Most of the facts and incidents in these sketches were committed to writing about the time of their occurrence, and may be relied on as simple verities. Much of deep inherent interest, which met my eye, or fell upon my ear, might have been added, but for its inappropriateness to the character of this work, or unduly swelling the narrative.
Those enjoying the calm refinements of social life in our favored cities and villages, who have never entered the abodes of ignorance and poverty in the moral wastes of the land, may be unwilling to credit even the facts related; but in a matter of such infinite importance as the enlightenment and salvation of perishing souls, could the real facts have been consistently withheld?
In the providence of God I was sent out as a watchman, not upon the walls of Zion, but _outside of those walls_; and ought I to conceal the facts, and report, “All’s well,” when hundreds of thousands are dying in sin and ignorance of the great salvation? Would not such unfaithfulness be criminal in the sight of God?
And when the Holy Spirit was poured out in marvellous effusions, almost as in the day of Pentecost, should not the facts be recorded to the praise of divine grace in Jesus Christ?
Reared as I was from infancy under religious privileges, I had no idea that any part of our land was in the sad moral condition which I found actually to exist; or that the distribution of printed truth and personal labors “publicly and from house to house,” were ever so richly blessed. And such erroneous and defective impressions as to the wants of our fellow-men, and the encouragements to labor for their good, I believe are very prevalent.
I remember the day when I was confident that all around me were well supplied with the Bible, but on examination I found eight families, and among them my next door neighbor, who had no Bible; and a pastor who regarded Bible efforts in his congregation as quite unnecessary, on investigation received from family after family the report, “No Bible,” the family of his own sexton being among the number. An excellent young man, now a missionary in a distant land, on faithfully exploring a wealthy county, stated what he had seen to Mr. W----, a distinguished Christian citizen. “I have heard of you,” said the gentleman. “I don’t believe the statements you are making about the moral destitutions of this county. I have made up my mind to go with you and see for myself.” The young man welcomed his company. In the first dwelling they entered the family had no books, not even a Bible. Said Mr. W----, “Give them $2 50 worth, and I will pay for them.” In the next they entered, and in the third, they found equal destitution; and in each case Mr. W---- said, “Give them $2 50 worth, and I will foot the bill.” They went further, but soon Mr. W---- said, “My young friend, the half is not told; take this $20 and go on with this heaven-directed work.”