0 a - t-r: ' ' * / 
 
 N° 50. 
 
 S 472. 
 
 MISSIONARY SUCCESS, 
 
 OR, 
 
 ENCOURAGING FEATURES 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE 
 
 BAPTIST GENERAL TRACT SOCIETY, 
 
 ho. 3<J, worth fifth strkit, 
 PHILADELPHIA. 
 
2 “ Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” 
 
 It is needless to prove, that by this action our Sav- 
 iour intends prayer. But see the simplicity and fa- 
 miliarity of his comparisons; and wonder not that the 
 common people heard him gladly. Volumes have been 
 written upon the subject of prayer: but he who spake 
 as never man spake, comprises every thing in one word 
 — knock. The allusion is to a person who wishes to 
 excite attention, in order to obtain relief — he knocks. 
 
 Where are we to knock? “I am,” says the Saviour, 
 “the door.” “ I am the way, the truth, and the life: 
 no man cometh to the Father but by me.” 
 
 When are we to knock? “Morning, and evening, and 
 noon,” says David, “will I pray, and cry aloud.” 
 “Pray without ceasing,” says Paul. And, says our 
 Lord, “Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” 
 
 For what are we to knock? We may in every thing, 
 by prayer and supplication, make known our requests 
 unto God. But we are supremely to implore all spi- 
 ritual blessings, because these are blessings for the soul 
 and eternity. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and 
 his righteousness. 
 
 How are we to knock? Importunately — we cannot 
 knock too loud. Prayer is nothing, unless it be sin- 
 cere and earnest. God will not regard the address we 
 ourselves do not feel. Jacob said, “I will not let thee 
 go, except thou bless me:” and he prevailed. — How? 
 Perseveringly. The Lord does not always immediately 
 appear to our joy. “I waited patiently for the Lord,” 
 says David, “ and at last he inclined his ear unto me. 
 and heard my cry.” And, “ blessed,” it is said, “ are 
 all they that wait for him.” But though it be a good 
 thing for a man not only to hope, but quietly to wait 
 for the salvation of God, — it is often no easy thing. 
 The delay is trying in itself; but circumstances may 
 render it more so. While standing at the door, the 
 weather may be foul; or those passing by may laugh 
 and insult — for they are full, and have need of nothing: 
 or, he may be weak, and ready to faint And what, 
 while thus exercised, can keep the man knocking and 
 waiting? Nothing but a sense of his wants. They are 
 so pressing, that he must succeed, or perish. Nothing, 
 but hope. This hope may be sometimes very weak. 
 
 cq t Continued op the -d page. 
 
MISSIONARY SUCCESS; 
 
 oh, Qf.y r| 
 
 ENCOURAGING FEATURES 
 
 THE PRESENT ASPECT OF THE TIMES 
 AS IT 
 
 RESPECTS MISSIONS. 
 
 BT THOMAS SWAM, TATE PROFESSOR AT SERAJIPORE.* 
 
 IT must be obvious to every one who is at all interest- 
 ed in the prosperity of Missions, that there exists, at 
 the present time, very generally, a disposition to de- 
 preciate the labours of missionaries, and to urge what 
 is called a want of success as a reason against persever- 
 ing and increased efforts to illuminate and convert the 
 world. This want of success is spoken of every day 
 by men who are themselves strangers to the power of 
 true religion, and enemies to the spread of real piety — 
 and men whom nothing would gratify less than to hear 
 of all the wretched idolaters of India casting their idols 
 to the moles and to the bats. The very thing that they 
 affect to deplore, they secretly exult in; and those men, 
 whose every effort is directed to the destruction of the 
 kingdom of Satan and to the establishment of the king- 
 dom of Christ, are the men whom they of all others 
 most despise, and whose labours they least value. 
 
 Now, that more success has not attended the labours 
 of missionaries, particularly as to the conversion of the 
 heathen, is certainly to be deplored, and will be lament- 
 ed by every missionary who is anxious to rescue souls 
 from eternal destruction; and it is the duty of faithful 
 missionaries to humble themselves before God on this 
 account, and to search their hearts, and try their ways, 
 to see why it is that God withholds the blessing. It 
 
 • Mr. S. was for some time Professor of Divinity in the Seram- 
 pore College, Bengal, where this discouise was first delivered 
 
 Vol. II. — 1 i 
 
 
2 
 
 MISSIONARY SUCCESS. 
 
