luxurious and vicious quarters of the earthRome and Greece, and Jerusalem and the lesser Asia; where it broke the bands of personal interest, and made men generous to the highest pitch of selling all they had, and pouring the price at the apostle's feet; laid low and levelled the dear distinctions of rank and place, bringing the richest with the poorest, the highest with the lowest, to be served at the same tables, and supported out of the same common purse. It nerved afresh the Corinthian dissolved in pleasure, humbled the towering pride of the Athenian, tamed the boldness of the warlike Roman, straightened the crooked ways of the cunning Asiatic, opened the selfish heart of the vain-glorious Jew, and knocked off the fetters of superstitious idolatry from them all, unsealing the darkened eye and restoring the abused mind of relig ion; in doing which it peacefully set fraud and opposition at nought, until it fairly overran the nations, and seated itself in the high places of their hearts, of their lives, and of their laws. Our second instance is taken from the Reformation, when the divine constitution smote asunder religious and civil bonds, and set many nations free, as it were, at a single stride; in little more than the lifetime of a man, restoring England, Scotland, Holland, half of Germany, and the Scandinavian nations, to a free use of the faculty of thought, which ten centuries of cunning arts had been employed to shackle. The nations shook themselves as from a sleep; the barbarous, ferocious people, took on piety and virtue, and the sacred sense of human rights. The Hollander roused him from his torpid life amongst his many marshes, and beat the chivalry of haughty Spain from his shores, defeating the conqueror of a new world. The German burgher braved his emperor, though followed by half the nations, and won back his religious rights. The English, under their virgin queen, offered up the Armada, most glorious of navies, a sacrifice to the Lord of Hosts. And of my beloved native country— whose sufferings, for more than a long century, do place her in a station of honor second only to the Waldenses in the militant church, and whose martyrs (alas! that they should have been to Episcopal pride and Protestant intolerance!) will rank on the same file with those of Lyons and Alexandria in the primitive church-of her regeneration by the power of religion I can hardly trust myself to speak. Before that blessed æra she had no arts but the art of war; no philosophy; no literature, save her songs of love and chivalry; and little government of law. She was torn and mangled with intestine feuds, enslaved to arbitrary or aristocratic power, in vassalage or in turbulence. Her soil niggard, her climate stern, a desert land of misty lakes and hoary mountains. Yet, no sooner did the breath of truth from the living oracles of God breathe over her, than the wilderness and the solitary plain became glad, and the desert rejoiced and blossomed like the rose. The high-tempered soul of the nation-the "ingenium perfervidum Scotorum"-which had roused itself heretofore to resist invasions of her sacred soil and spoil the invader's border, or to rear the front of rebellion and unloose warfare upon herself, did now arise for the cause of religion and liberty-for the rights of God, and the rights of man. And, ob! what a demonstration of magnanimity we made. The pastoral vales, and upland heaths, which of old were made melodious to the shepherd's lute, now rung responsive to the glory of God, attuned from the hearts of his persecuted saints. The blood of martyrs mingled with our running brooks; their hallowed bones now moulder in peace within their silent tombs, which are dressed by the reverential hands of the pious and patriotic people. And their blood did not cry in vain to heaven for vengeance. Their persecutors were despoiled; the guilty race of kings were made vagabonds upon the earth. The church arose in her purity like a bride decked for the bridegroom; religious principles chose to reside within the troubled land; and they brought moral virtues in their train, and begot a national character for knowledge and industry and enterprise, for every domestic and public virtue, which maketh her children ever an acceptable people in the four quarters of the earth. Our third instance of the power dwelling in the divine constitution to renovate a people, and make them great and good, taken from the present times, and may be seen in almost every missionary station over the earth. These, the apostles, the true dignitaries of the modern church, have addressed their undertaking to the lowest and most degraded of their species; the West Indian slave, who is bought, and sold, and fed for labor, and differeth only from the ox, in that he is not stalled for the butcher's knife; the Greenlanders, in whose misnamed region the green of nature doth rarely bloom; the treacherous islanders of the South Seas; the Hottentots, whose name hath grown proverbial as the extreme limit of ignorance. I speak to the dispassioned and well-informed, not to self-sufficient bigots, who will not stoop to peruse the narratives of such low-bred men, nor degrade themselves to turn from the magazines of wit and fashion to the