N. Y. Scotch ch. mo. con. 70,06; Canal st. ch. 'a member,' 20; do. mo, con. 34,36; West Farms ch. for 3d qr. of the year, 15; 139 42 SYNOD OF NEW-JERSEY. Pby. of Elizabethtown. Lamington ch. 100: Elizabethtown 1st ch. 485. viz: Juv. Miss. Soc. 80; Sab. sch. to ed. Jonathan P. Alward, in Africa, 20; annual coll. 355; Woodbridge ch. mo. con. 37 50, children of Woodbridge Maternal Soc. 2,50; Rahway ch. mo. con. Oct. Jan. 55; Paterson, 1st ch. mo. con. 30; Clinton, Fem. Miss. Soc. 30 Mansfield ch. 40; Easton Sab, sch. to ed. Jesse M. Howell, in India, in Rev. Henry R. Wilson's school, second approp. 25; do. to aid in ed. Joseph Burke, 28,60, less postage, 20 cts. Pby. of Susquehanna. Wilkesbarre ch. 68, less disc. 7,47 SYNOD OF PHILA. Pby. of Philadelphia. Ridley ch. 7,23, less disc. 23 cts.; Phila. Central ch.' a member,' 20; 10th ch. ' a widow's mite,' 1; J. McArthur, 5; Jos. Patterson, 100; three mo. con. colls. 167,50; in all, 273,50; 4th ch, 50 2nd. Pby. of Philadelphia. Hartsville ch. ann. contrib. in part, 36,88; Bridesburgh ch. 21,25; Frankford ch. 20 Pby. of W. Jersey. Burlington ch. Pby. of New-Castle. 740 00 107 69 93 40 60 53 350 50 78 13 24 51 Bath ch. Daniel Ogden, Pby. of Logansport. Monticello ch. 5; don. Rev. Alex. Williamson, 2; Wabashtown, Mrs. C. Stitt, 1, SYNOD OF KENTUCKY. Pby. of Louisville. Lawrenceburgh ch. 8; Shelbyville ch. bal. 13 Louisville 1st ch. ann. coll in part, 107,65; do. mo. con. 7,81; do. Free ch. Sab, sch. 87 cts.; Shiloh and Olivet, friend,' 2, 50, Pby. of W. Lexington. Salem ch. Jas. Stonestreet, 10; Union ch. 21,75; Winchester ch. 24.40: don. Mr. Simpson, 10; Bethel ch. 32,50; J. M. C. Irvin, 10: Lexington, Rev. R. Davidson, don. 5; McChord ch. 86,68; viz: mo. con. 17,18, do coll. in part, 55,50; do. Sab. sch. to ed. heathen youth, 10; A. Harwood, 4; Lexington 1st ch. 52, 8.00 a 139 83 Oxford ch. in part, 60; Forks of Brandywine ch. mo. con. 20; do. Fem. Miss. Soc. to con. Mrs. NANCY R. GRIER, 1. m. 30; Mrs. Mary Ralston, 5; in all 35, less dis. 2,13; Cedar Grove ch. an extra coll. in view of the low state of the funds of the Board, 50; less disc. 2,81 Pby. of Baltimore. Alexandria, 1st ch. children of Sab. sch. a New Year's offering, 31; Georgetown ch. coll. 1st Monday in Jan. 20; Franklinville ch. 11 Pby. of Carlisle. Roxbury and Newburgh chs. two individuals, 10; less disc. I Pby. of Huntingdon. Spring cr. ch. 25; Sinking cr. ch. 25; do. Ladies' soc 25; in all 75, less disc. and postage, 10,92 64 08 SYNOD OF MISSISSIPPI. Pby. of Mississippi. Pine Ridge ch. 28,50; less disc. 82 cts.; Natchez ch. ann. coll. 508; do. mo. con. 41,52; coll. Sab. sch. 5,45; Port Gibson, ch. 53, Pby. of Louisiana. New Orleans, 1st ch. MISCELLANEOUS. Greensport, L. I., Rev. Wm. Hunting, 1; 'S. M.' in letter of Jan. 21, 50; the widow's offering,' 1; Washington Co. Pa. Rev. Wm. Bonas, per P. T. Jones, 13,42; Phila. a lady,' per Mr. Mitchell, 5; Phila. Jas H. Briscoe, to ed. an Indian boy under the care of Rev. Levi Janvier, at Lodiana, 25; Jas. Donahey, 10; Plumb Township, Pa., a family,' 5, 635 65 23 00 110 42 THE DOMESTIC MISSIONARY CHRONICLE MARCH, 1843. BOARD OF MISSIONS. AN APPEAL FROM MICHIGAN. FROM AN ITINERANT MISSIONARY. ence ?-shall we organise churches where we now can?-shall we cherish those already organised that are feeble and destitute?-shall we preach the gospel at points where we can have many attentive ed?-shall we do it? Many Presbyterians are scattered through this region and anxious to be united in churches,— Shall their wishes be met, and they be permitted to enjoy the sweet privilege of worshipping God in the way they believe to be scriptural? Infidelity and error of every kind is rife amongst us,—shall we make an effort to stop the contagion, and spread abroad a saving influence? Oh! shall we engage in such enterprises, and make such efforts, now while we are on the stage of action, that our dear children may have religious privileges, when we shall be slumbering in our graves? I HAVE just returned from the first meeting of the Lake Presbytery. As that Presbytery is emphatically on missionary ground, covers a very large extent of hearers, and where churches may be formcountry, and needs aid, I beg leave, through the columns of the Domestic Chronicle, to make its condition and wishes known to the Christian public. The Presbytery was organised at South Bend, Indiana, in accordance with the direction of the Synod of Indiana, on the tenth of January. It embraces the eight most northern counties of Indiana, and all that part of Michigan lying west of a line drawn due north, from the line separating Indiana