Page images
PDF
EPUB

TO THE BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF

the people threatened to mob me and the candidates. And the woman's mother said that she wished somebody would drown her daughter. I was somewhat

MASSACHUSETTS:

Dear Brethren,

The following is the account of my afraid of a riot, but the Lord softened the labours in the Province of New Bruns-hearts of these persecutors. On the Sabwick.

I left the Northwest of Miramichi on the 27th of January, 1826, to visit Black River, where I preached three times on the Sabbath. I spent the week in visiting from house to house during the day time, and preached in the evenings. The people were very attentive at the meetings, and some were affected under the preaching of the word. I found three in the settlement who were hopefully brought to the knowledge of the truth.

I left them on the 4th of February, and returned to Northwest to attend our con

I

ference meeting. On the 20th I visited
the Southwest branch of the river Mira-
michi, and spent two weeks. I preached
on week evenings in the various settle-
ments on the banks of the river. There
are a great many inhabitants scattered in
this wilderness, who are altogether des-
titute of the means of grace. The mor-
als of the people are very corrupt.
spent the first Sabbath about 40 miles
from Northwest, preached three times on
that day, and travelled and preached
every evening through the week, besides
three times on the Sabbath. I travelled
on foot 40 miles toward the mouth of
Miramichi to visit some settlements on the
sea shore. After travelling 3 days, and
wading through bogs, marshes, and creeks
I came to Fabishotak river, where I
preached on the Sabbath three times.
The congregation consisted of about 200
souls. I visited from house to house, and
preached in the evenings three times in
the course of that week; the people
were very solemn. On the Sabbath a
great crowd of people came together, and||
I believe that the
many were in tears.
Lord was in the place. On Monday, two
persons, a man and a woman offered
themselves as candidates for baptism.
One of them was over 80 years of age.
After hearing their experience, and ex-
amining their doctrinal views, and being ||
myself fully satisfied, I purposed to bap-
tize them the next Sabbath. Some of

bath I preached on the subject of baptism, and I think that the Lord blessed the service to many. At the time the ordinance was administered, the persons who threatened to mob us, came forward with tears and assisted in singing at the water-side, and some that were under concern of mind found comfort. The gospel never was preached in that place before. And some of the most wicked characters were under deep distress. The people contributed to the funds of the Missionary Society.

At the Cardigan settlement I preached and exhorted in the Welsh language nine weeks. At the close of my visit 4 persons made a publick profession of their repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; and were baptized and added to the church. The number of members is at present forty-nine. I received a contribution for the Society. Yours, &c. DAVID JAMES.

MR. JAMES TO MR. SHARP.

Dear Sir,

I take the liberty of accompanying my Journal with a few statements concerning the work of God with us in Northwest of Miramichi; which account I do not consider as connected with my missionary labours.

In the month of Sept. 1825, it pleased the Lord to visit our region with a sore judgment. The consuming fire laid the most wealthy part of that country in ruins. But where the main body of the Baptist Church is, not one of them, nor any other that lived among them, have lost their habitations. We can say of a || truth, the Lord was a wall of fire round But judgments will not soften about us. For sometime the hearts of sinners. after this it appeared to me that the hearts of the people were harder than before.

In the month of December, the Lord began to work upon the minds of some

On

backsliders by the preaching of the word; after that, sinners were awakened to a sense of their lost situation. Christmas-day three young men came forward and gave satisfactory evidence of being born again, and were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. At the next conference meeting, eleven came forward and were received, and afterwards baptized. A third conference was held ; and the Sabbath following I had the pleasure of baptizing thirteen persons. The work continued till the month of June. Some came forward at every conference meeting, and before I left the place forty-nine were added to the church. The means that the Lord bless

ed, were the preaching of the word and

the administration of the ordinance of baptism. There is one Roman Catholick among the persons that have been hopefully converted to God.

I remain, dear Sir, yours in the bonds of the gospel, DAVID JAMES.

[ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]

The small Church that elder Benjamin Oviatt named to you in his Report of missionary labours, which received fellowship in Nov. last, and then consisted

of thirteen members has now increased to near seventy. The Lord still seems to be carrying on his own work. It commenced with some youths, but others more advanced in years have experienced its power. The moral and the vile; and some of the most wretched and

profane have given great evidence of a change. It has spread over a part of three townships.

