But we wish to draw the attention of our readers more particularly to Bible Societies. This institution originated in England, in the year 1803. It is impossible to contemplate its present immense scale of opcrations, and reflect on the unparalleled rapidity with which it has grown up to such greatness, without astonishment, and the conviction forcibly impressed, that it has received the gracious protection, aid, and blessing of the Almighty. The institution of the British and Foreign Bible Society has well been denominated a grand epoch in the history of religion," and we agree entirely with Mr. Warner in the opinion, that the age in which we live may with great propricty be called the " age of Bible Societies" The following is an animated picture of the character and operative effects of these societies, and it is drawn in colours so just, and exhibits in so creditable a light the feelings and habits of thinking of the author, as they are shown in many parts of his sermon, we will not withhold it from our readers. "Bible Societies, it is true, are not the only distinction of the present age; but in the peculiar principles of their organization, and in the pre-eminently happy and beneficent effects of their operation, they present, beyond comparison, the noblest feature and finest practical expression, of the religious and moral spirit by which the age is characterized. No other institutions have been so decidedly conducive to that melioration of sentiment and feeling in the religious world, that enlightened and just and tolerant catholicism, which has already done so much, and in its further progress promises so much more, for the success of great and extensive plans of Christian benevolence. The great and fundamental principles upon which these societies have almost uniformly been organized, and to the peculiar merit of which they have unexampled patronage and success been chiefly indebted for the rapid and of their exertions, is that of distributing the Bible alone without note or comment." "Here then is the first peculiar and distinctive excellence of most liberal and enlightened principle, these institutions; formed upon this they open the widest possible field for the united resources, and co-operative exertions, of christian philanthropy in every part of the world." "I cannot therefore but regard these benevolent institutions as the purest and most perfect now existing in the Christian world. They are, conceive, of all others the most Protestant-the best exemplification, in a milder and more lovely form, of the genuine spirit of the Reformation. There are no others founded upon so full and just a recognition of the principles of religious liberty; and none, of course, that present a range so wide and elevated, and unimpeded, to the most aspiring and comprehensive aims and efforts of religious charity."-pages 26, 27. In speaking of the superior advantages of Bible Societies to Missionary exertions in making known the truths of christianity, with singular propriety, and in a truly catholic spirit he makes the following remarks. "The living teacher-I speak it not to disparage the importance of his office-is, in some respects always more or less a sectarian: zealous, it is admitted, to make good Christians of his disciples, but apt to be a little more zealous to make them good christian Churchmen, or good chris tian Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, or United Brethren, &c.; where as, upon the great evangelical principle of Bible Societies, all these denom inations meet and unite-the sectarian no longer makes any part of the Christian-and the Bible, without comment and without appendage, is sent abroad with a purity and disinterestedness of christian charity altogether singular, I believe, and unprecedented, since the apostolic age, to make men Christians, and for no other purpose."-page 30. These are not the sentiments of a narrow mind labouring to establish its own peculiar tenets; they are the result of enlarged thought on human nature, and the grand scheme of christianity as adapted to the wants and conditions of men, and they flow from a christian benevolence, expansive as it is disinterested. The questions have been of ten asked, why will you send the Bible, a book of so difficult interpretation even by the most wise and learned, among rude and barbarous tribes, who cannot possibly understand its mysteries, or comprehend its designs? Will not these pco ple look with distrust on many parts, whose objects are less obvious, and entertain doubts at least respecting their divine origin and authenticity? To these questions we answer; that although we should admit the consequences appre hended in them, we should stiil maintain, that incalculable benefits must necessarily arise to every nation and tribe of men, among whom the scriptures can have a free circulation. Were it practicable we should desire, to be sure, to have the mighty fabric of the christian dispensation clearly understood, and properly estimated, by every mind among them, in the majesty and beauty of all its parts. But this is not within the compass of our hopes. Christianity in its scope and doctrines was not designed for savages. It is too large a grasp for the mind, which has not been expanded by calculation, and has not yet escaped from the contractile powers of ignorance and prejudice. certain degree of intellectual culture is necessary before its truths can be communicated to the understanding. The hus bandman will look in vain for a harvest, if he scatters his grain on the soil, which has not been prepared for its reception. The trees, which shoot up, and flourish, and produce abundantly under the fostering hand of the gardener, would be stinted and barren in the wilderness. A Civilization must precede or accompany any successful attempts to establish, on their broader basis, the doctrines of christianity. For this reason we have sometimes doubted the usefulness of the services of those missionaries in foreign parts, who begin their labours by instructing the simple natives in the mysteries of the trinity, the efficacy of the atoning blood of Christ, and the pardoning grace of God. We recollect some instances in which missionaries have made these the subjects of their first lessons to heathens and savages. How much better would it be, if they would first explain to them the character of God, and show from the fact of their own existence and of the objects around them, that he must be wise, and good, and powerful-that he justly demands their adoration and love-and that they can in no way better serve him, than by living in peace and harmony with one another and showing mutual kindness, gentleness, and affection. These instructions would prepare them for receiving the rules of conduct pointed out in the scriptures, and bring them gradually to a knowledge of their objects, and a reverence for their authority, and from this their sphere of christian knowledge, might be easily enlarged till it should embrace at length all that is important in doctrine and practice. Precisely the same effects would be produced, we conceive, by the bible alone. We do not wish to learn savages to interpret the scriptures, but to teach them those parts, which need no interpretation. It is not the "things hard to be understood," that we wish them to learn. It is those