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want of a standard system of orthography has been experienced by all persons engaged in the study of languages, whether written or unwritten. The philologist, the historian, the geographer, and more than all the missionary,—the messenger of the Gospel to all nations of the world,—have been harassed in their labours by the diversity of alphabets; and the difficulties arising from it have been second only to those arising from the diversity of language, which St. Augustin called the chief barrier in the establishment of the Civitas Dei, and Humboldt the great impediment in the realisation of the idea of Humanity.

Whatever may be thought of the practicability of finally supplanting all the existing alphabets of the world by one uniform system of writing, it surely is our duty, and a sacred duty for the members and directors of Missionary Societies, not to increase the existing diversity, but to do all in their power in preparing the way for the accomplishment of that highest, though as yet indefinite, aim of society toward which Christianity has been struggling from the very first.

For the practical solution of the problem, "How to establish one uniform system of writing which shall be acceptable to the scholar,