Skip to main content

Full text of "The emigrants. All allegory: or, Christians vs. the world"

See other formats 


c  c 


^.^^\ pants  ta   §rA\){tt. 


Fig.  1.— "Strait  is  the   gate  and  narrow  is  the  way  which 
leadeth  unto  life." 

Fig.  2— "Many  there  he  which  go  in  thereat." 


THE  EMIGMNTS. 


AN  ALLEGORY 


CHRISTIANS  vs.  THE  WORLD. 


By  Rev.  WESLEY  COCHRAN,  A.  M. 

\ 


Come  thou  with  us,  and  we  will  do  thee  good.— Numbers  x,  29. 


PRINTED    FOR    THE    AUTHOR, 

2  on   MULBERRY-STREET. 


'    TllK  SEW 

PBBLIC  UBUABY 

18445B 


Abiui 


LENOX  AND 
-ril.^DENFOI^NDATlONS 
1039  ^ 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1854,  by 

W.    COCHRAN, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Northern  District 

of  New-York 


PREFACE 


The  leading  idea  of  the  following  pages  occurred 
to  me  some  years  ago,  when  writing  a  series  of  arti- 
cles for  a  newspaper,  urging  the  importance  of  indi- 
vidual exertion  for  the  salvation  of  souls.  The  idea 
was  striking  to  my  mind,  that  the  influence  exerted 
by  emigrants  flocking  to  the  American  shores,  over 
their  countrymen  behind,  to  induce  them  to  follow, 
is  like  that  of  Christians  to  gain  the  wicked  over  to 
a  life  of  piety.  This  analogy,  in  its  leading  and 
applicable  points,  I  have  endeavored  to  maintain 
throughout  th^  work ;  especially  to  bring  out  such 
aspects  of  it,  as  might  impress  the  responsibility 
upon  Christians  of  throwing  the  influence  of  their 
whole  lives  in  a  course  of  promoting  the  conversion 
of  their  neighbors.  With  what  success  I  have  main- 
tained this  difficult  style  of  allegory,  others  may 
judge.  I  have  the  satisfaction  of  positiveness,  that 
the  rousing  of  Christians  aimed  at,  is  very  important 
to  the  final  triumph  of  the  Gospel. 

And  I  have  evidence  of  being  in  good  company 
in  the  effort  to  press  Gospel  truths  in  a  figurative 


^;ov  68  8 


IV  PREFACE. 

Style.  Our  Lord  represented  the  varying  results 
of  disseminating  Gospel  truths,  by  the  parable  of  the 
sower  and  the  seed,  Mat.  13:  3-24;  and  the  ori- 
gin and  influence  of  evil  in  the  world,  he  illustrated 
by  the  parable  of  the  good  seed  and  the  tares,  Mat. 
13 :  24-43 ;  the  duties  and  rewarding  of  Christians, 
he  illustrated  by 'the  parable  of  the  laborers  in  the 
vineyard.  Mat.  20 :  1-17.  Isaiah  was  inspired  to 
illustrate  God's  treatment  of  the  Israelites  by  the 
parable  of  the  vineyard,  Isa.  5 :  1-7.  His  judg- 
ments upon  them  are  here  lucidly  justified. 

These  are  but  examples  of  the  figurative  style 
which  nearly  all  the  inspired  writers  often  adopted 
to  impress  religious  instructions.  John  Bunyan 
caught  the  spirit  of  these  parabolic  illustrations  when 
he  wrote  his  Pilgriwi's  Progress.  It  is  hoped  that 
The  Emigrants  may  add  something  to  the  success 
previously  realized  in  illustrating  religious  things  by 
the  familiar  scenes  of  this  world ;  that  it  will  help 
Christians  more  fully  to  appreciate  what  they  can 
do  for  the  salvation  of  their  fellow  men. 

Wesley  Cochran. 

Eush,  May,  1854. 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  ILLUSTRATED 
EDITION. 


The  Chkistian  unity  of  Protestant  denomi- 
nations is  designed  to  be  represented  by  the 
frontispiece.  A  wall  which  is  impassible, 
except  by  one  gate,  called  "  the  strait  gate," 
is  indicated,  separating  earth  from  heaven. 
Whatever  may  be  the  names,  denominational 
distinctions,  or  roads,  by  which  Christians  are 
known  on  their  journey  through  time,  all 
come  together  at  this  gate. 

Heaven  has  no  steeples  nor  towers  to  be 
seen  from  the  earth ;  but  rays  of  its  light  may 
be  conceived  as  seen  darting  through  the 
earth's  atmosphere,  and  as  shining  through 
"  the  strait  gate"  along  every  way  by  which 
emigrants  converge  to  it  during  their  earthly 
journey. 

The  figures  on  the  left  are  explained  by 
Luke  ii,  13,  14 :  "And  suddenly  there  was 


VI  INTRODUCTION. 

witli  the  angel  a  multitude  of  the  heavenly 
host  praising  God,  and  saying,  Glory  to  God 
in  the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good  will 
toward  men." 

The  figure  of  the  angel  on  the  right  is  sug- 
gested by  Kev.  xiv,  6 :  "And  I  saw  another 
angel  fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  having  the 
everlasting  Gospel  to  preach  unto  them  that 
dwell  on  the  earth,  and  to  every  nation,  and 
kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people." 

On  the  left  foreground  a  clergyman  is  rep- 
resented holding  a  cross  in  his  right  hand  and 
a  scroll  in  the  other,  on  which  is  written, 
"  Strait  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  is  the  way 
which  leadeth  unto  life."  He  is  seen  holding 
out  these  meaning  emblems  to  a  throng  travel- 
ing in  "the  broad  way."  One  of  these  holds  a 
scroll,  on  which  is  written,  "  Many  there  be 
which  go  in  thereat."  This  quotation  in  their 
own  language  would  be,  We  are  liberalisTs, 
and  in  the  most  popular  way. 

The  various  heavenward  emigrants  have  to 
pass  over  some  mountains.  Christians,  in 
their  different  denominational  ways,  have 
variegated    scenery  and    difficulties.      To   a 


INTEODUCTION.  Vll 

person  in  either  of  these  "  ways "  the  one  he 
is  traveling  appears  to  be  straight,  like  the 
one  represented  here  from  the  point  of  obser- 
vation ;  while  a  side  view  of  others  over  an 
uneven  surface  gives  them  a  winding  appear- 
ance. Christians  of  one  denomination  seem 
to  themselves,  and  truly,  to  be  traveling  a 
straight  road  to  heaven  ;  but  to  other  Chris- 
tians of  another  denomination  their  course 
seems  sometimes  winding.  This  difference  is 
in  appearance  only ;  the  life  or  course  of  the 
real  Christian  in  every  denomination  is  in 
fact  straight,  equally  straight,  centering  at 
heaven's  gate. 

The  goal  aimed  for  by  all  Christians  is  ons; 
the  direction  from  the  numerous  starting- 
points  in  sin  and  error  is  onej  the  straight 
ways  from  every  starting-point  converge  to 
the  same  point  at  last,  so  that  Christians 
or  emigrants  from  every  direction  enter 
heaven  hand  in  hand.  This  is  Protestant 
Unity. 

"Strike,  but  hear  me,"  is  a  quotation  often 
referred  to  as  showing  the  true  spirit  of  the 
arator.     As  an  advocate  of  important  truths, 


VIU  INTRODUCTION. 

it  may  be  often  important  to  show  this  spirit 
when  not  active  opposition,  but  indifference, 
is  manifested.  It  appears  to  me  that  there  is 
an  unfortunate  indifference  now  prevalent  in 
Christendom  in  regard  to  the  true  nature  of 
Christian  unity,  and  the  real  cdm  and  vigo7' 
which  must  characterize  Christ's  visible  Church 
in  its  ultimate  triumphs  in  this  world.  In  two 
respects  the  majority  of  good  people  need 
clearer  distinctness  of  view:  1.  What  position 
to  aim  for  as  the  desideratum  of  the  Christian 
Church  in  this  world  ;  and,  2.  What  means  we 
may  best  use  to  attain  that  position. 

1.  What  position  shall  we  aim  for  as  the 
desideratum  of  the  Christian  Church  in  this 
world?  If  in  the  millennial  triumph  of  the 
Gospel  all  denominational  distinctions  among 
Christians  are  to  cease,  all  conforming  to  some 
one  order  of  Church  organization,  forms  of 
worship,  and  doctrinal  views — either  the  Epis- 
copalian, or  Baptist,  or  Presbyterian,  or  Con- 
gregational, or  some  other  with  perhaps  an 
entirely  new  name — then  it  is  time  for  us  to 
get  awake  to  this  prospect  of  the  Church  of 
God ;  and  a  smart  competition  of  claims  to  this 


mTEODUCTION.  IX 

honor  may  be  got  up  among  different  sects, 
each  trying  to  get  precedence  over  the  other 
by  disparaging  its  claims  to  supremacy,  and 
by  checking  its  success  in  gathering  adher- 
ents to  its  communion  from  the  world.  With 
such  an  aim  it  might  not  be  wondered  at  if 
one  denomination  should  try  to  pull  down 
another  and  recruit  itself  from  its  ruins,  the 
same  as  it  gathers  recruits  from  the  world  of 
sinners.  And  does  not  much  of  the  sectarian 
strife  among  Protestants  appear  to  the  world 
as  though  these  strivers  anticipated  this  form 
in  the  Church  of  the  future? 

But  if,  on  the  other  hand,  in  the  millennial 
triumph  of  the  Gospel,  denominational  dis- 
tinctions will  exist,  exhibiting  various  forms 
of  organization,  of  worship,  and  of  doctrinal 
views,  then  the  true  spirit  of  brotherly  love 
may  at  once  be  exercised  between  Protestant 
Churches;  then  what  is  the  interest  of  an 
Episcopalian,  as  to  propagating  the  Christian 
religion,  is  the  interest  of  the  Baptist,  of  the 
Methodist,  etc.  In  other  words.  Christians  of 
every  denomination  will  feel  a  mutual  interest 
in  each  other's  success. 


X  INTEODUOTION. 

The  latter  view  is  sustained  in  this  book. 
It  is  believed  to  be  directly  suited  to  implant 
wholesome  views  in  regard  to  the  unity  of 
Protestants,  views  which  are  greatly  needed 
to  meet  the  Papal  claims  of  unity,  and  to  im- 
press the  unconverted  with  the  claims  of  our 
religion  to  their  confidence.  Is  it  not  high 
time  that  misunderstandings  and  sectarian 
strifes  should  cease  among  evangelical  Prot- 
estant denominations?  It  is  a  very  encourag- 
ing sign  of  the  times  that  these  misunderstand- 
ings and  strifes  have  become  less  and  less  in 
late  years.  It  is  encouraging  to  see  the  press 
speaking  out  more  and  more  frequently  in 
favor  of  that  Protestant  unity  last  named.  I 
give  a  few  examples : 

"The  Right  Spirit. — ^The  following,  from 
the  pen  of  Ee\ .  S.  H.  Tyng,  D.D.,  is  going  the 
rounds  of  the  papers :  '  There  is  a  morning 
coming  when  Episcopalianism,  and  Method- 
ism, and  Congregationalism,  and  all,  shall 
stand  on  the  sea  of  glass  and  worship  Him 
that  sitteth  on  the  great  white  throne.  I  be- 
long to  the  Church  of  that  morning.     I  like 


INTRODUCTION.  XI 

that  saying  of  Whitefi  eld's:  "Father  Abraham, 
have  you  got  Episcopalians  up  there?  No. 
Have  you  got  Methodists  up  there?  Ko. 
Have  you  got  Independents  ?  Ko  ;  none  but 
Christians,  my  son !'"" 

This  accords  with  i\\Q  frontispiece.  Though 
denominational  distinctions  may  continue  up 
to  heaven's  gate,  beyond  that  they  cease. 

"Union  among  Churches. — The  Buffalo 
Advocate  has  the  following  beautiful  thoughts 
on  the  subject  of  Christian  union :  '  We 
imagine  that  much  greater  importance  should 
be  attached  to  union  among  Christians  than  is 
generally  the  case.  What  the  result  would 
be  if  there  were  but  one  sect  or  denomination 
on  earth  we  cannot  say  ;  but  we  can  easily 
see  much  of  glorious  manifestation,  if  all  the 
present  parts  and  portions  of  the  Church  were 
actuated  by  the  same  loving  spirit  which 
beamed  from  the  person  of  their  common 
Lord.  The  purpose  is  not  to  bring  all  under 
one  common  name,  but  under  and  into  the 
same  spirit.  Tliat  points  of  discrimination 
should  be  obliterated  may  not  be  indispens- 


Xll  INTKODUCTION. 

able  to  union.  Thej  may  exist,  and  perhaps 
will  up  to  and  through  the  millennium;  but 
there  is  no  cause  why  they  should  distract 
and  embitter  the  minds  of  the  followers  of 
Christ  on  the  earth.  When  that  time  comes 
that  the  real  brotherhood  feeling  is  the  uni- 
versal element  of  the  Church,  the  nation  will 
witness  moral  developments  of  moral  beauty 
and  of  greater  power  than  have  fallen  within 
the  province  of  their  calculations.  There  is 
but  one  spirit  or  power  that  can  provoke 
union — heaven-born  love !  May  it  work  out 
its  mission  speedily  and  gloriously  among 
men  !'" — Christian  Advocate  and  Journal. 

Dr.  Stevens,  in  an  editorial,  again  says: 
"  The  true  Church  of  the  future  will  be  the 
spiritual  unity  of  all  Christian  parties,  on  the 
terms  of  Christian  charity,  and  for  the  great 
practical  ends  of  the  Gospel." 

"Union  of  Cheistiai^s. — We  do  not  suppose 
that  the  union  and  oneness  of  Christians,  which 
Christ  has  taught  us  to  pray  for,  and  which 
we  conceive  the  most  desirable  for  the  great- 


INTEODUCTION.  Xlll 

est  good  in  diffusing  the  Gospel  over  the 
world,  means  so  much  the  merging  of  all  de- 
nominations into  one  ecclesiastical  body,  as  it 
does  the  co-operation  and  harmonious  efforts 
of  all  to  extend  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  All 
sliould  combine  whenever  combination  can 
be  made  effectual,  and  yet  each  sustain  its  in- 
dependent denominational  interests,  always 
holding  the  kindliest  feelings  toward  others, 
and  being  ready  for  co-operation  on  all  special 
occasions." — New  York  Evangelist. 

I  do  not  doubt  but  many  more  extracts 
which  have  not  fallen  under  my  eye,  similar 
to  the  above,  might  have  been  gathered,  as 
expressive  of  an  extended  rising  spirit  in 
Christendom.  By  giving  attention  to  the  fol- 
lowing pages  it  is  hoped  greatly  to  promote 
this  healthful  zeal  in  Christ's  visible  Church. 

2.  We  need  through  Christendom  a  clearer 
distinctness  of  view  as  to  what  are  the  requi- 
site means  to  bring  forward  Christ's  visible 
Church  to  its  complete  triumph,  to  its  highest 
glory.  The  allegory  entitled  The  Emigkants 
is  also  designed  to  draw  attention  to  these 


XIV  .    INTRODUCTION. 

means.  The  class  of  facts  and  suggestions 
which  have  called  out  the  allegory  may  be 
seen  by  a  few  extracts,  some  of  which  are  of 
quite  recent  date.  They  show  the  importance, 
the  necessity,  of  Christian  effort  to  win  souls  to 
Christ,  irrespective  of  position  or  profession. 

"A  Swede  and  his  wife,  emigrants,  hav- 
ing experienced  religion,  set  about  writing 
letters  to  their  brethren  in  their  father's  house 
in  Sweden.  They  also  applied  to  the  Swed- 
ish pastor,  who  was  the  instrument  of  their 
conversion,  to  write  an  exhortation  to  their 
relatives.  This  was  done,  and  word  has  come 
that  it  was  read  not  only  to  the  relatives,  but 
was  read  and  enlarged  upon  in  their  meetings 
at  home ;  and  the  old  man,  the  father,  thought 
so  much  of  it  that  he  not  only  wrote  a  letter 
of  thanks  to  the  author,  but  gave  the  written 
exhortation  to  his  pastor.  It  so  refreshed  his 
spirit  also  that  he  wrote  a  letter  of  thanks  to 
the  author  of  it,  and  asked  for  more  of  the 
same  kind,  and  for  prayers ;  saying  further : 
'  I  have  read  it  again  and  again  in  our  meet- 
ings, and  enlarged  on  it  as  a  voice  from  the 


INTEODUCTION.  XV 

other  side  of  the  ocean,  and  yon  cannot  think 
how  much  good  it  has  done.  It  has  aroused 
me  and  many  of  the  brethren.'  Since  that 
time  several  lengthy  letters  have  passed  from 
Scandinavia  to  this  country,  and  answers 
liave  been  returned  to  them.  The  pastor  in 
Sweden  says :  '  The  winds  of  grace  are  blow- 
ing fresh  from  south  to  north  over  the  father- 
land. Our  Church,  which  the  foreigners  have 
likened  to  an  ice-palace  for  her  stiff  forms 
and  glancing  professions,  is  now  beginning  to 
melt  under  the  up-going  Sun  of  righteousness, 
which  has  blessings  under  his  wings.  The 
good  Lord  has  lately  blessed  and  filled  my 
poor  heart  with  joy  over  the  conversion  of  two 
of  my  brethren  in  the  ministry  who  live  quite 
convenient  to  me,  and  we  are  now  helping 
each  other  to  draw  the  Gospel  net.' " — Mis- 
sionary Advocate. 

Here  letters  were  a  prominent  means  of 
inducing  friends  to  follow. 

Dr.  Wayland  relates  that  when  the  Baptist 
missions  were  established  among  the  Karens 
the  missionary,  after  faithfully  laboring  a  few 


XVI  INTRODUCTION. 

months,  was  obliged  to  leave  the  mission.  A 
few  had  been  converted.  Two  years  had 
nearly  elapsed  when  he  returned,  expecting 
to  find  but  few,  if  any,  steadfast  in  the  faith. 
On  inquiry  he  found  that,  as  the  result  of  the 
individual  efforts  of  those  few  young  converts, 
inexperienced  and  without  the  preaching  of 
the  word,  fifteen  hundred  persons  had  been 
converted  and  were  awaiting  baptism." 

That  prayer  is  a  prominent  means  to  be 
used  in  winning  souls  is  strikingly  illustrated 
in  some  historical  incidents  published  some 
time  since  in  the  Sunday  School  Treasury, 
entitled : 

''  I  BELIEVE  God  hears  Prayer. — A  few 
years  ago  there  was  a  battle  fought  on  the 
ocean.  On  the  deck  of  the  ship,  which  was 
commanded  by  Captain  James  Haldane,  a 
company  of  soldiers  lay  mangled,  and  bleed- 
ing, and  dying.  Their  limbs  were  torn  from 
their  bodies,  and  scattered  about  the  ship. 
The  battle,  however,  had  just  begun,  and  the 
captain  ordered  another  company  to  be  called 
up  from  below.     As  they  came  up  on  deck, 


INTKODUCTION.  XVll 

and  saw  the  bodies  of  their  companions,  the 
pale  and  ghastly  countenances  of  the  dying 
and  the  dead,  they  manifested,  as  was  very 
natural,  some  emotions  of  fear  and  alarm,  at 
which  the  captain  was  dreadfully  angry,  and 
swore  a  horrid  oath,  imprecating  the  ven- 
geance of  Heaven  on  the  trembling  mariners. 
One  of  the  sailors,  being  a  pious  man,  was 
shocked  and  grieved  at  the  profaneness  of  the 
captain,  and  remarked,  taking  off  his  hat  at 
the  same  time,  out  of  respect  to  the  com- 
manding officer :  '  Captain,  I  believe  God 
hears  prayer,  and  if  he  were  to  hear  your 
prayer  now  what  would  become  of  us  V 

"  The  battle  was  fought,  and  when  the  cap- 
tain became  more  calm  he  thought  of  what 
the  pious  sailor  had  said  to  him.  The  result 
was,  he  left  off  swearing,  and  was  ever  after  a 
pious  man.  When  he  returned  to  his  home 
in  Scotland  he  called  on  his  brother,  Eobert 
Haldane,  and  told  him  what  the  Lord  had 
done  for  his  soul.  His  brother  was  a  very 
wealthy  man,  but  not  religious;  he  had  heard 
of  his  brother  James's  conversion,  and  was 
very  angry  with  him  on  account  of  it.  He 
2 


XVlll  mTEODUCTION. 

ordered  him  to  leave  his  house,  and  never 
come  into  it  again.  James  accordingly  left ; 
but  as  he  turned  away,  he  said  to  his  brother, 
^  Robert,  though  you  forbid  me  your  house, 
you  can't  prevent  my  praying  for  you,  and  I 
will  pray  for  you  as  long  as  we  live.'  This 
expression  went  like  an  arrow  to  the  heart  of 
Robert.  He  thought  how  unkind  he  had  been 
to  his  brother,  and  how  wicked  he  was  in  the 
sight  of  God,  to  be  so  angry  because  his 
brother  had  become  a  Christian.  He  wept, 
and  went  away  by  himself,  and  fell  upon  his 
knees  in  prayer,  and  begged  that  God  would 
have  mercy  upon  his  poor  soul.  The  Lord 
heard  his  prayers,  and  he  became  an  emi- 
nently pious  man,  devoting  his  influence  and 
wealth  to  the  cause  of  Christ.  He  made  a 
visit  to  Geneva,  for  the  purpose  of  conversing 
with  the  young  men  there,  who,  under  the  in- 
fluence of  Yoltaire's  and  Rosseau's  writings, 
had  imbibed  infidel  principles.  He  took  a 
house  in  the  bosom  of  the  most  enchanting 
natural  scenery,  on  the  margin  of  the  beauti- 
ful Lake  of  Geneva,  and  being  a  man  of  wealth 
and  general  intelligence,  as  well  as  humble 


INTRODUCTION.  XIX 

piety,  many  of  the  students  came  to  visit  him. 
He  conversed  with  them  on  the  subject  of  re- 
ligion, relating  to  them  his  own  experience, 
and  told  them  how  sad  it  was  that  young  men 
of  talent  and  literary  acquirements  should  de- 
grade their  minds  and  throw  away  their  ac- 
quisitions in  the  cause  of  irreligion  and  infi- 
delity. The  result  was  that  some  of  these 
young  men  became  religious,  and  among  the 
number  the  now  celebrated  Dr.  Merle  D'Au- 
bigne,  who  has  written  the  history  of  the  Ref- 
ormation, and  is  now  at  the  head  of  a  theo- 
logical institution  which  is  educating  a  large 
number  of  pious  young  men  for  the  Christian 
ministry.  All  these  glorious  results  we  trace 
back  to  that  pious  sailor  who,  on  the  bloody 
deck,  said  to  his  profane  captain,  '  I  believe 
God  hears  prayer.' " 

Tracts  have  been  successfully  used  as  aids 
to  win  emigrants  to  heaven.  A  good  illustra- 
tion is  afforded  by  an  article  published  in  a 
weekly  paper  some  time  since,  entitled : 

"  Influence  of  Two  Tracts  in  a  Military 
Academy. — ^The  late  professor  of  etliics  and 


XX  INTKODUOTION. 

chaplain  of  the  Military  Academy  at  West 
Point  presented  four  tracts  to  a  student  who 
called  on  him,  two  of  which  he  requested  him 
to  read  for  his  own  personal  benefit,  and  the 
other  two,  one  of  which  was.  The  Last  Hours 
of  the  Hon.  Francis  Newjport^  to  drop  where 
some  of  his  skeptical  fellow-students  would  be 
likely  to  find  them.  One  week  afterward, 
on  Saturday  afternoon,  another  student  called 
on  him,  and  said,  ^  You  do  not  know  me,  sir ; 

my  name  is ,'  and  then  burst  into  tears. 

For  some  time  he  could  not  utter  a  word.  The 
professor,  convinced  what  was  the  cause  of  his 
distress,  said  to  him :  *  If,  as  I  trust,  your  grief 
is  connected  with  religion ;  if  you  desire  to 
become  a  servant  of  God,  be  encouraged  to 
open  your  heart  to  me,  whose  heart  is  already 
open  to  you.'  '  I  do  desire  to  become  a  serv- 
ant of  God,'  said  he.  Deep  emotion  prevent- 
ed his  further  utterance  for  a  few  moments. 
Being  then  asked  what  were  the  circumstances 
of  his  case,  he  replied  :  *  A  tract  was  lying  in 
my  room  last  Saturday ;  I  cannot  imagine 
how  it  got  there ;  but  I  took  it  up,  read  it,  and 
it  made  a  powerful  impression  ujjon  my  mind. 


INTRODUCTION.  XXI 

It  was  an  account  of  the  death  of  an  infidel.' 
On  being  requested  to  give  some  account  of 
the  previous  state  of  his  mind,  he  said  he  had 
not  actually  considered  himself  an  infidel,  but 
had  been  in  the  habit  of  speaking  lightly  of 
religion,  and  nothing  had  efi'ectually  arrested 
his  attention  till  he  read  the  tract.  He  not 
long  after  gave  evidence  that  he  had  been 
born  of  God,  and  united  himself  to  the  com- 
munion of  the  Church.  He  soon  manifested 
much  anxiety  for  the  student  through  whose 
instrumentality  he  had  received  the  tract. 
'  To  him,  under  God,'  said  he  to  the  professor, 
'not  to  you,  sir,  I  owe  an  immeasurable  debt ; 
and,  by  the  help  of  God,  I  will  not  let  him 
alone  till  we  have  him  among  us.'  A  few 
days  after  he  called  upon  the  professor  with 
this  very  young  man,  from  whom  he  had  re- 
ceived the  tract,  leaning  upon  his  arm.  '  Here 
he  is,  sir,'  said  he ;  '  the  Lord  has  brought 
him.'  Unable  to  restrain  his  emotions  at  be- 
holding what  he  hoped  the  Lord  was  doing 
for  him,  the  professor  threw  his  arms  around 
his  neck  and  blessed  him.  'I  can  hold  out 
no  longer,'  said  he  ;  'this  is  not  the  first  time ; 


XXU  INTRODUCTION. 

I  have  been  often  called.  I  can  hold  out  no 
longer;  I  will  be  a  servant  of  God  henceforth 
forever.'  It  was  in  reading  'The  Shepherd 
of  Salisbury  Plain '  that  he  first  felt  his  heart 
expanded  with  love  to  God,  and  bursting  with 
a  spirit  of  prayer.  '  Behold,  how  great  a 
matter  a  little  fire  kindleth.'  These  young 
men  are  active  members  of  the  Church  of 
Christ;  they  have  distributed  thousands  of 
tracts  among  the  destitute,  the  ignorant,  and 
the  perishing;  they  are  both  zealously  engaged 
in  the  cause  of  Sabbath  schools ;  by  one  of 
them  a  school  of  a  hundred  children  has  been 
raised  up,  where,  in  a  population  of  a  thous- 
and, the  Gospel  has  scarcely  ever  b^en  preach- 
ed ;  by  the  instrumentality  of  one  of  them,  as 
many  as  ten,  who  just  now  w^ere  dreadfully 
wicked,  have  been  hopefully  converted,  and 
are  so  altered  as  to  astonish  their  former  com- 
panions. Both  have  made  up  their  minds 
to  consecrate  their  lives  to  the  ministry 
of  the  Gospel,  and  will  be,  we  trust,  through 
many  years,  continually  gathering  new  fruits, 
in  testimony  of  the  unspeakable  blessings 
which  flowed  to  the  Church  and  the  world 


INTEODUCTION.  XXlll 

througli  the  instrumentality  of  one  religious 
tract. 

"The  above  we  have  copied  from  the  'Use- 
fulness of  Tracts.'  It  was  written  a  number 
of  years  ago,  and  we  are  happy  that  we  are 
able  to  add  to  its  interests,  and  show  that  the 
hope  expressed  in  the  conclusion  has  been 
realized  abundantly.  In  the  course  of  a  con- 
secration sermon  preached  in  Cincinnati,  about 
four  years  past,  by  Bishop  Mcllvaine,  this 
eminent  prelate  (who  might  well  be  the  boast 
of  any  age)  related  the  above  facts,  and  in 
conclusion  remarked :  'That  chaplain  and  that 
young  man  (referring  to  the  above  first-named 
cadet)  have  not  met  since  they  separated  at 
West  Point,  until  this  day ;  I  am  the  chap- 
lain, and  my  reverend  brother,  this  day  to  be 
consecrated  Bishop  of  Louisiana,  is  the  young 
cadet!  (the  Eight  Kev.  Leonidas  Polk,  now 
Bishop  of  Louisiana.)  Imagine  the  effect 
upon  the  audience." 

The  example  of  Mr.  Oncken's  Church,  in 
Hamburg,  Germany,  affords  one  of  the  best 
illustrations  which  I  have  recently  met  with 


XXIV  INTEODUCTION. 

of  the  activity  which  I  would  encourage  in 
every  Protestant  Church : 

"  Remarkable  Usefulness — ^The  Right  Idea 
OF  A  Successful  Chuech. — "  The  Baptist  mis- 
sions in  Germany,  under  Rev.  Mr.  Oncken, 
have  excited  the  interest  of  Christians  in  Eu- 
rope and  America  by  their  grievances  from 
the  local  authorities.  There  is,  however,  an- 
other respect  in  which  they  deserve  special  at- 
tention. Few,  if  any,  better  examples  of  the 
usefulness  of  '  personal  effort'  can  be  found  in 
recent  history.  From  an  account  of  these 
missions,  now  under  our  eye,  we  learn  that 
about  twenty  years  ago,  in  the  city  of  Ham- 
burgh, a  band  of  seven  brothers  assembled  in 
a  shoemaker's  shop,  laid  their  hearts  upon  the 
altar  of  God's  service,  and  formed  themselves 
into  a  Church,  of  which  Mr.  Oncken  was 
chosen  pastor.  What  has  been  the  result? 
The  little  church  of  seven  members  has  multi- 
plied itself  into  [about]  fifty  churches !  Ten 
thousand  souls,  it  is  said,  have  been  con- 
verted ;  eight  million  pages  of  tracts,  and  four 
hundred  thousand  copies  of  the  Scriptures 
have  been  put  into  circulation.     Mr.  Oncken 


INTRODUCTION.  XXV 

himself  tells  ns  how  these  great  results  have 
been  effected.  '  All  our  members,'  he  writes, 
*are  initiated  and  instructed  into  a  regular 
system  of  operations.  Every  mem  and  woman 
is  required  to  do  something  for  the  Lord,  and 
thus  the  word  of  the  Lord  has  been  scattered.' 
But  this  general  lesson  is  taught  everywhere 
in  Christian  Churches,  yet  without  such  re- 
sults. The  want  is  speGifio  application  of  the 
lesson.  The  good  missionary  has  wisely 
thought  of  this.  Lie  says :  'We  liave  now 
about  seventy  brethren  in  Hamburgh  who  go 
out  every  alternate  Sabhath^  two  by  two, 
preaching  the  Gospel,  and  by  this  means 
the  whole  of  the  city  has  heard  the  precious 
name  of  Christ.  We  think  that  all  the  talents 
in  the  Church  should  be  brought  out.  A  list 
of  all  the  brethren  who  can  speak  is  kept,  and 
they  are  sent  from  village  to  village  to  preach 
on  the  Sabbath,  and  they  go  out  as  the  Church 
directs.'  It  is  said  there  is  scarcely  a  female 
member  of  the  Church  in  Hamburgh  who  has 
not  two  or  three  Bibles,  and  a  parcel  of  tracts 
to  distribute ;  and  that,  in  a  single  yea/r^ 
through  the  six  hundred  members  of  the  Church 


XXVI  INTRODUCTION. 

a7id  its  2:)astor^  every  family  iyi  the  city  ^  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  inhabitants^  was 
visited  for  the  jpurpose  of  religious  conversa- 
tion and  the  distrihution  of  hoohs.  And  there 
IS  a  remarkable  circumstance  besides — that 
though  these  devoted  men  and  their  brethren 
in  other  parts  of  Germany  form  less  than  fifty 
Churches,  they  keep  up  preaching  at  nearly 
four  hundred  stations.  Such  are  the  aston- 
ishing facts  of  the  case.  And  why  should 
they  be  anomalous?  What  town  or  village 
of  Christendom  might  not  be  the  scene  of 
similar  efforts  and  similar  results  ?  How  pure 
and  powerful  would  the  Church  become  if 
thus  trained?  How  soon  would  irreligion 
everywhere  break  down  before  such  labors  ? 

"  In  fine,  the  plan  of  this  successful  mission- 
ary furnishes  the  true  idea  of  Christ's  Church 
as  it  was  exemplified  in  the  apostolic  age, 
and  must  be  again  before  the  mission  of  Chris- 
tianity shall  be  properly  effective  in  the 
world.  Any  comparative  or  apparent  failure 
of  Christianity  cannot  be  attributed  to  the 
want  of  adequate  power  in  the  Gospel;  th^ 
Gospel  is  the  '  power  of  God  unto  salvation. 


mTKODUCTION.  XXVll 

and  God's  power  is  sufficient  for  all  things. 
But,  for  the  honor  and  blessedness  of  our  hu- 
manit^y,  the  Gospel  economy  is  constructed 
on  the  capital  condition  of  human  co-opera- 
tion with  God  ;  and  who  that  reflects  does  not 
see  that  if  all  Christians  would  live  up  to  the 
Gospel,  that  is,  live,  pray,  labor,  give  away 
money  and  themselves  for  the  Gospel,  its  light 
would  rise  and  spread  like  that  of  the  sun  in 
the  firmament,  and  forthwith  illuminate  the 
world  ?" — Christian  Advocate  and  Journal. 

Such  activity  in  every  evangelical  Church 
is  encouraged  in  the  following  pages.  Its  pro- 
cess, from  beginnings  to  results,  is  allegorically 
illustrated.  And  who  doubts  but  the  practi- 
cal operation  of  what  is  here  urged  would  be 
most  successful,  if  every  evangelical  Church 
should  follow  the  example  of  the  Church  in 
Hamburgh  ?  "  In  a  single  year,  through  the 
six  hundred  members  of  the  Church  and  its 
pastor,  every  family  in  the  city  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  inhabitants  was  visited  for 
the  purpose  of  religious  conversation  and  the 
distribution  of  books."     I  repeat,  who  doubts 


XXViii  INTRODUCTION. 

but  that  if  every  evangelical  Chiircli  in  this 
country  should  work  after  this  manner,  going 
each  over  the  same  ground,  of  course,  in 
many  places,  the  results  would  be  most  suc- 
cessful ?  Sinners,  oppressed  by  sins,  would  be 
convinced  of  their  need  of  Christ,  would  be 
impressed  by  the  successive  visits  and  testi- 
mony of  their  religious  neighbors.  This 
would  impress  them  much  the  more  forcibly 
because  of  different  Churches,  by  their  pastors 
and  members,  urging  the  same  evangelically 
essential  truths,  plainly  in  love  for  their  souls. 
They  would  see  and  feel  that  they  were 
sought,  not  for  the  sake  of  membership,  but 
to  save  their  souls. 

Now  if  we  shall  secure  not  merely  good 
plans,  but  also  their  execution,  a  glorious  suc- 
cess is  before  the  united  Protestant  Churches. 
Shall  it  be  seen  that  every  man,  woman,  and 
child  in  Christendom,  who  lays  claim  to  the 
Christian  character,  is  eagerly  bent  on  execut- 
ing good  plans  to  win  souls  to  Christ? 

W.  Cochran. 
Lima,  A'pril  14,  1859. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   I 

THEIR     NATIVE     COUNTRY. 

PAGE. 

Their  native  country,  called  Sin. — Its  dialects, — Beel- 
zebub, its  monarch. — Division  of  Sin  called  Youth's 
Pleasure  Field. — Among  the  flowers  and  fruits  of  this 
Field,  are  Curiosity,  Taste,  Cupid's  Flower,  Air-Cas- 
tles.— Divisions  of  Sin  called  No-Faith — No-Care- 
Formality — City  of  Heady-Religious  Disputes — Jo- 
nah's Retreat — Wrecking  Place — Mining  Temto- 
ry — Lechery  —  Office  -  Hill  Factory  —  False  -  Hope 
Mountains — Philosopher's  Valley. — General  view  of 
the  Father-Land, 7 

CHAPTER    II. 

THE    EMIGRATION. 

Conversation  of  Emigrants. — They  relate, — 1.  How 
they  felt  at  first  in  prospect  of  emigrating. — 2.  The 
difficulty  of  deciding  to  start. — 3.  The  discouraging 
poverty,  and  other  like  circumstances,  when  start- 
ing.— 4.  The  successful  journey. — 5.  The  encouraging 
introduction  to  the  new  home, 88 


XXX  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER   III. 

PAGE. 

THE  ADOPTED  COUNTRY:    ASSOCIATIONS  AND  CUSTOMS 
FOUND. 

The  general  characteristic  of  industry  and  its  accom- 
panying thrift. — Contentment. — Unity,  not  Uniform- 
ity.— 1.  In  the  face  of  the  country ;  the  exhibitions 
of  nature. — 2.  In  the  operations  of  providence,  and 
in  God's  gracious  influence  upon  the  people. — 3.  In 
the  abilities  of  the  people  for  usefulness, — 4.  In  the 
various  Church  organizations,  twenty  or  more;  in- 
stance, Presbyterians,  Baptists,  Episcopalians,  Meth- 
odists.—General  view, 99 

CHAPTER    IV. 

THE  GOOD  THEY  CAN  DO,  INDUCING  OTHERS  TO  FOL- 
LOW THEM. 

1.  They  induce  to  follow  by  their  example  of  prosper- 
ity.— Picture  of  a  faithful,  happy  family  of  emi- 
grants.— 2.  They  send  back  all  necessary  information 
and  persuasives,  to  induce  their  relatives  and  friends 
to  follow  them. — 3.  They  present  petitions  to  their 
Sovereign,  that  he  will  interfere,  and  claim  individuals 
under  oppression. — 4.  Some  go  back  and  settle  in  the 
old  country,  and  thus  discourage  many  from  moving : 
this  greatly  neutralizes  the  efforts  of  the  permanent 
'settlers 151 

CONCLUSION. 

1.  Love  of  emigrants  to  relatives  and  friends  is  now 
tested. — 2.  Their  reliability  in  any  professed  attach- 
ment, is  tested. — 3.  Their  course  shows  what  leading 
motives  actuate  them, 177 


THE  EMIGRANTS 

CHAPTER    I. 


%\m  i:Etib^  €m\\tx%. 


