houfe in this city, that it did not come to our hands until last month. We immédiately dispatched to the different Bishopricks the copies intended for them, and have used every poffible exertion from that time to make your grand undertaking known to the most iftant borders of our land. The deliberations of our Society have never had for their object a more folemm, and at the same time a more joyful subject, than thắt to which your Addrefs, in itself so excellent and affectionate, furnished the occafion. You are in the right. The religion brought to our knowledge by Jefus Chrift, the light of the world, the truth whereof he has lealed with his own blood, merits the deepest veneration, the most perfect exempl fication, and that warm zeal for its more general fpread, to which you are encouraging each other, as well as your brethren in Chrift in all countries. Truty, the myriads of fellow moitals who are yet in darknels and the fhadow of death, without God in the world, and having no hope, deferve well the compaffionate and attentive care which you call on your brethren to fhew them. Surely, every friend of our God and Saviour Jetus Chrift must have wrestled in tears with God, not only becaufe of the condition of these poor Heathen, but also on account of the daily increafing indifference and littleffnefs, nay contempt, wherewith the precious word of God, which is rich unto falvation, is public y treated, even by thofe who at the commencement of their mortal career pledged themselves to its faith and confeffion. We efteemed your union, even before we were more fully informed of the whole tendency of it, as a work of wildom fet on foot by the providence of God, who in all ages has known well how to introduce the most powerful, although often least expected counterpoife, when infidelity and and immorality were breaking in as a flood, as a folemn warning to the Christians in other countries to unite and form one fpiritual priesthood.Brethren, we now know you better. We understand your views and determinations! We obferve that your wife zeal is already in full activity, to fhew forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. We kindle at the holy flame, at the call you make to your brethren,➡It is a joyful foreboding, yea it is realized! our expectation is already become a conviction-a certainty. That the fame God and Lord who came into the world to feek and fave that which was loft," and who himself had his Father's promile that "He would give him the Heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermoft parts of the earth for a poffeffion;" this Saviour and Lord who in times paft was mighty by his Apoftle Peter, "to grant to the Gentiles repentance unte life," who fince then and fo repeatedly has furthered in a wonderful manner Miffionary Plans, that have had Chrift for their wifdom-will alf lead your act of labour and love to the fummit of its noble intention, that on the Gentiles may be poured out the gift of the Holy Ghoft." The path you have chofen refpecting the manner of introducing the doctrine, leads directly to the attainment of this object. Experience, that tutor worthy of confidence, has long ago, in a variety of fruitless miflions to the Heathen, exhibited how uncertain the hopes of accefs are to their hearts; how foon the impreffions are effaced. That repentance towards God and faith cannot be expected from the doctrine of Chriftianity, when it is not introduced from pure motives, or not conformable to the Bible, fimple, divested of cunningly devifed fables, and unfcriptural dogmas. If prodigal fons fhall be enabled to return to their father, fusely it must be done by Chrift and by him alone, who is the way, the truth, and the life." If ever there fhall be one fold and one fhepherd, certainly his voice, and bis only, muft be proclaimed, heard and obeyed. You have refolved on your great undertaking at a time which to many would would appear the leaft appropriate. But you do right. The prefent mo ment only is ours; no further loss of time should be allowed. It is not to the honour of Chriftians to have done so little hitherto; at any rate not to have attempted to do more, for their Redeemer's glory, for the enlightening and faving of those who are out of the way. "O! how unfearchable are the judgments of the Lord, and his ways paft finding out." Peradventure his wifdom has deferred this your plan to a period when the effulgence of your act should acquire an additional radiancy from the very infidel darkness which covers Europe, and through which it darts the lu cid beam. It is very probable, that the fweet voice of the Gospel of Peace will be better heard and welcomed, while the nations are trembling at the din of war.-It may be that the commotions which at prefent carry deftruction and horror throughout the visible world, will become means in the hands of the Omnipotent, to prepare a change in his invifible kingdom for the deliverance and falvation of millions of fouls. At any rate it is not the first time "He has difcovered deep things out of darkness, and brought to light the fhadow of death.” Such has been the economy of God in all ages, that to the aftonishment of the world, and to put honour on his religion, he has brought about his great and benevolent views through means which have appeared the leaft adequate, and the most awful clouds have frequently ushered in the brightest day of grace. But fhould difficulties accumulate and prevent your fpreading to the moft diftant parts that light which you defire to im part to all, yet much will be gained by your zeal and your labours, if the Aumbering Chriftians only can thereby be roufed into reflection on their own fituation, and that bitter zeal be done away which folely tends to paralize the exertions