Happy Death-Union of Missionary Institutions. HAPPY DEATH OF ESTHER MARIA CHAN DLER, AGED 7 YEARS. 119 pains, she besought them not to grieve, as she was no more theirs, but the Lord's, about to leave them in a few moments, and be forever with the Lord. "God is my father, and Christ is my friend," seemed to afford her Esther Maria Chandler, died Aug. 23, 1823, aged 7 years. She was sick twelve days. But I will only ask you to print a few things which she said the last day of her life. Injoy unspeakable and full of glory thro' the morning she looked to her mother with very great seriousness and said -I must die. She was too feeble to say much, but added, Jesus-Jesus and prayed very earnestly, O Lord As all the terrors and agonies of death. Her continued language was unceasing prayer, and when life ebbed for the last time, she continued to breathe "Come Lord Jesus-come Lord Jesus, for I am ready." Now dying fellow sinners, will you pause & think what eternity would be to you, should you find this little child "in the kingdom of heaven and you yourselves thrust out." AMICUS. (Woodstock Moniter. From the N. Y Rel. Chron ele. We lately suggested to the conductors of the two great Missionary Associations of our country, the "Am. Board of Com. for For. Missions," and the "United Foreign Mission Society," the propriety of uniting the two institutions; and offered our reasons for believing that such an union would be of extensive benefit to the cause in which both are engaged. Jesus, take me as I am with all my sins. She afterwards repeated the hymn, "Hark from the tombs," and the Lord's prayer, and many passages of the Bible which she was often repeating by herself before her sickness. She was exceeding joyful in the faith, which these precious truths inspired. After her strength was spent in these exercises, she took her parents and little schoolmates by the hand, giving them an apparent farewell. She then appeared composed in silent prayer till her exhausted strength revived, and enabled her again to say, come Lord Jesus, come Lord Jesus. soon as her strength permitted, she began to express a great concern to her weeping parents, that they might see something of their situation, and consider how blessed and glorious her prospects were; and they would not for her, but for themselves. She was engaged much through the day in praying for her poor parents; poor distressed parents, that had neglected praying for themselves and for their children, brought now, to attend SIR, Iu a late number of your pato the prayers and to the instructions per I observe some hints with respect of their dear, darling daughter upon to an union of the Society under the her dying pillow. She comforted her direction of the "American B.of C. for parents with telling them how much for Foreign Missions" and the “Unitshe should know and how happy sheed Foreign Missionary Society." It should be, in going to see her Jesus may be a satisfaction to your readers face to face; and engage with her little to know that measures for this purpose brother and other mates, who had had been taken some time previous to died the season before, in his eternal the appearance of the article alluded praises. When they seemed incon-to; and although the officers of the solable with witnessing her dying Societies may not meet before the weep By the following communication it will be seen that a measure of this kind has been, for some time. contemplated. We are sorry to learn, however, that a considerable delay will be effected. must probably take place before it To the Editor of the Rel. Chronicle. middle of the next summer, yet there is a hope that the plan will eventually be carried into effect. From the Portland Mirror. THE DYING CONVERT. Having accomplished his business with the infidel gentleman, returned across the field, in which the young he asked, with an appearance of a little more interest in the subject. His appearance however, was very stupid. Yet the preacher gave him a solemn warning, and enforced it, tho'. upon what seemed to him a hopeless It was during a revival of religion object, with this motive; "You may in N- that a young minister, in be in eternity in a short time," and pursuance of a system of family visit-with this remark turned and left him. ation, started one bright morning to visit a man of great repute in the town, and as much reputed for infidelity as any thing else. Avoiding the circuit-man was still at his labor; and while ous rout of the road, he applied his passing at a distance from him, obagility in leaping over the fences that served him approaching with a changenclosed the green meadow and grow-ed and downcast aspect. He seemed ing corn, and having gained about half to force something through his lips, his distance, espied a young man, who "I-I have been thinking of what you was soberly engaged in his daily la- mentioned to me, Sir, said he, and I bor. The thought flashed across his feel strangely." "Do you feel as if mind "shall I not speak to him about you was a sinner,' was immediately his soul?" His heart kindled in love put to him, "Yes I do," he faltered out. for the honest young man, who, though "Then you must fly to the Lord Jevery industrious, seemed not to think sus Christ." The evangelist without the time was coming when he must another word pursued his way, feardie! His countenance did not wearing to touch the work of God, which that anxiety that deathlike solemni-he hoped was begun in his soul, and ty-that melting tenderness, which giving him the only direction, which are so frequently discernible in a sea-is always safe. son of the general effusion of the Spir- An arrow from above had been shot it, and which bespeak the inward ag-into the heart of the poor