While  journeying  througli  the  Western 
world,  I  found  numerous  citizens  who  showed, 
in  various  ways,  even  upon  slight  acquaintance, 
that  they  were  not  natives,  but  foreigners,  who 
had  emigrated  to  live  in  this  better  country. 
Many  were  much  elated  with  the  contrast  be- 
tween this  and  their  father-land,  and  were  very 
desirous  to  induce  their  old  friends,  whom  they 
had  left  behind,  to  come  and  enjoy  blessings 
with  them.  Being  fully  persuaded  that  reports 
made  by  emigrants  to  their  countrymen  whom 
they  have  left,  are  among  the  most  efficient 
instrumentalities  to  induce  more  emigrations, 
I  am  led  to  publish  some  of  the  information  I 
gained   from  these  adopted  citizens;    hoping 


8  THE    EMIGKANTS. 

thereby  to  guard  the  people  in  the  old  country 
against  impositions,  and  to  prompt  new-comers 
to  care  and  faithfulness  in  their  represen- 
tations. 

SIN — youth's  pleasure  field. 

I  learned  that  the  emigrants  all  reported 
themselves  to  the  proper  authorities  at  their 
landing,  as  having  come  from  a  quarter  of  the 
world  called  Sin, 

On  conversing  with  various  families  during 
my  travels,  I  learned  some  interesting  particu- 
lars concerning  that  country.  It  has  several 
provinces,  of  various  climates  and  productions ; 
and  the  inhabitants  differ  considerably  in  their 
habits,  and  speak  somewhat  different  dialects. 
But  yet  the  despotic  monarch,  Beelzebub,  un- 
derstands them  all  without  any  interpreter. 

I  formed  acquaintance  with  several  interest- 
ing families  of  young  people,  who  had  but  re- 
cently come  over.  They  stated  that  they  came 
from  that  part  of  Sin  called  Youth's  Pleasure 
Field,  which  occupies  a  large  and  finely  ap- 
pearing section  of  the  country.  Its  productions 
are  just  suited  to  the  relish  of  the  young  and 


•^ 


THEIR    NATIVE    COUNTEY.  9 

healthy.  A  great  profusion  of  flowers  are 
found.  Beelzebub  claims  it  as  a  part  of  his 
empire  of  Sin,  because  its  inhabitants  are  ^'lov- 
ers of  pleasures,  inore  than  lovers  of  God!' 

Groups  of  young  people  may  be  seen  upon  its 
l^lains  every  fair  day,  busied  in  consulting  and 
seeking  where  pleasure's  fruits  are  most  abun- 
dant. Some  are  eager  to  enjoy  what  is  called  Cu- 
riosity.  This  affords  Pleasure  at  first  touch ;  but 
the  pleasure  of  its  taste  does  not  equal  the  ex- 
pectations raised  by  its  touch,  and  it  never  fully 
satisfies.  When  eagerly  devoured,  it  destroys 
appetite  for  more  substantial  food,  and  unduly 
stimulates  the  nerves  :  and  it  may  be  so  intem- 
perately  used  as  to  corrupt  the  best  qualities 
of  the  soul.  Yet  it  is  an  excellent  fruit,  and 
used  in  moderation  with  other  things,  it  is  a 
valuable  and  essential  supply  for  the  develop- 
ment of  the  powers  of  the  human  soul.  It 
operates  like  instinct  in  the  brute — draws  on  to 
untried  acts.  But  in  this  Youth's  Pleasure 
Field,  its  use  is  excessive,  intemperate  ;  so  that 
persons  are  thereby  disqualified  for  important 
duties  in  life.     Why,  one  was  heard  to  say, 

"  Away   with   everything   once   enjoyed ;    its 
3 


10  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

freshness  is  gone.  Give  me  something  new  ; 
give  me  curiosity.  Serve  up  for  me  new  dishes, 
to  stimulate  my  inquiry — how  made,  and  of 
what.  Claim  not  that  I  should  teach  others 
what  I  know,  and  influence  them  to  any  duty ; 
enjoyment  is  in  learning  something  new. — 
Trouble  me  not  to  look  at  an  established  and 
important  truth,  which  points  out  the  way  of 
duty  and  interest,  long  enough  to  be  aftected 
by  it.  Something  new  and  strange  will  tickle 
my  fancy  better. 

"  As  I  suck  the  sweets  of  this  Curiosity,  let 

me  sing, 

"  New,  something  new,  and  wondrous  strange, 
Will  feast ;  though  light  as  fancy's  range. 
Material  bread,  of  common  stuff, 
Will  truly  nourish ; — that 's  not  much  j 
But  Pleasure's  taste  gets  wider  range, 
By  analyzing  something  strange, 

"  And  bread  or  food,  strong  truths  for  souls. 
Sure  guide  in  right  to  brighter  worlds ; — 
0,  heavy,  tasteless,  base  for  food 
To  sate  a  mind — would  be  like  God ; 
Which,  stretching  thought  beyond  the  known, 
The  apple  grasps,  and  is  borne  on. 

'  The  strange  forbidden  something,  back 
Of  th'  needful,  duty,  good,  I  lack. 


THEIR    NATIVE    COUNTRY.  11 

Why  this  strange  interdict  to  touch 
What  don't  concern,  though  lov  'd  so  much  ] 
I  love  to  Heaven's  secrets  pry, 
Far  more  than  serious  duties  try. 

"  The  Bible  is  a  fruitful  book,— 
For  curiosities  I  look. 
I  wish  to  know ;  not,  so 's  to  do ; 
But,  hidden  causes,  reasons  too, 
And  all  the  points,  like  Deity, — 
I  live  on  Curiosity,''^ 

^'  What  shall  we  eat,  and  what  shall  we 
drink  ? "  inquires  another  group.  Taste,  say 
they,  can  certainly  give  pleasure  worthy  of  an 
immortal  soul ;  and  to  gratify  this  we  will  live. 

"  Live  while  you  live,  the  epicure  [does]  say. 
Enjoy  the  pleasures  of  the  present  day." 

One  of  these  advocates  of  Taste,  as  man's 
chief  good,  was  once  encountered  by  Thought. 
Thought  urged  that  enjoyment  from  Taste  is 
only  suited  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  and 
cannot  be  had  in  heaven.  Now  as  human  souls 
were  created  to  pass  most  of  their  existence  in 
heaven,  it  cannot  be  wise  to  prize,  as  the  chief 
good,  what  can  be  had  only  at  one  point  of  ex- 
istence ;  and  that  to  no  fuller  satisfaction  than 
beasts  have.     The  pleasure  of  Taste  is  merely 


12  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

an  animal  feeling  ;  and  shall  a  soul,  made  in 
the  image  of  God,  spend  its  Godlike  powers 
upon  merely  animal  gratifications?  Taste 
should  be  certainly  restricted,  in  its  use,  to  its 
proper  place  ;  to  guide  in  selections  of  appro- 
priate nourishment  for  the  body,  to  promote 
healthful  feelings,  and  to  excite  gratitude  to 
the  giver  of  supplies  :  and  all  this  in  subordi- 
nation to  the  interests  of  the  soul. 

"  The  soul  of  man,  a  native  of  the  skies! 
Highborn  and  free,  her  freedom  should  maintain ; 
Unsold,  unmortgaged,  for  earth's  little  bribes." 

The  lover  of  Taste  responded  :  "  Why,  surely 
the  Creator  has  given  appetite  to  be  enjoyed. 
The  fact  that  he  has  given  it,  argues  it  should 
be  used.  It  is  right,  therefore,  to  enjoy  its 
gratification  in  Taste.  And  besides,  the  soul  is 
intimately  connected  with  the  body ;  and  so, 
through  the  e&ed  of  Taste  upon  the  body,  the 
soul  is  invigorated,  and  has  more  joy.  And  my 
creed  is,  not  to  give  up  the  pleasures  of  to-day 
for  the  uncertainties  of  to-morrow.  Taste  I  Tl 
enjoy  while  I  can,  and  as  best  I  can.  Think- 
ing can  go  on,  and  the  soul  exercise  its  various 
powers,  (and  why  not  do  its  work?)  when  I 


THEIR   NATIVE   COUNTRY.  13 

can  enjoy  Taste  no  more.  Bring  me  on  your 
best  and  greatest  variety  of  dishes.  Excellent  ! 
Exquisite  !  Angels  can  have  no  better.  Now 
another  course.  And  now  for  the  wine.  0, 
how  this  touches  the  springs  of  the  soul.  Is 
not  this  bhss?  This  is  the  flow  of  reason,  a 
feast  of  the  soul.  Taste  makes  almost  heaven. 
Servants,  here  ;  before  you  clear  these  out  of 
sight,  let's  plan  what  for  dining,  tea,  and  latest 
hour,  will  keep  this  pleasure's  flow.  Spare  no 
pains,  no  price  ;  give  me  Taste  in  all  varieties  : 
and  patiently  I  '11  wait,  and  live  only  to  get 
supplied." 

Just  as  he  was  closing  his  j^leas  and  exiflta- 
tions  in  prospect  of  E23icurean  life.  Moral  Sense 
passed  along,  and  overhearing  some  of  his  re- 
marks, paused,  and  entered  his  caveat  against 
the  positions  taken. 

And  as  he  was  closing,  a  winged  messenger 

from  heaven  sung  as  he  passed, 

"  0  come,  and  with  us  taste 

The  blessmgs  of  Christ's  love; 
While  Hope  expects  the  sweet  repast, 
Of  nobler  joys  above." 

" '  What  shall  we  eat  and  drink  1 ' 
In  anxious,  wicked  care, 


14  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

Leads  where  all  gluttons,  drunkards,  sink; 
From  bliss  and  heaven,  far." 

Notwithstanding  all  these  discouragements, 
this  group  of  youth  in  Pleasure  Field,  eagerly 
press  on  to  gratify  themselves  with  Taste  ;  and 
those  who  cannot  be  persuaded  to  emigrate, 
come  to  an  end  which  I  will  not  attempt  to 
describe.  It  is  sufficient  to  know  that  their 
"  years  shall  be  shortened/'  Prov.  10  :  27  ; 
that  when  they  say,  "  Soul,  thou  hast  much 
goods  laid  up  for  many  years  ;  take  thine  ease, 
eat,  drink,  and  be  merry  ; "  then  God  says, 
"  Thou  fool !  this  night  thy  soul  shall  be  re- 
quired of  thee/' — Luke  12  :  19,  20  ;  and,  that 
'^  he  that  soweth  to  the  flesh,  shall  of  the  flesh 
reap  corruption/' — Gal.  6  :  8. 

Cupid's  Floivcr  is  next  seen  having  the  j^re- 
ference  of  one  of  these  groups  of  youth.  Said 
one  : 

" Love  adds  a  precious  seeing  to  the  eje\ 
A  lover's  eyes  will  gaze  an  eagle  blind ; 
A  lover's  ear  will  hear  the  lowest  sound, 
When  the  suspicious  head  of  theft  is  stopp  'd ; 
Love's  feeling  is  more  soft,  and  sensible, 
Than  are  the  tender  forms  of  cockled  snails ; 
Love's  tongue  proves  dainty  Bacchus  gross  in  taste ; 


THEIE  NATIVE  COUNTRY.        15 

For  valor,  is  not  Love  a  Hercules, 
Still  climbing  trees  in  the  Hesperides  1 
Subtle  as  a  Sphinx ;  as  sweet,  and  musical, 
As  bright  Apollo's  lute,  strung  with  his  hair ; 
And  when  Love  speaks,  the  voice  of  all  the  gods 
Makes  heaven  drowsy  with  the  harmony. 
Never  durst  poet  touch  a  pen  to  write. 
Until  his  ink  were  tempered  with  Love's  sighs ; 
0,  then  his  lines  would  ravish  savage  ears, 
And  plant  in  tyrants,  mild  humility." 

And  as  they  mused  over  this  Flowerj  and 
took  in  its  perfumes,  they  cheered  each  other 
on  to  the  highest  gusto.  They  agreed,  it  is 
right  to  enjoy  these  perfumes.  They  are  es- 
sential to  the  continuation  of  the  human  race. 
Families  are  held  together  by  their  magic  power. 
They  create  families.  It  will  be  philanthropic 
to  nourish  and  enjoy  them.  And  here  is  work 
enough  to  enlist  all  our  powers.  How  can  we 
be  happier  than  thus  ?  Be  this  our  good,  our 
duty,  usefulness. 

Ah  !  it  is  true,  creature-love  should  not 
crowd  out  that  belonging  to  the  Creator.  And 
''  in  Heaven  they  neither  marry  nor  are  given 
in  marriage.''  And  so  this  Cupid's  Flower, 
which  draws  the  young  to  many  tete-a-tete  here, 
can  never  bloom  on  Heaven's  plains.     Some 


16  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

strange  admonishing  is  felt  that,  poppy-like, 
though  its  perfumes  excite,  too  much  will  lull 
the  soul  to  sleep  ;  and  that  dreams  about  earth's 
homes,  will  take  the  time  allotted  to  prepare 
for  stern  realities,  the  appropriate  sphere  for 
souls.  But  we  are  caught  by  this  Flower.  We 
must  enjoy  it  while  youthful  blood  flows.  By 
and  by  we  can  move  away.  For  awhile  longer 
we  will  venture  to  be  ranked  among  those  who 
are  "lovers  of  pleasures  more  than  lovers  of 
God ; "  and  who  "  serve  the  creature  more  than 
the  Creator." 

Air-Castles  were  next  claimed  to  afford  sat- 
isfaction. The  sight  of  these  at  once  excites 
and  tickles  the  mind  with  the  prospect  of  the 
greatest  earthly  enjoyment.  Sitting  on  a  green 
plot  of  Youth's  Pleasure  Field,  with  these  flow- 
ers around  him,  the  youth  can  draw  from  them 
pleasures  like  those  of  the  successful  orator, 
the  honored  statesman,  the  millionaire,  the 
crowned  Emperor, — earth's  happiest  man.  In- 
stead of  going  to  the  sanctuary  of  God  on  the 
sacred  one  day  in  seven,  there  he  sits,  enjoying 
Air-Castles  ;  evaporating  his  immortal  Hfe- 
blood  in  the  feverish  exhalations  from  these 


THEIR   NATIVE   COUNTRY.  17 

flowers  which  are  nowhere  found  but  upon  a 
sin-cursed  earth. 

Does  the  orator  stand  before  assembled  thou- 
sands and,  with  new  truths,  and  choicest  words, 
and  most  beautiful  figures,  and  touching  de- 
scriptions, and  musical  voice,  sway  their  opin- 
ions at  his  will  ;  extorting  the  exclamation, 
^'  It  is  the  voice  of  a  god,  and  not  of  a  man  ! " 
This  youth,  living  on  these  flowers,  thinks  he 
enjoys  as  much.  And  more  ;  he  takes  at  once, 
the  pleasure  which  the  other  realizes  in  his  long 
course  of  preparation  for  such  a  triumph.  And 
thus,  in  quick  succession,  he  shares  the  delights 
of  earth's  most  gifted  sons.  This  is  living  fast, 
but  how  sadly  as  to  results,  we  shall  soon  see. 

Some  strangely  grasp  at  artificial  Air- Cas- 
tles, sometimes  called  Novels.  Over  these  they 
bend  and  strain  their  feeble  eyes,  and  taste 
and  taste  for  real  good,  till  often  friends  are 
disregarded,  children  are  neglected,  the  soul  is 
forgotten,  and  God  is  rejected. 

"  Bianca  is  one  of  the  finest  girls  in  the 
whole  round  of  my  acquaintance,  and  is  now 
one  of  the  happiest.  But  when  I  first  became 
acquainted  with  her,  which  was  about  three 


18  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

years  ago,  she  was  an  object  of  pity  ;  pale, 
emaciated,  nervous  and  hysterical ;  at  the  early 
age  of  seventeen,  the  days  had  already  come 
when  she  could  truly  say,  she  had  no  pleasure 
in  them.  She  confessed  to  me,  that  she  had 
lain  on  her  bed,  day  after  day,  for  months  to- 
gether, reading,  or  rather  devouring,  with  a 
kind  of  morbid  appetite,  every  novel  that  she 
could  lay  her  hands  on — without  any  pause  be- 
tween them,  without  any  rumination,  so  that 
the  incidents  were  all  conglomerated  and  con- 
founded in  her  memory.  She  had  not  drawn 
from  them  all  a  single  useful  maxim  for  the 
conduct  of  life  ;  but  calculating  on  the  fairy 
world,  which  her  authors  had  depicted  to  her, 
she  was  reserving  all  her  address  and  all  her 
powers  for  incidents  tliat  would  never  occur, 
and  characters  that  would  never  appear." — 
Wirt 

To  many  youth,  life  would  seem  a  burden 
without  one  kind  of  these  flowers  ;  either  the 
original,  as  first  described,  or  the  artificial.  So 
powerful  is  their  charm.  But  after  all,  the  sad 
reality  appears  at  last,  that  the  pleasures  de- 
rived from  them  vanish  in  succession  as  soon  as 


THEIR    NATIVE    COUNTRY.  19 

felt ;  just  as  these  bubble-like  Air-Castles 
themselves  do  as  soon  as  touched.  An  aching 
void  is  left  ;  and  these  youth  ^'  become  vain  in 
their  imaginations,  and  their  foolish  heart  is 
darkened  :  professing  themselves  to  be  wise 
they  become  fools.'' — Kom.  1  :  21,  22. 

These  are  some  of  the  flowers  and  fruits  of 
Youth's  Pleasure  Field.  Many  spend  the  most 
important  days  of  their  life  in  this  field,  very 
nearly  as  just  now  represented.  It  is  quite  dif- 
ficult to  get  their  attention  long  enough  to  con- 
vince them  of  their  foil}"  in  staying  there. 
Even  if  they  acknowledge  their  belief  that 
there  is  a  better  land,  they  often  seem  deprived 
of  their  senses  ;  they  often  look  back  and  turn, 
after  they  have  started  away.  Yet  it  is  as 
true  as  the  Bible,  and  these  may  know  it  if 
they  will,  that  those  who  persist  to  stay  there 
and  spend  their  life  in  the  way  described,  will 
feel  the  weight  of  God's  displeasure,  and  will 
be  exiled  to  the  home  of  devils. 

NO-FAITH. 

I  found  a  few  joeople  who  came  from  a  part 
of  Sin  called  No-Faith.     That  section  is  wor- 


^k 


20  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

thy  of  notice  chiefly  from  the  character  of  its 
inhahitants.  They  are  generally  supposed  not 
to  be  very  numerous.  But  it  is  impossible  to 
penetrate  all  the  retreats  which  the  country 
affords,  so  as  to  get  a  correct  census  of  its 
people. 

If  any  persons  residing  there  are  asked  who 
is  their  object  of  worship,  they  stare,  and  say 
they  have  no  worship.  If  asked,  What  is  your 
religion  ?  they  say.  We  have  no  trouble  about 
that.  What  !  have  you  no  religious  belief? 
We  have  heard  of  there  being  such,  say  they, 
but  we  have  none.  We  concern  ourselves  with 
no  ideas  or  feelings  of  obhgation  to  affect  us, 
beyond  those  arising  from  natural  laws  and  our 
animal  nature.  We  know  of  no  being  superior 
to  man,  as  having  any  claim  upon  us,  or  con- 
trol over  us.  There  may  be  such  a  being  ;  but 
we  are  not  concerned  to  be  convinced  whether 
there  is  or  not.  We  have  no  belief  on  such 
subjects.  We  have  heard  of  feelings  of  moral 
or  religious  obligation,  but  we  do  not  under- 
stand them  :  and  we  have  no  concern  to  try  to 
understand.  We  are  not  sure  whether  we  have 
souls  or  not.     At  any  rate,  we  are  set  on  en- 


THEIR    NATIVE    COUNTRY.  21 

joying  ourselvesj   without  being  disturbed  by 
any  concern  about  such  things. 

The  course  of  life  pursued  by ,  a  far- 
mer, will  illustrate  the  general  state  of  the  in- 
habitants. He  makes  it  his  business  to  get  a 
living.  He  finds  it  necessary,  like  the  squirrel 
or  the  bee,  to  lay  in  a  store  for  winter.  He 
therefore  brings  his  best  knowledge  into  use  to 
provide.  He  clears  and  plows  his  land,  builds 
fences  around  it,  sows  his  seed  ;  and,  at  the 
proper  time,  gathers  his  crop  into  his  barns. 
He  has  his  grain,  his  cattle,  his  household  sup- 
plies. The  drawings  of  instinct  lead  him  to 
family  connections.  With  the  same  natural 
instinct,  with  the  same  promptings  by  which  the 
goose  chooses  a  mate,  he  chooses  a  wife.  They 
then  unite  in  providing  for  their  new  wants. 
A  home  is  needed,  and  various  accompaniments. 
They  show  some  more  skill  than  the  fowl,  in 
building  its  nest  ;  or  the  beaver,  in  construc- 
ting its  mud  cottage  and  accompanying  dam. 
But  in  this  they  only  act  like  a  superior  species 
of  animals.  When  they  rouse  from  a  night's 
slumber,  they  no  more  think  of  the  Divine 
power  which  has  kept  them  safely,  than  the 


22  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

beaver  does.  Instead  of  appearing  to  sing 
their  Maker's  praise  in  the  early  morning  as 
the  birds  do,  they  start  at  once  upon  their  round 
of  daily  gathering.  Not  one  expression  of 
gratitude  to  God  escapes  their  lips  :  they  do 
not  think  of  it :  they  have  no  belief  whether 
he  even  exists  or  not.  They  have  not  brought 
their  minds  up  to  decide  on  so  high  a  point  as 
that  ;  but,  so  far  as  religion  is  concerned,  only 
up  to  points  level  with  animal  capacities. 
When  hungry,  they  eat  with  the  same  relish 
that  any  animal  does,  and  with  the  same  kind 
of  feeling.  They  give  forth  no  words  or  signs 
to  indicate  that  God  has  anything  to  do  in  sup- 
plying them.  They  do  not  thank  him.  And 
when  they  begin  their  day's  toil,  they  do  it 
with  apparently  the  same  motives  which  actu- 
ate the  busy  bee.  They  gather  their  stores  and 
hoard  them  in  their  houses,  in  chests  or  rooms 
constructed  with  almost  as  much  exactness  of 
economy  and  skill  as  is  exhibited  in  the  bee's 
octagonal  cells. 

In  this  way  they  spend  the  season  for  gath- 
ering ;  and  the  rest  of  the  time  they  occupy 
in  enjoying  what  they  have  gotten.     They  know 


THEIR  NATIVE  COUNTRY.         23 

nothing  of  dependence  on  God  during  all  this  ; 
they  do  not  trust  in  him  ;  they  do  not  pray  to 
him.  A  traveller  from  another  country,  who* 
who  had  never  had  the  idea  of  the  being  and 
authority  of  God  introduced  to  him,  would  no 
more  have  that  idea  suggested  to  him  by  their 
course  of  daily  life,  than  he  would  by  the  busy 
life  of  a  swarm  of  bees.  Their  offspring  follow 
the  instincts  of  the  parents  ;  and,  unless  through 
some  other  agency  than  theirs  they  get  the 
ideas  of  their  soul's  being  and  responsibilities, 
they  grow  up  in  similar  ignorance  and  unbelief 
Such,  it  would  appear  to  any  traveller,  is  the 
general  character  of  the  people  inhabiting  the 
place  I  name  No-Faith.  In  various  avocations 
this  character  is  sustained.  They  are  not  all 
as  industrious  as  the  family  spoken  of :  but  if 
lolling  in  indolence,  and  entirely  unconcerned 
in  regard  to  any  anticijDated  wants,  they  exhibit 
the  same  blank  as  to  any  observable  religious 
feeling.  Their  personal  appearance,  words,  acts 
toward  each  other,  family  associations,  social 
intercourse,  all  their  rules  of  life,  public  build- 
ings and  institutions,  give  no  indications  that 
any  religious  belief  exists  among  them. 


,24  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

NO-CARE. 

No- Care  lies  adjoining  the  last  named  state. 
The  climate,  productions,  and  character  of  the 
inhabitants  in  the  two  states,  are  very  nearly 
alike.  It  is  far  removed  from  the  bracing  cli- 
mate of  the  temperate  zone  ;  and  it  is  thought 
to  be  attributable  very  much  to  the  enervating 
influence  of  its  climate,  that  none  of  its  natives 
are  renowned  for  strength  of  mind,  or  for  intel- 
lectual attainments.  Its  soil  is  very  luxurious, 
but  poisonous  reptiles  and  noxious  plants  are 
its  more  natural  products.  The  walk,  motions 
when  at  work,  and  general  movements  of  the 
people,  are  exceedingly  slow,  and  apparently 
without  aim  ;  and  they  feel  a  peculiar  lassitude 
when  the  breezes  come  from  the  direction  of 
No-Faith.  Frequently,  with  such  a  mind,  they 
care  for  no  property,  no  law,  no  friends,  nor 
even  for  life  itself.  They  seem  to  be  doomed 
by  fate ;  they  have  no  ambition  to  rouse  and 
ascertain  whether  it  merely  seems  so  ;  whether 
they  can  of  their  own  free  choice  accomplish 
something  worthy  of  living.  In  that  condition 
of  imbecility  the  absolute  monarch  of  that 
country  often  exacts  from  them  all  their  posses- 


THEIR    I^ATIVE    COUNTRY.  25 

sions  ;  and  somehow  he  often  strangely  enlists 
them  to  become  his  most  abject  slaves. 

Yet  a  few  of  these  people  have  been  waked 
to  a  consciousness  of  the  folly  of  staying  in 
that  state,  and  have  been  induced  to  emigrate 
to  a  better  land.  These  have  always  manifested 
in  my  hearing,  whenever  I  met  them,  the  high- 
est pleasure.  Their  escape  from  that  danger- 
ous land  seems  to  them  much  like  coming  to 
life  from  the  dead. 

FORMALITY. 

This  is  a  part  of  the  country  opposite  to  the 
states  before  named.  And  its  appearance  is 
quite  in  contrast.  It  bears  less  marks  of  native 
wildness  ;  it  is,  indeed,  pretty  well  cultivated. 
It  is  sufficiently  cleared  up  and  settled.  Its 
highways  are  laid  out  in  regular  order.  The 
buildings  and  their  appendages  exhibit  consid- 
erable taste.  Public  buildings  are  found  where 
needed,  constructed  with  economy  and  beauty. 
Churches  and  school-houses  are  located  at  such 
distances  as  to  be  convenient  of  access  to  aU 
the  people.  The  state  and  county  buildings 
indicate  that  they  have  laws  and  enforce  them. 


26  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

Indeed,  in  times  of  peace  and  fair  weather, 
they  seem  to  be  in  a  condition  to  enjoy  Hfe  ; 
and  to  have  provided  for  themselves  as  though 
they  thought  to  stay  there  forever.  And  yet 
they  are  not  without  religion, — such  a  religion 
that  they  might  continue  its  practices  and  en- 
joy all  its  promises  in  the  same  place  eternally, 
if  that  could  be  allowed.  They  have  their 
stated  periods  for  religious  services  ;  and  also, 
a  time  for  all  things  ;  and,  a  place  for  every- 
thing, and  everything  in  its  appointed  place. 
In  church  they  cannot  properly  be  said  to 
worship  ;  nor  indeed  anywhere  else.  But  they 
have  religious  ceremonies  which  aj)pear  like 
worship.  They  assemble  in  houses  devoted 
professedly  to  the  worship  of  God  Most  High. 
In  their  best  and  neatest  apparel  they  take 
their  several  places, — the  minister  in  the  pul- 
pit, the  singers  in  the  orchestra,  the  families  in 
the  main  body  of  the  house.  With  solemn  air 
the  exercises  commence.  Presently  beautiful 
harmony  strikes  the  ear  ;  it  seems  like  the 
sound  of  many  voices  praising  God  ;  but,  on 
looking  up,  it  is  seen  by  unmistakable  signs  to 
be  a  performance  for  the  gratification  of  the 


THEIR   NATIVE    COUNTRY.  27 

company  present.  Many  look  on,  evidently 
with  the  impression  that  they  have  nothing  to 
do  with  the  singing  but  to  hear  and  enjoy. 
They  do  not  notice  the  expressions  of  language, 
they  are  taken  with  the  sounds  :  of  course  the 
singing  does  not  raise  the  praise  of  their  hearts 
in  the  sentiments  of  the  hymn.  They  feel 
thankful  that  the  singers  have  performed  their 
part  well ;  and  the  singers  feel  that  they 
deserve  credit  and  praise  for  their  pains. 

After  this,  the  minister  stands  up,  or  kneels, 
to  say  prayers.  It  would  be  thought  out  of 
due  form  for  him  to  sit  during  prayer.  While 
his  voice  is  heard  in  this  ceremony,  the  congre- 
gation appears  in  various  attitudes  ; — some  sit 
on  theh  seats,  either  looking  about  or  with  their 
eyes  closed,  and  some  of  them  reclining  their 
heads  in  thoughtful  mood  or  in  slumber  ;  others 
stand,  and  perhaps  a  few  think  it  appears  better 
to  kneel.  The  minister  talks  in  his  prayer  of 
many  blessings  enjoyed,  and  of  many  more 
w^anted  ;  and  is  very  careful  to  talk  well  and 
eloquently.  After  all,  his  hearers  never  say 
amen  with  heart  nor  voice,  to  his  thanks  or  re- 
quests, but  are  rather  revolving  in  their  minds 


28 


THE    EMIGRANTS. 


some  business  affairs  which  have  strongly  en- 
gaged their  feelings.  If  they  had  been  appoint- 
ed to  go  with  their  minister  to  a  king's  throne 
to  ask  a  favor,  the  king  would  never  have  sus- 
pected that  they  added  their  names  in  signa- 
ture to  the  offered  petition  of  their  minister,  if 
they  conducted  as  this  assembly  does  at  such 
season  of  prayer. 

A  celebrated  bard  has  well  described  one 
leading  class  of  persons  in  these  congregations. 
Of  one  such  he  says  : 

"  He  was  a  man 
Who  stole  the  livery  of  the  court  of  heaven 
To  serve  the  devil  in ;  in  virtue's  guise 
Devoured  the  widow's  house  and  orphan's  bread ; 
In  holy  i)hrase  transacted  villanies 
That  common  sinners  durst  not  meddle  with. 
At  sacred  feast,  he  sat  [a  painted  saint,] 
And  with  his  guilty  hands  touched  holiest  things. 
And  none  of  sin  lamented  more,  or  sighed 
More  deeply,  or  with  graver  countenance, 
Or  longer  prayer,  wept  o  'er  the  dying  man, 
Whose  infant  children,  at  the  moment,  he 
Planned  how  to  rob :  in  sermon  style  he  bought. 
And  sold,  and  lied ;  and  salutation  made 
In  Scripture  terms :  he  prayed  by  quantity, 
And  with  his  repetitions  long  and  loud, 
All  knees  were  weary ;  with  one  hand  he  put 


THEIR   NATIVE    COUNTRY.  29 

A  penny  in  the  urn  of  poverty, 

And  with  the  other  took  a  shilling  out. 

On  charitable  lists  —  those  trump  which  told 

The  public  ear,  who  had  in  secret  done 

The  poor  a  benefit,  and  half  the  alms 

They  told  of,  took  themselves  to  keep  them  sounding; 

He  blazed  his  name,  more  pleased  to  have  it  there 

Than  in  the  Book  of  Life." 

Persons  bearing  such  a  descriptionj  and  all 
the  variety  of  characters  there  assembled,  do 
not  really  pray  nor  worship  ;  but  they  are  there 
to  keep  up  the  forms  of  religion. 

The  minister  announces  his  text.  And  how 
he  preaches,  another  quotation  from  the  poet 
will  show : 

"  He  preached  himself:  he  swore  that  love  of  souls 
Alone,  had  drawn  him  to  the  Church :  yet  strew'd 
The  path  that  led  to  hell,  with  tempting  flowers, 
And  in  the  ear  of  sinners,  as  they  took 
The  way  of  death,  he  whispered  peace :  he  swore 
Away  all  love  of  lucre,  all  desire 
Of  earthly  pomp,  and  yet  a  princelj^  seat 
He  liked,  and  to  the  clink  of  Mammon's  box 
Gave  most  rapacious  ear :  his  prophecies 
He  swore,  were  from  the  Lord ;  and  yet  taught  lies 
For  gain :  with  quackish  ointment  healed  the  wounds 
And  bruises  of  the  soul,  outside,  but  left 
Within  the  pestilent  matter  unobserved, 


30  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

To  sap  the  moral  constitution  quite, 
And  soon  to  burst  again,  incurable. 


"  For  lie  another  Gospel  preached  than  Paul, 
And  one  that  had  no  Savior  in 't.     And  yet, 
His  life  was  worse.     Faith,  charity,  and  love. 
Humility,  forgiveness,  holiness. 
Were  words  well  lettered  in  his  Sabbath  creed ; 
But  with  his  life  he  wrote  as  plain :    Revenge, 
Pride,  tyranny,  and  lust  of  wealth  and  power 
Inordinate,  and  lewdness  unashamed. 
He  was  a  wolf  in  clothing  of  the  lamb. 

And  that  he  was  anointed,  fools  believed: 

But  [others]  knew  he  was  the  devil's  priest ; 
Anointed  by  the  hands  of  Sin  and  Death, 
And  set  peculiarly  apart  to  ill." 

Whilst  such  a  minister  goes  on  with  his  dis- 
course professedly  to  lead  upward  the  feelings 
of  his  auditors  to  adore  and  love  God,  and  to 
induce  in  them  an  enhghtened  fear  of  him, 
their  busy  minds  use  their  liberty  ;  and  many 
a  fine  bargain  have  they  planned,  and  many  a 
political  scheme  have  they  contrived,  during 
the  sermon's  hour.  And  they  return  to  their 
homes  wiser  than  they  came  ;  for  they  have 
studied  out,  or  dreamed,  some  valuable  plans 
for  future  operations  ;  or,  perhaps  some  have 
made  observations  upon  the  men  and  women 


THEIR   NATIVE    COUNTRY.  31 

present,  and  are  wiser  from  this  study  of  human 
character. 

Meanwhile  they  have  done  what  they  esteem 
a  valuable  service  to  the  country  and  to  the 
rising  generation  ;  for,  in  going  to  church  they 
encourage  religious  institutions  ;  and  without 
these,  one  essential  bond  to  hold  society  together 
under  the  regulations  of  good  laws,  would  be 
wanting.  For  the  sake  of  this  and  kindred  in- 
terests, they,  with  great  cheerfulness,  both  go 
to  church,  and  bear  a  part  in  paying  the  ne- 
cessary expenses  of  keeping  up  the  formalities 
of  religion. 

The  laws  of  these  people,  to  be  sure,  are  not 
religious  laws  ;  but  some  degree  of  religious 
restraint  is  thought  by  legislators  to  be  very  im- 
portant, in  order  to  keep  certain  despicable 
characters  in  awe.  And  for  this  purpose  it  is 
thought  desirable  to  give  as  much  character  as 
possible  to  rehgious  observances.  All  good  cit- 
izens, it  is  supposed,  will  appreciate  the  impor- 
tance of  encouraging  decent  religious  institu- 
tions. 

And  yet  all  this  religion,  practiced  in  that 
region,  is  of  a  character  which  might  be  con- 


32  THE   EMIGRANTS. 

tinued  in  all  its  peculiarities  of  doctrine,  and 
in  the  significancy  of  its  ceremonies,  forever  on 
earth,  never  finding  in  its  ultimate  results  any 
sovereign  Lord,  nor  any  heaven.  It  is  a  set  of 
forms  under  the  name  of  religion,  for  earthly 
purposes,  affording  all  its  benefits  during  hu- 
man life  in  this  world. 

As  these  peculiar  formalities  of  religion  are 
what  have  given  name  to  this  part  of  the  coun- 
try, I  need  not  take  time  to  state  other  less 
prominent  characteristics. 

CITY   OF    HEADY-RELIGIOUS    DISPUTES. 

Close  by  Formality  lies  the  City  of  Heady- 
Religious  Disputes.  Prominent  to  the  view 
may  be  seen  the  floating  banners  of  the  city, 
with  the  motto  inscribed  :  "  Contend  earnestly 
for  the  faith  once  dehvered  to  the  saints." 
But  if  these  citizens  appear  to  conform  to  the 
letter  of  this  text,  they  certainly  fail  to  abide 
by  its  spirit.  They  magnify  to  great  impor- 
tance small  points  of  faith,  to  the  neglect  of 
weightier  matters.  And  this  indeed  seems  ne- 
cessary in  order  to  maintain  the  leading  ele- 
ments of  their  character  ;  for  if  they  were  to 


THEIR   NATIVE    COUNTRY.  33 

have  their  attention  taken  with  the  essential 
doctrines  of  Christianity,  their  hearts  would 
become  ajBfected,  and  their  merely  heady  dis- 
putes would  cease. 

Persons  of  a  great  many  sects  live  in  this 
city  ;  some  of  ancient,  and  some  of  modern 
names.  Some  of  these  spend  their  religious 
study  upon  curious  questions,  suggested  by  in- 
cidental remarks  of  the  Scriptures.  Prominent 
among  these  curious  questions  is  this, — Who 
was  Melchisedec's  grandfather  ?  and  hours  of 
religious  talk  are  consumed  in  dispute  upon  it : 
more  than  these  persons  ever  spend  to  know 
how  they  may  be  saved  from  their  sins.  And 
whenever  these  read  the  Bible,  they  do  it  with 
this  spirit  of  curiosity,  rather  than  that  of  pious 
inquiry.  In  this  way  they  try  to  study  into  the 
unrevealed  mysteries  accompanying  Christ's 
incarnation.  A  heated  dispute  once  arose 
among  them  whether  the  virgin  Mary  was  or 
was  not  born  by  immaculate  conception  ; 
and  whether  she  ever  had  any  children  after 
the  birth  of  Jesus.  They  debated  these  ques- 
tions as  though  their  eternal  salvation  depended 
on  the  correctness  of  their  conclusions.     To 


34  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

settle  the  forms  of  Church  governments^  fre- 
quently affords  subjects  for  employment  in  this 
city  :  and  they  never  get  these  forms  settled 
beyond  dispute.  They  are  more  eager  to  get 
right  here,  than  they  are  to  practice  love  to  God 
and  man. 

One  young  man,  formerly  known  to  the  wri- 
ter, went  to  live  in  this  city.  He  had  pre- 
viously assumed  an  allegiance  to  Christ,  and 
had  soon  after  become  very  zealous  in  arguing 
from  house  to  house  his  views  in  regard  to  some 
of  the  forms  of  religious  ceremonies  ;  particu- 
larly as  to  the  form  of  administering  the  sacra- 
ment of  baptism.  Which  form  he  advocated 
I  do  not  distinctly  recollect ;  but  there  arose 
considerable  excitement  among  the  peoj)le  on 
the  subject,  and  he  acted  as  though  he  was  ex- 
pending upon  it  all  the  zeal  of  a  Christian's 
first  love.  In  a  short  time  I  heard  of  him  in 
the  City  of  Heady-Religious  Disputes,  far  from 
the  city  of  Brotherly  Love,  but  near  Jonah's 
Retreat  and  Wrecking  Place. 

