Nature and Culture

by Harvey Rice

As these inspired young men of the haystack wended their way back to the college halls, they "pondered these things in their hearts" and communicated their thoughts to such of their fellow-students as they believed would sympathize with them in the desire they felt to consecrate their lives to the great work of foreign missions, and especially a mission to India. Several of their associates became at once inspired with a similar missionary spirit. But as yet the interest felt in this new enterprise was restricted to the circle of the "Society of Brethren," as it was designated. This society was a secret organization, composed of such students as had made a profession of religion, and had for its object the promotion of the spiritual welfare of its members. In pursuance of this object, they held private prayer-meetings in each others' rooms, and discussed questions of special religious interest, and often, in the summer season, retired for the same purpose to the neighboring groves.

In this way was sown the first grain of "mustard seed," which was destined soon to vegetate and grow to a tree of gigantic proportions. The planting of this "smallest of all seeds" constituted a nucleus for more extended effort. Consequently other societies were soon organized to promote the good work. In fact, new life was breathed into the "dry bones" of every valley; and Heaven repeated the command, "Go, teach all nations."

The grand result of this day of "small things" was the organization at Bradford, in 1810, of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions,—an organization which under the direction and favor of a Divine Providence has achieved so much for the civilization and evangelization of the benighted races of mankind. Of this we need adduce no other proof than the leading facts of its history.

In its inception, this Board consisted of but few members. At its first meeting there were but five members present, and at its second, but seven. Its receipts for the first year were but a thousand dollars. Now its annual receipts exceed a half-million of dollars, and its annual meetings are attended by thousands of people. In the aggregate, it has collected and disbursed nearly twelve millions of dollars. It has never lost a dollar by the fraud or embezzlement of any of its officers or agents. Since its first meeting of five persons, in 1810, its corporate members have been increased to two hundred, and its honorary members to seventeen thousand.

It has sent into the missionary field thirteen hundred persons, in various capacities, including nearly five hundred ordained missionaries. It has established missions in almost every benighted region of the habitable globe, especially in the Eastern Hemisphere,—in India, in China, in Persia, in Syria, in Greece, in Turkey, in Africa, and also in several isles of the sea, including the Sandwich Islands. It has more than a hundred missionary stations, and nearly two hundred out-stations occupied by native helpers. It has in the native ministry three hundred Christian converts, about seventy of whom are pastors of churches. These native Christian churches have now increased to two hundred, in communion with which more than sixty thousand hopeful converts have been received.

It has printing-presses, which have printed more than a thousand millions of pages of religious and educational matter, which has been distributed in forty-two living languages, as now spoken in pagan and other unevangelized lands. It has invented alphabets, and reduced eighteen native languages to writing. It has put in successful operation more than four hundred native schools, in which more than twelve thousand native children have been taught. All this has been done in less than sixty years, and still the great work progresses with increasing zeal and efficiency.

Thus has the Board proved itself to be, in the providence of God, a great moral power in the nineteenth century. It is the star in the West, which flings its cheering light into the East. The wise men have seen it, and the shepherds have seen it. Like the star of Bethlehem, its errand is divine, for it was born of an inspired thought which has now become an invincible element in the moral world,—a power which must and will do its work; and though opposition and discouragement may come,—

"Truth crushed to earth shall rise again."

Yes, millions of Christian heroes will come to the rescue, still bearing aloft the banner of the cross, and shouting the battle-cry of civil and religious freedom. And woman, first at the sepulchre, first in deeds of charity, first in every good work, will renew her activities in the great warfare with moral darkness, until the "uttermost parts of the earth" have been illuminated with the light of divine truth.

It is expected, perhaps, that some allusion will be made to the motive which has induced the erection of the monument you see standing before you in its modest yet truthful significance. The motive was simply a desire felt in common with many other persons to see a spot which has become sacred in missionary history commemorated by some permanent expression of Christian gratitude. An expression of this kind seemed due not only to the great and good cause of American Foreign Missions, but to the revered memories of the five young men of prayer, who knelt here, under shelter of the haystack, and received from on high a divine commission. And permit me to add that the filial regard I entertain for my Alma Mater, and for my native State of Massachusetts, has had its influence in disposing me to make this contribution to a heaven-born enterprise, and in remembrance of those truly good, and therefore truly great, men, whose names are inscribed on the monument. The plan of the monument, as well as its erection here, it gives me pleasure to state, has received the cordial approval of the Faculty and Trustees of the college. The grand object for which the monument has been erected, is the commemoration of the "birthplace of American Foreign Missions;" and to this object we now dedicate it, in the name of a Christian philanthropy, whose "field is the world."