_Teachers_ are needed. To raise a people from barbarism, the simple but
efficient means of common schools must be everywhere diffused; and
higher schools too must be established, and vigorously conducted. To
teach the hundreds of millions of adult heathen in week-day schools and
in Sabbath-schools, and more especially to instruct and train the
hundreds of millions of heathen children and youth, cannot be done by a
few hands. We forbear to make a numerical estimate: any one may estimate
for himself. The number must be great, even though we look upon them
rather as a commencing capital than as an adequate supply, and expect
that by far the greater part of laborers are to be trained up from among
the heathen themselves. It is preposterous to think of imposing all this
labor on a few ministers of the Gospel.
_Physicians_ are needed. They are needed to benefit the bodies of the
heathen; for disease, the fruit of sin, is depopulating with amazing
speed a large portion of the heathen world. The nations, many of them at
least, are melting away. Let physicians go forth, and while they seek to
stay the tide of desolation which is sweeping away the bodies of the
heathen, let them improve the numerous and very favorable opportunities
afforded them of benefiting their souls. The benevolent, sympathizing,
and compassionate spirit of Christ, led him to relieve the temporal
sufferings of men, while his main aim was to secure their eternal
salvation. Unless we show, by our exertions, a desire to mitigate the
present woes and miseries of men, how shall we convince them that we
truly seek their eternal welfare? Physicians must throw their skill in
the healing art at the feet of the Saviour, and be ready to use it when
and where he shall direct. The number who should go to the heathen
cannot, and need not, be named.
It is unnecessary to remark that _printers_, _book-binders_, and
_book-distributers_ are needed to carry on the work of the world's
conversion.
_Civilians_ too are needed: men skilled in laying the foundation of
nations and guiding their political economy. Should such men go forth,
and evince by a prayerful, godly, and disinterested deportment and
course of procedure, that their sole aim was to promote the happiness of
the people, both temporal and eternal; there are many barbarous
countries where they would readily acquire much influence, and be able
in a gradual manner, by friendly and prudent suggestions to the rulers,
and in other ways, to effect changes that would be productive of
incalculable good. Many changes, with pains-taking and care, could be
made to appear to the rulers to be really for their interest, as well as
for the interest of the people; and more light and knowledge, without
the intervention of any new motive, would soon introduce them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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