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same appreciation of the influence of printed | that of multiplying by two the flourishing books characterizes also their brethren, the colleges which already existed. These are American Baptists, in the Burman empire a very remarkable experiment, the result of and in Siam. But, besides these literary which is as yet uncertain. The object conlabors, the Baptist community possesses one templated is to raise up a class, out of which of the most interesting and rapidly pro- the future Christian teachers of India may gressive of all our missions. The American proceed. The means employed is to give Baptists have succeeded in raising the Kar- them, through the medium of the English ens, a degraded aboriginal race, inhabiting language, a thorough Christian education, the forest country of Pegu and the Tanasse- which they may afterwards impart in their rim provinces, not only to the knowledge of own vernacular to their fellow-countrymen.* Christ, but to a very considerable degree of civilisation. In Siam there exists the very unusual phenomenon of Protestant missionaries very high in favour of the court.*

In this system European science acts, in a remarkable manner, as handmaid of the Christian religion. It is the great agent in the destructive part of the mission work. In To the London Society, supported chiefly the Brahminical system, science and religion by English congregationalists, belongs the are so mingled in one great scheme, that honor of having furnished the first apostles both must stand or fall together. The desto Polynesia; and the last blood that has tructive part of Dr. Duff's plan is, by the been shed in these islands in the Christian aid of European science, to demonstrate imcause, has been that of its missionaries, Wil-mediately the falsity of Brahminical science, liams and Harris. Nor has anything tended and ultimately of Brahminical religion. so powerfully to awaken interest in the Upon the ruins of the building thus overcause, as the romantic accounts which the thrown, he attempts, by a thorough course agents of this Society transmitted, of their of Christian evidence and doctrine, to build own wonderful success in those beautiful is-up a reasonable belief in Christianity. Aplands. It possesses also successful missions|parently, the destructive process is surer in Western and Southern Africa, and in than the constructive one. There are but Hindostan; and had once a flourishing one, few avowed converts; although, it is said, now destroyed by persecution, in Madagas- the intellectually convinced constitute the

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majority of those who receive this kind of The missions of the Church of Scotland education. We do not think this a wellpossess a peculiar character of their own. founded objection to the system. People That Church, previous to its disruption, had are but too fearful of destroying because (as we think, wisely) chosen one single they cannot feel sure, whether they can subsphere of action, and one single branch of stitute anything better, in the place of that missionary work, and directed all its ener- which they have destroyed. So thousands, gies to bringing that branch to the greatest perhaps millions, of good people in the Ropossible perfection. Under the direction of man Church dare not protest against the Dr. Duff, one of the greatest names in the history of missions, it undertook the task of providing a high Christian education for the natives of the chief towns of India. The Disruption, that has since taken place, has had no other effect, in that part of the world, than

recent deification of a woman, because they dread the consequence of discrediting a system, so linked with the popular convictions, and so influential on moral practice. So too, the impostures of the holy fire at Jerusalem, and of St. Januarius' blood, drag on from century to century, because the perpetrators ten years. In 1853, 418,275 copies of 1400 works dare not discontinue them; lest, along with had been sold. Of these 507 were religious, of which the ancient superstition, the faith itself 215 were Christian, 40 Mahometan, and the remaining 252 of different sects of the Braohminical reli- should fall. Thus, among those, who have gion. The American missionaries, in the Bombay Presidency, are quite at the head of the vernacular literature, publishing the periodicals, which are in the greatest demand, and books got up to the native taste, which are not only accepted as gifts, but also sell.

*The doubtful point in Dr. Duff's experiment is, whether men, who have gained the thorough command of the English language, will afterwards condescend to the vernacular. "Too often they have the same contempt as the Brahmins have for the profa*It is a curious illustration, of the difference be-num vulgus. What have the converts from the tween the procedure of Protestant and Romish missions, that, in the last Report of the American Baptist Board, the Missionaries in Siam express grave doubts, whether they can justify themselves in making themselves useful to the king, by translating official documents, &c., instead of giving their whole time to preaching the gospel. A Jesuit would have had no doubts, that the connexion with royalty must be maintained at any price.

