VIRGINIA.

93

for the last twenty years. He began to attend the meetings with entire indiffer- FROM A MISSIONARY IN HALIFAX CO. ence, but God was pleased to show him ***** I have been so much engathe darkness of his mind, and the hardness, and wickedness of his heart. He ged in labours for some time past, as to have no time for writing, and I thank God sought relief by prayer, for the first time in his life, in the grove, on his way home I have not laboured in vain. The Lord from meeting alone, but he felt he could has been graciously present by his Holy Spirit to revive his people, and save souls; not pray. His wife at the same time saw her lost condition, and her need of a Sa- in our Spring Hill church, in the months of November and December, we hal a viour. They spent the night weeping precious season of divine grace. The and praying; it was not long before they work was very much confined to the young indulged a hope that they were reconciled ladies in our Female Academy, six of to God, and have since united with the whom have become hopefully pious. church. There have been eleven hopeful conversions, nine of whom have connected themselves with Spring Hill church; three of them were coloured persons. To God be all the praise. Although the shower seems to have been partial, it has nevertheless been refreshing to our little church, and we feel much strengthened and encouraged. Our church has been more than doubled in number; we hope there are still others, who may soon connect themselves with the church.

Another is a sea captain, about sixty years old. From early life he was trained to the ocean, and visited the different nations of the earth, and formed his conscience where the sacredness of the Sabbath, and Christian influence were scarcely known. He, like many others, sought a home in this fertile, extensive, and beautiful valley of the west. For the first year he resided among us, none of his family attended public worship, or the social prayer-meeting: hunting was his occupation for the Sabbath; and he freely indulged in the social glass with his companions. He possessed the generosity and public spirit which is peculiar to the sai

lor.

He began to attend on the preaching of the gospel, and contributed to its support; he was all attention to the subject; never did I see him slumbering or inattentive in the place of worship; he and his family attended our special meetings; he was convinced that he was a sinner; he was open and frank in his inquiries after truth; he attended the meetings for inquiry; he believed, hoped he

loved the Saviour, his cause, and his people; began family worship, and continues to be attentive to all the requirements of the gospel. He and his wife have united with the church. I might mention many other interesting cases of hopeful conversion; my object in mentioning these has been, to show something of the character

Permit me here to say, that on ChristImas day, the members of Spring Hill church contributed twenty-seven dollars and fifty cents, and requested me to present it to the Assembly's Board of Domestic Missions, as a thank-offering to the Lord for what he has done for them in the recent revival. I think the amount will be increased.

At the C. H. we are still encouraged in our labours; I think since my last report we have received three members there, and there are a number there seri

ously impressed, on the subject of religion.

I have visited as much as I have been able, and find it pleasant, and profitable. I am more and more convinced, that a minister's usefulness among any people depends much on his pastoral visits, if they are of the right character.

TENNESSEE.

of our population, and the importance FROM A MISSIONARY IN BLOUNT CO.

of using the means of grace with those
whom unbelief would regard as hope-
less.

Sacramental Seasons.

I held a sacramental meeting

at B**** C***, at our usual time ear

PENNSYLVANIA.

FROM A MISSIONARY IN NORTHAMP-
TON COUNTY.

* I have just closed a series of meetings at Cunningham, which have been attended with very happy results; the meetings continued between two and three weeks, during the whole of which they were full, solemn, and deeply interesting. Eight have been received into communion in this church, and a number more are in a very interesting state of mind, some of whom have been before the Session, but whose cases were de

ly in the season; the services during the occasion, four days, were solemn and deeply interesting, particularly to Christians. Three persons were added to the church. The attendance was good, and I trust good impressions were made. I had a communion season at M****, the third Sabbath in August. The occasion was one of uncommon interest at that place; the Holy Spirit was evidently present; Christians were revived; and many sinners were awakened to a sense of their guilt. A deep, and I trust a lasting, impression was made in favour of God's truth. Many strong and deep-rooted pre-ferred for a further development and judices against the plain doctrines of the maturity of Christian character. Thus Bible were done away, and souls were our little church here, which was organhumbled at the foot of the cross. ized less than twelve months since, consisting of eighteen members, now num

