New-York tribune., 1876-09-09
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
,,nrpr. AsAM MISSIONARY FIELD.

LIBERIA AS A MISSIONARY FIELD.
.n,,r po,r.,S TAXING POSSESSION OF AN AMERICAN
ooioNY-rHE GERM OF a 0EEAT MISSIONARY
ENTERPRISE.
"a "a, Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR; It is estimated that the American people
ara giving annually @50O000 for tho religions educatoh
of British SUBJECTS This sum was thus gwen Deiore INC
war when we were not permitted to teaeh our negroes
ana 1t is still given now when we are at liberty 10 teoH
negroes and when the negroes very much need tne N
struction our Liberia Colony has borrowed $oOoooO
from the British to enableltsef to struggle into healthy
interior region from out the deadly malaria OF the sea
coast. whore we Americans have placed IT, and where
our apaty and Indifference keep IT. ana as eerans arc
moor and cannot pay tho sum borrowed, having Doon
stripped by for centuries Of the proceeds OF te
tho prospocte are that Liberia viii lave TO turn lSei
over 70 Icn GLAND TO nav her debt this way repub
can colony may lapse into the possession OF mOnaroh
government. But this consideration the SWALLOWING Up
OF a Republican colony by monarchy 50 fun OF III auSy
70 our own Repablic, does not seem 10 "uAoh any
concern among us, cause our missionary acuoh W o
vate one ota from the ruts In which It has run for nall
cen,nrv or more tits not surprising that while we are
looking after British subjects Great Britain should DO
taxing possession OF of republican colonies iIs
plain 10 be seen that Americans are helping 10 eouce
the inhabitants OF Hndostan but what are we doing for
our negroes our own feowctizensf lpstead OF hoii~
ing them 10 the possession of tho continent OF Africa
their brthright and their land of PROMISE are giving
them land Of Goshen here in the United States We are
giving them South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi ana
louisiana The spirit Of the political administration OF
the country mercenary to perm OF much attention
being paid objects of benevolence or to the ars Oh
a colony founded IN philanthropy and benevolenee
while tho members OF our Government are making
money for themselves, in the same Tut that became
established during the our clergy are sending
around the hat box, plate for contributions 70 ms
sionary purposes but seldom If ever is word uttered
by them IN favor Of our Liberia colony, tne
greatest practical religious scheme of the age 1t the
doorway opened up to hundred millions of barbar'ans
OF race whom we have outraged, and to whom we are
under greater moral obligations than TO any other people,
La IL for Gods purposes that we keep the negro mere IN
America or Is IL not for our own Have we brought
him here from Africa TO be educated, and then TO De re-
turned as missionary to tho millions OF bis race or
have we brought him here merely to Increase cur store
of cotton strengthen the Republican vote, and aid IN
opposjng the political aggresslons OF Romansm' Our
clergy rarely IL ever ask such questions Their reli
glors action runs in ruts for 1t easier to How IN the
smooth channels OF habit than to rrtgate waste lands
With the stream.
Liberia is the germ Of tho greatest missionary enter
prise since the Exodus from Egypt and nothing stands
IN the way OF its development want of attention
on tie part of the Government and people Of the United
States First there needed road from the unhealthy
seaeoas up into the healthy interorsay 100 miles long
second survey Of tho land, that every African IN
the United States can tell before nc eaVs our sVLoS
precisely where he is to be situated just as European m
granfs can tell before leaving home where they are TO
live in this country; aud, third all our foreign HIS
sonarY efforts should be centcred upon Africa.
We saw not long since on cold, raw Day IN January,
Es little flock Of some persons, at OF the docks OF
Eew-York on his way to liberia The little flock had
left their against the wishes OF nelgnDors pom
black and white. and under the influence OF deep
religious purpose stemmng an adverse current OF
prejudice interest and false policy worse than NOrI
oru Winter itself There no road trongh tDe lunSo
for them when they should arrive in Africa no rendy
Caste Garden no railroad with sleeping cars 10 thc III
terior no lot surveyed and ready 20 receive them Du
on the contrary, poverty, apathy. nGiference msIla
uncertainty exhausted resources, sickness booutsS e.
forts perhaps and fastened death WOud II not ne hai
ter TO encourage the high, devotional spirit OF s Ger
gYan and his ock by helping them on TO lots OF iau IN
the healthy Interior where the clergyman eond set the
examDle of ti the soil with his hands, preaching
the word OF God to his flock Sunday WoG II not be
better sustain such missionary with our missionary
money than to be spending IL the Hindosauese sun
facts OF wealthy Englandf W0ud II not be wen 70 dvert
American sentiment religious aud POLITICAL from some
OF it's oil ruts J'"'F
FhLadelphiQ, Sept. @. 1875.