and when Dr. Pfander took up his stand in the street,
opened his Bible, and preached Christ before the whole of those His work.
people, I consider that he performed an act of great Christian
courage and great Christian faith. (Applause.) That man was
admirably suited for the duty. His very face reflected all the
Christian virtue of love to all men. It was impossible for the
most thorough blackguard to take exception to such a man; and
if there were any man who dared to interrupt him he would
just stroke him down and pacify him; tell him that was not the
time for discussion; but that if he wished he would accompany
him to his house, or take him to his own, and there talk the matter
missionaries.
over.
ence.
The people at last got accustomed to the good man, and His influ-
actually got fond of him. What I wish you to observe in this
slight sketch of the Peshawur mission is, that it was founded in
a very difficult place at a time when everybody looked gloomily
upon it, but that God has honoured those who honour Him: for I
believe that mission has brought a blessing to us in India in our
188
LIEUT.-COLONEL H. EDWARDES.
The mission
a public
blessing.
hour of need. Peshawur, as I told you, stood as an outpost to
British India. Twelve miles from it frowned the Khyber Pass,
beyond which was the immense country of Afghanistan. It will
not matter now if I say that the war in which, twenty years ago,
we engaged with the Afghans was an unrighteous war. I have
expressed the same opinion to Government. We had no quarrel
with them, and because we were afraid of Russia, that was no
righteous cause for marching up with a poor refugee puppet prince
like Shah Shoojah in our hands, and saying, "We will dethrone
your king and put up this man in his place." That war ended,
as all unrighteous wars should end, with disaster. Angry passions
had thus been aroused between us and the Afghans, and though
years rolled over, yet the angry passions remained. At length a
change came over the policy of our Government, and I was, I am
glad to say, instrumental in bringing that change about. (Applause.)
In 1854, I recommended that "bygones should be bygones," and
I was authorised by my Government to make efforts to bring
about a more desirable state of affairs. I did make efforts, and in
a very short time it was rumoured all over Central Asia that a
friendly treaty was made, and the quarrel was at an end. (Ap-
plause.) Again, on my recommendation, a still closer treaty of
friendship was signed in the beginning of 1857. Three months.
had not passed over when the dreadful Indian mutiny broke out.
If we had not been at peace with the Afghans, the old story of the
Tartar incursions would probably have been repeated. The tribes
of Afghanistan and the countries beyond would have rallied round
the standard of their faith. They would have swept like a torrent
Its powerful through Peshawur over the whole Punjaub; Delhi would never
have been taken, and the whole of the British possessions in India
would have been wrested from our hands. But Peshawur, with
its mission and the friends of that mission, the civil and military
authorities, stood safely across the path of danger. Shall we
attribute this result to this officer or to that officer: shall we say
it was from the wisdom of this or that proposition? I trust no
one in this room will do so. I say those thoughts were put into
men's minds for good purposes, and I believe God himself inspired
us that we might reap the reward of having honoured God.
(Applause.) I trust the safest policy may be pursued hereafter in
India of honouring God in the government of that country. I am
quite convinced that if we do we shall find Him the best sword
and buckler, and that we may say with David, "MY GOD, IN HIM
WILL I TRUST." (Applause.)
Change in
Goverument
policy.
Treaty
with the
Afghans.
Laus Deo.
SECOND MISSIONARY SOIRée.
189
MISSIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA.
BY THE REV. WILLIAM SHAW.
SHAW.
missions.
The Rev. WILLIAM SHAW, of South Africa, said:—I regret Rev. W.
that I should have been called upon at this late hour to address
you, after the very interesting speeches you have heard; for I fear
that the matter I have to bring before you will be found much less
interesting. Had I time to address you at length, I might pos-
sibly have made a selection of facts to interest you; but it is
exceedingly difficult, after listening to those thrilling details con-
cerning the work in that most interesting part of the globe, British
India, to take you away to an entirely different scene.
I must,
however, say a few words with regard to the missions in Southern S. African
Africa. This month it is forty years since I sailed to the Cape
of Good Hope; and since that period I have spent there thirty-
three years of my life. Without entering into details I may
mention, that the chief scene of my labours has been in the ex-
tensive country bordering upon the eastern boundary of the Cape
of Good Hope, and along the coast of Caffraria, which terminates
as far up as Delagoa Bay. The missions in Southern Africa have Extensive.
a very extensive range; and I am happy to state that they are not
prosecuted by one or two Societies, but by several of the more
important Missionary Societies in this country and in Germany.
Our excellent brethren the Moravians were first in the field; ties.
they were followed by the London Missionary Society, and these
by the Wesleyan Missionary Society. These were followed again
by others; there are now also missions there in connexion with
the Free Church, and more recently with the Church of England.
By the blessing of God great results have been derived from the
labours of the brethren of the various Missionary Societies. Very Successes.
recently a complete Kaffir version of the Holy Scriptures has gone
forth from our press; so that with the Sechuana version of the
indefatigable Moffat, the great tribes of Southern Africa now
have the law of God which they can read in their own language.
There are, I believe, at this time fifteen or eighteen thousand
natives, regular accredited members of the various Churches, cuts.
admitted to the communion of the Lord's table. (Applause.)
There are at least 20,000 children who are in attendance at the Children.
various mission schools within and beyond the colonies. Taking
together the attendance at the schools, the members of the church,
Many
Commuui-
190
REV. WILLIAM SHAW.
Native
Christians.
and the still very much larger number of those who, although
not recognised as members of the Christian congregations, and
not admitted to the communion, are, nevertheless, more or less
in the habit of regularly attending the administration of gospel
ordinances, I estimate that at least 100,000 natives of the various
classes may be considered as won over to Christianity. (Applause.)
Very far indeed are we from thinking that all has been accom-
plished that we had hoped for when we went into the field; but,
notwithstanding this, we may, I think, take courage, and hope to
surpass what has hitherto been done. (Applause.)
The meeting concluded with singing and prayer, at nine o'clock.
191
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONFERENCE.
THURSDAY, March 22nd.
THIRD GENERAL PRAYER MEETING.
THURSDAY MORNING.
P
The third general Prayer-meeting was held at Hope Hall, on Prayer-
Thursday morning, at 9:30 A.M.
meeting.
The Rev. PATRICK FORFAR, of the Church of Scotland,
of Liverpool, presided.
The devotions of the meeting were led by the Rev. J. WALTON,
Wesleyan missionary from Jaffna, in Ceylon; the Rev. CHRISTIAN
HERNLE, Church missionary at Agra; the Rev. BEHARI LAL
SINGH, of the Free Church Mission in Calcutta; and the Rev. Dr.
TIDMAN.
FIFTH SESSION.
THURSDAY MORNING.
The members of Conference again assembled for business at
10.30 A.M., at the close of the Prayer-meeting, and held one of
their most interesting and valuable meetings.
MAJOR-GENERAL ALEXANDER in the chair.
from the
Before the proceedings commenced, the Rev. G. D. CULLEN Invitation
announced that the Mayor of Liverpool, who took a deep interest Mayor.
in the proceedings of the Conference, had kindly invited all the
members to breakfast with him in the Town Hall on Saturday
morning, at nine o'clock. A letter, expressing great regret at his
necessary absence from the Conference, was read from the Hon.
A. KINNAIRD, M.P., who had joined with others in issuing the
invitations by which the Conference was assembled.
{
192
SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION.
Rotterdam.
Programmc.
CHAIRMAN.
Dr. STEANE intimated that a communication had been received
from a new Missionary Society recently formed in the Nether-
lands. The communication comprised a letter, and the first Report
of the society, both in the Dutch language. These documents
had been confided to the Rev. Dr. Baylee for examination; Dr.
Baylee had pronounced them to be of a most interesting character,
and had prepared a fraternal reply.
On the motion of Dr. STEANE the reply was read, and having
received the signatures of the Chairman and Secretaries, was
transmitted as the answer of the Conference to the Society at
Rotterdam.
SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION.
The business of the session then commenced, the following
programme being read by the Chairman :—
Subject: NATIVE Agency.
Paper, or Address, of ten minutes, by Rev. R. S. HARDY,
formerly Wesleyan Missionary in Ceylon.
Advantages of Native Agency.
How should Native Agents be obtained? From among
the most spiritually-minded and experienced adults of
the Native congregations? Or from among the young?
If the latter, should they be specially trained for their
specific mission work among the masses of their fellow-
countrymen, in Training Institutions, through the
medium of their mother-tongue?
How far should the English Language be employed in
Missionary Education?
Difficulties in the way of ordaining Natives as Evangelists
and Pastors.
How far should the Clerical principle be introduced into
Native Churches?
How far should each individual Christian be encouraged
to strengthen his brethren, and propagate the Gospel
among those still in darkness.
On what principle should the stipends of Native Agents
be regulated?
The CHAIRMAN, in announcing that the subject for the day
was that of NATIVE AGENCY, expressed a trust, that every one
FIFTH SESSION.
193
discussion.
"native
would consider the vast importance of this question with regard Spirit of
to all places where they had established, and hoped to establish
Christian missions. He felt that they would need to keep their
minds in the spirit of the prayers which had just been offered
for the blessing of Almighty God upon their deliberations. They
must maintain the principle of "speaking the truth in love;"
and, on simple dependence upon God the Holy Spirit, seek his
gracious and harmonising influences, that the "mind that was
in Christ Jesus" might also be vouchsafed to all assembled
here. He wished that there were more of their native brethren
from other countries present, to express their sentiments, as he Experience.
should call upon their Hindoo brother, Behari Lal Singh, to do
his. They would, however, have the advantage of the expe-
rience of missionaries who had laboured in many lands, and been
in actual contact with Asiatic and African minds, as well as with
the untutored Indians of America; and thus this most important
subject would be brought forward and illustrated with fulness
in all its varieties. He adverted to what had already been be-
fore the Conference, as the record they had of the missionary The earliest
agency and proceedings of the early Church; and turning to the agents."
6th, 8th, 10th chapters of the Acts, and 16th of Romans, said it
would be well to the purpose to consider the persons and posi-
tions in life of those who were then constituted or recognised as
missionary agents and fellow-workers with the Apostles; that they
were men and women of all classes, including the imperial house-
hold of Rome, the family of Herod, the hospitable Gaius, Phoebe
the deaconess, Aquila and Priscilla, who each and all evangelised
society around them, and spread Gospel light and truth among
the idolatrous and unbelieving masses among whom they dwelt.
In dealing with native agencies now, is it not well to look to
what was done to raise up and extend it in apostolic times, at
Jerusalem, at Antioch, at Corinth, at Philippi, and in Crete?
They would also have to consider the weakness of some branches What to be
of the Christian church, the comparatively slow progress by considered.
means of existing agencies up to the present day, and the desir-
ableness of devolving upon the natives of every country under
heaven the obvious duty of evangelising the lands of their births,
and the people of one blood with themselves. Considering the
emergencies of the times, and the rapidity with which events are
rushing towards that mysterious future, into which they could
see no farther than the light of the Holy Spirit shining upon
the revelation made by God in his Holy Word will permit,
1
0
194
REV. MR. HARDY'S PAPER.
the Acts.
surely no time should be lost in bringing native agencies into the
fullest and most efficient operation, and committing them more
to their own responsibilities, than it was his (the Chairman's)
impression, they had hitherto been sufficiently permitted and en-
Example in couraged to assume. He would but adduce one instance, taken
from the sacred, records, as strictly in point. A Gentile traveller
picked up a wayfarer by the roadside. He read a book which
he could not understand; a plain exposition of the word gave
light; the result of a short intercourse, and the instruction given,
while it lasted, were so blessed of God to the conversion of a soul,
that the missionary effects of that day's journey are found in
Ethiopia at the present time. Let them (he repeated) consider
thoroughly the apostolic and early Christian ways of working;
let them experience whether there is not as much facility now,
as there was then, of making fellow-countrymen the fittest mis-
sionaries to each other, and how best to remove any impediments
which prevent their being such; and may God, of his infinite
goodness and mercy, guide the Conference to a wise deliberation,
in accordance with his most holy will and word.
ON NATIVE AGENCY IN FOREIGN MISSIONS.
BY THE REV. R. S. HARDY, CEYLON.
Native
the
missions.
The subject appointed for this morning's investigation and
In this theme we have the
last point in discussion is, NATIVE AGENCY.
culminating point of the Conference. All that is done at home
is the mere mustering of forces; but where "the native" lies, is
the battle. Are funds collected, or missionaries sent forth, or
schools established, or the Scriptures translated, or books printed
and circulated? It is the good of the native that is the first cause
of all this preparation and sacrifice. Whatever is expended, whether
in men, or money, or moments, that does not ultimately tend to-
wards this issue, is so much power lost to the great cause of the
world's salvation.
Essential,
The following paper on the subject was then read to the Con-
ference by the author:-
Why?
When we speak of Native Agency, we include the entire
Church of the future; as it is evident that, if Christianity is per-
manently to live in the lands that are now the object of missionary
care, it must be by means of Native Agency alone. Foreign agents
FIFTH SESSION.
195
could not be found in sufficient numbers. If sufficient numbers
were forthcoming, the means of their support could not be pro-
vided; and if the men could be both provided, and provided for,
this would be an inefficient instrumentality to accomplish the work
to be done. The truth must be naturalised; it must cease to be
regarded as an exotic, before it can thoroughly permeate and per-
manently regenerate any given nation. Its power can only be
universally diffused by that which is alike native in its fount and
its flowing: look, tone, word, imagery, idiom, all must be native.
Every people, even the most degraded, has a nationality, and each
tribe an idiosyncracy; sacred circles, that the stranger can never
completely penetrate.
raised.
differ:
2. This position being established, we have then to ask: How How to be
is this Native Agency to be the most rapidly raised, the most
highly gifted, and rendered the most powerfully procreative and
germinant? Here we are in danger, lest, by looking at the sub-
ject from one single stand-point, we should seek to establish laws
that, if universally carried out, would cramp the free play of the
Church's action, and impede its intended course towards limitless
conquest. As well might we try to grow all plants, from the
lichen to the lotus, in one temperature and soil, as attempt to lay Localities
down rules that would be equally applicable to all nations. The
mind of the contemplative Brahmin and that of the wild Bush-
man of Australia will not be influenced by the same process of
instruction. We shall consider these classes as the two extremes,
and therefore, in some sense, exceptional cases; and concede, that modes also.
the circumstances of the one are best met through the medium of
college tuition; and those of the other, through that of village
localisation, the plough, and the alphabet. But we contend that,
in other cases, the course that has been the most successfully pur-
sued by the Church in the greatest number of instances, is the
example we are called upon to follow now in the present position
of the heathen world.
class
3. Guided by the light of the past, we say, then, that the A special
truth has been propagated in all ages with the greatest efficiency required.
by agents set apart for this one service, whether called preachers,
evangelists, pastors, or ministers; with the schoolmaster, as a
collateral, but most important auxiliary power. Those agents,
again, have been the most efficient that have been "thrust forth”
by the Lord, to use our Saviour's own expression (Matt. ix. 22),
(6
as labourers into his harvest." They have been called from the
plough, as Elisha; from the cattle-pen, as Amos; from the fisher-
196
REV. MR. HARDY'S PAPER.
boat, as Peter; and from the school of the sage, as Saul of Tarsus.
The prayer of the Church must therefore be, that God would raise
up such men on all our mission-stations; and, secondly, that he
would guide the responsible principals of all churches, in calling
out and sending into the work of evangelisation the instruments
that have been thus prepared by a divine call. The indications
Their quali- of the receiving of a divine commission will be a sincere and simple
piety, an ardent zeal, a spirit of self-sacrifice, a right apprehension
of the principal truths of revelation, and success resting upon the
efforts already put forth to do good. Unless there be the presence
of these qualifications, lay no hands upon the men, however else
they may be gifted; and if these are possessed, however lowly and
unpretending the men may be, reject them not, for by them will
be made manifest the wisdom and the power of God.
fications.
here.
4. The next question is: How are they to be prepared for the
most efficient performance of their future labours? We would
here make a distinction, that has already been acknowledged in
Distinction this Conference, between the course that is taken by the mission-
ary for the general enlightenment of the native mind, and that
which has reference exclusively to the formation of a native pas-
torate. To bring about the former issue, the vast importance of
which we are ready to acknowledge, instruction in English litera-
ture is, in certain countries and under certain circumstances, indis-
pensably requisite; to effect the latter, the same course now appears
to be much less absolutely necessary, even in those same localities,
than was once supposed by many good and great men. We have
seen that in his homogeneity with the people, whom the teacher
seeks to influence, consists a considerable portion of his power;
and, consequently, that whatever tends to deprive him of this,
renders him, so far, less fitted for his work. This will be the
result, more or less, of scholastic training, of temporary isolation
from his usual modes of living; and, above all, of an increase of
income greatly beyond the means of the people among whom he
has to minister. These are evils to be guarded against in the
training of native pastors; but they may be immensely overcome
by the advantages gained from a course of regular and continued
discipline; and in some instances they are evils to which it is
necessary to expose ourselves, as much more direful consequences
would result from an immature piety, a misguided zeal, or an
imperfect theology.
5. But there is, we think, a more excellent way, as to those
missions in which it can be accomplished; and that is, for the
Prayer for
such.
How to be
prepared.
Evils to be
guarded
against.
K
FIFTH SESSION.
197
to be in the
work should
missionary to superintend the studies of the native teacher whilst Instruction
he is yet actively engaged in the work of evangelisation. This vernacular:
supposes that men, whose principles have been tested in private
life, rather than untried youths, be called out; and that the in-
struction be in the vernacular alone. In rare instances a know- practical
ledge of other languages will still be gained, whilst the teacher go with it.
is pursuing the duties he is required to attend to in the house, the
bazaar, the school, or the church; as many ministers in England,
who have not had the advantage of a college education, neverthe-
less, by self-culture, attain to literary distinction. From having
had the opportunity of knowing the make and metal of his agents,
when moving in inferior positions, the missionary will be better
instructed whom to trust in places of greater responsibility and
danger.
6. This question of responsibility is another subject of great The pastor
importance. The native pastors may be used as mere machines,
every motion being regulated by a power exterior to themselves;
or they may be sent abroad, as the unreined steed, which may have
had a careful training, but yet cannot be left to run anywhere at
its own will. Avoiding these extremes, the native pastor must
be taught that, within the limit of certain fixed rules, he is re- responsible,
sponsible to another for the course he pursues; but that, in adapt-
ing himself to circumstances within that limit, he is to exercise
his own judgment. He is to be a free and unfettered agent,
within an appointed sphere of action. It will be better for him
to be left, like the wild tree of the forest, which has room to wave
in the wind, and put forth all its vigour and vitality, than to be
tended and trellissed like the tree of the garden, and thus become
sickly, stunted, and formal. Without the feeling of responsibility,
there will be no putting forth of the entire strength of the mind
or the full energy of the will.
Lyth's sys-
7. After an attentive study of the various organisations that
have been tried upon the mission-field, none have appeared to me
so perfect as the one carried out by the Rev. R. B. Lyth, in Fiji. Rev. R. B.
He had to meet the wants of a large and wide-spread district of tem in Fiji.
country, the native teachers being but babes in Christ; and to
care for an extensive society of about 1400 church members, with-
out order or discipline. The great principle by which he was
enabled, under circumstances the most difficult, to reduce this
chaos to comparative order, was "by training the natives for their
work by training them in their work." "The entire circuit,"
was made a training institution with the mission-station
he says,
*C
but free.
198
REV. MR. HARDY'S PAPER.
In the early
Serampore
Mission.
Summary.
at Toungoo.
It will, perhaps, be said, that all this was among recent can-
nibals; but that the same rules will not apply to the more civi-
lised portions of the world. We may pass, then, to Burmah. The
Dr. Mason's following extract is from Doctor Mason, of the Toungoo mission.
"When I stroll into the forest at evening, a long, peripatetic train,
questions me at every step . . My school of theology is as wide as
the province, and its pupils are as numerous as the students within
its borders. Many, in this anomalous way, without pausing in
their labours, learn more than those immured for years in brick-
walls, who complete a curriculum under a dozen professors; and
it is an undeniable fact, that when we need a man to go to a sta-
tion, where there is real self-denial to be endured, it is not the
man who has passed through a regular course of instruction who
goes, but one of this irregular corps."
When we come to India proper, we are not without proof that
a similar course has been attended by the blessing of the Lord.
It has been supposed that the illustrious missionaries of Serampore
were never more successful in raising up an indigenous ministry,
suited to the wants of the churches of Bengal, than at the com-
mencement of their missionary career. They saw how necessary
it was that their native agents should retain, as much as possible,
the simplicity of their former habits; and that, by manifesting a
holy walk and conversation, without, at the same time, losing
their nationality of character, they would thereby present a more
perfect example for the imitation of their converted countrymen.
8. In conclusion. Whilst again acknowledging the unspeak-
able benefits derived from the establishing of high schools and
collegiate institutions, and, in many instances, the necessity of
their continuance; and whilst deprecating most strongly the
employment of an untrained or uneducated pastorate, I would
recommend:
Vernacular.
Teaching
and work
united.
for the centre. The natives of these countries cannot endure the
close confinement of an Institution; but give them plenty of work
and exercise, and they will come to their studies with zest and
pleasure, and what they learn they will digest and communicate;
and what is quickly communicated is twice learnt."*
P
1. That the native pastor, for the most part, and, as a general
rule, be educated in the vernacular only.
2. That he be trained for the pastorate, by the simultaneous
influence of personal instruction from an European missionary
and active employment among his countrymen.
* Mr. Lyth's Paper on the subject will be found in the Appendix.
FIFTH SESSION.
199
3. That no native be ordained for the ministry, until he has Character.
been well tried and found faithful.
4. That, when ordained, he should be left in a great degree, Freedom.
but not absolutely, as a free agent, in the sphere of labour to
which he is appointed.
5. That the amount of his stipend be not more than a native Stipen 1.
church, of an average number of members and of average wealth,
would be able to afford, upon the principles of the New Testa-
ment.
6. That unpaid, though qualified, lay-agents, who work on Lay-agents.
the week-days at some secular employment, should be encou-
raged to act upon the sabbath as evangelists, under the direction
of the chief pastor of the church.
There are some of these recommendations that cannot at
present be carried into effect; but something similar to them is a
result at which, I think, we ought all to aim. They will, in some
respects, be controverted by many of the wisest of the brethren who
are around me; but they are put forth unhesitatingly as the pro-
duct of long experience and a most careful study of the subject.
And I would ever remind myself and others that these words are
yet found upon the page of everlasting truth: "Not by might,
"God
nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts."
hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise;
and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound
the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and
things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things
which are not, to bring to nought things that are; that no flesh
should glory in his presence." (Zech. iv. 6; 1 Cor. i. 27.)
The CHAIRMAN imagined there would be a wide difference of CHAIRMAN,
opinion amongst brethren present; but urged that their views.
should be freely and fully expressed, and received with cordiality,
with sympathy, and the forbearance of Christian minds. This
one point, amongst others, should receive grave consideration;
Whether the native mind had not been too much kept in a state
of tutelage; whether there was not existing an unwillingness to
emancipate it from that state, and to throw it entirely on the
grace of God and the supporting power of the gospel?
MULLENS.
The Rev. J. MULLENS expressed his satisfaction at the prac- Rev. J.
tical and concise manner in which Mr. Hardy had brought the
question before them. He should, however, like to have had that
200
Salary of
pastors.
tions:
Two ques- gentleman's experience and opinion on one or two matters, which
might be considered supplementary to the paper itself. One was
the ordination of their native brethren. It was a very important
Ordination. question: Whether the ordinations, which were now beginning to
take place in India and other mission fields, should be ordinations
of native brethren to missionary service among the heathen, or
ordinations of these brethren as pastors of native churches? The
two things were entirely distinct; and some brethren who were
present had had great experience on this point.
Again: Mr. Hardy had spoken of the ordained native brethren
being appointed as pastors, and yet of a salary being given to
them, in amount not greater than that which they would natu-
rally and properly receive in their own sphere of life. Here
arose a question of vital importance: If you ordain a man as
pastor of a native church, who is to pay his salary; on what prin-
ciple should a Foreign Society continue to pay the salary when
a native agent is ordained over a church? He referred to the
question. because their American brethren had been dealing with
Rule of the it in a clear and decided manner. When Dr. Anderson, the
American
Board.
Rev. R. S.
HARDY.
Natives
ordained
over a
circuit.
REV. J. MULLENS.
Foreign Secretary of the American Board, and his colleague,
visited the Missions of the Board in Western and Southern
India, they suggested, in regard to this matter; that whilst it.
was desirable to have their native brethren ordained as pastors of
churches, and for those churches wholly to support them, the dif-
ficulty that arose, from a small church being unable to raise suf-
ficient salary for a native ministry, should be met by the Society
continuing to supplement any deficiency in the salary of the
native pastor, year by year, until the church could take the
entire duty upon itself. He believed that the Board in America
unanimously approved of such an arrangement.
Mr. HARDY, in reply, said;-That his paper was intended to
be suggestive, rather than exhaustive. The manner of working
the native ministry was different in the Wesleyan body, with which
he was connected, from that pursued in other churches. It might,
of course, be supposed that he most approved of their own mode.
The natives who were appointed to such a charge were appointed,
not to one particular place, but to a circle of churches. There
was generally a principal station under one native minister, with
three or four chapels and flocks, and maybe three or four schools
also; of all these he was supposed to have the care. According
to their rule, he could not remain more than three years in one
FIFTH SESSION.
201
place. They did not, in their mission stations, absolutely insist
upon this; but still he was liable to be removed at any time and
they ordained him, not as the pastor of any particular church, but
as a pastor of the Church of Christ at large, liable to be sent
to work anywhere where duty called.
Salaries
Then, as to salaries, he (Mr. Hardy) agreed with the prin- are supple-
ciple adopted in the American missions,-to supplement what the mented.
native teacher received from his congregation. Their own plan
was to receive all that the native churches could give; and to
supplement what was necessary. That necessity, he thought, had
hitherto been supposed to be much greater than it really was.
He believed they had acted in error in their own stations in
South Ceylon, by giving so high a salary to their native assist-
ants, that the churches alone could not continue it.
The sup-
plementary principle should be carried so far as it was applied in
their churches at home, and no further. As to the amount of
salary, he would make no distinction betwixt the remuneration
given to a native pastor, whether he understood English or only
the vernacular; unless he were appointed to some church in
which English was used in the services he held; in which case
his own congregation would be able to afford the extra remune-
ration.
necessary:
Colonel DAWES, Hon. East India Company's Service, and Col. Dawes,
Lay Secretary of the Church Missionary Society, viewed the sub-
ject of native agency as one of the utmost importance. He did
not wish to occupy any time in introducing himself, or by way of
preamble, but he might mention that his opportunities had been
frequent, whilst a resident in India, of becoming acquainted with
missionaries of different denominations, and of witnessing the
working of their various systems. The want of a good native Native
agency had always appeared to him most pressing. He bore agency most
high testimony to the immense exertions and unwearied zeal of
the European missionaries. It was above all praise. Nothing
was assuredly wanting on their parts. But they had never been
able to overtake the work, nor would they ever be able to do so,
without a larger native agency. As to the description of agency trained in
best suited to the work, he preferred men brought up without tongue:
a knowledge of the English language-men who were willing and
able in their own tongue to declare "the unsearchable riches of
Christ" to the heathen by whom they were surrounded. Another
practical point which he would mention was the necessity that
their own
202
COLONEL DAWES.
keeping
their native
habits:
existed of native agents conforming, as far as was practicable, to
the habits of the countries in which they laboured. They should
endeavour to eschew the adoption of European customs, and even
dress. And this he was happy to think was the practice adopted
by the native agents, especially in South India. When a native
visited a village station, the people should be induced to regard
him as one of themselves, in appearance and general mode of life;
whilst the great points of difference between him and them should
be found, not in his dress and manners, but in his enlightened
views and opinions respecting religious questions, especially this
idol-worship. The Chairman had referred to the probable causes
of "failure." He thought the word employed in the programme
was unfortunate (hear, hear); and would himself rather be dis-
posed to say, "partial success."
partial success." The agency that had been used
hitherto was in many instances inadequate, both as to quality
and quantity. The native agent should be, as much as possible,
like one of those amongst whom he labours; not coming amongst
them as one having received education in a foreign language, and
having adopted a dress and manners half English, half Indian,
but as one, in these private matters, in all respects like themselves.
It should at once be seen that the great difference between him
only in their and them lies in something beyond externals; in the views which
religion. he entertains of the blessed gospel which he has been led to
differing
from the
heathen
Labours of
English
embrace; and in the earnest compassion with which he invites
them, one and all, to receive that message of reconciliation which
has been proclaimed for the whole world. His impression, after
several years' residence abroad was, that the European missionaries
missionaries. had far more work on their hands than they were able to attend
Rev. I.
STUBBINS.
to. In one place which he could instance there were three
missionaries: the time of one was given wholly to the press; of
another, to the work of translation; and of the third, to preaching;
whilst if there had been an efficient native agency, the whole time
of the three might have been devoted to the chief work, of pro-
claiming with their own lips the gospel of Christ. Since his
return from India, he had read some hundreds of letters and
journals from China, India, Africa, and New Zealand; these all
united in confessing the great want at the present time to be—the
extension of native agency.
The Rev. ISAAC STUBBINS, General Baptist Missionary at
Cuttack, in India, said,-He had laboured for twenty-four years
in the province of Orissa, where the great idol Juggernaut held
FIFTH SESSION.
203
his seat.
should learn
guage.
rule:
also:
Their work there was-from conscientious motives
carried on almost exclusively in the vernacular tongue. They
both preached and taught in that tongue, so far as they had
schools to teach; and they raised up native ministers to do the
same to their fellow-countrymen. From all that he had seen of
the use of the native language, he should most strongly urge that
all missionaries,—especially missionaries going out to India, should Missionaries
acquire a clear, full, and comprehensive use of the native tongue. the lan-
Unless they could or would do that, the sooner they returned the
better. They had been taught by a wise Teacher that "the
children of this world are wiser in their generation than the
children of light." The Government makes it essential that their Government
civilians learn the language of the people, and pass an examina-
tion in that language before they receive their full appointment
to any sphere of labour; and he did think their missionary com-
mittees ought to require that all their agents should pass through
a similar ordeal. Not only so, but their wives also learned the their wives
language of the natives-a most important thing to keep in view.
In gathering around them native churches, there were native
Christian females who required instructing in a variety of mat-
ters; and only the wife of the missionary could impart that
instruction which they so imperatively needed. In their mis- Why?
sionary tours, also, their wives frequently accompanied them; and
while the missionaries attended the busy market, the festival, or
the bazaar, their wives repaired to the villages to converse with Itinerancies
the native heathen females. Such visits were always welcome,
and had proved in many instances exceedingly useful. During
these tours they did not pretend to sell their tracts or Scriptures,
but endeavoured judiciously to distribute them; and in this way
they parted with some fifty or sixty thousand tracts annually.
These had been conveyed into parts of the country which they
themselves could never visit, and had been the means of drawing
numbers out from heathenism; many of whom had afterwards
died rejoicing in the faith of Christ Jesus, though they had never
seen a missionary, or even a native minister. (Hear, hear.) God
had blessed their labours in the vernacular tongue with great Success of
success. Between 500 and 600 native converts had been bap-
tised during the last thirty-two years of their history, and their
mission had been but small. Between twenty and thirty native Their native
preachers had been raised up, and some of these dear brethren
had laboured with a zeal and an ardour scarcely equalled by any
minister of our own land. They had exposed themselves to un-
iu Orissa.
the mission.
preachers.
204
DR. LOCKHART.
Their best
men were
once hea-
then.
Their zeal. numbered dangers; penetrated deadly jungles; slept under trees,
in sheds, or in open verandahs; they had deprived themselves of
everything but what was really necessary, to accomplish their
great Master's work among their own countrymen; and he might
remark, that the men who had, as a rule, specially devoted them-
selves, were those who had grown up in heathenism; had been
converted in mature years; and had then given themselves to the
preaching of the gospel. Out of twenty-three native ministers
raised up in connexion with their mission, all of them, except
eight, were converted and called to the ministry as adults. After
a satisfactory period to prove their change of heart, they were
baptised, and instructed, and commissioned to preach the gospel.
Their salary. The stipend which had hitherto been allowed them was small,
not exceeding ten rupees, or 17. per month, in addition to some-
thing for travelling expenses, and something for the carriage of
their books and clothing. The missionary, at whose station these
native brethren may be placed, endeavours to make their instruc-
tion an important part of his duty. They are encouraged to come
to him at all times for the reading and exposition of the Scriptures,
and for general instruction; especially in relation to their all-
important duties as ministers of the word of God.
Dr. Lock-
HART.
Native
agents
essential
in China:
Dr. LOCKHART said,-The mission churches could not do with-
out native agency. The European missionaries must be the evan-
gelists, but the great spread of the Gospel must be effected by
native agents; and in a great country like China, distinguished
by the vastness of its territory and the difficulties of its language,
it was incumbent on all systems of missions to raise up an exten-
sive native agency. The London Missionary Society missionaries
had all of them devoted themselves, from the time when they had
acquired the language, to raising up a number of converts who
successful. might go forth to preach. And to this was their great success in
the north of China mainly attributable. Careless, apathetic, and
indifferent, as the Chinese are in a heathen state, let them only
come under the influence of Christianity, and the same change passes
over them as over Europeans: they become earnest, hearty, and
steadfast in showing to their fellow-countrymen the way of salvation.
To the eloquent declarations of gospel truth, made by some of them
at Shanghai, he had listened with the greatest pleasure. They ex-
hibited in their work as much carefulness as earnestness. They
would carry on the work of the Gospel throughout China much more
extensively and efficiently than any Europeans could. Dr. Lock-
Their zeal
and elo-
quence.
Vi
FIFTH SESSION.
205
female mis-
hart then adverted to Mr. Stubbins' observations regarding the
influence of females, which (he said) in China was imperatively Native
demanded. Without it they could do little for the spiritual wel- sionaries also
fare of the women of that vast empire. Female converts must aid required.
in the conversion of their countrywomen. Europeans had very
little chance of access to them; but the wives, daughters, and
sisters of native converts, could reach them. Female influence and
agency were extensively and beneficially employed at Amoy and
at Ningpo, rendering very great service to the cause of Christ.
Miss Aldersey, whose useful labours are well known in Europe,
went out on her own responsibility to establish and carry on a
large school at Ningpo; and God had raised round her a number
of females who had consecrated their time to the great work. In
all the countries of the East, too great stress could not be laid on
the agency of converted female natives. They visit the villages, Their work.
and gather around them a number of women, to whom they declare
Jesus and his salvation; and it was a cheering circumstance that
even in China, which was generally supposed to be so unapproach-
able, and where women would come so little under missionary in-
fluence and teaching, the work was going on so heartily and well.
He (Dr. Lockhart) then spoke on the subject of rendering into Romanising
Roman orthography the signs of the Chinese language, briefly
brought before the Conference on the previous day by Dr. Gun-
dert. It might be to some extent desirable, that in a school small
books and tracts should be printed in this particular orthography;
but it could not be thus used extensively, because dialects in China
differ so materially. A book written in the orthography of one
place could not be understood in another place, thirty or forty miles Why not
distant. One produced at Shanghai would be perfectly useless advisable.
at Ningpo. Every missionary has hitherto used his own discretion
as to the sound of certain vowels and consonants. This produces
endless confusion. No Roman orthography, however, can accurately
render the sounds and tones of the Chinese characters so that it
can be used in books for the natives. The Chinese language and Chinese can
character can be acquired by Europeans by industry and applica-
tion, and they must use it if they would fully get to the minds of
the natives. The native mind must be used to a large extent in
the writing and translation of tracts; but of course natives should
not translate the Scriptures unassisted. No European missionary
ever idiomatically translated the Scriptures into any foreign lan- Translation
guage without a judicious employment of native teachers. The of the Bible.
best-instructed native teachers, being obtained for the purpose, the
Chinese.
be learned.
206
CHARLES SWALLOW, ESQ.
Rev. W.
FAIRBRO-
THER.
Success of
native
agency.
The Rev. WM. FAIRBROTHER, Secretary for Funds to the Lon-
don Missionary Society, said,-that modern missions had a history
to which they could now refer. In certain districts native agency
had accomplished wonders. By it a great number of the South
Sea Islands had been won to the church of the Redeemer; and the
same might, under God, be said of Madagascar, and of the Karen
church. Let them ask themselves,-Was it possible to apply the
No rules
the plans and measures which had been adopted in these parts,
universally
applicable. and which had been so honoured of God, to other parts of the
mission-field?
C. SWALLOW,
Esq,
Native
females
should be
evangelists.
Maj. DAVID-
SON.
translation of the meaning and spirit of the word of God from the
original tongues must emanate from the mind of the missionary
himself. It had been well put by Dr. Baylee, that he would not
give his University Greek for all the vernacular Greek ever
spoken.
CHARLES SWALLOW, Esq., Agent of the British and Foreign
Bible Society, spoke of the tie which bound him to mission-
work in a dear brother-in-law who had laboured and died at the
Missionary Institution maintained by the Church Missionary
Society at Cotta in Ceylon. He asked,-Could not the female
native converts be more largely employed as evangelists, especially
on the Sabbath, and among the unconverted heathen of their own
sex? They might prove most useful and powerful auxiliaries.
He thought that no more effectual plan could be adopted for
increasing the liberality which the Sunday-schools of our land
have bestowed upon Christian missions, than to show that some-
thing like a Sunday-school plan is prevailing in our missions.
Children jump at conclusions without reasoning through the pro-
cesses by which those conclusions are arrived at; and he believed
that in the manufacturing districts especially, practical men also
had a growing idea that by employing native agency in this way,
missions would effect greater results.
Major DAVIDSON said,—I have very great diffidence in ob-
truding myself on this meeting; yet having resided for a long
period in India, and having been brought very much in contact
with the great body of the people; and having also had, when
employed in the revision of the Land Revenue, to raise and educate
a large native agency; I think I may be permitted to add my
testimony to that of Colonel Dawes as to the great importance
FIFTH SESSION.
207
of having in missionary-work a native agency thoroughly suited
the natives
santry.
few.
to the work in which they are engaged. I believe there is a Character of
great deal of misapprehension with respect to the character of in India.
the people who are to be operated upon in India. I myself was
ten years in India before I knew almost anything of the
people of India. The reason was, that I was with my regiment
going from station to station, and I came in contact only with
those natives who are to be found at the large stations and in large
cities. The last ten years of my residence in India were passed
entirely among the native agricultural population. I pitched my
tent by their villages and lived amongst them, altogether away The pea-
from European society. For months I never spoke my own
language. During that period I came in contact with what
constitutes the great body of the people of India. Many people
in this country view the natives of India as if they were all
learned Brahmins. Now these said Brahmins constitute a mere Brahmins
fraction of the population. Are we, then, to educate our native
agents as if they were to contend only with learned Brahmins;
or are we to educate them so that they may be able to labour
among the native population at large? I had, as I said, to
raise a native agency for a special and a very difficult purpose, that Native
of making a correct survey of the country; and also a careful esti-agency in
mate of the comparative productive powers of the soil, of each field,
a work altogether new to them. I did not seek to make them qualified
for anything more than the very work they had to perform. I se-
lected them from the people amongst whom I was acting; they were
mostly young men, whom I chose in a great measure from their how raised
intelligent appearance; I then educated them for their work, and
for it alone. And this is, I think, the principle which we must
observe in our efforts to evangelise India. I am far from consider-
ing a high education as thrown away. I do believe we ought to
educate some of our native agents in the highest possible manner;
but for the general agency by which we are to operate upon the
people of India, I do not think so high a class of education is so in mission
either necessary or desirable. We should seek to make native
agents fit for the work they have to do. A great deal of time
and labour have been wasted in attempting more than this. I
fully agree also with Colonel Dawes as to the advisability of their
not adopting our English dress and English habits. I think the Native
native agent will have far greater influence when he goes amongst to live like
the people as one of themselves, differing from others only in their coun-
having the love of Christ in his heart, and in seeking to impart
surveys:
up:
work.
trymen.
208
MAJOR DAVIDSON.
that love to his fellow-countrymen. Having passed so many years.
in close intercourse with the rural population, I may be permitted
to say that the impression left on my mind was in the highest degree
favourable. There were two things that fixed themselves in my
mind: the first, the almost inexhaustible resources of the soil in
India, with the great extent to which it yet remains to be developed;
and the other, the almost inexhaustible resources of the minds of
the people of India. I was greatly struck with the fine heads
fine people. and countenances of the rural population generally, and with the
The pea-
santry a
intelligence they displayed; these men had been brought up in
the most primitive manner, and had scarcely ever come in contact
with Europeans, yet they were ready to converse in an intelli-
gent way on any ordinary subject. I was also much pleased with
the great interest they take in theological discussions. I had not
much time to devote to this great work; but on the Sabbath I was
accustomed to invite them to my tent at the time when I was
instructing my own servants, and to ask them to join in conversa-
tion on the subjects under notice. Large congregations would as-
semble on these occasions at my tent-door, and the conversations that
took place were exceedingly interesting. I have felt most deeply,
during the recent disturbances in India, that a very erroneous im-
pression has gone abroad with respect to the natives of India. We
take our opinion of them from the cases of atrocity that have
come before us, and from the opinions of those who have come in
contact only with the natives found at our military stations, who
are the very worst specimens of the race. I myself have a great
love for the people of India; and if I were to return to those dis-
tricts where I laboured, I firmly believe that at every one of those
villages I should be received with cordiality and friendship by those
poor natives. It will, indeed, be a cause of rejoicing to my heart
to find that something adequate is being done in order to communi-
cate to them the "unsearchable riches of Christ."
Religious
instruction.
Wrong im-
about them.
pressions
Dr. MAC-
GOWAN.
<
Dr. MACGOWAN, American Medical Missionary from China and
Japan, remarked, that he also might say things pleasant to the
ear, suggesting encouraging prospects; but he thought their time
would be more profitably employed in indicating the defects and
pointed out. difficulties attending the subject under their notice. If two hours
Defects
should be
were set apart to this end, for addresses of five minutes each, he
felt assured there would be twenty-four speakers who could detail
defects that had come under their own observation which would
prove useful to us all. The great subject after all was: How far
FIFTH SESSION.
209
not equal to
must know
and the
have missions been successful? Considering the great outlay of Our success
money and labour that had been expended, there had been a want our efforts.
of success; the results had not been commensurate with the just
expectations entertained. This subject they had not grappled
with. He represented China, but his observations of the mission-
field extended from Bengal to Japan; and, coming from that
colossal country, he was bound to state that some mistakes of
colossal proportions had been committed in his field. As regards
the language, that man is an encumbrance who does not master it, Missionaries
whatever other qualifications he may possess. He must also strive the language
to become intimate with the people, and grapple with the subject, people.
not at arms'-length, but man to man, as it were.
Their experi-
ence in China suggested that they should "make haste slowly," and
that the employment of native agency had been, to some extent,
detrimental to the healthful growth of missions in that empire. The
results of the too early employment of native agents had been dis- Undue haste
in employing
astrous. Native agency was, indeed, all-important; but they had natives.
been pressed and impelled by friends at home to employ and trust
to natives too soon; one of the results being, that they were filling
their churches with hypocrites, because men were anxious for Evil result:
employment. The heathen outside saw this, and, as a consequence,
became only too anxious to join us. He had suggested to his own
Society that hereafter, in establishing new missions, they should
rely for a time on native agency only so far as it was unpaid; that its cure.
the natives, every man of them, should understand from the be-
ginning that it is their business to propagate religion. It is safe,
as a general rule, not to salary native assistants until their fellow-
church members so far confide in them as to aid largely in their
maintenance. It is by this slow process only that healthful
churches can be established.
GARDINER.
The Rev. THOMAS GARDINER, Free Church missionary in Rev. T.
Calcutta, observed that he was known to be connected with a par-
ticular system; but the few words he should say expressed only
his own individual views and sentiments. He fully agreed with
Major Davidson, that there had been onetimes manifested a want
of due consideration as to the fields of labour for which it was
proposed to raise up these men. Missionaries in India laboured
in
very
different localities. The Presidency cities were crowded Differences
of locality
with English educated young men, whilst in many of the rural require dif-
districts scarcely an European idea or word had yet penetrated. training.
It was thus perfectly clear that the trainings for these diverse
ferences of
P
210
REV. T. GARDINER.
Their sala-
ries.
localities must be different; a uniform system was entirely out of
Experience the question. They of the Free Church mourned that they had
of their
mission.
not more native agency in connexion with their own mission.
Perhaps they might have in some respects their own system to
thank for it; and it behoved them to study to find out their weak
points. No man had yet enunciated a perfect system; and he was
a very hopeless man in many ways whom experience taught nothing.
Now what was the training they gave to their men in Calcutta?
agents suit- They introduced them into the world of English thought and
English-
taught
able for
towns.
feeling, English science and literature; they felt its fascination
and its charms; they lived therein for years, until they were
brought through a college education, and had become to a very
great extent anglicised and denationalised; and after all this, they
sent them off into the country districts, where not a single English
idea or sympathy was to be met with! Was
Was it to be wondered
at if such young men found themselves out of their element, and
experienced a difficulty in settling down to the work of evan-
gelising their countrymen? And were we to be surprised if a
considerable amount of moral weakness continued to cling often to
brethren who had been born, and brought up, and had lived for
years under the influences of a system so unspeakably corrupting,
Agents for perverting, and degrading, as Hindooism? If we are to raise up
triets should men to labour amongst their educated countrymen in a city like
be trained in Calcutta, then English education is the thing required; but for
rural dis-
the verna-
cular.
men for the country at large it is manifest that, instead of this
high English education, which has been made so much of, we
should have a special training, very much in the vernacular
tongue. Not that we should send forth any of them ignorant
or uneducated, for there were works in theology and philosophy
in which it was desirable they should all be instructed; but he
did feel that great discrimination and judgment should be exercised
in this matter. Mr. Gardiner further adverted to the difficulty
attaching to the stipend of native agents. It was at present a
standing difficulty with mission boards. He wished he could say,
from his own experience, that even the high salaries they had
given to their native brethren had satisfied them. They must, on
these points, fight their way to the light, and endeavour to learn by
experience, owning where the difficulties were of their own creation,
and striving to get rid of them.
Rev. P. LA-
TROBE.
The Rev. P. LATROBE observed, that if there was any one
subject on which, after forty years' connexion with missionary
FIFTH SESSION.
211
t
pl
vian mis-
and the
work, he still wished to learn something, it was that of native
agency. The Society he represented had been a pretty long time
in the missionary field, and God had blessed them with a large
measure of success among certain tribes and nations of men; but
he candidly confessed, that with regard to the training of native
agents they felt themselves somewhat in the rear of their brethren, Experience
and would therefore be thankful for any suggestions which would of the Mora-
enable them to do better in time to come. They had laboured sions.
Greenlanders,
amongst, perhaps, the most unfavourable races,
Esquimaux, and the American Indians,-people who led a very
peculiar kind of life; and amongst their poor sable fellow-
subjects of the West Indies and Southern Africa-classes not to
be compared for a moment with the intelligent races of British
India, in the matter of intellectual advancement.
Still he thought
they ought to have been more successful in the North, West, and
South, than they had been. In substance he agreed with the
paper that had been read, as also with the excellent remarks that
had fallen from Colonel Dawes and Major Davidson.
He fully
recognised the distinction drawn between native agents evidently The called
called by God and those to a certain extent trained, trained trained.
either by the missionaries in schools, or trained by God's provi-
dential dealings. In their own missions, they had some very
striking examples of the power of the grace of God in preparing
native agents. He would just name one: Samuel Kayarnak, the Example.
first Greenland convert, whose conversion taught a lesson not only
to their own feeble and insignificant Church, but to the whole
Christian Church throughout the world, in the circumstances that
led to it,—the simple setting forth of the story of a Saviour's love.
That man proved a marvellous evangelist among his countrymen.
His life was short; but during the three years that followed his
conversion, he made more converts-speaking after the manner
of men-than the missionaries themselves.
There were many
others equally useful and energetic, although they possessed
little of that knowledge deemed necessary for teachers- little of
human wisdom or learning. He (Mr. Latrobe) doubted whether The call of
they were sufficiently attentive to the workings of God Himself, watched for.
and particularly in times of gracious revival. Were they suffi-
ciently careful to ascertain, who were fitted for the work in their
hearts, although they might be deficient in those other require-
ments which were thought desirable? Our missionaries should
be more attentive to this point, seeking amongst their flocks,
especially the younger portion, for those who were trained by
God to be
212
REV. DR. O'MEARA.
Don't look
too high.
Rev. Dr.
O'MEARA.
The Rev. Dr. O'MEARA stated. in reference to the North
American Indians, amongst whom he had had considerable
missionary experience,-that the rule so applicable to India did not
apply to them. He had heard that in India it was desirable for the
native agents to be as much as possible assimilated in habits and
mode of life to their fellow-countrymen amongst whom they
laboured. That was not the case among the North American
Indians. It was strange that such a rule should be required
amongst an educated and comparatively civilised people, and its
very opposite amongst a barbarous nation. But he thought it arose
from that very fact,—their being in a low state of social existence.
Indians look The Indian looks upon himself as a being of an inferior race; and
up.
his desire is to rise as much as possible to the level of the white man.
If a native goes amongst them to preach the gospel, but retains
habits akin to their own, his word is regarded as of no moment
whatever; for this reason it is desirable, nay, absolutely necessary,
that a considerable degree of civilisation, and of the habits
attaching to the white man, should be attained. It was not
yet zealous. necessary that, in all cases, a very high degree of education should
English:
civilized,
be imparted; but when that was possible, it would and did prove a
most valuable adjunct to the native agent amongst the Indians of
North America. He had found this to be the case with the one
native missionary whom he had himself been enabled to prepare for
the work, and who was now an ordained minister to the people of
the fold which he himself had just quitted. This man had
received a secular education under the care of Bishop Anderson,
who gave him a letter of introduction to himself. Being at that
time in want of an assistant, he employed him at first as a catechist.
He resided at his house, and pursued his education under his own
care. He found him very far advanced in classical and other
knowledge; and he looked forward to making him an efficient
Difference
of rules.
Native
agents
should be
like the
Instance.
God's Spirit, and by the workings of His Providence, to become
useful among their fellows. Major Davidson's remark was of
immense importance-that we should not fly too high, and should
not employ men for work they are unfitted to perform. It was a
remark peculiarly applicable to the natives of the West Indian.
islands. "To the poor the gospel is preached," and to the poor
and ignorant they must have special reference in all their labours;
praying for the outpouring of the grace of God upon them, and
giving them such a measure of education as will fit them for the
work of evangelists, before calling them into the service.
FIFTH SESSION.
213
:
agent in other portions of the work; and not in vain. After he
had studied theology with him for two years, he went to pre-
sent himself for ordination; and he (Dr. O'Meara) had the gratifi-
cation of hearing that he stood second amongst a large number of
candidates, the one above him being a Cambridge man. When he
returned, and set to work, he did not show that his superior
education had at all spoiled him for labour among his countrymen:
he was just as ready to enter dirty wigwams as before for their
sakes; and to sit down for the translation of the Scriptures when
he was with himself. This man was at the present time engaged
in preparing another native agent, a relative of his own, who
would in due time come out in just the same way as his relative
had done before him. Again he repeated, the North American The Indian
Indians, as a people, were not only desirous to be raised from
barbarism, but to raise themselves. Civilised men should go
amongst them, men who would be looked up to by them. They
viewed the white man as a being of superior race, and expected
words of wisdom from his lips; and his cultivated and earnest
native brother of whom he had been speaking was now just as
much looked up to as was the European himself.
standard,
WADDELL.
The Rev. HOPE WADDELL claimed the interest of the Con- Rev. H. M.
ference in favour of African missions. The question of native
agency presented itself to him in regard to the African race in the
West Indies, and in the African continent itself. He did not
wonder at diversity of opinion on this subject. The mission-work
was yet young: the Church was only now taking it in hand: but
two generations had passed since its need had first been largely
felt. They might have made mistakes, but they would learn from
the experience of the past to correct the future. Missionaries
everywhere felt the necessity of native agency, and were all
desirous of employing it. But he feared that they frequently
employed such agents too soon; urged by the greatness of the work, Agents
the opportunities pressing around them, the willingness of their too soon.
young converts, and the pressure from home. The question had
been raised whether young men prepared for service in the church
would make the best agents, or those converted in middle life, and
past the period for any considerable mental improvement. Perhaps
a combination of both was the best. In the West Indies, middle- Older and
aged men, being the first converts, had been the first employed; and men both
many true and valuable Christian men were amongst them, who required.
would not by anything be turned aside from rendering service to the
employed
214
REV. H. M. WADDELL.
Education
not to be too
high,
Lord. But they had also found it advantageous to employ younger
men, who had not been wedded to old things before they became
converted, and had received some education under the care of the
missionaries. He would, therefore, combine the two. As to
the amount of education to be imparted, he would not aim too
high. Latin and Greek, science and philosophy, were not essential
to make a man a good minister of Jesus Christ. These our home
ministry cannot well do without; but when a native Christian
teacher entered upon his work, he would not be able to make use of
them. There must, however, be a measure of comparison between
the teacher and the taught. In this country, general education
was prevalent, all minds were taught; and the ministry must not
be below the ordinary level, but rather above it; and it must be
so to some extent betwixt the native agent and those whom he
is sent to instruct. Mr. Waddell then adverted to the idea which
Dress
Native
agents must
be raised on was at one time prevalent of making the West Indian coloured
the spot.
population a kind of native agency for the introduction of the
gospel amongst the Negroes of Africa. It had not succeeded.
Although the former were of the same race as the latter, they were
no longer to be considered natives. He would not wish to under-
value their use for this purpose, but Missionary Societies had expe-
rienced too many disappointments to warrant him in saying that
much dependence was to be placed upon this agency. In every
country they must raise their native agencies on the spot. In Calabar
all the missionaries learn the native tongue, and teach in it both
in schools and from the pulpit: they deemed this a matter of the
first importance. English, however, was taught in the schools, as
it furnished a means of great improvement to the young people,
who, as well as the chief inhabitants of the country, were quite
ambitious of learning it. They may differ in their languages from
each other; coast tribes may not be able to converse with each
other; but they all know something of English. As to native
teachers copying the dress and mode of living of the Europeans, in
Africa, it was to some extent indispensable. It would be a great
hardship to oblige them to conform to the heathen in these respects,
for the dress of the latter, as they well knew, was almost nil. We
did not insist upon their adopting all our dress, but something was
necessary for decency's sake. As to the work of translating, when
their native converts acquired a proper degree of education,-
which in time they would assuredly do,-and gave proofs of true
piety, then they might well be intrusted with this work. None are
better than those who thoroughly understand the language into
FIFTH SESSION.
215
which the word is translated; for what sort of an English translation
should we have, if it were made by foreigners.
BIRCH.
employs
agents only.
evangelists
of native
the mission.
tion.
The Rev. G. R. BIRCH, Secretary to the Turkish Missions' Aid Rev. G. R.
Society, explained that the object of this Society was expressly
that of raising funds for the rapid extension of native agency, in His Society
connexion with the American missions among the Turks.
That native
mission presented this very remarkable feature; it was, to a great
extent, a native-agency mission, and it was the aim of their American
brethren to send their missionaries there simply as evangelists, not Missionaries
as pastors. They wished to raise up, as rapidly as possible, native only.
pastors; educating young men for the ministry, and planting them
over churches; but regarding their own work as wholly evange-
listic, and willing to retire from the field so soon as native churches
are supplied. The number of agents now employed was nearly 300. Number
The missionaries announced openly, "We do not come here to be agents in
pastors in your churches; such is not our intention or desire: we
come here to teach you the word of God, and to form churches
which shall in due time govern and support themselves." He was
incessantly receiving communications as to this work of native
agency, which narrated wonderful results. Look at the wisdom Their educa-
of their system of education. In Constantinople, the capital seat,
not only of the Turkish empire, but of their missions, they had
established a college; and there, for 167. a-year, they were edu-
cating a man for the native pastorate: this was the sum now
charged to the Turkish Missions' Aid Society for the board and
lodging of each student, during a five or six years' course of pre-
paration for the native ministry. But some parties had said,—
"How miserably these students are clad: why do not the Americans Style and
improve their condition ?” No," they say, we want to keep
these men precisely in the position we found them; we wish to
educate them sufficiently for the work to which we send them:
and it shall be for them a good thing to become the pastor of a
native church, though that native church will never be able to
give them salary sufficient to Europeanise them." Mr. Birch then
animadverted upon the letter addressed by Rev. Dr. Wolff (whose Proposal of
peculiar missionary peregrinations were well known) to Professor
Williams of Cambridge, to the effect that he had found one idea
reigning among all the high dignitaries of the Greek and Oriental
churches, that England should adopt the same principle as the
Pope had adopted in Rome; viz. that of allowing colleges with
professors and tutors of the Oriental churches: all that the Pope
position.
(C
Dr. Wolff
CC
216
REV. BEHARI LAL SINGH.
Universities
to the
Oriental
churches.
required being, that they should acknowledge him as head, and
to open the then they might teach whatever tenets they liked. Dr. Wolff
urged, that since recent legislation had opened the doors of
Cambridge University to Dissenters, it had also widely thrown
open its doors for members of the Oriental churches; the plain
proposition being that these men might not only enter as students,
but might actually aspire to university degrees, without any in-
terference, direct or indirect, with their peculiar tenets or usages.
He (Mr. Birch) would only ask, if native agents were coming
over here, what was to be done with them? In his office as secre-
tary he was perpetually assailed by native agents, Nestorians,
Turks, and others, dissatisfied with the salaries they got, and
they never would be satisfied with an Europeanised education.
This question had a very important pecuniary bearing, and was
worthy of the deepest consideration of the members of the
Conference.
Rev. B. L.
SINGH.
The Rev. BEHARI LAL SINGH being called upon, then ad-
dressed the meeting. He thanked Colonel Dawes and Major
Davidson for the judicious remarks they had made. With the
latter gentleman, however, he differed on one point. He had stated
that the Brahmins composed a small portion of the native com-
munity. That was quite true; but they were, nevertheless, the
lords of the Hindoos' consciences; they were worshipped as gods,
and considered part of the Deity himself; and, moreover, these
Brahmins were generally very learned men, distinguished for
their metaphysical and theological acquirements; so that when
the native brethren went to preach in villages and country places,
they generally found that the mass of the people were most
Rural peonie illiterate, and said, "We do not understand anything, we are
simple, but
rely on the just like the cows and bullocks; will you go and speak to our
priest; if you can convince him, then we shall hear you." The
people, in the presence of the colonel and major sahebs, did not
speak out their internal sentiments. But when the people were
found in the company of their own countrymen, then they were
ready to disclose their hearts, and tell the missionaries what
they thought of them and of the Christian religion. So that
he perfectly agreed with Major Davidson, that when they went
to preach amongst those rural people, not much learning was
required; but when they had to encounter Brahmins and Moul-
vies, then it would be well for them to have such training. The
speaker then narrated how, when he was labouring amongst the
Brahmins,
Brahmins
few but most
powerful.
Learning in
required for
the teacher
the learned
classes.
FIFTH SESSION.
217
tem in India
Greek and
Hebrew.
Mahommedans, they confronted him with their Moulvie, who was Example.
well versed in the Hebrew and Arabic Scriptures; and the argu-
ment he brought against the truth of the Bible was, that it was
perverted in the translation into Hindostanee. This, of course,
he (the speaker) denied; when he was challenged by the Moulvie
to read a chapter out of the Hebrew Bible. Having done so,
the Moulvie said it was not translated by competent men. Having
argued a little longer, he called upon him, in his turn, to read the
same chapter out of the Hebrew Bible; and by that means
thoroughly confuted him, by showing him that they both agreed
in the main points. The Bible, the blessed gospel of God, was
the only power that could convert the Brahmin or the Moulvie;
but with different classes in India it required a different way of
dealing with them. There was one way of attacking the Hindoo
mind, and another of dealing with the Mahommedan; and it was
requisite to understand this. He begged to differ on one point
from another father of the Conference. The Scotch system of Scotch sys-
education was not too high; on the contrary, he thought that in has too little
one respect it was too low. The knowledge of Greek and Hebrew
which Dr. Duff's College imparted to the students of divinity was
a mere smattering, in consequence of which he learned these
sacred languages with a converted Jew, and with the late Mr.
Morgan, of the Doveton College. Nearly the whole list of subjects
on their programme, concerning native agency, had been again and
again discussed and considered in the Calcutta Missionary Con-
ference; and the only difference that had arisen was respecting the
salaries of the native agents. Perhaps his remarks might lead Salaries.
some to think that he received a very high salary, and that there-
fore he was not fitted to labour among the rural population. When
he joined the Free Church mission as a teacher, for two years he
had laboured five hours a-day, and got nothing. After that, he His own.
got the same pay with the convert pupils attending the Institu-
tion, viz. eight rupees a-month; then sixteen; then successively
twenty, thirty, and forty; and, last of all, sixty and a house; and
when last the subject of salaries was brought before the Calcutta
Conference, he had said that if it would conduce to the welfare
of the native churches, he was willing to surrender anything.
(Cheers.) He had never stipulated for any amount of salary.
But whilst they had been listening to the venerable fathers on
this question, they must at the same time hear what the other
parties had to say, in order to the formation of a correct judgment.
The principle on which the salary of a native agent should be
-
218
REV. BEHARI LAL SINGH.
Actual pay
given.
Circum- regulated depended on various circumstances.
stances that
The first, the
should deter- real necessities of his position; secondly, the condition of the
mine their
amount.
preacher prior to his baptism, and prior to his appointment
as a preacher; thirdly, was he fed, and clothed, and educated,
at the expense of the Missionary Society; or did he himself
make considerable sacrifice in getting a theological education;
also, as to the moral and physical qualifications of the agents
themselves; and last of all, and certainly not the least important,
the resources of the native churches; what they could pay? That
question could only be finally decided when the native popula-
tion should be elevated from their moral and physical degradation,
and when their landed aristocracy should be evangelised, and
become the nursing fathers of the churches. As to the amount
of salary, the highest class of native preachers received betwixt
100 and 150 rupees per month,* which was much less than most
of the English missionaries received, but nearly equal to what his
friends of the General Baptist Society and American Free-will
brethren got.
The CHAIRMAN here requested the speaker to tell the Con-
ference, by way of comparison, what was received in Calcutta by
the first class of Mahommedan native teachers.
Income of
Moulvies,
He replied, that he did not think the majority of the Moulvies
Brahmins, and the Brahmins got more than from five to twenty rupees per
month; but then, besides that, there were the annual feasts, when
the grand idols or pirs were worshipped, and great numbers of
persons assembled; and also the marriage festivals and funeral
ceremonies of the Hindoos, at which they received various
presents.
In answer to a further question, put by Colonel EDWARDES,
as to what a principal pundit would get, Mr. BEHARI SINGH
replied, that it altogether depended upon the different classes of
and pundits. pundits, and the relation they bore to the wealthy heathen. For
instance, only a few years ago, one man spent 50,000 rupees at a
special celebration, and the Brahmins had their due share.
The second class of native Christian preachers received a
salary of fifty to eighty rupees per month; the third class,
* Although his remarks are confined to the native agents of Evangelical
Missionary Societies, yet he sees no harm in stating that some few of the native
clergy of the Propagation Society receive higher pay than any of their brethren
in connexion with other Missionary Societies.
ì
FIFTH SESSION.
219
between sixteen and thirty; and the fourth, between ten and
twenty. The highest class was not always the most effective;
and when he was asked how it was that so many of the second-
class men got the lower salary, he answered, "Oh, greater would
be their reward in heaven."
In answer to a question he had put to a highly-esteemed
missionary as to the propriety of giving high pay to some native
preachers, he received the following reply: "Oh, we have in-
Mr. S.
creased their salary because we have ordained them."
remarked, that he could not appreciate the value of this answer,
unless it could be shown that the native brethren had received
calls from the native churches, whose members came forward to
add to their salary. This the missionaries were never able to
show.
TRESTRAIL.
should be
not pastors.
The Rev. FREDERICK TRESTRAIL, Secretary to the Baptist Rev. F.
Missionary Society, said,- That one of the main principles con-
nected with the foundation of the mission with which he was
associated, was this, that European missionaries should, as far as Missionaries
possible, be regarded as evangelists in the centre of some im- evangelists,
portant district, and that they should direct thence as many
native preachers as could be obtained. For a very long time
that principle had been acted upon by the Serampore mission; but
a change took place, and the Society at home somewhat departed
to a great extent from that policy, very much to the regret of
many of their friends. They were, however, at the present time,
manifesting some degree of vigour, as returning to the practice of
their fathers. In some parts of India they had four (if not more)
native preachers for every European missionary. The mission
at Delhi presented features of encouragement that were very System now
remarkable. When the mission was resumed after the mutiny, Delhi.
they had only four native Christians remaining. Mr. Smith had
since been joined there by two Europeans, for the purpose of
helping him; and some twenty-four or twenty-five native Christ-
ians had been selected to take charge of certain small stations
where there were schools set up, and preaching and praying
going on constantly throughout the day. The consequence was, Its effect.
that additions had been made to that Christian community every
month, so that they now numbered about 120. He was informed
that sixteen were added during the month ending 20th February
last. Whilst the presence of the missionaries in rural districts
was esteemed to be requisite in order to certain operations, yet
working in
-
220
REV. F. TRESTRAIL.
The insti-
tution in
Jamaica.
so far as the converts were brought in, it was mainly from the
labours of the native agents. This result obtained at Chitoura, and
other places in the North-West Provinces; where, too, both mis-
sionaries and native preachers had had to endure no inconsiderable
amount of persecution. Then, as to Jamaica, the Calabar institu-
tion had been by some friends pronounced a failure. Though out
of the twenty-four or twenty-five brethren who had passed through
that institution, some after trial were found wanting in qualifi-
cations; yet they must remember that that sort of thing some-
times happened at home, and many were found attending our
colleges and universities who ultimately were discovered to be
unfit for the work they thought they were entitled to.
His co-
secretary, and the Rev. J. T. Brown, of Northampton, were in
Jamaica now, and had been present at recent examinations held
there; and he (Mr. Trestrail) was assured that, so far from being a
failure, the examiners were perfectly astonished at the proficiency,
intelligence, and aptitude of those young men, and expressed an
opinion that the committee at home ought further to support that
institution. Then, as to the great college at Serampore, they
Serampore. had a flourishing native class there, wholly trained in the ver-
Native
training at
nacular; and when the confidence of the brethren in the country
districts towards that institution became what they trusted it
would be, they would soon find there the men suited for them.
There was also a home aspect about this question. If they had
not a native agency in England, what would become of reli-
gion? Take the Wesleyan body, for example, and ask, were
they to lay aside all their local preachers, what would become of
them? He himself was a kind of lay preacher for seven years
before he became connected with the regular ministry. Where
pastors would do their best to pour out from the churches them-
selves men to evangelise the surrounding districts, they would
certainly have prosperous churches. These local preachers did
not preach to the Brahmins of England, the churches had another
and a different set of men to do that; but the Brahmins of Eng-
land were few, and the Brahmins of India were few likewise.
In conclusion, he trusted that from the flood of light now thrown
on this great matter, they would most unquestionably return and
adhere to the great principle that whilst the European is there
for certain purposes, unless he is surrounded by an adequate staff
of native agents, his efforts will be comparatively futile.
GEORGE F. BARBOUR, Esq., of Edinburgh, instanced the work
Native
agency in
England.
G. F. BAR-
BOUR, Esq.
FIFTH SESSION.
221
agency at
which had taken place at Amoy some six years ago. A very remark-
able work of grace then commenced, and the agents in spreading Native
it were mainly natives. It was the aim of the missionaries to Amoy, &c.
gather together some of the more promising and hopeful young
converts, for the purpose of training them as native evangelists;
and, by means of this agency, the seeds of truth were rapidly
disseminated from place to place, and an extraordinary outpouring
of the Divine blessing attended the instrumentality of these native
Christians. He understood that, at Shanghai and Singapore, the
like agency had been blessed. As to the salary question, he knew Their sala-
that some of the native teachers were receiving less than they
had previously received when following their several occupations.
Five or six dollars a-month was the ordinary salary. He felt con-
vinced the discussion that morning would establish, first, the
desirability of native agencies being instituted; secondly, that the
agents should be trained in the vernacular; and, thirdly, that
according to the different fields of labour, a different agency was
needed.
ries.
200
PRITCHARD.
S. Seas.
The Rev. G. PRITCHARD said, he had for thirty-three years Rev. G.
laboured in a very important part of the mission-field, the South
Seas; where, perhaps, more native agents might be found than Native
anywhere else, and where God had most signally blessed their agents in
labours. The question, therefore, arose, How had they been
trained? Some of them had been blessed with very little instruc-
tion. When the Tahitians first embraced the gospel, in a very
short time willing and suitable persons were found, whom the
missionaries sent to the neighbouring islands, selecting those
whom they believed to be really changed characters, and who
seemed to possess a talent for speaking their native tongue. Thus
these pioneers went forth; and their numbers augmented, until
now they had four or five colleges in the South Seas for training Colleges.
native agents, from which had proceeded a very considerable
number of teachers well qualified for their work. He had listened
to some of them, preaching to large congregations, with as much
pleasure as ever he had heard a white brother speak to the people.
Amongst the Feejees God had blessed the labours of the Wes- Work in Fiji,
leyan mission to such a degree, that they could not supply the
native brethren fast enough. The people had got sufficient know-
ledge to lead them to refrain from breaking the sabbath, and were
now waiting for teachers to come and preach the whole gospel to
them; and in this case the missionaries were acting very wisely
their ellect.
222
REV. C. B. LEUPOLT.
་
זי !
Different
denomina-
tions.
in sending the best men they could get. Wherever colleges for
training these valuable agents could be established on the spot, by
all means let them be founded. In those he had named, they had
four years' hard study, but were supposed to have had a moderate
education before they entered the colleges, like the youth in the
labours of
High Schools of Edinburgh and Glasgow. Whilst there, they
Extensive frequently acquired practice by preaching in the villages around.
those agents. Chiefly by means of these native agents, directed by the Euro-
pean missionaries, the gospel had spread from Tahiti over all
the groups in the Eastern Pacific, and a large portion of Central
Oceania. Turning to the relation held by societies towards each
other, Mr. Pritchard said, It was not desirable to locate two
native evangelists of different denominations in one small village.
Where this has been done, many evils have arisen. Bad feelings
have been excited; unnecessary expenses incurred; and much
labour thrown away, which in other portions of the mission-field
might have been productive of great good.
Rev. C. B.
LEUPOLT.
Good
preachers
much
opposed.
better heard
than Euro-
peans.
The Rev. C. B. LEUPOLT, of Benares, said; he supposed it was
quite unnecessary to say a single word as to the piety required to
be possessed and manifested by their native agents. He was
pleased to hear of their Hindoo brother who had addressed them,
that he was of the same stamp as his brother at Azimghur. The
latter had had his salary not long since raised; but he accepted
the gift on the condition that if the mission fell short of money,
they should not pay him the increase. This was unfortunately
the case during the mutiny, and his salary was most cheerfully
Natives not surrendered. As to the advantages possessed by their native
brethren, they were not all exactly such as they might suppose.
What Mr. Mullens had already stated he must repeat; that they
did not generally receive a more attentive hearing in the bazaars
than Europeans themselves received. The European missionaries
were listened to in the bazaars quite as attentively, as their brother
Behari had been listened to in an assembly of Englishmen that
morning. There was another point which must not be overlooked.
The more eloquent the native preacher was, and the higher his
standing in society, the more abuse he got. The speaker in-
stanced the cases of Mohan, Nehemiah Neel Kanth, and other
native agents, who, for heavenly-mindedness and devotedness to
their Master and His cause, could not be surpassed. He had at
times been obliged to stand betwixt them and their congregations;
though they spoke the language most eloquently, and their preach-
W
FIFTH SESSION.
