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158 BENEFITS OF MISSIONARY LABOURS. [1824. 



tianity, but I rest their defence on the good they have done to the cause 

 of civilization, science, and commerce. They have opened new chan- 

 nels for lucrative trade, which were formerly closed by the ferocity of 

 cannibals. They have extended a knowledge of literature and the 

 useful arts to countries where they were never before known, and may 

 be said to have created new countries of civilized men. 



If commerce be a blessing to the world — and who^ at this day, is 

 bold enough to deny it ? — then the missionaries to the Pacific islands 

 have done much to promote its interests, and have thereby added much 

 to the sum of human prosperity and happiness. 



Let us then do justice to the missionaries, and bid them God-speed. 

 If they have merely caused two blades- of grass to grow where but 

 one grew before, they deserve the approbation of the world. They 

 cannot act from selfish motives when they voluntarily submit to so 

 many privations, sufferings, dangers, even death itself, to benefit others. 

 They leave the comforts of home, the associations of their early years, 

 wives and children, country, lucrative situations, and expose them- 

 selves to all the dangers of the sea, to the fatigues of a long voyage — 

 to war, pestilence, and famine. And all for what 1 Not to acquire 

 worldly riches for themselves or their friends ; but to impart what they 

 conceive to be spiritual riches to strangers and savages. To cause 

 them to pursue the path which leads to happiness, and to teach them 

 that all mankind are their brethren, and that they must no more mas- 

 sacre the white men who visit their islands, but treat them with hospi- 

 tality and kindness. 



This the missionaries have done — this they continue to do — and 

 every ship-master should say, God prosper their labours, unless indeed 

 he prefer to obtain refreshments for a starving crew by force of arms. 

 But all ships have not sufficient arms or men to force a landing against 

 thousands of ferocious savages with poisoned weapons. There have 

 been instances where the ship's company, officers and all, have been 

 too much weakened and emaciated by famine and scurvy to maintain 

 a contest with savages. Such have either perished with hunger, or 

 became themselves the food of cannibals. 



Such instances certainly have been, and these islands are still in- 

 habited by the descendants of the same people. "What force of arms 

 could not effect, the gentle manners and mild persuasions of pious 

 missionaries have accomplished. No sooner does a ship stop there 

 now, than the inhabitants vie with each other in acts of kindness and 

 hospitality. The best their country affords is offered, and freely 

 offered, to refresh the wearied and weather-beaten mariners, whom 

 they meet on the beach ; and, armed with nothing but smiles of wel- 

 come, inquire their wants. Here the stranger can eat and drink, and 

 sleep in perfect security, under perhaps the same roof beneath which 

 human flesh was once an article of food. Who have effected this 

 wonderful change in the short period of one generation 1 I answer, 

 this is the work of missionaries. God bless them ! 



There is still an extensive field open for such useful labours, where 

 results equally beneficial, in many respects, could not fail of being pro- 

 duced. " The harvest truly is plenty, but the labourers are few." 



