The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-11-02
From the Emancipator.
The Mission Colony.

One of the most surprising deIusons we have
ever known to prevail among an upright and in
telligent people, is that which has been so extern
sively cherished by the American churches, in
suppoSing that trading, specializing, land-grasp-
ing and irresponsible settlement of Americans on
the coast of Africa could exert a beneficial infu-
ence on the cause of Missions. We are glad to
see that delusion beginning to yield to the sad re-
suits of experience The American Board at Bos-
ton, has become convinced that the best fields for
missions are those most remote from the colonies
In their annual report, reported last month, they
say of their West African missions:
1t is of great importance TO the welE-being Of
the native tribes Of Western Africa, that the
strongest possible religious influence should be
thrown into the colonies, which are rising into
existence and power upon their borders Other
wise the fate Of these rifles, Notwithstanding The
SameneSS Of their color with thai of the coloniSs
will, at no distant period, he that Of Ike natirc
tribes Of South A)rica and Of our o1cn cou7ttry /,
would seem to be the wiScSt course to assume the
permanence of those colonies, and their future as
tendency over the Datiye tribes, as unquesionable
facts, and to form our plans accordingly. 1t viii
be impossible to conduct missions happily and
prosperously in the immediate cicinify ofthe COL
omics unlesS lie influence Of lie gospel is predomi
nant IN item: and their relations with the native
communities will necessarily extend and become
more and more intimate. OF late years it has
seemed TO the Committee that the field, which
specially invites our attention, is remote from the
colonies, perhaps among the Ashantee5, and es-
pecialIy up the Niger; while al the same time, 1t
will be desirable for us 10 have mission Of mod
crate size at Cape Palmas. Indeed, we could
hardly maintain an efficient mission in the upper
&c Lr,.
at Cape Pamas, and another somewhere on the
nation, and as intermediate posts of communica-
ton
The Baptist mission in West Africa is also be-
coming deeply impressed with the necessity Of
standing entirely aIoof from the colony, ifhey wish
to secure such degree of confdence from the ma
tves as is necessary 10 the success of their bencv-
client designs. The Baptist Advocate of Oct 5,
contains letter from MIR. Hilary league, a lead
ing toonist, and lately the acting governor of the
republic C) of Bassa Cove, and to the Rev. S. H.
Cone, of this city, dated Aug. II, in which, after
referring TO the recent war. and It's a1prehendcd
results in impeding the work Of the mission al
Bassa Cove, he says:
Such has been the wary and prudent course
pursued by our missionaries, that in the minds Of
the natives. they are hardly identified with The
colcnists Though have no doubt they feel deep
concern for the happiness and prosT Gritty of the
colony yet they have prudently manifested so lit
tie connection with it, and attended so exclusively
and necessarily 10 their appropriate duties, that
the natives regard them as having an object and
interest altogether distinct from those ofthe colony
In addition, their just and equitable dealing in all
their intercourse with the natives, their lender pa
terna treatment Of the children under their charge
and their success in inStructing them, have con.
Splred in awakening in the minds Of the chiefs and
head men, an appreciation of the advantages Of
having missionaries among them, and thus Of
throwing IL shield OF protection around them.
have not head from them since the battle, bat
have not the smallest apprehension for their per-
sona safety, nor for the continuance Of their ope-
ratons.'
We wish our readers to observe, not only the
TACT, here strong y expressed, that it has been ne
cessary for the missionaries TO pursue wary
and prudent course in order thas they might not
be identified with the colonsts,' in the minds of
the natives; tut also the specified grounds of the
contrast which has so decidedly distinguished and
disconnected them from the colony. The reasons
why they are not identified with the colonists are
that they have so little connexion with il, thai
they attend so exclusively to their apnronrate
duties their JUST AND EQUITABLE
DEALINGS,' and their tender and paternaI
care Of the children 1t is not the presence and
force of the colony which has protected the mis-
sionares from the natives, but it is there own
prudent disconnecton with it, that has thrown "a
shield protection around them" against the dam
gers caused by the colony.
The Methodist mission has been officially de-
clared to be identified with colonization, and de-