of the Christian world. Dear brethren, we congratulate you on the refolution you have fo manfully taken; you have alio fet about its execution in a dignified manner. Surely your judgment is with the Lord, and your work with our God." The Lord fill you with wifdem ! Lord fortify your minds! The Lord profper you, and give you fuccess The Lord arm you with power! The in all your undertakings tending to his glory and the eternal welfare of mankind! May we also become as active for obtaining the fame end, as our defire of it is fincere! But whatever for the prefent is deficient, the work fhall to a certainty not be neglected, as soon as it can be effected. We will joyfully embrace and employ the opportunities which you may propose to us in the love of Chrift. We alfo to this effect request you will make good to us your promife, and inform us of the fuccefs you meet with in your labours. We fhall tenderly participate in all your pious undertakings, and from hearts full of joy give thanks and praises to eternal mercy for every bleffing, wherewith your labours are crowned. It fhall be our most pleafant talk to transplant among others your most energetic zeal, and to help with our prayers and fupplications at an all fufficient throne of grace, the labours of those brethren who are going forth to publifh the Gospel. This fhall ever be to us a foleinn duty. But in that more confined and lefs brilliant fphere of action, within which our Society are attempting to be useful, we expect and promise ourfelves your good will and fupplications. Such mighty works as those which you have been enabled to fet about, have hitherto been beyond our power, and not even within the prospect of our hope-and the lefs, as we have been without that encouragement and affiftance from the community` at large which we had a right to have expected. Still, praised be God, we have not been altogether without ufefulness, and and a bleffing on our labours; more particularly in obtaining means to extend and improve our Catechismal Schools in the metropolis. And we expect a powerful co-operation from the members of our fociety in various parts of the country, as alfo from other enlightened friends, to put into effect the plan fet on foot this year-to establish schools in every parifh inthe country. Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; may He establish the work of your and our hands upon us; yea, the work of your and our hands may He establish! Stockholm, Nov. 21, 1798. (Signed) GUSTAF MURRAY, Prefident of the Society. JON. LINDERHOLM, Secretary. WALES. Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Mr. Charles, of Bala. MY Letter has been printed in the Welch language, giving a fhort account of the miffionary undertaking, and its fuccefs. It has had very wide circulation, and the effects of it have been very beneficial. Fervent prayers and praises have been put up by thousands of our poor people on that account, who knew nothing at all of it before, or of the ftate of the Heathen world. Their hearts being warmed towards the caufe their praifes begin to open alfo. After publishing it in our chapel, and that a collection was intended to be made, one good woman brought me five guineas bedewed with tears of joy that the polleffed fo much mo ney, and had lived to give them to fo good a caufe. I expect I fhall have the pleasure of fending you foon a decent fum. We are commencing a Magazine in the Welch language, in which an account of miffions, and other religious intelligence, will be regularly published every quarter. Whilft you fupplicate the Throne of Grace for our brethren in the diftant iflands, don't forget the poor Britons among their barren mountains. The glory of the Lord is manifefted among them, and thousands of them flock round the Gospel standard. As it is the very joy of their own fouls, they cannot but rejoice in every profpect of its fuccefs. With kind refpects and regard, I am, dear Sir, Your affectionate humble fervant, March 30th, 1799. THO. CHARLES, MISSIONARY SOCIETY. Received from the 25th of April to the 25th of May, inclufive. Subfcriptions from Armagh, per Rev. Mr. Hamilton Collection at Rich-Hill, near Armagh, per ditto £.5 5 Ditto from Sligo ditto 3 2 From the Edinburgh Miffionary Society, per Mr. John Tawse 400 19 37 8 Subfriptions from Wareham, per Rev. B. Cracknell Subfcriptions from Hull, per Mr. Lambert 62 30 Rev. James Bennet, and Congregation, Romfey 35 6 0690 Subfcriptions from Sheernefs, per Rev. Mr. Fowler Collection and Subfcriptions from Colchefter, Rev. Ifaac Taylor 13 13 Collection at Bafingborne, per Rev. Mr. Bull Subfcriptions from Ipfwich, per Rev. C. Atkinson I 2 4 5 7 17 6 Subfcriptions Subfcriptions from Chefham, per Rev. Mr. Surman Collection at Stamfordham, per Rev. Mr. R. Orr Ditto at Brechin, North Britain, per Messrs. Coutts and Burns Collection at Rev. Mr. Towers's Meeting, Barbican 6699 0 + 0 0 0 0 Donations and Subfcriptions from Taunton, per Rev. I. Tozer 28 6 4 Collection and Subfcriptions from Devizes, per Rev. Mr. Sloper 20 a Collection at Andover, per Rev. Mr. Eisdell Subfcription at Abingdon, per, Rev. Mr. Thresher SOUTH SEAS. 11 13 ON Sunday morning the 19th ult. arrived in London, William Crook, Miffionary, from the Marquefas. It is not eafy to defcribe the furprife which this event excited in the breasts of all who were made acquainted therewith. We have no doubt but our readers will be anxious to be informed of the grounds of fo unexpected a circumftance. Ever ready to gratify them to the utmost of our ability, we haften to lay before them an out-line of the information we have been able to collect. Mr. Crook reports, that during the first fix months of his refidence at Chriftina, he fuffered confiderably from hunger, arifing from the