Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1826-12-09
TgE&a: AMY cAD Z Z.
SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 9.
FOREIGN MISSIONS.

la our last, offered lew casual remarks OF
the impolicy Of encouraging Foreign Mision''
which has called forth the essay which Will be
found below, signed by" Many Professors OF the
Christian Religion, which we must be allowed to
say speaks in language sufficiently bod, ior all the
purposes intended by The writers. II was, howe>-
e-, accompanied NY the signatures OF several gen
tlemen, whom we have long esteemed, whose un-
pretending piety we never doubted and TIE purity
Of whose lives may be cited as examples orthy OF
the atten ion Of thousands. who upon the house
top, are continually exclaimins {" an holier than
thou" The names OF these gentlemen, it will be
seen are in possession, and we are at liberty to
surrender them to any individual, who from ms
standing and relation to society may be entitled to
know them, Eve think proper so TO 10.
The subject of enc ouragIng Foreign Missions
has too long from false delicacy, been denied dis
cu.son by the press but we hre determined
that whatever is connected with the real interests
of society shall be freely and independently can.
va,ed by this publication, we take hold of it with
the utmost Notwithstanding upon the just de-
Gision OF that portion of the people, who are no;
governed by their preiudices. and who are not dis
pole to adore Baal, to suffer superstition and the
dictatoria mandates of sectarians, to triumph over
the dictates Of common sense and reason.
With these remarks, we present TO our reader
the essay of Many Professors Of the Christian Re-
lgion'-
FOR THE LITERARY CADET.
Mr.. EDIToR-We are happy TO find That there
is am1ug US one paper, possessing sufficient indie
pendence, to attack the prevailing mania, Which
draws from the people, most unrigh!eouSty, part
Of their surplus funds to defray the expenses OF
Quixoto attempt ~ Chri-tiuniZe the hntlOns "i
AsIa. and particularly that description OF people
who profess to he Pagaos, residing ia lllndostan.-
The iarce-or rather busness-oi puagjng iro
the people, that proportion of Their bard earned
gans which should be appropriated TO the support
and eIuration Of our own necessitous populauou,
70 squandsr away band oi mere nercenailo,,
who ior tne sake Of gaining livelihood by life
Of conparltIve i1eness, has been too long carried
on an1 we hope that the good sense Of the people
will elecually put IT down.
We have long been unwilling witnesses to
The system of clerical eSpionGge. and pious fraud
and we are rejoced that we nave at length found
publication throngi the medium of which we ca
freely and fully express our dissent 20 any Foreign
Mission expeditions 1t TO be hoped that thesys
TEN will he put down. and that an enlightened lo
dy of Christians will frown ind snantly Oh ever,
attempt that is made TO delude them, and to draw
from their pockets, that which they religiously
bound TO roprate to the support OF suffering hu
manity Al homo, to the exclusion Of race of theo-
logical speculstors. who whilst they profess to have
the hes, interests OF the benighed Iindoos at heut,
seek nothing hut personal aggrandizement.
The expressions we have here used, may, per-
haps be considered somewhat rude but be this as
it may, we feel perfectly assured, that they are
within the rules of decorum, anil sanctioned by reo-
con, and will triumph over the eherVesence oi hea-
ted &c al, and ssctariap bIgot,y.
To the Foreign Missionary Fund, we have bee"
free contributors (: and we have been sadly dupeG
and imposed upon and would earnestly
others against getting entrapped IN the snare
that has too long enthrallel W. At another time
we may take up the subje0i, and treat it as it de
serves, but leave you to manage 1t, TIL you shai'
again hear from your friends.
Many professors Of The Christian Religion.
NJ B. Our names are attached to this hasty not
and when called upon by any person who may -
entitled to know US, you are at liberty to surrende'
Them if you think proper to do so.
Whatevsr may be the opinions of others, We GER
tainly believe that those who were the orisina
founders Of foreign Missions had objects in view.
which were not altogether sinister, and looked to
wards the restoration Of what they were pleased t"
call fallen race Of mon. They beheld with horro'
stricken soul the sad condition Of those who inha-
bit the ben igh,ed regions of Asia, and as they sim
cerely believed, that the Asa,tcs, unless they werc
made TO believe in the Christian Religion, and To-
adopt IFS principles, its dogmas and its rules, they
would he finally lost, and doomed TO that hell oi
torment, which is beyond rs, they resol we'd TO save
them, AMI to induct them first into the only tru.
paths Of holiness.
That their zeal and p;ety was iplisputable, ~
one will dcny-but that they were not driven OF
BY the madness Of religious zeal, cannot be belize
we'd, by those who have been conversant with tb,
history Of modern Christianity. And Of what uti
,y IT asked, without perphrs,is have foreign mis-
sions been to the world We ask The most zealou
ia the 10 point out solitary instance wherein
they have proved to be Of practical utility -
Doe. the pres u, condition OF the Hindoos prove a.
much or will any man undertake TO say that tha
people are more happy al this moment than the,
were before their soil was impressed by the foot o
Christian! Have they advanced in virtue, or ore
they less familiar with those crimes, and those opc
violation, Of morality which marked them as peo.