 [158 
 
 is their duty to see that their spirit and conduct are 
 agreeable to that blessed Gospel which they wish to 
 impart to others, and to fear lest they should themselves 
 be stumbling-blocks in the way of the heathen, to pre- 
 vent them from coming to Christ. This lies with mis- 
 sionaries themselves. And as they see little fruit of 
 their labours as it respects conversions, they should be 
 the more anxious with God in prayer for the influence 
 of that Spirit who alone can convert the soul. 
 
 Cut we are not prepared to admit the idea that little 
 or no success has attended missionary labours. On the 
 contrary, we deny the truth of all such representations 
 by whomsoever they may be made. It is true that na- 
 tions have not been converted. But that glorious con- 
 summation could not be expected in the short period that 
 has elapsed since missionary work began to occupy the 
 minds of Christians in general. The effects have been 
 quite equal to the means employed, and to the time 
 during which these means have been in operation; and, 
 instead of allowing our minds to sink because these ef- 
 fects have been so small, we should be grateful to God 
 that they have been such as they mighf have been ex- 
 pected to be for the time; and we should take encou- 
 ragement to hope for greater things, if we persevere 
 in an humble pious manner in the good work of the 
 Lord. There is a danger, we all know, of despising 
 the day of small things; and enemies of the truth and 
 false professors will always be found to do so. But 
 let us beware. If we despise the day of small things, 
 God may easily prevent our enjoying the day of great 
 things, when he will pour out liis Spirit in a more 
 abundant manner, and refresh his waiting church with 
 the conversion of thousands, and even millicns. Our 
 present object is, to select, from the present aspect of 
 things, as to missionaries and their labours, a few fea- 
 tures of a highly encouraging nature, the contemplation 
 of which may counterbalance the depressing effects of 
 the uncandid statements of ungodly men, and stimulate 
 us to advance in our holy and honourable course with 
 increased vigour. 
 
 1. Consider in how many places of the globe the true 
 light is beginning to shine, where, not many years aro, 
 
MISSIONARY SUCCESS. 
 
 3 
 
 159] 
 
 it was unmixed darkness. This must be, to every spi- 
 ritual mind, an exceedingly cheering consideration. 
 The darkness that formerly covered the earth, and the 
 gross darkness that hung over the people, is now, to 
 say the least, broken in upon, and broken in upon by 
 the light of truth itself. It is true, that in most places 
 the light is extremely feeble, when compared with the 
 thick gloom that surrounds it — it is so feeble, that it 
 may well be compared to a glimmering taper in a wil- 
 derness at midnight; but this need not damp our joy. 
 We are to consider the quality of the element, not its 
 quantity — the nature of the light, not its present splen- 
 dour. It is the light of truth. If this truth be impart- 
 ed only to a few minds at first, it will be imparted to a 
 greater number of minds after that, and after them to 
 a greater number still, increasing by a ratio much be- 
 yond what we can at present conceive, till it pervades 
 the majority of minds in the universe. This we are 
 certain of from the nature of the thing; and much more 
 so from the sure word of prophecy, which assures that 
 the light shall gradually increase — “that the light of 
 the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light 
 of the sun shall be seven-fold, as the light of seven 
 days.” Is. xxx. 26. 
 
 Now, what can we expect more as yet. The light 
 has begun to spread. It has not filled the world — it has 
 not yet shamed away all the horrid systems of error 
 and sin; — but was that to be expected in so short a 
 time? It must take a series of years for truth to make 
 a universal and mighty impression; but that such an 
 impression will be made, those who consider the na- 
 ture of the truth and the promises of God cannot have 
 the shadow of a doubt. 
 
 2. Consider the union of the people of God of all 
 denominations in their efforts to enlighten the world, 
 however much they may differ in points of minor im- 
 portance. This is a very encouraging feature of the 
 present times; and from this we have every reason to 
 expect that hatred and contention will soon cease — 
 that “Ephraim will not envy Judah, nor Judah vex 
 Ephraim.” Nothing tends more to check piety, and to 
 prevent its increase in the souls of believers, than the 
 
4 
 
 MISSIONARY SUCCESS. 
 
