CHAPTER XVI.

THE REV. LUTHER RICE.

He

He was born at Northborough, Worcester County, Massachusetts, on the 25th March 1783. His parents were members of the Congregational Church, his mother being a woman of remarkable intellectual vigour. He attended the public schools of the neighbourhood, and was apt in acquiring knowledge. While still a mere youth the wonderful self-reliance, for which he was always distinguished, displayed itself, for, at the age of sixteen, he entered into a contract to visit the State of Georgia, to assist in obtaining timber for ship-building, without consulting his parents, and was absent six months. Soon after this he became greatly concerned about his soul, and suffered the acutest mental agony for many months. At the age of nineteen he united with the Congregational Church of Northborough on the 14th March 1802. was from the beginning a most active and consistent Christian worker. He infused a new and higher type of piety into his family and the Church, and made it a special duty to converse frequently with the impenitent. He was from the start of his Christian career deeply interested in Missions and Missionary publications. During all this time he was labouring upon his father's farm. His mind was now directed to the Christian ministry and he resolved to secure a college and theological education. He spent three years at Leicester Academy and paid his expenses by teaching school during the vacation and giving lessons in singing at night. He made such rapid progress at the Academy that he was able to complete his collegiate studies in three years, having entered Williams College in 1807. While in College he became even more deeply interested in Missions and infused the same enthusiasm into the minds of his friends Mills and Richards.

On the 7th September 1808, when a student at Williams College, he with four young men formed the Society of "The

Brethren " a secret organization the purpose of which was "to effect in the persons of its members a mission or missions to the heathen." Two of the original five of the "Haystack prayermeeting" were members of this Society.

A Society of enquiry on the subject of missions was formed through his instrumentality, and, about the same time a branch Society at Andover Seminary, where Judson and his friends caught the new awakening. They must preach the Gospel to the pagan nations. After graduating from Williams College he with the other members of the organization, entered the theological Seminary at Andover. There among others, Adoniram Judson was added to the roll. Judson, Nott, Mills, Newell, Richards and Rice prepared a Memorial to the General Association of all the evangelical ministers of Massachusetts convened at Bradford in June 1810 urging the pressing claims of the heathen and asking for an appointment in the East. The names of Richards and Rice were omitted from the Memorial at its presentation, the number being so large. On the 29th June 1810 as a result of the appeal which these young men placed before the General Association (Congregational) at Bradford, Mass, the Foreign Missionary Society in America came into existence with the election of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, and, later, the Baptist General Convention of 1814, The American Bible Society, The American Tract Society, The Baptist General Society, The Columbian College, the Newton Theological Seminary and other kindred organizations.

In a letter written on 18th March 1811 he says:-"I have deliberately made up my mind to preach the Gospel to the Heathen."

Judson, Nott, Mills and Newell were appointed by the Board as missionaries, Rice and Richards being omitted. But Rice had set his heart upon going, and, as soon as the way opened, promptly applied for appointment and was accepted upon the condition that he would himself raise the money necessary for his passage and

outfit, which he did within a few days. The following is from the Memorial Volume of that Board::

In the meantime Mr. Luther Rice, a licentiate preacher from the Theological Institution at Andover, whose heart had long been engaged in the missionary cause, but who had been restrained from offering himself to the Board by particular circumstances presented himself at the Committee with good recommendations and with an earnest desire to join the Mission. The case was a very trying one. The Com-i mittee were not invested with full powers to admit missionaries, and they still felt a very heavy embarrassment from the want of funds. In view of all the circumstances, however, they did not dare to reject Mr. Rice, and they came to the conclusion to assume the responsibility and admit him as a missionary, to be ordained with the four other brethren and sent out with them."

The Harmony (Captain Brown), proposed sailing on short notice from Philadelphia to Calcutta and could take the missionaries as paš sengers. In the latter part of January the Resolution was taken. The Ordination of the missionaries was appointed to be on the Thursday of the next week-the latest day which would leave time for them to get on to Philadelphia in season. Notice was immediately given to the friends of the mission in the vicinity and means were put in operation with all possible activity, and to as great an extent as the limited time would allow for raising the requisite funds.

