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EDUCATION OF HEATHEN CHILDREN.

THE publication of the names of the children in the Boarding Schools in Ceylon, in our May number, has given rise to many inquiries, the general design of which has been to ascertain why names, on account of which payments have for some time been made, do not appear in that list.

At Carmel, forty-four natives, two white women, wives of natives, and a colored woman employed in the mission family, have received baptism on a profession of their faith, and after giving credible evidence of their piety, within fourteen months, from April of last year to June of the present. Some of these persons had been in a state of religious inquiry for nearly a year previously to their admission to Christian ordinances. Most of them are full Cherokees, who do not understand English, and who have derived all their knowledge of the Gospel through the medium of interpreters. Some of them are advanced in life, and had lived in habits of wickedness. All were ignorant of religion, had no correct standard of morality, and no thoughts respecting the world to come. By the preaching of Christ crucified, a great change has been produced in them; old vices have been abandon-xx, pp. 62-64, 172; and xiith Report, p. 38;

ed; a life of prayer has been commenced; and the mild and gentler Christian graces are exhibited.

At other places not far distant from Carmel, there is a prevalent desire of receiving Christian instruction, on the part of those, who as yet know nothing of it, except that it has produced some astonishing changes in the character of individuals, and that it leads to good conduct and forbids the reverse.

About 40 miles south-west of Carmel, at a new station called Hightower, where a school was instituted in April 1825, there has been much religious inquiry within a few months past. Toward the close of April, sixteen individuals were admitted to a profession of their faith including the chief man of the district, who appears to be about 60 years of age, and who, less than two years ago, expressed his belief that the soul ceases to exist at death. Here, also, men who had been notorious for vice, through a long series of years, appear to be entirely changed, delight in the public and private ordinances of religion, and bear a consistent testimony to the power and excellence of the Gospel.

There have been a considerable number of instances of serious inquiry and hopeful conversion at Haweis, Willstown, and Creekpath; and at these and many other places, there is great encouragement for evangelical labor. In the mean time, let all the friends of missions plead earnestly with their God and Father, that he would save these babes in Christ from all the dangers to which they are exposed, and train them up for his heavenly kingdom.

That the friends of this species of charity may see that we have not been wanting in respectful attention to them, we observe, that besides letters written to many of them in. dividually, pretty ample statements have been made, from time to time, for their satisfaction, in the Missionary Herald; and also in the Annual Reports of the Board, We refer more particularly to the Miss. Herald, vol. xvi, pp. 143, 423; vol. xvii, pp. 363-365; vol.

xivth, p. 48; &c. Something further needs to be said, however; and we will now be as explicit as we can be in a brief article.

The general answer to the question,-why more children have not been selected, named, and placed in the Boarding Schools,-is, either that the missionaries have not been able to obtain more who were worthy of this high privilege; or that they have not been able to take a greater number into their families at any one time.

The missionaries in Ceylon say, that the children of their Boarding Schools were "selected with great care and after consider. able trial, from more than twice the number." It seems, then, that there were boys enough, provided they would take them without any regard to character. But would this have answered the purposes and wishes of the donors?

Again; if all the names which have been transmitted for children in Ceylon, were given by the missionaries, at the same time, it would not be practicable for them to receive all the children thus named into their families. It would make their families too numerous. They would not have strength enough for such a charge.

From the nature of the case, therefore, it is evident that some must wait for a season.

The rule seems to be just, that those patrons who were earliest in their payments, should have their beneficiaries selected and named first. This, we believe, has been the general rule followed by the missionaries, both in the east and at the west. Most of the exceptions will probably be accounted for in one of the ways now to be mentioned. 1. Several children are supported by benevolent so.

cieties and individuals in India, and under circumstances which authorized an exception to the general method. 2. Some children to whom names were given,have died; and more have left the schools. This will account for most of the exceptions, in the stations at the west. In Ceylon the names have, in such cases, generally been transferred to others. 3. Several names were originally given for children at Bombay; and when, at the end of several years, it was found that, without any fault of the missionaries there, no children were thus named, a transfer of some of the names was made to Ceylon, and to other stations, while some benefactors requested that the money, which they had paid, might be expended for the general purpose of educating heathen children.

