the churches of New England, as the establishment of the Theo. logical School at Andover. The munificent spirit exhibited in lay. ing the foundations of that seminary is an honorable proof, that a zeal to do good exists among men of wealth, whose sphere of usefulness is widely extended; and in the establishment of such an institution, in the particular direction given to the spirit of benevolence, we perceive much evidence, that charity is under the guidance of wisdom, and that great, permanent, and everlast ing good is the object, which has been embraced by the enlarged minds of the founders of the Institution.

On the qualifications of ministers of the gospel depend in a great degree not only the morals, the order, the peace, and respectability of society, but also the triumphs of religion in the world -the eternal welfare of men. When a person enters upon the sacred office with a mind undis ciplined by preparatory study, unfurnished with various knowledge, unaccustomed to accurate discrimination, and unskilled in the art of presenting his thoughts perspicuously to others, though if he be pious he may yet be considerably useful, he will yet in many respects injure the cause, which he wishes to support, by not employing all the resources, which might be brought to its aid. Among the means of doing good, that of pulpit eloquence, which has been so much neglected in this country, is unques. tionably of very high importance. The drowsy minds of men, unfriendly to religion, must be roused or attracted by something in the manner of the

preacher, or his words will glide over their ear disregarded. While the dull monotony of many min. isters disposes the least serious of their hearers to sleep, the vehemence or pathos of others is accompanied with some uncouthness of gesture, some distortion of feature, and some faulty modulation of voice, which very much impair the effect, that would otherwise be produced.

But

While therefore this new seminary proposes to guide the studies of those, who are preparing for the sacred ministry, while it teaches them to think and to reason, it gives us much satisfaction to perceive also, that the art of expressing thought is not overlooked, and that a professor is appointed for the precise purpose of imparting instruction in pulpit eloquence. We do not expect that every student will be made an orator. The original talent must be received from the Giver of every good and perfect gift. though sweetness, variety, and force of voice, and other advantages in a public speaker must depend very much upon nature, yet much may be done by art both in the correction of what is faulty, and in the improvement of what is excellent. The freestone is not susceptible of the polish of marble, but by the hands of the skilful workman they both, though rough and shapeless as they came from the quarry, may be fashioned into a regular form, and become the pillars and ornaments of the temple.

We were disappointed in not seeing in this sermon of the Rev. Dr. SPRING any remarks upon the subject of pulpit eloquence, to

of God in the highest enjoyment of all holy beings. For God lives and reigns to accomplish his design."

The following passage from the address to the professors is deserving of the attention of all the "messengers of truth.”

"But when we contemplate things in a more elevated light, we not only anticipate your success as teachers of divinity, but indulge a confidence, that by your humility, and other virtues you will deeply impress the minds and hearts of your pupils with that modesty and meekness of wisdom which adorn the pastoral character. Destitute of these graces, their science, their divinity, and their cloquence will qualify them for the theatre, rather than the pulpit; and they will resemble actors on the stage rather than Christ and his apostles, who addressed the conscience and not the fancy and passions of men. God forbid, that we shall be at the expense of educating young men for the ministry, who by vanity and parade in style, or manner of address, shall degrade the pulpit, disgrace the seminary, injure souls, and dishonor Christ."

We close the extracts with a few sentences from the address to the students.

"Will you not acknowlege God in all your ways, that you may possess the qualifications of faithful, zealous ministers, so peculiarly needful to the church at the present day? Will you not love submissive manner; and pray devoutly God supremely; lament your sins in a for his grace, remembering that the

Will y

most able ministers imbibe the best instructions on their knees in secret? Will you not contemplate your entire dependance on Christ for every favor, and diligently use all the means, which he has appointed, to obtain his blessing? I you not unreservedly confide in the perfection of God's government? For the Lord is a rock, and his work is perfect. If you thus acknowledge God, he will teach you by his Spirit, and properly acquaint you with the fundamental prin ciples of divinity. He will acquaint you

with the character of man both before and after the fall; with the great differ ence between the object of holy and sinful affections; with the real difference between man's natural and moral ability, and with the necessity of special grace to give sinners a heart to accept the selfdenying terms of salvation. Without this information; and without digesting these and other principal doctrines you cannot prove instructive and convincing preachers."

Letter from Rev. Mr. Blackburn to Dr. Morse.

Maryville, Jan. 5, 1810.

REV. AND DEAR SIR,

I THINK When I was with you in Charlestown, 1 stated the number of the Cherokee nation to be between ten and twelve thousand souls, though at that time the enumeration was not completed, and I could not therefore make the estimate with certainty. But now the persons employed having finished the business, I am able to give you the exact state of the nation in detail. Let it be remarked that the enumeration is rather below than above the number

in every particular, as the Indians, by some means, especially at the first of the business, thought there might be a design eventually to tax them according to that ratio.

In the nation there are 12,395 Indians. The number of females exceeds the males 200. The whites in the nation are 341; one third of those have Indian wives, 113. of Negro slaves there are 583. The number of their cattle, 19,500; do. of horses, 6,100. The number of hogs, 19,600; do. of sheep, 1,037.

They have now in actual operation 13 Grist Mills; 3 Saw Mills; 3 Salt petre works, and 1 powder Mill. They have 30 Waggons, between 480 and 500 ploughs, 1600 spinning

wheels 467 Looms, and 49 Silversmiths.

Circulating specie is supposed to be as plenty as is common amongst the white people. These advantages have been mostly obtained since the year 1796 and rapidly increased since the year 1803.

If we deduct from the year the number of Sabbaths it contains, and suppose that each spinning wheel turn off six cuts per day, the amount of 1600 will be 250,400 dozen of yarn in one year, this will make when wove into cloth 292,133 yards.

