The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-11-22
For the National Era.
TO THE FRIENDS OF MISSIONS.

For the National Era.
TO THE FRIENDS OF MISSIONS.
The favor of God shown to our Association
and the increasing influence given to its prin
ciples, should encourage the friends of Chris
tian Missions to enter upon the work of a new
fiscal year in the exercise of stronger faith in
the promises of God, and with renewed zeal and
increased liberality. The feld-"the world
which lieth in wickedness lis continually
offering new opportunities for enlarged har
vests, which must be speedily embraced, or they
| may be lost forever. In the providence of God
and in obedience to his call. his servants are
rising up, and expressing their desire to 60 to
the heather, or to preach the Gospel among the
destitute, and in the waste places of our own
land and it is for the Church to say whether
she will keep pace with these providentiai de.
velopments; whether her contributions sha, be
adequate to meet the necessities of her self
sacrificing missionaries, and the wants OF an
awakening world; and whether her prayers
shall anticipate the opening of new fields of
missionary labor. Surely the great Head of
the Church, who has called our missionaries to
make the sacrifice of friends, home, and coun-
try, to 60 to the heather; or the comforts of cul
tivated society, to toll in the destitute portions
of the West and the South-shOuld find in his
people willingness to make the needful offer
ings, not regarding their own ease or wealth. 10
sustain them in their selfdenying and arduous
labors. The least that can be expected from
those who remain at home is, that they liberal
ly sustain those who buffet the storm and con-
tend directly with heathenism abroad, or with
spiritual wickedness, inhumanity, and irreligion,
| in our own country.
While impressed strongly with the import
| ance of strengthening and enlarging our work,
of hon, oyado hrna aud Il l..
the providences of God in opening before us
new fields of labor, and charging indefinitely
| those already occupied, we are compelled to ac-
knowledge the obligations thus imposed upon
us, of increased activities and exertions that
shall equal the increase of the field; and to
recognise the necessity of earnestly seeking for
the means necessary to enter upon the enlarged
work to which we are called. At the present
time, however, we are in pressing need Of funds
to carry on the work already commenced with
out reference to its increase and are, therefore,
under the necessity of calling the attention of
the friends of missions to this fact, and request
ing of them the speedy replenishing of our
| more than exhausted treasury, that We may
sustain our present. missions without emfarrass-
ment. To secure prompt response ard liber-
al contributions from our friends, it car hardly
| be necessary to do more than to assure them
| that our necessities are very urgent, aid to re-
| mind them that we must rely on them to aid us,
without waiting to be visited by an agent.
| We wish that we could greatly increase the
interest of Christians in every department of
| our missionary labors. The Mendi Mission, in
| Africa, would furnish abundant field and labor
| for many times the number of missionaries
| there and it is of the utmost Importance that
| their number should soon be greatly increased.
| A failure to improve speedily the opportunities
| for enlargement there offered, must greatly re-
tard the missionary work. 1t can hardly be ex-
| pected, in the order of Divine providence, that
| a heather country will long remain open, invi-
ting the occupation of Christian missionaries if
they do not promptly respond to that Invitation.
| If we do not take possession of such Selds, in
the name of our God, as fast as they IRE provi-
dentially opened to US, there is great season to
fear that they will be occupied by pssties hos
tile to our Christian efforts; and thus CIR future
labors there be rendered more dificul9 and the
| expense greatly increased.
| Our missionaries among the Copts n Egypt,
are also painfully impressed by the iDedequacy
of their force for the work that is neeied to be
done. There seems to be ample evidence, from
various quarters, that the way is open and the
time opportune for Just the work we have COM
menced; and that abundant opportunities are
offered for the employment of larger mission
airy force in Egypt Our Ojibue Mission is also
| asking for an increase in the number of mis-
sionaries, and the means for enlarged expend-
| itures.
But in no department of our laboss is there
greater demand for enlargement thsn among
the destitute places of our own cou2try, espe-
cially in the slave States and in Kansas. AS
the way is opened in those States for lie preach.
slave6odng GdReh the ssataRlishmi It of non
Word of God to the slaves, we ougE surely to
meet the demand. In the present ,ouflict be
tween Truth and Error, Freedom al Slavery.
now waging in Kansas, every lover !. the Cos.
pei, every friend of Christ, will desiIs that the
cause of righteousness there shouIt have the
aid OF faithful, cody missionaries OF the Cross,
whose testimony shall be consistent and deci.
ded, and always in behalf of true r, lipion and
humanity. There is very cheerint evidence
that the influence of our missionarieAin Kansas
is already being widely and favorabl felt in the
present great struggle, and that it will contrib
ute essential aid toward the right settlement
OF the great moral and religious que stions now
pending in the Territory.
1t ia very important that the Executive Com
mittee should have immediate and substantial
aid to sustain their present missions, and sufi-
Gent evidence that they are required, by the
] friends of God and man, to increase the scale
OF their operations, as God is opening the way
10 sustain existing missions, and especially en-
larged operations, increased contributions to
our treasury are absolutely needful; and for the
| necessary funds we look to the frieAds of mis-
sions. Are they, we anxiously ass, ready to
make, joyfully, the needed incresie in their
gifts, and to urge upon their brethren similar
offerings? Let the friends of missit ms consider
that the harvests of the past seasofl have been
unusually abundant; that the comm ercial pros
perity of the country is good; that the comforts
and luxuries of life are Increasing; and, there
fore, that the present seems to be favorable
time for Christians to consecrate larger portions
of their savings, or abundance, thas heretofore,
to the service of the Lord in missionary fields.
TO achom much is giuen, Of him sail be much
required" God toreth a cheerti@ gicer."
GEORGE WHspPLE,
s. s. JoCELYN,
Secretaries Of the dm. Miss.
Association,