With the assistance of a Brother, I commenced a sacramental meeting at B****bers more than thirty. Truly the Lord C***, the latter part of September; and has been kind, for which we desire to feel on account of the evident presence and thankful. powerful work of the Spirit of God, the meeting was continued from Friday until the next Wednesday evening, when it closed, very much against the wishes of many, who, in deep anxiety, were inquiring what they should do to be saved. The meeting was resumed on the Saturday following, and continued until Monday evening. The Lord was evidently still present, and the number of inquiring souls was increased, as was also the number of those who professed to have experienced a change of heart. Although the number of those who profess to have a hope in Christ is not large, we rejoice in this day of small things, and hope, and pray that God will continue his own work. We thank God for what he has done, and our prayer is that he would do for us still greater things. ***

In Beaver Meadow Congregation, I consider things in an interesting state at present; I closed a series of meetings here about two weeks since, which, although not attended with such decided manifestations of good, had nevertheless the effect of awakening in the minds of church members, a higher degree of zeal, and activity in the good cause, and of producing in the minds of some, a seriousness which I trust will prove permanent and salutary, and result in their conversion to God. In Hazleton, where I preach once every fortnight, there is a growing interest in the cause of religion, and especially in the cause of Presbyterianism; there are other stations, at which I preach periodically, but of which I have nothing special to communicate at pre

sent.

MISSION ROOMS, PHILADELPHIA.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

With no ordinary feelings of gratitude to God, and to the donors, we publish here, by way of acknowledgment, several notes, enclosing the amount specified, for the cause of missions in our own country.

Belvidere, N. J., Jan. 13, 1843.

A young woman who lives in my family, and supports herself by her own exertions from day to day, after reading an article in the last Chronicle upon the subject of raising $50,000 for missions in our own coun

try, immediately handed me the enclosed two dollars, to hand to the Board, as her free-will offering to that interesting object. Yours, &c.

Gainsville, Alabama, Jan. 6, 1843.

I have just been reading the Missionary Chronicle for the month of January: towards the close of the number I see a request of the Board to raise the sum of $50,000 this year for Domestic Missions. I rejoice to have seen it; and although my subscription to the Presbyterian Board at the monthly concert, is five dollars each month, yet I feel it a blessed privilege to enclose you the small sum of five dollars. May God incline the hearts of all who read this portion of the Chronicle to do likewise; and may he bless this small sum, and make it the means of leading, if it be but one poor soul, to seek an interest in the atoning blood of our blessed Redeemer, is the prayer of

A MEMBER OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. Greenville, Sumpter Co., Alabama.

An humble family, in the Presbyterian Church, having read with deep interest the loud call for $50,000 to advance the Redecmer's cause in our beloved land, enclose ten dollars for the Board of Domestic Mis.

sions.

Philadelphia, Feb. 6, 1843.

Freehold, N. J., Jan 17, 1843. The enclosed twenty dollars is for the Board of Domestic Missions.

FROM A FRIEND.

indications of good to the cause, and to our churches. They evince a willingness to make some sacrifice for Christ, and his cause which is the true spirit of the gospel, and we rejoice in being able to say to the churches, that we are beginning to see unequivocal evidence, that some are waking up to the unspeakable importance of Domestic Missions. A few are beginning to feel that this cause is identified, not only with the prosperity, but with the salvation of our country; that this great country, with its immense moral wastes, has been too much neglected by the churches; that while American Christians have been sleeping, the enemy of all good, has been sowing tares in all portions of our land; and that if our land is to be saved from the most desolating evils, the friends of Christ and of a pure gospel must delay no longer, but come up to this work immediately, and with their whole strength. Beloved brethren, the work is great, and requires the aid of all; and it is urgent, and will not admit of longer delay. While we sleep, the enemy is active; while we delay, souls are perishing. The Lord is at this moment, in a very peculiar manner, prospering your efforts in this cause. He is pouring out his Spirit on our missionary fields. Read the accounts of revivals of religion among our missionaries. Had we room, we could tell you of many, many more-and never was a wider door open for extending the church than at this moment, did your Board possess the means. God is now testing his people. There is a pressurc in the land; the times are hard; these are the very times to test the faith and love of God's people. In times of prosperity it is easy to give it requires no self-denial, no

