Church in this country. We trust it will prove the first fruits of a plentiful harvest. "If the fall of them," (the Jews,) " be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness: for if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead? For if the first fruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches."-Rom. xi. 12, 15, 16. Verses.

THE PARTING SCENE :

Lines written on the sailing of Messrs. Wheelock and Colman for India, from Boston, Nov. 16, 1817.

VOL V]

Saturday, May 16, 1818.

[No. 4.

The twenty-first Annual Report of the Directors of the New-York Missionary Society, presented at the Annual Meeting, held on Tuesday, April 7, 1818.

THE Society, at its last meeting, was informed of the unfavourable prospects of the mission among the Senecas, and of the conditional continuance, of Mr. Hyde as a Teacher among them. From the information they have received, the Directors are satisfied that the School among them has, for some time past, been scarcely worth attention; that very few children have attended with any degree of punctuality or profit, and that their Indian parents seem anxious neither for personal instruction, nor the instruction of their children. In consequence of his want of success in his labours, and the great improbability of his future usefulness in that tribe, Mr. Hyde, in a letter dated Oct. 29, 1817, tendered his resignation to the Board, as a Teacher under their care, which they have accepted.

In their last report, the Directors stated that they had received under their care Mr. James Arbuckle, as a candidate for Missionary service; but in consequence of some misunderstanding, as to the terms and continuance of his education by the Board, he has been released from all obligations to the Society, and is no longer under their direction.

The Board have no particular information to communicate respecting the mission on Long Island. In the last accounts received from the Rev. Mr. Dickerson, who has been employed as their Missionary, he states that, on the whole, the prospects of the Society in that quarter are favourable-that he has preached one half of his time at Cold Spring, and the other half at the Forks, Puspattock, and Montauk, and has met with considerable encouragement in his labours. The Board, however, have informed Mr. Dickerson, that after the first of March last, they would no longer require his services, and the Committee of missions have been instructed to procure some other Missionary to labour in that station.

It is with pleasure the Directors inform the Society, that since their last annual meeting, they have taken under their care Mr. James Young, and have engaged him as a Teacher among the Tuscaroras. The Board being satisfied as to his Christian character, his literary attainments, and his great desire of being useful among the Heathen, have sent him out under their employ, at a salary of four hundred dollars per annum; and provided him with suitable books, &c. for the use of the School. Mr. Young reached Tuscarora in the month of October last, and soon after his arrival, commenced his School on the Lancasterian method, and from the information he has communicated to the Board, it appears that between forty and seventy scholars usually attend; that a general disposition prevails among the Indians of that tribe to send their children to School, and to have

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them orderly in their deportment; that the chiefs and parents frequently call at the school-house, and seem much interested in the instruction of the pupils; and that although many difficulties are yet to be surmounted, and the most deplorable ignorance yet to be remov ed, there is much to encourage our hearts, and stimulate our efforts in their behalf.

The prospects of our mission among the Tuscaroras were never so flattering as at present. Immediately after the last annual meeting of the Society, Mr. Crane was licensed and ordained by the Presbytery of New-York, of the Associate Reformed Church, and being furnished with credentials and instructions from the Board, was forwarded without delay to the place of his labours. He arrived among the Tuscaroras on the 31st of May last, and was received with a most cordial welcome. An instance thereof, the Missionary thus relates in one of his letters to the Board. "As I was for the first time entering Tuscarora village, in search of the residence of Cusick, my interpreter, I proceeded till I came to a large company of Indians, who were sitting on the grass, refreshing themselves during the heat of the day. I rode up to them, and inquired if any of them could speak the English language. A young man answered in the affirmative. After receiving satisfactory information respecting Cusick, I took notice of the healthy, lively children, who were playing around their parents, and asked if they understood English. He said they did not. Having one particular object of my mission in view, I then inquired whether he wished them to learn it, and would send them to school, if they had a Teacher. He answered that he would do it very gladly. I then made a few inquiries on the subject of their having a Missionary among them. He informed me that they were destitute of a father at present, and had been so for some time. He observed, that the good Society in New-York had done many good things for them, and had long promised to send them a young father, to teach them about Jesus Christ; but that they were afraid that the good Society was discouraged with their wickedness, and would not do any thing for them. He added, that they had prayed lately very much, for the great Spirit to incline the good Society to send them a minister. I then made myself known to him. He turned, and said a few words to them in his native language, and the whole groupe arose with every expression of joy. The grayheaded, and the little child, seized my hands, and endeavoured to manifest by their actions those grateful emotions which they could not express with their lips. Having never witnessed such scenes in Christian churches, I found it too affecting, and turned away from them, to give vent to the tears of gratitude and joy, and to express the petition which the circumstances excited.