and Ohio, to the northern extremity of Michigan, including the whole of Western Michigan between the line mentioned and Lake Michigan, and extending entirely across the state of Indiana, The Lake Presbytery, at its late meetincluding the eight northern counties. ing, while taking a survey of this great The reader will recollect it is not a Synod and destitute field said, with one voice, but a Presbytery, a single Presbytery, something must be done, and done withwhich covers this whole ground, and that out delay. All said, we must have a good we have only six ministers, and twelve, itinerant missionary. The Board of Misor thirteen churches. Each one of these sions must come to our aid, and send such ministers must, and will, if this section of a man into the field; and all united in country receives the attention it needs, urging the Moderator of the Presbytery, and at no distant day, represent a Pres- who had some experience in this busibytery. This country is beautiful, fer-ness, to engage in this work immediately, tile, healthy, and well watered. Villages and continue in it for one year, and they are rising in every direction, and the foundations of cities are already laid on the margin of our lake. Our population is increasing, and we have room for thousands more. Good land can be obtained, and at a cheap rate. Now the question is, shall this important section of our country be brought under gospel influVOL. XI.--12 determined at once to ask an appointment from the Board, confident, if their means would permit, they would grant the request. They wish this special itinerant to traverse the country, preaching the word, to search out the scattered members of our church, bring them together, organise them into churches, ascertain what they can do towards supporting the gospel, make their wants known to the Board, obtain for them supplies, and such aid as they may need. And until they can be supplied, they wish him so far to take the oversight of such churches as to preach for them, as he may be able, and administer to them gospel ordinances, to institute Sabbath schools, and encourage them to do what they can to maintain public worship among themselves until they can obtain a pastor. And now, well knowing that nothing but a want of means will make the Board hesitate for a moment to meet this exigency, suffer me, through your columns, to solicit from the Christian public the means necessary for accomplishing this work, and also that aid which our feeble churches will need to supply themselves with pastors. cold, brought on by previous exposure, and fulfilled my Sabbath exercises. On Monday morning I set out to attend the meeting of Presbytery, leaving behind me a sick child. I reached home about eleven o'clock on Saturday. My child had been visited by the physician every day, and its life had been in jeopardy. After remaining at home two hours, and changing my horse, I rode twenty-seven miles to fulfil an evening appointment. I preached near the same place on Sabbath morning, and rode on my way home fifteen miles to preach again in the evening. When the evening exercises were over, I rode home (such was my solicitude on account of my child) twelve miles. Monday evening I rode nine miles to an appointment, and returned home the same night. To-night (Tuesday evening) I have been to another meeting, and now, at the midnight hour, I am penning this article. Shall I anticipate the future? On Thursday evening I am to preach some six miles from my dwelling. On Friday morning I go twenty-seven miles in another direction, to prepare the way for organising a church on the Sabbath. During the ensuing week, I must travel one hundred and twenty miles; and, before I leave the people for whom I am to preach on the following Sabbath, I must get them together, ascertain what they can raise for the support of the brother who is to labour for them, and probably draft a letter to the Board of Missions for some assistance which they will need. This, dear brethren, is the life of a domestic missionary. It is a sacrifice of time, of property, of ease, of health, and of all opportu nity to make improvement in the way study. We came to this country, dear brethren, some of us with large families, after resigning the charge of large churches, where we were supported, and where we had abundant evidence that our labours were not in vain in the Lord. We came to those who were perishing for lack of knowledge, relying on your promises and long-continued liberality. Will you now desert us? If we had ventured beyond our depth to save your drowning brother, having a rope