Missionary Register.

JANUARY, 1831.

SURVEY

OF THE PROTESTANT

MISSIONARY STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD,

IN THEIR GEOGRAPHICAL ORDER.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

THAT "altered state of the world," of "the quickened approach" of which we spoke in the Introductory Remarks to the last Survey, has made indeed a fearful approximation, in the course of the memorable year which has just closed. The events of that year are most awakening. The pangs and throes of the Old World are fast coming on. Dark and ominous clouds have been blowing up from every quarter: the moral atmosphere is surcharged with mischief, and society itself seems ready to heave from its foundations. The conquest of Algiers by the French-the attempt to rivet on France the chains of Popish Despotism, by the éclat of that conquest-the Revolution to which that attempt gave occasion, and by which Popery has been deprived of its authority as the Established Religion of France, and the way opened for the more free promulgation of pure Christianity-the Revolutions of Belgium and Poland-the tumults and commotions in other parts of the Continent and in our own Country; and which appear, in too many instances, to be the heavings and convulsions of wild and disorganizing principles, that recall to mind the alleged designs of the Jacobins and Illuminati of a former day-these events have made the hearts of many to fail them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.

But what is the voice of God herein to the VISIBLE CHURCH of Christ throughout the world? The Communities which collectively form that Church are loudly threatened. Knowledge is, indeed, become Power: that knowledge, which the pious and benevolent have of late years diffused with the best design among the Labouring Classes, has been perverted, not only to the infecting of them deeply with infidel principles, but to the combining of them in bodies to obtain by intimidation and even violence any object which they may have in view. have in view. And what object can be more tempting, or can be made to seem more plausible, than the right which communities have to possess themselves of that property which was first separated to be employed for their benefit, but which, in a vast number of cases, has so little answered this end? The property of the Churches of Christendom was originally bestowed and

secured for the spiritual good of the Nations where those Churches exist; but when such awful charges of inefficiency and secularity lie, and have almost from the beginning lain, against the majority of the Ministers of those Churches, can it be wondered at that the great body of the people in the various Countries of Christendom are easily persuaded to turn their eyes, in the distress which often comes upon them, to those possessions which they are told are unjustly retained by such as render not for them the full return of holy and devoted lives? It is in vain that men are reminded, that the possession of any wealth or any privilege implies corresponding duties: the corruption of the best things is the most glaring and atrocious corruption; and men will, therefore, pass lightly over their own responsibility, while they will enforce rigidly the responsibility of those whose calling is most holy and whose duties are most arduous and honourable. And what if it should please the Great Head of the Church to manifest His wrath against those Communities, which bear His Name and act in that Name, but have been so unfaithful to the trust which they have assumed, that, till this day, the soil of Christendom is the kingdom of the god of this world, and the true and believing servants of Christ are strangers and pilgrims thereon! We most earnestly pray that the Visible Churches of Christ may be awakened in time, and repent, and do those works for which they were first reared and for which they have hitherto been spared. But what are the symptoms of such awakening?

But let us come still closer. If such be the state of the Visible Churches of Christ, what is the state of such members of those Churches as lay claim to belong to the INVISIBLE CHURCHwho profess an actual reliance, in faith, on the atonement of Christ, for acceptance with God, and renewal of heart and life unto holiness by the Holy Spirit?

A few short years have made a wonderful change in the appearance of this body. We have little doubt, indeed, but that Real Vital Godliness is still increasing the number of its subjects, and is still growing in its influence and authority over those in whom it dwells: but the circumstances of the last few years have been the occasion of throwing forward and bringing into violent action the infirmities of men, of whose real piety we must still cherish our belief: while the wild opinions, the confidence and dogmatism, the spirit of railing and censoriousness, which have sprung up in those quarters, and have been rendered dangerous in their influence by the talents of some who have fallen into the snare, have drawn off many novices into unbecoming tempers and vain jangling. If sincere, these will be recovered to a better mind, but not without suffering great loss: if not sincere, this will be but the occasion of manifesting that they were not of the true Church of the Living God.