A  minister,  once  celebrated  in  the  land  of 
the  saints,  has  gone  to  that  city.  He  ventured 
first  into  its  suburbs,  to  advocate  some  views  in 


THEIR  NATIVE  COUNTRY.         35 

regard  to  enslaving  the  bodies  of  men ;  and  in 
a  way  to  neglect  his  great  business  of  wresting 
souls  from  the  thraldom  of  sin.  By  the  sweep 
of  this  controversy's  whirl^  like  that  of  Nor- 
way's Maelstrom,  he  was  drawn  within  the  cir- 
cle of  the  city,  and  became  soon  a  regular  cit- 
izen. He  has  since  been  heard  of,  bearing  an 
active  part  in  the  city,  agitating  various  religious 
questions, — pertaining  to  the  time  of  Christ's 
second  appearing,  the  day  and  the  hour  ;  the 
particular  part  of  the  universe  in  which  God 
will  finally  locate  heaven,  and  how  it  will  ap- 
pear; the  annihilation  of  the  wicked  as  the 
form  of  "  the  second  death,"  &c.,  &c. 

Pollok  has  well  described  one  character  found 
in  this  city.     He  names  him, 

"  The  bigot  theologian — in  minute 
Distinctions  skilled,  and  docti'ines  unreduced 
To  practice ;  in  debate  how  loud !  how  long ! 
How  dexterous !  in  Christian  love,  how  cold ' 
His  vain  conceits  were  orthodox  alone. 
The  immutable  and  heavenly  truth,  revealed 
By  God,  was  naught  to  him :  he  had  an  art, 
A  kind  of  hellish  charm,  that  made  the  lips 
Of  truth  speak  falsehood ;  to  his  liking  turned 
The  meaning  of  the  text ;  made  trifles  seem 
The  marrow  of  salvation  ;  to  a  word, 


36  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

A  name,  a  sect,  that  sounded  in  the  ear, 

And  to  the  eye  so  many  letters  showed, 

But  did  no  more — gave  value  infinite ; 

Proved  still  his  reasoning  hest,  and  his  belief, 

Though  propped  on  fancies,  wild  as  madmen's  dreams : 

Most  rational,  most  scriptural,  most  sound ; 

With  mortal  heresy  denouncing  all 

Who  in  his  arguments  could  see  no  force. 

On  points  of  faith  too  fine  for  human  sight. 

And  never  understood  in  heaven,  he  placed 

His  everlasting  hope,  undoubting  placed." 

All  these  persons  observe  religious  ceremo- 
nies very  mucli  as  tlie  inhabitants  of  Formality 
do.  They  contend  for  these  ceremonies  ;  and, 
frequently,  for  customs  and  creeds  better  than 
those  upon  which  they  practice.  They  gener- 
ally prefer  a  crowd,  upon  which  they  may  urge 
their  contending  arguments. 

As  to  the  particular  appearance  of  this  city, 
it  has  this  peculiarity  ; — it  has  no  direct  sun- 
light. With  but  very  few  if  any  exceptions,  it 
enjoys  only  moon-light,  or  light  otherwise  re- 
flected. A  meteor-like  star  may  occasionally 
be  seen.  The  inhabitants  have  heard  of  a  sun 
which  shines  so  clearly  and  penetratingly  as  to 
affect  not  only  the  bodies  and  minds,  but  also 
the  hearts  of  the  people.     St.  Paul  reported 


THEIR    isATlVE    COUNTKY 


37 


this  fact  to  them  when  he  said,  ''  God,  who 
commanded  the  Hght  to  shine  out  of  darkness, 
hath  shined  in  om-  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face 
of  Jesus  Christ/'— 2  Cor.  4  :  6. 

But  the  condition  of  these  people  is  repre- 
sented by  the  same  apostle  in  the  4th  verse,  by 
asserting,  "  The  God  of  this  world  hath  blinded 
the  minds  of  them  which  believe  not,  lest  the 
light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God, 
should  shine  unto  them."  The  light  of  the 
knoiuledge  of  the  glory  of  God,  this  city  does 
not  enjoy.  They  have  rays  of  light,  as  stated, 
but  not  direct :  they  are  often  much  dimmed 
by  repeated  reflections  through  works  of  human 
skill,  (books,)  and  afford  but  little  comfort  to 
the  soul.  By  such  dim  and  cold  rays  of  light, 
and  what  they  can  manufacture  themselves, 
these  people  pursue  their  course  of  life, — study- 
ing, consulting  with  each  other  upon  the  va- 
rious points  in  dispute  ;  from  time  to  time 
gathering  at  church,  there  debating  upon  the 
subjects  of  previous  study  and  consultation  ; 
and  then  by  the  same  uncertain  lights,  gather- 
ing in  knots  about  town,  canvassing  the  merits 


38  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

of  the  debate.  The  closet,  family  prayer, 
heart-searching,  humility,  and  love,  are  neg- 
lected. Their  heads  are  exercised  on  religious 
topics,  but  their  hearts  are  unaffected.  Of 
course,  various  wrongs  are  practiced,  as  the  heart 
inclines. 

The  dim  moon-light,  the  occasional  meteor, 
the  artificial  lamj)-lights  and  fires, — all  together 
afford  but  little  heat,  insufficient  for  comfort. 
The  seat  of  life  is  not  vt^armed  sufficiently  to 
prevent  an  unpleasant  sensation  through  the 
whole  system,  occasioning  a  constant  and  very 
apparent  restlessness.  And  human  nature,  in 
this  case,  is  very  far  from  being  able  to  conform 
her  powers  to  these  circumstances  so  as  to 
make  them  more  endurable.  The  whole  per- 
son waxes  worse  and  worse,  and  the  nervous- 
like  excitement  more  and  more  harassing.  A 
chilling  coldness  often  seizes  the  heart,  and  a 
feeling  of  utter  indifference  to  the  calls  of  the 
best  friends  :  a  certain  premonition  of  the  final 
doom  of  the  city  is  realized,  even  the  brooding 
over  it  of  an  eternal  night ;  with  its  side  next 
to  heaven  congealed  by  colder  than  polar  frost, 
and  the  other  warmed  only  by  the  glare  of  the 


THEIR    NATIVE    COUNTRY.  39 

flames  of  hell.  Then  the  often  evinced  truth 
appears  clearer  than  ever,  that  very  little  of 
vital  Christianity  and  the  spirit  of  heaven,  are 
requisite  to  an  ardent  controversialist  about  va- 
rious religious  to^iics.  One  can  fight  for  reli- 
gion with  none  of  it  in  his  heart  and  but 
little  of  it  in  his  head. 

Jonah's  retreat. 

Jonah's  Ketreat  embraces  a  large  sea-coast 
and  its  adjoining  seas.  Some  live  almost  en- 
tirely in  vessels,  floating  upon  the  sea  ;  and 
taken  all  together,  the  population  is  very  great. 
This  territoiy  is  now  claimed  by  the  great 
usurper,  Beelzebub,  as  a  part  of  his  dominions  ; 
and  it  is  filled  with  inhabitants  who  have  re- 
volted from  their  rightful  Sovereign.  Haj)py 
he  who  escapes — emigrates  to  the  better  land. 

The  general  character  of  the  inhabitants  cor- 
responds to  that  of  Jonah,  after  whom  the 
place  is  named.  1.  He  was  unwilling  to  do 
what  his  God  required.  '*  The  word  of  the 
Lord  came  unto  Jonah,  saying.  Arise,  go  to 
Nineveh,  that  great  city,  and  cry  against  it  ; 
for   their  wickedness  is  come  up  before  me. 


40  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

But  Jonah  rose  up  to  flee  unto  Tarshish  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord."  He  was  unwiUing 
to  do  what  api)eared  to  him  to  be  risking  his 
reputation,  even  though  by  Divine  direction. 
Said  he,  "  I  knew  that  thou  art  a  gracious  God, 
and  merciful,  slow  to  anger,  and  of  great  kind- 
ness, and  repentest  thee  of  the  evil." 

In  view  of  this  character  of  God,  he  suspec- 
ted that  the  proclamation  he  was  directed  to 
make  against  Nineveh  would  be  reversed,  just 
as  sure  as  the  Ninevites  repented  and  asked 
this  favor.  In  such  case  his  denunciations 
against  it  would  fail,  and  he  appear  to  be  a 
false  prophet.  He  was  unwilling  to  do  duty 
as  required,  and  trust  consequences  with  God. 

In  like  manner  all  the  people  of  this  place 
are  obstinately  unwilling  to  serve  their  rightful 
Sovereign.  With  this  obstinacy  of  heart  there 
are  found  here  all  classes  of  persons,  from  the 
humblest  peasant  with  the  feeblest  capacity,  to 
the  most  towering  and  cultivated  minds.  They 
have  become  so  abject  as  to  be  willing  to  for- 
sake their  lawful  Sovereign  for  the  ride  of  a 
despot.  They  might  have  performed  valuable 
service  as  public  oflicers,  in  publishing  laws  and 


THEIR    NATIVE    COUNTRY.  41 

their  penalties,  in  presenting  inducements  to 
all  to  comply  with  the  laws,  in  bearing  rew^ards 
to  the  faithful,  in  warning  and  urging  against 
disobedience  ;  and  indeed,  by  being  always 
ready  for  any  service  wanted.  Those  less  capa- 
ble of  public  usefulness,  or  in  less  favorable 
circumstances  for  it,  as  is  the  case  of  most 
women — for  these  too  are  found  in  this  Eetreat — 
might  have  accomplished  essentially  good  ser- 
vice in  building  up  the  kingdom  of  their  right- 
ful Lord, — by  living  happy  lives  under  his  do- 
minion, strengthening  and  encouraging  each 
other  in  every  day  life,  w^arning  each  other  and 
all  ]3ersons  when  danger  was  near,  helping  sus- 
tain expenses  of  the  kingdom,  going  in  com- 
panies to  drive  off  those  disposed  to  encroach 
upon  the  rights  of  their  country,  and  by  win- 
ning them., per  equates,  from  the  enemy's  ranks. 
Souls  unwilling  to  serve  in  all  such  various 
ways,  may  be  found  occupying  this  Ketreat. 

2.  Jonah  fled  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord. 
So  all  these  people  have  fled  from  their  law^ful 
Euler  to  get  rid  of  doing  duty.  Jonah  was 
told  to  "go  to  Nineveh,  that  great  city,  and  to 
cry  against  it."     So  all  these  have  been  told  to 


42  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

do  some  duty  ;  to  get  rid  of  doing  whicli,  tliey 
have  fled.  They  may  have  never  done  a  thing 
forbidden  ;  but  they  have  neglected  to  do  what 
was  required.  They  were  required  by  the  King 
of  Heaven  to  engage  in  his  service,  with  assur- 
ances of  rich  rewards.  Young  men  were  re- 
quired to  become  his  ministers,  or  to  employ 
their  property  in  their  King's  service, — to  enter 
upon  all  the  several  avocations  in  life  in  a  way 
to  serine  his  interests.  And  the  ladies  were  re- 
quired to  serve  him  in  their  appropriate  spheres. 
Once  a  timid  female  was  required  to  warn  her 
associates  of  the  danger  to  which  she  saw  them 
exposed  ;  and  to  carefully  set  an  example  of 
escaping  the  same  danger  herself,  in  a  way  to 
encourage  their  effort.  Kather  than  do  it  she 
fled  to  this  Ketreat.  Indeed,  farmers  and  me- 
chanics, tradesmen,  sailors,  oflicers  of  civil  gov- 
ernment, male  and  female,  the  rich  and  the 
poor,  persons  of  all  classes,  may  be  seen  at  dif- 
ferent times  urging  their  course  toward  this 
Eetreat.  Some  take  long  and  crooked  journeys 
to  reach  it.  For  instance,  one  C,  an  acquain- 
tance of  the  writer,  was  required  to  give  im- 
portant instruction  and  warning  to  certain  of 


THEIR    NATIVE    COUNTllY.  43 

his  friends  and  acquaintances  ;  all  of  which  he 
was  well  caj)able  of  doing,  and  would  thereby 
have  greatly  benefited  the  government  under 
which  he  lived.  He  begun  to  comply,  and  with 
marked  success  ;  but  became  unwilling  to  de- 
vote his  time,  and  endure  the  requisite  toil  and 
reproach.  He  thought  he  W'ould  willingly  suf- 
fer all  this  among  any  other  people  ;  but  he 
could  not  feel  as  he  wished  in  going  to  these. 
Pie  must  stop  and  go  somewhere  else  to  live. 
He  had  obtained  some  ideas  about  this  Ketreat. 
He  resolved  to  try  it,  and  started.  He  went  a 
few  hundred  miles,  w^hen  his  funds  run  out ; 
and  he  stopped  to  try  a  livehhood  there.  Suc- 
ceeding but  poorly,  and  hearing  of  gold  on  the 
route  he  wanted  to  take,  he  started  for  this 
land  of  gold.  But  he  never  reached  it :  he 
ended  his  days  in  another  part  of  this  Retreat. 
He  was  not  so  fortunate  as  the  ancient  Jo- 
nah, who  escaped  from  the  belly  of  the  fish. 
This  man  was  taken  by  the  monster  alcohol, 
and  soon  miserably  perished.  Some  have  been, 
more  fortunate  than  he,  and  have  survived  and 
escaped,  like  Jonah,  to  tell  the  tale  of  their 
perils. 


44  THE    EMIGRANTS, 

3.  Jonali  was  exposed  to  imminent  dangers. 
This  has  been  already  intimated  as  the  case 
with  some  before  they  became  fairly  settled  in 
this  Ketreat.  But  persons  who  have  arrived 
there,  and  are  in  apparently  easy  circumstances, 
suffer  great  misery  and  danger.  They  all  spend 
a  miserable  life  ;  for  if  they  are  so  stultified 
by  their  base  habits  as  to  be  unconscious  of  the 
evils  to  which  they  are  exposed,  they  are  equal- 
ly insensible  to  the  refined  enjoyments  of  life. 
They,  however,  know  enough  to  have  their 
comforts  blasted  by  "  a  fearful  looking  for  of 
judgment  and  fiery  indignation." 

One  who  might  have  been  a  minister  of  God 
lives  in  a  miserable  way.  He  enters  upon  a 
great  many  projects  for  business,  but  never  pur- 
sues any  one  course  long  enough  to  bring  it  to 
any  successful  conclusion.  He  is  constantly 
embarrassed,  harassed,  and  unhappy  :  and  all 
this  is  just  what  might  be  expected  in  his  state 
of  mind.  Every  kind  of  business  requires  to 
be  pursued  a  certain  length  of  time,  in  order 
to  bring  it  to  a  successful  issue  ;  and  his  state, 
restless  under  the  goadings  of  conscience,  will 
not  suffer  him  to  exercise  patience  enough  for 


THEIR    NATIVE    COUNTRY.  45 

this.  Occasionally  lie  sees  individuals  chained, 
and  all  prepared  to  be  taken  to  Sin's  Prison- 
House,  who  assure  him  that  he  might  have  in- 
fluenced them  to  a  course  of  life,  by  which  they 
never  would  have  reached  their  present  po- 
sition. 

"  Ah  me !  what  cursing  then 
Was  heaped  upon  his  head  by  ruined  souls, 
That  charged  him  with  their  murder." 

Then  he  sees  them  dragged  away.  And  is 
it  any  wonder  that  he  hears  their  denuncia- 
tions from  their  Prison-House  ?  Can  a  soul, 
once  possessed  of  human  feelings,  be  other  than 
horrified  at  the  assurance  that  he  has  contrib- 
uted, by  his  neglect,  to  the  writhing  of  his  for- 
mer friends  in  torment  ?  Especially  must  he 
feel  when,  with  this,  he  knows  he  is  himself 
momentarily  exposed  to  the  same  suffering. 

Another  apparently  succeeds  better,  and  gets 
rich.  For  awhile  his  thoughts  are  so  absorbed 
with  money  matters  that  he  forgets  where  he 
is.  Thus  forgetting,  he  is  not  troubled  with 
the  ruin  others  are  suffering  because  he  has  re- 
fused to  help  them  as  he  might  have  done. 
But  the  day  of  retribution  awaits  liim  :    he 


46  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

must  again  awake  to  what  evil  he  has  done, 
and  he  is  every  moment  ex^josed  to  have  the 
blood  of  many  required  at  his  hands.  His 
riches  are  turned  to  be  his  greatest  curse. 

Indeed,  with  all  classes,  in  every  avocation  in 
this  Ketreat,  the  very  opposite  of  what  is  prom- 
ised to  those  who  love  God,  is  endured. — All 
things  work  together  for  evil  to  those  ivho  flee 
from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  to  avoid  doing 
the  duties  he  requires. 

WRECKING   PLACE. 

On  one  side  of  this  is  Philosopher's  Valley  ; 
and  again  hard  by,  is  False-Hope  Mountain. 
Troubled  Seas  more  than  half  surround  it,  and 
project,  at  several  points,  far  into  the  interior. 
On  one  border  is  the  promontory  Scepticis7n  ; 
so  high  as  to  be  seen  from  all  parts  of  Wreck- 
ing Place. 

The  character  of  the  inhabitants  corresponds 
with  the  rough  and  forbidding  aspects  of  the 
country.  But  the  country  is  most  noted  for 
the  number  of  souls  wrecked  there. 

Several  young  men  once  set  sail  on  what 
they  termed  the  voyage  of  life.     A  number  of 


THEIR    NATIVE    COUNTRY.  4*7 

young  ladies  Avere  with  them.  They  took  with 
them  a  chart,  "-*'■■  prepared  by  one  acquainted 
with  all  the  seas  in  their  route  ;  and  so  plainly 
descriptive  that  any  unlearned  and  inexperi- 
enced persons  could  know  by  it  theh  best 
course.  With  this  they  had  a  true  and  long- 
tried  compass,  always  pointing  its  needle  toward 
the  pole.f  Their  chart  and  compass  were  de- 
signed to  serve  them  as  guides,  to  show  them 
at  any  time  where  they  were,  and  to  insure  the 
correctness  of  their  course  toward  their  pro- 
posed destination.  But  they  begun  very  soon 
to  look  at  them  as  objects  of  curiosity  and 
criticism.  The  assurances  of  their  deserving 
confidence  because  of  their  having  never  failed 
those  who  have  been  guided  by  them,  are  for- 
gotten in  the  spirit  of  guessing  into  their  mys- 
teries. Instead  of  following  their  direct  way,  as 
the  compass  would  guide  them,  they  indulge 
doubt   of  its  correctness,  and  turn  to  the  left. 

*  Bibl3. 

t  The  representation  of  the  Bible  as  a  chart,  and  the  Con- 
science, under  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  a  compass, 
is  warranted  by  various  passages  of  Scripture ;  as,  John  5 : 
39;  Acts  17:  11;  Rom.  8 :  14,26;  James  1 :  5;  Rom.  1 : 
19;  John  14:  26;  John  16 :  13. 


48  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

Why,  say  they,  does  the  needle  always  point  to 
the  north  ?  We  can  see  no  reason  for  this ; 
and  therefore,  we  do  not  believe  it  does.  And 
who  knows  whether  the  chart  is  correct  ?  It 
is  true,  we  never  heard  of  any  being  shipwrecked 
who  trusted  to  this  chart  and  compass.  But 
is  it  not  folly  to  trust  to  what  we  cannot  com- 
prehend ?  and  there  are  many  mysteries  about 
these  guides. 

One  daring  fellow,  with  more  self-esteem 
than  his  associates,  stood  and  said  :  "  Hear  me, 
my  friends,  hale  fellows  well  met.  It  is  de- 
grading to  be  so  much  concerned  about  what  is 
read  upon  that  little  parchment,  and  about 
the  fluttering  of  that  little  needle.  I  am  too 
independent  to  be  influenced  by  such  guides. 
I  have  a  mind  of  my  own,  certainly  given  me 
to  use  ;  and  I  will  use  it,  to  choose  my  own 
way  to  harbor  and  home.  I  have  heard  a  great 
many  things  about  this  chart  and  compass. 
Kumor  says  that  they  are  gotten  up  for  specu- 
lative purposes  ;  and  that  certain  men  called 
priests,  who  are  in  the  secret  of  their  being 
palmed  upon  the  world,  chuckle  over  the 
thought  that  their  chart  and  compass  riile  the 


THEIR   NATIVE    COUNTRY.  49 

ways  of  thousands :  and  someliow  they  have 
their  account  in  all  this.  True,  this  chart  has 
been  of  great  service  to  many  ;  and,  really,  I 
must  think  we  would  be  perfectly  safe  to  fol- 
low its  guidance  ;  but  who  can  consent  to  be 
laughed  at  every  time  he  hauls  up  on  these 
troubled  seas?  I  declare  to  you,  that  chart 
and  compass  must  be  j)ut  out  of  sight,  and  we 
will  direct  our  course  by  our  superior  judgment, 
without  any  regard  to  them.  Such  mysterious, 
incomprehensible  guides,  shall  not  lord  it  over 
me.  I  can  find  my  own  way."  To  this  all 
agreed,  and  encouraged  each  other  in  this  de- 
cision ;  so  that  all  showed  confidence,  though  a 
few  felt  some  misgivings  in  regard  to  their 
safety. — "  Land  on  the  star-board,''  cried  the 
man  on  the  look  out.  And,  indeed,  there  was 
the  promontory.  Scepticism,  hard  by,  close 
along  which  they  had  been  coasting  during 
their  conversation,  but  until  now  undiscovered, 
because  of  the  fog. — "  Breakers  ahead,"  was  the 
cry  again  : — and  again,  "Helm  hard  up:" — 
and  they  just  escaped,  when  lo,  they  found 
themselves  in  what  is  called  Troubled  Seas. 
Of  these  they  had  heard  ;    but  they  thought 


50  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

there  were  some  fine  prospects  ;  and,  who  that 
is  a  good  sailor,  is  afraid  of  a  storm  ?  Like  the 
storm  bird,  let  this  be  our  element,  said  they. 
The  women  became  alarmed  at  their  daring  ; 
but  were  quieted  at  last  with  repeated  assur- 
ances of  their  regard  ;  and  that  it  was  silly  to 
be  influenced  by  fear,  because  that  dirty  chart 
and  old  compass  told  them  they  were  in  dan- 
gerous seas.  They  all  drank  and  caroused  to- 
gether, forgetting  all  care  about  safety,  when 
behold,  they  were  nearly  engulfed  in  a  whirl- 
pool,— and  they  sunk  together. 

Some  merchants  started  on  a  voyage  for 
gain  ;  and  disregarding  their  chart  and  com- 
pass, were  wrecked  in  these  seas. 

A  physician,  venturing  to  guide  his  course 
in  all  respects,  in  the  same  way  he  did  in  the 
uncertainties  of  medical  practice,  thought  to 
pursue  his  perilous  voyage  according  to  symp- 
toms, and  so  took  no  chart  or  compass  witli 
him.  He  trusted  in  no  God,  and  found  no 
protector.     He  was  wrecked  on  these  shores. 

An  attorney  thought  he  knew  too  much, — 
he,  a  statesman,  was  too  wise,  to  think  his  des- 
tiny was  depending  on  the  information  received 


.1^  THEIR    NATIVE    COUNTRY.  51 

from  a  simple  chart  and  compass,  which  even 
a  negro  could  understand.  And  away  he  ven- 
tured upon  the  voyage  of  life  with  no  guide 
but  a  pretender  for  a  pilot,  who  proved  a  false 
wretch.  Soon  the  statesman  was  dashed  upon 
the  rocks  of  Scepticism. 

Many  persons  in  common  life,  seeing  these 
professional  characters,  who  are  reputed  for 
learning  and  influence  in  society,  starting  off 
without  chart  or  compass,  themselves  venture 
to  follow  the  example.  Thousands  of  these  have 
been  wrecked  in  every  part  of  that  country.  A 
few  occasionally  escape  to  land,  and  linger  awhile 
in  mortal  life  ;  and,  sometimes  one  finds  a  cast- 
away chart  and  compass  ;  and,  resolving  to  trust 
their  guidance,  escapes  to  the  land  of  the  free. 
0  how  rejoiced  were  those  I  met  with  of  this 
class.  Is  not  this  escaping  from  the  very  jaws 
of  death?  said  they. 

Cumberland  gives  a  most  mournful  story 
concerning  a  gentleman  of  this  country. — "  I 
remember  him  in  the  height  of  his  fame,  the 
hero  of  his  party  ;  no  man  so  caressed,  followed, 
and  applauded.  He  was  a  little  loose,  his 
friends  would  own,  in  his  moral  character,  but 


52  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

then  lie  was  the  honestest  fellow  in  the  world  ; 
it  was  not  to  be  denied,  that  he  was  rather 
free  in  his  notions,  but  then  he  was  the  best 
creature  living.  I  have  seen  men  of  the 
gravest  character  wink  at  his  follies  ;  because 
he  was  so  pleasant  and  so  well  bred,  it  was  im- 
possible to  be  angry  with  him.  Everything 
went  well  with  him  ;  and  Antitheus  seemed  to 
be  at  the  summit  of  human  prosperity,  when 
he  was  suddenly  seized  with  the  most  alarming 
symptoms.  He  was  at  his  country  house  ; 
and,  which  had  rarely  happened  to  him,  at 
that  time  alone  ;  wife  or  family  he  had  none, 
and  out  of  the  multitude  of  his  friends  no  one 
happened  to  be  near  him  at  the  time  of  his  at- 
tack. A  neighboring  physician  was  called  out 
of  bed  in  the  night  to  come  to  him  with  all 
haste  in  his  extremity.  He  found  him  sitting 
up  in  his  bed  supported  by  pillows,  his  coun- 
tenance full  of  horror,  his  breath  struggling  as 
in  the  article  of  death,  his  pulse  intermitting, 
and  at  times  beating  with  such  rapidity  as  could 
hardly  be  counted.  Antitheus  dismissed  the 
attendants  he  had  about  him,  and  eagerly  de- 
manded of  the  physician  if  he  thought  him  in 


THEIR   NATIVE   COUNTRY.  53 

danger  ;  the  physician  answered  that  he  must 
fairly  tell  him  he  was  in  imminent  danger. — 
Hoiu  so  !  liow  so !  do  you  think  me  dying  / — 
He  was  sorry  to  say,  the  symptoms  indicated 
death. — Impossible  !  you  must  not  let  me  die, 
I  dare  not  die,  0  doctor !  save  me  if  you 
can. — Your  situation,  sir,  is  such,  that  it  is  not 
in  mine,  or  any  other  man's  art,  to  save  you  ; 
and  I  think  I  should  not  do  my  duty,  if  I  gave 
you  any  false  hopes  in  these  moments,  which, 
if  I  am  not  mistaken,  will  not  more  than  suf- 
fice for  any  worldly  or  other  concerns,  which 
you  may  have  upon  your  mind  to  settle. — 3Iy 
mind  is  full  of  horror,  and  I  am  iricapable  of 
preparing  it  for  death. — He  now  fell  into  an 
agony,  accompanied  with  a  shower  of  tears.  A 
cordial  was  administered,  and  he  revived  in  a 
degree  ;  when,  turning  to  the  physician,  who 
had  his  fingers  upon  his  pulse,  he  eagerly  de- 
manded of  him,  if  he  did  not  see  that  hlood 
upon  the  feet-curtain  of  his  bed.  There  was 
none  to  be  seen,  the  physician  assured  him  ;  it 
was  nothing  but  a  vapor  of  his  fancy. — ^  I  see 
it  plainly,'  said  he,  ^  in  the  sliape  of  a  human 
hand  :  I  have  been  visited  with  a  tremendous 


54  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

apparition.  As  I  was  lying  sleepless  in  my 
bed  this  niglit,  I  took  up  a  letter  of  a  deceased 
friend,  to  dissipate  certain  thoughts  that  made 
me  uneasy.  I  believed  him  to  be  a  great  phi- 
losopher, and  was  converted  to  his  opinions. 
Persuaded  by  his  arguments  and  my  own  expe- 
rience, that  the  disorderly  affairs  of  this  evil 
world  would  not  be  administered  by  any  wise, 
just,  or  provident  Being,  I  had  brought  myself 
to  think  that  no  such  Being  could  exist,  and 
that  a  life  produced  by  chance,  must  terminate 
in  annihilation.  This  is  the  reasoning  of  that 
letter,  and  such  were  the  thoughts  I  was  re- 
volving in  my  own  mind,  when  the  apparition 
of  my  dear  friend  presented  itself  before  me, 
and,  unfolding  the  curtains  of  my  bed,  stood 
at  my  feet,  looking  earnestly  upon  me  for  a 
considerable  space  of  time.  My  heart  sunk 
within  me  ;  for  his  face  was  ghastly,  full  of 
horror,  with  an  expression  of  such  an  anguish 
as  I  can  never  describe.  His  eyes  were  lixed 
upon  me,  and  at  length,  with  a  mournful  mo- 
tion of  his  head — AlaSj  alas !  he  cried,  v:g 
are  in  a  fatal  error  ! — and  taking  hold  of  the 
curtains  with  his  hand,  shook  them  violently, 


THEIR    NATIVE    COUNTRY.  55 

and  disappeared.  This  I  protest  to  you,  I 
both  saw  and  heard  ;  and  look  !  where  the 
print  of  his  hand  is  left  in  bloxl  upon  the 
curtains.' '' 

Cumberland  says  that  Antitheus  survived 
the  relation  of  this  vision  very  few  hours,  anil 
died  delirious,  in  very  great  agonies  :  and  he 
justly  remarks,  "  What  a  forsaken  and  discon- 
solate creature  is  man,  without  his  God  and 
Savior." 

Thus  forsaken  and  disconsolate  are  all  those 
who  occupy  Wrecking  Place.  Their  general 
career,  and  their  end,  unless  avoided  by  timely 
emigration,  are  well  described  by  Pollok  under 
the  character  of  the  wo  idly-wise  man: 

"  He  that  to  worldly  wisdom  shaped 
His  character,  became  the  favorite 
Of  men — was  honorable  termed,  a  man 
Of  spirit;  noble,  glorious,  lofty  soul! 
And  as  he  crossed  the  earth  in  chase  of  dreams, 
Received  prodigious  shouts  of  warm  applause. 
Hence,  who  to  Godly  wisdom  framed  his  life, 
Was  counted  mean,  and  spiritless,  and  vile. 
— The  wise  [worldly-wise]  man  first  of  all  eradicates, 
As  much  as  possible,  fi'om  out  his  mind 
All  thought  of  death,  God,  and  eternity 
Admires  the  world,  and  thinks  of  time  alone: 


56  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

Avoids  the  Bible,  all  reproof  avoids; 

Rocks  conscience,  if  he  can,  asleep  ;  puts  out 

The  eye  of  reason ;  prisons,  tortures,  binds ; 

And  makes  her  thus  by  violence  and  force, 

Give  wicked  evidence  against  herself: 

Lets  passion  loose ;  the  substance  leaves ;  pursues 

The  shadow  vehemently,  but  ne  'er  o  'ertakes ; 

Puts  by  the  cup  of  holiness  and  joy ; 

And  drinks,  carouses  deeply  in  the  bowl 

Of  death ;  grovels  in  dust ;  pollutes,  destroys 

His  soul;  is  miserable  to  acquire 

More  misery ;  deceives  to  be  deceived ; 

Strives,  labors  to  the  last  to  shun  the  truth ; 

Strives,  labors  to  the  last  to  damn  himself; 

Turns  desperate,  shudders,  groans,  blasphemes,  and  dies, 

And  sinks — where  could  he  else  ? — to  endless  wo : 

And  drinks  the  wine  of  God's  eternal  wrath." 

MINING    TERRITORY. 

Mining  Territory  occupies  the  very  heart  of 
the  country.  Its  surface  is  rough,  but  pictur- 
esque ;  and  lovers  of  gain  think  it  a  very  agree- 
able climate. 

What  would  strilvc  a  stranger  most  in  pass- 
ing, is  the  occupation  of  its  inJiabitants.  Their 
occupation  is  searching,  digging  for  precious 
metals.  These  are  esteemed  precious,  because 
scarce,  and  because  of  its  being  exceedingly 


THEIR    NATIVE    COUNTRY.  57 

difficult  to  obtain  them  ;  besides,  tbey  supply 
precious  wants,  those  wants  which  are  over  and 
above  the  natural ;  such  as  are  artificial,  super- 
ficial, for  glitter  and  show.  To  gather  these, 
and  either  hoard  them,  or  show  them  in  every 
possible  way  so  as  to  make  many  wonder  and 
admire,  is  the  grand  aim  of  their  laborious  lives. 

Once  a  passing  stranger  asked  one  of  these 
busy  beings  about  his  native  j^lace  ;  what  he 
was  doing,  and  what  were  his  prospects.  He 
answered  for  himself ;  and  in  doing  this,  reiDre- 
sented  also  the  case  of  his  neighbors.  Said 
this  man,  whom  we  will  call  Miser, — I  am 
of  noble  birth.  I  am  in  the  direct  lineage 
from  the  king  of  Heaven.  There  is  reserved 
for  me  in  that  other  world  an  inheritance, 
enough  for  any  man,  which  it  is  my  privilege  to 
go  to  and  enjoy  forever.  I  understand  that  the 
streets  of  the  city  there  where  part  of  my  in- 
heritance lies,  are  paved  with  gold.  0  how  I 
love  to  see  gold  !  Surely,  I  may  gather  some 
here. 

Stranger.  But  I  thought  rich  men's  sons 
were  apt  to  think  they  were  well  enough  off 
without  digging  in  the  earth. 


58  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

M.  0^  to  be  sure  I  have  a  rich  ancestry  ; 
and  if  I  retain  my  father's  favor  by  being  faith- 
ful to  comply  with  his  wishes,  I  have  no  want 
to  fear.  But  there  is  pleasure  in  the  finding  : 
there  is  health  in  the  digging. 

S.  True,  it  is  declared  to  all,  since  the  fall, 
^'  By  the  sweat  of  thy  brow  shalt  thou  eat  thy 
bread  all  the  days  of  thy  life."  We  may  un- 
derstand that  exercise  is  important  to  both 
health  and  pleasure.  But  is  it  your  chief  busi- 
ness to  eat,  and  drink,  and  enjoy  the  good  of 
your  labor  ? 

M.  Why,  this  occupies  most  of  my  time. 
And  how  can  one  help  having  the  attention 
and  feelings  mostly  enlisted  upon  what  is  so 
necessary?  Why  despise  a  present  good,  to 
prefer  that  in  the  far  off  future  ?  Indeed,  I 
have  heard  it  said  that  the  main  business  as- 
signed to  human  beings  in  this  world,  is  to  lay 
up  treasures  in  heaven  :  that  by  following  the 
instructions  of  their  Lord,  even  the  evils  of 
life  will  be  made  the  very  elements  of  richer 
good  in  a  future  state  of  being  :  that  souls 
passing  through  the  ordeal  of  afflictions  in  this 
world,    according   to    instructions   given,    will 


THEIR   NATIVE   COUNTRY.  59 

come  forth  as  gold  tried  in  the  fire  :  that  flesh 
and  blood  are  but  the  crucible  in  which  the 
living  soul  is  tried  :  that  the  living  soul  may 
be  happy  as  angels,  have  access  to  everything 
it  may  prize  good  in  God's  universe,  live  in 
perfect  safety  and  unalloyed  bliss,  of  a  nature 
so  high  and  godlike,  that  all  earthly  substance 
— the  glittering  metals  and  most  precious 
pearls,  and  highest  puffs  of  applause  ever  given 
by  earth's  sons,  will  all  be  counted  as  chaff ; 
and  that  only  known  as  a  thing  that  was. 
Every  human  being  has  an  immaterial,  immor- 
tal nature,  suited  to  enjoy  a  home  far  different 
from  any  which  these  shining  minerals  can  fur- 
nish. Yet,  I  love  to  gather  these  mineral 
treasures.  And  what  did  God  make  them  in 
this  world  for,  if  not  for  our  use  ? 

S.  What  did  he  make  corn  for,  if  not  to 
use  ?  But  because  corn  grows  for  man's  use, 
must  we  conclude  it  is  proper  to  do  nothing 
else  but  eat  corn  ?  And  yet  one  might  con- 
clude thus,  just  as  reasonably  as  to  suppose,  be- 
cause God  has  made  the  precious  metals,  it  is 
right  to  concentrate  all  our  energies  during 
life,  in  gathering  them  together  in  the  form  of 


60  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

wliat  the  world  calls  wealtli.  Hov*^  would  it 
seem^  if  you  were  a  stranger,  passing  along  by 
that  heavenly  city,  the  New  Jerusalem,  and 
should  see  in  it  angels,  and  saints,  settled  there 
from  the  earth,  undertaking  to  gather  material 
treasures,  to  the  neglect  of  the  aj^propriate  en- 
joyment of  spiritual  beings,  and  to  the  disre- 
gard of  the  laws  of  the  Lord,  who  sits  on  Heav- 
en's throne  ?  Think  of  seeing  the  angel  Ga- 
briel stooping,  and  bending  his  noble  thoughts 
to  plan  an  enterprize  for  the  employment  of  a 
legion  of  angels.  He  surveys  the  heavenly 
city,  and  considers  the  materials  to  be  found  in 
the  surrounding  regions  :  he  contrives  how  its 
grandeur  might  be  increased.  And  the  thought 
strikes  him,  that  a  city  of  his  own  contrivance 
would  be  honorable.  He  encourages  many 
about  him  to  the  work.  Think  how  that  mul- 
titude would  appear  in  heaven,  engaged  in  such 
a  work.  They  spare  not  the  fair  face  of  nature 
to  adorn  their  artificial  structures.  Those 
trees  by  the  river  of  life,  which  yield  their 
fruit  every  month,  and  whose  leaves  are  for  the 
healing  of  the  nations — Eev.  22  :  2 — they  cut 
down,  and  form  into  various  frame  work  ;  oth- 


THEIR   NATIVE    COUNTRY.  61 

er  precious  trees  are  taken  to  ornament  these 
structures  ;  the  hills  are  dug  through  to  find 
the  most  precious  stones,  like  those  adorning 
the  walls  of  the  New  Jerusalem — Rev.  21  :  19, 
20 — and  so  the  fair  surface  of  Paradise  is  bro- 
ken, to  obtain  precious  metals,  with  which  to 
adorn  whatever  may  be  constructed  by  these 
self-directed  architects  of  heaven.  They  even 
dig  up  the  golden  pavements  of  the  Holy  City, 
and  wrench  doors  and  gates  from  their  hinges, 
to  obtain  materials  for  their  work.  Chests  fuU 
of  precious  ore  are  laid  by,  and  called  treas- 
ures ;  but  are  never  used,  only  by  counting 
them  at  intervals  for  the  gratification  of  those 
who  have  gathered  them.  By  the  posses- 
sion of  such  treasures  great  consequence  is 
gained  in  the  eyes  of  neighbors  ;  and  emula- 
tion is  excited.  Others  select  those  materials 
which  shine  best  and  are  most  difficult  to  be 
obtained,  and  exhibit  them  upon  their  persons, 
their  houses,  and  everytliing  they  possess,  in 
positions  where  their  shining  will  most  be  seen  ; 
and  so  they  fix  their  thoughts  and  attract  the 
thoughts  of  others  to  these  things,  until  they 
forget  who  is  their  Lord,  and  what  is  their  ap- 


62  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

propriate  business  in  heaven.  They  become 
reckless  about  the  rights  of  other  beings,  and 
with  great  selfishness  gratify  their  ambitioUj  in 
defiance  of  law. 