223
Inore fatigue
great advan-
cular:
their coun-
better than
ing was quite of a superior order. Nor did he think that their Can't bear
native brethren were able to bear more fatigue than the mission- than they.
aries. They could, perhaps, bear more of the sun, or of sleeping
under trees, than we could; still as regards actual work, Euro-
peans could stand quite as much as they. Nor did he think that
the native Christians trusted them more than they trusted us.
But notwithstanding all this, their advantages were immense. But possess
What we gained by the hard labour of years, they possess at once: tages.
the language they have. Very few natives understand the language
well, who have had a purely European training. He had seen
natives of first-class European training, who could not write a
page of Hindostanee. The vernacular must form an important Should be
portion of the training that is given to them. Some Europeans the verna
could acquire the language as well as the natives themselves.
Their brother Smith of Benares, for instance, and Mr. Lacroix in
Calcutta, spoke the language equal to any native. Generally
speaking, however, such excellence could only be acquired after
twenty or five-and-twenty years' hard study. Another point was:
the native agents understood the habits of the people much better understand
than any body of Europeans did or ever could; and could thereby trymen
better effect an entrance into their hearts. Another advantage we:
Behari had mentioned, namely, that they wanted less than Euro-
peans did; in other words, they could do with less. For it was not need less.
asked with them as often it was with ourselves; How much can I
get, and how little can I do? If they wanted to construct a large
native agency, they must have men who would require smaller
salaries than European missionaries. And this was generally the
case with the native agents in India. Then, whence would they
get these men? They must get most of them from amongst the Old and
adult population; for such had their own peculiar advantages. useful.
They knew all about their old religions; and in this respect they
possessed an advantage, which the young man who had been
trained in a college from his childhood did not possess. But the
latter class had also advantages peculiar to themselves. By the
knowledge which had been instilled into them, they were better
able to meet and cope with the Brahmins, than those who were
not converted until they were thirty or forty years of age. What he
said, therefore, was: Get native agents wherever you can, whe-
ther from amongst the adults or from the orphan institutions. Higher and
More men were wanted to be trained in the vernacular languages, needed.
to whom, also, science, philosophy, and everything else, likely to
be useful, should be imparted, in such a way that they could
young, all
lower both
224
REV. J. WALTON.
Salaries.
again impart it in the native tongue. Let the native pastor or
missionary be specially well trained, superior in mind to his native
brethren; but, at the same time, in his habits simple as themselves.
Translation. As to the translation of the Scriptures, they would only get a good
Hindostanee version when such was made by the natives them-
selves, on the soil; but before they could hope to come to that,
they must have a Hebrew-and-Hindostanee dictionary, a Greek-
and-Hindostanee dictionary, and an English-and-Hindostanee dic-
tionary. The churches must be better established, they must
have a full and settled native ministry; and then they might expect
Luthers to rise up, who would set about translating the Word into
Hindostanee for themselves. The native brethren would furnish
the language, whilst our part would be to superintend the work.
As regards the salaries of native agents, he had little to say.
They must look to the native zemindars, for instance, partly in
this matter. And as to female agency, it was required every-
where. They wanted female missionaries, and also colleges for
missionaries. the proper training of females. He wished this matter had oc-
cupied the attention of the Conference to a greater extent. Pious
native females might be of immense service in going from house
to house; but they must be careful to select none but right
persons for that work.
Native
female
Rev. J.
WALTON.
The Rev. J. WALTON, of Jaffna, followed:-The salary ques-
tion, he said, had been felt to be one of great difficulty and much
embarrassment in Ceylon. It had been inseparably connected
with that denationalising process which attached to their present
methods of training, and which, he held, emphatically unfitted
their native brethren for mission work. Their mission to India
was to carry the Gospel to the people: their national customs and
habits, in so far as such were not heathenish, but simply national,
they had nothing to do with. They had not to change their coats,
but their hearts; they did not wish to destroy their national cus-
toms, but the enmity against God that was in their hearts. The
The position present system of missions was purely temporary. They did not
of the mis-
sionary tem- expect to have to send men and money for ever.
porary.
India would not
want them. It therefore now strongly behoved them to select
native agents suited in every respect for the position they were to
fill; and not to raise up in their churches a race of hybrids,
dressing like Europeans, detached from their own countrymen,
and needing an income which the native churches will, of them-
selves, be unable to furnish for a long time to come.
If the right
National
customs
not to be
changed.
sy
FIFTH SESSION.
225
men are thus trained in the right way, when the time came for
them to leave the churches to themselves, they might leave them
free from customs foreign to their wellbeing.
Colonel TUDOR LAVIE, of the Church Missionary Society, Col. LAVIE,
stated his impression, as the result of a visitation of fourteen dis-
tricts in India, from Delhi down to Southern India, that those
native missionaries who had been invested with any kind of
special responsibility, had been by far the most efficient and blessed Responsi-
in their labours. He had seen this exemplified with congregations bility.
numbering from 500 to 1200 persons.
TIDMAN.
to native
agency.
pastors in
Tahiti.
The Rev. Dr. TIDMAN, Foreign Secretary to the London Mis- Rev. Dr.
sionary Society, said that he had been both interested and in-
structed by what he had heard that morning. He felt deeply
indebted to Mr. Hardy for his excellent paper, and also to their
practical and devoted friend, Mr. Leupolt, whose observations
were most valuable. As for himself, he was irresistibly drawn to Success
largely
this conclusion: that the largest amount of success which had been tributable
realised was, in the great majority of instances, attributable to
native agency. He appealed to all missionaries present, to say
whether they were not indebted for the greater number of their
converts to the direct or indirect agency of Christian natives?
With regard to the churches to which Mr. Pritchard had referred,
they must permit him to say one word concerning the native Native
pastors of Tahiti. Why did they become so? Just because our
Europeans were sent adrift by French authority; they were thus
called forth by the necessities of the situation. These native
brethren were not ordained before; but as soon as they were
called to the work in the providence of God, they proved quite.
equal to it. And after twenty years of French misrule; not-
withstanding all the influences of Popery on the one hand, and
of brandy and vice on the other; there were now living under the
instruction and influence of these native pastors a greater number
of church members than ever they had had aforetime. (Cheers.)
Then as to another field in the South Pacific, the Samoan Islands. In Samoa.
Almost at every village there was a native agent; in some in-
stances, a pastor; and all these Christian teachers were supported
by the natives themselves, and did not cost the Home Society a
penny. With regard to Madagascar, twenty years ago or more, In Mada-
the European shepherds were all sent away; and a few
poor timid
lambs were left in the midst of wolves. And what had been the
gascar.
226
REV. DR. TIDMAN.
{
result? Why, men had been raised up by God to take the
oversight; and instead of tens of Christians under the care of
European pastors, there were now hundreds, nay thousands, under
Their great the teaching of these men. The conclusion he came to was this:
value in the
work.
for their
peculiar
spheres.
that native agents had done the work in time past, and must do
it for the time to come. As to gathering them into schools or
colleges, that must be the work of discreet men on the spot;
but they must be thorough Christians. They could afford to differ
as to the mode of training; but there had been no discord in their
discussion; though their respected Chairman had so carefully
admonished them at the outset, as if he expected they were going
To be fitted to loggerheads! The great thing they had to aim at was, to fit
the men for the particular work each had to perform. The man
who would have to labour in Calcutta, must certainly have a
different class of qualifications to the man whose sphere was con-
fined to the Hindoo village. In his opinion, all the modes that
had been named were extremely good; and it was a blessed thing
that they had them all; they could thus borrow wisdom from each
one. In conclusion, he trusted that their dear brethren in every
part of the great mission-field would not look to them continually
to send forth a great increase of white faces and European teachers;
but rather consider themselves bishops in the best sense of the
word, and labour, with God's blessing, to raise up suitable native
agencies themselves.
MINUTE.
In the following MINUTE are embodied the sentiments, which,
with singular unanimity, found favour among the members of the
Conference on the important subject of this discussion:
FIFTH SESSION.
227
I
MINUTE ON NATIVE AGENTS.
agency most
aries are
few and
The members of this Conference recognise as of vital im- Native
portance, in every healthy plan of Christian missions, the work important.
of raising and employing, on the field itself, various classes of
well-qualified native agents. The European or American mis-
sionary, who, in obedience to Christ's command, bears the gospel
to some heathen country, is a stranger and a foreigner there : his Mission-
work is temporary; his position is exceptional; and when Chris- foreigners,
tianity becomes localised, his peculiar functions and duties come to expensive:
an end. Christianity must be embodied in a living form in native
churches; and the outward services it demands must be performed
by native pastors and native missionaries of all grades. Apart
from this circumstance, missionaries are few; the work is large;
foreign climates are often unfavourable to their health; it is diffi-
cult to acquire foreign languages and manners; the expense, more-
over, of the voyages and maintenance of missionaries is heavy. In
all these things native converts have the advantage; they are at natives, at
home; the language they have learned in childhood; the climate
is their own; the cost of maintaining them is comparatively small.
These considerations show the maintenance of a native agency to
be essential to the successful establishment of Christianity in a
foreign land, and urge upon every missionary the duty of securing
in his work as many well-qualified agents as, on careful inquiry,
he is able to find.
home.
pastors and
They consider that, while among the converts, zealous lay- Lay-agents.
agents may be found, who, though supporting themselves, are
willing systematically to fulfil the common Christian duty of urging,
both on the heathen and Christian population around them, the
faith which they have themselves received, it is still required that Native
some of the converts shall devote all their time and all their powers preachers.
to the service of the Lord; and, in various spheres of duty, as
pastors, evangelists, readers and teachers, endeavour heartily to
promote his cause. In all such men personal piety, zeal for the Their
work, and fitness to teach, they reckon essential to the right
discharge of their important spiritual duties.
character.
228
MINUTE ON NATIVE AGENTS.
Spheres
uiffer:
also the
men.
All kinds are
required.
The call of
God:
They consider it a rule, of the first importance, that each
native labourer should be placed, as far as practicable, in the
sphere for which his various gifts render him suitable: and they
believe that, in the present dearth of agents in the vast sphere
open to their efforts, the services of all may be well employed,
Young men from the ablest to the most humble labourer. While young men,
trained from their childhood amid Christian privileges, have
proved most useful in leading a community to higher stages of
Christian experience; older men also, converted from heathenism
in riper years, have been found to bring their sober character and
their knowledge of idol-systems to bear with great efficiency upon
their still heathen neighbours.
and old.
inquiry:
prayer.
Training.
The demands of numerous localities, states of society, and
spheres of usefulness, differing greatly from each other, at once
exhibit the necessity of securing a suitable variety in the native
agents who are to occupy them. Some will be required to labour
among a simple, rural population; others, among the people of
great cities; some, among uncivilised tribes; others, among
scholars, with minds perverted by false philosophy; some, among
isolated communities, where a great deal is left to their own judg-
ment; while others labour immediately under a missionary's eye.
The Conference consider it, therefore, the solemn duty of all
missionaries to endeavour to secure for the Church of Christ the
services of as many such agents as possible. They should watch
well the call of God's Spirit, remembering that, in the exercise of
his prerogative, he has taken his servants from all ranks, and has
especially employed the lowly, making the weak things of the
world to confound the wise. They should seek out all agents that
may appear to possess the right qualities of head and heart; and
make it a matter of constant prayer that they may be chosen and
called forth by the Lord of the harvest, whose fields they are
required to reap.
The system of training adopted to render such agents, under
God's blessing, competent and well-furnished teachers, should
have direct and due regard to their intended spheres of labour.
Simpler and With the greater number an education, through the medium of
higher. their own tongue, will be found sufficient: with others, English
1
FIFTH SESSION.
229
may be added to a certain extent; and with a few, an extensive
knowledge of the English language and literature will be found
a means of storing their minds with large knowledge, and fur-
nishing them for those higher labours to which men of distin-
guished ability, in great heathen cities, are constantly called. In
some cases, where native missionaries are pioneers of civilisation
as well as of the Gospel, industrial pursuits have been found not
only valuable but necessary.
!
instruction
nacular.
The Conference, however, believe that in all cases the more Theological
directly theological portion of their education should be given in the ver-
in the native language; that in their own tongue they may
become perfectly familiar with all the expressions, texts, tech-
nical terms and phrases, which are required in every hour of an
active preacher's life: lessons on preaching, specimens of sermons,
arguments and discussions, should all be given in the native
tongue and it would be well if, in their private reading, these
native students used only their vernacular Bible.
With this teaching of principles, should at the same time be Practice.
associated direct practice in mission work; exercises in preaching
and the like should be undertaken under the missionary's own
eye; that the capacities of all may be thoroughly understood before
they are appointed to positions of heavy responsibility. These
studies also may most usefully be continued after native agents have Studies
been so placed: that as their experience increases, their know-
ledge also may grow, and they may be stirred up to seek higher
attainments and greater ability for usefulness so long as they live.
continued.
habits to be
The Conference would dread that any course of training Native
should be so conducted as to injure their power to do good. A kept.
missionary should so guide, and teach, and train his converts, as
not to injure their national character. While he should seek to
improve that character in every way, to raise its tone, and to
Christianise all its elements; when native customs are harmless,
and are likely to continue among the community of his coun-
trymen, the native teacher should seek to maintain them; he
should, in his dress, food, manners, and style, continue to re-
semble his fellows; and show, that while he is a Christian indeed,
differing from them in the possession of a purifying and ennobling
ļ
230
MINUTE ON NATIVE AGENTS.
Responsible,
yet free.
Salaries.
Standard.
When the right men have been thus trained, and been duly
qualified, the Conference consider that, in the various positions in
which they may be placed, as pastors, evangelists, teachers or
readers, of whatever grade, they should be placed under such
responsibility as they are able to bear; should not be too closely
tied down; but should enjoy that amount of freedom in action,
which will both test their principle and stimulate their zeal: in
this way the agents of the native Church may in due time grow
out of pupilage, and be enabled to work perfectly alone.
On the important question of native salaries, the Conference
consider that no rules can be drawn from the artificial position
occupied by the missionary himself. They think that it may
most appropriately be settled in every case, by a careful consider-
ation of the average incomes of natives moving in that rank to
which the native agent belongs; and to evangelists, supported by
Missionary Societies, they would apply the same rule as that of
the foreign missionary; of securing an income that will supply
real wants, give him ordinary comfort, and keep him free from all
Salary of a anxiety. Where a native pastor has been appointed over a
Christian congregation, they think that his support should come
from them. It is neither natural nor just that his support should
be derived from a foreign Society in a distant country; but where
a church is poor or weak in numbers, a Society may well continue
to supplement such salary as the church can give, by an annual
grant, until it is able in due course to bear all the burden alone.
pastor.
They believe that, in the extension of the gospel among the
heathen, the power of female Christian influence should be em-
ployed as far as practicable; and that, where the state of society
allows, and circumstances are favourable, Christian females should
endeavour, not only as school teachers, but as visitors in heathen
families, to lead them to an acquaintance with gospel truth and an
acceptance of its claims.
The Conference rejoice that the native agents, in whose wel-
Native
female
agents.
faith, he is still one of themselves. By so doing, he will rather
add to his influence with the heathen; on the opposite plan he
may wreck it altogether.
Great suc-
cess of native
agents fare they feel so deep an interest and for whose increase they so
S
FIFTH SESSION.
231
ardently long, have already, under the blessing of God, been made
the instruments of great good. They rejoice and give thanks to
God, that in many countries, in many spheres of missionary
labour, converts, raised up from among the heathen, have been
found faithful pastors, eloquent preachers, self-denying evangelists,
and that in some cases they have joyfully laid down their lives for
Christ's cause. They reckon this fact as one of the most gratify-
ing proofs of the success of the gospel in modern days. They trust
that this agency will be largely extended in every field of mission-
ary labour; and they pray, that according to his own example, in
answer to his own promise, and his people's intercessions, the Lord
of the harvest will send forth more labourers to reap the harvest,
to which the great field of the world is ripening.
After a few business announcements, the sitting was terminateā
by the singing of the Doxology.
232
The Friday
session.
Committee
on funds.
;
SIXTH SESSION.
THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
After dining together as on the previous days, the members of
Conference re-assembled at 4 P.M.
M
Major-General ALEXANDER in the chair.
After prayer had been offered by the Rev. Dr. SOMERVILLE,
the Rev. G. D. CULLEN proposed that the Friday morning's
sitting, being the closing one, should be prolonged till three o'clock.
The proposal was unanimously agreed to.
ROBERT A. MACFIE, ESQ., proposed the appointment of a
COMMITTEE: -To inquire and report in such manner as they
may deem most expedient, on the best means of obtaining increased
income for religious Societies: and that the Committee consist of
the following members; viz.
Rev. W. ARTHUR, London;
ROBERT BARBOUR, Esq., Manchester;
Rev. R. G. CATHER, Londonderry ;
JAMES CUNNINGHAM, Esq., Edinburgh;
Rev. W. FAIRBROTHER, London;
Rev. H. M. MACGILL, Glasgow;
Rev. JOHN Ross, Hackney, London;
AND
Rev. J. B. WHITING, London.
The proposal, being duly seconded by JOHN HENDERSON,
Esq., was unanimously adopted; and the above Committee were
appointed, Mr. WHITING being Convener.
Programme. The following is the programme proposed for the afternoon's
discussion:-
SIXTH SESSION.
233
Subject:
How MAY WE BEST OBTAIN AND QUALIFY CANDI-
DATES OF THE RIGHT STAMP FOR MISSION WORK?
Paper, or Address, of ten minutes, by Rev. THOMAS
GREEN, Principal of C.M.S. College, Islington.
Rev. E. H. Bickersteth's Letter for United Prayer in
1861.
How far it is possible, and advisable, to induce men and
women of private fortune to devote themselves to
missionary work?
The PAPER named in the Programme was then presented and The paper.
read to the Conference as follows:-
HOW MAY WE BEST OBTAIN AND QUALIFY
CANDIDATES OF THE RIGHT STAMP
FOR MISSION WORK?
BY THE REV. THOMAS GREEN,
PRINCIPAL OF THE CHURCH MISSIONARY COLLEGE, ISLINGTON.
1
only.
It is obviously impossible within the few minutes allowed for An outline
our opening paper, to do justice to the important topic I have
been requested to treat on this occasion. The utmost I can hope
or shall attempt to accomplish, will be the suggestion of hints and
outlines of thought; which may form a basis of discussion, and
help to elicit the views and opinions of brethren, who feel inter-
ested, as every friend of Missions must necessarily feel, in the
question; "How we may best obtain and qualify Candidates of
the right Stamp for the Mission Work?"
right stamp
I need not occupy at any length the time of this Conference Men of the
in the preliminary inquiry: Who are men of the right stamp? defined.
Mr. Mullens, in the valuable paper read by him on the first day of
our sittings, described the qualifications we look for in the Euro-
pean missionary; enforced the necessity of a high standard; and fully
exhibited the zeal, sound judgment, and decision of character, the
gentleness, patience, and fidelity requisite for the arduous office. In
this matter we are all agreed. Spiritual agents alone can rightly Spiritual
perform spiritual duties. The men we want are men of God, truly
converted in heart, and holy in life; baptised with the Holy Ghost.
and with fire; taught by the Spirit; led by the Spirit; filled with
the Spirit; men of one idea, one aim, one object; like the Great
Apostle of the Gentiles, counting all things but loss for the excellency
men:
234
REV. T. GREEN'S PAPER.
devoted to
Christ:
of the knowledge of Christ; determined not to know anything save
Jesus Christ and him crucified; loving Christ, living Christ, ready
and willing, if need be, to die for Christ. Such men are born, not
of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of
God. They are God's workmanship. They are the special gift
of the risen and ascended Saviour to the Church. So saith the
apostle: "When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive,
and gave gifts unto men; some, apostles; some, prophets; some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of
the saints; for the work of the ministry; for the edifying of the
sanctified by body of Christ." A live coal from the altar has touched their lips,
Him.
and put away their iniquity. With Isaiah they have heard the
voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom shall we send, and who will go
for us ?" and with the prophet, they are ready to reply, and have
replied, "Here am I, send me."
If the Church would obtain such men, she must not only
remember the divine command; "Go ye into all the world, and
preach the Gospel to every creature ;" but, also, the no less impe-
rative duty; "Pray ye the Lord of the harvest, that he will send
forth labourers into his harvest." The Holy Ghost, now, as in the
days of primitive missionary enterprise, separates men to the work,
and fits them for it. It is our great business, to ascertain whom
He thus calls; and to be humble fellow-workers with God, and
instruments in the Spirit's hands, in preparing them for the glorious
warfare.
the gift of
God;
We are to
pray for
them;
and seek
them out.
Means of
doing so
suggested.
Experience.
By sermons.
Fully sensible of the necessity of divine agency to give us
missionaries of the right stamp, and of the subordinate position
which man occupies in obtaining and qualifying them for the
office, I proceed to throw out some practical suggestions as to the
best means of enlisting suitable labourers into the missionary ranks,
and equipping them for the important duties in which they will be
engaged.
Connected, officially, as I am with an Institution in which there
are, at the present time, not fewer than forty students preparing
for missionary service, I have had opportunities of observing the
various ways in which God is pleased, ordinarily, to direct the
thoughts of his servants towards the work, and to bring them
under the notice of those who may be instrumental in introducing
them to the field of foreign labour. I will briefly refer to some of
these various ways:
1. Missionary Sermons. The value and importance of the pulpit
as a means of enforcing missionary principles, eliciting missionary
SIXTH SESSION.
235
sympathy, and exhibiting the results of missionary enterprise, have
been fully acknowledged in the previous meetings of this Conference.
The pulpit is, if possible, yet more valuable and important, as
affording a means of influencing the hearts and minds of our pious
youth in the direction of entire self-consecration to the missionary
work. I am surrounded by brethren who have been engaged for
many years in the foreign service: it would be interesting to ascer-
tain in how many instances the first missionary thoughts and
aspirations were awakened in connexion with appeals from the Example of
pulpit. Little as has been attempted in this direction, I find that ence.
one-tenth of our Islington students owe their earliest impressions to
their influ-
this source.
by them.
In the United Kingdom there are probably not fewer than forty Much more
to fifty thousand pulpits, connected with the several Protestant can be done
denominations. What a powerful engine for good do we here
possess! The press has been designated the fourth estate of the
realm. What may not the pulpit become? Let the duty, the
privilege, the trials, the success of the missionary work, have
the place assigned them in the pulpits which their importance
demands; and who shall predict the result? Might we not expect
that our missionary force would, by this means alone, in the course
of a few years, be increased many fold?
-
ence.
2. A second instrumentality is the Missionary Meeting. The Missionary
immediate object of the meeting is to communicate intelligence meetings.
and report progress. Details, hitherto almost systematically ex-
cluded from the pulpit as though unsuitable, or beneath its solemn
dignity, have been given in the annual, quarterly, or monthly
meeting. And, mark the result! While one-tenth of the students
in our Islington College trace back their missionary history to the
Example of
pulpit, more than one-seventh acknowledge their debt of gratitude their influ-
to the meeting. Need I suggest that at every such meeting one or
more of the speakers should seize the opportunity of appealing to the
conscience, the love, the sympathy of our younger Christian brethren;
and of inculcating the obligation to honour that divine Saviour to
whom the Father has promised the heathen for his inheritance, and
the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession; and who
gave as his last charge to the Church the command, "Go ye;"
and as his last legacy the promise; "Lo, I am with you always,
even to the end of the world.”
schools.
3. The next means to which I would allude, is the Sunday Sunday-
School. And here permit me to mention my own experience.
I do so, believe me, in no spirit of egotism or boasting, but as a
236
REV. T. GREEN'S PAPER
brother amongst brethren, simply desirous of furthering the one
great object we have in view, and of contributing any hint which
may help to secure that object. Until recently I had charge of a
parish in the West Riding of Yorkshire, containing about 2000
inhabitants, partly agricultural, partly manufacturing, and with
few exceptions consisting of the operative class.
When first ap-
pointed to the charge, about eleven years ago, there was no church,
school or house, no parochial machinery or agency whatsoever in
existence. It is hardly necessary to add there was no branch Asso-
ciation of Missionary or kindred Societies in connexion with the body
to which I belong. Through the Christian munificence of a family
resident in the neighbourhood, church, school, and house, were
erected, and an endowment provided for the support of the minister.
Before I had resided a month in the district, and whilst in posses-
sion of a mere temporary building which served the double purpose
of Sunday School and place of worship, I endeavoured to interest
in the work of missions the few young persons who at first consti-
tuted my Sunday School. The subject was novel: many had
Effect of the never even heard the name of a missionary; soon it became a
familiar and household word; the feeling of interest deepened;
God touched the heart of one and another of the teachers he had
graciously raised up as my helpers; and, not to extend these
remarks, or occupy too much the time of this Conference, as the
result of these simple efforts, five devoted labourers have gone forth
into the mission field. One, alas! is not. After a brief missionary
life of fifteen months he succumbed to the pestilential climate of
Africa: his remains lie in the churchyard of Aké in Abbeokuta.
A second was compelled, after about the same period of service, to
retire for a time to England; he will, with the divine blessing,
shortly be ordained, again to go forth; the other three are all
usefully employed in various parts of the field.
school.
His own
case.
IN
Five mis-
sionaries.
Greatness of
this field.
There are 300,000 Sunday-School teachers, and two and a half
millions of Sunday scholars in England and Wales; add to these
our youth in Scotland and Ireland. Is there not here an ample
and inviting field for the cultivation of the missionary spirit, and
the promise, with the divine blessing, of a rich harvest of mis-
sionary labourers?
I can only very cursorily touch upon other means of obtaining
candidates for the work. We have now an important auxiliary in,
Young Men's 4. Young Men's Christian Associations. Such Associations
Christian
Associations, are of comparatively recent growth; but they are exercising
in the metropolis and most of our provincial towns, an immense
SIXTH SESSION.
237
influence over the class of persons for whose spiritual benefit they
are specially designed.
It will afford some idea of the value such an agency may prove Their effect.
to our missionary operations, when I mention, that the metropolitan
Associations alone have supplied us with no less than six of the
forty students we have at present under training in our college.
5. I would next speak of our Universities. In our first day's Universities.
discussion some valuable remarks were made by Mr. Titcomb in
reference to the various ways in which the missionary subject is
brought before the notice of the undergraduates, and other members
of his own University, Cambridge. Those observations proved
that an agency, quiet and unobtrusive, yet most influential in its
character and results, is at work in that seat of learning.
their influ-
I may add, what was not stated by our friend, that during the Example of
last two years from fifteen to twenty zealous and devoted servants ence.
of Christ, connected with Cambridge, have offered themselves to
the Church Missionary Society for her Indian and other spheres of
operation. Of the 160 European ordained missionaries, labouring in
connexion with the Church Missionary Society, forty, or one in
four, are members of Oxford, Cambridge, or Dublin Universities.
instances.
It must not be forgotten that Judson, and several of his honoured Similar
contemporaries in America, and Dr. Duff, Nisbet of Bombay, and
others in our Scotch Universities, owed their first missionary
impressions to influences brought to bear upon them during their
College career. The universities, then, present a mine which may
be worked with the greatest possible anticipations of eventual
success.
influence.
6. Parental Influence must not be overlooked when speaking of Parental
the several means in our hands for obtaining a missionary supply.
The Scudder family will occur to the recollection of many who
listen to me. While the father is labouring in Madras, five sons Instances.
are employed with a large measure of the divine blessing resting
upon them at Arcot.
Two of the students under my charge at
this time have thus been led to offer themselves for the work.
This is becoming from year to year a more decided and promising
element of supply.. Many proofs and illustrations occur to me.
I will merely mention one. Twelve months ago, when attending
the anniversary meetings in Dublin, a physician, a barrister,
and a clergyman, quite independently of each other, spoke to me on
the subject, stating that they had dedicated their sons to the work,
and that it was the constant prayer of their hearts that the neces-
sary missionary qualifications might be vouchsafed to them.
238
REV. T. GREEN'S PAPER.
Individual
effort.
Examples.
Special
appeals.
Example.
Church
Missionary
Society.
Missionary
literature.
7. Individual Effort has been greatly blessed of God to the
promotion of the object we have in view. It may surprise some
of the friends here present to be informed, that the large proportion
of one-third of the students, to whom I have already so frequently
alluded, trace their more direct and immediate call to missionary
employment to the personal efforts and appeals of Christian friends
interested in the cause. The clergyman or minister, the missionary,
the student, the zealous private Christian, has employed the influ-
ence he possesses in directing attention to the subject, and enforcing
the claims of the vast heathen world. May not the servants of the
Lord Jesus do far more for their beloved Master than they have
hitherto attempted in the way here indicated? I may not be able
to go forth myself: circumstances in which I am placed-social,
family, relative ties-may oblige me to remain at home; but I am
acquainted with one and another on whom no such debt of obli-
gation rests; men who appear to have the right spirit, and the
necessary qualifications; is it not my duty and privilege to present
the matter to them, to commend it to their prayerful consideration,
and bid them inquire whether they are not summoned to the help
of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty?
8. Special Appeals by the Committees and Secretaries of our
leading Societies have been found exceedingly valuable, and pro-
ductive of large results. Only yesterday I was informed by one
deeply interested in Moravian missions, that when, a short time
since, an appeal was put forth amongst the Continental brethren
connected with that body, for volunteers to go forth to the untried
fields of Thibet and Central Asia, though only two were wanted,
not fewer than thirty responded to the invitation. In the early
part of last year a special appeal of this nature was issued by the
Committee of the Church Missionary Society. Reference was
made to the many open doors; to the loud cry for help from India,
China, Japan, Turkey, Africa: to the exalted Saviour's inquiry,
"Who will go for us ?" The response has been most gratifying.
Amongst the many who have offered themselves, I will only allude
to two: one, a Fellow of Peterhouse, Cambridge, who some time
ago sailed for India, and may possibly by this time, have arrived
at the scene of his future labours, Allahabad: The other, a Fellow
of Emmanuel, Second Wrangler of his year, Tutor and Dean of his
College, and Moderator in the public schools; both of them, men
of devoted piety, singleness of purpose, and earnest missionary
zeal.
9. I will simply add one word on the Missionary Publications
M
SIXTH SESSION.
239
and Periodicals, as a further means placed in our hands of obtaining
men of the right stamp for the work. It will be found on inquiry
that these have largely contributed to the filling up of the mis-
sionary ranks; and it cannot be doubted that they are capable of
yet more extensive usefulness in the same direction.
Let me impress upon my brethren one important consideration Summary.
applicable alike to all these various instrumentalities. They
involve no new agency or machinery; all we need is, fresh energy
and life infused into existing instrumentalities. There is not a
brother in the ministry present on this occasion,-there is not a
brother amongst the thousands whom we represent, who has not,
to a great extent, these several means of influence within his reach
and under his control. Shall we, or shall we not, use the oppor-
tunities thus placed in our power? Shall we, or shall we not, put
out to usury the one, the five, the ten talents intrusted to us by the
Great Proprietor? Shall we determine, in the strength of our
God, in humble, but firm, reliance upon his grace and promised
blessing, that we will avail ourselves of the pulpit, the meeting,
the Sabbath-school, aye, and day-school too, the Young Men's
Association, our parental influence, individual effort, special appeal,
periodicals and publications, and all other agencies intrusted to us,
for the promotion of this great object? If we thus resolve, should
no other result or practical benefit follow from our Conference, we
shall not have been called together in vain ; and the very ends of
the earth will, ere many years have passed, rejoice and call us
blessed.
will not
A concluding word on this topic. Let not the thought suggest Home work
itself that if we urge our pious youth to dedicate themselves to suffer.
the foreign field of labour, we shall dry up our home resources,
impair our strength, or deprive ourselves of adequate support in our
more immediate spheres of duty. The contrary has invariably
proved true. Here, as in the other exercises of Christian phi-
lanthropy, it will be found that it is more blessed to give than to
receive, and that in what measure we mete, it shall be measured
to us again. In lengthening our cords we shall at the same time
strengthen our stakes; and, whilst watering others, shall be yet
more abundantly watered in our own souls and within the
denominations to which we belong.
candidates.
Time forbids me to dwell on the second branch of the subject studies of
suggested by our programme: the qualifying of the candidates
who may have been obtained for the work. I would merely
remark that the course of training, whether long or short, should
240
REV. DR. BAYLEE.
The mis
sionary
spirit.
Rev. Dr.
BAYLEE.
certainly include a systematic study of Holy Scriptures, if possible
in the original languages; Dogmatic Theology, with a view to the
clear apprehension and thorough grasp of the great distinctive
doctrines of God's Word; the leading branches of Christian evi-
dence; Church history, ancient and modern, including the more
important efforts of Missionary Societies during the last hundred
years; and, above all, the cherishing and maintaining throughout
the entire course of study the true missionary spirit. I close these
imperfect observations with the remark that the missionary spirit
can only be cultivated by habits of simple dependence on God; by
the practice of self-denial; and by active labours (in proportion to
the limited opportunities leisure from study permits), in missionary
work at home, in teaching and superintending schools, visiting
the poor and the afflicted, holding cottage-meetings and Bible-
classes, in open-air preaching, and, generally, in going to the
highways and hedges, "compelling men to come in." "The harvest
truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye, therefore,
the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers unto his
harvest." (Matt. ix. 37, 38.)
The Rev. Dr. BAYLEE, Principal of St. Aidan's College, Bir-
kenhead, said; he rose to express himself strongly, but much less
so than he felt, seeing that he presented himself under very pecu-
liar feelings at this Conference. He could not call himself a
"distinguished" missionary, for he was an extinguished missionary!
It was to the missionary cause that he owed a large part of his
present knowledge of God, of his present acquaintance with the
His wish to Bible, and of his present earnestness for the salvation of souls.
be a mis-
sionary.
It had pleased God to bring him to a knowledge of his truth
without any human means; he had not had one human teacher to
instruct him; but under hedgerows when the Sundays were fine,
and in his own bedroom when the days were wet, he studied his
Bible for more than seven years of his earlier life. Unaided by
any human help he had toiled through, and had overcome difli-
culties insuperable to every human eye, but not to faith and
patience. Having at length attained the object of his toil and
prayers, a degree at the University, eight-and-twenty years ago,
he offered himself to the then existing committee of the Church
Hindrance. Missionary Society; and it was the cold and official manner in
which his application was received that created circumstances,
which rendered it impossible for him to become a missionary. He
had never ceased to regret it. It might be said that his was an
SIXTH SESSION.
241
cases.
systems.
individual and peculiar case; but he contended that it was not.
One of the present most distinguished officers of the Church
Missionary Society was also an extinguished missionary. It was
true that in the providence of God he had been brought into the
mission field at home, but he was lost to the foreign work. This
was the case with many others; which only proved to him that, Similar
with the best intentions on the part of the Societies, their present
arrangements were too often an extinguisher on missionary work.
He was resolved to do his best to remove this for Christ's sake,
and to speak and to labour until every needless hindrance was
removed. Every word of Mr. Green's paper had gone home to
his heart. But whilst listening thereto one passage of Scripture
had forcibly recurred to his mind ; "Betwixt us and you there is
a great gulf fixed." In those strong observations he (Dr. Baylee)
was not speaking in a merely critical spirit. He gave all honour
to the men who had to originate missionary enterprise. It was
one thing to create an institution; it was quite another to see its
faults when created, and to endeavour to repair them. He (Dr. Fanlts in
Baylee) had been permitted to found St. Aidan's College. That
institution necessarily partook of the faults of his own mind; and
whenever it should please God to remove him (Dr. Baylee) from
St. Aidan's College, those who succeeded him would find many of
his weaknesses and mistakes, and would carry out many improve-
ments which he had failed to perceive. He therefore did not
speak in any spirit of fault-finding; but whilst there was on all
sides a complaint of want of men, he would say that if he could offer to
get 3000l. a-year, he would guarantee to find and keep up a class
of a hundred young men, who would stand any test that might
reasonably be required, that their hearts had been converted by
the power of the Holy Ghost, and that they were desirous of
devoting themselves, body and soul, to the service of the Redeemer.
It was an easy experiment to try.. Their Missionary Societies had
generally (if he might use the expression) "begun at the end.”
A young man, truly earnest in mind and heart, but untried, Difficulty of
uneducated, and unknown, presented himself to become a mis- pronouncing
sionary. Now he (the speaker) would like to know by what rules men.
any one would be able to look through that young man and
ascertain whether he had true missionary qualifications, or not. If
he occupied the post of Mr. Green, he should be obliged to do
what probably Mr. Green did, reject the majority of young men
who presented themselves to his committee.
obtain men.
on untried
R
242
REV. DR. BAYLEE.
Missionary
classes in
colleges.
All classes
of students
welcome.
Dr. BAYLEE said that his remarks applied to any examiners.
In conclusion, Dr. Baylee observed that he had been much
struck on Wednesday with what Mr. Lewis had said, that they
ought all to have missionary classes in all their theological schools.
Here would be given an opportunity of trying young men; and
instead of beginning at the end, beginning at the beginning. If
they took the colonial as well as the heathen field, they would be
able to find a niche in some part of the Lord's kingdom for all
young men, of small talents it may be, but of devoted piety, who
might offer themselves. He was not aiming at bringing "grist to
the mill" of St. Aidan's College (if he might venture on the
He will be expression), but he should be happy if any body of people would
glad to take
students.
send him young men (if his various brethren could trust him with
such), possessing no other qualification than satisfactory evi-
dence of true conversion to God and devotedness to his cause,
upon whom they might think it worth while to spend a few
pounds annually, to see if they could not be fitted for the mis-
sionary work, either foreign or colonial. He had now in the
Several now College fifteen missionary candidates, one of them from near where
with him.
Noah's ark rested in Armenia. He came to him with very little
of the missionary feeling in a theological sense, and though only
in his second term he was now full of it. Referring to the various
conditions of life formerly occupied by his students, Dr. Baylee
said he had one who had been in the Northampton workhouse;
and that he would rather have such, with an earnest zeal for souls,
than a hundred gentlemen without the love of God in them.
When he (Dr. Baylee) ventured upon taking men of a lower social
class, his prudent friends remonstrated with him. They feared
that gentlemen would not like to come and associate with men in
a lower station in society. He replied, then let the gentlemen
stay away. On their principle, if St. Peter were to present
himself for admission to St. Aidan's College, he would be re-
ject. (Laughter and cheers.) If we want apostolic success let
us have apostolic practice. It is Christian men that we want.
Give him a class of earnest, pious men; let them mingle freely
with gentlemen in their daily studies; let them unite in works of
piety and love; and we shall soon see them become Christian
gentlemen. There is even in the religious world a wisdom which
Mr. GREEN here explained that he was not the preliminary
examiner of missionary candidates.
SIXTH SESSION.
243
The
is foolishness with God. But what has been the result?
number of gentlemen at the College has increased. He wished he
could transfer Mr. Green and his forty students down to St.
Aidan's College (where they would make him Professor of Mis-
sionary Theology); so that they might unite the whole ninety-five
students in earnest preparation for the great work in contempla-
tion. If candidates for instruction were unable even to spell, they
were welcome to him. He put them into classes fit for them;
and when they attained the necessary amount of knowledge, they
entered the candidate class (translating the gospels in Greck, and Examples.
a book in Latin). This tested them. And what had been the
results? One did not know one letter in Greek from another at
the beginning of the year, but at its close he beat his (the student's)
master at the Greek Testament. Out of 500 or 600 theological
questions he had correctly answered nine-tenths. There was
another who would certainly not master Greek were he to study
it for ten years; but he had the love of Christ in his heart, was
able to carry a stout stick in his hand, and by his robustness and
physical capacity could walk thirty miles a-day in Nova Scotia or
some other colony. He had thrown out these hints that there
might be as few as possible "extinguished missionaries" for the
future, as the result of the present system and way of receiving
youthful candidates. Further detailing the plan pursued with Cost of their
regard to missionary students at St. Aidan's College, Dr. Baylee
said they now received them for board and education for 30l. a
college year; and if any brother knew of any pious young man
who possessed the qualifications he had spoken of, and would
prevail upon his friends to raise this amount annually, he would
receive such with pleasure; or if any one would pay 301. into his
own hands he would undertake to find a pious and suitable young
man for preparation for this great work. He was a constant
poacher on their Wesleyan brethren, and on the raw material
he found amongst them, to a very considerable extent, of ear-
nest-minded and devoted young men fit for Church-of-England
missionaries.
support.
The CHAIRMAN explained that the. other Societies did take up CHAIRMAN,
these very young men, unprepared and uneducated, and had many
of them brought under college instruction. Referring to a remark
made by Dr. Baylee, he added that Mr. Green had not indi-
vidually the power of rejection, that responsibility devolved on a
committee.
244
DR. LOCKHART.
Dr. Lock-
HART.
Medical
missionaries
Dr. LOCKHART wished to impress upon the secretaries and
officers of the different Societies the subject of the qualification
of their medical missionaries. They should send them out as
should not surgeons, and not as ordained missionaries. They would find by
experience that the latter course did them injury in the field of
labour; as it distracted them from their particular work.
be ordained.
If
as layinen.
a man tried to devote himself to two professions at once, he was
sure to be perfect in neither. Some Societies were beginning to
send out more medical missionaries than they had done previ-
ously. If medical missionaries were to do their work efficiently,
They do best they should be sent out as laymen; taking in hand the temporal
welfare of the heathen, and endeavouring as much as possible to
win their confidence and esteem, preaching and teaching the
gospel as they had opportunity, if thereby they might win souls
to Christ. If such were sent out as ordained missionaries, their
minds became distracted from their special engagement; and the
heathen, secing them otherwise than perfect in their temporal
their spiri- work, would be apt to distrust them; and thus discredit was
Distracted
by two pro-
fessions,
they injure
tual useful-
ness.
brought upon the heavenly message they had to deliver. A
medical missionary might do as much spiritual work as any
other missionary; but it was in all cases better that he
should do it as a layman, and not as an ordained minister.
A preaching missionary, who had a medicine chest and a good
work on popular medicine, might be able to do much good
in the relief of suffering, when other medical aid was not
attainable; and this was often the case. But it was always
better that one man should not profess himself to be qualified
in the two professions, as this was likely to place him in situa-
tions of difficulty and responsibility, from which he was unable to
extricate himself.
Rev G. D.
CULLEN.
The Rev. G. D. CULLEN expressed his obligations to Dr.
Lockhart for calling attention to this subject; and further instanced
efforts that were being made in Edinburgh, which were received
with considerable favour, to draw the attention of the students in
the Medical Schools there to mission work, both foreign and
require two domestic. Medical missionaries were an exceedingly useful class,
Medical
missionaries
of
character.
if qualified to teach "the truth as it is in Jesus," as well as to
attend to the temporal well-being of their fellow-men. It was
very desirable to ascertain that these brethren possessed both
the missionary element and the requisite medical training. He
suggested that they should be trained to medical missionary
SIXTH SESSION.
245
work in the lower parts of our own towns before they were sent
out to foreign service.
O'MEARA.
to every
The Rev. Dr. O'MEARA said that, in labouring amongst the Rev. Dr
North American Indians, having to travel great distances where
there were no means for the natives to gain access to a medical
man, he had himself obtained some little knowledge of medicine, Value of
and had accustomed himself to carry constantly about with him knowledge
a few simple medicines. He thought it absolutely necessary for missionary.
a missionary, placed in his circumstances, to have some knowledge
of this nature; as frequently it proved a means of gaining access
to the native heart, which they could not otherwise secure. This
knowledge it was also exceedingly desirable for missionary students
to acquire; thus combining in themselves the two qualifications
referred to; the power of healing the body, and of applying the
gospel antidote to the maladies of the soul.
KING.
ence of
Europeans
The Rev. ROBERT C. KING, of the Colonial Church and Rev. R. C.
School Society, Liverpool, remarked that one great opportunity
for the evangelization of the heathen rested with their own people
scattered among them. It had been a matter of regret to every one
connected with direct missionary work, that there was so much
practical negligence found among our own people who permeated
the mass of the heathen. Missionaries bore testimony that there Evil influ-
was a far greater difficulty in "making way" in the large towns vicious
than in the country districts. He held in his hand a communi- on a native
cation from a Secretary of the Church Missionary Society, stating community.
that the proportion of converts in the rural populations was far
larger than in the towns; and the reason was obvious; for in
towns there was a larger European element, and consequent im-
morality; so that when the missionaries pointed to the theory of
Christianity, the heathen pointed to the practice of Christians; for
the natives would look to see what kind of people Christianity
makes, and what kind of a thing it was in its working-out.
When, therefore, they talked of getting candidates of the right
stamp for the missionary work, they should not ignore the
fact of their own people going up and down amongst the heathen,
as they might; and being a great element for good by their
example and conduct. They were watched far more than they
imagined. He was quite sure the Conference would agree that
if their own people, moving amongst the heathen, were what they
professed to be, it would work directly and to a great extent in
246
REV. W. FAIRBROTHER.
Rev. W.
FAIRBRO-
THER.
Many who
are willing
are
qualified.
Rev. WILLIAM FAIRBROTHER said; that in his public services
he frequently made appeals for young men, and was obliged to
take the responsibility of saying, whether he would encourage or
discourage them in making application to the Society he repre-
sented. But he was pained to say that many who had thus come
forward did not present qualifications needful for missionary
work; and in such cases he felt that if they were to present
themselves before the committee, their offer of service would be
declined. The number of young men from the middle ranks of
life, offering themselves for this good work, was, he was happy to
say, steadily increasing; and he hoped this would continue; but
he wished to suggest what appeared to him a grave defect,
attaching not only to the Churches with which he stood connected,
but to others. He feared they did not sufficiently pray "the Lord
of the harvest" to give them labourers. They had been using all
sorts of means, by circulars and various appeals, to induce young
men to come forward; but had in part forgotten the scriptural in-
junction, "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he
would send forth more labourers into his harvest." This was the
chief thing. He had found in almost every instance, when speak-
ing to such young men, that first thoughts of missionary conse-
Impressions cration were entertained at a very early age. This fact gave an
intense interest to those appeals which were made to their Juvenile
Associations, showing that the Most High might influence even the
little ones to offer themselves to God for missionary work. The
young men in their Colleges had generally made up their minds
beforehand whether they would labour in the home or foreign
Young men service; and his only hope had latterly been in appealing to
devout young men engaged in commercial pursuits, but who had
not yet made up their minds whether they would enter the
ministry or no.
on children.
in business.
Need of
prayer.
Rev. J. B.
WAITING.
furtherance of their missionary labours. He thought this matter
was worthy of their most serious attention.
The Rev. J. B. WHITING said, they should all remember that
a very great responsibility rested upon committees of Missionary
Responsi- Societies in the matter of accepting or rejecting those who came
bility of
committees. before them. It was possible that committees might sometimes,
nay, often, reject those who afterwards became eminent clergymen
in their own country, but who at the time of their candidature might
not appear to possess all the qualifications necessary for work in
SIXTH SESSION.
247
spond with
schools.
the mission fields. Nay, the rejected candidate at one time might
even again present himself after a year or two had elapsed, and
be accepted. In no matter was there more caution requisite than
in this. They had better (if the alternative were presented to them)
reject a good man, than accept a bad one. He thought that mis-
sionaries would do well to correspond with boys in the schools with Missionaries
which they had been previously connected and associated at home. to corre-
Suppose a missionary to have been at Rugby, Cheltenham, or any their old
other public school in England; let him periodically send details
from his distant location to the boys in such Schools, and he could
not fail to stir up a missionary spirit there. He believed that
the missionary spirit existed to a large degree in the academies.
and schools of the country. Ten years ago, some seventy men
were in the habit of meeting in the rooms of Mr. Nicholson, Fellow
of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, for the purpose of fostering their
missionary spirit; the number has now increased to about 250; Increase of
and the meetings are no longer held in private rooms. He thought spirit in
that in general the missionary spirit was imbibed before men came
up to the University. The happy circumstance to which he had
alluded was rather an indication of the great spread of true religion
throughout the country. There is an amount of family piety, and
of religion in public schools, which delights the Christian heart;
and this, he thought, was the source and origin of the great increase
of religious feeling, and especially of the missionary spirit, at our
Universities in the present day.
missionary
young men.
SOMERVILLE
of ministers
aries the
The Rev. Dr. SOMERVILLE wished to present a point in order Rev. Dr.
to elicit information. In the Church to which he belonged, there
was no difference observed in the education required in a mis-
sionary from that required in a home minister. They both Education
attended the same classes in the University, they underwent and mission-
exactly the same amount of education, and stood in academic and same.
theological training precisely on the same footing; nay, in reality,
they were not accessible to the missionary committee until they had
passed through their academic theological course. They, too, had
experienced some difficulty in getting young men for the missionary
field; and he was expecting that he should receive some hints from
the brethren of other societies as to increased facilities by which
their wants might be supplied. He should like to know, if the
students attending those institutions over one of which, from the
paper read, he should judge that their brother Green presided with
admirable efficiency,—if such students had passed through the same
248
Are they
eligible for
home
churches?
Idea as to
academical training ere they got into them, as the persons who
were candidates for the ministry at home: in other words, was
there any distinction observed between candidates for the home
the status of ministry and those destined for the foreign fields? He found that
missionaries. their American brethren had imbibed the idea, and had put it into
print, that in England missionaries held an inferior place to home.
ministers; and one reason assigned for this was, that they were
educated in a different and inferior manner from the home ministry.
He mentioned that statement simply because he had seen it made;
and he should like to know if there was any foundation for it. He
thought they would never succeed in strengthening their mission
staff, until they imbued the churches with this just idea; that, if a
Their higher comparison must be made, the missionary occupied even a higher
moral posi-
tion.
position than the home worker. His position was in the highest
places of the field. Our Saviour's emphatic command was, "Go!"
He knew comparisons were "odious;" but he did feel that a man
going forth to preach among the Gentiles "the unsearchable riches
The highest of Christ," occupied the highest place that any one could fill upon
talents
needed.
Rev. G.
SCOTT.
Christian
feeling to be
improved.
REV. DR. SOMERVILLE.
earth. And for this lofty position the highest talents, learning,
gifts, and graces, were needed. He was disposed to say that it
required more talent and skill, and knowledge of human nature,
to preach the Gospel to ignorant people, than it did to the preacher's
own countrymen. He should also like to know, from brethren,
whether persons, taken in because of their earnestness and piety,
who had been practising some other vocation beforetime, but of no
classical or academical knowledge, and who, after a course of train-
ing in these institutions, were ordained and sent abroad, whether
such persons, when they returned, were deemed suitable to fill
home churches, and were fully recognised as home ministers?
The Rev. GEORGE SCOTT, formerly Wesleyan Missionary in
Sweden, did not ask permission to speak, in order to state the
mode in which they, as a denomination, found the men for their
mission work. His purpose was to ask: How were they to
obtain a larger supply of qualified mission agents? His im-
pression was, that the tone of Christian feeling in this country
generally needed to be elevated, and somewhat corrected, on the
whole subject. Mr. Fairbrother had touched upon a point of
vital importance; namely, that mission work was the ordinary
work of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were too
apt to regard it as something extraordinary, something extraneous,
and rather wonderful; and because of this, there did not exist
SIXTH SESSION.
249
at home re-
missionary
one.
that amount of deep and serious attention respecting it, through- Wrong ideas
out the body of the Church of Christ, that there ought to be. If specting
he had read his Bible correctly, it was the ordinary and essential work.
work of the Church of God to " go into all the world, and preach
the Gospel to every creature." And he took the same ground as
regarded those who might consider themselves called, by the Holy
Spirit of God, to the great work of the Christian ministry. They
all agreed in the necessity of such a divine vocation; and he
could not make a distinction in the commission betwixt home- Home and
work and foreign work. He believed the providence of God foreign work
would indicate special qualifications and reasons as to the sphere
of a minister's calling. If Christ calls him to be a minister
of his Gospel, he may send him wherever his providence may
indicate. Then, further, they often met with parents who took
an unworthy view of this matter; and, whilst not objecting to
allow their son to go out to India in a civil or military capacity,
they would think it a most marvellous sacrifice to permit him to
go out there as a preacher of the Gospel of Christ. A case had A sad case.
occurred within his own knowledge. He would mention no
names; but he happened to know a family in which the son felt
he was called of God to preach the gospel. A way was opened
for this through the Church Missionary Society, but the parents.
could not part with their son; they discouraged the attempt, and
the consequence was, that the young man afterwards lost his
relish for the work altogther, and at this moment was somewhere
an outcast and a wanderer; where, the parents themselves did
not know!
Objections
of parents.
among the
as to the
There were solemn lessons involved in this matter; and if
that Conference should issue in the promotion of a healthier tone
of feeling throughout Christian England on this question, he
augured there would not be much difficulty in obtaining any
number of candidates they needed. They, as Methodists, looked Course of
first of all at the conversion of young men to God; they then proceeding
placed them under spiritual training in relation to their church- Wesleyans
membership. They were thus enabled to discover, from those ministry.
who had the oversight of them, whether there were neces-
sary qualifications on the one hand, and a call by the Spirit of
God on the other, to preach the gospel of Christ. They were
then made to pass through various courts of examination before
they were admitted into the Theological Institution; and they were
asked, at every stage of their progress, whether they felt a special
inclination to the home-work or the foreign; but when they came
250
REV. F. TRESTRAIL.
Status the
same.
His own
connexion
with mis-
sions.
A son and
daughter in
the field.
Rev. F.
TRESTRAIL.
Tests ap-
plied.
missionaries
The Rev. FREDERICK TRESTRAIL hoped that the observations
which had fallen from Mr. Scott would be preserved and made
known. Referring to a remark of Dr. Somerville's, he thought
Status of he might say that, in public esteem and sympathy, their mission-
higher than ary agents occupied a higher place than the home ministry. No
ministers. persons were admitted into their five collegiate institutions who
were not acknowledged members of their Christian churches, and
Process with who had not been recommended by the pastor of the church itself as
candidates. the pre-requisite to their entering the college at all. Therefore,
that of home
when any of their students offered themselves for the missionary
work, it must be at the end of their term. In former times they
educated them in colleges for the mission work; but it had been
found that, whether from ill-health, or the absence of a facility
for attaining languages, the plan did not answer. They required,
first, some sort of evidence, both as to their preaching capacities
and their power of acquiring languages; and, above all, satis-
factory evidence that their hearts were in the mission work.
Ofttimes some members of their churches, who had no training at
all, but who were moved with an intense zeal, came and offered
themselves; but when the question was asked, What education
had they received, the answer frequently was, either none worth
unsuitable. speaking of, or that given in a British school, with no knowledge
Many
of classical literature, not much preaching ability, and, indeed,
very little of the ordinary furniture that any one would think
into the Institution there was no distinction whatever as to the
training they received there. If they were destined for a foreign
country, and the rudiments of the language had to be acquired,
then peculiar assistance must of course be given; but as to the
status, there was no distinction. He might be excused making a
personal allusion. When he was first pressed in spirit to preach
the gospel to his fellow-men, he could not decide whether it should
be at home or abroad. He did not shrink from foreign work,
because he wished to stay at home; but he felt that, of the two,
the foreign work involved the heavier responsibility. It pleased
God, however, to lead him to choose the foreign field; and,
perhaps, the little experience he had had, even as a parent,
showed that, as far as he could do so, he made no distinction in
the commission. A son of his laboured in Africa; a daughter
was now on her way to India, to commence a training establish-
ment at Negapatam; and another son would shortly follow. (Hear,
hear.)
SIXTH SESSION.
251
:
cult to
ignorant
than the
wise:
as with
sometimes
pastors are
go abroad.
requisite for a man to go forth successfully and prosecute this work.
He agreed, therefore, with Dr. Somerville, that it required more More diffi-
ability to preach the gospel to ignorant people than to the culti- preach to the
vated and educated class. Just as it was with children. One of
the most marvellous men at that kind of work who ever flourished
was the celebrated John Foster. And the power that Samuel children.
Drew exercised over the youthful mind, was extraordinary to a
degree. When young men came of the stamp he had described,
what was he to say? He could not do otherwise than candidly tell
them; "If your pastor and church recommend you, and you wish
it, you shall go before the committee; but you certainly present
little aspect of suitability." And sometimes pastors, by thought- Pastors
lessly recommending candidates, placed the committees in a posi- send wrong
tion of great responsibility and pain. (Hear, hear.) He thought men.
that in this matter the pastor took the first responsibility, and
ought to be specially careful what he is about. Sometimes they
asked pastors, "Will you occupy this or that vacant post?" And Sometimes
so far as his experience had gone, they had never asked one to invited to
occupy a place which they thought him fitted for, to which he did
not go, and admirably succeed. Then came the grave question
of medical testimony. They went to some considerable expense Medical exa-
in this matter, and threw the responsibility, as far as possible, on
Christian men; getting, of course, a written certificate in respect
to the constitutional fitness of candidates. After all this was done,
and references had been obtained from parties who knew them,
they determined whether or not the candidate should be received;
and if they said, "Yes," he came before them for an interview of
an hour, or half-an-hour, as the case might be; and if the general
impression then was, that the man came up to the mark, he was
affectionately received. Should he have already passed through
the college course of instruction, he was sent out at once; but Kinds of men
this was not always the case. They had also sent out former
City-Mission agents; and capital missionaries they generally made.
One was accepted last spring, who had been a British school-master,
and whom they had placed for a short time in Regent's Park Col- Examples.
lege, under the care of Dr. Angus. As a schoolmaster, he had
been digging away at Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, insomuch that
his own pastor said of him, "He has done about as much as I can
help him on with." They had every guarantee that these men
would turn out, under God's blessing, good and faithful mission-
aries. Then the question had been asked: When their brethren Status at
came back, whether they would occupy the same relative position
mination.
sent out.
home.
252
Rev. W.
Kuibb.
Mr. Saker,
and others.
Dr. MAC-
GOWAN.
the fresh-
ness of their
zeal.
Dr. MACGOWAN thought, that while scholarship and scientific
knowledge were desirable qualifications in a missionary, called as
he is betimes to combat specious and Protean forms of error, yet
these qualifications may often be dispensed with. When a man of
Men should the Harlan-Page type presents himself to the executive of a mis-
be sent in
sionary body for foreign service, a man zealous in efforts for the
conversion of those around him, let him not be cooped up within
brick walls; but if he has had a good English education, and is
possessed of sound common sense, send him out forthwith fresh and
earnest. Young men, who are competent to conduct Sabbath-
schools and Bible-classes, may be safely entrusted with the work
of enlightening the heathen mind. They are not likely to prove
dilettanti missionaries. They may not act the part of skilful
engineers, sitting down to beleaguer the citadel according to pre-
scribed forms, but, as leaders of a forlorn hope, they will make a
dart at the ramparts and feel that it is theirs to go in and win.
Rev. W.
SWAN.
DR. MACGOWAN,
in our churches as the ministers who had remained at home? To
be sure they would. Two such were now present, filling the pas-
toral offiee in the same town, and had been greatly blessed there.
If they could do their Master's work well in India, Africa, or the
islands of the Pacific, they surely would not be deficient at home.
William Knibb had received no great education, yet he had turned
out to be a remarkable missionary. Another of their missionaries,
Mr. Saker, had gone out as an engineer, and not only measured
mountains, constructed buildings, and taught the people how to
make bricks and become carpenters, but had acquired the know-
ledge of two languages, and reduced one to a written form, in
which he had sent home copies of his own translation of the four
Evangelists and the Acts of the Apostles; whilst the last thing
they heard from him was, that he had produced a volume of
hymns in the Dualla language. Mr. Williams, again, had been
taken out of the army to become a missionary. And their de-
voted brother, Mr. Gregson, who had been sent up to Cawnpore,
by Mr. Carre Tucker, at his sole expense, as Sir H. Havelock's
chaplain, had formerly been a country pastor, but was now at
Agra, doing his work right well.
The Rev. WILLIAM SWAN thought that if the pulpits through-
out the country would echo the sentiments they had expressed, as
to the kind of men that were wanted for the mission field, an ex-
cellent effect would be produced. It was unfortunate that an
-
SIXTH SESSION.
253
early prejudice on this subject still survived in certain quarters.
idea about
exploded.
It
was, that men of an inferior standard were good enough to be Former
sent out as missionaries. This idea was exploded in all intelli- missionaries
gent circles; but it still lingered here and there; and ministers,
if they were faithful and wise, would do their best to dissipate it,
and that right early. Let them look at the spiritual state of the Spiritual
churches themselves; for from them came forth the young men produce
superior
to enter their colleges and training institutions; and if there was missionaries.
found a deep-toned piety pervading their churches, then assuredly
churches
to be encou-
a superior class of young men would offer themselves for the mis-
sionary service. And let all connected with the churches bear in
mind the duty of encouraging such young men, speaking respect- Young men
fully of the service to which they wished to devote themselves, raged.
and kindly help them onward in preparing to enter the institu-
tions, where they would be instructed in needful branches of
learning. He trusted both the press and the pulpit would be
employed to disseminate the sentiments expressed by the brethren
on this important subject.
LAYARD.
Captain LAYARD said; that every Missionary Society was con- Capt.
cerned in the matter now being discussed. He believed that the
feeling described by the previous speaker, that the missionary
service of the church was of an inferior grade to that of the ordi-
nary ministry, was well-nigh exploded; one proof of which was
found in the fact that graduates from the Universities were now
so freely offering themselves to the work, from Cambridge more
particularly. It was incumbent upon the churches to supply men
to occupy the ground, as fast as the Lord opened up fields for Need of men.
them to labour in. If the church were alive to its duty, there
would soon be a general and hearty response among its sons to
the call to enrol themselves under the missionary standard; and
he trusted that the result of that Conference would show, that
God was doing, through them, a work far greater than they de-
served, and that an "abundant entrance" into the now open doors
would be granted unto them far more than they anticipated. The
churches must supply the means, and God would not be slow with
his opportunities. The difficulties attending the selection of proper Improper
persons had been increased by some of their friends bringing a committees.
pressure to bear upon the committees in favour of particular indi-
viduals, protégés of their own; and wherever a committee had
allowed this external pressure to influence their selection, failure
had resulted. Let every member of each committee remember
pressure on
254
REV. J. H. TITCOMB.
Rev. J. H.
TITCOMB.
Result of
prayer-
meetings:
The Rev. J. H. TITCOMB Spoke chiefly on the vast import-
ance of prayer; and instanced the fact that the Cambridge Prayer-
Union, one of the objects of which was expressly to supplicate
God for an increase of missionaries, at the end of the first year
of its existence, had been the means of raising up for the Church
Missionary Society four University men. Faith led them to
of localising believe that this was attributable to that special exercise of prayer.
one's inte-
schools, &c.
He dwelt also upon the importance of the identification, in the
minds of individuals, of some single spot in the wide mission-field,
as a means of extension and increased support. The superintendent
In Sunday- of one of his own Sunday-schools was led to embrace mission
work, from the simple fact of his having selected a particular field,
and identified the sympathies and interest of that school with it.
He was sure he need only mention the honoured name of Paley to
remind them of one who, though he enjoyed but a short career
afterwards, was a true missionary and soldier of the cross. They
would thus foster a more vitalising feeling in regard to the mission
work. With respect to the qualifying of candidates, as a member
Candidates of the Examining Clerical Sub-committee of the Church Mis-
in the
Church
Missionary
Society.
sionary Society, he might perhaps be borne with if he said a few
words. A question had been asked as to whether there were any
distinctions made between the preparation of their missionaries
and of their home preachers. In respect to missionary work,
their candidates were drawn from two sources; from the Uni-
versities, on the one hand, and from the middle and lower classes
of life on the other. In the Universities, no distinction of train-
ing could be made, because they were not, properly speaking,
theological colleges. The ranks of the gentry, the professions of
law, medicine, &c., were all recruited from these colleges; whilst
only a comparatively small proportion, out of the large number of
young men there trained, immediately entered the ministry. As
to their University career, therefore, no distinction was made. The
same might be said afterwards. When any young man presented
himself to the Church Missionary Society, the first thing done was,
for one of the secretaries to obtain three referees, all of them being
subscribers to the Society, as a guarantee that his general prin-
ciples were such as the Society would be likely to endorse. Then,
rest in mis-
sions.
Their course
in the Uni-
versities.
Examina-
tions.
that he himself is responsible before God for the person that he
selects to send forth to be "the observed of all observers" in the
mission-field abroad, and the ambassador there of the Lord Most
High.
SIXTH SESSION.
255
visits, &c.
if such testimony proved satisfactory, a printed set of papers was Papers,
sent to the candidate, touching doctrine, and general theological
opinion on points of church government, and on matters of faith
and experience, but especially concerning vital piety; after filling
up and returning which, the clerical sub-committee sat and con-
sidered the answers. Supposing these also satisfactory, the young
man was then requested to make his appearance; and three out of
the committee were appointed, privately, pointedly, and prayer-
fully, to have personal communion with him, as to the motives
which prompted him; what elements of true missionary life there
might be in him; what powers of mind he possessed; what his
habits of life were, and had been; and particularly as to his love
for the Lord Jesus Christ; and that his heart was thoroughly
moved with zeal for the work. Some did not pass this last ordeal;
but whenever it was otherwise, the next step was to report to
the Corresponding Committee, and the question was then taken
up, whether he should be admitted into the Islington Institution
or not. This routine was universal. As to the social position and The classes:
distinctions of the young men who came forward, these were curi-
ously various; but whatever their different grades and positions
in life previously, they were all placed on one footing as regards
missionary work; and if at any time, after having been sent forth
from England as ordained missionaries, they were to return to
their own country, they would be in a fit position to occupy any
pulpit in the land.
whence they
come.
HARCUS.
R. Kuill.
The Rev. WILLIAM HARCUS, of Toxteth Chapel, Liverpool, Rev. W.
said;-On this question I wish simply to refer to the mode adopted
by a lately deceased minister and eminent missionary of the gospel
of Jesus Christ; one who was, I believe, successful in introducing
more young men into the work of the ministry, and into the mis-
sion field, than perhaps any other minister in this country. I Mode
adopted by
refer to the Rev. Richard Knill. It was his custom, whenever the Rev.
he went forth on behalf of the missionary cause, to take some
opportunity, either in public preaching, or during the addresses.
he delivered at missionary meetings, of making direct and personal
appeals to the young men whom he saw collected together. I
remember, some twenty years ago, being present at a meeting,
which Mr. Knill was attending in the North; a very small ga- Example.
thering, in a very small village; and at the close of his address,
after detailing both the encouragements and the discouragements.
of mission work, he looked down at a few young men, sitting in
256
REV. W. HARCUS.
The result.
Rev. Canon
WOOD-
ROOFE.
Sabbath-
schools.
Bible-
classes.
Rev. H. M.
WADDELL,
a pew just before the platform, and pointing his finger towards
them, said, "Now, will none of you go forth to speak a word for
Jesus Christ to the heathen?" And I know for a fact, that of
the six or seven young men who were thus appealed to, no less
than three devoted themselves to the work of the Lord, as the
result, in a great measure, of the direct appeal made to them on
that occasion by Mr. Knill. There are many young men, emi-
nently qualified for this work, but who, from a distrust and diffi-
dence of their own powers, or of the reality of their call to the
work of the ministry, are kept aloof; when, perhaps, a few words
kindly spoken to them by their minister or by Christian friends
who know them, may be the means of deciding them for the Lord
Jesus. It is a complaint in our churches, at the present time,
that men of the right stamp cannot be found to go out and occupy
the high field of Christian enterprise. I trust, therefore, that our
friends, of the various deputations who go about from town to
town, will remember how eminently successful was Mr. Knill, in
inducing young men to take upon them this important charge;
and will follow his example.
The Rev. Canon WOODROOFE said, that one means glanced
at, but not largely considered, as a feeder for their missionary
societies, were the Sabbath-schools. If properly worked, these
would always be found to furnish a considerable number of can-
didates for mission employment. But to this end great pains and
exertions were needed; the assembling of the teachers together,
in order to instil into their minds those principles which it was
desirable they should, by the Spirit of God, impart to others.
He had a class of young men, who met statedly for reading and
studying the Scriptures, and mutually asking questions and re-
ceiving information, and who never separated without prayer.
There was, he had reason to believe, a work of grace now going
on in their hearts; and they were asking, on different occasions,
How can I employ myself usefully in the cause of Christ? Most
of the brethren present had their Sabbath-schools; which, if rightly
used, would constantly furnish suitable candidates for the mission-
field.
The Rev. HOPE M. WADDELL observed, that the conversation
thus far had been very valuable and instructive; and the remarks
made, on all hands, worthy of their best attention. Still, be it
remembered, the case had been considered by the highest autho-
SIXTH SESSION.
257
1
mand to
for
1
men.
rity, and decided; and the proper means had been prescribed,
which must precede or accompany all other means. "The harvest The com-
is plenteous; the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord pray
of the harvest to send forth labourers into his harvest." They
had heard of the power of the pulpit as a means of inviting the
contributions of congregations, and obtaining increased funds;
and it should also be employed to augment the number of mis-
sionaries. But especially the prayers of the church, of families,
and of individual Christians, should be bent upon this object
more than heretofore; and a recommendation to this effect might
properly emanate from this Conference.
SMITH.
The Rev. THOMAS SMITH Would only advert to the subject of Rev. T.
obtaining missionaries; church organisations were so different
from one another, and modified so much the modes of training,
that he thought they could not do much in the way of discussing
the latter question here. But the former was a matter of purely
catholic interest; one in which they were all equally concerned.
The first thing to be looked at, in order to get good and suitable Obstacles to
candidates for the mission work, was to remove the obstacles that
be removed.
tions
lay in the way. So far as his experience and observation had
gone, that which prevailed as a hindrance, perhaps more than all
all others put together, was the parental influence placed in the
way of a young man consenting to be proposed, or offering him-
self as a candidate for the mission work. Now this parental
influence could not be dealt with otherwise than by a tender and
judicious hand. But it appeared to him that, so far as it originated
in misconception, it was capable of being modified and influenced; Misconcep
and this was the point to which he wished more particularly to
refer. In Scotland a very considerable portion of their clerical
men belonged to the middle, or just above the middle, class of
society. All of them were well educated for their station; but
it did not follow that their mothers and sisters were; and he
believed, generally, that there existed, in the minds of such, an about the
idea that necessarily heathen lands were such as that the mis- perils which
sionary must encounter a great deal more suffering than fell to encounter.
his lot at home. He (Mr. Smith) would not say that there were
not positions in the mission-field in which a European might
have to encounter all that the most lively imagination could
picture; but this was not ordinarily the case. Now, it would be
of great consequence, if through the pulpit and the press, and in
every way, the people's minds could be disabused of the idea that
missionaries
S
258
REV..T. SMITH.
there was necessarily, in mission-work, a kind of physical martyr-
dom. He believed they would find nineteen out of every twenty
people in Great Britain (of the class to which he referred) who
imagined that to go to India was necessarily to go to a land where
their health was sure to be broken down, and probably their lives
sacrificed in a very short space of time! But let them only look
round that room, and they would see men who, in vigour and
energy, were equal to any others of the same age who had re-
mained all their lives at home. Well, next, something of the
same kind of influence should be brought to bear upon the men
themselves. He had, for a long time, admired the system referred
to by Mr. Scott as appertaining to his body, that there should be
a certain degree of despotic power exercised by the Church in
sending men to places which they were best fitted to occupy.
He always had a great veneration for (in some respects) that
greatest man of his day, John Wesley; who always contended for
power of the the Church possessing the power of directing the location of all its
to
place them ministers, and placing them in the posts in which they were likely
in proper
positions.
66
to be most serviceable. It ought to be brought very strongly
to the consciences of all candidates for the ministry everywhere,
that they should consider themselves no longer their own, but
bought with a price;" should consecrate their energies and
talents to that part of the great field in which they might be the
most beneficially employed; and that all, who would eat the
bread of the Church, should consider themselves bound to serve
that Church in such a way as it thought the most advisable. He
believed that it would be the best and truest course to refrain
from so constantly putting before the students' minds, that in
giving themselves up to this branch of the service, they were
doing some mighty work; that it was a peculiar and extra ho-
nourable work they were aspiring towards; and that they were
making great sacrifices in so acting; but rather to inculcate
amongst their young men, that there were just two departments
of the same work equally honourable, and equally requiring the
best men; and that the one department which each was found to
be most qualified for, was the one which he should choose, with-
out reference to any supposed difference between them. A good
deal of this would be effected, were the practice more common
go abroad as than it is, for men to embark in the missionary work, not imme-
diately, but after they have made trial of their ministry in spheres
at home. In many parts of the foreign mission field, as in Bengal
and Caffreland, a moderate knowledge of the language might be
Good for
to
missionaries.
