public. Indeed, one of the controlling reasons that lead to this publication, is an official application from a missionary band in a literary institution, who had casually become acquainted with the general plan. Another is, that in the body of the work will be found many facts and opinions, pertinent to the general subject, which are well worthy of being preserved in a more connected form than in the ephemeral periodicals of the day, whence many have been taken. These, as will be seen, are from some of the wisest and best of the foreign mission band. It is particularly desired by the author, that the reader should bear in mind through the entire perusal of the work, that he wishes in no wise to trench upon the province of existing missionary organizations. The order of men herein proposed, he would wish to see going abroad to aid, not to oppose,-to be the precursors, not the rivals, of other missionaries. December, 1837. CONTENTS. Necessity for new modifications of missionary labor in order to en- list persons in the missionary ranks who otherwise would not Page. Statement of our plan. Arguments in favor of it drawn from the commission which Jesus Christ gave to the first mission- aries - 25 34 Some objections noticed. Thoughts on the genius of our plan. A peculiar difficulty which embarrasses the foreign missionary, Our plan compared with that generally pursued by missionaries. Objections to scientific lectures as a means of evangelizing the The kind of argument universally demanded by mankind, before assent will be yielded to any innovation upon long cherished 54 70 opinions and customs. Reasons for the hope that the heathen Facts and opinions continued,-from Borneo,-Algiers,―Journal of the Landers in the interior of Africa,-Persia,-Constanti- THOUGHTS ON A NEW ORDER OF MISSIONARIES. CHAPTER I. Necessity for new modifications of missionary labor, in order to enlist persons in the missionary ranks who otherwise would not join them. UPON the threshold of our subject it were becoming to pause for a moment, and bear our testimony-humble though it be to the wisdom and fidelity which mark the plans and labors of the various foreign Missionary Societies. To do so, is indeed a privilege; for with them our earliest and fondest religious associations are interwoven. Not only did our first love instinctively sympathize in their designs; but they fixed our admiration while as yet we saw no special value in the religion they seek to publish abroad. Vivid is the recollection of our feelings when on that dreary autumnal day the first mission vessel to the Sandwich Islands swept from the harbor of Boston. A personal acquaintance with some of the missionaries who then embarked; and intercourse with them up to the moment of embarkation, it need scarcely be said, gave us a high opinion of the disinterestedness and excellence of that little band of pioneers. |