in appearance, is now sharing with liberality, the patronage of the Christian community. possessed; that "the field is the These publications, containing, as they often do, accounts from the Eastern and Western world, cannot fail to enlist the best feelings of our hearts, and often constrain us to inquire, Lord, what wilt thou have us to do? When in our imagination we view Dr. Judson and his associates, "who counted not their lives dear unto them," loaded with chains, and immured within the walls of a gloomy prison, waiting with trembling anxiety their approaching fate; when we consider the privations and sufferings of these servants of the Most High God, and reflect on the deplorable ignorance and wretchedness of those gentiles to whom they have gone to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ; when for a moment we reflect on the immense value of their souls, their danger of everlasting perdition, and the hap-exertions in that important station piness they are capable of enjoying; -a mere glance at these affecting facts will call forth all the sympathies of which we are capable. We would suggest to our churches, and particularly to their pastors, the utility of communicating important religious intelligence at the monthly concert of prayer. On these occasions, the mind is tender, and susceptible of good impressions. The exercises of this day seem calculated to produce a most interesting association of feelings. It is emphatically the great prayer day of the Christian world; and on those occasions, our prayers and alms should always accompany each other. Let ministers improve these seasons of special prayer, to stimulate their brethren to more vigorous exertions in support of missions, foreign and domestic. Having contributed something, in aid of these great objects, we are in danger of indulging in self complacency, and seem to forget that there is yet very much land to be have been suspended for the present. But shall we on this account relax in our exertions? Or shall we not rather avail ourselves of this occasion to recruit our strength, and be prepared for more vigorous efforts in aid of the grand designs of Heaven in relation to those dark places of the earth ? It is confidently expected, that the war with the Burmese will prepare the way for greater facilities in prosecuting the objects of the mission. The wrath of man shall praise God. Besides, are not other important stations to be supported? Shall we forget the red brethren of our western forests? Surely we are debtors to these barbarians, and ought to feel under the most solemn obligations to do all in our power to emancipate them from the slavery of ignorance and sin. We again most affectionately request our brethren to consider these important subjects. It is the cause of God; it must, it will succeed!-In relation to pe cuniary assistance it is still true, "we can do what we will do." Remember the motto of that man of God, who has spent his valuable life in successfully translating the Sacred Scriptures into the various languages of the East, "Attempt great things, expect great things." We anticipate with much pleasure, that at the meeting to which we have alluded, many of the representatives of the thousands of Israel, will be prepared to pour into the treasury of the Lord their grateful offerings, and find that it is more blessed to give than to receive. We have lately seen a letter from a highly esteemed minister in NewYork to the Treasurer, and obtained permission to publish an extract, which is herewith subjoined. This letter affords much encouragement, and ought to stimulate all to go and do likewise. Very dear Brother, A LAYMAN. A lady of my church called upon me shortly after the commencement of the present year, and accompanied by her two little sons. Each of them brought in his hand the missionary offering which he had saved from the donations he had received during the past year. The whole from themselves and their sister amounted to between two and three dollars. The amount it is true was not large, but its moral effect was far too important to be forgotten. Each cent of that offering had witnessed an effort of I have the pleasure of remitting self denial in the child, and had $200 to the Treasurer of the Con- taught him to feel for the miseries vention, in behalf of the New-York and strive for the relief of his felBaptist Foreign Mission Society. low men. Those children had This is the last sum you will re-learned to deny their appetites for ceive from this Society, as it has the cause of benevolence; a lesson been dissolved, and we hope that which many an older man dies withat least three, if not four Societies out having learned. I looked on will grow out of the materials which them at that moment, and at the constituted it. We have already pious mother who had taught them, organized one in Oliver Street, and as a specimen of human nature, I have set out with a determina- far more respectable, more valuation to raise $1000, before the Con-ble and more honourable than can vention assembles in New-York, be found in the selfish splendour of if it be at all practicable. I have charioted wealth, or in the still something more than $500 already more fascinating exhibitions of unsubscribed, and the prospect for the sanctified intellect. balance is at present very encouraging. Yours truly, I am yours truly, In addition to this very animating letter, we subjoin another lately received on this subject from a clergyman of our own denomination in a populous town in New Many things are spoken of, in the Scriptures, as good but there is not one thing emphatically called GOOD, which does not relate to Christ or his coming. MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE. FOREIGN MISSION. LETTERS have been received from