ON WHICH CHRISTIANS MAY MEET, 471

‘

I been from understanding the most essential part of a Christian,
namely, to love the interest of the Christian Church, and the good
of other men’s souls! I scarce have known what belongs to being
a Christian.” ‘ Oh, sir, do not say so,” replied he; “this thing
is not your fault.” ‘ No,” says T;. “but why did I never lay it
to heart as well as you?” ‘“’Tis not too late yet,” said he; “ be
not too forward to condemn yourself.” “ But what can be done
now?” said I; “you see I am going away.” ‘“ Will you give me
leave,” said he, “ to talk with these poor men about it?” ‘ Yes,
with all my heart,” said I; ‘and I will oblige them to give heed
to what you say too.” ‘“ As to that,” said he, “we must leave
them to the mercy of Christ; but it is our business to assist them,
encourage them, and instruct them; and if you will give me leave,
and God his blessing, I do not doubt but the poor ignorant souls
shall be brought home into the great circle of Christianity, into
the particular faith that we all embrace, and that even while you
stay here.”” Upon this, I said, “TI shall not only give you leave,
but give you a thousand thanks for it.” What followed on this
account I shall mention also again in its place.

I now pressed him for the third article in which we were to
blame. ‘“ Why, really,” says he, “it is of the same nature; and I
will proceed, asking your leave, with the same plainness as before.
It is about your poor savages, who are, as I may say, your con-
quered subjects. It is a maxim, sir, that is, or ought to be, re-
ceived among all Christians, of what church or pretended church
soever—namely, ‘ The Christian knowledge ought to be propa-
gated by all possible means, and on all possible occasions.’ *Tis
on this principle that our Church sends missionaries into Persia,
India, and China; and that our clergy, even of the superior sort,
willingly engage in the most hazardous voyages and the most
dangerous residence among murderers and barbarians, to teach
them the knowledge of the true God, and to bring them over to
embrace the Christian faith. Now, sir, you have such an oppor-
tunity here to have six or seven and thirty poor savages brought
over from idolatry to the knowledge of God their Maker and Re-
deemer, that I wonder how you can pass such an occasion of doing
good, which is really worth the expense of a man’s whole life.”