What, then, is the DUTY of the faithful Servants of Christ, in the present circumstances of the world? They find great difficulty, indeed, under these circumstances, in choosing their path. They

feel the influence of things and persons around. Few of us can rise to the true standard of principle, as set before us in the Gospel; but are too much controlled by the spirit of conformity to those who are nearest to us. Even the most religious persons frequently discover that they are led on by the public voice and fashion of the so-called religious world, rather than by the primitive and unsophisticated precepts and models of the Scriptures. But, in the present day, how unsafe it will be for Christians to depend on the mere religious taste and fashion of the time, is apparent from the varying character of religious opinions, which alternately form the uppermost current in society. At such a period, the only secure course is that which is also the most difficult-to be simple-minded-to draw our sentiments and our feelings from the pure source of the Word of God-to avoid man's many inventions-and to be content to walk in the good old paths; without fearing either the solitude to which we may find those paths devoted, or the scorn which may be thrown upon us by the wellthronged road of speculators, controversialists, and censorious theorists. It is a good thing that the heart be established with grace, not with meats. A very punctual attention to the unostentatious duties of the closet and of the family will be found, in general, the surest antidote to the spirit of vain jangling and indolent curiosity. In no other path can we expect, either to lead others, or ourselves to walk, with safety. Characters, formed on this model, may probably not command much public notice, during a period of great and general religious excitement; but they are, at all times, in the truest sense, the salt of the earth: they are the stay and consolation of all faithful and lowly-minded servants of Christ: they are, to their Great Master, peculiarly dear; and, in His own good time, He not unfrequently gives them honourable opportunities of rendering, at least for a season, the most essential services to His Church. The proud, whether in the avowed worldly or in the boldly-professing religious circle, he beholdeth afar off; but he giveth grace to the humble.

In the various duties, to which the exigency of the present time calls us, the simplest Christian Precepts should often be resorted to for counsel and direction. If there be any one entire portion of the Word of God which, more than another, might be pointed out as peculiarly adapted to our circumstances-one which might not unaptly be entitled the Epistle of Our Day—it would, perhaps, be THE EPISTLE OF ST. JAMES; written by one who had surveyed the origin, progress, persecutions, and varying character of the Church from its commencement, through a whole generation-written after an experience of this long and diversified period, spent chiefly in the Metropolis of the Christendom of that age-written, moreover, under the immediate inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Hence those frequent and striking allusions to the laxities of professed believers; and the solemn and authoritative precepts relative to the management of the Tongue, the Temper, the Time, and the Purse-in short, of all the several talents entrusted to Chris

tians. A treasure, indeed, is this Epistle! and it will be found to be so more and more, should God, in His infinite wisdom, permit our Churches and our Country to fall further, than they have already fallen, into divers temptations. Then, Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Not by our controversies, but by our meekness and patience; not by our many-coloured faith, but by our works, proceeding from that well-defined faith of Scripture, faith that worketh by love-will the Cause of our Redeemer be truly and largely promoted, in this Nation and in the World. In these things God delights: to this spirit He will grant, of His free grace, the special out-pouring of His Holy Influences: if such be the temper and conduct of his professing people, He will, by the terrible power of His own right hand, get to Himself the victory over all His and their spiritual enemies; and, in His majesty, ride prosperously, because of TRUTH, and MEEKNESS, and

RIGHTEOUSNESS.

