ed to
embark for any country the Society might appoint. The committee,
however, waited to collect more means, but they found it almost
impossible to awaken people's minds. At Birmingham, indeed, 70_l._ was
collected, but in London the dissenting pastors would have nothing to do
with the cause; and the only minister of any denomination who showed any
sympathy was the Rev. John Newton, that giant of his day, who had in his
youth been captain of a slaver, and well knew what were the dark places
of the earth. The objections made at that time were perfectly
astounding. In the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland, several
Presbyterian ministers pronounced it to be "highly preposterous" to
attempt to spread the Gospel among barbarous nations, extolled the
"simple virtues" of the untutored savage, and even declared that the
funds of Missionary Societies might be turned against Government.

In India itself, the endeavours of the Danish settlement at Tranquebar
had little affected Bengal, but a few of the more religious men at
Calcutta had begun to be shocked at the utter oblivion of all Christian
faith and morality by their own countrymen, and the absolute favour shown
to the grossest idolatry of the heathen. Charles Grant, a member of the
Board of Trade at Calcutta, was the foremost of these, and on his return
to England brought the subject under the notice of that great champion of
Christ, William Wilberforce. The charter of the East India Company was
renewed from time to time; and when it was brought before Parliament,
Wilberforce proposed the insertion of clauses enforcing the maintenance
of chaplains, churches, and schools, so that a branch of the Church might
take root in Hindostan.

This scheme, however, excited violent and selfish alarm in the directors,
chiefly men who had made their fortunes in India, and after living there
for years under no restraint were come home to enjoy their riches. They
believed that the natives would take umbrage at the least interference
with their religion, and that their own wealth and power, so highly
prized, would be lost if idolatry were not merely tolerated, but
flattered and supported. The souls of men and the honour of God were
nothing to them; they were furious with indignation, and procured from
the House of Commons the omission of the clauses. There was another hope
in the Lords; but though Archbishop Moore and the Bishop of London spoke
in favour of the articles, the