Yours, with respect,

BENJAMIN G. AVERY.

Rev. D. Sharp.

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM THE REV.
PETER CHASE ΤΟ HIS BROTHER AT
NEWTON.

Village of Hinesburgh, (Vt.)
Oct. 10, 1826.

My very dear Brother,
"Eight weeks ago last Saturday, at the
close of our monthly church meeting, I
suggested to our brethren the propriety
and the necessity of our having a meet-
ing as soon as practicable, for the express
purpose of confessing to God and each
other, our negligence in the service of
Christ, and of supplicating the throne of
grace for mercy, and for a revival of re-
ligion in our own hearts and throughout
the town. We agreed to meet the next
Saturday. The evening before we were
to meet, a young man came to me and
told me that he had been for some weeks
under a deep conviction of his sins, and
that whilst he was sinking under their
weight, the Lord had appeared for his
deliverance, and had made his soul to
rejoice in the liberty of the gospel. I
told him of our meeting the next day,
and he said he would attend.

We engaged together in prayer for a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. The next day, he went with me to our meeting, at the opening of which I observed to the brethren, This day is this scripture fulfilled in our ears: And shall come to pass, that before they call I will answer; and while

they are yet speaking, I will hear." From that day our brethren and sisters have been rising to a spiritual and heavenly frame of mind. Our conferences soon became full and interesting. A number of youths resolved that they would attend to their souls' concern, and seek the Lord till they should find him; and that if they perished, they would perish at his feet, pleading for mercy. The young people soon had religious meetings among themselves. Instances of conviction multiplied, and blessed be God, twelve or fifteen, or more, can now say, 'Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.'

to

Last Lord's day, we had the happiness

'See how the willing converts trace
The path their great Redeemer trod,
And follow, through his liquid grave,
The meek, the lowly Son of God."

I buried eight blooming youths with
Christ in baptism, upon profession of their
At the conference in the
faith in him.
evening, I believe many could say,

"How sweet and awful is the place,
With Christ within the doors!'

Young converts and older christians could testify of the 'joy unspeakable and full of glory.' Sinners trembled; and some, in deep distress, requested prayer.

May the Lord continue his graciously begun work, till our town, and till the world, shall be filled with his praise."

BRITISH AND FOREIGN

SOCIETY.

BIBLE

The last number of the Bible Society's Monthly Extracts contains an interesting account of the Twenty-Second Anniversary of the Society.

Lord Teignmouth, the president, opened the meeting. "In the success," said his lordship, "which has so amply rewarded our efforts for the distribution of the holy Scriptures, we cannot but recognise, with heartfelt gratitude and devout thanksgiving, the guiding and protecting hand of the same good and gracious God who has so wonderfully preserved his written and inspired word to these times, for the instruction of mankind in righteousness, and to point out to them the way to eternal life. If obstacles have Occasionally occurred, they have been removed; difficulties have been surmounted; and if a passing cloud has thrown a dark shade over the horizon of our hopes, it has soon been dispersed. I could with pleasure expatiate on the benefits conferred on mankind through the instrumentality of our institution, if my strength permitted. It is a topic peculiarly calculated to excite the best sympathies of our nature, and to animate our perseverance in our labour of love."

An abstract of the Report was read by the Rev. Andrew Brandram, one of the Secretaries in the introduction to which the following Resolutions were contained, as the final determination of the Society on the subject of the Apocrypha :

1. That the fundamental law of the Society, which limits its operations to the circulation of the holy Scriptures, be fully and distinctly recognised as excluding the circulation of the Apocrypha.

2. That, in conformity to the preeeding Resolution, no pecuniary aid can be granted to any Society circulating the Apocrypha; nor, except for the purpose of being applied in conformity to the said Resolution, to any individual whatever.

3. That in all cases in which grants, whether gratuitous or otherwise, of the holy Scriptures, either in the whole or in part, shall be made to any Society, the books be issued bound; and on the express condition that they shall be distributed without alteration or addition.

The cash account of the year was as follows:

Free contributions from
Auxiliary Societies,
Receipts for Bibles and
Testaments, Reports, and
Monthly Extracts,

Legacies,

[ocr errors]

Sundry other sums,

Total net receipts,
Total net payments,
DEC. 1826.

