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Vol. IV. MARCH, 1823. No 3.

CHARACTER AND OBITUARY

OF THE

REV. JOHN OWEN, M. A.

LATE ONE OF THE SECRETARIES OF THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN
BIBLE SOCIETi\

(From the London Missionary Register.)

At a meeting of the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible So-
ciety, held on the 30th of September, the Right Hon. the President in
the chair, the following minute, drawn up by his Lordship, was put on
record : —

The President stated, that he had now to accoKiplish more than could have been

to discharge the melancholy duty of re- expected from individual efforts. His pen

porting to the Committee the death of and his voice were incessantly employed

their secretary, the Rev. John Owen, in its cause. The former was frequently

which took place on Thursday, the 26th and vigorously exercised in elucidating

of September, at Ramsgate. the principles of the institution, or in de-

In adverting to the afflicting dispensa- fending its character and conduct against

tion, which has depHved the British and misrepresentation or aggression. To his

Foreign Bible Society of the invaluable pen the world is indebted for a luminous

services of its late secretary, the Com- and authentic history of the origin of the

mittee cannot resist the impulse of duty British and Foreign Bible Society, and of

and affection, thus to record their grate- its progress during the first fifteen years

ful testimony to his zeal and unwearied of its existence ; in which the characters

exertions. of truth and impartiality are throughout

As no one was more deeply impressed conspicuous: while his eloquence, so often
with a sense of the great importance of and successfully displayed in advocating
the institution to the best interests of man- the cause of the institution, impressed on
kind, no one laboured more strenuously his audiences that conviction of its utility,
and effectually to promote its influence which he himself so strongly felt, and
and prosperity. To this object, which which the progressive experience of eigh-
was ever near to his heart, his time, his years has now so amply confirmed,
talents, and his personal labours, were But his eloquence was entitled to a
unremittingly devoted. The correspon- higher praise: it was the effusion of a
dence, which his official situation imposed heart in which candour and liberality
on him, was alone sufficient to occupy the ever predominated : it was characterised
time which he could spare from his pro- by that suavity of disposition which had
fessional duties ; but the energies of a su- endeared him to the affectionate esteem,
perior mind enabled him to extend his not only of his colleagues and the Corn-
care and attention to every branch of the mittee, but of all who were in any way
multifarious concerns of the society, and associated with him in transacting the

Vot. IV. 3

\

G6

BIOGRAPHY.

[March,

business of the society ; while his great
and diversified talents commanded gene-
ral respect and admiration, and never
failed to produce, in public meetings, an
harmonious feeling of mutual regard
amt»ng all who had the privilege of at-
tending them.

In the year 18115, Mr. Owen, at the sug-
gestion of the Cotnmittee, undertook a
journey to the continent, principally with
a view to the recovery of his health, which
had materially suffered in the cause of the
institution ; but also for the purpose of
visiting the Bible Societies in France and
Switzerland.

Of his conduct during this excursion, it
is sufficient to say, that it tended to raise
the reputation of the institution of which
he was the representative, and to cement
■that happy union which had so long sub-
sisted between the British and Foreign
Bible Society and its continental associ-
ates ; and that his advice and experience
Tvere eminently useful, in forming arrange-
ments for the establishment of new socie-

ties, or for rendering those already exist-
ing more active and efficient.

The committee, while they deeply la-
ment, individually and collectively, the
loss which the society has sustained, can-
not but devoutly express their gratitude
to Almighty God, for having so long
granted it the benefit of the zeal and ta-
lents of their beloved associate : to the
indefatigable exertion of that zeal and
those talents, the British and Foreign
Bible Society, so far as regards human
instrumentality, is essentially indebted for
its present prosperous state ; while to the
same cause must, in a great measure, be
ascribed that indisposition, which has so
fatally terminated.

The committee, fully persuaded that all
the members of the institution will most
cordially sympathize with them, on an
event so peculiarly calculated to affect
their feelings. Resolved, that this brief
memorial of the merits and services of
their late secretary be published in the

monthly extracts of correspondence.

To this official document, we shall subjoin from a sermon, preached
on occasion of Mr. Owen's death, by the Rev. William Dealtry, Rector of
Clapbam, some notices of bis character, and of bis latter days : —
Among the individuals who have been which he discharged the various and im-

raised up, in these latter days, for the be-
nefit and consolation of mankind, few can
be mentioned who have either been en-
gaged in works more important, or who
have brought to the task abilities more
remarkable, integrity more perfect, and
devotedness more entire and unremitted,
than your lamented minister.

My first recollections of your late pas-
tor carry me back to the early period of
my residence in the university of Cam-
bridge. At that time I had no personal
acquaintance with him; but it was impos-
sible, even then, to listen to his sermons,
without being impressed with the persua-
sion that he was a man of no common
abilities, and of no ordinary character.*
The history of many following years, in

* It was about this tirae that the report of his re-
markable qualifications as a minister attracted the at-
tention of the late excellent bishop Porteus, under
whose patronage he accepted the curacy of Fulham 5
and to whose unalterable kindness during all the re-
maining days of that venerable prelate, he ever pro-
fessed kimself to be deeply indebted.

portant duties of a parochial minister,
warrants the assertion, that had he con-
tinued in such a situation with competent
leisure, he could not have failed to stand
in the first rank among his brethren. So
long as the opportunity was afforded him,
his parochial labours were indefatigable ;
and there are many individuals still living,
who can bear witness to his success.

But he was called to appear chiefly in
a different character : and, by a course of
circumstances, which it is here unneces-
sary to detail, his name has, for the last
eighteen years, been associated with some
of the most extensive operations of chris-
tian benevolence. In ceasing to be the
minister of a parish, he became more en-
tirely the servant of the public.

When his ardent and charitable mind
first interested itself in the cause of the
British and Foreign Bible Society, he
little anticipated, I believe, either the for-
midable nature of the service which he
undertook, or the continually growing

1823.] CHARACTER AND OBITUARY OF THE REV. JOHN OWEN.

67

demand which it would urge upon his
time and attention. Happily, however,
if it required extraordinary endowments,
it found in him a person suited to the task,
and willing to spend and be spent in the
promotion of its christian object. I know
of no qualification demanded by that in-
stitution of Its secretary, which he did not
remarkably possess ; nor of any emer-
gency that befell it, in which he did not
rise to the level of the occasion : and
when to this it is added, that the progress
of the society afforded ample scope for
his various powers, and that, perhaps, in
no other situation could they have been
so fully called forth, or employed so be-
neficially to mankind ; it seems reasonable
to conclude, that providence smiled upon
his undertaking, and sanctioned the pro-
secution ofit.

Those, who may hereafter furnish us
with a complete description of his cha-
racter and talents, will have much to tell,
which, in this brief sketch, I can scarcely
notice. They will speak of the fertility
of his imagination; of the quickness of
his perception ; of his lively and innocent
wit ; of the soundness of his judgment ;
of his almost intuitive knowledge of cha-
racter ; of his extemporaneous and com-
manding eloquence ; of the facility with
which he could turn his mind to any sub-
ject proposed to him ; of his unwearied
diligence and unconquerable resolution;
and, particularly, of that cheerfulness of
disposition, and that frankness, candour,
and urbanity, which seemed to be inter-
woven with his nature. But, upon these
and similar topics I have no leisure to
dwell. The great excellence in his cha-
racter to which I would most particularly
advert, is the consecration which he made
of all his talents to the best and noblest
objects.

When I consider how deeply his mind
was often aifected by a sense of the re-
sponsibility connected with his official
situation ; when I reflect upon the many
important discussions, both private and
official, in which the concerns of the so-
ciety necessarily engaged him ; when I
look at his numerous journeys, on its
behalf, into all parts of the kingdom ; at
the multitude of crowded meetings in

which he poured forth the treasures of
his powerful mind ; and at the extensive
correspondence which he maintained with
the agents and friends of the nistitution in
every quarter of the world ; not to men-
tion the valuable publications, which, dur-
ing that interval, he found leisure to com-
pose, and his weekly ministrations in thi.s
sacred place — it is to me matter of sur-
prise, not that he finally sunk under his
exertions ; but that, for a period of eigh-
teen years, he could bear up under those
incessant and overwhelming occupations.

