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to labor under an incapacity of discerning living worth;-a sort of moral virtuosi, who form their estimate of characters, as the antiquarian of coins, by the rust of antiquity.

I would not be understood, in the remarks made on this part of the subject, to explode the expectation of the renewal of miraculous agency; which some of the most able and, learned divines have unquestionably for med from a close inspection of the prophetic oracles. The inference I would wish to establish is simply this, that we are not justified in neglecting those means of propagating the truth which we already possess, by the absence of higher succor; and that it would ill become the Christian world to abandon the attempts to convert the inhabitants of pagan countries, in deference to the clamors of men, who demand miracles merely because they believe they will not be vouchsafed, and decry the ordinary methods of procedure, because they are within our reach, and have already, in innumerable instances, been crowned with success. To such the language of the prophet Amos may be addressed with propriety: Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light.

For the Panoplist.

ON SLANDER.

To slander is to accuse a person falsely. A portion of the criminality of slander rests on him, who, with a bad intention, publishes

faults, of which a person is really guilty. Slander is generally perpetrated in the absence of the accused party, and with a view to lower him in the opinion of those, who are present. This evil practice savors much of the corrupt heart, whence it springs: it appears to be nothing better than hatred of the persons, or envy of the characters, talents, or possessions, of those against whom it is directed.

The slanderer seldom avows his real motives; but often conceals them under professions of regard for the persons of whom he speaks, and of sorrow for what he alleges against them. He may utter his calumny, with a deep sigh, a grave countenance, and with a low and deliberate whisper: to which he may add a hope, that the report is not true, and a request that it may be kept secret: while he will tell the very same to a second, a third, a fourth, and perhaps to a dozen others; hoping thus to increase his own consequence. In this way, he evidently proves, that his fair and plausible speeches are mere artifice to secure his own reputation, and preserve him from the imputation of slander.

The Gospel does not require, that Christians should connive at the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. When it is necessary to vindicate one's own innocence, which cannot otherwise be vindicated, or preserve from great injury any per son, who cannot otherwise be preserved; in all such cases, to divulge a crime which can be proved, is rather a Christian duty than a fault. But here the Chris

tian who acts in character, widely differs from those who deal in slander.

The Christian, whenever he mentions the faults of others, aims to advance the glory of God, the honor of religion, and the good of men in general; but especially of those whose faults he mentions. Therefore he scrupulously follows the rule laid down in Matthew xviii, 15-17. He does not forget, conceal, or depreciate, any good qualities which they possess, whose faults he publishes, and he does it with deep sorrow and great reluc. tance. Nor will he enlarge unmercifully upon aggravating circumstances, but is rather inclined to excuse, and think favorably. But the slanderer will continue to reproach others with faults, of which they have truly repented; and which were small perhaps originally. He delights to do it. He will busy himself to publish, stories, which rest on such improbable evidence, that he him. self cannot rationally believe them to be true. As he cannot wholly deny the existence of some good qualities in those whom he defames, he will greatly undervalue their worth, by a pretence that although their actions may be good, yet the principles from which they proceed are bad, Slander is wicked and pernicious; wicked, as God hates and forbids it. Whoso privily slandereth his neighbor; him will I cut off. Ps. ci, 5. Thou speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son. Ps. 1, 20. He that uttereth a slander is a fool. Prov. x, 18. Slandering docs incredible mischief. It is an odious, and abom

inable practice, and ought to be held in utter detestation.

1. It is inconsistent with the exercise of Christian love, and the character of a peace-maker. True love seeks rather to hide sins, than to expose them. It suffers long and is kind It. hopeth all things and endureth all things; It thinketh no evil; and therefore it can speak none, Siander not only shows the want of love, but is in direct opposition to it. Dost thou, O reader, slander thy neighbor? Thou givest evidence, then, of thy dislike to him, and at the same time of thy earnest desire and endeavor to have others become like thyself. What is this but promoting hatred? Is it following peace with all men? Is it acting the part of a peace-maker?

2. To slander is a vile prostitution of the organs of speech. God hath given us our organs of speech, that we might therewith, bless him, and edify one another. Our tongues were not made to be turned into bows, wherewith to shoot poisoned arrows. They were made at first pure from that deadly poison of asps, which now lies concealed under them. The devil is a standerer and the originator of slander in this world. He is the accuser of the brethren. And the person who slanders his neighbor, acts like Satan, and prostitutes his lips to the vilest purposes.

3. To slander is to set an extremely pernicious example before others; and it is an awful substitute for edifying conversation. His mind must be a barren one indeed, who has nothing better to entertain his company with, than a narration of his neighbor's

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real, or supposed, faults. What an example would such a parent set to his children!

4. Slander is directly opposed to the word of God. It is a violation of the ninth commandment, and repugnant to the Gospel rule, which requires us to do unto all men as we would they should do unto us. The slanderer himself would be no more willing than any body else, to have the worst construction put on his best actions. Who is, who can be, willing to have the most made of his faults, and to live the subject of perpetual slander and reproach? Now, what you would not have done to you, that you ought not to do unto others. To the question, Lord who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? the answer is, He that backbiteth not with his tongue: nor taketh up a reproach against his neigh bor.

Ps. xv, 2, 3. Whisperers and backbiters are joined with murderers and haters of God. Rom. i, 29. This seems to imply that slander and murder are nearly equally criminal. God hath charged us, not to speak evil one of another, James ii, 4. He requires us, To lay aside all evil speaking, and to let all evil speaking be put away from among us with all malice.

What can be done to prevent, as much as possible, this evil and pernicious practice?

