with an understanding that they were to be supported from a broad so far as they could not be from their hearers, there is sufficient reason to believe that they would in a little time rear and establish respectable congregations, and faithful evangelical churches for Christ.— There is every reason to believe

they be adopted and pursued with steadiness, would produce surprising effects in all the destitute parts of our country, to the honor of God, and to the glorious enlargement of our Zion. For these desirable objects, the resources of our Missionary Societies are insufficient; but the exertions and the prayers of God's people will be directed to this most interesting subject that the efforts for the restoration of our beloved American Israel may continually increase, that the salvation thereof may go forth as a lamp that burneth.

the gospel than the western country, of which we have given a particular account. Indeed it is questionable whether the most popular parts of the states south of the Potomack, including all the flat country, are better furnished with religious instruction, in proportion to their population, than the states adjoining the Ohio.that similar measures, could They feel a great indifference to the gospel of Christ, because they know not what it is. Destitute of the ordinary means of learning its nature and worth, they have the most inadequate or erroneous conceptions of its true character. The people of Richmond, weeping over the smoking ashes of their nearest friends, could subscribe but 2000 dollars for the erection of a Church in the fatal enclosure, because they knew not that the gospel brings effectual consolation to the afflicted. And their first people could speak of those who were suddenly consumed, as going necessarily to heaven, not so much from adoption of errors, as from a want of just instruction concerning the truths of God. Many of the southern planters are men of hospitality and of amiable character, and would afford encouragement to any discreet faithful minister of Christ. The itinerant Methodist preachers are generally treated with much kindness in the southern states; and it is not because they are Methodists, but because they are ministers of the religion of heaven. Could pious and judicious ministers be sent as Missionaries, and directed to fix their stations in the large towns and most public places in the southern states, VOL. VI. No. 8.

In the present state of the Foreign Mission gone from this country, while its operations are necessarily embarrassed by the events of war, and while the resources of the Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions are amply sufficient for the prosecution of the experiment that is now making, it may be worthy of the consideration of the several Auxiliary Foreign Mission Societies in this state, whether the older parts of our country, which are destitute of gospel ordinances, may not be very proper objects for their charitable attention. In all their efforts for the church's prosperity, may the blessings of the Holy Spirit rest upon them.

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RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

The following extracts are taken from the Report of the Trustees of the Massachusetts Missionary Society, which met in Boston the 25th of May.

Brethren,

of thousands of others on the frontiers similarly situated, he came down and made the case known to some members of the Board, and the duty of appointing him to the mission appeared peculiarly clear and urgent.

By the communications received THE return of this anniversary from him, it appears, that his labrings along with it many and bors in the service of the Society grateful impressive recollections. commenced about the middle of Many and precious have been our August, and were continued withopportunities of meeting for the out interruption into December ; most interesting purposes;-oftak- and after a suspension of about two ing sweet counsel together, and go- months, they were resumed, and ing to the house of God in compa- continued until the latter part of ny-of mutually kindling and en- March; when finding the travelling livening the holy flame of Chris- extremely difficult, and his strength tian love;-and of uniting our hearts much exhausted, he judged it exand hands in measures for promoting pedient to return to his family.the kingdom of our Lord and the His whole time in the service of the salvation of those for whom he died. Society was about five months. His Many have been the smiles of God labors were performed under cirupon our deliberations and endeav- cumstances and amidst scenes which ors; and great our obligations to called for all the wisdom and fidelity Him for the privilege granted us, of the minister of Christ; there is from year to year, of doing some- reason to belive that he was enabled thing, by our combined exertions, to commend himself to every man's for the advancement of his cause conscience in the sight of God. and the glory of his name. May "My mission," he says, ❝ while these obligations be duly felt by us it was attended with many depressall; and with one heart may we paying occurrences, introduced me inour devout acknowledgments, and to an extensive field of labor, and implore the continuance of the Di- afforded me opportunity for commuvine favor. nicating religious instruction to persons, in a great variety of distressing circumstances, who would oth

[From their account of the Missionaries employed the last year, we have selected Mr. PETTEN-erwise have been almost entirely GILL'S narrative of his own labors. It is a lively picture of the miseries attending this unhappy war.]