laborer, and itations of the convicted soul. He he was afterwards seen bowed down looked dull; not only intellectually with the weight of his sins. No but (a far gloomier sight) spiritually heavenly consolation was felt in his dull. He looked as if he thought, if heart. He sought relief from Christindeed he thought at all on the sub-ians, but they too were powerless ject, the end of his life was the end of worms of the dust! He groaned under the load of his convictions, but man could not remove it. his existence. The messenger of mercy stopped, as he came up to him; then walked aHe enjoyed no peace, until, cut off round him, as if surveying his work, from every mortal help, he too found and having lifted a prayer for God's sweet refuge in the Saviour of sinners. blessing on his attempt, asked him, Then he was happy-then the cheer"Have you too, felt any concern for ful smile, which so peculiarly lights your soul?" He looked at the speaker up the countenance of the lately rewith a sort of vacant surprise, and deemed convert, shone forth in his after considerable apparent hesitation with an expression altogether new. whether to speak or not, finally repli-He had hardly had time to speak of ed, "No Sir." "But do you know his glorious Redeemer to the circle how happy your brother is in Christ? of his acquaintance, before he was He has found something, which I tear attacked with a disease of great viruyou know nothing about," "Has he," "lence, which quickly reduced his ath strong supports which he felt under the "inward man," while the outward inan was wasting away. They could He would smile; and wonder how they should weep for a soul just on the confines of glory. "Weep for your sins, my friends, and seek their pardon of Jesus Christ," was his importunate request. letic form to a mere skeleton. It was in this situation that he began to feel, in a more eminent degree, the value of a personal interest in the great Re-not avoid being affected. They wept, deemer. And here I will drop for a moment the thread of my narrative, that I may give my reader and myself an opportunity to reflect, not merely how beautiful religion is at the death bed, but how necessary it will be for both of us in that trembling hour? Health, it may be, has painted her rose on our check-fancy is creating her visions-pleasure holds up her sweet allurements-gold exhibits its glittering charms, but all these, what will all these be to us, when the king of terrors shall assert his claim? The rose of health! He turns it into the cold and colourless lily. Visions of Fancy! His touch extinguishes them in endless darkness. Pleasure! It dies in his embrace, and is exchanged for undying pain. He asked them to sing a hymn, which was much sung by the converts. During the singing, his countenance seemed to assume a sort of celestial brightness, his dying eye kindled for a moment into a high and holy expression of mingled love and praise, and when they came to the following verse, "Then let me mount and soar away He by an unwonted effort joined his Gold! millions have had it and mil- voice to theirs, uttering with distinctlions of it have been possessed, but ness and emphasis the soul-enrapturdid the terific king ever permit a centing words, and shortly after expired! Oh death! Thou conqueror of conquerors! Thy sting was powerless, welcome thine em-. Thyself the victory yielded here; to be carried into eternity? What need, then, will my readers or myself have of any of these things, when the chills of death begin to creap through our vains? None. Yet there is something, which no more feels the influence of death than an angel in heaven. It is, ah yes, my thoughtless reader, it is "the pearl of great price." Let a man but have this, health is nothing. Death may take it away when he pleases. Bright fancies are nothing. Pleasure is a fool. Gold is of less value than dirt, for a little of that he will need to hide his remains from the view of others, and to protect the deathworm in his silent riotings. Let a man have this, and he may smile in the face of death, So did this young man. For six weeks his bed of agony presented a scene of sweet and holy triumph. He sent messengers to all his friends, and with great leisure, though in much bodily weakness, told them of the brace. How panted the bosom of that dying youth And where through all eternity no tear BRIEF HINTS TO PARENTS. Pride and vanity.There are few defects which appear earlier in children than pride and vanity. They delight in being noticed, praised and admired, It is therefore of no small consequence, amidst all our affectionate attention to them, that we guard against nurturing their self-love, selfimportance, and fondness for admiration. We may show them every kindness, we may amuse and make them happy, without flattering their vanity. But here many people are apt to mistake; instead of encouragement judiciously administered, as a just reward of merit, and a stimulus to what is good, remarks are too often made on their persons, their carriage and their dress. And their pleasing sayings, are not only eagerly listened to, but repeated to others in their presence. The ill effects of which are unavoidable. And is it not more than probable, that parents frequently cultivate the seeds of pride and vanity in their children, by the finery of the dress which they put on them. Hence they become captives to the frivolousness of fashion-ard then, present dress, however good, must, if not modish, be thrown off, and one having the charm of novelty take its place. Christian simplicity certainly demands a reform in this particular. Register. CARLISLE, MARCH 12. PHILADELPHIA. We are enabled from an address delivered by the Rev. James Patterson in Nov. last, on the behalf