overed the earth, and gross darkness the
people." But the gun has fired and "THE MORNING COMETH." The nations
once wrapped in gloom are waking to life and truth. Divine light is
quickening all the pulses of human thought; the heart beats more
warmly; the eye looks upward, and the great world is drawing nearer
to its Father. The Gentiles are coming to the light, and kings to
the brightness of His rising. And when at length the Sun of
Righteousness shall rise in power, His new creation, "with verdure
clad, with beauty, vigour, grace adorned," shall give Him loving
welcome; and He shall shine, to set no more, on "the new heavens and
new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."
APPENDIX.
Extension of our Missions.
One valuable result has followed the recent revision of the Society's
missions, which was scarcely expected when that revision began. The
Directors already find themselves able to contemplate an extension
of our missions into new localities long crying out for aid. They
are moving in the following direction:--
For several years past the SOUTH SEA MISSION has taken up but a small
quantity of new ground. Small groups like the Ellice group, the
Lagoon Islands, and the Tuamotus, with a few hundred people, have
been instructed. But since Niue and the Loyalty group were
evangelised, nearly twenty years ago, not a single large island has
been occupied. Meanwhile the Theological Institutions have been
training native students in considerable numbers, and many are now
ready for evangelistic work. The Directors therefore are anxious to
commence such work in new localities without delay; and they have
arranged that, during her next year's voyage, the _John Williams_
shall visit the large islands of the northern New Hebrides, together
with the Kingsmill and other groups, in order to establish new
missions among the thousands of heathen which they contain. The
Directors hope that not less than thirty competent and devoted native
evangelists will go forth on this expedition. In due time English
missionaries will follow: and three of our valued brethren on the
spot have already volunteered for the service. In Eastern Polynesia
the brethren in Tahiti and the Leeward Islands will complete on
system the efforts which they have recently commenced in the Tuamotu
or Pearl Islands. For this desired extension funds have been already
provided or offered by two of the Society's warm friends.
The Mission towards CENTRAL
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