353 
lived long enough to recollect hearing such assertions as 
these uttered by men, who, in other respects, were strongly 
devoted to the cause of religion, especially after the Pro¬ 
vidence of God had appeared for a while to frown on the 
labours'of the Society; and we think we may venture to 
assert, that one such remark from such men inflicted 
greater distress on the mind of the directors, than all the 
combined opposition that presented itself on the former 
grounds. 
The day of misconception and calumny, however, is 
gone by. A steady adherence to those principles, on 
which the Society was originally founded, has, by divine 
assistance, enabled it to surmount every obstacle of that 
nature. The British government wisely determined not 
to interfere to prevent the introduction of the Christian 
religion in India; and so well satisfied are they at the 
present period, that the views of the Society are calculated 
to promote the happiness of mankind, that in every place 
under their dominion, they have not only admitted the 
missionaries, but extended over them their powerful pro¬ 
tection, and rendered such facilities, as greatly to promote 
the objects of the institution. 
In regard to the friends of religion, they have long since 
seen and acknowledged their error, and have endeavoured 
to atone for their former want of zeal, by the most strenuous 
co-operation: and at the present period, the whole 
Christian world is engaged, either to this, or some other 
societies of the same nature ; and the efforts to disseminate 
the Christian religion, are great beyond all former precedent. 
In the year 1798, the Society determined to attempt 
the establishment of a mission in South Africa, and the 
Rev. Nathaniel Forsyth was sent to the Cape of Good Hope 
for that purpose. The same year the friends of the 
institution received an invaluable acquisition to their 
numbers, in the late Dr. Vander Kemp. That gentle¬ 
man, after his conversion, had his attention strongly 
A A 