Mistakes
about India.
Unwilling-
ness of the
men:
Students
should feel
bound to
serve any-
where:
the work
being one.
SIXTH SESSION.
259
course.
acquired in a very short time. And thus it was not absolutely
necessary that a man should be young in order to his learning
the language. It would, in his view, have an excellent effect,
both directly and indirectly, upon public opinion in regard to
missions, if it were other than a rare or uncommon thing for men
to relinquish their home churches and go abroad. Such a course, Effect of
more extensively followed, would inevitably lead to the idea that such a
it was not so great a sacrifice which men were making when they
devoted themselves (as the phrase was) to the mission work, but
would appear just like a transference or translation from one
church to another. He thought that it would show a healthier
state of things, when the missions abroad and the work at home
were considered and deemed, both by ministers, the public, and the
Church generally, as two distinct, indeed, but not very dissimilar,
branches of one great work.
SUGDEN.
has the first
The Rev. JOHN SUGDEN said, he believed it would be a great Rev. J.
thing for every man who sustained the office of a pastor at home,
to have a few years' experience of mission work abroad. If any Good for all
young man were to present himself to him as a candidate for the pastors to
spend some
Christian ministry, and to consult him as to the particular depart- years abroad.
ment of the work in which he should engage, he should immediately
ask him: Have you considered whether it is not your duty to exer-
cise the ministry abroad rather than at home; and should point him
to heathen lands as having the first claim to his attention and Heathendom
regard. Every minister of the gospel ought to do this. The field at claim.
home was limited, the foreign field was vast and almost limitless.
He did not think that Missionary Societies would be doing other
than their duty were they to go from church to church, select the Societies
most gifted men amongst the home ministry under forty years of pastors to go
age, or so, and ask them-leaving it to their consciences to settle-
whether it was not their duty to go abroad? For whatever dignity
a man occupied and enjoyed in the church at home, be he even an
archbishop, it would add to his true dignity were he to consecrate
himself to the work of foreign missions. It had been his happiness,
since his return home, to introduce young men into the work of the
ministry; and it was a great happiness to him to know that one His own
young man belonging to his own congregation, one of the most
gifted, who had taken high honours at the University of London,
and withal of considerable social position, had, during the past
year, devoted himself to the work of preaching the gospel of
Christ to the heathen. Both he and others would gladly have
might invite
out.
experience.
Ad
260
MR. BICKERSTETH'S LETTER.
Rev. G. D.
CULLEN.
Another
week of
prayer in
1861.
Week of
special
prayer:
steth's pro-
posal.
The Rev. Mr. CULLEN rejoiced that they had had so very
lengthened and animated a conversation on this subject. The
secretaries, however, now requested the Conference briefly to direct
its attention to the next point in the programme; the Rev. E. H.
Mr. Bicker- Bickersteth's Letter for United Prayer in the year 1861. They
must all, he thought, have felt sensible, during the proceedings of
the Conference thus far, that a blessing had attended the united
prayers offered from many pulpits and many meetings, that a spirit
of wisdom and of love might be poured down upon them from on
high; in the answer they were now receiving, manifested as it
was in the large enjoyment they had had, the great unanimity ex-
hibited, and (he trusted) in spiritual profit and benefit to their own
souls. The prayer-meetings in the morning had been very grati-
fying; and he thought it would be a most becoming step that they
should resolve, as a Conference, to sustain the proposal which had
emanated from the excellent clergyman he had named; and that a
certain week, early in 1861, should be devoted to prayer throughout
the entire world: for it was evident that there was spread abroad
at the present time amongst the nations an enlarged spirit of grace
and of supplication. The proposal had first appeared in a letter
from Mr. Bickersteth in the Record newspaper, copies of which
letter had since been largely circulated, and was to the effect that
the second week in 1861 should be set apart for this purpose.
gone to the foreign field, had their physical health permitted. He
(Mr. Sugden) felt like a man (to use the expression in a military
sense) somewhat "degraded," having returned home from the
foreign field of labour. He felt that the best part of his ministerial
life had certainly been spent in the latter work.
RESOLUTION ON MR. BICKERSTETH'S LETTER.
After considerable conversation on the subject, in which the
members generally, while heartily concurring in Mr. Bickersteth's
proposal, preferred the first week of January to the second,
It was unanimously RESOLVED:
That the Members of this Conference cordially concur in the
proposal made by Mr. Bickersteth, and will rejoice to see the
whole Church of God throughout the world, again setting apart
a WEEK FOR SPECIAL PRAYER on behalf of Missions, in January,
SIXTH SESSION.
261
of Jan. 1861.
1861: they would prefer, however, that the first week of that first week
month should be chosen for the purpose instead of the second:
and they pray that a series of meetings may then be held, far
exceeding, in their beneficial influence, the hallowed meetings of
the present year.
Univeral
the following
They unanimously concur also in the proposal made by the missionary
Rev. G. Scott, that on the Sabbath-day following that week of sermons on
prayer, the ministers of all the churches of Christ in every land Sabbath.
be respectfully requested specially to bring the great subject of
Christian Missions before the people of their charge.
THORBURN.
should work
The Rev. DAVID THORBURN, M.A., of Leith, in introducing Rev. D.
the third subject specified in the Programme, namely, "How far
is it possible and advisable to induce men and women of private
fortune to devote themselves to missionary work?" said he had
listened with great interest and admiration to the papers read by
Mr. Green and others, and to the various remarks which they had
educed; but it had occurred to him that the subject of missions
was treated if not as extraneous to, still as the extraordinary
work of the church. For his own part, he would go further than
Mr. Scott, and say, that it is the one great object for the pro-
motion of which every one of them, lay or clerical, had been called Laymen
to become partakers of the grace that is in Christ Jesus. They in missions.
had this grace imparted to them, not only that they themselves
might be saved, but that they might become diffusers of that
grace over all the world; and were thus all called upon to become
missionaries, in one form or another. By prayer, by teaching in
the Sabbath-school, by appeals from the pulpit, they might and
would, of course, obtain missionary workers; but every believer
in the Lord Jesus must view himself as a member of that ag-
gressive army, and be ready, at his Master's call, to go forth.
"The field is the world." Any one who had paid the slightest
attention to the recent revival work in Wales, Ireland, and Individual
America, must have been impressed with the fact that it was bility.
attended by a sense of individual responsibility, which had never
been observable to so large an extent before. That sense of indi-
vidual responsibility, and an increased sense of the efficacy of
prayer, constituted the grand secret of success in the matter of
Christian missions. The whole church was divided into two great Two classes
sections: those who were especially set apart, separated, for church.
communicating the truth to their fellow-men; and those who in
their various civil, military, or other walks of life, were called
responsi-
in the
262
!
Invitation
given to
Dr. Duff:
professors
to be mis-
sionary.
upon to help the work by contributing of their own substance, by
inducing others to cast of their abundance into the treasury of
the Lord, and in every other way in their power. He thought
Theological all their theological professors should be missionary professors.
When Dr. Chalmers, who was one of the professors of theology
to that section of the Church in Scotland to which he (Mr. Thor-
burn) belonged, was removed by death, he and many others of his
brethren were of opinion that they should endeavour to get, as his
successor, one imbued in the highest degree with the missionary
spirit; and the brother to whom they looked was Dr. Duff: for
they thought that, if they got him amongst them, he would stir up
such a missionary spirit amongst the youth of Scotland, who
aspired to the Christian ministry, as that they should not be
contented to rest at home, but be fired with the ambition to make
known to the heathen the unsearchable riches of Christ.
Why:
REV. D. THORBURN.
Analogy be-
tween
military life.
The missionary service, in his opinion, bore the same relation
missions and to the work of the ministry at home, that that of the regular
army, of which their Chairman (General Alexander) and other
members of the Conference were so great an ornament, bore to
that of the militia corps and of the corps of volunteers, which had
recently been enrolled. However important the latter for the
defence of their native land, the higher and more honourable ser-
vice was that of those who were called upon, not only to protect
their country from foreign aggression, but to carry its banners to
the remotest ends of the earth.
Rev. R. G.
CATHER.
among the
wealthy.
to be culti-
vated:
The Rev. ROBERT G. CATHER, Wesleyan Minister, London-
derry, thought the spirit of sacrifice which led young men to offer
themselves for mission work, was a very blessed manifestation of the
operation of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts; and that the reason
why there was not a more frequent consecration of this nature, even
Self-sacrifice in regard to or in prospect of the most unwholesome climates and the
most inhospitable parts of the field, was, that this spirit of sacrifice
was not cultivated to a sufficient or scriptural extent amongst the
home churches. A young man, desirous of becoming a missionary,
was expected to bring out all the marks of refinement and educa-
tion; and yet those who applauded him for his spirit and talent,
too frequently did nothing besides towards the end he had in view.
He thought that, if the habit prevailed amongst wealthy Christians
of periodically devoting large sums from their worldly gains, without
themselves being called to leave their business or other avoca-
tions, they would have better things to report very speedily. Not
KRA
B
SIXTH SESSION.
263
only a consecration of zealous and pious men, but of men pos-
sessing means, was greatly to be desired.
danger in
work now
Ireland than
The CHAIRMAN agreed with the last speaker, that it would be CHAIRMAN,
a great advantage were more men of wealth, talents, and pious
energy, to throw themselves into the mission work. As to the
personal dangers attending the work abroad, there was, as Mr.
Smith had shown, a great deal of false sentiment floating through Personal
society on the subject. If a young man was going out to fill a mission
post in the civil service, which is not without its occasional small.
momentous and trying dangers; or in the army, where danger is
always objective, we might perhaps expect to hear parents and
others considering the contingency; but common observation shows
us that such is not the case. We can never forget the perils to
which missionaries have been exposed among the cannibals of the
South Sea Islands, and the Dyaks of Borneo; but, generally
speaking, the missionary of the present day has no danger to
apprehend that should weigh for one moment with him and his
friends. He had seen missions abroad and at home, and had no
hesitation in saying that missionaries to the Roman Catholics in Greater in
Ireland had been exposed to more personal danger of life and elsewhere.
limb, and subjected to grosser ill-treatment, than he had ever
known, heard, or read of, elsewhere, except among savages in
modern times. But, be this as it may, the thought of danger
should never deter a soldier of Christ; and he who shrunk from not shrink.
either the possibility or probability of joining the army of martyre,
ought never to offer himself as a candidate for the spiritual warfare
of the mission field. He had a son, one of whom he might say
with a father's pride, that he was a noble youth, who had just gone
out to serve his Sovereign in her Indian army; and honourable as
such an entrance into life is, it would have delighted both his
mother's and father's heart, had the grace and providence of God
led that son to become a standard-bearer in the missionary band.
Still it is his prayerful hope that the young soldier will adorn the
profession of arms with an uncompromising profession of the
religion of Jesus Christ; and be among those who, in the true
missionary spirit, without fear or shame, prove that they best serve
their Queen and country, in proportion as they are faithful in
allegiance to their Saviour and their God.
Still we must
His owncase
The following MINUTE expresses the views generally enter-
tained by the members of Conference on the subject of the present
discussion:
MINUTE.
264
and search
them out.
Missionaries
appointed by
At the outset of this important question, the Conference are
the Spirit: met by the consideration that to send forth messengers of divine
truth is the peculiar prerogative of the Spirit of God; and by
the command of their Lord, to make that appointment a matter
Personal
character.
the Church of special prayer. In the great need for missionaries, now press-
to pray for
them:
ing heavily upon the Church of Christ, they feel that such prayer
is their first duty; and, that the more pressing the want becomes,
the more earnest and importunate it should be. At the same time,
they acknowledge it to be right on the part of the Church to
search for men; and by the prayerful exercise of a sound judg-
ment, endeavour to discover those who, by the possession of the
requisite gifts, prove themselves called, by the Holy Spirit, to
undertake the duties and responsibilities of missionary life.
On the personal character of missionary candidates they would
lay great stress: the important spiritual position, which mis-
sionaries occupy, demanding from them deep piety, large faith,
and hearty consecration to the work of saving souls.
Classes
whence they
have been
drawn.
MINUTE.
Classes to be
invited to
offer their
service.
MINUTE ON THE BEST MEANS OF OBTAINING
WELL-QUALIFIED MISSIONARIES.
The Conference observe, in the past history of modern mis-
sions, that the larger proportion of missionaries have been drawn
from the lower ranks of the middle classes, and the classes imme-
diately below them: and they would wish to see the claim of
missions on their personal service, admitted by the sons of the
wealthy and the learned; that all classes in the Church may have
a direct share in the work which the Church is carrying on.
Judging from experience they consider that these claims may
be pressed, with success, upon Sabbath-school teachers; upon
young men just entering on business; on students for the mi-
nistry; and on the younger pastors of churches. The majority
of these will require to enter upon a course of study to fit them
for their work: but a young pastor, of four or five years' ex-
perience, and not too old to learn a foreign language, is already
prepared to offer a service of peculiar value.
The Conference consider that several methods may be most pro-
perly adopted, in order to draw, from these and other classes, those
A
SIXTH SESSION.
265
missions.
whom the Lord has fitted for his work; and in employing them, they Methods of
pressing the
would follow the teachings of experience. All means that convey claims of
correct information about missions; that exhort to duty; and stir
up a hearty missionary spirit, they deem useful for this end. Ser-
mons from the pulpit, pressing the claims of missions; addresses
and appeals at missionary meetings; the instructions of the Bible-
class and Sabbath-school; the opportunities furnished by Young
Men's Associations, now so numerous and influential; missionary
classes and prayer-meetings in Colleges and Universities; the ex-
tensive circulation of missionary works and periodicals; the
special appeals of Societies; and the personal efforts of indivi-
duals; should, in their opinion, all be employed, with the direct
purpose of reaching the hearts of the young, and inducing many
of them personally to devote themselves to missionary life.
be removed
In the missionary information given in public addresses or obstacles to
by the press, they think that special attention should be given
to the removal of obstacles that stand in the way of their con-
secration. Right views of the real position of a missionary
abroad; of the people, climate, exterior life and circumstances,
by which he is surrounded; right views of the work itself, as one
with the work of the ministry at home; and of the position which
a missionary occupies in the estimation of the church, will also
contribute to make the way clear.
lify them.
Into the mode of qualifying missionary candidates for their How to qua-
work they would not enter: beyond expressing their opinion, that
keeping in view the great purpose of fitting a missionary to be
a faithful preacher of the gospel in other lands, that training in
its various elements should have distinct regard to the capacities
of the man and the wants of his sphere of labour.
old plans.
While conscious that these plans are not new, the Con- New life in
ference trust that, in the advanced position which missions have
recently attained, a greater vigour, and more earnest spirit of
prayer, may accompany their employment for the end in view;
and they pray that, through the Lord's blessing on such means
employed for his cause and in dependence on his aid, an abundance
of labourers may be speedily sent forth to reap his harvest.
The Conference concluded with prayer.
266
Soirée.
CHAIRMAN.
Rev. C. B.
LEUPOLT.
Mr. D F.
Macleod.
THIRD MISSIONARY SOIRÉE.
THURSDAY EVENING.
AT half-past seven P.M., this evening, a third Missionary
Soirée took place in Hope Hall, which was most numerously
attended, the Hall being closely crowded.
EDWARD DAWSON, Esq., of Aldcliffe Hall, Lancaster, occu-
pied the Chair.
Prayer having been offered by the Rev. J. L. AIKMAN of
Glasgow,
The CHAIRMAN observed, that in presiding on the present
occasion, he rejoiced to testify his long-continued attachment to
the great cause of Christian missions among the heathen. He
trusted that the Conference was destined to exercise a very
decided influence upon the prosperity and advancement of
Christian missions in every part of the world.
INDIAN CONVERTS IN THE MUTINY.
BY THE REV. C. B. LEUPOLT, OF BENARES.
Rev. C. B. LEUPOLT, missionary of the Church Missionary
Society in Benares, who was received with hearty cheering, ad-
dressed the meeting as follows:-I have been requested to say
something respecting the conduct of our Christians in India
during the mutiny, and I do so with very great pleasure. Before
doing so, however, I will just say a word about my friend and
brother, Behari Lal Singh. He told us yesterday, that a gentle-
As he
man had supported him, but he did not tell us his name.
has not prohibited me from doing so, I will mention that that
gentleman is Mr. DONALD MACLEOD: (Cheers)-a very curious
man, who always likes to lay out his money where he can get
1
THIRD MISSIONARY SOIRÉE.
267
cent per cent interest. (Laughter and cheers.) He invests it all
in a Bank, where he is sure it is safe; "where rust will not cor-
rupt, nor thieves break through and steal." Doubtless there are
many others at this meeting who act upon the same excellent
principle.
the converts,
Benares.
With regard to our Christians during the mutiny, their con- Fears about
duct was everywhere nearly the same. About a year and a half beforehand.
before it broke out, I received a long letter from a dear friend of
mine, Colonel Wheeler (loud applause); who wrote and said,—
"I have recently had a conversation with a friend respecting the
native Christians; and we came to the conclusion that, if any
persecution should arise, it was doubtful whether many would
remain firm." I wrote back in reply,-"My dear friend, it is
evident that persons in India can be friends of missions, and yet
not know the native Christians in whom they take a deep in-
terest." (Hear, hear.) There were indications of the approach- Signs of the
ing mutiny before it actually broke out; but we scarcely believed mutiny.
them, or understood their real import. It was on the 17th May,
1857, that our friend Mr. Tucker, then Commissioner of the Benares
District, came to our mission station at Sigra in the city, to tell
us what had transpired at Meerut; how the sepoys had burned
the cantonment, killed several officers, had gone off to Delhi, and Position of
there murdered all the Europeans. He likewise informed me
that we had in Benares about 1300 native soldiers, whom we
could not trust, and only thirty-five Europeans to protect us. It
was not, however, in human means alone that we trusted. We
took our measures; and it was agreed that, if anything should
happen, the residents were to rendezvous at the Mint. This
was on Sabbath day, the 17th of May. I believe that the time Mutiny
of evening service was the hour fixed by the rebellious troops
for the murder of the Europeans in Benares; but there was One
who reigned above, and who at the time sent a terror among the
native soldiers, so that they deferred their purpose. They de-
layed; they wanted more help; and the other regiments did not
come to help them. I believe the time they next fixed was the
4th of June. But the Lord again interfered on our behalf. At June 4th:
two o'clock that afternoon the gallant Colonel Neill arrived in defeated.
Benares with a body of 120 European soldiers; who joined about
eighty others, who had reached us a few days before from Dina-
pore. At five that afternoon it was resolved that the native
soldiers should be disarmed. They were drawn out on parade,
and refused to pile their arms. The fight then commenced, and,
restrained.
the rising
268
INDIAN CONVERTS IN THE MUTINY.
The Lord's
doing.
though our defenders numbered only 250 men, in one hour the
native soldiery were scattered before the wind. The Lord again
gave us the victory. (Loud cheers.) He was with us, and our
enemies could not prevail against us.
When the mutiny broke out in Benares it was, of course, as
was the case all over India, ascribed to the missionaries; and I
think my friend Mr. Tucker got his full share of the blame. It
was said, "There he is, and there he has his school" a
Government school-where there were about 200 young men,
who read the Bible with great pleasure: it was therefore partly
ascribed to him that the mutiny broke out. At the beginning
of the mutiny we were quiet; but this did not last long; and we
soon saw that all the great towns round Benares had fallen.
Azimgurh, Jaunpore, Allahabad,-all had fallen; while Benares,
with its 300,000 inhabitants and 1300 mutinous soldiers, still
stood. The Lord protected us; all was owing to the prayers
and faithfulness of his servants. (Cheers.) When the mutiny
broke out, I did not think much about myself. That I might
be murdered, never entered into my head; but I thought a great
deal about the native Christians at Agra and other stations; and
wondered whether, when they saw the sword of the enemy over
their heads, they would continue faithful to their Saviour, or
become Mohammedans to save their lives. But the first thing
that happened, when the fight took place at Benares, convinced
me that our Christians would prove stronger than I expected.
I went among them and spoke to them separately. They were
quite calm; but perfectly resolved, come what might, to stand
firm to the faith which they professed. We soon afterwards
heard of the fall of the various towns, where the Europeans and
native Christians had been murdered. There was a time, also,
at Benares, when I requested our native Christians to leave that
city and go to other places for safety. But their language was
always the same; the language of all the native Christians
throughout India was the same. (Cheers.) From the beginning
of the mutiny they cast in their lot with us, and said: "Where
thou goest I will go, where thou diest I will die; thy people shall
be my people, and thy God my God." (Loud applause.) And the
Lord owned his native children. (Renewed applause.) You have
heard how many of them perished; how they were blown from
Everywhere guns; how they were cut down by the sword; how they died of
the same.
Blame where
laid.
Dangers in
Benares.
Firmness
of the
Christians.
Their deci-
sion.
starvation in their wanderings. Yet when we came to collect,
after the mutiny, and compare notes, so far as we could discover,
1
269
THIRD MISSIONARY SOIRÉE.
we found that, among all the native Christians whom we knew,
only two had consented to become Mohammedans through fear.
All the rest proved faithful. (Loud and enthusiastic cheers.)
the Benares
converts to
thera.
Soon after the commencement of the mutiny, a great many
Christians came gradually to Benares, from the various stations Refugees
which had been destroyed;-from Lucknow, from Cawnpore,
from Futtehguhr, Futtehpore, and Allahabad; and we had our
Christian village of Sigra filled with fugitive Christians. At
one time we sent two boat-loads of Christians down the Ganges
to Calcutta. Nehemiah Nil Kanth, one of our native preachers, Kindness of
had saved seventy rupees; and when we wanted money to help
the fugitives, he gave us the whole sum towards the payment of
a boat. (Hear, hear.) And not he alone, but all the Christians
gave freely, and at all times, of that which the Lord had given
them, towards the support of the Christian fugitives who came
into our settlement. We had a missionary at Goruckpore; and
when the Europeans all left, he was obliged to leave also. I
wrote to him, advising him not to stay any longer, lest his life Goruckpore.
should be uselessly sacrificed. He left for Benares; but the
Christians remained, determined to see through the storm. The
enemy came and took possession of Goruckpore; the Christians
were then summoned before the native judge, who told them
quietly that they must make their choice between becoming
Mahommedans or being put to death. Three days were given The converts
them for consideration, and they received those three days thank-
fully. As soon as they came home, Pathras, the senior catechist,
a young man who had been educated in our Orphan Institution,
stood up in the assembly and said: "You have heard what the
native judge has told us, that we have the choice either of dying
or of becoming Mohammedans. One thing I am sure of, none Consulta-
of us will become Mohammedans." Looking at his wife and
children, he said: "I should not like to die; but remembering
our Lord's words, 'If they persecute you in one city, flee into
another,' my advice to you is, that we quietly break up into
small parties, meet afterwards in the jungle, and then go off
towards the Ganges." Before they had time to act upon this
advice a friendly Mussulman came to their station, and requested
the native Christians to flee as soon as they could; for, said he,
"you will be all killed if you stay." They left the place the They flee
same night; and after remaining unmolested in the jungle up-
wards of a week, they made their way towards Chaprah, without
money, food, or clothes. As they emerged from the jungle they
threatened.
tion.
I
270
MISSIONS IN TURKEY.
meet Peel's
brigade.
(C
saw a band of European soldiers. "This was a joyful sight to
us," Pathras wrote; "and the Europeans were delighted when
they heard that we were Christians. But," continued Pathras,
they were not soldiers such as we had seen before; they were
curious-looking men, all very broad and sunburnt; and, instead
of having soldiers' red coats, they were all dressed in blue, and
had with them guns so large that we might have put our heads
into the mouth." They were, in fact, the blue-jackets of Peel's
Naval Brigade, with their huge 68-pounders. (Loud cheers.)
Kindness of When one of these generous men saw that our poor Christians
the sailors.
had no food and no money, he took off his cap, went round among
his comrades, and collected sixty rupees for them on the spot.
(Loud cheers.) They were afterwards also provided for in other
ways. Throughout the mutiny, indeed, the Lord has been very
gracious to our native Christians, and has acted just as a mother
acts to her children in this world. The strong son of eighteen
is allowed to go forth and push his fortune in the world; but the
tender child she takes in her arms, and leads by the hand. Thus
did the Lord act to our native Christians of tender faith; so that
they were enabled by his grace and power to make a faithful con-
fession of the name of Jesus amid unusual perils. At Goruck-
pore, the scene of this trial, a new village has been erected since
the mutiny; and a large number of persons have been baptized.
(Loud cheers.)
The Lord's
mercy to
them all.
Rev. J. R.
TUCKER.
ON MISSIONS IN TURKEY.
BY THE REV. J. R. TUCKER.
Rev. JOSEPH R. TUCKER, Clerical Secretary of the Turkish Mis-
sions' Aid Society, observed that the society was established to aid
the work of their American brethren, which had been progressing in
Turkey for above thirty years. In the first instance, two mission-
aries were sent to Constantinople. They laboured amid great
difficulty and opposition, established schools, and distributed
Christian literature. But very few converts were gained in many
Results of
years. During the last few years, however, they had been per-
the Ameri- years.
can missions mitted to gather the fruit of their zeal in a great number of
in Turkey.
flourishing churches, now established in various provinces of
Turkey. The Bible Societies bad introduced the Holy Scriptures
into Turkey in the Armenian, Turkish, and Bulgarian languages,
and the missionaries had distributed them widely among the people.
THIRD MISSIONARY SOIRÉE.
271
They also introduced their printing-press, and had worked it most Their press:
actively; printing publications of their own composition, and trans-
lating others into the languages spoken by the races in Turkey.
By these means they had largely distributed Christian literature
throughout the land. The printing-press was established in 1833,
and down to the year 1854 there had been issued from it more than
one million volumes, printed in the various languages spoken in
Turkey, comprising one hundred and twenty million pages, and its issues.
including forty different works. At present they were able to report
upwards of one million and a quarter of books and tracts, including
some two hundred millions of pages; and they had now no less than
one hundred and fifty different works in the Greek, Turkish,
Armenian, or Armeno-Turkish languages; as well as in the
Syriac and Arabic tongues.
schools.
Another feature was the establishment of schools. When the Schools.
missionaries went to Turkey there were no schools throughout the
country. There was great opposition to their introducing schools;
but they had been enabled, in connexion with their mission stations,
to establish 154 schools, the scholars in which were calculated at
4500. (Applause.) They had also seven schools, in which a higher
education was given; and where they had 156 males and females.
They had, in fact, given such an impulse to the spread of educa-
tion that the Armenian church, long so dead, had taken up the
matter; now there were schools established in connexion with all
the Armenian churches, and also among the Greeks. One of the Female
most striking features of this scheme in Turkey was seen in the
female schools, which had been generally established. There was
great opposition to these at first, and for many years the mission-
aries were not able to collect more than twenty or thirty girls.
This opposition had ceased, and in their own schools they had Schools
900 hundred girls. The Armenian and Greek churches had taken Armenians
this subject up, and in Constantinople there was a large committee and Greeks
of ladies, who had established in that city thirteen schools for girls,
some of which contained more than 200 children. These Greek
ladies collected among themselves 800l., which had been spent in
this way. The Government had also taken up the subject, and
had established a system of education in Turkey which very much
resembled that which prevailed in our own country. There were
396 free-schools in Constantinople alone, with more than 22,700 Government
children in them. Referring for a moment to churches which had
been established by these missionaries, Mr. Tucker said that Native
there were 45 such churches established in the midst of large
schools.
churches.
R
272
MISSIONS IN TURKEY.
Native
pastors.
populations, varying from 10,000 to 30,000, which were centres of
influence whence the light of truth might radiate around. In
these churches were collected from the Armenians nearly 2000
members, and there were 7000 persons who, though not converted,
professed their conversion from superstition and erroneous forms of
Christianity to pure Protestantism; and were legally recognised
by the Government as a Protestant community. The speaker
Example of mentioned, as a specimen of these churches, and of a model mis-
sionary church, showing forcibly the power of the reproductive
principle, and the self-supporting character of a well-conducted
native agency, that some fourteen years ago a converted Arme-
nian, with a native of the country, went into a place thirty miles
from Aleppo, and was stoned away from it when endeavouring to
propagate the truth. They returned again, and ten years ago
they were able to report eight persons of whom they could speak
hopefully as the nucleus of a Christian church. During ten years
Progress of that little company grew on and on, until now there were more
one church.
than 1000 nominal Protestants; including 233 church members,
who, under the conduct of a native pastor, were devoting their
influence and time to the extension of the work in the districts all
around them. (Applause.) They had four flourishing day-schools,
self-maintained, and upwards of 600 bible students; and the mis-
sionaries mentioned as a remarkable fact, that no less than 300
women of the congregation there had learnt to read. Five native
pastors had been sent out from this place; one of whom was
labouring at Tarsus, another at Antioch, and two or three on the
banks of the Tigris. A Christian Young Men's Association had
been established there, in which fifteen young men devoted half
their time to missionary work, and the other half to work, in
´order to maintain themselves.
Influence on
Mohamme-
dans.
He should mention, also, the wonderful influence of this Ar-
menian movement upon the Mohammedan mind. The toleration
now given to Christianity, and the Firman of the Sultan, which
gave permission to Mohammedans to renounce the Koran and em-
brace Christianity, had paralysed Mohammedanism. Mohamme-
danism had been extended by the sword; its dictum had been-
Submit to the Koran, or die. Once having submitted, no man could
depart from it but with his life. The Mohammedans were availing
themselves of this permission. (Loud cheers.) A few years ago, the
first convert from among the Mohammedans in Constantinople was
in danger of losing his life. He was to be summoned before the
Padishah; and missionaries hurried him out of the city on board an
THIRD MISSIONARY SOIRÉE.
273
1
English vessel, with his wife, and sister, and children, and they Illustration.
sailed to Malta, where they remained a considerable time. When
this firman, however, was made known, he returned to Constanti-
round him.
example.
nople, and was the first ordained Mohammedan who was introduced
as a preacher of the gospel. He had now a place of worship,
where he ministered without let or hindrance. Numbers of Inquirers
Mahommedans listened to him continually, and a letter re-
cently received, stated that the Turks who came to him for
private conversation were thronging his house morning, noon,
and night. In fact, he counted nearly 400 visits in one
month. The private Secretary of the Sultan had been attending
Selim Effendi's ministry, had embraced Protestantism, and had
given up his office. (Cheers.) Another instance of the result of Another
this firman was that of a colonel from the frontiers of the empire,
close to the borders of Persia, who had come to Constantinople to
associate himself with this work. Some religious books had fallen
into his hands; he had afterwards read the New Testament, and
having determined to renounce Mohammedanism and embrace
Christianity, he had come to Constantinople in order to commu-
nicate with the American missionaries, and to secure the inter-
vention of the British ambassador, should any persecutions arise.
He asked for no maintenance; he had rank and influence; and he
had determined to devote himself to the spreading of the gospel of
Christ. The Turkish Mission Aid Society had been established in sixty agents
England for the purpose of promoting this great work, and by the employed.
money which it contributed, more than sixty native agents were
employed throughout Asiatic Turkey. (Loud applause.)
FEMALE EDUCATION IN THE EAST.
BY THE REV. J. FORDYCE.
FORDYCE.
The Rev. JOHN FORDYCE, formerly missionary of the Free Rev. J.
Church in Calcutta, having been requested to give some inform-
ation upon the subject of Female Education in the East, with which
he had been specially connected, observed, that the first effort on a
considerable scale was originated by the appeal made by a Baptist Societies for
this object.
missionary from China, many years ago, which led to the formation
of the London Ladies' Society for Female Education in the East.
This was altogether a catholic Society, assisting Episcopalians,
Baptists, Independents, and Methodists alike. There were other
Societies of a smaller kind in England, the Wesleyan Methodists
T
274
FEMALE EDUCATION IN THE EAST.
Efforts
limited:
State of
women in
India.
Appeal on
their behalf.
having recently formed a Ladies' Committee for carrying out this
work. Again, there was a special Society, having a great work in
hand, in which the Hon. Mr. Kinnaird, and his friends in London,
took a very active part, for the promotion of Normal Schools to
train teachers for entering into the zenanas of the rich in India,
and teaching also the schools for the poor. Besides these in Eng-
land, there were two Societies in Scotland, one connected with the
Established, and the other with the Free Church. Hitherto, mis-
sionary efforts on behalf of women had not been carried forward
and ought to on that large scale of liberality which was desirable; the London
be enlarged Ladies' Society, for instance, only having an income of from
3000l. to 40007. He was most anxious that their fathers and
brethren, with the religious community generally, should be im-
pressed with the immense importance of making greater efforts
in this direction. If such efforts were to be made exclusively by
Female Societies, they should have an income of 50,000l. to
100,000l. annually. With regard to the state of woman in India
at present, he would remind the audience of a single sentence
which described it pretty clearly and fully :
"She was un-
welcomed at her birth, untaught in her childhood, enslaved when
married, accursed as a widow, and often unlamented at her death."
She was not only like her brethren, the sons of India, spiritually
benighted; but, unlike them, she was socially enslaved and de-
graded. Nay more, a large class of females in India, especially in
Bengal, were positively imprisoned; tens of thousands were in-
carcerated for no crime except that of being women. Under these
circumstances, Mr. Fordyce urged that an earnest appeal should
be presented to the mothers and daughters of England; an appeal
which should reach the ears of our beloved Queen, and prompt
efforts to redress the wrongs of the suffering sisterhood. (Loud
applause.) Though he acknowledged the great liberality and
sympathy which many English ladies in India, including Lady
Canning, had manifested on this question, Mr. Fordyce said that
hitherto it had been very much trifled with; observing that, if a
large and enlightened view were taken of the state of women in
India, an effort worthy the country and the cause would be doubt-
less put forth; and that a host of Florence Nightingales would
arise, and go forth to save millions, not from the diseases of the
body merely, but from the more destructive maladies of the soul.
MỚ
THIRD MISSIONARY SOIRÉE.
275
ON MEDICAL MISSIONS IN CHINA AND JAPAN.
BY DR. MACGOWAN.
GOWAN,
needed.
missionaries
men.
Dr. MACGOWAN, American Medical Missionary to China and Dr. MAC-
Japan, observed, that the medical or lay element imparted to the
work of missions was a most important agency. Medical men Where
were needed more in some countries than in others. Among a
people, low in civilisation, it was not necessary to have a fully
educated physician; for there the clergyman or missionary might
very usefully blend the duties of a physician with his ministra-
tions. But when the missions were amongst a people far advanced
in civilisation, possessing an extensive literature and medical
systems of their own, it was desirable to send among them men
who had received the best advantages of the most favoured of our
medical schools. You must not, Dr. Macgowan continued, in
sending missionaries to China and Japan, attempt to unite the two Medical
professions. That to which I belong is in itself sufficient to fill an to be lay-
angel's mind; and if you attempt to engraft it upon the higher
and nobler profession of divinity, you will, at the same time, spoil
a divine, and make a quack. The need of medical missionaries
must be admitted by all. And here I would pay a tribute of respect Kindness of
English and
to the members of my noble and ennobling profession connected American
with the Honourable East India Company and her Majesty's
naval and military services. I take pleasure, as an American
especially, in acknowledging their gratuitous services to my mis-
sionary countrymen and to missionaries generally. The medical
men of the army and navy of both services have been to a very
large extent, assistant medical missionaries; and the Christian
public have not sufficiently recognised their indebtedness to those
members of the medical profession. The duties of a medical Duties of
missionary are, in the first and least important place, to prescribe missionary.
for the sick; then to devote himself to imparting instruction in
the teaching of the healing art and its collateral sciences to the
native practitioners. But the highest calling of the medical mis-
sionary is, like that of the missionary proper, to labour for the
conversion of souls and the strengthening and edification of the
infant churches. With regard to their utility, medical missions Their utility.
are required for the care of missionaries and their families;
and are necessary to conciliate the people, particularly those of
China and Japan; and to counteract the evil influences exercised
surgeons.
the medical
276
MEDICAL MISSIONS IN CHINA AND JAPAN.
How they
work.
Only these
practicable
in Japan.
by our Godless fellow-countrymen in those lands. The medical
missions are a corrective to the wrongs we are inflicting upon
those peoples. Where now you hear of a riot in China, you would,
but for medical missions, hear of an extermination or of a general
massacre; and for one expedition that you now send out you would
have to send out two. In Eastern countries they associate with
religion the idea of doing good; and a system of religion that does
not exhibit benevolence they think is wanting, at least, in the
"grace of congruity." We are brought into contact with a vast
mass of misery in those lands; a millionth part of which it is not
possible to relieve. Here is an economical way of doing some
good, and of showing that our religion enjoins benevolence. We
can best show the benevolence of our religion by healing the sick;
and thus give the evidence for which they are continually asking
mere preaching of the gospel is not convincing evidence as to
the character of our holy religion. Secular labour is needed in
the mission work; first, in the founding of missions; and again,
when the churches are planted, laymen are useful as deacons and
as general assistants to the pastor in his various duties. As the
time to which I have been limited has expired, I shall conclude by
stating, that in the most recently opened of all lands, Japan,
nothing else can be done, for some time to come, but some form
of secular labour; this being the only kind acceptable to the
Government. Did time afford it, I could give you strong reasons
why we should send out aid like this at once, in order to diminish
the hostility of the Japanese.
The Doxology was then sung, and the Rev. W. HARCus, of
Liverpool, closed the meeting with prayer.
277
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONFERENCE.
FRIDAY, March 23d.
FOURTH GENERAL PRAYER-MEETING.
FRIDAY MORNING.
meeting.
THE fourth General Prayer-Meeting was held at Hope Hall, Prayer-
on Friday morning, at 9.30 A.M. A larger number of ladies and
gentlemen, than on any previous day, united with the members of
Conference in their supplications.
The Rev. WILLIAM MICLURE of Londonderry, of the Irish
Presbyterian Church, presided.
The devotions of the meeting were led by the Rev. GEORGE
OSBORN, Secretary to the Wesleyan Missionary Society; the
Rev. ISAAC STUBBINS, of the General Baptist Missionary Society
in Orissa, India; and Major-Gen. ALEXANDER,
SEVENTH SESSION.
FRIDAY MORNING.
After the prayer-meeting, the members of Conference gathered
together at 10.30 A.M., and commenced their seventh and last
session.
Major-General ALEXANDER in the chair.
The following is the programme of the subjects proposed for Programme
consideration :-
278
ON NATIVE CHURCHES.
CHAIRMAN.
The first
churches.
Simpler
forms de-
sirable.
Subject: NATIVE Churches.
The CHAIRMAN said that the two words "Native Churches,"
would suggest a vast scope for thought and discussion, for which
on this, the last day of the Conference, he feared they would
hardly have sufficient time. Referring to their accepted manual
and guide, he directed attention to the xith and xvth chapters of the
Acts of the Apostles, which had a bearing on the subject, in the
references to the churches at Jerusalem and Antioch; the mistakes
that were made; the corrections that followed; the conclusions
opposed to the spread of the gospel that were arrived at by many
home-formed minds at Jerusalem; and the disposition of unac-
commodating ecclesiasticism to impose a heavy yoke on the necks
of the young Christians. In considering native churches, they
tems: how would bear in mind that it is a question how far we should im-
English
church sys-
far suitable
to other
countries.
pose our ecclesiastical machinery upon the natives of other countries,
with entirely different habits and thoughts, produced by widely
different circumstances; and how far it was necessary, as it were,
to compress them into moulds of forms and rules which every day
is showing us are no longer considered to be altogether suitable
to our own churches at home. Why not introduce to the con-
verts plain, simple, unambiguous modes of worship, which should
obviate the conscientious differences, from which he believed that
few or none of our Protestant churches are now quite free?
Experience will provide for this.
He then called upon the author of the following Paper to present
it to the Conference:
Paper, or Address, of ten minutes, by Rev. F. TRESTRAIL,
Secretary of the Baptist Missionary Society.
Village Congregations.
Organisation of such Congregations for Self-support, Self-
government, and the Propagation of the Gospel to the
regions beyond.
Building of Churches and School-houses.
The formation of separate Christian villages.
How can the character and social influence of Native
Christians be raised?
How far should the European Missionary interfere in the
affairs of Native Congregations?
The evils resulting from constant dependence upon the
Missionary, and from involving him in secular
business.
SEVENTH SESSION.
279
ON NATIVE CHURCHES.
BY THE REV. F. TRESTRAIL.
question.
Some time ago, at the monthly meeting of the Secretaries of Important
various Missionary Societies whose offices are in London, this
question was proposed for discussion: "What form of government
is best for mission churches in heathen lands; Episcopalian,
Presbyterian, or Congregational ?"
a chuth
In one thing all present were agreed, that Christian Churches
in heathen lands should not be established by law; and they were The right of
pretty well agreed in another, that while the ecclesiastical form more impor-
and polity of a Christian Church is of great importance, it is not tant than its
so vital as the right of a Church to choose its own officers, and
maintain its own discipline.
form.
a church.
CC
1. There is no exact definition of a Christian Church in the Definition of
Scriptures. The one which is found in the Articles of the Church
of England
a congregation of faithful men” -would doubtless
be accepted by all here. But the Scriptures speak much about
the CHURCH OF CHRIST, and of the individual churches which
compose that grand whole. From these sayings we get the notion
that a Christian Church is a congregation of believers in the Lord
Jesus Christ, meeting in one place for the worship of Almighty
God, and the observance of Christ's institutions; having its
appointed officers of elders or pastors, and deacons.
of
2. Be it observed that these views are not incompatible with any forms
the adoption of any order of Church government existing among allowable.
evangelical Christians; since the Scriptures, while laying down
general laws, permit the exercise of a large discretion in working
out details.
like the
3. At the outset of the Christian dispensation, the first churches Missionaries
were evidently called into existence by the labours of the Apostles Apostles.
and Evangelists. They were sent forth to preach the gospel.
Missionaries in these days are sent out to heathen lands to do
precisely the same work. Very seldom are they natives of the
lands in which they labour. Divest the Apostles of miraculous
power, and the gift of inspiration, though perhaps not all even of
them were thus endowed; and you have the modern missionary, a
true successor of the Apostles.
4. When, by his labours in any given district, he gathers souls
to Christ, it is for him to organise them; to teach them their duty
280
MR. TRESTRAIL'S PAPER.
start, and
advise them,
churches,
They found to one another and to the world; to aid them to select those best
suited to be office-bearers; and then to interfere as little as possible
in their affairs. To visit them as often as practicable; to advise,
to strengthen, correct; to set in order what may need rectification;
appear to be some of the duties arising out of the relation which
the missionary sustains to native churches.
5. Hence it follows that the missionary should not become a
pastor. His position, habits of thought, education, his belonging,
in many parts of the world, to the dominant race, place him too far
apart from the mass of the people for him to exercise the pastoral
function with success. His sphere is larger. He is, or ought
to be, emphatically an overseer of others; his taking a pastorate
should only be allowed on the ground of urgent necessity; and his
continuance in that office should terminate, when the necessity
which led to his taking it has ceased.
6. The pastorate is a grand difficulty in regard to Churches in
heathen lands. Suitable men for this office are not abundant.
This, indeed, can hardly be expected. Christianity and its insti-
tutions are new things, brought from afar, and by another race.
But with great deference it is submitted that the want of men
suitable for the pastoral office, which is so generally felt, may have
arisen-first, from the too dependent state in which the Churches
much depen- have been kept on the missionary, who has, therefore, almost
there has
been too
dence;
inevitably united in himself the functions of every kind of office;
and, secondly, from the want of sufficient confidence in the natives.
The best use, with all the defects attached to it, is not made of
the material at hand. Self-reliance, independence in thought and
action, and administrative ability, cannot be developed and flourish
in the face of this depressing influence. Perhaps we have not only
expected too much from native Christians, but have too rigidly
insisted on things being done according to the home type and
formula.
They are
not pastors,
but over-
seers.
Suitable men
as pastors,
few:
why:
freedom
will give
strength.
Native pas-
tor officially
settled:
by the
church:
7. The status of these pastors should be a real official one in
the churches, and only fraternally, as far as practicable, with the
Society at home. If pecuniary support be needed, it should be
salary paid given, only as a supplement to what the church over which he
presides gives; and that on the principle of the strong helping
the weak. All sorts of difficulties arise when they are appointed
and paid by a Society. This system widely prevails. Wherever
practicable it should be abolished; or vigorous, active, self-sup-
porting churches can never grow and multiply.
8. The titles given to these pastors should harmonise with the
supple-
mented, if
need be.
SEVENTH SESSION.
281
,
natural.
customs, habits of thought and expression, regarding official persons, Titles to be
prevailing in their own country. To transfer to these regions
our titles, and the style of behaviour and address connected with
them, seems worse than absurd.
9. As far as possible, they should be kept from the English Not to know
English.
tongue. Much has been said about the advantages of English
literature, especially biblical. In some few cases, confined mostly
to Training-Schools, and perhaps rarely permitted even there, it
may be of use. Besides the obvious remark that this literature is
filled with strange idioms and illustrations—and its whole structure No use gene-
and style, are very different from the languages of the East, especi- rally:
ally—it is not to be denied that the main body of native preachers
are not prepared either to appreciate or use it. Let them have
English, and they get English notions on all questions, and by so it spoils
much are unfitted for their proper work. These observations are
intended mainly to apply to India, and to those countries in which
English influence largely prevails. Where our own language is in
somewhat general use, a different course of observation would have
to be taken; but this is a case which need hardly occupy the
attentic of this Conference.
them.
1
be made in-
10. The relation of Native Churches to Home Societies Self-sup-
porting
naturally comes within the scope of these remarks. The policy churches to
of keeping churches that can support their own pastors associated dependent.
with the home institution is most questionable. Societies don't
like to diminish the number of churches in connexion with them,
and churches deprecate a separation, as involving a loss of status
and powerful influence. But if now and then the fact could be
announced, that a few churches had taken all their responsibilities
on themselves, some work would seem to have been done and com- Effect.
pleted; and in all future time such churches would supply a
stronger motive for fresh exertion, and be a standing proof of
success.
Christian
11. The practice of forming what are called Christian villages Separate
is open to serious objections. It withdraws native Christians from villages
the mass of the people. It seems to be the design of our Divine objection-
Master that his people should be like leaven. I pray not that thou
shouldest take them out of the world, but keep them from the evil
that is in it, are words which bear this construction. This practice
moreover creates a new caste, and raises up a secluded community,
instead of a body of people who, in the world, fight the great
battle of the Christian life, and exhibit the virtues of the Christian
character.
282
MR. TRESTRAIL'S PAPER.
~
Native
churches,
12. Until the state of things here sketched out be brought to
must evan-
gelise hea-
then lands.
not Societies, pass, native churches cannot be of much use in diffusing the gospel
in the regions round about them. Injury has been inflicted on the
great cause of Evangelisation, by the currency given to the idea
that Missionary Societies are to enlighten the whole world. The
men whom they send out are too often regarded as almost the sole
instruments to accomplish this work.
As a consequence, native
churches in heathen lands have not been fully taught their duty in
this respect; and it needs enforcement as much now as ever.
Missionaries cannot be had in sufficient numbers to work out
present plans; and if they could, the resources of the Societies do
not advance with sufficient rapidity. It may be questioned whe-
ther some of these Societies are not now too large, and getting
unwieldy, and expanding beyond the natural limits of such
institutions.
Property of
Societies.
Buildings
often too
expensive.
Money
wasted.
Poverty an
obstacle to
independ-
ence:
churches
attaining it.
13. The state of dependency in which native churches mostly
are, greatly affects the question of the property belonging to
Missionary Societies. Chapels, school-houses, and residences,
have been called "the property of the Society." Hence the
cumbrous machinery of trustees at home and abroad. In British
colonies great difficulty has arisen from this practice; for when
churches become independent, an extraneous control over property
still exists, and it is difficult to get rid of it. In India matters
are more simple; but even there the practice obtains. Doubtless
there would be much risk in the contrary practice; but the risk
would be amply compensated by the earlier freedom and stronger
growth of native churches.
Moreover, as naturally connected with this subject, it may be
questioned whether the style of building sometimes adopted is not
too expensive and costly. As much as possible, edifices connected
with missionary institutions should be conformed to the native
idea of size, cost, and general structure. Large sums have been
uselessly expended in many parts of the mission field, for want of
a due regard to these principles.
14. The poverty of the people is unquestionably a great
obstacle to the freedom and growth here contended for; severe
persecution, and heavy loss of property, are often the consequence of
a profession of Christianity. It is natural that the weak and feeble
should fly for shelter to the missionary. But the history of our
mission in Jamaica, with all the drawbacks that exist, shows that
his presence and protection are not essential to the stability and
growth of native churches. Recent intelligence in regard to the
SEVENTH SESSION.
283
Sandwich Islands, and the present state of the native churches in
Madagascar, afford still more striking examples; while over nearly
all the isles of the Pacific, and the West Indies, the great majority
of the churches is fast becoming self-supporting.
15. It would seem, therefore, but fair to conclude, that in the
same measure as the principles here advocated are enforced and
acted upon, the results so intensely longed for will be realised.
enough
churches?
16. Finally, the question may be asked: Are these native Do we pray
churches as often remembered in prayer before God as they for these
ought to be? The members composing them have been called out
of a deplorable state of sin and degradation. They are exposed
to terrible temptations. They are often tried and weak. Let us
affectionately remember them at a throne of grace. It will
quicken our own sympathies to do so.
It will give greater
breadth and power to our own views and feelings. Intercessory
prayer has ever been honoured by God. May more earnest
mutual prayer for each other ascend together from churches in
heathendom and Christendom, to the throne of the heavenly
grace.
Rev. J.
The Rev. J. MULLENS said: I venture, Sir, immediately to
follow Mr. Trestrail on this important question; perhaps the MULLENS.
most important in the range of topics which have come under Important
our consideration, and certainly second only to that of the Native subject.
Agencies we examined yesterday. As missionaries and Missionary
Societies, we aim to establish in heathen lands a Christianity
which shall not only be healthy and self-supporting, but which
shall also commence in its own sphere a new course of missionary
labour in "the regions beyond." Under the Spirit's blessing Churches
our work has already effected something: of late years native increasing,
churches have increased in number, been growing in size, and
been advancing in knowledge and in character. It becomes,
therefore, increasingly important that mistakes be avoided; that
the churches be constituted on sound principles, and started in a
right direction.
We all seem to consider it a settled thing, that in the mission- Missionary
field a European or American missionary is a stranger; that his not a pastor:
position is exceptional and temporary; that he is the founder, in-
structor, and adviser of the native churches. We all want to see
Christianity localised in heathen lands; we want to see it trans-
planted, take vigorous root, and become naturalised in the new soil.
If a missionary, then, be rendered the means of founding a native
284
REV. J. MULLENS.
time:
except for a church, though he may be its pastor during its infancy and early
growth, as soon as circumstances allow, as soon as he finds suf-
ficient numbers, a right spirit, and a fit man, he should lay down
his pastorate, and let the church be instructed and governed by
a well-qualified native Christian like themselves. Perhaps we
have been backward in this matter, and kept the churches in
tutelage too long: but stirred up as we have been of late years,
it would be well if missionaries would make it a rule, that when
a church attains a certain point in numbers, spirit and means, it
should be encouraged to start for itself in a course of Christian
Preparations progress and usefulness. Preparations should be made for this
for self- result from its very foundation: from the first, the members
should be taught to aim at self-government, the maintenance of
gospel ordinances among themselves, and earnest missionary work
among their neighbours: giving grows by exercise; self-control
grows by exercise; pastoral duty and responsibility are better
fulfilled by practice: from the first, therefore, let us start on
right principles, and the transition from pupilage to independent
action will be natural and safe.
to be made
government.
Churches to
be natural.
buildings.
this point.
We all agree that, in their dress, manners, and style, native
pastors and missionaries should continue to live like their coun-
trymen: our aim being not to make them hybrids, but to Christ-
ianize their own native life. Ought not the same rule to apply
to Native Churches? I am sorry, however, that in some cases
mistakes have been made on this point. Look, for instance, to
Style of their the style in which many of the churches, intended solely for
native congregations, have been built. Ought they not to be so
built, that hereafter other congregations may erect similar ones
from their own means, and of their own means maintain them
Mistakes on and keep them in repair? I have seen, however, in Tinnevelly,
and in other districts and stations in India, churches to which
such a principle could not apply. Among the simple Shanars,
with their limited means, our brethren have erected some grand
and capacious Gothic churches, of a much more expensive cha-
racter than the locality seemed to demand. For instance, there
has been built at Megnanapuram a Gothic church of freestone,
spacious, handsome, with elegant windows, one of the prettiest
churches in all India. The only fault I would find with it is,
that, in my judgment, it is out of place: it is much too good for
a Shanar people, good Christians though they be. I think that
such proceedings are a mistake, and should receive the most care-
ful consideration on the part of all our brethren in every part of
SEVENTH SESSION.
285
case.
the world. May I add, that my own practice has been in accord- His own
ance with these views. Five years ago, when I was able to
secure a separate building for the worship of my native church,
we erected a simple, neat, and inexpensive chapel; to which the
people contributed a good sum: since we entered it the native
congregation have paid all the expenses of their worship, have
kept the building in repair; have not received a halfpenny from
our Society; but have taken off our hands the expenses of a
bazaar chapel for the heathen, in which many of the members
themselves preach.
point:
There is another point of a higher character, which I am Another
anxious to lay before the members of this Conference for their
opinion. In our great missionary fields, we have learned the
benefits of union and of hearty co-operation: we work together
cordially; we help each other with facts, experience, and mutual
counsel: from which all learn and all derive benefit. An illus-
tration of this union we see in the monthly Conferences held by
missionaries of all Societies in the three Presidency cities of India.
elements in
systems.
I wish that we should go a step farther than this; and look at English
some things in our own systems, of which, it seems to me, we our church
ought to keep clear, when we carry the gospel and transplant it
in another land, amongst another people. We profess to carry the
very gospel of Christ to heathen lands, its full doctrine, its active
life. We have done so largely; but have we done nothing more?
Let me mention a case in illustration of my meaning.
in Calcutta:
asked:
I was present some few years ago, when, in Calcutta, three ex- Ordination
cellent native converts were ordained as missionaries of the Free
Church of Scotland. After the usual questions had been put
relating to their personal piety, their consecration to the ministry,
and their doctrinal views, they were asked, if I remember rightly, question
whether they assented to the principles contained in the Deed of
Demission of 1843, by which the original ministers and elders of the
Free Church severed their connexion with the Established Church
of Scotland. I thought at the time: What have these young men
directly to do with that document? Indirectly, of course, they
are concerned with it. They have been instructed, converted, re-
ceived into membership, and now ordained in connexion with that
branch of Christ's Church. Nothing can be more right than to
take proper guarantees that they possess the spirituality of cha-
racter, the purity of doctrine, and personal consecration, that
should rule every minister of Christ in every country; that they
should possess those elements of spiritual Christianity which are
NA 16
286
REV. J. MULLENS.
Ordination
in Tinne-
velly:
Articles
subscribed.
Again: when in Tinnevelly, in February, 1853, I saw the
four native brethren who had just been ordained by the Bishop of
Madras as clergymen of the Church of England; the first of that
valuable band, who have since been appointed pastors of the
churches both in Tinnevelly and among the Syrian districts of
Travancore. I understood that in preparing them for their work,
their valued instructor, Mr. Sargent, had carried them through
a course of instruction similar to that which clergymen usually
follow in England; had given them lectures in Tamil, embodying
Pearson on the Creed, Burnet on the Thirty-nine Articles, and
the like; and that beyond this, on their ordination, though judicious
alterations were allowed in their standards of knowledge, they had
been required to affix their signatures to the same Articles of Sub-
scription as those signed by clergymen in England. Here then
are native converts ordained, not simply into Christianity as such,
but into the English forms of that Christianity. Is this necessary
for the missionary purpose we have in view? It is because I
think it unnecessary and unwise that I bring the matter before you.
Sir, Dr. Baylee told us the other day, that our English forms
of Christianity are, to a large extent, the products of controversy;
controversy that has sprung out of great events in our history.
You, sir, have spoken to the same effect. Ought we not then
carefully to modify them before we settle them in other lands? Can
we not, each in his own sphere, endeavour to look through these
systems, get away from their mere technicalities, their historical
other coun- elements, their local peculiarities; and in planting Christian
To be
modified in
tries.
English sys-
tems formed
by contro-
versy.
They bave
hindered us
at home.
essential in every climate and nation; but why should young
Bengali Christians commit themselves to certain transactions
which have occurred in the history of Scottish Christianity?
churches in heathen countries, transfer only those elements which
are essential to the spiritual progress of all churches wherever they
are maintained? The question concerns us all; we are all liable to
the same mistake; all should adopt the same great principle. We
To be modi- ought to carry Christianity as such, not English Christianity. At the
fied by those
who hold
them.
same time all needed modifications in our systems should be made
by ourselves; no interference is required on the part of others.
Adopting the principle for which I argue, the members of each
Church, of each Society, should look into the matter for themselves,
and strive to make such corrections and modifications as they may
themselves consider necessary.
Have we not all been hampered by these things at home?
Have we not been hindered in our brotherly union, our co-ope-
SEVENTH SESSION.
287
been
ration? In God's great grace, during this missionary age, we have
been learning better things: we have all been getting away from
our loneliness, and drawing nearer to each other. We have been
fighting our way back from those isolated positions in which our
controversies left us, and reaching a better and a purer field We have
of action. In all our churches have we not allowed many elements ing out of
of exclusiveness to become obsolete, and sought to attain a siveness.
broader, more brotherly Christianity than our fathers saw? Our
controversies are pretty well-nigh dead; our union is growing,
daily; our respect for each other, our mutual affection, are in-
creasing; all things are leading us to a peace and prosperity
which the Church has never enjoyed till now.
their exclu-
churches to
from it.
I want, sir, that our Mission Churches should BEGIN from Native
this state of things; that they should be taught this spirit from begin free
the outset; that outward elements of discord should never be
introduced among them; that in the form of their life and govern-
ment we should look at essentials, and not at our own denomi-
national views; and that elements of exclusiveness still remaining
among us should not be reproduced among them. And it may be,
as the result of such a course, that higher forms of excellence, a
nobler exhibition of the oneness of Christ's Church, may be wit-
nessed on the fields of heathenism than Christendom has yet
attained.
Fox.
Pearson on
the Creed.
The Rev. G. F. Fox, of Durham, sympathised with some of Rev. G. F.
the remarks of the last speaker, especially in reference to the
introduction of technicalities into native churches. But, in defence
of Mr. Sargent, he would like to say, that a book like Pearson Defends
on the Creed could hardly be classed among the technical: for he
doubted whether, if you wished to instruct a young man in
Christianity generally, you could well give him a more desirable
text-book to study; a book entirely independent of technicalities,
and one which he was sure Mr. Mullens would appreciate as
much as any one in the room. He admitted that technicalities Technicali-
ought to be avoided, whilst every church may naturally exercise avoided.
its own judgment as to the mode in which Christianity ought to
be taught.
ties to be
WALLACE.
The Rev. J. WALLACE said, that in the early stage of mis- Rev. J.
sions in India the establishment of Christian villages was a matter
of much importance. Connected with the mission station of
Boroud in the district of Mahi Kanta, in Guzerat, there was a
.
288
REV. J. WALLACE.
Christian
villages:
example;
its good
effect:
Christian village which had been most prosperous. For a number
of years it enjoyed the fostering care of the London Missionary
Society, from which it had been recently transferred to the Irish
Presbyterian Church. He first visited it soon after its establish-
ment, eleven years ago, by the Rev. W. Clarkson; there were
then only four families in the village, which he believed now
its object; contained between 100 and 200 professing Christians. Before it
was founded, there were in various villages scattered converts to
Christianity, who were in positions of much difficulty as to earn-
ing their own support, and in being surrounded by heathen
influences; it was thought advisable on these grounds to help
them to earn a livelihood; and in order that they might mutually
strengthen one another, to have them brought together. Mr.
Clarkson and Mr. Taylor got them cottages erected, rented land
from the Government, and persuaded some people to go and settle,
and support themselves by their own industry. Others, by and
bye, were induced to join them; and so far from their influence
being lost, he believed it became much stronger than that which
scattered individuals could have exercised. Frequently he had
heard this village spoken of at other villages one hundred miles
distant. He conceived, that in an early stage, when Christians
were few, among masses of heathens, it would be very unadvisable
to have them scattered and kept isolated in villages distant from.
one another. In a more advanced stage it would be advisable,
where there were even a few, to locate a native catechist
amongst them as teacher; so that by .and bye a little Christian
converts are congregation might be established. In early stages, especially
villages
good, while
few.
in a country like India, where there was a difficulty in earning
support, and where there were many adverse influences by which
isolated Christians must be surrounded, Christian villages, he
Unadvisable conceived, ought to be established. At a later period, when the
when they
are many.
Christians become more numerous, and public opinion is more in
their favour, they may well be allowed to mingle more with the
heathen population, and not only by their words, but by their
example, influence them in favour of the gospel.
Rev. P.
LATROBE.
The Rev. P. LATROBE admitted that Moravians were not free
from the imputation of having occasionally made Moravianism a
little too prominent in their missionary operations; it was impor-
tant that this should be avoided. He was struck with the perti-
nence of the remarks made by Mr. Mullens, as applicable even to
the question of doctrine; sufficient consideration had not been
SEVENTH SESSION.
289
modes of
not always
given to the question, whether missionaries did not err in some Technical
respects, in rendering their teaching a little too systematic, espe- teaching.
cially at the outset. This was strongly impressed upon his mind,
during the discussion of the qualifications of missionaries. He Colleges
felt rather jealous of the great preference given to missionaries necessary.
educated at schools and colleges, however valuable and needful
these were. Evangelists ought to go forth, specially called of
God, like the apostles and disciples of Christ. About a century
ago, as
was well known, a small community, consisting of no
more than 600 members, had established five successful missions,
in five consecutive years; and by the help of men who were
trained, not in schools and colleges, but in fastnesses and wilder-
nesses. Native converts, in his opinion, required to be fed with
the milk of the gospel; they were hardly prepared at once to
receive our systems, which, to some extent, were the growth of
years.
SHAW.
nicalities
avoided.
will teach
they prefer..
The Rev. W. SHAW accepted most cordially the principle so Rev. W.
well laid down, that it would be a most unwise thing to plague
and distress the minds of native Christians in foreign countries Mere tech-
with the mere technicalities of our different kinds of church should be
organisation; but he did so with some qualification and reserve;
because each of us had adopted some idea concerning church or-
ganisation, which he conscientiously believed to be that which,
whatever its form or defects, will, on the whole, tend most to the
advancement of religion in the world. He accepted the principle
so far as it concerned mere technicalities; but he could not go the Missionaries
length of saying that a missionary, honoured of God to be the the systems
means of forming a Christian church, ought not to feel that he
might give to that church that form, and complexion, and general
order, which he himself believed to be most for the edification of
the believer and the honour of Christ. He did not think it was
intended; but the principle that had been laid down would, in
point of fact, lead to the adoption of Congregationalism, if taken
broadly, and without qualification; because nothing could then be
borrowed from Presbyterianism, Methodism, or any other deno-
mination, the peculiarities of each being regarded by others as
"technicalities." The various Missionary Societies are sustained societies
by particular sections of the church; what would be said by those require it.
supporters of a missionary if he adopted a system of church
organisation which was not in accordance with the general views
they had of what was best? If it was only meant that mission-
U
290
DR. DAVIS.
Converts not aries were not to press their church technicalities on a people, so
to be hin-
dered or
troubled.
as to hinder and impede rather than assist their growth in grace,
then he thought the principle an important one. He should think
that he was acting most absurdly, and with a want of Christian
consideration, if, as a Wesleyan, he were to perplex and plague
a people just emerging from barbarism with opinions as to the
ecclesiastical powers of the Wesleyan Conference; but if he had
formed a religious society, and taught them that missionaries were
under the supervision of the Societies which sent them out, and
thus inculcated ideas of general responsibility and church order,
he did not think that this would be technicality, but that it was
rather calculated to promote the spread of the gospel in the world.
Dr. G. H.
DAVIS.
A sugges-
tion: Local
forms and
dress may be
thrown off.
own views.
Dr. G. H. DAVIS, in a conference with one of the Secretaries
of the Church Missionary Society, had been asked, "Are we to
reproduce in India all the divisions of English Christianity ?"
This naturally raised the question, "How is it possible to do
Missionaries otherwise?" The last speaker had put this matter fairly. Mis-
naturally
teach their sionaries went forward connected with certain Societies and
ecclesiastical organisations: in the very nature of the case, a
missionary attached a convert to himself and thus to his own
ecclesiastical organisation. It was scarcely possible to do other-
wise. A gentleman highly honoured in the Conference had
put into his hand these words, "Surely it is possible and practi-
cable for Christianity to be divested of the merely superficial
dress of ecclesiasticism, and of all merely national and historical
circumstances. New churches must eventually be left to form
ecclesiastical systems to suit their own notions, climate, and cir-
cumstances." Now though we might agree in this last statement,
surely the time had not come when the native churches were ready
to be cast upon themselves to construct ecclesiastical systems and
organisations. Therefore, at present, all that missionaries could
We must
reproduce
the old sys- do was to reproduce the various ecclesiastical systems with
terus.
which they were connected. But the Missionary Societies need
not tread upon one another in the same localities; there was no
necessity for every Society to exist in the same place; attempt
the same work for the same people; and draw comparatively few
converts, each into its own separate organisation. If committees
in this country could only take and divide the world, and decide
that those who were settled in one place should have it to them-
selves, whilst others should go forward and endeavour to spread
the truth where it had not been received, then comparatively little
Reply.
Division of
localities:
and co-ope-
ratiou.
-
•
SEVENTH SESSION.
291
evil would arise from diversity. In the meantime, it was evident
that the doctrine of Christian love must be taught abroad as well as
at home. This had brought them here, where they knew nothing
of each other except as Christians; and this would enable the
several churches abroad to walk in the unity of the spirit, and the
bond of peace.
TWEEDIE.
ciples of the
not techni.
The Rev. Dr. TWEEDIE rose to say; that Mr. Shaw appeared Rev. Dr.
to him to have put this matter in exactly the right position; and
he had little to add to what was said so well. Our brother, Mr.
Mullens, had not added dignity to the principles distinctive of the
Free Church, by ranking them among technicalities or external The prin-
things. That church regarded them as vital things; and could Free Church
not easily leave them out of sight. At the same time, the mode calities.
of ordination referred to by Mr. Mullens was appointed by the
General Assembly; and the Presbytery of Calcutta had, con-
sequently, no power to alter the forms. Their power was merely
executive. If those who were ordained had conscientious scruples Converts
on the subject, that would modify the case: but, judging from his them.
correspondence with at least some of those who had been ordained,
the distinctive tenets set forth in the documents named by our
brother were held by them as firmly as by our Free Church
ministers at home.
attached to
GARDINER.
sionaries
into the Free
The Rev. T. GARDINER said, their native brethren in India Rev. T.
were ordained, not as pastors for separate native churches, but
simply in connexion with the ecclesiastical community of the
Free Church, as part of which their native church was as yet Native mis-
retained. These brethren (said he) were to sit with us in the ordained
Presbytery, and have the oversight of congregations, European Church
as well as native, along with ourselves. He quite agreed with generally.
what Mr. Mullens said as to the undesirableness of introducing
technicalities, and such historical references as were connected
with the churches in this country, into the native church when
instituted entirely per se. But at present, in India, the native
church, in their mission, was ecclesiastically one with the general
Free Church community; and that was the reason why it was
that these native brethren, in being associated with it, passed
through much the same course, and had the same questions put to
them, as ministers ordained in this country.
and evils of
But there were two points which he desired now to advert to, Advantages
in the hope that the experienced missionary fathers present might Christian
villages.
favour the Conference with their views upon them. The first
292
REV. T. GARDINER.
Disadvan-
tages.
was: How far it was desirable to separate their native churches
into village communities, apart from the heathen community
around them? There were, no doubt, advantages resulting from
this, in their being saved from continual contact with the pollu-
tions of heathenism, and from persecution which would almost
certainly be directed against them; and in their being gathered
together for the worship and service of God, and for Christian
communion and intercourse, that so they might be strengthened and
exercise a mightier influence for good upon the heathen around.
But were there not disadvantages also resulting from such arrange-
ments, in the hothouse-plant character they were apt thus to give
their converts; from their faith and love being thus much less
tried, and many opportunities being thus denied them of boldly
and manfully witnessing for Christ unto their countrymen? The
second point was this: How far it was desirable, in the opinion
of experienced missionary fathers present, that missionaries should
retain authoritative control over native congregations of which
native brethren had been made pastors? There were, doubtless,
self-support- many difficulties, varied and complicated, likely to arise in the
How long
should mis-
sionaries
watch over
ing churches.
Rev. B. L.
SINGH.
Importance
of the native
pastorate.
The Rev. BEHARI LAL SINGH said that native Christians had
met at his house three or four times a-month for ten years, in
connexion with the Temporal Aid Society. There were Episco-
Native con- palians, Presbyterians, Baptists, and Independents; but they
never talked of the peculiarities of any church.
When a Bengali
verts not
much at-
tached to
mere deno- Christian went from one denomination to another, he did not do
minations.
so because he always attached importance to the peculiarities of
the denomination he joined; but because he thought he might be
more useful.
management of such congregations, from the peculiar weakness
and inconsistencies of those lately brought out of heathenism;
difficulties with which the native pastors, excellent men as they
might be, might be little able to grapple. Should the missionary,
in such circumstances, content himself simply with giving counsel;
or should he go farther, and seek to exercise authoritative direc-
tion and control? The interests of truth, and the peace and
prosperity of the church, might be in danger of suffering without
the latter; and yet would not such action tend to keep the native
churches in that state of pupilage and dependence, from which
they all felt that it was so desirable they should be extricated?
The appointment of a native ministry over a native congrega-
tion is a subject which is growing in importance every day. I
believe that there are upwards of 15,000 native Christians in
SEVENTH SESSION.
293
converts in
peasants:
Bengal alone. Many of them are good Christians, and some, ac- Number of
cording to the published testimony of the Rev. Missionaries them- Bengal.
selves, will stand comparison in intellectual and moral gifts and
graces with their more favoured brethren in Europe and America.
Why are not such distinguished men appointed pastors over
native churches? Without pretending to solve this important
question, which has not been satisfactorily solved by those who are
most competent to do so, I shall point out to you briefly the various
causes which have tended to retard the development of the self-
sustaining character of our churches in Bengal. If we take the Majority
Christian population of Bengal to be 15,000, we may safely say
that 13,000 are Christian ryots, or peasants, who rely for their
subsistence upon the produce of the land. The monthly income
of each ryot does not exceed eight or ten shillings a-month. If
inundation or murrain occur, he is reduced well-nigh to starvation.
If he be a tenant of the heathen zemindars, which is generally the poor and
oppressed:
case, he is over-taxed. To resist such oppression would ruin him.
How upright soever the judge may be, the ryot is sure to go to
the wall. Witnesses to disprove his statements would always be
in attendance, and one suit, even if he were successful, would ruin cannot ob-
tain justice:
his farm. Should he succeed in defraying the expense, he would
probably be in the hands of the police in a short time, under a fic-
titious charge of assault or felony. This alone is sufficient to
account for the wretched condition of the majority of our Christian
population. Of the remaining 2000, many are employed as servants
in Christian families. Not a few young men are in various situa- other con-
tions of usefulness and respectability. Two or three of them are middle
employed in the medical service, and others of them are clerks in
merchant offices and in the service of Government. One gentle-
man is an opulent landowner, and two or three are merchants of
some property. It is from this class principally that pecuniary
assistance is anticipated for the support of the native ministry.
But whether from their having been hitherto provided with reli- No church
in Bengal
gious ordinances without cost, or from their not having had the yet supports
subject sufficiently impressed upon them, the fact is, that there is
not a single self-supporting church in Bengal.
verts of the
classes.
itself.
missionary
as pastor to a
church.
Among the external causes which have retarded the develop- European
ment of the self-supporting character of our churches, I may men- not suitable
tion the false position in which a European missionary is placed native
by continually retaining the pastorship over the native church.
