Obrazy na stronie
PDF
ePub

of the Scriptures, sent from the United States, Great Britain and Holland, were sold or given away; and I am inclined to the belief that, by prudent management, a few might be dispos ed of now: though it may be doubted whether they would pass the Custom House.

[ocr errors]

standard of public opinion, with respect to moral character;-low, I mean, when compared with its standard in New England.

The first must operate most powerfully on the ignorant and credulous, going far to set them free from the restraints of conscience, The opening of Cuba to free commerce has and the salutary corrections of remorse; and occasioned considerable changes in the man- thus breaking down one of the strongest barners, customs, and condition of the inhabitants. ||riers, which Almighty God has opposed to They have since advanced rapidly on the scale vice. The preaching of the Gospel, another of human life. How could they make progress divinely appointed means of national virtue, before! Their houses and tables, especially in is seldom heard on the island. I could not the interior, are much better furnished. learn, that more than one or two sermons are dare not state how deficient they were in this preached in a year.—The observance of holy respect 15 years ago, lest I may have been time in a holy manner, another ordinance of misinformed, or should not gain full credence. heaven designed for the same purpose, is also No small progress has been made in liberal disregarded. Mass is said in the morning of views and feelings, with respect to other re- the Sabbath, after which the churches are ligious denominations; and the attachment of shut for the day. The markets are held as the people at large to the forms and ceremo usual. Counting-houses are open. The places nies of the Catholic church has been consid. of amusement are unusually frequented. erably moderated. I know that much of this "Sunday," said a respectable Catholic to me, is owing to the prevalence of an infidel skep--"Sunday we regard as a day for enjoying ticism, or, as I heard a good Padre call it, one's self."-I have spoken favorably of two while mourning over the evil, "the new phi-Catholic priests, with whom I became aclosophy:" but something is to be attributed to an enlargement of views, consequent upon an intercourse with the world; and something, it may be presumed, to the influence of the Scriptures, which have been circulated.

quainted; and I doubt not there are others quite as estimable. But I have painful reason to believe, that the Catholic clergy, as a body, are exceedingly corrupt, and exert an influence, as pernicious as it is extensive, on It caunot be said, however, that morals the public morals.-The standard of public have improved: neither am I aware, that they opinion with respect to moral conduct, is, have materially changed for the worse. I perhaps, rather an effect, than a cause: yet enter with diffidence on this part of the sub-it cannot be doubted, that the moral character ject, knowing that a traveller, but imperfectly acquainted with the language of a people, residing but a little while in a place, and passing as it were over the surface of society, is more likely to see the vices, than the virtues of the community; and of course is in danger of misapprehension. How great this danger is, all must have felt, who have been familiar with the accounts, which English travellers have given of the United States At the same time, the moral and religious character of a people is not to be passed in silence.

of every man is more or less influenced by a regard to public opinion. In this point of view, public opinion becomes a powerful agent. Were this agent as it should be in Cuba, the clergy (I of course speak of the ir|| religious portion,) would be obliged to reform, or retire from the sacred office.

||

I close these remarks-already, I fear, too much prolonged-by expressing my earnest desire, that a curiosity may be excited in our community to know more, than we have hitherto known, of the character and circumThere are several causes, which operate un- stances of our Catholic neighbors at the South. favorably on the morals of the inhabitants of To us, as a Protestant people, it is a subject Cuba. The principal are these:-the ease, of very serious interest, that no less than six with which absolution is obtained. by confess empires, all holding the Catholic Faith, ing sin, without forsaking it-the want of pub-|-saying nothing of islands in the West lic preaching-the disregard of the Sabbath- Indies, are growing up in the same hemiand the loose character of the clergy, as a sphere with ourselves! body. To these might be added, the low * See p. 232.

Donations

FROM SEPT. 21ST, TO OCT. 16TH, INCLUSIVE.