Mr. Ottawa boy, the fourth from that place now in our school. This circumstance is mentioned as an evidence that those Indians are really desirous to be favoured with a school, and this, in connexion with several other hopeful circumstances, exhibits the favourableness of our pros Wade, under the date of September 1st, 1825. They contain nothing new respecting the mission. The printing of the Burman dictionary was proceeding. Mr. Hough was expected soon to leave Cal-pects there, notwithstanding the opposicutta for Rangoon, to make arrangements preparatory for the re-establishment of the mission in that place. Mrs. Wade had suffered two severe attacks of fever, but was then convalescent, and was considered out of danger. A letter has also been received by the assistant Corresponding Secretary, from Mr. Boardman, dated 52 days out from Philadelphia. The passage, though far from speedy, had been very pleasant. They were treated by the Captain and Supercargo in the most friendly manner. They had prayer in the cabin every evening, and services regularly every Sabbath. They are before this, in all probability, at the scene of their labours. The latest accounts from Mr. Judson and Dr. Price, are furnished by Edward A. Newton, Esq. late of Calcutta, who has just arrived in Boston. We have been favoured with the perusal of a note to him from an officer in the British army, who had returned to Calcutta. He states, on undoubted authority, that the situation of Dr. Judson and his companions is not at present perilous, and that their friends have but little reason to entertain any apprehensions of their final safety. CAREY STATION. EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM REV. ISAAC M'COY TO HIS FRIEND IN BOSTON. Carey, 100 miles N. W. of Fort Wayne, Ind.-Oct. 15, 1825. tion of some of them. But this subject cannot be mentioned without sighing under a distressing want of missionaries. To our correspondents, we often com plain of the obstacles to Indian reform, occasioned by the introduction of ardent spirits into the Indian country. The following extract of a letter from a respectable friend at Fort Wayne, confirms the justness of our complaints. "I fear you will have troublesome times the ensuing season. The country is full of traders, and I have no doubt, of whiskey too. It goes from this place by waggon loads." The mind can never turn to this subject but with pain! The snares which are spread by this prevailing evil have entangled some of the natives, for whom we had indulged hopes of better things. But the enemy may not always triumph, and say, Aha! so would we have it! The following circumstances exhibit the power of Grace, and are by us gratefully ac knowledged as tokens of encouragement. K——, about 22 years of age, who was baptized last winter, returned to his father's in the spring, under the impression that his course with us was completed, and that he would enter upon business for himself. His father was a Canadian trader with an Indian family, and K---had been taken into our family, from the Indian dress, and manners, and country. He now proposed joining his father in the Indian trade. Soon after his departure from us, he found himself exposed to many sneers of the impious, who often ridiculed him for his sobriety, saying he was like an old ON returning from Thomas to Carey, man; it was no crime to use profane lanin September, I brought with me a little "guage, it was only an act of the lips, and Dear Brother, not of the heart, &c. He had commonly || where, to his surprise and joy, he found entertained lowly ideas of himself, and at a letter we had written him, informing this time his unworthiness was more sen- of our wish to send him, and some others sibly felt than usual. "It seemed to me," of our religious pupils, to some favorable says he, "that I could do nothing that institution at the eastward, with a view to was good." He felt much discouraged, their obtaining a liberal education, that disconsolate, and uncomfortable, there they might become the more useful to being none to speak a word of encour- their countrymen, and requesting him to agement to him, or to whom he might come and see us on the subject. This tell his sorrows; and he became lethar-circumstance afforded a pretext for his gick in Christian duties, and too much neglected prayer. to coming on to this place. After waiting here some days for some His father sent him with several expected intelligence from the eastward, hands under his direction to T and none having come to hand, we advispurchase whiskey. This was a grief anded him to return and take his leave of his trial to him; yet, in obedience to his father and friends, and afterwards prosefather's instructions, he purchased and cute his studies in this place, until arbrought back into the wilderness 20 bar- ||rangements could be made for his journey rels of whiskey. to the eastward. It was with much reluctance that he consented to follow this advice. At length, after declaring how very desirous he was to obtain a liberal education, and acknowledging the deference he paid to our advice, he said, with deep affection, and with tears in his eyes, "Well, next Tuesday or Wednesday I will start to my father's; but I know I shall be gone! (ruined) I cannot return to this place again." It was at this time that I became acquainted with the circumstance of his father's wish that he should deal out ardent spirits to the Indians, as mentioned above. He supposed that if he saw his father before arrangements were certainly made for his going to Col-' lege, he would be required to assist in this wicked traffick until the matter was settled. He feared to put himself again in the way of this trial and temptation. "If," says he, "I should sin in this thing, then I must be dismissed from