The Committee now take occasion again to repeat, that they design to expend in this way all the money that has been given for the specific office of supporting children in the Boarding Schools, and that the names will all be given according to the intentions of the donors. If a suitable youth cannot be found this year, he may be the next; and if there is not room for him to-day, there may be tomorrow, and there certainly will be ere long. Patrons are respectfully requested to wait patiently. They cannot regret the necessity more than the Committee do, nor more than do the missionaries. Yet the necessity really exists; and it is to be attributed to the rapid and unexpected increase of such appropriations: nor can it in any way be at once removed

It is here respectfully stated, that there are several children on the list of the Boarding Schools in Ceylon, for whose support only one payment has been made; and many more, for whom no payments have been made for two or three years past, notwithstanding several payments are due. In a few instances the original patrons have been providentially rendered unable to continue their benefactions. In other instances, perhaps, the whole has been forgotten; or the interest felt for these youths has very much declined.

The Committee are happy to say, that they have increasing proof of the excellent influence of instruction, so far as it has been given, on the minds of the heathen youths taken into the families of the missionaries. In frequent instances it has resulted in a character much improved, and there have been a very encouraging number of hopeful conversions. In proof of this see, among other places, the Missionary Herald, vol. xiv, pp. 43, 341; xvi,||

pp. 78, 186, 384; xviii, pp. 2, 3, 139, 170, 171, 176-178; xix, pp. 106, 277, 309; xx, pp. 139, 251; and xiith Report, Appendix, pp. 176-197; xivth Report, Appen. 147-177. But among so many, all can hardly be expected to become good and useful men. It is not in accordance with the ordinary course of events that all should become such. Their patrons should therefore rejoice with trembling; and not be cast down, as though a strange thing had happened, if some of these youths should not receive the benefit which it was hoped they might receive.

After what has been said, it will be perceived, that there are, probably, at the several stations, as many names assigned and to be assigned to heathen children, as it is expedient to assign under existing circumstances; and the Committee cannot, therefore, recommend to their patrons to increase the number at present.

FORMATION OF AUXILIARIES. CONNECTICUT.-Middlesex County.-Auxiliary Society of Middletown and Vicinity; including the Associations in Middletown, Durham and Chatham. Formed July 13th.

Rev. John R. Crane, President.

Rev. David Selden, Rev. David Smith, Rev. Joel West, Rev. Stephen Hays, Rev. Joshua L. Williams, and Rev. Hervey Talcott, Vice Presidents.

Nehemiah Hubbard, Timothy Stone, Jesse Hurd, Rufus Sage, Asa Boardman, David Buel, Esq. and William Lyman, Executive Committee. Richard Rand, Secretary. Richard Hubbard, Treasurer.

Auxiliary Society of Middlesex Association [i.e. of Killingworth, Haddam, East Haddam, Hadlyme, and Clergymen;] including the Associations in Saybrook, the 1st and 3d congregations in Lyme.

Rev. Frederic W. Hotchkiss, President.
Rev. Joseph Vaill,
V. Presidents.
Thomas Silliman, Esq. S
Rev. Aaron Hovey, Secretary.
Clark Nott, Esq. Treasurer.

FORMATION OF ASSOCIATIONS.

CONNECTICUT.-Middlesex County. Saybrook. Westbrook Eccl. Soc. Ladies' Asso. Mrs. Job Stanard, Pres., Mrs. John Stanard, V. Pres., Mrs. Richard Stokes, Sec., Mrs. Edward Chapman, Treas. Five Coll.-Gent. Asso. Rev. Sylvester Selden, Pres., John Stanard, Esq. V. Pres., Jonathan Lay, Esq. Sec., Michael Hill, Treas. Five Coll. Formed June 13th.

