We profess to believe in the Gospel they preached. Do we really believe it? Do we esteem Christ honorable, precious, valuable, in the literal sense of the word, that is, Messiah; and are we engaged in prayer for His appearing, and His kingdom? If this is our state, we shall bear in our minds the testimony of Gabriel to Mary, and the prophesy of good old Simeon, in the temple. All who "wait for the Son from Heaven," should expect Him to sit upon David's throne, as the glory of Israel. On this wise we understand who are the elect, by Divine Sovereignty; and thus we are prepared to acknowledge that the outward congregation of Jews will be joined by an outward assembly of the ten lost tribes of Israel, who were carried off from Samaria, twenty-five hundred years ago, by a heathen king, and were cast out of sight. Our faith in the Great King leads to serious inquiry after His subjects, and while a part of them are visible in the people called Jews, whom we own are yet living witnesses to the truth of God's word of judgment, in their dispersions abroad, or their adversity in Jerusalem, our attention is awakened concerning the flock so long lost from the fold, over which David was appointed the Shepherd, as a type of Christ, by Divine election of the God of Jacob. According to the testimony of one of the prophets of Israel, they are sifted among all nations like as corn is sifted in a sieve; and the decree of God secures the least grain from falling upon the earth; of course they are a distinct people in the sight of their Redeemer; and after all this work of sifting, still it appears there is corn left in the sieve. It is evident there

must be a distinct and a very afflicted people somewhere upon the face of the earth, who are out of sight as to the name of Israel, so that they must be called Outcasts, and recognized as a spoil and a prey. We open our eyes upon the Aborigines of America, and own they are indeed the remnant of Joseph, whom the Lord will save in the day of His glory. It must be acknowledged that the ways of GOD toward this people, are more deeply shrouded in mystery, than any other of His doings to the children of men; nor can we obtain the least satisfaction upon the subject, except we resort to the sacred Scriptures for information, and search for the origin of the Indians therein, with solemn, godly carefulness, and watching unto prayer.

It has been conceded by many persons, (some of them esteemed great men) that the Indians are a very noble race-that their minds are lofty and grand, &c. It is well known that their universal characteristic is independence, and generally magnanimous and brave. GOD must have formed them so, and they are sensible of His power, calling Him "The Great Spirit," by an inspiration wholly Divine. The Indians believe what the Jews do know, even that they were once the first and best among all people; and their tradition concerning a restoration at some future time, which is known only to the great Spirit, may be justly compared with the belief of religious Jews, relative to their condition when Messiah appears, who will plant them in the promised land, to be rooted up no more forever. ************

As a humble individual I may give my opinion of

the Indians, and doing so in the fear of God, I always find peace of conscience, and some degree of joy in my heart also, which to be sure is tempered with awe of the God of Israel, who will severely judge the oppressors, the spoilers of His people, the day of judgment; for this He expressly declares in His sacred Word, saying to Jacob and Israel at once, "all that devour thee shall be devoured, and all thine adversaries, every one of them shall go into captivity, and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey." This is a positive declaration of the Almighty God, and He will perform His word. It appears that when this takes place, the Lord [The Messiah] is represented as rising up,

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as in mount Perrizim, and will display His wrath as in the valley of Gibeon," "that He may do His strange work, and bring to pass His act, His strange act." This prophecy recognizes the apocalyptic vision of the pouring out of the seventh vial of the wrath of God. See Rev. xvi. 17-21

verses.

"That awful day will surely come,

"The appointed hour makes haste."

There is no token of the near approach of the Lord to "rule the nations with His iron rod," than the present dreadful state and condition of the Indians. Either He must come for their deliverance, or the red men be destroyed. The latter is impossible; for they "cry to the Lord day and night." This I know is the case. The Osages every morning before the sun rises, pray with one voice, as a nation; to the Great Wacondah they address their

supplications for help, telling Him, who liveth forever and ever, that "many suns have gone down since His Wawshoschese have known a happy day." The Pawnees, (wild and warlike as they are) have a character for devotion in their way. The Creeks invoke aid from the Great Spirit, and sing Hal-le-j lu-jah, at their green corn dance. One band of the Kickapoo tribe (called the prophet's band,) are serious, constant worshippers of the Great Father above; and profess that they look only to Him for refuge from trouble. This band are united to a number of Pottawattimies in their religious views and devotion. I had one interview with some of the chiefs of each party, at Fort Leavenworth, in 1833; and conversed with the prophet, by the United States interpreter. The prophet told me, that he had heard the voice of his heavenly Father, saying to him, "my son repent:" he also informed me, that the same voice had told him, that "the Son of God was once in this world, and would come again to save His red children; and that he (the prophet, was appointed a teacher of his brethren. In my journey from St. Louis to Independence, I heard a very good report of the prophet's band; and their piety was acknowledged as extraordinary, and judged to be very sincere.

Among the Choctaws, Shawnees, and the southern Cherokees, there are some converts to the Gospel of Christ; and such persons we know must have power with God; for Jesus said, "whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name, He will give it you." "If ye shall ask any thing in my Name I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

It is a well known fact (among Christians in this city, and elsewhere in the United States,) that our Blessed Lord has disciples at the present day, among the Indians of North America. I would ask, if in that character, they are not interested in His declaration, "even the very hairs of your head are ALL numbered?” Does He not speak to them in His holy Word, saying, "fear not little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom?" Ah! yes-yes, He is their Saviour: "the bruised reed shall he not break; and the smoking flax shall He not quench: He will send forth judgment unto victory."

This distinguished prophecy concerning Christ, evidently relates to the second mission of JESUS Christ into this world, where he is compared to a refiner's fire among the ancient people of God, "purifying them as gold and silver, that they may offer an offering unto the Lord in righteousness,” and shew forth His praise. The Indians are a bruised people indeed; and their afflictions may increase, in proportion to the advance of the reign of mammon, under Abaddon, or the spiritual antiChrist, until they shall seem ready to perish; but they shall not perish. The very prayers offered now to the God of Heaven, by the Indians, will be answered in the time of greater trouble, "when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall." In that day the Lord will be a Strength to His praying poor, a Strength to the needy in his distress, a shadow from the heat of persecution; and the branch of their oppressors shall be brought low, yea, be trodden down even as straw for the