your family and from the Church. When I joined the Church, I feared that I should, at some time, do bad; but I thought I would endeavour to be religious. Had I known that my conduct would be such as to oblige you to dismiss me, I would not have been baptized.". A powerful temptation, especially to a young man commencing business, now assailed him. His father required him to sell out the liquor to the Indians, and for his encouragement in business, promised him the whole proceeds of the sales, which would amount to, at least, $1200. He intimated some doubts respecting the propriety of vending ardent spirits to the Indians, and was answered, it was no crime to sell whiskey, or any thing else, to any one who would purchase and pay. Nevertheless, he persisted in the belief that the course required of him would be sinful. He reflected on the pity he had sometimes indulged on seeing the Indians intoxicated, and the great anxiety he had felt to afford them relief, rather than to augment their woes. He could not but believe that the murders, and other crimes committed by the Indians in consequence of their intemperance, were, in part, chargeable to those who supplied them with whiskey. But "how can I disobey my father," was the trying question. At length he told his father that he would be happy to visit some of his acquaintances before he proceeded further in business. To this his father consented, and he made a journey to F--, eighty miles from his father's. By this measure the trying hour was delayed a few days longer; but what step he should take next, he could not conceive. He has since visited, and taken leave of his people, (his father feeling himself not a little disappointed,) and is, at the moment of my writing this, united with six other promising religious Indian youths In this state of things, he arrived at F., in our school, pursuing his studies with great assiduity; thankful for, and animat- || in a civil as well as a religious point of ed with, the prospect of obtaining, in some classical school, a liberal education. Another delightful instance of Christian stability occurs in a neighbouring Indian woman who was baptized last June.Every method which wickedness could invent, has been used by some of her relations and acquaintances to induce her to unite with them in their inebriation and revelry, but all without success. Frequently she has left her house, and sometimes in the night, to avoid the disorders of the people around the place, and has taken shelter at the mission establishment. view, because it tends to the establishment of order. About the first of last month, the Putawatomies within the agency of Chicago were called into that place to receive an annuity from our government. Topnibee, the principal Chief, and his party, had appointed a day to set out on their journey, which turned out to be the Sabbath, on the morning of which he called to inform us of their intention to leave, and to inquire if it were proper for them so to do, saying, "If you think it improper for us to commence our journey on prayer-day, I will wait until tomorrow." This old man had spent about eighty years, almost wholly ignorant even of the existence of the Sabbath. His scruples, and his ready acquiescence in our advice to delay his journey, were, therefore, the more gratifying to us. In company of a considerable number of Indians, I made a journey to Chicago myself about this time. Whether we To you, sir, and others who feel interested in the welfare of the mission, it will afford satisfaction to know, that our heavenly Father, guarding us with paternal care, inspires with compassion and generosity, many distant friends who liberally contribute to the support of the school. On the 1st inst. we received eleven boxes of clothing, &c. from friends in different places in New-England. Some other box-journey with the poor Indian, or rest with es from New-York, and elsewhere, are on him in his wigwam, we must be pained the way hither. Regular acknowledg- with a view of his poverty. Those with ments of these favours had been made to whom I travelled, and the multitude I the donors by letter, and in our accounts passed on the way, were almost wholly to the Board of missions, submitted quar- destitute of food, except as they rarely, terly. While we are constrained to la- and with difficulty, caught some small ment the poorness of our labours, we can, animal. At one village, we saw a connevertheless, assure those who have aided siderable number of travellers, who were in this work, that their gifts have not been preparing to send out some of their young wholly wasted on people not profited men in quest of deer. When at any time thereby. Some of the wild wanderers I halted to take refreshments, the hungry may now be found at the feet of Jesus, || travellers in company would stop also, to clothed and in their right mind. In this whom my feelings obliged me to divide humble, proper place I would be their my own stock of provisions as long as it companion, on bidding an agreeable cor- could be divided. respondent an affectionate On the 8th, about 40 chiefs and many others were called together at the Coun. cil room at Chicago. Many of them were from Illinois and the western shores of Lake Michigan, whom I had never seen before, to whom the United States Agent gave me a very appropriate introduction. The chiefs with whom I had not been previously acquainted came forward and gave me the hand with the appearance of much affection. The salutation of one of them was, "Brother, we join our hands-our hearts also are united. I sa Ir affords us singular satisfaction to discover among our rude neighbours, though in instances rather solitary, some attention to the Sabbath. This is satisfactory!lute you in the name of the Great Spirit." |