magazines of methodism and religion-I speak to honest hearted men, who love the improvement of their species, however promoted, and crave of their justice to acknowledge how the constitution of divine truth, when adopted by these rudest people, hath brought out the thinking and the feeling man from the human animal, as pure metal is brought out of the earthy ore, or pearly honey droppeth from the waxen comb; how the souls of the converts become peopled with a host of new thoughts and affections, and the missionary village with a hive of industrious, moral, and peaceful citizens, dwelling in the surrounding wastes of idolatry and wickedness, like the Tabernacle of God in the wilderness of Sin. Also, how the missionaries have come into contact with the high places of power, and reformed the palace of the king, and pacified the spirit of warriors, and made bloodshed to cease. Also, how, in our colonies, the planters, whom long residence among slaves, had dispossessed of British spirit, have come at length to acknowledge the humble missionary, and honor him for the sake of the good fruits of his labors. Thus, as in the first ages, this constitution which God hath given to the earth is still continuing to advance its subjects into a new sphere of being, from the animal to the spiritual, to disarm the opposition of its foes, and to triumph peaceably over the earth. That religion, pure and undefiled, if brought|| into the same contact with the ignorant and degraded classes of our country, would work the same humanizing and dignifying effects, we do therefore consider as established by both methods of proof, from the nature of the thing, and the frequent experience of the fact. In those three instances, there is every degree and form of human society which the world hath seen. The refined luxury of the classical, the feudal wildness of the Gothic, the darkness and ferocity of the savage, all brought under, pacified and meliorated by the spiritual arts of the divine government. And if there remain any one so unreasonable as still to misgive of its prevailing equally against the abounding ignorance and iniquity of our lower classes, I have the very fact to appeal to, the successful experiment in the hands of the Wesleyan Methodists. They have grappled with the most irreducible case of the problem, and fairly resolved it. Not in England-perhaps not in the wide world-was there a more ignorant, dissipated and ferocious people, than the colliers of the West and North, to whom the Wesleyans addressed the Gospel of Christ with the most distinguished success; in every case working a reformation upon every individual who joined himself to their communion. And not only amongst them have they succeeded, but amongst the lower classes, in general, through all the varied conditions of their life, and all the varied aspects of their ignorance. other business of life so good and so great as this? No: there is no other service like that of Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we must be saved: through him we shall arrive at heaven: there we shall see his glory, in the kingdom of his Father. I am here, on Owhyhee, diligently pub. lishing the word of God to the people, that they may understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of men. I was at Woahoo some time, teaching the palapala (reading and writing) to the people of one of the chiefs. After this, I was sent to Owhyhee by the missionaries, to teach Kuakini, (or Governor Adams, as he is sometimes called,) the principal chief on the island, and to teach his people, the men, and the women, and the children of Kiruah. I had been on Owhyhee a little more than a year, when Mr. Thurston arrived at Kiruah, with his family. The governor of Owhy hee has built a meeting-house at Kiruah, and on the tenth of this month, it was solemnly dedicated to the worship of Jehovah. On this interesting occasion, the Rev. Mr. Thurston preached from this text-Haggai 1:7,8. “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord." All the chiefs of these islands are pleased with Mr. Thurston, because he preaches to them the good word of God. He is very faithful and diligent in telling the people about the great God of heaven. He is a very good preacher in the language of Owhy hee, and points out to us the straight and narrow way, that our souls may arrive at heaven, through Jesus Christ. He is the only minister on Owhyhee, at the present time. The governor likes Mr. Thurston, because he understands the native language; and he also speaks it almost as well as one of the people. In a few days, I expect to commence a American Board of Missions. school in the native language. Some already LETTER FROM THOMAS HOPOO TO REV. HER. From the New Haven Religious Intelligencer. Kiruah, (Owhyhee,) Dec. 22, 1823. To my much loved and revered Father, who taught me to know Jesus Christ, the God of heaven. Great is my affection towards you, my best friend in America; but greater is my love to Jesus, who is in heaven. I remember and regard what you said to me, when I was at your house; Thomas, be patient, be faithful, be much in prayer to God, that your benighted countrymen may be saved by Jehovah.' Jehovah has heard our prayers to him, that this land of darkness might be enlightened by him, and that this people might know the salvation of Jesus Christ. I am here patiently, and I hope faithfully, laboring among them, and teaching them the Gospel of salvation, that their souls may be quickened by Jesus from the dust of sin and death. It rejoices my heart very much, to speak often to them about the salvation of Jesus Christ, that they also may behold the glory of Jehovah, the everlasting God. Is there any know how to read and write. The number of my scholars, at Kiruah, the last year, was 120. By and by, I shall have 40 more scholars at Kiruah, which will make 160. There is one of my scholars, who, I think, is born again. His name is Kelou, or Kamakau.