If we should suppose each loom to put off 4 yards per day, the produce of 467 will be annually 584,684 yards.

Allow 2 hands to a wheel 3,200 women will be employed in carding and spinning, 467 engaged in weav ing, and as many to fill the quills.

If each plough be allowed only ten acres, then 500 ploughs would culti vate 5,000 acres and would employ 1000 hands, as one must use the hoe after the plough. There is also nearly as much land in the nation wrought without a plough as with it; each acre will produce 50 bushels which will be equal to 250,000 or 20 bushels to each person. The actual amount will double that sum.

It is often asked are they increasing or on the decline? All I can say to this is, that both from my own observation and that of those most conversant with them, it is evident that there is less space between the younger children of families than those more advanced, and that in near. ly the proportion as hunting life has yielded to the cultivation of the soil.

The number of Bibles and Testaments,circulated in the nation, inclu. ding the children of the schools is upwards of 600, and a variety of other books as opportunity offered.

On their roads they have many public houses, and on their rivers convenient ferries, there are many of them learning different trades as their inclination may lead them. But yet there is no chinrch erected, and few feel the impressions of grace.

I have filled the sheet with details,and can only pray that the Lord may make your harvest of souls abundant in Charlestown. I am, &c.

GIDEON BLACKBURN.

MISSIONS OF UNITED BRETHREN.

Extract from the Diary of the Missionaries in Labrador.

"JAN. 1st, 1806.-We received from Kivalek an account, which filled us with horror. The old well known sorcerer, Uiverunna, had spent the winter there, he and his family being the only residents. His wife died last night, upon which the old monster seized a poor orphan child, whom they had formerly adopted, and murdered him; then cut him across all the joints of his fingers and toes, ripped open his belly, and threw the body naked into the sea. Though we are not acquainted with his motive for so atrocious an act, yet we know, that it belongs to that system of diabolical incantations, by which he expects to appease the water-dev. il, by whom he pretends to do great wonders, but who now, in his idea, required a greater sacrifice than usual, as he had not saved his wife's life."

"On the 7th, while we were rejoicing at the gracious visitation of our God and Savior, so manifest among our Esquimaux, we were suddenly interrupted by information of the most distressing nature, which furnishes another lamentable proof of the power of Satan over this poor nation. Kullugak, a man who ob tained leave to live on our land, had, in company with a man from Uivak, called Tukekina, murdered the old sorcerer, Uiverunna, at Kivalek.Having given out that by his legerdemain tricks, he had killed Kullugak's two wives, the latter had ever since sought revenge. In general Uiverunna has of late endeavored to render himself formidable among the heathen Esquimaux, by making them believe, that he had power to kill such as he pleased; and if any one died, he was sure to have it reported, that he had sent them out of the world by his torngak. As he is also known to be an old murderer, and, as above related, had but just murdered a poor innocent infant, his life has been long in danger, and many a one had resolved to kill him, when opportunity offered. At length Kullugak succeeded. We informed him that we suffered no murderers to live

"I HAVE to mention to you to-day, that it has pleased the Lord to call home to himself, after a short illness, his aged and venerable servant, brother David Zeisberger, on the 17th of November, 1808, at Goshen, en the Muskingum, in the eighty-eighth year of his age, after a service of upwards of sixty years, in the Brethren's Mission among the North American Indians.

"This eminent servant of God to his last breath retained the same serenity of mind, ardent desire after the conversion of the heathen, and firm confidence in his God and Savior, which distinguished his character during the whole of his missionary life. Under the severest trials, and most discouraging circumstances, he never murmured or gave himself up to despondency; and though he had a way peculiar to himself, of strongly expressing his feeling_on every subject relating to the mission, yet it always partook of uncommon cheerfulness, benevolence, and unshaken trust in the almighty power of Him, at whose word all opposition must cease, and to whom all things must be subject, insomuch, that both by conversation, and by letters, he inspired his fellow missionaries, and all who were connected with him in the labor, with renewed courage and zeal in the Lord's cause. Though remarkably bold in faith, and ever manfully resisting the influence of the devil by the Word and Spirit of God, he was truly humble and lowly in heart, gladly dependent upon the grace of his Savior for every good gift; and always spoke and acted as a man whose strength is only in his God. When he began to feel the effects of old age, and could no longer travel about as formerly, he was content to devote all his time to

the welfare of the Indian congregation at the place of his residence, sparing no pains, both with old and young, to teach them how to walk worthy of the gospel of Christ. When his eye-sight began to fail

of God in the world, read to him by his wife and fellow laborers, and was quite resigned to the will of the Lord as to the declension of bis powers.

"In his instructions to the young missionaries, who generally spent some time at Goshen, to receive the benefit of his paternal counsel, he immediately won their hearts by his affectionate, lively, and solid conversation, and thereby proved the means of benefit and blessing to distant

"On the 5th of this month, we had a truly blessed and signaliz ed prayer day three men and three women were baptized. Looking over our church-books, I find, that since the year 1779, the number of negroes baptized by the Brethren's missionaries in St. Kitts, amounts to 3683.

"I had lately a very pleasing con. versation with a principal magistrate and proprietor of estates in the island, who honored us with a call, on purpose to see our settlement. He

entered very freely into the subject of the conversion of the negroes.— There are 47negroes on his estate baptized by us. In speaking of the Bish op of London's excellent admonitory letter to the planters, &c. in the West India Islands, he declared his willingness to do what was possible to promote the spiritual welfare of his negroes, but stated the difficulties attending the instruction of the chil dren under their present circum stances." Ch. Ob.