English schools done towards enriching a native Christian literature? As all their instruction has been conveyed through the medium of English, they almost forget the use of their own language, as an instrument of conveying knowledge; it is regarded by them as a patois. The result of the experience of the American missionaries for thirty-five years in Ceylon bears out this statement."-Rev. J. Long, in Church Missionary Intelligencer, June 1856.

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lost their faith in the self-sustaining power It is cheering to observe, in the action of of truth, there is no limit to the continuance these various bodies, their general mutual of superstition. The older it is, the more harmony. In the northern district of Ceydoes its overthrow seem dangerous. What- lon, there is an old parochial division, instiever we believe or disbelieve, no one should tuted by the Dutch, who provided each part with this conviction, that the truth parish with a church. These are occupied, needs, for its support, no lie, either spoken, parish by parish, by Wesleyans, Church or acted, or acquiesced in. It is a plain duty missionaries, and Presbyterians of the Ameto contradict, and destroy, to the utmost of rican Board. The English bishop testifies, our powers, every falsehood within our that they work together, "with little conreach, even though we cannot see the conse- nection but less collision, and with no unquences, or even if these consequences seem kindly or unchristian feelings.' In other very alarming. If our powers are not equal parts of the same island, where the several to setting truth upon the throne, from which spheres of labour are less exactly circumwe have cast down an idol, we must content scribed, the result is a certain amount of ourselves with the negative good, and leave jealousy, in which the bishop probably bears the constructive process to the higher Power, his share. In Southern Africa, we have the which sways all the movements of the world. testimony of Bishop Gray, the exclusive of Moreover, all accounts agree that, in hea- exclusives, to the harmony of the twenty then countries where Christianity has en- religious bodies existing there. "They act tered, a constructive process is always going independently of each other without much on insensibly by the side of the destructive mutual consultation or intercourse. There one. A conviction is gradually formed, is ample room for all, and, so far as I am which, although not quite Christianity, is able to judge, a kindly and brotherly spivery closely allied to it, and is far above rit prevails among them. But," continues heathenism. The great fundamental truths the Bishop, "the fact, that there are not less of natural religion-the unity of God, His providential government, and man's responsibility to Him, pass insensibly into the popular language and belief. Some read these truths in the text of their ancient religions; or possibly find them there, for in many cases they exist already. Some reject their ancient belief, and are content with these truths alone. But they exercise an elevating effect on all.

than twenty different religions in South Africa, cannot but be a subject for anxious consideration to the thoughtful mind which looks forward to the future." Honest candour has here stated a fact, and narrow exclusiveness added a comment. If these twenty religious bodies looked on each other as different religions, each pretending to exclusive rights, the prospects of South Africa would certainly be alarming. Happily such A pleasing feature, in the present state of is not the case. Similar accounts reach us the missionary world, is the assistance, that from other countries. Nor is separate acwe are everywhere deriving, from our Pro- tion the only form in which harmonious latestant brethren in other lands. The Ame- bours are found possible. Mutual conference ricans doubly our brethren, both in religion is becoming more and more frequent. In and in blood, are affording us assistance even London the secretaries of the missionary within the limits of our own colonial empire. societies have held for many years a monthThe American Board of Foreign Missions, ly meeting. We are not aware whether a confederacy of Presbyterians and Congre- this is attended by the able secretary who gationalists, stands at the head of education, has done so much for the Progagation Soboth male and female, in Ceylon, occupying in that island much the same position as the Scots have earned for themselves in the great Anglo-Indian cities. Three American organizations support fifty-one missionaries in Hindostan. We have already alluded to the successful labours of American Baptists within the limits of our new Burmese dominions. There are also twelve establishments of the same nation engaged in a very important work in Kaffirland; nor do we find in their reports any narrow national feeling, or jealousy of the advance of British power.

*

ciety. We hope so; for if a minister of Curzon Street Chapel, Mayfair, has really united, at a meeting for prayer and conference, with his brethren of Little Bethel or Ebenezer, we shall begin to look out for the millennium. In Calcutta, a similar meeting has long existed: and last year a council took place, which may be chronicled by some future Labbé, of Bengal missionaries of all persuasions, at which the venerable Bishop of Calcutta had the charity and courage to preside. Perhaps a day may come, when a church synod will meet, not, like all on

* The income of the Protestant Missionary Socie-lish ones, £500,000; the American, 250,000; those ties may be roughly estimated as follows: the Eng- of Germany, and other countries in Europe, £50,000.