First Eccl. Society. Ladies' Asso. formed, but names of officers not received.-Gent. Asso. Rev. Frederic W. Hotchkiss, Pres.. Elisha Sill, V. Pres., Timothy Pratt, Sec., Amos Sheffield, Treas. Four Coll. Formed June 16th.

Pettipaug Eccl. Soc. Ladies' Asso. Mrs. Aaron Hovey, Pres., Miss Sally Nott, V. Pres., Miss Florilla Nott, Sec., Mrs. Amasa Pratt, Treas. Eight Coll.Gent. Asso. Rev. Aaron Hovey, Pres., Clark Nott, Esq. V. Pres., Tertius Nott, Sec. Heman Starkey, Treas. Eight Coll. Formed June 17th.

Chester Eccl. Soc. Ladies' Asso. Mrs. John Mitchell, Pres., Mrs. Samuel Colt, V. Pres., Miss Sally Silliman, Sec., Miss Maria Parmelee, Treas. Three Coll.-Gent. Asso. Samuel Colt, Esq. Pres., Samuel Silliman, Esq. V. Pres., Richard Ely, Sec., Thomas Silliman, Esq. Treas. Three Coll. Formed June 18th.

Chatham. Ladies' Asso. Mrs. Hervey Talcott, Pres., Mrs. David White, Jr. V. Pres., Mrs. Luther Wilcox, Sec., Mrs. Henry Sage, Treas. Five Coll-Gent. Asso

Rev. Hervey Talcott, Pres., Daniel Shepard, Esq. V. Pres., Job H. Payne, Sec., Jonathan Brown, Treas. Five Coll. Formed July 2d.

Middle Haddam Eccl. Soc. Ladies' Asso. Mrs. Roger Buckley, Pres., Mrs. Thomas Seiden, V. Pres., Mrs. Constant F. Daniels, Sec., Miss Betsey Selden, Treas. Five Coll.-Gent. Asso. Rev. David Selden, Pres., Jesse Hurd, V. Pres. John Selden, Sec., Benjamin Hurd, Esq. Treas. Five Coll. Formed June 23d.

Hadiyme. Ladies' Asso. formed, but names of officers not received.-Gent. Asso. Rev. Joseph Vaill, Pres., Israel S Spenser, V. Pres., Robert Hungerford, Sec., Samuel S. Warner, Treas. Two Coll. Formed June 30th.

Haddam. Ladies' Asso. Mrs. Jonathan Huntington, Pres., Mrs. Daniel Brainerd, V. Pres., Mrs. Andrew F. Warner, Sec., Miss Cynthia Child, Treas. Twelve Coll. Formed July 1st.

East Haddam. First Eccl. Soc. Ladies' Asso. Mrs. Isaac Parsons, Pres., Mrs. Isaac Chapman, V. Pres., Miss Phebe G. Chapman, Sec., Mrs. Roxy Bigelow, Treas. Twelve Coll.-Gent. Asso. Rev. Elijah Parsons, Pres., Rev. Isaac Parsons, V. Pres., Doct. Richard Warner, Sec., Isaac Chapman, Esq., Treas. Eight Coll. Formed July 8th.

Millington Eccl. Society, 2d in E. Haddam. Ladies' Asso. formed, but names of officers not received.Gent. Asso. Josiah Griffin, Pres., Joseph W. Cone, 7. Pres., Hubbard Estabrook, Sec., Edwin Spencer, Treas. Seven Coll. Formed July 9th.

Lyme. First Eccl. Soc. Ladies' Asso. formed, but names of officers not received.-Gent. Asso. Rev. Lathrop Rockwell, Pres., Nathaniel Matson, V. Pres., William Noyes, Jr. Sec., John Hart, Treas., Eight Coll. Formed July 6th.