destitute of the means of grace. Though prohibited by my instructions, as well as by a sense of duty, from entering into political controMr. Pettengill had for several versy, I considered it expedient to years been settled in the ministry at use my exertions to prevent depreChamplain, a town upon the west dations and bloodshed among neighside of the lake of the same name, bors, now viewed as enemies to and on the Canada line: but, in one another, being divided by the consequence of the war, his settle- provincial line. For this purpose ment was broken up, and his peo-1 frequently passed into Canada, in ple thrown into a state of confusion and dispersion. Deeply afflicted by the event, and earnestly desirous of ministering to the spiritual instruction and consolation of his people in their distressed circumstances, and

such a manner, as not to offend either government, and preached to the destitute British subjects, and urged them by motives of religion, humanity, and personal safety, to restrain themselves, their Indians,

and all unprincipled persons, from, molesting, under any pretext, our defenceless inhabitants. When it was practicable I held meetings near the line, composed of persons from both sides, and endeavored to address them in an appropriate manner, and impress it upon their minds, that a state of war does not alter the law of Jehovah, which requires us to love our neighbor as ourselves, and to do to others, as we would that others should do to us. I prayed repeatedly with different companies of the militia, and entreated them to enlist under the banner of Christ: frequently conversed and prayed with the sick and dying; spent considerable time in hospitals, conversing and praying with sick soldiers, and in distributing, among such as were able to read, the Bibles and tracts, left in my care by Mr. Osgood. The distressed, perplexed, forlorn inhabit ants the scattered companies of militia, collected from destitute settlements-the loathsome hospitals, filled with the sick and dying, claimed particular attention. I generally met with cordial reception; and I hope that the serious addresses to the young, the solemn warnings to the impenitent, the declaration of the promises of the Gospel to mourners in Zion, and the great doctrines of grace to thousands of attentive hearers, through destitute settlements extending about two hundred miles, have by Divine blessings produced effects, in some measure answerable to the benevolent design of the Society."

country are depressing; but those
who profess to trust in the Lord,
and to be engaged in his work,
should never famt or be discouraged.
While in view of the judgments
with which the nation is visited we
bow with reverence, humility, and
submission, it should not be over-
looked, that the fearful aspects of
the times, instead of deterring the
friends of Zion and of the true in-
terests of mankind from exertion,
should rouse them to augmented
zeal, and more strenuous activity.
If we lift up our eyes and take an
extensive survey of our country, we
shall see that the harvest truly is
great, but the laborers are com-
paratively few. We call curs a
Christian land, and are accustomed
to consider it as being eminently en-
lightened, and blessed with religion;
and, to be sure, we cannot entertain
too high a sense of the many and
inestimable favors of Heaven, with
which it has been distinguished.
It is, however, a melancholy and
alarming fact, that great as our
privileges are, and kindly as the Sun
of righteousness has shone upon us,
there are many thousands of peo-
ple in these States, who visibly live
without God in the world, and are
really sitting in darkness, and in the
region and shadow of death. Large
sections of our country, more or
less advanced in settlement, and
some of them even populous, are
without the stated ordinances of
divine worship, without Sabbaths,
and almost without Bibles.
need not go to the extensive, and
destitute regions of the South and
West to awaken our commissera-

We

[The Trustees thus close their tion; we may look nearer home. Report.]

THE Trustees cannot close this report, without expressing their earnest hope, that the members of this Society will not grow cold in their charity, languid in their zeal, or weary in well doing. The cause in which they are engaged is incalculably important; and the success, which has hitherto attended their efforts, is such as should inspire them with increased animation. The times we know are dark, and many circumstances in the state of our

In the District of Maine, that important part of our own state, more than two hundred towns and parishes are destitute of the regular and stated ministry of the Gospel. The call for the exertions of Christian benevolence are solemn, urgent, and deeply affecting; and it deserves very serious inquiry, whether our remissness in imparting the blessings of the Gospel, and promoting the cause of truth, piety, and virtue, among the thousands and millions in the land, who either willingly, or unwillingly, live with

out regular religious instruction, may not be among the principal causes of that divine displeasure under which the nation is mourning and trembling. Great as the numbers are of those who are famishing for the bread of life, the means for supplying them are ample; and were Christians to feel as they ought to feel, were all to be done by them which might be done, no part | of our country would long be left unsupplied.

Rev. JONATHAN STRONG,"
The SECRETARY,
Rev. EDWARD D GRIFFIN, D.D.
Dea ISAAC WARREN,
HENRY GRAY, Esq.
The TREASURER, and
Mr. JOHN JENKS.

British and Foreign Bible Society.

[We impatiently wait for the Ninth Report of this Society, which was made at the Annual Meeting, on the 5th of last May. in London. The following is taken from an English newspaper, and though not expressed in the most fit terms for a religious publication, informs us of the continued success of the Institution, and will warrant the Christian reader in anticipating great satisfaction from a more detailed account of the meeting.] ED.