1856.

Christian Missions.

record, since the apostolic one at Jerusalem, has, until lately, perseveringly opposed
to obtain the triumph of some exclusive them, we think that these results are as
opinion, or the universal acceptance of some great as could be expected.
ecclesiastical institution, and concluding with

We attach no slight importance to fact

a chorus of anathemas; but, after that more that the success of missionary enterprises primitive example, to reconcile opposing has been so variously distributed. Episparties by a liberal act of toleration, and to copalians have been permitted to plant devise means, by which brethren may act Christianity at the head quarters of the in harmony without violating their conscien- African slave-trade, and to raise up a new ces, and abandoning their sincere views of Christian nation in New Zealand. Presbyterians, Independents, and Methodists, are truth and well-tried religious practices. The degree of success obtained by Pro- the founders of the Christianity of Polynesia. testant missions is, we think, considering Scottish Presbyterians stand, in company that their efforts were trifling until within with American Congregationalists and Presthe last sixty years, very encouraging. byterians, at the head of the highest kind of Wherever heathens have been brought into intellectual education in India. One of the connection with Christians in the dependent most successful and interesting missions berelation of slaves, they have been led to longs to the Baptists, who have also taken adopt their masters' religion. Thus, the li- the lead in forming vernacular literatures. berated populations of the British West In- While the highest place in missionary honor dies are as Christian as any European pea- must be reserved for the Episcopal Moravian santry. The same is the case with the slaves Brotherhood, who, while they have made in the United States and elsewhere. The themselves an apostolic history, have, as our East Indian colonies of the Dutch contain a High Church friends inform us, neglected to large number of nominal, but, we fear, only continue, in its due channel, the apostolic nominal Christians.* Amboyna, for exam- succession. Yet, if outward or inward sympple, with 5000 inhabitants, is said to be en- toms be any sign, that men have been intirely Christian. Celebes and the other oculated with the true primitive virus;—if Moluccas contain very large numbers who the "signs of an apostle" be "much patihave, at least, professed Christianity under ence," and whatever may remain to modern the direction of the Netherlands Society, times of "signs, wonders, and mighty deeds" and, to judge from the returns made by the-great evils conquered-ancient and strong missionaries, those numbers are very fast idolatries overthrown ;-if the best credenincreasing. The Protestant missions in Bri-tial, that an apostle can produce, be, not a tish India are said, by late returns, to con- laborious historical argument, purporting to tain about 22,000 communicant members, prove (what never can be proved) that the with probably about 130,000 professed ceremonies were all duly performed at the Christians. In China, the work is yet in its ordination of every one of his predecessors; infancy, and the communicants of the mis- but "an epistle, that may be known and sions are numbered as yet only by units and read of all men," because written legibly, tens: all the societies together only claim a on the converted heart and amended life of total of 361 communicants. In the Birmah, an existing people, and signed and sealed by the American Baptists return 8000 com- Him, without whose Spirit no such work municant members, who would represent, can prosper ;-surely each one of the Christaccording to the Indian scale, a population ian bodies above named may claim for their of nearly 50,000 professed Christians. In leading teachers a drop or two of that preSouth Africa, the societies return 14,258 cious fluid, which (according to the Bishop communicants, and in Western Africa, of Salisbury) enters so largely into the or13,154. In Polynesia, and New Zealand, the ganisation of himself and other English native Christians must amount to nearly bishops. Human nature clings to its narrow 200,000. Considering that no force has anywhere been employed in favour of Protestant missions, and that with the exception of some of the Dutch possessions, government influences has never given them much assistance, and, in the case of British India,

exclusiveness, and will not confess how base and contemptible it is; but the hand of Previdence rebukes its narrowness, by a more impartial distribution of success.