Third Eccl. Society, commonly called North Lyme. Ladies' Asso. Mrs. Josiah Hawes, Pres., Miss Clarissa Marvin, V. Pres., Miss Jerusha Sterling, Sec., Miss Nancy Huntington, Treas. Four Coll.-Gent. Asso. Rev. Josiah Hawes, Pres., Seth Ely, Esq. V. Pres., Ezzar Pratt, Esq. Sec., Allen W. Griffin, Treas. Four Coll. Formed July 7th.

MASSACHUSETTS.-Worcester County. New Braintree. Lad. Asso. Mrs. John Fiske, Pres., Mrs. Hannah Little, V. Pres., Miss Sophia Weston, Sec., Mrs. Henry Penniman, Treas. Five Coll.-Gent. Asso. Rev. John Fiske, Pres., Dea. Jacob Pepper, V. Pres., Francis Adams, Sec., Ebenezer Tidd, Treas. Six Coll. Formed July 5th.

North Brookfield. Lad. Asso. Mrs. Amos Bond, Pres., Mrs. Ebenezer Mead, Sec., Mrs. Tyler Batcheler, Treas. Six Coll.-Gent. Asso. Rev. Thomas Snell, Pres., Dea. J. A. Moore, V. Pres. Eli Wheelock, Sec.. Dea. Walter Walker, Treas. Seven Coll. Formed July 9th.

Oakham. Lad. Asso. Mrs. Ephraim Fairbank, Pres., Mrs. Samuel Denny, V. Pres., Mrs. Luther Jacobs. Sec., Mrs. James Allen, Treas. Seven Coll.-Gent. Asso. Rev. Daniel Tomlinson, Pres., Dea. David Goodale, V. Pres., Dea. James Appleton, Sec., Simeon Haskell, Treas. Five Coll. Formed July 15th.

PALESTINE MISSION.

MR. TEMPLE writes from Malta, that "he had received a letter from Mr. Goodell, dated Beyrout, the 30th of March, saying that they had heard nothing recently from Jerusalem, and of course presumed that our brethren in the Holy City were in a state of quietness; for had they been in any danger or difficulty they would probably have sent a messenger to Beyrout for the purpose of communicating the intelligence."-Mr. Temple earnestly requests that a competent printer may be sent to Malta as soon as possible. The prospect of increasing usefulness from the press, is at present very animating. Tracts in Italian, Romaic, &c. are in great demand.

Poetry.

A MISSIONARY HYMN.

From the London Evangelical Magazine.
O! strike the lyre in strains divine,
To greet the prince of David's line,
Who, in his chariot's bright array,

Rides forth to crown this glorious day;
Earth lifts with joy her long expectant eyes,
While sweeps his radiant track athwart the skies!
Before him flies an Angel strong,

His glittering banner bears along,,
Whose characters, as sun-beam bright,
Reveal the hidden fount of light:

There, too, the wondrous tale of love's portray'd,
Messiah's work and conquests wide display'd."

To earth he wends, begirt with might,
To claim his long-contested right:
Nor shall his rapid wheels find rest
Till ev'ry clime his truth has blest:
Till Sin and Superstition shrink away,
As fades pale night before the orb of day.

Go then, ye heralds! nobly bold,
Fear not your message to unfold;

The strife's but brief, the crown's in sight,
And grace shall arm you for the fight;
The all-creating Word can all subdue,

[dew.

And make your converts num'rous as the drops of

Wake too, ye winds! your slumb`ring breath;
Waft wide the news-the death of death:
Proclaim the glorious Savior's reign,

A paradise restor'd again:

And join ye hosts redeem'd, of ev'ry name,
Your grateful bursts of praise to swell the loud acclaim!

PRAYER FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT.

O Thou that hearest prayer!
Attend our humble cry,
And let thy servants share
Thy blessing from on high:
We plead the promise of thy word,
Grant us thine Holy Spirit, Lord.
If earthly parents hear

Their children when they cry,
If they, with love sincere,

Their children's wants supply; Much more wilt thou thy love display, And answer when thy children pray."