 [_I60 
 
 indulgence of a spirit of controversy, even although 
 the subjects of the controversy should be the import- 
 ant subjects of religion; and therefore nothing can be 
 more delightful than to see true Christians of every 
 name leaving off their disputes, and uniting together, 
 with all their hearts, in promoting among the sons of 
 men, that truth by which they are all saved. In the 
 promotion of this truth, the true watchmen on mount 
 Zion see “eye to eye,” and this is an evidence that the 
 Lord is about to “appear in his glory to build up 
 Zion. ” Those great essential truths of the Bible which 
 shine out clearly, and which cannot but be observed by 
 all whose minds are enlightened from above, are the 
 objects of universal attraction, and all Christians seem 
 anxious that these leading stars of revelation should 
 shine upon the darkest regions of the world. 
 
 3. Consider what a vast work of Education is going 
 on. We all know the effect of early education; and 
 some are found to speak of the omnipotence of educa- 
 tion, as if education could do every thing. But with- 
 out going so far, we believe, in general, the truth of 
 what was said by the wisest of men, — “ Train up a 
 child in the way he should go, and when he is old he 
 will not depart from it.” In good education, princi- 
 
 f >les are imparted which, though they may seem inef- 
 ective at the time, and even for long afterwards, will 
 discover their existence at some future period. The 
 good seed which was cast into the ground may be long 
 hid, it may lie buried during a long winter of careless- 
 ness or folly; but it will spring up again and yield a rich 
 harvest. All missionaries seem at the present time 
 impressed with the great importance of education, and 
 they engage in it with energy and delight; and it is but 
 reasonable to suppose that the effects will be according 
 to the efforts which are made. How many thousands 
 of children are now taught to read the scriptures whose 
 forefathers were permitted to grow up in ignorance and 
 sin. 
 
 4. The great increase of knowledge of different kinds, 
 is a most encouraging feature of the present time. 
 The time was when pious people discouraged a spirit 
 of inquiry, seemed to think that the glorious truths 
 
MISSIONARY SUCCESS. 
 
 5 
 
 '. 61 ] 
 
 and mysteries of religion could not bear the light of 
 philosophy, and that great knowledge and a profound 
 sense of religion could not exist in the same individual. 
 Those times have now passed away. The reformation 
 of religion was the reformation of philosophy — the one 
 advanced hand in hand with the other; and, even in the 
 present day, the most enlightened men of science are 
 among the most enlightened disciples of true religion. 
 The evidence for the truth of the religion of the Bible 
 becomes the brighter in proportion as knowledge in- 
 creases — religious knowledge, as the centre, receives 
 a tribute of light and glory from the whole circle of the 
 sciences. Now these are the times described in pro- 
 phecy; “ Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall 
 be increased.” Enlightened missionaries impart know- 
 ledge wherever they go. They increase our acquaint- 
 ance with the different countries in which they reside, 
 they enlarge the boundaries of science, and they accu- 
 mulate facts and observations on character, by attend- 
 ing to which we obtain a deeper insight into human 
 nature, and a better knowledge of the human mind. 
 
 a. In thia wonderful age the Bible has been trans- 
 lated into many of the languages of the heathen, and 
 even now the glorious work is going on. This fact 
 itself, if no other of an encouraging nature existed, 
 were sufficient to shed lustre on an age. The heathen, 
 in many parts of the world, can read in their own 
 tongues the wonderful works of God. The translation 
 of the Bible into the language of a country, gives a per- 
 manency to the labours of a missionary that otherwise 
 would not attach to them. It is laying a broad founda- 
 tion, and it is laying it deep and firm. On that foun- 
 dation a structure will rise which will gladden the mind 
 of the missionary even when he is in heaven. The mis- 
 sionary will die — his many sermons and pious conver- 
 sations among the heathen may be forgotten — even the 
 effect of his holy example among them may cease to 
 operate — but if he has left the Bible among them in 
 their own tongue, he has left them a treasure which will 
 never perish, and for which they will bless God through 
 eternity — he has kindled a fire among them which all 
 the powers of darkness shall never be able to put out, 
 14 * 
 
b 
 
 MISSIONARY SUCCESS. 
 
 j_ 1 62 
 
 The great work of the venerable and truly excellent 
 Dr. Carey is his translation of the Bible into the Ben- 
 galee language. He himself considers it his great work. 
 The translation is generally esteemed a good one. Hi- 
 therto it has been printed on very bad paper; but the 
 worthy Dr. is now (1828) superintending a new edi- 
 tion of which both the type and paper are good, and 
 which will receive his last corrections. The holy man 
 contemplates this as his last work, and is very anxious 
 to see it accomplished. And who would not wish and 
 pray that he may live to do it. And who can tell the 
 good that maybe done in future ages, in India, through 
 the instrumentality of Dr. Carey’s Bengalee Bible. — 
 Hear what God saith — “My word shall not return unto 
 me void; but it shall accomplish that which I please, 
 and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” 
 Will the enemies of missions persist in their absurdity, 
 and yet say, that no good has been done when the Bible 
 has been given to the heathen? This is a work that 
 should excite songs of praise in every corner of the 
 church of Christ. 
 
