2. To prepare and send out pious and intelligent women, as trainers and
superintendents of the native female teachers.
3. To assist those who may be anxious to form female schools in
accordance with the rules of this society, by grants of money, books,
and superintendence.
What Christian lady, to whom this appeal may come, will refuse her
co-operation in so good a work! To aid the beneficent legislation of
a paternal government in the improvement of so large a population
committed to our care; to rescue the weak from oppression, and to
comfort the miserable in their sorrow; to give to the infant population
of India, and of China, the blessings of maternal wisdom and piety; to
teach the men of those nations, that those who are now their degraded
slaves, may be their companions, counsellors, and friends; to disgrace,
by a knowledge of the rudiments of European science, those fabulous and
polluted legends of their sacred books, which are at variance with
geographical and astronomical facts; to make them acquainted with the
Bible, which now they cannot read; to place them under the instruction
of the missionary, from whom they are at present excluded; to bring them
to the knowledge of Christ, and to prove that his grace can do more in
a few years to bless them, than centuries of heathenism could do to
degrade them;--these are the great objects which carried Mrs. Wilson
to the children of Hindostan, and Miss Wallace to those of China: but,
while "the harvest truly is plenteous, the labourers are few." Other
women of equal capacity, and who can show the same perseverance
springing from compassion and faith, must follow the good example.
And if they offer themselves to this work of the Lord, will not the
Christian women of this country, by sending them forth, and supporting
them in their work, show to the continent and the world, that gratitude
to God and to Christ for the blessings of providence and grace, can
kindle in their hearts an earnest and self-denying pity for those who,
though they speak in other tongues, and are separated from us by half
the earth's circumference, are yet as capable of joy and sorrow as
ourselves, and are among those to whom our Redeemer has commanded that
the gospel should be preached?
Wives, who are happy in the affection and esteem of your husbands;
mothers, who enjoy your children's reverence and gratitude; children,
who have been blessed by a mother's example, and a mother's care;
sisters, who have found in brothers your warmest friends; Christian
women, who feel that you can lend to society its charm, and receive from
it a loyal courtesy in return; protected, honoured, and loved--impart
your blessings to those who are miserable because they are without them.
If your minds are intelligent and cultivated--if your lives are useful
and happy--and if you can look for a blessed immortality beyond the
grave, do not, for the love of Christ, whose sufferings have been the
source of all your blessings, and of all your hopes, do not refuse to
make Him known, that the degraded millions of the East may, like you, be
"blessed in Him," and, like you, may "call him blessed."
Those readers who desire further information may obtain it from Mr.
Suter, 19, Cheapside; by whom contributions will be thankfully received.
EXTRACT FROM THE FORTY-FIFTH QUARTERLY REGISTER OF THE BAPTIST HOME
MISSION.
The Committee of this Society desire, humbly and thankfully, to
acknowledge the goodness of God for the many favourable openings which
appear for the "_spread of the gospel at home_."
Whilst they deeply regret that, for want of means, they cannot employ
more labourers, they gratefully record some unexpected supplies to their
exhausted funds; they indulge the hope that many of their fellow
Christians will follow the example of their friend, Mr. Nice, and
others, who have nobly come to the help of the Lord in time of need.
The following extract from the Report of the Auxiliary Society for
_Exeter and North Devon_ will, it is hoped, be acceptable as a specimen
of that work which all true Christians pray may prosper.
"At _Torrington_, our brother PULSFORD still continues to carry on the
work of the Lord with the true spirit of a laborious minister of the
word, ever zealous in the work, and watching for the salvation of souls;
and the great Head of the church has again honoured him with the reward
of his labours. Possessed with heartfelt love for souls, he appears to
have continually before him, as his motto, 'Work while it is day; for
the night cometh in which no man can work;' he is instant in season and
out of season. From his letter of the 15th inst., we make the following
extract:--'I have great pleasure in stating that the Lord in his great
mercy continues to bless our feeble instrumentality, thirty-two have
been brought to the knowledge of the truth, and added to the church by
baptism since October last; and we continue to carry the word of life
into thirteen villages, in many of which the power and glory of God are
seen and felt. Glory be to his name. At _Langtree_, we have long mourned
the lack of room, but I am happy to state that a chapel which will
contain about 150 is nearly finished. At _Langtree Wick_ we want to do
the same, and trust that the great Head of the church will prepare the
way for our doing so before long. At _St. Giles_, we have added another
room to the one we occupied; and at _Hatherleigh_ we have baptized ten,
and as many more appear to be converted to God, and will follow the
Lord in that delightful ordinance soon. Our new place of worship at
Hatherleigh is covered in, and things wear a very pleasing aspect. O for
the downpouring of the Holy Spirit, that the sacred fire may spread from
village to village, and from town to town, till the whole world shall be
full of the glory of God! Nothing is wanting to obtain this, but the
hearty co-operation of all our churches in the great work--the entering
into religion with _all_ the heart, and _all_ the soul, each one laying
himself or herself out for God, and the eternal welfare of their
fellow-creatures. We have four Sunday-schools, in which 280 children are
taught the word and way of God, and we trust will yield a future harvest
to the church.'"