attached to our person, and your promises to hold part thereto, and render every assistance in your power, would you fail to do it? Our case is similar. These are your brethren whom we are endeavouring to save from death, eternal death; and we have gone to them, relying on your Board of Missions, and your promises to sustain that Board. Will you now let go of the rope, and shall we perish, or shall our children perish with those we came to save? Does the reader wish to look at some are indolent and useless, desert us; but of our churches? I am full of matter, if we are in labours abundant, and our la- and only regret the want of space to say bours are blessed, give us our pittance, all I could. In passing through a place and when it is due. Does the reader a few months ago, as soon as it was known wish to look at the life, and labour, and that I was a Presbyterian minister and the trials of the home missionary? I will belonged to your General Assembly, I make no selection of time, but give him was invited to preach, and treated with the history of the past and the present the utmost kindness. I subsequently orweek. I arose last Sabbath week, after ganised a church there. They wished to a night of suffering in consequence of a "have the gospel preached to them, at least If we of part of the time, and two individuals engaged to find a house for the use of the minister, and to supply his family with all the flour and meat they might need, adding, "We have no money, and are embarrassed with debt." And who were these persons? They were the sons of one man, and that man an elder in one of our eastern churches. They were living in plank houses (a temporary abode, often seen in new countries,) well supplied with food, but of humble appearance as to furniture and raiment. They had but one horse between them, and he, they proposed, should serve their pastor also. And yet this is a church which, if sustained, will grow and flourish, and soon be able to get along without assistance. Elders, elders, let me tell you that your sons will be here perhaps when you are slumbering in the grave. Will you enable us to prepare churches and provide spiritual privileges for them whilst we may ? west. Another church, whose meeting-house, when erected, will stand in the capital of the county, and on one of the most public roads, consists now chiefly of one man and his immediate relations. This man was a ruling elder before he came to the His father, children, grandchildren, brothers and sisters, are all with or near him. They assemble in company with a few neighbours on the Sabbath, and hear a sermon read when no minister is present. They are sound in the faith, and many of them devotedly pious. This elder subscribed thirty dollars towards obtaining the services of a missionary one half his time. A total failure of his crop the last year, has left him without a dollar. Shall this church perish? Shall the religion of this family, which is the leaven by which we hope to leaven the whole county, become extinct? I know other families of kindred sentiments and feelings forty miles from them, who contemplate selling their property and joining them, for the sole purpose of strengthening their hands. Will not our eastern friends assist them? Raise them up from the dust aid them a little now while they are subduing the soil, and they will in a little time return you all you give them, or send it to the heathen, or other feeble churches, both principal and interest. And now, dear friends, permit me to say that we are labouring here not merely for our own and our children's spiritual welfare, but for that of your offspring. To the west, to the west, your children will come, and you cannot help it. It is for you to say whether, when they come to this beautiful and well-watered country, they shall "go with the multitudes that keep holy day to the house of God," or find themselves surrounded by men who are "sinners before the Lord exceedingly." What we do must be done quickly. I could tell you of a church which I organised some months ago on a fertile prairie all settled up, where there are people and wealth enough to sustain the preached gospel. But aid is necessary, and more aid than if the church had been organised many years ago. For Unitarianism, Universalism, Atheism, and almost every other ism that has in it the seeds of error, prevails; and the wealth and the fashion, and the influence, are on the side of irreligion. Had a church been organised and sustained then, in the infancy of the settlement, and every new comer directed to it, it would now not only have sustained