Our Heavenly Father! thou,-
We-children of thy grace;-
O! let thy Spirit now

Descend and fill the place;
That all may feel the heavenly flame,
And all unite to praise thy name.

O! may that sacred fire,

Descending from above, Our frozen hearts inspire

With fervent zeal and love;
Enlighten our beclouded eyes,
And teach our grovelling souls to rise.

And send thy Spirit down
On all the nations, Lord,
With great success to crown

The preaching of thy word;
That heathen lands may own thy sway,
And cast their idol gods away.

Then shall thy kingdom come Amongst our fallen race, And the whole earth become The temple of thy grace; Whence pure devotion shall ascend, And songs of praise, till time shall end.

THE

MISSIONARY HERALD.

VOL. XX.

SEPTEMBER, 1824.

BIOGRAPHY

OF REV. JOHN GOTTLIEB ERNESTUS HECKE WELDer.
Translated from the German, written by himself.

(From the United Brethren's Missionary Intelligencer.)

No. 9.

In the last volume of our work, p. 134, we mentioned the death of the well known Moravian Missionary, whose Memoir we are about to insert. Like all the productions of this interesting writer, it abounds with anecdote. We find abridgment necessary.

I was born, March 12, 1743, at Bedford us had entered into. He then gave me his in England, where my father, David Hecke- || benediction, laying his hand upon my welder, one of the refugees who left Mora-head and offering up a prayer, which cirvia under the guidance of Brother Christian cumstance I have always considered as an David, was at that period engaged in the evidence of my having been set apart to service of the Lord. My juvenile years I be a messenger of peace to the heathen. spent in the Brethren's schools at Buttermere, Smith-house and Fulneck. To this very day I continue to cherish a grateful recollection of the blessed impressions made upon my heart, on a certain prayerday, held by Brother John de Watteville at Fulneck, when his address created a lively desire in the hearts of his youthful audience, to serve the Lord in the missionary cause, if ever we attained to years of maturity. Some of my companions, with myself, actually entered into a covenant for this purpose.

After narrowly escaping a watery grave, he sailed for New York, March 12, 1754, at which time he was thirteen years old. The voyage was prosperous, and only 21 days in duration, "which, in those times, was consid ered something approaching a miracle."

The whole of our company reached Bethlehem in safety, on the 20th of April, and were cordially welcomed by the whole congregation at a general love-feast. In In January 1754, I went in company the first instance I was placed in the chilwith our late Brother Pyrlacus on foot to dren's seminary, and two years after, reLondon, and from thence to Chelsea, my moved to Christian's brunn, there to follow parents having received a call to America, agricultural pursuits and other useful occuwhither I was to accompany them. The pations. Here, as well as at Bethlehem, I whole company, destined to sail for New bad frequent opportunities of seeing InYork in the Brethren's ship Irene, Captain dians that lay encamped near the latter Garrison, amounted in number to forty place. The sight of these people gradualpersons, including fourteen children, of ly confirmed my desire and expectation whom I was the oldest. The day previous cherished in my younger days, of being to our departure, Count Zinzendorf spoke employed as a missionary among them at individually with most of the members be- some future period. At the early age of longing to our company. I was also called eighteen, this wish was in some measure in, Brother Spangenberg being present, gratified, when I was called upon by govwhen the Count began by inquiring, what ernment to accompany our late Brother progress I had made in learning, one main Christian Frederick Post on an expedition object of which ought to be, that I might to the north-western Indians, living on the one day be prepared for the ministry. In Ohio. On this journey, we endured great child-like simplicity I related my experi-fatigues and hardships, hunger and sickness, ence on the abovementioned prayer-day, and several times our lives were endangerand informed him of the covenant some of ed. Through the mercy and protection of

34

VOL. XX.

God, however, he reached Bethlehem again, in safety, the latter end of November, 1762.

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For a few succeeding years, Mr. Heckewelder seems not to have been well satisfied with his condition, and at one time thought of returning to England, and at another of leav ing the connexion of the Brethren. He gratefully acknowledges the kind hand of that Providence, which prevented the execution of his purposes in both of these respects.