Alna, Me. Mon. con. by Mr. C. Dole,
Andover, Ms. C. box of H. F. Bardwell, for Bom-
bay miss. by Mr. S. A. Worcester,
Athol, Ms. G. Talbot, Jr. by Mr. T. J. Lee,
Athol and Royalston vic. Ms. So. for ed. hea.
youth, 10; curiosities sold by Mr. W. K. Tal-
bot, 2; for a child in the fam. of Rev. Mr.
Thurston at the Sandw. Isl.
Bedford co. Ten. Rev. Mr. Hull's cong. for
George Whitefield at Creek Path,
Bernardston, Ms. Mrs. L. Goodale, 1; Mrs. M.
L. Newcomb, 1; a friend, 2; by Mr. Z. C. New-
comb,

88 00

1 00 1 00

12 00

16 75

4.00

68 90

Boston, Ms. United mon. con. for Pal. miss.
Eight young men of the Old South so. for Ben

20 49 100 00

jamin B. Wisner at Willstown, Cher. na. by Mr. J. Kent, 15; engraving, 25c. m. box of Miss Day, 3,61; do. of Miss C. Prentiss, for sch. at Hightower, 1,63; Mrs. R. Breed, for Greek youths, An indiv. for Sou. Am. miss. (prev. remitted, 662,18;) Rev. N. Patterson, 19; coll. by Miss B. Bartlett, North Guilford, Ct. 2; by Miss S. Davison, Mercersburg, Pa. 12,50; Braintree, Ms. Fem. miss. so. Mrs. H. Storrs, Tr. (of which for Richard S. Storrs at Mayhew, 15;) Brentwood, N. H. Fem. cent so. by Rev. C. Colton, 15 00 Bridgeport, Ct. La. sew. so. Miss J. E. Hawley, Tr. for Choc. miss. by Mr. G. Hawley,

33 50

50 00

30 00

[blocks in formation]

15 00

Buxton, Me. M. f. Mr. H. Merrill, 2; Dea. 8.
Hill, 2,20; Mr. D. Wentworth, 2,44; Mr. J.
Emery, 1,38; Mr. E. Wentworth, 75c. mon.
eon. 6.23; by Rev. L. Loring,
Candridge, Vt. A. Brush, Esq. by Mr. N. Willis, 1 50
Champion, N. Y. Mon. con. by Dea. A. Thomas, 2 00
Charlemont, Ms. Fem. asso. by Z. Lyman, Tr.
Claremont, N. H. Mon. con. by Mr. J. Stevens

Jr.

Columbia, Pa. Fet. jov. mite so. 4,09; colored fem. 73e, m. box in ehh. 4,18; by R. Ralston, Esq. Concord, Ms. Mon. con. by Rev. Dr. Ripley, Cornish, N. H. Mr. B. F. Dorr, m. f. by Mr. N. Whittelsey,

Courtland Ala. Chil. of J. White, Esq.

Coventry, Ct. A friend,

Creek Path, Cher. na. A friend,

Dorset, Vt. Fem. cent so. by Rev. W. Jack

19.00

11 00

9. 00 7 18

2.50

Couteau du Lac, L. C. A friend, by H. Janes, Esq.

1 00 1 00 1.00

15 00

12 06

6 40

1 50

2 02

1.00

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

East Bridgewater, Ms. Mr. A. M. Porter, m. f.
for wes, miss. by Rev. D. Thomas,
Ellington, Ct. Chil. of J. Hall, Esq. 1,52; a
friend, a bal. 50c,

Exeter, N. H. Mr. J. Boardman,
Fairfield, Vt. A friend, by H. Janes, Esq.

1.00

Falmouth Ms, Mon, con, by Mr. B Woodbury, 10 00 Farmington and vic. Ct. Aux. for miss. so. Col.

