THEIR SELF-DENYING FIDELITY. 391 
their previous habits of life would not have fur¬ 
nished the best preparatives for the privations and 
difficulties to which they would have been ex¬ 
posed. Yet it would undoubtedly have been 
highly advantageous to the Mission, had some such 
gifted individuals been included among its mem¬ 
bers. Such were not, however, at that time so 
ready, as they have subsequently been, to engage 
in the enterprise; individuals of this class do not 
appear to have understood that the highest attain¬ 
ments, and noblest powers, are best employed, 
and their Author most honoured, when they are 
exerted in a cause which, of all others, presents 
the strongest claims, and affords the most suitable 
sphere, for their successful operation. The service, 
therefore, necessarily devolved on those who were 
willing, under every accompanying disadvantage, 
to undertake it. They were not perhaps distin¬ 
guished by brilliancy of genius, or loftiness of 
intellect; but in uncompromising sternness of 
principle, unaffected piety, ardour of devotedness, 
uncomplaining endurance of privations, (not easily 
comprehended by those who have always remained 
at home, or visited only civilized portions of foreign 
climes,) in undeviating perseverance, in exertion 
under discouragements the most protracted and 
depressing, and in plain and honest detail of their 
endeavours and success, they have been inferior 
to few who have been honoured to labour in the 
Missionary field. I have known some of these 
devoted men, who, though not insensible to the 
endearments of kindred and home, and the com¬ 
forts of civilized life, have for years been deprived 
of what most would deem the necessaries of life. 
These self-denying individuals have been so desti¬ 
tute of a change of apparel, that they could not, 
