Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1826-12-16
IggGEA&Y oAYEg.
SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER
FOREIGN MISSIONS.


approved by the rejecting the just, and the wise
indeed almost every one has subscribed to the JUS
tce Of our cause fhey have not fully relied on the
purity Of our intentions.
We are opposed TO foreign missions on principle I;
we object TO them as inexpedient, and unnecessary
and as productive Of nothing but i'll consequences at
rome, and of any thing abroad, except that which
their original founders anticipated There is, how
ever, variety Of opinion on the subject and as we
are determined to act impartial'y, and 10 give both
sides hearing we shall insert two communications
received since our last on the subject. One is
against foreign missions and the other IN favor Of
Them. The first is from gentleman of great re.
.pectabnty residing in Canterbury, Connecticut,
who, though believer in modern christianity, is
liberal in his views honest in his principles, and an
inlexibe advocate OF benevolent urt humane in
stitutions.
The other came from a citizen of this town,
whose name we know not, and who is, for aught
we know, a Professor of Religion, and an humble
and contrite worsbpper Of the living and true God,
though for reasons undoubtedly satisfactory to him
self, he has declined giving up his name. To this
we do not object /; but in inserting his essay, must
be perm tted to offer a few remarks, on the nature
and character of its contents. But first let us hear
what he has to say
I am sorry to see, Mr.. Editor, that you have en-
tered into the discussion Of subject, upon which
the religious world is much divided 10 sentiment,
and which does aot belong to the province OF
newspaper. From the discussion Of such subject
as Foreign Missions, in such place no good can
arse especially if 1t be conducted with so little re-
gari to justice, and the feelings Of those who may
tbink differently from you on this subject, as your
writings, well as the communication you have in
serted, abundantly evince. Common sense should
teach man, that contemptuous epithets and abu-
sive language will avail nothing in argument on
any subject, and particularly on one o such ma
ture. IL canno, be possible that you think to con-
vince your readers that those who support the
cause Of Foreign Missions with heart and hand. can
be actuated by such base motives as you attribute
10 them in your writings. Can you believe that
such men as Hobart Griffin, and thousand others
that could be named, possess " "consciences scared
against every conjunction, and dead to every en-
ncbhng principle ~ That "they wrest the last
shilling from the band ofhonest industry and leave
the unhappy INDECENT to suffer all the ills o poverty,
while they tear from them even the necessaries Of
life?" Are these the men without character and
without nuue, who succeed in draining the pock-
cts Of the credulous, and IN stripping the last far
ted by a spirit which is rather demoniac than other
wise," say you, /" they suffer opportunity to es-
cape unemployed, by ~ ..h they can succeed in
working upon the passions and credulity OF the ig-
porant and unsuspecting and ere the duped are
aware Of it, they wheedsd out OF that little ap-
proprnLed and saved from their hard labor, to rock
the cradle OF declining life, TO give comfort to a
bed ofsickness and misery" Is it possible that such
men we engaged in our Foreign Mission So
oietes, be actuated by such motives? Have we
been so long deceived and so grossly deceived p
Away with all this hypocritical cant about the lib
srty Of the press let us have no more it, when
the best aud most yirtuous men in our community
are brought forward, and treated like pickpockes,
because they dare entertain different opinion upon
contested subject, from some others who have per-
haps, no more apparent "purity of purpose" than
they should have. You may possibly hear from me
again. PROFESSOR.
N. B.-My name is not attached to this hasty
note, beca use, unlike your correspondent upon the
subject of Foreign Missians in your last, do not
think it at all necessary that any one should de-
nand my name. An advocate Of Foreign Missions
may be found In almost any place.
We do not accede to the propositions of /"
Professor" that the subject of foreign missions is
one, concerning which the religious world are much
divided, and we assure our correspondent that he Is
altogether al fault in forming such an opinion. The
truly Religious world we believe 10 be pretty near
ly unanimous in relation to the subject-and they
are decidedly of opinion, that it behoves US all, to
make ample provision for the support and happi-
ness of our own countrymen, before we undertake
to assist those who ask none assistance, and
who need not our council or our advice.
Ia opinion, may be truly pious, though
he doe. not join with those who engaged in the
Foreign Missionary business; and that there are
men row employed in those Missions, who have en-
tered the ranks, not from motives which Heaven
would applaud, and who have adopted their pre-
sent occupation for the sake Of gaining livelihood
by comparative iIlcncss, and with hope of amas.
sing wealth, we have ample assurance, and the
means ofprovpg. That the "regious world" can
be "much divided in relation TO schemes carried
on by such men, that they can entertain for them
any other sentiments than those Of adherence, We
do not believe; but if they do, we must blush for
the weaknesses the Christian world and its 20.
pulstion. We insist upon it, that +" the religion,
world" is no. al this age, 50 completely yoksd by
ignorance and superstition, as to believe, that al
those who are engaged in the Foreign Mission bust
ness, are immaculate, and incapable of" doing any
wropg.'