Page images
PDF
EPUB

thanksgivings to God in their be- | the ufe of the Society 1163 Dol half, the pleafing expectation of their fidelity and good fuccefs. The appropriations made for the purchase of Books have been carried into effect as far as circumftances would admit of its being done advantageously for the Society. One grofs of Bibles, five dozen of Janeway's Token for Children, and thirty copies of the felect Sermons lately published in this county have been purchased. An impreffion has been made of 1000 copies of Doddridge's Addrefs to a Master of a Family, and of the fame number of the Affembly's fhorter catechifm. Nine

lars 77 Cents, of which fum 27 hands of the Committee of the Dollars 58 Cents are now in the Trustees, ready to be delivered to the Treafury, and the remainder has been paid into the Treasury and the Treasurer's receipts for the fame are in the hands of the Committee; 372 Dollars 14 Cents are now due to the Society and remain to be collected; 432 Dollars 42 Cents are payable annually in the month of January for the fix following years; 4130 Dollars amount of the subscriptions and 43 Cents are the total contributions which have been made by pious and liberal benfactors to the Society.

has not furnished time for the SoThe infancy of the Inftitution

teen copies of Dr. Lathrop's Sermon, entitled God's challenge to Infidels, have been contributed. Five hundred copies of the Truftees Inftructions to the Miffiona-ciety to realize the joyous fruits ries and their Addrefs to the in- of their liberality in its happy efhabitants of the new fettlements fects among their brethren of the have been printed: And Propo- New Settlements. But the rich fals are iffued for reprinting Dr. bleffings, which have been expeLathrop's four Sermons on the rienced, in various and diftant remode and fubjects of Chriftian gions by fimilar inftitutions of an Baptifm, and his two Sermons entitled Chrift's warning to his this Society pleafing and joyful earlier date, may well excite in churches to beware of falfe pro- hopes" that the merciful Jefus, phets. Measures are alfo purfu- who hath fhed his blood for fining to procure Doddridge's Rife ners, will acknowledge and bless and Progrefs of religion in the them alfo, in their fincere and arfoul, and Fuller's Gospel its own witness, that they may be ready dom in the falvation of immortal dent zeal to promote his kingfor diftribution another season. fouls."

Berkshire Miffionary Society.

The Truftees have fent on for diftribution by the hands of their Millionaries, fix dozen of Bibles, five hundred of Doddridge's Addrefs to the Mafter of a Family, Miffionary Society in the counties ON the 21ft of Sept. the one thousand of the fhorter Cat- of Berkshire and Columbia held echifms, five dozen of Janeway's their annual meeting at Pittsfield. Token for Children, fifteen of the The following officers were choSelect Sermons, nineteen of La-fen for the year enfuing, viz. Rev. throp's God's Challenge to Infi- Ephraim Judfon, Prefident, dels, and eighty of the Trustees Hon. Timothy Edwards, Efq. Inftructions and Addrefs. liam Walker, Efq. Treafurer, Rev. Vice-Prefident, the Hon. Wil

There have been collected for

the

Alvan Hyde, Secretary, and Rev. Oliver Ayer, Clerk. The Rev. Dr. Stephen Weft, the Hon. Timothy Edwards, Efq. the Rev. Ephraim Judfon, the Hon. William Walker, Efq. the Rev. Thomas Allen, Elijah Williams, Efq. the Rev. Daniel Collins, Deacon John Hall, the Rev. David Perry, Deacon Stephen Nafh and the Rev. Alvan Hyde, Trustees.

western counties of New-York, preached 43 fermons, attended 15 conferences, baptized 26 children and 3 adults, adminiftered the Lord's fupper twice, and admitted 11 perfons to the communion of churches. The journals of the miffions of Rev. Meff'rs. Leonard and Woofer, in the northern counties of Vermont have not yet been received.

The Miffionaries uniformly teftify, that the people in the new fettlements are much disposed to attend religious meetings, and that Miffionaries were never more need

better treated than at present.

From the report of the late board of Trustees to the Society, it appeared that they had employed the following Miffionaries the last year, viz. the Rev. Samuel Leonard two months in the north-ed, more cordially received, and ern counties of Vermont, and two months in the western counties of New-York-the Rev. David Perry three months in the weftern counties of New-York-the Rev. David Porter three months, and the Rev. David Harrower, nine weeks in the county of Luzerne

POETRY.

