Yes! beloved brethren! only let there be unity in the church, and scenes, of which Pentecost was but a type, an imperfect emblem, will presently appear. Much has been done in preparing for the approaching harvest. The seed is thickly sown, and is being sown still more thickly. The preached word—millions of bibles—the hundreds of millions of tracts—the labors of Sunday schools, and the efforts of missionaries; all these have scattered wide the sacred gospel.
And now what wait we for? Oh! beloved! for the shower which these united prayers of the united church shall bring down; then, and not till then, nations will be converted to Jesus; the world will be brought to his feet believing; earth shall raise its triumphant song—“Hallelujah for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. The kingdoms of this world, &c. Hallelujah.”—The church is one.—The world is Christ’s.
Having already detained you so long, I feel reluctant to trespass upon your patience further. I must however not forget that my duty would be still more imperfectly performed than it has been already, were I not to make honourable mention of that great and noble society; the claims of which I would in conclusion urge upon you.
I say great and noble society, for such verily it is; whether you regard the broad and catholic principle upon which it was originally founded—the eminent and pious who have adorned its ranks—the devoted, self-denying, and exemplary men who have been its missionaries—or the signal success and peculiar blessing with which the “God of all grace” has crowned its operations.
These are days in which missionary societies proceed with rapid strides; and it is interesting to a devout and enlightened mind, to review the history of such institutions; to trace them in the infancy of their existence, the feebleness of their first efforts, the perils and danger attendant upon their course; and then to rejoice in every year of their advancing strength and prosperity.
In the case before us, whether we consider the signs of the times when the foundation of this society was laid, amidst the fall of thrones and the convulsion of the civilized world; or the limited means and feeble agency, with which it commenced its efforts for the redemption of the nations; or the gigantic obstacles, both at home and abroad, which were then presented to its progress; or whether we glance at the superhuman and glorious results, which in every sphere of its labours have rewarded its toils; reason, no less than piety, will give utterance to humility and praise in the poetic strains of inspiration, “not unto us O Lord, not unto us; but to thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.”
We rejoice in the happy contrast presented to our view, between the state of things now, and that of former days.
When this society commenced its benevolent career, there were many formidable obstacles with which the originators of such institutions had to contend. Great ignorance and gross mis-conception prevailed as to the real condition, social and moral, of Pagan nations. The visitors of heathen countries had contented themselves with merely glancing at the surface of society, even often purposely refraining from a detail of evils and enormities they could not have failed to have observed, whilst others denied the vices they had no care to suppress, and the existence of miseries which their own interest or influence had served but to aggravate.
It was indeed maintained that the negro race in general, the Hottentot in particular, was the connecting link between the animal and human species, though partaking far more largely of the attributes of the brute, than the similitude of the man.
But on the other hand, the inhabitants of the east were glowingly described as blest with civilization, and enlightened by science; and although the objects and forms of their worship were diversified, yet as their eulogists affirmed, their veneration for their gods was sincere and unbounded; while in social life, they were patterns of excellence—kind in their tempers, and lovely in their manners—living to make each other happy, and dying in the assurance of paradise hereafter. Such were the popular falsehoods to be combated and refuted, at the very outset of the missionary enterprize.