In stating that he consecrated his ta-
lents to the glory of God and the benefit
of his fellow-creatures, 1 tacitly assume,
that he was influenced by christian mo-
tives. The principle which carried him
on in his laborious career, through evil
report and good report, till his frame was
worn out and exhausted, was the divine
principle of love to God and love to man.
This principle, and this alone, could have
sustained him under his manifold difficul-
ties, and have kept him steadfast and im-
movable in the work. And did he ever
express any concern that he embarked in
this cause ? Was it a source of regret to
him, that he had left out of sight his
worldly interests ; and, on account of his
devbtedness to the society, had exposed
himself to discomforts and disquietudes,
which assailed him even to the last ?
Every person who was acquainted with
him will bear witness to the contrary:
and a bhort record of his own, subjoined
to some notes concerning the progress of
the institution, and written apparently
within the last few months, will, by most
persons, be deemed conclusive as to the
same fact. The sentence runs thus: —

How sweet to have toiled in this work ! And, if
wasted with labours more abundant, he is com-
pelled to withdraw . I have done.

The last words occur at a short distance
from the other; as if, after a pause for re-
flection, he had felt himself convinced
that his strength was already worn out,
and that in this great cause he should
labour no more.

The situation which he so long held in
the society required a man of a large and
liberal mind : and such he was, in tiie best

68

BIIOGRAPHT,

[March,

sense of the word. His was not that spu-
rious liberality which looks upon all creeds
with equal indifference, and regards all as
equally unimportant ; his own views were
clear and decided ; he was in heart, as well
as by profession, cordially attached to the
doctrines and discipline of that church, of
which he had the honour to be a minis-
ter. But, upon matters of inferior mo-
ment he loved not to dwell : his delight
Was, without compromising any of his
principles, to contemplate the points upon
which Christians can agree, rather than to
provoke debate on those in which they
may differ : and, instead of indulging a
spirit of harshness, even toward those
whose sentiments he totally disapproved,
his conduct was uniformly that of can-
dour, and kindness, and benignity.

I have hinted at certain painful circum-
stances, which, in addition to the weight
of his ordinary labours, very frequently
came upon him from some hostile quar-
ters. This is not the place in which I
could persuade myself to enlarge upon
such a subject ; and, w^ere not the fact
too notorious to be entirely overlooked, I
should have passed it over in silence. It
is consoling, however, to observe, that
the hostility which your valued minister
was called to sustain, arose entirely from
his attachment to the important work in
which he was so assiduously engaged, and
from the diligence and success with which
he pursued it ; and if he had a personal
enemy, that enemy had most assuredly a
friend in him : in his mind, no feeling of
harshness could ever remain.

" I have witnessed, with no little plea-
sure," observes a common friend, " his
conduct and demeanour wFien he was
provoked into — I should rather say, for it
is THAT which I mean, when he bore,
with unperturbed and inexhaustible good
humour, what would have provoked al-
most any other man ; and when he suf-
fered to remain in the quiver, arrows
which he could have sent forth with un-
erring aim and vigour," 1 have, myself,
seen him on many such occasions : and a
harsh or unbecoming word never, in my
presence, fell from his lips. The only
feeling, I am persuaded, that he ever en-
tertained toward his most determined op-

ponents, might be expressed in the words
of our liturgy. " That it may please thee
to forgive our enemies, persecutors, and
slanderers, and to turn their hearts ; we
beseech thee to hear us, good Lord."

The pain arising from this unremitted
hostility was, doubtless, much alleviated
by the kindness of his numerous friends.
There was, indeed, something in his cha-
fdCter and deportment peculiarly suited
to gain the affections of all that approach-
ed him : and seldom has any man, withirt
the circle of his acquaintance — a circle,
which included some of the most distin-
guished individuals both in church and
state — been more highly esteemed, or
more generally beloved.

But the great source of his consolation,
and the crown of his rejoicing, was the
wonderful progress of his Beloved Insti-
tution. Was every successive year charg-
ed with new troubles and additional
anxieties ? — but the great work was also
steadily advancing. Were there many
adversaries ? — but a great door and effec-
tual was opened : kindred Societies, both
in the Eastern and Western World, were
not only rising in rapid succession, but
were effectually communicating their own
spirit to many subordinate Associations,
within the sphere of their respective influ-
ence ; and testimonies were continually
pouring in, from all quarters, of the moral
and religious effects consequent upon this
increased diffusion of the Holy Scriptures.
These things abundantly compensated
him for all his anxieties ; and he dwelt,
with especial delight, upon the prospect
now apparently opening before the face of
all people, of life and immortality brought
to light by the Gospel.

We are often reminded, that, amidst
the bustle and tumult of public occupa-
tions, there is great danger lest Personal
Religion should be forgotten ; and lest,
even while endeavouring to promote the
salvation of others, we should be tempted
to neglect our own.

In admitting the propriety of this re-
mark, I cannot allow that it is applicable
in the instance before us. I might refer
to the unaffected humility of the deceas-
ed, as often manifested in his ready defer-
ence to others : " I have seen him. yield,''

1823.] CHARACTER AND OBITUARY OF THE REV. JOHN OWEN.

says a near observer, *' with the simplici-
ty of a child, to persons inferior to him-
self in understanding and knowledge." I
might advert to his unshaken trust and
confidence in God. When difficulties were
more than usually formidable, he was fre-
quently heard to repeat— IJ God be for us y
who can be against us ? This was not, as
repeated by him, merely a well- sounding
quotation : he acted upon the principle :
he staked upon it his ease, his prospects,
his reputation, and his life. I might ap-
peal to the impression of his friends con-
cerning the habitual seriousness of his
character, and the pleasure which he took
in conversing with them upon sacred
things: Christian Conversation was, at
all times, delightful to him ; and by him
was always conducted in a becoming spi-
rit : whatever, indeed, might be his vivaci-
ty, upon other subjects, and however un-
restrained within the limits of innocent
mirth the course of conversation, if any
observations were introduced of a reli-
gious tendency, he instantly checked his
imagination, and restrained the sallies of
his wit. This circumstance is more par-
ticularly worthy of remark, because he
possessed, naturally, a cheerfulness and
liveliness of disposition, which, in his early
days, might seem almost to border on vo-
latility ; and, till disease had weakened
his frame, he continued through life to
have 8uch a flow of animal spirits, that it
must have required no ordinary check to
keep them within regular bounds : but, on
serious subjects, he was always serious. I
speak, here, of the whole period within
which I was honoured by his acquaint-
ance. Of late years, Uiis feature in his
character appears to have been particu-
larly remarked. " Ever since his severe
and tedious illness in 1818," says a cor-
respondent, " I observed in the whole of
his conversation and deportment, increas-
ed gravity and seriousness. He seemed
to have Death and Eternity most deeply
impressed upon his mind ; and, on many
public occasions, he repeated, with great
emphasis, those striking words — Work
while it is day : the night cometh when no
man can work /"

It must be acknowledged, that even the
most judicious friends may form an in-

correct estimate of the religious character
and Christian virtues of those who stand
high in their affectionate regard. To see
the interior of a person's mind, we should
follow him into retirement ; and, by doing
so, as far as it is possible in this case, we
shall, 1 think, discover much evidence of
a mind devoted to God.

Among the papers of our late valued
Friend, 1 find one w hich he kept for some
years suspended in his Study; containing
a few verses of Scripture, calculated to
give him courage and confidence when in
great hazard of being tempted to unfaith-
fulness in his Ministerial duty.

For instance : Tliere is no wisdom, nor under ~
standing, nor counsel, against the Lord. Fro v. xxi.
30.

The Jtist man walketh in his integrity ; his chil-
dren are blessed after him.

JSo weapon that is formed against thee shall
PROsrER ; and every tongue that shall rise against
thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. Is. liv. 17.

/, even J, am he that comforteth you: Who aH
thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that
shall die, and of the son oftnan, tfuxt shall be made
as grass ^ &i.c.

In another paper are several passages,
from which, as it is stated in his own hand
writing, he was " accustomed to derive
the greatest relief, support, and direction."

Such as : Nevertheless, though I am sometimes
afraid, yet put I my trust in thee. Ps. Ivi. 3.
Prayer-Book Version.

Or, what time lam afraid, I will trust in thke.

Commit thy way unto the Lord : trust also in
Him ; and He shall bring it to pass." Ps. xxxvii. 5 .

My soul, wait thou only upon God, for my ex-
pectation is from him. Ps. Ixii. 5.

Trust in Him at all times : ye people, POUK

OUT YOUR HEART BEFORE HIM. ib. 8.

Let him take Jwld of my strength, tJuxt he maij
make peace with me : and He shall make peace
WITH ME. Is. xxvii. 5.

