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A

DEFENCE

OF THE

Church Missionary Society

AGAINST

THE OBJECTIONS

OF THE

REV. JOSIAH THOMAS, M. A.

ARCHDEACON OF BATH.

BY DANIEL WILSON, M. A.

MINISTER OF ST. JOHN'S CHAPEL, BEDFORD ROW.

1

NINTH EDITION.

LONDON:

ADVERTISEMENT ·

TO THE

EIGHTH EDITION.

THE rapid sale of the following small work made it impossible for the Author to revise sooner what he had written. It was indeed originally composed in the midst of numerous engagements, and under the pressure of family affliction; and though he was able to avail himself of the assistance of two or three judicious friends, yet he is well aware that many things were omitted which would have found a place in a more deliberate composition. His absence from London during the greater part of the week which has elapsed since the first appearance of the work, has prevented an earlier attempt to supply in some small measure its defects, He is

still sensible how entirely it fails of doing justice to the immense importance of the general cause of Missions, the interest of which he deems to be intimately involved in the local occasion which gave rise to the publication.

It is proper to add, that the whole argument, with all that is material in the detail, remains unchanged in the present edition.

Chapel Street, Bedford Row,
Monday, Jan. 12, 1818.

A

DEFENCE,

&c. &c.

THE Reverend the Archdeacon of Bath having published an Address, which he delivered at a meeting held in that city on Monday, the 1st of December, 1817, it may seem requisite, in order that the statements of that publication may be properly considered, to take a brief view of the general cause of Missions, and of the circumstances which led to the formation of the various Associations in connection with the Church Missionary Society.

It had long been the reproach of the christian church, that so little had been done for propagating the faith among heathen nations. The zeal which animated her members in her earlier days, seemed almost extinguished; and, after the lapse of nearly eighteen centuries, the last command of her Redeemer, to preach the Gospel to every creature, was yet unaccomplished.

It might have been expected, indeed, that, with the progress of superstition in the dark ages, the pure flame of christian charity should decline; and that the church, either inculcating a corrupted doctrine, or employing unhallowed means, should fail more and more in her efforts to disseminate the christian faith.

But why have not the reformed churches rekindled the sacred fire? Why have they allowed three centuries to pass away, before they have attempted any thing considerable for the salvation of the world? Why has not the holy zeal of their Missionaries marked the revival of that pure doctrine of Christ, which they received in order that they might disseminate it to the ends of the earth?

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