MISSIONARY LABOURS. 181 



costly Niger expedition, to introduce British husbandry into 

 Africa, to establish model farms, and to teach the natives the 

 value of their own soil and of their own people, while millions 

 of acres of our own land lie waste, and thousands of our la- 

 bourers, for want of work, are reduced to a state of misery 

 and destitution that appals the hearts of those who desire to 

 relieve, but possess not the means. These and similar instances 

 might be adduced to show the immense amount both of public 

 and private money devoted to advance the interests of those 

 whom we never see, while the wants of multitudes of our own 

 people, whom we see every day, remain neglected and forgotten. 

 Christianity accepts not zeal in the cause of foreign duties as a 

 compensation for the neglect of those at home. " These ought 

 ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." 



I hope that the above remark will not be considered as con- 

 demnatory of missionary labours. But I wish to impress 

 every considerate mind with a conviction, that were only half 

 the zeal and talent, with a trifling per centage on the sums re- 

 ferred to, expended upon improving the condition of our own 

 people, the face of this country would soon wear a different 

 aspect, our national difficulties be removed, and a noble work 

 accomplished that would at once redound to the credit of man 

 and to the glory of God. 



I am, Sir, 

 Your most obedient Servant, 



JOHN WARNES. 



October 9, 1843. 



No. VII. 

 SIR, 



HITHERTO I have experienced your undeviating support 

 in promoting the above objects for the benefit of the rural po- 

 pulation ; with what success, the recent meeting at Ipswich can 

 best testify. Our efforts have resulted in the formation of a 

 National Flax Association, the medium, I have no doubt, 

 through which the country at large will derive all the benefits 