What an instructive lesson would it
have afforded, to behold him, in his many
afflictions, thus casting himself upon the
goodness of God, and reposing in the
comfort of His exceeding great and pre-
cious promises !

On one occasion, when much depressed
by very painful intelligence, he writes —

I sought comfort from meditation on the Word
of God ; particularly I was much reheved by re-
flecting on the passage — In the multitude of sor-
rows thai I had in my heart, thy comforts refresh
my soul. Oh, for iaith in the divine promises, and
the faculty of applying then) wisely and effeclftai-
hf to my own condition !

70

BIOGRAPHY.

[March J

At another time, being greatly afflicted,
and findin;; that a friend was yet more
troubled than himself, he observes —

The comparison of situations threw me upon
my knees ; and made me bless God for the kind
proportion in which he had measured out my
chastisements.

Of a somewhat similar description are
the following extracts : —

April To Humbled myself before God many
times this day ; having been astonished to find
such powerful corruptions witliin me. I betrayed
a great hastiness ot spirit yesterday evening :
this is a sign that the grace of God heis not been
improved as it ought to have been. I will, by
God's assistance, watch against this propensit}-.
And, oh, that I may never again offend Him, or
wound my conscience by falling into that snare of
the Devil ! Let every one of you be slow to wrath.

Sunday, April 24. Have humbled myself be-
fore God tliis morning ; and do resolve to watch
and pray, that I enter not into temptation. May
the Lord pardon all my sins : and secure me, by
his grace, from falling into them again ! Amen.

It ought to be recollected, that the
Writer was a man of remarkably fine
temper.

Most, if not all of these passages, were
written many years ago. " What," it may
be asked, " was the state of his mind as
he approached the termination of life ?"

Just before he was taken ill, his family
read to him, by his own desire, the Book
of Job, with Scott's Observations ; and
being placed at that time under certain
outward circumstances of discomfort, he
was in the habit of applying what was
read to his own case. The progress of
disease presently incapacitated him, either
for reading much himself, or for giving his
attention to others : but I learn, from dif-
ferent friends, who had sometimes the
opportunity of speaking to him, that his
mind was always most awake to subjects
of religion : and that, whenever he could
be roused to mental exertion, these were
the subjects which recalled, for a time,
bis decaying energies. The Sunday-week
after his seizure, when one of his Daugh-
ters was sitting with him, he laid his hand
upon a book on the table, and asked what
it was. Being informed that it was the
Life of Hooker, he immediately began to
repeat, in the words of that excellent
man —

I have lived to sec this world is made up of per-
turbations ; and I have long been preparing to
leave it, and gathering comfort for the dreadful
hour of making my account with God : and
though I have, ny his grace, loved him in my
youth, and feared him in mine age ; and laboured
to have a conscience void ol" offence to Him and
to all men ; yet, if Thou, O L(.rd, be extreme to
mark what I have done amiss, who can abide it ?
And, therefore, where J have failed, Lord, show
mercy lo me ; for I plead not my righteousness,
but the forgiveness of my unrighteousness, for
His merits who died to purchase a pardon for
penitent sinners ! And, since I owe Thee a death,
Lord, let it not be terrible, and then take thine
own time — I sulimit to it : let not mine, O Lord,
but Thy will, be done !

This passage, it seems, he was much in
the habit of repeating ; doubtless, from
its expressing the views and feehngs
which he habitually entertained.

In one of his last letters to the same
daughter, he writes in these terms : —

My frame has been so shattered, that I must
not expect it to be speedily, perhaps never tho-
roughly, repaired. There is nothing I wish to
live tor, but the service of my Divine Master : and
if I may but be favoured with the testimony of
having pleased Him, and of possessing an interest
in His love, I shall be willing to live or to die, as
to Him may appear best. Oh, my dear daugh-
ter, this should be our first, our last, our invariable
object : we cannot dispense with its consolations
in sickness, or its support in death.

The only remaining paper to which I
shall refer, was written when he was de-
prived, by sickness, of the privilege of Pub-
lic Worship ; probably in 1818 : —

What a mercy it is (he observes) that, as well
from the nature of God as from his condescension
and the tenor of his promises, we can have access
to him in privacy and solitude, when precluded, by
sicknebs or other impediments, from worshipping
him in public and with llie congregation of his
saints. Of this mercy, I, who during many months
have been confined to my bed, my chamber, or
my house, desire to be deeply sensible, ajid to
make it the subject of my most devout and grate-
ful thanksgiving. Pray to thy Father which is in
secret — ask — seek — knock — di-aw nigh unto God —
and every other direction of a similar tendency,
are of unlimited application ; and the promises
annexed to them may be depended on, as engaged
to be made good as often as the direction is spi-
ritually complied with and faithfully performed.

Private Worship, which consists in acts and
offei ings of prayer and praise, is the peculiar and
spiritu;,! duty of the invalid; and the privileges
annexed to it are peculiarly his property. In this
worship, he ought to abound : he cannot perform
it too frequently : and; in proportion as he abounds

1823.] CHARACTER AND OBITUARY OF THE REV. JOHN OWEN.

71

and perseveres in the performance of it, may he
expect the promised blessing. He may confess his
sins, and supplicate the mercy of God in Christ,
as frequently as he feels g-uilt and need of mercy :
he cannot confess or supplicate too often : he can-
not ask too much, or with too great importunity.
If he apply for spiritual things, and apply in faith,
God's ear is ever open to his cry : He will hear
those that call upon him : He giveth liberally ; and,
on those who ask abundantly, He will bestow
abundantly, that their joy may he full.

Nor is the invalid tied down to any particular
form of words or mode of service. Having only
God and himself to consider, he has no other con-
cern than to make known his wants, and give ex-
pression to his feelings, in such terms as are best
adapted to lay open his heart to that God, who,
he knows, seeth in secret, and whorequireth to be
worshipped in spirit and in truth. He may, there-
fore, consider himself at full liberty to contemplate
the mercy of a reconciled Gcid, in all the variety
of its boundless dimensions — the privileges of ac-
ceptance,justification,and adoption — the unsearch-
able riches of Christ — and the immeasural)le con-
solation of the Spirit — as a properly of which he
is invited freely to partake : he may come boldly
to the Throne of G- ace : he may obtain mercy and
grace to help him in every time of need : and
look up continually, with unfeigned hope and in-
creasing confidence, to that God, who, over and
above the future inheritance of the saints in light,
will HERE supply all our need, according to his
riches in glory, by Christ Jesus.

In contemplating a man of this charac-
ter, of piety 3o scriptural, and of talents,
which, for variety and power, are rarely
to be found ; we might perhaps have ex-
pected, that he would long be spared to
assist in carrying on that work of mercy,
which, through the Divine goodness, had
already prospered so wonderfully in his
hands : but — God's thoughts are not our
thoughts, nor His ways our ways : he has
been taken away in the midst of his use-
fulness. We might have expected, that,
in his last hours, he would have been per-
mitted to testify of that Saviour whom he
served, and of the power of that Gospel
which he had laboured to spread through-
out the world : but, such was the myste-
rious appointment of Providence, his vi-
gorous mind seemed to sink under the
weight of the disorder which was fatal to
the body. Would it not have been better,
we are ready to ask, that he should be
called away by a sudden death? No ! for
to God it seemed otherwise : and, al-
though he was, for several days previous
to his dissolution, able to say little, and al-

though it was difficult, toward the close of
life, to excite in him any sensible appre-
hension : yet since, if ever he was roused
to any portion of his former energy, it was
when the chord of religion was touched ;
since there was something within which
answered to that sound, when all besides
was silent — the testimony, thus given,
was neither unsatisfactory nor unimpor-
tant. How strong, in his mind, must have
been the influence of that heavenly prin-
ciple, which, amidst the wreck of his men-
tal as well as bodily powers, could still
survive and still give proof of its exist-
ence !*

And shall we be sorry, as men without
hope, for them that sleep in Jesus? Iheard
a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Wrilef
Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord
from henceforth — Yea, saith the Spirit^ that
they may rest from their labours^ and their
works do follow them. It becomes us to
be thankful, in the behalf of our Brother,
that he now rests from all his anxieties;
that the cares, and conflicts, and vexations
of life, can disturb him no more. Some
of these trials were deeply painful ; but if
we could ask what now are his thoughts
of them, and what are his present senti-
ments of the course which he pursued,
would he tell us, think you, that he re-
pents of his devotedness to the cause of
piety and truth ? — that, if his days could
be recalled, he would be less active, less
zealous, less persevering ? Does he wish
that he had listened more to the voice of
man, and less to that of conscience ? — that,
instead of consecrating his talents to the
highest purposes, he had employed them
to secure worldly distinctions and worldly
emoluments ? Did he, while yet strug-
gling with the evils of mortality, record,
in the very midst of his trials, how sweet
it was to have toiled in this work ? And
does he repent of his exertions and his
sacrifices, now that he rests from his la-
bours, and his works do follow him ? If it

* " The last words," says one of his surviving- Col.
leagues, the Rev. Joseph Hughes, in a Sermon preach-
ed on occasion of Mr. Owen's death, which he spoke
in my hearing, were — ■ Those are the things! — those
are the things !' — in allusion to the words which I had
justcited. Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and
afterwards rectivt meto glo y — meaning, as it was natu-
ral for me to conclude, tltai to him worldly subjects had
lost their savour; and that he wished to be engaged,
as far as his debilitated faculties would permit, in the
coQtetaplation of God, £teruity, and Heaven !"

