Letter adopted by Jubilee Meltino of the Church Missionary Society, November 2, 1848.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 2, Issue 35, 25 April 1850, Page 3

Letter adopted by Jubilee Meltino of the Church Missionary Society, November 2, 1848.

To our much-loved Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ, gathered out from among the UNKNOWN and mahomedans, and others, in Africa, the Mediterraaeau, India, Ceylon, Cliinn. Nuiv Zealand, the West-Indies, and North-West America — the Church (Missionary Society sends peace in the nnino ol tliu Lord. Demi Brethren —It Ins pleased Cod, in His great g ludr.css, to call you out ol darkness into light, and to bring you from llie bondage of Satan into the (old of His dear Son, through our instrumentality, l'or Una we humbly praise and adore our heavenly [-ather ; and to him alone be all llie glory i II.; alone is worthy '. Our taMicrs were once as you and your lat'iers, iio»viiii{ down to dumb idols, without God, and wiili.ut Christ, and without hiij.e. [Jul God has long sinue given to our fathers llie knowledge ol the Gospel, and they have told us tie ii children, the same; and we, thus knowing the l»vu of Christ, have desired lint His name and His salvation may be published through the whole

world. God litis, in pari,fulfilleil our desires; and Missionaries have gone forth from us with love and pity in their hearts, giving themselves to the work, and not counting thoir lives dear to then), so that they might exult that Saviour who was precious to them, mid win >ouls to Him, who should he his portion and inheritance and joy for ever mid ever. Messed lie God's holy name that the lahnurs •mil sufferings and prayes of His nervHnts have not been in vain ! Many nra the spirits of just men m:idc perfect, now with Christ, ■who were once dead in trespasses and sins, but who received the Word of God, whicii they heard of our Missionaries, witli joy of the Holy Gho«t, who wrought effectually in them, and by whom they were sanctified. And yon, beloved brethren, arc living witnesses of the faithfulness of that gracious Saviour, who, when He bade His servants go forth to all the world to preach the Gospel to every creature, pave th?m his sure word of promise, " Lo, I am with you nlway, even to the end of the wbrld." It is God who hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanclification of the Spirit and belief of the truth : ye ore God's husbandry, ye are God's building : you und we are those * other sheep' whom our Shepherd declared He must bring : the Father gave us to Him ; lie laid down His life for"us; llis purchased us with His blood j He gives us eternal Hie. How wonderful and how glorious is the woik of God ! We have never seen each other face to face. Some of us lire living in the furthot North, and some in the furthest South ; some in tho Fast, some in the West j the children of Ham, and Shem, and Japheth. Our countries, languages, climate, complexion, habits, all different, yet members of one body; quickened by one Spirit ; calicJ in one hope of our calling; having one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of nil, who is above all, and through all, and in us all ! Could we meet together on the earth \ve should all have (o tell the enmo history, and make the same confession, how in us—that is, in our flesh—dwellelh no good thing; how wc have found Jeus Christ all-sufficient, and the Holy Ghost the Sanctifier of us. We nre persuaded that, through grace alone, wo should be able to bear witness to each other, " that the secret oft e Lord is with them that fear Him, and He will show them His covenant." We thus address you, as elder brethren the younger, at this our Jubilee season, that our hearts may be comforted by the consideration of the mutual faith both of you and us, and that we may testify of the grace of God our Saviour. Wo trust that yesterday, in the midst of the abounding wickedness of these last days, and the confusion that is spread among the nations, ono continued sound of cspiTcial supplications and thanksgivings and praises ascended to the throne of God and of the Lamb, as the sun arose successively on our different Missions and ourselves ; that the earth, in the midst of drsolation, was encompassed with the crown of tho Jubilee adorations of the elder and younger brethren ; and that God has mercifully accepted the sacrifice through His dear Son, and will give us His blessing. And now, speaking of this our Assembly lo all of you in different parts of the world, we desire to ass«re you of our brotherly love nnd care for you, our joy over you in the Lord, and our care to God for you that we may " provoke you to love and to good works." Partakers with you in the grace of God, we entreat you to remember that God has called you out of darknetß into His marvellous littht, that we may show forth His praises by having your conversation honest among your Heathen and Mahomedan fellow-countrymen and neighbours ; that if it be that they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works which they behold glorify God, whosewill it is that with well-doing ye should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. And if you suffer persecution, remember the words of the Apostle, that "if when ye do ■well and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God ; for even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow His steps." One thing further we desire to impress upon your minds; viz. that on each individual of us is laid the responsibility of endeavouring to ■win soulb to Christ, -We hope, therefore, that you think of, speak to, and pray for, those in your own families, villages, towns, and neighbourhoods, who are still far from God ; that you are not content lo leave them alone, but that with a holy jealousy for that God who will not give His glory to another, neithir His praise to graven images ;_wilh a love that " Ecekelh not her own, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but in the truth ;" and with a tenderness that " beholds the transgressors, and is grieved because they keep not God's vrord ;" you endeavour to persuade thern to follow Christ ; remembering that it is written bv St. James that "he which cotmrteth iho

sinner from the error of liis way shall save a soul fioni death nnd hide a multitude of sins." And again it is recorded by the Prophet Daniel, that " they that lie wise shall shine as the firmament, and l hey that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.'' And now, brethren, let us remember that the time is short, that the Lord is at hand, and that the sure word of promise is, that them which sleep in Jesus God will bring with Him ; nnd that they which

are alive and remain unto His coming shall be caught up tog thcr with thorn in the tloudj to meet the Lord in the nir. Let in, therelore, keep our loins girded and our lamps burning, and ourselves as men that are waiting for their Lord, that when he cnm"th and kunckcth we may open lo him immediately, t i blessed hour ! when Jesus shall come again ; when, if wo continue in the faith grounded and settled. He will present us holy nnd unuuhlaiueablc and unrtprovnblc in His sight, and you and all your Missionaries, whose joy and crown of rejoicing ye are, and we and all the redeemed of the Lord, shall meet around the throne of the Lamb, and be for ever with the Lord ! Finally, beloved brethren in the Lord, we pray to the Lord for you, that He may make you to increase nnd abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do to.Yard you, to the end he may establish your hearts unblamrablo in holiness belore God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.