To say nothing of the difference of the elements of which the
church is composed, and the interference with other important
kinds of duties which the missionary is expected to perform, and
•
-
294
Buildings
too expen-
sive.
plan works.
the little interest which congregations take in church matters, be-
cause most of the ecclesiastical power and discipline are retained in
How such a the pastor's hands, what a cringing disposition this state of things
tends to nurse and foster, if not to create, in the native flocks! If
the union was formed solely for the purpose of training up the
congregations to self-reliance and self-exertion, and if the mission-
aries gave themselves entirely to the ministry of the word and
prayer, no one would object to such an union. But, however pure
Self-reliance and exalted may be the motives and intentions of the European
impeded. pastor, he is driven by his position as a gentleman of compara-
tively larger income, and as an accredited agent of the Missionary
Society's funds, to be constantly beset with applications for pecu-
niary aid. If he complies with the request, he satisfies the craving
appetite only for a time; if he withholds relief, he raises an
obstacle to the success of his ministry by creating heart-burning
jealousy. Does not this impede the growth of a manly and inde-
pendent Christianity among the Asiatic churches? Another
hindrance is the adoption of the high scale of expenditure in the
erection of our churches, school-houses, and dwellings for our
native Ministers. If the Missionary Societies were to withdraw
pecuniary gifts, and ask us to lay the foundation of God's temple,
many of us who have seen the magnificence and sumptuousness of
your churches would, like the Levites and fathers of old, lament
at the vast disproportion.
Would we, then, altogether despair of raising a self-sup-
porting church? By no means. While wisdom demands that we
should fairly meet the difficulties, faith and fortitude forbid our
being repelled by the shout, "a lion in the way," till the experi-
ment be fairly tried. But has this been done in the right way ?
No. To assist our churches to become self-supporting, I would
propose the formation of a Christian landholders' society, for the
protection of the Christian ryots from the oppression of the
heathen zemindars, and for elevating their physical and in-
tellectual condition. I know of one Christian zemindar (Mr.
Hugh Fraser of St. Andrews), who has protected the Christian
ryots by freely inviting them to settle down on his estate. If
Vernacular others would follow his example, it would be a blessing. 2d. I
would propose the establishment of Christian vernacular schools,
which will elevate the Christian ryots to a higher intel-
lectual and moral status. 3d. I would propose as pastors the
appointment of the more spiritually-minded, experienced, and
intelligent of the native Christians, who form the village con-
gregations.
schools also:
Society
needed for
the protec-
tion of native
converts.
and native
pastors.
REV. BEHARI LAL SINGH.
SEVENTH SESSION.
295
FIE, Esq.
church
hindrance
land.
Mr. MACFIE heard with gratification the remarks of Mr. R. A. MAC
Mullens, and of the preceding speaker particularly, as to the
necessity for caution with regard to the expenditure on churches
in India. He was especially gratified with the indications of Expensive
hearty response he heard given to their remarks by the Con- buildings a
ference. There could be no greater hindrance to the multiplica- abroad;
tion of churches than needlessly augmented cost. Even in this
country, a great deal might be saved, without impairing comfort
and convenience. In his belief, the more simple and economical,
the more Christian,—a rule, by the way, of most extensive appli-
cation,-it being applicable to other matters besides church-
building. He traced the root of the evil among Nonconformists- and in Eng-
(for it is with regard to them only he spoke; he would not say a
word as to the Church of England: and in what he did say, he
represented his own sentiments only; he did not commit the Con-
ference, nor any person but himself;)—to deviation from the
habits of their forefathers, in whose days their place of Christian
assembly was called the meeting-house, the name indicating that
there brethren met with one another. Nowadays, in hymn-books
and elsewhere, it often is called the house of God. The moment Old names
it is thought of as such, and not as a meeting-place of brethren,
people will decorate and embellish. A word to his Scotch friends:
there is danger in having dropt the fine old word "kirk" for the
modern “church." The former, resembling the word zugian, sug-
gested "the Lord's," the Son of man's; and reminded us of Him,
who laid aside his glories to tabernacle in human flesh, and who
dwelt in the same humble tenements as the plain men with whom
he associated, and whose nature he took. If these principles were
borne more in recollection, we should be simpler in our tastes,
and better able to multiply churches, beneficially for India;
where (might he add), as he had heard (he hoped wrongly), a ▲ modern
new order of modern canonised saints had been introduced ; å
church in having been called after the name of one departed The name of
labourer, for whom in life he, the speaker, entertained most purposely
justly the highest esteem and regard. The report to which he
had alluded, is credible; for at home the same tendency had
developed itself; and churches now bear the honoured names of
Knox, Willison, Chalmers, McCrie. He hoped these frank-
observations would be taken in good part.
put away.
4
'saint."
the place is
left blank.
LAYARD.
Captain LAYARD, speaking to the question, "How can the Captain
character and social influence of native Christians be raised ?"
I
296
be elevated
by the mis-
self-denial.
sionary's
Converts to said that the late Mr. Daniell, of the Baptist Missionary Society
in Ceylon, brought his influence to bear upon the hearts of the
natives, by "condescending" to them, by bringing his own mind
and his own habits down as much as possible to the level of the
native mind and habits; in order, by God's blessing, to raise them
from the position they occupied. He was eminently useful in his
labours; as those might be who followed him in the manner in
which he pursued his heavenly calling. His association with the
natives was of a truly apostolic character, fulfilling to the letter
what the apostle meant when he said, "being all things to all men."
Example of He went without scrip or purse; God gave him a heart full of love
to his brethren. He was out in all weathers, going from village
to village, lying down on a mat on a mud-floor, and so associating
himself with the habits, thoughts, and feelings of the people.
Thus was he able gradually to bring them up to higher habits and
thoughts. If one had fallen into a well, it was not by another
standing at the top and saying, "Come up here," that he could be
saved; but the latter must obtain a rcpe and, perhaps, himself
descend. In proportion as we brought these principles to bear
on a heathen population, we should succeed in elevating them to
our level.
Mr. Daniell
in Ceylon.
Rev. C. B.
LEUPOLT.
Indian
missions
Catholic.
Secular
affairs.
Christian
villages ad-
visable :
REV. C. B. LEUPOLT.
;
The Rev. C. B. LEUPOLT said; that in Benares, where he had
been placed over a congregation more than twenty years, having
also the superintendence of three or four others, different denomina-
tions adhered, as it was natural they should, to their own forms
but the missionaries never spoke about the distinctions between
them. In every mission establishment, one missionary must give
his time to secular affairs, or the management of his mission; he
could not help it: but that missionary would not allow secular
duties to interfere with his duties as a missionary. The only
respect in which he was a loser was a personal one; he remained
stationary, whilst others could devote leisure to self-improvement.
When he himself returned home, he found he was fifteen years be-
hind his brethren; but, in heaven, that would not matter. With
regard to congregations, he had advocated from the beginning, and
still advocated, where it was possible, the aggregation of converts
in villages. Unless truly converted, firm, and men of experience,
they would, if scattered among the heathen, be carried along with
the stream. As soon as they had a catechist who could stand
alone, they placed him in the village in an independent sphere; and
to him, as at Sigra, native brethren would send their children dis-
SEVENTH SESSION.
297
munici-
tances of two hundred miles to be educated, and pay for their
education. There were difficulties with regard to the association
of congregations with pastorships; but those difficulties might be
obviated. At Sigra they had three different departments. The a Christian
first was the judicial; for at the beginning they had to be pality:
magistrates, and to inflict punishment. Then a system of two juries:
juries was introduced to settle the affairs of the village; and if
the people were not satisfied with the decision of a jury, there were appeal to the
the missionaries to appeal to. Every Christian who wished to
belong to the community must subscribe to its laws.
There was
fund:
fund.
visitors.
So, for
the last few years, native brethren had managed their own affairs
without any difficulty; the missionary had little to do with them;
and the more they were thrown back upon themselves, the better
it would be. There were poor, and there was a poor-fund; there Poor-fund:
was a box to receive what the people could spare every Sunday ;
and there was usually sufficient to relieve distress.
also established a widows'-fund, to which every one belonging to widows'-
the community subscribed. There was also a missionary-fund; mission-
and all subscribed a certain amount to the mission. A pastoral-
fund was wanted, and he hoped that now it would soon be estab-
lished. As pastor, he had only to do with the spiritual depart-
ment, and occasionally to look after temporal affairs; and when a
jury sat he had to sign the papers. He had an assistant who was
the senior-catechist, and who helped him in going from house to House-
house, to speak and pray with the people. Besides him, there were
five other assistants. They divided the village, and selected
several pious men, each of whom had a certain number of Christians
under him, to endeavour to see that all the people attended a place
of worship. In this way they were able to superintend the village
with the greatest ease. Church discipline was exercised; and Discipline.
perhaps the greatest punishment that could be inflicted was expul-
sion from the Christian village, in which no one was permitted to
live except his walk and conversation were in accordance with the
gospel. Thus they were able thankfully to say; "If you want to
see Christians, come into our village." As to edifices, he would Buildings.
say erect good, substantial brick buildings: wood was too expensive
to be used. There was a difficulty in raising Christians to respecta-
bility; but all was done that could be done to help them on. At Converts
Sigra, every man must earn his own bread; those who did not, support
could not belong to the community. Every young man, before
marrying, must prove that he is able to maintain a wife, and the
girls had their own choice. He might almost thank God for the
should
themselves:
298
REV. R. S. HARDY.
and main-
tain their
pastor.
Rev. R. S
HARDY.
Villages
monastic;
and a mis-
take.
Power lost in
isolation.
The Rev. R. SPENCE HARDY said:-I always felt a degree of
jealousy as to the formation of villages of the kind referred to by
one or two brethren. It was thus at the commencement of
monachism. The thought was a good and pure one, that, by
isolating those who wished to serve God from the evil around
them, they might be preserved in their integrity, and glorify God;
but I think the whole history of the Church shows it was entirely
a mistake, and has worked great evil. I look upon all isolation
that can be avoided, as carrying out the same principle I have
seen to be evil. The isolation of individuals from the persons
around them, and of communities from other communities around
them, I think is so much power lost to the general good. It may
be for the benefit of the individuals, and for the benefit of the
persons connected with these village communities. That I will
verts benefit; grant to a certain extent; and then there, I think, we must pause.
Weak con-
Some of these individuals would perhaps be overborne by the evil
influences to which they would be exposed from the want of a
power within them; but as to the greater masses, if they had to
battle and fight, and had those persecutions to brave that we read
of in the institution of Christianity in all countries, these men
but commu- would have come out much more prominently than they possibly
nities lose;
A model
village
useful.
mutiny, which had helped them on, so that Christians could main-
tain themselves better now than before. They still remained
members of the congregations; and as they were able to obtain
larger salaries, they had been enabled gradually to maintain their
own pastors. At Sigra, they never had a press which required a
European superintendent; but they had a carpet manufactory
which was carried on by his wife (Mrs. Leupolt), and a native
superintendent. Now there were in the Benares Mission two
native churches with native pastors, maintained by the people;
and three more churches required native pastors.
in strength; can do now. Their example would have been more prominent
and in influ-
ence.
than it can be now; and consequently the influence they would
have exercised upon their country at large would have been much
more than it possibly can be under the circumstances in which
they are now placed. Some of the prejudices I had against the
system have passed away since I listened to the details. If in
each station there is something like a model village that can after-
wards be imitated by natives, as there is no doubt it will be,
I say so far the system may be allowed, but no further; except in
such cases as are presented by South Africa, where the people are
SEVENTH SESSION.
299
nomads, and must be located before Christianity can be brought
before them in its power.
avoided.
transfer of
Church
With respect to the teaching of technicalities, it has been said Techni-
that it cannot be avoided; but let us take into all our intercourse calities to be
with each other abroad the same principle so beautifully mani-
fested by the present Conference. The echo of the present Con-
ference I should wish to be heard by the world; and it would be,
"Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell
together in unity!" By all means let us have this principle al-
ways and everywhere before us, and we shall have God's blessing.
There is, however, confessedly, a difficulty with which the mis- In the
sionaries have to contend, arising from the necessity, under the English
present constitution of the Societies to which they belong, to forms;
transfer the church forms of Britain, in their utmost rigidity, to
the churches established among the heathen. In all that concerns
doctrine, and in much that relates to discipline, there must be uni- essentials
formity of faith and practice between the several sections of the retained;
same church, or confusion and collision will ensue. But there are
instances that will recur to the mind of every one, in which the
course now referred to has acted as a hindrance to the spread of but a rigid
the truth; and in all cases in which it is impossible for the native details will
mind rightly to comprehend the origin or purpose of our home perplex the
requirements and regulations, or in which their adoption would Churches.
be attended by no advantage to the converts from heathenism, and
only tend to perplex and puzzle them, it would be a great boon to
our native churches to allow of their being disregarded.
must be
adherence to
hinder and
native
TITCOMB.
So far as Churches in
The Rev. J. H. TITCOMB said:-Mr. Mullens had made one or Rev. J. H.
two remarks in regard to the building of churches by Missionary
Societies, which the natives could not keep in repair. So far as
the Church Missionary Society was concerned, he believed, it was
the Church
Missionary
no longer in the habit of building churches. The churches for Society built
by private
native converts were now built out of their own funds, aided by funds.
the subscriptions of benevolent individuals in their respective
countries. With regard to the more general question of the eccle-
siastical constitution of native churches, it appeared to him that it old systems
was in the very nature of circumstances that the organisation of will be re-
the old churches ought to be, and must be, reproduced. Truth
must necessarily be encased in some outward form; and if that
outward form be of any value at home, it must be worth repro- elasticity
ducing abroad. At the same time, there should be a large amount should be
of elasticity, a great amount of latitude, allowed to it. We should allowed:
produced:
and latitude
300
REV. J. H. TITCOMB.
Native
churches
should be
catholic and
unsectarian.
in the
standards of
instruction:
not cling to every principle we endorse at home in an old country
with settled institutions. There may be principles which we fight
for here, which it would not be wise to contend for under other
circumstances. Suppose a bishop, ordaining native converts,
uniformly required of them a knowledge of Latin and Greek
and the like. literature, he apprehended that would be an instance in which,
whilst maintaining the right theory abstractedly, there would be
too strict an adherence to it in particular.
Between
different
Societies,
non-inter-
It appeared to him that the remarks of Dr. Davis were
perfectly just. In cultivating Christianity among the heathen,
ference and no missionaries could be expected to abandon their own forms
co-operation. of church government for the sake of external unity. Neverthe-
less, they ought to abstain from all interference with one an-
other, and from every attempt to gain an advantage for them-
selves at the expense of the brethren near to them. But might he
not go further than this, and say, that it would be well if we
could begin the organisation of our native churches, apart from
that narrow sectarianism, and those selfish jealousies, of which
we have all been so guilty in this country? Ought we not to
learn wisdom from an experience of the unprofitableness of all
our past divisions and dissensions? Why should these be re-
produced in other countries? If we seek liberation from them
here, surely we should guard against them there. Surely it
All mission- would be well if, while retaining our own views of ecclesiastical
aries the
same.
Col. LAVIE.
Native
pastors
not to be
interfered
with.
arrangements, we could carry them out in a spirit of Christian
brotherhood before the heathen; devoid of that bigoted attach-
ment to every minute particular, and that intense feeling of
separation, which has too often marked our churches at home.
He would impress upon every missionary that, as they were
labouring in a common cause, they should do all things for
God's glory, and seek to have no emulation amongst each other,
except in their love for Christ, and their success in the
salvation of souls.
Colonel LAVIE said, as regards the native evangelists and
pastors, the less they were interfered with by the European mis-
sionaries the better; the period of their probation should be the
time for ascertaining their gifts and graces; the greatest care
should be taken in recommending native Christians for ordina-
tion; but once ordained, let them, according to their qualifica-
tions, be placed in more or less responsible positions to develope
those gifts and graces. The character of the native is such, that
SEVENTH SESSION.
301
AS
weakness of
church
must help
verts.
so long as he can rest on the European, he will do so, and not
rise;
it is far better he should stumble than remain the best part
of his life dependent. As regards the native church, it has been
hitherto placed under great disadvantages, having so few of its Poverty and
members men of independent character and independent means. the native
The consequence is, that the European missionary has much of hitherto.
his valuable time occupied in investigating acts of injustice, often
amounting to great cruelty, perpetrated by Government officials
and others against the native members of the congregations. Missionaries
It is impossible for them to remain passive when persecutions their con-
arise; and the interference in secular concerns is deprecated by
most Societies. Few European missionaries can look on with in-
difference when they see members of their congregation subjected
to gross injustice; and that often for no other reason than that
they profess Christianity. This evil may be remedied when Dependence;
India is blessed with European settlers; men living on their own cured.
estates, and conducting their own factories. As regards denomi-
national church systems, he was happy to say, in India, so far as Catholicity
he had seen of it, Christians were so few they could not afford to
split on non-essentials. Their only inquiry is, does a man preach
and teach salvation by faith; and is his life such as to exalt the
blessed Saviour? These being decisive, he has found he could
work well with any Christian, to whatever denomination he
belonged.
how to be
in India.
MULLENS
wish to lead
one system.
The Rev. J. MULLENS said: May I be allowed a word or two Rev. J.
of explanation. I must have spoken very indistinctly, if it be
thought that I wish to make my brethren Congregationalists, or
to lay down, for their adoption, principles which would have the
effect of landing them in Congregationalism. Such a thing never does not
entered my head; and such principles of Christian union never brethren to
came from my heart. I wish to see our systems applied in the
most elastic way and their essentials separated from their
local, technical, and historical elements. My friend, Dr. Tweedie,
does me a little injustice in thinking I class the principles Principles of
of the Deed of Demission among the technicalities of the Free Church not
Church. Not at all: the principles are very grave ones; but the ties.
circumstances of the case form part of that history of Scotch
Christianity, which has made the Church what it is. The native
brethren, when ordained, may justly be committed to the result,
without being asked to commit themselves to the process by which
that result was produced.
the Free
technicali-
302
REV. J. MULLENS.
Co-operation
does exist
already.
Adaptation
of plans of
labour in
India.
The same
required in
churches.
In respect to our plans of labour, much has been done in this very
way already? Look at the position of missionaries in India. They
belong to many Societies, many Churches, many denominations.
Yet when they have come conscientiously to adapt their plans to
their position, to the demands of the people and of their sphere of
labour, they have really come to adopt very much the same plans,
and to act in the same way. In many of our Indian provinces,
if you walk from one mission into another, you can scarcely tell
the difference between them. I want the same wise adaptation in
respect to the forms of the churches, their organisation, their mode
of worship, and their bonds of union.
Must the old
denomina-
tions be
It is said these denominational peculiarities must be repro-
duced. I should be sorry if it were true. We are beginning to
reproduced? file down their most prominent angles; why should we reproduce
them as they are? It is natural that we should start from the
platform on which we ourselves stand; but if we reproduce these
systems entirely we do the native church a wrong. We ought to
do so in such a general way, that if we think it right to retain
them at all, we may at the utmost preserve their essential features,
and adapt them to local wants.
The American Board of Missions on this point in clear terms
have laid down the principle that their missionaries may adopt
those forms of organisation which they prefer, and which they
find most suitable. Our missions, in all Societies, have been well
instructed, are thoroughly scriptural, and well taught in the
word. What we want is pure doctrine, a holy life, an earnest
zealous ministry, active Christian and missionary churches,
growing in liberality, united to each other, sound in discipline,
pure in fellowship. May not these essentials coexist with many
outward forms? Let us look more to the spirit in our mis-
Rule of the
American
Board.
The essen-
tials which
we do
require.
I think, sir, that the position advocated by Dr. Davis is ex-
cellent: that there should be division of spheres, division of
labour, no interference, a kindly spirit, and hearty loving co-
operation. Such co-operation is a great step in the practical
union of the Church. But it is nothing new with missionaries
abroad. We have attained it already; and have had it long.
The point I urge goes far beyond this; though it deals with us
not together, but in our separate capacities, as Churches and
Societies. I wish that we should be willing to examine into our
own deficiencies; to put them aside; and not lay upon our native
brethren a burden which we have begun to find too heavy for
ourselves.
SEVENTH SESSION.
303
sion churches, and they may attain a way far better than our
own.
Rev. J.
churches
Conference.
tain.
The Rev. J. SUGDEN said:-I should be happy if the Confe-
rence adopted some Address to the native churches throughout the SUGDEN.
world. Such an address should have a direct reference to our Address to
Christian affection and sympathy for them all; and should state in native
few words the views of the Conference with regard to the subject from the
of self-support; impressing this matter upon them, and referring
also to some other questions of vital moment. I would suggest Topics it
a subject mentioned the other day, that of Temperance; and also might con-
that the address should have special reference to churches which
are at the present time self-supporting. I believe it would have
an important and happy bearing upon churches at home and
abroad, if a considerable number of churches could be pointed to
as self-supporting and evangelizing. With regard to the teaching
of missionaries, I believe that very little attention has been Teaching
given to matters affecting Church government; and I believe about
that the great concern of missionary brethren has been to preach government:
the unsearchable riches of Christ. I hope that those who venture,
in the exercise of their ministry, to introduce questions affecting
principles and modes of Church government, will be just as con- defects in
scientious in dealing with the several weaknesses of their de- our systems,
to be pointed
nominational systems, as in setting forth their excellencies and out, as well
virtues. With regard to descending to the level of the natives, a excellencies.
man may descend too low; and there have been instances of mis-
sionaries who desired, by the adoption of native habits, to increase Missionaries
their influence; but who in the long run have not only diminished low.
their power to do good, but even lost their self-respect, and injured
the cause of the gospel. Christian condescension does not involve
any sanction, much less any adoption, of doubtful habits, customs,
and institutions.
Church
as their
not to go too
D. F. MACLEOD, Esq., Financial Commissioner in the Punjaub, D. F. MAC-
observed that, after thirty-two years' experience in India, he had LEOD, Esq.
come to the fixed conclusion, that in our administration of that Difficulty in
self-govern-
country we had committed no error fraught with more serious ment, the
same in mis-
results, than that of practically excluding the bulk of the people sions as in
from all share in the management of their own affairs; and he be- government.
lieved that the difficulty which the missionary brethren found with
regard to the establishing of self-government in native churches,
was precisely analogous to the difficulty which public officers had
304
D. F. MACLEOD, ESQ.
The old
municipal
system.
Our rule has
destroyed it.
Our Courts
and appeals
override it.
We have
looked too
high.
experienced in connexion with the affairs of the Government
itself. Though for a century India had been under British rule,
up to the present time the whole nation had been kept in a
state of pupilage. Now, under the native rulers, there was a
most admirable municipal form of government: in point of fact,
the only government of India which then existed was one of self-
government by the body of the people themselves, under a
municipal system, a system which maintained its vitality in the
most remarkable manner.
A very remarkable instance of the effects of our Rule, might
be adduced in the fact; that whereas, the "Panchâyet" (a kind
of jury) was a most favourite and effective mode of adjudica-
tion under native rule, it has become wholly inoperative under
ours; and all our efforts to incorporate it with our procedure, by
legislative enactment, have hitherto utterly failed; owing, without
doubt, to the fact, that we insist on maintaining our right of
supervision and control; and so widely are our races apart in
sentiment, enlightenment, and power, that this circumstance at
once puts an end to all independent action.
The conclusion he (Mr. Macleod) had come to was, that the chief
reason for this state of things is that we insist upon too great
perfection, and are not prepared to bear with something of defec-
tiveness in native modes of management. He had himself, in past
restore self- times, as a public officer, urged that the heads of villages should be
His own
efforts to
government.
invested with authority, to a certain extent, in the suppression of
crime and the punishment of slight offences; and that ten or twelve
perhaps of the principal or most reliable of these heads of villages
should be occasionally collected together for the holding of courts.
of a superior character, to dispose of complaints of a more serious
nature; but his views were always regarded as Utopian, and
were not acceded to. His own impression, however, was, that
until we did something of this kind, we should never create
vitality amongst the people; who would remain, as now, totally
estranged in their feelings and distinct in their interests. The
We had, unfortunately, virtually put an end to that system; not
intentionally, but unconsciously, and through ignorance of the
ultimate result of our laws. We had established in the place of
the public opinion of the people the authority of our courts, which
are now the arbiters of everything; and even where we professed
to allow the people any voice, we found that, in practice, our
officials prevented their exercise of it, though quite contrary to our
wishes.
SEVENTH SESSION.
305
the Church.
Leupolt's
We
the converts
selves.
very same thing applied, he conceived, to the Church: the same The same
analogy held good. We expected too much from the natives, applies to
and were unwilling to give over everything to them, taking our
chance of imperfections. Mr. Leupolt had described a state of Defect in Mr.
things approaching towards self-government; but even in that plan:
system there seemed to him to be too much of reservation.
laid down the laws or rules of guidance; we selected men to rule
over the communities of converts; and when juries were to be
appointed, if we did not actually nominate them, we exercised our why have
any appeal to
influence and control over them. But why not leave them entirely to a missionary.
themselves? Let them select the men they think best, and allow
them to make their own laws. These laws and arrangements might Let us leave
be very imperfect; but unless we consented to them, we should to rule then-
never have a robust constitution, either in social or in missionary
government. He would strongly advise that we should consent to
leave the natives more to themselves in matters of this kind; and
from the tenor of Behari's remarks, he gathered that his opinions
were shared by that excellent native minister. Observations had
been made upon the churches formed in the West Indies, in the
Pacific, and in other places, as exhibiting somewhat of self-
government; but he called attention to the fact, that we had,
in immediate contact with our older provinces in India, a Church Maturity of
which, though perhaps the youngest of all, seemed to have arisen churches.
to maturity in advance of all the rest. He referred to the
church amongst the Karens. It was marvellous that people, just
emerged from barbarism, should all at once have arisen in the
most extraordinary manner to a degree of energy, self-govern-
ment, and Christian enthusiasm, which was seen nowhere else.
They selected and appointed their own counsellors, pastors, and How shown.
teachers; supported them; built churches and schools; and, in
fact, managed the affairs of their own communities, which amounted
to several hundred. Everywhere amongst them was manifested
an indigenous native vigour. An investigation into this subject What are its
might elicit much practical and valuable information; and any one
who could explain the causes of this great difference between
their rate and mode of progress, and that exhibited in other parts
of India, would confer a great benefit on the cause of missions.
The people of Hindostan had not the simplicity of the Karens ;
but still human nature was everywhere essentially the same;
and if those people were once left to themselves, we should find
them exhibiting more or less of the vigour of apostolic times.
From the impossibility of our correctly estimating character and
causes.
X
306
REV. H. M. WADDELL.
most suit-
able men.
Natives will qualifications, when dealing with a race to whom we are strangers
choose the
and foreigners, the selections made by the native communities
would probably be very different from ours; but he was much
mistaken if, in the end, these native selections would not be found
by far the best. (Cheers.) Let us, therefore, consider well this
Mistakes will subject, and agree, if possible, upon some mode of throwing the
cure them-
selves.
natives more upon themselves, not hesitating to allow imperfec-
tions. They might at first, perhaps, abuse this authority; but
its exercise would create the cure and remedy for such abuse in
a thousand ways. (Applause.)
•
Rev. H. M.
WADDELL.
Mission
churches to
be left to
themselves.
Perhaps
improved
forms of
government
will arise.
Historical
elements of
to be left out.
old systeins
Rev. S.
HISLOP,
The Rev. H. M. WADDELL said: It should be the desire of
Missionary Societies at home that, so soon as missionary churches
abroad were prepared to assume all responsibility, they should be
left to themselves; and he did not suppose the churches at home
would attempt to form organisations for them. He had had some-
thing to do with the building up of new congregations, one on each
side of the Atlantic; and for himself and brethren he might say,
it had always been their desire to promote self-government in a con-
gregation as much as possible: in doing which, they had succeeded
as well as any others. He was not sure that the withdrawal of the
benefit of their experience from their mission congregations would
lead to improved forms of church government. The natives might
It
strike out new and strange, not better, forms for themselves.
was quite a legitimate thing for missionaries to carry out, in a
reasonable and moderate way among Christian converts, and in
native churches, the systems of the denominations with which they
were connected; their own feelings and judgments, and, it might be,
their own prejudices, would lead them to it. At the same time, all
this might be done in perfect harmony, and that harmony might be
promoted, as it was here, by forgetting the historical associations
of the different churches. Our native churches had no need to know
anything of them; and he was happy to say that, for the most
part, the missionary churches harmonised exceedingly well. Dis-
cussion might arise, but it might be conducted in a Christian
way; and for the most part he thought congregations did not seem
disposed to go into anything that would mar their accord.
The Rev. S. HISLOP said, that, while he would rejoice to see
native Christians in India gradually accustomed to independent
action, yet in considering this question some allowance should be
made for the difference of national character. Near his station
SEVENTH SESSION.
SSION
307
The hill
theBurmans.
there were two classes of people very distinct: Hindoos in the In India.
plains, Aborigines on the hills. He had come in contact with both; tribes inde-
pendent and
and whatever the Hindoos might become after they had surmounted truthful.
the evil effects of systems, under which they had been crushed for
centuries, there could be no question that, at present, they are
a dependent, feeble, and deceitful race, while the hill tribes are
manly, energetic, and truthful. Even in Burmah, to which Mr.
Macleod had referred, the experience of their American Baptist
brethren had by no means been uniform. Among the Karens
they had found a people, as it were, prepared of the Lord. Not only The Karens
were these mountaineers, by their traditions and freedom from quite unlike
priestly institutions, placed in circumstances favourable for the
reception of the truth, but, after they had embraced it, by the
remarkable energy of their character, directed by God's grace,
they were fitted for communicating it far and wide over their native
hills. But among the Burmese, in the plains, it was well known
there had been no such general willingness to receive the gospel-
no such exemplary zeal in diffusing it; and if this had been the case
with Buddhists, who were unfettered by caste, was it wonderful
that it should have been so with Hindoos, whose individuality
and independence had been well-nigh annihilated by the working
of that iniquitous system?
PAGE.
Lieut. S. FLOOD PAGE said; that it was with very great de- Lieut. S. F.
ference that he ventured to address the Conference. His apology
for doing so was, that several members of Conference were anxious
to know something of the work going on amongst the Karens; The Karens.
and that a recent speaker had expressed the greatest desire to
know how it was that the Karen churches were, to so great an
extent, self-supporting; and how they were able to govern them-
selves. He had been stationed in Burmah for eighteen months;
sixteen months of that time at Tounghoo, the chief station of the
Karen mission in Eastern Burmah. During that time he knew the
American Baptist Missionary, and some native Karen catechists.
One main reason that the work had progressed more in the Tounghoo
district than in almost any other place, he thought, was owing to Independ-
the fact, that there the Karens, though part of the Burmese empire, Karens of
Tounghoo.
never acknowledged more than a very slight allegiance to the Bur-
mese government. Each village governed itself by means of a head-
man. Doubtless, this system of local government had enabled them
to govern themselves in ecclesiastical matters. With reference to
the Karen churches being self-supporting, for years there had
ence of the
308
LIEUT. S. F. PAGE.
Their tradi-
tions.
teachers.
ment neces-
the rains.
been a tradition among them that a white man would come with
a book; and whenever they saw a white man with a book, they
were anxious and ready to listen to him. The Rev. Mr. Whittaker
was quite unable to provide as many catechists as the different
How they villages were desirous of supporting. The Karens build the huts
for the catechists to live in, and furnish them with clothes and
food; and this is all the pay the catechists get. From May until
Self-govern- December it was absolutely necessary that the Karen churches
sary during should govern themselves; for, owing to the rains, the jungles
could not be penetrated by Europeans. The system followed by
the American Baptist Missionaries was to train catechists, and
send these catechists as pioneers before them. The Rev. Mr.
Whittaker, on one occasion, came to a village where a white face
had never been seen, and out of the 300 inhabitants found 130 can-
didates for baptism: after examination, he baptized only a small
number; the remainder, headed by the chief man of the village,
followed him for fifteen miles, begging that they might be bap-
tized. The Assistant-Commissioner of the district was, at one
time, anxious that a man who valued the English system of go-
vernment should go amongst the Karens, and prove to them the
advantage of attaching themselves warmly to the English. The
Commissioner sent for their teacher, by name Sau Quala, known as
the "Karen Apostle," and offered him a salary equal to 300l. a-year
Disinterest- to undertake the office. Sau Quala was not receiving one penny
in the way of pay; he had no home of his own, no income, and
knew not in the morning where he would sleep, or how he would
live; yet he declined the offer, saying, "Suppose I accept it, what
will my countrymen say? Will they think I preach the gospel
for the sake of Jesus Christ, or because of the salary I get from
government? But if you like I will, when in the district, look
out for three good, steady men: you can give them the salary; I
will not touch it." This, he believed, had since been acted upon.
The wonderful success in this mission was, doubtless, to be very
greatly ascribed to the fact, that the Karens were without any
religion, and were waiting for one; to their power of governing
themselves; and to the system of making the natives pioneers of
the Europeans: but it must be especially ascribed to this fact,
that it had pleased our Father in heaven that it should be so.
And it was what we might have looked for, when we remember the
work and labour of love of God's devoted servants, Dr. and Mrs.
Catechists
pioneers.
Desire for
baptism.
edness of
Sau Quala.
Causes of
this great
success,
The martyrs Judson, and their able successors; when we recall the Karen martyrs
in Pegu.
hanging on the cross, refusing to deny the Lord that had died for
SEVENTH SESSION.
309
ference:
them, and to the last preaching from the cross to the multitudes
around them. Dr. Davis had alluded to the fact, that there was
room in the mission-field for all to work without interfering with
one another; he (Mr. Page) had asked the Rev. Mr. Hazledine, Non-inter-
the devoted chaplain of Tounghoo, whether it was his intention to
persuade the Church Missionary Society to send a missionary to
labour amongst the Karens? He replied, No; God is pleased so to example
bless the labours of the American Baptists, that I should not think
it right to try and take the work from them. Another speaker
had alluded to the necessity of union and love between fellow-
workers for Christ.. The Rev. Mr. Hazledine was ordered to Union and
co-operation:
England on medical certificate; there was no clergyman ready to
take his place. Captain Bond, Commander of the Madras Artil-
lery at Tounghoo, said to the Rev. Mr. Whittaker, the Baptist,
"Will you object to preach to my men? I myself must read example.
the Church of England service; will you come and preach the
sermon?" Mr. Whittaker replied, "I am here to preach the
gospel of Christ to every man that is willing to listen ;" and
Sunday after Sunday did this good man preach the gospel to
those English soldiers in the building used for the Church-of-
England service. The Karen mission is second to none in the
world in interest; and in no portion of the world has God's Holy
Spirit been more manifestly working with, and blessing the efforts
of his devoted servants.
In the following MINUTE are embodied the views entertained MINUTE.
by the Conference generally, on the subject discussed during the
final session :-
MINUTE ON NATIVE CHURCHES.
portance.
The subject of native Churches is, in the opinion of the Con- Their im-
ference, equally important with that of native agencies already
brought before them. Native Churches are the germs of those
Christian communities, of those Christianised nations, which,
according to the sure word of prophecy, will at length occupy
every country of the world. It is therefore of the greatest
importance that they should be based and built up, from the
commencement, on perfectly sound principles.
Such Churches should, in their view, be formed of those Members.
"faithful men "who make a public profession of their belief in
310
MINUTE ON NATIVE CHURCHES.
1
The mis-
sionary their
adviser, not
their pastor.
Christ, and of their consecration to his service; and who desire
together to maintain gospel ordinances for their own spiritual
benefit, and as a means of usefulness to others. Guided by the
Aim of their teachings of the New Testament, they should in every land aim
fellowship.
to maintain pure doctrine, holy life, and active zeal amongst their
members; preserve purity of fellowship by the exercise of proper
discipline; and fully support Church ordinances among them-
selves, as administered by duly appointed officers. From the
first, these essential principles should be pressed upon their infant
Churches by the missionaries who found them; and from the
outset such measures should be adopted as will steadily tend to
accomplish the object in view. Depending, not upon distant and
Self-support. foreign Churches, but upon their own exertions and their own
spiritual graces; and possessed of those essential elements which
underlie the spiritual prosperity of all Christian communities, these
Churches may, in the opinion of the Conference, very naturally
Systems of adopt various modes of worship, various systems of Church
order
various.
order, and different principles of fraternal association.
The European missionary is the founder, instructor, and
adviser of native Churches; and, except in their mere infancy,
ought not to be their pastor. The higher Christian civilization
from which he has come; his position as a messenger of foreign
Churches, as a man of superior social rank, and as one of a domi-
nant race, render him unfit to be merely their pastor; while they
fall in with his influence as an adviser and friend. It is feared
that, from the dependence generated by the continued pastorate of
a European missionary, many Churches have been kept back from
that healthy and vigorous growth which leads to self-support and
self-control. Self-reliance grows only by exercise, and learns the
most valuable lessons from the experience of mistakes and errors.
The Conference are of opinion that, in cultivating that self-
National
character
and customs, reliance, and leading it to higher degrees of vigour and of useful-
ness, missionaries should take advantage of such national customs,
notions, and tendencies as will help to foster and render it efficient.
The national independence of the Bghai-Karens, and the village
municipal system of Northern India, illustrate the importance of
this step.
SEVENTH SESSION.
311
1
tors to be
plemented
for a time.
Desiring to see increased the number of native pastors, who Native pas-
are merely superintended by a missionary, they judge that in the left free.
management of their various churches these pastors should be
freed from all needless control, and encouraged to settle all difficult
questions by the prayerful exercise of their own judgment. Until
they are entirely supported by their people, such income as the Salary sup-
churches can give may well be supplemented to a proper amount,
by a grant from the Society which was the means of founding
them. But the Conference think that, from the outset, it should
be kept in view that, whatever forms of union be adopted by the
native churches, in every mission-field, dependence for instruction,
ordinances, or discipline upon the mother churches is, in due time, Dependence
to cease; as it does in the case of colonial churches that have to cease.
sprung up amongst our countrymen in the different colonies of
the British Empire.
on
national
be preserved.
In thus starting forward these new communities of converts Their
on the race of personal and social progress, the Conference con- customs to
sider that everything unsuitable to their national life should be
rigidly guarded against. In the salaries given to native teachers
and preachers, or sanctioned and supplemented for native pastors
and missionaries to the heathen; in the size, style, and cost of Salaries,
church buildings, native parsonages, and dwellings of teachers, ings, and the
due regard should be paid to the customs of the native brethren;
and the same scale be adopted from the first as will probably
prevail among them when Christianity becomes naturalized.
dress, build-
like.
In regard to the formation of separate Christian villages in the Separate
midst of a heathen population, the Conference are generally of villages, un-
opinion that Christian converts should not be separated from the
heathen community; and they believe that the practice in most
missions throughout the world has been to keep them mingled with
the heathen. Such a practice they deem beneficial to the converts, Benefits of
in testing their principles, making them watchful, increasing their the heathen.
usefulness, and preventing a great deal of evil; it is beneficial also
to the heathen by keeping constantly before their view the prac-
tical fruits of the new and pure faith which their Christian coun-
trymen have adopted. They allow, however, that in a country like
India, where a small, weak church, may be overshadowed by the
living among
312
MINUTE ON NATIVE CHURCHES.
General
elevation of
Advantage great, powerful, and wealthy system of Hindooism, and where its
of separation
to a little
community.
members are, by the laws of caste, cut off from the ordinary social
intercourse still admissible in other lands, such Christian villages
may be found useful in securing converts from social disabilities
and from very severe trials of principle, in the infancy of their
community. But they would urge that this be allowed only for a
time; and that as soon as converts grow more numerous and
influential, they should be encouraged to dwell among the heathen,
in order to leaven them with gospel truth.
The Conference think that, though not their pastor, and though
European
systems of
church
order:
the Christian directly interfering but little in their concerns, a missionary should
commu-
nities.
make the general elevation of the Christian communities an object
of continual care; he should watch over their growth in knowledge,
their improvement in piety, their purification from heathen vices
and deficiencies, and in every way strive to raise the tone of their
personal, social, and public character.
be retained:
On one important topic laid before them, the transfer of
European systems of Church organization to foreign countries,
several members of Conference gave it as their opinion, that while
a missionary, in commencing the organization of a church, will
naturally begin with the system which he and his supporters
conscientiously follow, still he should apply it to the new country
essentials to and the new people with considerable latitude: he should en-
deavour to retain only its essential features; to rid it of mere
technicalities, and of those historical elements which all systems,
political and religious, absorb into their constitution in the course
of years. It was suggested that, in respect to the ordination of
native pastors and missionaries, while the Scriptural tests of cha-
racter enjoined by the Apostle should be retained in full, the
standards of knowledge should have reference to the circumstances
of the churches, and of their own training; and that in general all
these systems should be judiciously adapted to the communities,
climates, and people among whom they are introduced.
The Conference rejoice to learn that in some fields of labour
the work of missions has so far been accomplished, that native
churches, growing in numbers, knowledge, and resources, are
supporting their own pastors; fully maintaining the ordinances
technical-
ities avoided:
the systems
to be
adapted.
Great pro-
gress made
by some
churches and
communi-
ties.
SEVENTH SESSION.
313
for their
of the gospel, supplying seminaries with students for the ministry,
and commencing missionary work for themselves. They rejoice
to learn that in some places, tried by severe and long-continued
persecution, grace has been given according to their day, and the
converts, remaining steadfast in their faith, have increased in
number daily; and they offer their earnest prayer to the Lord of Prayer
the whole Church that, while missionaries may be wise to win increase.
souls, and wise to guide the churches into which they are gathered,
these churches may be greatly increased in number, may be
enlarged by the Holy Spirit, and filled abundantly with the fruits
of his salvation; and that more largely than ever they may them-
selves go forth among their heathen countrymen to spread that
gospel which has blessed themselves.
CONCLUSION OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE
CONFERENCE.
on missions.
The Report on the Missionary Lectureship was brought up, Lectureship
and adopted. It was announced that three subscriptions had
already been presented towards the establishment of the Lecture
Fund, viz.: JOHN HENDERSON, Esq., had promised 250l. ; R. A.
MACFIE, Esq., 100%.; and JAMES CUNNINGHAM, Esq., 1007.
the Confer-
ence to their
hosts.
The following Resolution was then moved by the Rev. F. Thanks of
Trestrail, seconded by the Rev. Dr. O'MEARA, and unanimously
adopted :—THAT the thanks of the members of this Conference be
presented to the numerous Christian friends in Liverpool who have
so kindly extended to them their hospitality, and given them such
a warm welcome.
theStewards;
It was next moved by the Rev. T. SMITH, seconded by the Thanks to
Rev. G. F. Fox of Durham, and unanimously resolved:-THAT
the thanks of this Conference be presented to the several Stewards
of the Conference for the kind attention paid to their comfort,
and the arrangements so successfully made to secure it.
Chairman:
It was moved by Dr. DAVIS, seconded by the Rev. I. STUB- to the
BINS, and carried by acclamation :-THAT the Conference hereby
express their grateful thanks to Major-General ALEXANDER for
his kindness in taking the chair of the Conference at their request;
314
REV. G. OSBORN.
to the
Secretaries.
Rev. G. D.
CULLEN'S
reply.
and for the ability and courtesy with which, throughout its sittings,
he has presided over their deliberations.
Privilege in
meeting:
Major-General ALEXANDER briefly responded.
The Rev. GEORGE OSBORN said that the Conference, with a
grateful recollection of the valuable services of the Secretaries, and
without anticipating the duties they would have to discharge when
the Conference had broken up, duties that would be of no trivial
character, would cheerfully assent to the following Resolution :-
THAT the thanks of the Conference be presented also to the
SECRETARIES, who have so admirably arranged the important
business of the various sittings; and the other services in which
they have been engaged.
Dr. LOCKHART seconded the motion, which was carried unani-
mously.
The Rev. G. D. CULLEN, speaking for all the Secretaries, said :-
I express the feelings of those acting with me in these important.
services when I say, that the kindness and forbearance we have
received, during the protracted proceedings, have greatly tended
to sustain and encourage us in doing all we possibly could to
arrange business, save time, observe order, and secure freedom of
expression in these remarkable deliberations. I suppose there
has never been such a gathering of brethren from all parts of the
world, or from so many different countries and Societies, enjoying
such a free interchange of thought and opinion, without any jarring
word or painful feeling of regret. The fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, and peace; and we have experienced the blessedness of His
presence with us. We esteem highly the expression of your con-
fidence in us, and are happy to have contributed in any way to the
success of this Conference.
Resolution
These Resolutions closed the business proceedings of the Con-
on parting. ference. The following Resolution was then proposed by the Rev.
Dr. SOMERVILLE, and seconded by the Rev. G. Osborn :—
RESOLUTION ON PARTING.
At the conclusion of the proceedings, the members of this Con-
ference desire to record their devout thanks to their Lord and
Master, for his great goodness in bringing them together, and giving
SEVENTH SESSION.
315
their dis-
:
them so largely his presence and blessing during their pleasant
meetings. They acknowledge with gratitude the great encourage- benefit from
ment in their work, which by their mutual consultations they have cussions:
been able both to give and to receive and trust that the infor-
mation and suggestions that have been laid before the Conference,
will tend to increase their fitness, consecration, and zeal in the
important work in which they are all engaged. In bidding each affectionate
other farewell, the members of the Conference commit each other,
with all affection, to the tender mercies of their common Lord; and
would assure each other that they part with increased affection and
esteem, rejoicing that they are fellow-workers in advancing the
Kingdom of the Redeemer among the heathen.
farewell.
SOMERVILLE.
spired by the
fruit of the
The Rev. Dr. SOMERVILLE, in moving its adoption, said :-In Rev. Dr.
proposing this Resolution, I wish that I had had leisure to select
terms sufficiently expressive of the feelings which exist in my own
mind. But, Sir, this is unnecessary. I believe the sentiments Feelings in-
expressed in that Resolution exist in every heart in this Conference. meetings.
I felt when I came here on Monday evening, and saw the brethren
assembled, that we were like the disciples when they met in an
upper room, with one accord lifting up their hearts in expectation of
the fulfilment of the promise of the exalted Saviour. I do think Presence and
that, though we have not seen an external manifestation of the Spirit.
Spirit, we have felt that the Divine Spirit has been in the midst
of us, in his gracious influence, giving us wisdom, directing our
feelings, and uniting us together in the bonds of brotherly love. I
regard the information collected as being of the most important and Value of the
practical character. It has been drawn from a wide surface, and given.
it has been given in a candid and obviously honest manner. It
embodies the results of the experience of many good and practical
men. I do not say that we have evolved or settled great principles;
but I think the information which has been supplied is fitted to
correct our rules of action where they may have been wrong, or to
confirm them where they are right. The substance of that informa-
tion going abroad cannot fail to have a very useful and beneficial
effect. I have been specially delighted with the obvious unanimity Unanimity
existing among us in regard to great and sacred truths; I have principles.
not seen the least difference with respect to the great doctrines
of the Gospel of Christ, which, when communicated to unenlight-
ened and perishing men, awaken those feelings, which, nursed from
above, mature themselves into the image of God and meetness for
information
ou
316
REV. DR. SOMERVILLE.
I
Some
differences:
the heavenly world. I have seen no essential difference: I have not
heard a doctrinal statement to which I have not assented. There
are amongst us no doubt differences of external organization which
are held conscientiously; but these have not been obtruded in a
way that can have offended the feelings of the most sensitive and
delicate mind. I have been delighted exceedingly. Some of my
friends from Edinburgh know I came hither with no very fervid anti-
cipations: but my best expectations have been more than realised;
they have been vastly exceeded, and I am grateful to God that I came.
I feel that my heart has been enlarged, and that the Church of Christ
but substan- is after all one church, and that all here acknowledge one Head, one
tial unity.
preparing
the new
creation.
Way, one Service, one Gospel, and one Divine Spirit. We have no
hope but in the creating, renewing, sanctifying energy of that one
Spirit. Every brother has spoken in language that recognised the
All servants. fact that, whatever we do, we do but as servants, as mere instru-
ments; the success is of God. And as, in the first creation, the
Spirit brooded on the dark waters, and evolved those beautiful
elements, which constitute our material world; so now that same
The Spirit Spirit is going abroad, over all our world, diffusing those influ-
ences which are to bring forth that new creation which, unlike the
other, will never wax old, but be transferred to the eternal state,
the admiration and the joy of all pure and happy intelligences.
And I have felt here—I cannot sufficiently express it-extreme
delight in listening to brother after brother bringing forward state-
ments upon this subject. I feel in parting with these brethren
that they are brothers in Christ. I have looked back; I have also
looked forward: I have thought of that one assembly, standing on
the sea of glass, with palms in their hands and crowns on their heads;
all human imperfections done away; all bearing the one Divine
image; all hearts thrilling with love, perfect love; all beating
in unison; and all uniting in giving glory and praise unto Him that
sits upon the Throne and unto the Lamb. I trust we are all in the
way to that blessed place; and when we reach it, I do not think
that any of us, looking back to earth, will regret that we were here.
We will feel that on this occasion, during the four days' Conference,
we received an impulse that helped us forward on our journey, and
that we were encouraged and stimulated in the great and blessed
work of the Divine Master, the glories of which we shall then see
around us, and in some degree appreciate and understand. But,
Sir, in parting with these beloved brethren, let me say, as a United
Presbyterian, I am prepared to take every one by the hand and
The pros-
pects before
us.
J
SEVENTH SESSION.
317
cordially to exclaim: Go on, Brothers, in the work of the Lord,
depending upon Him that guides us, and praising God for all
His mercies.
OSBORN
The Rev. GEORGE OSBORN, in seconding the Resolution, Rev. G.
said:-I
-I wish to say "Ditto" to my eloquent friend who has
just sat down. I adopt the sentiments of the mover as well Agrees.
as of the Resolution, and am glad to find that much of what it
would have been in my heart to say upon the general subject
has been already said. You will permit me to add a word or
two, more particularly as I have not troubled you since the Con-
ference commenced. I understood, partly from the terms of the
invitation, and partly from some other expressions employed, that
it was not considered desirable that those of us who filled official
positions at home should take any very prominent or active part
in the deliberations of the Conference; but that what was said
should be said mainly by our friends and brethren who had
been personally occupied as labourers in the foreign field. I
trust that the proceedings and deliberations of this Conference The Confer-
will be found to have exercised an important influence in prepar- in preparing
ing for that great and blessed outpouring of the Holy Spirit, to outpouring
which all the Churches of Christ have lately had their attention of the Spirit.
so strongly directed, and upon which, whatever denominational
differences there may be, we are all agreed that the whole suc-
cess of Christian Missions must depend. I trust that the influ-
ence, which the harmonious and prayerful spirit of this Conference Its harmony
will exert, will not be confined to this country, but will be felt, the world:
not merely through Christendom, but throughout the world.
Wherever felt, I rejoice to believe it will be an influence for good;
and will have the effect of encouraging our brethren in the labour
which God's providence has assigned to them, and of giving
them full assurance that they are remembered in the prayers of a great en-
Christians at home; and that the sympathies of the Christians of to mission-
this country go fully, strongly, and continuously in favour of
all who labour for the spread of Christ's kingdom, by whatever
name they may be distinguished amongst men.
euce will aid
for the great
felt through
couragement
aries.
The Resolution was unanimously adopted.
Prayer having been offered by the Rev. EDMUND PRUST, of
Northampton, the Doxology was sung; the Rev. CANON STOWEll
pronounced the benediction; and the Conference separated.
318
***
Public
meeting.
CBAIRMAN.
Major-Gen.
ALEXANDER.
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
FRIDAY EVENING, May 23d.
At half-past six o'clock a great Public Meeting of the friends
and supporters of the Missionary cause took place, in connexion
with the Conference proceedings, at the PHILHARMONIC HALL.
It was one of the largest Missionary meetings ever held in Liver-
pool, the Hall being densely crowded in every part. Upon the
lofty platform were seated the various members of Conference,
and a great gathering of both clergy and laity.
On the proposal of the Rev. Dr. RAFFLES, made in brief terms,
and carried by acclamation,
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY took the chair.
The Rev. G. D. CULLEN then gave out Bishop Heber's Mis-
sionary hymn, "From Greenland's icy mountains," which was sung
by the audience, the organ accompanying.
The Rev. GEORGE SCOTT, formerly Wesleyan Missionary in
Sweden, having offered up prayer,
Major-General ALEXANDER was called upon to describe, in
brief terms, the proceedings of the Conference during their several
sittings. He said the members of the Conference had been pleased
to elect him as Chairman over the very interesting meetings which
had been held during the past week; and he had been requested
Brief state- to complete the duty that had devolved upon him, by bringing
Conference briefly before that meeting a general statement of the manner in
proceedings. which the Conference had been conducted, and the results to
which they trusted it would lead. In the first place, it had pleased
Object in God to put it into the hearts of some of his servants to meet and
take counsel together, regarding the best way of giving a new
ment of the
view.
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
319
aim of
sionary and
abroad
impetus, if possible, to the work of carrying out their Saviour's
command to carry the everlasting gospel to every creature under
heaven. All had joined heartily in the task they had set before
them. He mentioned no names, not even one that all present
would hail, because he felt that he might offend Christian delicacy
by a well-meant, but perhaps blundering, compliment, if the in-
adequacy of his expression should unhappily fall short of the
ardent sincerity of his feelings on the subject. The first and
great object set before them was the grand commission to make The great
known the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, which had missions.
been issued for eighteen long centuries; yet hundreds of millions
were still living and dying in ignorance and error. This was the
deep and solemn thought impressed by those Christian minds which
had convened this Conference. Among the objects of their dis-
cussion they had considered, first, European missionaries abroad The mis-
-how to seek for them, how to select them; and having sent his work
them forth, how best to guide them in their several spheres of
labour. They had taken into consideration their use of the ver-
nacular languages of the peoples to whom they were sent, the ne-
cessity of their acquainting themselves with the customs, manners,
thoughts, and religious observances of the different nations to whom
they were despatched. In connexion with that topic, they had Reflex in-
also deeply and anxiously considered the reflex character of the missionary
missionary work abroad upon the Church at home, and on that
catholicity in the Church, which they were all most anxious to
promote. The next subject considered was, How best to stir up, How to stir
direct, and work the missionary feeling at home. He would not up mission-
ary feeling.
attempt to describe at length, that which would be published here-
after. The result of their deliberations had not been drawn up in
authoritative resolutions, but had been embodied simply in the
form of Minutes; for from the beginning it was felt to be essen- Minutes.
tially necessary not to lay down anything in a dictatorial and dog-
matic manner, but rather to give those engaged in missionary
matters the practical experience, the Christian knowledge, the
wisdom that had been gathered in the different fields of labour
throughout the world. Then came the subject of education. That, Education.
of course, referred principally to education abroad,― to education,
not as a primary object of missions, but as a necessary and indis-
pensable adjunct of missionary work. They had considered the
important subject of vernacular literature, as well as English peri- Literature.
odicals, tracts, and school-books; also native agency; and how Men.
best to obtain and qualify candidates of the right stamp for their
fluence of
work.
+
1
320
MAJOR-GENERAL ALEXANDER.
Native
churches.
own mission work. And that morning they had concluded the
whole by considering the organisation of the native churches, and
how far it was wise and expedient to impose upon them, in all
their rigidities, the ecclesiastical systems which had arisen in our
own country. He thought he need not enter into details on these
subjects. He might say, that when they assembled, he believed
there was a deep conviction in the mind of every member of the
Conference, not only of the solemnity, but of the difficulty of what
was before them. Men of all the great evangelical missions and
from every clime had been present, and had freely expressed them-
selves, without yet exhausting the subject. Indeed, he might
almost say, that they had but so far gone into the past, as to lay
a better foundation for the greater efficiency of future missionary
effort, and that another Conference may hereafter be deemed de-
sirable. They had had no differences in doctrines. A wonderful
Unanimity: unanimity, a sanctified and Catholic spirit had been vouchsafed
catholicity. throughout all their proceedings; a spirit which, he hoped and
trusted, would be borne by the various members of the Confer-
ence into the several branches of the Church universal, and per-
meate through the hearts of all the congregations in our land.
Were the doctrines and evangelical principles, in which God had,
Effect, if the by the presence and power of his Holy Spirit, united the hearts
spirit of the
Conference
be carried
out.
and minds of his servants on this occasion, to be carried forward
and through, in preachings from our pulpits, and teaching in our
schools and families, the missionary cause would become the
cause of all. Protestant Britain would be in the midst of the
world as a fountain sending forth the pure streams of the water of
life to every kingdom and people under heaven. The purpose
for which God has exalted us above all nations, and given us a
dominion to the very ends of the earth, would be fulfilled. We
should be honoured in carrying peace to mankind, and proclaim-
ing salvation from the rising of the sun to the going down of the
same; instead of, as we now are, spreading bloodshed and de-
vastation, in a warfare caused by forcing a soul and body-de-
stroying opium traffic, upon one-third of the human race in China,
while in our two viceroyalties we nationally foster Popery in the
West, and impede the free course of the word of God, in that
which is providentially established for the spiritual and eternal,
as well as for the temporal welfare, of the hundred and eighty
million inhabitants of our God-given empire in the East.
The CHAIRMAN, who was greeted with loud and prolonged
Variety of
men present.
CHAIRMAN.
$
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
321
-
tion on the
in view.
cheering, then said:-Ladies and gentlemen of Liverpool, when
any one is called to preside over such a meeting as this, he is
bound as Chairman to consider whether he should say much or
little. In my judgment, the present occasion calls upon me to say
but little; and for this reason: I can give you no personal experi-
ence of my own of the information acquired, or the feelings ex-
cited, during the meetings of this Conference, not having been able
to attend them. I cannot enter into those important details that
have been just sketched out for you by Major-Gen. Alexander;
I can only deal in general principles; and it might be sufficient.
and I think it ought to be sufficient-that the Chairman, having
indicated what is to come, should be allowed to sit down and not
weary the assembly by any oration of his own. (Cheers.) But it
is the custom, and I must conform to the custom, that the Chair- Congratula-
man should say something; and I confess that, when I look at objects kept
this vast assembly, and when I consider the purpose for which it
is brought together, I am moved to call you to feelings of con-
gratulation, and to thank Almighty God that He has put it into
the hearts of so many to be warmed by the desire, which all
here manifest, to spread abroad his holy name, and bring millions
now sitting in darkness to the light and liberty of the gospel.
(Applause.) You are here to-day, as it were, a National Synod; A National
you are here to-day collected, the representatives of all branches.
of the Christian Church,-Baptists, Moravians, Wesleyans, Inde-
pendents, members of the Church of England, members of the
Church of Scotland; branches of all those denominations that
love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. That is your symbol;
that is your connecting link; that is the principle that guides
you; that is the object you have in view. (Applause.) I must
say that it appears to me something like an Ecumenical Council
of the dominions of Her Majesty Queen Victoria (hear, hear), and
I trust that it will be quite as pure in spirit, wiser in conduct,
and happier in issue, than most of the Ecumenical Councils that
have been held in other times (laughter); and that it will be a
great precedent and example to all the habitable parts of the
globe to meet together as we have done, every one in his own
nation, and see what he can do to spread abroad the glad tidings
of salvation from one extremity of the earth unto another. (Ap-
plause.) Now, the business of this Conference, so far as I gather Business
it, has been this: to inquire and to conclude in what way the of the
missionary spirit could be best stirred up in this country; in what
way the means for bringing that spirit into action could be best
Synod
Conference.
I
322
CHAIRMAN.
its
Only a frac-
people
Christians.
raised; and then to see in what manner both could be best directed
to the object you have in view abroad. This will be set before
you by gentlemen of great personal experience; by those who
speak to what they know, and can tell you what they have seen;
and I am convinced that their rhetoric and their exhortations
will command your sympathies, and will guide your judgment.
Present
position of
But, my good friends, do, for one moment, consider the present
the world. position of the world. Do consider, that at this moment the num-
bers of those who do not believe in the name of our Lord are
ten, twenty, perhaps thirtyfold, those to whom the knowledge of
salvation has been administered. Recollect, that though the state
of things be so, the world has been for eighteen centuries in this
condition; and, during the latter part of these centuries, it has
been in the power of those who hold the truth, having means
enough, having knowledge enough, and having opportunity enough,
to evangelise the globe fifty times over. And yet they have done
nothing of the kind; and now, after eighteen centuries of saving
knowledge, we find there is but a small fraction of God's crea-
tures who have any knowledge of his word; and a still smaller
fraction who have any desire to make it known. But I hope,
when we lay seriously to heart our responsibility; when we con-
sider how much has been given to this nation; and particularly
when we consider its energy of heart; when we consider its
extent of intellect; when we consider the peculiar character of
our people; when we consider the enterprise of England's sons;
when we consider the enormous wealth we enjoy; when we con-
Arguments sider that we have been professors,-ay, and free professors of the
Protestant faith for some three centuries; when we consider that
we have an open Bible, no man forbidding us (loud cheering);
and when we consider that we have means and resources such as
never yet fell to the lot of any nation; when we consider that our
dominions extend from one end of the earth to the other, that
one hand of the Queen rests upon the East and the other hand
rests upon the West; when we consider that every enterprise of
the kind we have now undertaken has been blessed by God with
signal success;-how can we sit still and not tremble under the
weight of responsibility that devolves upon us, if we delay for one
moment, from the hour at which I am now addressing you, to
come forward with tenfold vigour, tenfold resolution, tenfold
amount of prayer, praying that God would be pleased to put into
our hearts these great designs, and enable us by his grace to
bring them to good effect? (Applause.) This responsibility is
for tenfold
vigour
in Christ's
work.
VER
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
323
better spirit.
indeed terrible; this responsibility is more than fearful. Our Our national
responsi-
neglect of it, therefore, would seem to be unpardonable. Never- bility.
theless, in God's mercy, there are indications of a better spirit; Signs of a
and if we could from this day go forth, like John the Baptist,
and announce that there was a dawn beyond; that there was
something coming that would bring light, and liberty, and shining
light to the nations sitting in darkness and the shadow of death;
then, indeed, we might have hope; then, indeed, we might have
confidence; then, indeed, we might retire to our rest this night,
in the full and assured belief that a great, a long, and a glorious
period of usefulness and joy was reserved in the service of
Almighty God to this great, blessed, and ancient Protestant
Kingdom of Great Britain. (Loud applause.)
sphere:
felt during
But now, my good friends, while every heathen and benighted One special
soul ought to be to us an object of solicitude and prayer, ought India.
we not to consider, whether God has not given to us a peculiar
field for our operations, and whether our principal efforts ought
not to be made in that land where lies our principal responsibility?
For what purpose, think you, were two hundred millions of hea-
thens consigned to our care in her Majesty's dominions in the East? Why given
to England.
For what purpose has India been placed under the sceptre of Queen
Victoria? Is it that it may add to our idle state? Is it merely
for the extension of commerce? Is it merely that India may take
our goods, and we receive hers in exchange? Is it not for some
greater, mightier, holier purpose than that? Most unquestion-
ably it is. Most undoubtedly that is our duty. (Loud applause.) Obligation
Ay, and the nation at one time, almost to a man, recognised that the mutiny.
great and sacred obligation. Well do I remember the time when
the mutiny in India had carried terror to every man's heart. Well
do I recollect that many men who cared no more for Christianity
than they did for the ground they walked upon; many such men
said to me,-
"Clear it is, that nothing is left for the saving of
that empire but that the people should be Christianised: we must
introduce the Christian religion among them; that will be the
true conservative principle, and will bind the people of India to
the throne of Queen Victoria." (Loud applause.) Ay, they said Convictions
that; many said it in sincerity and with deep devotion; many dull.
said it in mere policy, and as a temporary expedient. The
mutiny subsided, and so subsided their convictions, and a greater
deadness ensued after the mutiny than existed before it; and
soon,―ay, and rapidly soon, shall we lapse into that nondescript,
that inconceivable, that wild condition called Government Neu-
have grown
324
CHAIRMAN.
G
against all
error.
trality. (Hear, hear.) Recollect, my friends, that Government neu-
trality will shortly become national neutrality (hear, hear); that
Government indifference will shortly become national indifference;
ay, and that Government sin will shortly become national sin.
(Hear, hear.) After all, what is this neutrality? Neutrality is a
word you may read in the dictionary; and neutrality is a thing you
Neutrality may find in the grammar. But neutrality in the moral life of man
impossible. is a thing that cannot have existence. (Applause.) Politicians
talk of neutrality, because they delight in mutual mystification.
(Laughter.) But neutrality in religion is impossible. (Applause.)
A man must either believe or disbelieve. If he disbelieves, he is
What the be- an infidel; and that is an end of the matter. If he believes, he
liever must is bound, by every consideration of heaven or of earth, with all his
soul, with all his heart, with all his mind, with all that he possesses,
with all that he covets, with all that he can lay his hand upon, by
every energy of body and soul, he is bound to do all that in him
lies, in a legitimate way, to labour that the Word of the Lord may
have free course and be glorified. (Applause.) This union of all
evangelical and orthodox denominations is a great sign of the
branches of times. (Hear, hear.) It shows that there is a mighty effort
Union now
existing
among all
the Church.
directed to one single view, and that, the holiest and the purest
that can enter into the mind of man. Setting aside all externals
that are non-essential, and looking to the internal that is indis-
pensable, these churches set before them the one single object of
preaching Christ crucified to every ignorant soul on the surface of
God's earth. It is a great discovery to have made, that we can
have a common feeling; that we can have a common heart; that
we can have a common action; that we can have a common sym-
pathy; and this, because we know that we have one common
Master; and therefore we can have a common affection and a
common labour towards the attainment of this great and mighty
This union a end. This great union is one mighty protest against idolatry,
protest aud
combination against indifference, against sluggishness in all matters of religion.
Nay, it is more than a protest against them; it is a great combina-
tion; it is one great aggression against the strongholds of Satan.
The time is past when we should stand in an attitude of resistance.
The time is come when we should go forward, and show that the
Kingdom of Heaven may suffer violence, and that the violent may
We must not take it by force. (Hear, hear.) The attitude of resistance some-
only defend,
but attack: times is necessary, but it is always more or less the attitude of weak-
I remember well the great Duke of Wellington saying to
me one day, when discussing the question of the frontier between
ness.
*
-
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
325
shrinking.
in
age:
our provinces and those of the Burman Empire: "I advise the
Government to take that point; because, take my word for it, no
point is ever good for defence unless it is equally good for attack.”
And if that be true in military matters, it is still more true in
religious matters. Let us no longer stand in this attitude of
resistance; in this quiet attitude of waiting what may come; but with vigour.
let us go forth boldly and courageously to attack all that is before
us; and there is no doubt that the whole thing will fall,—ay, and
more speedily than we are aware of, before the united efforts of
this combined attack. (Applause.) But if you go forward, there without
must be no shrinking; there must be no hesitating; there must
be no looking back; no falling off to the right or to the left; and no
pause in the great work when begun. Why should you pause?
I ask you whether, in the history of the world, there was ever a
time, whether it be in the old country or in the new, whether Favourable
among nominal Christians or those sitting in heathen darkness; the present
was there ever a time when men's minds seemed more ready to
receive good impressions? Was there ever a time when men were
more inclined to listen to the truth; when there was a greater
opportunity offered; when a wider sphere was opened for the
efforts of the missionary? Never, I believe, was there a time more
favourable. All things are far more advanced than they were.
It hath pleased God to remove many obstacles and to give many
facilities. All spiritual things are as good as they were; the in the world
prospects of the future are as powerful as before; but all secular generally.
things, and the condition of the world itself, open ten thousand
means, present ten thousand advantages in the present day, that
we never enjoyed in any antecedent period. Ah! but you must
turn your minds very seriously to the state of things in the world
around us. It deeply concerns your temporal peace. It deeply State of the
concerns the security and enjoyment of yourselves and your wound us.
children. Can any be blind to the stirring events taking place in
every nation under heaven; can any one be indifferent to the perils
that surround us; can any one feel secure under those mysterious
movements that are taking place, and that leave us in doubt from
day to day whether we shall be to-morrow in a state of peace or in
a state of war? Can anybody hesitate to believe that some great
conflict-(who can decide the form and pressure of it?)-can any Conflicts,
one hesitate to believe that some great conflict of the nations is at impending.
hand? Can any one hesitate to believe that some great judgment
is impending upon all peoples? It may fall lighter upon some and
heavier upon others. It will fall lightest upon those (though all,
judgments
326
MAJOR DAVIDSON.
Only in
doing
Christ's
work, will
be found
safety;
perhaps, will feel the scourge) who in the day of trial will be found
watching, engaged,—if not all, at least ten out of the city,—
engaged in watching, and in their Master's service. (Applause.)
I do implore you to put your shoulders to the wheel. I do implore
you to be more earnest and active in your endeavours. I implore
you to be more intense, and earnest, and devoted in your prayers.
I implore you to have more constantly, more unceasingly, more
vigorously before you, the great work that has been opened to you
this evening. It is for temporal, as well as for eternal things, the
one great object of our existence. It will give you security; it
will give you peace; it will save you in the great trial and danger
that is coming on; and if at that hour when the judgment shall
arrive, you be found busily engaged in the work of the Master,
and accept- then, after a period of suffering and purification, you will, by the
blessing of the Almighty God, be found to be an acceptable — aye,
and an accepted people. (The noble Chairman resumed his seat
amidst rapturous applause.)
ance.
Major
DAVIDSON.
of INDIA.
Major DAVIDSON, formerly of Bombay ;-It has been hinted
during the deliberations of this memorable Conference, that India
has, perhaps, been too strongly represented; especially as we pro-
fess to deal with missionary work in all parts of the world. But
Importance I would bring to the recollection of this meeting, as your lordship
has already done, that while "the field is the world," India is that
portion of the field for the culture of which England is peculiarly
responsible. Is not India a part of the British empire; and have
not the heathen millions of India, as our fellow-subjects, a peculiar
claim upon our sympathy? I will not apologise, then, for speaking
On the contrary, I cannot find words to express our
deep responsibility with respect to that great country; and if ever
there was a period when our position with respect to India was
more than usually interesting, it is the present. God has, in his
wondrous mercy, restored that land to us. God has once more
put us on our trial, and it will be an awful thing for England, if
she fail to render a better account of her stewardship in the future
than she has done in the past. (Hear, hear.)
My Lord, I have spent the best years of my life in India.
Half of that period I was engaged in the prosecution of a work,
which had for its object the relief and improvement of the agri-
cultural population. Although the prosecution of this work
required me to give up the society of my countrymen, and to live
in comparative solitude, without the amenities of social and
Our deep re- of India.
sponsibility.
His own life
in India.
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
327
civilised life, yet I look back on those days as among the happiest
of my life; and on the gratitude and affection of that simple people,
as a precious and unlooked-for reward. (Applause.)
its rural
My Lord, I love and respect the rural population of India. I Character of
see in them the elements of a great people; and I could wish that population:
my countrymen were better acquainted with this portion of their
fellow-subjects; but the fact is, that while the agricultural classes
form the great body of the people, and contribute the bulk of our
revenue, they are the class who, of all others, have been least they have
been greatly
known and most sadly neglected. (Hear, hear.) For example, I neglected:
would ask, what has been done to educate these people, and
so to elevate them in the scale of moral and intellectual worth?
Some slight efforts have been made by Government in the way of
education; but these efforts have been almost entirely in favour of oppressed by
a class who, for ages, have sucked the life-blood out of these simple mins:
villagers. In other lands the tax for education has been chiefly a
tax upon the rich for the education of the poor; but in India it has
been exactly reversed, and the poor and industrious cultivator has and for their
been taxed for the education of the indolent and supercilious
Brahmin. (Hear, hear.) The result of this system is, that the
Government native agency is composed almost entirely of Brah-
mins; and so great is the influence of these men, that the culti-
vators, among themselves, speak of our Government as the Brahmin
raj, or Brahmin reign.
the Brah-
gain.
condition.
to them.