parts only, which are adapted to the simplicity of their understand ings, and their state of society. And we do not hesitate to say, that although these may be comprised in a small compass compared with the whole bulk of the scriptures, yet they contain every thing, which is essential to form the character of a true christian, and one who will be accepted of God, as a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. As for what are called mysteries, if there are such, we are willing they should remain such still; nor shall we think ourselves, or others, chargeable with blame for not understanding what we cannot understand. We do not expect the worshippers of Lama and Fo in Asia, the idolaters of the South Sea Islands, and the savages of America, to be much instructed or edified by the account of the Abrahamic covenant, or the predictions and highly wrought poetical descriptions of the prophets. Before they can see the grounds or the objects of these, they must be well acquainted, not only with the general history of man, but especially with that of the people, whom God thought prop. er to choose as the subjects of his peculiar dispensations; and also of the nations with whom they were immediately or remotely connected. We do not expect them to see the entire force and appropriateness of all the discourses of Christ in the Gospels, without a previous knowledge of the circumstances under which he spoke, resulting from the manners, habits, opinions, expectations and prejudices of the people, whom he addressed. We know, that many parts of the Epistles must remain unintelligible to them, until they are made acquainted with the par ticular conditions of the people to whom they were writtenthe disorders and vices, which the writers wished to correct and restrain, and the virtues, which they wished to encourage and promote. We do not expect the bible itself to teach the evidences of its own authority and reasonableness, to minds wholly ignorant of the history of man, and the modes of his existence in civilized society. Yet after all, there is enough in the bible for all the desired objects of its distribution which is intelligible to the plainest capacity and rudest intellect; enough to produce the best effects on the minds and social condition of barbarous nations. Our highest hopes will be realized, if we produce a gradual amelioration and moral dignity in their characters, by making them acquainted with their perfect rules of conduct, the nature of that divine authority from which they proceed, and the sanctions on which they rest. These have a very special tendency to correct the false notions of right action, universally prevalent among nations, that are strangers to Christianity. Even the enlightened Greeks and Romans could never arrive at the true principles of virtue. To be brave, daring, quick in resentment, bold in enterprize, undeviating in purpose, and eager for fame were considered the strongest marks of a great mind, and qualities most highly esteemed by the gods. These opinions are still prevalent among all heathen nations, and even revenge, in its most relentless forms, is, by vast numbers of mankind, thought a virtue. What could have a more salutary and effectual tendency to correct these errors, so fatal to the peace and happiness of millions, than the spirit of mildness, gentleness and forbearance, which every where glows with kindling warmth in the instructions of Christ? May it not be expected that the kindly influences of the christian virtues will insinuate themselves imperceptibly into their minds? Their effect may be slow, but it will be certain. To suppose a savage, while he is a savage, can be made to understand the whole christian scheme, would be unreasonable and absurd. Even the attempt to teach it to him would be injurious to the cause. Nature seldom delights in violence. All her operations, which result in obvious good, are calm and gradual. It is the gentle shower, which wakes into being the dormant gems of vegetation, and clothes the fields with verdure; the mild breezes of spring waft life, and health, and strength on their wings; but the angry tempest carries ruin in its train and leaves desolation behind. So, in teaching christianity to uncivilized nations-we must use the gentlest means and be content with a slow progress. We are fully persuaded, that the bible left to itself in any hands will ultimately make its way, and carry with it the desired effect. Allow it to give rise to some errors, yet it will do incalculable good, and who would forego the opportunity of conferring a certain immense benefit, because it may be attended with possible, though very improbable harm, and even this probable harm totally disproportionate to the certain good? Although the great field for the operation of Bible Societies is abroad among uncivilized nations, yet their utility, and even necessity, among those, who support regular establishments for christian instruction is also most obvious. To say nothing of those large portions of Europe, "where the bible printed by heretics is to be numbered among other prohibited books," when the inhabitants still bow with abject submission under the yoke of an ecclesiastical despotism, and quietly submit the control of their consciences to papal bulls and royal decrees-when the only prerog alivės, that mark the dignity of the human character are tamely yielded up-where the spirit of inquiry has slumber. ed for ages, and still slumbers on-and where the mind is not allowed the freedom of its own operations and decisions-to say nothing of these countries, which are extensive and populous, we shall find ample scope for the beneficial effects of Bible Societies, where freedom of thought and christian liberty are unrestrained. Any one has only to look a round him to discover the truth of this remark. Certain classes of people are every where to be found, and these by no means small or insignificant, among whom the bible is a book more heard of, than known; they have been born in a christian land, and have lived in christian communities, and thence they are called christians; but in their lives and practice they give few evidences of having been instructed by the precepts, or of being guided by the examples of Jesus Christ. The laws and sentiments of society give a tone of general rectitude to their actions and feelings, and suggest the only motives, which operate on their susceptibilities and decisions. But if the bible be put into their hands, its treasures opened, its charities and its excellencies displayed to them, we have every reason to believe, that by the blessing of God, they will gradually heed its commands, and be made better by its instructions; they will rise in the scale of intellectual and moral worth, and rest with confidence on the hopes of an eternal life in the kingdom of the Redeemer. We intended to say a few words on one or two points, which we have not mentioned, but we have already been led beyond our limits. We do not agree with Mr. Warner ia some of the theological opinions, which he has expressed, yet we should think ourselves deficient in what we deem essential christian virtues, if we did not cordially unite with him in such sentiments as prompted the spirit of enlightened zeal, and true christian catholicism, which breathes from every page of his discourse. |