norant Jews, and the merely nominal Christians, all practically avow this to be their creed; for "they all follow after the law of righteousness, but do not attain to it; wherefore? because," says the apostle, "they seek it not by faith, but, as it were, by the works of the Law." The Hindoos, for instance, seek it in the sacrifice of themselves and children to the idol Juggernaut, or in the waters of the Ganges; the deluded Mahommedans seek it in their pilgrimage to Mecca; the wilfully ignorant Jews seek it in their partial obedience to the ceremonial and moral Law; and the merely nominal Christians seek it in their conformity, in some measure, to the morality of the Gospel. But "being yet without strength," exclusive of the grace of the Gospel, what the law of nature together with the written Law could not do, being "weak through the flesh," God sending his Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh, and by this sacrifice for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us." This is the glorious mystery which was hid from ages and generations, but which God now wills to be made known to the Gentiles by the preaching of the Gospel: and it is worthy the remark, that no theme of the Gospel so arrests the attention and affects the heart even of the most obdurate and ignorant of the Heathen, as a plain and faithful exhibition of the obedient life, painful sufferings, and excruciating death, of the Lord Jesus Christ for sinners. To the preaching of Christ and him crucified do the Missionaries in the following History attribute their chief success, in propagating the Gospel among the Heathen; yet, so powerful is the law of nature, that, self-righteousness they find to be the last idol, that Divine grace irradicates from the human heart. The righteousness of Christ, comprising his obedient life and death, is, therefore, a distinguishing trait and cardinal point of the Gospel. "Herein," says the apostle," the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith." Indeed, he speaks of it as the very essence of the Gospel; and calls the opposite to it Gentilism, the works of the Law, and another Gospel. It is a golden thread, running through the whole tissue of Divine revelation. By this doctrine, the reformers of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries cut the very sinews of Popery, those antichristian tenets of penance and purgatory, pardons and indulgencies, of the merit of works, &c. hence we may, with Luther, justly call it," articulus stantis vel cadentis ecclesiæ,” the article on which the Church stands or falls. Before this doctrine, all the Pagan and Papal superstitions fall, like Dagon before the ark of the Lord. Where this righteousness goes forth as brightness, the salvation of the Lord also goes forth as a lamp that burneth. On this foundation, which is "the foundation of the prophets and apos tles," are all Protestant Missionaries united; and being united on this basis, however distinguished by external peculiarities, they may warrantably combine all their powers in propagating the glorious Gospel among the Heathen, and rationally hope for ultimate success; for this righteousness is stamped with infinite merit by the broad seal of the Divinity of Christ, and therefore, "God is well pleased for his righteousness sake." That the Lord may continue to arm his missionary servants with the spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind, commensurate with their important and arduous work, that "his saving health may be known among all nations," is the fervent desire and prayer of the editor. CHAPTER FIFTH. Section III. North America, IV. South America, Article I. Rio de Berbice, II. Hope, on the river Corentyn, HISTORY OF THE PROPAGATION OF CHRISTIANITY AMONG THE HEATHEN. CHAPTER I. PROPAGATION OF CHRISTIANITY BY THE SWISS. AT the Reformation the light of the gospel burst forth on the nations of Europe, like the sun in the morning after a dark night. By degrees, it spread from country to country, and dispelled the shades of ignorance and error, in which they had been enveloped for a series of ages. Fired with a sacred zeal for the cause of religion, the reformers followed superstition to her most secret haunts, brought her forth to the view of the world, and exposed her in all her native deformity. In the prosecution of this object, they were appalled, neither by difficulties nor dangers: they triumphed while stretched on the rack; they sung in the midst of the fire. By the vigorous efforts which they made, the authority of the Pope was shaken to its centre; his throne was seen to totter; and ever since that period, his influence has been diminished, even in those countries which continued to ac knowledge his spiritual sway. |