Let the Church be careful to avoid the same error; and let Their
me urge that redoubled efforts be made more effectually to reach
this interesting portion of the people. They are living in the
most primitive condition, reminding one of the patriarchal ages;
and who can venture to say they are not in a favourable condition
for the reception of the gospel? The Bible is to them the most The Bible
attractive of all our books. Its histories and illustrations have the most suitable
clearest light thrown upon them by the customs and incidents of
their every-day life. Indeed, in many respects they can under-
stand the Bible better than we can. (Hear, hear.) This fact was
brought strikingly before me by an occurrence which came to my
notice when I was living among them. An officer, engaged in Illustration
the same work with myself, had occasion to take a long ride
through a part of the country that had been rarely visited by
Europeans. He halted at a village in order to escape the hottest Visit of an
hours of the day; and sitting down in the usual resting-place for
travellers, the village temple, he entered into conversation with
some of the villagers who happened to be there. The news soon
spread that a gora sahib, or white gentleman, who spoke Mara-
officer.
328
:
MAJOR DAVIDSON.
His talk
with them.
its case,
their own.
They should
have the
Bible.
To their surprise, he not only conversed freely with them, but
he could talk about all their processes of husbandry, knew the
nature and peculiarities of the soil they cultivated, the tenures by
which they held it, and, in short, was familiar with all the outs
and ins of their village life. In the course of this conversation
one of the natives asked him if he knew anything about Yoosuph,
which is the native name for Joseph. This surprised him; and
the more so, when on further conversation he found that many of
them were quite familiar with the history of that patriarch. On
asking how they had got this information, he found that one of
their number, when on a visit to a distant European station, had
The History got possession of a tract entitled The History of Joseph. It was,
in fact, a simple extract of the Bible narrative translated into
Marathee. Unable to read himself, he got the koolkurnee, or
very popular village clerk, to read it for him; and it was liked so much, that
with them: he and his fellow-ryots used to assemble in the evening by the
of Joseph:
Hope for
India.
thee like a native, was sitting in the temple; and in a few minutes
the whole village, men, women, and children, flocked to see and
hear this wonder.
village well, while the koolkurnee read and read again the in-
spired story of Joseph and his brethren. (Cheers.) To them it
was peculiarly interesting. They knew too well from their
own sad experience what famines were. Within the precincts
of their village were the pekows, or underground granaries.
for storing grain against such emergencies; and they had, in
the place of Pharaoh, the hard-hearted village corn-dealers,
to dole out to them, at famine prices, just grain enough to
keep them alive and to furnish seed for their fields. In spirit,
the picture drawn by the inspired penman was one for which
they might themselves have sat; and it is an interesting fact,
that some of them stated their conviction that the God of Joseph
was the only true God. (Cheers.)
Now, My Lord, I trust I have shown that the Bible is pecu-
liarly suited to the natives of India. How important is it, then,
that they should be taught to read, and that the Bible should be
put into their hands. Let us do this; let the people of England
insist that education be made available to their fellow-subjects in
the East; and then may we look for the Holy Spirit to do his
blessed work, and to write the words of that book on the hearts
of the people.
St
My Lord, I have great hope with respect to the future of India.
It is part of the inheritance which God has given to his Son,
and his Son will assuredly claim it. Much prayer has been put
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
329
up for India, especially of late; and I am a humble believer in
the irresistible power of prayer. (Applause.) The blood of native
Christian martyrs has been freely shed in India, and will shortly
prove the seed of a glorious church, gathered from among the
heathen, to Jesus. (Cheers.)
coming,
Often, My Lord, in my solitary rides over the vast plains of The dawn
India, I have watched the first streak of light that indicated the
approach of day. Methinks I now see in that dark horizon a
streak of light, which, though faint and feeble, is the harbinger
of a glorious dawn! Yes, the Sun of Righteousness will soon
arise on India, with healing in his wings, and will dissipate the
thick darkness that so long has brooded over that deeply inter-
esting land! (Applause.)
MULLENS.
the name of
sionaries.
The Rev. JOSEPH MULLENS, of Calcutta, next addressed the Rev. J.
assembly as follows:- My lord, ladies, and gentlemen, I stand
upon this platform as the representative of my missionary bre-
thren. At this meeting wise and experienced officers of our
various missionary Committees, as well as clergy connected with
our home churches, will plead before you the obligations of that Speaks in
great and glorious work in which we are engaged; but I stand the mis-
here to speak a word in the name of those numerous brethren,
whom the providence of God has brought together at this time,
from their various fields of missionary labour in many and distant
lands. At least six times have I begged to be excused from occu-
pying a position so difficult before this immense audience; but the
work has been pressed upon me, and however unworthy, I cannot
refuse to say one word in respect to the features which our
glorious work is of late years beginning to assume: though an
Indian missionary, however, I shall to-night leave my own sphere
of labour, to deal with our missionary work at large. During this Thirty-seven
most memorable Conference, there have been gathered in Liver- present.
pool no less than thirty-seven missionaries from various parts of
the world. One of our brethren has come from among the Red Where from.
Indians, in the snowy settlements of Upper Canada. Another has
told us of his experience in the Islands of the South Seas; the
only representative of that great band, of whose lowly labours
and marvellous success we have now been accustomed to hear
great things during a long course of years. Two brethren have
laboured amidst the tropic heat of the West Indies and the
swamps of the Gulf of Guinea; another has spent years of solitary
toil among the Buriats of Siberia. Two have visited us from
330
REV. J. MULLENS.
Their
resolves.
Caffreland; and one from the city of Damascus.
Two of our
honoured brethren, distinguished as Medical missionaries, who
have laboured long on the coast of China, represent the eighty
missionaries of all Societies at present living on the seaboard of
received by
that thickly-peopled empire; and more than twenty of us have
Impressions resided in the various provinces of India. I find that, without
them: exception, we have enjoyed intensely the delightful meetings of
this Conference; that we have all benefited greatly by those
solemn and searching discussions, which we have held with each
other, with the valuable and experienced Secretaries of our many
Societies, and with other brethren who have shared in these deli-
berations; and I believe that in us all the result has been, only to
lodge more completely, at the very bottom of our hearts, the
solemn conviction, that there is nothing in this world so great and
glorious as the work of the missionary; and that, by the grace of
God, if our brethren at home continue their confidence in our
character, our purposes, and our plans, we will go forth with
fresh energy and fresh consecration, with a deeper earnestness and
a heartier love, to become once more the messengers of the churches,
and the servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Applause.)
character:
My lord, it needs not that much should be said about that de-
lightful union which has been exhibited in such practical forms
during the proceedings of this Conference. Very little was said
about that union there: the thing itself was so obvious: we made
its practical very few professions of affection and good feeling towards each
other. We stood on higher ground; and from the first, recognising
ourselves as a single body, though representing many churches and
many agencies, we sought to bring all the materials and the
results of our experience to bear upon that work of salvation,
which we felt to be the object of our highest admiration and of our
most devoted love. Our union has been of the closest and most
practical kind. We have gone over all our plans; we have dis-
cussed the suitability of our various agencies to the many spheres of
labour in which we are engaged; we have endeavoured to count
our gains; to see where the obstacles to our work lie, and what is
the blessing of the Spirit that has been poured upon our efforts.
The practical union that has been thus exhibited in our delibera-
tions is, I am happy, as a missionary, to say, nothing new among
the servants of God in foreign lands. (Applause.) Many here are
aware that it prevails extensively in India and in China, where
numerous missionaries of several Societies are found labouring to-
gether. For instance, the missionaries of all Societies residing in
The union
prevalent:
not new in
missionary
fields.
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
331
India.
is the rule.
sence of
feel ONE:
the three great cities of India, Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta, are Instances in
accustomed to meet each other month by month, for homely dis-
cussions of the very kind which we have been carrying on in
Liverpool. In our various labours we strive to co-operate Co-operation
on system. It is a RULE with us that we should work together.
Because, my lord, we all feel, that if there be any place in the
world where the disciples of Christ, whilst respecting to the fullest
degree each other's conscientious convictions, should yet endeavour Why:
to show, that there is to those disciples but one Lord, one faith,
one baptism, one God and Father of all, one aim and purpose in
their Christian life, and above all, one love to the perishing souls
around them; it is when we stand face to face with those gigantic in the pre-
systems of heathenism, by which the devil has enslaved the minds idolatry they
of millions during a long course of ages. Before those giant sys-
tems of error, our differences of organisation grow small.
If we
are separated by varying judgments on the externals of the gospel,
we are all one in relation to its great heart. In the awful dark-
ness of heathenism,- darkness that may be felt, 'tis only the
"children of Israel" who have light in their dwellings. That
golden light streams on us from the Cross; and, therefore, "the
children of light" cling more closely to each other, and to the cling to each
Great Master, whose compassion to lost souls is their own ruling
motive in that fearful gloom. Stirred up, therefore, by the exhorta-
tions of the Word of God, and feeling that the peculiarities of our
position draw us much nearer to each other, I believe that through-
out the world at this time it is not only the solemn conviction, and do one
but the standing practice of all missionaries, not only that they
shall love each other as brethren, but, as far as ever they can,
that they shall work together for the same grand and glorious end,-
the salvation of the dying world around them. (Applause.)
other:
work.
modern
In prosecuting that work of compassion, my Lord, how numerous Position of
are our encouragements. What a glorious position do we now missions.
occupy compared with that in which the fathers and founders of our
Missionary Societies stood when they commenced it only a few
years ago! Our modern missions are only sixty years old, and
already we see the face of the wide world rapidly changing under
their mighty influence. I doubt, my lord, if through those labours
a single convert had been made before the year 1800. Dr. Carey Contrast in
had gone to India; his few brethren had joined him,
settled at Serampore as the centre of their labours.
brethren had sailed for the South Sea Islands.
or two in Africa, one or two in the West Indies, and the rest of
1800
and they had
A few of our
There were one
332
REV. J. MULLENS.
1600
the age then:
the dark world was an awful blank. But now we look abroad
upon the earth, and, without reckoning the work carried on in our
English colonies, we see at this moment 1600 foreign missionaries
from Europe and America labouring in heathen countries and
in many languages; the hand of the Lord has opened their way.
As one result of our work, we have already gathered 200,000
communicants, in many thousands of native churches. Including
them, more than a million of converts, young and old, who other-
wise would have lived in heathenism and died in despair, are now
sitting beneath the banner of the gospel, rejoicing in Sabbath
ordinances, and all the blessed privileges that cluster round the
gospel of Christ. (Applause.) Our work began, my lord, amidst
Character of the apathy of friends, and the loudest obloquy on the part of our
enemies. Society in England was thoroughly devoted to world-
liness, and steeped in the most shameless wickedness and vice.
Beau Brummel and his crew ruled in the world of fashion. French
infidelity, the great product of the Revolution, was all the rage
among the so-called thinkers of the day; an infidelity which found
its way to our colonies, and to the English settlements in India;
and which there, as elsewhere, brought forth its bitter fruit. But
just when the enemy had come in like a flood, the Spirit of the
Lord lifted up a standard against him (applause); and now,
thanks be to God, that glorious standard has been lifted high;
and all branches of the Christian Church, throwing aside their
doubts and casting away their apathy, are delighted to enlist in its
service and to go forth under the Great Captain of our Salvation,
conquering and to conquer idolaters in his name. (Cheers.)
How great the work which has already been accomplished! We
go to one part of the earth, where the missionaries followed the track
in the South of Captain Cook. Island after island, tribe after tribe, have cast
Seas:
away their idols; and all the children are growing up, like our
own, entirely ignorant of the idols, the temples, and the cruel
systems that were honoured by their fathers. (Cheers.) More
than two hundred thousand Christians are now gathered into the
churches and Church of Christ in those many islands, by the four great Societies
converts
there.
These new converts,
that have laboured to convert them to God.
young in the faith but active in zeal, are drawing on towards
that position at which we all aim; their native churches are
striving to provide for their own native ministers; and they are
constantly sending men, drawn from their own number, to be
missionaries in the islands far to the west, that still lie in the
darkness of cannibalism and heathenism. (Applause.) Amongst
missionaries.
Their
converts.
and now.
Work done:
i
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
333
Islanders all
other things stated during the Conference, the delightful fact Sandwich
was mentioned, that our brethren of the American Board, who Christians.
have laboured with so much success in the Sandwich Islands,
have for some time been planning to reduce considerably, in those
islands, their staff of American missionaries. Eighty thousand
people in the Sandwich Islands, the entire native population of
the group, now profess Christianity like ourselves. They gather
together in churches like ourselves; every place is provided with
its own schools; numbers of native pastors preside over the wor-
ship and discipline of those churches; the Sabbath is kept better Missionaries
than in London; the Bible is the standard of public and social leave them.
law; and now our brethren have received fair warning, that only
a small number will for the future be maintained in those islands;
to train a native ministry, to expound difficulties in the Scriptures,
and to act as advisers, guides, and overseers of the weak faith
and imperfect knowledge of the native churches, until their
services are no longer needed. (Applause.)
will soon
Africa:
Indies:
We go to Africa; and where, at the beginning of this century, Success in
the Hottentot, and Fingoe, and Kaffir, were shot down without
mercy, there we find a people, 100,000 in number, saved from
destruction, brought to Christ, and adorning the doctrine of the
Saviour whom their fathers never knew. (Cheers.) We go to the
Negro settlements in the West Indies. How many thousands in the West
there have become Christians; redeemed not only from the
slavery of earth, but from the slavery of sin. They who only
thirty years ago were sold in the open market, have proved the
most liberal supporters of gospel schemes that the modern Church
has known, and were the first converts to maintain ministers of
their own.
Only seventeen years ago the various ports of China in China:
were open to gospel teaching for the first time; and now we see
in those ports no less than eighty Protestant missionaries of many
churches working for Christ. Already, in the course of those
seventeen years, they have been permitted to gather into their
churches some 1400 communicants, and 3000 Chinese Christians.
We pass on to Burmah; and there we find rejoicing in the light in Burmah:
and liberty of the truth, 100,000 Karens; every one of whom,
thirty years ago, was entirely ignorant of its very existence.
There they are, meeting like ourselves on the Sabbath; working
like ourselves for their ignorant brethren; supporting their pastors
with the most active and self-denying zeal; contemplating the
destitution of their heathen countrymen with compassion; and
sending forth one and another of their brethren, with their lives
|
334
REV. J. MULLENS.
in India:
in their hands, to preach Christ among the barbarous tribes, still
living in the mountains and the dense jungles of their own wild
land. (Applause.) We pass on to India; and again we see, in
several provinces of that great empire, churches and Christians
gathered, and the foundations of a large and great work in the
future, laid by the hand of missionaries who have been working
there for many years.
Obstacles to our entrance, to our permanent
residence, to our safety in the country, have all passed away;
and, blessed be God, after the appalling history of the recent
mutiny, we rejoice to know that India has found, not only order
and peace, not only the services of faithful missionaries within
recognised at her own borders, but has at last found a place, deep and firmly
claims of
India now
home:
fixed, in the hearts of our brethren at home; and we feel sure
that, when the claims of that mighty continent are faithfully
pressed upon them, our voice will be heard and a hearty response
given to our appeal. (Applause.) And let us not forget the
in Turkey. successful toil of our brethren in Turkey, to revive the decayed
churches, and to grapple with Mahommedan error at its very
heart. (Applause.)
In
Further: Not only may we rejoice in these great successes;
but, with all my missionary brethren here present, I cheerfully ac-
Work done knowledge, that in securing them, we have been largely indebted
by native
preachers.
to our native brethren, working side by side with us, in these
fields of labour. We were told in very affecting terms by Dr.
Tidman, the other day, to look at the poor island of Madagascar.
Madagascar. More than twenty years ago the English missionaries were driven
from that island by the unrighteous queen, and scarcely fifty
native Christians were left behind. They possessed but very
small portions of the Word of God, some little tracts, and a few
Persecution hymns. They have been bitterly and unrelentingly persecuted
with Satanic cunning and Satanic hate. They have been fined,
imprisoned, degraded, and made slaves; they have been poisoned
by the tangena-water; they have been speared to death; they
have been cast over lofty precipices; they have been burned at
the stake, while the glorious rainbow arched the heavens and in-
spired them with more than mortal joy; they have given more
than a hundred martyrs to the Church of Christ: but, far from
being rooted out of the land, while, twenty years ago, when the
persecution began, there were not fifty Christians on the island, it
is believed that there are now at least 5000: all of whom have
been raised up by the special blessing of the divine Spirit upon
the teachings of native agents and the secret study of God's holy
of the
church:
its great
growth:
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
335
also:
success of
Word. (Repeated applause.) We pass away to the island of in Tahiti
Tahiti; and there we see that, whilst French Popery has endea-
voured to exert its influence, and to present its blandishments, to
those who were despised as the poor and ignorant natives of the
country, they have adhered most faithfully to their Protestant
religion. We find that when the missionaries were compelled to the native
leave the country, their own native pastors came forward; pastors.
received from heaven all the grace ever promised to Christ's
children in the time of need; and at this hour, in spite of French
Popery, and in spite of French brandy, the members of the
Tahitian churches are more numerous than when the missionaries
were compelled to leave them. (Applause.)
Lessons
taught us by
ing, but
I might allude to other facts of a similar kind; but these will success.
suffice. I merely seek, in the name of the missionary brethren
around me, to direct your thoughts to a few of those great results
with which the Spirit of God has been pleased to bless our
labours. In looking at these things; and finding, in our discus-
sions, not only how important, how efficient, our plans have been
rendered, but how well calculated they are to secure the great end
for which missionary agency has been appointed, we have no desire Not borst-
to boast. If we have learned anything during the discussions of humility:
this week, we have learned that all boasting is utterly excluded:
we have rather learned, from our successes, and from the mar-
vellous grace poured upon our fields of labour, notwithstanding all
our short-comings, to lie more low than ever before the footstool
of that Redeemer, who condescends to accept our poor and imper-
fect service in his cause. Whilst, therefore, my Lord, I speak of
the changes that have passed over missionary fields; whilst I
allude to one great fact and another, here and there, that exhibits praise to
the substantial progress of the gospel, I desire not to be lifted
up, but to feel more deeply than ever, "Not unto us, O Lord, not
unto us; but unto thy name give glory." Henceforth, I trust, on
the part of missionaries, on the part of our committees, of our
ministers at home; on your part, Christian brethren, and on the
part of all churches of Christ throughout this favoured kingdom,
there will be but one feeling and one purpose: that because of these and more
complete
things, we will give ourselves with fresh humility, with purer consecra-
motives, with more complete consecration, with more earnest
prayers to the work of Christ; and that, like the Apostles, the
model missionaries of ancient times, we will go forth, more than
we have ever done, to spend strength, time, experience, wealth,
God:
tion.
336
REV. J. MULLENS.
Promise of
the future.
completely and without reserve, in the service of our Divine
Master. (Applause.)
shall be
pletely given
to Christ.
If that be our resolve; if, in looking back to the past we only
learn to derive greater strength, greater faith, greater humility for
the future, what a glorious day must be secured in answer to our
petitions, and in accordance with the promise of God himself: "All
nations which thou hast made shall come and worship before thee,
and shall glorify thy name." Not only the uncivilized tribes; not
All nations only the barbarous and scattered populations of the earth; but the
Christians. great races and the mighty people, that fill the provinces of
empires like India and China, shall all come to Him. The learn-
ing, thought, and skill of China shall all be sanctified to the Lord.
Even India itself, poor erring India, after her long wandering,
her fearful systems of superstition, her slavery of opinions, her
multitude of vices, her awful ignorance and degradation, shall be
India com- brought safe home to Christ. From the lofty range of the
Himalaya, crowned with the stainless snow, and clothed with
redundant forests of the soft, feathery pines; from the towering
crags, where the pure, crystal air, wafted from icy caverns,
breathes life and vigour into the weary invalid; across the heated
plains, where for ages the hand of violence has stained the earth
with blood; over countless fields, tilled by a teeming population of
precious souls, whose willing hand shall cover the smiling soil
with richest harvests of waving corn; over mighty cities filled
with the beautiful products of ingenious skill; over cities now
marked by the lofty towers of Hindoo temples, the gilded pagodas
of Gaudama, the marble mosques and jewelled palaces of Mahom-
medan kings; down to the very verge of the land, where the dark
Ghauts, clad in dense jungle, yet lightened by silver waterfalls,
o'ershadow the sand-fields of Christianized Tinnevelly and the
green slopes of Travancore, with their glorious forests of waving
palms; over all these noble provinces, rich in material wealth,
but richer far in their priceless heritage of immortal souls, the
Redeemer shall extend his mighty march of love. Joy, righteous-
ness, and peace, shall spring where'er he treads. Gorgeous in
its tropic beauty, but lovelier far in the rich adornments of his
jewellery of grace, the land shall pass under his perfect sway; all
wrongs redressed; all sins forgiven; saved from destructive errors,
the multitude of its immortal nations, with hymns of jubilee shall
bend before his feet; the crowns of every city, every province,
shall be clustered on the Saviour's brow; and, in spite of the
China:
Provinces:
cities:
people.
All crowns
HIS.
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
337
1.
crimes of ages, his children brought home at last, the Redeemer
shall behold the work of his bleeding cross accomplished: "He
shall see of the travail of his soul, and SHALL BE SATISFIED.”
(Loud and protracted applause.)
EDWARDLS.
illustrated
mutiny.
Lieutenant-Colonel HERBERT EDWARDES was next called on Lieut. Col.
to address the meeting, and was received with tremendous and
repeated cheers. He proceeded to speak as follows:- My Lord,
and ladies and gentlemen of Liverpool, our noble Chairman has
given good advice to all the speakers at this meeting, that they
shall speak what they do know; and, having myself recently come Missions
from the scene of the Indian Mutiny, and believing, as I do, that by the
that great mutiny throws a bright, though indeed a lurid, light
upon the great object for which this Conference is assembled, I
think that I cannot do better than direct the few remarks, with
which I shall trouble you, to the lessons which I think England
may learn from that great war. (Hear, hear.) Friends and fellow-
countrymen, you know as well as I do the history of India's past.
You know that it is now somewhat more than a century ago
since God gave the empire of India to us on the battle-field of Growth of
Plassy. Within that century you know well what changes have Empire.
come over that empire. It is told in all our histories, and in all
how we found a shivered empire; how
how we absorbed its rebel governors;
our Indian
moral
our schools; it is learned
we bound that empire up;
how we introduced justice where we found violence and crime; England's
how we have abolished some of those cruel and bloody rites triumphs:
which debased the land; how the perfidious crime of Thuggee;
how the bloody custom of infanticide, by which the chiefs of
tribes, from the mere pride of lineage, murdered their infant
daughters by thousands, in order to prevent the possibility of
their contracting inferior marriages, have, under English rule,
been thoroughly abolished. With all these things you are fami-
liar. And far be it from me to undervalue those great triumphs
of our country's labour. They are, indeed, noble triumphs of Eng- Effect of our
lish civilisation. They witness to a true heart of humanity; they
witness, in spite of ourselves, to a true feeling of Christianity,
which we cannot repress, although we try to do so; they tell
that the Englishman, wherever he bears rule, will carry with
him some of that Christianity which he has drunk in with his
mother's milk. Still, in spite of these efforts, we must all know,
-if we are honest men, and will dare to look the matter in the Our duty to
face we must all know, that there are duties which we have not
Christianity.
India
Z
338
LIEUT.-COLONEL EDWARDES.
not for
ourselves:
performed towards that country. (Hear, hear.) I take it, fellow-
countrymen, that that country was not given to us,-one hun-
Why was it dred and eighty millions of our fellow-creatures were not handed
given:
over to our charge, purely for our own benefit. It was not
merely that we should enrich our land with commerce; it was
not merely that we should provide for our sons and daughters;
it was not to gratify the lust of conquest and the pride of our
own nation; nor was it that we should abolish those crimes and
hideous customs, and cover the country with roads and tele-
graphs: these were not the objects for which God gave empire
to us in India. I do believe, in the bottom of my heart, that that
empire was given to England because we were the country of the
open Bible. (Hear, hear, and applause.) If you look in the page
of history, you will see that other foreign nations preceded us to
that land, and yet they have not now got a footing in it. We
have succeeded to the charge; and why? I conceive it is be-
cause we have sternly, and after bloody contests, held fast our
Protestantism and our Bible. We have had it open, and in-
sisted on having it open; and fought for it that our children
should hold it; and I conceive God looks down on this people
and says,-
"Here is a people that values the open Bible, and I
will give the charge of that great empire to them."
But have we fulfilled this charge; have we met our respon-
sibilities? I tell you, with the Chairman, that it has been, from
the very first, our English policy in India to conceal this Bible,
We have hid and, if possible, hide its light. We have taken up at the very
the Bible.
others
expelled:
beginning, with that devil-fearing, God-dishonouring policy of
neutrality in religion. Our Government has endeavoured, if pos-
sible, to keep the very name of Christianity from the natives.
Judson and Shiploads of missionaries went out, and shiploads were driven
back again. The great Judson went out with his brave country-
men; and does it not call a blush on every face, when I say,
that Judson was not sent out from these shores, but from our
cousins in America, who have not one acre of land on those
shores, but who feel what we have been so slow to feel, the
responsibility of Christians and Protestants? Our Government
repelled those missionaries. Judson was driven from the shore
He went to of India, and where did he go? He landed upon heathen soil,
where a heathen king sat on the throne, the shore of Burmah ;
and there he was received, and founded that mission which has
now reaped the rich harvest of which you may have heard.
A hundred thousand Karens are now the fruits of the labours
Burmah.
but because
open Bible.
we have an
Have we
done our
duby?
Converts
there.
-
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
339
tion with
of the great Judson and his colleagues; and they are now holding
prayer-meetings, and praying for the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit on their brethren, just like ourselves. These are the
fruits which we might have had in India, if we had dared to
follow a brave and a Christian policy. In every shape we have
carried out that policy of neutrality. We have held partnership Our connec
even with Juggernaut. We have collected revenues from that ful-temples
great idol temple. We have taken into our charge and manage-
ment the revenues of other temples: we have made our civil
officers administer to them. Is that or is it not a shame to
Christian England? (Hear, hear.) And when Government has
attempted to educate the people, has it founded that education Education
upon the only root which education can ever take? Has it
struck the roots of education into the Holy Word of God? No;
it has declared that the Koran may be in the schools, the Shastre
may be in the schools; but the Holy Bible may not be in the
schools. (Hear, hear.)
without the
Bible.
in this
did not
this:
Now I must do justice to our country, and say, that in follow- Liberalism
ing this policy they have not been actuated altogether by those policy.
base and ignoble principles which might appear upon the surface.
They have, at all events, thought they were acting upon some
broad principles of justice. They did at least think they were
giving fair play, as they called it, to the heathen. But has this
been understood by the native? The native has never from the The native
beginning been able to comprehend this policy of our government. comprehend
The native is constituted altogether differently from us: his mind
is of a totally different construction. Whether he is a Hindoo or
a Mahommedan, religion is to the Asiatic the very beginning and He is a very
religious
the end, the Alpha and the Omega, of his existence. Its fibres run being.
through every act of his life. There is no feast, no fast, no event
of happiness or sorrow in that man's family: he never eats or
drinks, but in whatever he does, he does it to the glory of his
god. Can a people whose heart is thus fixed in its religion,-
can it understand how the English people can go, as conquerors,
perfectly free and unbound; free to follow their own convictions,
and do as they choose in the management of India? Can they
understand how that noble Saxon people can begin their govern-
ment by abnegating God? And when they see such a phe- He ascribes
nomenon as that, they argue upon it; and the conclusion to bad
which the people of India has come is, not that England is just
and fair, and wants to let the light of truth force its own way
among them, but the conclusion, that the English are a tricky
bad motives
to it.
340
LIEUT.-COLONEL EDWARDES.
Suspicion
wide-spread.
people; that they dare not go straight to the object they have in
view, but are approaching it by some sly contrivance of their
own. The consequence has been, that throughout the length and
breadth of India suspicion has gone abroad; and the whole Indian
people are always in doubt, always suspecting their government
and rulers, and wondering what next is coming.
Whatever measure of civilisation we introduced, we might tell
them anything we chose; explain its science, philosophy, and
object, as we liked, they would look on and think, "Beneath this
there is some contrivance to take our religion from us." I have
hundreds of times heard natives tell me that, some of these days,
when the telegraph wires were spread all over India, the Governor
General would pull a string, and those wires would convert the
whole of the natives to Christianity. (Laughter.) Take another
instance: Along the great line of road from Calcutta to Peshawur
our Government has established little hostelries for the traveller
to rest in at night. Formerly, under the native rulers, there
were strong forts along the roads, for the protection of the
people from highway robbers; but the roads now are perfectly
safe, and mere lodging-places are required. A few years ago,
when these hostelries or caravansaries were being built on the
main line of road, the people asked; "What can possibly be the
object of building all these along that road?" The native, you
must know, is a very avaricious creature, and cannot under-
stand how any one could lay out money, unless it is to bring him
in money in return. Reflecting, then, upon these caravansaries,
Why made. the natives speculated: What can be the object in building these
places? At length some wise man knocked out this idea: That
he should not be at all surprised if some fine night, when all the
travellers at the season of some great pilgrimage, in passing along
the road, had lodged within these hostelries, all on a sudden the
Governor-General gave orders that the doors should be shut, and
that all of them should be made Christians. (Laughter.)
I will give you another instance: We never take a new
country in India,—and when I say we never take a new country,
it seems as if we were in the constant habit of taking new coun-
tries. However, after all the talk about annexations, having
studied the history of past annexations, and having had an
unworthy share in some other annexations (Applause), I can
truly say that I believe, with a very few exceptions, which I
should not wish to conceal or blur over, that the annexations of
our country in India have been forced upon us by the native
nlustra-
tions:
The electric
telegraph.
The native
hostelries:
Another
case.
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
341
about boiling
infants:
rulers. (Applause.) But I was saying that we never have taken
a new country without the report being immediately spread
abroad that all the little babies were being kidnapped by the Suspicion
English; what do you suppose for? They say we are going to down their
make moomeai of them. This, with them, is an ointment, a
mysterious ointment, which possesses most extraordinary pro-
perties, with which, if anybody is rubbed, he becomes a very
Rustum in the field, the strongest of heroes. But this mysterious
ointment can only be extracted with the most extraordinary in-
cantations; and these poor little babies must be got, and hung
over a very slow fire, that their poor little innocent fat may be
drawn out of them! And, actually, there is scarcely a popula-
tion in any province of India that does not, first of all, hail our
advent, by expecting that we are going to boil their babies!
These are the suspicions which are entertained in consequence of
our indirect proceedings in the matter of religion. Another in- Another:
flour mixed
stance just occurs to me. There is scarcely a half-year passes with bone-
over India but what you hear the report that all the flour which dust:
is in the market has been adulterated with bone-dust by order of
the Government; and that certain rascals, native confederates of
our Government, are going about underselling the really whole-
some, sound, good flour, selling it 2 lbs. or 3 lbs. cheaper than the why:
real flour, in order that the poor people should buy the flour
adulterated by bone-dust, go and make their cakes with it, eat
it, and every one of them be turned into Christians!
about the
Now, fellow-countrymen, I have mentioned these facts, be- The people
cause they speak more in reality than a thousand figures of very suspi-
rhetoric. They tell the real truth. There you get into the very
heart of the people; you understand their idiosyncrasies; and
you see at once what a fanciful, imaginative, suspicious people
the Asiatics are. Now, if you had come forward and told these Open dealing
Indian people that you were Christians; that you came to them Bible
absolutely
in the name of God and of his Son; and that, without violence, necessary.
without persecution, yet with consistency, you desired in all your
heart and soul to give them the best thing that you could confer
upon them, the most bountiful and best possession God has
given to you;-if you had told them that, and encouraged
them, by all the legitimate means in your power, to read the
Bible and become Christians, and explained to them how only
they could become Christians; they would then have honoured
you, have respected you, and have loved you, and would never
have feared or suspected you. (Applause.) What, then, have
342
LIEUT.-COLONEL EDWARDES.
Missions
and their
success.
been the consequences of this neutral policy which we have
pursued? Thank God, we have had at home hundreds and
thousands of earnest Christian hearts, taking a different view of
that great question. They have, at their own charges, sent out
missionaries to the East; and these missionaries have reaped a
harvest which, though small in comparison with the field, is not
small in comparison with the means you have employed; for out
of 180,000,000 of heathens and Mohammedans, they have, within
the period related to you by the previous speakers, made 120,000
Protestant native Christians. (Cheering.) True, that is only one
Christian in 1500 heathens and Mohammedans; but still it is a
great reward for their labours, and a great encouragement to you
all to send out more labourers into that harvest. But while
these have been the rewards of the missionaries, you see what
the fearful balance of the heathen and Mohammedan population
is. The balance of nearly 180,000,000 stares us in the face, still
unconverted at this day; still not only unconverted, but looking
upon their rulers with suspicion.
how held:
Now, let me explain to you, in a few words, what has been the
basis upon which our power in India has been sustained. Of
course, one great element of our strength in India (thank God!)
has been our moral power. I thank God that there has gone abroad
widely in India an impression that, at all events in secular matters,
we do desire to do justice betwixt man and man; and that has
certainly been a great moral strength to us. But that moral power
The country could never for a moment enable a handful of Englishmen to hold
that vast continent in an imperial way. It would be impossible
for a small band of thirty or forty thousand Englishmen to hold
two hundred millions in their hands, and bid them do their will.
What, then, has been the contrivance? We have called unto our
aid a native army. As we, bit by bit and step by step, advanced
in our career of empire, we have added regiment to regiment,
brigade to brigade, division to division, army to army; till
at last, in the year 1857, there stood three hundred thousand
native soldiers under English arms. That army was divided
between the three Presidencies; the army of Bengal, the army of
Bombay, and the army of Madras. Now, I do not know to what
I am to attribute that, in the Madras presidency, from the very
beginning, there has reigned, for some reason or other, a more
Christian spirit than has prevailed in the other two Presidencies.
I suppose it has been attributable, originally, to some band of real
earnest, devoted, and praying Christians, who from the very begin-
Work still
remaining.
Basis of our
power,
moral.
The native
army:
its size in
1857.
The Madras
army.
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
343
Christians in
army.
mixed:
ning have prayed to God for the Presidency to which they belonged;
but certainly, bit by bit, there have crept into the Madras army native
numbers of native Christians who have not been expelled from it.
that army; there has been no ban put upon them; and they
have been wholly regarded merely in their physical capacity. The
consequence is, that the Madras army is largely leavened with the
element of native Christianity. In the Bombay army this state of Bombay
things has not been obtained. But there has been a transition
state there. They, too, have been wise in their generation; they
have seen the great evil and the great tyranny of caste, and have
from the very beginning ignored it, and declared that they will
have no caste in the Bombay army. You see the Sudra and the
outcast stand side by side with the proud Brahmin; and here is a The castes
lesson. Does the Brahmin refuse to stand by the side of the outcast
in the ranks of the Bombay army? No! There is such a sight as
this: a Soubadar or native Captain, of low caste, commanding a
body of one hundred men of mixed races, in which the Brahmin
shall be largely seen. If that can be done in one army, why not in
all? Pass to the Bengal army, and there you will find the very In the
Bengal
temple of heathenism, there you will find the real refuge and strong-army:
hold of caste. From the very beginning this policy was taken up,
the respecting of castes of native soldiers. From the very beginning,
the Government has enjoined upon the officers on no account to do
one single thing, which shall in any way offend the caste of
any one
of his sepoys. And the consequence has been, that bit by bit the
native army of this part of India has become more distinguished, for
its rigid and strict observance of caste, than any other portion of
the population of Bengal. Now, fellow-countrymen, a priori, do
you consider that a wise or sound policy to pursue? I suppose
there is not one man in this room who would not be able, in his
own wisdom, without any experience of India, to foretell that no
good could come of a policy like that. (Hear, hear.) The results
were soon to be seen. An army thus constituted was like a sheet Growth of
of gunpowder spread over the land; one single spark of offence
might any day set fire to that army. And our Government knew
it well. Our Government gradually, as that army grew, and as
province was added to province, and new regiments were obliged
to be formed, looked with alarm upon that great army growing
under its hands. It was like the old story of Frankenstein: this The monste
great monster we had created, and we now viewed it with the stein
utmost horror and alarm. We lived in the greatest dread lest
some day this monster should turn upon us and tear us. Con-
its influence:
Franken-
caste de-
ferred to:
344
LIEUT.-COLONEL EDWARDES.
The army
becomes
master:
conditions of
service.
sequently, our Government enjoined upon our officers never to
offend the natives in this Bengal army; and the native soldier,
a very quick-witted, intelligent fellow, soon saw how things lay;
and soon saw that he was not the servant, but the master of
the Government. He began, a very few years ago, to dictate
as well as serve. He began to tell our Government that he
could march here, but that he could not march there. He began
to tell our Government that there were certain rivers which
it was against his caste to cross; and that he could not go
into boats; and go down upon certain wars, because he would
and dictates have to cross the sea. He began, I say, to tell these stories
to our Government; and our Government, unable to dispense
with him, and lacking the courage to grapple with the diffi-
culty, coaxed the sepoy; begged him to go on board the boats;
and even promised him a little money;- begged him to go to
Affghanistan; and pampered him till the monster grew a hundred
times the monster that he was. At last the year 1857 came round.
We, in our desire to complete the organisation of our Indian army,
and in our extraordinary infatuation, perhaps, planned to put that
The Enfield magnificent weapon, the Enfield rifle, into its hands. The Enfield
rifle, you all know, is of no use without the Enfield cartridge; and
this cartridge is anointed with grease. I suppose a more ingenious
device was never laid hold of by the devil himself, than to throw
out the idea that the Enfield cartridge-grease was made of pig's-
fat and beef-fat; because that hit at once the prejudices of both
the Hindoo and the Mahommedan soldiery.
cartridge.
Hindooism a
religion of
externals.
The Hindoo religion is a religion of externals; and it is not
with him as with the Christians; he is not taught that the defile-
ment comes from within; he is not taught that to "eat with un-
washed hands" defileth not a man; he is taught, rather, that
contact with inferior caste defiles; that he may be defiled by
accident; that if by accident he touches his own conqueror, his
own master, the Englishman, he is a defiled being from that
moment. It is no uncommon thing for a Mohammedan missionary:-
How a
for even they (and let us take example by it;-let us take example
Mussulman where we can)—even the Mohammedan, in his zeal, unable as he
Hindoos into is now under the English rule to propagate his religion by the sword,
tricks
being con-
verts.
is obliged to sheathe his sword, but he has the courage to open his
Koran,—it is no uncommon thing for such a one to find it easier to
shut the Koran, and take the Hindoo by a trick. He dresses him-
self as a Hindoo, associates with Hindoos, invites them to sit along
with him, and eat a jolly good dinner. And after they have freely
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
345
medans
by Hindo
partaken of dishes which they thought orthodoxly cooked, the
host turns round and informs them that he is a good Mahom-
medan, not a Hindoo, and consequently that every one of them has
lost his caste! That is a common thing, and tells you at once that
this is a people which believe that they can have their religion
taken away from them involuntarily, without their heart entering
into the matter at all; that they can be converted from Hindooism
against their will. But why do the Mahommedans enter into that Mabom-
view? They ought to have a true idea of the one living and pre- influenced
sent God;-they ought to have an idea of the religion of the ideas.
heart (and very many of them have); but they have been con-
quered by the very customs of the people whom they have con-
quered themselves. The Hindoos have Hindooized the Mahom-
medans in India; and the Mahommedans in India are now half
Hindoos, and largely subject to this accursed caste. When, there-
fore, they were told that these cartridges were mixed with beef
and pig's fat, there was no Hindoo in our army but believed that Strong
if he once bit off the end of the cartridge (which he was obliged about the
to do before he put it into the barrel), that by that act he would
be un-Hindooized; and there was no Mahommedan but believed
that by that act he would be turned into a Christian. Now, my
fellow-countrymen, you who have not travelled in the East, will
find it difficult fully to enter into this; but, whatever the value
of the opinions of old Indians may be on other points, and I
know they are very much questioned, at all events they ought
to know something of the people among whom their lives had
been passed; but do take the experience of an old Indian when
I tell you, that there never was a more unfounded or absurd
witticism invented, than that one pronounced in the House of
Commons by one of our most brilliant speakers, when he said
that "Revolutions were not made with grease!" The greatest The mutiny
revolution, perhaps, this world had ever seen,-the Indian mutiny. it
of 1857,-if anything in this world was made with material
elements, was made with grease. (Cheering.)
feeling of all
cartridges.
sprang from
honest
tion would
Having explained that to you, I turn round upon this meeting, By full and
and ask you if this misconception could ever have taken place, if teaching,
we had not systematically kept the people of India ignorant of our misconcep-
Christianity? (Applause.) Had you from the very beginning have been
opened your Bible, put the Bible into your Government schools,
and made your schoolmasters explain the beautiful doctrines of the
Christian religion, it would have gone forth over the land, among
your people and among your armies, that the religion of Christ
removed.
346
LIEUT.-COLONEL EDWARDES.
The mutiny
took place.
was a religion which could only be made in the heart and not
in the stomach. There would have been no misconception upon
that great cardinal point; there would have been perfect safety
to us in dealing out that cartridge; you would never have had
one man suspecting you had, at all events, a mind to convert your
armies to your religion by a material device like that.
strength of
the muti-
neers.
But you did not do it, and you reap the harvest. One bun-
dred thousand sepoys, with your bright arms in their hands, with
your discipline and drill, handed down through one hundred years
of military exercise, rose like one man against you to drive you out
Number and of India. When they rose, they took us certainly at a fearful dis-
advantage. They were in possession of all our forts, of all our
magazines, of all our arms, of two-thirds of our artillery, and they
stood sentry over all our houses. Well might they suppose that
it would be an easy thing to drive these English out of the coun-
try. They rose, indeed, and took us at a disadvantage; but they
little counted that, many as they were against us, there were more
with us than were with them. (Applause.) Thank God, our
countrymen then recognised the crisis which was at hand. They
saw that this was a war of extermination; that it was race
against race, religion against religion, Hindooism and Mahommed-
anism against Christianity, and that we must look up and trust in
Heroism of our God for safety. (Applause.) I trust it was in a Christian
Englishmen ; spirit that our Englishmen displayed the heroism of which you
1
women.
have read, and which you have applauded whenever it was read.
And not only our Englishmen, but let me bear testimony to the
and English- heroism of our Englishwomen. (Applause.) Then, indeed, in
that hour of danger, you saw what it was to have a Christian
woman put face to face with danger. You had not got the poor
girl who from her infancy had been a slave; you had not got the
poor creature, whose heart had been stunted by tyranny, by
idolatry, and by slavery; you had not got the creature whose
finest feelings as a wife had been repressed and almost extin-
guished in her breast; but you found a girl who had come from
a country, where she had been taught from her earliest infancy
to be a Christian wife. (Applause.) She saw the danger that her
husband was in, and she rose like a Christian woman, hand in
Their noble hand, to share it with him. (Loud applause.) And whenever the
history of that great war shall come to be written, I do believe
that no brighter page, no more affecting passage, will be found in
it, than that which tells how our Englishwomen bore those extra-
ordinary dangers; how they faced the foe; how they helped
deeds.
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
347
We The great
soldiers:
their husbands; how they attended the sick; how they dis-
regarded cannon-balls; how they went through all things; and
how, with a woman's wish to do honour to the dead soldier to the
last, they wound him in his winding-sheet with their own delicate
hands, while the roar of a siege was going on. (Applause.) I
say, fellow-countrymen and countrywomen, that that indeed is
a spectacle which you may all look on with a hallowed pride.
I don't say with an unsanctified pride, but with a hallowed pride;
for it is, indeed, the fruit and savour of Christianity alone. (Ap-
plause.) Well, this heroism, as it came from God, so also indeed
it was blessed by God. We had our noble soldiers there.
had our Henry Lawrences. (Loud cheers.) We had our Henry
Havelocks. (Renewed cheers.) We had our John Nicholsons.
(Cheers.) I perceive that you do not applaud enough the name of
Nicholson. (Renewed and louder cheers.) Let me tell you, that Nicholson.
though he fell young-he fell at the age of thirty-five-in no
army, not only in your own, but in no army that stands a-foot in
Europe, lived there a soldier in whom the greatest gifts of the war-
rior were more skilfully, and happily, and nobly combined with
the highest order of humanity, than were welded together in the
noble heart and form of John Nicholson, who fell at Delhi. (Im-
mense applause.) We had, too, our Neils: do justice to that
name. (Loud cheering.) We had, too, our William Peels. (Re-
newed cheers.) We had, too, our last sacrifice, our Adrian Hope.
(Reiterated applause.) And these heroes did not fall in vain.
They with their blood won for us a brilliant victory; and, in two
short years, this mighty army of 100,000 soldiers has been sub-
dued, and once more England is master of the British Indian
empire.
tisements:
But, fellow-countrymen, in winning back your empire, you Great chas-
have had fearful chastisements from the hand of God. Our Queen
has lost these noble spirits, these noble generals, whom, indeed,
she will find it most difficult to replace in the hour of danger.
There is scarcely a village in our land which does not mourn
fathers, brothers, sisters, wives, and children. This awful
chastisement must, indeed, fall like a deep shadow upon our hearts;
and I would counsel you, as one who has come from those scenes;
I would counsel you, fellow-countrymen, not to wish to get from
out that shadow, not to wish to emerge from it, and get within
the glare of your old levity, and frivolity, and carelessness, and their many
indifference about India; but walk, all the rest of your lives, lessous.
within the deep shadow of these judgments. I tell you that they
serious
348
LIEUT.-COLONEL EDWARDES.
come from the hand of the same God that gave you India.
They come laden with fatherly advice; they come to tell you that
you have neglected the great responsibility that was put upon
you; that you have forgotten that 180 millions of your fellow-
creatures were put into your hands for holy, and not merely for
commercial and selfish, purposes (Cheers); they come to teach
you lessons which, I trust, you will all carry away with you to-
night, if you have not read them for yourselves.
The hand of
There are lessons of mercy which I will first recount. I tell
you that if ever in any war,-if ever in the history of any nation,
the hand of God was seen coming forth out of the cloud, to in-
God aided us terfere on behalf of any people, the hand of God was seen fight-
ing for us in British India during this war. (Applause.) I will
recount to you some instances of it, for they are fresh in my recol-
lection. There were both war and peace on your side. You had
made a war with Persia; you had a large division of your army
absent there, both natives and Europeans. With that army you
had two of your best generals, Sir James Outram and Henry
Havelock. (Loud cheering.) That war, for no reason that I can
see, was brought to a close; and peace was made precisely in time
to enable that army to return to India, with Outram and Have-
lock, to fight against the Indian mutineers. That was peace.
Now I will tell you what war did. You made a war with China:
you had a great difference of opinion as to whether you should
make war with China; but you made war with China. You
sent out your armies, and they arrived at the threshold of
India just as we were in our extremity, and wanted them.
Lord Canning put out his hand, and drew that Chinese division
into India; and they were the first reinforcements which en-
abled us to hold our own in that country. This I conceive to have
been an interposition of Almighty God in our behalf. A third
was this; that just before this mutiny broke out, the system of
electric telegraphs had been completed over the surface of British
India. There was a poor little boy employed in the electric
telegraph-office at Delhi, who, when the mutineers came over
from Meerut, and were cutting the throats of the Europeans in
every part of the cantonment, had that sense of duty, in those
tender years, to manipulate a message all the way from Delhi
to Lahore, to tell Mr. Montgomery that the mutineers of Meerut
had arrived, had killed this civilian, and that officer; and wound
up his message with the significant words, "We're off!" That
was the end of the message. Just look at the courage and sense
AR
Lessons of
mercy.
by peace:
by war:
by the
electric
telegraph.
Message
from Delhi
to Lahore,
WE
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
349
of duty which made that little boy, with shots and cannon all
around him, manipulate that message; which, I do not hesitate to which saved
the Punjaub.
say, was the means of the salvation of the Punjaub. (Loud cheer-
ing.) When that message reached Lahore, it enabled Sir Robert
Montgomery to disarm the native troops before they had received
one word of intelligence on the subject. The same message was
flashed from Lahore to Peshawur; and we took our measures there
in the same way. And just before any of the mutineers or Hin-
doostanee regiments had the opportunity of laying their plans, we
had taken all ours, and were able to defeat them when the hour
of difficulty arose.
FOR
princes on
Another interposition I consider to have been, that the chiefs The native
of India, as a body, sided with the English. Now, fellow-coun- our side.
trymen, if there is one class of Indian people from whom we
should have least expected assistance, surely that class was the
Indian aristocracy. It was the very necessity of the case that
English rule should crush the aristocracy. We could not help
it. It would have been a happier and a kindlier thing, if, in our
career of empire, we could have welded the aristocracy into our
system; but they would not let us. They were the people we
found in power; they were the very people we were obliged to
depose; and the whole of our system, from beginning to end, has
operated to reduce the aristocracy, and to elevate the people.
Thus, in the hour of danger, the class from whom we should
least have expected assistance, were the native chiefs of India.
But what has been the result? This very class has stood firm
and loyal to the English. (Loud applause.) Another blessing to The Raja of
us was, that the King of Cashmere, that great country which is also.
above the Punjaub, stood firm. Had he chosen to revolt, had he
chosen to call upon the Sikhs, his late comrades in the Punjaub,
to rise against us, no doubt they would have risen at his com-
mand, and we should have been unable to hold that province.
But he remained firm from beginning to end; and I consider this,
among others, to have been an interposition of Providence in our
behalf.
Cashmere
Another, perhaps still more remarkable, was this: that the The
Affghans.
Affghan people never once moved from their fastnesses to come
down upon us as enemies. You all know the history of the
Affghan war, and I will not repeat it. You all know it was a
most unhallowed, unrighteous, causeless war; and that we reaped
in due time the reward which those deserve who enter upon and The former
carry on such unrighteous wars. We lost a whole army of
wicked war.
*
Recent re-
conciliation,
350
and assist-
ance.
LIEUT.-COLONEL EDWARDES.
12,000 men amongst the fastnesses of Cabul; and from that time
forward there had reigned in both the hearts of Affghans and
English a mutual enmity and hostility. But it pleased God, fore-
- seeing these events, to put into the hearts of your rulers to make
peace beforehand with these Affghans; to review the events of
the past; to feel ashamed of the Affghan war, and to stretch out
across the border the right hand of fellowship; and in our hour
of security and power, before one speck of danger had appeared in
the horizon, when we could do it with dignity and honour, we
came forward in the hour of the danger of Affghanistan, stretched
out to them our hand, and gave them a subsidy of a lac of rupees
a-month, to enable them to defend their frontier against the en-
croachments of Persia. That treaty was made with Dost Mahom-
med in January 1857. Scarcely had he returned to his own capital
when the Indian war broke out. What would have been our
result of an position had we not made that treaty; and if that great, wily
chief had raised the standard of his faith, bound the green turban
of the Prophet around his brows, and called upon his hordes of
barbarians to rise in a crescentade against the infidel and the
Christian? We should have been unable to maintain our posi-
tion at Peshawur; and, swept away by that great avalanche, we
should have been carried through the Punjaub down to Delhi;
Delhi would never have been taken; and the English would have
been driven helpless to the sea. (Loud cheers.)
Probable
opposite
course.
Another interposition was this: Not only did the chiefs of
also with us. India side with us, but, in general, the people of India sided
The people
with us too. I announce that fact without the slightest hesi-
tation. Let party men for their own party purposes, let men with
peculiar crotchets and peculiar views of their own, try to dis-
seminate this view throughout England, that this was a rebellion
of the Indian people, and not a mutiny of the Indian army; but I
tell you, on the honour and the word of an English soldier, that
this was not the case; and say that, however sad are the con-
They did not sequences of that war for Engiand, however melancholy a page
that will be in our history hereafter, I do say that it will be a
bright speck, a bright spot in it, to find that the Indian people
as a mass, over whom we had ruled for a century, stood aloof
from this great contest, and showed at least that they did not
think we had been tyrants and oppressors. (Loud applause.)
Had they not been satisfied that our rule was at least beneficent;
had they not thought that, at all events, the English conquerors
were animated by a sentiment of humanity and justice; would
think us
tyrants.
-
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
351
፡
they not, when they saw the heroes and leaders of their country,
the armed soldiers, rising to fight the national battle, would they
not have joined them, with their agricultural implements in their
hands? Of course they would: they would have risen like one
man ; and with a handful of thirty, or forty, or fifty thousand
English standing in the midst of two hundred millions of heathen
and Mohammedans, what possible hope could we have had, except
in a miracle itself? Then I say, this is a proud thing for Eng-
land to look back to, as it shows that our countrymen have done
justice in India. But it should also be a humbling thing, a
cause of humble gratitude to Almighty God, that He has enabled
us, at all events, with all our shortcomings, to sow these seeds of
gratitude in the hearts of that great people.
leaders
mutineers.
A further interposition was this: that no leader, no able native No able
leader, arose in that great army of mutineers. Is it not a most among the
astounding and extraordinary thing that 100,000 native soldiers,
drilled and disciplined, with magnificent arms, all our own, and
with a knowledge of war, should turn upon us, burning with
hatred, and every desire of nationality in their hearts, desiring to
win their own country back and expel us from their land; and
yet that from out their ranks not one single man should come
forward to lead them on to victory? Not one man appeared
from out those rebel ranks whose military talents were in the
least above mediocrity. Had there come forth a Tippoo Saib,
had there come forth a Hyder Ali, I say there would have been
no hope for the English, except, indeed, it was in God. But it Their
was our God's pleasure that it should not be so; and this in- confounded.
fatuated army fought without management, without wisdom,
without advice of any kind, and so came on like sheep to the
slaughter. We won the victory by this confounding of the coun-
sels of our enemies. (Cheers.)
counsels
JAUB ON our
Once more; was it not strange, that the Punjaub province, the The PUN-
last province which we had acquired in India, the last in our series side.
of annexations, instead of being (as you might suppose) raw and
galled under the new yoke of conquest, should stand up and be,
under God, the main means of our salvation in British India. It
was from that province that we drew our new army to fight
against the mutineers; it was from these heroes that that very
man, whose name I call upon you to receive with the honour it
should always meet from every Englishman;-it was from that
province that Sir JOHN LAWRENCE (immense and repeated cheer- Lawrence
ing)-I thank you on behalf of my master and my friend (re- force.
Sir J.
and the Sikh
352
LIEUT.-COLONEL EDWARDES.
Lessons.
And now, fellow-countrymen, when these have been the inter-
positions of our God in our behalf, what are the lessons which we,
as Englishmen, are to learn from this great page of history? I
The giver of say that, first, we are to learn, and take it much to heart, that the
empires is
God.
with the
BIBLE.
The native
religions not
to be de-
spised and
neglected.
newed applause)-it was from that province that Sir John
Lawrence drew the noble army which, under the command of
that noble soldier, John Nicholson, went down and carried the
breach of Delhi. It was that army which went down to sup-
plement the exertions of our own noble English soldiers. A
handful of English soldiers alone could never have done the
work; but, supplemented by that brave Punjaub army, 8000 sol-
diers, led by John Nicholson, dared to enter into a breach which
was defended by 25,000 of the rebel mutineers. (Enthusiastic
cheering.)
giver of empires is our God. Let us no longer go on with the
godless, heartless, senseless theory, that you can have a nation
without a national feeling of religion. (Loud cheers.) I say that
if you allow this cold, demoralising, denationalising principle to
take root amongst you, you will have no national actors in future
in your history; and you will find that some day—you who choose
to act without your God,—you will find that you shall act without
your God, and that you will be deserted in your hour of need.
India given (Applause.) Learn, secondly, that that God has given India into
it may
be blessed by your charge, in order that you may confer upon it the benefits that
us nation-
ally
He has conferred upon you. Learn, thirdly, that you must in that
empire begin your labours by honouring the God who gave it you.
(Cheering.) I counsel you, fellow-countrymen, if you look forward
to any future in India; if you hope, indeed, to attach that great
country to your own; if you hope, indeed, to weld it into this
empire, and to proclaim your good and great Queen Victoria as
the Empress of Hindostan (loud applause); if you have that in
your hearts, as Englishmen, I counsel you to lay your foundations
in the Holy Bible. (Renewed applause.) I counsel you to begin
as a nation, not as individuals; I counsel you, as a nation, to begin
to declare that in the schools for which you pay, and to which you
attach your name as an English government, the very first book,
always the first book that is put into the hands of the native
scholar, shall be the best book that you can put into them. (Cheer-
ing.) Fourthly, let us all learn that Hindooism and Mahommedan-
ism are not things which can be neglected. Let us learn that these
are not names; let us learn that they are principles. Let us learn,
too, that Christianity is a principle; let us learn that these great
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
353
my
good in
many ways;
things lead on to great ends. Let us look to what Hindooism has
shown itself to be in that great land. I do not wish to dwell upon
painful details; I do not wish to mar the effect of the kind and
Christian words which have been addressed to you by that great
and good English soldier, Major Davidson; I fully share with him
those feelings of kindliness towards the natives of India, and add The natives
my testimony to his that some of the happiest days of life have
been passed amongst that people; and that if God has been pleased
to put honour upon me to render any measure of usefulness to my
countrymen in that land (cheers), it has solely been through the
instrumentality of those good, kind, and noble men, the natives of
British India. (Loud applause.) I say that they are a people who
will respond to our kindness; I say, their humanity is a great
humanity; I say that they have warm hearts, and can return
gratitude for kindness; and that they are impressible to every
kind act you like to bestow upon them. But still, in spite of this, but still are
which I feel and am ready to admit, I tell you that beneath all this swayed by
goodness and amiability, beneath all this charining exterior, there ligions.
lies a substratum in their hearts of Hindooism and Mahommedanism.
And when the hour of trouble comes, and you reach that substra-
tum, and stir it with a feeling which appeals to the deepest thought
they have within them, you will find that people will leave you in
your extremity; and you will find no man to stand by you when
your real hour of distress comes, except the native Christian,
who shares with you the faith of the Redeemer. (Loud cheers.)
these re-
we do as
And now, lastly, fellow-countrymen, let me tell you, if these What shall
things be true, what we can all of us do. I have told you what individuals.
we can do nationally. Now let each individual resolve at least to
do something for himself. I tell you as individuals, that every one
of you here can come forth with a resolve this night that, by the
help of God, you will assist missions for the future. Those who
have got means-(and where in England shall I speak to men—
where shall I find an audience, who are more possessed of means,
than this audience I address to-night where shall I find an
audience which has been more blessed in the labour of their hands
by God, than you men of Liverpool ?)---I counsel those of you who christian
have means; I beg of you, as a friend, a brother, and a fellow- to missions
countryman, to consecrate your riches by giving a large portion of
them to the missionary labours of your countrymen. I also ask
you to bid your brothers, your friends, and your sons, whom you
send out to India; and I take the same advice to myself, for I am
not preaching to others what I do not wish to practise myself;
A A
354
LIEUT.-COLONEL EDWARDES.
Christian
example to
the natives:
care for the
English
soldier in
India.
Act also
through and
on the Go-
vernment.
(applause ;) I say, bid each man, who has a sphere of labour in
India endeavour, by God's help in the future, in the new era which
we are opening in India, and bid all, endeavour to lead more
Christian lives than we have done. (Hear, hear.) Let us endea-
vour, if we have been kind before, to be kinder still; if we have
been Christians before, to be more Christian; and if not Christian
before, let us endeavour to be Christians now, in order to set
before the heathen and the Mahommedan a life and an epistle which
can be read and known of all men. (Great cheering.)
I ask you, also, fellow-countrymen, to remember that in that
country you have not only got the souls of the heathen and Mahom-
medans to care for, but the souls of your own fellow-countrymen,
the British soldiery, to look after. (Hear.) I tell you that in
India the machinery for Christianising the British army is a weak,
inefficient, and inadequate machinery; and I counsel you each, to
the extent of your power, to send out Christian readers to your
regiments; in order that these men may carry into the heart of the
regiment, into the hospital and barrack, that Bible which alone will
teach them the plan of salvation, and make them true soldiers of
their country. (Loud applause.)
Yet once more: I ask you, as individuals, to perform one of
the most sacred rites which you as Englishmen can perform. We
have talked to-night somewhat of the blame which attaches to our
country as a nation, and the blame which attaches to our Govern-
ment as a government; but I tell you that you cannot blame your
government, you must blame yourselves. You, as Englishmen,
live under a representative system. (Hear, hear.) You are not
Frenchmen, living under a despot (cheers); you are not Russian
Our system serfs (renewed cheers); you are not Austrians, living under a
worse tyranny still (reiterated applause); but (thank God!) you
are Englishmen ; living under a representative system, and under
an accessible, a condescending, and a gracious Queen. (Cheering.)
Your Government is not your master; your Government is the
climax of yourselves. Your Government, men of Liverpool, is just
Government what you choose to make it. If Government has not acted a Chris-
representa-
tive.
What the
do, we do.
tian part in India, you men of Liverpool have not acted a Christian
part in India. I told a story the other day in Manchester, which
Illustration. seemed to please them very much; and I will also tell it to you.
It is now ten years ago since I was crossing over your ferry
to Birkenhead. In a corner of the steamer there were two gentle-
men who were very loud and noisy in debate; and I could not help
overhearing their conversation. They laid it down; they hit the
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
355
<<
won't let
deck; they hit the side; they hit the bulwarks; they seized each
other by the arm; and at last one said, "I tell you, sir, the
ministers DAREN'T do it!" "Why not?" said the other, shaking
his fist in the face of his companion; for he was evidently on
the other side of the question. "Why not?" said he. Why
not!" replied the other, "because Lancashire won't let 'em!" "Lancashire
(Great cheering and laughter.) If there is any force in that 'em!"
story, any truth in that saying; if, indeed, that is your strong
self-dependence; if, indeed, you have got that pluck in you which
justifies that saying; then I call upon you, men of Lancashire,
to look to it at the hustings in the autumn. (Cheering.) After
an earnest appeal to the female portion of the audience, "the
witches of Lancashire," whose co-operation and favour he solicited
on behalf of India, the gallant speaker withdrew amidst loud and
protracted applause.
STOWELL.
The Rev. CANON STOWELL, who was greeted with loud Rev. CANON
applause, next rose and said :-My Lord and my Christian friends,
it seems to me that our hearts and heads are so full that it would
be better to let what is full alone, than, by endeavouring to make
it overflow, diminish the effect. If, however, my Christian friends
in Liverpool will bear with me for a few moments (hear, hear), I
will endeavour to bring before them as briefly as possible, and as
pointedly as I can, a few of the great moral lessons that have Lessons.
been enforced upon us by these solemn assemblies. This solemn
assembly is but the climax of those assemblies of a smaller kind,
but not of a less efficient nature, which have been held throughout
the week in this town; and though I have had the privilege to be
present but on this one day, I can truly say I carry away a
refreshing influence on my spirit, such as I scarcely remember to
have carried away from any former assembly. And I will tell
you why. It is because the scene realised that spirit of apostolic Brotherhood
brotherhood, devotion, and simplicity of purpose, which is needed Conference.
more than anything besides in order to unite the disunited members
of the church of Christ; for though there were representatives
of many distinct sections of the church, they rose to their glorious
enterprise with one heart and with one mind. We have met, my
lord, in a most auspicious place, the Philharmonic Hall, for this
Philharmonic meeting (hear, hear); for surely there is no way of Christ's
uniting the servants of the cross so effectually as uniting them in servants do
common action in a common cause. (Hear, hear.) It is not enough
of the
one common
work.
356
REV. CANON STOWELL.
F
The Con-
ference
gathered
from many
spheres.
to meet and reciprocate words of kindness, and talk of brotherhood
and love; but the great means of concentration is, to gird them-
selves to the common work of their common Master, and become
so absorbed in that work as to be comparatively dead to all besides.
The question then will not be: What is your particular sect?
but, How true are you to your Master, and how earnest in his
service? My lord, when St. Paul came up to communicate his
gospel at Jerusalem, he did it first privately, lest by any means he'
should have run in vain. Now it appears to me that our mis-
sionary brethren, from the east, the west, the north, and the south,
have thus come together in this town, in order that they might
confer together, and compare the common gospel that they were
preaching in heathen lands. And it is delightful to find that,
however varied the instruments; some, the flute; some, the
trumpet; and some, the harp; yet they have all had one concert
pitch and one divine key-note. The pitch has been love to God
and man; and the key-note glory to God in the highest; on
earth, peace, good will towards men. (Applause.) Now, my lord,
what is to be the practical issue of this Conference at home and
abroad? I believe it will be the giving to the churches wiser,
and broader, and juster views of the purposes and plans of mis-
sionary labour. The deduction especially as to the Indian missions
is that we must not neglect native agency; but foster and cherish
it by every possible means; we must not keep down the native
population, and, because our skin is white, look upon them as of
an inferior race. (Hear, hear.) Look upon a people as degraded,
and you make them degraded; keep them down, and how can you
elevate their minds? I fear there is too much tendency in the
missionary, and in missionary agency in general, to keep the
native converts in a state of pupilage, and not to let them walk
independently and alone. Now if you keep the Christian child
too long in the go-cart, the Christian child will become rickety
and unsteady in his gait. It is true you may endeavour to keep
him from falling; but it would be better to let him have a fall
or two, than that he should be rickety all his life. (Hear, hear.)
Colour not to Why I am told of Europeans that would not bear to be under a
be despised. black Bishop; but for my part I should rejoice to be under a
black Bishop. I fear that we must have a little of the taint of our
former slave-trading and slave-holding still amongst us; and whilst
we point the finger of just reprobation at our transatlantic brethren,
they may to a certain extent retort the charge, if we would not
All in
harmony.
Practical
result:
native
agency to be
enlarged:
pupilago
cramps.
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
357
consent to be under the superintendence of a black Pastor or
Bishop, just as soon as we would be under one whose skin is as
fair as our own. (Hear, hear, and applause.)
lessons.
ment
spheres of
I come to two or three lessons that we at home ought to Home
learn. I conceive that we have entered upon a new epoch
in the history of the means and condition of the church in the
world. I consider that it is an epoch emphatically of enlarge-
ment. God is enlarging the borders of Japhet and making him Enlarge-
dwell more and more in the tents of Shem. He has given to
the people of this country a grasp of a large proportion of the
human race. How enlarged are our openings! The time is not of our
far gone by, when we scarcely knew what fields were open to us, labour:
-whither the missionary could go. Now, however, the difficulty
is to find labourers. China with her hundreds of millions is
open to us; Japan is open to us; the uttermost ends of Africa
are open to us, with all the boundless interior; and Living-
stone, the noble Livingstone-(cheers)-is carrying commerce
thither, that commerce may be the harbinger and the herald of
salvation. And then we have all the outlying countries opening;
the very Bedouins of the desert, the wild Arabs, that were neg-
lected and forgotten, are asking for the gospel; a missionary to
the Jews has been preaching the gospel amongst the Arabs under
the guidance of our Consul in Syria, who is so beloved by them,
that they have chosen him as Prince of the Arabs of the desert.
Now if God is so throwing open proportionately the world to
receive the gospel, are we preparing for the glorious work? Are
we prepared to be enlarged in our liberality? Merchants of Enlarge-
Liverpool, will you give the challenge to Manchester-(hear, liberality.
hear) to adopt a nobler scale of consecrating to the Lord. (Hear,
hear, and applause.) Why you know some twenty or thirty years
ago, when Manchester and Liverpool had a far smaller revenue,
not perhaps a third of what they have now, they gave a consider-
able amount. The style of giving was 17. 18., 17. 1s.; and 21. 2s.,
21. 2s.; and what is the style of giving now? It is very much
the same; but there is no proportion here. Manchester, they say,
is getting its half a million a-week; but take it at half that Immense
amount: what then ought to be the effect? Oh, let the men of Liverpool
Liverpool and the men of Manchester resolve, that in proportion chester.
as God has increased their income, they will increase the con-
secration of the first-fruits to him. (Hear, hear.) Let them
resolve, by the help of God, to give in a new proportion. Why
should not every Christian man say, I will give five per cent upon
ment of our
wealth of
aud Man-
even among
the Arabs.
358
REV. CANON STOWELL.
the increase of my traffic to God's work. (Hear, hear.) Now if all
had done so, I venture to say that Manchester would have had to
give this year very nearly her million; and Liverpool would have
had to give very little less, if not perhaps something more. (Hear,
hear.) And do you think that that would not have been more
satisfactory and more noble than to have been building finer houses,
setting up grander equipages, living in greater luxury and pam-
The luxury pering every desire? Oh, that we knew the luxury of self-denial
of self-
denial.
for our Saviour's sake! (Hear, hear.) Oh, that the style and
measure of giving came up more to the Apostolic times, when
they sold all they had and dealt out to every man as he had need.
There is another point in which we need enlargement. We
need enlargement in the devotion of our young men to this noble
service of the Captain of their salvation. Our young men have
come forward nobly in their country's defence; and whatever some
may think of the volunteer movement (applause), it is in my
opinion a glorious movement (applause), a righteous movement, a
movement for peace, not for war (hear, hear); for defence, not
ment good: for offence. (Hear, hear.) May we never wish to draw the sword
The volun-
teer move-
again in aggressive war (hear, hear); may we never, if possible,
embark in war at all (hear, hear); but if it should ever be ne-
cessary, let it be only to guard our own shores, or to defend the
oppressed against the oppressor; the freeman against him that
would make him a slave. (Hear, hear, and applause.) Now that
volunteer movement is a noble one. Tens of thousands of young
men, accustomed to peaceful pursuits, have put on uniform, and
girded themselves with swords. But where are the volunteers
for this far nobler service, this far more glorious enterprise? (Ap-
but the mis- plause.) Here is an enterprise not of earth, but of Heaven; here
is an enterprise under the Captain of our salvation, the King of
kings, and the Lord of lords; here is an enterprise in which
every soldier, from the commonest to the highest, shall have his
recompense of reward; here is a glorious enterprise, in which the
laurels never drip with blood, and victory is never stained with
cruelty; here is an enterprise not to destroy, but to save; not to
desolate the earth, but to bless it and glorify Heaven. My Christ-
ian friends, are we prepared, above all, to do all this readily,
promptly, and effectually, with all devotedness and delight?
sion cause is
higher.
The signs of the times are expressive; there are indications
that we are not so far from some grand revolution in the state of
the civilised world. The fact we have this day so often reite-
rated and insisted upon is, that the gospel is being preached in
Enlarge-
ment in
devoting
young men.
Signs of the
end.
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
359
every nation for a witness, and He that uttered that prediction
war.
said, "Then the end cometh." Is not the gospel being preached Preaching.
in every nation? Where is the country under Heaven, where it
is not sounded: what, the language in which it is not heard:
where the people, to whom it has not gone forth? If then it is
being preached to all nations for a witness, lo! "the end cometh."
And are there not other signs? The world is arming. Look at Alarms of
Italy. Hear the tocsin of terror sounding in the affrighted ears
of the boasted successor of Peter, the Antichrist of Rome. See
the noble bearing of the oppressed and scattered nationalities; see
what scenes there are everywhere; all are arming for the battle.
Is not all Europe resounding with the din of arms? Is not every
country resounding with the anvil, beating the sword-blade, and
forming the musket? Do we not find every nation in a state
of uncertainty and disquietude? Are we not every day seeing Distress of
strange and eventful circumstances? And what is the voice that
God is addressing to us, but 'Blessed is he that watcheth, and
blessed is he that worketh: 'Blessed is the servant that his King
when He cometh shall find so doing;' diligent, not disturbed,
courageous, not disquieted.
natious.
iaus should
once, and
clergy alono.
Let others fear; what have His people to fear? Let them
fear Him, and they shall have nothing else to fear. Oh, Christian All Christ-
men and women of Liverpool, let us give ourselves to the Lord's work at
work; let us do it more heartily; as the season is shorter, let us with zeal:
give double diligence to be found as His children; and let us
thank God that we have such noble encouragements in the agents
which He has raised up. We talk of ministers and clergy as the
great instruments for evangelising the world; and so in their
measure they are: but thank God that we have such men as the not the
noble officer that has addressed us to-night (hear, hear, and
cheers); and, praised be God, we have many such noble warriors,
some who, whilst wearing the uniform of their Queen, are true to
the uniform of their Captain in Heaven (hear, hear); and who,
while the boldest in battle and the most prudent in council, are
the most bold to confess their Master, are not ashamed to own
Him amidst scoffing and sneering, whether at home or in India.
