CHILDREN OF MISSIONARIES. 271 
isolated situation precludes their embracing those 
openings in Divine Providence for placing their 
children in suitable circumstances, of which they 
might avail themselves in Christian and civilized 
society. The prospects of filling comfortable sta¬ 
tions there, are all uncertain; professions there 
are none; commerce is in its infancy, as will 
appear from the fact of its being still carried on by 
exchange or barter. The circulation of money is 
very limited, and its use known to but few. 
The fondest hope of every Missionary is, that 
his children may grow up in the fear of God, be 
made partakers of his grace, and, under the con¬ 
straining influence of the love of Christ in their 
hearts, imbibe their parent’s spirit, select his 
office, spend their lives in supplying his lack of ser¬ 
vice, and carrying on that work which he has been 
honoured to commence. In prosecuting this, they 
will have advantages their parents never possessed; 
they will have been identified with the people 
among whom they labour, and will not appear in 
language and idiom as foreigners; but they will 
labour under more than counteracting disadvan¬ 
tages, if they never visit the land of their fathers, 
and must necessarily be far less efficient teachers 
of the truths of Christianity than their predecessors 
in the work. 
There are a thousand things known to an indi¬ 
dual who has received or finished his education 
and passed his early days in England, which can 
only be known under corresponding circumstances, 
and which a Missionary can never, in such situa¬ 
tions as the South Sea Islands, teach his child. 
Those born there may indeed have access to 
English literature; but many books, however 
familiar and perspicuous to an ordinary English 