COMMUNICATED AS ORIGINAL.

God defired.

in the state of Pennfylvania, and The Spirit of prayer, and acceptance with the Rev. Benjamin Woofer three months in the north-western counties of New-York, bordering on Lake Champlain.

I. GOD fupreme, whofe piercing
fight,

Darts thro' the darkest shades of night,
Look down, with a propitious eye,

While proftrate, at thy feet I lie.

2. Th' appointed hour of prayer is But ftill my wand'ring thoughts would

come,

roam;

Sin has eftrang'd my heart from thee, And guilt would from thy prefence flee. 3. O'erwhelm'd, my bofom fwells with grief;

From the journal of the Rev. Mr. Harrower, it appeared that in performing his miffion, he rode 459 miles, preached 40 fermons, attended 10 conferences, and 2 church meetings, and vifited more than 50 families. Rev. Mr. Porter rode 711 miles, preached 60 fermons, attended 14 conferences, and 4 church meetings, affifted in forming two churches, baptized 15 children, and made 141 family vifits. Rev. Mr. Perry, in accomplishing his miffion, rode 1037 miles, preached 117 times, attended 8 church meetings and religious conferences, adminiftered the Lord's fupper 3 times, baptized 4 children, vifited 6 fchools, and 96 families.-Rev. Mr. Leon-6. Father, I would not yet despair, ard, when on his million in the But full prefume a humble prayer;

My native vilenefs! unbelief!
If only mov'd with flavish fear,
Will God vouchsafe a gracious ear?
4. What flatt'ries vain have I betev'd!
Oh, how thy Holy Spirit griev'd!
In this my wretched, helpless ftate,
Is he quite gone? Is all too late?
5. I am a finner, poor and blind:
"Tis not in earth to cafe my mind;
I walk in darkfome fhades of night,
Nor can creation cheer my fight.

«Gracious and Merciful" thy name, And thou unchangeably the fame.

7. Oh, draw me to thy gracious throne,
Through th' atonement of thy Son.
Lord, every grace is thine to give,
Look down and let the rebel live.

8. Dear Saviour, pity from above;
Oh, let me freely share thy love;
Be thou my advocate; to thee,
To thee, alone, for help I flee.

9. O may the Spirit deign to fhine,
Through this benighted foul of mine:
With light, and all thy quick ning rays,
Inspire my heart to pray'r and praise.
10. Trembling, before the awful throne
Of fov reign grace, I'll caft me down ;
Here, all my hope, and all my fear;
And if I perish, perish here.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

I foon fhall meet them, hear their gen tle voice,

Welcome my foul to everlasting day. AMANDA.

I.

The Retrofpec-addressed to a Friend.

THE

HE tear of forrow oft bedews my cheek, And rifing fighs my fecret griefs difclofe; May I, my friend, your kind attention claim,

To the fhort, fad recital of my woes. 2. Once fickle fortune, on Amanda fmil'd Her lavish'd gifts adorn'd my early youth,

Bleft me with parents amiable and kind, One gentle friend, my every care to foothe.

3. By education's fostering care refin'd, My bofom glow'd with friendship's ar dent fire,

While youthful fancy pourtray'd fcenes of blifs,

And fondly hop'd to realize defire.

4. But Ah! the fad reverfe! relentless death

Snatch'd from my bofom my beloved friend,

Diftrefs and forrow rent my bleeding heart,

While fadly mourning her untimely end.

5. Unpitying fortune not content with

this,

Sent dire adverfity to wound our peace, Our friends forfook us with contempt

and scorn

Infulting-added to our deep distess. 6. Where is the generous friend, whofe gentle hand,

Will kindly foothe the poignancy of

woe;

Reftore a wretched mourner's long loft peace,

And bid her heart with tranquil pleasure glow?

7. To thee, O God! I lift my tearful eyes,

Thy power alone can eafe my aching heart,

Be thou my Friend, my Father and my God,

And heavenly comforts to my foul im

part.

Donation to the Connecticut Mishonary Society.

A friend of Millions,

AMANDA

100 Dollars.

[blocks in formation]

A REVIEW of times pafl, and contemplations on future profpects, humbly attempted for general inftruction, and to excite pious meditations, &c.: or, the Editors' NEW YEAR'S GIFT, to their generous readers.