(Cheers.) Whilst we have such men, if the ministers of religion
were to be wanting in their duty, and should not take up the
blessed work, why our very soldiers will take it out of our hands,
and God will raise up missionaries from the ranks of our army.
(Cheers.) Let us, above all, be enlarged in the spirit of prayer, Prayer to be
of faith and Christian zeal. Oh for more prayer! (Cheers.) We
increased.
360
REV. CANON STOWELL.
2
Prayer for
revival
abroad.
at home.
want the Spirit to be poured down upon our little plantations in
the wilderness of heathenism; we want our missionary stations
to become centres from which the Spirit may flow forth. We
have Him descending in Ireland, in Wales, in Sweden; and in
some measure, as we trust, in England. And shall we not pray
that He may descend more abundantly on our missions? Thank
God there are indications that the Spirit is at work in our own
Heathenism land. I look upon the fact that thousands of the outcasts of our
population, almost as low as the heathen, to whom we are sending
missionaries, are flocking to the theatre, to the open-air assembly,
or to wherever the minister of the gospel or lay minister of the
church lifts up his voice,-I look upon this stir and movement
and inquiry as the precursor of the coming of the Spirit of God;
and therefore, my friends, ask more; expect more; plead more;
intercede more; meet for prayer; pray in private; pray in secret;
and then you will be in the right attitude. "Fear not, believe
only." You will be prepared for every emergency. Living in
Christ, labouring in Christ, you will be saved in Christ, and die in
Christ. I believe that the glorious consummation of Christ's
promise is coming, when His knowledge shall cover the earth, as
the waters cover the sea.
7
Results.
Rev. G. D.
CULLEN.
"Faith, mighty Faith, the promise sees,
And looks to that alone,
Smiles at impossibilities,
And cries, It shall be done.'"
Amen. Amen. (The rev. gentleman resumed his seat amidst loud
applause.)
The Rev. G. D. CULLEN :-I have a pleasant duty to discharge.
In the name of the Conference, I have to express here, what has
been expressed at Hope Hall in a formal Resolution, the hearty
thanks of the members of the Conference to the friends in Liver-
pool, for the very great hospitality shown on this occasion. Wel
are deeply sensible of the kindness which has been expressed in
tality shown many ways during the Conference. To the esteemed chief magis-
Thanks for
the hospi-
to the Con-
ference.
trate of this town, whose kindness we have experienced; to those
who have received our friends, and in any other way have mani-
fested an interest in our object, we are laid under a deep obligation.
We cherish the hope that this visit will not be without a blessing
on their households; and that as Joppa, the seaport of Jerusalem,
was the scene of the vision that proved the prelude to the calling
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
361
United
Meetings.
of the Gentiles, so the vision we have had this week, in this great
seaport, will be the prelude to a great increase, advancement, and
prosperity of the cause of God, in all Christian missions both at
home and abroad. We have encouragement to hope, that if we Benefit of
are patient and persevering, the blessing of God will rest upon Prayer-
our labours. I understand there is a United Prayer-Meeting to
be maintained in Hope Hall; and I can testify to the great bene-
fit accruing to all ministers and congregations, from sustaining such
a meeting of the people of God, having this one object, the out-
pouring of the Holy Spirit. In the name of the Conference I
return to our friends our hearty thanks for the kind reception
with which we have met. (Applause.)
LOWE.
The Rev. J. B. Lowe: I, too, have a debt to perform. The Rev. J. B.
duty has devolved upon me, as a Liverpool clergyman, to express
on our behalf, how deeply thankful we are to our Christian friends,
who have come among us from all parts of the country, I may say,
from all parts of the world. Deeply interesting indeed have been
these Conference meetings, as I can bear testimony; not merely
for the catholic spirit which has pervaded them; not merely from
the prominence which Christian laymen have taken in the meet-
ings; but that our missionary brethren should have made us feel
how great a privilege it is to combine in the worship of our
common God. May his blessing rest upon all that they have said
amongst us; and through the mighty influence of God's Holy Spirit,
which I pray may rest on all our efforts, when the great day of
judgment shall come, may we then find that our meeting has not
been in vain.
proposes a
thanks to
The MAYOR, who was received with loud applause, which was The MAYOR
several times renewed, said his duty that evening was a very vote of
pleasing, as well as a very simple one. He had to propose that the Chair-
their grateful thanks be presented to their noble Chairman for the man.
honour he had done them by coming among them on that occasion ;
for having taken part in the proceedings of the evening, and for
having presided over that large meeting. (Applause.) He begged
to assure his Lordship that whether he came down to Liverpool as
the advocate of Social Science, the promoter of sanitary or other ·
measures, which had been the means of improving so materially the
social and moral condition of the people of this country; whether
he came down to plead the cause in which he took so deep an interest,
the cause of Ragged Schools; whether he appeared as President
;
362
R. A. MACFIE, ESQ.
R. A. MAC-
FIE, Esq.,
seconds it.
The CHAIR-
MAN.
of that noble society, the Bible Society (applause); or whether
he came down, as on that evening, to stimulate them by his pre-
sence and by his counsel to renewed missionary exertions, not only
at home but abroad; he hoped Lord Shaftesbury would believe,
that they fully appreciated the honour of his presence among them,
and that Liverpool would always give him a most cordial welcome.
(Loud applause.) He was sure they would wish him on their
behalf to tender his lordship their warmest thanks for having
come down amidst so many pressing engagements to preside on
that occasion.
R. A. MACFIE, Esq., who was received with cheers, said: At
this late hour, whatever in other circumstances I might be dis-
posed to do, I will not detain you by many words in seconding the
motion so properly, and so deservedly, proposed by the Mayor,
that most excellent Mayor who presides over this town. I wish
to join in testifying our gratitude, not only for the speech which
this favoured audience has heard, to-night, from the Right Honour-
able Earl, worthy of being reproduced in letters of gold, and which,
I hope, will be extensively read by friends absent, but for his
Lordship's great kindness in responding to the call of the promoters
of the Conference, to come to Liverpool. This, indeed, is but an
instance of the favour shown them from so many sides. Let me
also express concurrence with Mr. Cullen. He has thanked you
in the name of those esteemed visitors who have enjoyed the
hospitality you have exercised; I thank you, in the name of the
Stewards who asked that hospitality, for the reception you have
given them. I beg leave to second the vote of thanks to the
noble Chairman. (Loud cheers.)
The Resolution was put to the meeting by the Mayor, and
heartily adopted.
Lord SHAFTESBURY: Ladies and gentlemen, when I was last
in Liverpool, I warned you not to give me so good a reception:
"because," I said, "depend upon it if you do, I shall be induced to
come again." (Cheers.) It is possible you may have too much of
a good thing (laughter and applause); but, however, I thank you
very deeply for this mark of your kindness. I can say that I do
cherish a deep sentiment of affection for the people of Liverpool
(cheers), and it will always give me the greatest pleasure to come
down and meet them; but more especially when we come to join
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING.
363
together for so great, so glorious, so blessed, so holy a purpose as
that which has called us together on this evening. (Cheers.)
A Hymn was then sung; the Rev. J. B. Lowe pronounced
the blessing, and the proceedings of the meeting closed.
ON SATURDAY MORNING a large number of the members of the Saturday
morning.
Conference, and a few well-known ministers and other inhabitants
of Liverpool, breakfasted, at the Town Hall, with his worship the
MAYOR, who gave them a hearty reception. The meeting broke
up about noon, and the members finally bade each other farewell.
APPENDIX.
I.
PREVIOUS CONFERENCES ON MISSIONS.
BY THE REV. JOSEPH Mullens.
these Con-
DURING the last few years several important Conferences have Desire for
been held respecting the best modes of furthering the great work ferences.
of Christian missions in heathen lands. The growing union of all
branches of the Church of Christ in England and America, on
several occasions led to suggestions respecting a gathering of the
chief managers of missions, lay and clerical, that they might com-
bine their sympathies and their efforts, more openly and more
completely, in extending the Saviour's kingdom. For a consi-
derable time, however, the carrying out of such a plan was Early diffi-
hindered by the fear, expressed in many quarters, lest some
Utopian scheme should be broached for confounding combined
action with unity of association; and substituting, for the affec-
tionate co-operation of independent Churches and Societies, the
action of some single Missionary Society, to be formed by the union
of the whole. At length meetings of the kind were successfully
commenced; and common discussions on missionary principles and
plans of labour were permitted to take place.
culties.
CONVEN-
The first Conference of the kind actually inaugurated was the NEW YORK
UNION MISSIONARY CONVENTION, which met in NEW YORK, on May TION.
4th, 1854; and was occasioned by the visit to America of the Rev.
Dr. DUFF. Stirred up by his fervent appeals, and anxious to take
advantage of the presence and experience of one in whose labours
all branches of the Church felt a deep and sympathising interest,
various brethren in Philadelphia and New York joined in in-
viting the officers and supporters of all Missionary Societies to
hold such an assembly; "to illustrate the practical unity of the
-
366
PREVIOUS CONFERENCES ON MISSIONS.
its plan:
its spirit.
Its object: Church; to excite an increased interest in her holy work; and to
combine and judiciously direct her efforts, for the salvation of the
millions of our race, perishing for lack of knowledge." All idea of
merging existing agencies in some Utopian centralized missionary
organization was repudiated; and the hope was expressed that,
while each branch of the Christian Church endeavoured to render
more efficient its own share in the great cause, such an assembly of
men, aiming at one common object, might collect and concentrate
scattered fragments of foreign experience; might inquire into the
best method of raising funds; might discuss the relative advan-
tages of the several modes adopted in evangelizing the heathen;
and arrange for a freer interchange of information among existing
Missionary Societies. On the day appointed a hundred and fifty
its members: members of the Convention met in the lecture-room of Dr. Alex-
ander's Church in New York: including eleven missionaries and
eighteen officers of various Missionary Societies and Boards.
They sat, however, for only a day and a half, and the range of
topics discussed was necessarily limited. But the harmony, the
practical union of affection, the earnest desire to maintain a
cordial co-operation in the Saviour's work, manifested on every
side, were most delightful; and in this respect the success of the
Convention was complete.
Its three
Besides the consideration of general scripture principles, on
chief topics. which the work of missions is based, three practical questions
were taken up by the Convention, of which two related to foreign
work, and one to the raising of missionaries at home: on each of
these a distinct opinion was pronounced.
(a.) On the subject of concentrating or scattering labourers
in a foreign field, the Convention resolved: that while approving
the plan of diffusing the gospel by means of judicious itinerancies;
it was equally proper and desirable to seize on commanding
stations, especially in countries possessing ancient systems of
error; and to concentrate a powerful agency there; which by
harmonious co-operation in different departments of missionary
labour, may both largely influence the heathen, and perpetuate
the gospel in pure Churches to succeeding generations.
(b.) On the expediency of different Boards planting stations
on the same ground: the Convention expressed their thankful-
ness that Societies have interfered so little with each other,
decided; and resolved; that, considering the vast domain of
heathenism yet untaught, it was very desirable that an efficient
pre-occupancy of any portion of the field by one Evangelical
1. Central
statious
with itine-
rancies.
2. Societies
not to
interfere
with each
other.
APPENDIX.
367
Society should be respected by others, and left in their sole
possession.
prepare
Mission-
(c.) On the important question of multiplying and preparing 3. How to
qualified labourers; the Convention considered that much de- find and
pended on a deeper missionary spirit in pastors of Churches ; aries.
leading them to constant efforts, in their pulpits, Bible-classes, and
Sabbath-schools, to impress parents, teachers, and the young, with
the duty and glory of personal dedication to the work of the
Lord. On these topics the conclusions reached are similar to
those adopted by the recent Conference at Liverpool.*
The next Conference on missions was gathered in LONDON, in Conference
the autumn of the same year; and sat for two days, October 12th in LONDON.
and 13th, 1854. Like that at New York, it was limited in the
range of its discussions; and dwelt rather more on general prin-
ciples. Members of all the principal Societies were present; but
many of the Secretaries were unable to attend.
and cha-
Topics dis-
The Conference was deficient, therefore, to a large extent in Its spirit
practical elements: but the kindly feeling and harmony prevailing racter.
among the members of the different Churches present, evinced an
earnest desire heartily to co-operate in the great work of preach-
ing the gospel to the heathen. Three long and able papers were
read to the Conference: of which the second only dealt with the cussed.
plans of missionary life; having discussed the increase of native
agents and the extension of itinerating operations. No resolutions.
were adopted on this or other questions: the object being to make
the expression of opinion free and unrestrained. This first
gathering in England of brethren deeply interested and engaged
in missionary work tended greatly to prepare the way for the
more practical assembly which has recently taken place.†
Its effect.
SION-FIELD.
To these gatherings among the home friends of missions suc- Conferences
ceeded several more PRIVATE CONFERENCES on the actual fields of in the Mrs-
labour: all of a much more complete, searching, and practical cha-
racter. The earliest took place among the AMERICAN MISSIONS
in India and Syria. At the close of 1854, the Rev. Dr. Ander-
son, Foreign Secretary of the American Board, and the Rev. American
A. C. Thompson proceeded to India as a Deputation from the Conferences
Board; and spent the following year in visiting the entire range
of their missions in those countries. In each case they examined
in India.
* "Proceedings of the Union Missionary Convention held in New York, May
4th and 5th, 1854." New York: Taylor and Hogg. 1854.
"The Missionary Conference in London: Evangelical Christendom."
Dec. 1854.
368
PREVIOUS CONFERENCES ON MISSIONS.
Object of
missions.
Their plan. the stations occupied by the Board in all their detail; and gather-
ing the missionaries together for consultation, went over with
them all the questions involved in every plan existing in opera-
tion in their peculiar circle of missions. The following extract
Their topics. from their Report exhibits a specimen of the topics discussed in
each of their circles: it is the list of questions suggested for
discussion in the Jaffna Mission in Ceylon:
Preaching.
Native
churches and
pastors.
Caste and
polygamy.
"1. The governing object in missions to the heathen. Should it be the
conversion of sinners, the gathering of those converts into churches, and
the ordaining of native pastors over those churches ?
"2. Preaching. Its connexion with schools; difficulty of obtaining
stated congregations from those not in the schools or supported by
mission funds; permanent congregations; preaching at the stations
and in the villages; comparative disposition of the heathen to attend
at the churches and at school bungalows; preaching by the mission-
aries; amount and value of native preaching.
"3. Native Churches and Pastors. Evidence of piety to be required
for church-membership; organization and discipline of the native
churches; is the church covenant sufficiently explicit; names given to
children; in what circumstances churches should be formed, and have
native pastors; whether native preachers should be ordained, except as
pastors; licensure as catechists and preachers; the proper relations of
native churches and pastors to the mission; relation which mission-
aries and the mission should bear to them; why no native pastors
hitherto; power of the mission, as such, to organise native churches,
ordain native pastors, and to superintend the same; advantages arising
from this being done by the mission, as such, rather than by a separate
body organised for the purpose by missionaries in their simple character
of ministers of the gospel; whether all native pastors should be educated
alike, and what education should be afforded them; where it is desirable
that churches should now be organised, and native pastors ordained;
whether native pastors are desirable at any of the station churches.
“4. Caste and Polygamy. How far caste exists among church-
members; how far there are specific actions in church-members, bear-
ing a relation to caste, which ought to be discountenanced in native
preachers and catechists, and how far such actions are observable in the
social life of church-members; what should be done to eradicate such
causes of disunion and dishonour from the native churches; whether
there is any actual regard paid to caste-distinctions anywhere in the
distribution of the cup in the Lord's Supper; whether any one should
be ordained as a pastor, or licensed as a preacher, who, on being directly
questioned on the subject in his examination for licensure or ordination,
refuses to declare himself willing to eat any kind of food with a Christian
on the ground of its being prepared by a low-caste person; how far
caste is regarded in admissions to the Seminary, and the Female Board-
APPENDIX.
369
ing-school; how far Polygamy exists here; whether found at all in the
church; how it is regarded and treated.
schools.
"5. Station Schools. (1.) English Schools. Number of these and their English
relation to the Batticotta Seminary; why called English schools; their
effect to cultivate a taste for English studies in the villages; missionary
value of these schools; their effect on the village female schools; effect
of their discontinuance.
schools.
“(2.) Girls' Schools. Prejudice against female education; means Girls'
employed to bring girls to the schools; whether the donations of
clothes, &c., ought to be continued; effects of these on Christian
parents and their children; condition and prosperity of village-schools
for females.
*C
(3.) The Free Schools. Their rise; comparative prevalence, in Free schools:
periods of five years; employment of heathen masters; how far the
mission took schools that were actually existing into pay; what was
taught; number taught in these schools; estimated average time of
continuance in the schools; preaching to them; were there conversions
in these schools; what is known of the pupils since leaving the schools; their plan,
what of their heathen masters; how far parents were drawn to hear cost, &c.
preaching, and the effect of this; estimated cost of these schools on the
whole; how far they now exist; native books used in the schools;
whether these schools have answered expectation in promoting the
grand object of the mission; on sustaining the free schools mainly for
children of Christians.
"6. Oodooville Female Boarding-school. Historical facts; statis- Female
boarding-
tical views; results; difficulties that were to be overcome; how far school.
this has been effected; changes now to be made; exclusion of English
studies; shortening the period of residence in the school; reduc-
tion of the number of pupils; preparations to be required in Tamil
studies.
and results.
“7. Batticotta Seminary. Rise and progress of the institution; what Batticotta
was its design at the outset, and what it has been since; what has been seminary :
the number of pupils, and what they have done since leaving the in-
stitution; the education given; the number of English studies attended
to compared with those in Tamil; why the native mind is so intent on
English studies; feelings of native teachers in the Seminary towards its working
Tamil text-books, as compared with English; effect of the English
studies on the several Principals, retarding their acquisition of Tamil ;
effect of introducing pay-scholars upon the character of the Seminary,
and upon its relations to the Female Boarding-school; has there been
a decline of piety among the students; contemplated changes; in the
studies required for admission; in the number of pupils; in the
manner of support; in the time of residence; in the curriculum of
studies; class of advanced students in Theology; instruction in English
to a selected body of students after the academic course.
"8. Native Helpers. Their number; origin; education; employment; Native
salaries; training and supervision; whether too many at any of the helpers.
BB
370
PREVIOUS CONFERENCES ON MISSIONS.
Changes
required.
Letters.
Press.
Widows,
Bibles, &c.
Furlough.
Salaries.
Medical
Inission.
Mission
property.
Grants in
aid.
Expendi-
ture.
Mission
houses.
stations; whether employed and paid after they are superannuated;
whether they should pay their rent.
“9. Modifications in the Stations. Ooodooville and Manepy, &c.;
number of missionaries required for the mission; peculiarities of the
Jaffna field.
“10. Restrictions on Correspondence. Rule of the mission; reasons
for its discontinuance.
"11. Printing Establishment. Extent of it; work done; whether
this establishment and the one at Madras are both needed; is the
English department needed; expediency of continuing to print a part
of the Morning Star in English; how far the mission is responsible for
the contents of that paper; how far, for the printing done in the office;
publishing committee; statement concerning the depository; what
ought to be done with the unsaleable books, and sheets, and stationery
on hand; has the existence of the press here been an advantage to the
mission.
“12. Provision for Widows, Children, and Invalid Missionaries. Is
it desirable that any additional provision should be made.
"13. Grants of the American Bible and Tract Societies.
"14. Visits to the United States. Is any further legislation needed;
how far to be provided for from the mission treasury; rules for pre-
venting unnecessary cost in returning home; health stations connected
with the mission; the overland passage.
“15. Salaries of Missionaries.
"16. Medical Establishment. Where should the head-quarters of the
mission physician be; what are his duties; medical practice out of the
mission; presents; medical class; should their instruction be in the
vernacular; general results.
"17. Mission Property. Property in lands; in dwelling-houses, &c. ;
in churches; how far the government have a right in the property ;
tenure on which the property is held; what is being done to improve
the tenure; real value of the Dutch churches and parsonages to the
mission; buildings at Varany; land near Manepy.
"18. Government Grants. Grants received, and how applied; whole
amount received; implied condition of the grants; school commission
at the seat of government; school commissioner and his visits; views
of the Prudential Committee with respect to government grants for
schools.
"19. Estimates, Appropriations, and Expenditures. What the esti-
mates should contain; intent of the appropriations; whether the
expenditures should be restricted to the specific objects; whether
balances should be used for other objects; whether money received by
the treasurer from every source should not be credited in his accounts
with the treasurer of the Board; new estimate for 1856.
“20. Houses. Plan and cost of a house for missionary residence ;
station and rural churches; houses for native helpers; expediency of
reducing the space in the present station-churches.
APPENDIX.
371
"21. Temporal Aid for Missionary Funds to indigent Native Christ- Aid to poor
ians. Ought this ever to be given."
converts.
Board in the
in all their
The American Board has three great spheres of missionary American
operations in India; in the Deccan, North Ceylon, and Madura; East.
with two smaller missions in Madras and Arcot; and has two
chief centres of missions in Western Turkey, at Beirut and Con-
stantinople. In all these missions, this or a similar range of Conference
searching topics was discussed in full by the missionaries and the missions.
Deputation; the views of the brethren were interchanged, and the
results of their experience on heathen ground were freely detailed.
The deductions of this experience appear in the form of PAPERS Record:
drawn up by the missionaries (similar to the MINUTES of the recent
Conference), and of LETTERS, commenting upon them, by the
Deputation. They are contained in a volume of 600 pages, printed its contents
privately for the use of the Board and its friends; and it is not
too much to say that no volume of equal size, published during the and charac-
era of our modern missions, contains so much valuable information
on all the details of missionary experience on several most im-
portant fields of labour, as that volume of missionary papers.
might be published with great advantage to the friends of all
Missionary Societies; and deserves the careful study of all mis-
sionaries, and the managers of all missionary agencies, especially
in the countries and provinces of Asia.*
ter.
in the Bap-
in India.
About the same period E. B. UNDERHILL, Esq., the able and Conferences
accomplished Secretary of the Baptist Missionary Society, visited tist Missions
all the missions of that Society in India and Ceylon, as a Deputa-
tion from the London Committee, and acting on a plan similar
to that of the American deputation, gathered the missionaries of
the Society in four separate Conferences, for a similar examination
of every element in their local plans. A range of topics was dis- Plan, results,
cussed similar to that of the American brethren; and the result, as
in their case, was embodied in reports by the missionaries and letters
by the deputation. They are also equally valuable.† To the mis-
sionary in India no works will give a more complete insight into
the worth and working of all sorts of plans, than the nine sets of
Papers and Letters contained in these volumes of the two Societies.
record.
* "REPORTS and LETTERS connected with Special Meetings of the India
and Syria Missions of the American Board in 1855." Printed for the use of the
Prudential Committee. Boston.
"Minutes and Reports of Conferences of the Baptist Missionaries in
Bengal; the North-West Provinces; Behar; and Ceylon, in 1855-6." Printed
for the use of the Committee and the Missionaries.
372
PREVIOUS CONFERENCES ON MISSIONS.
Three
General
in India.
Three other Conferences, of a more general character, also on
Conferences Indian ground, accompanied, or have since followed the meetings
of the American and Baptist missionaries. They had to consider
not merely general principles, but the minute details of each circle
of missions. The GENERAL Conferences which followed, included
missionaries from many Societies, were confined to the principal
plans of labour adopted by Indian missionaries, but illustrated
them by experience, drawn from a wide surface and contributed
by the most able men, who had been engaged in carrying those
plans into effect.
its topics.
Bengal
Missionary
The BENGAL MISSIONARY CONFERENCE met in Calcutta in
Conference: September, 1855; it consisted of nearly fifty missionaries; sat
four consecutive days; held eight sessions, with meetings for
devotion; enjoyed the most delightful harmony in its meetings;
and its members were greatly cheered by their mutual counsels.
The topics discussed were as follows:
The progress made by missions in Bengal:
The peculiar difficulties encountered in them:
Preaching the gospel in the native tongue:
English missionary education:
Influence of the Indigo and Zemindary systems on the
progress of the gospel in rural districts:
Vernacular Christian literature:
Vernacular schools: and
Plan
adopted.
Record.
Native female education.
Each subject was introduced by a brief paper; the discussions
were conversational, pointed, and searching; and the opinions of
the brethren were embodied in the form of Resolutions, which
were submitted to them and approved. The papers, brief notes of
the discussions, and the resolutions passed, were also published in
a thin volume, of great value to missionaries and the officers of
their Societies.*
Benares
Missionary
A second GENERAL CONFERENCE was held by the missionaries
Conference. of the NORTH-WEST PROVINCES, at Benares, in January, 1857,
three months before the mutiny. Thirty missionaries were
present belonging to seven Churches and Societies, and, as in
Calcutta, were greatly encouraged and instructed by the relation
of their common experience. The plan followed and the topics
discussed were very similar to those adopted in the Bengal Con-
* "Proceedings of a General Conference of Bengal Protestant Missionaries,
held in Calcutta, Sept. 1855." London: Dalton, Cockspur Street. Price 4s.
APPENDIX.
373
destroyed.
ference; and the opinions of the members were embodied in the Record
form of Resolutions. These Resolutions, and a few brief notes
from a private pen, are all the account now remaining of this
instructive Conference; the whole of the MSS. and printed
proofs having been destroyed when the Allahabad Mission Press
was burnt by the mutineers in the following June.*
Conference.
The last CONFERENCE held in India, a gathering of the SOUTH South India
INDIA MISSIONARIES, took place at Ootacamund, in the Nilgherry
Hills, in April, 1858. It differed from the previous general Con-
ferences in the wide range of topics brought forward, and in the
length of time devoted to their examination. Thirty-two mis-
sionaries met on the occasion, and having retired from the heat of
the plains, were able to spend a quiet fortnight in the cool air of
the Hills, in a full and satisfactory examination of all the plans
adopted in their different fields of labour. The results are pub- Its record.
lished in a large volume, and are of very great value to all who
would know the character and progress of Christian missions in
the Madras Presidency. †
discussed:
The volume opens with a series of twenty-seven narrative Narratives.
papers, descriptive of the growth of the chief missions of the
Presidency, in the several provinces speaking four great lan-
guages. These narratives contain a great deal of valuable infor-
mation, from which a general view of that growth may be easily
derived. They are followed by papers read on no less than twenty-
one subjects connected with missionary life and plans. The papers Subjects
are thirty in number, written by men most competent to produce
them, and are followed by Resolutions, in which the common views
of the Conference are embodied. The subjects include not only
the prime topics of native agency, missionary education, vernacular
preaching, village congregations, and the like, but more special
topics, as industrial institutions, caste, public morals and the
Government, Government education, and others. A number of Statistics.
statistical tables close the work; recent, and of the best authority.
The book is a great storehouse of information on all that concerns
the missions of South India, and deserves most careful study.
all these
The records of these various missionary gatherings, both Value of
general and special, embody, to a far greater extent than any records.
works previously written, the tested experience of missions in
*"Outline of the Benares Missionary Conference." Calcutta Christian
Observer, March 1857.
+"Proceedings of the South India Missionary Conference, held at Ootaca-
mund, April 1858." London: Missionary Societies.
374
PREVIOUS CONFERENCES ON MISSIONS.
Relation of
the Confer-
ence in
Liverpool to
these its
predecessors.
Work yet
needed to
results of all.
various localities as to the worth of existing plans; and they are
calculated to confer great service on all who wish to learn from
that experience the most efficient methods of carrying out the
great commission to preach the gospel, which underlies them all.
A work might yet be written which shall gather up, in relation
combine the to the whole, the principles, facts, and teachings thus presented
respecting the various sections of our wide-spread Indian missions:
a work which shall seize on general features of locality, work,
and results; discriminate between them and local peculiarities;
and fairly deduce the results taught by the entire field to the
missionaries and managers of all Protestant Societies. The writer
of this notice has, for some time, planned the preparation of such
a volume, but want of opportunity has compelled him for the
present to lay it aside.
From these brief notices, the reader will at once see how far the
recent CONFERENCE ON MISSIONS, held in LIVERPOOL, has differed
from its predecessors. Embracing in its details the experience of
missionaries and Societies in all parts of the world, it has examined
a wider range of field than the Conferences in India, though it has
not, like them, descended to a great variety of minute details.
Dealing less with general principles, and going more deeply into
plans, its discussions were of far greater value than those of its
predecessors in London and New York. It is with confidence,
therefore, that its records are commended to the managers of all
Societies, in the belief that all may derive help from the facts and
principles they present in such a complete form; and that by their
means all may improve the agencies they employ in many spheres
of Christian toil, for the one common end of saving immortal
souls.
APPENDIX.
375
II.
SUGGESTIONS.
BY JAMES DOUGLAS, ESQ., OF CAVERS.
I beg to offer the Missionary Conference at Liverpool a few Suggestions.
hints, upon subjects which have not yet been sufficiently attended
to, which may be either used or not as circumstances may seem
to point out.
That is a noble undertaking which seeks to co-operate with The Univer-
sity Mission
Dr. Livingstone in Central Africa. The African tribes, however, to Africa.
are more easy to deal with than other branches of human so-
ciety, who are more advanced in civilization and more confirmed
in various errors. The African tribes give indications of having
had a religious system formerly, but now retain only dark, and,
in some instances, almost diabolical fragments of the past. Civi-
lization, whenever it takes hold of them, by giving them a new
life and new modes of thinking, will sweep these into the abyss of
former days.
With regard to the Moslem, who are the neighbours in Africa The Moslem
of the rude tribes, and who stretch far into the recesses of Asia, system.
the case is very different. They have a system, simple, compact,
definitely determined, and armed at all points.
works.
We 'understand that Dr. Pfander's books reach many of the Dr. Pfander's
vital points of the system, but it is not easy to procure English
copies. Perhaps the missionary Conference, or some member of
it, might make the English copies more accessible in Britain.
Muir's Life
of Mahomet:
We can speak conscientiously in high praise of Mr. Wm. Mr. W.
Muir's work upon Mahomet, who has written partly at Dr. Pfan-
der's suggestion. If the documents were well arranged for the
purpose, they would surely produce a great effect upon the
Moslem mind.
The Life of Mahomet is divided into two distinct periods; its two
the first, when he was only a preacher of the Divine Unity; the
second, when he became a pretended prophet.
periods:
Mahomet's
In an account of the first division of Mahomet's life, we and character of
the Moslem might sympathise together; an advantageous com- early life.
mencement of a discussion which must ultimately end in contro-
Had Mahomet died when he was young or middle-
versy.
376
SUGGESTIONS.
His later
life:
inward
struggles:
All should
be laid
before his
followers.
Buddhism:
its great
defects:
Buddha's
spirit.
Brahminical
writings:
their
character.
aged, there need have been but one opinion formed about him.
All might agree that he excelled many nominal Christians; a
modest, meritorious, talented young man, who lived strictly, and
with scarce an exception apparently, according to his own views
of morality, which might be considered high for the time and the
country.
But the office of prophet was in some measure forced upon
him; and he, an awful lesson of human instability, was forced
down the precipitous descent of imposture; at first with many an
inward struggle and great agony of mind, which produced their
traces even in his outward appearance. Pointing to his beard,
he said, "These are the grey hairs of the prophet Houd;" a
mysterious but significant sentence. In plain language, “You
have reproached me for preaching without being a prophet or
invested with authority, like Houd. I have assumed the office
with inward torture, and have prayed to Allah to be delivered
from all error and delusions." We think that if a true picture
of what was passing in Mahomet's mind, according to his own
confession, or at least intimations, could be placed before his
disciples, it would not fail in several instances of a beneficial
effect.
The same may be said of the last of the Buddhas. Words,
which evidently proceeded from his own lips, for he had no dis-
ciples capable of inventing them, and they speak from heart to
heart, deeply represent the misery and the inefficacy of the Buddhist
system, and afford a large opening for the introduction of Christ-
ianity, as the only repose of the soul and its escape from all
finite evil. Such a work might be written also in a conciliatory
spirit. The last of the Buddhas, Sakya-Muni (and that name
reveals some historic mysteries), was a person of great feeling and
of high principles, according to his own mistaken system.
The writings of the Brahmins also contain the refutation of
Brahminism. The first Veda shows that the Asian race were
originally without caste. What an immense gulf between the
Rig-Veda and the Institutes of Menu! The Institutes, far from
establishing caste, are occupied in counteracting the aberrations
of a system which had been long established. Everything in
the Hindoo writings indicates change and instability. New
creeds and new deities throw the old Indian objects of worship
into the shade, and indicate the not-distant time when they also
shall pass away.
APPENDIX.
377
1
III.
ON THE TRAINING OF NATIVE AGENTS.
BY THE REV. B. LYTH OF FIJI.
circuit in
As the plan of working the Lakemba circuit was one into Lakemba
which I was led, by providential circumstances, in order to meet Fiji:
the wants of a large, wide-spread, and increasing circuit, having
then 1400 Church members (now increased to about 5000) to care
for, the teachers themselves but babes in Christ, and the societies its wants:
without order or discipline, my remarks must be directed to this
one point; viz. to show some of the steps by which the teachers work
were raised to comparative efficiency, the several infant churches done.
reduced to order, pastoral and educational machinery set in effec-
tive operation, means for the support of a native agency provided,
and new agents of all classes called forth for the sustentation of
the work.
required and
institution
My predecessor, feeling the great need of a better-instructed Training
native agency, had conceived the plan of a large training insti- unsuitable:
tution for the qualifying of young men for the work. His scheme
appeared to my mind, under the then-existing state and circum-
stances of the mission, to be an impracticable one. It was pre- why:
mature: and then it left the present pressing wants of the circuit
unprovided for; for the important fact looked me in the face that
God had already given us a number of men, whom He had gra-
ciously raised up, with small churches under their pastoral care.
These men were of various ages and abilities, some humble
enough, but they were converted men. I was therefore fully
convinced, that it was my duty to abandon the beautiful scheme
of a formal institution for mere candidates, (and where were they?)
for the more laborious one of attempting the cultivation of the Men to be
entire field, and the endeavour, by God's help, to qualify the men their work.
God had given us by training them for their work, by training
them in it. The entire circuit was made our training institution,
with the mission station for its centre.
trained in
divided.
The circuit was divided into seven branches; native assistant- Circuit
missionaries, consisting of the hest-qualified men we could com-
mand, were entrusted with their pastoral oversight and manage-
ment, under the general superintendency of the missionary. These
378
ON THE TRAINING OF NATIVE AGENTS.
Men em-
ployed.
Duties of the
missionary.
Plan of
training.
First step:
charts on
chief points:
Theology.
native assistant-missionaries had catechists, (Fijian travelling
preachers,) occupying smaller spheres of labour under their gene-
ral supervision. Thus was the whole machinery put in motion.
The duties of the missionary were threefold:
1. To superintend the entire work of the circuit.
2. To set the example to the native assistant-missionary class
of agents, in his mode of superintending the branch of the circuit
under his more immediate charge.
3. To set the example to the catechist class, in his mode of
working a still smaller section of labour, answering to a catechist's
station.
Sermoniz-
ing:
So much for the general machinery of the circuit.
The training of native agents in scriptural theology was as
follows:
1. The first step up the ladder was to have their views quite
clear on the subject of their personal salvation. You will under-
stand what this means, and the importance of it in the class of
persons under consideration.
2. The second step was to instruct them from a large chart,
embracing the grand outline of the plan of salvation; describing
repentance, faith, justification, regeneration, the Holy Spirit's
office in conversion, the first-fruits of the Spirit, and the duties
of Christianity.
All these were presented to them under the various terms and
aspects, in which they are severally presented in Scripture. The
charts, indeed, were three in number:-
a. Man's fallen estate.
D
b. The plan of salvation.
c. Christian duties and privileges.
These supplied the teachers with a key wherewith to open the
Scriptures, and their own experience enabled them to use it.
3. The third step was to conduct them through a course of
systematic theology; including the evidences, doctrines, duties,
and institutions of Christianity.
4. The fourth was to train them in sermonizing. A text fur-
nished by one of the class was written on a black board. Then
how taught. the arrangement would be discussed, or rather elicited by ques-
tions. Then the first division, the second, &c., were written by a
native on the board. The discussion of the text, in which all took
a part, brought out much material, the exercise was made as
practical as possible, and was thus rendered, by God's blessing, a
useful and delightful means of grace. There was both bread for
APPENDIX.
379
the eater, and seed for the sower. Afterwards a short outline,
with Scripture references, was written out for them, which the
preachers copied into their sermon-books.
The theological class consisted of the various native agents Scholars.
residing on the island; including one or more native assistant-
missionaries, catechists, local preachers, and promising young
men anxious for instruction, from all parts of the island, and
frequently some from other islands.
different
The adoption of the system of itinerancy in the stationing of Itinerancy.
our native agents, and the principle of unity of action; or, in
other words, the rule, that what was done in the way of instruction
by the missionary must be done by the native assistant-missionary Information
and catechist in their several spheres, imparted a diffusiveness to among the
the entire scheme, the results of which were most gratifying, and
satisfactorily proved to us that we had been led in the right way.
The seal of the Divine approval was put upon the means used in
the spiritual prosperity of the entire circuit.
agents.
elements in
ing.
It would be tedious to you, and, indeed, it is unnecessary that other
I should enter particularly upon the other branches of training their train-
included in our plan of instruction; but simply to add, that it em-
braced practical training and instruction in pastoral duties, church
discipline, and school routine. The teachers were, moreover,
instructed in reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, singing, &c.,
for everything was new to them. My colleagues were most
excellent fellow-helpers, and by working harmoniously and syste- Working of
matically in our several departments, the agents improved rapidly;
new life was infused into their souls and labours; they found them-
selves endued with new power, and entrusted with a most respon-
sible trust; and they devoted themselves to the service of the
Redeemer with renewed zeal.
the plan.
The most intelligent of the teachers felt themselves relieved of Effect of it.
a heavy burden, the burden of duties they had not known how to
discharge; but now, being instructed in their work, and the manner
of its performance, their duties, although increased, were rendered
a pleasant burden, and attended to under a new inspiration.
ous prayer.
The instituting of a simultaneous meeting for prayer, to be held simultane-
throughout the circuit every Friday morning, was a special means
of promoting the prosperity of the work and the success of all the
It was a meeting of the few in each place who felt the
deepest interest in the promotion of the Redeemer's kingdom.
means.
Among other evidences of the Divine blessing, was the arising Young men
up of young men of promise. These were carefully looked after by
offer.
380
ON THE TRAINING OF NATIVE AGENTS.
Salaries:
how paid:
Experience.
Training
institutions
not suitable.
Why.
the teachers; and the result was a constant flow from every part of
the circuit of these candidates for various spheres of usefulness.
One word respecting the support of paid agents. Catechists
receive a certain allowance quarterly from the Church members
under their charge, according to a scale fixed upon from year to
year. As there was no currency in the group, the allowance con-
sisted of native clothing made and contributed by the female
members of the Church, and of various articles of produce by the
men.
The men-attendants on public worship do not contribute to this
collection, but assist in a variety of other ways to the material
maintenance of the cause.
Native assistant-missionaries receive, in addition to the contri-
butions of the members of the Church, a small supplement in the
form of clothing or articles of barter from the mission store.
My observations upon this very important subject may fall very
far short of the work, and have but a very limited bearing upon
the whole question, but they are what I could furnish; and the
principles and practice they advocate are the result of experience,
and have been tested by experiment; and, I may add, the success
with which they were crowned exceeded our most sanguine ex-
pectations.
Training Institutions for resident students on stations, similar
to those of Fiji and Tonga, have not, so far as my observation has
extended, answered the expectations of their promoters. They
are more beautiful in theory, but less successful in their results.
The natives of such countries cannot endure the close study and
confinement of such institutions; but give them plenty of work and
exercise, and they will come to their studies with zest and pleasure;
and what they learn they will digest and communicate, and what
is quickly communicated is twice learnt.
APPENDIX.
381
IV.
MODERN WORKS ON CHRISTIAN MISSIONS.
1. GENERAL WORKS.
AIKMAN, Rev. J. A.: Cyclopædia of Christian Missions. Glas- Modern
gow, Griffin and Co. 1860. 68.
Works on
Christian
Missions.
This excellent little work gives a summary view of the labours of all the
Protestant Missionary Societies.
BARTH and BLUMHARDT, Rev. Drs.: Christian Missions.
gious Tract Society. 2s. each.
Reli-
Africa, Vol. I. Heathen Asia and America, Vol. II.
BROWN, Rev. Dr.: History of Protestant Missions to the Heathen.
3 vols. Blackwood, 1854. ll. 11s. 6d.
CAMPBELL, Rev. Dr.: The Martyr of Erromanga; the Philosophy
of Missions, illustrated in the Rev. J. Williams. Snow, 1842. 6s.
CAMPBELL, Rev. Dr.: Maritime Discovery and Christian Missions.
Snow, 1840. 12s.
CLARKSON, Rev. W.: Christ and Missions. Snow, 1858. 6s.
GRANT, Ven. Archdeacon: Bampton Lectures on Missions to the
Heathen. Rivingtons, 1845.
HAMILTON, Rev. Dr. R. WINTER: Prize Essay; Missions, their
Authority, Aim, and Encouragement. 2s. 6d.
HARDWICKE, Archdeacon:
Archdeacon: Christ and other Masters: the
Heathen Systems of Religion compared with Christianity.
4 parts; each 7s. 6d.
HARRIS, Rev. Dr.: Prize Essay; The Great Commission. Ward,
1842.
KINGSMILL, Rev. J.: Missions and Missionaries. London.
MACFARLANE, Rev. Dr.: Prize Essay; The Jubilee of the World.
MISSIONARY BOOK FOR THE YOUNG: A first Book on Missions;
Religious Tract Society, 1859.
1s.
MISSIONS, on Christian: Encyclopædia Britannica; by JAMES
DOUGLAS, Esq.
MOORE, E. D.: Life Scenes from Mission Fields. A Popular
Book of Facts. New York, 1857. 6s. Trubner; London.
NEWCOMBE, Rev. H.: Cyclopædia of Missions, &c. New York,
1855. 17. Trubner, London.
This valuable compendium of Missionary information is a Gazeteer; it gives
in alphabetical order the different Missionary stations throughout the
world, and describes the work done in each place.
NOEL, Hon. and Rev. BAPTIST: Essay on Christian Missions.
Nisbet, 1842.
RAMSDEN, R., Esq.: Missions: a Word for the Heathen: Facts
and Anecdotes from the Journals and Letters of Missionaries.
Nisbet, 1859. 6s.
SWAN, Rev. W.: Letters on Missions.
382
MODERN WORKS ON CHRISTIAN MISSIONS.
Modern
Works on
Christiau
Missions.
THE YEAR-BOOK OF MISSIONS, by the Rev. Dr. Hoole: A General
Sketch of Missionary Stations and Operations throughout the
World. Longmans, 1847. 10s.
THE MISSIONARY GUIDE-BOOK: a Survey of Missionary Opera-
tions in various Countries of the World. Seeleys, 1846.
2. HISTORY OF SOCIETIES.
AMERICAN BAPTIST UNION MISSIONS: Gammell's History. Boston,
1850. Trubner. 5s.
AMERICAN BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS:
Tracy's History of the. New York, 1842. Trubner. 5s.
AMERICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH MISSION: History of,
by Barge and Strickland.
AMERICAN MISSIONS TO THE HEATHEN: History of, by the Rev.
S. Worcester. 1840.
AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS: Green's Historical Sketch.
AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS: Manual of the, by the Rev.
J. Lowrie. New York, 1854.
New York, 1854. Trubner. 5s.
BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY: its History, by the Rev. Dr.
Ward and Co. 1842.
Cox. 2 vols.
BASLE MISSIONARY SOCIETY: Manual of the, by Rev. Dr. Blumhardt.
BIBLE SOCIETY, British and Foreign: History of, by the Rev. G.
Brown.
BOHEMIAN AND MORAVIAN BRETHREN: Bost's History.
CHURCH MISSIONARY ATLAS: C.M.S., 1859. 2s. 6d.
CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY: Jubilee Memorial.
CRANTZ'S History of the Brethren.
Ellis. Vol. I.
FATHERS AND FOUNDERS OF THE L.M.S., by the Rev. Dr. Morison.
LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY: History of the, by the Rev. W.
Vol. I. Snow.
Snow. Vol. II. in preparation.
LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY: Jubilee Memorial. Snow.
RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY: Jubilee Memorial, 1850. 7s.
UNITED BRETHREN: Holmes's History of the. 97 Hatton
Garden, London.
UNITED BRETHREN: Holmes's Historical Sketches of their
Missions.
WESLEYAN MISSIONS, by the Rev. Dr. Alder; their Objects stated,
and their Claims enforced.
WESLEYAN METHODISM: Centenary Volume, by the Rev. T.
Jackson. 1840.
3. WEST INDIAN MISSIONS.
BERNAU, Rev. J. H.: Missionary Labours among the Aboriginal
Indians of Guiana. C.M.S., 1847. 7s.
BLEBY, Rev. H.: Scenes in the Carribean.
BRETT, Rev. W. H.: Indian Missions in Guiana. Bell and
Daldy. 1851. 5s.
BURCHELL, Rev. T.: Life of, by the Rev. F. W. Burchell. 1849.
COKE, Rev. Dr.: History of the West Indies.
DUNCAN'S Narrative of Wesleyan Missions in Jamaica. 1849.
APPENDIX.
383
Modern
Works on
1847. Christian
HORSFORD, Rev. John: A Voice from the West Indies.
KNIBB, Rev. W.: Memoirs of the, by Rev. J. H. Hinton.
MOISTER, Rev. W.: Memorials of Missionary Labour in the Missions.
West Indies and Western Africa.
PHILLIPPO, Rev. J. M.: Jamaica; its Past and Present State.
Snow. 1843.
SAMUEL, Rev. P.: Wesleyan Missions in Jamaica and Honduras.
1850.
SMITH, Rev. J. of Guiana: Memoirs of, by the Rev. E. A.
Walbridge.
UNITED BRETHREN, Missions of: to the Danish West India
Islands.
UNITED BRETHREN, Retrospect of their Jamaica Mission. 6d.
UNITED BRETHREN, Retrospect of their Mission in Antigua. 6d.
4. MISSIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA, ETC.
AFRICA'S MOUNTAIN VALLEY, by the Author of "Ministering
Children." Seeleys, 1856.
ARBOUSSET, Rev. C.: Narrative of a Tour to North East of the
Cape.
BOYCE, Rev. W.: Notes on South Africa.
BROADBENT, Rev. S.: Memoirs, by Threlfall.
CALDERWOOD, Rev. H.: Caffres and Caffre Missions. Nisbet.
MacMillan and Co.
4s. 6d.
COLENSO, Bishop: Ten Weeks in Natal.
1856.
ELLIS, Rev. W.: History of Madagascar. 2 vols.
ELLIS, Rev. W.: Three Visits to Madagascar. 1859. 16s.
FREEMAN, Rev. J. J. and Rev. D. Johns: Persecutions in
Madagascar. 6s.
FREEMAN, Rev. J. J.: A Tour in South Africa. Snow. 7s.
HATFIELD, Rev. E. F.: Missionary Life of the Rev. J. M. Bertram
in St. Helena and the Cape. New York, 1852.
ISENBERG and KRAPF, Messrs., Church Missionary Society: Jour-
nals of Travels in Abyssinia. 1851. 12s.
4s.
LIVINGSTONE, Dr.: Missionary Researches and Travels in South
Africa. 1858. 21s.
LATROBE, Rev. C. I.: Journal of a Visit to South Africa.
MOFFAT, Rev. R.: Missionary Labours and Scenes in South
Africa. 1842. 12s. and 3s.
SHAW, Rev. B.: Memorials of South Africa.
SHAW, Rev. W.: Narrative of Missionary Labours in South
Africa.
SMITH, REV. THORNELY: South Africa delineated.
SOUTHERN AFRICA: A Geographical, Ethnological, and Natural
History of the Country and the Condition of its Inhabitants,
by the Rev. F. P. FLEMING. Hall, Virtue, and Co. 10s.
The Kaffir, the Hottentot, and the Frontier Farmer: Passages of
Missionary Life, by Archdeacon MERRIMAN. Bell and Daldy.
3s. 6d.
384
MODERN WORKS ON CHRISTIAN MISSIONS.
Modern
Works on
Christian
Missions.
5. MISSIONS IN WEST AFRICA.
BEECHAM'S Ashantee and the Gold Coast. Mason. 1841.
BOWEN, Rev. T. J.: Adventures and Missionary Labours in
Central Africa. Charleston, 1857. 6s. Trubner.
EAST, Rev. D. J.: Western Africa and the Baptist Mission. 1844.
FREEMAN, Rev. T. B.: Two Visits to Ashanti. Mason. 1843.
Fox, Rev. W.: Wesleyan Missions in Western Africa. 1851.
JOHNSON, Rev. W.: Church Missionary
Church Missionary in Sierra Leone,
Memoir of. 1853.
10s.
Othielle; or,
VILLAGE LIFE IN THE YORUBA COUNTRY, by
M. A. S. Barber. Nisbet and Co.
TUCKER, Miss: Abbeokuta ; Outline of the History of the
Yoruba Mission. Church Miss. Soc. Nisbet, 1853. 3s. 6d.
WALKER, Rev. S. A.: The Church Mission at Sierra Leone.
Seeleys, 1851. 12s.
WEST, Rev. Daniel: Memoirs, by the Rev. T. West.
WESTERN AFRICA, its History, Condition, and Prospects; by the
Rev. J. L. Wilson, eighteen years a Missionary. Sampson
Low and Co. 8s. 6d.
6. MISSIONS IN THE PACIFIC.
BAMBY, Rev. J.: Memoirs, by the Rev. A. Barrett.
BINGHAM'S History of the Sandwich Island Mission.
BISHOP OF NEW ZEALAND: his Views of the Church Mission.
1843. Seeleys, 6d.
BROWN'S NEW ZEALAND AND ITS Aborigines.
1845.
CROSS, Rev. J., of Fiji: Memoirs, by the Rev. J. Hunt.
DIBBLE, Rev. S.: History of the Sandwich Island Mission. New
York, 1839. 12mo.
ELLIS'S Polynesian Researches. 4 vols. 12mo. 24s.
Farmer, SarahH S.: Tonga and the Friendly Isles. 1855.
FIJI AND THE FIJIANS: by the Rev. Messrs. Williams and Cal-
vert. 2 vols. 1859. Heylin, London.
GARDINER, Capt. Allen, of Patagonia: Memoir, by the Rev.
12s.
J. W. Marsh. Nisbet, 5s.
GILL, Rev. W.: Gems from the Coral Islands; an Account of
Recent Missionary Success in the New Hebrides. 2 vols.
HUNT, Rev. J., of Fiji: Memoir, by the Rev. G. S. Rowe. 1859.
HUNT'S Past and Present of the Sandwich Islands.
LAWRY, Rev W.: Missions in Tonga and Fiji. 2 vols. 1852. 5s.
LEIGH, Rev. S., Missionary to New Zealand and Australia:
Memoir, by Strachan. 1855. 68.
MARSDEN, Rev. S. of Parramatta: Memoir of, by his Son.
MISSIONARY RECORDS OF THE SANDWICH ISLANDS: Religious
Tract Society. 2s.
NICHOLAS'S Voyage to New Zealand.
PROUT, Rev. E.: Memoirs of Rev. J. Williams. Snow. 12s. and 3s.
TUCKER, Miss: the Southern Cross and the Southern Crown; or
the Gospel in New Zealand. Nisbet. 3s. 6d.
APPENDIX.
385
VA-TA-AH: the Fijian Princess, by the Rev. J. Waterhouse. Modern
WILLIAMS'S Missionary Enterprises in the South Sea Islands. Works on
Snow. 2s. 6d. and 8s.
Christian
Missions.
WILLIAMS, Richard, of Patagonia: Life of, by the Rev. Dr.
James Hamilton. Nisbet. 3s. 6d.
YATES'S Account of New Zealand.
7. MISSIONS IN CHINA.
ABEEL, Rev. D.: Journal of a Residence in China.
DEAN, Rev. Dr.: The China Mission. A History of the Missions
of all Denominations among the Chinese, and Biographical
Sketches of deceased Missionaries. New York, 1859.
DYER, Rev. S.: Memoir of, by the Rev. E. Davies. Snow. 4s. 6d.
EDKINS, Rev. J.: The Religious Condition of the Chinese.
1859. Routledge. 2s. 6d.
GILLESPIE, Rev. W.: The Land of Sinim. 1854.
GLANCES AT MISSIONARY WORK IN CHINA. Nisbet and Co.
GUTZLAFF, Rev. C.: Three Voyages along the Coast of China.
LOWRIE, Rev. Walter: Memoir of, by his Father. Philadelphia,
1854. 5s.
MEDHURST, Rev. Dr.: China, its State and Prospects. Snow. 12s.
MILNE, Rev. W.: Life in China.
MISSIONARY RECORDS: China and Burmah.
Religious Tract
Society. 2s.
MORRISON, Rev. Dr.: Memoirs of, by his Widow. 2 vols. Snow.
24s.
/
MACKEAN, Rev. T. S., of Tahiti: Memoir. 1847.
SMITH, Bishop: An Exploratory Visit to China. 1844-46.
Seeleys, 14s.
8. MISSIONS IN BURMAH.
BAILLIE, Rev. J.: Rivers in the Desert; Incidents of Missions
among the Karens.
BOARDMAN, Rev. C.: Memoir of, by King.
JUDSON, Mrs. Ann Hazeltine, Memoir of, by Knowles.
JUDSON, Mrs. SARAH: Memoir of, by Mrs. Emily Judson. New
York, 1850. 5s.
MALCOM, Rev. Dr. HOWARD: Missionary Travels in South Eastern
Asia. 1839.
MASON, Rev. Dr.: The Karen Apostle.
WAYLAND, Rev. Dr.: Memoirs of Rev. Dr. Judson. 2 vols:
Boston, 1853.
WYLIE, Mrs.: The Gospel in Burmah. Dalton, London, 1859.
Third thousand. 5s.
9. MISSIONS IN INDIA.
a. North India,
BACHELOR, Rev. O. R., American: Hindooism and Christianity
in Crissa.
Се
386
MODERN WORKS ON CHRISTIAN MISSIONS.
Modern
Works on
Christian
Missions.
BALLANTYNE, James, Esq., LL.D.: Christianity contrasted with
Hindoo Philosophy. Madden, 1859. 9s.
BENGAL CONFERENCE OF PROTESTANT MISSIONARIES: Proceed-
ings of. Dalton, London, 1855. 4s.
BIBLICAL TRANSLATIONS IN INDIA: Contributions towards a His-
tory of. Dalton, 1855. 2s.
BUYERS, Rev. W.: L.M.S.; Recollections of Northern India.
London. 10s. 6d.
BUYERS'S LETTERS ON INDIAN MISSIONS. Snow. 5s.
CALCUTTA, BOMBAY, AND COLOMBO: An Account of the Missions
of the S.P.G. Pall Mall. 2s.
CAMPBELL, Rev. J. R., of Saharunpore: Missions in Upper India.
1856.
CAREY, Rev. EUSTACE: Memoir, by his Widow. 5s.
DUFF, Rev. Dr.: India and India Missions. 1840. 12s.
DUFF, Rev. Dr.: Missions the Chief End of the Christian Church.
2s. 6d.
DUFF, Rev. Dr.: Missionary Addresses. Johnston & Hunter. 1850,
FUTTEHGUHR: The Martyrs of, by the Rev. J. J. Walsh. Nisbet.
10s. 6d.
KAYE, J. H., Esq.: Christianity in India. Smith, Elder, and Co.,
1859. 12s.
LEUPOLT, Rev. C. B.: Recollections of an Indian Missionary.
Seeleys. 28.
LONG, Rev. J.: Handbook of the Church of England Missions in
North India. Shaw, 1848. 98.
LOWRIE, Rev. J. C.: Two Years in North India.
LOWRIE, Rev. J. C.: Manual of the Missions of the Presbyterian
Church. New York, 1854. 5s.
MACDONALD, Rev. J., of Calcutta: Memoir of, by the Rev. Dr.
Tweedie. Johnston. Edinburgh, 1849.
MACKAY, Rev. J., of Delhi: Memoir of, by the Rev. J. Culross.
MARSHMAN, J. C., Esq.: Memoirs of Carey, Marshman, and Ward,
their Life and Times. 2 vols. Longmans, 1859. 24s.
MARTYN, Rev. Henry: Journals and Letters of. 2 vols.
MULLENS, Rev. J.: Results of Missionary Labour in India. 1852.
Dalton. Third Edition. 1s.
MULLENS, Rev. J.: The Religious Aspects of Hindoo Philosophy.
1860. Smith, Elder, and Co. 9s.
MULLENS, Mrs.: The Missionary on the Ganges: or What is
Christianity. Dalton, London. 1s.
NOYES, Rev. E., American: Christian Missions in Orissa.
ORISSA: Missions in, by the Rev. J. Peggs. 1846.
SHERRING, Rev. M. A.: The Indian Church during the Rebellion.
Nisbet, 1859. 5s.
STORROW, Rev. E.: India and Christian Missions. Snow, 1859.
1s. 6d.
STORROW, Rev. E.: The Eastern Lily gathered: A Memoir of
Bala Soondari Tagore. Snow. 1s. 6d.
APPENDIX.
387
Modern
Works on
SUTTON, Rev. Dr.: Orissa and its Evangelisation. 1850.
WARD, Rev. W., of Serampore: Farewell Letters on Hindoo Wor- Christian
Missions.
ship and Superstition.
1821.
WARD, Rev. W.: The History, Literature, and Religion of the
Hindoos. 2 vols. 4to. 1817. 3 vols. 8vo. 1822.
WARREN, Rev. Dr.: Fifteen Years of Missionary Life in North
India. Philadelphia, 1856.
WEITBRECHT, Rev. J. J.: Lectures on Protestant Missions in
Bengal. Shaw, 1844. 5s.
WEITBRECHT, Rev. J. J., Memoir of the, by his Widow. Nisbet.
7s. 6d.
WEITBRECHT, Mrs. Missionary Sketches in Northern India.
Nisbet, 1858. 5s.
WILKINSON, Rev. M.: Christianity in North India. Seeleys,
1844. 6s.
WILSON, Bishop: The Life of, by the Rev. J. Bateman. 2 vols.
Murray, 1860.
WYLIE, MACLEOD, Esq.: Bengal as a Field of Missions. Dalton.
London, 1854. 10s.
WYLIE, MACLEOD, Esq.: The Urgent Claims of India. Dalton. 1s.
YATES, Rev. Dr.: Memoirs of, by the Rev. Dr. Hoby.
1847.
b. South India.
1849. 6s.
ARTHUR, Rev. W.: Mission in the Mysore.
BUCHANAN, Rev. Dr. C.: Christian Researches in India. 2 vols.
BUCHANAN, Rev. Dr. C.: Memoir of, by the Rev. Dean Pearson. 6s.
CAMPBELL, Rev. W.: L.M.S., Bangalore: British India.
CALDWELL, Rev. Dr.: Lectures on the Tinnevelly Missions.
London, Bell and Daldy, 1857. 3s. 6d.
12s.
Fox, Rev. H. W.: Chapters on South India Missions. Seeleys,
1848. 3s. 6d.
Fox, Rev. H. W.: Memoirs of, by the Rev. G. Fox.
GROVES, Mr. Anthony: Memoir of, by his Widow.
4s. 6d.
58.
Nisbet.
1844.
HOOLE, Rev. Dr.: Madras, Mysore, and South India.
Longman and Co.
HOUGH, Rev. J.: History of Christianity in India. 5 vols. Nisbet.
The Syrian Church and Romish Missions to 1800. Vols. I. and II. 24s.
Modern Protestant Missions from 1706-1816. Vols. III, and IV. 24s.
The same, 1816-1832. Vol. V. 10s. 6d.
JŒNICKE: Life of, by Fellowes. 1833.
MADRAS AND CUDDALORE IN THE LAST CENTURY: Journals of
the S.P.C.K. Missionaries. Longman and Co.
MADRAS Account of the S.P.G. Missions in the Diocese of
Madras, by the Rev. A. R. Symonds. Pall Mall. 2s. 6d.
MULLENS, Rev. J.: Missions in South India, Lectures on.
1850.
Dalton. 4s.
PETTITT, Rev. C.: The Tinnevelly Mission of the C.M.S. See-
leys. 1851. 5s.
REID, Rev. J., of Bellary: Memoir of, by the Rev. Dr. Wardlaw.
L
MODERN WORKS ON CHRISTIAN MISSIONS.
388
Modern
Works ou
Christian
Missions.
RHENIUS, Rev. C. T. E.: Memoir of, by his Son.
Nisbet, 1841.
10s.
SOUTH INDIA MISSIONARY CONFERENCE: Report of. Madras,
1858.
SWARTZ, Rev. C. F.: Memoirs of, by the Rev. Dean Pearson.
2 vols.
THE LAND OF THE VEDA: India briefly described, in various
Aspects, by the Rev. P. Percival. Bell and Daldy. 10s. 6d.
TREVOR, Rev. G.: India; its Natives and Missions. Religious
Tract Society. 3s.
TUCKER, Miss: South Indian Missionary Sketches. Nisbet. 6s.
WARD, Rev. F. de W., of Madras: American Board: India and
the Hindoos: Christian Missions among them. Hartford, 1854.
8s.
c. Bombay.
ALLEN, Rev. Dr., American Board: Missions in India.
CLARKSON, Rev. W.: L.M.S., Guzerat: India and the Gospel.
Snow. 6s.
CLARKSON, Rev. W.: Missionary Encouragements. Snow. 1s. 6d.
HALL, Rev. Gordon: Memoirs of.
NESBIT, Rev. R., of Bombay: Memoirs of, by the Rev. Dr.
Mitchell. Nisbet. 6s.
NEWELL, Mrs., Memoirs of.
WILSON, Rev. Dr.: Free Church, Bombay: Addresses on the
Evangelisation of India. Whyte. Edinburgh, 1849.
WILSON, Rev. Dr.: Exposures of the Hindoo Religion.
WILSON, Mrs. Margaret: Memoirs of, by the Rev. Dr. Wilson.
d. Ceylon.
BUDDHISM IN CEYLON, by the Rev. R. Spence Hardy. 7s. 6d.
EASTERN MONACHISM: by the Rev. R. S. Hardy. Williams and
Norgate. 7s. 6d.
ECKARD, Rev. J. R.: Residence in Ceylon and Hindostan. Phi-
ladelphia, 1844.
HARVARD, Rev. W. M.: The Wesleyan Mission in Ceylon.
SELKIRK, Rev. J.: Operations of the C. M. S. in Ceylon. 1844,
Hatchard. 12s.
TENNENT, Sir J. E.: History of Christianity in Ceylon. Murray,
1850.
10. MISSIONS IN TURKEY AND PERSIA.
DWIGHT, Rev. Dr.: Christianity in Turkey; the Armenian Race
and Church. Nisbet. 5s.
FISK, Rev. Pliny: Memoirs of.
FLAD, F. M.: the Journal of; Missionary in Abyssinia, by the
Rev. W. D. Veitch of Jerusalem. Nisbet. 2s. 6d.
GOBAT, Bishop: Three Years in Abyssinia. Seeleys, London,
1850. 7s. 6d.
GRANT, Dr. A.: The Nestorians, or Lost Tribes. New York,
1841. 6s.
APPENDIX.
389
GRANT, Rev. Dr. Asahel: Memoir of, by the Rev. C.
New York.
3s.
HAMLIN, Mrs. H.: Missionary in Turkey, Memorials of.
1853. 6s.
HARTLEY'S, Rev. J.: Researches in Greece and Asia Minor.
ISENBERG AND KRAPF, Messrs. Journals of Travels in Shoa and
Abyssinia. 1839-42. Seeleys. 12s.
:
Lakross.
Boston,
JOWETT, Rev. C.: Christian Researches in the Mediterranean,
and in the Holy Land. 2 vols.
Nestorians of Persia: History of the People, and Progress of
Missions among them. Philadelphia. 1s. 6d.
PARSONS, Rev. Eli: Memoir of.
PERKINS, Mrs.: Memoir of. Boston, 1854. 3s. 6d.
PERKINS, Rev. Justin, D.D.: Residence in Persia among the Nes-
torians. Andover, 1843.
12s.
SMITH and DWIGHT: Missionary Researches in Armenia.
SMITH, Mrs. S. L.: Memoirs of. Religious Tract Society. 1s.
STERN, Rev. H. A.: Journal of a Missionary Journey to the Jews
in Arabia Felix.
STODDARD, Rev. D. T.: Memoir of; and of Dr. Lobdell, by the
Rev. Dr. Thompson. New York. Sheldon.
TEMPLE, Rev. D., Missionary in Western Asia; Life and Letters.
Boston. 7s. 6d.
11. NORTH AMERICA.
BRAINERD, Rev. David: Life of, by President Edwards.
CRANTZ'S History of the Moravian Missions in Greenland.
EGEDE, Hans: the Moravian; Life of.
ELIOT, John, Missionary to the Indians; Memoir of.
FINLEY, Rev. T. B.: History of the Wyandott Mission at Upper
Sandusky, Ohio. New York. 4s. 6d.
LOSKIEL'S History of the United Brethren's Mission in North
2s.
America.
MISSIONARY RECORDS OF NORTH AMERICA: Religious Tract
Society. 1s. 6d.
MISSIONARY RECORDS OF NORTHERN COUNTRIES.
MORAVIAN MISSION AMONG THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS:
97 Hatton Garden. London. 2s. 6d.
MORAVIANS, The: in Greenland, and in Labrador.
SLIGHT, Rev. BENJ.: Researches among the North American
Indians.
TUCKER, Miss: The Rainbow in the North; Account of the
Church Mission in Rupert's Land. Nisbet. 3s. 6d.
12. ADDITIONAL BIOGRAPHIES.
COKE, Rev. Dr.: Memoirs, by the Rev. Dr. Etheridge. 1860.
EDDY's Heroines of the Missionary Enterprise: Sketches of
Prominent Female Missionaries. Boston, 1850. 5s. Trubner.
HODGSON, Rev. T. L.: Memoirs, by the Rev. Thornely Smith.
Modern
Works on
Christian
Missions.
390
MODERN WORKS ON CHRISTIAN MISSIONS.
Modern
Works on
Christian
Missions.
KNILL, Rev. Richard: Life of, by the Rev. C. Birrell. Nisbet,
1859. 4s. 6d.
PATERSON, Rev. Dr.: The Book for Every Land; Memoirs of.
Snow. 1857.
ZINZENDORF, Count: Life of.
13. MISSIONARY PERIODICALS.
American Board: Missionary Herald.
Amer. Bapt. Union: The Missionary Magazine. Boston, Mass.
Baptist Missionary Society: The Missionary Herald, ld.; and
Juvenile Herald, a halfpenny.
London Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews:
Jewish Intelligencer.
Archives du Christianisme.
Evangelical Christendom. 6d.
News of the Churches and Journal of Missions. 6d.
Periodical Accounts of the Moravian Missions.
Lond. Miss. Soc.: The Missionary Magazine, 1d.; and Juvenile
Missionary Magazine.
Paris.
Church Missionary Intelligencer. 6d. Church Miss. Record, and
Church Miss. Juvenile Instructor.
Free Church: Home and Foreign Missionary Record.
Estab. Church of Scotland: Home and Foreign Miss. Record.
United Presb. Church: Missionary Record.
Wesleyan Miss. Soc.: Monthly Notices, and Monthly Juvenile
Offering.
*** Friends who may wish to supply Mission Stations with
Books of reference and consultation, which are much wanted,
will oblige by sending contributions, in money or works of
a SUPERIOR CLASS, to the Publishers of this volume, who
will forward them to the gentlemen who acted as Stewards
of the recent Conference.
Readers of this Volume who may desire to offer the results of
experience in suggestions or information, calculated to promote
"the Work of the Lord,” in connexion with the testifying the
truth "to all nations," are invited to address these in short
memorandums to the Editors and Stewards of the Conference
before January next.
Attention is respectfully called to the Resolution of the Conference
at page 260, and the Suggestions on page 261.
INDEX.
** In this Index the initial words are printed according to the following plan :
names of members of Conference who spoke, thus, LEUPOLT; names of persons
not in Conference, but spoken of, thus, Henderson; names of places and stations,
thus, CHINA; ordinary topics, thus, Afghan War; important general topics, thus,
Bible.
ACTS of the Apostles is a missionary
record, and forms one-eighth of the
New Testament, Green, 76.
Afghan War, its unrighteous character;
effect of pacification on missionary work
shown in the late mutiny (see ED-
WARDES).
AFRICA, missionary experiences in, Shaw,
29; Waddell, 39; Tidman, 55. Ex-
tent and success of different missions;
translations of Scripture; number of
native Christians, Whiting, 51; Shaw,
189; Mullens, 333. Native agents,
their proper training, education, cos-
tume, &c.; West Indian negroes not
successful teachers in Africa, Waddell,
213, 214.
Age of missionaries, should not exceed
twenty-five before getting into their
work, Shaw, 31; Leupolt, 32.
Agency of native converts in the mis-
sionary cause (see Native agents).
ALEXANDER, Major-General, appointed
Chairman of the Conference, 10. His
addresses, on introducing Resolution
of welcome, 12; on opening the
business of First Session, 15. The late
Rev. John Anderson; his successful
efforts in India, despite his ignorance
of the native tongues, 35. Misconduct
of Englishmen abroad a cause of failure,
45. The effect of European ecclesias-
tical systems, ib. Missionary periodi-
cals, 71. Spirituality of giving for
mission purposes, 88. Native agency:
vast importance of the question; dif-
ference of opinions; necessity for calm
discussion; valuable experience of
many members of the Conference;
of Rev. B. Lal Singh, as a native
agent; reference to the "native agents"
of the Primitive Church (the fellow-
workers with the Apostles); their
example to be considered, 192, 194,
199. Native churches: the example
of the Primitive Churches of Jerusa-
lem and Antioch to be studied in dis-
cussion; English church systems not
always suitable to other countries;
simple forms desirable, 278. Vote
of thanks to him as Chairman, 313.
His address to the Public Meeting at
the close of the Conference, describing
its proceedings and their results, 318.
AMERICA, missionary experience among
the Red Indians, O'Meara, 33; in Pata-
gonia, Stirling, 40; in Jamaica, Corn-
ford, 43; in Polynesia, Tidman, 53.
Effect of the conduct of Europeans on
the Ojibbeway Indians when in Eng-
land, O'Meara, 49,50. Translations for
the Indians by O'Meara, 144. Great
want of books suited to the country;
modes of life and thought, Badham,
149. Jamaica, Trestrail, 220. Views
of the Indian tribes, O'Meara, 212.
392
INDEX.
American Medical Missions to China
(see Medical Missions).
American Mission Board makes supple-
mentary additions to the insufficient
stipends of native pastors abroad, Mul-
lens, 200; one of its rulers, 302. Their
success in the Sandwich Islands, Mul-
lens, 333.
American Missionary Conferences in
India; called by the Rev. Dr. An-
derson and the Rev. A. C. Thomson;
their plan; their topics; specimen of
the range taken in their discussions;
the valuable record of these proceed-
ings, 367-371.
American Missions in Turkey (see
TURKEY).
Anderson, the late Rev. John, of Madras,
his ignorance of the native tongue no
impediment to his missionary influ.
ence, Hislop, Alexander, 35.
Anderson, Rev. Dr., of Boston, Sec. to
the American Board; his visit, as their
Deputation, to India and Syria leads
to several Missionary Conferences in
those missions, 200, 367.
ANDERSON, Rev. J., of Calcutta, all gifts
should come from spiritual men, 83.
Anecdotes, Walton, 36; O'Meara, 34,
49, 50; Hughes, 46; Macgill, 81;
Campbell, 136; B. L. Singh, 183;
Davidson, 328.
Arctic Missions, their results, Latrobe,
37, 211.
Associations, quarterly meetings for
prayer and collections advocated,
Hislop, 79.
Association meetings desirable, Latrobe,
83. Should be devotional, and much
information should be given, Whiting,
63; their fruits, Green, 77.
Associations, Juvenile (see Juvenile
Associations).
Athanasian Creed and Articles of Church
of England, 66.