 6. Consider the great improvement of European so- 
 ciety in this country within these few years. This 
 is an incontestable fact; and it must certainly be attri- 
 buted to the effects of the labours of missionaries. At 
 present we allude chiefly to India. Those who have 
 lived long in this country, and have observed attentively 
 the state of society, and have been fitted by their talents 
 and occupations to make just observations, all agree in 
 this, that European society in India is immensely alter- 
 ed for the better within these last thirty years. The 
 evidences of this improvement are these: the system 
 of life is in a great degree altered; profligacy and pro- 
 fanity are not so general; the ordinances of religion, 
 which were generally despised, are now attended to; 
 and we may add, Europeans are found willing to con- 
 tribute of their substance to every good work. But 
 even more glorious effects than these have followed the 
 labours of faithful missionaries in India. Many of all 
 ranks, who left their own happy country in a state of 
 ignorance and sin, have been converted from the error 
 of their ways, have devoted themselves to the service 
 
MISSIONARY SUCCESS. 
 
 7 
 
 163] 
 
 of God, and have become auxiliaries to missionaries in 
 the work of the Lord. Now, what can be more encou- 
 raging to those who love Zion? and what more con- 
 founding fact can you propose to the enemies of mis- 
 sions than this?* 
 
 Finally, Consider the value of those souls which have 
 really been rescued from eternal death by the efforts 
 of missionaries. This is the great point in dispute be- 
 tween the advocates of missions and the enemies of 
 missions. The enemies of missions exultingly demand: 
 “ Where are your converts ? how many have you con- 
 verted ? You have had little or no success.” We reply; 
 Some have been converted in different parts of the world 
 through the labours of missionaries — some are even 
 now living in the faith of the gospel — some have died 
 and ascended to heaven under the influence of that hap- 
 piness which the gospel only can impart. And we re- 
 tort upon the enemies of missions, and demand from 
 them a reply to our questions. — How do you estimate 
 the value of the soul of man ? Can you see no success 
 except whole towns, cities, or countries come over at 
 once to the side of Christianity ? Is it of souls as souls that 
 you speak when you talk of conversion, or by conver- 
 sion do you merely mean attaching the name of Chris- 
 tian to nations at once, considered as political commu- 
 nities? Do you ever reflect on the Saviour’s estimate 
 of the value of one soul ? Missionaries, forsooth, are to 
 consider their labours as utterly ineffectual, because you 
 are not satisfied with the number of converts they have 
 obtained. But be assured missionaries will not think 
 so, since they reckon even one soul more than an equi- 
 valent for all their poor labours. But few as has been 
 the number of their converts, it has been such that they 
 are encouraged to go on in their work with hope and 
 joy. 
 
 * I have heard Dr. Carey say, that, when he arrived in India 
 he could number only seven pious Europeans, of whom four or 
 five were missionaries. But now, good men, both in the civil and 
 military service, are to be found wherever you go. They shine as 
 lights in the midst of the surrounding darkness, and no doubt con- 
 tribute, by their holy examples as well as by their efforts, to hasten 
 on the glorious millennial era. 
 
8 
 
 MISSIONARY SUCCESS. 
 
 L.54 
 
 Now we leave these considerations with the enemies 
 of missions. Through missions the light of the glo- 
 rious gospel of the blessed God is beginning to shine 
 in many places of the globe where, but a few years 
 since, all was darkness — through missions, the people 
 of God, in general, of all denominations, have become 
 more united in propagating the great essential truths 
 of the Bible — through missions, a great work of edu- 
 cation is going on — through missions, there has been 
 an immense augmentation of all kinds of knowledge — 
 through missions, the Bible has been translated into 
 many of the languages of the heathen; in their own 
 tongues they have heard of the wonderful works of 
 God — through missions, in India, European society, 
 within these few years, has become greatly meliorated; 
 and, in fine, through missions, hundreds of souls have 
 been rescued from eternal death. — Now, if these things 
 are so, and that they are all who are in the least ac- 
 quainted with the present state of the world well know, 
 nothing can be more absurd or dangerous than to be 
 found among the enemies of missions. 
 