The issues from the depository during the last year were 110,963 Bibles, and 175,439 Testaments, forming a total of 4,009,389 copies of the Scriptures issued in this country by the Society in twenty two years.

tinguished advocates of the Bible cause, The following observations by two diswill be read with the most lively interest.

Rev. J. W. Cunningham.—“ We like a practical conclusion to all our remarks; and I confess I have a great design upon every man's bosom and powers and faculties in this assembly. For the danger is, lest, delighted with what you have heard, you should take up your strain of congratulation, or go away, saying it is all exceedingly true; and there the matter should end: whereas, I speak to my clerical brethren and other ministers of religion behind me, and to those before me; and the meaning of this plain honest English address is, that you should bend your powers, your faculties of body and mind, to the work; and it is from yourselves we expect the restitution of what we have lost. I look at many faces to-day; and I should say, we have so many staunch friends, every inan will be a hearty operator in this great work; but that is not the fact. I know that the very energy which we sometimes feel on occasions like the present, instead of exciting to action, becomes the apology for inaction; and we go home and do nothing. I trust a divine blessing will be so granted to every man, that all will take this resolutionI will not be the dead picture, but the living man; and this Society shall feel the benefit of my prayers and my labours. I will endeavour to turn one subscription into two, and to deepen the interest in all hearts in my parish: and, instead of suffering myself to be rocked to sleep in that cradle which not the friends but the enemies of the Society have provided, I will go forth to the battle of the Lord, and strive to live to his glory, in promoting the salvation of all mankind.'"

The Rev. W. B. Fox, a missionary from Ceylon, said, "I have seen the fruit of the operation of the Bible Society in far distant countries, where the ef fects have been greater than I can describe. The natives of Ceylon were under the dominion of Europeans for 250 years before their conquerors gave them £36,631 19 10 any part of the word of God; and it was not till this society arose, that they had versions of the scriptures. I beg to relate one very striking circumstance respecting the first labours of this society in Ceylon. Three hundred copies of St. Matthew were circulated, and one of them fell into the hands of the second person in the island, who had been rais

36,462 1 9
3,434 11
6,239 9 6

8

82,768 2 9
96,014 13 7

49

ed to the highest honour in the Budhist priesthood. He has now become a clergyman of the Established Church. When the Scriptures were completed, it was supposed that the Cingalese would not receive them; but a number of schools had been established, and, as soon as the first edition came out, the copies were taken up by them. There are now twenty thousand souls who can read the sacred volume; and, by liberal supplies of this Society, within eighteen months one in every fifty speaking this language will have a copy. So great has been the effect of the Scriptures, that there are now whole parishes in which there are heathen temples, but no worshippers; and the inhabitants offered, about four months ago, a Budhist temple for Christian worship. But the most singular thing I have seen is the destruction of caste, that horrid monster which had do

minion over all India; and while all ages have shown that it is not by might nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord, it is true, that in the same degree that the book of revealed truth has circulated,

caste has hid its head.

Chr. Obs.

Frankfort Primary Society, organized April 17. Dea. Daniel Perkins, Pres.Stephen Littlefield, Jr. Sec.

Prospect Primary Society, organized April 20. Capt. Henry Hichborn, Pies.— Silas Putnam, Sec.

Freedom Primary Society, organized April 23. Elder Daniel Richer, Pres.Cyprian Twitchell, Esq. Sec.

Palermo Male Primary Society was organized April 23. Elder William Bowler, Pres.-Dea. John Rigley, Sec.

Palermo Female Primary Society was formed April 23. Mrs. Sarah Bowler, Pres.-Miss Nancy Eastman, Sec.

Montville Primary Society was organized April 25. Joseph Chandler, Esq. Pres.-Samuel Campbell, Sec.

Kennebec and Penobscot Auxiliary Societies.

ty of Kennebec County, was organized The Auxiliary Foreign Mission Socieat Waterville, August 29, 1826. Rev. Dr. Chaplin, Pres.-Rev. Daniel Chessman, of Hallowell, Sec.

Primary Societies connected with the Kennebec Auxiliary.