M. Cowles, Tr. Farmington (1st eccles. so.) gent, asso.112,47; la. asso. 84,80;young la. so. for two Indian chil, to be named Elizabeth Cowles and Susan Maria Strong, 30; (2d eccles, so.) gent, asso. 9,79; Indies asso. 7,76; (3d eccles. so.) gent. asso, 17,01; in, asso. 24,46; Southington, gent, asso. 44,51; la. asso. 75,58; mon. con. 17,43; Bristol, gent, asso, 7,40; la. asso. 71,88; Burlington, gent, asso. 15,87; in. asso. 10; mon. con. 5,70;

Farmington, Ct. A friend,

Gilmanton, N, H. La. Jews so. for seh. for Jew-
ish chil, in Bombay, Mrs. F. Moody, Tr.
Gloucester, Ms. Fem. miss, cent so. (of which for
wey-mes, 8; and for, miss, school, 3,60) by Mrs.
E. Stevens, Tr.

Grafton, Ms. Fem. char. so. by Miss H. A.
Wheeler, Tr. for Bumbay miss. by Mr. J.
Leland,

Hauley, Ms. Mr. N. Coolidge, Jr. for Samuel Por-
ter Coolidge Ceylon, 12; coil, in Miss P. Sul-
len's sch. for hea, chil. 1,18;
Hallowell, Mc Miss M. Gow, for hea. chil. 1;
Mr. J. Gow, 2;
Hamp, Chris. Depos., Hinsdale, Ms. chh, by E.
H. Goodrich, Tr. 9,14; Springfeld, (Chicopee
par) C. Scheele, 2, Cummington, B. Torrey,
a ring, 30e.

Harchwick, Ms. Young men's char, so. for ed.
hea, youth, Mr. O. Rogers, Tr. by Mr. E. Cut-
ler,
Hare for ca Ct. Miss, so. J. R. Woodbridge,
Rig. De Marborough, la, asso, 20,09; a friend,
20 Mimoun Marg, get asso. 32,72; Hartland,
la, and 6,23; Criting, la, asso. 39,31; gent. asso
97,800 Lebanon, fou, char, so. 3,73; Granby,
gent, ava 13,35, $insbury, fem, bener, so.
Bees Bertin, (North Baton so) fem. asso
15,8; West Hurford, Ron, asso, 14,31:
Hartford, Ct. A faid, öth pay, for Frederick
Hill and Funny Hara Cey on
Holliston, Ms. Fox, benev, cead, so, for Timothy
Dickenson at Maykw,

Longmeadow, Ms. Mon. con. by Rev. B. Dickin

[ocr errors][merged small]

11 00

3. 00 1 00

Middlebury, Vt. A lady, by Mr. E. Brewster.
Middlesex co. Ct. Aux. for. miss. so. in eeeles.
asso. C. Nott, Esq. Tr. Saybrook (1st so.) gent.
asso. 45,77; fem. asso. 30,51; Pettipaug, gent.
asso. 40,85, fem. asso. 44.73; Westbrook, gent.
asso. 15,53, fem. asso. 16,17; Chester, gent.
asso. 7,04; fem. asso. 16; mon. con. for For.
Miss. sch. 9; North Killingworth, gent. asso.
31,30; fem. asso. 31.98; Killingworth, (1st so.)
fem. asso. 12,97; Haddam. fem. asso. 22,63; bal.
fr. former aux. so. of Middlesex, 7;
331 38
Middletown and vic. Ct. Aux. for. miss. so. R.
Hubbard, Esq. Tr. la. asso. (of which for seh. in
Bombay 2d pay. 60;) 92.71; gent. asso. 86,13;
(Upper houses) la. asso. 21,11; gent. asso. 4,50;
la. so. for ed. hea. youth, 7; Middlefield, la.
asso. 23,50; Durham, la. asso. 35; gent. asso.
33,81; Juv. so. 3,50; cent so. 17,04; mon. con.
2,53, Chatham, asso. 13.50; East Hampton, la.
asso. 7,75; Middle Haddam, gent. asso. 22,20;
la. asso. 25,17; Westfield, ia. asso. 20.49;
Middletown, Ct. Young la. of the sister so.
Millbury, Ms. Fem. cent so. for Joseph Goffe in
Ceylon,