12

HOME PROCEEDINGS.

[March,

were no subject of regret to him in this
world, is it such in the world to which he
is gone? Oh, if we could at present per-
ceive, as we shall know hereafter, the va-
nity and emptiness of all earthly things,
when contrasted with those which are
spiritual and eternal ; how earnestly should
we seek first the kingdom of God and his
righteousness ! and how trifling would all
other objects appear, when compared with
that great object of promoting the glory
of God !

To him, whom we now bear in our af-
fectionate recollection, we are well per-
suaded that to die was gain. Our's is the
loss: and how deeply it is felt, this pre-
sent assembly can witness. But shall we
mourn then for the great cause to which
his labours were devoted ? — and especial-
ly for that Institution which is now de-
prived of his services ? Did the success of
it depend upon human talent or human
energy, the loss might indeed be irrepa-
rable ; but whatever becomes of the
agents of the Society, if it have the sanc-
tion of God it cannot fiiil to prosper. What-
ever be the fate of the Society itself, the
work which it has so successfully labour-
ed to promote will eventually triumph.
The ways of God, will, ere long, be
known throughout the earth, his saving
health among all nations. For^ from the
rising of the sun, even to the going down

of the same, my N'ame shall he great among
the Gentiles ; and^ in every place^ incense
shall be offered unto my JVame, and a pure
offering; for my JVame shall be great
among the Heathen^ saith the Lord of
Hosts.

Already, as we may venture to hope,
has an impulse been given, which shall
not be destroyed till it has reached the
farthest nations of the globe. Amidst all
the conflicts and disappointments of the
world. Divine Providence is still steadily
accomplishing its plans of mercy and be-
nevolence ; and, in due season, they shall
all be fulfilled. In expressing our gratitude
for having been permitted to see the pro-
gressive advancement of the kingdom of
Christ in our own days, and to share in
the privilege of making known more ex-
tensively the glad tidings of Salvation, let
us recognise our duty, and zealously dis-
charge it. Let the death of those that have
toiled in the service, stimulate the indus-
try of them that survive ; let every event
of this kind be felt as a call to increased
energy and activity in all good works ;
that when this world of strife and pertur-
bations shall close upon us, we too may
die ill the Lord: and, finally, with all His
faithful people, may have our perfect
consummation and bliss, both in body
and soul, in his eternal and everlasting
glory.

UNITED FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

From the Union Mission we have no advices since the publication of
our February number. The Annual Report of this Mission to the Secre-
tary of War, promised in our last, will be found below. It exhibits the
progress of the Mission from the close of September, 1821, and its state
and prospects on the first of October, 1822.

From the Great Osage Mission our communications are to the 16th oi'
December ; from the Tuscarora Mission, to the 8th of February ; and
from the Seneca Mission, to the 5th of the same month.

1823.].

UNITED FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETT-

UNION MISSION.

ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SECRETARY OP
WAR.

Union, Osage Nation, Oct. i, 1822.
To the Honourable J. C. Calhoun, Secre-
tary of War.
Sir — In compliance with the instruc-
tions of the Executive of the United States,
I proceed to report the progress of this
Mission since the 30th October, 1821.

The number of adult persons in this es-
tablishment is at present sixteen, viz. the
superintendent and wife, who have five
children, the Rev. Epaphras Chapman
and wife, Mr. Abraham Redfield and wife,
Mr. Stephen Fuller and wife, Mr. Alexan-
der Woodruff and wife, Mr. William C.
Requa, Dr. Marcus Palmer, Mr. George
Requa, Mr. John M. Spalding, Miss Cla-
rissa Johnson, and Miss Eliza Cleaver.
Rev. Mr. Chapman and Mr. William C.
Requa are engaged in the study of the
Osage language; Mr. Spalding teaches
the school, and has the principal care of
the boys ; Mr. Redfield is at the head of
the building department; Mr. Fuller is
our principal farmer ; Mr. Woodruff is
our blacksmith, and Dr. Palmer our phy-
sician. Mr. George Requa, as also Miss
Cleaver, have been laid aside most of the
past year, by want of health. Miss John-
son is designated to take charge of the
girls, and as soon as circumstances render
it necessary to open a school for girls,
female teachers will be employed.

The whole number of our family, exclu-
sive of hired men, is thirty. The average
number of hired men during the past year,
has been ten ; at present we have twelve,
besides the interpreter. These are em-
ployed in erecting buildings, preparing
fields, and in other mechanical and agri-
cultural business. Besides the two inva-
lid members already mentioned, two hired
men have been laid aside by sickness for
more than two months. One of them is
at this time dangerously ill.

The country in which this Mission is
located is unquestionably healthy. Still
the intermittent has prevailed among the
Indians, to whom our physician has ren-
dered essential service. This family have
been highly favoured the past year, in
point of health.

Besides the different branchea of busi-
Vou IV. 10

ness conducted by the members of the
family, we have employed a man for a
short term, at the trade of making tin
ware. This has been done not only to
save expense, but also to gain the skill of
manufacturing these articles ourselves, as
we may need them. In addition to our
present number, another farmer and ma-
son, with their wives, are expected next
season. Other mechanics are also want-
ed (not only for our support, but to render
this Mission serviceable to the Indians) in
all branches of business.

Since the SOth of October, 1821, we
have completed a joiner's shop, then

commenced, dug, and covered, at con-
siderable labour, a large cellar for our pre-
sent use, built two dwelling houses, each
16 by 16, an Indian house 15 by 30, a
lodging house for scholars, with two
rooms, each 18 by 18, enlarged the black-
smith's shop, and put up two large corn
cribs. We have enclosed thirty-four
acres of land, which, together with what
we had before brought into a state of im-
provement, makes sixty acres.

In the course of the year we have met
with a great disappointment, in the entire
loss of our Mission boat, occasioned by a
sudden rise in the river. Being obliged to
obtain most of our timber from the other
side of the river, we had depended on this
boat for its transportation.

Considerable preparation has been mad«
for erecting mills. About one third of the
year past has been employed, by Mr. Red-
field, in sawing and hewing the timber,
but we have not been able to complete
this work for the want of a suitable mill-
wright. The man who came out with us,
with the expectation of building water-
mills, after we had searched in vain for
a mill seat, advised us to look for another
mill-wright, who is skilled in building the
ox- mill, the only kind which we shall be
able to erect near this establishment. Ac-
cordingly we requested our agents, in the
state of Ohio, to send us a suitable per-
son. After nine months had elapsed, we
received an answer that none could be
obtained. On the advise of General At-
kinson, who passed here from Council-
Bluffs, we immediately sent to the state of
Missouri, and have just now obtained a
millwright, aod other carpenters. Th©

74

HOME PROCEEDINGS.

[March,

large permanent buildings, which we con-
templated and commenced the last year,
we were obliged to relinquish, until our
mills might be put in operation, because
we could not obtain sawyers. The want
of suitable help, together with a deficien-
cy in good tools, has proved a great im-
pediment to our business.

Since our last report, we have made
considerable addition to our stock, having
purchased ninety -five head of cattle,
which makes our present number, de-
ducting what we have killed, one hundred
and fifty-seven. Considerable money has
been vested in stock, because this consti-
tutes, in this country, a pi'rmanent fund
of the most productive kind. A large
stock will be found to be indispensable
for the support of the Mission.