of the Philadelphia Missionary Society to state some facts which will no doubt prove interesting to our readers. From what appears below, it will be seen that even in our cities there are many destitute. There are in the incorporated parts of the city of Philadelphia 38 churches, including one Uniterian and one Swedenborgian church. In Northern Liberties 8; Southwark, 6; Kensington, 2; Spring Garden, 2. These Churches accommodate in all, 52,800 persons. The number of white inhabitants within the same bounds, is estimated at 97, 859, which will leave as destitute of the public ordinances of the Gospel, 55,059 souls. In the city and county together, the number destitute, are estimated at 71,223! This is a vast multitude to be left without any means, whereby to be pointed to "the lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world." But subtracting from the estimate of destitute persons 26, 000 capable of receiving religious instruction who are either children or invalids, and could not if provided for, frequent any place of worship, and there remains 45,000 who could not, if they were desirous to procure accommodations. These facts are set forth by Mr. Patterson, as a plea to encourage and patronize the Domestic Missionary Society; and they are certainly plausible arguments. Mr. P. in shewing the bad consequences of Tipling Shops, &c. says, "Permit me now to mention some of the dark places about our city, which are full of horrid cruelty. 'And first I would mention what is no misnomer to call begger-making shops, I mean tipling-houses. These flourish to an alarming extent, and are rapidly increasing. They are the nurseries of idleness, drunkenness, poverty, fighting and sometimes murder. 'Second. Dance houses: by these I do not mean what are sometimes call ed Assemblies: but places to which the lower classes resort for purposes of revelry and riot.-Here multitudes of youth of both sexes, from the age of fourteen and upwards, are initiatthe reproach of their friends and pests ed in vice, and trained up to become of society. Of the vices which most commonly characterize these nocturnal orgies, perhaps the least are gambling, drunkenness and fighting. "That wretched man, who was executed here last winter for the murder of his guilty paramour, told me a few days before his execution, that it was in one of these places he first became so ignorant that she did not know that acquainted with her; in one of these she had a soul, or that there would he got angry with her; and he closed an be a resurrection of the body or a evening spent in these haunts of vice general judgment. She said, 'why, by perpetrating that horrid act which I thought when they were put into brought him to the scaffold.' the grave there was an end of them. That many will remain ignorant,I did not know that any ever live let the privileges enjoyed by them be ever so great, is a fact which has been proved in more instances than one. But it certainly is distressing to know that there are persons in a populous city that never heard of the name of the Saviour. Some instances of such gross ignorance is given by Mr. P.; and we have little doubt but that these are a small portion, in comparison with those which remain. On this subject we subjoin some extracts. they come out of the grave." She again. Where do they live after could not read. When the question' was put to her in various ways, whether she had ever heard of Christ? she still answered no. At last she seemed to recollect herself and said, “O, a Methodist woman once told me something about that man, and that was all I ever heard about him." She was 18 years of age, and had served her time in a family in this city. I could relate several other facts that have come within my own knowlledge. Not long since, I met with a An aged minister now living who woman who was married and had a was for many years a postor in this family of children, who had never city, told me, that his milk-woman heard of the sufferings&death of Christ, called one morning for payment, when till the day I saw her. And when they were about to engage in family the sufferings of the Saviour first broke worship. She was invited in, and upon her mind (it was in a place of after worship, told the domestics, that worship and the preacher was on that was the first prayer she had ever subject) it filled her with consternaheard. She was of middle age and tion. She went home, and to use her had been brought up in the naighbor-own words "Sarah went and got the hood of Philadelphia. book and read in it the whole even Another minister who has been la-ing, where it tells all about how he sufboring many years in this city told fered for us." Now how could this me he was called upon to baptise an woman bring up her children in the old man sick and dying, whom he Christian religion, having never heard found so ignorant, that he not only of the death of Christ? knew nothing savingly about Christ, but did not even know that there ever had been such a person on earth. A lady whom we know, took a girl into her house as a domestic, and on Sabbath sent her to church. When she came home, among many strange remarks she made, she said, "she had never been in a place of worship before." She was then fifteen years of age, & had been brought up in this city. This same lady about eight weeks ago employed another girl, who was Philadelphia paid last year, a poor tax of $100,000 and the assessment for the present one is said to amount to $130,000. There is no doubt but that if the moral condition of the inhabitants was bettered the tax would not be half so burthensome. Many parts of Pennsylvania, we are inclined to think are worse provided with the ordinances of religion than even Philadelphia. |