Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1841-01-06

truth, presents to our adherence depravi-
tY lnsltS blaekest shapes, which can equal.
in the grossness of the guilt, or in the
hardness Of heart with which it was con-
Quoted, or in low and sroyelling motives.
the acts and character oil the prisoner. -
And such are the pioneers Of the gospel
such are the men, who, In the lamentable
ublqalty of human avarice and crime,
have ever been destined TO present TO the
hungefing aud thirsting nations Of heath
enism the andpast of the religion of puri-
ty and peace. And has this great evil.
been sufficiently contemplated and exam
med by the Christian Church? We call
it a great evil; not only because it IS SO
IN Itself and IN its own nature, but because
il is great in its applications; because it is
found eoery aoiere; pervading every isl
! and, and every continent, aaa every eoun-
try, and every name, and tribe under heaV-
en- 1t is fatal mistake which some will
be likely to commit, that, though the evil
| is aggravated in its nature, it is limited
and curtailed in its application; and con-
sequentlv Of no great moment.
Fleeing from the denominations of Amer
lea and India, we direct our attention to
the immense regions of Africa. AS the
missionary passes along that benlghted
coast with his announcement of the glad
tidines of salvation and peace, can it be
supposed that the countless wrongs and
contumelies, suffered for three centuries at
the hands of Christian nations. will at once
be forgotten? Undoubtedly the mission
ary will find in the recollection of these
wroags an obstacle of The most serious
/ kind to his benevolent efforts. Tie uTitu-
tored Africans will experience the great
est difficulty in satisfactorily solving the
/ problem of the direcl contradiction he
! tween alleged Christian principles and
/ known Christian practice; and SO long as
i this is the case, it cannot be expected mat
their hearts will be thrown fully and frank,
! ". open to the reception Of divine truth
! We give you the gospel, says the mission
larry we come to you in peace; and We
pray YOU 10 listen to US, aud to become
1 Christians. 'tO,' says the hereayed and
i heart broken mother, rather give me my
sons and daughters. whom you Christians
have. torn shrieking from my arms, and
have plunged into the ocean, or have en-.
shaved IN distant lands" s.=.z...z
And now what is to be done? Have
we not by our misconduct erected a Chi
:. nese wall in the way ofthe progress oftht
4 gospel! Can we reasonably expect Il
= purify the world withou. a purifcation O
e oufselves2 Undoubtedly missions viii
: be established and will be attended with
some degree ofsuccess; but we draw oul
!, conclusion without looking closely ant
seriously enough at the premises, if W
! suppose. that the world will be convened
= without our taking this great stumbling
5 block out Of the way. Ships of war mus
: be laid up; armies must be disbanded
). the militia system must be given up; for
il tifcations must be demolished; canno
f must be melted into bells for churches
. swords must be beaten into ploughshares
and spears into pruning hooks; and the
: what light will beam from the brow c
y the missionary. as he stands the messen
h ger of the Prince Of Peace on the heathe
!. soil He will come not only with til
. 4 gospel, but with a practical commeuar
: on lis principles, SO full, SO striking, S
, overwhelming, as TO carry conviction
once to the heather heart.
y Prof. T. G. UPHAM.
2 Speech Of Sheridan on the Impeach ment
b, Warren Hastings.