Morristown, N. J. Mrs. C. B. Ardon, and Miss
E. Woodruff, by Mr. J. P. Haven,

Mount Vernon, N. Y. Mon. con. by Dea. A.
Thomas,

Newbury, Vt. Mon. con. by Dea. Buxton,
New Haven, Ct. A lady,

North Adams, Ms. Mr. A. Crittendon,

Northampton and vic. For. miss. so. Dea. E. S.
Phelps, Tr. Northampton, mon. con. 3,44; East
Hampton, benev. so. 10; South Hadley, la.
miss. so. to constitute the Rev. ARTEMAS
BOIES an honorary member of the Board, 50;
Cummington, for miss. so. 12,53;
Norwalk, Ct. A friend, m. f.
Norwich, Vt. Mr. T. Emerson, 4th pay. for
Thomas Emerson, Thomas Emerson, Jr. Abel
Curtis Emerson, Lucy Emerson, Mary Pom-
eroy Emerson and Elizabeth Emerson in Cey
lon,

[blocks in formation]

603 60 10 00

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Palmyra, N. Y. (E. pres. so.) mon. con, by do. Peacham, Vt. Mon. con. 11.24; contrib. 23,76; m. f. 50; widow's mite, 1; a friend, 2; (of which, to constitute the Rev. LEONARD WORCESTER an honorary member of the Board, 50;) by Rev. L. Worcester, Philadelphia, Pa. Youths of Mr. A. Brown's acad. by Mr. J. Grant, 4,62; Mr. 1. McMullin. 3,50; Pittsfield. Ms. Mon. con. by Dea. I. Bissell, Plympton, Ms. Aux. for. miss. so. by Rev. R. S. Storrs,

88 00

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[blocks in formation]

Hartland, Ct. Sundries, by A. Ensign and J. Gates, do. by J. Foot, agent.

2.00 375

list, 83,083,02.

LEGACIES.

8.38

59 87

Amount of donations acknowledged in the preceding Manchester, Ct. 2 shirts, fr. fem. asso. Mrs. E. A.

Watertown, Ct. Mrs. Mary Nettleton, deceased, by Mr. Benj. M. Peck, Exr.

DONATIONS IN CLOTHING, &c.

Ashby, Ms. A box, fr. juv. so. 6; and sister so. 14; coll. by Mrs. N. Blood, for wes. miss. Holliston, Ms. A box fr. fem. benev. read. so. for Timothy Dickinson at Mayhew, by Miss B. Perry, Tr.

Huntsville, Ala. Clothing, &c. by W. Leech, Esq. for Creek Path,

Middleborough, Ms. A box from la. in 1st preeinet, by H. G. Wood, coll. for wes. miss. Middlebury, Vt. A coverlet, fr. chil. of Miss A. Woodsworth's sch.

Plymouth, N. H. A bundle fr. indiv. by Hannah Worcester, Coll.

Wells River, Vt. A shirt pattern, fr. fem. Wilmington, Vt. A box, fr. E. W. S. for Cher.

miss.

Windham, Vt. A box, fr. fem. cent and Doreas societies, by Miss S. Burnap; for wes. miss. Wrentham, Ms. A small bundle, fr. Mrs. and Miss Colick, for wes. miss.

30 00

20 00

23 34

12 50

23 45

25.00

[blocks in formation]

Olcott, Tr.

Marlborough, Ct. Tow cloth, 1,08, Sundries, fr. la. asso. 7,30;

Southington, Ct. Sundries, fr. fem. miss. so. Miss E. M. Woodruff, Sec.

1 50

[blocks in formation]

The following articles are respectfully solicited from Manufacturers and others.

Printing paper to be used in publishing portions of the Scriptures, school-books, tracts, &c. at Bombay, and at the Sandwich Islands."