In the months of May and June last,
we received four Osage boys, all nearly
the age of fourteen years. These have
made rapid progress in writing and read-
ing. They spell in words of two syllables,
and are beginning to speak a little Eng-
lish. The oldest is the first son of Tally,
the second chief, and inherits his father's
place in the nation. Another belongs to
the family of one of the chiefs. The
whole number of Indian children is seven,
all of whom live at our table and are
clothed from our store-house. The three
children whom we reported last year are
young, yet they have learned to speak the
English language with ease. The oldest,
who reads in words of two syllables, re-
tains his native tongue, and though only
eight years old, occasionally serves as an
interpreter. The prejudices of this peo-
ple, like those of most Indians, are much
against the idea of labouring. They iden-
tify labour with slavery ; yet we are en-
couraged to hope that these prejudices
will soon wear away, from the fact that
these children are not only contented, but
are rapidly forming habits of industry.

In the course of a year and a half's war
among this people, we have fully realized
all the evils represented in our former re-
port. And it is to the benevolent exer-
tions of government, under Providence,
that we ascribe the restoration of peace,
at the important crisis which the state of

things had formed. With the restoration
of peace, our prospect of success has be-
come much greater, and there is every
encouragement to proceed in our prepa-
rations for a large school.

The disbursements of this Mission, du-
ring the past year, amount to six thousand
seven hundred dollars. Of this sum, one
thousand has been expended for freight;
one thousand five hundred for stock, in-
cluding cattle and horses ; the rest for la-
bour on the farm and buildings, for sup-
plies, and contingent expenses.

Our expenses, for the ensuing year,
will probably equal, if not exceed, those
of the past ; nor can it be expected that
they will be diminished, until we can fur-
nish our own meat and flour. The com-
ing year wmII be particularly expensive to
the Mission, on account of the erection of
mills ; the cost of which cannot be esti-
mated at less than two thousand dollars,
in addition to what we have already ex-
pended. The commencement of a Mis-
sionary establishment, in this part of the
Osage Nation, must necessarily be attend-
ed with great expense, on account of our
distance from market. Perhaps there is
no part of the United States, where the
price of provision, stock, and labour is
higher, than in the interior of the West-
ern country.

The sum of seven hundred dollars, re-
ceived from Government, in the year
1820, has, we believe, been faithfully ap-
plied ; and though we have not been able,
as yet, to collect a large school, yet we
would submit the question to the Presi-
dent, whether our disbursements will not
render it suitable for this Mission, to re-
ceive, at this time, further aid from the
appropriation of Congress, for the good
of the Indians.

In the statement submitted to the Pre-
sident, concerning the worth of this esta-
blishment, it will be seen, that a great pro-
portion of the property consists in cloth-
ing, furnished for the use of the family
and school. It ought also to be observed,
that we have estimated the whole accord-
ing to its supposed value in this country.

On the whole, sir, there is much to en-
courage the efiforts which the government

1823.]

UNITED FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

75

and christian public are making for the
benefit of the Osages.

They are becoming more sensible of
the friendly designs of their great father,
the president, and more disposed to be
influenced by his wishes.

Their confidence is secured. They be-
lieve that it is our design to do them
good. By the blessing of Him who rules
the earth in righteousness, and .vho has
required us to send his gospel to every
nation, we hope this wandering tribe will
soon be brought to taste the comforts, and
enjoy the privileges which religion and
civilization aff"ord.
I have the honour to be. Sir,
Your very humble and
obedient servant,

Wm. F. VAILL, Sup.U.M.

GREAT OSAGE MISSION.

JOURNAL FOR SEPTEMBER AND OC-
TOBER, 1?>22.

Lord's Day, Sept 1.— Brother Mont-
gomery preached in the morning, and
brother Dodge in the afternoon. Held
communion this day : a season, we trust,
precious to our souls.

Monday, Sept. 2. — Brothers Requa and
Redfield left us to transact their business
on the Missouri. Brother Bright is severe-
ly attacked with the ague. The Indian
council has closed, and the several hundred
Indians who attended, have all returned
to their villages.

Arrival of chiefs and warriours from
the Arkansaw.

Tuesday, Sept. 3. — Clamore and Tally,
the two principal chiefs of the Osages of
the Arkansaw, have arrived at the Fac-
tory with eighty or a hundred of their
warriours. The object of their journey is
to receive their annuity from government.
They visited us to-day, and we found
them, apparently, a noble set of men.
They are not altogether pleased with
their late treaty with the Cherokees. We
conversed with them on the subject of
the Missionary School at Union. They
told us that they had yet given but few of
their children to the school, but should

soon give many. They spoke well of the
Missionaries, and seemed much pleased
to have a mission family in their tribe.

Removal of Whitehair and his people.

Thursday, Sept. 5. — The most of White-
hair's people hare gone on their fall hunt.
It is understood that they intend not to
return to their late residence, but to es-
tablish themselves sixty or seventy miles
from this station. Whitehnir, Big Sol-
dier, Wa-na-push-she, and a number of
their warriours, are preparing for a visit
to the Shawnees and Delawares, for the
purpose of forming a treaty of peace.

Saturday, Sept. 7. — Clamore and his
party, having received their annuities, set
out this morning on their return to the
Arkansaw. Major Graham, Indian agent,
has also returned to St. Louis. Brother
Bright continues quite sick ; and brother
Dodge's youngest child was seized yes-
terday with convulsion fits, and is still
very ill.

Arrival of General Gaines and General
Atkinson,

Lord's Day, Sept. 8. — General Gaines
and General Atkinson arrived at the Fac-
tory last evening, and attended worship
with us this morning. General Gaines is
on a tour to inspect all the military posts
in the Indian country. This is the third
missionary station he has visited within a
short time. He has been at Dwight and
Union. He speaks very respectfully of
those establishments, and appears to take
quite an interest in the cause of Indian
missions.

Monday, Sept. 9.— Three of our red
children are taken away by their ungrate-
ful mothers, and we fear, not to return.
Two of our largest girls are among the
number. They had made great profi-
ciency in learning to read and write.
There was no uneasiness manifested in
relation to the treatment they had re-
ceived in our family. The mothers were
going away, and wished their daughters
to accompany them.

Tuesday, Sept. 1 0. — Brother Pixley and
sister Comstock arrived from the Mis-
souri, and brought with them a package

76

HOME PROCEEDINGS.

[March,

of letters and papers. Brother Pixley has
not been able to procure funds, and has
thus failed in the principal object of his
journey. In consequence of this failure,
some member of the family will be oblig-
ed to proceed to St. Louis.

Departure of Mr Dodge, and sickness
of Mr. Pixley.

Monday, Sept. 16. — Brother Dodge set
out this morning for St. Louis, on busi-
ness for the mission. Soon after his de-
parture, brother Pixley was taken down
w ith the fever. How strikingly manifest
is the goodness and mercy of our God !
More than usual health was given to this
brother to endure a journey fraught with
more than common fatigue and peril, and
sickness not permitted to come upon him,
until in a situation to be comfortably pro-
vided for ! This has been constantly to be
noticed in the faithful care of our heavenly
Father.

Wednesday, Sept. 18. — We have been
obliged to dig our crop of potatoes thus
early, in consequence of their beginning
to sprout anew in the hill. They have
yielded indifferently. Either we have not
yet obtained the best mode of cultivating
them here, or they will not do as well in
this as in a more northerly climate. A
heavy shower arose this evening, which
•was rendered truly grand and sublime
by the continued and dreadful roar of
thunder.

Friday, Sept. SO.—Brothers Requaand
Redfii Id returned from the Missouri in
good health. They concur with brother
Pixley in the representation, that a good
work of the Lord is begun in the settle-
ments along the Missouri. Through the
ignorance of the people, much noise and
confusion are mingled with their worship.
A zealous Missionary, not so attentive to
the manner as to the matter, plain, simple,
and fervent in his addresses, might be the
instrument of much good, in itinerating
from Franklin to Fort Osage.

Saturday, Sept.^l. — Received this day
a packet of letters, among which was one,
dated the 19th of July, from the domestic
secretary of the board. We are highly
gratified with such favours, and ought to
be thankful that Providence has provided
for us such a medium of communication'.

Sahbath, Sept. 22. — Brother Pixley is
so far recovered from his sickness, as to
be able to preach this morning. Surely
missionaries, as well as other christiansj
need the influences of the Spirit, in order
to spiritual life and animation. May the
Lord revive us again, and give us some-
thing more than a name to live. Sister
Austin is taken violently ill this evening.