Besides  all  this,  think  of  their  being  called 
at  one  of  the  regularly  returning  periods  of 
that  heavenly  state,  to  gather  in  devout  adora- 
tion before  God,  there  to  exhibit  continued  al- 
legiance to  him  as  their  rightful  Sovereign  :  but 
they  disregard  the  call,  and  continue  their  ma- 
terial toil.  They  will  not  spare  time  to  wor- 
ship) the  Lord.  They  have  already  neglected 
to  take  time  to  inquire  after  his  will.  They 
have  other  business  now  than  to  serve  their 
God  ;  unless,  indeed,  their  labors  in  their  own 
way  may  be  for  his  glory.  This  they  persuade 
themselves  to  believe  is  the  case, — that  their 
architecture,  adorning,  accoutrements,  and 
showy  ceremonies  they  are  contriving,  will  rival 
the  skill  and  attractions  shown  by  God  around 
the  place  where  he  is  adored ;  so  that  they  will 
draw,  by  their  artificial  work,  more  devotion  to 
God.  They  think  they  may  do  this  great  evil, 
even  violate  the  laws  of  the  Supreme,  and  the 
sanctity  of  the  Holy  City,  in  order  that  this 


THEIR    NATIVE    COUNTRY.  63 

good  may  come.  Tliey  would  fain  liave  it  be- 
lieved that,  by  serving  themselves,  as  stated, 
they  serve  the  Lord.  They  claim  the  privilege, 
too,  of  disregarding  all  sacred  times  and  sea- 
sons, for  their  selfish  gains.  And  how  glad 
they  are  that  there  is  no  night  in  heaven. 
They  can  spend  all  the  time  in  their  work  to 
their  own  mind. 

Other  beings,  faithful  to  their  trust,  in  a  way 
suited  to  the  nature  of  noble  spiritual  beings, 
are  busy  in  exercising  their  godlike  powers 
upon  subjects  fully  equal  to  their  capacities  ; 
they  study  to  know  more  of  God  and  his  works, 
and  by  this  study  to  become  mser  and  rise 
higher  and  higher  in  the  scale  of  being,  to  be- 
come more  and  more  like  Grod  ;  they  learn  bet- 
ter and  better  how  to  promote  harmony  in  God's 
universe,  to  understand  the  springs  of  real  enjoy- 
ment, how  to  make  happiness  spring  up  more 
freely  all  around  them  ;  ever  and  anon  they 
are  sent  in  turn  to  some  far  off  sphere,  to  min- 
ister instruction  or  mercy  to  some  order  of  be- 
ings similar  to  themselves  ;  in  short,  their  em- 
ployment and  enjoyment  are  like  those  of  the 
Infinite  Spirit,  and  in  these  they  ever  approxi- 


64  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

mate  toward  the  perfection  of  tliat  Spirit.  As 
sure  as  God  is  happy,  they  are  ;  as  sure  as  God 
is  employed,  they  are.  But  these  secular  work- 
ers disregard  such  employment  and  happiness, 
and  somehow  contrive  to  bend  their  noble  pow- 
ers to  material  work.  It  is  true,  matter  is 
found  in  heaven,  and  that  of  most  precious 
form  ;  but  it  is  designed  as  the  instrument  of 
spirits,  to  be  used  by  them  ;  yet  these  daring 
ones  bend  their  spirits  to  matter, — make  the 
instrument  the  end. 

0,  think  how  it  would  seem  to  a  passing 
stranger,  to  find  legions  of  spiritual  beings  in 
heaven,  bending  all  their  energies  to  material 
work  as  suggested  ;  and  all  this  in  violation  of 
the  directions  given  by  the  Supreme  Ruler ; 
thus  neglecting  the  occupations  and  enjoyments 
which  characterize  heaven.  What  would  you 
think,  friend,  if  you  were  a  stranger,  passing 
heaven,  and  should  see  beings  thus  employed  ? 

M.  What  should  I  think  !  think  !  why — 
why,  I  should  suppose  they  were  very  foolish  : 
that  they  were  not  attending  to  their  proper 
business,  and  were  very  daring.    , 

S.     Well,  what  is  the  difference  between 


THEIR    NATIVE    COUNTRY.  65 

such  supposed  inconsistency,  and  yours  ?  You 
make  gain  of  earthly  treasures  the  grand  aim 
in  all  your  plans  and  toils,  and  force  your  God- 
like mind,  your  feelings,  your  religion — every- 
thing, to  Lend  to  this.  Now,  for  which  should 
you  live,  for  the  body  or  the  soul  ?  for  self,  as 
dictator  ;  or  for  the  glory  of  God  ?  Should 
your  spiritual  nature  and  bodily  organs,  the 
laws  of  God  and  the  good  of  religion,  be  made 
secondary  and  contribntary  to  laying  uj)  treas- 
ures upon  earth  ?  or,  ought  you  to  use  all  the 
abihties  you  have,  and  all  of  earth's  treasures 
which  come  into  your  possession,  as  secondary 
and  contribntary  to  the  enriching  of  ycur  im- 
mortal soul  with  Godlike  endowments  ? 

M.  What  I  ought  to  do  is  not  the  leading 
question  with  me  nor  my  neighbors.  Where 
is  the  human  being  who  does  all  he  ought  to 
do  ?  However  strange  our  course  may  appear 
to  you,  a  passing  stranger,  we  feel  more  inclined 
to  satisfaction  in  the  conclusion  that  we  do  well 
in  resolving  to  be  rich.  Some  of  us  love  riches 
for  their  own  sake, — we  love  to  count  our 
treasures  :  some  of  us  are  laying  up  something 
to  make  our  children  respectable  :    some  are 


66  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

ambitious  to  get  honor,  or  power  ;  and  riches, 
you  know,  will  essentially  help  us  to  these. 
Yet,  with  all  these  earthly  gains,  we  mean  to 
have  religion  enough  before  we  die  to  carry  us 
to  heaven. 

So  these  people  argue,  and  strangely  think 
to  do  a  very  different  work  on  earth  from  that 
for  which  God  has  placed  them  here,  and  -after 
all,  be  treated  as  though  faithful  to  their  trust. 
They  disregard  the  warning  that  "they  who 
will  be  rich  fall  into  temptation,  and  a  snare, 
and  into  many  foolish  and  hurtful  lusts,  which 
drown  men  in  destruction  and  perdition."  And 
really,  it  is  found  that  there  is  a  loadstone-like 
power  in  this  territory,  which  attracts  and  holds 
its  inhabitants  to  its  soil,  so  that  it  is  exceed- 
ingly difficult  to  induce  any  to  emigrate.  Thus 
is  manifested  what  Christ  meant  when  he  said, 
^'  It  is  easier  for  a  camel  to  go  through  the  eye 
of  a  needle,  than  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  Grod."  Yet  some,  through 
great  and  merciful  help  from  God,  do  emigrate, 
and  give  all  their  gains  to  the  service  of  God. 


THEIR  NATIVE  COUNTRY.         67 
LECHERY. 

The  very  name  of  this  city  indicates  the 
character  of  those  residing  in  it  and  its  suburbs. 
It  is  necessary  to  say  but  little  to  give  an  idea 
of  the  native  place  of  the  few  emigrants  who 
have  come  over  from  that  city.  The  sun  of 
this  world  shines  there,  and  warms,  and  ex- 
cites exhilarating  breezes  ;  but  these  agencies 
are  turned  from  their  legitimate  effects  to  the 
arousing  of  the  depraved  corruptions  of  human 
nature,  and  a  loathsome  miasma  pervades  the 
atmosphere.  Whatever  enjoyments  are  found 
there,  are  earth-like  ;  and  Kke  eating  the  book 
of  which  the  angel  said — Kev.  10  :  9,  10 — 
^'  Take  it,  and  eat  it  up  ;  and  it  shall  make 
thy  belly  bitter,  but  it  shall  be  in  thy  mouth 
sweet  as  honey."  Many  have  perished  with 
this  bitterness.  And  yet  many  of  the  inhabi- 
tants claim  to  be  intelligent  and  noble  :  and  it 
is  true  that  all  grades  of  human  society  are 
found  there,  from  the  poorest  serf,  to  the  inher- 
itor of  kingdoms.  After  all,  it  is  a  miserable 
land  to  dwell  in,  and  the  habits  of  the  people 
are    worse  than  those  of  beasts.     Happy  are 


68  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

they  who  escape  to  the  better  land  in  time  to 
overcome  the  baneful  effects  of  that  inhospita- 
ble climate.  In  that  city,  she  is  most  notice- 
able whose  "  house  is  the  way  to  hell,  going 
down  to  the  chambers  of  death." — Prov.  7  :  27. 

OFFICE-HILL    FACTORY. 

The  capitol  of  the  kingdom  is  upon  Office- 
Hill.  And  here,  above  the  offices  of  the  seve- 
ral departments  of  state,  clerk's  offices,  and 
legislative  halls,  and  the  palace  itself,  towers 
most  prominent  to  view,  the  factory  for  manu- 
facturing officers  for  government.  Hence  the 
name  of  the  seat  of  government — Office-Hill 
Factory.  Here  gather  the  chief  dignitaries  of 
the  kingdom.  Here  it  is  shown  that,  if  all 
men  are  born  with  equal  rights,  they  are  cer- 
tainly not  destined  to  continue  equal.  There 
will  be  the  governor  and  the  governed.  But 
though  this  may  be  generally  true  in  all  coun- 
tries, in  this  kingdom,  'tis  never  worth  that 
makes  the  man,  nor  gains  him  office.  Officers 
are  made,  or  moulded  in  the  factory,  of  such 
stuff  as  is  easily  wrought. 

The  fact  is,  speaking  without  this  figure,  in 


THEIR    NATIVE    COUKTRY.  69 

this  kingdom  men  seek  office  and  high  station 
for  the  sake  of  the  honors  and  emoluments  ; 
not  in  the  spirit  of  philanthropy  or  virtue. 
The  spirit  of  selfishness  is  supreme  with  them. 
In  front  of  the  factory  on  this  hill,  and  of  its 
sub-factories  in  all  parts  of  the  Idngdom,  men 
may  be  s  en  chatting  to  attract  every  passing 
newsmonger  ;  and  so  gathering  up  and  revol- 
ving in  their  minds  the  popular  views  and  feelings 
of  the  people,  that  they  may  know  how  to 
shape  their  course  in  the  direction  of  public 
opinion.  They  have  no  concern  to  enlighten 
and  elevate  the  masses  ;  but,  to  watch  the 
signs  of  the  times,  and  sagaciously  anticipate 
the  direction  the  masses  will  take,  in  time  to 
flourish  in  their  front.  That  being  done,  it  is 
of  no  consequence  whether  virtue  is  trampled 
on,  and  the  right  outraged.  They  are  the  pop- 
ular leaders,  getting  glory  and  wealth  ;  and 
that  is  enough. 

The  people  will  not  always  allow  them  to 
take  such  front  position,  without  some  manifes- 
tations of  erudition  and  wealth.  As  to  erudi- 
tion, they  can  easily  manufacture  that  in  Office- 
Hill  Factory.     A  part  of  the  process  is  for 


70  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

the  operators  to  volunteer  cute  decisions  upon 
various  afiairs  of  their  neighbors.  Much  bold 
effrontery,  pampering  of  wealth,  and  cherishing 
of  vanity,  will  gain  them  notice.  And  as  to 
wealth, 

"  Fools,  indeed,  dro})  the  man  in  their  account, 
And  vote  the  mantle  into  majesty. — 
So,  the  small  savage  boasts  his  silver  fur, 
His  royal  robe  unborrow  'd,  and  unbought, 
His  own,  descending  fairly  from  Jiis  sires." 

And  if  his  ermined  covering  be  borrowed, 
and  not  "  his  own,"  it  is  all  the  same  with  that 
multitude  ;  provided  he  can  wear  it  as  his. 
He  must  figure  in  wealth,  either  real  or  bor- 
rowed, and  scatter  freely  among  his  constitu- 
ents ;  then  he  may  be  voted  into  renown. 

With  all  this,  these  notables  ought  to  appear 
virtuous.  Some  gain  much  by  a  reputation  for 
morality  ;  but  definite,  real  piety,  must  not  be 
in  that  kingdom.  The  notion  somehow  has 
become  prevalent  there,  that  genuine  virtue  is 
incompatible  with  the  most  prominent  positions 
in  civil  society.  In  this  factory,  and  its  subs 
through  the  kingdom,  no  efforts  are  made  to 
refine  candidates  for  public  office  in  the  cruci- 


THEIR    IsATIVE    COUNTRY.  71 

ble  of  Christ's  Gospel.  Even  if  a  candidate 
has  sometime  passed  through  this  ordeal,  it 
must  not  be  known.  If  he  has  ever  received 
any  Gospel  light,  he  must  not  let  it  shine.  He 
must  appear  to  be  in  the  light,  to  be  sure  ;  but 
the  light  of  the  Sun  of  Kighteousness  is  too 
clear  for  the  comfort  of  those  about  him.  If 
this  light  clearly  shines  upon  him,  its  reflection 
from  him  will  be  too  bright  for  the  conscience- 
eyes  of  his  favorers  :  they  will  not  be  able  to 
endure  it,  and  will  turn  away  from  him.  The 
mild  tints  of  earth's  twilight  is  all  he  must 
venture  to  reflect.  The  sun  must  be  out  of  sight. 
And  the  sun  not  being  seen,  these  persons 
persuade  each  other  that  the  light  they  have  is 
from  the  earth.  Super-earthly,  or  super-natu- 
ral light,  they  do  not  allow  to  direct  them ; 
but  this  natural  light,  or  light  of  nature,  with 
what  they  can  manufacture,  they  conclude  is 
amply  sufficient  for  all  their  wants.  With 
this  they  can  walk  erect,  and  they  believe,  with- 
out stumbling,  in  religion's  garb  ;  and  so  have 
a  show  of  virtue  in  an  attractive  exterior.  And 
if  they  may  do  this,  their  object  is  gained. 
Who  ever  thought  of  exhibiting  shows,  where 


72  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

equipage  and  splendid  scenery  were  to  attract, 
except  by  artificial  light  at  night  ?  Even  the 
light  of  day  is  shut  out  of  some  of  their 
churches,  to  make  deeper  impressions  upon  as- 
sembled worshipers  by  lamp-light.  In  the 
course  of  moulding  officers  in  this  Factory,  this 
advantage  of  artificial,  earthly  light,  over  the 
light  of  the  sun,  in  making  impressions  so  as 
to  gain  admirers,  is  not  forgotten.  Too  much 
•and  too  bright  light  would  expose  to  view  some 
evil  deformities  in  the  products  of  this  Factory, 
which  all  their  drapery  would  not  effectually 
cover.  They  in  fact  "love  darkness,"  or  at 
least  shadows,  "  rather  than  light,  because  their 
deeds  are  evil."  No  ''  Sun  of  Kighteousness" 
must  give,  at  the  best,  any  more  than  its  dimly 
reflected  rays  in  that  place  :  and  then  but  few 
will  deem  it  advisable  to  allow  that  they  are 
anything  more  than  flashing  scintillations  from 
the  earth.  This  earth  they  glorify  ;  and  claim 
to  honor  the  best  earth-born  religion  and  vir- 
tue. In  this  way  they  flatter  earth-lovers  ; 
and  these  being  the  majority  of  the  people, 
they  gain  the  end  in  getting  their  votes  and 
money. 


41^ 


THEIR   NATIVE    COUNTRY.  73 

They  learn  in  this  Factory  to  turn  modern 
inventions  to  their  account.  Tliey  have  long 
since  gained  the  reputation  of  great  skill  in 
operating  behind  a  curtain,  pulling  and  work- 
ing numerous  wires  unsuspected  by  the  multi- 
tude abroadj  so  as  to  exhibit  to  all  gazers  any 
picture  they  choose.  In  this  way  they  often 
excite  the  passions  of  the  people,  and  make 
impressions  upon  them  greatly  to  their  own 
advantage.  In  short,  the  most  skillful  opera- 
tors in  wire-pulling  are  quite  sure  to  accom- 
plish any  project  they  please,  by  thus  enchant- 
ing the  people  in  their  favor.  The  people  rush 
to  help  them. 

The  modern  invention  of  telegraphing  helps 
them  much  in  this  process  ;  for  they  have  con- 
nectiDg  wires  with  all  parts  of  the  kingdom,  so 
that  they  can  turn  up  pictures  to  view  every- 
where, to  suit  their  ends.  The  whe-working 
age  is  not  passed.  In  the  king's  court  and  the 
legislative  haUs,  they  make  wise  and  blustering 
speeches,  with  the  flaming  introduction  that 
they  speak  to  inform  and  convince  in  legisla- 
tive capacity,  as  in  duty  bound  ;  when  in  fact, 
this  is  a  part  of  their  skillful  Factory  operation 


74  THE    EMIGKANTS. 

to  manufacture  officers.  Many  of  their  speech- 
es would  never  be  delivered  if  it  were  not  with 
the  view  of  getting  office.  Telegraph  wires 
are  very  convenient  for  carrying  such  speeches 
where  it  is  designed  they  shall  make  their  chief 
impression — to  the  multitudes  all  through  the 
land.  Having  drilled  through  the  several  pro- 
cesses requisite  in  the  Factory,  if  one  has  at- 
tained skill  as  an  operator,  he  has  only  to  ex- 
ercise this  sldll  a  few  times,  when  his  fortune 
will  be  made  ;  unless,  in  the  final  process, 
where  one  cannot  succeed  alone,  and  where  they 
help  each  other  by  log-rolling,  one  turns  traitor 
and  declares  to  his  brother,  on  the  eve  of  step- 
ping to  the  pinnacle  of  fame  in  office  ;  ^'  though 
you  have  helped  me,  I  will  not  help  you.'' 

Now,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  the  people  pay 
the  operators  richly  by  the  day ;  as  though 
they  were  at  work  for  the  people  in  the  neces- 
sary business  of  legislation  and  governmental 
afi'airs.  This  latter  is  what  many  of  the  ope- 
rators profess  to  be  doing,  though  in  fact  they 
are  working  for  themselves,  in  manufacturing 
offices  and  officers  in  a  way  to  bring  them  fu- 
ture rich  annuities.     Many  of  the  people  of 


THEIR   NATIVE   COUNTRY.  75 

that  country  think  that  the  officers  of  their 
government  are  chosen  from  among  themselves, 
and  are  selected  and  raised  to  office  for  their 
real  merits  ;  when,  in  fact,  they  are  made  in 
the  Factory,  and  the  people's  votes  simply 
recognize  and  confirm  them  in  their  already 
assumed  official  stations. 

It  is  evident,  from  the  descriptions  given, 
that  a  residence  in  Office-Hill  Factory  is  not 
safe  :  as  surely  so  as  that  God  is  the  Supreme 
Kuler,  and  that  he  executes  justice  u23on  all 
those  vi^ho  persist  in  rebellion  against  his  gov- 
ernment. To  become  officers  against  him,  as 
these  residents  surely  are,  subjects  them  to  the 
more  fearful  danger,  because  of  their  promi- 
nence and  active  influence.  To  occupy  high 
station,  and  in  all  the  power  of  this  high 
station  to  be  against  God,  is  an  aggravated 
wrong.  And  He  who  cannot  mistake,  has  said, 
""  He  that  is  not  with  me,  is  against  me  ;  and 
he  that  gathereth  not  with  me,  scattereth 
abroad." 


76  THE    EMIGRANTS, 

FALSE-HOPE    MOUNTAINS. 

Hope  aspires  to  high,  position.  It  rests  on 
prominent  objects.  If  good,  it  may  be  happy 
in  the  vale  of  content  ;  but  if  false,  it  will  not 
stay  there.  It  climbs  to  a  high  place,  where  it 
can  peer  the  furthest  possible. 

False-Hope  Mountains  are  near  the  sea,  hav- 
ing No-Faith  and  Wrecking  Place  within 
their  range  ;  and  Mining  Territory  in  their 
rear.  Those  who  reside  in  Mining  Territory 
are  very  apt  to  change  residence  for  these 
Mountains. 

The  residents  are  apparently  a  hardy,  reso- 
lute class.  They  are  noted  for  telling  what 
they  are  going  to  do,  but  never  muster  courage 
to  begin  :  so  they  look  for  the  end  without 
using  the  means.  In  fact,  they  could  not  do 
what  they  talk  of,  if  they  tried. 

Some  of  False-Hope  Mountains  are  occupied 
by  Indians  ;  some,  by  Mohammedans  ;  and 
others  by  classes  of  persons  of  various  views  in 
religious  affairs  ;  but  all  graduate  their  notions 
of  heaven  according  to  the  objects  by  them 
most  highly  prized  on  earth.     One,  naturally 


THEIR   NATIVE    COUNTRY.  77 

lazy,  thinks  Heaven's  acme  of  bliss  will  con- 
sist in  its  leisure.  Another,  enthusiastically- 
fond  of  getting  knowledge,  estimates  its  chief 
pleasure  to  consist  in  the  continuous  opening 
of  new  ideas  to  the  mind.  And  another,  who 
is  fond  of  mixed  society,  and  loves  their  sinful 
pleasures,  cannot  think  of  parting  with  such 
society  in  heaven.  Their  idea  of  heaven  is, 
that  it  embraces  all  varieties  for  its  inhabi- 
tants, good,  bad,  and  indifi'erent  ;  all  somehow 
loving  and  being  loved,  despite  of  the  diversity 
of  disposition  and  habits  ;  and,  that  these  are 
all  free  from  what  they  denominate  religious 
restraint  and  singularity,  for  which  they  despise 
the  pious  in  this  world. 

"  There  is  a  better  land,"  they  claim.  Very 
few  have  an  idea  that  their  present  homes  are 
the  only  ones  they  will  ever  enjoy.  They  have 
heard  of  heaven,  and  have  formed  some  ideas 
about  it  as  their  future  place.  But  as  it  is 
thought  to  be  hetter  than  their  present  homes, 
their  ideas  about  it  assume  their  character  from 
the  character  of  the  objects  which  are  now 
most  highly  esteemed.  The  untutored  Indian 
of  the  American  forests  prizes  most  highly  the 


78  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

enjoyments  connected  with  hunting  and  fish- 
ing. So  he  forms  his  idea  of  heaven  in  ac- 
cordance. He  aspires  to  a  heaven  where  game 
will  he  plenty  ;  and  where  the  silver-like  lakes 
and  clear  rivers  will  abound  with  fish.  When 
one  dies,  his  friends  bury  by  his  side  his  bow 
and  arrows,  with  other  equipage  which  they 
deem  will  be  used  by  him  in  his  new  home. 
Such  are  the  Indian's  Elysian  fields. 

Mohammed  and  his  early  followers  Kved  in 
a  country  where  the  passions  of  the  people 
were  naturally,  and  by  indulgence,  very  warm 
and  active  ;  hence  indulgence  of  the  bodily  pas- 
sions was  esteemed  the  highest  happiness.  So 
his  heaven  promised  these  indulgences  in  fullest 
measure,  and  never  to  be  cloyed.  Many  wives 
were  promised  to  the  faithful  in  another  world  ; 
and  other  esteemed  pleasures  in  j^roportion. 

From  these  illustrations  it  appears  that  the 
inhabitants  of  these  Mountains  estimate  heaven 
by  the  nature  of  their  own  desires  and  hopes. 
A  consequence  is,  that  they  think  to  reach 
heaven  in  a  way  correspondent  to  their  desires. 
Some  imagine  that  when  they  die,  their  souls 
will  be  introduced  to  another  grade  of  living 


THEIR    NxVTIVE    COUNTRY.  79 

beings  ;  if  virtuous  in  this  life,  to  some  higher 
grade  :  and  they  think  that  then,  after  awhile, 
they  will  pass  from  that  grade  of  being  ;  and 
so  on  till,  by  repeated  transmigrations,  they 
shall  ultimately  reach  heaven,  that  abiding 
acme  of  blissful  existence.  Such  is  the  false 
hope  of  some  of  these  people.  They  hope  to 
gain  heaven  by  a  process  of  purifying  transmi- 
gration, with  no  thanks  to  a  Kedeemer  of  the 
fallen  human  family. 

Others  talk  much  of  the  goodness  of  God ; 
and  hope  this  will  abound  to  displace  all  claims 
of  justice  and  judgment  in  the  case  of  sinning 
men.  They  know  that  with  their  present  dis- 
positions and  indulged  passions  they  are  not 
capable  of  enjoying  heaven ;  but  then  they 
hope  God's  goodness  will  be  exercised  somehow 
to  transform  them  into  fit  subjects  for  heaven, 
irrespective  of  any  efforts  on  their  part.  So 
they  settle  upon  the  Epicure's  motto, 

"  Live  while  you  live, 

Enjoy  the  pleasures  of  the  present  day." 

They  reject  the  poet's  true  declaration, 

"  Life  is  the  time  to  serve  the  Lord, 
The  time  to  insure  the  great  reward." 


80  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

They  indulge  the  false  hope  that  by  living 
here  with  desireSj  passions,  and  acts,  the  very 
reverse  of  what  will  ever  be  found  in  heaven, 
they  will  draw  the  sympathy  and  roused  com- 
passion of  God's  goodness  to  overcome  every 
opposing  claim,  and  to  introduce  them,  when 
they  die,  into  a  neio  way  of  enjoyment.  The 
dwellers  on  these  Mountains  have  a  hope  of 
heaven,  but  it  is  as  false  as  the  Devil's  promise 
to  Eve.  By  that  promise  her  hope  of  increased 
good  was  excited.  As  surely  as  her  yielding  to 
the  false  inducements  of  the  Tempter  involved 
the  human  family  in  the  after  woes  of  this 
world,  so  surely  will  the  false  hopes,  above  de- 
scribed, involve  those  who  continue  to  indulge 
them,  in  woes  felt  in  a  condition  which  is  the 
very  contrast  of  heaven.  0  how  False-Hope 
draws  on  its  victims  to  leap  the  Land's-end 
precipice  of  their  earthly  homes,  into  the  fiery 
billows  of  hell !  And  Oh  !  how  great  a  mul- 
titude are  on  these  False-Hope  Mountains  ! 
Most  strangely,  each  consoles  himself  the  more 
as  to  his  hopes,  because  of  the  many  accom- 
panying. Surely,  he  thinks,  I  shall  stand  as 
good  a  chance  as  the  rest ;  and  how  can  I  be 


THEIR   NATIVE    COUNTRY.  81 

SO  singular,  and  why  slionld  I  now  be  so  scared, 
as  to  break  away  from  this  joyous  company  ? 
Why  should  I  indulge  a  child-like  fear  of  un- 
seen evils  ?  Thus  it  is  difficult  to  rouse  these 
people  to  consciousness  of  their  real  danger. 

philosopher's  valley. 

This  runs  through  the  whole  length  of  the 
country.  It  has  been  inhabited  ever  since  Eve 
"  saw  that  the  [forbidden]  tree  was  a  tree  to 
be  desired  to  make  one  wise."  Wisdom  is  an 
object  of  aspiration  with  the  peo2:)le.  For  this 
they  search  into  everything  which  they  see  or 
hear.  They  examine  all  with  a  philosophizing 
care.  Eeligion  they  examine  in  this  way, 
with  little  regard  to  its  practical  requisitions 
upon  them. 

Sin  is  charged  upon  them  by  the  Bible  and 
God's  faithful  ministers,  till  they  are  pricked 
in  their  hearts,  and  begin  to  inquire,  "  Men 
and  brethren,  what  shall  we  do  ? "  Then  at 
once  they  pause  to  look  into  this  business  a 
little  more  keenly.  They  inquire.  What  is 
this  law,  of  which  sin  is  the  transgression  ?  Is 
it  the  eternal  fitness  of  things  ?     Is  it  an  es- 


S2  TnE    EMIGRANTS. 

sential  colierence  in  the  relations  of  livins: 
beings  ?  Such,  that  when  mankind  were  cre- 
ated, this  law  spontaneously  exhibited  itself? 
Or  is  it  an  arbitrary  requirement  of  the  Crea- 
tor,  to  suit  his  fancy,  or  to  assert  his  authority  ? 
Let  us  look  into  this  matter,  and  understand 
all  about  law  and  sin,  before  we  allow  ourselves 
to  have  any  disturbed  feelings  about  our  viola- 
tion of  the  law.  And  then  the  representation 
that  one  sin,  quickly  committed,  exposes  to 
endless  punishment,  appears  to  us  unreasona- 
ble. We  must  have  this  explained  to  our  sat- 
isfaction ;  and  all  these  points  which  may  be 
questioned,  satisfactorily  settled,  before  we  yield 
to  have  any  great  concern  about  our  guilt  and 
danger.  We  must  have  what  we  call  a  rational 
religion,  or  none. 

And  you  tell  us  we  ought  to  repent.  Now 
what  is  that?  Is  it  an  impression  received 
while  listening  to  an  excited  preacher,  sympa- 
thetic in  its  nature  ;  an  influence  from  the 
preacher  by  means  of  some  subtle  agency  like 
electricity,  similar  to  that  by  which  the  clair- 
voyant professes  to  give  and  receive  impres- 
sions ?     Are  the  fountains  of  tears  reached  by 


THEIR    NATIVE    COUNTRY.  83 

the  truth  thrust  forward  hy  the  living  and  ex- 
cited preacher,  through  this  subtle,  electric- 
like  medium  ?  Strange  compound  this  human 
nature  is.  We'll  study  it  more,  and  doubtless 
we  shall  search  out  the  way  understandingly 
to  the  soid's  highest  delight. 

And  as  to  faith,  they  say  they  have  heard  a 
great  many  attempt  to  explain  and  enforce  it, 
and  they  have  read  a  great  deal  about  it ;  but 
after  all,  they  do  not  understand  it.  This  en- 
tering into  a  state  of  salvation  by  the  door  of 
faith,  say  they,  is  like  entering  the  door  of  a 
secret  society  before  being  made  acquainted 
with  the  ceremonies  required  in  ]iassing.  We 
shall  not  be  satisfied  to  discern  what  is  required 
as  we  progress.  We  take  nothing  upon  trust. 
We  will  understand  what  we  are  about.  Tell 
us  lioiu  saving  faith  is  exercised,  and  we  will 
consider  it,  and  decide  whether  that  is  a  philo- 
sophical way  of  getting  religion. 

They  have  similar  sage  notions  in  regard  to 
salvation,  or  the  state  of  converted  souls  in  tliis 
world  and  the  next.  They  indulge  many  sj)ec- 
ulations  about  it,  but  do  not  get  wise  enough 
to  press  after  this  salvation. 


84  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

0  how  glad  were  those  whom  I  metj  who  emi- 
grated from  this  Yalley.  They  had  broken  off 
at  once  from  their  speculations,  and  started  to 
get  out  of  that  place.  They  trusted  God  for 
direction  and  help,  and  ventured  away.  They 
learned  that  action  is  better  than  the  vain 
philosophy  of  this  Valley. 


All  these  varying  classes  of  persons,  thus  far 
described,  entertain,  after  having  emigrated, 
exceedingly  dismal  views  in  regard  to  the  gov- 
ernment and  prospects  of  their  native  land. 
They  agree  in  representing  the  government  to 
be  an  iron  despotism,  having  as  its  main  char- 
acteristic, that  of  being  conducted  in  hostility 
to  God's  government.  With  this  end  in  view, 
its  laws  are  framed.  In  many  parts  it  keeps 
up  a  show  of  wealth  and  happiness  ;  but  the 
customs  tend  to  poverty  and  misery  ;  and,  un- 
restrained by  any  influences  from  that  better 
country,  whither  many  have  emigrated,  the 
people  would  inevitably  fall  soon  into  the  worst 


THEIK    NATIVE    COUNTKY.  85 

of  siifFerings.  Habits  of  idleness  and  dissipa- 
tion lead  to  tlie  want  of  the  common  necessa- 
ries of  life.  The  largest  estates,  and  most 
splendidly  appearing  homes,  are  soon  squan- 
dered, by  yielding  to  these  habits.  A  spirit  of 
selfishness,  possessing  every  inhabitant,  leads 
to  a  constant  disregard  of  others'  rights  ;  and 
to  a  consequent  distrust  of  each  other.  There 
is  no  feeling  of  safety,  at  any  time,  from  the 
encroachments  of  neighbors.  With  them,  might 
makes  right.  Frequent  ebulhtions  of  anger 
and  revenge  are  seen.  They  have  no  love  for 
each  other  when  it  interferes  with  self-interest. 
Thu3  even  the  love  of  kindred — the  nearest' 
family  tie,  is  liable  at  any  time  to  be  sundered. 
Uncertainty  in  regard  to  success  in  any  jjur- 
suit,  and  insecurity  in  any  possessions,  are 
marked  circumstances  of  these  people.  These 
and  many  other  similar  elements  of  evil  are 
doing  their  work  among  the  people  ;  and  show 
that  the  kingdom  must  ultimately  be  ruined  by 
them.  The  prospects  of  those  who  persist  to 
remain  in  that  country,  are  gloomy  in  the  ex- 
treme. The  Supreme  Ruler  of  the  universe 
has  said :  "  Because  I  have  called  and  ye  re- 


86  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

fuse  1  ;  I  have  stretched  out  my  hand  and  no 
man  regarded  ;  Ijnt  ye  have  set  at  naught  all 
my  counselj  and  would  none  of  my  reproof; 
I  also  will  laugh  at  your  calamity  ;  I  will  mock 
when  your  fear  cometh.  When  your  fear 
Cometh  as  desolation,  and  your  destruction 
cometh  as  a  wliirlwind  ;  when  distress  and 
anguish  cometh  upon  you  ;  then  shall  they 
call  upon  me,  but  I  will  not  answer ;  they 
shall  seek  me  early,  but  they  shall  not  find  me  : 
for  that  they  hated  knowledge,  and  did  not 
choose  the  fear  of  the  Lord  :  they  would  none 
of  my  counsel ;  they  despised  all  my  reproof : 
therefore  shall  they  eat  of  the  fruit  of  their 
own  way,  and  be  filled  with  their  own  de- 
vices." 

Truly,  Bildad  of  old  was  warranted  in  his 
description  of  what  shall  befall  him  who  will 
not  leave  that  wicked  rule, — "  His  confidence 
shall  be  rooted  out  of  his  tabernacle  ;  and  it  * 
shall  bring  him  to  the  king  of  terrors.  It  shall 
dwell  in  his  tabernacle,  because  it  is  none  of 
his  :  brimstone  shall  be  scattered  upon  his  hab- 
itation. His  roots  shall  be  dried  up  beneath, 
and  above  shall  his  branch  be  cut  off.     His  re- 


THEIR   NATIVE   COUNTBY.  87 

membrance  shall  perish  from  the  earth,  and  he 
shall  have  no  name  in  the  street.  He  shall  be 
driven  from  Kght  into  darkness,  and  chased  out 
of  the  world." 


^3t 


CHAPTER  II. 


%\t   € m i g r a t i 0 11 


In  a  well-builtj  plain  building,  a  company 
of  emigrants  were  enjoying  a  social  interview  ; 
relating  to  each  other  various  circumstances  of 
their  past  lives,  and  contrasting  with  them 
their  present  enjoyments  and  future  prospects 
in  their  newly  adopted  country.  The  substance 
of  their  conversation  may  be  summed  up  in  the 
following  particulars  : 

1.  How  they  felt,  at  first,  in  prospect  of  em- 
igrating. 

Several  agreed  in  saymg  :  We  were  startled 
at  the  idea  of  leaving  the  place  of  our  birth, 
and  going  so  far  away.  Our  home  had  a  charm 
over  our  feelings — it  was  trying  for  us  to  think 
of  breaking  away  from  it  forever.  If  it  had 
been  only  for  a  time, — to  gratify  curiosity,  or 
to  make  trial  whether  some   other   situation 


THE    EMIGRATION.  89 

would  suit  US  better,  tlie  idea  would  not  have 
startled  us  so  much.  But  the  suggestion  was 
to  break  up  old  and  loved  associations,  and 
adopt  new  ones  as  in  perpetual  exile.  That 
was  looked  upon  as  a  great  undertaking.  It 
was  to  change  the  whole  course  and  prospects 
of  life.  It  was  far  different  from  an  exchange 
of  a  little  property,  or  a  turning  from  one  class 
of  business  to  another,  while  still  remaining 
under  the  same  laws,  and  in  general,  with  the 
same  circumstances.  If  emigration  were  once 
undertaken,  to  return  would  be  at  a  great  sac- 
rifice, perhaps  would  result  in  our  ruin.  If 
this  subject,  then,  were  thought  of  at  all,  the 
thoughts  were,  in  importance,  of  no  common 
magnitude. 

While  these  thoughts  were  revolving,  and 
the  attention  of  course  easily  arrested  by 
suggestions  kindred  to  them,  representations 
were  given  us  of  that  better  country  :  of  its 
position,  laws,  the  administration  of  its  gov- 
ernment, the  happiness  of  its  j)eople,  their 
safety,  and  sure  prospects  ;  all  of  which  excited 
a  lively  consciousness  of  the  misery  of  our  own 
country,  in  all  these  respects.     We  could  no 


90  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

longer  enjoy  life  there.  The  idea  of  a  better 
situation  had  rendered  ours  insupportable.  And 
we  really  believe  we  did  not  conceive  our  situa- 
tion to  be  any  worse  than  it  was.  We  became 
alarmed  for  safety.  We  hardly  dared  to  sleep 
nights.  We  saw  our  danger  of  continuous  and 
increasing  misery.  The  course  of  the  govern- 
ment was  to  increase  and  perpetuate  this  mis- 
ery among  its  subjects.  There  was  no  hope 
but  in  flight.  And  still  we  clung  to  our  native 
soil,  every  day  feeling  more  and  more  guilty 
for  doing  so.  Our  uneasiness  led  us  to  inquire 
more  and  more  about  that  better  land.  We 
made  bold  to  ask  questions  in  regard  to  it ;  put 
ourselves  in  the  way  of  hearing  what  we  could 
to  enlighten  us  ;  tried  to  ascertain  by  what 
means  we  could  get  to  it  ;  and  were,  in  fact, 
though  secretly,  earnest  inquirers  in  regard  to 
everything  which  had  a  bearing  upon  the  en- 
grossing subject  of  our  thoughts.  And  while 
such  thoughts  were  in  process,  it  was  misery 
to  remain  under  the  rule  of  the  despot.  Their 
conversation  embraced, 

2.  The  difficulty  of  deciding  to  start. 

After  all  our  anxieties  to  go,  said  they,  to 


THE    EMIGRATION.  91 

decide  to  start  was  exceedingly  difficult.  We 
thought  we  should  sometime  remove.  So  far, 
our  minds  we  believed  to  be  settled.  But 
there  was  not  a  good  time  yet.  Besides,  we 
were  not  ready.  We  did  not  see  clearly  how 
to  begin  to  get  ready.  We  had  not  yet  learned 
that  to  start  was  itself  all  the  getting  ready 
which  would  avail  anything.  We  often  fixed 
on  future  dates  when  we  would  be  ready  and 
move  off :  but  as  often  as  we  came  to  those 
periods  we  found  the  ever-recurring  unreadi- 
ness, and  the  shrinking  from  the  real  decision. 
So  we  delayed  a  long  time,  often  tliinking  of 
the  subject,  and  never  feeling  satisfied.  We 
have  often  since  thought  that  a  person  who  is 
always  hesitating  what  would  be  best  for  him 
to  do  ;  and  when  he  does  undertake  anything, 
never  strikes  into  it  boldly,  with  the  feeling 
that  he  is  doing  the  right  and  the  best  thing, 
but  rather  goes  at  it  with  a  faint  heart,  fearing 
he  shall  fail ;  one  who  thus  spends  much  of  his 
time  in  accomplishing  nothing,  because  of  the 
fear  he  shall  not  accomplish  the  best  thing,  or 
the  best  thing  in  the  best  way ;  we  have 
often  thought  that  person  must  pass  an  uncom- 


92  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

fortable  life.  And  this  was  the  real  case 
with  us. 