Twenty-seven dollars and fifty cents from the members of Spring Hill church, a missionary church in Virginia, a thank-offering to the Lord for the outpouring of his Spirit,-sacrifice, to give when our coffers are full, (see report of the missionary in the present number of the Chronicle). We would also mention here, a note through the post-office in this city, enclosing eighty dollars for the same cause, donor unknown.

These, and other donations, which have recently been received from persons unknown, to us, have greatly cheered our hearts amidst the peculiar difficulties and trials with which our great and important work is now prosecuted; we hail them as

and overflowing; it is when our means are limited, and we are straitened, that our faith is tested. Then, if Christ and his cause have the first place in our affections, it will be seen, in the cheerfulness with which we make sacrifices for the advancement of that cause; and then, too, in denying ourselves, for Christ and his cause, we may hope for his blessing, and at such a time, when many have it in their power to do but little, all should do something.

Receipts in the Treasury at Philadelphia, in January.

RECEIPTS IN THE TREASURY AT LOUISVILLE, KY., IN JANUARY.

RECEIPTS IN THE TREASURY AT PITTSBURGH, IN JANUARY.

THE

FOREIGN MISSIONARY CHRONICLE.

APRIL, 1843.

MISCELLANY.

LETTER FROM THE REV. DR. DUFF,

CONCERNING

EARLY MARRIAGES AND WIDOW-HOOD, IN INDIA.

A friend has called our attention to the following letter of the Rev. Alexander Duff, D.D., of the Scotch Presbyterian Mission, Calcutta. It treats of the early marriages, and the prohibition of re-marriages, of females in India-subjects deeply affecting the condition of woman, the general state of society, and the spread of the gospel among the Hindus. Though somewhat long, this letter is well worth perusal.

CALCUTTA, CORNWALLIS SQUARE,
Sept. 16, 1842.

hands find to do with all our might, however feeble, however humble, however MY DEAR DR. BRUNTON,-In common apparently insignificant-in the full assuwith yourself and other friends at home, rance that we shall reap, if we faint not ;— we feel strongly that the cause of Indian and that the crowns of immortality will amelioration cannot progress satisfactori- be massive and bright, not so much in ly, so long as the female half of the popu- proportion to present visible success, as in lation are abandoned to ignorance, super-proportion to the manifestations of our stition, and vice. Our heart's desire and faith, and self-denial, and zeal, and love. prayer to God have ever been, that, in the course of His gracious Providence, a door of access, large and effectual, might be opened up to the understandings and the hearts of these degraded millions, so influential for good or evil. Our desires and wishes, however, are not like the volitions of Deity-omnipotent. It is our duty, therefore, to persevere in prayer and in effort too-even though these should not be immediately followed by the longed-for results. To be hewers of wood and drawers of water, in connection with the rearing of Jehovah's spiritual temple in the realms of gentilism, is an office not to be despised, merely because there are higher offices which we might covet as more honourable and desirable. The grand thing is, habitually to act with faith and patience in waiting upon that God whose alone are "the times and the seasons," as well as the blessed "increase "-doing what our VOL. XI.--13

To the leading and peculiar obstacles which interpose throughout India generally, and Eastern India in particular, in the way of an extensive, successful, and thoroughly satisfactory education of females, it has been my lot often to advert. And I am grieved to state that, in this part of the country, these obstacles, especially as regards the more respectable and wealthier classes, present a front which, to the outward eye of sense, looks as insuperable as ever. The eye of faith, however, sees it in a different light; and even the eye of reason, aided by past experience, can detect latent elements, whose augmenting energy prognosticates the certainty of coming change. Still it would be neither pious nor wise to overlook or to make light of the real difficul ties of the case. Those who do so, must inevitably be covered with the confusion of disappointed hopes, and the bitterness