Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-03-02
4flissionarp Department.


Yours, mailed the LIST inst, came duly
to hand, and greatly acknowledge my oblg tions to
yon for noticing my communication. dd not write
in expectation Of receiving a reply. remember that
some two years ago addressed line to one of the
Secretaries, directly winch remained unn,ticed Tue
tines. however, chan.e whether nen do OF not The
decision, to which have come in relation to the pfn
cplcs on which Missions ought to be conducted, has
been deliberately made, and trust prayerfuy, The
sbjoct Of Foreign Missions is very dear toue. From
1927, the year in which hope was called from the
darkness of sin into Guc's light, till the present time
have loved the cause above every other. The first
monthly concert attended, after cherished hope,
all the money | possessed went into the Mission box
and very early period of my chr stan experience,
resolved if the Lord would, to preach the Gospel to
the perishing heather. am not aware that my desire
to the use has diminished aught although in the
Providence of God, am detained at home, not,vith-
standing my appointment by your board to the Mission
work in 1897. And it is because love the cause, that
have been led prayerluy to investigate the principles
on which it should be managed
The American Board always had my sympathes
until became convinced that there was Fundamental
wrong. | do not withdraw my sympahes and support
because they simply err, for this is hum1n but because
they err radically. BY this it is not meant that they
are radically in in respect to doctrina or expert
mental religion But their theory and practice of the
principle of expediency is such as will necessarily I'M
plant deeds of evil the heart Of missionary churches
and send back upon the churches at home deadly re-
dax influence. Tint distorted views hive beer
presented by lecturers and writers for the putc oun
ais, as you suggest may be tue. Whether it is so, oil
not it is ceralnhlt such influence led change
my views in relation to the Board My mind was made
up in view of facts elected by the action of the BoarC
on a petition presented by several ministers in n H.
on the subject of slavery That slavery existed il
some mssioniry chuc es, none disputed That sllvc
holding professors had received all their rel gious in
sructons from the missionaries of the Beard, ROM
doubted. Yet they we're honestly holding slaves. Tit
necessary inference was that the missionaries hal
neglected ~ instruct them. What was the action o
the Board Whatever else they did, they certain,
did not at that time instruct nor have they since pub
cly at least instructed the missionaries to teach tn
people the sin Of sayehodng or to reject them from
commun'on except they repent BY their silence the
tolerate slavery This as | understand is not disputed
Now, if the operations Of tie Board stood entirel
disconnected from our churches at home if they hat
no influence whatever the subject of slavery anon!
us, must refuse to sustain them. If Slavery is SIT
and the Board say is, and some of its corporate mem
bers denounce 1t as the greatest abominaton) cannc
see why 1t should be tolerated, or why mssionare
should be sustained who admit it to churchfeowshE
without rebuke. am not able to make the distinction
which some do, relation to existing sins, if Their
were reality after ALL in the Romish notion that sin
are MORTAL, and some vENIAL. Neither can | adm
that circumstances either justify the missionary in re
fsng to ebuke sin OF the sinner in refusing to roper
of and foriake it, Else why have Christians in all age
suffered persecution? Last of all can it be admitte
that beause the wicked has contrived to combin
r POLITICAL civil, and social influences in favor of sir