Tuesday, Sept. 24. — Brother Redfield,
with three hired men, set out yesterday
morning for the Arkansaw, leaving bro-
ther Requa here. This day two of the
men, engaged by brother Requa, arrived
from the Missouri, one of whom will re-
main here sometime to give the finishing
stroke to our grist-mill. The stone work
of the dam is this day completed, and we
hope some of the wheels will soon be in
motion. We have begun to plough a part
of our corn field for wheat, having cut up,
and stacked the corn for the purpose.

Wednesday, Sept. 25. — Brother George
Requa arrived here from Union, on a
journey principally for his health. Sister
Austin yet continues quite low.

Sickness of the family.

Monday, Sept. 30. — Several new cases
of indisposition have occurred within a
few days. Four of our hired men are on
the sick list ; and seven of the family, be-
sides a number of the children, are now
labouring under the influence of the inter-
mittent. Sister Austin is, we hope, con-
valescent.

Marriage of Miss Comstock.

Tuesday, Oct. 2. — The expected trans-
lation of another of our sisters to become
a member of the Union Mission, has this
day taken place, in the marriage of sister
Comstock to brother W^illiam C. Requa.
The ceremony was performed by brother
Pixley, in the absence of the superinten-
dent. The table, spread on this occasion,
might forcibly bring to our minds the
faithless declaration of the Israelites;
" Can the Lord spread a table for us in
the wilderness ?"

Arrival f and indisposition of Colonel
Wool.

Thursday, Oct. 3. — Wa-na-push-she
took away his son to-day on a visit. He
promises to return him in thirty daj;s>

1823.]

UNITED FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

77

Colonel Wool, Inspector General of the
United States' army, arrived from Coun-
cil Bluffs, on his way to Fort Smith on
the Arkansaw. He is ill with the fever,
and intends to continue with us several
days.

Friday, Oct. 4.— Sister Austin is fast
recovering, and brothers Newton and
Bright are again able to repair to the
fields. Thus, although for a little moment
we are chastened, yet it is but a little, and
in mercy. In sickness, nothing worse
than the intermittent has yet befallen us.

Sabhaih, Oct. 6.— Brother Pixley preach-
ed both parts of the day, in consequence
of the indisposition of brother Montgo-
mery. We maintain the form of godli-
ness, hoping, looking, and waiting, for a
greater exhibition of its power.

Monday, Oct. 7. — This evening attend-
ed the concert of prayer. Have this
goodness of God to record : that all of the
family, who have been sick, are in a con-
valescent state. Our situation, when sick,
is so much better than it was at this time
last year, that we cannot but thank Gpd,
and take courage.

Tuesday, Oct. 8. — Another Indian boy,
after using much entreaty with his poor
blind mother to gain her consent, has en-
tered the school. He appears much de-
lighted with the change, in putting off his
tattered undressed fawn skin for decent
dothing, like the other boys.

Arrival of supplies.

Saturday, Oct. 12. — A wagon from the
Missouri has brought us some corn meal,
and about twenty bushels of seed wheat,
that which we brought with us having in a
great measure lost its germinating power.
The boy, who came to us on Tuesday,
remained in school but a short time. In
consequence of the crying and other ef-
forts of his mother to draw him away, he
again took his miserable clothing, and
left us.

Monday, Oct. 14.— Colonel Wool, hav-
ing remained with us until now, and being
still out of health, and desirous to proceed
to St. Louis, it was thought best that bro-
ther Sprague should accompany him to
that place. They accordingly commenc-
«1 their journey this morning.

Thursday, Oct. 17.— Brother Dodge
returned yesterday from St. Louis in good
health, after a fatiguing, but prosperous
journey. And to-day brother Newton
started for the Missouri, to purchase beef
cattle, pork, &&c. for the winter. Held a
pleasant and animating conference this
evening.

Departure of Mr. Pixley and others
for Union.

Friday, Oct. 18.— Brother William C,
Requa and his wife, together with bro-
thers Pixloy and George Requa, set out
for Union. Brother Pixley has two ob-
jects in view in taking this journey: to
attend a meeting of the clergy of tlie three
missionary families, (Dwight, Union, and
Harmony,) and to ascertain what pros-
pects there are for studying the language
among the Osages of the Arkansaw. Our
friends have a tedious journey before
them. May the Lord go with them, and
bless them.

Various notices.

Monday, Oct 21.— Our mills are nearly
finished ; but, in consequence of the un-
usual dryness of the season, we have not
water sufi&cient to put them in operation.
This circumstance, it is presumed, will
not often occur on this stream.

Friday, Oct. 25, — About twenty acres
of our corn field have been ploughed and
sowed with wheat and rye, principally the
former. Held our usual weekly confer-
ence last evening, and a special confer-
ence to-day, preparatory to the adminis-
tration of the Lord's supper.

Tuesday, Oct. 29. — The general health
of the family is much improved. Sister
Austin is so far recovered as to be able
to meet with the family at table.

Thursday, Oct. SI.— Brother Newton
arrived from the Missouri, having pur-
chased twenty- two head of cattle, and
two horses. The cattle cost, on an aver-
age, about ten dollars and a half a head.

SENECA MISSION.

JOURNAL TO THE 8tH OF JANUARY, 182S.

Christmas Visit.
Dec 25, 1822.— The Christian party
were pretty generally collected to-day,

IB

HOME PROCEEDINGS.

[March,

with a few Pagans, to receive their Christ-
mas presents. We should judge the num-
ber consisted of one hundred and fifty
souls. They expressed much gratitude
for this attention of the family to them,
and listened with respectful attention to
a discourse founded on these words :
" Glory to God in the highest, peace on
earth, and good will to men." The peo-
ple were informed, that we should always
be happy to receive from them, an annual
visit on this day ; but that on New Year,
we should not expect a visit from them,
as heretofore ; but hoped to be permitted
to enjoy that day, among our own friends.
To this they very cheerfully consented.

Unsuccessful attempt to reconcile difficul-
ties.

Dec. 26. — One of the native women
came to the minister, in company with
the interpreter, to state her grievances,
and to get advice, in regard to her hus-
band ; stating that he had gone and left
her, and without any provocation. She
is the wife of the amiable young Two-
GunSf brother to the Chief of that name,
an interesting female, but of an unhappy
disposition. 1 told her that it was proper
she should state her grievances, and get
advice; but that prudence dictated the
propriety of doing it in the presence of
her husband, that 1 might thus be able to
give advice to both. As she had no ob-
jections to this, the husband was imme-
diately sent for, who came forthwith.
They were then both heard, in a very in-
teresting debate, in the presence of one of
the principal Chiefs. We were much
pleased to find them, in the whole of the
discussion, perfectly respectful to each
other. We were not, however, able to re-
concile the parties. The young man re-
mains inflexible. He says that he is
convinced, from repeated trials, that the
disposition of his wife is such as will for
ever break his peace, if he is compelled
to Uve with her, and that although she
now desires to be married in the Christian
way, yet her object is only to bind him
fast, that she may lord it over him. He
is a youth inoffensive in his disposition,
moral in his habits, and, at least, respect-
ful in his views of religion ; and from
these circumstances, as well as our ac-

quaintance with the character of the
young woman, we have reason to believe
that his representations are not destitute
of truth. The custom of putting away
wives, and of marrying others, is an evil
prt^valent among this people, deeply af-
fecting their temporal comfort, and inju-
rious to the Christian cause. The parties
seldom, I believe, bind themselves for
fife ; but the marriage contract is general-
ly dissolved at the option of either. May
it please God, who has begun a good
work among them, to set aside every
barrier to the diffusion of his truth, and
the universal acceptation of his law.

Special Council.
Dec. 28. — I requested a council of the
Chiefs this afternoon, with a view to as-
certain what might be done to check, or
remove, the practice of putting away
their wives, for reasons not sanctioned by
the word of God. They were reminded
of the extent of the evil which had pre-
vailed among them so long, and which
had been attended with such unhappy
consequences. It was then suggested,
that if some of the younger Chiefs and
men of the tribe would come forward in
a public manner, and be married in the
Christian mode, the example might, by
the blessing of God, have a very salutary
effect. To this they replied, that they
could now rejoice in the full belief that
God had prospered them in their feeble
attempts to do their duty, as they had
spent the whole of the day before in dis-
cussing the same subject ; and, what ap-
peared singular, and a matter of rejoicing
to them, was, that we had both hit upon
the same expedient to remedy the diffi-
culty ; and I might rest assured that they
were more thankful for the proposal, now
made to them, than for any thing (to use
their own expression) " that had befallen
them this many a day." As there were
but few Chiefs present, it was thought
best to defer the conversation to a fuller
meeting.