We should be glad, if we could either frame ourselves, or present to our readers, a prophetic view, of the next fifty years in the history of Christian missions; but, not possessing either second sight, or the Urim and Thummim of Mr. Brigham Young, or

*The following returns from Celebes seem to show, that converts are received with very little preparation. At Tondano, Mr. Reidel baptized in 1847, 356 adults and 270 children: in 1848, 440 adults and 223 children. At Langowang, Mr. Swartz baptized the self-confidence of Dr. Cumming, we will

in 1848, 958 adults and 382 children.

not attempt to lift the vail. Yet will we

M. COUSIN.

2. Etude sur les Femmes Illustres du XVIIme Siecle. Par M. COUSIN.

3. Du Vrai, du Beau, et du Bien. Par M. COUSIN.

4. Madame de Hautefort. Par M. COUSIN. 5. Jacqueline Pascal. Par M. COUSIN.

ventnre to propose a question or two, for ART. III.-1. Madame de Longueville. Par discussion in the London Prophetical Society. Will the new false doctrine of the Church of Rome, which she has not embraced, like earlier ones, in undoubting faith, but has swallowed between doubt and unbelief, prove to her a pill of strychnine, by which, after a certain time for its operation, her existence, as a Church pretending to infallibility, will cease, and the piety and energy, of which THERE can be no doubt, that whoever studies there is so much within her, especially in her the recent manifestations of the character missions, be set free from its present bond of our time, must be forcibly struck by age to her grand schemes of power, and be the contradictory tendencies visible in the allowed to range itself on the side of truth two nations at the head of European civilisaand freedom? Or will she yet be able to tion,-England and France. For the last attempt and attain a new lease of power, quarter of a century, we have in this country though no longer claiming it as the religion been tending, slowly, fitfully, in a measure of faith, but as the best possible organization unconsciously, but withal constantly, towards of unbelief, in which sceptics may be assis- a clearer notion and a completer possession ted to simulate faith, until, at last, they fan- of truth, both in the domain of art, and in cy, that they believe? And will the English the higher spheres of morals, politics and reEpiscopal Church see her mission to be the ligious belief. Ardent and impatient lovers head, and support, and example, of many of the True may be so impressed with the Protestant communities, differing in organi- slightness of the advance we have made, as zation, and perfectly free; yet united, in a to be inclined to deny the fact of our having more perfect and higher unity, than mere made any progress at all. In view of the similarity of organization can produce: or vast amount of conventionality still subsistwill she rather, by a feeble and narrow-ing, they may refuse to make much account minded attempt to reduce them all under of what has been overthrown; but minds of her sway, put herself forward as a little this kind are wedded to excess, and their a very little Rome, trying to impose her shibboleths, and failing? Is there not hope that she will soften down her asperities, and repent of her exclusiveness-an exclusiveness, at the bottom, rather aristocratic than ecclesiastical and join her brethren and children of the other Protestant bodies, in recognising each other, as no antagonistic religions, but only slight modifications of the same, differing no more one from another, than leaf from leaf, or cluster from cluster, on one parent vine? Is a time ever to come, when it will no longer be thought a high ecclesiastical virtue, to be most positive of those opinions, of which we know the evidence to be feeblest? Will the power and predominance of sect ever cease to be, even to pure and noble minds, a much more attractive thing, than the mere progress of truth and goodness, not chained to form, or identified with sect? And if these improvements do take place, and the cause of Christian missions do thereby become a perfectly pure cause, will men's hearts be found unsecular and unselfish enough to act and suffer for it? or, with rivalry, and ambition, and the excitement of proselytism, will the whole charm of the cause be gone?

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war-cry is, "All or nothing." We are progressing towards Truth; and we are, besides, learning to shake off that species of superstitious dread which has heretofore trammelled so many minds that God had formed for greatness. This is what we must recognise as the tendency of Britain in these times. This has not been, and is not the case in France. It is certain that the aim of the present century, in that country, has been neither knowledge nor faith, but, on the contrary, enjoyment and gain. The tendencies of the age, in France, are not towards truth; although the tendencies of the few great spirits she has given to the age are definitely directed towards a universal notion of truth, and towards the application of that notion to the entire reconciliation of Reason and Faith, Knowledge and Belief. In France, but a very small number only of men, who stand alone and apart, have retained any conviction of the Almightiness of Truth, and of the absolute inseparability from it of the Beautiful and the Right.