Bloomfield Primary Society, organized June 6, 1825. Mr. J. White, Pres.-J. Emery, 2d, Sec.

Bloomfield Female Primary Society,

AUXILIARY AND PRIMARY FOR. EIGN MISSION SOCIETIES. The labours of the Agent of the For-organized June 6, 1825. Mrs. Benjamin eign Missionary Board in the State of Shepard, Pres-Mrs. James Bowen, Sec. Maine, have been attended with the most gratifying success. Most of the following Societies have been organized through his exertions.

Waldo Auxiliary Foreign Mission Society, organized at Belfast, April 26. 1826. The Officers are the following, Elder N. Hooper, Pres. John Clark, Esq. Secretary.

The several Primary Societies subsidiary to the Waldo Auxiliary.

The Belfast Male Primary Society, was organized in February, 1825. Elder N. Hooper, Pres.-John Clark, Esq. Sec. The Belfast Female Primary Society was organized in February, 1825. Mrs. Betsey Hooper, Pres-Mrs. Sally Williams, Sec.

Appleton Male Primary Society was organized March 31, 1826. Elder A. Richardson, Pres.-Joshua Linnekin,

Sec.

Appleton Female Primary Society. Mrs. Abigail Hartford, Pres.--Elizabeth Misservey, Sec.

Swanville Primary Society was formed April 14, 1826. Capt. Benj. Tripp, Pres.-John Lenfist, Sec.

Monroe Primary Society was formed April 15. Elder R. Lambert, Pres.-Elder J. Boden, Sec.

|

Belgrade Primary Society, organized

July 30, 1826. Rev. E. Taylor, Pres.

Mr. N. Gubtail, Sec.

Bowdoin Primary Society, organized August 20, 1826. Rev. N. Norton, Pres. Dea. M. Dennett, Sec.

Bowdoinham Female Primary Society, organized Feb. 2, 1826. S. Gardner, Esq. Pres.-S. Sumner, Sec.

Bowdoinham Primary Society. Mrs. R. Pierson, Pres.-Miss B. Huntington, Sec.

Chesterville Primary Society,_organized Sept. 13, 1826. Dea. Wm. Bradbury, Pres.-Mr. Wm. Chaney, Sec.

China Primary Society, organized 1825. Rev. H. Proctor. Pres.-J. Fairfield, Sec.

East Livermore Primary Society, formed Sept. 5, 1825. Mr. Benj. Thombs, Pres.-Dea. E. Turner, Sec., Fayette Primary Society, formed Aug. 27, 1826. Rev. O. Billings, Pres.-L. Stacy, Esq. Sec.

Fayette Female Missionary Society was formed June 1817. Mrs. Harriet Stacy, Pres.-Miss Dolly Watson, Sec.

Farmington Primary Society, organized Sept. 12, 1826. Wm. Parker, Esq. Pres.-Mr. N. Bullen, Sec.

Gardiner Primary Society, organized August 14, 1826. Mr. N. Currier, Pres. -Mr. J. Getchell, Sec.

Greene Primary Society, organized Aug. 23, 1826. J. Mower, Pres.-E. Barrell, Esq. Sec.

Harmony Primary Society, organized July 23, 1826. James Leighton, Esq. Pres.-J. Evans, Sec.

Hallowell Primary Society, formed in Feb. 1825. Rev. D. Chessman, Pres.Capt. E. White, Sec.

Hallowell Female Benevolent Society was formed in May, 1817. Mrs. Daniel Chessman, Pres.-Mrs. Ebenezer White, Sec.

Industry Primary Society, organized Sept. 25, 1823. Dea. Ira Emery, Pres. -John Bailey, Sec.

Litchfield Primary Society, organized Aug. 16, 1826 Rev. W. O. Grant, Pres.-A. Bachelder, Sec.

Lisbon Primary Society, formed in Feb. 1825. S. True, Pres.-J. Hanscomb, Sec.

Lisbon Female Primary Society, formed in Feb. 1825. Mrs. M. Haley, Pres.-Mrs. B. White, Sec.

Leeds Primary Society, organized Aug. 24. Rev. T. Francis, Pres.-R. B. Howard, Sec,

[ocr errors]

Wayne Primary Society, organized Sept. 1, 1826. Mr. S. Brown, Pres.Capt. A. Dexter, Sec.

