Morning Star

For the Morning Star.

CAN'T WE DO SOMETHING?

While perusing the Star of April I noticed a letter from India, written by Mr. Sutton, which I perused with the greatest satisfaction. Before I had gone half through my heart melted within me; but after pausing a moment I proceeded; and by the time I had closed I said in my heart "Lord I will go." My mind became so absorbed with the subject that I looked for nothing more; but began to inquire, What can be done by us for the dark sons of the east to raise them up to become the sons of God? Can our brethren be made to feel for them, and aid a foreign mission, since they have in general opened their hands so cautiously to aid the gospel in our own country? They may have become influenced to caution, first, from the promise of Christ that the gospel shall be preached to all nations. And next, from a supposition that it will be preached whether we aid in it or not. That the gospel shall be preached to all nations is the doctrine of Heaven. But whether the second principle, that it will be preached whether we help or not, be correct, I shall leave to the better judgment of those who possess the principle, to determine.

But my heart seemed to speak that something must be done. And a friend calling in, the letter was presented for perusal, and soon the editorial remarks were noticed. They were more than a cordial to me, and truly refreshed my spirits. I then thanked God and took courage, and began to inquire for the most judicious plan to pursue. Something, I thought, ought to be done amongst our females by forming ourselves into societies throughout the connection, and thus becoming auxiliary to the general society that may be formed among us to aid a foreign mission. As this plan seemed to me a very proper one, I thought to suggest it for the consideration of my friends. What tender heart, what Christian heart can but melt with pity while reflecting on the state of the people in Orissa? But this is only one single specimen of the darkness, the gross darkness that covers the nations where the light of the gospel has never shone. Can one female withhold her hand of liberality, after perusing the letter from A. Sutton and the editorial remarks? Dear sisters in Christian bonds, are we not under obligations to lend our aid in this work? According to the words of the Apostle Peter, we were chosen from the world as a peculiar people of God, purposely to show forth his praises. And how can we more effectually show them forth than by exemplifying in our lives the principles of Christ? He who was rich became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich! Oh consider what our state must have been had not the Son of God given himself for us. Oh it would have surpassed the wretchedness of Orissa! And now shall we, who are so blessed as to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus forget what has been done for us? Shall we claim all that has been bestowed on us for our own individual profit, instead of using it in the cause of him who hath bestowed it for his own glory? And will the claim be made on females only who are professedly religious? I think it must extend to all. How numerous are the blessings, and how great the tranquillity enjoyed by our sex amongst us, even if they know not the joys of religion!

Look for a moment at the immolation of females in India. How many thousands are consumed upon the funeral pile of their husbands! How many are constrained to cast their orphan children upon the wide world friendless and unprotected, and that too without natural affection! And, indeed, many a mother can throw her first born to the alligator without the least sensible emotion of affection! This produced by paganism! The number of immolations of females in two months' time, given by Buchanan, in his Apology for promoting Christianity in India, were no less than fifty-nine, between the ages of sixteen and sixty. And the number of children left, by those mothers consumed upon the funeral pile of their husbands, was one hundred and eighty-two! But were these deaths collected from all India? No—only from that part between Cassimvazar, in Bengal, and the mouth of the Hooghly! Mothers, what do you think of this? How would your tender hearts bleed, did you think you should be called to leave your children, even in this land, where the gospel has made provision for the fatherless and widow! Try then to extend the gospel to India's benighted shrine. May God give the daughters of Columbia that spirit of benevolence, of good will towards men, that characterized our Lord—that was seen in a Phebe and a Mary, in a Tryphena and Tryphosa, and in the beloved Persis. And that, since the gospel has reached Great Britain, has graced the heart of many a female in that Isle, and also in America—Take for instance the example of a Hannah Adams and Mrs Judson, or of a Hannah More and Mary Fletcher. The latter was willing, not only to preach the gospel; but, extending her arm of benevolence, gathered in a household of orphan children, and sought to train them for the Lord. The pious exertions of Mrs Fry, who is often noticed in our periodicals, present another worthy example— See, for a moment, her indefatigable labors, see her going from Bridewell to prison, and from prison to Bridewell,—visiting the abodes of the most wretched, the most abandoned—regarding sin as a disease, and trying, by the help of Heaven, to apply a remedy. And the last we hear of her labors is at Newgate prison, the most loathsome place of degradation, raising the prisoners of her own sex from a state worse than brutal depravity to a state of natural affection, and even to the seat of the blessed. So that Newgate is now become an asylum of repentance and peace. Shall that sweet spirit of Heaven be confined to Europe? May God forbid, and grant a gale to waft it more plentifully to our shore. How would the daughters of America shine as jewels to deck the crown of Jesus, did they appreciate and wisely improve the privileges they enjoy! It is truly a privilege to bestow on the needy, for God has required it. And it is more blessed to give than to receive; that is, the giver receives a greater blessing than the bounty is with which he parts. O then be liberal and increase daily in your riches towards God. Such are laying up for themselves treasures above, and are daily drawing near to Heaven. While those who are laying up treasures on earth are becoming infinitely poor.

May these lines meet with a cordial reception from my sisters in the Lord.

BETHIAH.