It is here, moreover, we find the great and radical difference between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries in France, which it has latterly been often the fashion to compare. For the individuals of those centuries, however exalted in the sphere of intelligence, you may, if you take them separately, find parallels; between the mass of society at

1856.

Literary Tendencies in France.

66

In a great age," says M. Cousin, "everylarge and what constitutes the public and aggregate existence of a country,-between thing is great;" and the proof of this, in the the two centuries, in short, no resemblance first half of the seventeenth century, will be can be discovered. Taking the first fifty found in the fact, that the peculiar greatness years of each, we find that nearly similar so- of the great men of France was then to the cial conditions were the consequences of the full as much the expression of the greatness Ligue on the one hand, and of the Revolu- of what surrounded, as of what was in themtion on the other, and that the modifications selves. They responded to the tone, they of the national character superinduced by bore the impress of the age. Those of the the struggle for religious liberty under the present day do not. They stem the current Valois and Henry IV., were equal in impor- of the time, they go against its tendencies, tance, though unlike in form, to those re- The remarkable men of every civilisation sulting from the contest for political freedom have invariably been placed in one of these and social equality under the unfortunate two positions, out of which it is not possible Louis XVI. Placing, then, the two epochs to conceive intellectual elevation: either against each other, no analogy, we repeat, their age is great, and they are so themselves can be discerned between them, if we regard from sympathy with its greatness; or the them as wholes. Superficial historical ob- age is small-minded, and they alone are servers are fond of confounding one period great, by setting counter to all its baseness. with another, of mis-calling, for instance, the In either case their may be parity between seventeenth century the "age of Louis XIV.," the individuals, their can be none between and seeming virtuously shocked at its im- their times. The greatness of the men of proprieties. We would, however, remark, the seventeenth century in France is inen passant, that, in the first place, the "age separable from the collective greatness of of Louis XIV." is the décadence of the seven- what surrounds them; they are as much teenth century, the lustre of which begins, animated by the spirit of their age as they in fact, to burn less purely with the first bad contribute to keep up its elevation; whilst example set by the king (in 1662); and in those men who, in the present day, are really the next, that far from the irregularities of great in France, are so from their irreconthe seventeenth century having been greater cilable antagonism to the spirit of their time, or more general than those of our age, the from their superiority to the universal correverse is the truth. But this is, in every ruption, from their unflinching resistance to sense, a narrow foundation, on which to build the sordidness, the crookedness, and the a judgment; for, if scrupulously examined, falseness of their age. Protestation is the the sum of what we term individual vice or sign of their eminence. In proportion only virtue will probably be discovered to be as they protest, are they still, or have they pretty nearly equal at all times and in all been, great. From the point of view we have here indicountries. With this question the historian proper has nothing to do. The point to be cated, the history of the literature of France studied is, the public standard of morality, at the present day is a most interesting accusation of "immorality," not the greater or less number of individuals study, and surprisingly little known. The who come up to it. Man's weakness is the sweeping same everywhere, and we have not to con- brought indiscriminately against the whole sider the proportion in which he may or may body of writers in France, is simply a vulgar not do what is right, but the distinction clearly error, and applies only to those who have made, and the confusion strictly avoided in pandered to the low, false spirit of the the public mind, between the notions of right age, who have gone with the stream, and and wrong. Here then, we say, is the differ- been, in the end, carried away by it,-who ence of the present time in France from that have been essentially subservient, not soveof the corresponding period of the seven-reign spirits. The immorality of an age is teenth century. From the fall of Sully to usually complex, and is reflected in various the dawn of Colbert, through the reigns (for shapes in the national literature. The chief we must call them so) of Richelieu and characteristics of the immorality of our day Mazarin, the tone of public morality was in France, as reflected by a vast number of elevated, whereas it has been unequivocally her writers, are twofold, and come under the low from the days of the Directoire to our heads of gold-worship and disorder. If we Under the influence of such minds as make out a list of all those whose names are those of Pascal, Bossuet, Descartes, Cor- most familiar to us, we shall find there are neille, whatever was little or mean became scarce any who do not serve either one or strange: honour, disinterestedness, and a deep other of these two principles. Some serve reverence for things worthy to be revered, both. Let it be, however, distinctly rewere the natural characteristics of the times. marked that with the mere talent, i. e., the

own.

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