Conclusion
The writer has thus discharged a duty, for which he has felt no small degree of incompetence, but in the performance of which he has received no small degree of comfort and instruction. Who can survey the leading events of such a life, and the prominent excellencies of such a character, without being alternately humbled for his own deficiencies, and animated to more vigorous exertion? A career so illustrious, may well excite every reflecting man to “forget the things that are behind, and press forward to those that are before.”
If there is one sentiment which a view of this devoted man’s exertions is calculated to impress more deeply than another, it is the practicability of accomplishing a great amount of good in one short life. In adverting to the preceding pages, we involuntarily give way to the exclamation, What cannot one man accomphsh! Without resources, without vigorous health, without fame, and with only a heart devoted to God, how much may be effected in one short life! — When we hear an obscure licentiate of the gospel ministry, with modest intrepidity, addressing one of his brethren in language like this, “Though
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:^42 MBMOIUS OF THE LATIC
you and I are very little beings, we must not rest satisfied until our influence is felt to the remotest corner of this ruined world;” we may well blush, and be ashamed that we know no more how to make the most of human life.
Men are not apt enough to lay out their plans for extended action, hi this respect, how much wiser are the men of the world, in their generation, than the c’hiUlren of light? How magnificent the plans, how unwearied the watchfulness, how persevering the efforts after worldly aggrandizement? How ardent the hopes, how inspirited, how confident the expectation of men in the eager pursuit of the meat that pcrisheth, and the crown that fadeth away? Ah, what a weight of reproach falls upon the head of that Christian who can quietly see the interests of his Master’s kingdom languish for the want of determined exertion? “Expect great things — attempt great things” — should be the sacred and unalterable motto of men in every department of active labour, who have consecrated themselves to Jesus Christ. If a pagan could adopt the maxim, “Nothing is too difficult to be accomplished by mortals,” with what confidence may a Christian say, “I can do all things through Christ strengthening me?” — If he pursues an object replete with responsibility; he also has encouragement peculiar to himself, and resources which the world knows not of He may have a deep impression of his own weakness and insufficiency; but why should he not have strong confidence in the sufficiency of promised race? Why should he not let go his own weakness.
and take hold of divine strength? Why should he not be “strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might?” Nay, why may he not “glory in his infirmity, that the power of Christ may rest on him?”
Under the influence of the example which this volume presents, who is there that will not be awake to the demands of duty, and begin to enjoy the exalted satisfaction of consecrating his undivided heart and life to a cause greater than his own, and that with pious zeal and intense application? What are a few years of labour and fatigue, a few scenes of suffering and sorrow — what is one short life of self-denying, humble, prayerful, patient exertion, for an object so immeasurably important as the glory of God in the salvation of men? Should one solitary Christian, at the close of these pages, institute the solemn inquiry, How shall I make the most of human life? they will not have been written in vain.
In making up his judgment on so momentous an inquiry, no man, at the present age of the world, can satisfy his conscience, without taking into the account the grand objects to which the subject of this narrative was so successfully devoted. There is a mighty work yet to be accomplished for the redemption of fallen men. Though a ^qw sections of the globe have been delivered from their galling manacles, whole kingdoms are to the present hour in the ‘• bonds of iniquity.” “Darkness covereth the earth, and gross darkness the people.” According vo the most judicious calculations, the population of the earth may be computed at eight hundred millions. Of these there are
In Asia, 500,000,000
Africa, 90,000,000
Europe, 180,000,000
America, 30,000,000
Total, 800,000,000
The proportion of these who bear the Christian name, has been judged to be,
In Asia, 2,000,000
Africa, 3,000,000
Europe, 177,000,000
America, 18,000,000
In all .... 200,000,000,
leaving six hundred millions who are destitute of the gospel. Let any man whom “the day spring from on high hath visited,” survey these regions of darkness and death without emotion, if he can. Eighteen hundred years have passed away since the blood of propitiation was shed for the sins of the world, and three-fourths of the world are at the present hour ignorant of the stupendous sacrifice. The single empire of China contains more immortal beings, than there are expectants of a happy immortality on the face of the whole earth.
Who is not covered with confusion, who is notfilled with horror, when lie contemplates the value of one deathless soul, and ventures to uncover those dark regions, where the “god of this world,” whose despotism is so relentless, holds
:jo large a portion of the human family in abject and hopeless bondage? Is it so, that there are now on the earth six hundred millions of men, who are “children of disobedience and wrath” — six hundred millions, who are “crowding the habitations of cruelty” — six hundred millions, with no assurance of an hereafter — without a God — without a Providence — without a Saviour — “without holiness,” and ‘• without hope,” groping their way through this world, and unmoved only when they can banish all apprehension of the next? O that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears! One would think there were enough in the contemplation of pagan pollution and wretchedness, to prove an effectual excitement to missionary exertion. Where is that zeal for the honour of God, that abhorrence of human impiety, that compassion for the souls of men, which are at all commensurate with the mighty considerations that ought to call them into action? If it is not an idle dream, that all who die in their sins must sink into an eternal hell; why is not the heart of Christendom penetrated with grief and sorrow for pagan lands? Why is there no more love for the poor heathen? Will the churches never awake from this guilty slumber, and commence the work of publishing the gospel to every creature?
If the world we inhabit is not mider the obscure dominion of chance, but the direction of a wise and holy Governor, a new era is one day to open upon the earth. Moralists have taught, and poets have sung, that this iron age is to pass away, and notwithstanding this dreadful perspective, that the golden age of light and love is yet to stretch its splendours from pole to pole. From infinitely higher authority too we know, that the Mediatorial Prince is on the throne, and that “He shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. The heathen are his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth are for his possession. All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto the Lord.’” Nor is it diificult to see that these predictions are in a train of accomplishment. Long as the event has been delayed, long as the prince of darkness has reigned almost without molestation; the kingdom of Christ even now begins to extend its authority, and the glories of that kingdom to look toward their consummation. Within these last eight and twenty years, God has been bringing into view, more distinctly than ever, his own omnipotent hand, in governing the world for the sake of the church. The earth is helping the woman; kings begin to be foster-fathers, and queens foster-mothers, to the daughter of Zion; and good men and bad are combining their energies for the sacred cause of God’s dear Son.
Who then will not come up to the help of the Lord against the mighty? Is it not high time that every man, who ventures to look toward the sacred ministry, should seriously ponder, whether it may not possibly be his duty to live and die among the heathen y Go, devoted youth — take your Saviour’s last command, and spread it before you; and before you decide on your destination for the present world, set apart one day of fasting and prayer, with
,1 View to ascertain your duty to God and your fellow-men, in this vast concern? Is it not high time for every sober christian to consider himself as an agent for the kingdom of Christ among the heathen, and under the highest obligation to consecrate himself in a thousand ways to this all-important service? Go, consecrated disciple — employ to the utmost, and on every occasion, every degree of influence you possess, and all the means in your power, to diffuse the missionary spirit, and plant Immanuel’s standard on every land. Is it not high time for every rational man to say, I lay it down as a maxim of my life, and will hereafter regard it as one of the principles of my conduct, that the world is to be converted to Christ?