The Moravian Missionary Who Sold Himself
A MORAVIAN Christian heard of the sufferings of the West India slaves, and desired to be a missionary to them; but when he reached them, he found they were driven to the field so early and came home so late there was no life or strength in them to listen to his instructions; neither did they believe that any man whose face was white had a heart that was other than black, and they would not listen to him, and he found, at last, that there was no way to preach to them unless he suffered with them himself. He sold himself, and was driven afield with them, that while he suffered and toiled as they did, he might have opportunity to preach to them the unsearchable riches of Christ. Now, I ask if there reigns a king upon his throne that was so lordly, so large a man, as that poor, sweating Moravian, who, for the sake of serving and saving these poor, miserable, dying slaves in the field, had sold himself into like estate to preach the riches of Christ? The largest conception of manhood is that which knows how to take itself as though of no consequence to those to whom it may make itself an offering, a power, an instruction.—Selected.