[A Letter to Mr. H. Muir, Glasgow]

Dear Sir,

I greatly rejoice in the establishment of your Society. If many were formed, there would be no need of any apology to those which are formed already. There is work enough for us all. The harvest truly is great, and I heartily wish you success.

If the exertions of our Society have contributed to excite the public spirit which now prevails through the kingdom, it is no small reward. We have found the undertaking particularly useful in uniting and quickening us in religion; and I trust it will produce similar effects among Christians in general. Where no object of magnitude attracts our regard, we are apt to pore on our own miseries; and where nothing exists as an object in which we may all unite, we are apt to turn our attention chiefly to those things in which we differ. It is well for ourselves, therefore, to be engaged in some arduous undertaking which shall interest our hearts, bring us into contact with one another, and cause us to feel that we are brethren.

As to your questions, our experience you know is but small. It is little more than three years since we began, and only two missions have yet been undertaken; what I have observed, however, I shall with the utmost freedom communicate. You ask—

First, “What are the requisite talents and character of a missionary?” As to talents, there is a considerable difference to be made betwixt a principal and an assistant in any mission. In every mission I conceive there should be one person at least of a clear head, calm, cool, enterprising, prudent, and persevering; and as it will be an object of the first importance in due time to translate the Scriptures, it would be well for him to have some knowledge of languages. But as to others who may accompany him, no great talents are necessary; a warm heart for Christ, an ardent love to the souls of poor heathens, an upright character, and a decent share of common sense, are sufficient. No man is fit to be sent, in my judgment, either as a principal or an assistant, who does not possess a peculiar desire after the work; such a desire as would render him unhappy in any other employment. I do not mean to plead for enthusiastical impressions; yet an impression there must be, and an abiding one too, that all the fatigues, disappointments, non-success, and discouragements of such an undertaking shall not be able to efface. When God has had any extraordinary work to perform, it has been his practice to raise up suitable instruments, and to impress their minds with suitable views and desires. The wall of Jerusalem needed rebuilding, and God put it into the heart of Nehemiah to go and build it. It was this particular desire which God put into his heart which enabled him to encounter difficulties and surmount obstructions at which ninety-nine men out of a hundred would have fainted. When the second temple was to be built, God stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel and of Joshua. It is not every person however who may possess a desire to be a missionary who ought to be accepted. You will probably find many during this great stir who will offer themselves to go, but whose desire upon examination will be found to have originated in a dissatisfaction with something at home. They dislike the politics of their country, and therefore wish to leave it; or they have been chagrined by disappointment in civil and worldly affairs; or they are vain, and conceive it to be a fine thing to attract the attention and bear a commission from thousands; or they are idle, and wish to ramble up and down the world; or inconsiderate, and have not properly counted the cost. Even ministers will be found who are unacceptable at home, and therefore desire to change their situation. But none of these motives will bear. It is true, every one who was discontented, distressed, or in debt, gathered themselves to David; and they might answer his purpose, but not ours. A pure, disinterested, ardent desire to serve the Lord in this work is the one thing needful. When we perceive such desire in a candidate, and he voluntarily offers, or in some way discovers his inclination, we then make inquiry what is his general Christian character. Is he upright, modest, benevolent, prudent, patient? if so, we are satisfied.—You ask—

Secondly, “What is the best mode of introducing him and the subject of his mission to the heathen?”

We at present think it best not to send them in large companies, but two and two, unless they have wives and children, who, of course, would go with them; partly because we wish to make no parade, but to go on in a course of silent activity, that in case of disappointments and disasters, which we ought to lay our account with, the work may not sink in the general estimation; and partly because we wish them to be convinced at the outset that we have no hostile intentions towards them; and this cannot be done so effectually as by going and throwing ourselves upon their generosity. A large company might excite alarm; but two or three people going into the midst of them, putting their lives into their hand, would ordinarily have a contrary effect. The extent of the British trade is such that we cannot fail of a passage, by merchant ships, to almost any part of the world. Carey and Thomas, and their families, kept up worship in the ship, though surrounded with infidels and profane people; and an infidel who went with them, and is since returned, has said, “If ever there was a good man in the world, Carey was one.” As to the mode of introducing the subject of their mission, that must be according to circumstances. In Hindostan they have an advantage in Mr. Thomas having been first. His method was to go into a town or village. The sight of a European, walking up and down, would excite as much attention among them as a Turk would among us. He would single out some intelligent looking person, and begin to ask him questions. This would draw others round them; he would then, having the whole village of 400 or 500 people, talk to them, ask them questions, show the evil of idolatry, convict them of sin, and introduce the Saviour. In Africa, all round the Sierra Leone colony, the natives want English people to teach their children to read, write, &c. We therefore direct our missionaries to that country to go to the colony, and get recommended to the natives, first as schoolmasters; and while they taught the children to read, write, &c., to teach the parents, as well as the children, Christianity.

Were I to go into a country where no Europeans were to be found, I would go immediately among the natives, and, by signs, convince them that I wished to cast in my lot with them. I would watch the names they gave to things, and write them down as they occurred. Thus a vocabulary would rapidly advance: while thus learning their language, I would live as they lived, and conform to their manners in all lawful things: when they revelled, or sacrificed to their idols, I would stand aloof, and, by my nonconformity, silently reprove them. When I sufficiently understood their language, I would tell them there was a God in heaven—that I was a worshipper and servant of him—that idolatry, and all iniquity, was hateful in his sight—that there was an hereafter, when these things would be brought into account—that, from the love I bore to him and them, I had come amongst them to tell them of these things—that God, in love to sinners, had sent his Son to die, &c., and now commanded all men, every where, to repent; that he was able and willing to save all that returned to God by him; and that all others would everlastingly perish, &c.

And now, dear sir, I must conclude. As I am going out to-morrow, for some days, I thought I would answer your letter now, and that of your friend when it arrives. Whether my answer be in point, so as to meet your difficulties, I cannot tell; but I have suggested what appeared best to me.

Remember me affectionately to your Society. I shall be happy at any time to hear from you, and to communicate any thing in my power. I lately received a letter and a handsome donation from a Mr. David Dale of your city. Remember me affectionately to him. I am, dear sir, with cordial esteem, yours in our common Lord.

Fuller, A. G. (1988). “The Establishment of the Glasgow Missionary Society,” Fugitive Pieces. The Complete Works of Andrew Fuller: Expositions—Miscellaneous (J. Belcher, Ed.; Vol. 3, pp. 823–825). Sprinkle Publications.