then at that time of life when most men think of bringing their labors
to a close, he laid his plans as if he were exempt from death for
centuries. He founded his first mission when sixty-five years of age. In
1838 he sent out eleven missionaries to Australia. The following year
some were despatched to India; since which time this zealous servant of
God has established missions among the Germans in the American Western
States; on the islands of the Southern seas; in Central India; on
Chatham Island near New Zealand; among the wild Kohls at Chota Nagpore;
on the Gold Coast; and in Java, Macassar, and New Guinea. He employed no
agencies; was his own corresponding secretary; superintended the
instruction of all his missionaries; and died at the age of eighty-five,
as full of youthful feeling and perseverance as when a student at
Augsburg. The instructions he gave to his missionaries declare the
sources of his own success. "Believe," said he, "hope, love, pray, burn,
waken the dead! Hold fast by prayer. Wrestle like Jacob! Up, up, my
brethren! The Lord is coming, and to every one he will say, 'Where hast
thou left the souls of these heathen? with the devil?' Oh, swiftly seek
these souls, and enter not without them into the presence of the Lord."
Gossner's beautiful motto, found in his diary, was, "Pereat Adam! Vivat
Jesus!"

The missionary labors of Louis Harms, of Hermannsburg, kingdom of
Hanover, demand the serious attention of every friend of humanity. The
small beginning of his enterprise, the unexpected and unsolicited means
placed at his disposal, the zeal with which a plain rural parish has
devoted itself to the missionary work, and the remarkable fruits
attending every new step, prove both the power of a single heart when
imbued with a great thought, and the sad truth that the church has
hitherto buried in a napkin some of the most valuable talents committed
to her keeping. Harms labored among his own congregation until every
family became earnest and active in the service of God. By and by their
awakened fervor craved new avenues of usefulness. In 1849 twelve men
presented themselves to their pastor for the missionary work. This was
the beginning, and God has so provided for every emergency that the
entire enterprise has been favored with marked prosperity.

Missionaries having been sent out from time to time,--all previously
trained under the careful superintendence of Harms himself,--it was at
last suggested t