Often  this  hesitant,  faltering  course,  was 
found  to  be  a  habit  so  strong  as  to  affect  the 
movements  in  the  simplest  business  transaction. 
The  walk  of  many  was  a  timid,  hesitating  mo- 
tion. It  was  a  wonder  of  grace  that  after  all 
this  we  did  succeed  in  deciding  to  start  for  the 
better  country  without  further  delay. 

3.  They  talked  of  the  discouraging  ]Joverty, 
and  other  like  circumstances ^  when  starting. 

The  one  who  had  been  speaker  for  the  rest 
in  the  preceding  narrations,  here  became  more 
eager  in  his  story  ;  and  with  a  sternness  knit 
1^  upon  his  brow,  as  if  the  index  of  the  strong 
resolution  the  circumstances  he  narrated  had 
wrought  up,  he  continued  :  We  had  been  ac- 
counted wealthy  ;  but  all  that  wealth,  we 
learned,  would  be  uncurrent  on  the  passage — 
would  not  pay  the  fare.  At  this  representa- 
tion, we  were  startled.  Our  valued  possessions 
were  to  be  left  behind.  Love  for  these  led  us 
to  look  again  at  the  inducements  to  stay. 
Some  of  us  were  on  the  point  of  concluding  to 
be  contented  where  we  were.     But  the  very 


THE    EMIGRATION.  93 

fact  just  discovered,  that  our  wealth  was  good 
for  nothing  anywhere  else,  led  us  to  feel  more 
dissatisfied  with  our  country.  What  was  all 
that  we  had  good  for,  if  it  would  keep  us  in 
such  misery,  and  do  nothing  more  ?  We  felt 
dissatisfied  with  it  as  "vanity  of  vanities." 
We  could  no  longer  feel  rich  there,  with  all  our 
gains.  We  felt  poor  enough.  What  wretched 
material  for  a  rational  being  is  all  the  tinsel 
stuff  of  that  land  !  It  is  like  husks  for  swine. 
But  what  could  we  do  for  means  to  emigrate, 
was  now  the  question.  We  earnestly  inquired, 
"  What  must  we  do  to  be  saved  ?" 

As  for  staying  there,  it  was  now  out  of  the 
question.  We  were  heartily  sick  of  home  ; 
and  thought,  to  perish  on  the  way,  would  be 
preferable  to  staying.  We  could  but  perish  if 
we  started  ;  and  to  stay,  was  a  living  torment. 
Any  how,  thought  we,  we  will  venture  to  start. 
Who  knows  but  that  Being  who  rules  over  all, 
will  open  some  way  by  his  jorovidence,  now  un- 
seen by  us,  through  which  we  may  get  fonvard 
in  safety  !  And,  thank  God,  we  did  start. 
That  starting  in  that  good  earnest,  was  one  of 


f^ 


94  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

the  most  important  acts  of  our  lives.  It  turned 
the  scale  in  our  destiny. 

4.  They  sioohe  of  the  successful  journey. 

Our  decision  to  undertake  the  journey  at  all 
hazards,  was  no  sooner  made,  than  we  called  to 
mind  what  we  had  often  heard,  but  never  be- 
fore appreciated  nor  heeded,  that  possessions 
were  promised  to  emigrants  "without  money 
and  without  price  ; "  and  that  all  required,  ne- 
cessary to  a  passage,  was  to  place  ourselves 
confidingly  and  entirely  under  the  directions  to 
emigrants,  given  from  that  better  land  ;  and 
thus  to  exercise  confidence  in  the  Lord  of  that 
country.  We  were  only  to  go  on,  helieving  in 
him  with  all  the  heart,  and  be  saved  from  the 
miseries  we  felt  and  dreaded. — Acts  16  :  31. 
It  then  seemed  strange  to  us  that  we  had  felt 
so  rich,  so  strong,  in  the  idea  of  not  being 
beholden  to  anybody  ;  strange  that  the  rumors 
we  had  often  heard  about  these  privileges  to 
emigrants,  had  not  made  sufficient  impression 
on  our  minds  to  enable  us  to  recollect  them 
sooner  in  time  of  need.  0  the  blind,  infatua- 
ting self-conceit  and  phantom  possessions  of 
that  people  !     They  are  deaf  to  good  news, 


THE    EMIGRATION.  95 

blind  to  good  instructions  ;  their  memory  has 
very  little  power  to  retain  anything  good. 
What  a  wonder  that  we  were  not  drawn  on  to 
entire  callousness  of  all  our  faculties^  so  as  to 
be  incapable  of  enjoying  good. 

When  we  started,  "poor,  and  blind,  and 
naked,"  we  were  surprised  to  find  the  distance 
we  had  to  go  so  short. — Eom.  10  :  6-10.  It  had 
seemed  to  us  that  we  should  have  a  long,  tedious 
journey  to  make.  It  had  seemed  much  lilvc  sca- 
ling the  heavens :  almost  an  impossibility  to  ac- 
complish. In  view  of  this,  we  had  well  nigh  mur- 
mured at  our  Creator  for  giving  us  existence 
where  such  imjiossibilities,  or  almost  impossi- 
bilities, were  required,  in  order  to  our  happiness. 
His  requirements  had  appeared  grievous.  We 
are  now  satisfied  that  those  impressions  of  dis- 
tance and  of  difficulty  of  the  way,  were  from  the 
impaired  state  of  our  own  vision  :  another  effect 
of  that  dreadful  climate. 

Our  eyes  now  began  to  be  opened,  and  ^'we 
could  see  men,  as  trees,  walldng''  on  the  other 
side.  We  were  quickly  over.  Now  we  saw  that 
great  distance  is  not  necessary  to  great  contrast. 
The  distance  between  the  rich  man  in  hell,  and 


96  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

Abraham,  with  Lazarus  in  his  bosom,  was  not  so 
great  but  that  they  could  converse  together  ;  yet 
the  contrast  in  their  situations  was  very  great. 
There  was  a  similar  contrast  in  our  situation, 
to  that  which  we  had  just  left.  Yet  how 
quickly  we  passed  from  one  to  the  other  !  How 
strange  that  we  delayed  the  venture  so  long  ! 
Glory  to  God  !  how  happy,  how  light  in  the 
relief,  and  in  the  hopes  !  The  half  was  never 
told  us.     0  that  our  friends  knew  all  this. 

5.  The  encouraging  mtroductio7i  to  the  neiu 
home,  was  another  subject  of  interest  ivith 
them. 

They  continued  :  And  we  are  now  realizing 
what  was  then  spread  out  in  prospect  before  us  ; 
only  in  far  richer  measure  than  we  could  then 
see.  We  were  most  cordially  welcomed.  The 
first  sight  of  us  seemed  to  gladden  the  hearts 
of  all  on  shore.  They  certainly  raised  a  shout 
of  joy,  and  we  believe  our  presence  was  what 
mainly  excited  the  shout.  We  sung  together, 
and  were  surprised  that  we  could  sing  in  such 
pleasing  harmony  with  them.  We  could  never 
before  make  such  melody.  And  such  counte- 
nances we  had  not  anticipated.     There  was  a 


THE    EMIGRATION.  97 

peculiar  expression.  We  tliought  it  angelic. 
We  had.  known  some  of  the  persons  in  onr 
father-land  ;  but  they  bore  very  different  ex- 
pressions then.  And  there  was  now  no  longer 
a  cold  reserve,  and  suspicious  glances  ;  but  a 
confiding  air,  and  a  heartiness  of  greeting,  so 
as  to  make  one's  heart  glad.  We  did  not  feel 
at  all  uneasy  in  their  presence,  though  some  of 
them  were  the  noted  magnates  of  the  land. 
Well,  our  introduction  was  all  that  could  be 
desired.  And  we  immediately  found  employ- 
ment. We  found  the  people  characteristically 
busy  ;  and  they  took  it  for  granted  that  we 
wanted  something  to  do.  It  w^as  one  expression 
of  their  welcome  to  set  us  immediately  at  work. 
To  this  we  felt  no  objection,  and  at  once  were 
contented  with  our  lot  and  choice.  Immediate 
wants  were  well  supplied  before  we  had  time 
to  feel  the  pressure  of  need.  We  felt  at 
home. 

And  now,  sir,  was  not  that  a  glorious  intro- 
duction to  this  country?  Can  you  wonder 
that  we  have  become  strongly  attached  to  the 
people,  and  that  we  are  willing  to  stay,  never 
even  visiting  our  father-land  ?     We  feel  now 


98  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

that  this  is  our  country.  We  are  adopted,  real 
citizens,  having  all  the  privileges  as  though 
native-born.  We  could  never  have  anticipated 
such  a  beginning  as  we  have  had.  We  are 
never  weary  in  telling  of  those  halcyon  enjoy- 
ments of  our  first  introduction  here.  Our  joy- 
ful emotions  are  at  once  aroused  whenever  we 
think  of  them. 


CHAPTER  III, 


t  ^&0ptBi)  €nntxu. 


ASSOCIATIONS   AND   CUSTOMS  FOUND. 


The  preceding  representations  of  the  "  old 
country,"  and  of  the  journey  to  the  emigrants' 
"better  land/'  I  gathered  mainly  from  emi- 
grants :  but  as  a  passing  friend,  I  saw  for  my- 
self their  associations  and  customs  in  their 
new  home.     I  found, 

ENERAL    CHAR 
AND    ITS    ACCOMPANYING    THRIFT. 

The  people  rise  in  the  morning  from  their 
slumbers  as  early  as  they  find  themselves  re- 
freshed ;  not  dozing  away  their  best  hours,  to 
rise  late,  with  enervated  systems  and  impaired 
consciences,  yet  too  hurried  and  disturbed  for 
retirement  in  the  closet  for  refreshment  from 

18445B 


100  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

the  presence  of  the  Lord,  hefore  entering  upon 
the  duties  of  the  day.  They  get  this  refresh- 
ment,— "  day  by  day  their  daily  bread,''  of  the 
same  superior  sort  as  angels  enjoy.  They  then 
go  out  with  countenances  such  that  beholders 
recognize  they  have  been  exhilarated  by  heav- 
en's nectar — by  something  more  than  earth's 
products.  They  are  thus  able  to  apply  them- 
selves to  their  varied  avocations  with  a  cheerful- 
ness and  composure  which  insure  success. 
Work  is  performed  as  a  way  of  pleasure,  not 
as  a  drudging  task.  Acknowledging  God  and 
praying  to  him,  difficulties  are  encountered  and 
overcome,  temptations  and  all  evil  encroach- 
ments are  resisted,  all  with  an  ease  and  satis- 
faction truly  surprising  to  a  beholder.  God  is 
with  them  of  a  truth. 

With  such  preparations  and  helps,  each  goes 
to  his  appropriate  employment.  Ministers  of 
Christ,  with  apphed  minds  in  careful  and  un- 
tiring research,  draw  out  of  God's  treasures  of 
Revelation,  works,  providence,  "things  new 
and  old,"  to  instruct  and  cheer  on  the  people. 
They  mingle  with  the  people  at  their  homes, 
and  so  personally,  as  well  as  in  congregations, 


THE   ADOPTED    COUNTRY.  101 

teach  the  people.  They  find  enough  to  do. 
Teachers  of  youth  exercise  their  best  inge- 
nuity and  patience  to  adapt  their  instructions 
and  ilhistrations  to  the  capacities  of  those 
taught — study  human  nature  in  order  to  this  ; 
and  endeavor  to  do  their  whole  duty,  to  im- 
press and  direct  rightly  all  the  powers  of  the 
young  immortals.  Officers  of  civil  government 
and  of  ChurcheSj  regard  their  offices  neither  as 
sinecures  nor  tasks,  but  understand  well  the 
obligations  upon  them,  and  are  careful  that  the 
people  who  have  entrusted  them  with  the  honor 
and  responsibility,  shall  suffer  no  harm  from 
their  neglect.  Architects  may  be  seen  in  all 
their  varieties,  developing  the  powers  of  nature 
in  numerous  forms,  for  the  benefit  of  society, 
and  at  the  same  time  in  a  way  to  show  the 
goodness  and  wisdom  of  God.  And  all  labor- 
ers labor  as  rational  beings ;  not  merely  as  an 
ox  or  horse  would  obey  the  bidding  of  their 
drivers  ;  having  no  rational  thoughts,  no  moral 
reflections,  no  recognition  of  Grod.  Parents 
impress  their  children,  by  precept  and  example, 
with  the  idea  that  their  stay  in  the  country  is 
for  the  purpose  of  accomplishing  as  much  as 


102  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

possible  for  the  general  good  :  all  in  accordance 
with  the  honor  of  their  Sovereign  Kuler.  They 
"  live  unto  the  Lord."  All  seem  inspired  with 
a  patriotic  spirit,  the  opposite  of  selfishness. 
They  seem  to  take  it  for  granted  that  no  lazy 
intruder  will  be  allowed  to  stay, — that  he  must 
wor.:  or  leave.  I  believe  it  is  in  view  of  this 
impression,  so  exemplified  by  these  people,  that 
some  have  gained  the  idea  that  a  lazy  Christian 
is  an  impossibility,  a  contradiction  in  terms. 
Some  of  them  formally  adopt  the  rule  :  "  be 
diligent,  never  be  unemployed,  never  trifle  away 
time."  They  have  all  imbibed  the  spirit  of 
the  apostle's  charge  :  "  not  slothful  in  business, 
fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord." 

Now  I  ask  all  who  have  been  acquainted 
with  these  people,  if  this  industrial  spirit  is  not 
a  characteristic  belonging  to  them.  It  is  al- 
lowed this  is  not  a  general  characteristic  of  hu- 
man beings.  It  is  said,  a  distinguished  traveller, 
who  had  studied  human  nature  in  nearly  every 
country  in  the  world,  was  asked  if  he  found 
any  one  thing  as  a  general  characteristic  of 
mankind  ?  He  replied,  ^'  Me  tink  all  men  love 
lazy."     This  may  be  so ;  but  we  claim  that 


THE    ADOPTED   COUNTRY.  103 

these  emigrants  have  overcome  this  natural  in- 
clination, so  far  that  though  they  may  some- 
times show  that  they  had  once  been  thus 
inclinedj  they  now,  in  their  new  home,  do  not 
indulge  it  ;  for  if  they  allow  themselves  to  re- 
lapse into  such  inclination  so  far  as  to  at  all 
indulge  it,  they  at  once  begin  to  dislike  the 
busy  society  around  them,  and  soon  retreat  back 
to  their  father-land. 

Livers  upon  this  soil  are  industrious.  And 
they  thrive.  They  may  be  seen  in  direct  con- 
trast to  what  Solomon  describes — Prov.  24 : 
30-34—'^  I  went  by  the  field  of  the  slothful, 
and  by  the  vineyard  of  the  man  void  of  under- 
standing ;  and  lo  !  it  was  all  grown  over  with 
thorns,  and  nettles  had  covered  the  face  thereof, 
and  the  stone  wall  thereof  was  broken  down. 
Then  I  saw  and  considered  it  well ;  I  looked 
upon  it  and  received  instruction.  Yet  a  little 
sleep,  a  little  slumber,  a  little  folding  of  the 
hands  to  sleep  :  so  shall  thy  poverty  come  as 
one  that  travelleth,  and  thy  want  as  an  armed 
man." 

In  saying  so  much  for  these  people,  it  is  not 
pretended  that  none  of  them  had  cultivated 


104  THE   EMIGRANTS. 

industrious  habits  for  gain  in  their  former 
homes  ;  but  certainly,  taken  as  a  community, 
they  never  exhibited  industry  and  thrift  as  a 
general  characteristic,  until  in  this  country. 
Of  this  we  have  various  assurances.  And  we 
need  not  wonder  at  their  present  course,  in 
contrast  with  the  past.  They  have  now  suffi- 
ciently noble  motives  to  induce  industry.  They 
"  live  unto  the  Lord/'  They  are  "  laying  up 
treasures  in  heaven."  And  while  doing  this, 
God  feeds  them  well.  This  is  what  we  see. 
Not  that  they  labor  for  this  good  living.  This 
is  "added"  to  those  who  "  seek  first  the  king- 
dom of  God."  And  who  is  ever  industrious 
without  some  j^owerful  motive  to  draw  him  on  % 
These  have  inducements  to  industry,  powerful 
enough  to  rouse  all  into  action. 
I  found, 

CONTENTMENT. 

This  is  a  general  accompaniment  of  indus- 
try. Where  is  it  found  without  ?  Time  al- 
ways hangs  heavily  with  those  who  have  nothing 
to  do. 

It  is  not  pretended  that  none  of  these  peo- 


THE    ADOPTED    COUNTRY.  105 

pie  seek  changes  ;  that  none  ever  go  back  and 
declare  themselves  dissatisfied  ;  that  none  in- 
dulge thoughts  of  moving,  to  better  their  con- 
dition. Butj  as  a  general  rule,  there  is  con- 
tentment ;  though  there  are  some  exceptions 
to  this  rule.  No  one  in  the  midst  of  the  coun- 
try ever  says,  "  I  am  dissatisfied  and  will  go 
back."  If  any  return,  they  gradually  slink 
away  along  the  border,  and  are  missing.  They 
sometimes  make  ado  of  dissatisfaction  after- 
ward ;  but  never  within  the  territory. 

Contentment,  however,  is  the  rule  so  gener- 
ally prevalent  as  to  be  a  striking  characteristic 
among  the  inhabitants  ;  especially  considering 
the  emphatic  uneasiness  and  discontent  of  hu- 
man beings  everywhere  else  in  the  world.  In 
this  country  "the  aching  void"  of  the  human 
heart  is  filled.  "  Godliness  with  contentment 
is  great  gain."  One  said,  "  I  have  learned  in 
whatsoever  state  I  am,  therewith  to  be  con- 
tent." Of  course  these  people  enjoy  life.  They 
are  content  with  their  form  of  government  ; 
with  their  rulers,  with  their  places  of  abode, 
and  form  of  employment  ;  and  are  only  con- 
cerned to  make  the  best  of  their  circumstances, 


106  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

SO  as  to  continue  worthy  subjects  of  tlie  gov- 
ernment, and  to  enjoy  the  future  emoluments 
which  they  have  in  prospect.  Their  contented 
feeling  is  always  inseparably  connected  with  a 
strong  confidence  in  their  Euler,  and  in  the 
goodness  of  his  administration.  They  cast  all 
their  care  on  him,  assured  that  he  cares  for  them. 

In  all  just  now  said  about  industry  and  con- 
tentment, it  is  not  intended  to  be  represented 
that  all  are  rich.  Kiches  and  contentment  are 
by  no  means  sure  to  be  found  together.  These 
do  not  confine  their  ambition  to  this  world's 
goods  :  and,  being  in  the  world,  they  sufier  in 
common  with  all  others,  from  sickness,  and 
various  unforeseen  obstacles  to  gain.  But  if 
poor,  they  yet  show  thankfulness  for  what  they 
have,  and  make  the  best  of  it.  If  their  chil- 
dren are  not  dressed  in  rich  apparel,  but  with 
patched  garments,  yet  they  are  whole  and  clean, 
and  the  children  are  happy. 

These  same  poor  families  were  in  squalid 
wretchedness  before  emigrating.  They  now 
show  thrift,  though  they  are  the  Lord's  poor. 
If  these  poor  people  were  always  seen  to  get 
rich  soon  after  emigrating,  miserly  spirits  would 


THE  ADOPTED  COUNTRY.        107 

seek  to  emigrate  for  the  sake  of  this  wealth  to 
be  gained  :  when  they  would  be  sure  to  find  it 
said  to  them,  "  thy  money  perish  with  thee/' 
The  motive  of  earthly  gain  cannot  be  a  promi- 
nent one  in  this  country  ;  though  in  fact  the 
people  suffer  no  loss  in  this  respect.  Having 
higher,  nobler  motives  of  life,  and  still  receiving 
what  is  needful  of  earthly  supplies,  they  can 
be  contented  with  their  choice  of  home.  They 
do  not  live  in  vain  ;  a  thing  which  a  rational 
soul  cannot  be  contented  to  endure. 
I  found, 

UNITY  :     NOT    UNIFORMITY. 

This  appeared,  1.  In  the  face  of  the  coun- 
try— the  exhibitions  of  nature. 

The  goodness  of  the  land  for  tillage,  scenery, 
and  health,  is  promoted  by  its  unevenness  and 
varieties  of  soil.  There  are  mountains,  with 
their  springs,  whence  flow  the  rivulets,  com- 
bining into  mighty  rivers.  The  rivers  often 
overflow,  enriching  the  valleys.  The  moun- 
tains and  hills,  with  intervening  valleys,  pro- 
mote changes  in  the  temperature  of  the  air, 
and  consequent  winds,  ever  shifting  in  direction 


108  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

and  force.  The  productions  are  various,  cor- 
responding with  the  varieties  of  climate  and 
soil.  They  are  not  all  of  one  kind  ;  nor  do 
the  same  kinds  always  grow  in  the  same  form. 
The  apples  on  one  tree  are  not  alike — scarcely 
any  two  of  them  ;  yet  of  one  kind.  They  vary 
in  shape,  size,  color,  perfection,  or  something  ; 
yet  are  none  the  worse  to  unite  to  one  good 
use.     So  with  all  products. 

The  several  benefits  intimated  would  not  be 
found  with  a  uniformity  over  the  country  in 
level  surface,  and  in  elements  of  soil — with 
uniformity  throughout.  And  with  such  uni- 
formity the  eye  would  tire,  satisfaction  would 
soon  end,  and  all  would  soon  appear  as  one 
great  Sahara. 

The  skillful  gardener  understands  this  vari- 
ety as  connected  with  unity  of  impression  and 
end.  He  does  not  lay  out  the  walks  and  plant 
the  trees  all  in  straight  lines,  nor  in  any  other 
uniform  relations  ;  nor  does  he  seek  a  dead 
level  for  his  plot.  He  mingles  the  straight, 
curved,  angular,  undulating,  &c.  He  imi- 
tates nature,  and  beholders  pronounce  it  beau- 
tiful. 


THE  ADOPTED  COUNTRY.        109 

Look  at  a  single  tree  of  the  land,  and  it  af- 
fords an  illustration  of  the  general  state  of 
tilings.  The  branches  vary  in  shape,  size,  hue, 
direction  :  the  leaves  may  exhibit  similarity  in 
their  serrated  edges,  so  that  the  botanist  could 
distinguish  the  genus  of  the  tree,  but  these  leaves 
are  not  uniformly  alike.  Sometimes  the  tem- 
pest blows,  and  these  branches  and  leaves  lash 
against  each  other  ;  and  to  one  sitting  among 
the  branches,  not  looking  abroad,  it  might  seem 
that  they  were  in  conflict  with  each  other, 
spending  all  their  strength  to  bruise  each  other. 
But  yet  they  are  one  tree,  adhering  to  the  same 
root.  The  roots  strike  deeper  because  of  the 
wind's  force  ;  the  bending  branches  are  alike 
benefited.  The  tree  is  one  ;  one  good  is  se- 
cured ;  but  it  does  not  show  uniformity  in  its 
parts.  It  is  a  picture  of  what  is  called  the 
visible  Church  of  Grod  in  this  country.  It  is 
one  Church,  but  has  many  branches.  And 
these  branches  are  not  uniform  in  their  appear- 
ance. And  at  times  they  may  seem  to  be  lash- 
ing and  bruising  each  other,  like  the  branches 
of  the  tree  in  the  storm  ;  but  it  is  only  in  ap- 
pearance.     They   are    not    opposed    to    each 


110  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

other  ;  tliey  adhere  to  one  root.  Said  Christ, 
"  I  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the  branches.''  The 
branches  are  not  uniform  in  appearance,  but 
they  constitute  one  tree. 

Another  instance  in  nature,  of  this  unity  but 
not  uniformity,  is  seen  in  the  prismatic  colors. 
When  these  are  separated  by  means  of  the 
prismatic  lens,  not  one  of  them — not  even  the 
violet,  not  the  blue,  and  not  even  the  red — can 
give  light  when  separated,  each  one  apart  from 
t'je  rest,  yet  when  all  are  blended  together, 
they  give  out  colorless  light.  And  these  rays 
of  the  sun's  light  never  quarrel  with  each  other  : 
nor  do  they  separate  themselves,  nor  one  another, 
from  the  sun.  Never  is  there  a  dream  of  such 
a  thing  as  the  violet  rays  of  the  sun  being 
against  the  orange,  nor  of  the  red  rays  saying 
to  the  green,  because  you  are  not  scarlet,  you 
do  not  belong  to  the  sun.  So  all  the  distinct 
denominations  of  the  Church,  blended  together 
in  like  manner,  become  fused  in  love,  and  pour 
forth  a  broad  sheet  of  heavenly  light.  For, 
indeed,  there  is  more  than  one  kind  of  real 
light.     In  this  country  it  is  very  different  from 


THE    ADOPTED    COUi^TRY.  Ill 

the  artificial  and  reflected  light,  mere  moon- 
shine, of  the  old  country. 

Throughout  the  natural  world,  this  same 
unity,  versus  uniformity,  may  be  seen.  Two 
animals  of  the  same  species  are  seldom  exactly 
alike,  yet  are  one  species.  Human  physiogno- 
my is  not  alike  ;  yet  with  all  this  variety  there 
is  one  human  family. 

Minds  are  not  constituted  alike.  And  this 
is  another  circumstance  in  nature  where  there 
is  one  whole,  but  variety  in  the  parts  of  that 
whole.  The  one  whole  here  consists  in  the  con- 
centrating tendency  of  all  these  varieties  of 
mind  to  one  centre.  There  is  one  central  mind  ; 
and  to  all  these  varieties  of  mind  it  is  said, 
"  Let  this  mind  be  in  you  which  was  in  Christ." 
In  accordance  with  this,  families  are  seen,  with 
each  person  differing  from  the  other  in  opinions 
upon  almost  every  subject  of  every-day  life. 
No  two  of  them  think  alike  upon  every  sub- 
ject. And  one  subject,  presented  in  a  news- 
paper, often  leads  them  to  different  processes 
of  thought  and  opinions.  For  instance,  readers 
can  conceive  how  it  might  be  with  a  family  who 
read  for  the  first  time  an  account  of  the  sew- 


112  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

ing  macliine  :  One,  wlio  is  a  merchant-tailor, 
thinks  at  once  of  its  influence  upon  his  trade — 
its  cheaj^ening  the  expense  of  making  garments, 
and  how  he  can  better  compete  with  single 
laborers,  and  so  enlarge  his  business.  He  is 
glad  of  the  invention.  His  sister,  who  has  had 
her  sympathies  aroused  in  behalf  of  poor  seam- 
stresses, and  is  naturally  sympathetic,  has  fears 
at  once  for  that  class  of  operatives,  lest  they 
shall  be  more  oppressed.  She  scans  the  pros- 
pect of  the  goodness  of  the  work  done  by  the 
machine  with  prejudice  against  it,  and  passes 
judgment  of  its  inferiority.  Another  son,  who 
always  counts  closely  the  cost,  thinks  how 
much  cheaper  he  can  get  a  coat,  and  approves 
at  once.  And  so  other  members  of  the  family 
make  their  different  remarks,  as  their  thoughts 
and  opinions  severally  vary.  Yet  they  are  all  one 
family,  notwithstanding  this  variety  :  they  love 
each  other  none  the  less  for  their  various 
opinions  ;  in  more  essential  points  they  are 
agreed. 

Now  if  there  are  no  cases  among  this  people 
where  just  these  expressions  are  used,  there  are 
those  where  equal  differences  of  opinion  are 


•  THE  ADOPTED  COUNTRY.        113 

manifested.  And  in  like  manner  I  found 
througliout  the  natural  productions  of  this 
country,  unity  as  a  whole  in  every  department 
of  nature  ;  but  not  uniformity  between  the 
several  parts.  And  I  enjoyed  right  well  the 
whole  scenery  :  a  view  of  the  distant  plain, 
the  serrating  valleys,  the  flowing  rivers  and  the 
gathering  rivulets,  the  mountain  forests  and 
shrubs  of  the  plain.  The  shifting  breezes 
added  to  my  delight.  The  living  creatures  all 
around  afforded  a  similarly  j^l^asing  view. 
There  was  no  sameness  here  to  tire. 

I  found  no  difficulty  in  distinguishing  the 
domestic  animals  which  my  friend  had  before 
named  as  his  own,  from  others  of  the  same 
kind  belonging  to  his  neighbor.  They  did  not 
look  alike.  And  that  neighbor  I  knew  the 
second  time  I  saw  him,  for  there  was  no  other 
person  of  my  acquaintance  who  looked  exactly 
like  him.  And  the  people  never  abused  each 
other,  because  they  did  not  look  just  alike. 
They  never  suspected  from  this  that  they  were 
not  good  neighbors,  nor  failed  to  have  a  com- 
mon interest  in  each  other's  success.  I  en- 
joyed well,  too,  the  intercourse  with  persons  of 


114  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

SO  variously  constituted  minds.  Though  I 
heard  from  these  the  same  stories  and  opinions 
expressed  a  great  many  times^  their  way  of  ex- 
pressing their  ideas  was  so  varied  that  the  sub- 
ject always  seemed  new.  I  knew  it  was  the 
same  subject,  but  the  variety  of  views  in  which 
it  was  exhibited,  led  me  often  to  exclaim,  uni- 
formity is  not  essential  to  oneness.  "  There 
are  differences  of  administration,  but  the  same 
Lord." 

This  appeared,  2.  In  the  operations  of  Prov- 
idence, and  in  God's  gracious  influences  ujoon 
the  people. 

In  the  providences  of  the  Lord  manifested 
in  all  parts  of  the  land,  variety  is  found.  To 
bless  the  people  with  a  fruitful  season,  and  ex- 
cite their  gratitude  and  zeal  for  him,  he  con- 
stantly varies  the  seasons.  No  one  knows  what 
day  in  the  year  there  will  be  rain,  and  when 
sun-shine.  A  time  of  extreme  drouth  serves 
its  good  purpose,  and  then  the  soaking  rains  ; 
but  their  times  and  order  of  coming,  constantly 
vary.  Individuals  are  brought  to  feel  their  de- 
pendence on  their  God  more  fully,  in  ever- 
varying  ways.     For  a  time  a  person  prospers 


THE    ADOPTED    COUNTRY.  115 

in  everything  lie  undertakes.  This  excites  his 
pious  gratitude.  He  sees  the  hand  that 
blesses,  and  consecrates  his  all  to  the  service 
of  his  Maker.  But  soon  the  providence  is 
changedj  and,  by  adversity, — disappointment 
in  his  pursuits,  a  blast  upon  his  harvests,  the 
failure  of  his  friends  to  meet  their  ens^asrements 
with  him,  when  they  could  not  because  of  death 
or  sickness,  sickness  in  his  OAvn  family,  a  clus- 
ter of  e\ils,  as  though  God  had  turned  against 
him  :  by  these  means  another  class  of  pious 
graces  are  brought  into  exercise,  and  gain 
strength.  He  now  not  merely  adores  and  con- 
fides, as  in  prosperity,  but  meekly  submits,  is 
resigned,  acknowledges  God's  right  to  all,  and 
blesses  his  name.  In  both  these  ways  God 
builds  him  up  in  holiness  and  virtue.  Job  was 
once  benefited  in  this  way  ;  so  that  the  patience 
of  Joh  has  become  proverbial.  Many  in  this 
country  are  similarly  dealt  with,  and  thus  made 
to  prosper.  No  one  set  of  providential  dealings 
ever  perfects  the  work  in  them.  The  23rovi- 
dences  of  God  are  diversified  in  multitudinous 
ways  all  through  the  country  ;  all  for  the  good 
of  the  people.     This  appeared  to  me  a  glorious 


116  THE    EMIGEANTS. 

manifestation  of  the  unbounded  ability  of  the 
Dispenser  of  events,  and  of  his  wisdom  and 
goodness.  These  same  attributes  which  once 
hindered  the  men  of  Sodom  from  injuring  Lot, 
by  striking  them  with  bhndness  ;  Avhich  hin- 
dered Pharaoh  from  enslaving  the  Israelites, 
by  drowning  him  in  the  Ked  Sea  ;  which  hin- 
dered Balaam  from  cursing  Israel,  by  putting 
a  bridle  in  his  mouth  ;  which  hindered  Jero- 
boam from  hurting  the  prophet  who  came  out 
of  Judah,  by  drying  up  his  royal  hand,  when 
he  stretched  it  forth,  saying,  "  Lay  hold  on 
him  ; "  w^hich  hindered  Herod  from  destroying 
the  child  Jesus,  by  warning  Joseph  to  flee  into 
Egypt,  &c.,  &c. — that  same  Being  now  varies 
his  providences  in  power,  and  wisdom,  and 
goodness,  for  the  great  good  of  this  people. 
His  watchful  eye  is  constantly  upon  them,  and 
his  dispensing  care  is  constantly  in  exercise. 

God's  gracious  influences  upon  the  people 
are  in  like  manner  varied.  Elijah  of  old  was 
told  to  "go  forth,  and  stand  upon  the  Mount 
before  the  Lord.  And,  behold,  the  Lord  passed 
by,  and  a  great  and  strong  wind  rent  the  moun- 
tains, and  brake  in  pieces  the  rocks,  before  the 


?.? 


THE    ADOPTED    COUNTRY.  117 

Lord  ;  but  the  Lord  was  not  in  the  wind  :  and 
after  the  wind  an  earthquake  ;  but  the  Lord 
was  not  in  the  earthquake  :  and  after  the 
earthquake  a  fire  ;  but  the  Lord  was  not  in  the 
fire  ;  and  after  the  fire  a  still  small  voice." 
Now  these  are  expressive  of  what  transpires 
when  the  Lord  passes  by  and  operates  in  this 
country.  Sometimes  he  reaches  the  ears  of  in- 
dividuals by  a  still  small  voice  ;  he  soothes 
their  sorrows,  calms  their  fears,  and  encourages 
their  hope  and  confidence  :  they  are  melted 
into  tears  by  the  tender  regard  shown,  and  the 
attractions  of  the  heart  toward  God  are  greatly 
increased. 

Again,  the  wind,  or  earthquake,  or  fire  ap- 
pear :  impulses  ujDon  the  soul  by  God's  Spirit, 
like  heavenly  breezes,  excite  joy  and  laughter. 
In  view  of  the  earth-shaking  and  heavens- 
rending  power  of  God,  his  foes  are  alarmed, 
but  his  people  ar©  secure  ;  and  feeling  the  pu- 
rifying of  his  "  fire,''  they  are  sometimes  wrought 
up  to  exclamations  of.  Amen !  Praise  the 
Lo  d  !  Glory  to  God  !  And  again,  these 
same  influences  excite  to  milder  expressions  of 


118  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

feeliDg.  Their  effect  is  developed  in  the  coun- 
tenance,  and  a  gentle,  loving  demeanor. 

God's  gracious  influences  sometimes  move 
upon  minds  invitingly,  then  with  alarm  ;  now 
he  assuages  grief,  then,  he  excites  it  ;  now 
he  impresses  with  religious  gains  yet  to  be  at- 
tained, then  rouses  to  press  after  these  gains 
by  pointing  to  past  neglect — compunction  is 
excited  ;  now  he  seems  to  love,  then  to  with- 
draw his  attentions  ;  and  the  channels  of  his 
grace  are  as  varied  as  his  numerous  providences, 
as  his  untold  numbers  of  human  agents,  sent 
to  bless,  and  as  their  ever-changing  styles  of 
acting  upon  fellow  minds. 

God's  gracious  influences  are  far  from  being 
uniformly  alike  in  their  forms  of  operating  upon 
human  beings  ;  but  the  whole  multitude  of 
gracious  dealings  centre  together — they  har- 
monize in  unity  of  efiect,  promoting  the  same 
good. 

This  appeared,  3.  In  the  abilities  of  the  peo- 
ple for  usefulness. 

The  youth  were  not  of  course  able  to  exer- 
cise as  much  wisdom  as  those  older  and  more 
matured  ;  but  they  were  peculiarly  zealous  in 


THE    ADOPTED    COUNTRY.  119 

every  good  work,  exercised  much  vigor  of  body 
and  mind,  and  were  often  able  to  bring  those 
of  the  same  age  into  their  views  and  practices, 
when  older  persons  would  have  failed — would 
not  have  been  received  in  their  efforts. 

Some  had  stronger  minds  than  others  ;  hence 
judged  more  wisely  in  directing  their  efforts. 
But  the  feeble  minded,  imbued  with  the  gen- 
eral spirit  of  the  people,  exerted  an  influence 
upon  some  minds  around  them  by  their  very 
simplicity,  which  the  strong  minded  could  not 
do.  Strong  minds  were  often  led  to  appreciate 
and  obtain  their  best  good,  by  the  encourage- 
ments these  afforded.  Arguments  they  were 
accustomed  to  resist,  and  headstrong,  they 
were  squandering  their  substance,  and  tending 
toward  destruction  of  soul ;  but  the  examples 
of  these  feeble  minded  ones  took  them  upon  an 
unguarded  side,  and  they  yielded. 

Many  err  in  judgment,  and  yet  are  good,  and 
do  good.  But  if  all  these  people  should  err 
greatly  in  judgment  of  right  and  propriety, 
they  would  mutually  harm  each  other  by  their 
mistakes  ;  and  this  their  Aveakness  being  known, 
few  would  be  persuaded  to  emigrate  to  join 


120  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

their  society.  But  tlieir  mistakes  in  this  re- 
spect occasionally,  show  the  ignorant  and  fear- 
ing, that  their  own  imbecilities  are  no  bar  to 
their  enjoying  the  real  benefits  of  this  country. 

Some  are  eloquent  in  speech.  And  this  is 
their  chief  talent  by  which  they  can  benefit 
their  fellow  countrymen.  They  show  no  special 
talent  in  any  other  way  ;  but  they  can  talk  so 
as  to  convince  and  move. 

