Page:China- Its State and Prospects.djvu/97

 God, it would require one hundred thousand years to make all these mighty hosts savingly acquainted with divine truth. This is a startling view of the matter, but a more affecting consideration still, is, that the ranks of heathenism are increasing at a thousandfold greater ratio than we can expect, by such a system of proselyting, to thin them. For, even allowing an increase of only one per cent, per annum on the whole population, we shall find that they are thus adding three and a half millions, yearly, to their number; so that according to our most sanguine calculations, the heathen would multiply faster than they could be brought over to Christianity. Besides which, while we are thus aiming to rescue a few, the many are still perishing for lack of knowledge.

Thus, the very magnitude of the object disheartens and depresses the mind. The multitude of individuals to be benefited, astonishes—and the distance to which the supposed accomplishment of the design is removed, sickens—so that men of common mould, and the usual energies, would hardly venture on such an undertaking; and Christians in general, despairing of success, are tempted to restrain prayer before God. And what shall we say to these things? Shall we give up the attempt as hopeless, and leave the Chinese to perish, unpitied and unaided? God forbid. It must be remembered, that we depend not on human resources; for if we did, we never should have attempted the work: and had we thus rashly ventured on the undertaking, we should speedily have sounded a retreat. Our hope is in the Father of Lights, from whom cometh down every good and every perfect gift, and with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of