Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

to eat them, yet their joy on landing here is often expressed in an affecting manner.

66

Let it not be supposed, after what has been said against sending inefficient young men as teachers among their countrymen, that human learning is to be regarded as an essential qualification for a religious instructor, but only that the inexperienced should not be put upon an attempt beyond their powers. The state even of an uncivilized country will be best met by our seeking only to act towards the people in such way as truth and the love of it may lead to. Far would I be from condemning or improperly judging others. the contrary, I cannot but feel much interest on behalf of those who have devoted themselves, according to their own feelings and views, for this suffering country.

On

"7th. The uncertainty which is felt to attach to European residence in this climate is, I apprehend, one of the causes why agriculture is so little attended to. The first attempts in the cultivation of the soil in almost any situation requires considerable labour and expense, and few would be willing to encounter the first difficulties with the prospect of leaving the country in a very short time. The official men of different classes can leave the country when health may require it. The merchant hopes in a short time to obtain a sufficiency, to dispose of his property, and to return home. But the profits of agriculture are not only less than those of merchandize, but consist, in a great degree, of those improvements in the land which must be left with perhaps little or no recompence, should the cultivator be obliged to return to England, so that some different arrangement appears to be wanted to in

duce and encourage the improvement of the soil, on any scale that would be likely to furnish an example to the natives, or to supply the colony with those articles of daily use which are now so very scarce, as corn, milk, poultry, eggs, &c.

"The European settlers, who are not missionaries, often complain of the want they feel in being without any occupation but just their business, and often little or no domestic society. Where there is so much of human life, who should complain of solitude, without seeking resources such as may be found at hand? and where there is so much to improve which is susceptible of improvement, who needs be dull for want of occupation? Is not there a sensible interest in seeing even a plant grow and improve and look beautiful? and how much more of interest might be found in the advancement of intelligent human beings? Ah! if people would only take a right thought—an individual care and charge in Christian kindness over even a very few children, and teach them what would be useful, and watch their growth in knowledge and good feelings, and cherish every thing that is good in them, and warn them against what is wrong— what an increase of interest would it give to life in those thus occupied, and what good fruits might be expected to result from such a procedure!

In the house of M. Renner, at Gloucester, I was pleased with the simple and expressive language of a hymn sung in the family; the subject was, 'Say unto the righteous, it shall be well with him!' I should like to see a series of select hymns, in addition to what I have just seen. I would never wish devotional hymns to be sung, either in concert or by any individual, except from devo

tional feeling; yet in meetings for religious instruction, and especially in meetings for children, I should not have any objection to hearing read either poetical lines or prose of a devotional kind -not as an act of devotion, but as religious reading tending to excite devotional feelings: yet even then to wait for a time in stillness to receive any conviction which it may please Infinite Goodness to impart to our minds, and to seek for ability to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

"All that I have seen in Sierra-Leone confirms in my mind the rectitude of the dissent of our Society from many parts of the adopted practice of others. Is not Divine worship the highest act of which the mind of man is capable? and does it not appear, evidently, more consistent with enlightened reason that we should silently wait for a measure of the Divine power and guidance before we venture to address the Omnipresent God in the language of supplication, or of praise? The infant heart should, if possible, be directed towards its Heavenly Parent in the feeling of awe and of love; but for children to be taught daily to repeat, as supplications to the Most High, a variety of vocal professions-some of them implying great contradictions to each other-has presented to my mind a source of painful concern, yet accompanied with a conviction that the inconsistencies of the system must eventually be seen, and a system more consonant with Christian simplicity and truth be pursued in its place. It is in the right direction of the heart to the Source of everlasting goodness that our hopes must rest with regard to religious attainment, and no profession of faith in Christ, and of reliance on the efficacy of His

death, and on the sufficiency of His merits, can ever for a moment be rightly substituted in place of a submission to the influences of His Spirit, which would bring the thoughts, and words, and actions of daily life under the dominion of His power and guidance. I feel, indeed, that the subject is awful, and that it may be said that so complete a subjection to the controlling power of the Spirit of Christ is nothing less than Christian perfection! and who has attained to this? Let not even this inquiry induce a disposition to lower the standard. Truth is truth; and if we love the Lord with all the heart our whole life and conduct must evidence the fruits of such a feeling; but duty must be pursued, even in the path of self-denial, and the daily cross: the practice and customs of the world may oppose, we may appear singular and fastidious, our own propensities and inclinations may oppose, and we may be tempted in many ways, yet nothing can justify a deviation from what we know to be right, or any neglect of known duty. Strength will be given, if sought for, and the grace and power of the Redeemer, if yielded to, will be found in all circumstances sufficient for us! If men will still choose their own ways, and refuse to submit to that daily cross to the human will which is enjoined by the restraining and controlling power of the Spirit of Christ! If, instead of denying ourselves and our own wills, and following Christ daily, we, by unsubjected dispositions and uncontrolled conduct, evince that we do not seek for and submit to His government, but deny Him,' we may assuredly expect that 'He will deny us;' yet if even we thus deny Him, He abideth faithful! He cannot deny

[ocr errors]

Himself! The standard of Christianity cannot be lowered by the mistaken judgment of its professors. The Truth requires that whether we eat, or drink, or whatsoever we do, all should be done to the glory of God-that a sense of responsibility to Him in all things should govern us, even in the most common actions of daily life, and that in all our doings we should dwell under the feeling of His presence, and acknowledge a subjection to His will, that He may be honoured by us in all things.

"The intelligent countenances of the children, both here and in the Gambia, and the degree of zeal which they evince in the manner of repeating their lessons, convince me, that they might be taught to good effect, and with as much facility as the English children, were proper methods of instruction pursued, and such as their state calls for. And I feel quite confirmed in the conviction that vocabularies in their own languages, if they can be obtained, will be a great advantage. In the absence of these, very easy, simple little stories, and dialogues, and sentences in English reading lessons may still be of much use; but more if they had terms in their own language by which to translate them. I can scarcely avoid repeating these ideas, perhaps oftener than may be necessary; but various observation only confirms me in the sentiment of the great importance of cultivating to a certain extent the native languages of Africa. There is a wide field here that calls for sincere, and diligent, and faithful labourers. I do trust that such will be found.

When at Gloucester a few days ago, I went with the children to their evening meeting, in

« AnteriorContinuar »