Others  are  slow  in  speech  ;  they  have  not 
quick  perceptions  to  catch  illustrations,  or  em- 
j)loy  figures  of  speech  ;  but  they  can  discern 
the  connections  and  bearings  of  things,  and 
can  argue  powerfully.  They  are  strong  reason- 
ers.  They  take  hold  on  philosophical  minds, 
and  bear  them  away  to  their  own  conclusions  ; 
whilst  minds  constituted  to  be  impressed  by 
beauties,  and  moved  by  sympathies,  would  feel 
but  little  force  from  their  arguments. 

Add  to  these  variations  in  the  abilities  of  the 
people  to  promote  the  general  good  of  the 
country,  and  thereby  to  attract  foreigners  to  it, 
the  numerous  examples  of  these  people  in  their 
various  occupations,  and  it  will  be  seen  that 
they  all  help  to  promote  good,  but  by  no  means 


THE    ADOPTED    COUNTRY.  121 

in  a  uniform  way.  There  is  unity,  but  not 
uniformity.  It  is  proved  by  tliem  that  resi- 
dents in  this  land  can  follow  all  the  associa- 
tions of  life  needful  for  the  well-being  of  per- 
sons in  this  world,  and  prosper  well  in  this 
country.  How  differently  would  this  country 
be  esteemed,  if  all  were  compelled  to  work  at 
one  trade,  in  one  way  ! 

Of  this  people  Dr.  Mason  has  said  :  '^  The 
spiritual  disciples  of  the  Son  of  God,  amid  all 
the  varieties  of  physical  frame,  complexion  and 
temperament,  however  diverse  may  have  been 
their  outward  temperaments,  and  their  early 
training,  however  opposed  to  each  other  may  be 
their  mental  habits,  yet  in  the  controlling 
moral  attributes  of  character  they  are  alike — 
subjects  of  the  same  experience,  produced  by  a 
reception  of  the  same  cardinal  truths,  hving 
under  the  same  spiritual  influences,  governed 
by  the  same  laws,  and  cherishing  the  same  im- 
mortal hopes — they  are  all  "one  in  Christ 
Jesus." 

This  appeared,  4.  In  the  various  Church  or- 
ganizations. 

The  militant   Church  in  this  country  has 
10 


122  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

perhaps  twenty  or  more  commiinions.  And 
each  of  these  may  say  of  the  other,  "  They 
have  all  received  the  Holy  Ghost  as  well  as  we." 
However  diversified  their  denominational  gath- 
erings and  doings  may  appear,  they  all  concen- 
trate and  meet  at  the  Cross  of  Christ — around 
the  throne  of  grace.  They  all  look  forward  t(? 
an  appointed  meeting  in  heaven,  whera  they 
are  to  unite  in  one  shout  of  praise  "  to  Him 
who  has  redeemed  them." 

The  lack  of  uniformity  need  not  be  now 
noted  in  all  of  these  organizations.  An  idea 
of  their  unity,  notwithstanding  this  lack,  will 
be  sufficiently  presented  by  dwelling  upon  the 
peculiarities  of  three  or  four  of  them.  In 
speaking  of  these,  let  it  be  remembered  that 
"they  are  not  all  Israel  who  are  of  Israel."" 
Some  persons  may  bear  the  name  of  Methodists, 
Baptists,  &c.,  yet,  not  even  be  inhabitants  of 
this  Emigrant's  home.  Still,  residents  here  do 
bear  these  and  other  distinguishing  names. 
And  these  names  indicate  to  those  acquainted, 
their  peculiarities  of  living. 

I  found  here  a  company,  organized  and  pros- 
pering,   called    Presbyterians.      There    is   no 


THE    ADOPTED    COUNTBY.  123 

doubt  of  their  being  emigrants.  They  told  of 
the  evils  of  their  father-land  ;  and  of  the  try- 
ing scenes  of  their  voyage  over.  They  are  con- 
tented and  faithful  citizens.  They  occupy  a 
province  under  the  protection  of  the  general 
government,  and  yet  have  what  might  be  named 
a  state  or  provincial  government  of  their  own, 
differing  somewhat  from  that  of  any  other 
province  in  the  country.  They  understand  the 
principles  of  government  a  little  differently 
from  the  others,  and  with  all  honesty  have 
framed  their  constitution  according  to  their 
best  understanding.  They  use  the  same  text 
book  of  common  law  which  the  others  do,  and 
refer  to  the  same  precedents  ;  but  they  draw 
different  conclusions,  and  make  different  appli- 
cations. 

"  The  great  fundamental  principle  of  the 
Presbyterial  form  of  government  is,  that  the 
several  different  congregations  of  believers, 
taken  collectively,  constitute  the  Church  ;  that 
a  larger  part  of  the  Church,  or  a  representa- 
tion of  it,  should  govern  the  smaller,  and  that 
a  representation  of  the  whole  should  govern 
and  determine  in  regard  to  every  part,  and  to 


124  THE   EMIGRANTS. 

all  the  parts  united  :  and  consequently,  that  ap- 
peals may  be  carried  from  lower  to  higher  ju- 
dicatorieS;  till  they  are  finally  decided  by  the 
collected  wisdom  and  united  voice  of  the  whole 
Church. 

'^  This  form  of  government  recognizes  four 
distinct  judicatories. 

"  The  first  and  lowest  is  that  of  the  Church 
Sessions,  composed  of  the  pastor  and  ruling 
elders  of  a  particular  congregation  ;  and  the 
minister  is  moderator,  and  performs  the  duties 
usually  assigned  to  the  chairman  of  a  commit- 
tee, in  all  the  meetings  of  the  elders.  This  judi- 
catory judges  of  the  qualifications  of  applicants 
for  membership,  and  receives  or  rejects  them  by 
vote  of  the  majority  present  ;  they  hear  com- 
plaints, institute  trials,  and  censure  or  acquit 
the  accused  ;  they  appoint  one  ruling  elder  of 
their  number  to  attend  each  meeting  of  the 
presbytery,  and  take  the  general  oversight  of 
the  spiritual  concerns  of  the  Cliurch. 

"  The  second  is  the  presbytery,  composed 
of  all  the  ministers,  not  less  than  three,  and 
one  ruling  elder  from  each  congregation  within 
a  certain  district. 


THE    ADOPTED    COUNTRY.  125 

"  The  tliird  is  tlie  synod,  composed  of  the 
pastors  and  ruHng  elders  within  a  larger  district, 
including  at  least  three  presbyteries. 

"  The  fourth  and  highest  judicatory  is  the 
GENERAL  ASSEMBLY.  It  is  the  bond  of  union 
over  the  whole  Church,  (represented  by  the 
judicatories  named,)  the  source  of  general 
council  in  cases  of  difficulty,  and  the  ulterior 
resort  by  way  of  appeal  from  the  inferior  judi- 
catories." 

A  standard  author  of  the  province.  Dr.  S. 
M.,  says  :  "In  every  Church  comjjletely  or- 
ganized, that  is,  furnished  with  aU  the  officers 
which  Christ  has  instituted,  and  which  are  ne- 
cessary for  carrying  into  full  effect  the  laws  of 
his  kingdom,  there  ought  to  be  three  classes  of 
officers,  viz :  at  least  one  Teaching  Elder, 
Bishop,  or  Pastor — a  bench  of  Ruling  Elders — 
and  Deacons.  The  first  to  '  minister  in  the 
word  and  doctrine,'  and  to  dispense  the  sacra- 
ments ;  the  second  to  assist  in  the  inspection 
and  government  of  the  Church  ;  and  the  third 
to  '  serve  tables  : '  that  is  to  take  care  of  the 
Church's  funds  destined  for  the  support  of  the 
poor,  and  sometimes  to  manage  whatever  re- 


126  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

lates  to  the  temporal  support  of  the  Gospel  and 
its  niinisters." 

Citizenship  is  gained  here  in  a  particular  way, 
differently  from  what  it  is  in  some  other  prov- 
inces. 

Children  are  recognized  as  citizens,  by  cer- 
tain forms.  When  very  young  they  are  bap- 
tized with  water  in  a  formal  way,  as  a  prepar- 
atory step  to  their  enjoying  the  rights  of  citi- 
zenship ;  their  parents,  who  submit  them  to 
this  ordinance,  engaging  to  devote  them  as  the 
liege  subjects  of  the  kingdom,  and  to  do  their 
best  to  train  them  up  to  be  fit  for  such  relation. 
"When  the  children  are  old  enough  to  choose 
for  themselves,  they  concede  to  what  has  been 
done  in  their  case,  and  yield  voluntary  alle- 
giance to  the  government,  when  they  are  at  once 
recognized  as  having  all  the  rights  of  citizen- 
ship. And  when  a  person  has  heartily  entered 
upon  citizenship  in  this  way,  they  believe  he 
will  never  become  a  citizen  of  Satan's  empire. 

Their  opinions  as  to  the  right  and  duty,  or 
jDOSsibility  of  receiving  all  foreigners  as  emi- 
grants, are  different  from  those  of  some  others 
They  are  very  friendly  to  those  who  come  over, 


THE    ADOPTED    COUNTRY.  127 

and  have  no  fears  that  the  country  will  be  ru- 
ined by  the  influence  of  foreigners  :  they  would 
by  no  means  have  laws  passed  to  restrict  or 
discourage  their  coming.  They  welcome  all 
who  are  pleased  to  come,  and  believe  that  with 
proper  attentions  they  can  be  trained  to  become 
good  citizens,  and  will  prove  a  blessing  to  the 
country.  But  the  "Articles  of  Faith''  of  this 
province  declare  the  opinion  that  some  foreign- 
ers will  remain  in  the  miseries  of  their  oppres- 
sion :  that  they  can  never  reach  any  province 
of  the  Emigrant's  home.  Some  unexplained 
circumstances  are  supposed  to  be  against  them. 
Not  because  they  have  done  anything  to  cut 
them  off  from  this  privilege,  more  than  others  ; 
but  there  is  no  obligation,  only  as  voluntarily 
entered  into  by  the  Lord,  to  receive  any  ;  and 
there  are  supposed  to  be  reasons  of  state  for 
passing  by  some.  Yet  as  none  but  the  Sover- 
eign Ruler  knows  which  are  passed  by,  citizens 
are  free  to  extend  their  invitations  to  all,  as- 
sured that  none  but  the  right  will  comply. 
They  are  very  industrious  to  do  what  they  can 
to  induce  emigrations,  and  are  zealous  for  their 
adopted,  foi:m  of  government  and  esta^blished 


128  THE   EMIGRANTS. 

customs.  They  sustain  each  other  exceedingly 
well  in  their  home  operations  ;  they  encourage 
friendly  intercourse  with  neighboring  provinces ; 
and  are  ready  to  extend,  to  them  needed  help. 

Their  forms  of  worship  and  Church  activity 
are  in  the  main  such  as  are  prevalent  through- 
out the  country.  Perhaps  they  have  excelled 
their  neighbors  for  some  time,  in  Church  activ- 
ity, by  the  use  of  the  press.  They  have  united 
their  efforts  with  several  other  provinces  in 
what  is  named  a  "  Tract  Society."  It  is 
thought  they  throw  more  strength  into  this  en- 
terprise than  their  neighbors  ;  and  they  are 
doing  a  great  work  by  scattering  their  "  tracts" 
broad-cast  over  the  world.  By  these,  a  great 
many  are  induced  to  emigrate,  and  when  emi- 
grated, they  are  enlightened  as  to  the  way  of 
living  happily,  and  of  laying  up  treasures  such 
as  angels  enjoy. 

I  found  here  another  organization  of  people 
calling  themselves  Baptists.  Their  name  is 
expressive  of  a  peculiarity  in  their  manner  of 
admitting  emigrants  to  their  community.  Ev- 
ery one  must  be  immersed  in  water  as  one 
prominent  part  of  the  form  of  c^dmission.     The 


THE  ADOPTED  COUNTRY.       129 

people  in  some  sections  of  this  province  believe 
as  their  neighbors  just  described  do,  in  regard 
to  the  possibiHty  of  all  foreigners  emigrating  ; 
and  in  points  where  that  opinion  has  a  bearing, 
practice  similarly. 

Their  children  are  not  considered  citizens 
until  of  sufficient  age  to  choose  for  themselves. 
Every  one  is  believed  to  make  trial  of  living 
under  Satan's  dominion  before  he  becomes  a 
real  subject  of  tliis,  Christ's  kingdom.  For 
this  exj^eriment  he  leaves  his  father's  faith  and 
home  ;  indulging  that  wandering  spirit  which 
has  a  strong  hold  upon  human  beings,  espe- 
cially at  a  certain  age  of  youth  ; — they  wish  to 
see  and  know  what  is  outside  of  the  parental 
nursery. 

Thus  these  children  are  recognized  as  passing 
over  from  Satan's  kingdom,  whenever  initiated 
as  citizens  of  tliis  province.  Having  intimated 
their  desire  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance,  and 
to  be  enrolled  as  citizens,  a  public  meeting  is 
appointed,  when  each  relates  his  experience  of 
the  voyage  over,  and  his  present  satisfaction 
and  hopes  in  his  chosen  home.  Having  ex- 
pressed publicly  his  devotion  to  the  government 


130  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

in  this  way,  lie  is  immersed  in  water  by  an 
Elder,  and  his  name  is  registered  as  entitled  to 
all  the  rights  and  emoluments  of  citizenship. 
The  same  ceremony  is  passed  through  in  re- 
ceiving all  foreigners. 

In  one  section  of  this  province  the  people 
lay  so  much  stress  upon  immersion  as  an  essen- 
tial form  of  the  initiatory  rite  before  named,  that 
they  will  not  admit  any  persons  of  another 
province  to  join  with  them  in  their  principal 
festival — the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper — 
lest  they  may  not  have  really  become  subjects 
of  Christ's  kingdom  in  this,  which  they  esteem, 
the  regular  way.  They  regard  it  as  in  some 
way  very  improper  and  wrong  to  admit  any  to 
this  festival  who  have  not  minutely  observed 
this  as  a  preparatory  rite,  in  the  form  stated. 
And  so  they  ^^do  this  in  remembrance  of 
Christ"  in  a  select  company,  whilst  those  of 
other  provinces  regard  it  a  pleasure  to  greet  all 
true  Emigrants  on  this  festival  occasion. 

Each  congregation  in  this  section  exercises 
government  over  its  own  members,  with  no 
right  of  appeal  beyond.  In  cases  of  disciplin- 
ing a  private  member  or  pastor,  a  "  council"  is 


THE    ADOPTED    COUNTRY.  131 

often  called  to  advise  ;  and  their  advice  is  often 
made  a  binding  decision,  by  previous  voluntary 
agreement  of  parties  in  tbe  trial.  Thus  the 
collected  wisdom  of  many  is  enjoyed  in  decis- 
ions. They  have  an  "  Association/'  annually 
meeting,  composed  of  several  pastors  and  dele- 
gates from  their  Churches,  for  spiritual  im- 
provement. 

These  people  have  manifested  great  zeal  of 
late,  to  enhghten  the  miserable  heathen,  and 
induce  them  to  emigrate.  They  spend  much, 
in  men  and  treasures,  for  this  object.  They 
deserve  strong  commendation. 

They  look  well  to  the  interests  of  their  own 
province.  They  are  exceedingly  well  pleased 
with  their  home,  and  with  Christian  benevo- 
lence desire  others  to  share  its  benefits.  They 
do  not  suffer  one  to  enter  upon  their  shores 
without  being  noticed  by  some  inhabitant,  and 
having  such  attentions  bestowed  as  will  be 
likely  to  induce  him  to  become  a  citizen.  This 
forwardness  in  hospitahty  to  strangers  from 
abroad,  and  to  their  own  countrymen  from 
other  provinces,  is  a  point  in  which  they  excel 
some  of  their  neighbors.     They  hold  a  strong 


132  THE   EMIGRANTS. 

position  in  tlie  country,  and  have  merits  to  de- 
serve their  great  success  in  filling  up  with  in- 
habitants. 

I  noticed  here  another  province  whose  citi- 
zens were  termed  Episcopalians.  Their  grounds 
are  well  laid  out ;  their  buildings  display  taste- 
ful and  rich  architecture  ;  the  scenery  is  beau- 
tiful ;  and  their  living  and  various  operations 
have  a  bearing  in  the  direction  of  stately  forms. 
They  lay  strong  claims  to  excellence.  They 
claim  that  their  chief  rulers,  their  Bishops,  oc- 
cupy their  position  by  what  is  equivalent  to 
hereditary  right  ; — a  right  descended  in  an  un- 
interrupted line  from  the  apostles. 

Children  are  recognized  as  citizens  from  their 
birth  ;  or  from  the  time,  in  childhood,  when 
the  rite  of  baptism  is  performed.  When  of 
sufficient  age  to  choose  for  themselves  to  stay, 
or  yield  to  temptations  to  forsake  their  home, 
they  are  "  confirmed,"  and  are  thenceforward 
entitled  to  all  the  honors  of  citizenship. 

They  are  not  as  particular  as  those  in  some 
of  the  other  provinces  that  these  children  and 
foreigners  should  give  evidence  that  they  hear- 
tily love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ — that  their  af- 


THE    ADOPTED    COUNTllY.  133 

fections  are  upon  him  as  their  Kuler,  and  that 
he  gives  them  a  testimonial  that  he  reciprocates 
their  love.  They  retain  the  names  of  some  as 
members  of  this  provincial  association,  who  are 
in  reality  across  the  line,  within  Satan's  king- 
dom. They  there  observe  forms  very  similar 
to  those  of  real  Episcopalians ;  and  imagine 
that  on  the  whole  they  have  just  as  good  pros- 
pects of  the  future.  Though  this  same  cir- 
cumstance of  retaining  unworthy  names  may 
sometimes  transpire  in  other  provinces,  in  this 
it  is  thought  by  some  to  be  done  on  purpose. 
This  province  lies  along  so  near  the  boundary 
lines,  and  a  part  of  those  who  are  enrolled  as 
its  citizens  being  really  residents  over  the  other 
side  of  the  line,  some  have  taken  occasion  to 
charge  it  with  not  being  a  loyal  23rovince  of 
Christ's  kingdom.  But  it  occupies  an  impor- 
tant portion  of  the  Lord's  territory  ;  and  those 
who  really  live  and  labor  there,  are  good  citi- 
zens and  very  useful.  Some  have  been  admit- 
ted, with  marked  aj^proval,  very  near  Christ's 
throne. 

This  province  has  some  peculiarities  in  its 
forms  of  government,  but  not  to  clash  at  all 


134  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

with  the  constitution  of  the  general  govern- 
ment. In  other  words,  the  rights  of  citizens 
in  other  provinces,  and  their  contributory  sup- 
port of  Christ's  kingdom  in  general,  are  not  at 
all  interfered  with  by  any  peculiarities  in  this 
form  of  government.  They  are  not  interfered 
with  any  more  than  are  the  general  interests 
of  the  United  States  of  America,  by  the  pe- 
culiarities of  the  government  of  the  State  of 
New- York.  The  government  of  this  State  dif- 
fers from  that  of  other  States,  but  does  not 
interfere  with  their  authority  or  welfare  by  this 
means  ;  no  more  does  the  Episcopal  form  of 
government,  by  its  differing  from  that  of  Pres- 
byterians and  Ba23tists,  interfere  with  their 
welfare,  or  with  the  well-being  of  the  militant 
Church  in  general. 

The  peculiarities  in  their  forms  of  govern- 
ment are  said  to  be  in  that,  "  By  virtue  of  reg- 
ular succession  from  the  apostles,  the  Bishops 
claim  the  sole  right  of  admitting  persons  to 
Church  membershijo  by  confirmation,  the  body 
ecclesiastic  assumes  the  appellation  of  '  the 
Church,'  and  claims  the  exclusive  right  of 
precedence  over  other  denominations  ;  and  each 


^ 


THE    ADOPTED    COUNTRY.  135 

clergyman  exercises  the  prerogative  of  govern- 
ing his  own  flock,  of  deciding  all  questions  in 
controversy,  and  of  trying  and  expelling  his 
members,  without  the  intervention  of  a  com- 
mittee, or  jury,  or  session,  or  any  other  tribu- 
nal to  modify  or  restrict  his  power  :  and  from 
his  decision  there  is  no  appeal  but  to  the  Bish- 
op, to  whom  the  clergyman  is  accountable  for 
his  conduct." 

In  forms  of .  worship  they  vary  somewhat 
from  others.  It  appears  some  like  an  imitation 
of  the  stateliness  and  splendor  practiced  among 
the  Jews.  The  priests  have  their  sacred  gar- 
ments, in  which  they  officiate  on  public  occa- 
sions. The  whole  public  service  is  in  set  order. 
The  expounding  and  enforcing  of  the  laws  of 
Christ,  are  done  chiefly  in  writing.  They  seem 
to  think  that  God,  having  set  the  example  of 
proclaiming  his  commands  in  writing,  uj)on 
tables  of  stone,  gives  authority  for  his  servants  to 
reiterate  them  in  a  similar  form  :  and  that  his 
authorizing  Moses  to  write  particular  explana- 
tions and  instructions,  surely  affords  exam23le 
for  Christ's  ambassadors  to  write  and  read  their 


136  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

explanations  and  enforcements  of  his  laws.  So 
their  priests  read  their  sermons. 

And,  in  like  manner,  they  gather  encourage- 
ment for  written  prayers.  Our  Lord  gave  a 
form  of  prayer.  They  take  this  as  an  exam- 
ple, and  try  to  adapt  forms  of  prayer  to  the 
particular  circumstances  of  individuals  and 
communities.  In  public  and  in*  the  family, 
often  in  private,  they  try  to  follow,  with  the 
heart's  desires,  the  set  Avords  of  prayer  which 
they  repeat.  They  think  that  in  congregations 
more  persons  really  pray,  really  worship,  in 
this  way  ;  that  they  are  less  apt  to  relapse  into 
mere  listeners  or  spectators. 

I  noticed  another  community  of  people 
called  Methodists.  They  have  their  associa- 
tions and  customs  professedly,  with  metliod,  as 
their  name  imports.  Their  province  lies  ad- 
joining the  one  last  named.  In  some  respects 
the  usages  of  these  people  are  similar  to  those 
of  the  former.  They  originally  colonized  from 
them ;  principally  because  of  the  practice 
named  in  speaking  of  the  E23iscopalians, — that 
of  often  reckoning  persons  as  citizens  who  were 
really  dwellers  in  Satan's  kingdom.     A  stricter 


THE  ADOPTED  COUNTRY.       137 

regulation  in  this  respect  was  thought  best  for 
the  interests  of  the  country  ;  and  they  under- 
took to  secure  it  by  a  separate  organization. 
It  is  not  pretended  that  these  Methodists  always 
succeed  ;  but  they  have  certainly  enjoyed  the 
approval  of  the  Lord  of  the  land,  in  making 
the  effort ;  and  with  his  encouragements, 
openly  given,  they  have  greatly  increased  in 
numbers  and  influence.  Under  his  sanction 
they  have  extended  their  borders  over  larger 
and  larger  territory. 

They  ask  for  volunteer  emigrants  ;  but  labor 
hard  to  enlist  them.  To  secure  loyal  subjects, 
none  are  taken  into  full  privileges  of  citizen- 
ship till  they  have  been  tried  at  least  six 
months.  Keal  love  to  their  Sovereign  and 
neighbors,  is  tested  during  this  trial ;  and 
when  satisfied  that  this  is  exercised,  they  are, 
in  a  prescribed  form,  admitted  to  all  the  priv- 
ileges of  the  community.  And  after  this,  as 
well  as  before,  means  are  regularly  used  to  see 
that  this  faithfulness  is  heartily  kept  up.  The 
oath  of  allegiance  to  the  government  is  perhaps 
more  frequently  repeated  by  citizens  of  tliis 

province  than  by  those  of  any  other.     If  any 
11 


# 


138  THE   EMIGRANTS. 

have  deserted  or  moved  over  the  boundary  line, 
they  are  soon  found  out  by  this  means,  as  they 
do  not  make  their  appearance  to  declare  their 
continued  allegiance.  As  long  as  these  methods 
prescribed  are  attended  to,  the  persons  whose 
names  are  found  enrolled  may  be  considered  as 
quite  reliable.  As  a  consequence,  confidence 
in  each  other,  and  mutual  affection,  have  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  strangers  as  a  marked 
characteristic  of  Methodists.  It  was  so  at 
least  in  their  first  organization.  They  have 
often  got  exceedingly  haj)py  in  each  other's  so- 
ciety ;  and  especially  while  receiving  favors  and 
promises  from  their  Sovereign.  They  shout 
praise  to  him — talk  of  his  gifts,  sing  hymns  in 
his  praise,  and  show  various  signs  of  joy,  so  as 
to  appear  to  some  to  be  strangely  singular. 

Somewhat  strangely,  a  few  of  them  have  at 
times  thought  their  province  would  be  bettered^ 
by  dropping  some  of  its  peculiarities  and  in- 
corporating a  part  of  the  usages  of  other  prov- 
inces. Just  so  far  as  any  have  ventured  to  do 
this,  their  distinctive  peculiarities  have  been 
lost  from  view,  and  they  have  found  the  inter- 
ests of  their  own  province  suffering  ;    yet  with 


THE  ADOPTED  COUNTRY.       139 

no  advantage  to  others.  It  is  believed  by  many 
that  the  Lord  raised  uj)  tliis  province  to  rouse 
others  by  the  example  and  efforts  of  its  people 
to  greater  zeal  in  sustaining  the  welfare  of  the 
kingdom.  And  so,  if  they  lower  their  standard 
of  exercising  love  and  zeal  to  corresj)ond  with 
anything  around  them,  they  draw  down  the 
frowns  of  their  Sovereign,  and  are  like  Sampson 
shorn  of  his  strength.  I  found  them  doing  a 
great  work  ;  and  reaUy  felt  in  my  heart  to  hope 
that  they  would  never  come  down  to  parley 
for  less  active  life,  or  for  any  professions  or  cus- 
toms, which  would  obscure  thek  characteristics 
as  a  pecuhar  people. 

A  leading  feature  among  them  is  the  itiner- 
ation of  the  officers  of  their  province.  The 
officers,  once  chosen,  are  generally  retained 
during  good  behavior.  But  those  occupying 
the  higher  offices,  frequently  change  their  lo- 
calities for  exercising  their  official  duties.  They 
think  that  various  advantages  are  derived  from 
this  usage  ;  though  they  are  ready  to  concede 
that  it  might  not  be  best  for  every  province  to 
adopt  it.  By  this  means,  it  must  be  allowed, 
they  are  more  successful  than  some  of  their 


140  THE   EMIGRANTS. 

neighbors,  in  keeping  every  part  of  the  province 
all  the  while  suppHed  with  suitable  officers. 
Each  locality  has  a  claim  upon  many  for  a  sup- 
ply, and  is  accommodated,  though  it  may  not 
be  able  to  pledge  any  stipulated  salary,  or  to 
return  an  equivalent  in  any  man  qualified  for 
an  official  station.  They  are  not  allowed  to  se- 
lect their  supply,  nor  is  the  officer  supplied 
allowed  to  choose  his  place  ;  but  all  this  is  done 
by  a  regular  system  of  exchanges  annually  or 
biennially,  through  a  cabinet  of  chief  officers, 
who,  in  the  position  of  general  oversight,  are 
best  able  to  do  justice  to  all  parties.  Thus  all 
are  kept  "  at  it,  and  always  at  it,"  in  carrying 
forward  the  interests  of  the  province. 

The  system  involves  a  mutual  sacrifice  of 
rights  of  choice,  and  of  ease,  for  the  sake  of 
the  general  good.  It  is  found  to  be  a  very  effi- 
cient means  for  making  the  barren  wilderness 
a  fru"tful  field.  The  most  desolate  regions  are 
thus  favored  with  the  skill  of  the  most  expe- 
rienced operators,  as  from  time  to  time  they 
take  their  turns  in  supply  ;  and  the  uncultiva- 
ted inhabitants  of  those  neighborhoods  are 
trained  up  to  the  refinements  of  higher  life. 


THE    ADOPTED   COUNTRY.  141 

This  will  account  for  the  more  sparsely  set- 
tled neighborhoods  of  this  province  being  more 
attractive  as  homes  for  the  seeking  emigrant, 
than  the  sparse  settlements  in  some  other 
provinces  of  the  kingdom.  Officers  are  expec- 
ted to  be  always  on  the  look-out  in  every  part 
of  the  province  for  emigrants,  on  whatsoever 
part  of  the  shore  they  may  first  land,  and  to 
be  ready  to  furnish  them  with  all  needed  in- 
struction and  help. 

The  government  is  mild  but  strict :  it  claims 
to  be  "  very  strict."  Every  citizen,  in  case  of 
alleged  violation  of  the  laws,  is  brought  to 
trial  before  a  jury  of  his  peers  ;  and  has  right 
of  appeal  to  a  higher  court,  except  the  Bishops, 
who  have  no  right  of  appeal.  Injustice  is  thus 
pretty  well  guarded  against. 

The  forms  of  worship  do  not  essentially  vary 
from  those  in  other  provinces.  As  remarked 
before,  they  sometimes  express  excited  joy  in 
shouts  of  praise  :  and  this,  with  some  other 
expressions  of  happy  feeKng,  it  may  be  con- 
ceived would  be  somewhat  restrained  by  writ- 
ten sermons  and  prayers.  And  as  might  be 
expected  where  such  manifestations  of  excited 


142  THE   EMIGRANTS. 

feelings  are  prevalent,  these  people  are  seldom 
confined  to  reading  sermons  and  repeating 
written  forms  of  prayer.  Yet  it  is  allowed  that 
their  ministers  understand  what  they  teach, 
and  that  the  people  know  for  what  they  pray. 
They  ask  as  children  wonld  of  a  parent,  for 
just  what  they  want  at  the  time,  as  their  wants 
ever  vary.  They  frequently  offer  the  Lord's 
prayer  ;  but  consider  that  to  be  an  example  as 
to  the  subject  and  import  of  prayer,  rather 
than  as  an  example  to  authorize  a  written  form. 
"After  this  manner"  they  extend  their  peti- 
tions to  all  desired  particularity.  In  some  of 
their  meetings  both  men  and  women  raise  their 
voices  in  supjohcations. 

I  have  been  rather  particular,  and  yet  brief 
as  I  could  well  be,  in  giving  a  view  of  these 
four  provincial  organizations.  As  before  said, 
the  kingdom  embraces  perhaps  twenty  or  thirty 
similar  organizations.  I  was  not  informed  pre- 
cisely how  many.  And,  these  not  being  uni- 
form in  position  or  operations,  yet  united  by 
one  bond  to  the  Sovereign,  and  promoting  the 
good  of  the  general  government,  appeared 
plainly  to  accord  with  the  unity,  not  uniformitj/ 


THE    ADOPTED    COUNTRY.  143 

of  th3  country,  as  exMbited  in  tlie  particulars 
before  named  :  in  the  face  of  the  country,  in 
the  exhibitions  of  nature,  in  the  oj)erations  of 
providence  and  God's  gracious  influences  among 
the  peoj^le,  and  in  the  abihties  of  the  people 
for  usefulness. 

Now,  as  it  has  been  shown,  there  being  in 
these  several  ways  an  exhibition  of  unity,  yet 
not  uniformity,  if,  in  the  Millennial  glory  of 
Christ  on  earth,  his  Church  should  no  longer 
exhibit  similar  varieties,  it  would  appear  in 
singular  contrast.  God's  works  in  men,  and  in 
nature  and  providence,  would  not  appear  in 
harmony. 

It  is  expected  that  ultimately  the  kingdoms 
of  this  world  will  become  "the  kingdoms  of 
our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ ;"  but  that  then 
there  will  exist  varieties  of  form  in  the  militant 
Church.  It  will  have  various  branches,  per- 
haps distinguished  by  some  of  the  same  names 
now  borne.  In  the  Millennial  day  one  may  be 
called  a  Methodist,  another  a  Lutheran,  and 
so  on. 

This  union  of  all  the  provinces  into  one,  or 
not,  has' been  a  question  of  considerable  inter- 


144  THE   EMIGKANTS. 

est  in  tlie  kingdom.  Many  most  loyal  subjects 
were  quite  indifferent  which  way  it  might  be  : 
they  were  most  concerned  that  no  province 
should  claim  that  its  form  would  be  the  victo- 
rious one,  and  absorb  all  the  others.  There 
was  found  to  be  danger  of  selfishness  creeping 
in,  quite  inconsistent  with  loyalty,  by  which 
each  would  seek  to  make  his  province  the  chief, 
and  to  conform  others  to  it.  This  spirit  of 
sectarian  selfishness  has  been  very  disastrous 
whenever  indulged  ;  those  indulging  being  very 
apt  to  become  dissatisfied  with  the  general  gov- 
ernment, and  to  desert  the  country.  The  true- 
hearted  greet  all  citizens  of  every  province  with 
brotherly  regard,  and  love  them  and  their 
country,  surmounting  the  contraction  of  local 
prejudices.  They  look  upon  all,  despite  of 
their  differences,  as  of  one  family. 

The  remarks  of  one  of  these  people  upon 
this  point  struck  my  attention  as  quite  appro- 
priate. He  said,  "It  is  exceedingly  desirable 
that  each  Christian  should  cultivate  the  habit 
of  regarding  himself  as  07ie  of  the  family. 
The  brothers  and  sisters  of  a  well  ordered  fam- 
ily  understand  this  feeling  very   well  ;    it   is 


THE    ADOPTED    COUNTRY.  145 

habitual  with  them.  They  have  one  common 
interest,  and  are  bound  together  by  their  affec- 
tion for  their  parents.  No  one  thinks  of  ap- 
propriating to  himself  any  more  than  his  own 
share  of  the  home  comforts.  No  one  wants  to 
be  commended  at  the  expense  of  the  rest. 
They  are  accustomed  to  being  treated  alike, 
and  never  wish  to  have  it  otherwise.  If  one 
has  any  particular  joy  or  sorrow,  the  rest  share 
it  with  him.  They  make  allowance  for  each 
other's  defects,  and  'forgive  and  forget.""  Each 
one,  perhaps,  has  his  particular  tastes  and  oc- 
cupations, but  they  are  never  suffered  to  inter- 
fere with  the  general  comfort  and  convenience. 
Their  jjrincipal  happiness  grows  out  of  their 
love  to  their  parents  and  each  other.  Let  us, 
then,  look  on  the  members  of  Hhe  household 
of  faith'  in  this  light.  Let  us  mix  ourselves 
up  with  them,  till  that  rich  word  '  toe'  shall 
come  more  naturally  to  our  lips  than  ^I\  Let 
us  completely  identify  ourselves  with  them,  and 
strive  to  have  no  separate  interest.  The  Bible 
says  :  ^  Look  not  every  man  on  his  own  things, 
but  every  man  also  on  the  things  of  others." 
Perhaps  each  member  of  the  household  is  as 


146  THE   EMIGKANTS. 

dear  to  our  Father  as  we  are  ;  therefore  let  us 
,  take  the  same  interest  in  their  salvation  that 
we  do  in  our  own.  It  will  be  equally  glorious 
to  Grod — equally  gratifying  to  'that  mighty 
jf  heart  of  love/  Do  we  fervently  pray  for  sanc- 
tification  ?  Let  us  never  offer  a  prayer  for 
ourselves  without  adding  a  petition  of  the  same 
kind  for  all  the  rest  of  the  dear  family.  There 
is  such  a  thing,  perhaps,  as  keeping  the  mind's 
eye  too  exclusively  on  our  own  spiritual  wants^ 
and  selfishness  may  even  creep  in  here.  Why 
should  we  wish  to  be  holy  ?  That  Grod  may 
be  glorified,  and  his  whole  will  accomplished 
in  us.  Well,  we  have  the  same  reason  for  de- 
siring the  holiness  of  all  the  rest  of  his  chil- 
dren." 

Another  argued  the  propriety  of  there  being 
a  family  of  religious  denominations,  as  seen  in 
this  country.  Said  he,  "  We  may  fairly  doubt 
whether  the  splitting  up  of  Christendom  into 
various  denominations,  be  necessarily  adverse 
to  the  j)rogress  of  pure  Christianity  ;  whether, 
in  the  end,  and  when  Christians  become  better 
Christians,  it  may  not  be  the  very  best  means 
of  developing  among  them  the  important  graces 


THE  ADOPTED  COUNTRY.        147 

of  forbearance,  and  that  charity  that  '  suffereth 
long  and  is  kind  : '  whether  human  nature,  be- 
ing what  it  is,  this  may  not  rather  be  vicAved 
as  a  providential  arrangement  by  which  truth 
will  be  more  thoroughly  sifted,  and  thus  the 
more  certainly  purified  and  established  ;  by 
which  the  natural  diversity  of  tastes  may  be 
innocently  accommodated,  while  the  emulation 
of  sects  may  jorovoke  to  zeal  and  good  works, 
and  the  entire  Church  be  prevented  from  sink- 
ing back  again,  as  under  the  papacy,  into  one 
overwhelming  and  unmitigated  mass  of  corrup- 
tion. As  in  nature  the  most  sublime  and  ben- 
eficial results  are  often  produced  by  the  ope- 
ration of  contrary  forces,  so  may  it  be  in  the 
kingdom  of  grace.  And  He  who  in  every  de- 
partment of  his  works,  'from  seemingly  evil 
still  educes  good,'  may  have  devised  tliis  very 
method  of  preserving  a  religion  of  thought  and 
of  life  in  the  world  ;  of  making  our  piety  '  a 
reasonable  ser\dce/  instead  of  an  unreflecting 
and  senseless  formalism.  For  such  does  all 
experience  prove  that  it  will  become,  where 
there  are  none  to  challenge  or  dispute  our 
creed.     Every  grand  hierarchy,  eveiy  great  na- 


148  THE   EMIGRANTS. 

tional  Church,  has  become  corrupt,  just  in  pro- 
portion as  dissent  died  away,  and  the  necessity 
for  defending  the  truth  and  guarding  manners 
against  impeachment,  ceased.  Clearly,  then, 
i|4  we  are  of  the  opinion  that  complete  uniformity 
is  not  essential  to  the  end  desired  ;  and  that 
all  attempts  to  coerce  union  by  amalgamating 
Christians  into  one  single  denomination,  would 
really  be  disastrous  to  the  interests  of  truth 
and  piety.  They  who  would  urge  this  mode, 
we  think,  mistake  greatly  the  needful  remedy. 
The  attempt  cannot  succeed  ;  apparent  success 
will  be  but  temporary." 

While  these  provinces  treat  each  other  in 
this  way — exhibit  unity,  though  not  uniformi- 
ty— they  certainly  exhibit  as  inviting  a  home 
for  emigrants  as  they  could  in  any  other  way. 
And  who  can  say  they  will  not  attract,  ulti- 
mately, the  whole  world  to  come  under  their 
banner  of  many  "stars  and  stripes?" 