While these preparations were in making, it came to the knowledge of the Committee, that the brigantine Caravan, of Salem, was to sail for Calcutta in a few days, and could carry out three or four passengers, and after attention to the subject, it was deemed advisable that two of the missionaries, with their wives, should take passage in that vessel.

This lessened the general risk, and was attended with several advantages.

"According to appointment, on the 6th of February, the missionaries were ordained at the Tabernacle in Salem. A season of more impressive solemnity has scarcely been witnessed in our country. The sight of five young men, of highly respectable talents and attainments, and who might reasonably have promised

themselves very eligible situations in our Churches, forsaking parents, and friends, and country, and every alluring earthly prospect, and devoting themselves to the privations, hardships, and perils of a mission for life, to a people sitting in darkness and in the region and shadow of death, in a far distant and unpropitious clime, could not fail deeply to affect every heart not utterly destitute of feeling. Nor less affecting were the views which the whole scene was calculated to impress of the deplorable condition of the pagan world, of the riches of divine grace displayed in the Gospel, and of the obligations on all on whom this grace is conferred, to use their utmost endeavours in making the Gospel universally known. God was manifestly present; a crowded and attentive assembly testified, with many tears, the deep interest which they felt in the occasion; and not a few remember the scene with fervent gratitude, and can say, it was good to be there."

Mr. Rice was among the five thus ordained on 6th February 1812 at Salem. Dr. Judson and Mr. Newell with their wives sailed from Salem in the Caravan on 12th February and Mr. Rice and the other two Nott and Hall (not Richards) went to Philadelphia and from there sailed in the Harmony for Calcutta in company with some English Baptists.

The subject of baptism was discussed during the voyage, Mr. Rice taking a firm stand for the Paedobaptist view. From the journal which Dr. Johns kept of the voyage and which was printed at Serampore during 1812 it appears that Mr. Rice himself first introduced the subject of baptism on the 15th of March and Dr. Johns had some conversation with him. On the 25th March Mr. Rice acknowledged that the labours and successes of the Baptists in India excited the attention of the Americans and directed the views of the Paedobaptists to that part of the world. On 7th April Dr. Johns recorded:

"This evening Brother Lawson with myself and our Paedobaptist brother Rice had a long conversation on our difference of sentiment. It continued to a late hour" and on 19th April he recorded, "This evening Mr. Rice resumed his extracts on the subject of baptism. From some conversation he and Mr. Hall held whilst I was present I can see that there is not perfect satisfaction on the subject at least with Mr. H." and on 5th June it

is stated that a little book of Dr. Johns' led to some little discussion on baptism. From the foregoing it will be seen that it was thought that the most impression had been made on Mr. Hall, and, in fact, Dr. Carey said that Mr. Rice was thought to be the most obstinate friend of Paedobaptism among the Missionaries.

The Harmony reached Calcutta on the 10th August. At Calcutta, Mr. Rice joined Dr. and Mrs. Judson, and in September 1812, Mrs. Judson wrote thus about him :

"Soon after we were baptized, Brother Rice, compelled from a sense of duty, began to examine the subject more thoroughly then ever before, although he had had his doubts respecting it for some time.

The following letter, dated 25th October 1812, was accordingly penned to Dr. Carey and speaks for itself. It is taken from the Circular Letter of November 1812.

Reverend and Dear Sir,

my

Having been much occupied of late in attention to the subject of baptism, I take the liberty to apprise you of the issue of inquiries. For this purpose, permit me to transcribe part of a letter recently transmitted to the Secretary of the Board of Commissioners, Dr. Worcester: 'The subject respecting the solemn and important Ordinance of Christian baptism presented itself to my mind in such an attitude that I could not conscientiously refrain from examining it. With very considerable means at command I have endeavoured, I trust, with prayerfulness, and in the fear of God, and with no small impression of the delicacy and high responsibility of my situation, to give it a careful and serious examination. But it is with emotions particularly affecting, that I proceed to inform you, that, as the result of that examination I am compelled to relinquish the view of the sacred Ordinance which I have formerly apprehended to be highly important. I am satisfactorily convinced that those only who give credible evidence of piety are proper subjects, and that immersion is the proper mode of baptism.

Being thus satisfied, impressions of duty impel me to request, Dear Sir, that this sacred Christian right may be administered to(Sd.) LUTHER RICE.

He was accordingly baptized singly by Mr. Ward at the