Writing paper, writing books, blank books, quills, slates, &c. for all the missions and mission schools, especially for the Sandwich Islands,

Shoes of a good quality, of all sizes, for persons of both sexes; principally for the Indian missions. Blankets, coverlets, sheets, &c.

Fulled eloth, and domestic cottons of all kinds.

ERRATUM:-The sum of 82,31, acknowledged in the Herald for June last, as from Sidney, was from the family m. box of Mr. E. Bond, Hallowell, Me.

Entelligence.

CASE OF REV. MR. SMITH,

NOTICES of the persecution and death of the Rev. Mr. Smith, a missionary, of the London Missionary Society, in Demerara, were given at pp. 158-160; also, 191, 192. The follow ing is from the London Christian Observer.

A debate of two days' continuance on the case of the Missionary Smith has taken place in the House of Commons. A motion was made by Mr. Brougham, to express the serious alarm and deep sorrow with which the house contemplated the violation of law and justice, manifested in the unexampled pro ceedings against Mr. Smith in Demerara, and their sense of the necessity of adopting meas. ures to secure a just and humane administration of law in that colony, and to protect the voluntary instruction of the Negroes, as well as the Negroes themselves, and the rest of his majesty s subjects from oppression. This motion was supported by Mr. Brougham with a power of argument and eloquence which has seldom been equalled; and he was followed on the same side by Sir James Mackintosh, Dr."

Lushington, Mr. J. Williams, Mr. Wilberforce, Mr. Denman, and Sir Joseph Yorke, The motion was opposed by Mr. Horton, Mr. Scarlett, Mr. Tindal, the Attorney-General, legality of the proceedings, or of the justice and Mr. Canning, on the ground, not of the of the sentence, but that the motion went to condemn unheard the governor of Demerara, and the court that tried Mr. Smith. On this ground the previous question was moved and carried by 193 to 146, the largest minority in the present session. The division, under all the circumstances of the cases, may be considered as a triumph. Not an individual at tempted to defend the proceedings. In short, nothing could have been more decisive of the innocence of Mr. Smith, and the injustice of his condemnation..

ATTENTION TO EDUCATION IN COLOMBIA.

A GENTLEMAN recently from Caraccas, informs, that Mr. Lancaster, the celebrated founder of the system of school instruction which bears his name. is now at that place, laboring to establish a school on the principles which have, elsewhere, proved so successful.

He is paid by the Colombian government a salary of $2,000 per year. He is accompanied by his daughter, and her husband, Mr. Jones. It was supposed that, after accomplishing the object which he had in view at Caraccas, he would proceed to Bogota. He had been at the former place about three months.

The present number of public schools at Caraccas is about a dozen. The average number of scholars attending them would not exceed 20.-The people are deplorably ignorant, and seem entirely indifferent to any improvement in the education of their children. Rel. Ch.

AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY.

Call for Tracts.

THE following are extracts of a letter from a young clergy man, who spent the last winter as a missionary in New Orleans. The letter was first published in the American Tract Magazine.

Our western states present a great field for the distribution of tracts. The truth of this is very plain to any one, who has only descended the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. The inhabitants along the bottom or interval lands of these streams are but partially supplied with the Scriptures, see but few churches except in the larger towns, hear only occasional sermons and these at uncertain intervals; they receive few tracts, and scarcely any of the Religious Periodical Publications, which are doing so much in the eastern and middle parts of our country. The tracts, which I had the pleasure to distribute among them, were received with apparent avidity, and the thanks which were invariably expressed, evidently came from the heart.

Before I proceed to remark on the particular spot, which all allow to be the key to the western world, permit me to suggest the propriety of establishing, as soon as may be, a Depository at Wheeling, Va. My stay there the last autumn, though very short, was sufficiently long to convince me that it was among the most favorable unoccupied spots on the "Beautiful River," as the French called the, Ohio. A great many families, "movers," pass over the Cumberland road, and embark at Wheeling in flat boats, for Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, &c. They are for the most part destitute of money, books, and almost the necessaries of life; and are fast hastening beyond the present sphere of moral and religious instruction. At Wheeling, a few active Christians might do much good by the judicious distribution of tracts among this class of persons, as also among the boatmen, waggoners, and permanent population of the town and vicinity. The Rev Mr. Armstrong, of the Episcopal church, was evidently desirous that something of this kind should be done, and I doubt not would cheerfully cooperate in any measures you might see fit to adopt.