-He is a chief, and lives at Kaawaroa Bay, at the place where Captain Cook was killed. I have instructed him in the word of God. By and by, perhaps, he will be a minister. He is a good chief. He prays continually to God for you all, who live in the Christian land, that you may all be saved through Jesus Christ. I will tell you something about the governor of Owhy hee. His desires after God are not very great. By and by, perhaps, he will turn his thoughts to Jesus. I pray with him and his family every night and morning. He wrote to Mr. Thurston, to send Thomas to pray with him, that he might be saved through Jesus Christ. I think also that Kapiolani, a chief woman of Owhyhee, loves God, and loves Jesus Christ. She is continually hoping to go to heaven through Jesus Christ. My old father too, loves the Lord Jesus Christ. He thinks much about the great God. He rejoices at the thoughts of going to heaven when he dies. Jesus Christ is the continual object of his desires. He thinks about him by night and by day. He is almost the only object of his heart's desire, in these his last days. He wants very much to go to Jesus in heaven, that he may quickly see the glory of Jehovah. I am satisfied that he finds evi dence of piety in his own heart; and I rejoice also that he has found Jesus. I call on my friends to rejoice with me. By and by, the eyes, and limbs, and bones, of the missionaries will be worn out, in laboring for the good of this people. By and by, perhaps, the people of these islands will go before some of the people in America, who have the Gospel and believe it not. Perhaps they will get to heaven, and leave some of you behind. What will become of you, if you do not love Jesus, when the great day of judgment shall come, when Jesus shall come in the clouds of heaven, with his angels! What will you do then? What will you say? Lord Jesus, have mercy on the unbelievers in America. Mr. and Mrs. Thurston send their kind regards to Mr. and Mrs. Daggett, wishing to be prayerfully remembered, with their little ones. IN the course of the week succeeding the annual meeting of the Board in September, the Corresponding Secretary attended the meetings of Societies auxiliary to the Board, as follows: On Monday afternoon, Sept. 20th, a special meeting of the Hartford County Foreign Mission Society was held in the conference room of the North Church, Hartford, at which the Treasurer, James R. Woodbridge, Esq. made a report of the monies, which had been received by him and remitted to the Treasurer of the Board the past year. As the annual meeting of this Society was near at hand, it is thought best to omit the list of officers, and the amount collected and transmitted, || till the accounts for the year shall be closed. Addresses were made by the Corresponding Secretary, and the Rev. Mr. Linsley, of Hartford. The annual meeting of the Farmington Branch of the Hartford County Society was held at Farmington, Tu esday, Sept. 21st. The account of the Treasurer was exhibited and the sum collected; viz. $603:60 was then paid over. This Branch embraces twelve associations in the towns of Farmington, Southington, Bristol, and Burlington. The officers for the year ensuing are Rev. William Robinson, President. Rev. Messrs. Noah Porter, Harvey Bushnell, Bela Kellogg, David L. Ogden, Jonathan Cone, and Erastus Clapp, Vice Presidents. On Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 22nd, the annual meeting of the Auxiliary Foreign Mission Society of Middletown and the Vicinity was held at Middletown. The Treas urer exhibited his account. The amount remitted to the Board, in the course of three months, was $462:02. The officers elected were Rev. John R. Crane, President. Rev. Messrs. David Smith, Joel West, David Selden, Harvey Talcott, Joshua L. Williams, and Stephen Hays, Vice Presidents. Richard Rand, Esq. Secretary. Richard Hubbard, Esq. Treasurer. The annual meeting of the Auxiliary Foreign Mission Society of the Middlesex [Clerical] Association, was held at Saybrook, (parish of Pettipaug,) on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 23rd. The Treasurer's account was exhibited, and the collections paid over; viz. $331:38. The returns were not complete. It was supposed that the sum raised by the Society the first year would be not far from $500. The President introduced the business of the meeting with an appropriate address. The officers for the year ensuing are, Rev. Aaron Hovey, Secretary, The Foreign Mission Society of Tolland County, held its annual meeting at Hebron, Tuesday