1. Listen not to slanderers; for in refusing to hear them you do much toward stopping their mouths. They will not hear what the word of God says against them; and you ought not to hear what they say against their neighbors. They are idle, wandering about from house to

house, and not only idle but tattlers also and busy bodies, speak ing things which they ought not. Will you, by listening to them, encourage them in their odious employment? Rather keep your eyes at home, and mind your own concerns, as each one of you has a great work to do. Give no credit to their reports.

2. To reflect much on our own failings will tend to pre

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us from slandering our neighbors. Every one should labor to get the beam out of his own eye, rather than to discern the more that is in his brother's. He that has a deep sense of his own sins, will be among the last to spread à slander about his neighbor: He who pays the most attention to himself, gen. erally thinks the worst of himself. He feels that he is, so far as his own knowledge extends, the chief of sinners. This will be a preservative to him against evil speaking and talebearing.

3. Every person should keep the utmost vigilance over his own heart, to prevent a spirit of prejudice and evil surmise. Prejudice leads to a miscon struction both of words and actions. Thus enemies almost always put the worst construction on the words and actions of each other. Men are naturally prone to hear and tell any thing to the disadvantage of those against whom they are prejudiced. And when suspicion, and evil surmise, are suffered to construe the actions of men, shall we wonder if they are made to ap pear far worse than they really are?

4. Remember that you must give an account at the bar of the Judge of quick and dead of eva

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ery slanderous word you speak; for God will hereafter call us to answer for all our thoughts, words and actions-O thou slanderer! remember that God will judge thee for the words which thou hast uttered to defame thy fellow men. How wilt thou dare to stand before his awful bar, against whom thou hast sinned all thy days in speaking evil of thy neighbors, and in spreading false reports concerning the members of Christ's church?

Let professed Christians take care, that they be innocent of the sin of slander and talebearing. Beloved brethren, speak not evil one of another. Watch over your lips.

E. S.

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THE Panoplist for April, 1812, p. 504, contains a notice of the formation of a society, in the Theological Seminary at Andover, called The Society of Inquiry respecting Missions. The reasons for the formation of the society are there stated, together with its object, which is the following; viz. "To inquire into the state of the heathen; the duty and importance of missionary labors; the best means of conducting missions, and the most eligible places for their establishment; and also to disseminate information relative to these subjects, and to excite the attention of Christians to the importance and duty of missions."

The members of the society have attended to the subjects of

inquiry above stated. Much interesting and useful information respecting missions, has been collected from histories, voyages, and travels, and condensed into abstracts and reviews. These papers are deposited in the society's library, and may hereafter be referred to, without the labor of reading the voluminous works from which they were taken.

Since the first notice of the society, a number of volumes have been added to its library. The members of the society wish gratefully to acknowledge the generous donations which have been received from a number of individuals. It is their anxious desire still farther to increase their means of information. For want of adequate funds they have been unable to obtain many books, which are necessary to give even a tolerable view of the heathen world. There can be no doubt, that the missionary to the heathen should be possessed of all the information which can be obtained respecting the people among whom he is to labor. He should be thoroughly acquainted with the geography and history of heathen countries, and the political, moral, and religious state of their inhabitants. It will readily be seen, that the books containing such information cannot be obtained but at a very considerable expense. But, when once obtained and deposited in a certain place, they may at any time be consulted, and the desied information readily acquired. Experience already had on this subject is sufficient to shew the want and the utility of such a library, as shall contain complete missionary information, not only to the society, but to any who are

desirous of acquiring such information. Any donations that may be made to the society, either in books or money, will be thankfully received; and, it is hoped, of great service to the missionary cause.

The society feel desirous of having full information as to our domestic missions as to what has been done and is now doing here at home. For this purpose, they would solicit the favor of the secretaries of the several missionary societies in the United States to transmit them a copy of the several annual reports. These papers may be directed to the care of the Editor of the Panoplist, or to the President of the Society.

With respect to that part of their object, which relates to the spread of missionary information, the members of the society have not been inattentive. They have at no time possessed any considerable funds for the prosecution of this object. They have circulated, however, the following books and pamphlets, partly gratis and partly at reduced prices: Of Horne's Letters on Missions 2,000 copies; of Buchanan's Memoir 1,500; of Horne's Missionary Sermon, part of an edition; of Buchanan's Christian Researches, the prin`cipal part of the first edition; of the Twelfth Report of the London Missionary Society 1,000. They have also distributed a considerable number of other missionary sermons.

A History of Missions, two volumes 12mo., compiled by a member of the Society, has been pretty extensively circulated. It is the wish of the members to continue their exertions, should

they be furnished, with the means, by those who approve of the object. Any donations committed to their care, for this purpose, will be faithfully appropriated. M.

Nov. 1813.

ON SOUTH AMERICA, AS A FIELD,

FOR MISSIONS.

To the Editor of the Panoplist.
SIR,

I HAVE lately seen the Report of the Prudential Committee of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, and was much pleased with the perusal of it. I think it a highly interesting document, and wish it may be attentively read by Christian people in the different states. The Address which followed the Report, written by a Committee appointed for that purpose, has given, I believe, very general satisfaction to the friends of Missions.

Both from the Report, and the Address, it appears, that the Board have felt, and still do feel, deeply interested in behalf of those, who are sitting in the dark places of the earth, which are full of the habitations of cruelty; and that the most vigorous exertions will be made, that the everlasting Gospel may preached to them who sit in darkness, and have never been favored with its divine light.

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I observed with peculiar pleasure a notice, in the Report, of a contemplated enlargement of the field of Missions. Among other places, St. Salvador, the capital of the Portuguese possessions in South America, is

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