"On Wednesday, the 4th of June, I met with the Council of the Tribe, and presented my letter of introduction, which was interpreted by Cusick. The chief then arose, and addressed the people. Afterward he addressed himself to me, in a long speech; to which I made a general answer, expressing the good wishes of the Society;

and in general terms, the object of my mission. The result was, a very cordial acceptance of me as their Missionary, a dignified and feeling expression of their thanks to the Society and to myself, and a promise on their part to do every thing in their power to encourage me."

For some time after Mr. Crane's arrival among them, he was prevented from devoting to their spiritual interests as much time and attention as he wished, in consequence of his being obliged to endeavour to relieve their temporal distresses, (arising from scarcity of provision during the last season,) and the necessity he was under of living at a distance from the village, from the want of a suitable mission house. Immediate measures were therefore taken for the erection of a building to accommodate the Missionary and Teacher; and for this purpose, the Board have appropriated six hundred dollars. The building is now habitable, and will probably be finished in the course of the ensuing season, and many inconveniences thereby removed, with which, at first, the labours of the Missionary were embarrassed.

From the information communicated to the Board, it appears that the most deplorable ignorance prevailed among the Indians, on every important religious subject, although the Pagans among them, i. e. those who retain the principles, the rites and ceremonies of their fathers, are few in number, and their influence feeble. A large majority of the Tribe assent to the truth of the Gospel, and countenance the preaching of it by their presence. Two of their chiefs particularly, and several of the young men in the Tribe, have manifested much concern for their eternal welfare, and made many inquiries respecting the way of salvation by Jesus Christ. In expressing this concern, they showed a particular desire for baptism, and appeared to esteem that ordinance of paramount importance, and in some instances, as almost superseding the necessity of repentance towards God, and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Immediate attention was given to rectify this their error, by preaching and by conversation; and the Missionary trusts that he has succeeded in the attempt. He has also endeavoured, and not without success, to excite the solicitude of those who are members of the church, in behalf of their brethren who are "without God, and without hope," among them; and the Missionary states, that he has heard prayers from those illiterate converts, expressing such heartfelt anxiety, such hope and confidence in the Son of God, as have led him to anticipate the most pleasing results. They who are professing Christians among them, walk worthy of their calling, and are the first in all acts of national kindness, and the most prompt to render assistance in cases of individual suffering.

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In a communication recently made to the Board, the Missionary observes, "The attention to religion excited among many of the Tribe, who have hitherto been strangers to the power of God's salvation,' has been a source of great satisfaction to the Christians. Those who were capable of instructing others, encouraged the young

people to come to their huts, and spend their evenings in profitable conversation. I requested the members of the church to assemble together on the afternoon of every Saturday, for the purpose of encouraging each other, and examining and instructing those who might wish for it. This was followed by applications for admission to the church. The applicants were advised to wait some weeks, and the intervening time was employed in preaching on those subjects which related to their examination and preparation for participating the ordinances of Christ. The elders also were instructed relative to their duty, as officers in the church. After these arrangements were made, five women and two men came before us to confess their faith in Christ. They all passed through a rigid examination, and six of them were received. It was thought adviseable to defer the reception of one on account of her youth. Her exercises of mind were satisfactory. It appeared that she had for some time persisted in the practice of all the Christian duties with which she was acquainted, although she met with opposition and violent treatment from one of her parents. Three of those received were baptized, and four of them were married.

"From the examination and confession of these Indians, we cannot but hope that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour. They all evinced a determination to adhere to the cause they had espoused, and to suffer patiently all the evils which, as Christians, they have reason to expect.

The administration of the Lord's supper was interesting and solemn. The house was crowded, and the countenances of all present appeared to express an inward sense of the vast importance of the scene before them. My interpreter, (who is not a pious man,) the son of Cusick, my stated interpreter, who was absent, was so much affected, as to be under the necessity of leaning on the desk for support while speaking. While I was dispensing the elements, he sat down and burst into tears. His brother wept also. In the evening he came to see me. I told him I was much pleased with his conduct through the day, for he spoke with more confidence and energy than he had ever done before. He answered, Yes, but it breaks my heart.' I asked what broke his heart? He said, The great mercy of the Son of God. I was also informed, that numbers had felt a degree of tenderness on this occasion; and I have sɔme reason to cherish the hope, that impressions were made on some which will be lasting and saving."

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As far as their scanty means would admit, the Board have commenced the purchase of a library for the use of their Missionary; and in consequence of Mr. Crane's having lately connected himself in matrimony, they have added to his former salary the use of the farm belonging to the Society.

The Treasurer's account accompanies this Report.

BRETHREN,

The prospects of the usefulness of this Institution, are more cheering at present than at any period since its organization, in the year