Let us then, beloved Brethren, one and all, bring this subject home to our own hearts, and endeavor to press it upon the hearts of others. Let us not shut our eyes upon the wants of the multitudes ready to perish, nor withhold ourselves from doing whatsoever our hands find to do for their help. As a society let us stir up the spirit of Christian benevolence and zeal in our own body; be more enlarged in our views, more fervent in our prayers, more strenuous in our exertions; and be always ready to co-operate with other similar bodies in every eligi- Society, held at Freemason's Hall, ble measure for advancing the com- Great Queen-street on Wednesday mon cause. And as individuals, the 5th inst. Lord Teignmouth was let us call to mind the blood which in the Chair, supported on his was shed to redeem us, the price of right by the Duke of Kent, the Bishall our hopes, and feelingly recog-op of Salisbury and other Ecclenize our infinite obligations to Him who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of

the truth. Let us enkindle our

hearts at his holy altar, and carry

home the sacred fire to our friends and neighbors; and let us never cease to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, or think that we have done enough, that we have done any thing indeed, for her prosperity and increase, so long as any thing remains to be done.

OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY.
President.

Rev. DANIEL HOPKINS, D. D.

Secretary.

Ar the Annual Meeting of this

siastical Dignitaries, Lord Gambier, Messrs. Thornton and Hoare; on his left by the Duke of Sussex, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Mr. Wilberforce; and behind there were many Members of both Houses of Parliament. His Lordship read with much feeling, a long and very interesting Report regarding the powerful effects which had been made in the dissemination of the Gospel throughout different parts of the Globe, which our limits will not allow us even to recapitulate. It was stated that in the course of the last twelve months 135,500 copies had been distributed, and 40,000 in Ireland. That a similar Society had been established in Petersburgh,

Rev. SAMUEL WORCESTER, D. D under an express Ukase of the

Treasurer.

JEREMIAH EVARTS, Esq.

Emperor, where subscriptions had been raised to the amount of 60,000 rubles, and that monarch had personally given 10,000. His Lordship also read a list of the liberal donations, legacics, and subscriptions

which had been made for the support of the "British and Foreign Bible Society," by all ranks and religious denominations in different parts amounting to 70,000l. sterling 55,000% of which, much to their honor, had actually been furnished by the Auxiliary Societies throughout the United Kingdom.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent apologized for the absence of his Royal Brother, York, engaged in urgent military duties; and, after moving that the Report be printed and published, said, he was glad that the fundamental ground of the Society was, that the Sacred Volume was to be distributed without any annotations or comments and every individual left to put his own construction upon it. And it now fell to his share to perform the pleasing duty of proposing a vote of thanks to his Lordship, who so ably filled the chair, and always acted with a modesty inseparable from himself; "and (said his Royal Highness) had I been appointed to that situation I should certainly have apoligized for intrusion. His Lordship's exertions have deserved praise far beyond any that this meeting can confer, and I have been only an humble imitator of his Lordship as a fellow laborer in the vineyard." His Royal Highness then sat dow amidst shouts of applause. The Bishop of Salisbury seconded the motion and paid a proper compliment to his Royal Highness.

breast of every man.-All now assembled contributed by their presence to that great cause going forth, which was of such incalculable benefit, not only to the world at large, but to this country in particular; and the eye of GOD must look down and bless the work!" I nev er have felt," added his Royal Highness, "such an impulse of national pride and gratitude to the Society as I do at this moment; and, in becoming linked to such a Society, I consider my exertions only as a brotherly act."His Royal Highness then moved thanks to the Vice President, &c. amidst shouts of applause.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer addressed the Meeting: as did also Mr. Wilberforce, who remarked in his speech, that although the Chancellor had changed his place, he had not changed his opinion of the Society. Others addressed the Meeting at great length,amidst thunders of applause from an immense assemblage.

It is impossibie to do justice to the humility and urbanity which was exemplified in the conduct of the Royal Dukes, and to the general unanimity and co-operation displayed on this interesting occasion by all ranks and persuasions. To every similar Institution we have only to say "Go thou and do likewise!"

140

lency of the Bible.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Sir Matthew Hale on the ExcelSussex then rose, amidst acclamations, and said, he was proud to add his applause and join in the vote of "As the rule to attain our chief thanks; that he entered warmly end, must come from God; and as into the opinions expressed by his the Scriptures of the Old and New dear Relative, and might weaken Testament are the word of God; the cause he had so ably advocated, so we say, that these Scriptures are if he added many words. What the rule, and the only rule, to attain he had heard read from the Report our chief end. Good books of other [which was done by Lord Teign- men, good education, good sermons, mouth, in honest simplicity] con- the determinations of the church, firmed the opinion he had entertain- are good helps; but there is no othed of this Socicty, to which he had er rule but this. It is by this rule not given his name without the most that we must try other mien's books mature del beration. The Society, and sermons, yea the very church his Royal Highness said, felt as itself. Thus the Bereans tried the grateful for the smallest subscription doctrine of the Apostles themselves, as for the greatest donation, for by the Scriptures which they then Christian charity cught to be in the 'had, and are commended for it.