previous improvidence of the natives, but was treated kindly by the Chiefs, who let him partake of their feanty morfel. About eight months after the doparture of the DUFF, an American veffel, trading to the north-weft coaft of America, anchored in Refolution Bay, by the captain of which he fent home his Journal. Another of the fame country, bound to China, appeared off the island about four months after. On board of this veffel Mr. Crook went with the defign to enquire what country he was of, and to write home; but the wind coming fresh from the mountains, the fhip was unable to work into the harbour, and was carried to leeward. This circumftance prevented the return of Mr. Crook, who requetted the captain to carry him to Sir H. Martyn's, an island which lies about fixty miles to the north weft. The captain who, as well as the captain of the former fhip, was extremely kind, bore away, and landed him on that spot. Here the natives, aftonifhed to find a white man speak in their own lan. guage, received him, though deftitute of any thing, but what he had on, with the greatest cordiality; and, till he diffuaded them from the extravagant opinion, confidered him as a God. The principal chief immediately made him his Tayo, and fupplied him with a profufe liberality. In a Short time he obtained a large piece of ground ftocked with bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, and the tarro roots, which he inclofed with a bamboo fence, planted, and built a house upon it. After a refidence of feven months, the fhips Euphrates and Butterworth, both fouth-whalers from London, put in for refreshments, to whom he was of confiderable service, as interpreter, as well as in procuring for them a plentiful fupply. Defpairing of feeing the fhip Duff in this ifland, he thought he could beft ferve the caufe by returning (hoping to arrive in England before the left it) and by reprefenting to the Directors the real ftate of the whole group of the Marquefas, together with the propriety of fending more honaries, who by exhibiting a form of christian economy, might induce the natives from what they should fee in domeftic life, to pay greater greater attention to the inftructions given them. This he judged might be facilitated by his knowledge of the language and customs of the people, with which he could make them acquainted in fome measure on the voyage, It fo happens that every meafure which he recommends has been adopted by the Directors, whofe Miffionaries, about ten in number, besides wo. men, will be greatly disappointed, when they find him not there, and whose lofs for want of an interpreter of his defeription, will be feverely felt. However, we hope in regard to the main object, no other evil will arife from this unexpected event, than that of retarding their operations for a short time. Our concern in other respects is lefs, as by the account he brings, it is now certain that Europeans in all this group will be received with the moft cordial welcome; and with the smallest attention to cultivation, will always be supplied with abundance. Sir H. Martyn's Island he reprefents to be by far the best fituated for miffionary refidence, both in regard to fertility, cultivation, and kind usage. The kinds of fruit found at Otaheite grow here in great plenty. The whole country abounds with fresh-water fprings and rivulets, which conduce much to the promotion of vegetation, and give it the preference in this refpect to Tongataboo. In the higher lands the ground he conceives might be made to produce fruits and grain of various kinds, and he recommends the culture of rice, of which the natives are very fond, and might kind are be fupplied with it in cafe of a failure in the crops of bread-fruit. Though among these poor hospitable strangers diforders of any little known, yet numbers are cut off with continual wars, when those who fall in battle are generally baked and fed upon as a delicious repast. Mr. Crook laments that, though he could never be prevailed upon to join in thefe quarrels, yet he had never fufficient influence to check them. He is nevertheless of opinion, that a body of Miffionaries would be able in a great ineafure to prevent them, if not entirely. There are among them but very faint traces of government. Many are their gods, but those held in highest veneration are the departed spirits of their chiefs. Of an upper and lower place where the fouls of the dead refide, they have Some notions, but these are extremely confused. They appear to be strongly attached to their fuperftitions, and to bring them to a knowledge of the Gospel will be a work of time, except God should go out of the ordinary courfe in effecting it; but he fuppetes much might be done by the fettlement of ten or twelve Miffionaries upon the island. Thefe are gone, and The husbandman has long patience will be, followed by many prayers. for the precious fruits of the earth which appear in their feafon, and amply repay all his labours and expectations. Upon the whole, we think the Society may be encouraged to perfevere with an humble dependance on that arm which can make the rough places plain, and the crooked things ftraight, The Captain of the Butterworth has brought over a iprightly boy, firit cousin to the Chief of Chriftina, about fourteen years of age, who has been prefented to the Miffionary Society by W. and T. Curtis, Efqrs, owners of the fhip, who have alfo kindly refuted to accept any acknowJedgment for the paffage of Mr. Crook. This native we learn will be educated by the Society, and return to his relatives with fome future Miffon. There is another youth from. Sir H. Martin's Ifland on board the Euphrates, which is not yet arrived. ERRATA in our laft. Page 204 line 4 from bottom, for hardened read burdened. |