BADHAM, Rev. J. L., vernacular litera-
ture wanted in Greenland for the Esqui-
maux, and in North and South America;
should be adapted to their styles of
thought, 149. Missions the business
CC
of the church; liberality in the Western
hemisphere an example to us, 169.
Baptist Magazine," defended from
the general censure of the missionary
press by the Rev. T. Smith, Tres-
trail, 73.
Baptist Missionary Conferences in India;
called by E. B. Underhill, Esq.; their
plan, their topics; record of their dis-
cussions; its title and its value, 371.
Barbarous and civilized nations; their
respective difficulties to the missionary;
success in modern missions greatest
among the former, Wallace, 67; La-
trobe, 211.
BARBOUR, G. F., Esq., the church back-
ward in gifts, prayer, and faith, 99.
Remarkable success of native agency
at Amoy, Shanghai, and Singapore ;
salaries of some Chinese teachers only
five or six dollars per month, 221.
BARODA, heathen festival at, M'Kee, 131.
BAYLEE, Rev. Dr., proposed Quarterly
Review ; our ecclesiastical systems
shaped by controversy; study of human
nature required in a missionary; Mr.
Hardy's work on Buddhism, 66, 67.
Missionary professorship; annual lec-
tures to the public, in large towns,
preferable to lectures in the Univer-
sities; theological professors cannot
teach everything, and should be aided
by special missionary lectures; the
lectures should be given in London,
repeated in large towns, and published,
93. Committee appointed to consider
his suggestion for lectures; their re-
port, 94, 95. Biblical translation; its
principles, illustrated by the history of
the Irish version; English scholars
better qualified than natives; value of
University training; real knowledge of
language, 132, 133. His early wish to
be a missionary rejected by the Church
Missionary Society; other similar cases;
his work in the mission-field at home;
faults in systems; difficulty of pro-
nouncing on untried candidates; St.
Aidan's College, Birkenhead, founded
by him; if 30007. a-year provided, will
keep a class of one hundred students,
INDEX.
393
if they can be got, at 307. a-year; has
now fifteen missionary students; all
classes received, whatever their attain-
ments; examples of the results of his
system, 240-243.
BENARES (see INDIA).
Benares Missionary Conference; descrip-
tion of its proceedings, 372, 373.
Bengal Missionary Conference; date,
topics discussed, plan adopted, record
of its proceedings, 372.
Beschi's anecdote in illustration of the
difficulty of the Tamil language (In-
dia), Walton, 36.
Bible, English version superior to all
others, Baylee, 134. Read in all Go-
vernment schools in Ceylon, Walton,
138, 139. Introduced in Training in-
stitutions at Benares; adopted by Hin-
doos, and afterwards by Mahommedans,
Tucker, 140 (see INDIA). Not in Go-
vernment schools in India, Edwardes,
339. Adapted to the natives of India,
Davidson, 327.
Bible-classes and Sunday-schools (see
Sunday-schools).
Bible translations: value of native
translators, Singh, 26, 129. Trans-
lators not always the most successful
spiritual labourers, Latrobe, 37. Trans-
lations in modern times made into a
hundred languages, Whiting, 51.
Competency of English translators,
Candy, 131. Principles of transla-
tion: experiment in Ireland; necessity
of varied learning; English scholars
more competent than natives, Baylee,
132. In Palestine; their effects, Por-
ter, 140 in African languages, Shaw,
189: in India, prepared by missionaries,
Sugden, 147: in China, necessity of
the union of European and native learn-
ing for its accomplishment, Lockhart,
205. Well-trained natives the best
translators, Waddell, 213, 214. For
India, many dictionaries required;
when these are prepared, the natives
will be the best translators, Leupolt,
223, 224.
M
M
?
BICKERSTETH, Rev. his proposal to
devote a week,in 1861, for special prayer
throughout the world in behalf of
missions, discussed and adopted by the
Conference, 260.
BIRCH, Rev. G. R., "Turkish Missions'
Aid Society," established to extend
native agency in
agency in connexion with
American missions; 300 agents em-
ployed; missionaries only act as evan-
gelists; natives as pastors; natives
boarded and educated in college, at
Constantinople, for 167. a-year; Dr.
Wolff's proposal to open the Universi-
ties to the Oriental churches, 215,
216.
Black Bishops and Pastors, Stowell, 357.
BLACKHEATH, subscriptions of children
there influenced by reading the
Juvenile Instructor," Lavie, 79.
Bond, Capt., Page, 309.
Book Clubs recommended for the cir-
culation of missionary periodicals,
Whiting, 61.
Brahmins, their learning, influence, and
salaries, Singh, 218.
Brown, Rev. J. T., of Northampton,
Trestrail, 220.
•
Bruce, Rev. R. (North India), his com-
munication on the importance of a
knowledge of the native languages, 29.
Buddhism, Rev. R. S. Hardy's work on,
67; observations on, Douglas, 376.
Buildings (see Church buildings).
BURMAH, missionary operations in, 51
(see Native churches and Karens).
Burton, Dr., medical missionary in
China, 106.
CALABAR, missions in, Waddell, 39,
214.
"Calcutta Review," an example for imi-
tation at home, Cullen, 69.
Cambridge University (see Universities).
CAMPBELL, Rev. W., importance in India
of knowing the native tongue; illus-
trative anecdote; effects of the atten-
tion to this matter in Madras and
Bombay, as compared with the neglect
of it in Bengal, 135. Value of mis-
sionary deputations; facts should be
disseminated from pulpit as well as
platform, 88.
394
INDEX.
"CANDIDATES FOR MISSION WORK."
Paper by the Rev. Thomas Green:
"How may we best obtain and qua-
lify Candidates of the right stamp
for Mission Work," 233-240. Men
required must be spiritual men, de-
voted to Christ; they are the gift
of God, and are to be prayed for
and sought, 233, 234.
Influences used to bring them forward:
1. Missionary sermons; import-
ance of pulpit appeals, as shown
by their results.
2. Missionary meetings; their im-
portance illustrated.
3. Sunday-schools; example of their
influence; five missionaries sent
out by the exertions of the author
in one parish in Yorkshire.
4. Young Men's Christian Asso-
ciations; their value; six of their
members students in the Church
Missionary College, Islington.
5. Universities; numerous mission-
aries have proceeded from them;
and their agency is actively at
work.
6. Parental influence; instances of
its operation.
7. Individual effort; mode in which
it is and may be exercised.
8. Special appeals for particular
mission-fields; examples of their
powerful effect.
9. Missionary publications and pe-
riodicals. All these means avail-
able to all, requiring only fresh
energy; what the studies of can-
didates should comprise, 233-
240.
Discussion on this Paper:
Difficulty of judging an untried man;
Dr. Baylee's early wish to be a mis-
sionary rejected; other similar cases;
faults in systems; St. Aidan's College,
Birkenhead, open to 100 students, at
301. a-year; all classes received, what-
ever their attainments; results of the
Medical
system, Baylee, 240-243.
missionaries should not be ordained;
attention to two professions diminishes
their influence, Lockhart, 244. Union
of spiritual and scientific qualifica-
tions; attention to this in the medical
schools in Edinburgh; desirable to
train them first at home, Cullen, 244.
Value of medical knowledge to mis-
sionaries; should be acquired by stu-
dents, O'Meara, 245. Evil influence of
vicious Europeans on a heathen com-
munity, King, 245. Applications of
young men, willing, but not qualified;
necessity of rejecting them; need of
prayer for labourers in the harvest;
early impressions the ground of such
applications; importance of appeals
to Juvenile Associations and young men
in business, Fairbrother, 246.
Caution necessary in accepting can-
didates; better to reject a good than
to accept a bad man; missionaries
should correspond with boys in their
old schools at home; strong mission-
ary spirit in Universities and public
schools, which should be fostered,
Whiting, 246, 247. Education of the
minister and the missionary; American
idea that in England the latter is
thought inferior in status; moral posi-
tion of the missionary higher than that
of the home-worker; men, without aca-
demical knowledge, but trained in mis-
sionary colleges and ordained, are they
eligible on return as home ministers ?
Somerville, 247, 248. Missions, part
of the ordinary work of the Church; no
distinction between home and foreign
work; erroneous ideas on these points;
disastrous results of parents' objections
to a Divine call in children; Wesleyan
examinations and admission to Theo-
logical Institution; education there
the same for home as foreign work,
except languages, &c., Scott, 249, 250.
In the Baptist Missionary Society,
the status of missionaries is higher than
that of home ministers; mode of
selecting them; special difficulties in
getting the best men; medical exami-
nation; home ministry open to re-
turned missionaries; some of their
best missionaries taken from secular
INDEX.
395
occupations, Trestrail, 251,
251, 252.
Freshness of zeal often more valuable
than scholarship; young men, leaders
of Sabbath-schools and Bible-classes,
very desirable, Macgowan, 252. Press
and pulpit should aid the cause; a
high religious standard should be
maintained, Swan, 252. Missionary
service as elevated as the ordinary
ministry; more men needed; inferior
candidates urged on Committees, as
protégés of friends; this pressure to
be resisted, Layard, 253. Importance
of prayer; result of prayer-meetings
at Cambridge; effect of individual in-
terest in a special mission-field; course
of examination in the Church Mis-
sionary Society described; returned
missionaries eligible as pastors, Tit-
comb, 254, 255. Success of the Rev.
R. Knill in enlisting candidates; his
direct personal appeals to young men;
the willing, but diffident, should be
encouraged, Harcus, 255, 256. Christ's
command to pray for labourers, Wad-
dell, 256. Importance of Sunday-
schools and Bible-classes, Woodrooffe,
256.
Parental influence, how to be dealt
with; misconception of the mission-
ary's dangers; distaste for special
fields should be discouraged; men
should feel bound to serve anywhere;
not as making sacrifices, but as work-
ing in their proper sphere; previous
home-experience beneficial; pastors
might quit home for mission ser-
vice, Smith, 257-259. Paramount
claims of mission work; young pas-
tors should be invited to go out; an
ex-missionary, in a military sense, is
"degraded" to home service, Sugden,
259. Laymen also should work for
missions; individual responsibility;
theological professors should be mis-
sionary in their spirit and instruc-
tions; invitation to Dr. Duff; analogy
between military and missionary life,
Thorburn, 261, 262. Self-sacrifice
to be cultivated among the wealthy,
Cather, 262. Personal danger in
mission-work not great now abroad;
greater in Ireland, Chairman, 262.
MINUTE of Conference on the
above duty of special prayer; can-
didates to be actively sought for; their
personal religious character to be of
a high standard; important to enlist
persons of a higher social rank; sus-
ceptibility of particular classes; me-
thods of appealing to them; erroneous
views to be removed; training to have
regard to individual capacity and sphere
of action; general vigour to be infused
into old plans, 264, 265.
CANDY, Rev. G., impracticability of
fixed rules for all kinds of work in all
kinds of spheres; influence and neces-
sity of missions to Europeans in India ;
evils of former European example, and
improved state of affairs, 44. Verna-
cular Indian tracts not to be prepared
entirely by natives, 131. Their dis-
semination increased by sale, instead
of giving them away, 132.
Carnegie, Dr., medical missionary at
Amoy in China, 105.
Carpet manufacture under Mrs. Leupolt,
298.
Catechists in Indian villages, Leupolt,
33.
CATHER, Rev. R. G., failures not suffi…
ciently brought forward; more humi-
liation necessary; identity of mission-
ary and home work; their action on
each other; liberality at home should
be increased on principle; want of pul-
pit aid in calling it forth, 168. Self-
sacrifice to be cultivated among the
wealthy, 262.
Causes of failure (see Failure of mis-
sions).
CEYLON. Plan of the Wesleyan mis-
sions; itinerancies; house to house
visits; work of native agents and
classes, Hardy, 42, 43.
42, 43. English
schools in Jaffna, by American and
English missionaries; their success;
changes in the system, Walton, 137,
138. The Bible read in the Ceylon
Government Schools; teachers, caste,
and books, Wallen, 139. Native
396
INDEX.
pastors in Ceylon; how supported ;
their circuits, Hardy, 200.
Chairman of Conference appointed (see
ALEXANDER, Major-General), 10.
Vote of thanks to him, 313.
Chalmers, Rev. Dr., sayings of his,
Lewis, 156; Cather, 167; his pro-
fessorship, Thorburn, 262.
Children; interest in missions excited
in them (see Education, Schools, Con-
tributions, Juvenile Associations).
CHINA, necessity of Medical Missions
and of learned missionaries to refute
the learned heathen, Mullens, 22, 24.
Missionary experiences in China; itin-
erancies and settled stations; native
churches the result, and native agents,
Lockhart, 38. Medical Missions in ;
address by Dr. Lockhart, 100–107.
Medical Missions in China and Japan;
address by Dr. Macgowan, 275. Possi-
bility of reducing the language to a Ro-
manized character to facilitate teach-
ing, Gundert, 148. Objections to the
plan; necessity of learning the native
character, Lockhart, 205. Native
agents employed with undue haste;
hypocrites anxious for employment
engaged; natives should not be paid
till tried, Macgowan, 208. Success of
native agency at Amoy and Shanghai ;
also at Singapore, Barbour, 221.
Recent success of missions in China.
Mullens, 333.
Christian Advocate at Cambridge, his
office and operations, Titcomb, 93.
Christian Vernacular Education Society
(India); testimony to its expected
value, Titcomb, 126; Hislop, 134.
Church, definition of, 279.
Church buildings abroad too costly,
Trestrail, 282; Mullens, 284; Singh,
294; Macfie, 295.
Church Missionary Intelligencer," its
merit as a missionary organ, Smith,
70 (see Press); Green, 77.
"Church Missionary Juvenile Instruc-
tor" (see "Juvenile Instructor").
"Church Missionary Record," its cir-
culation and merits, Green, 77.
Civilized and barbarous tribes; their
18
ܕ
respective difficulties to the missionary;
success among the latter, Wallace,
67; Latrobe, 211.
Clarkson, Rev. W., Wallace, 288.
Coldstream, Dr., his lectures on eth-
nology and ethnography; their utility
to missionaries, Cullen, 92.
Collections (see Contributions).
Collectors' poundage (see Contribu-
tious).
Colledge, Mr., of China, Lockhart, 105.
Colleges (see Theological Institutions,
Universities, and Professorships).
Collins, Mr., medical missionaryin China,
106.
Commerce, its spread in North America
injurious to the missionary cause,
O'Meara, 50. Its promotion available
for mission purposes; Dr. Living-
stone's example, Lewis, 163.
Committee appointed "to inquire and
report on the best means of obtaining
increased funds for religious Societies,"
232.
CONFERENCE, summary of; its origin,
objects, and plan; invitations issued ;
course of proceedings; their success,
and value of the discussions; its re-
cord; Introduction, 1–3, 285, 319, 355.
CONFERENCES, PREVIOUS MISSIONARY.
Desire for such Conferences; diffi-
culties in the way; New York Con-
vention, 365, 366; Conference in
London, 367; American Conferences
in India, 367-371; Baptist Missionary
Conferences in India, 371; Bengal
Missionary Conference, 372; Benares
Missionary Conference, ib.; South
India Conference, 373; relation of
these gatherings to the Conference at
Liverpool, 374. ·
CONSTANTINOPLE, American mission at,
Birch, 215, 216; Tucker, 270–273.
"CONTRIBUTIONS, LIBERALITY IN,"
to the mission cause.
Paper by the Rev. J. Lewis:
Small proportion of British wealth
given to missions; how to get more ;
revivals do not always aid missions;
influence of current opinion on reli-
gious expenditure, 153.
INDEX.
397
!
I. Home organization should com-
mence with training children by
school-books full of incidents and
scenes; Sabbath-schools to be
systematically brought in, 154;
by regular and frequent lessons
and collections, 155; by pic-
tures of heathen races in schools,
ib. House visitations
a sine
qua non; deputations to be em-
ployed chiefly for appeals for
special funds, and for founding
or reviving auxiliaries, 156. Pul-
pit influence better than printed
intelligence; reluctance to use it,
157. Causes thereof; want of
due education in colleges by pro-
fessors and lectures; remedy prac-
ticable but difficult, 158.
II. Foreign operations of missions
as affecting home contributions;
missionaries should not be limited
to preaching and teaching, 160.
Works of benevolence wrought
by missions very useful; illustra-
tions; the early monasteries were
mission-houses, by spreading arts
and civilisation, 161. Capitalists,
planters, mechanics, and other
laymen should share mission
work, 162. Dr. Livingstone's
example; also Polynesian mis-
sions; missions not self-support-
ing, and therefore not attractive
to the mercantile mind, 163.
Discussion on Mr. Lewis's Paper:
Contributions to the missionary cause
should be regarded as devotional;
increased by information respecting
missions; gross subscriptions of
Christendom, for foreign missions,
amount annually to 600,000l., MacGill,
81, 82. All gifts should come
from spiritual men, Anderson, S3.
Necessity and duty of asking for con-
tributions; apostolical precedent for
it, neglected by laymen, Leach, 87.
Contributions should be spiritual,
Alexander, 88. The Church backward
in liberality, Barbour, 99.
Expense of deputations; want of
-
pulpit aid, Layard, 165. Collectors'
poundage a question for London Com-
mittees; expenses saved by hospitality
of friends, Woodrooffe, 165. Apathy
of the wealthy; necessity of stimulat-
ing them, Davis, 166. Reciprocity
of mission and home work not suffi-
ciently recognised; home liberality
should be increased on principle; the
pulpit must do more to call it forth,
Cather, 168. Our ministers should
be more missionary; a missionary
pastor makes a missionary people;
pastors should be entreated them-
selves to cherish the missionary cause;
systematic teaching on the subject is
needed; illustration in his own case;
frequent pulpit teaching without col-
lections necessary; a good cause
brings money, Tidman, 169. In the
Free Church, no percentage paid for
collecting; 12,000 voluntary collec-
tors, Tweedie, 170. Total abstin-
ence; its tendency to increase funds,
Rattray, 171. Preparation in the
Church for enlarged labours; simul-
taneous pulpit appeal throughout
Christendom without collections urged,
Scott, 172.
Encouraging effect of simultaneous
monthly prayer-meetings throughout
the world, Porter, 172. Necessity
for abundant information; effect of
systematic giving; thank-offerings;
weekly offerings, Whiting, 172.
Contributions of the poor as accept-
able as those of the rich; pulpit ap-
peals desirable, but systematic and
frequent giving essential; nations grow
corrupt through wealth; liberality ac-
ceptable to God; monthly collections
in U. P. Church, MacGill, 174, 175.
Special claims on some churches im-
pede pastoral efforts; systematic be
nevolence required; weekly offerings,
Cornford, 175. Weekly contribu-
tions to boxes in places of worship
successful, the expense of collection
being saved, Cropper, 176. More
pastoral zeal required; successful
efforts of a returned missionary as a
W
398
INDEX.
pastor at home, Makepeace, 176.
Extent of Christian obligation less
defined than under the patriarchal
and Jewish dispensations; Christians
should give more; the tithe a mini-
mum, Thorburn, 176. Contribution
a duty, not a matter of feeling; luxu-
ries to be cut down, Waddell, 177.
A quarterly report of one quarter of
the globe, if prepared by each So-
ciety, and sent to all churches con-
nected with it, would form the basis
of a sermon, Edwardes, 178.
MINUTE of Conference on the above:
the ground of liberality; as much a
duty to give as to work and pray; con-
science, under the influence of prayer-
ful deliberation, must guide the amount;
gifts, if systematic, would be increas-
ing; a more active missionary spirit
desired in pastors, and abstinence from
luxury in all, 178, 179.
Controversial character of ecclesiastical
systems, Chairman, 16; Baylee, 67.
Converts (Indian and Tahitian) ne-
glected on their arrival in England,
Hughes, 46. Should be used to aid
missionaries in raising native churches,
Titcomb, 48. Immensely increased
number in modern times, Whiting,
51; Tidman, 53; Mullens, 331-335.
CORNFORD, Rev. P. H., the necessity of
addressing the lowest classes; the tem-
poral action and medical influence of
missionaries, 43. Other claims on
churches prevent their support of mis-
sions; weekly offerings desirable, 175.
CROPPER, JOHN, Esq., appointed on
Executive Committee, 10. Success of
weekly offerings; a box at the en-
trance of his chapel saving the expense
and trouble of ordinary systems of col-
lecting, 176. Chairman of Prelimi-
nary Meeting, 10. Chairman of Se-
cond Soirée, 180.
on
CULLEN, Rev. G. D., his assistance in
preparatory arrangements, 2;
Executive Committee, 10; appointed
as Joint-Secretary and Editor, 11.
Proposed Quarterly Review, 69. Lec-
tures by Dr. Coldstream on ethno-
logy and ethnography; their utility
to missionaries, 92. Home training of
medical missionaries desirable; spi-
ritual and scientific qualifications es-
sential to them; attention to this in
the medical schools of Edinburgh,
244. Rev. Mr. Bickersteth's proposal
for united prayer-meetings and mis-
sionary sermons in January, 1861,
261. At Public Meeting, returns
thanks for hospitality shown to the
Conference, 360.
Cumming, Dr., medical missionary in
China, 105.
CUNNINGHAM, JAMES, Esq., suggests
special and general maps, showing all
missionary stations, 146.
DAMASCUS, mission at, its successful
operations, Porter, 140.
Dangers of foreign missions exaggerated
by parents of missionary candidates,
Smith, 257. Actual dangers encoun-
tered in many cases abroad not greater
than those incurred by missionaries to
Roman Catholics in Ireland; the
thought of danger should never deter
a soldier of Christ, Alexander, 263.
Daniel, the late Rev. J., of Ceylon; his
great devotedness and eminent use-
fulness among the natives, Layard,296.
DAVIDSON, Major, value of missionary
efforts among our own countrymen in
India, 47. His employment of native
agency in the revision of the land
revenue of India; mode of proceed-
ing; application of it to missionary
purposes; native preachers should not
live or dress as Europeans; learned
Brahmins very few; not necessary to
educate native agents to encounter
these; general character of the natives
far better than is generally supposed ;
their intelligence and aptitude for re-
ligious instruction, 206–208.
Address at Public Meeting; our re-
sponsibility in India; his own life among
the rural population; their condition
and wants; the Bible most suitable to
them; illustration of their interest in
its stories; hope for India, 326-329,
!
INDEX.
399
DAVIS, Dr. G. H., on the vernacular
literature issued from the native presses
of India; number and character of these
works; must be met by large issues of
a Christian character, 127. Apathy of
the wealthy; necessity for stimulating
them, 166. The reproduction abroad
of all the divisions of English Christ-
ianity is at present unavoidable; new
churches must eventually form systems
suitable to their own circumstances;
different Societies need not occupy the
same ground; they may divide the
work between them, and co-operate for
the general good, 290.
DAWES, Colonel, native agents most ne-
cessary; should be trained in their
own tongue, retain native habits and
dress, differing from the heathen only
in religion; missionaries generally
overworked, and in need of native
help, 201, 202.
DEPTFORD, subscriptions of children
there influenced by reading the "Ju-
venile Instructor," Lavie, 79.
Deputations, missionary: best mode of
conducting them; should be directed
to villages as well as to large towns,
Fordyce, 85. Information to be given
by deputations should consist of facts
and individual cases, whether of success
or failure, Mullens, 85, 86. Sug-
gestions for pulpit as well as platform
addresses, Campbell, 88. Eloquent
speakers not always the best friends
of missions, Alexander, 89. Should
convey full and clear information,
MINUTE, 95. Their great value; best
mode of their application for increasing
funds, Lewis, 156. Their necessary
expense, Layard, 165.
Diffusion or concentration of missionary
effort, Mullens, 21. Settled stations
valuable, as the starting-point of itine-
rancies, Lockhart, 39; Waddell, 40;
Hardy, 42; Minute, 56; New York
Convention, 366.
Dissolving views of missionary incidents
recommended for meetings, Whiting, 63
Douglas, James, Esq., of Cavers, his
suggestions, 375.
Dress of native converts and preachers,
Waddell, 214; Walton, 224.
Drew, Rev. W. Hoyles, his familiarity
with the Tamil language, 147.
Duff, Rev. Dr., baptises seven Jews in
Calcutta; his labours in the English
Institution of the Free-Church Mis-
sion, 181-183; received impressions at
college, 237; invited to succeed Dr.
Chalmers, 262; his visit to New York,
in 1854, leads to the New York Con-
vention on Missions, 365.
Ecclesiastical systems of Europe,
a cause of hindrance to missionary
efforts, Chairman, 16, 278; the pro-
ducts of controversies, Baylee, 66; to
be adapted to new localities, when
transferred to other countries, Mullens,
285, 302; Hardy, 299; Titcomb, ib. ;
mere technicalities to be avoided, Shaw,
289; Fox, 287; Latrobe, 288; must
be reproduced in foreign lands, Davis,
290;
Titcomb, 299 (see Native
churches).
"Edinburgh Review," its improved tone
on missions, Hardy, 90.
Editors of the proceedings of the Con-
ference; their appointment, 11.
Education, home, how to be made avail-
able for mission funds, Lewis, 154.
Missionary (see Missionary education).
EDWARDES, Lieut.-Colonel, each Society
might prepare a summary quarterly of
the state of missions in one quarter of
the globe, as the basis of a sermon in
every church connected with such
Society, 178. Address "On the Pe-
shawur Mission:" description of the
valley, and its warlike tribes; most →
unpromising spot for the mission;
founded by Colonel Martin; its strug-
gles; meeting of officers; scornful
donation by one of "a rupee, for a
revolver for the first missionary ;
that officer and his family among the
first victims of the late mutiny; suc-
cess of the mission; Dr. Pfander's
exertions under personal danger;
pacification of Afghanistan after the
unrighteous war; change of policy
,
400
INDEX.
through Lieut.-Colonel Edwardes's in-
fluence; this change, aided by the mis-
sion, kept the Afghans loyal during
the late mutiny; "Laus Deo," 185-
188.
His speech at the Public Meeting,
337-355.
Missions illustrated by the mutiny;
growth of our Indian empire; Eng-
land's moral triumphs there, over
Thuggee and the like; our duty to
India; why was it given to us? because
we have the open Bible, 338. Former
opposition to missionaries in India;
Judson and others expelled; temples
patronised; education given without
the Bible; justice intended in this,
339.
The natives very religious; very
suspicious of English policy; illustra-
tions; suspicions about the electric
telegraph, roasting their children, flour
and bone-dust, 340, 341. Open deal-
ing about the Bible necessary; great
success of missions, 342.
The native army, its growth; caste
in the Bengal army; its influence,
extent, and power; Hindooism a re-
ligion of externals; Mahommedans
sometimes proselyte them by stealth;
strong feeling about the cartridges,
345. The mutiny; strength of the
mutineers; our heroes, English men
and women; their noble deeds; the
great soldiers, 346, 347.
M
Lessons of the mutiny; its chastise-
ments; proofs of Divine aid; the tele-
graph; the native princes; the Af-
ghans at peace; the people on our
side; no leaders among the mutineers;
the Punjab with us, 347-352. India
to be blessed with the Bible; with
Christian missions; with Christian
government, 355.
>
Eloquence of the Hindoos, Walton, 36.
Eloquent speakers not always the best
friends of missions, Alexander, 89.
Elphinstone, Bombay, Campbell, 136.
Employment, secular, of missionaries
(see Secular employment).
Esquimaux missions, Latrobe, 211.
Ethnology and ethnography, lectures on,
by Dr. Coldstream, Cullen, 92.
Europeans abroad; necessity of mis-
sions to them, Hebert, 42; King, 245.
Effect of missions on them, Candy,
44; Davidson, 47. Effect of their
conversion on natives, Candy, 45.
European compared with native preach-
ing (see Preaching).
"EUROPEAN MISSIONARIES ABROAD.”
Paper by the Rev. Joseph Mullens :
Importance of the missionary; pecu-
liarity of his position; he is a re-
presentative man; his personal cha-
racter; questions respecting his qua-
lifications; purpose he has in view;
he should study his health, should
know the people well amongst whom
he ministers, and should learn their
language; which is best begun at
home, as the process is slow at first;
he should also master thoroughly a
brief manual of the customs, &c., of
the country to which he is going; he
will best learn the language of the
people among themselves; to preach
in the vernacular should be his prin-
cipal aim, as it best suits native cus-
toms and modes of thought; he should
establish itinerancies; Societies should
secure men competent to preach in
the vernacular; importance of Medical
Missions; their establishment in China
and India; varieties of acquirements
in missionary work; also in its spheres
of labour; the missionary should be
adapted to the place he occupies; ten-
dency in modern missions to make
missionaries superintendents and ad-
visers; instances of it; disappearance
of it when churches attain their ma-
turity; kind of men now needed for
superintendents; also for dealings with
native scholars; study of the learned
languages requisite; daily efforts of
the missionary should be devoted to
make himself "wise to win souls,"
17-24.
66
-
""
Evangelical Christendom to be sent
to all mission stations, Steane, 89;
its usefulness, Hardy, 90.
INDEX.
401
Ewart, Rev. Dr., Calcutta, Singh,
183.
Executive Committee of the Conference;
their appointment, 10.
Facts of more importance in missionary
narratives and addresses than general
views, Mullens, 85, 86; O'Meara, 86.
Failure of missions; its causes, Alex-
ander, 16; misconduct of Europeans
abroad, Candy, 45. Failure denied,
Whiting, 51; Tidman, 53.
Ly
Failures in individual cases tend to excite
sympathy; their injudicious suppres-
sion by the press, Fordyce, 84; Mul-
lens, 86.
FAIRBROTHER, Rev. W.,
W., success of
native agency in the South Sea Islands,
Madagascar, and the Karen mission,
206. Applications of young men,
willing, but not qualified; necessity of
rejecting them; need of prayer for
labourers in the harvest; early impres
sions the ground of such applications;
importance of appeals to Juvenile Asso-
ciations and young men in business,
246.
FALKLAND ISLANDS, Stirling, 41.
"Female Education in the East." The
unregarded, uneducated, and enslaved
condition of women in India; history
of the Societies formed for the educa-
tion of native females; their limited
nature; small funds available for this
object; necessity for their extension by
an appeal to the mothers and daughters
of England, Fordyce, 273, 274. Its
great importance in all missions, Leu-
polt, 112, 113; Titcomb, 127; Minute,
150.
Female missionaries (see Native female
missionaries).
Fifth Session of Conference, 191.
Fiji mission; its success, Pritchard, 221.
Native agency there; how formed;
how carried out; its great success,
Hardy, 197; Lyth, 377.
First-fruits and tithes, Thorburn, 177.
First General Prayer-meeting, 11.
First Missionary Soirée, 99.
First Session of Conference, 12.
FORDYCE, Rev. J., the missionary press;
a new paper not desirable; better to
improve those existing; discretion of
editors; failures of missionaries too
often suppressed to the injury of the
cause, 84. Deputations should extend
to villages as well as towns; illustra-
tion from Indian experience; impor-
tance of juvenile support, 85. Female
education in India left too much to
Ladies' Societies; their means inade-
quate, 148. Address on "Female Edu-
cation in the East;" history of the
few efforts already made for the edu-
cation of native females; various
Societies formed; their limited re-
sources; necessity for their exten-
sion; uneducated and enslaved con-
dition of women in India; an appeal
necessary to the mothers and daughters
of England, 273, 274.
Fourth General Prayer-meeting, 277.
Fourth Session of Conference, 152.
Fraser, Mr. Hugh, Singh, 294.
Free Church Mission, Calcutta; its suc-
cess among the Jews, 181; exertions of
Dr. Duff and his colleagues, Singh,
182; its educational system described,
Smith, 118-122; difficulties in the
way of the system, Gardiner, 144,
145; moderate views approved, Sug-
den, 147. Native missionaries ordained
in it; principles of that measure exa-
mined, Mullens, 285; Tweedie, 291;
Gardiner, ib.
Free Church periodical publications de-
fended; their circulation, Tweedie, 75.
Large funds raised without paid col-
lectors, Tweedie, 170.
Fox, Rev. G., opinion of "Pearson on
the Creed;" technicalities of English
church systems not to be introduced in
native churches, 287.
GABB, Rev. J., his suggestions for the
establishment of a penny Missionary
Newspaper and a first-class Quarterly
Review, 64.
"Gardiner, Allen," vessel so named em-
ployed in Patagonian mission, 41.
GARDINER, Rev. T., on limiting
D D
402
INDEX.
itinerancies to small localities, to sus-
tain the effect of novelty, 38. Difficulty
of getting Christian teachers in India;
their English education leads them to
better-paid work; secular education
should not be extended too far to
doubtful scholars; effect of the new
University examinations, 145, 146.
Training of native agents in India;
difference of localities; for the Presi-
dency cities, English education neces-
sary; for rural districts, a vernacular
training; natives highly trained in Cal-
cutta unfitted for rural work; high
salaries, given by the Free Church, have
not satisfied the natives; difficulty of
the question of salaries, 209, 210.
Native missionaries are ordained into
the Free Church generally, as in Scot-
land, but historical and local peculiari-
ties should be avoided in the native
church, per se; advantages and disad-
vantages of the "separate Christian
village" system; should missionaries
control, or only advise, self-supporting
native churches? 291, 292.
General Prayer-meetings (see Prayer-
meetings).
-
General Public Meeting (see Public
Meeting).
Government education in India; counte-
nance given to heathenism (see INDIA).
Government support to colonial mis-
sionaries, Hebert, 42.
Gratuitous distribution of tracts in India
less effective than their sale (see
INDIA).
""
Greek Church in Turkey (see TURKEY).
GREEN, Rev. T., his address on the
opening Resolution of welcome, 14;
on a knowledge of native languages,
29. The pulpit not sufficiently used
for missionary purposes; "Acts of
the Apostles' a missionary record;
one-eighth of the New Testament; his
own pulpit efforts, and their results;
periodical publications; reply to stric-
tures of the Rev. Thos. Smith; value
of the "Juvenile Instructor" and
"Church Missionary Record," 76.
Paper: "How may we best obtain and
qualify Candidates of the right stamp
for Mission Work," 233-240 (see
Candidates for mission work).
GREENLAND, Want of vernacular books,
Badham, 149; Moravian missions in;
its distinguished native agents, Latrobe,
37, 211; and (see Arctic Missions).
GREENWICH, subscriptions of children
there influenced by reading the
"Juvenile Instructor," Lavie, 79.
Gregson, Rev. of Cawnpore, Tres-
trail, 252.
GUNDERT, Rev. H., time necessary to
teach the Chinese language; possibility
of writing it in a Romanized character,
148.
HARCUS, Rev. W., success of Rev. R.
Knill in enlisting missionaries; his
direct personal appeals to young men;
the diffident should be encouraged,
255, 256.
HARDY, Rev. R. S., European as com-
، ،
pared with native preaching, 25; the
missionary work in Ceylon, 42; his
work on Buddhism, 67. The missionary
and general press; value of the
and
Evangelical Christendom'
"News of the Churches;" improve-
ment in "Edinburgh and Quarterly
Reviews," Times," and other news-
papers, 90. Paper: "On Native
Agency in Foreign Missions," 194-199
(see Native agency). Wesleyan native
agents ordained over a circuit, and
limited to three years in one place; in-
sufficient stipends of native agents
should be supplemented from home;
but stipends should not be too high,
200,201. On Christian villages; ad-
vantages and disadvantages of isolation
of religious communities must be regu-
lated by circumstances; generally an
evil, as shown by the history of
monachism; weak converts benefit by
seclusion, but the communities lose
strength and influence; a model village,
to be imitated by natives, may be
allowed; teaching of technicalities can
be avoided; the essentials of different
churches may and should be trans-
46
INDEX.
403
ferred, but details only hinder and
perplex, 298, 299.
Havelock, General, Edwardes, 347,
348.
Hazledine, Rev. Mr., chaplain of Toun-
ghoo, Page, 309.
Health of the missionary; its import-
ance, Mullens, 19; mistakes about it,
Smith, 258.
Heathen teachers in Christian schools
an evil; heathen boys in Bible-schools,
Lavie, 143.
HEBERT, Rev. C., on the necessity
of missions to Europeans abroad, 42.
Missionary prayer-meetings not suffi-
ciently employed; example of their
results, 78.
Henderson, Dr., medical missionary
in China, 106.
Hepburn, Dr., medical missionary in
China, 105.
Hirschberg, Dr., medical missionary
in China, 105.
HISLOP, Rev. S., importance of associa-
tions for quarterly meetings for prayer
and collections; example of their re-
sults, 79. Government countenance of
heathenism in India; sale of tracts by
colporteurs more effective than gratu-
itous distribution; importance of the
"Vernacular Education Society;"
gross ignorance in Nagpore, 134.
Independence of native churches de-
sirable, but allowance to be made for
national character; the Hindoos de-
pendent, feeble, and deceitful; the hill
tribes, energetic and truthful; the
Karens, energetic and prepared by the
Lord; the Burmese of the plains far
less willing and zealous; influence of
caste adds to the weakness of the
Hindoos, 306, 307.
Hobson, Dr., medical missionary in
China, 105.
Hodgson, Rev. C., his suggestion of a
penny missionary newspaper, and a
Missionary Review, 64.
HERNLE, Rev. C. T., infants and chil-
dren in Indian mission schools; mixed
schools of heathens and children;
success of schools in India, 116.
HOLLAND, new Missionary Society in,
192.
"HOME LIBERALITY: BEST MEANS
OF CALLING IT FORTH.”
Paper by the Rev. James Lewis, 153-
165 (see Contributions to the mis-
sion cause).
Home piety, its connexion with mis-
sionary success abroad, Somerville,
52; Tidman, 54.
Hospital and dispensaries of Medical
Missions, Lockhart, 101-105.
Hospitality to the members of Conference,
by friends in Liverpool; vote of thanks
for it, 313, Cullen, 360.
House-to-house visiting, Mullens,
21; in Ceylon, Hardy, 43; in India,
Davidson, 48; to excite a missionary
spirit at home, Lewis, 156.
HOWELL, JAMES, Esq., appointed on
Executive Committee, 10.
HUGHES, Lieut.-Colonel, extent and use-
fulness of Juvenile Associations, 79.
Large circulation of the "Juvenile
Instructor" and the "Gleaner," 80.
£20,000 annually subscribed to the
Church Missionary Society by the
poor, 80. Misconduct of Europeans
a cause of failure, 45. Neglect of
Indian converts and other foreigners
in England, with illustrative anecdotes,
46. Want of interest in the cause on
the part of clergy and ministers, 88.
Humility taught to missionaries and the
Church at large, as the great lesson of
success, Mullens, 335.
Huron, Lake (see O'MEARA).
Income, 82.
INDIA: Missionary experiences in,
Mullens, 20–24; preaching to child-
ren in Ceylon, Hardy, 25; M'Kee,
ib.; Singh, 26; Smith, 27; Bruce,
29; Leupolt, 31; Hislop, 34; Wal-
ton, 35; Lavie, 36; Gardiner,
38; Hebert, 42; Candy, 44; Al-
exander, 45; Hughes, 45; David-
son, 47; Titcomb, 48; Whiting, 50;
Tidman, 53, 54; Wallace, 67; For-
dyce, 85; Mullens, 85, 86. Medical
Missions, Lockhart, 100. Sugges-
404
INDEX.
tions for education of heathen and
Christian natives, infants and children
(orphans especially), boys and girls,
and training institutions for native
teachers and evangelists; female mis-
sionaries; teaching English as a
language; all knowledge to be con-
veyed in the vernacular, Leupolt, 111–
116. Successful working of schools
at Agra, Hærnlé, 116. School edu-
cation in India, its principles, practice,
and results; education of females and
converts, Smith, 118-123. Missionary
education; English and vernacular
schools; want of native masters for
training-classes, Titcomb, 123. Sta-
tistics of the native literature; not
sufficiently Christian in its character,
Davis, 127. Bible translations best
executed by natives, Singh, 129.
Professed neutrality of Government
in religion not real; consequent dis-
couragement to Christianity, M‘Kee,
130. Englishmen competent to write
native tracts; their dissemination
greater when sold than when given,
Candy, 131, 132. English scholars
best qualified for Biblical translation,
Baylee, 132. Government counte-
nance of heathenism; ignorance in
Nagpore; sale better than gifts of
tracts, Hislop, 134. Importance to
missionaries of a knowledge of the
vernacular; cultivated in Madras and
Bombay more than in Bengal; result,
Campbell, 135. Success of English
schools in Ceylon, and especially of
one opened by a native Christian ;
Government schools there; Bible read
in all; teachers not always Christians;
school-books used; caste ignored in
mission schools, Walton, 137-139.
Spread of Government village-schools;
Bible read in Training Institution,
Benares; Government training insti-
tutions established, Tucker, 140.
Difficulty of getting a good supply of
Christian teachers; secular education
may go too far with doubtful scholars;
Indian universities; effect of their
examinations, Gardiner, 145. Best
literature produced by Europeans;
Tamil writings by the Rev. W. Drew,
Sugden, 147, 148. Free Church mission
in Calcutta; its success among Jews,
180, 181. Personal history of Rev.
B. Lal Singh; affecting history of a
Hindoo girl (now his wife); her
mother's death; her own education,
and missionary efforts, Singh, 183.
"THE PESHAWUR MISSION; "' its
influence on the loyalty of the Afghans
during the late mutiny; its foundation
by Col. Martin; Dr. Pfander's exer-
tions and dangers, Edwardes, 185-188.
Misconceptions as to danger from the
climate an obstacle to raising candi-
dates, Smith, 258. "INDIAN CON-
VERTS IN THE MUTINY;" rising at
Benares; extreme danger of the
position; firmness of faith in the
converts; only two in India became
Mahommedans through fear; refugee
converts protected in Benares; Goruck-
pore; converts offered the choice of
death or recantation; their consulta-
tion and flight; danger in the jungle;
meeting with Peel's Naval Brigade;
kindness of the sailors, Leupolt, 266-
270. Female education in (see
"Female Education in the East').
Native agency in (see Native agency).
Individual effort, its influence in raising
candidates for mission work, Green,
235 (see Candidates).
Industrial schools at missions essential;
affording employment to converts,
M'Kee, 26; Leupolt, 114.
Interpreters employed by missionaries in
North America; difficulty of the na-
tive language, O'Meara, 33; some-
times also in West Africa, Waddell, 40.
Irish Bible, its revision attempted by
Rev. Dr. Baylee and two brethren of
varied knowledge; the result, 132;
(see Bible translations).
Islington Church Missionary College,
notice of its operations, Green, 234,
235;
its course of examination and
education, Titcomb, 254.
1
Itinerancies compared with fixed local
preaching, Mullens, 21; to be made
J
INDEX.
405
very carefully in India, Leupolt, 32;
their great success in China; should
be conducted systematically and re-
peated, Lockhart, 39; in West Africa;
advantage of fixed centres and frequent
local visits, Waddell, 40; in Ceylon,
Hardy, 42; in Orissa, very systema-
tic, and greatly successful, Stubbins,
203; Minute of Conference on the
above, 56, 57.
JAMAICA (see AMERICA).
Jews, converted by Rev. Dr. Baylee,
133; baptised in Calcutta, Singh,
181.
Josenhans,
—, Leupolt, 112.
Joseph, history of, Indians' interest in,
Davidson, 328.
Judson, Dr., Wallace, 67; Green, 237.
Juvenile Associations, their import-
ance and organisation, Whiting, 63;
extent and usefulness; example at St.
John's Wood, Hughes, 79; their im-
mediate and prospective value, For-
dyce, 85; importance of their extension,
Minute, 94; their importance in raising
candidates for mission work, Fair-
brother, 246.
"Juvenile Instructor," its circulation
and influence, Green, 77; Woodrooffe,
78; its effect on children of Black-
heath and neighbourhood; their sub-
scriptions, Lavie, 79; its circulation
and influence, Hughes, 80.
KARENS, missionary work among the,
Mullens, 23; Dr. Judson's observa-
tion, Wallace, 67; education of native
agents among them, Hardy, 198;
success of native agency, Fairbrother,
206; maturity of their churches,
shown in their self-support and mis-
sionary zeal; its causes, Macleod, 305;
full account of the Karens of Toun-
ghoo; their independent habits; their
liberality; their teachers; causes of
success among them, Cornford, 43;
Page, 307, 308; number of converts
among them, Mullens, 333.
Kayarnak, Samuel, the first Greenland
convert, Latrobe, 211.
Keith's "Evidence of Prophecy," its ef-
fects, Porter, 141.
Kerr, Dr., medical missionary in China,
105.
KING, Rev. R. C., evil influence of vicious
Europeans on a native community;
should be counteracted by mission-
aries, 245.
Knibb, Rev. William, Trestrail, 252.
Knill, Rev. Richard, Harcus, 255.
LABRADOR (see Arctic Missions).
Lacroix, Rev., Calcutta, Leupolt, 223.
Ladies' working-parties; their utility
and management, Whiting, 63.
Languages of native heathens;
necessity for a missionary to thoroughly
master them; mode of acquiring such
knowledge; "colloquial" compared
with "sacred; vernacular preach-
ing; importance of a manual of native
languages, Mullens, 15-21. Com-
munication from the Rev. R. Bruce,
North India, 29. Every missionary
should learn the vernacular, Leupolt,
32; difficulties of learning, and modes
of acquiring them, Shaw, 30; of the
Red Indians of North America; its
extraordinary difficulty surmounted,
O'Meara, 33. The late Rev. John
Anderson an exception to the rule of
the necessity of knowing the native
tongue, Hislop, 34; Alexander, 35.
Differences between the written and
spoken Tamil languages (India);
illustrative anecdote, Walton, 35.
Experience of the Arctic missions,
Latrobe, 37. India should be learnt
in villages rather than in large
towns, Lavie, 36. "Colloquial" es-
sential to the itinerating minister;
research and learning for his trans-
lating colleagues, Swan, 37. Of
China; its importance, Lockhart, 38.
Occasional value of interpreters in
West Africa, and of teaching English,
Waddell, 40. Unwritten Patagonian ;
its obstacles to missionary exertion,
Stirling, 40. Importance of the ver-
nacular tongue to missionaries and
their wives, Stubbins, 203; they
406
INDEX.
****
should know the language and the
people, Macgowan, 209. Minute of
Conference on the above, 56. Neces-
sity of philosophical and critical know-
ledge for biblical translation, Baylee,
133. Chinese; proposal to Romanize
its characters, Gundert, 148. Diffi-
culty of doing so; better to acquire the
language and signs by application and
industry, Lockhart, 205 (see Palestine,
Native agency, Missionary education).
LATROBE, Rev. P., importance of cheap
periodicals, but a high-class Review
desirable; also extended pulpit exer-
tions; Association meetings and prayer-
meetings, 82. On vernacular acquire-
ments, preaching and research for trans-
lation, compared with success in spiri-
tual labour, 37. Experience of the
Moravian missions among the Green-
landers, Esquimaux, and American
Indians, and in the West Indies and
South Africa; difficulty of training
native agents; importance of those
called by God without training;
Samuel Kayarnak of Greenland an
example; others to be watched for
among the younger converts; high
education to be carefully applied, 210-
212. Neither technical modes of teach-
ing in native churches, nor technicali-
ties of English systems, should be al-
lowed; the Moravians have occasionally
erred in this respect; untrained mis-
sionaries have been as successful as
those educated in colleges, 288, 289.
LAVIE, Colonel, importance of studying
Indian languages among the natives
rather than with the Europeans in
large towns, 36. Missionary periodi-
cal press; large subscription by chil-
dren of Blackheath and neighbour-
hood influenced by the "Juvenile In-
structor," 79. Heathen teachers in
Christian schools an evil ; heathen
boys in Bible-schools, 143. Natives
in India with special responsibilities
have been found by large and long
experience more efficient than Euro-
peans, 225. Native evangelists and
pastors too prone to lean on mission-
J
aries; best to teach them self-depend-
ence by not interfering with them;
poverty of native churches throws
secular work on missionaries; they
must protect converts in cases of op-
pression; little interest felt in India
in denominational differences, 300,
301.
LAYARD, Captain, utility of the "News
of the Churches," 90. Expense of de-
putations; its necessity; want of pul-
pit and clerical aid, 164, 165. Mis-
sionary service as important as ordi-
nary ministry; more candidates ur-
gently required; inferior men selected
as protégés of friends; Committee
should resist this pressure, 253. In-
fluence of Mr. Daniell on native
Christians in Ceylon, from associating
familiarly with them, 296.
Laymen, their power of collecting funds,
Leach, 87.
LEACH, W., Esq., work for laymen in
collecting funds; its great importance;
necessity of asking for contributions ;
apostolical precedent for it; his own
efforts, trials, and success, 87.
Learning of native heathens; the neces-
sity for some missionaries who can re-
fute it, Mullens, 24. But such mission-
aries often disqualified for translation
or teaching, Singh, 27.
Learning and systems of heathenism,
Wallace, 67.
Lectures, their facilities for advancing
the missionary cause, Whiting, 63;
by Dr. Coldstream on ethnology and
ethnography; their utility to mission-
aries, Cullen, 92. Annual lectures in
large towns by able missionaries, on
the subject of their special knowledge,
desirable; in aid of theological profes-
sors, Baylee, 93. Committee to con-
sider Dr. Baylee's suggestion, 96.
Their (C
Report:" that an annual
lecture be given in some large town
by a lecturer of superior attainments,
on the higher relations of missionary
subjects; lecture to be afterwards
published; a fund to be raised for the
purpose; Committee formed to ap-
24
INDEX.
407
point a lecturer, 97, 98. Importance
of such a lectureship, Lewis, 158.
Lectureship, Missionary; Report of
Committee adopted, and subscriptions
announced, 97, 313.
LEUPOLT, Rev. C. B., appointed on Ex-
ecutive Committee, 10. On native
languages, 32. Paper "On Mission-
ary Education" (see Missionary edu-
cation), 111-116. Comparative ad-
vantages of European and native
preachers in India; the former as at-
tentively heard, and as capable of
actual work and fatigue, as the latter ;
natives, however, have the language
without years of study, and know the
habits of the people; they require
smaller salaries than Europeans; men
converted in mature age the best
agents; converts trained in colleges
from youth possess acquired habits,
and less of native knowledge, though
they are better able to contend with
the Brahmins; natives the best trans-
lators, when proper dictionaries are
produced; female agency and female
colleges much needed, 223, 224.
Address on "Indian Converts in
the Mutiny." Liberality of Mr.
Donald Macleod, the patron of Rev.
B. L. Singh ; account of the mutiny
at Benares; fears about the converts'
firmness; extreme danger of Euro-
peans and native Christians; blame of
the rising ascribed to missionaries;
firmness of converts proved; only two
became Mohammedans; refugees pro-
tected by converts in Benares. Con-
verts at Goruckpore offered the
choice of death or recantation; their
consultation and flight; their danger
in the jungle; their meeting with
Peel's Naval Brigade; kindness of the
sailors, 266-270. Christian villages
advisable; account of that at Sigra
(Benares) under his management;
municipal arrangement; juries; funds
for missions, poor, and widows; house
visiting; church discipline; buildings;
press; carpet manufactory, &c.; no
denominational differences, 296–298.
ܝ
LEWIS, Rev. J., Paper on "The best
Means of calling forth Home Libe-
rality," 153-165 (see Contributions).
Liberality, Christian, misconceptions
as to, Whiting, 63; defective, Bar-
bour, 99; ought to be very large,
Lewis, 153; MacGill, 175; Stowell,
357. Ought to be systematic and
frequent, MacGill, 174; based on
its
;
hearty principle, Cather, 168
amount greater than the Jewish tithe,
Thorburn, 177; its root, its amount,
carried out on system, Minute, 178,
179; exemplified by natives of India,
269.
-
List of Members of the Conference, 4.
Literature, ancient and Oriental; its
knowledge most useful to the mission-
ary, Mullens, 24 (see Bible transla-
tions.)
Literature, Christian vernacular, in
mission-fields; statistics of native lite-
rature in India; its objectionable cha-
racter and great activity, Davis, 127.
Translations of Christian books best
executed by natives, Singh, 129. In
Damascus, its success, Porter, 140.
English books should be altered in
translation to suit the native style
of thought; illustrations, O'Meara,
144. Best literature produced by
Europeans; writings in Tamil by the
Rev. W. H. Drew, Sugden, 147,
148. Books wanted in Greenland for
the Esquimaux, and in North and
South America; should be adapted to
modes of life and styles of thought,
Badham, 149.
P
Livingston, of China, Lockhart, 105.
Livingstone, Rev. Dr., Stowell, 357.
LOCKHART, Dr., on native languages;
on itinerating; its success in China,
38, 39. Address "On Medical Mis-
sions in China," 100. (For abstract,
see Medical Missions.) Native agents
essential in China; success, zeal, and
eloquence of those already trained;
female agents employed at Amoy and
Ningpo, under the charge of Miss
Aldersey; their operations and suc-
The Chinese language; imprac-
cess.
408
INDEX.
ticability of rendering it into Roman
orthography; difference of local dia-
lects; the language and character can
be learned by application; importance
of acquiring it; natives could not
without help translate the Scriptures.
Translation: tracts might be left to
natives; but the union of missionaries
and natives necessary in translating
Scripture, 204-206. Medical mis-
sionaries should only exercise their
spiritual influence as laymen; if or-
dained, they lose power by attending
at once to two professions, 244. Se-
conds vote of thanks to Secretaries,
314.
Long, Rev. J., his report on the ver-
nacular press of Calcutta, 128.
LowE, Rev. J. B., at Public Meeting,
presents thanks for the assembling of
the Conference at Liverpool, 361.
Lyth, Rev. B., his paper on native agency
in Fiji, 377; his systems, 197.
M'Cartee, Dr., medical missionary in
China, 106.
MACFIE, R. A., Esq., appointed on Ex-
ecutive Committee, 10. Best use of
periodical publications, to provide mi-
nisters with information for pulpit
use; this plan should be extended by
printing special papers for the pur-
pose, 74. Expensive church build-
ings a great drawback, and at home
also ; the forefathers of Noncon-
formists had their "meeting-house;
it was now called "the house of God,"
thus leading to decoration; “kirk”
more expressive than "church;" mo-
dern "saints;" a church in India,
and others in Britain, named after
individuals, 295. At Public Meeting,
seconds vote of thanks to Chairman,
362.
""
MACGILL, Rev. H. M., effect of
cheap periodicals on missionary funds;
a high - class Review desirable;
large circulation of papers in the
United Presbyterian Church, 80. Ne-
cessity of active missionary work by
pastors, 81. Giving contributions to
be regarded as devotional; the style
of giving expressive of current ideas,
ib. Gross annual missionary subscrip-
tions in Christendom, 600,000/.; more
life required in the Church, 82. A
simultaneous pulpit appeal desirable;
but systematic, regular, and frequent
giving most essential; in United Pres-
byterian Church, collectors visit
monthly, 174, 175.
Macgowan, Dr., of Jerusalem, his valu-
able labours and recent death, 107.
MACGOWAN, Dr., of Ningpo, medical
missionary in China, 106, 107. Suc-
cess of missions unequal to the efforts
that have been made; great mistakes
have been committed; in China, native
agency was employed too soon, and
therefore to some extent detrimental
hypocrites anxious for employment ;
natives should not be paid till tried,
pay being an inducement to the un-
qualified; a knowledge of the language
of the people indispensable, 208. Scho-
larship in many cases unnecessary in
the missionary; freshness of zeal most
valuable; Sabbath schoolmasters and
Bible-class teachers very eligible, 252.
Address" ON MEDICAL MISSIONS
IN CHINA AND JAPAN."
;
J
In civilised countries the mission-
ary and the physician should act
separately; dangerous to unite the
two professions; duties of the medical
missionary, both in his science and
religion; his utility to missionary
families, and in conciliating the
natives by benevolence, as part of
religion; in Japan, at present, secu-
lar missionary labour alone available;
services of army and navy surgeons
to missionaries, 275.
Mackay, Rev. Dr., Calcutta, Singh, 182.
M'KEE, Rev. J., secular employment of
missionaries, in part necessary, 25.
Government education in India; its
professed neutrality not real; official
encouragement of idolatry, 130.
MACLEOD, D., Esq., his liberality to the
mission cause; Rev. B. L. Singh sup-
ported by him, Leupolt, 266. Errors
|
INDEX.
409
of Government in India, a chief cause
of their depriving the people of self-
government; the same principle applies
to the Church; the converts should be
left to rule themselves; mistakes would
cure themselves, and the native selec-
tions of officers would be better than
our own; illustration of self-govern-
ment in the success of the Karen
mission, 303-306.
MADAGASCAR, success of native agency,
Fairbrother, 206. Increase of converts
after the expulsion of European mis-
sionaries a proof of the value of native
agency, Tidman, 225. Remarkable
triumphs of the gospel, Mullens, 334.
Mahomet, two periods in his life,
Douglas, 375.
MAKEPEACE, Rev. J., importance of
more pastoral zeal and pulpit appeals ;
successful exertions of a returned
missionary as a pastor in England,
176.
Manuals of heathen tongues, customs,
and ideas; their desirability for mis-
sionaries, Mullens, 20.
Maps of mission stations suggested,
Cunningham, 146. Some in prepa-
ration by Church Missionary Society,
Alexander, ib. These will embrace
the whole mission-field, Whiting, 173.
Martin, Colonel, Edwardes, 186.
Mason, Rev. Dr., of Tounghoo Mission,
Hardy, 198.
Mayor of Liverpool, at Public Meeting,
proposes thanks to Chairman, 361.
Medical Missions, their importance,
in China, Mullens, 22; in India also,
22; Smith, 27; Cornford, 44; in
Africa, Smith, 27. Minute on, 56.
MEDICAL MISSIONS IN CHINA. Ad-
dress by Dr. Lockhart.
and growing popularity in China,
103, 104. Cure of ophthalmia;
surgical operations on Chinese
wounded in several battles, 104.
Dispensaries and hospitals, 104,
105. History of the movement in
China; exertions of other medical
men, ib. Necessity for further
efforts, 106. Depravity of sailors
in foreign seaport towns a great
obstacle to missions; instances in
China and Japan, 107.
Double qualifications of medical
missionaries; efforts to enlist them in
the medical schools at Edinburgh ;
should be first trained at home. Cullen,
244. Should not be ordained, but act
as laymen; attention to two professions
diminishes their influence, Lockhart,
ib. Medical knowledge; its value to
all non-professional missionaries;
should be acquired by students,
O'Meara, 245.
MEDICAL MISSIONS IN CHINA AND
JAPAN. Address by Dr. Macgowan.
Danger in civilised countries of
uniting the missionary and the medical
man; duties of the latter in his own
profession, and as a lay-missionary:
his utility to missionary families, and
to conciliate, by presenting benevo-
lence with religion; in Japan, secular
labour only available at present; va-
luable assistance of army and navy
surgeons, Macgowan, 275.
Medhurst, Rev. Dr., associated with Dr.
Lockhart's medical mission in China,
39, 101.
Meeting, Public, at the close of the
Conference; report of speeches, 318-
363.
Meetings, missionary, their import-
ance, if well conducted; necessity of
eliciting facts rather than making ora-
tions; dull speaking objectionable;
presence of "great men unnecessary:
should be more devotional; sugges-
tions for the management of quarterly
and monthly meetings, Whiting, 62.
Meetings of associations and for prayer
desirable, Latrobe, 83.
Their adaptation to that country,
and to India; his own exertions at
Macao, in Batavia, Chusan, and
Shanghai, 100, 101. Mode of oper-
ation; no native surgery in China;
fears of the natives overcome;
preaching added to healing; success
and extent of results, 102. Special
cases; vaccination, its introduction
27
Ad
410
INDEX.
Meetings, their power to raise candi-
dates for mission work, Green, 235
(see Candidates for mission work).
Meetings (see Prayer-meetings).
MEMBERS OF THE CONFERENCE, List
of, 4.
Meshakah, Dr., Porter, 141.
MESOPOTAMIA, Whiting, 51.
MINUTES, embodying the opinions ex-
pressed at each Conference, ordered to
be prepared, 11.
MINUTE on Missionaries abroad:
The missionary's character; his at-
tention to native languages; adapta-
tion of his plans to circumstances; his
aims; preaching, stations, itinerancies,
medical missions; efforts among En-
glishmen abroad; general results of
modern missions, 56, 57.
MINUTE on the Missionary Spirit:
Information essential to create a
missionary feeling at home; of what
kind; pulpit ministrations and the
systematic efforts of pastors. Prayer-
meetings, deputations, the press, and
missionary periodicals; the latter to
be of a higher class; efforts to be
made to enlist the young; and mis-
sions to form part of a theological
course of study, 95, 96.
MINUTE on Missionary Education:
School education a legitimate pro-
vince of missions; should be suited to
each station; vernacular schools most
important; English schools in some
countries most successful and desirable,
but should not be carried too far ;
orphan and boarding-schools valuable
in some countries; female education,
its great importance; training schools
desirable where possible; vernacular
literature, its progress satisfactory,
extension desirable, 150, 151.
MINUTE on Christian Liberality :
As much a duty to give as to work
and pray, 178. Conscience, regulated
by prayerful deliberation, must guide
the amount, 178. Giving should be
systematic, and, if so, would lead to
increased liberality; a more active mis-
sionary spirit desired in pastors, and
abstinence from luxurious habits in all
Christians, 179.
MINUTE on Native Agents:
Exceptional position of mission-
aries abroad; their office temporary
and costly; climates unhealthy; lan-
guages difficult; contrasted circum-
stances of natives to whom the work
must hereafter be left; lay native
agents, but some converts must be-
come pastors and preachers; their
special qualifications must vary with
circumstances; men of all qualifica-
tions, young and old, required; those
called of God to be sought by prayer;
education also varies with circum-
stances; theological instruction to be
given in all cases in the vernacular;
the degree of English to be properly
modified; under teaching, the agent
should combine practice with study;
all harmless native habits to be
strictly preserved; agents to be placed
under due responsibility, with pro-
per freedom; their salaries suited to
their social native position; pastors
to be paid by native churches, sup-
plemented from home where neces-
sary; females as teachers and visitors
to be sought and trained; thanks to
God for past success, and prayers for
its continuance, 227-231.
MINUTE on Missionary Candidates:
The Church to seek out and pray
for missionaries appointed by the
Spirit; what should be their personal
character; classes who have furnished
men, and those to be invited to offer
themselves; methods of pressing the
claims of missions : sermons, mis-
sionary meetings, Young Men's As-
sociations, missionary classes and
prayer-meetings in Universities, cir-
culation of missionary works and pe-
riodicals, appeals of Societies, and in-
dividual effort; all obstacles should
be removed from the path of those
who are willing to consecrate them-
selves to the work; how to qualify
them; new life to be infused into old
plans by vigour and prayer, 264, 265.
mak
INDEX.
411
MINUTE on Native Churches:
Standard of membership in native
churches; aim of their fellowship;
importance of self-dependence, not-
withstanding various systems of order;
the missionary the adviser of native
churches, and, except in their infancy,
should not act as pastor; continued
European pastorate has been injurious;
native pastors to be left free; their
income supplemented, if necessary, for
a time, on the understanding that de-
pendence must in due time cease; na-
tional customs to be preserved; sala-
ries, cost of buildings, &c., to be suited
to native wants; separate Christian
villages unadvisable, save in excep-
tional cases; missionaries to seek to
elevate new churches; Church sys-
tems; their essentials to be retained,
but technicalities avoided, and the sys-
tems to be adapted to circumstances,
309-313.
Misconduct of Europeans abroad
cause of failure, Hughes, Candy, 45.
Missionary, the, his importance, peculiar
position, personal character, qualifica-
tions, purpose, health, necessity for
knowledge of native languages, Mul-
lens, 17-24 (see also MINUTE on
First Session), 56.
Missionary Conference in London, in
1854; its spirit and character; topics
discussed; its effect, 367.
"MISSIONARY EDUCATION."
a
Paper by the Rev. C. B. Leupolt :
Chiefly on the best mode of car-
rying it out in India: by schools,
in which the young and females
can be reached, 111. English and
vernacular schools; their respective
advantages and mode of operation ;
scholars should pay for instruction;
village-schools, their great import-
ance; female schools essential;
female missionaries, their power for
good, 112. Separate schools for
Christian infants and for children
and orphan schools; English to be
taught only as a language; all
religious and secular knowledge to
be given in the vernacular, 113.
Training institutions for native
teachers and evangelists; several
already; these need not be confined
to Christians, 114. Caste should
be ignored entirely. Results of
schools; their effect on the native
religions; missionaries and laymen
both suitable for the work of edu-
cation, 115. Schools of a district
to form a circle under an inspector,
116.
"MISSIONARY EDUCATION."
Paper by the Rev. Thomas Smith:
The missionary may give secular
instruction; importance of female
education in India; aim of English
school-teachers not conversion, as
in India; education applicable to
particular localities; preaching not
to be neglected for it; success of
education in India; in securing
converts and preachers; difficulty of
getting them with proper qualifica-
tions; more attention to vernacular
education needed, 118-123.
"MISSIONARY EDUCATION.'
Paper by the Rev. J. H. Titcomb :
I. Introductory stage: Schools for
heathens, in which English language
must be taught, 123.
II. Permanent stage: Vernacular educa-
tion of native agents, 124.
III. Reproductive stage: Boarding and
industrial schools, to facilitate educa-
tion of converts; want of native
masters for training classes; value
of the Vernacular Education Society;
girls' schools; literature for con-
verts, 125-127.
Missionary Lectureship (see Lectures).
"MISSIONARY SPIRIT AT
HOME :
HOW BEST TO EXCITE AND MAIN-
TAIN IT."
,
Paper by the Rev. J. B. Whiting :
This spirit defined; how to excite
and extend it; means for doing it;
subjects of the true missionary spirit
only converted hearts; its manifest-
ations; missionary spirit to be fostered;
its increase; it must be exalted to its
412
INDEX.
true position; it must be kept alive in
our pastors and theological students,
also in laymen. Information on mis-
sions should be sought by all; missions
should be worked in a Catholic spirit;
danger from its absence; efficacy of
prayer in producing missionary ardour;
the pulpit should be frequently used
to spread correct knowledge on mis-
sions, and not merely to beget a tran-
sient enthusiasm; society generally
should be used to diffuse information
on missions; newspapers also a power-
ful medium for conveying such intelli-
gence, as they are seen by all; mis-
sionary periodicals should be abund-
antly circulated; nature of such publi-
cations described; missionary scenes
and narratives should be introduced
into school reading-books; correct
missionary prints on cottage walls,
and well-executed pictures on drawing-
room tables. Missionary meetings :
their characteristics; what kind of
information is to be given at them;
facts and incidents from the best
sources should be culled, well arranged,
condensed, and cleverly related, to be
effective. Danger of relying on “great
men to push the cause of missions,
and not upon its own greatness and
intrinsic merit; monthly meetings in
aid of missions recommended; pro-
gramme for such meetings; the infor-
mation given at them to be systematic,
aided occasionally by dissolving views;
lecturers to literary societies, ladies'
missionary working-parties, and ju-
venile societies, should be enlisted in
the cause of missions; every mission-
ary association should be thoroughly
organised; youths should be trained
suitable for mission work; Christian
liberality considered; every pastor
should frequently urge his people to
contribute to missions; only an in-
crease of God's people can enlarge the
true missionary spirit, 58-64.
Missionary Soirées (see Soirées).
Missionary students, 243.
""
Mitchell, Rev. Dr. Murray, Davis, 128.
Modern
"saints;" churches named
after individuals, Macfie, 295.
Modern Works on Christian Missions,
list of, 381.
Moffat, Rev. Robert, his missionary work
in Africa, Tidman, 55.
Monasteries, their missionary influence
by spreading art and civilisation;
similar influence needed, Lewis, 161;
most objectionable, Hardy, 298.
Moravian missions in Greenland, North
America, South Africa, &c., Latrobe,
210-212.
Morrison, Rev. Dr., of China, Lockhart,
105.
Moulvies in India, their learning, influ
ence, and salaries, Singh, 218 (see
Native agency).
""
MULLENS, Rev. J., appointed on
Executive Committee, and as Joint-
Secretary and Editor, 10, 11. Paper
on EUROPEAN MISSIONARIES
ABROAD," 17-24. Secular employ-
ment of missionaries, 25. Native
and European preaching, 25. His
"South Indian Missions" quoted,
Whiting, 61. Points necessary in
missionary letters and addresses; facts
and individual cases more desirable
than general advocacy of missionary
effort; cases of failure instructive,
and tending to excite sympathy; inter-
esting personal stories in New Testa-
ment; Cornelius, Lydia, the gaoler;
Indian experiences, 85, 86. Native
agency should natives be ordained to
service among the heathens, or as
native pastors? How should the
stipends be met, if a native church
has insufficient means: practice of
the American Board, 200.
Native churches; missionary may at
first be pastor of a church, but no
longer than necessary; the church
should be prepared from the beginning
for independence; church buildings
should be in harmony with the
country and with native means of
imitation; examples of costly Gothic
churches out of place; his own prac-
tice; the peculiarly English elements
INDEX.
413
in our church systems not to be intro-
duced in native churches; case at
Calcutta; converts,
converts, on ordination,
asked to assent to Deed of Demission
of Free Church; in Tinnevelly, to sign
standards of the Church of England;
these peculiar elements formed by
controversy, and injurious at home,
should be modified abroad; exclusive-
ness decreasing here; native churches
should begin free from it, 283-287.
Disclaims seeking for congregation-
alism; systems should be applied
in the most elastic way; ordained
natives may be committed to the result,
without reference to the process by
which it was produced; urges division
of spheres, non-interference, and co-
operation; in missionary labour this is
done, and the same is required in
churches; if the old denominations
must be reproduced, it should be in
the most general way, 301, 302.
Address at the Public Meeting:
missionaries attending the Conference;
thirty-seven present from all parts of
the world; the favourable impressions
they received, and their resolves
for future work; unanimity in the
Conference; the same unanimity
strikingly shown at mission stations;
where, in the presence of idolatry,
all feel as one. Progress of missions
since 1800; change in English society
in that period; work accomplished in
the Southern Seas, in Africa, in the
West Indies, in China, in Burmah, in
India, in Turkey; work of native
preachers under extreme difficulties in
Madagascar, in Tahiti; lessons taught
by success, humility, and more com-
plete consecration; promises for the
future; all nations shall be Christians,
329-336.
His paper on Previous Conferences
on Missions, 365.
Munro, Sir Thomas, Campbell, 136.
Murdoch, Mr., his active exertions in
Ceylon, 129.
Mutiny in India, conduct of native
Christians (see "INDIAN CONVERTS
IN THE MUTINY"): its causes, pro-
gress, and suppression; also its many
solemn lessons, Edwardes, 343-355.
Natives of heathen lands, the necessity
to a missionary of a full knowledge of
them, their languages, &c., Mullens,
19, 24; Shaw, 30; Leupolt, 32;
Lavie, 36; Lockhart, 38.
Native agents, greatly increased number
in recent times, Whiting, 51.
"NATIVE AGENCY IN FOREIGN MIS-
SIONS." Vast importance of the
question; necessity for calm discus-
sion; the "native agents " of the Pri-
mitive Church fellow-workers with
the Apostles; their example to be
studied, Alexander, 192-194, 199.
Paper by the Rev. S. Hardy:
Its importance greater than home
efforts; the life of the future church
in all lands dependent on it, 194.
Each people has a nationality of its
own; no general law applicable; a
special class required, 195; their qua-
lifications, piety, zeal, self-sacrifice ;
homogeneity with the people essen-
tial, 196; their instruction should be
in the vernacular alone; their studies,
while in actual work, should be super-
intended by the missionary; their
responsibility to missionaries, and its
necessary limitation. In Fiji, Rev. R.
B. Lyth trained the natives whilst at
their daily work, 197. The same plan
successful in more civilized places, as
in Burmah, under Dr. Mason, and in
the early Serampore mission, 198.
Stipend to be moderate; lay agents to
assist, 199. How should agents be or-
dained, as missionaries or pastors?
how stipends to be met, if funds of
native churches inadequate, Mullens,
200. Stipends of Wesleyan agents,
supplemented from home salaries,
should not be too high; their agents
ordained to circuits, and limited to
three years in one place, Hardy.
Necessity of agents identifying them-
selves with their countrymen in secular
habits, dress, &c.; should differ from
them in religion only; missionaries
414
INDEX.