Enemies  of  this  kingdom  are  mistaken  in 
their  charges  that,  because  there  are  many 
provinces  here,  they  are  therefore  working 
against  each  other  ;  are  not  one,  but  divided 
in  their  interests,  so  that  the  prosperity  of  one 


THE  ADOPTED  COUNTRY.        149 

is  not  the  good  of  the  whole  ;  and  that,  there- 
fore, it  is  undesirable  to  join  with  either. 
^^  When  one  member  suffers,  all  suffer  with  it : 
when  one  rejoices,  all  rejoice  with  it.''  They 
are  hound  to  support  each  other  in  every  case 
of  invasion  or  suffering  ;  and  it  is  contrary  to 
the  constitution  of  the  general  government  for 
them  to  take  up  arms  against  each  other. 

It  is  not  pretended  that  any  of  these  forms 
or  usages  of  any  one  of  the  provincial  govern- 
ments are  perfect.  The  evils  discovered  in  the 
present  exercise  of  the  government,  or  in  the 
doings  of  the  people,  are  rehcs  of  the  old  coun- 
try rule,  brought  over  with  emigrants.  The 
tendency  is  to  get  rid  of  these  evils  ;  and  the 
kingdom  shows  plain  marks  of  eternal  durabil- 
ity, and  of  finally  ridding  its  subjects  of  all 
the  evils  they  imbibed  in  their  native  country. 
They  will  then  be  transferred  to  regions  beyond, 
to  that  portion  of  the  universe,  to  Heaven, 
where  God  will  reign  without  a  rival.  All  will 
then  be  safe  and  satisfied. 

But  these  imperfections  in  judgment,  and 
wisdom,  and  strength,  thus  allowed  to  exist 
among  the  inhabitants  of  this  country,  do  not 


150  THE    EMIGBANTS. 

constitute  criirie.  Opposers  to  this  government 
are  using  their  breath  and  pens  in  ire  against 
some  of  their  own  kingdom,  when  they  declaim 
against  ungodly  priests,  against  corrupt-hearted 
but  professed  adherents  to  any  of  these  prov- 
inces, and  against  backsliders  ;  in  other  words, 
against  traitors,  spies,  and  deserters.  These 
do  not  belong  to  this  kingdom.  They  are 
scouting  about  for  no  good.  All  the  preceding 
descriptions  of  the  inhabitants  are  designed  to 
represent  good  citizens,  to  the  exclusion  of 
these.  It  is  only  to  share  a  place  with  good 
citizens  that  we  wish  any  to  emigrate.  And  is  it 
not  a  fact  that  such  are  found  in  different  lo- 
calities, and  under  different  forms  of  govern- 
ment, as  described  ?  I  am  one  witness  to  this 
fact ;  and  many  more  corroborating  witnesses 
can  be  brought.  Be  assured,  this  is  a  good 
country  ;  and  none  the  worse  for  its  variety  in 
all  the  several  ways  described.  It  all  adheres 
to  one  Christ  for  its  Sovereign.  "  There  are 
differences  of  administration,  but  the  same 
Lord.'' 


CHAPTER  IV. 


a |e  (000i  %\t^  &m\  g0, 


INDUCING  OTHERS  TO  FOLLOW  THEM. 


What  has  been  said  in  the  preceding  chap- 
ters, will  throw  much  light  upon  this  point. 
The  condition  of  the  people  in  their  oppression, 
and  all  the  varieties  of  bonds  which  hold  them 
there  ;  the  manner  in  which  they  must  pass 
over,  if  they  come  at  all ;  and  what  has  been 
said  of  the  associations  and  custams  existing 
in  Christ's  kingdom,  must  all  be  taken  into 
the  view,  in  order  to  appreciate  the  influences 
exerted  by  the  people  of  one  kingdom  upon 
those  of  the  other. 

1.  Emigrants  induce  old  country  people  to 
follow  them,  in  the  first  place^  by  their  exam- 
ple of  prosperity.  In  whatever  province  they 
settle,  ordinary  industry  secures  them  a  compe- 


152  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

tence.  Now  their  contentment,  their  mutual 
love,  &C.J  as  described  in  the  last  chapter,  are 
all  well  known  by  those  living  in  the  empire  of 
Beelzebub.  For,  let  it  be  here  plainly  under- 
stood, the  boundary  lines  between  the  kingdoms 
are  not  so  broad  as  to  prevent  those  on  the  one 
side,  from  hearing  and  seeing  what  is  done 
upon  the  other  side  of  the  line.  We  read  of 
there  being  "a  great  gulf  fixed"  between  the 
rich  man  in  hell,  and  Lazarus  in  Abraham's 
bosom.  Yet  the  rich  man  and  Abraham  held 
a  conversation  together  across  the  gulf.  It 
may  then  be  comprehended  that  this  passable 
boundary,  represented  between  these  kingdoms, 
is  no  barrier  to  persons  being  influenced  by 
what  they  see  and  hear  across  the  boundary. 
It  is  in  this  way  that  those  in  oppression  are 
afiected  by  the  example  of  these  emigrants. 
They  become  satisfied  that  their  friends,  by 
moving,  have  secured  a  good  to  be  prized.  No 
instructions  or  arguments  would  impress  some 
of  them  so  forcibly,  and  start  them  so  quickly, 
as  to  see  and  know  that  their  friends  have  se- 
cured a  good  which  they  lack.  Hence,  the 
responsibility  of  emigrants  to  let  their  good  he 


THE   GOOD   THEY   CAN   DO,  153 

knoiun  ;  and  in  a  way  not  to  be  evil  spoken  of. 
As  tliey  love  their  friends  yet  in  bondage,  they 
are  obligated  to  set  attractive  examples  before 
them  ;  obligated  never  to  conceal  the  amount 
of  their  gains,  and  never  to  repress  the  expres- 
sions of  their  happiness. 

A  view,  (as  it  was  described  by  an  em- 
igrant,) of  one  of  the  families  of  these  prov- 
inces, in  daily  life,  will  give  a  further  conception 
of  the  impressions  their  way  of  living  makes 
upon  their  neighbors  beyond  the  line. 

It  is  winter.  The  members  of  the  family  begin 
Monday  morning  early  with  private  and  family 
devotions  ;  and  with  renewed  vigor  and  Chris- 
tian cheerfulness,  they  enter  upon  the  business 
of  the  week,  seriously  contriving  and  perhaps 
consulting  together,  how  they  may  successfidly 
look  after  some  who  were  neglecters  of  public 
worship  on  Sunday  ;  or,  how  they  may  encour- 
age some  who  appeared  serious,  or  benefit  those 
who  were  learned  to  be  in  affliction.  One 
evening  visitors  are  received.  The  family  man- 
age to  make  the  interview  agreeable  to  the 
religious  and  irreligious,  old  and  young  ;  and 
yet,  with  the  contrulling  intention  to  exert  an 
12 


154  THE   EMIGRANTS. 

influence  favorable  to  piety.  And  tliey  ,siij- 
ceed.  Another  evening  they  are  invited  abroad. 
If  tliey  cannot  go  into  the  company  proposed  with 
a  spirit  of  prayer  for  God's  blessing  upon  them, 
and  so  as  to  maintain  their  Christian  character 
and  influence,  they  decline.  If  they  go,  they 
are  courteous,  win  the  esteem  of  all  classes  of 
persons  present,  and  honor  their  Master.  All 
their  visits  are  religious  visits.  No  excuse 
which  would  not  keep  them  from  market,  pre- 
vents their  attendance  upon  the  weekly  prayer 
meeting.  They  waste  no  time  in  slumber  be- 
cause of  the  nights  being  long.  They  have 
minds  to  improve,  information  to  gain,  enough 
to  do. 

Sabbath  morning  arrives,  when,  with  clear 
consciences,  with  warm  and  prayerful  hearts, 
they  repair  to  the  place  of  public  worship. 
The  minister  can  preach  while  they  are  prayer- 
ful. And  the  co-operating  results  of  his 
preaching  and  their  prayers,  are  felt  in  Divine 
power  upon  sinning  souls.  Thus  weeks  roll  on, 
with  continued  aggressive  success  among  the 
travellers  in  "  the  broad  way.'' 

And  the  efforts  continue  in  harvest.     The 


THE    GOOD    THEY    CAN    DO.  155 

same  morning  and  evening  devotions  arc  per- 
formed ;  the  same  calculations  to  accomplish 
some  religious  good  during  the  week,  are  made  : 
in  whatever  company  labor  is  performed,  care 
is  exercised  to  make  favorable  virtuous  im- 
pressions. Business  is  closed  on  Saturday  night 
as  well  as  it  can  be,  to  enter  upon  the  holy 
Sabbath  with  a  good  degree  of  bodily  and 
mental  vigor.  With  their  jjredominant  aim  in 
their  business  transactions,  it  is  easy  to  decide 
whether  to  venture  to  gather  their  crops  on  the 
Sabbath.  They  are  under  no  obligations  to 
labor  for  what  cannot  be  got  or  saved  while 
manifestly  conforming  to  the  Divine  commands, 
and,  in  such  way  as  to  promote  the  glory  of 
Grod.  They  never  imagine  that  they  can  exert  a 
religious  influence  by  gathering  their  harvest 
on  the  Sabbath  ;  and  they  are  satisfied  with 
such  amount  of  property  as  they  can  secure  by 
doing  right.  All  gains  are  made  subordinate 
to  the  seeming  of  a  heavenly  inheritance  to 
themselves  and  others. 

With  such  a  family,  hired  laborers  would 
have  every  help  and  encouragement  to  serve 
God.     All,  being  "  diligent  in  business,  fervent 


156  THE    EMIGRANTS, 

in  spirit,  serving  tlie  Lord/'  would  show  that 
business  can  be  successfully  followed  ;  family 
cares,  and  business  cares,  and  laborers'  cares, 
exercised,  and  various  relations  maintained, 
while  full  gospel  blessings  are  enjoyed. 

Now  suppose  this  same  spirit  were  manifested 
in  all  the  lawful  avocations  in  life  ;  that  all 
Christians  were  influenced  by  the  predominant 
idea  that  they  are  continued  in  the  world  to 
do  good  as  well  as  to  get  good.  Wherever  we 
might  find  Christians,  whether  among  farmers, 
or  mechanics  ;  merchants  or  professional  men  ; 
teachers  or  scholars  ;  those  in  civil  office,  or  in 
private  toils  ;  sailors  or  travellers  ;  indeed,  in 
any  rational  employment,  there  we  should  wit- 
ness the  reflection  of  religious  light  and  in- 
fluence ;  and  it  would  be  exemplified  to  all 
beholders  that  gospel  blessings  are  adapted  to 
accompany  the  various  pursuits  of  life. 

If  all  professed  Christians  would  thus  turn 
messengers  of  truth,  and  exemplifiers  of  the 
blessed  effects  of  the  Gospel,  missionaries  would 
not  be  wanting  ;  but  with  God's  blessing,  the 
whole  world  would  soon  feel  the  influence.  Is 
this  thought  to  be  mere  fancy  ?     Certainly  such 


THE   GOOD    THEY    CAN    DO.  157 

influence  has  been  exerted  in  some  cases.  It 
may  be  in  others.  Why  not  in  all  ?  It  may. 
It  should.  Christians  are  faulty^  wherever  they 
live,  or  whatever  may  be  their  calling,  if  their 
influence  is  not  felt  in  favor  of  pui:e  religion. 
Let  all  Christians,  in  their  several  spheres,  live 
in  the  siAvit  of  their  Christian  calling,  and  the 
Lord  will  bless  with  revivals  of  pure  religion 
unceasing  and  unlimited,  except  with  the  glory 
of  the  Millennial  day. 

The  wicked,  under  Satan's  dominion,  know 
many  of  these  happy  families  just  represented. 
Why,  say  they,  do  we  endure  constantly  recur- 
ring disappointments  of  ha23piness  here,  when 
our  acquaintances  surely  have  it  there  ?  Let 
us  go  and  join  them,  and  be  as  happy  as  they. 

It  is  chiefly  by  their  manner  of  life  that 
these  families  raise  the  reputation  of  their 
country  abroad,  for  afibrding  peace  and  thrift 
to  its  inhabitants.  Frequently  this  reputation 
is  what  first  causes,  among  old  country  people, 
a  feeling  of  discontent  with  their  situation. 

2.  Emigrants  are  careful  to  send  back  all 
necessary  information  and  persuasives  to  induce 
their  relatives  and  friends  to  follow  them. 


158  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

One  way  of  presenting  this  inducement  is  to 
report  Avell  of  the  government — that  it  affords 
sm^e  protection.  Strangers  want  to  feel  well 
assured  of  this.  Some  of  them  have  the  im- 
pression that  the  laws  of  this  kingdom  are  too 
strict  for  happy  liberty.  It  is  the  duty  of  those 
who  have  had  the  exj  erience  of  living  under 
them,  to  report  the  contrary,  and  give  their 
strong  assurances  that  "  the  commandments 
are  not  grievous  :"  that  the  "yoke  is  easy  and 
the  burden  is  light."  They  want  assurances, 
too,  that  there  is  no  respect  of  persons  shown  ; 
that  the  whole  treatment  of  citizens  is  kind  ; 
not  with  cold  distance  or  reserve,  with  mani- 
fested indifference  or  delic^ht  in  their  afflictions. 
There  are  abundant  means  of  giving  assurance 
that  the  Sovereign  loves  his  people.  The  peo- 
ple speak  well  of  the  care  shown  for  them,  and 
while  they  live  under  this  dominion,  do  not 
murmur  nor  complain.  Thus  from  residents  a 
clear  and  uniformly  favorable  report  is  given 
of  the  government.  Sometimes,  to  be  sure, 
murmuring  and  complaints  are  raised  by  those 
who  have  rebelled  against  the  government,  and 
been  expelled.     But  who,  that  ever  had  law 


THE   GOOD    THEY    CAN    DO.  159 

enforced  against  him  Avlien  guilty  and  unre- 
penting,  has  failed  to  find  fault  ?  The  reports 
of  those  banished  should  never  he  heeded. 

The  Lord  of  the  land  employs  numbers  of 
these  emigrants,  and  sends  them  out  within 
hearing  of  the  oppressed,  as  heralds  to  proclaim 
his  offers  and  various  persuasives.  He  also 
supplies  these  heralds  and  their  helpers  with 
books  and  tracts  to  circulate,  giving  informa- 
tion, and  various  instructions  to  induce  emi- 
grations. 

One  example,  among  the  thousands  which 
might  be  given,  illustrative  of  this  kind  of  in- 
fluence by  letter-writing,  and  kindred  efforts, 
is  recorded  in  the  Missionary  Advocate,  of  Oct., 
1853.  It  is  related  by  Kev.  L.  S.  Jacoby,  in 
his  quarterly  report  of  the  Mission  in  Germany. 
He  says  :  ''In  one  place,  a  revival  of  religion 
broke  out  among  the  farmers  by  the  instrumen- 
tality of  a  letter  a  young  man,  who  had  been 
converted  among  the  Methodists  in  New- York, 
wrote  to  his  relatives.  His  brother  was  soon 
converted,  went  frcm  house  to  house,  read  that 
letter,  related  his  conversion,  exhorted  the  peo- 
ple, and  not  in  vain.      Souls  were  converted, 


IGO  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

and  people  commenced  to  meet  together."  It 
is  exceedingly  important  that  all  emigrants  to 
Christ's  kingdom  should  appreciate  their  re- 
sponsibility to  use  the  kind  of  influence  here 
represented. 

All  these  efforts  might  seem  unjust  between 
two  nations  ;  but  Satan's  kingdom  is  a  revolted 
province  of  the  Lord's  ;  and  that  despotic  king 
is  holding  the  people  in  unjust  vassalage.  It 
is  Christ's  right  to  rule  over  the  whole.  As 
soon  as  the  people  can  be  induced  to  turn  from 
their  revolt,  and  aUow  this  right  to  rule,  there 
is  no  law  which  can  hold  them  any  longer  in 
subjection  to  Satan.  It  is  the  leading  care  and 
effort  of  Christ's  subjects  to  enlighten,  per- 
suade, and  draw  back  these  revolted  and  now 
ojDpressed  people  ;  to  break  up  Satan's  empire, 
and  annex  all  to  their  own  country.  And  I  am 
sure  it  would  be  a  far  happier  world  if  all 
would  come  under  the  regulations  of  this  gov- 
ernment. 

3.  Another  means  which  emigrants  employ 
to  save  their  former  associates  in  suffering 
from  further  oppressions  is,  to  present  petitions 
to  their  Sovereign,  that  he  will  interfere  and 


THE   GOOD    THEY    CAN    DO.  161 

claim  individuals  under  oppression.  The  right 
of  petition  is  recognized.  It  has  been  specifically 
proclaimed,  even  though  the  thorough  knowl- 
edge of  the  Supreme  Euler  cannot  leave  him 
ignorant,  in  any  case,  of  what  is  needed.  One 
prominent  condition  on  which  he  interposes  his 
power  to  supply  the  needy  and  to  relieve  the 
oppressed  is,  that  his  assistance  shall  be  sought 
by  petition.  No  one  cpiestions  his  right  to  in- 
terpose such  condition  ;  and  though  he  is  cer- 
tainly under  no  obligation  to  proclaim  the  rea- 
sons for  his  laws,  and  for  the  regulations  of  his 
government,  no  doubt  he  has  good  reasons,  and 
many  are  able  to  discover  wisdom  and  kindness 
displayed  in  this  regulation.  His  subjects  are 
thus  led  more  fuUy  to  appreciate  their  de- 
pendence upon  him,  and  to  exercise  more  sym- 
pathy for  their  friends,  as  they  must  often 
petition  for  them.  Mercy  is  peculiarly  mani- 
fest in  this  requirement  to  petition  for  neigh- 
bors, as  many  most  suffering  ones  are  so  ground 
down  under  Satanic  oppression,  and  their  senses 
are  so  stultified,  that  they  would  never  them- 
selves petition  for  the  needed  interposition  of 
this  compassionate  Sovereign.     When  they  find 


162  THE    EMIGRANTS 

they  have  friends  who  are  interceding  in  their 
behalf,  they  are  roused  to  think  there  is  some- 
thing serious  in  their  condition  ;  and,  finding 
that  others  do  not  despair  of  help  for  them,  they 
join  their  petitions  with  those  of  their  friends, 
and  are  then  sure  to  receive  all  the  assistance 
needed. 

Petitions  are  required  to  be  offered  always 
with  due  respect  to  the  character  of  the  Being 
to  whom  they  are  presented.  He  must  be 
revered,  adored ;  must  be  approached  with 
penitence  for  past  revolts,  and  with  humility. 

But  after  all,  many  mistake  here.  Having 
an  idea  that  their  Sovereign  knows  beforehand 
every  particular  in  regard  to  which  they  pray 
to  him,  they  ask  only  in  general  terms,  espe- 
cially when  in  behalf  of  their  fellow  men. 
Now  the  Lord  has  never  obligated  himself  to 
hear  such  petitions.  He  could  search  the  world 
over,  and  select  objects  for  his  compassionate 
help,  answering  to  these  general  prayers.  So, 
when  one  prays  that  he  will  offer  rescue  and 
interpose  his  authority,  to  claim  those  whom 
Satan  holds  in  bondage,  he  could  comply.     But 


THE    GOOD    THEY    CAN    DO.  163 

from  all  precedents  of  successful  petitioning, 
we  learn  that  particularity  is  tlie  regular  form 
approved,  and  is  requisite  to  anything  like 
marked  success. 

Who  ever  thought  of  petitioning  the  Legis- 
lature of  the  State  of  New- York  to  grant  an 
Act  and  appropriations  to  relieve  citizens  who 
are  ivronged  and  suffering  ?  The  petition  to 
this  body,  in  order  to  be  recognized  and  acted 
upon,  must  specify  who  are  wronged,  calling 
the  names  ;  or,  what  class  of  wrongs  are  suf- 
fered. Without  such  particidarity  the  petition 
would  be  thrown  under  the  table  unregarded. 

Who  ever  applied  to  the  Governor  of  a  st^te 
for  a  reprieve  to  criminals,  saying  that  there 
were  such,  and  that  there  were  circumstances 
in  their  cases  calling  for  governmental  clemen- 
cy ?  The  question  would  arise,  Who  are  they  ? 
What  are  their  names?  What  are  the  cir- 
cumstances alluded  to  ?  Such  petitions  always 
particularize  the  cases. 

Is  it  not  customary,  when  one  state  claims 
a  citizen  unjustly  held  in  another  state,  to 
specify  the  person  by  name,  and  to  state  the 
circumstances  of  the  case  ? 


164  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

With  these  views  of  the  privileges  and  forms 
of  petitioning  before  them^  readers  can  appre- 
ciate how  these  emigrants  have  their  sympa- 
thies awakened  for  individuals.  They  not  only 
esteem  it  a  privilege  to  ask  favors  for  their 
friends^  but  they  are  excited  to  faithfulness  in 
this,  because  of  their  assurances  that  the  rescue 
of  their  friends  depends  very  much  on  their 
presenting  petitions  in  their  behalf.  Some 
have  a  friend  from  whom  Satan  carefully  keeps 
all  information  from  abroad  ;  and  in  the  dark- 
ness of  his  ignorance  makes  him  contented  in 
his  dangerous  situation.  In  answer  to  petitions 
offered,  Satan  has  to  refrain  from  his  blinding 
measures,  and  heralds  proclaim  to  the  individ- 
ual his  danger,  and  the  terms  of  help  ;  others 
write  letters  which  he  is  permitted  now  to  re- 
ceive. He  now  learns  his  danger,  and  at  tlie 
same  time  his  privilege  to  escape.  Now  he 
joins  in  asking  for  a  guide  and  help,  when  lie 
is  at  once  supplied  and  is  saved. 

Another  is  made  to  believe  everything  bad 
of  Christ  and  his  people,  while  lies  are  told 
him  of  the  ultimate  happiness  of  all  mankind, 
or,  of  the  fatality  of  his  situation  being  such 


THE   GOOD   THEY    CAN    DO.  165 

that  he  can  do  nothing  to  escape  from  his  pres- 
ent home.  All  these  lies  are  credited,  and 
have  their  influence  upon  his  conduct,  because 
he  has  not  been  permitted  by  his  Ruler  to 
consult  only  one  side  of  these  questions.  All 
clear  information  offered  by  his  friends,  has 
been  carefully  kept  from  him  ;  or  if  permitted 
to  reach  him,  he  is  taught  that  it  is  designed 
to  intermeddle  with  his  happiness,  and  with 
his  prejudices  he  refuses  to  believe  his  best 
friends.  Petitions  are  offered  to  require  Satan 
to  refrain  from  such  one-sided  course,  and  let 
him  receive  communications  from  his  friends, 
and  even  the  authorized  documents  of  the 
kingdom  of  God,  on  points  touching  his  case, 
when  he  is  induced  to  look  at  the  subject  im- 
partially, and  to  beg  rehef  from  his  oppres- 
sions. 

It  can  easily  be  conceived  that  in  these  and 
similar  cases,  persons  under  Satan's  dominion 
are  rescued  and  brought  over  through  the  in- 
fluence of  petitions  in  their  behalf  And  I 
noticed  that  the  citizens  who  appeared  to  enjoy 
life  the  best,  were  very  forward  and  zealous  in 
urging  their  petitions  in  behalf  of  such  cases 


166  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

as  just  now  suggested.  In  connection  with 
this,  it  was  noticed  that  they  always  stood 
ready  to  be  employed  in  any  service  which 
would  further  the  object  of  their  prayers.  They 
are  faithful  to  comply  with  the  condition  on 
which  the  Sovereign  has  pledged  his  special 
interference  in  these  cases  of  oppression.  They 
enjoy  the  luxury  of  seeking  and  doing  good. 

One  of  the  emigrants  argued  at  some  length 
in  favor  of  the  prevalent  custom  of  particular 
and  earnest  petitioning  as  just  represented.  He 
said,  "  Among  the  many  words  which  may  be 
employed  to  express  ideas,  there  may  be  selected 
those  which  point  out  either  general  or  partic- 
ular wants.  Thoughts  and  words  may  be  di- 
rected to  classes  of  objects,  or  to  individual 
objects.  Prayer  may  be  offered  for  all  men, 
for  sinners  in  general,  for  a  nation  ;  or,  for  in- 
dividuals and  particular  cases.  We  may  look 
upon  a  forest  without  giving  attention  to  the 
particular  kinds  and  qualities  of  the  trees 
which  compose  it  ;  or,  we  may  notice  the  dif- 
ferent classes  as  distinguished  by  their  varying 
qualities,  and  by  the  peculiarities  of  each  indi- 
vidual tree.     If  objects  arc  contemplated  ac- 


THE   GOOD    THEY    CAN    DO.  167 

cording  to  the  former  mettiod,  tlie  impressions 
of  their  attributes  and  relations  must  be  min- 
gled and  confused  ;  if  in  the  latter,  the  im- 
pressions will  be  more  complete  and  better 
understood.  This  illustrates  how  we  can  view 
mankindj  and  have  our  notions  of  the  wants 
of  ourselves  and  others,  as  a  whole  ;  or,  to  a 
great  extent,  separately. 

"  Keeping  these  things  in  the  mind,  we  may 
urge  the  propriety  of  particularizing  in  prayer. 
It  may  not  be  advisable  to  be  equally  minute 
at  all  times  and  in  all  circumstances.  But,  it 
is  the  regular  form,  in  praying  for  the  heathen, 
to  name  particidar  nations  and  missions,  and 
dwell  upon  their  peculiar  circumstances  and 
wants  ;  in  praying  for  the  progress  of  truth, 
and  the  dispelling  of  error  and  superstition,  to 
name  particular  denominations  of  errorists,  as 
Infidels,  Idolaters,  Mohammedans,  &c.,  also 
the  several  means  used  to  propagate  Bible 
truth,  as  Bible  Societies,  Missionary  Societies, 
Tract  Societies,  &c.  ;  in  praying  for  a  nation, 
to  supplicate  particularly  for  the  leading  offi- 
cers of  government,  and  for  all  fiUing  various 
offices  and  ranks  in  society,  and  to  dwell  upon 


168  THE    EMIGllANTS. 

any  peculiar  circumstances  of  the  country,  as 
being  in  a  state  of  war  or  peace^^in  prosperity 
or  in  adversity,  winking  at  and  sustaining  in- 
iquity within  its  bounds,  or  struggling  to  be 
rid  of  evils  and  wrongs  ;  in  praying  for  the  suc- 
cess of  the  visible  Church,  to  distinguish  its 
circumstances  and  enterprises  ;  in  praying  for 
neighborhoods,  to  be  specially  careful  to  sup- 
plicate for  the  several  individuals  with  a  direct 
conception  and  frequent  expression  of  their 
peculiar  exposures  to  temptation,  and  of  their 
needs  of  the  Divine  blessing  ;  and  most  specially 
to  supplicate  for  success  to  attend  any  partic- 
ular efforts  employed  for  the  rehgious  benefit 
of  the  community  or  of  selected  individuals, 
such  as  relatives,  those  manifesting  seriousness, 
the  penitent,  those  recently  converted  ;  and 
thus,  in  praying  for  ourselves  and  others,  to 
'  let  the  requests  be  make  known  unto  God,  in 
all  tilings,  by  prayer  and  supplications,  with 
thanksgiving.' 

"In  this  way  prayer  will  be  likely  to  be  more 
fervent.  In  order  to  become  strongly  interested 
in  any  object,  it  must  be  contemplated  with 
more  than  a  slight  glance.     Thought  and  un- 


THE    GOOD    THEY    CAN    DO.  169 

derstancling  must  be  exercised  upon  its  peculi- 
arities. If  effort  were  to  be  used  to  excite 
sympathy  for  a  starving  nation,  it  would  be  but 
faintly  accomplished  when  it  were  said  that  the 
scarcity  is  generally  felt,  and  is  so  great  that 
many  actually  die  of  hunger.  But  eye-wit- 
nesses would  report  the  particular  state  of 
things.  Perhaps,  that  in  a  certain  neighbor- 
hood is  found  a  family,  of  a  given  name,  desti- 
tute of  food,  and  too  far  famished  to  seek  it. 
The  sons  are  dead,  the  daughters  are  dying, 
the  parents  unable  to  afford  relief  In  another 
neighborhood  aU  the  members  of  a  family,  well 
known  to  the  listeners,  are  lifeless  several  days 
before  they  are  discovered,  and  the  dwellings 
around  have  inmates  with  stinted  supplies, 
suffering  with  gnawing  hunger  and  wasting 
fever,  unable  to  perform  the  funeral  rites  of 

their  starved  friends.     A  young  lady, ,  well 

known  to  have  been  healthy  and  robust,  pos- 
sessed of  a  strong  mind  and  an  affectionate 
heart,  beautiful  and  loved,  is  met  at  her  parents' 
door,  with  her  steps  tottering,  cheeks  hoUow, 
eyes  sluggish,  faintly  weeping,  ^  Father  is  dead, 
my  little  sisters  are  no  more,  my  mother  with 


1*70  THE   EMIGRANTS. 

her  infant  babe  has  just  fainted — we  get  no 
food/ 

"  Over  the  country,  like  scenes  are  depicted. 
Laborers  faint  while  carrying  their  scanty  earn- 
ings to  their  crying  children.  In  a  market- 
town  are  seen  a  multitude  gathered,  bearing 
every  mark  of  extreme  want,  clamoring  for 
food.  The  benevolent  bestow  while  their  re- 
sources last  ;  but  resources  for  supply,  by  pur- 
chase or  gift,  fail.  Help  must  be  had  from 
others.  To  know  that  acquaintances  and  rela- 
tives are  thus  suffering,  must  excite  interest. 
Particular  cases  of  the  suffering  of  friends  can- 
not be  contemplated  without  sympathy,  and 
earnest  effort  to  relieve. 

"  Now  no  fancy  picture  or  reality  of  multi- 
tudes suffering  for  want  of  food,  can  exceed  the 
awful  fact  that  many  people  are  suffering  a 
'  famine  of  the  word  of  the  Lord '  to  the  ruin 
of  their  souls, — that  they  are  not  drawing 
supplies  from  the  fountain  of  spiritual  life. 
And  to  think  that  a  large  proportion  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  earth  are  wicked,  is  not 
enough.  The  peculiar  circumstances  of  indi- 
yiduals  and  classes,  best  known,  should  be  con- 


THE   GOOD   THEY   CAN    DO,  171 

sidered  and  presented  in  all  their  bearings. 
Petitions  offered  at  the  throne  of  grace,  naming 
the  particular  circumstances  of  souls  known  to 
be  suffering  worse  than  a  famine  of  bread,  will 
be  accompanied  with  earnest  and  bold  plead- 
ing. And  when  prayers,  offered  as  just  ex- 
pressed, are  answered,  the  success  is  readily 
recognized  ;  and  thereby  a  new  impulse  is  giv- 
en to  faith  in  after  approaches  to  the  throne 
of  grace.  But  if  prayer  is  offered  with  indefi- 
niteness,  for  many  blessings  in  general,  but 
none  in  particular,  answers  to  it  cannot  be  dis- 
tinguished, and  therefore  this  source  of  en- 
couragement to  faith  will  not  be  realized." 

I  found  it  to  be  a  peculiarity  attending  these 
emigrations,  that  no  persons  had  succeeded  in 
breaking  away  from  the  entanglements  of  Sa- 
tan's oppression,  without  the  interposition  of 
Supreme  power,  in  answer  to  petitions  in  their 
behalf.  It  is  no  wonder  that  petitions  of  em- 
igrants for  their  friends  are  very  numerous,  and 
that  they  are  very  earnest  in  this  and  other 
benevolent  efforts  to  rescue  them. 

4.  I  found  that  some  emigrants  go  back  and 
settle  again  in  the  old  country,  and  that  this 


172  THE   EMIGKANTS. 

discourages  many  from  moving  :  that  it  greatly 
neutralizes  the  benevolent  efforts  of  the  perma- 
nent settlers. 

Some  become  indolent,  wearied  with  the  ac- 
tivity required,  and  slink  back.  Perhaps  they 
are  naturally  sluggish.  Any  way,  they  slack 
the  zeal  and  untiring  industry  which  they  man- 
ifested in  their  first  removal,  appearing  to  im- 
agine that  when  once  fairly  settled,  they  may 
enjoy  ease  and  be  less  active.  Those  who  thus 
relax  their  energies,  find  themselves  soon  un- 
happy, and  begin  to  wander  back  to  seek  rest ; 
but  it  is  said  they  find  none. 

Others  yield  to  selfish  ambition,  and  com- 
plain that  they  are  required  to  support  the 
government  so  largely,  so  expensively,  and  to 
seek  their  own  emolument  only  in  subordina- 
tion to  that  of  the  government.  As  a  regular 
consequence  of  their  removal  to  the  country, 
and  submitting  to  its  industrial  regulations, 
their  riches  increase  ;  but  they  disregard  the 
injunction  not  to  set  their  hearts  upon  them. 
They  forget  that  all  they  have  or  could  gain  in 
the  country  is  by  the  favor  of  the  Sovereign  ; 
and  to  grudge  hina  supplies  when  he  seeks  to 


THE   GOOD   THEY   CAN   DO.  l73 

draw,  in  oixler  to  carry  out  the  benevolent  en- 
terprises of  his  government,  is  showing  ingrat- 
itude and  disloyalty.  These  dispositions  can- 
not long  be  indulged  there  without  further  dis- 
satisfaction, repining,  and  the  ultimate  decision 
to  seek  more  freedom  in  ambitious  gains. 
They  fail  then  to  love  their  Kuler  and  their 
country,  and  forsake  both.  They  turn  their 
23rosperity  to  their  ruin. 

Others  indulge  in  self-esteem  so  far  as  to  be 
self-sufficient.  They  begin  to  doubt  the  wis- 
dom of  the  administration,  and  disclaim  the 
authority  over  them.  They  will  be  "free 
thinkers/'  and  at  their  liberty.  So  they  re- 
turn. 

Others  disobey  the  laws,  or  neglect  their  du- 
ties as  enjoined,  and  are  banished  back  again. 

Of  course,  persons  who  would  do  these  things 
are  wicked  enough  to  misrepresent.  And  they 
do  so,  in  speaking  of  this  country.  This,  and 
the  fact  of  their  return,  causes  many  to  believe 
evil  of  the  land,  and  its  people.  Many  jeal- 
ousies and  surmises  are  excited  in  the  minds  of 
old  country  people  in  regard  to  the  efibrts  to 
induce  their  removal.     Heralds  are  heard  with 


174  THE   EMIGRANTS. 

suspicion.  Descriptions  of  the  promised  coun- 
try, and  of  their  own  situation  in  contrast,  are 
doubted.  Letters  of  friends  designed  to  per- 
suade to  their  removal,  are  thought  to  be  self- 
interested. 

As  the  crazed  become  enemies  often  to  their 
best  friends,  so  these  returned  ones  are  fre- 
quently the  most  virulent  and  successful  oppo- 
sers  to  emigration.  Their  very  presence  dis- 
courages many  from  starting.  If  they  even 
plead  that  they  are  passive,  and  would  not  be 
found  discouraging  others,  yet  their  very  posi- 
tion effectually  does  this  work. 

Here  we  see  the  danger  of  emigrants,  and 
the  difficulty  of  their  work.  If  none  ever  re- 
turned, once  emigrated  under  such  a  govern- 
ment, in  such  a  country,  they  would  have 
nothing  to  fear.  They  would  be  beyond  dan- 
ger. And  if  none  ever  returned,  it  would  be 
pleasant,  easy,  and  successful  work  to  invite 
their  friends  to  follow  them.  All  are  safe  while 
they  remain  in  the  country.  Nothing  can 
harm  them  while  they  are  followers  of  that 
which  is  good.  No  enemy  can  reach  them 
while  under  the  protection  of  their  all-power- 


THE   GOOD   THEY   CAN    DO.  175 

ful  Sovereign.  No  want  will  be  unsupplied 
where  their  real  good  would  suffer ;  for  the 
stores  of  the  universe  are  open  to  supply. 
They  have  only  to  ask  and  receive  what  they 
need.  Their  only  danger  is  in  leaving  the 
country.  But  to  stay,  they  must  submit  to 
its  regulations.  Tliis,  as  just  stated,  some  fail 
to  do.  And  their  failure  interferes  with  the 
pleasure  and  success  of  the  work  of  those  who 
stay.  Their  business  is,  among  other  things, 
to  extend  the  bounds  of  the  empire,  to  gather 
multitudes  to  join  it.  They  must  work  for 
their  country.  But  in  order  to  success,  their 
country  must  have  reputation  abroad  ;  for  their 
conquests  and  building  up  of  the  empire,  are 
not  with  carnal  weapons, — the  sv>-ord,  powder 
and  ball,  &c.  They  persuade  and  help  many  : 
they  compel  none.  Every  volunteer  is  sure  to 
have  all  needed  help  to  forsake  his  country,  and 
to  join  them. 

0,  if  every  emigrant  were  faithful,  and  never 
slacked  his  energy  in  discharging  the  duties 
here  represented,  to  his  countrymen,  having  all 
these  inducements  to  present  to  encom-age  their 


176  THE   EMIGKANTS. 

emigration,  it  really  seemed  to  me  that  every 
person  would  soon  join  them.  But  a  part  of 
them  relaxing  their  zeal  and  going  back,  sadly 
neutralizes  the  efforts  of  the  faithful. 


&a\xtlu^XQn. 


In  view  of  the  representations  of  tlie  prece- 
ding pages,  will  emigrants  suffer  me  to  urge  a 
few  reflections  upon  the  responsibility  of  their 
position  ? 

1.  Your  love  to  relatives  and  friends  is  now 
tested. 

You  profess  to  love  father,  mother,  brother, 
sister, — all  those  with  whom  you  most  asso- 
ciate. You  ought  to  love  them  ;  yes,  even 
your  enemies.  "  Love  your  enemies,  bless 
them  that  curse  you,''  says  the  Lord.  You 
know  that  some  of  your  near  relatives  and 
friends,  as  well  as  enemies,  are  miserable  ;  are 
under  subjection  to  the  despot.  They  do  not 
love  and  serve  your  Lord.  They  are  seeking 
happiness  in  their  so-called  Pleasure  Fields^  in 
vain  :  building  castles  in  the  air  does  not  sat- 
isfy them ;  sensual  delights  bring  their  sore 
evils  ;    gold  and  earthly  glory  cannot  satisfy  ; 


178  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

their  false  hopes  and  philosophizing, — all  leave 
them  with  an  aching  void.  They  are  ever 
seeking  a  better  good,  grasping,  feeling  their 
wsij  along  through  life,  waxing  all  the  while 
worse  and  worse  in  misery  and  danger  :  their 
Ruler  entangles  them  in  his  wiles  more  and 
more  firmly.  Their  doom  is  certain,  unless 
they  are  soon  rescued.  But  you  are  saved. 
And  how  do  yuu  show  your  love  ?  By  doing 
all  you  can,  by  making  any  sacrifice,  to  get 
them  over  with  you  ?  Do  you  send  uj)  repeated 
petitions  to  the  Sovereign  Power  in  their  behalf? 
Do  you  send  letters  to  them,  warning  of  their 
danger,  and  telling  of  the  good  you  enjoy? 
Are  you  careful  to  have  the  proclamation  of 
heralds  reach  their  ears,  presenting  every  per- 
suasive for  them  to  escape  from  their  danger  ? 
Are  you  sparing  of  no  expense  requisite  for  the 
use  of  these  means  to  obtain  their  freedom  ? 
Or,  do  you  get  discouraged  by  trifling  diflicul- 
ties  in  this  work  ?  Do  you  slacken  your  zeal, 
indulge  in  murmurings  against  your  Sovereign  ; 
and,  by  example  of  unfaithfulness,  dissatisfac- 
tion, and  desertion,  do  you  fasten  upon  them 
the  ruinous  choice  to  stay  where  they  are? 