I pass to the consideration of that city, whose spiritual needs will awaken the sympa.

thy of the benevolent and intelligent Christian, as much as its commercial relations and prospects will raise his wonder. President Jefferson has truly said, that "the position of New Orleans certainly destines it to be the greatest city the world has ever seen. There is no spot on the globe to which the produce of so great an extent of fertile country must necessarily come. It is three times greater than that on the eastern side of the Alleghany, which is to be divided among all the seaport towns of the Atlantic States. The Mississippi, that Father of Waters, with his two thousand tributary Sons, drains more than 1,400,000 square miles; a portion of country nearly equal in extent to the whole Roman empire in the days of her proudest Consuls.* The American population of this tract already exceeds 2,500,000. Of the 350,000, annually added to our population, a very large proportion is settling in this Valley. Were the population of this expanse only as dense as that of Connecticut in 1810, or 60 persons to a square mile, the aggregate would be 84,000,000. Were it as dense as that of Italy, it would be 514,000,000. Mr. Darby, in his work on Louisiana, says, "It cannot be rashness to as. sert, that, if the present order of things con. tinue to operate, at a period not more than two centuries distant, more than 100,000,000 of human beings will send the surplus fruits of their labor to New Orleans."

The population of this city in 1803 was 8,000; it is now 40,000. In 1802, 20,000 bales of cotton were exported from Louisiana and Florida; this year intelligent merchants cal. culate on a crop of 200,000 bales from New Orleans alone. Already 1,200 vessels annually enter and depart from that port, freighted with the produce of all climates. The number of seamen there, every year, cannot be much less than 7,000, As far back as 1817, 1,500 flat boats and 500 barges came down the river, bringing every variety of produce. At the present time, there are 100 steam boats running from New Orleans in all directions over the western waters. In the barges, steam, keel and flat boats, there must be employed from 6,000 to 10,000 men. These are from every state and town and almost every settlement west of the Aileghany Ridge, Here are two large classes of men, who are, one of them for most of their lives, the other for a large portion of every year, entirely destitute of religious instruction, and beyond the sphere of ordinary moral restraints. Tracts appear to me not only the best, but almost

son.

There are said to be from 1,500 to 2,000 streams sending their waters to the Mississippi. Of these, 200 are larger and longer than the Connecticut, or the HudFourteen states contribute to sweil the waters of one of these, the Ohio, among which are New-York, Maryland, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. Each of these fourteen states, excepting Maryland and South Carolina, is larger than the four states united, which feed the Connecticut. Twelve of the principal western rivers have an average length of nearly 3.000 miles. Of these, four have a longer course, from their sources to the gulf of Mexico, than the Mississippi: viz. the Missouri, from the head waters of Jefferson River in the Rocky Mountains, 4,500; Yellow Stone 3,900; Bighorn, 3,800; Kansas, 3,400; Mississippi. 3,300. After journeying three or four inonths, the rise of the Missouri had just reached New Orleans when I left, the first of July.

The call and occasion for tracts among the boatmen of the Mississippi and its tributaries are peculiar and urgent, and the facilities for their distribution are much greater at New Orleans than at any other spot. The boatmen go up the river as deck passengers, from 50 to 300 in a steam boat. They are on board from 14 to 20 days, as the passage may be, either to Nashville, Louisville, Cincinnati, or Pittsburgh. They are idle, having nothing to do,|| nothing to read. "To kill time," they resort to card-playing; the next step, (a step soon taken by too many of the western people,) is gambling. I will here state one fact which may show the usefulness of tracts among these

