Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-05-13

AAAAooA EeA4AAAA0 AseA ASssA 49, - -
Lessons fitting them for their work They
carried with them the English language.
the English Bible. our agricultural and
mechanic arts, our civilization. They
carried with them all the lessons respect
ing civil religious liberty, and the practi-
cal working of republican government,
which our fathers had learned in two
hundred yeas. All this garnered e1pe.
rience was their own. They carried it
with them and applied it successfully to
their new condition.
Since Ashmun sailed in 1882, ISL
vessels have carried out emigrants
to the number of some fifteen thou
sand. In all these voyages there has
never been the loss of life of an emigrant
by drowning or other accident, fact,
perhaps, without parallel = showing
Ravens approval of our work.
Now what do we see to-day as the re-
suit Of these humble beginnings
We see on the western coast of Africa,
a we'll ordered republic of colored men,
geographically as large as the six New
England States.
We see there over 10000 America Ii
berians, emigrants and their children
born there and educated in Liberia
schools.
We see mingled with them some six
thousand recaptives-taken from slave
ships-civilized, educated and assimilated
to christian habits, and received as citi-
IONS into the bosom of the state.
We see there 100000 natives within the
bounds of that republic, thankfully ac-
cepting its protection, and cheerfully ODE
dent to its laws. Most of these people
are so far civilized that they speak the
English language, (imperfectly, of course)
adopt our manners, mechanic arts, &c.
They have attained to civilization of a
higher order than that of the masses of
ancient Greece and Rome, for it is civil
ization enlightened by christianity and
aided by our modern inventions.
We have in Liberia college with an
able Faculty of literally educated color
ed men, and some thirty or forty students
in its departments of study. We see there
three academies, and our New England
system of district schools, in successful
operation.
The steam engine is there, the sugar
mill, the printing press-that great en-
CINE of civilization several newspapers
are published, either weekly or monthly,
in the various columns of which we see
all the marks of prosperous and -four
ishing state.
But there is another and still brighter
aspect of this work which most strongly
commends it to every christian heart. /
mean It's poeoer as a missionary agency.
We have in the republic about sixty
churches of the several denominations.
In these churches are some 1000 converts
from the native population. A larger
of the people, Doth emigrant
and native attend public worship on the
Sabbath than in New England. know
of no foreign field in which the mission
airy work is being done more rapidly than
in Liberia.
Every time the ship of the colonization
society sails, she carries out one or two
churches. For example, the Golconda
sailed May 14th, 1868, with some 400 en-
igrants. In addition to fifty one commu-
nicants in other denominations, she car
ried one complete Baptist church, from
Columbus, Ga, having an educated col
members. That chnrrh - ri~"t~1 down
in ore Or the native towns, near Bassa.
Every member of it is practically mis-
sionary, living illustration OF the bene-
its and blessing of civilized Christian
life The natives mingle with its mem
bers in their family, and in their Sabbath
and the work of assimilation
goes on rapidly.
Here is organized Christianity, doing
It's work more efficiently than it can be
done by the ordinary mode of sending
out one or two missionaries and their
wives, who have to labor five or ten, or
fifteen years, before they have converts
enough to form church.
Africa is to be converted to Christ, and
the work of her conversion must be done
by her own returning children. They are
Of the same race blood and symPathies,
and their constitution suited to The Afri-
can climate. The average length of mis-
sionary life to white missionaries il less
than eleven years in that climate.
Such in brief are a few of the results
Of the scheme of African colonization, III
the short period Of forty-seven years.
And what has been the cost Of this great
work financially The whole amount ex-
pended by the society III this purchase Of
territory, sending .Inigrlnts and settling
hem on their arrival, * 80 $50, 100 This
IS less than the average daily expense Of
our war during the last six months Of its
That expense was estimated
1t three millions per day.
In view of these results, we think every
unbiased mind will see that the scheme of
is practicab'e ; that it is bene-
fcient and necessity of the times in which
we live.
1t was necessity, for destroying the
slave trade on the Western coast
A necessity as furnishing receptacle
for recaptured slaves, and as protection
o''christian missions
1t was a necessity for demonstrating the
capacity of black men for self-govern-
nent; and finally, it was u necessity for
an asylum for the exigencies
If the present hour.
Shall not this good work go on Will
lot all Christians and philanthropists give
heir sympathies and prayers, and good
influence Two thousand and six hun
lred freedmen are now spontaneously
IpDlyinp for massage 10 Liberia Thirty