Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-09-19
VOL. y. NO. SO.

ever. are found to be as capaciou3 and
ready as those of any nation, and their
progress at school is very encourag-ing.
! The missionaries are often astoniShed NJ
the industry they evince, compared
with the Incidence and stupidity Of the
nation in general. Some of them are sue
cessfu!Iy taught the higher branc hes of
mathematics.
The native temper is docile and plant,
but capable of deep malice and cruelty.
The people are naturally improvident and
idle.
Notwithstanding the existence Of many
vices which habit has rendered national,
it may be said that the Islanders are now
a moral people. With small exception
they have become temperate, and with the
excessive use Of ardent spirits that once
prevailed, have passed away the impure
and violent amusements which attended
it. The Sabbath is virtually observed as
a day of rest, and if the school and place
of worship, are not attended, they arc at
home. The characteristic crimes of the
nation are licentiousness and theft.
They are read V TO conform TO the out
ward duties Of religion. Hence arises a
great difficulty in Judging Of the sincerity
Of protested converts, and a great liability
OF their yielding to some system Of reli-
gion that will be satisfied with nominal
adher ence. The conscience is weak -
there is little strength of purpose or per-
severance. There are many bright ex-
ccptions to this remark in the churches
that have been founded on the island but
this is one of the difficulties of their evan
geIizotion.
There are between twenty and thirty
thousand who can read the New Tesla
ment nteIigent)y. Multtudes have COM
mitted 10 memory short catechism, con-
tanning a summary of Christian truth, and
many Of those have learned 1t from each
other, without being able to read
In the immediate vicinity of the stations
the majority Of adults, probably know
what is right and wrong according to the
Is bic, and what they must d to be saved:
but owing to their ha bituaI want ofthought
and reflection their ideas are often very
crude and confused.
The most successful! way Of preaching
to them is by reducing every statement to
the simplest possible terms. They do not
understand general principles. Every
item OF instruction and of inference must
be brought down to their apprehension by
the pIainest illustrations. They under
stand the Savior's parabies better thena
other part Of the scripture; and are inter-
estcd by the personal history of Christ.
Contrast of the Dying Thoughts Of an
aged Chief, aojth those Of the Emperor
Iraj an-I went one dav into house 10
visit Chief. This Chief d few wears
before, did not know that he had SOUL
did not know the God who made him.
He was then about ninety years Of age.
When We entered, he was sitting on the
fl or. He had been blind for years. When
we told him our names, Instantly he burst
into tears, grasped our hands, thanked God
for the visit. and began to talk about his
situation. Scraping up some of the dust
with his hand, be said, Gin little time I
must mingIe with that dust; bot in this
flesh shall see God. | am blind; see
not the light of day; but, by the eve of
faith, | see Jesus standing at the right
hand OF God, ready to receive my soul"
[ remembered, at that moment that | had
read in the life of Trajan, a soiIoquv,
which he held with his own soul, imme-
diatelv before his DEATH "This head.
SAYS he, "shalI no more wear a CROWN
these feet shall no more stand on the necks
Of princcs-rhese hands no more sway
sceptre-thiS heart no longer be hittered
with the praise of lnen-these ears no
/ more be delighted with harmony, or these
eyes with fine sights; and, my soul-O
my soul ! what is to become of thee 2"
Now contrast the feelings of this poor
man with those Of the ruler Of the Roman
empire, in their dying moments, and you
/ will find, that when you give a Bible to
j poor savage, and it produces this effect on
him, you do more for that man than if YOU
could give him the government Of the
world. This man had been taught bvthe
Bible alone; and little child read the
Bible to him every day he heard the
+ Bible every day and was enlightened by
! the Bible.
Truth ENOUGH TO SAVE A Soul
In walking the street the other dav our
attention was drawn to a small piece Of