There is a Fe

the only possible mode of conveying the || ish tracts, there are none. truths of the Gospel to these wanderers. male Missionary Society, which is also in part Many of them will not attend any religious a Tract Society, but small and feeble. The meeting, will not read the Bible or a sermon, few Christians in the city are either poor, or who may still read a short tract, if thrown in but in moderate circumstances. The calls their way. Another opening for tracts is in upon their charity for the sick, the suffering, the Charity and Marine Hospitals, into the the widow and the orphan are numerous, confirst of which in 1822, there were admitted stant and pressing. In these various ways 1,700 patients. The number annually in both their charities are called for, and cheerfully is probably from 1,800 to 2,000. Among || bestowed to an extent that would astonish these classes of mariners, boatmen, and the even the more liberal and benevolent in our sick, I can truly say, I have found only one highly favored New England. In the great feeling in regard to tracts, and that, a strong work of reforming their city, of giving religious desire to receive them, and an evident regret, instruction to the various classes of men of when told that there were no more to business resorting thither from all quarters, bestow. the clerks and youth generally, the mariners and the boatmen; of founding institutions, which shall affect the present and coming generations, which shall affect millions of our race in our own land, and in foreign lands, and onward till the end of time, they look for assistance to Christian benevolence in this part of our country. Shall they look in vain? Will not the American Tract Society, by an appropriation of Tracts to the amount of at least seventy-five dollars, give encouragement and vigor to their efforts; and thus send the word of life to multitudes who are now sitting in the region and shadow of death? Will not the Christian community at the north, aid the feeble band at New Orleans in the attempt soon to be made of erecting there a Mr. B a pious young man was going to Mariner's and Bargeman's Church? Will Louisville sometime in March last, in the not Christian parents in Bath, Portland, steam boat Olive Branch. I gave him a par- Portsmouth, Salem, Boston and Providence, cel of tracts, requesting him to see them dis- remember their children when away from tributed. There were about 200 deck pas- parental admonition, and exposed to a climate sengers. He received the tracts, and within a and temptations which sweep too many to an short time after leaving port took from the early grave? Do they not wish them, having parcel one or two to read himself, and offered || been preserved from the perils of the sea, to a few to others. They paid at first little at- render up praises in the sanctuary of God? tention to the offer, being engaged in gam When about to recommit themselves to its bling and various kinds of sport. After a day dangers, would they not wish them to ask the or two more, they grew tired of their folly, Divine protection and guidance, that they and were willing to receive the tracts. They may again meet their parents and friends in became every day more and more desirous the land of the living? But I must close. to obtain them, and of their own accord ur- will only add, that I am thoroughly persuadgently pressed Mr. B. for "more tracts." ed, were the wealthy, benevolent Christians So that in about a week after leaving New at the north properly aware of the immense Orleans, and a week before reaching Louis-influence already possessed, and the inconville, all his tracts were gone, and many more might have been most happily employed.

men.

For five or six months in the year, such opportunities are not only of weekly but al most of daily occurrence. As to a supply for New Orleans this season, I can only say, with the exception of some French and Span

ceivable influence soon to be exerted, by that city, no efforts, no expense, would be spared, to plant the Gospel where now its sacred institutions are generally profaned, and to proclaim its truths to thousands, where now but hundreds hear them.

Miscellanies.

THE ABBÉ DUBOIS AGAINST MISSIONS IN INDIA. This work was quoted with considerable exNor long since, the Abbé Dubois, who had ultation, by a certain class of men, as justifybeen, for many years, a Catholic missionarying an opposition to all missionary efforts on the western side of India, published among the heathen.-During the past year a number of letters on the state of Chris- an answer to the Abbé has appeared in Engtianity in India, wherein he endeavors land, from the pen of the Rev. Henry Townto shew, that the preaching of the Gos-ley, who had been, for six years, laboring as pel to the natives of India, not only never a missionary in Bengal. This answer is conclusive and satisfactory. has had any success, but never will have any.

« PoprzedniaDalej »