In 1771, I was employed in the service of the mission, in various ways, either as a guard or messenger, during the Indian war, when the Christian Indian congregations of Nain and Wechquetank were compelled to fly for refuge to Philadelphia. On their return from thence, I was, off and on, appointed to assist the missionaries in the commencement of Friedenshuetten. While out on these excursions, my life was three times in great danger.

At one time, while travelling on foot to Gnadenhuetten, beyond the Blue Mountains, in a very cold night, the ground being covered by a deep snow, my strength was so much exhausted, that, feeling an inclination to sleep, I was obliged to sit down, on a felled tree, resting on its stump and covered with snow, with the intention merely to rest my weary limbs, although a secret monitor cautioned me powerfully to beware of sleep, But the moment I sat down, I fell asleep and would in all probability never have awaked again, if the tree had not suddenly given way under me, whereby I was thrown, broad awake, into the path. Grateful to my Lord for this providential escape, I immediately prosecuted my journey, and late that night reached Gnadenhuetten.

The well-known gunpowder affair, as related in Brother David Zeisberger's printed memoirs had nearly proved fatal to me and the Brethren Ettwein, David Zeisberger, Senseman, and Angerman. The latter had lately come from Europe, glowing with an ardent desire to preach the Gospel to the Indians, and had in a manner forced himself upon our company. Having, on our journey, taken up our night's lodging at the house of a Mr. Ogden, Brother Anger. man by his careless and imprudent conduct had well nigh occasioned a dreadful gunpowder explosion.

A third time being sent on a very warm day, about harvest time, to carry letters to the missionaries at Friedenshuetten, while yet three miles distant from the town, I felt so completely exhausted by the extreme heat and a raging thirst, that I resolved to repair to a certain spring;

well-known to me, near the road, called by the Indians the cold spring, and to quench my thirst there at all hazards, notwithstanding inward warnings to the contrary. But hardly had I drank the water, cold as ice in the cave, when I was seized with the most violent pain in the stomach and bowels. Death stared me in the face; to proceed under such circumstances was impossible, and I feared I should be miserably torn in pieces by wild beasts. In this emergency, I cried aloud to God, to send an Indian to take charge of the letters, because I thought I should never again be enabled to leave this spot. But how wonderful are the ways of the Lord! While thus crying to God, it suddenly occurred to me, that on my way through Christiansbrunn, one of our brethren had compelled me to accept of a phial of anodyne drops expressly for the journey, and had even sent them on after me, subsequent to my leaving that place. Fortunately for me, I now had them with me; for after having with some difficulty crept out of the cave, I took some of them, which gave me instantaneous relief. However, I now felt such an extreme weariness in all my limbs, that it was 8 o'clock in the evening before I arrived at Friedenshuetten, where our late Brother Schmick immediately discovered my condition and kindly made every pos sible exertion for the restoration of my health. With him I staid until an opportunity offered, for returning on horseback with a party of Indians who were going to sell horses at Bethlehem. By these means my life was saved; but nearly half a year elapsed before I could resume my wonted activity.

About this time also, I was made instrumental in saving from a watery grave the lives of two young persons. The first of these was Israel Horsefield, a young man, who while skaiting on the ice, that covered the mill-dam at Bethlehem, in a very cold day, broke in, at a place where the water was from 10 to 12 feet deep. He did not sink immediately, but for some time supported himself by laying hold of some wood, that was floating about. The cold being extreme and the ice but thin, he could not have sustained himself in that position for any length of time, if, fortunately for him, I had not been on the opposite bank at the time, and hastened to his relief. By pushing some brushwood towards him, which I hastily tied together and fastened on the land side, I formed a kind of bridge for him, which prevented even the thin ice from breaking under him, so that by the help of God and the use of these means, his life was saved. Great and mutual was our joy, and unbounded his gratitude, on beholding himself safe on shore.

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