?
generally overworked, and in need of
native help, Dawes, 201, 202; Walton,
224. In Orissa (seat of the idol
Juggernaut), success of the mission
there, and its native agents; the best of
them converted in mature age; their
stipend 17. per month, Stubbins, 202–
204.
In CHINA, Success, zeal, and elo-
quence of those already trained;
female agents at Amoy and Ningpo
under the charge of Miss Aldersey;
their operations and success, Lockhart,
204,205. Success of natives in the South
Sea Islands, Madagascar, and among the
Karens, Fairbrother, 206. Importance
of female agency, Swallow, 206.
Natives employed in the revision of
the land revenue of India; mode of
proceeding; its application to mis-
sionary purposes; native preachers
should not live or dress as Euro-
peans; Brahmins but few, therefore
high education unnecessary; natives
of India, their intelligence and apti-
tude for religious instruction, David-
son, 206-208.
In INDIA, Europeans as attentively
heard, and as capable of fatigue, as
natives; but natives have the lan-
guage, and know the habits, of the
people; they require smaller salaries;
converts of mature age make the best
agents; boys trained in colleges pos-
sess acquired rather than native ha-
bits, but are better able to contend
with Brahmins; when proper diction-
aries are produced, natives will be the
best translators; female schools and
agency much needed, Leupolt, 223,
224. Employed too soon in China.
Natives should be proved before they
are paid, salary being an inducement
to the unqualified, Macgowan, 208.
In INDIA, difference of localities;
English education necessary for labour
in cities, vernacular for rural districts;
natives highly trained in Calcutta un-
fit for rural work; the high salaries
paid by Free Church have not satis-
fied the natives, Gardiner, 209, 210.
C
Moravian missions, Greenland,
Esquimaux, South Africa, North
America; difficulty of training natives;
importance of the untrained when
called by God; an example; others to
be watched for; high education to be
applied with care, Latrobe, 210-212.
In NORTH AMERICA, agents there
should assume the habits of Euro-
peans, who are looked up to by the
Indians; high education not essential;
remarkable instance of an ordained
native; his high education combined
with aptitude for the work, O'Meara,
212.
In AFRICA AND WEST INDIES,
employed prematurely; compara-
tive advantages of younger and older
agents; both necessary; educa-
tion;
teacher should be superior
to the taught; negroes from West
Indies fail as teachers in Africa;
agents must be trained where they
are to act; vernacular essential; Eng-
lish useful; African native agent must
be clothed at least partially; well-trained
natives the best translators, Waddell,
213, 214.
IN TURKEY, 300 agents employed by
Turkish Missions' Aid Society (Ame-
rican mission); these act as pastors,
missionaries as evangelists only; col-
lege at Constantinople; agents edu-
cated and boarded for 167. a-year,
Birch, 215, 216.
In INDIA, learning necessary to re-
fute Brahmins and Moulvies, who,
though few, are influential; different
modes of dealing with Hindoos and
Mahommedans; classical education
too low in the Scotch system; salaries
of native agents; Moulvies, Brahmins,
and principal Pundits; circumstances
on which salaries must depend; one
being what the native churches can
pay, Singh, 216-218.
Missionaries should be evangelists,
not pastors; success of Serampore
mission; recovery of Delhi since the
mutiny; rural converts chiefly made
by native agents; Jamaica Institution
INDEX.
415
successful, though some few agents have
been found wanting; Wesleyan local
preachers the "native agents" of
England, Trestrail, 219, 220. Exten-
sively and successfully employed in
SOUTH SEA MISSIONS (Tahiti, Fiji,
&c.); agents have little instruction
beyond the native dialects; training
colleges established; agents of diffe-
rent denominations should not work
in the same place, Pritchard, 221, 222.
In INDIA, present mode of training
agents destroys their nationality; they
should retain their native habits; the
missionary will not be always needed;
therefore the country must be left
to well-trained native teachers, Wal-
ton, 224.
In INDIA, extensive experience
shows that native agents with special
responsibility have been most effec-
tive, Lavie, 225. Its success at
Amoy, Shanghai, and Singapore ;
salaries of some Chinese teachers only
five or six dollars per month, Barbour,
221. Success of native agency in
Tahiti and Madagascar, where, under
native pastors, the converts remained
faithful when, from political causes,
English missionaries were expelled;
native teachers in the Samoan Islands,
South Pacific; the great object of
training is to fit each man for his
particular work, Tidman, 225, 226.
MINUTE of Conference on the above:
Exceptional position of mission-
aries abroad; their office temporary
and costly; climates unhealthy; lan-
guages difficult; contrasted circum-
stances of natives to whom the work
must hereafter be left; lay native
agents, but some converts must be-
come pastors and preachers; their
special qualifications must vary with
circumstances; men of all qualifica-
tions, young and old, required; those
called of God to be sought by prayer;
education also varies with circum-
stances; theological instruction to be
given in all cases in the vernacular;
the degree of English to be properly
modified; under teaching, the agent
should combine practice with study;
all harmless native habits to be
strictly preserved; agents to be placed
under due responsibility, with pro-
per freedom; their salaries suited to
their social native position; pastors
to be paid by native churches, sup-
plemented from home where neces-
sary; females as teachers and visitors
to be sought and trained; thanks to
God for past success, and prayers for
its continuance, 227-231 (see also
Preaching, native and European com-
pared, and Bible translations).
"NATIVE CHURCHES:" how forming
in China, Lockhart, 39; discussion
should be governed by a consideration
of the history of the churches of Jeru-
salem and Antioch; how far should
English church systems be employed?
simpler forms desirable, Alexander, 278.
Paper by the Rev. F. Trestrail:
The right of a church to its offi-
cers and discipline more important
than its form; definition of a church;
many forms of order allowable; mis-
sionaries to found and aid churches;
not being pastors, but overseers ;
churches have been kept too depen-
dent on missionaries; difficulty of
getting suitable pastors; their proper
status and titles; should as far as
possible be kept from the English
language; self-supporting churches
should be made independent of Socie-
ties; separate Christian villages ob-
jectionable; these churches, not the
Societies, must evangelise heathen
lands; difficulty from church pro-
perty being vested in Societies at
home; poverty an obstacle to inde-
pendence, but has been overcome in
Jamaica, &c.; necessity of prayer
for the native churches, 279–283.
Discussion on this subject:
Great increase of native churches;
missionaries should cease to be their
pastors as soon as possible; they should
be trained for independence; church
buildings should be suited to the
416
INDEX.
14
country, and such as the natives can
imitate; examples of costly Gothic
stone churches; peculiar English ele-
ments not to be introduced; converts
in India asked to sign Articles of
Church of England; others to assent
to Deed of Demission of Free Church ;
such elements should be modified
abroad, and the churches begin free
from all exclusiveness, Mullens, 283–
287. Technicalities of English sys-
tems objectionable, Fox, 287. Christ-
ian villages found useful; a few con-
verts scattered among heathen are
persecuted, and lose their livelihood;
together they strengthen one another;
example; in districts where converts
are more numerous they should mix
with the people generally, Wallace, 287.
Church technicalities, and technical
modes of teaching, objectionable; col-
leges not always necessary; successes
of untrained men, Latrobe, 288, 289.
Converts not to be hindered or troubled
by mere technicalities, but mission-
aries should teach the systems of the
respective churches they represent,
Shaw, 289, 290. Reproduction of all
the English systems at present un-
avoidable; natives must eventually
form systems adapted to their circum-
stances; Societies need not all occupy
the same ground; they may apportion
the world between them, and co-ope-
rate for the general good, Davis,
290.
Form of ordination in Free Church
settled by General Assembly; Calcutta
Presbytery could not alter it; the or-
dained converts firmly held the prin-
ciples of the church, which were not
technicalities, Tweedie, 291. Ordina-
tion in the Free Church is general, and
according to English form; English
peculiarities avoided in the native
church per se; separate village sys-
tem; its advantages and disadvantages;
should missionaries control or only
advise self-supporting churches? Gar-
diner, 291, 292. Converts not inter-
ested in denominations often pass to
another church, if they can be more
useful; Bengal churches not self-sup-
porting; converts nearly all peasants
of the poorest kind; much oppressed
by landholders; vernacular schools
would elevate them, and a Society
might protect them from oppression;
evils of the missionary pastor system;
expense of church buildings, Singh,
294. Expensive buildings highly ob-
jectionable; early Nonconformists had
their "
meeting-house," now termed
thehouse of God," thus leading to
costly decoration; kirk" a more ex-
pressive word than "church;" a mo-
dern "saint," a church in India named
after an individual, Macfie, 295. "How
can the Character and Social Influence
of native Christians be raised?" Influ-
ence of Mr. Daniell by familiar inter-
course with the natives, Layard, 296.
Christian villages advisable; account
of that at Sigra (Benares), under Rev.
C. B. Leupolt; municipal arrange-
ments; juries; funds for missions;
poor; and widows; house visiting;
church discipline; buildings; press;
carpet manufactory; no denomina-
tional jealousies in Benares, 296-298.
Advantages and disadvantages of vil-
lage system; religious isolation gene-
rally an evil, as shown in monachism;
weak converts gain, but the community
loses strength; a model village, to be
imitated by natives, may be allowed;
nomads of South Africa exceptional.
Teaching of technicalities can be
avoided; the essentials of the different
churches must be retained, but details
hinder and perplex the native, Hardy,
298, 299. Church Missionary Society
build all churches by private funds;
English systems must be reproduced,
but adapted to local circumstances;
Societies working together should study
non-interference and co-operation; all
missionaries labour in the common
cause, and it would be well if native
churches could be made Catholic and
Unsectarian, Titcomb, 299, 300.
Tendency of native pastors to rest
INDEX.
417
on missionaries; should be taught self-
dependence by not interfering with
them unnecessarily; secular work of
missionaries in protecting converts
from oppression; Catholicity of feeling
in India, Lavie, 300, 301. Deed of
Demission fundamental in the Free
Church, but ordained natives might
be committed to the results, without
reference to the process; division of
spheres, non-interference, and co-ope-
ration all-essential; if the old deno-
minations must be reproduced, it should
be in the most general and elastic
manner, Mullens, 301, 302.
Desirableness of an address to native
churches on self-support and other
subjects, 303. Converts should be
left to rule themselves; mistakes would
soon be cured, and better officers
chosen, than the missionaries could
select; illustration of the results of
self-government in the Karen mission,
Macleod, 303-306. Self-supporting
churches should be left to themselves;
historical elements of old systems
should be left out, Waddell, 306. Their
independence desirable; an obstacle
in the weakness of the Hindoo cha-
racter; increased by caste distinctions;
contrasted with the energy of the hill
tribes; effect of such a contrast in Bur-
mah; the Karens of the mountains
energetic and prepared of the Lord;
warmly receive and spread the Word;
the Burmese of the plains far less will-
ing and zealous, 306, 307. American
Baptist mission to the Karens (Eastern
Burmah) under the Rev. Mr. Whittaker
at Tounghoo; its wonderful success
and its causes; character of the people;
their system of self-government; its
înfluence enables them to make their
churches self-supporting; mode of
operation described; harmony, co-
operation, and non-interference exem-
plified in the case of Mr. Whittaker
and the Rev. Mr. Hazeldine, army
chaplain at Tounghoo, Page, 307.
MINUTE of Conference on the above
subject: standard of membership in
-
native churches; aim of their fellow-
ship; importance of self-dependence ;
notwithstanding various systems of
order; the missionary the adviser of
native churches, and, except in their
infancy, should not act as pastor;
continued European pastorate has been
injurious; native pastors to be left
free; their income supplemented, if
necessary, for a time, on the under-
standing that dependence must in due
time cease; national customs to be
preserved; salaries, cost of buildings,
&c., to be suited to native wants;
separate Christian villages unadvisable,
save in exceptional cases; missionaries
to seek to elevate new churches;
Church systems; their essentials to be
retained, but technicalities avoided,
and the systems adapted to circum-
stances, 309–313.
-
Native agency in Turkey (see TURKEY).
Native female missionaries de-
sirable, Leupolt, 112; great benefit to
be expected from them, Sugden, 148;
required in China, openings for them,
Lockhart, 205; may be of great use,
Leupolt, 224; also Minute, 230.
Native languages (see Languages).
Native preaching compared with Euro-
pean (see Preaching).
NEGOMBO, CEYLON (see CEYLON).
Negroes of West Indies unsuccessful as
teachers in Africa, Waddell, 214.
Neill, General, Leupolt, 267; Edwardes,
347.
"News of the Churches and Journal of
Missions;" its utility, Fordyce, 84;
Hardy, 90; Layard, ib.
Newspapers; their facilities for advanc-
ing the missionary cause, Whiting, 61.
Penny missionary paper proposed,
Gabb, 64 (and see Press).
New York Convention; its occasion;
object; plan; members; spirit; chief
topics; record, 366, 367; recommends
missionary instruction in seminaries,
Somerville, 92.
NEW ZEALAND, missionary efforts in,
Whiting, 51.
Nicholson, General, Edwardes, 347.
E E
418
INDEX.
Nil Kanth, Nehemiah, native preacher
in India, Leupolt, 269.
Nisbet, late Rev. Dr., of Bombay, Green,
237.
North American Indian Mission (see
AMERICA).
O'MEARA, Rev. Dr., on Native Lan-
guages, 33; his remarkable success in
acquiring the difficult language of the
Red Indians of North America, 34.
Prejudices of the Ojibbeway Indians
and other North Americans; their
disgust at European irreverence and
intemperance; trade and commerce in
North America injurious to the mis-
sionary cause, 50. Importance of
facts in missionary addresses, 86.
English books should be altered in
translation to suit the native style of
thought; illustrations, 144. In North
America, native agents should not, as
in India, preserve their native man-
ners, but adopt those of Europeans,
who are looked up to by the American
Indians; a high degree of education
not essential; instance of an ordained
native; his high education, combined
with aptitude for the work, 212; his
experience of the value of some me-
dical knowledge to all missionaries;
should be acquired by students, 245.
Ophthalmia in China, 103 (see Medical
Missions).
Ordination of native agents as pastors
(see Native agency).
OSBORN, Rev. G., proposes thanks of
the Conference to the Secretaries, 314;
seconds parting resolution, 317.
Oxford University (see Universities).
PAGE, Lieut. S. F., account of the
American Baptist mission to the
Karens of Tounghoo, under the Rev.
Mr. Whittaker. The Karens almost
independent of the Burmese govern-
ment; their general system of local
self-government; its influence in en-
abling them to render their churches
self-supporting. Mr. Whittaker's pro-
cedure, by sending native catechists
ì
as pioneers; extraordinary success ;
its causes; harmony, co-operation,
and non-interference, between Mr.
Whittaker and the Rev. Mr. Hazle-
dine, the army chaplain at Tounghoo,
307.
PALESTINE, missions in; translations into
the native languages; extensive cir-
culation; their effect in conversion;
illustration, Porter, 140.
Parental influence; its power in raising
candidates for mission work, Green,
235 (and see Candidates for mission
work). Exaggeration of missionary
dangers, Smith, 257; Alexander, 263.
Parker, Dr. Peter, medical missionary.
in China, 105.
Parker, Dr. W., of China, Lockhart, 106.
Parting Resolution of the Conference, 314.
Pastors at home, should be more
thoroughly missionary; a missionary
pastor makes a missionary people;
illustration, Tidman, 169, 170;
Green, 77. Ought to use their pulpits
systematically to instruct their people
in the principles and facts of missions,
Macfie, 74; Green, 76; Lewis, 157;
reluctance to use it, Lewis, ib. Help
of the clergy much wanted, Layard,
165; Cather, 168; Mac Gill, 174.
Results of pastoral earnestness, Green,
77; Tidman, 170; Makepeace, 176.
Pastoral work, local and itinerary,
compared, Mullens, 21; should not
fall into the hands of missionaries, ex-
cept for a time, Trestrail, 280; ought
to be done by natives, ib.; Mullens,
283;
the missionary not suitable
for it, Singh, 293. Reasons for all
this, Minute, 310.
PATAGONIA, the mission described, with
its peculiar features, its modes of ope-
ration, and its progress, Stirling, 40, 41.
Pathras, native catechist, Leupolt, 269.
Paul, St., his probable imperfection in
pronouncing the Greek tongue an
encouragement to missionaries in ver-
nacular preaching, Shaw, 31.
Pearson, Alexander, of China, Lockhart,
104.
PEGU (see Karens).
INDEX.
419
Periodicals, Missionary; their great
importance; suggestions for their style,
character, and circulation, Whiting,
61 (see Press).
Personal character of the missionary; its
importance, Mullens, 17.
Personal intercourse with natives essen-
tial to acquiring their language (see
Languages).
PESHAWUR: the Church Mission there;
its position; the valley; its noble
tribes; establishment of the mission;
its founder; its missionaries; its
progress and influence, Edwardes,
185-188.
Pfander, Dr., an English outline of his
works about to be published by the
Church Missionary Society, 69; very
desirable, Douglas, 375; his position,
courage, and labours at Peshawur,
Edwardes, 187.
Pictures, prints, and picture-cards, re-
commended for schools, cottages, and
drawing-rooms, Whiting, 61.
Pictures of mission scenes available for
aiding funds, Lewis, 154, 155.
Political action of missionaries occa-
sionally unavoidable, Cornford, 44.
POLYNESIA (see S. S. ISLANDS).
Poorer classes, necessity to address mis-
sionary efforts to them, Cornford,
43.
PORTER, Rev. J. L., missions in Pa-
lestine; tracts in Arabic, Turkish,
and Armenian; effect of translations
in making converts; examples, 140.
American missions hold simultaneous
monthly prayer-meetings throughout
the world; their effect very encou-
raging, 172.
Prayer-meetings, on each morning of the
Conference, 11, 109, 191, 277. Not
sufficiently employed for missionary
purposes, Whiting, 63; Hebert, 78;
Mi-
Woodrooffe, 78; Latrobe, 83.
nute on Second Session of Confer-
ence, 95; of American missions held
simultaneously monthly throughout
the world, Porter, 172; their impor-
tance in raising mission candidates;
results at Cambridge, Titcomb, 254.
+
Christ's command to pray for labour-
ers, Waddell, 256. Prayer-meetings
and missionary sermons determined to
be held throughout the world in behalf
of missions in January, 1861, 260.
Preaching, native and European com-
pared, Whittemore, 24; Mullens, 25;
why the latter is better remembered by
children, Hardy, ib.; Singh, 26;
Smith, 27. The missionary listened to
as attentively as the native, Leupolt,
222.
Preaching, Minute on, 56.
Preliminary meeting of the Conference, 10.
Press, The; its opportunities for ad-
vancing the missionary cause, Whiting,
61. Penny missionary newspaper and
a Quarterly Review proposed, Gabb,
64; Waddell, 65; Baylee, 66; Cullen,
68; Smith, 69. Missionary peri-
odicals, their importance; their in-
ferior character; "Church Missionary
Intelligencer" an exception; desira-
bility of the proposed Quarterly Re-
view, Smith, 69. Rev. T. Smith's
censure objected to as too sweeping,
Somerville, 71; Tidman, 72; Tres-
trail, 73. Value of penny periodicals;
expense and difficulty of producing a
Quarterly Review, Tidman, 72.
Missionary Herald" described and
defended; its circulation, Trestrail,
73. Information should be read from
the pulpit on the Sabbath; special
papers should be printed to carry this
out, Macfie, 74. Objections to Rev.
T. Smith's strictures; defence of Free
Church publications; their circulation;
proposed Quarterly advisable, if prac-
ticable, Tweedie, 75. Proposed Quar-
terly Review secondary to smaller pub-
lications, Smith, 76. Further objections
to the Rev. T. Smith's strictures,
Green, 77. Value of the "Juvenile
Instructor" and the Church Mis-
sionary Record," Green, 77; Wood-
rooffe, 78. Influence of "Juvenile
Instructor," Lavie, 79; Hughes, 80.
Effect of cheap papers on missionary
funds; their large circulation in the
United Presbyterian Church, Mac Gill,
A
AC
1.
420
INDEX.
80. Importance of cheap papers, and
also a high-class Review, Latrobe, 82.
A good weekly paper better than a
monthly or a magnificent quarterly,
Towers, 83. Best course to improve
existing papers; discretion of editors;
their omission to report the trials of
missionaries detrimental to the cause,
Fordyce, 84. Kind of information
most acceptable from missionaries;
facts and individual cases of success
and failure most desirable, Mullens,
85, 86. The "Evangelical Christen-
dom" to be sent to all mission sta-
tions; quarterlies losing influence
compared with good weeklies, Steane,
89, 90.
Value of the cheaper special
periodicals, but desirability of a general
high-class mission periodical (Minute
on Second Session), 93, 94; in Turkey,
271.
Press, The Native, in India, statistics
of, Davis, 127. Press in Palestine; its
activity, successful results, illustrative
anecdotes, Porter, 140. Vernacular
Christian literature, 151. Its influence
in raising candidates for mission work,
Smith, 238. Should aid in raising mis-
sion candidates of a high religious stan-
dard, Swan, 252.
Prints, picture-cards, and pictures, re-
commended for distribution, Whiting,
61.
PRITCHARD, Rev. G., native agency in the
South Sea Missions; its extensive and
successful employment; some agents
had little instruction besides the native
tongue; several colleges established;
in Tahiti and Fiji success equally
great; native evangelists of different
denominations should not work on the
same spot, 221–222.
Private prayer essential to foster a mis-
sionary spirit, Whiting, 60.
Professorships, missionary, essential
in theological institutions, Tweedie,
90; Somerville, 92. Theological pro-
fessors cannot teach everything, and
should be aided by the most able
missionaries to lecture on their special
departments, Baylee, 93. Their im-
portance in aid of the pulpit, Lewis,
158.
PROGRAMMES OF SESSIONAL MEET-
INGS OF CONFERENCE, first, 15;
second, 58; third, 109; fourth, 152;
fifth, 191; sixth, 232; seventh, 278.
PUBLIC MEETING at the close of the
CONFERENCE, 2. Report of speeches,
318-363.
Public schools, strong missionary spirit
existing in them; necessity for foster-
ing it, Whiting, 247.
Pulpit, The, its powerful influence on
the missionary cause, Whiting, 61. Not
sufficiently used for missionary pur-
poses, Macfie, 74; Green, 76; Wood-
rooffe, 78; Latrobe, 83. Facts from,
as well as from platform, Campbell,
88. Minute on Second Session, 95.
How best to render it available by
improved education of pastors, Lewis,
158; Layard, 165; Cather, 166;
Tidman, 169; Tweedie, 171; Scott,
172; MacGill, 174; Thorburn, 176;
Edwardes, 178. Other claims some-
times impede pastoral efforts, Corn-
ford, 175. Its power to raise can-
didates for mission work, Green, 234.
Should aid in raising mission candi-
dates of a high religious standard,
Swan, 252 (see also Candidates for
mission work).
Qualifications of the missionary, Mullens,
18-22.
Quarterly Review," its improved tone
on missions, Hardy, 90. Proposed
Missionary Review (see Review).
RATTRAY, Rev. C., effect of total absti-
nence in increasing mission funds; in
his own field all new missionaries
abstainers, 171.
Reading-books, picture-cards, &c., for
schools on missionary subjects recom-
mended, Whiting, 61.
Red Indian language, its difficulty, 33.
Remarkable success of the Rev. Dr.
O'Meara in acquiring it, O'Meara, 34.
Religion," literal meaning of the word,
Baylee, 133.
..
INDEX.
421
Resolution of welcome on opening the
Conference, 12.
Review, Missionary Quarterly, sug-
gested to be of first-class character,
Gabb, 65; Cullen, 68; Smith, 69;
Waddell, 65; Baylee, 66; formerly
proposed by Mr. Isaac Taylor, Smith,
70; expense and difficulty of pro-
ducing it, Tidman, 72; can only be
for the few, Trestrail, 74; advisable,
if practicable, Tweedie, 75; second-
ary to smaller publications, Smith,
76; secondary to cheap papers,
Hughes, 80; Latrobe, 82. Proposed
Review desirable, and should treat of all
Christian missions in a high-class man-
ner. Minute, 96.
Reviews, improved tone of the "Edin-
burgh" and " Quarterly," Hardy, 90.
Quarterlies losing influence; weeklies
have more effect, Steane, 90.
Revival, the recent, Thorburn, 260.
Sailors, their vicious conduct in foreign
seaports an obstacle to missions, Lock-
hart, 106. Macgowan, 275.
"Saints" (see Modern "saints").
Saker, Mr., missionary, Trestrail, 252.
Salaries of native agents: those of native
pastors to be paid by their churches,
Trestrail, 280; may be supplemented
by a Society for a time, till the church
is strong, Mullens, 200; practice in
the Wesleyan missions in Ceylon,
Hardy, 201; in Orissa, of native
preachers, 17. a month, Stubbins, 204 ;
principle that regulates the amount,
Minute, 230. Salaries of native agents,
Brahmins, Moulvies, and Pundits,
Singh, 218. In Amoy, Barbour, 221.
Sale of tracts more effective in some parts
of India than gratuitous distribution
(see INDIA).
SANDWICH ISLANDS; remarkable success
of missions there; all the population
are Christians; the missionaries are
preparing to quit them altogether,
Mullens, 333.
Schools, at home, their facilities for ad-
vancing the missionary cause; mode
of rendering them available, Whiting,
61. Converts supported by them; this
movement commenced in Scotland,
Alexander, 89,247. Masters of Sunday-
schools, and teachers of Bible-classes,
fresh in their youthful zeal, desirable
as missionaries, Macgowan, 252. In
India (see INDIA, and Candidates for
mission work).
School-books and pictures to be made
available for mission funds, Lewis,
154.
Sargent, Mr., Mullens, 286; Fox, 287.
Sau Quala, the Karen Apostle, Page,
308.
SCOTT, Rev. G., suggests a simultaneous
pulpit appeal throughout Christendom,
without collections, 172. Missionary
work not extraneous, but the ordinary
work of the church; error on this point
the cause of its neglect; no distinc-
tion between home and foreign work;
objections of parents to a Divine call in
children; disastrous results; Wesleyan
mode of proceeding with youth; their
examinations and admission to Theo-
logical Institution; education there the
same for home as for foreign work, ex-
cept as to language, &c.; his personal
experience; his sons and a daughter
devoted to foreign missions, 249, 250.
Scudder, Rev. J., on vernacular preach-
ing, 48.
Scudder family, Green, 237.
Secretaries to the Conference, their ap-
pointment, 10; vote of thanks to them;
reply by Rev. G. D. Cullen, 314.
Second General Prayer-meeting, 109.
Second Missionary Soirée, 181.
Second Session of Conference, 58.
Secular employment of missionaries,
Whittemore, 24; Mullens, ib.; M'Kee,
25; Leupolt, 298.
Serampore mission (see INDIA).
Sermons on behalf of Missions to be
preached throughout the world in
January, 1861,146 (see Pulpit appeals).
Seventh Session of Conference, 277.
SHAFTESBURY, Earl of, Chairman of
Public Meeting terminating the Con-
ference; his Lordship's opening ad-
dress; congratulations on the present
422
INDEX.
national synod of all branches of the
Christian church, 321. Present position
of the world; only a fraction of its
people Christians; our national re-
sponsibility, 322. Union now existing
among all branches of the church;
neutrality in religion impossible, 324.
India a peculiar field for missionary
operations; it must be Christianised;
attack of error as necessary as defence;
favourable openings to the world gener-
ally; conflicts in progress; judgments
impending; necessity for exertion to
procure acceptance, 325, 326. At Pub-
lic Meeting, returns thanks, 362.
SHAW, Rev. W., similarity of missionary
experience in India and Africa; im-
portance of a knowledge of native
languages; the difficulty of its acquire-
ment, and modes of attaining it, 29.
Address on "Missions in South Africa."
Range of missions very extensive;
prosecuted by various Societies; suc-
cessful results; translations of the
Scriptures; 18,000 communicants,
20,000 school-children, and, in all,
100,000 native Christians, 189. Con-
verts ought not to be hindered or
troubled by mere technicalities, but
missionaries should teach the systems.
they prefer; if not, it would lead to
congregationalism; missionaries re-
sponsible to the churches they repre-
sent, 289, 290.
SIBERIA, missionary experiences in,
Swan, 37.
Similarity of missionary experience in
different climes,, Shaw, 29.
SINGH, Rev. B. L., native agency com-
pared with European, 26; native
translations of the Bible, ib.; best
executed by trained natives; character
of vernacular literature, 129. Account
of the Free Church Mission in Cal-
cutta; its success among Jews, 180,
181. His personal history, his edu-
cation, acquirement of religious know-
ledge; influence of Mr. Donald Mac-
leod's example; embraces Christianity;
missionary exertions. Affecting his-
tory of a Hindoo girl; her mother's
death by cholera; the child saved by
Dr. Sutton; the Christian education
and teaching in female schools; her
marriage to the Rev. B. L. Singh,
183. Brahmins and Moulvies, in In-
dia, though few, most learned and in-
fluential; relied upon by the people;
much learning not required to preach
to the rural people, but very necessary
to contend with the learned heathen;
example; different mode of dealing with
Hindoos and Mahommedans; Scotch
system of Hebrew and Greek education
in India too low. Salaries of native
agents; his own, 60 rupees per month
and a house; circumstances on which
salaries should depend; one important
point is, what the native churches can
pay; highest class of preachers receive
from 100 to 150 rupees per month;
second class, 50 to 80; third class,
16 to 30; fourth class, 10 to 20;
Moulvies and Brahmins get from 5 to
20 rupees, with many additions at
feasts and ceremonials; salaries of
principal pundits depend on their
classes and relation to wealthy hea-
then, 216-219. Supported by Mr.
Donald Macleod, Leupolt, 266. Con-
verts not much interested in denomi-
nations; they pass from one church
to another, only to be more useful;
no church in Bengal self-supporting;
converts nearly all ryots or peasants,
very poor, oppressed by landowners,
and unable to aid the church; verna-
cular schools would elevate their status;
a Society should be formed to protect
them from oppression; missionaries
should not be pastors; evils of the
system; church buildings too expen-
sive, 294.
Sixth Session of Conference, 232.
SMITH, Rev. T., native compared with
European agency; Medical Missions,
27. Inferior character of missionary
periodicals; the "Church Missionary
Intelligencer" an exception; a Quar-
terly Review desirable, 69. Quarterly
Review secondary to smaller publica-
tions, 76. Paper on "MISSIONARY
INDEX.
423
EDUCATION," 118-123 (see Mis-
sionary education). Obstacles to
obtaining candidates for mission work ;
parental influence; how to be dealt
with; it often arises from a miscon-
ception of perils to be encountered,
from climate and other causes; dis-
taste for special fields in missionaries
themselves; men should feel bound to
serve anywhere; should not feel as
making sacrifices, but as selecting the
departments they are best fitted for;
preparatory home experience desirable;
pastors becoming missionaries would
have a good effect, 257-259.
Smith, Rev. -, Benares, Leupolt, 223.
Social intercourse, its opportunities for
advancing the missionary cause,
Whiting, 61.
Soirées, missionary, proceedings at, first,
99; second, 181; third, 266.
SOMERVILLE, Rev. Dr., missionary suc-
cess the work of the Spirit; dependent
on piety at home; revivals at home
bring revivals abroad, 52. Objects to
the Rev. Thos. Smith's censure of the
missionary press, 71. United Presby-
terian Church has ordered missionary
instruction to be given by theological
professors, 91. New York Missionary
Conference advised the same course,
92. Importance of missionary pro-
fessorships, 92. Academic and theo-
logical education of the minister and
the missionary is the same; an idea
exists in America that, in England, the
latter is inferior in status to the for-
mer; moral position of the missionary
higher than that of the home worker;
men without academical knowledge,
but trained in missionary colleges and
ordained, are they eligible on return
as home ministers? 247, 248. Moves
parting Resolution. Feelings inspired
by the meetings; presence and fruit of
the Spirit; unanimity on great prin-
ciples; the prospects before us, 315,
316.
South India Missionary Conference; its
proceedings; its record; narratives of
the various missions; subjects dis-
cussed; statistical tables; value of this
record, 373.
SOUTH SEA ISLANDS, missionary opera-
tions in, Mullens, 23. Character of the
people, Wallace, 68; of the missions,
Whiting, 51; extent and examples of
their success, Tidman, 54; summary
of it, in the four chief Societies, Mul-
lens, 332, 333. Success of native
agency, Fairbrother, 206; Pritchard,
221; in Samoa and Fiji, Pritchard,
ib.; native agency in Tahiti, Tidman,
225; in Samoa, ib.
Special appeals for particular missions;
their influence in raising candidates
for mission work, Green, 235 (see
Candidates for mission work).
St. Aidan's College, Birkenhead, founded
by the Rev. Dr. Baylee (see BAYLEE,
Rev. Dr.).
St. John's Wood Juvenile Association;
its extent and usefulness, Hughes, 79.
STEANE, Rev. Dr., appointed on Ex-
ecutive Committee, 10; and as Joint-
Secretary and Editor, 11. Informa-
tion should be sent to missionaries;
the" Evangelical Christendom" to be
sent to all mission stations, 89. Quar-
terly Reviews losing influence; such a
periodical as the "Saturday Review "
preferable, 90.
Stewards of Conference, vote of thanks
to them for services, 313.
STIRLING, Rev. W. H., special circum-
stances of the Patagonian mission,
with particular reference to their un-
written language, 40, 41.
Stories at Missionary Meetings useful,
Mullens, 86.
-
STOWELL, Rev. Canon, his Address at
Public Meeting; congratulations on
harmony and unanimity; native agency
to be enlarged; further opening of the
mission - field; liberality should be
extended in proportion; appeal to the
wealth of Liverpool and Manchester;
enlargement in devoting missionaries;
necessity of preaching and prayer, that
revival may come at home and abroad,
355-360.
STUBEINS. Rev. ISAAC, his experience
424
INDEX.
of twenty-four years in Orissa, the
seat of the idol Juggernaut; the
mission small, but very successful;
zealous native preachers trained; the
best of them converted in mature age;
their stipend 17. per month; their
operations tended by the local mis-
sionaries; importance of vernacular
tongue to missionaries and their
wives; its knowledge enforced on
civilians by Government, 202–204.
Subscriptions for foreign missions; gross
amount annually, 600,0007., Mac Gill,
82.
Subscriptions (see Contributions for
mission work).
Successes of modern missions, Whit-
ing, 50; Tidman, 53, 225; Mullens,
332, 333; among Englishmen abroad,
Candy, 44; Davidson, 47.
SUGDEN, Rev. J., the relative import-
(6
ance of vernacular and English schools
in India; best Christian literature
prepared by Europeans and Ameri-
cans; the Rev. W. H. Drew, his fami-
liarity with the Tamil language; value
of native female missionaries, 147, 148.
Paramount claims of mission service;
desirable that all home pastors should
have foreign experience; felt himself,
in a military sense,
degraded" from
mission to home work; Societies might
invite young pastors to go out, 259.
Suggests an address to all native
churches, on self-support, temperance,
&c. In teaching missionaries on points
of church government, the defects
of systems should be pointed out
as well as their merits; too much
familiarity with natives deprecated,
303.
Sunday-schools, their large contribu-
tions for missionary purposes, Hughes,
80. Converts supported by them; the
movement commenced in Scotland,
Alexander, 89 How to be made
available for mission funds, Lewis,
154. Desirable at mission stations,
Swallow, 206. Their power to raise
candidates for mission work, Green,
235; number of teachers and scholars,
236 (see also Candidates for mission
work).
Sunday-schools and Bible-classes; their
importance in raising mission candi-
dates, Woodrooffe, 256.
Superintendents and advisers of native
teachers; modern missionaries as ex-
amples, Mullens, 23.
Surgery in China, 101 (see Medical
Missions).
Sutton, the late Rev. Dr., 182 (see SINGH).
SWALLOW, C., Esq.,employment of native
females as evangelists; introduction
of the Sunday-school system in mis-
sions desirable, 206.
SWAN, Rev. W., on the study of native
languages; its importance to itine-
rating missionaries; requirements of
others for translating, &c., 37. Press
and pulpit should aid in raising
spiritual missionaries; a high religious
standard of qualification should be
maintained, 252.
Systems of heathenism compared with
barbarism; their respective difficulties
to the missionary, Wallace, 67.
Systematic giving (see Liberality).
TAHITI mission, its success, Pritchard,
221. Increase of converts after the
expulsion of English missionaries;
a proof of the importance of native
agents, Tidman, 225.
Tahitian converts, neglected in England,
Hughes, 46.
Tamil language, written and spoken; their
differences; difficulty of the latter;
illustrative anecdote, Walton, 36.
Taylor, Mr. Isaac, his proposal for a
Quarterly Review; plan abandoned;
its proposed revival, Smith, 70; Tid-
man, 72.
Theological institutions, want of
missionary professorships at, Tweedie,
90. Christian missions should be
brought systematically before students.
Minute on Second Session, 94.
Wesleyan education of candidates
for mission work, Scott, 249, 250.
Church Missionary College at Isling-
ton: course of examination and edu-
:
INDEX.
425
•
cation, Titcomb, 254 (see Papers and
remarks by Green, Baylee, Somer-
ville; see also Candidates for mission
work; and see Colleges).
Third General Prayer-meeting, 191.
Third Missionary Soirée, 266.
Third Session of Conference, 109.
THORBURN, Rev. D., necessity of pulpit
appeals; extent of Christian obliga-
tions with regard to contributions not
so exactly defined as under Patriarchal
and Jewish dispensations; Christians
ought to give more than was then
given; weekly gifts enforced by the
Apostles, 176, 177. "How far is it
possible and advisable to induce men
and women of private fortune to de-
vote themselves to missionary work?"
Missions should not be treated as
the Church's extra work only, but a
positive duty of all classes; individual
responsibility the grand secret of suc-
cess; all theological should be also mis-
sionary professors; analogy between
missionary and military life, 261, 262.
TIDMAN, Rev. Dr., his addresses to the
Conference in proposing opening Re-
solution of mutual welcome, 12; de-
nies the failure of missions, 53; their
success in India, Polynesia, and Africa,
53-55; admits the neglect of the
home church, 54. Missionary peri-
odicals; value of penny publications;
expense and difficulty of starting a
Quarterly Review, 72. Ministers should
be more missionary, by frequent pulpit
teaching, without collections; a good
cause brings money, 169. The in-
crease of converts in Tahiti and Mada-
gascar, when the European missionaries
were expelled, a proof of the import-
ance of native agency, 225, 226.
TIERRA DEL FUEGO, Stirling, 41.
"Times" and other newspapers, their
improved tone on missionary subjects,
Hardy, 90.
TINNEVELLY, missionary work in, Mul-
lens, 23; churches in, 284; natives
ordained, 286.
TITCOMB, Rev. J. H., importance of
prayer-meetings in raising mission
candidates; result at Cambridge; ef-
fect of local interest in a particular
mission-field; course of examination
of candidates in the Church Missionary
Society described, 254, 255. In the
Church Missionary Society all churches
are built by private funds. English
Church systems must be reproduced
abroad, with due elasticity and lati-
tude to suit them to circumstances.
Different Societies, working together,
should act on the principles of non-
interference and co-operation; all
missionaries labour in a common cause;
and it would be well if native churches
could be made Catholic and unsec-
tarian, 299, 300. Vernacular and
itinerating preaching in India; reflex
influence of Europeans there ; em-
ployment of converts in aid of mis-
sions, 48. Missionary teaching not
wanting in Cambridge University;
sermons on missions; annual work by
the Christian Advocate; lectures by
Divinity professor; exertions of students
in the cause; attendance at meetings
of a Secretary of the Church Mission-
ary Society; missionary reading-room;
University Prayer-union; missionary
professorship neither possible nor ne-
cessary, 93, 94. His Paper on "Mis-
sionary Education," 123-127 (see
Missionary education).
Tithes, Thorburn, 177.
Tongues, the gift of, as exercised by the
Apostles, Shaw, 31.
TOWERS, Rev. J., a good weekly news-
paper preferable to a monthly or quar-
terly missionary organ, 83.
Tracts, their sale in parts of India more
effective than gratuitous distribution
(see INDIA and Press).
Trade, its spread in North America in-
jurious to the missionary cause,
O'Meara, 50.
Training schools in India (see INDIA).
Translation (see Bible and Languages).
TRESTRAIL, Rev. F., on missionary
periodicals; objects to Rev. T.
Smith's strictures on them; defends
the Baptist Missionary Magazine; its
426
INDEX.
large circulation, 73. Missionaries
should be evangelists, not pastors;
the Serampore mission acted on this
principle, also that at Delhi; the latter
has recovered since the mutiny, and is
prosperous; converts in rural districts
made chiefly by natives. Jamaica
Institution is not, as stated, a failure;
though some agents have proved want-
ing in qualifications; Wesleyan local
preachers the "native agents of
England, 219, 220. Baptist mission-
aries occupy a higher status than their
own ministers; process for their ad-
mission to colleges, and tests for their
selection to missionary work; many
zealous but untrained applicants re-
jected; more difficult to preach to
children or to the ignorant than to
the wise;
doubtful candidates are re-
ferred to their pastor, who some-
times errs in his recommendation;
pastors themselves sometimes invited
to mission work, and generally success-
ful; importance of candidate's health;
City missionaries and British school-
masters good candidates; their re-
turned missionaries fully eligible as
pastors at home; examples, 251, 252.
His Paper "On Native Churches
(see Native churches), 279–283.
Trials and failures (see Failures).
TUCKER, H. C., Esq., conductor of pre-
paratory arrangements, 2; appointed
on Executive Committee, 10; and as
Joint-Secretary and Editor, 11. Spread
of Government education by village-
schools in India; necessity of introduc-
ing the Christian elements into them ;
his training institution at Benares;
successful introduction of Bible read-
ing; Government training institutions,
139, 140; at Sigra, Leupolt, 267.
TUCKER, Rev. J. R., Address "On
Missions in Turkey." American Mis-
sion established thirty years; Turkish
Missions' Aid Society formed to sup-
port it; slow but steady progress ;
perseverance and its reward; exten-
sive operations of the mission press;
numerous works original and transla-
"
""
tions into Turkish, Armenian, Bulga-
rian, Greek, Syriac, and Arabic;
schools, male and female; native
agency and native churches; the re-
productive principle; slow progress
and ultimate prosperity of one church
under a converted Armenian; Mahom-
medan Government and Greek and
Armenian Churches stimulated by
Christian efforts; firman of the Sultan
permitting conversion to Christianity;
its extraordinary effects; the Society
has sixty native agents, 270-273.
TURKEY, the Christian press, its activity
and successful results, Porter, 140, 271.
American missions in, Birch, 215,
216. Missions in; American missions
and Turkish Missions' Aid Society
(see TUCKER).
TWEEDIE, Rev. Dr.,
Dr., on missionary
periodical publications; objections to
Rev. T. Smith's strictures on them;
defence of Free Church periodicals;
proposed Quarterly advisable, if prac-
ticable, 75. Missionary professor-
ships needed in universities, colleges,
and other theological institutions;
missionary subjects essential to the
student's education, 90. Principles
of the Free Church not technicalities,
in the mode of ordination of converts
objected to by Mr. Mullens (see
Native churches), the Presbytery of
Calcutta acted on the authority of the
General Assembly, and could not alter
the form; the ordained converts were
attached to the principles of the
Church, 297.
Universities of Cambridge, Oxford, and
Dublin, Titcomb, 93; their power to
raise candidates for mission work,
Green, 235 (see Candidates for mission
work). Strong missionary spirit exist-
ing in them, which should be fostered,
Whiting, 247. Many missionaries
have lately proceeded from them,
Layard, 253; Titcomb, 254.
Vaccination in China, 103 (see Medical
Missions).
INDEX.
427
Vedas, Douglas, 376.
Vernacular Education Society for India,
Titcomb, 126.
Vernacular native idioms; importance
of a familiar knowledge of them (see
Language).
Vernacular preaching (see Preaching),
Mullens, 20, 21 (see Languages).
Visiting from house to house, Mullens,
21; Hardy, 43.
Village-schools in India (see INDIA).
WADDELL, Rev. H. M., on languages
and itinerating; no general rule ap-
plicable; value of central stations and
frequent local visits; occasional value
of interpreters, and of teaching Eng-
lish, 39. Missionary periodicals, 65.
Contribution a duty, not a mere feel-
ing; necessity for cutting down lux-
uries to aid the cause, 177. African
and West Indian missions; native
agency often employed too soon; com-
parative advantages of younger and
older agents; both necessary according
to circumstances; high education not
necessary, but, as at home, the teacher
should be superior to the taught;
negroes trained in West Indies unsuc-
cessful in Africa; agents should be
trained where they are to act; verna-
cular knowledge essential, but Eng-
lish useful; native teachers in Africa
must clothe partially, if only for de-
cency; well-trained natives the best
translators of the Word, 213, 214.
Christ's command to pray for la-
bourers, 256. Mission churches, when
self-supporting, should be left entirely
to themselves; has always endeavour-
ed to promote self-government; Eng-
lish systems should be carried out
without reference to their historical
elements, 306.
verts are scattered among many hea-
then; they are protected and protect
each other in villages; but where con-
verts are more numerous, they should
mix with the people generally, 287.
WALTON, Rev. J., interpreters and
native languages, 35. English schools
in Ceylon; their success in training
native Christians; the American Mis-
sion School abandoned, but reopened
with great success by a convert; the
Bible read in all Government schools
in Ceylon; the teachers not always
Christians; nature of school-books;
effects of caste exclusiveness, 137-
139. Present method of training na-
tive agents in India destroys their
nationality; they should retain their
native habits; the missionary will not
be always needed, therefore the coun-
try must be left to well-trained native
teachers, 224.
Wealthy persons to be induced to de-
vote themselves to missionary work;
their duty as common members of the
Church, Thorburn, 261.
Welcome, Resolution of, at the opening
of the Conference, 12.
Welton, Dr., medical missionary in
China, 105.
WALLACE, Rev. J., the respective diffi-
culties presented by organized sys-
tems of heathenism, and by compara-
tive barbarism; success greater with
the latter; illustrations from India,
Ceylon, and the Karens, 67. Separate
Christian villages, where a few con-
Wesley, Rev. John, a principle of his,
Smith, 258.
Wesleyan examinations of candidates;
education in Theological Institution,
Scott, 249, 250 (see Candidates for
mission work).
""
Wesleyan local preachers analogous to
the "native agents of foreign mis-
sions, Trestrail, 220.
WEST INDIES, Success of missions in,
Cornford, 43; the Christian negroes
in, Whiting, 51; Mullens, 333.
Westminster Confession and Catechisms,
Baylee, 66.
Wheeler, Colonel, Leupolt, 267.
WHITING, Rev. J. B., on the number of
Bible translations and of converted
heathens in modern times; the suc-
cess of missions equal to that of the
Apostles; increase of native agents,
50: his Paper "On the Best Means
428
INDEX.
of exciting and maintaining a Mis-
sionary Spirit," 58-64. Want of in-
formation for pulpit ministry beyond
existing publications; maps issued
and preparing by Church Missionary
Society to include the whole mission-
field; systematic giving, weekly offer-
ings, thank-offerings, 173. Great cau-
tion necessary in accepting or reject-
ing candidates; some rejected who
have since become eminent at home;
others accepted on second application;
better to reject a good than accept a
bad man; missionaries should cor-
respond with boys in their old schools
at home; strong missionary spirit in
Universities and public schools, which
should be fostered, 246, 247.
Whittaker, Rev. Mr., of Burmah, Page,
308.
-
WHITTEMORE, Rev. W. M., secular em-
ployment of missionaries; native com-
pared with European preaching, 24, 25.
Williams, late Rev. John, Hughes, 47;
Trestrail, 252.
Wolff, Dr., his proposal to open the
Universities to the Oriental churches,
215, 216.
Wong-fun, Dr., medical missionary in
China, 105.
WOODFALL, HENRY, Esq., appointed on
Executive Committee, 10.
WOODROOFFE, Rev. Canon, importance
of periodical devotional meetings;
success of the "Juvenile Instructor'
and other cheap periodicals, 78. Col-
lectors' poundage a question for Lon-
don committees; expenses saved by
hospitality of friends, 165. Import-
ance of Sunday-schools and Bible-
classes in raising mission candidates,
256.
"}
Working-parties (see Ladies' working-
parties).
Written and spoken languages in India;
their differences, Walton, 35.
"Young Cottager,"
Richmond's,
O'Meara, 144.
Young Men's Christian Associations;
their power to raise candidates for
mission work, Green, 235; an Asso-
ciation formed on the banks of the
Tigris, J. R. Tucker, 272 (see Can-
didates for mission work).
Young missionaries advised to work
under elder ones, Leupolt, 32.
Youths; their availability for mission
work, Whiting, 63.
LONDON:
STRANGEWAYS and WALDEN (late G. Barclay), Printers,
28 Castlo St. Leicester Sq.
The following document has been translated from the German or English originals into most
of the European languages, as French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, Armenian,
Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Hungarian, Russian, &c.; as well as into various dialects of
India, China, and other languages of Asia and Africa. Copies may be had at various
Missionary Stations and Tract Depôts. Any reader who may with affectionate interest
recollect a friend so situated that these words of kindness and counsel are adapted to his
case, will do well to obtain or transcribe a copy and send it to the brother thus addressed.
ADDRESS TO THE BRETHREN SCATTERED ABROAD.
From the Conference of Christians of various Nations held at Berlin,
September, 1857 (English Version).
"The Christians from Germany, Great Britain, the United States of
America, France, Spain, Denmark, Holland, Sweden, Switzerland, and
other countries, assembled for conference in the city of Berlin, in the
month of September, 1857.
"To their brethren in Jesus Christ, who are scattered abroad in
various parts of the globe, send affectionate salutation.
"BRETHREN beloved in the Lord,-While enjoying the happiness of
united worship, and of communication on the affairs of the kingdom of
our common Lord, our hearts have been directed in brotherly regard to
you, who in lands of darkness have been visited with the 'dayspring from
on high.' (Luke, i. 78.)
"With you who are restrained from the utterance of your religious
convictions we deeply sympathise, and we offer our fervent prayer that
there may be granted to you, speedily, times of freedom and enlargement.
We would urge you, meanwhile, to 'hold fast the beginning of your con-
fidence steadfast unto the end' (Heb. x. 35), and to persevere in a watch-
ful, charitable, and holy life, such as your 'adversaries will not be able
to gainsay nor resist.' (Luke, xxi. 15.)
*
"Those of you who are under no such restrictions, but who are yet
isolated and imperfectly known to each other, we would earnestly recom-
mend not to neglect the assembling of yourselves together' (Heb. x. 25),
but to meet for Christian fellowship and worship every Lord's day; or,
when that is impracticable, at the most frequent possible intervals, en-
couraged by that promise of our Lord, 'Wheresoever two or three are
met together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.' (Matt.
xviii. 20.) Where it is possible to open communication with evangelical
congregations, either near or distant, it will be most desirable to do so:
where it is not, the most blessed results may, nevertheless, be anticipated
from gathering together, simply to search the Scriptures' (John, v. 39),
'which are able to make us wise unto salvation through faith that is in
Christ Jesus.' (2 Tim. iii. 15.)
C
66
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We, though attached in our several countries to various forms of
church government, and holding divers opinions in harmony with our
common love to God, have found it so good to dwell together in unity'
(Ps. cxxxiii. 1), that we have the greater confidence in offering to you this
counsel. We entreat you to receive it as a proof of our affection, and of
our readiness to obtain from you any communication which you may desire
to make to us, as well as an assurance of our earnest prayers for your
prosperity and final acceptance at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.'
(2 Cor. v. 9, 10.)”
(Signed) E. KUNTZE, Chairman.
*(Memorandum for translators :) Es: unto, towards, in order to, upon. R. A. M.
!
A paper, which it is proposed to circulate widely, suggests that the
following subjects should occupy a special place in thought, prayer,
and exhortation, on Sunday, January 6, and following days:-
Tag
The promise of the Holy Spirit.
An especial blessing on all the services of this week, and the promotion.
of brotherly kindness among all those who love the Lord Jesus
Christ in sincerity.
The attainment of a higher standard of holiness by the children of
God.
A large increase of true conversions, especially in the families of
believers.
The free circulation of the Holy Scriptures, and a blessing upon
Christian literature.
A large outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon every Gospel Missionary
among Jews or Gentiles, upon the converts of his station, and upon
his field of labour.
The speedy overthrow of all false religions, and the full accomplishment
of the Prayer, "Thy Kingdom come.
Thanksgiving for past revival; and the enforcement of the solemn
responsibility resting on every Christian to spend and be spent in
making known the name of the Lord Jesus at home and abroad.
""
The Missionary Conference in its Sixth Session "unanimously con-
curred in the proposal made by the Rev. George Scott, that on the
Sabbath-day following that week of prayer"-viz. the 13th January,
the last of the days contemplated in the foregoing programme
"the
ministers of all the churches of Christ in every land be respectfully
requested specially to bring the great subject of Christian Missions
before the people of their charge.' On page 172 of this volume Mr.
Scott states his proposal thus: "The question was how to bring out
the amount of liberality really required for the large amount of mis-
sionary work to be done. His suggestion was that some simultaneous
use of the pulpit throughout the whole country might be arranged,
which would greatly help the object in view. They had lately had an
invitation to prayer from a most interesting portion of the mission field;
this had been responded to very generally throughout Christendom.
Should they not send a practical response to their brethren labouring
in these distant fields of missions, and arrange, altogether separate from
any collection, to have a simultaneous presentation of the missionary
subject from all the pulpits of the churches and chapels of the various
Protestant communions throughout Christendom."
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.
"The parties entrusted with the management of this Conference have done well to secure so
fitting a memorial of it as this handsome octavo supplies. The volume is an extensive one,
extending to above four hundred pages of beautiful letterpress, and containing a very careful report
of the various sederunts, as well as the names of members. There is no such collection of opinions of
mission work extant. The book is more than a record of facts; it contains suggestions and prin-
ciples which, when carried into full effect, will issue in the millennium. The Conference was a
great event in the history of Christianity, and it was beseeming to preserve a suitable memorial of
it, as it will prove a stimulant to Christians of the present and coming generations. Nothing could
be more complete than the getting up of this volume, and the friends of missions cannot better aid
them than by furthering the circulation of a book so well fitted to inform and excite. We should
like to see it in the hands of every Christian man."- Glasgow Examiner.
"The present volume comprises a full account of the several meetings of the Conference, with
the papers read, the addresses delivered, and the conclusions arrived at respecting the principal
plans of missionary operations. It is a book containing a large amount of important information
relating to missions, and will stimulate the churches in their efforts to promote the spread of
Christianity among mankind."— Watchman.
"The volume altogether is, undoubtedly, the most important contribution to the literature of
missions which has ever been published, and we sincerely trust that those who have undertaken to
give it to the world will be provided with the means, not only of sending it, as was proposed, to every
mission station on the globe, but of placing it in every village library and on the study table of every
minister in this land."- British and Foreign Evangelical Review.
"It is a production which we have examined with the most satisfactory result to our own minds.
Nowhere did we ever find in the same compass so much to inform and to guide our judgment in
reference to missionary affairs. The deliberations were most intelligent, calm, and judicious. Dis-
couragements were impartially estimated, and success measured in the same spirit. The leading
speeches were admirable, and we find no traces of lost time in irrelevant discussion and feeble prosy
remarks. The volume is carefully edited, beautifully printed, and though containing 431 pages, will
be sold for half-a-crown. Every Christian household should have a copy."- Evangelical Magazine.
"This volume contains a vast amount of missionary facts and thoughts from all the ends of the
earth, and from nearly all the churches. Our own peculiar mission was not overlooked, and its
great importance was heartily acknowledged. Let our readers get the book, and see and hear this
'cloud of witnesses' for missions."- Eastern Female's Friend.
"We have longed for the appearance of this volume, and now it is before us.
It is the
most original publication of the day, a vast storehouse of valuable thought, touching the spread of
the everlasting gospel. These seven sessions brought forward an amount of thought and suggestion
on the question of missionary labour never before comprised in a single volume.
The mere
Appendix is a matter of superior value."- Christian Witness,
"A detailed report which, after attentive perusal, we can cordially commend as edited with
great care and ability. There are excellent marginal references to each of the papers and speeches,
which greatly assist the reader in taking a connected view of the subject. The Minutes have also
been drawn up with much skill and accuracy, and must, we think, give satisfaction to all who were
present."- News of the Churches.
"We have already called attention to the missionary Conference held in this town during the
present week. It may be stated, in explanation, that the Conference has been organised under the
auspices of the principal Missionary Societies and committees of the three kingdoms.”—Liverpool
Chronicle.
"The most important parts of the work are the Minutes which record the united convictions of
the Conference on various important points. All who actively co-operate in mission work should
assist their judgment by the valuable suggestions and advice contained in this volume."- Brighton
Gazette.
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.
"Of the great evangelical series of meetings which this important work fully and faithfully
records, the Christian public had previously learned just enough from the current and condensed
newspaper reports to excite a desire to know more about it-its nature, origin, objects, and general
proceedings. We can assure them that no more ample or trustworthy information upon all these
and other correlative subjects could be supplied than that furnished by this carefully got-up volume,
which is edited by the Secretaries to the Conference."- Banner of Ulster.
"The convention which honoured our town with its presence in March last is worthy of some
prominent memorial in our annals of religious progress. The ordinary public meetings assembled on
behalf of Missionary Societies have been regarded by many cordial friends as somewhat vague and
unpractical in their character, the result of them being obviously more dependent on the eloquence
of the speakers than upon the merits of the cause committed to their advocacy. The members of
the Conference, both in their consultations and in the public meeting, evinced that they not only
sympathised with missionary work, but that they thoroughly understood it, both in its relations to
the churches at home and to the heathen abroad. W'e presume that this volume will find its way
into the hands of almost every Protestant missionary throughout the world, and we may anticipate,
with cordial pleasure, that the heart of many a devoted evangelist will be cheered, and his energies
revived, in the midst of discouragement and opposition, by the proof afforded in these records that
he is not forgotten in the prayers and the purposes of his brethren in a distant land.
volume is no less unique in its character than interesting in its contents."- Liverpool Courier.
This
"The reverend Secretaries have discharged their editorial duties most industriously and faith-
fully.
The conclusions arrived at by the Conference respecting the principles and plans
of missionary labour and economy were embodied at the time in expressive Minutes, which were
submitted to and approved of by the members; and to these Minutes, as containing opinions of im-
portance and value with respect to future operations, the editors invite the special attention of all
interested in the success of missionary efforts."—
M
•
"To those who feel interested in the progress of missionary enterprise, this work will prove a
most valuable handbook.
The statements by returned missionaries will be found worthy of
special notice. The volume is a perfect mine of information relating to missions, and it has been
published at a price that will enable the friends of gospel diffusion to give it a wide circulation.”—
•
•
"Considerable regret was experienced that the meetings of the important Conference on Missions
which took place in this town in March last were not open to the public; but this regret has been
satisfactorily obviated by the publication, under the direction of the promoters of the Conference, of
a copious and authentic report of the proceedings at all the meetings.
The value of the
work is much enhanced by accounts of the previous missionary conferences in New York and
London; and also by the various indices."
·
•
"The Conference was more than an assembly for deliberation or discussion. It was a gathering
of the representatives of the great actors in the mission field, of men ripe in the experience acquired
by the conflict of long years with unnumbered forms of heathenism. It might have been seen in the
countenance of a large portion of the members that they had looked upon the sun in its Indian and
African fervours.
In this assemblage of the actual workers of the mission field the oppor-
tunity was given, and it was the characteristic feature of the Conference, for the rehearsing and the
comparison of those experiences out of which the happiest mission consequences may yet flow. At
the missionary meetings of individual churches or Societies the experience has been often detailed
that falls within their own limited and sectional operations. For the first time the Conference
brought into play what we may call the catholic experience of missions. The results of long years
of observation in all fields and by all classes and denominations of missionaries were thrown into a
common stock, and the materials furnished out of which there may be drawn, if not a new theory of
missions, new and wiser methods of mission operations. We know not a more valuable contribution
towards the formation of a science of missions than the volume that records these meetings. It has
not only added largely to the experience that has been accumulating for half a century, it has
concentrated it. And now it but awaits a mind of reverence and power to digest it into principles
that shall save the mission enterprises of the future, as far as human wisdom can save them, from
the dreariness and disappointment of unproductive labour, and turn them into the channels of
proved greatest results.
It is a mission mine that has been opened to them at great expense,
which, if searched, will enrich their minds with fresh thoughts, stimulate their endeavours, and
furnish them with inexhaustible store of varied and interesting material for their public enforcement
of the great New Testament commission' to preach the gospel to every creature.' ”— Witness.
•
•
MISSIONARY WORKS published by WILLIAM OLIPHANT & Co.
NARRATIVE OF A MISSION OF INQUIRY TO THE JEWS
FROM THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.
By Messrs. BONAR and M'CHEYNE.
Twenty-fourth Thousand. Post 8vo. 5s.
MISSIONARY LIFE IN SAMOA,
As exhibited in the Journals of the late GEORGE ARCHIBALD LUNDIE
(Brother of Mary Lundie Duncan).
Foolscap 8vo.
38. 6d.
THE TENT AND THE KHAN:
A JOURNEY TO SINAI AND PALESTINE.
By the Rev. ROBERT WALTER STEWART, D.D., of Leghorn.
Containing Notices of Missionary Labour in the East.
With Map and Illustrations. 8vo. 10s. 6d.
THE MORAVIANS IN GREENLAND:
An Account of the Missions of the United Brethren. Third Edition. 18mo. 2s. 6d.
THE MORAVIANS IN LABRADOR.
Second Edition. 18mo. 2s. 6d.
MEMOIR AND REMAINS OF THE REV. C. C. LEITCH,
Missionary in the East Indies.
By the Rev. DAVID SMITH, D.D., Biggar.
Edinburgh: WILLIAM OLIPHANT & CO.
With Portrait. Fcap. 3s.
London: HAMILTON & CO.
WORKS ON HOME
MISSIONS.
THE MISSING LINK; OR, BIBLE WOMEN IN THE HOMES
OF THE LONDON POOR.
By L. N. R., Author of "The Book and its Story."
Twentieth Thousand. Small crown 8vo. 3s. 6d. cloth.
HASTE TO THE RESCUE; OR, WORK WHILE IT IS DAY.
By Mrs. CHARLES WIGHTMAN.
With a Preface by the Author of "English Hearts and English Hands."
Fifteenth Thousand. Small crown 8vo. 3s. 6d. cloth.
RAGGED HOMES AND HOW TO MEND THEM.
By Mrs. BAYLY. Tenth Thousand. Small crown Evo. 3s. 6d. cloth.
OUR HOMELESS POOR, AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO
HELP THEM.
By the Author of " Helen Lyndsay." Second Edition. Crown Svo. 3s. 6d. cloth.
ENGLISH HEARTS AND ENGLISH HANDS; OR, THE
RAILWAY AND THE TRENCHES.
By the Author of "Memorials of Captain HEDLEY VICARS."
Forty-third Thousand. Small crown 8vo. 5s. cloth.
Also a Cheaper Edition, 2s. cloth limp.
MENDIP ANNALS; OR, A JOURNAL OF THE CHARITABLE
LABOURS OF HANNAH AND MARTHA MORE.
Edited by ARTHUR ROBERTS, M.A., Rector of Woodrising, Norfolk.
Third Edition. Crown Svo. 4s. 6d. cloth.
London: JAMES NISBET & CO., Berners Street.
;
RECENT WORKS.
I.
NEW ZEALAND;
PAST AND PRESENT-SAVAGE AND CIVILIZED.
By ARTHUR S. THOMSON, M.D., Surgeon-Major 58th Regiment.
Post 8vo. 24s.
Second Edition. Maps and Illustrations. 2 vols.
2 vols.
"Dr. Thomson's narrative is clear, concise, and comprehensive, and conveys a very complete
and exact idea of the country, the climate, the natural history, the people, the language, &c. It
is rare indeed to get so intelligent and satisfactory an account of any land."— Quarterly Review.
II.
MADAGASCAR;
DURING THREE VISITS:
Including a Journey to the Capital, with Notices of the Natural History, and of the
present Civilization of the People.
By REV. W. ELLIS.
Fifth Thousand.
With Portrait and Illustrations.
8vo. 168.
"The friends of the London Missionary Society may be fairly congratulated on the wonderful
popularity of Dr. Livingstone's work. It has conveyed ideas of our work amidst the heathen-of
its civilizing results, and its spiritual successes-into quarters where the achievements of Evan-
gelical enterprise had before been little known. That another work, by another of our mis-
sionaries, should issue from the press, within little more than twelvemonths afterwards, bidding
fair to rival its predecessor in celebrity, is matter for even greater surprise, and still more grateful
congratulation. Mr. Ellis is a brave, adventurous man."- Evangelical Magazine.
III.
SOUTH AFRICA;
MISSIONARY TRAVELS AND RESEARCHES:
Including a Sketch of Sixteen Years' Residence in the Interior, and a Journey from the
Cape to Loanda, &c.
By REV. DAVID LIVINGSTONE.
Thirtieth Thousand. Portrait and Illustrations. 8vo. 21s.
"Geographical discoveries are with Dr. Livingstone the prelude to missionary exertions."-
Christian Observer.
"Dr. Livingstone is an invaluable pioneer, both to civilisation and Christianity."-Christian
Remembrancer.
IV.
DANIEL WILSON, LATE BISHOP OF CALCUTTA;
HIS LIFE, LETTERS, AND JOURNALS.
By his Son-in-law, REV. JOSIAH BATEMAN, M.A.
Third Thousand.
Portrait and Illustrations. 2 vols. 8vo. 28s.
"Bishop Wilson could not pass from the stage of life without a strong desire being awakened,
not merely to see the very last of him, but to trace out the course of his life, and, if possible, to
detect the mainsprings by which the whole man was set in action, impelled, and controlled.
"This constitutes the real value of these volumes, and we are bold to say they will disappoint
none of their readers."-Christian Observer.
JOHN MURRAY, Albemarle Street.
Just published. Price 3s. 6d. cloth.
THE LIFE OF THE REV. JOHN HUNT,
Missionary to the Cannibals.
By REV. GEORGE STRINGER ROWE.
"This is a good book, teeming with facts of an interesting character."-Christian Witness.
"John Hunt, dying at the carly age of thirty-six, of whom can it be said, even among our most
devoted Missionaries, that they have endured and achieved so much?"-Critic.
"The volume will impart much information and instruction to all readers."-Wesleyan Times.
Price 5s. cloth.
THE LIFE AND JOURNALS
OF THE
REV. DANIEL WEST,
Wesleyan Minister, and Deputation to the Wesleyan Mission Stations on the Gold Coast
of Western Africa.
By THE REV. THOMAS WEST.
"There is much interesting matter in this volume, to the progress of the Gospel in Wost Africa.
-Church of England relating Magazine.
"Written with loving fervour."— Athenæum.
"A valuable contribution to the Missionary literature of Africa."- British Standard.
London: HAMILTON, ADAMS, & CO.
CHRISTIAN MISSIONS.
MEMOIR OF AN INDIAN CHAPLAIN,
The Rev. CHARLES CHURCH, M.A., of the Madras Establishment of the East
India Company.
By the REV. JAMES HOUGH, A.M.
Fcap. 8vo. 2s. Cloth boards.
MEMOIRS OF THE REV. SAMUEL MARSDEN,
OF PARAMATTA.
Edited by the REV. J. B. MARSDEN, M.A.
With Portrait. Royal 18mo. 3s. boards; 3s. 6d. extra boards.
MISSIONARY BOOK FOR THE YOUNG.
A First Book on Missions. 18mo. 1s. cloth; 1s. 6d. extra boards, gilt.
MISSIONARY IN SYRIA;
OR, THE LIFE OF MRS. S. L. SMITH,
Late of the American Mission in Syria. 18mo. 1s. boards; 1s. 6d. half-bound.
MISSIONARY RECORDS.
CHINA, BURMAH, CEYLON, &c. 18mo. 2s. cloth boards.
NORTH AMERICA. 1s. 6d. cloth boards.
NORTHERN COUNTRIES. 2s. cloth boards.
SANDWICH ISLANDS. 2s. cloth boards.
The Religious Tract Society, 56 Paternoster Row, and 164 Piccadilly.
Sold by all Booksellers.
WORKS ON MISSIONS.
I.
THE
HE RELIGIONS OF SYRIA: including Notices of the Maronites
and the Druses. By JOHN WORTABET, M.D., Beyrout, Missionary at Aleppo of the United
Presbyterian Church. Demy Svo. 7s. 6d. cloth.
II.
NOTES
OTES FROM THE JOURNALS OF F. M. FLAD, one of Bishop
Gobat's Missionaries in Abyssinia. Edited, with a brief Sketch of the Abyssinian Church,
by the Rev. W. DOUGLAS VEITCH. Small crown Svo. 2s. 6d.
III.
ENGLAND AND INDIA.
An Essay on the Duty of Englishmen
towards the Hindoos. By BAPTIST WRIOTHESLEY NOEL, M. A. Svo. 12s. cloth.
IV.
[ISSIONARY SKETCHES IN NORTHERN INDIA, with
V some References to Recent Events. By Mrs. WEITERECHT. Crown 8vo. 5s. cloth.
V.
A MEMOIR OF THE LIFE AND LABOURS OF THE REV.
A. JUDSON, D.D. BY FRANCIS WAYLAND. D.D. Two vols. 8vo. 12s. cloth.
VI.
NOTES
OTES OF A TOUR IN SWEDEN IN THE SUMMER OF
1858. By EDWARD STEANE, D.D., and JOHN HOWARD HINTON, M. A. Crown Svo, Ss. 6d.
cloth.
VII.
AFFRES AND CAFFRE MISSIONS; with a Preliminary
Chapter on the Cape Colony as a Field for Emigration, and Basis of Missionary Operations.
By the Rev. H. CALDERWOOD. Plates. Crown 8vo. 4s. 6d. cloth.
VIII.
CHI
HRISTIANITY IN TURKEY; being a Brief Historical Sketch
of the Armenian Race and Church. With some Account of their Doctrines, Rites, &c. By the
Rov. H. D. O. DWIGHT, Constantinople. Crown 8vo. 58. cloth.
IX.
MEMOIR OF THE REV. J. J. WEITBRECHT, late Mis-
sionary of the Church Missionary Society. By his WIDOW. With a Preface by the Rev. H.
VENN, M.A. Crown 8vo. 7s. 6d. cloth.
A
X.
A MEMOIR OF THE LATE ROBERT NESBIT, Missionary of
the Free Church of Scotland, Bombay. By the Rev. J. MURRAY MITCHELL. Crown 8vo. 68.
eloth.
.
XI.
ME
EMOIR OF ANTHONY GROVES, Missionary to India, con-
taining Extracts from his Letters and Journals. Compiled by his Widow. Crown Svo.
4s. 6d, cloth.
XII.
THE
HE RAINBOW IN THE NORTH. A A Short Account of the
First Establishment of Christianity in Rupert's Land, by the Church Missionary Society. By
Miss TUCKER. Fcap. Svo. 33. 6d. cloth.
XIII.
THE
HE SOUTHERN CROSS AND THE SOUTHERN CROWN;
or, the Gospel in New Zealand. By the same Author. Fcap. 8vo. 3s. 6d. cloth.
XIV.
or, Sunrise within the Tropics. An Outline of the
Origin and Progress of the Yoruba Mission. By the same Author. Feap. Svo. 3s. 6d, cloth.
XV.
THE
HE LIFE OF THE REV. RICHARD KNILL, of St. Peters-
burgh; being Selections from his Reminiscences, Journals, and Correspondence, with a
Review of his Character by the late Rev. John Angell James. By CHARLES M. BIRRELL. Fifth
Edition, with Portrait. Crown Svo. 4s. 6d. cloth.
XVI.
THE
HE INDIAN CHURCH DURING THE GREAT REBEL-
LION. An Authentic Narrative of the Disasters that befel it, its Sufferings, and Faith-
fulness unto Death of many of its European and Native Members. By the Rev. M. A. SHERRING,
M.A., formerly Missionary at Benares. Crown 8vo. 5s. cloth.
LONDON: JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET.
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
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