Monthly Concert, and Adjourned Council.

Jan. 6, 1823.— Met for the monthly
concert of prayer. An unusual number
were present, of both sexes. The Chiefs
and people listened with much attention.

1823.]

UNITED FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETT.

to some religious intelligence. After the
services of the evening, they conversed on
the subject proposed to them at the late
council. They said, that the result of their
deliberations on that subject was, that
nine couple of their young nnen and
Chiefs had professed their desire to be
married in a lawful Christian manner, for
the purpose of putting their own minds
at rest, as well as setting an example to
the nation. With this request, we have
thought it proper to comply, trusting in
God, that, if it will not eventually be at-
tended with good, it will effect no evil.
They pitched on Wednesday for the so-
lemnization of the marriage. They con-
cluded by asking, whether it would be in
our power to gratify their wishes, by pre-
paring a supper for the parties to be mar-
ried, provided they should find the ma-
terials. They were at length told, that
we should be disposed to gratify their
wishes, as far as it might appear to be
proper : that they would, at once, see the
impropriety of our devoting any of the
funds of the Board to such an object ;
but as they offered to contribute all the
provisions for a supper, 1 would leave it
with our females, on whom the burden
would chiefly fall, to say, whether it would
be in their power to gratify their wishes,
in this respect, or not. The sisters having
acceded to their request, they left us, ex-
ceedingly pleased.

T^c Marriage.

Wednesday^ Jan. 8. — The marriage ce-
remony has this evening been attended,
in the presence of an audience, both
Christian and Pagan, with some of our
friends from Buffalo, consisting in all of
neariy two hundred persons. Afterwards,
the marriage guests sat down to their
supper, and were waited on by the young
females of our school, dressed in English
feshion. Every thing was conducted with
the strictest order and propriety.

EXPLORING TOUR.

JOURNAL OF THE REV. S. 6IDDIN6S.
[Continued from the 57th page.]
RELIGION AND CUSTOMS.

Among the Pawnees, there are a set of
men who claim superior wisdom, sancti-

ty, and power of healing diseases. They
are styled medicine men, and sometimes
men of the medicine Lodge^ from their
living together in a particular manner.
They are consulted by the Chiefs, and
others, on all matters of importance, and
give directions in matters of religion,
which are, however, very few. They are,
generally, men of experience, and of
more than common understanding among
the nation.

At their great feasts, these medicine
men generally preside, and before they
commence eating, make a short speech,
in which they thank the great Father of
Life, that he has given them game. They
thank also the wood, fire, and water,
which are employed in cooking their
meat. When a number collect together,
and commence smoking, the first they
draw into their mouths they blow up to-
wards heaven, the next they blow out to-
wards the earth, and sometimes the third
whiff is blown in a horizontal direction.
Often, when they cook their provisions, a
small piece of meat, or a few kernels of
corn, are taken from the kettle and placed
before the fire, as an offering. The de-
sign of this ceremony they do not clearly
understand, but perform it rather because
their fathers did, and because it is custom-
ary, than because they have any definite
idea concerning it. On commencing any
important enterprise, such as a war, or
plundering expedition, they say, " Father
of Life, prosper me, and enable me to
kill and rob ray enemies."

Views of the Great Spirit.
They differ greatly in their ideas of the
Great Spirit ; one supposes that he dwells
in a buffaloe, another in a wolf, another
in a bear, another in a bird, and another
in a rattle snake. Thus, every animal,
and almost every reptile, is deified. Each
one supposes that his deity made every
thing ; and no one ever kills his deity, or
eats any of it when cooked.

Human Sacrifices.
On great occasions, such as when
they go to war, and when they return,
they sacrifice a dog, and have a dance.
On these occasions they formerly sa-
crificed a prisoner, taken in war. The
Tictim was kept a month in the medicine

so

HOME PBOCEKDINGS.

[March,

lod^e, then burned on a scaffold erected
for the purpose, and the sacrifice frequent-
ly offered to the morning Star. But,
through the benevolent exertions of the
late Manual Lisa, a trader among them,
they have abandoned the practice of hu-
man sacrifice. It is about three years
since the last victim was sacrificed among
the Pawnee Lups. They have since at-
tempted to continue the practice; but the
Chief interfered, and prevented it, by res-
cuing and sending away the intended vic-
tims.

High Priest.
There is always one who officiates as
high priest. He practises the most rigid
abstinence, and never eats only as he is
urged so to do, and fed by the other me-
dicine men. He pretends to a kind of
inspiration or witchcraft, and his direc-
tions are obeyed. The time of his office
and abstinence is only during their resi-
dence at their village, which is rarely
longer than six weeks at a time. When
they go on their hunting excursions,
these ceremonies are omitted ; and
when they return, another commences
his fast, and takes the office of chief di-
rector. There are many among the In-
dians who pretend to hold converse with
departed spirits, see ghosts, hear them
sing and whistle, and see departed friends
in a good country. They even pretend
to have power to take away life by en-
chantment and witchcraft.

Belief in a future state.
They all believe in future rewards and
punishments; but their heaven is sensual.
They believe the soul after death travels,
and if the man was good, according to
their ideas of goodness, he travels a
smooth, plain road, where there is no
gravel or briars, and arrives at a good
land abounding with game. They be-
lieve, also, that the soul of the bad man
travels a rough, thorny, gravelly, road,
to a country unhealthy, abounding with
venomous beasts and poisonous serpents,
and where there is no game.

Vieivs of moral goodness.
They differ much in their ideas of good-
oess. One of their chiefs told me he did
oot know what constituted a good man ;
that their wise jjien did not agree ; and

that he was not satisfied in his own mind.
But the general idea is, that he who is
brave, and who provides for his family and
friends, although he steal and murder to
effect it, is a good man. Giving the name
of enemies to those they wish to rob, jus-
tifies them in every act, even of the most
enormous kind. They are generally friends
or enemies, as they view it for their inte-
rest. For instance, if to-day you give
them presents, they are your friends ; but
if they think they can procure more, and
discover any prospect of escaping with
impunity, they will to-morrow plunder
and murder you. Hence, the weaker na-
tions are, in a measure, tributary to the
more powerful, as they purchase peace
by presents. Their war parties are what
are called banditti among the Arabs.
Stealingof horses and women is the cause
of most of their wars. It is seldom the
case, that a whole nation is engaged in
war. Their chiefs, and most of their
warriours, have a war sack, which con-
tains generally the skin of a bird which
has a green plumage, or some other ob-
ject which they imagine has some secret
virtue. When they open this, they swear
they willtake vengeance on their enemies,
and never return till they have shed
blood. If they do not find their enemies,
they will sometimes kill the first person
they meet, if it be even their best friend.
Some traders have heen killed in this way,
but of late years they are becoming less
scrupulous in regarding sucii vows, and
so far as relates to the nations which I
visited, there would be no danger from
this source.

Vindictive temper of the ivomen.
The females possess a much more vin-
dictive temper than the males. They
often set on foot a war dance with a view^
of exciting the men to war, by reproach-
ing them with cowardice, swinging an old
petticoat in their faces, and telling them
to wear it, and let them take the war club
and tomahawk. More particularly is this
the case when any of their friends have
been killed by war parties.

JS/ational visits.
It is customary for one nation to visit
another when friendly, and dance for
presents, which are always conferred on

1823.]

UNITED FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

81

visiters, and frequently to a great amount.
But the visiters, soon after their return,
are sure to be visited, and to give presents
in their turn ; and where they apprehend
there is a want of liherahty, war often
follows. In these visits, the different tribes
mingle together in the most friendly man-
ner, and appear like one tribe ; but there
is, generally, more or less theft commit-
ted. As a specimen of their integrity and
gratitude, I mention an occurrence which
took place last spring. The Pawnee Na-
tion visited the Mahaw tribe, and received
many presents. Soon after the Mahaws,
in their turn, visited the Pawnt-es, and
were hospitably entertained, and reward-
ed with presiiflts. After they set out on
their return, and had proceeded ten miles,
several young men returned, and, in the
night, stole five horses, and made the best
of their way to their village. The Chief
of that tribe sent word to the Chief of the
Pawnees, by my company, that his young
men had stolen five horses without his
know ledge, and that he might have them
by sending for them. This measure
prevented a vvar. Such acts are not un-
common. No one tribe puts any confi-
dence in the promises of another, and
rarely will one Indian trust another far-
ther than he can see him.

