abode for life among savage men! To you, Sir, I appeal, and submit that here is a greatness which utterly eclipses that of military men, whether in prosperous or in adverse circumstances. Tried by the test of the missionary principle, as exemplified in Williams, how insignificant an object was the late ruler of France in his proudest hour! There was not the smallest ingredient of this celestial greatness in his marble heart. Even when clothed with all but superhuman power, it may well be doubted whether the thought of using it to advance the glory of God, and the real good of mankind, ever once crossed his earthly mind. It may well be questioned whether the slightest thought of promoting peace on earth and good-will among men, of introducing into the world a new and a happier era, of ennobling the character and improving the condition of his race, ever entered his selfish soul! When elevated to the rank of First Consul, it is true he uttered a series of noble conceptions in his letter to George III., the main portion of which, as it is material to my general object, I may be allowed to recite. "Shall the war," said he, "which has already ravaged the four quarters of the globe, during eight years, be eternal, and can no means be taken to extinguish it? Why should the two most enlightened nations in Europe, whose power and independence are sufficiently ascertained, sacrifice to vain ideas of grandeur, the advantages resulting from commerce, internal prosperity, and the happiness of families? Why do they not consider peace the first want, as well as the first glory, of a people?-France and England, by the abuse of their respective resources, might still for a long time continue a contest involving the misery of other countries. But I dare venture to assert that the fate of all civilized nations is connected with the conclusion of a war which has set the whole world in commotion." These sentiments are doubtless full of truth as well as seeming dignity; but they are the dictates of expediency in the guise of feeling. They are not in harmony with the ruling spirit and passion of the man, who, when only a lad at the military school, wrote thus to his mother: "With my sword by my side, and my Homer in my pocket, I hope to find my way through the world." The spirit of disinterestedness and of self-sacrifice for the good of his species, was wholly incompatible with his blood-thirsty ambition and callous barbarity; or rather it was diametrically opposed to them. A man is known by his company. On declaring that he loved no man-not even his brothers-he excepted the fierce Duroc. "Duroc! yes; him I certainly love. But why? His character suits me. He is cold, severe, unfeeling; and then Duroc never weeps!" His tyrant passions were completely at variance with true magnanimity. Moral greatness is of a nature too simple, modest, holy, and heavenly, to make itself for one hour the theme, the gaze, and the wonder of a dazzled, deluded, infatuated world! His doctrine was that "Friendship is but a name." "As to me," said he, "it is all one; I well know that I have no true friends. While I remain what I am, I can make as many of them as I like, in appearance." He spoke the truth, as the experiment bore witness. Such was the man of blood, at whose name nations trembled; the man who fought and won nearly fifty pitched battles : "Nor till his fall could mortals guess Ambition's less than littleness ! Nor think that God's fair world had been The footstool of a thing so mean! Oh! ne'er may tyrant leave behind A brighter name to lure mankind!" But in the midst of indignation, let me not be unjust. I have no wish, and, in addressing you, Sir, it were vain to attempt to conceal the fact, honourable to the warrior, that at times he had his misgivings. A feeling of compunction has been known to wring from him the confession that human havoc was an act of doubtful merit. "Is it worth while," he would say, "to desolate the world for so slight a memorial ?*" On the day after a battle, as he rode over the field, and beheld the horrid havoc which surrounded him, reason and humanity would for a moment gain the ascendency; and he would say to his attendants, "What is war? A trade of barbarians!" This extraordinary man was, in fact, aware that his own immortality would turn less upon his warlike than upon his peaceful achievements. He knew that the military star was but a meteor, and that in all past ages like a meteor it had risen, and, like a meteor, had fallen. You will recollect his expression, "I have framed and carried into effect a code of laws that will bear my name to the most distant posterity. My code alone, from its simplicity, has been more beneficial to France than the whole mass of laws which preceded it." Thus he frankly disclosed his full conviction that the glory of the useful lawgiver was more durable than that of the most brilliant conqueror. The great American states *Bourienne, vol. ii. p. 208. man, Webster, puts this point well, in the following words: "Of the ten thousand battles which have been fought; of all the fields fertilized with carnage; of the banners which have been bathed in blood; of the warriors who had hoped that they had risen from the field of conquest to a glory as bright and durable as the stars, how few that continue long to interest mankind!" This witness is true. The moral benefits which Napoleon conferred, directly and indirectly, upon France and other countries-for, apart from his military misdeeds, you will agree with me that such benefits were numerous, various, and great-will be remembered for centuries to come, and rehearsed to his honour, when all his bloodstained glories have vanished like a vision of the night. But, Sir, if such be the superiority of the legislatorial to the military character, how shall we estimate that of the missionary? His case must be dealt with absolutely; comparison with either of them would be almost preposterous; he stands alone in his glory. In whatever light the missionary character may be viewed, it is one of shining, unmixed, and ever-during excellency. It is fast becoming the great and leading character of our times. It has already quite eclipsed every other, and its glories are yet but rising. What, then, will be its meridian of splendour? The promotion of civilization must henceforth be the great business of all nations, and in that business the missionary must be the prime agent. All things are ready. Maritime discovery is nearly complete inland research is also far advanced. The printing press is brought to a state of great perfection; the science of mechanics has advanced with giant strides; and the extension of steam power, from railways, rivers, coasting, to universal navigation, has : triumphed over space both on land and water. Literature, in all its branches, has been enriched by the genius of ten thousand generous and gifted minds. Education, too, has largely shared in the general progress. The word of God is translated into all the leading languages of our world. All this, Sir, is done. What then remains? The application of the mighty whole to the real improvement of mankind. Who is to open up the way for the operative, the schoolmaster, the merchant, and the philosopher? He who has always opened it, and who alone can both open and keep it open, the Christian missionary. Through his means the knowledge of the Lord shall, in due season, cover the earth. All nations will assuredly receive it. This, and this alone, will be the source of true, complete, and lasting civilization. It cannot be doubted that a man of your characteristic habits, has been led to inquire into the most efficient methods of promoting civilization. I rejoice, indeed, to find that you are fully committed to an opinion upon this subject, by the address of the 66 Society for the extinction of the Slave Trade, and for the civilization of Africa," which, by a sort of hereditary claim, has the honour to enrol you among its members. In that address, it is emphatically asserted that the only cure for the grievous maladies of Africa, is "the introduction of Christianity;" in other words, to send to it a sufficient supply of Christian missionaries, for that is the plain English of the expression. Christianity can only be diffused by those in whom it resides as its living temples. If such, Sir, be the fact, can any thing further be required to show the paramount importance of the missionary character? He is, he has |