Winthrop Primary Society, organized Feb. 1825. Mr. Benjamin Perkins, Pres.-Richard Packard, Sec.

Winthrop Female Baptist Benevolent Society, organized in June 1824. Miss Elizabeth Lewis, Pres.-Miss Clarissa Richards, Sec.

The Penobscot Auxiliary Foreign Mission Society was organized at Dex

ter, July 22, 1826. Elder Thomas Ma

comber, of Guilford, Pres.-Elder Jacob Hatch, of Dexter, Sec.

Primary Societies subsidiary to the Penobscot Auxiliary.

Bangor Female Primary Society was organized July 1, 1826. Mrs. F. Rich, Pres.-Miss Jerusha Bryant, Sec.

Corinth Primary Society, formed July 10. Elder S. Dexter, Pres.-Dea. J. Hunting, Sec.

Dexter Primary Society, organized July 9. Dea. J. H. Perkins, Pres.Dea. L. Morrill, Sec.

Dexter Female Primary Society, or

Leeds Female Primary Society, organized Sept. 4, 1826. Mrs. A. Lamb,ganized July 9, 1826. Mrs. A. Morrill, Pres.-Patience Francis, Sec.

Monmouth and Wales Primary Socie ty, organized Aug, 18, 1826. Dea. J. B. Allen, Pres.-B. Jenkins, Sec.

Mount Vernon Primary Society, organized Aug. 28, 1826. Dea N. Robinson, Pres.-Samuel Foote, Sec.

Pres.-Mrs. R. Copeland, Sec.

Dover Primary Society, organized July 16. Elder N. Robinson, Pres.-Thos Sinclair, Esq. Sec.

Dixmont Primary Society, organized May 27, 1826. Dea. J. Howe, Pres.E. Whitcomb, Sec.

Mount Vernon Female Primary Soci- Etna and Mount Carmel Primary Soety, organized Sept. 22, 1825. Mrs. Sa-ciety, organized in June, 1826. Elder rah B. Robinson, Pres.-Miss Abigail P. || D. M'c Master, Pres.-D. Dennett, Esq. Robinson, Sec. Sec.

New Sharon Benevolent Society, organized in 1819. Rev. Sylvanus Boardman, Pres.-Mr. H. A. Boardman, Sec, Readfield Primary Society, organized in 1825. Rev. J. Torrey, Pres.-Mr. J. Lane, Sec.

Readfield Female Benevolent Society, organized in 1814. Mrs. Isaac Case, Pres.

Sidney Female Primary Society, Mariah D. Howard, Pres.-Orilla Sawtell, Sec.

Vassalborough Primary Society, organized Aug. 9, 1826. Rev. J. Martin, Pres.-J. Marble, Sec.

Waterville Primary Society, organized 1825. Rev. Dr. Chapin, Pres.H. B. Dodge, Sec.

Waterville Female Primary Society, organized 1825. Mrs. Chapin, Vice Pres.-Mrs. Chaplin, Sec.

Wayne Female Mission Society was formed in 1819. Mrs. Lucy Bowles, Pres.-Mrs. Lucretia Leadbetter, Sec.

Guilford Primary Society, organized July 16. Elder T. Macomber, Pres.J. M'c Laughlin, Esq. Sec.

Guilford Female Primary Society, organized July 16. Mrs. Eliza Kelsey,

Pres.

Newport Primary Society, organized July 6. Elder R. Coburn, Pres.-J. Bicknell, Sec.

Newport Female Primary Society, formed July 6. Mrs. H. R. Hook, Pres -Miss P. Lancaster, Sec.

New Charleston Primary Society, organized July 11. C. T. Norcross, Pres. -R. Kittredge, Sec.

New Charleston Female Primary Society, re-organized July 11. Mrs. N. Millet, Pres.-Miss B. Dunning, Sec.

Parkman Primary Society, organized July 18. Elder Z. Hall, Pres.-Wm Brewster, Sec.

Sangerville Primary Society, organized July 13. Elder Daniel Bartlett, Pres.-Dea. G. Carlton, Sec.

« PreviousContinue »