In the meanwhile, the Servants of God are not without abundant ENCOURAGEMENT, in the various indications that their efforts to promote the glory of their Lord shall receive His blessing, and that ways shall be opened before them even in the desert, while His enemies are subdued before Him. Their hands have, indeed, been often weakened, and their hearts discouraged, by the manner in which the subject of Missions begins to be treated in some quarters. No extensive success, it is urged, and scarcely any worthy of the name, is to be expected, from such associations of Christians as are now in action, or until certain predictions have been first accomplished: and thus the solemn and plain duty of putting forth every possible effort, in all lawful ways, with unremitting ardour and zeal, to promote the salvation of all men, is paralysed by fancies and private interpretations, which harass the consciences of the weak, and serve as an excuse for the apathy or covetousness of those whose profession should lead them to devise liberal things. It will be seen, however, from the various testimonies quoted in the following Survey, that the blessing of God does indeed rest on the labours of His Servants.

But there is one most important Ground of Encouragement from the events of the last year, to which we cannot but direct the especial attention of our Readers. In noticing these events, the wise observer cannot but be struck with the REMARKABLE COINCIDENCE OF THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH SERIOUSLY AFFECT THE TWO GREAT ANTICHRISTS-POPERY AND MAHOMEDANISM.

We learn, from public documents, that the present French Government consider the Expedition against Algiers, undertaken by the Ministers of Charles the Tenth, to have been mainly designed to divert attention from the plans which they were maturing for the more entire subjugation of France to the Papal See. With this view, the flower of the French Army, under a General devoted to the objects which the Ministry had in view, was sent against the Mahomedan Power: and, while this Army and this General were

inflicting a deadly wound upon the Impostor, the French Ministry, relying upon the glory of their success, precipitated, with infatuation, their treacherous measures at home; and, weakened by the absence of that very Army and General, brought on a re-action which has inflicted an incurable wound on the Papal Dominion!

But, while the Hand of the Lord has been thus opening a passage through the fenced wall of the Barbary States, another remarkable coincidence presents itself to our notice-the SUCCESS WITH

WHICH THE NATIVE LANGUAGES OF THE INTERIOR TRIBES OF NORTH AFRICA ARE BEGINNING TO BE CULTIVATED, AND APPLIED TO SACRED USES.

In the Instructions delivered to the Rev. William Jowett on his third departure for Malta, reference was made (see p. 413 of our Volume for 1829) to the Kabyles or Kabayles, a name generally given to the tribes inhabiting the chain of mountains south of Algiers. It was at that time known, that, through the intervention of a Gentleman resident at Algiers, a Native of that Regency had translated certain portions of the Scriptures into the language of that people. A negotiation for the purchase of these Works, by the British and Foreign Bible Society, has issued, in that Society's obtaining possession of the Book of Genesis and the Four Gospels in the language of these mountain tribes. The resemblance of this fact to that of the Society's acquisition of the celebrated Translation of the Bible into the Amharic Language is such, as forcibly to have struck the minds of those who are acquainted with the circumstances of the two cases. While that Noble Institution is constantly pursuing its high career, it has ever pleased God to raise up, in various parts of the world, men of intelligence and ability, to devise, prepare, and efficiently to execute Versions of the Scriptures, even in spots not previously visited by Missionaries. Missionaries have sometimes preceded, in their course, the Translation of the Bible: but in Abyssinia and in Algiers, the Eastern and the Northern starting-places for the immense Northern Portion of Africa, the Scriptural Versions will have preceded the men, who in the present age have been already sent forth to those regions, or shall hereafter proceed thither. The call is truly loud and animating to every Christian Mind. We may well thank God, and take courage, when we see, as in this instance, His mysterious Providence drawing on the labours of so many descriptions of men-political, literary, and religious-to His own one great End; and blessing and cheering His Servants, as they advance on their way, with the sight of new streams bursting forth in the desert.

In pursuance of the plan stated at pp. 4, 5 of the Survey for 1830, we have printed in that Volume, so far as it was found practicable, the substance of the Reports and other documents as they appeared.

EXPLANATION of the following sURVEY.

Under each Division is first given an abstract of the chief proceedings of Bible, Tract, and Education Societies, where such are in action; and this is followed by a view of the Stations, Labourers, and Notitia of the