itself, but given aid to neighbouring churches. One word more, and I have done. Be not offended if I take a text and preach a little. Our Saviour, when he said, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature," had, I apprehend, both clergy and laity in view. Both are under obligations to obey this precept. They only have different parts to act. One is to go, and the other to send. One to preach, and the other to support. Christ's kingdom, the kingdom of light, is at war with the kingdom of darkness. Christ has declared this war. We, being his subjects, are bound to fight for him. Now, as when our country is at war, we are all, in a certain sense, engaged in the warfare; some go out, sword in hand, to meet the enemy, those who remain at home contribute every man in proportion to his ability, to defray the expense of the war, "so should it be in this holy, spiritual war fare. The minister or missionaries must || formed at this season of the year. Be fore this article meets the reader's eye, the work spoken of will be in progress. Should the reader fail in doing his part, one wheel in the machinery will be wanting, and the work will soon stop, and difficulty and embarrassment of a serious kind ensue. An affectionate wife must for a season be a widow, and ten beloved children fatherless. But God says, go to meet the enemy, and stand in the front of the battle. Those who are not ministers, like the people who remain at home in the time of war, should feed and clothe those who are in the field of battle, or marching towards it. Ours is the harder part. It is you who should cheer and urge us on to the conflict, and not we who should call on you for support. But I forbear. The missionary select-"Leave thy widow and thy fatherless ed by the Lake Presbytery may go im- children with me, I will take care of mediately to his work. The times are God in his providence plainly hard, but "thus saith the Lord, the bar"Go forward." When he thus rel of meal shall not waste, nor the cruse spake to the children of Israel, the Red of oil fail until the day the Lord sendeth Sea lay directly before them: they obeyrain upon the earth." Thus believing, ed the command-the waters dividedthe missionary will obey the indications of difficulties vanished. We must do our God's providence. If he engage in the duty at all times, and under all circumwork at all, he must do it immediately. stances. In taking this course, we are He has now an opportunity, which may not, we think, tempting but trusting God. not again occur, to supply his people, and If we are wrong, the Board and the Chrisa portion of his work may be best per- tian public must correct us. B. O. them." says, COMMUNICATIONS FROM MISSIONARIES. ILLINOIS. FROM A MISSIONARY IN HENRY CO. Since my last report, I have been absent much of my time, attending with my brethren sacramental meetings for days in succession; special blessings have attended these meetings. In one place, in Iowa Territory, previous to our meeting, the number of Presbyterians was so small, that they met with other denominations, and did not even keep up a weekly prayer meeting; since that time, they are greatly strengthened, have contracted for the building of a brick meeting-house, raised nearly the amount requisite to finish it, and have engaged a minister to labour among them for a year, whom they hope to be able to sustain, with some aid from the Board. A very happy state of religious feeling, and interest continues to be manifest among the people of my particular charge at A****. In my last quarterly report you were apprised, that God had com menced a revival of his work in this place. At our last communion, on the first Sabbath in October, sixteen united with our church by profession, most of whom were heads of families. The ordinance of baptism was administered to eighteen, ten adults and eight children. At our previous communion, six united with the church. In the space of three months the number of communicants has more than doubled; during the past summer others have hopefully experienced a change, who have not yet made a public profession. Some of the subjects of this work were previously Universalists, but with their conviction of sin, and knowledge of their own hearts, they lost their hopes on that foundation, and we now trust they have "Christ formed in them the hope of glory." One of the number, a young man with an interesting family, was an Atheist; he believed there was no God, and that man had no future existence. Although brought up in the most religious part of New-England, he owned no Bible, and had scarcely read in one |