Sept. 28th, in connexion with the meeting of the Consociation of that county. The Rev. Diodate Brockway preached an impressive sermon from Gal. 4:18. But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good cause. The Society expressed its entire approbation of the plan of the Prudential Committee, which agents of the Board are now employed in executing. At each of the above-mentioned meetings the Corresponding Secretary made an address. The following topics, with others, were introduced into some one or more of these addresses; viz. the obligations of Christians to send the Gospel to the heathen, arising from the nature of Christianity, the dictates of benevolence, the example of Christ, the example of the Apostles, the commission of Paul, and the command of our Savior;-the encouragements to send the Gospel, as derived from the promise of Christ, the early propagation of Christianity, its subsequent extension, the actual success of modern missions, the peculiar facilities of the present day, and the inviting calls of the heathen themselves;-the need of the Gospel to the heathen, as apparent from Scripture, and from the present condition of the world; and the manner in which Christians of America were to show their attachment to this cause. The Christian public, so far as can be gathered from the experiment already made, are gratified with the attempt to enlist all friends of missions and of the Bible, in the great design of preaching the Gospel to every human being. The Auxiliary Society of the Western district of New Haven County, Con. held it annual meeting at Woodbridge, Oct. 7th The receipts for the year (exclusive of cloth ing, valued at $30,95,) were $229,55. Th officers for the ensuing year, are as follows: Rev. Jeremiah Day, D. D. LL.D. President of Ya College, President. Rev. Bezaleel Pinneo, Dea. Frederick Hotchkis Hon. Abel Wheeler, and Nathaniel Richardson, Es 7. Presidents. Rev. Erastus Scranton, Secretary. Col. William Fenn, Auditor. Rev. B. Pinneo, Rev. E. Scranton, and Col. Wm Fenn, Directors. Two or more Agents were chosen from each of the ecclesiastical societies within limits of the Auxiliary Society. FORMATION OF ASSOCIATIONS. MASSACHUSETTS. Worcester County, S Gent. Asso. Rev. Edmund Mills, Pres. Stephen well, F. Pres. Dr. David Marsh, Sec. Palmer M Treas. 5 coll-Lad. Asso. Mrs. Edmund Mills, Miss Lucy Morse, Sec. and Treas. 4 coll. Fo Sept. 1. Northbridges Lad. Asso. Miss Sarah Fletcher, Miss Arespy Parsons, F. Pres. Miss Lydia Tuft and Treas. 4 coll. Formed Sept. 2. Oxford. Gent. Asso. Rev. Ebenezer Newhall, Peter Butler, V. Pres. Abisha Larned, Esq. See. P Shumway, Jr. Treas. 7 coll. Formed Sept. 23-1 Asso. Mrs. Ebenezer Newhall, Pres. Mrs. Abigail Pl uner, V. Pres. Mrs. Stearnes Witte, Sec. Mrs. Ira B ton. Trees, & coll. Formed Sept 30. Uxbridge. Lad. Asso. Mrs. Sylvia Willard, Pre Miss Sophia Whipple, V. Pres. Miss Elizabeth Judson Sve. Miss Sarah Judson, Treas. 6 coll. Formed Oct. 3 Western. Gent. Asso. Rev. Munson C. Gaylord Pres. Oliver Bliss, V. Pres. Levi Brown, Sec. Edinund Mayo, Treas. 7 coll. Formed Sept. 16.-Lad. Asso Mrs. M. C. Gaylord, Pres. Mrs. John Patrick, V. Pres. Miss Lucy Bliss, Sec. Miss Mary Pa rick. Treas. 7 coll. Formed Oct. 3. Shrewsbury. Gent Asso. Rev. George Allen, Pres. Nathan Pratt, V. Pres. David Brigham, Esq. Sec. Joseph Nurse, Preas, 7 coll. Formed Oct. 5. West Boylston. Gent. Asso. Rev. John Boardman, Pren Paul Goodale, V. Pres. Alpheus Fisher, See. Francis Davis, The 4 coll. Formed Oct. s. Ward. Gent. Asso. Rev. Enoch Pond, Pres. Joseph Scome, Esq. * Pren Alva Drury, Sec. Dea. Israel reigu Missions. ive solemnity of a missionary ordinauld have been witnessed on mission some time last winter or spring; bat lergymen in Tennessee, who had been ted to visit the missions, were necessarevented from attending, it was thought hat Mr. Moseley should apply for ordi to the Presbytery of Alabama. This tended to do, had his life been spared, at meeting of that body in November. long and particular letter, addressed to Corresponding Secretary, has been reved from Mr. Byington, giving an account his beloved fellow-laborer's sickness and From this letter we shall make exand continue the narration by an ment of some passages. "Mayhew, Choctaw Nation, Sept. 22, 1824. y dear and respected Sir, Iwell remember a remark of your thy and much loved predecessor, while ing through this great wilderness, with face set toward Salem, and, as he hoped, ard heaven, that the providence of God, ich he had been called to observe, while ing as Corresponding Secretary, had n to his own soul among the most afting and precious means of grace; and, he said this, it was with emotions that ere not fully uttered, not even with ars. You remember his countenance on ch occasions. Doubtless you already ve learned to appreciate this remark, ving been called to take part in the same inistry. Is your own heart so fixed on od, and your soul so bid with Christ in im, that you are not afraid of evil tidings? rust that God is your refuge. A painful mysterious dispensation of Providence led me to this place. as at Mr. Wright's, near Capt. on Sabbath the 12th of this n, early in the morning, a note me from Capt. Folsom, saying, end Mr. Moseley is dead. |