(Contin. from Vol. II. p. 248)

[ocr errors]

his hands: That the hapless fpar row falls not on the ground without his notice; and that the leaft as well as the greatest events, are entirely under his government. We must also realize that his government is abfolutely perfect: That he worketh all things ac cording to the counsel of his own COMMUNION with the Fa- will; brings light out of darkther of our fpirits, is the nefs and good out of evil: That duty, dignity and happiness of the wrath of man fhall praise him; man. The more conftantly and and that the remainder of wrath univerfally we commune with him, he will restrain. Amidst all the the more perfectly fhall we per- mighty revolutions, convulfions, form our duty, the more fhall we violence, tears and disorders which affimilate into his divine image, are upon earth, he will caufe all and participate in the dignity and things univerfally to combine their bleffedness of his prefence and influence, and operate together kingdom. That we may behold for the glory of his name, the him, and commune with him, not good of his church in general, only in his word and ordinances, and of thofe individually who have but in all his works, in all events, pleasure in him. In thefe views, in all the various grades and con- we may contemplate the years of ditions of creatures, we must be the right hand of the Most High fixed in this great point, that his with peculiar advantage. Beholdkingdom ruleth over all: That ing his greatnefs, wifdom, power, he planteth the nations and pluck- goodness and faithfulness, our eth them up: That our times, faith will be increased, our love and the times of all men, the be- inflamed, our gratitude and adoginning, the number and the end ration enlivened, our fubmiffion, of our years, all their events and patience and contentment improvconcomitant circumstances, are ined, and we shall be prepared, with VOL. III. No. 7.

Hh

the inhabitants of heaven, to fing, Alleluia for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.

With these views, and for thefe noble purposes let us contemplate the events of the past year, and the afpects of providence with refpect to future times, and prefent duty.

If we glance our eyes upon Europe and the old world, feveral great events claim our attention. We have feen the preliminaries of a general pacification, figned by the belligerent powers in 1801, the laft year, terminating in a definitive treaty; and peace with her benign and cheering influences once more bleffing the kingdoms of Europe, and gladdening the world. At the fame time, we have witnessed the greate, the moft violent and bloody conflict, professedly undertaken for the liberty and rights of men, which the world hath known, terminating in the moft powerful, confirmed and extenfive defpotifm which Europe hath ever experienced. Another event, truly great and wonderful, is the reeftablishment of popery by this extenfive and formidable power. The religion of thofe extenfive countries, France and Italy, is fubjected wholly to the fecular arm. By the fame power, by the fame man, by whom the pope appeared to have received his deadly wounds, we behold him, with aftonishment, revived, fupported and in a measure healed. We fee a new kingdom erected and eftablifhed, many nominal republics formed, not to advance the liberties and happinefs of man, but to extend the power and influence of one nation, and of one man. For a century paft, the policy, counfels and arms of moft of the kingdoms of Europe have been

employed to maintain a balance of power, for the preservation of their liberties, repose and safety. But the negociators of the late general pacification, appear, either of choice or neceffity, to have abandoned all former principles and policy, and to have negocia ted a treaty which threatens the rights, peace and happiness of all Europe and the world. These are great and fingular events. They have wonderfully disappointed the expectations of men, and fruftrated the defigns of the crafty. They fhow that the Moft High ruleth in the kingdoms of men, and giveth them to whomfoever he will. They demonftrate, that as the heavens are above the earth, fo his thoughts are above our thoughts, and his ways above the ways of men. Though the general pacification be matter of joy, as it hath stopped the flow of human blood, reftored thoufands to their refpective countries and friends, is friendly to literature, commerce and a general diffufion of Chriftian knowledge; yet the circumstances of it have beclouded our prospects, and greatly diminished the general gladnefs. But with whatever darkness thefe events, in our imperfect views, may have covered the prefent face of things, yet this confideration, that they are parts of his great plan, who is wonderful in counfel, and excellent in working, fhould give us entire fatisfaction, that they are beft, and will finally advance his glory, and the perfection and happinets of his great moral kingdom. He who looks through all causes and their confequences, may have seen that the most defpotic government would afford that protection and fafety to millions, which never could have been enjoyed under

« PreviousContinue »