 -O0O- 
 
 STRIKING REMARK. 
 
 That man must surely be unused to reflection, or 
 wilfully blind, who does not behold among “the signs 
 of the times,” the wheel of a great moral revolution 
 rolling irresistibly onward, whose velocity is increas- 
 ing and must continue to increase, until the purposes 
 of Him who gave it impulse and regulates its motion, 
 shall have been finally and fully accomplished. The 
 “image” has already been “smitten;” and the “Stone 
 that was cut out of the mountain without hands” is fill- 
 ing the “whole earth.” Who is not struck with the 
 remarkable accordance of prophecy with the events of 
 this age? 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE 
 
 BAPTIST GENERAL TRACT SOC IET Y, 
 
 KO. 36 , NORTH FIFTH STREET, 
 
 PHILADELPHIA. 
 
KNOCK, AND IT SHALL BE OPENED. 
 
 3 
 
 But a degree of it, if it only amounts to a mere possi- 
 bility, is necessary to preserve him from abandoning 
 his suit, and saying, “ What, should I wait for the 
 Lord any longer?” More, however, is desirable and 
 attainable: and here is enough to say to him, “ Wait 
 on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strength- 
 en thy heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” Here is the 
 command — “ Knock.” Here is the promise — “ It shall 
 be opened.” 
 
 But how shall I plead? I knock, and long for audi- 
 ence — and yet I draw back, and seem afraid to be seen. 
 For, what can I say? What does the beggar say? He 
 is not at a loss. Heknows a fine address is not neces- 
 sary — it would be contemned. Yet he can express his 
 meaning: and his wants and feelings make him elo- 
 quent. Begin, then, and say — 
 
 “ Encourag’d by thy word 
 Of promise to the poor. 
 
 Behold, a beggar. Lord, 
 
 Waits at thy mercy’s door! 
 
 No hand, no heart, O Lord, but thine. 
 
 Can help or pity wants like mine. 
 
 Yet add — 
 
 “The beggar’s usual plea. 
 
 Relief from men to gain, 
 
 If offer’d unto thee, 
 
 I know thou would’st disdain; 
 
 And pleas which move thy gracious ear. 
 
 Are such as men would scorn to hear.” 
 
 There are five of these pleas urged by others, which 
 you must completely reverse. 
 
 How often does the beggar plead his former condi- 
 tion — “He has seen better days: and once had a suffi- 
 ciency for himself and others. ” But this must be your 
 language — 
 
 “I have no right to say. 
 
 That though I now am poor. 
 
 Yet once there was a day 
 When I possessed more: 
 
 Thou know’st that from my very birth 
 I’ve been the poorest wretch on earth.” 
 
 How often does the beggar plead his innocency or 
 goodness — “ I have been reduced, not by my fault, but 
 50 
 

 12 pages.~] knock and it shall be opened. 
 
 my misfortune; and deserve pity rather than censure.” 
 But your language must be — 
 
 As beggars often do. 
 
 Though great is my distress. 
 
 My faults have been but few: 
 
 If thou shouldst leave my soul to starve, 
 It would be what I well deserve.” 
 
 How often does the beggar plead the unusualness of 
 his application — This is not my practice: it is the 
 first, and shall be the last time of my importuning 
 you.” But your language must be — 
 
 “ ’Twere folly to pretend 
 I never begg’d before; 
 
 Or if thou now befriend. 
 
 I’ll trouble thee no more; 
 Thou often hast reliev’d my pain. 
 And often I must come again.” 
 
 How often does the beggar plead the smallness of 
 the boon — “ A very little will suffice me: I ask only a 
 trifle.” But your language must be — 
 
 “ Though crumbs are much too good 
 For such a dog as I, 
 
 No less than children’s food 
 My soul can satisfy. 
 
 0 do not frown and bid me go, 
 
 1 must have all thou canst bestow.” 
 
 Men, so limited are their resources, are afraid of 
 more applications than they can relieve: and therefore 
 enjoin the suppliant secrecy; and he promises conceal- 
 ment. But your language must be — 
 
 “Nor can I willing be, 
 
 Thy bounty to conceal 
 From others who like me, 
 Their wants and hunger feel: 
 I’ll tell them of thy mercy’s store, 
 And try to send a "thousand more.” 
 
 Nor can I dare profess, 
 
 
 50 
 
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