CONCLUSION.  179 

Your  imfaitliful  lives  and  desertioM  back 
again  to  tlieir  company,  are  the  direct  means 
to  lead  them  to  that  fatal  decision.  Is  this 
loving  them  ?  It  is  binding  them  in  their 
miseries.  It  is  constantly  winding  worse  than 
a  serpent's  coil  around  them, — enchaining  them 
for  the  pit  of  woe.  Are  you  doing  this  ?  0 
how  sad  I  have  felt  when  I  have  seen  persons 
who  professed  to  love  their  friends,  doing  this 
very  thing, — doing  them  this  wrong.  0  fo' 
love  that  wins. 

2.  In  your  present  hfe  yom-  relia])ility,  in  anj 
professed  attachment,  is  tested. 

A  circumstance  which  once  transpired  within 
the  observation  of  an  officer  of  this  kingdom 
will  illustrate  this  point: — "At  a  very  early 
period  of  my  ministry,"  said  the  Eev.  A.  M. 
L.,  "I  labored  in  a  portion  of  the  country 
where  a  singular  circumstance  happened  in  the 
common  walks  of  life.  A  well-bred  young- 
man,  apparently  under  much  rehgious  concern, 
united  himself  with  an  excellent  religious  soci- 
ety. Although  he  had  formerly  been  rather 
wayward  and  inconsistent  in  his  Hfe,  yet,  by 
his  steady  attendance  on  all  the  means  of  grace. 


180  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

and  the  rapid  im2)rove merit  which  he  seemea 
to  make  in  his  rehgious  com'se,  he  had  gained 
largely  on  the  affections  of  his  class-mates  ; 
and  some  of  the  most  pious  and  discerning  had 
already  begun  to  regard  him  as  a  youth  of  some 
promise.  In  the  same  neighborhood  resided  a 
comely,  and  in  many  respects,  a  very  amiable 
girl.  Heaven  had,  in  mercy,  granted  her  one 
of  the  greatest  earthly  blessings — a  pious  pa- 
rentage. But  she  was  of  an  unusually  volatile 
disposition,  and  passionately  fond  of  the  world, 
its  fashions  and  amusements.  Our  young  friend 
saw  her,  loved  her,  and  finally  made  proposals 
of  marriage.  Eliza  acknowledged  that  she 
was  pleased  with  him.  '  But,  William,'  said 
she,  ^  there  is  one  insuperable  barrier  to  our 
union.  You  ]3rofess  religion,  and  I  have  no 
reason  to  doubt  your  sincerity.  You  see  what 
a  giddy,  vain,  and  heedless  sinner  I  am.  What 
domestic  hapj^iness  do  you  suppose  will  arise 
from  our  marriage  ?  You,  as  a  man  of  God, 
would  feel  it  to  be  your  duty  to  erect  a  family 
altar  :  I  am  illy  qualified  to  participate  in  holy 
exercises.  You  would  love  to  see  everything 
clothed  in  the  sombre  aspect  of  Christianity  ; 


CONCLUSION.  181 

I  might  love  to  sliine  out  with  my  fashionable 
friends.  Consider  the  great  gulf  that  Hes  be- 
tween us.  It  is  true,  it  is  not  impassable.  But 
I  am  not  prepared  to  come  over  to  you  at 
present.  It  remains  for  you  to  consider  whether 
you  can  forego  your  rehgious  associations  to  ac- 
commodate me.' 

"  William,  with  a  sorrowful  countenance  and 
heavy  sigh,  observed  that  he  would  consider  the 
matter.  A  few  days  after,  in  a  heartless  and 
reluctant  manner,  he  requested  the  leader  to 
have  his  name  erased  from  the  class-book, 
when  the  preacher  came  round.  The  leader, 
supposing  he  was  laboring  under  some  cruel 
temptation  of  the  enemy,  urged  him  to  confide 
in  his  integrity,  and  unbosom  all  his  sorrows. 
The  more  solicitous  the  leader  was  to  dissuade 
him  from  his  purpose,  the  more  earnestly  he 
pressed  his  suit.  The  preacher,  judging  from 
the  vehemency  of  his  manner,  that  all  was  not 
right,  and  that  it  might  be  more  creditable  to 
the  Church  to  let  him  go,  granted  his  request. 

"  It  was  not  long  before  he  stood  before 
Eliza  and  renewed  his  suit.  She  observed, 
'  You  are  aware  of  the  only  difficulty  that  lies 


182  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

in  the  way — '  Before  slie  finished  the  sen- 
tence,  he  exclaimed,  with  a  smile,  '  0,  tha^t  is 
removed — my  name  is  taken  from  the  book — I 
am  no  longer  a  Church  member/  The  young 
lady  fell  back  in  her  chair.  A  deadly  paleness 
overspread  her  face,  and,  with  quivering  lips, 
she  said,  '  I  will  never  consent  to  marry  you 
while  the  world  stands.  It  is  true,  I  am  wild 
and  irreligious  ;  but  the  pious  instructions  of 
my  parents,  the  religious  opportunities  I  have 
had,  the  many  heart-searching  sermons  which 
I  have  heard,  have  for  a  long  time  disturbed 
my  peace,  and  have  determined  me  not  to 
choose  death.  In  view  of  my  natural  prone- 
ness  to  ruin,  I  had  determined  to  marry  none 
but  a  man  who  would  help  me  to  save  my  soul. 
I  had  flattered  myself  that  you  were  such  a 
character,  but  thought  it  would  be  safe  to  try 
your  steadfastness.  When  the  proposal  to 
leave  your  class  was  first  made,  if  you  had  re- 
jected it  with  a  manly  and  holy  indignation, 
you  would  have  received  my  hand  on  the  spot. 
When  you  promised  to  consider  the  matter,  I 
saw  an  indecision  of  character  that  made  me 
tremble      But  even  after  so  many  days'  delib- 


CONCLUSION.  183 

eration,  if  you  had  returned  and  said  that  you 
loved  Zion  above  your  chief  joy — then  I  could 
have  confided  my  life  in  your  hands.  But  the 
die  is  cast.  You  will  please  never  mention 
the  subject  again,  forever.' 

"  We  hope  the  reader  will  never  realize  the 
anguish  of  the  rejected  suitor.  The  Church 
avoided  him  as  an  insincere  and  dangerous 
character.  The  w^orld,  more  cruel,  reserved 
him  as  a  standing  target  of  ridicule.  Some 
think  that  a  compromising  course,  in  religious 
matters,  is  most  likely  to  win  over  their  irreli- 
gious friends  and  connections.  Hence,  they 
have  relaxed  their  fervor  in  the  services  of  the 
sanctuary.  They  have  admitted  the  propriety 
of  things  which  were  doubtful,  and  shaped  their 
profession  too  much  in  conformity  with  the 
views  of  the  world.  This,  we  will  admit,  has 
often  warded  ofip  persecution,  and  has  some- 
times restored  peace  in  families  ;  but  it  is  a 
peace  that  impoverishes  piety,  enervates  the 
soul,  and  is  always  bought  at  the  expense  of  the 
cross  and  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ.  We  doubt 
whether  this  vascillating  policy  has  ever  saved 
a  soul  ;    steadfastness   and   decision   of  faith 


184  THE   EMIGRANTS. 

have,  and  always  will,  where  salvation  is  pos- 
sible." 

Every  emigrant  must  expect  to  see  a  trying 
hour — a  trial  of  his  steadfastness.  The  narra- 
tive just  given  illustrates  the  nature  of  this 
trial,  however  diverse  may  be  the  circumstan- 
ces. Somehow  the  real  character  will  be  de- 
veloped. If  allegiance  to  the  government  is 
hearty,  if  Zioii  is  loved  above  the  chief  joy,  if 
no  bribes  can  lead  to  a  moment's  hesitation 
whether  to  betray  its  interests,  then  there  is 
reliability — no  indecision  of  character  to  make 
one  tremble  for  the  safety  of  the  person  or  his 
cause. 

Every  conceivable  measure  is  taken  to  influ- 
ence emigrants  to  forsake  the  standard  of  their 
Sovereign.  Beelzebub  understands  full  well, 
from  the  experience  of  thousands  of  years,  that 
this  is  an  efiicient  means  of  weakening  the 
strength  and  reputation  of  Christ's  kingdom. 
Every  one  is  forewarned  of  the  danger  from  this 
source.  All  are  told  that  they  will  have  to 
pass  some  perilous  scenes  ;  when,  if  they  are 
not  suddenly  surprised  and  taken  off,  or  bribed 
by  offers  of  rich  rewards,  or  fascinated  by  fair 


CONCLUSION,  185 

appearances,  or  captured  in  hot  fight,  it  will 
be  by  the  watchful  care  and  ever-present  help 
which  their  Sovereign  Lord  proffers,  and  they 
accept.  If  at  any  time  one  ventures  to  meet 
these  hostile  forces  alone,  or  in  a  way  differ- 
ent from  his  instructions,  he  is  sure  to  be  taken. 
He  must  act  the  soldier  in  obedience,  and  the 
soldier  in  the  heat  of  battle. 

But  it  is  supposed  that  all  who  emigrate 
have  counted  the  cost  ;  and  it  is  a  wonder  that 
any  should  fail  to  profit  by  their  warnings,  and 
to  be  braced  against  yielding  to  be  overcome  in 
the  hour  of  trial.  Why  not  recollect  in  the 
very  midst  of  the  severest  conflict,  that  this  is 
just  what  was  anticipated  ;  that  this  is  the  very 
crisis  for  which  much  previous  preparation  has 
been  made,  the  crisis  by  which  to  step  to  the 
higher  honors  and  confidence  in  the  kingdom  ? 
What  would  soldiers  be  good  for,  however  well 
trained  by  their  manoeuverings,  and  however 
well  equipped,  if  they  would  not  stand,  and 
fight,  and  conquer,  in  the  heat  of  battle? 
What  would  a  country  full  of  people  avail  to 
a  Sovereign,  if,  when  his  kingdom  is  menaced 

by  a  foe,  they  could  not  be  relied  upon  as  his 
14 


186  THE   EMIGRANTS. 

fast  friends  ?  Could  a  country  prosper  if  the 
people  maintained  their  attachments  only  while 
no  adverse  influences  tried  its  strength  ? 

A  Sovereign  and  a  people  Avho  should  show 
themselves  held  together  by  no  stronger  bonds 
than  these  indicated^  would  exert  but  a  very 
feeble  influence  upon  a  neighboring  people,  to 
induce  them  to  annex  themselves.  A  failure 
of  any  individual  to  stand  firm  in  his  attach- 
ments to  his  chosen  home,  exerts  a  most  de- 
structive influence  upon  the  opinions  and  con- 
fidence of  neighboring  friends,  in  regard  to  the 
desirableness  of  that  home.  Upon  every  emi- 
grant it  may  then  be  urged,  both  for  your  own 
sake  and  the  sake  of  your  friends,  he  firm. 

3.  Your  course  shows  what  leading  motives 
actuate  you. 

You  have  sought  and  found  your  present 
home.  Do  the  same  motives  still  reign  with 
you  which  actuated  your  removal  ?  Or,  having 
succeeded  thus  far,  do  you  change  your  princi- 
ples of  action,  and  no  longer  act  from  a  con- 
trolling regard  to  the  rights  of  your  Sovereign 
as  connected  with  your  eternal  good ;  but 
rather  let  selfish  principles  come  in,  leading  to 


CONCLUSION.  187 

seek  personal  ease  and  present  enjoyment,  ac- 
cording to  inclinations?  Are  you  now  crea- 
tures of  circumstances  and  of  strongest  influ- 
ences ?  If  so,  your  motives  of  action  will  be 
as  changeable  as  the  uiotive  power  dependent 
on  the  shifting  winds.  You  will  be  drawn  by 
motives  in  diverse  ways.  You  cannot  be  relied 
upon  to  stand  to  any  position  of  duty  or  right 
assigned  to  you.  To-day  you  nip.y  be  regular 
subjects  of  the  kingdom  ;  to-morrow,  deserters. 
You  cannot  thus  have  the  noble  motives  of 
patriotism  and  human  friendshij)  actuating 
you.  Your  motives  must  be  low.  You  seek 
for  indulgence  of  appetites,  or  passions,  or  ac- 
tions in  rebellion  against  God,  such  as  are  pra<j- 
ticed  only  by  a  fallen,  degraded  race.  You  seek 
satisfaction  which  no  being  in  God's  universe 
would  think  of  calHng  good,  except  those 
dwelling  on  earth  in  a  fallen  state.  You  your- 
selves, when  you  pass,  by  and  by,  from  earth, 
will  not  look  upon  those  things  which  you  now 
call  enjoyments,  as  at  all  desirable.  You  seek 
earth-born  pleasures,  nurtured  in  sin  ;  such  as 
cannot  continue  in  another  world.  And  for 
these  you  leave  the  begun  enjoyments  of  heav- 


188  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

en's  supply,  adapted  to  satisfy  your  immortal 
natures,  in  Christ's  kingdom.  Certainly  no- 
thing less  than  tliis  can  be  said  of  the  motives 
which  lead  an  individual  away  from  allegiance 
to  Christ.  They  are  motives  low  as  earth,  and 
degraded  as  the  fields  of  Sin  ;  they  cannot  be 
unearthly  and  eternal  motives.  When  you 
pass  beyond  earth  you  will  find  nothing  to  fill 
the  place  of  these  motives  which  you  have 
while  on  earth.  You  must  then  exist  and  suf- 
fer, without  a  motive — no  worthy  end  of  living 
in  view.  0  how  you  will  then  wish  to  cease  to 
be.  But  nothing  will  be  found  upon  which  to 
rest  the  aims  or  hopes.  A  dark  blank  will  be 
there — no  motive  to  invite  pursuit  in  any  di- 
rection. 

For  nothing  less  than  this  are  you  going  who 
forsake  allegiance  to  Christ's  kingdom  ;  who 
are  drawn  off  by  any  motives  whatever.  Look 
well  to  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  your  hearts, 
if  you  would  not  make  the  first  move  toward 
your  final  ruin.  Venture  not  to  look  down  at  all 
with  desire  upon  earthly  enjoyments,  or  sinful 
offers.  Eeach  not  after  them,  ever.  Kise  over 
them   in   your   aims   of  life.      Have  motives 


CONCLUSION.  189 

worthy  of  your  positiorij  as  subjects  of  a 
heavenly  empire  ;  worthy  of  your  God-like 
capacity  ;  worthy  of  your  immortality.  Grasp 
not  for  a  phantom  to  lose  a  reality. 

If  you  persist  through  all  trials,  to  go  on  as 
faithful  emigrants — as  adopted  citizens  in 
Christ's  kingdom,  your  motives  are  certainly 
higher  than  those  which  actuate  animals ; 
higher  and  nobler  than  sinful.  Nothing  of  sin 
is  sought  for.  The  soul  is  in  full  stretch  above 
and  beyond  the  fields  of  Sin.  The  thoughts 
are  fixed  on  acts  manifesting  love  to  the  Lord. 
The  motives  are  patriotic.  You  love  your 
country — your  Kuler.  Any  toil,  any  sacrifice, 
anything  building  up  the  kingdom,  is  practiced 
with  delight.  Nothing  is  allowed  to  divide  the 
affections. 

And  all  this  in  this  kingdom's  prosperity,  is 
in  plain  connection  with  ardent  love  to  fellow 
men.  Philanthropy  and  friendship  are  exercised , 
as  if  no  other  object  of  living  were  had.  The 
faithful  citizens  live  for  the  good  of  others, — 
that  they  may  be  brought  to  share  the  same 
blessings  with  themselves.  Who  can  find  fault 
with  this  way  of  living — living  to  make  the 


190  THE    EMIGRANTS. 

world  liapp}"  ?  It  is  not  living  in  vain.  It  is 
a  more  noble  motive  of  life  than  to  live  to  make 
a  fortune  of  earthly  treasm-es.  These  people 
mean  to  do  good.  They  try.  They  contrive 
how.  They  seek  instruction  for  this.  Their 
very  efforts  exert  a  flivorable  influence  upon 
those  they  Avould  benefit,  though  they  may  not 
appear  to  themselves  to  succeed.  Their  mo- 
tives are  good,  and  God  approves.  They  are 
of  the  same  nature  as  those  with  which  angels 
live.  Angels  do  not  pass  on  in  existence  to  get 
money,  or  to  gather  farms  or  merchandise  as 
their  own,  or  to  get  reputation  for  extensive 
knowledge,  or  to  obtain  influence  over  the  opin- 
ions of  others,  or  to  indulge  any  such  feelings 
as  are  enjoyed  by  sinful  men  in  eating,  or 
drinking,  or  seeing,  or  hearing.  They  live  to 
enjoy  pleasures,  above  any  such,  nobler  and 
richer.  And  these  emigrants  seek  to  enjoy  as 
angels  do.  This  is  one  aim  of  their  life.  They 
have  motives  different  from  their  sinning  neigh- 
bors. They  have  got  their  attention  upon  an 
object  of  life  which  will  not  cease  to  move  them 
when  the  earth  is  burned  up.  If  there  is 
nothing  worthy  of  living  for,  only  that  which  is 


CONCLUSION.  191 

embraced  in  the  motives  of  wicked  men,  why 
should  they  desire  to  exist  when  the  earth  is  no 
more?  But  these  emigrants  Hve  for  a  good 
wliich  will  never  perish.  In  its  nature  the  good 
they  seek  is  eternal.  It  is  satisfaction  to  their 
immortal  part — the  soul. 

Now  if  these  23atriotic,  philanthrojDic,  angel- 
ic, eternal  motives,  are  yours  through  life,  your 
life  will  not  be  spent  in  vain.  You  will  get  a 
real  good,  and  will  do  good.  How  is  this? 
Are  you  hesitating  whether  to  devote  your  all 
as  faithful  subjects  of  your  chosen  Sovereign? 
Let  nothing  divide  your  affections,  nor  prevent 
your  whole  life  being  spent  in  a  way  the  most 
successful  to  promote  Christ's  universal  sway. 
Do  not  forget  that  upon  your  exertions,  chiefly, 
it  depends  whether  your  relatives  and  friends, 
now  ground  down  under  Satan's  oppression, 
ever  come  over  to  enjoy  the  blessings  of  Christ's 
kingdom. 


THE  EMIGMNTS. 


^11    A-llegory; 

Or,  Christians  ts.  the  AVorld.     By  Ret.  Wesley  Coch- 
ran, A.  M. 

12mo.,  pp.  220.    Price ^0  50 

-11 "   Gilt  edges 0/5 

The  work  is  one  of  more  than  usual  promise  and  excellence. 
It  is  like  John  Bunyan,  a  Christian  Allegory,  which,  from  the 
beauty  of  its  style,  happy  conception  of  character,  and  impress- 
ive and  mstructive  lessons,  is  worthy  to  be  extensively  read. 
—Geneva  Courier. 

In  the  present  work  the  author  has  succeeded  in  managing 
his  characters  and  tracing  his  analogies  with  considerable  skill. 
We  commend  the  work  as  teaching  many  useful  lessons  in  a 
pleasant  manner. — Zion.s  Herald. 

There  is  truth,  power,  and  effectiveness  in  this  little  volume. 
It  is  a  gem  of  richness  to  every  emigrant  sailing  on  the  sea  of 
time,  or  travehng  by  land  to  the  shores  of  a  distant  eternity. 
The  conception,  taken  from  the  yearly  rush  of  emigrants  to  our 
shores,  their  soUcitude  to  bring  over  the  friends  they  have  left 
behind,  and  our  duty  to  them,  is  a  most  happy  one,  and  is  car- 
ried out  with  fehcitous  effect.  The  reader  cannot  but  be  inter- 
ested, instructed,  and  made  better  by  its  perusal,  and  taught 
thereby  that  his  life  should  be  one  of  active  exertion  for  the 
good  and  salvation  of  his  neighbor.  It  should  be  in  the  hands 
of  every  ioxm^j.— American  Spectator. 

From  a  careful  lookmg  through  the  volume,  we  conclude  that 
the  author  has  attained  his  end  in  a  pleasant,  instructive,  and 
very  intelligent  manner,  and  cannot  help  furthering  its  designed 
object. —  Utica  Teetotaler. 

The  writer  has  adopted  a  style  of  composition  which  is  espe- 
cially difficult,  since  the  amazingly  popular  and  successful  effort 


THE   EMIGRANTS. 

of  John  Bunyan,  to  present  the  truths  of  religious  doctrine  and 
experience  by  allegory.  Indeed,  we  have  supposed  that  this 
style  of  writing  required  an  inspiration  almost  divine,  and  which 
is  given  only  occasionally  at  great  intervals  in  the  history  of 
society.  But  Mr.  Cochran  seems  to  have  imbibed  this  spirit, 
and  has  presented  here  a  work  which  cannot  fail  to  produce  an 
effect  upon  the  spiritual  well-being  of  those  for  whose  benefit 
it  is  designed.  The  power  of  temptation,  the  sad  effects  of  sin 
and  the  inevitable  ruin  it  works,  are  described  in  an  interesting 
and  impressive  manner ;  as  are  also  the  duty  and  obligations  of 
Christians  with  reference  to  themselves  and  their  friends. — 
Susquehanna  Journal, 

This  is  a  very  readable  volume,  and  a  highly  successful  effort 
in  a  line  that  has  exhibited  no  compeer  to  the  prince  of  allego- 
rists,  Bunyan.  The  author  has  been  a  close  observer  of  men 
in  every  state  of  mind,  and  under  almost  every  variety  of  influ- 
ences, and  has  drawn  portraits  that  will  be  recognized.  His 
work  will  do  good. — Religious  Becorder. 

It  contains  valuable  Christian  instructions,  which  may  be  read 
with  profit. — Pittsburgli  Christian  Advocate. 

The  analogy  between  emigration  to  America  and  emigration 
to  heaven  is  here  traced.  The  idea  is  a  novel  one,  and  very 
well  illustrated. — Genesee  Evangelist. 

The  book  is  well  written,  and  cannot  fail  to  give  the  reader 
both  pleasure  and  profit. — Guide  to  Holiness. 

This  is  an  interesting  work,  and  full  of  instruction.  The  al- 
legory is  well  sustained,  and  must  rank  high  among  this  class 
of  works.  Its  style  is  excellent,  and  its  sentiment  cannot  but 
improve  the  heart  and  life. — Rev.  R.  W.  Allen. 


BOOKS  FOR  SUNDAY  SCHOOLS. 


200  Mulberry-street,  IVew  York. 


CONVERSATIONS  ON  PALESTINE. 

Conversations  on  the  Geography,  Natural  History,  etc.,  of 
Palestine.  By  Imogen  Mercein.  Illustrated.  18mo.  Price, 
29  cents. 

THE  LIFE  OF  SAMSON. 

By  Rev.  Daniel  Smith.     18mo.    Price,  IG  cents. 

MORAL  FABLES  AND  PARABLES. 

By  Ingram  Cobbix,  M.  A.    Illustrated.    18mo.    Price,  16  cents. 

STORIES  FROM  THE  HISTORY  OF  SCOTLAND. 

By  Rev.  Alexander  Stewart,  a  Minister  of  that  Country. 
ISmo.     Price,  21  cents. 


Or,  The  History  of  Mrs.  Murray  and  her  Children.  By  William 
M'Gavin,  Esq.,  Author  of  the  Protestant.     ISmo.     Price,  19 

cents. 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PAUL. 

By  Rev.  Daniel  Smith.     ISmo.    Price,  22  cents. 

THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  JERUSALEM: 

Abridged  ft-om  the  History  of  the  Jewish  Wars,  by  Flavius 
Josephus.  With  a  Description  of  Palestine,  and  brief  Sketch 
of  the  jffistory  of  Jerusalem  before  the  War ;  together  with  an 
Epitome  of  its  Modern  History,  the  whole  being  intended  to 
illustrate  the  Fullillment  of  the  Predictions  of  Moses  and  the 
Messiah.     By  Rev.  Daniel  Smith.     ISmo.     Price,  23  cents. 

WESLEYAN  CENTENARY: 

A  Memorial  of  the  Wesleyan  Centenary.  Extracted  from 
"  The  Centenary  of  Wesleyan  Methodism."  By  Thomas  Jack- 
son.    ISmo.    Price,  19  cents. 

GRACE  KING; 

Or,  Recollections  of  Events  in  the  Life  and  Death  of  a  Pious 
Youth  :  with  Extracts  from  her  Diary.  Published  for  the  benefit 
of  Youth.     Three  Illustrations.     18mo.    Price,  24  cents. 

LOVE  TO  THE  SAVIOUR. 

By  Rev.  Daniel  SmTH.     ISmo.    Price,  18  cents. 

THE  LIFE  OF  ST.  PETER. 

Bv  Rev.  Daniel  Smith.     ISmo.     Price,  Iv)  cents. 


BOOKS  FOR  SUNDAY  SCHOOLS. 


200  Mulberry-sireetj  IVew  York. 


FILIAL  DUTY 

Recommended  and  Enforced,  by  a  variety  of  Instructive  and 
Amusing  Narratives  of  Children  who  have  been  Remarkable 
for  Affection  to  their  Parents ;  also,  an  Account  of  some  Strik- 
ing Instances  of  Children  who  have  been  guilty  of  Cruel  and 
Unnatural  Conduct  to  their  Parents.  Five  Illustrations.  18mo. 
Price,  19  cents. 

SOUTH  SEA  MISSIONS. 

Conversations  on  the  South  Sea  Missions.  By  the  Author 
of  "  Conversations  on  the  Life  of  Carey."  Illustrated.  Two 
volumes,  18mo.     Price,  40  cents. 

THE  LIFE  OF  DAVID. 

By  Rev.  Daniel  Smith.     18mo.    Price,  21  cents. 

IDLE  DICK  AND  THE  POOR  WATCHMAKER. 

Originally  written  in  French,  by  Rev.  C^sar  Malan,  of 
Geneva.     With  Illustrations.    18mo.    Price,  15  cents. 

THE  FEATHER  AND  SONG  BIRD. 

Illustrated.     18mo.     Price,  14  cents. 

THE  MIRACLES  OF  CHRIST: 

With  Explanatory  Observations,  and  Illustrations  from  Modern 
Travels.  Intended  for  the  Young.  Six  Illustrations.  ISmo. 
Price,  27  cents. 

THE  FLY  AND  HONEY  BEE. 

Illustrated.     18mo.    Price,  15  cents. 

THE  NEST  AND  EGG. 

Illustrated.     18mo.    Price,  16  cents. 

SCRIPTURE  CHARACTERS: 

Letters  on  the  Distinguishing  Excellences  of  Remarkable  Scrip- 
ture Personages.  By  Rev.  Robert  Huston.  18mo.  Price, 
26  cents. 

THE  ANIMALCULE  AND  GALL  INSECT. 

Illustrated.     ISmo.     Price,  14  cents. 

THE  FORTY-TWO  CHILDREN  AT  MT.  BETHEL. 

By  a  Sabbath-School  Teacher.     18mo.    Price,  14  cents. 

THE  ANT  AND  SPIDER. 

Illustrated.     18nio.     Price,  16  cents. 
10 


BOOKS  FOR  SUNDAY  SCHOOLS. 


200  Mulberry-street,  New  York. 


STORY  OF  ANNA  THE  PROPHETESS. 

By  a  Sabbath-School  Teacher.     l.Smo.    Price,  14  cents. 

STORY  OF  ANANIAS  AND  SAPPHIRA. 

By  William  A.  Alcott.     18mo.    Price,  15  cents. 

THE  JEW  AMONG  ALL  NATIONS. 

Eight  Illustrations.     18nio.    Price,  22  cents. 

THE  KINGDOM  OF  HEAVEN 

Amouy  Children;  or,  Twenty-five  Narratives  of  a  Religious 
Awakening  in  a  School  in  Pomerania.  From  the  German, 
by  Charlotte  Clarke.     18mo.    Price,  18  cents. 

MOUNTAINS  OF  THE  PENTATEUCH. 

Conversations  on  the  Mountains  of  the  Pentateuch,  and  the 
Scenes  and  Circumstances  connected  with  them  in  Holy  Writ. 
18mo.    Price,  23  cents. 

LIFE  OF  JOHN  BUNYAN, 

Author  of  the  Pilgrim's  Progress.  By  Stephen  B.  Wickens. 
Six  Illustrations.     18mo.    Price,  31  cents. 

THE  TWO  DOVES: 

Or,  Memoirs  of  Margaret  and  Anna  Dove,  late  of  Leeds, 
England.    By  Peter  M'Owax.     ISmo.     Price,  17  cents. 

THE  MOTHERLESS  FAMILY. 

Two  Illustrations.     ISmo.    Price,  17  cents. 

THOMAS  HAWKEY  TREFFRY: 

Parental  Portraiture  of  Thomas  Hawkey  Treffry,  who  died  at 
Falmouth,  April  19,  1821,  aged  eighteen  years.  By  Rev. 
Richard  Treffry.     18mo.    Price,  21  cents. 

UNCLE  WILLIAM  AND  HIS  NEPHEWS. 

Nine  Illustrations.     18mo.     Price,  16  cents. 

MY  GRANDFATHER  GREGORY. 

With  Illustrations.     ISmo.     Price,  18  cents. 

THE  FLOWER  AND  FRUIT. 

Illustrated.     ISmo.     Price,  16  cents. 

THE  SEED  AND  GRASS. 

Illustrated.     I'^mo.     Price,  18  cents. 


BOOKS  FOR  SUNDAY  SCHOOLS. 

200  Mulberry-street,  New  York. 


MY  GRANDMAMMA  GILBERT. 

By  the  Authoi-  of  "  My  Grandfather  Gregory."     Illustrated. 
18mo.     Price,  20  cents. 

MARY ;  OR,  THE  YOUNG  CHRISTIAN. 

An   Authentic   Narrative.      By   one  -vvho    was    intimately  ac- 
quainted with  her  from  her  infancy.     18mo.     Price,  18  cents. 

MEMOIRS  OF  THE  LATE  JANE  TAYLOR. 

By  Isaac  Taylor.     With  a  brief  Introduction,  by  Rev.  Daniel 
Smith.    18mo.    Price,  18  cents. 


Or,  Familiar  Conversations  upon  Interesting  Subjects  between 
a  Child  and  her  Parents.  With  Illustrations.  ISmo.  Price, 
17  cents. 

MEMOIR  OF  JONATHAN  SAVILLE, 

Of  Halifax,  England,  including  his  Autobiography.  By  Francis 
A.  West.     18mo.     Price,  17  cents. 

NO  lONG  IN  ISRAEL ; 

Or,  The  Importance  of  Discipline.  By  a  Sabbath  -  School 
Teacher.     LSmo.     Price,  11  cents. 

THE  TONGUE  AND  EAR. 

Illustrated.     ISmo.     Price,  17  cents. 

LEARNING  TO  THINK. 

Illustrated.     Tv.o  volumes,  18rao.    Price,  39  cents. 

WE  ARE   SEVEN; 

Or,  The  Little  Mourner  Comforted.  By  Elizabeth  Maria 
Lloyd.     18mo.    Price,  15  cents. 

THE  EYE. 

Illustrated.     18rao.     Price,  17  cents. 

MISSIONARY  BOOK  FOR  THE  YOUNG. 

A  First  Book  on  Missions.  With  Illustrations.  18mo.  Price, 
23  cents. 

THE  HAND. 

Illustrated.     18mo.    Price,  17  cents. 
12 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE, 


200  Mulberry-street,  New  York. 


PLEASANT  PATHWAYS ; 

Or,  Persuasives  to  Early  Piety:  containing  Explanations  and 
Illustrations  of  the  Beauty,  Safety,  and  Pleasantness  of  a  Relig- 
ious Life :  being  an  Attempt  to  persuade  Young  People  of  both 
Sexes  to  seek  Happiness  in  the  Love  and  Serviceof  Jesus  L'hrist. 
By  Da>'iel  Wise,  author  of  "  The  Path  of  Life,"  "  Young  Man's 
Counselor,"  etc.,  etc.    Two  Illustrations.     Wide  16mo.    Price, 
60  cents. 
The  works  of  this  author  have  secured  him  the  reputation  of  one  of  the 
most  eloquent  and  fascinating  religious  M-riters  of  the  day.     As  a  writer 
for  youth  we  know  of  no  one  whom  we  should  regard  as  his  equal.    The 
book  before  us  will  be  found  more  fascinating  than  a  novel :  once  com- 
menced it  will  not  be  easy  to  lay  it  tlown. — Ohrixiutn  Gunrdinn. 

One  of  the  most  beautiful  works,  in  our  estimation,  ever  published.  Its 
contents  are  as  sands  of  gold — peculiarly  adapted  to  impart  precious 
thoughts  which  shall  tend  to  noble  aspirations  for  a  Christian  life. — 
Buffalo  Advocate. 

Well  calculated  to  exert  a  salutary  influence. — Christian  Intelligencer. 
Can  scarcely  be  read  without  signal  benefit,  especially  by  the  young.^ 
PiiUiburgh  Christian  Advocate. 

Remarkable  for  depth  of  reasoning  and  tenderness.  It  must,  by  the 
blessing  of  God,  win  many  to  Christ.  Praise  God  for  such  works. — 
Beauty  ofRolinexK 

It  does  not  clothe  piety  in  weeds  or  hang  salvation  in  black.  It  combines 
the  .sood,  the  beautiful,  and  the  true. — Northweiitevn  Christian  Advocate. 
Will  be  read  witii  lively  interest  by  youth  who  are  even  uninterested  in 
its  purpose.  The  Christian  parent  can  put  it  into  the  hands  of  his  children 
with  the  assurance  that  it  will  prove  a  delight  to  them,  while  they  cannot 
fail  to  learn  its  great  lessons. — Christia/ti  Advocate. 
Admirably  adapted  to  do  good. —  Vermont  Christian  Messenger. 

PALISSY  THE  POTTER; 

Or,  the  Huguenot,  Artist,  and  Martyr.  A  true  Narrative.  By 
C.  L.  Brightwell.  Eighteen  Illustrations.  Wide  16mo. 
Price,  75  cents. 
Bernard  de  Palissy  is  the  most  perfect  model  of  the  workman.  It  is  by 
his  example,  rather  than  by  his  works,  that  he  has  exercised  an  influence 
upon  civilization,  and  that  he  has  deserved  a  place  to  himself  among  the 
men  who  have  ennobled  hnmanity.  Though  he  had  remained  unknown 
and  listless,  making  tiles  in  his  father's  pottery;  though  he  had  never 
purified,  molded,  or  enameled  his  handful  of  clay;  though  his  living 
groups,  his  crawlintr  reptiles,  his  slimv  snails,  his  slippery  frogs,  bis  lively 
lizards,  and  his  damp  herbs  and  dripping  mosses  had  never  adorned  those 
dishes,  ewers,  and  salt-cellars — those  quaint  and  elaborate  ornaments  of 
the  tables  and  cupboards  of  the  sixteenth  century;  it  is  true  nothing 
would  have  been  wanting  to  the  art  of  Phidias  or  of  Michael  Angelo — to 
the  porcelain  of  Sevres,  of  China,  of  Florence,  or  Japan  ;  but  we  should 
not  have  had  his  life  for  the  operative  to  admire  and  imitate. — Lamartine. 

THE  RAINBOW  SIDE: 

A  Sequel  to  "  Tlie  Itinerant."     By  Mrs.  C.  M.  Edwards     Four 
Illustrations.     \Vide  IGino.     Price,  70  cents. 

13 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 

300  Mulberry-street,  IVew  York. 


THE  POET  PREACHER: 

A  Brief  Memorial  of  Charles  Wesley,  the  eminent  Preacher 
and  Poet.  By  Charles  Adams.  Five  Illustrations.  Wide 
16mo.    Price,  65  cents. 

WORDS  THAT  SHOOK  THE  WORLD ; 

Or,  Martin  Luther  his  own  Biographer.  Being  Pictures  of  the 
Great  Reformer,  sketched  mainly  from  his  own  Sayings.  By 
Charles  Adams.  Twenty-two  Illustrations.  Wide  16mo. 
Price,  75  cents. 

MINISTERING  CHILDREN: 

A  Story  showing  how  even  a  Child  may  he  as  a  Ministering 
Angel  of  Love  to  the  Poor  and  Sorrowful.    Wide  16mo.,  muslin, 
90  cents.     Illustrated  edition,  morocco,  $2  00. 
This  is  one  of  the  most  moving  narrations  in  the  whole  list  of  our  publi- 
cations.    Its  sale  in  England  has  reached  40,000  copies.    The  illustrated 
edition  contains  more  than  a  dozen  superb  cuts  on  plate  paper. 

THE  MINISTRY  OF  LIFE. 

By  Maria  Louisa  Charlesworth,  Author  of  "Ministering 
Children,"  etc.,  etc.  Five  Illustrations.  Wide  16mo.  Price, 
90  cents. 

ITINERANT  SIDE; 

Or,  Pictures  of  Life  in  the  Itinerancy.  Illustrated.  Wide 
16mo.     Price,  60  cents. 

THE  OBJECT  OF  LIFE: 

A  Narrative  illustrating  the  Insufficiency  of  the  World,  and  the 
SuflEiciency  of  Christ.  Four  Illustration.  Wide  16mo.  Price, 
75  cents. 

LADY  HUNTINGDON  PORTRAYED ; 

Including  Brief  Sketches  of  some  of  her  Friends  and  Co-laborers. 
By  the  Author  of  "  The  Missionary  Teacher,"  "  Sketches  of 
Mission  Life,"  etc.     Five  Illustrations.    Price,  75  cents. 

THE  MOTHER'S  MISSION. 

Sketches  from  Pteal  Life.  By  the  Author  of  "The  Object  of 
Life."     Five  Illustrations.     Wide  16mo.    Price,  75  cents. 

MY  SISTER  MARGARET. 

A  Temperance  Story.     By  Mrs.  C.  M.  Edwajids.     Four  Illustra- 
tions.    Wide  16mo.     Price,  75  cents. 
14 


^l,.i: 


M.|-rfii 


Ji-M.iHMj; 


iiiilBi 


UUUUUUUU: 


•^-^'mmm^' 


^rit