They appeared to have much respect
for the American people ; they view them
as a superior race of beings, and consider
it for their interest to live in peace and
friendship. They have the impression,
that the Americans are brave and terrible
in war.

The men appear mild and peaceful in
their deportment towards each other, and
quarrels seldom happen ; hut among the
women there is daily contention, and
often the severest fighting.

Neither the men nor women of the
Pawnee nation, are so fond of jewels in
their ears and noses, as other Indians ;
and I scarcely saw one, whose ear or nose
w'as slit. It is more common among the
Mahaw and Otto Nations ; but by no
means universal among them.

They are very filthy in their persons
and habits. The stench of an Indian vil-
lage is almost insupportable; and they
have no regard to cleanliness about their
habitations.

Vol. IV, 1

Practice and consequences of Polygamy.

Polygamy is common, and indeed al-
most universal, and is attended with all
the evils with which it is connected in
other countries, where it is practiced.
Their wealth consists principally of their
women and horses. Some have no less
than six or eight wives. The Chief of
the Mahaws, about six years since, had
sixteen living at the same time. They
remark, that if they have many horses,
they can pack in large quantities of meat;
and if several wives, they raise a large
quantity of corn. They always purchase
their wives, and the Chiefs and principal
men take great pains to marry into pow-
erful and wealthy families, that they may
thereby increase their influence.

When a man marries the eldest daugh-
ter of a family, the remaining daughters,
when they become marriageable, are con-
sidered as his, if he will purchase them.
He always has the preference, though he
is not under obligation to take them, nor
is there any compulsion in case of refusal
on the part of the women.

Extent, and causes of their Ignorance.

These Indians appear to have less in-
formation, and some would say less in-
tellect, than any I have before seen.
Certain it is, that they are far behind
those on the Mississippi, and those ad-
joining the Lakes, in knowledge, and in
the arts and customs of civilized life. The
cause is obvious. They are farther remov-
ed from the abode of civilization. They
have had far less intercourse with white
people, and the few with whom they
have associated have been of a class not
calculated to communicate to them any
useful knowledge. I am confident, the
same opportunities of gaining informa-
tion would show, that these nations are
equal to their neighbours in point of in-
tellect. They appeared conscious of their
ignorance, on matters of morality and re-
ligion, and rather averse to say any thing
about them.

Mode of curing Diseases.

As Physicians, they are very singular.
In some instances, they draw blood by
cupping. In almost all cases of sickness,
they use what is considered magic. I was

82

H03IE PROCEEDINGS.

[March,

a witness, in several instances, of their
skill. The medicine man, and sometimes
others, converse with the sick, and ascer-
tain the part affected. They then put
their mouth to the part, and hlow upon it,
making strange gestures. They also make
strange noises ; imitating with their voice
and gestures wild beasts, and particularly
the white bear, which they suppose has
great efficacy in healing. They rarely
use herbs or medicines of any kind.

Desertion and exposure of the aged.

They generally expose the old and in-
firm, when unable to follow in their hunt-
ing expeditions, on some island, or leave
them behind, thut they may perish, and
that the friends may thus be relieved of
the trouble of supporting them. I saw
an old man, probably more than ninety
years of age, who made his escape from
an island in the Piatt, and came to the
garrison, where he has been supported for
about eight months, by the officers and
soldiers. The characteristics which I have
mentioned, apply to all the Indians on the
Missouri, with only this difference, that
as you ascend the Missouri, and proceed
to the west, the nearer to a state of nature
they approach, the more savage they
appear.

Account of the Otto and Missouri
Tribe.

The Otto and Missouri nations are unit-
ed, and form but one nation at present.
Their number is about eighteen hundred.
They live in several small villages on the
south side of the River Piatt, distant about
twenty-five miles from the fort. 1 saw
several of that nation, and had some con-
versation with them on the subject of
Missions and schools, to which they ap-
peared friendly ; but I saw none of their
Chiefs. Three Chiefs, and about half the
warriours of the nation came into the gar-
rison, while I was absent on my tour to
the other tribes. They told the agent,
Major O'Fallon, that they would be in
again on the last week in June ; but I
have since learned, that on their return
to the village, they were so destitute of
provisions that they were obliged to go
out on a hunting expedition immediately,

to prevent their families from starving ;
and that they would not return to their
village until fall. My interpreter, who is
well acquainted with them, said he was
confident that they would be as favoura-
bly disposed towards the object as any of
the other tribes, and probably much more
so, as they understood much better the
advantages resulting from civilization.
The traders who were acquainted with
them, confirmed this opinion.

Major O'Fallon kindly offered to pro-
pose the objects of the Society to them,
on their arrival at the fort, and to commu-
nicate the result to me. I concluded,
therefore, that it would be of litfle benefit
to the Society for me to tarry till fall of
the year ; and as it would be attended
with considerable expense, I thought it
expedient to return as soon as possible to
St. Louis.

Circumstances favourable to a Missionary
establishment.
Very few of the Indians appeared in
any degree opposed to such an establish-
ment as the one contemplated by the
Society. A.I1 allowed that it would be a
very fine thing, if it could be effected.
They acknowledge, that it would be very
good to learn to read, and write, make
cloth, and knives, &,c. if it were practica-
ble. It is so far beyond wh?t they ever
saw an Indian perform, that they con-
sidered it utterly impossible. You will
see, from their speeches, that they are fa-
talists, and deem themselves incapable
of improvement. This idea prevails, with
few exceptions. Most of them, however,
appeared willing to make the experiment.
I am persuaded that many children might
be obtained for a school establishment, in
what the Indians would consider a safe
place. There are about twenty children
at the two trading houses, who are half
breeds. There are also about twelve or
thirteen Frenchmen, living with the Paw-
nees, who have Indian wives, several of
whom have families, and are anxious that
a school should be established, that their
children might be taught. iMost of the
traders of note told me that they were
satisfied there would be no difficulty in
obtaining children for the school. Seve-
ral families of the OUo tribe came and

1823.]

UNITED FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETr.

encamped near the trading houses, last
week, begging for subsistence. Tiiey
would gladly have given thtir children to
be educated in a Mission family. Even
the Sieux nation sent one child this Spring
to St. Louis, to be educated ; and a Chief
sent one of his to a trading house, for the
same purpose.

Reasons for omitting to make a Covenant.

I have made no treaty, or covenant,
•with any particular tribe, for the follow-
ing reasons :

1st. I do not think it expedient to estab-
lish a Mission among any particular
tribe at present.

2d. A Mission family would, probably,
be so much exposed to be interrupted by
the banditti from the Sieux nation, that it
would not be safe.

5d. The Indians have so little confi-
dence in Indians, that, were the mission
established in a particular tribe, and under
its protection, none of the other nations
would send their children, fearing that
they would be slain.

4th. No eligible situation can be found
near the Mahaw nation, nor nearer the
Pawnees than ten miles ; and, indeed,
none that is well calculated for such an
establishment nearer than eighty miles.
There are the same difficulties in regard
to the Ottos.

5th. A situation on the Missouri, not
very remote from the garrison, would
possess many advantages besides simply
protection. Such a situation would se-
cure the confidence of the several nations,
and many of their people would send their
children to school. These children, by
being educated together, would contract
a friendship, and form a similarity of cha-
racter and manners, which would have a
tendency to banish prejudice, promote
peace, and inspire mutual confidence
among the different tribes. The traders
inform me that they could easily obtain
a number of children for education from
the nations high up the Missouri ; and
that they would cheerfully do it, if the
school was established near the fort. The
expense of conveying things necessary for
the mission to this vicinity would be

much less than to any place at a distance
from the river. At the garrison there is
a good grist-mill and saw mill, the use of
which has been kindly tendered to the mis-
sion family, until* they could be furnished
with mills of their own.

Site for a Missionary Establishment.

These considerations, and others which
I shall mention, have led me to select a
station for the mission, should the society
establish one in this region. It is within
a few miles of the garrison, and not very
remote from two trading houses, com-
prising a bend in the Missouri, having a
bluff on the west, which is about 140 feet
high, and which, excepting at two or
three places, is very steep. One mile of
fence would enclose at least 1500 acres of
first rate land, about one third of which is
well timbered, and most of the other has
considerable timber upon it. One half
might be ploughed, and the other produces
good grass. On the bluff is a tract of
land, extending about half a mile up and
down the river, and about 60 rods wide,
which is level and very rich, with a fine
growth of walnut, oak, hackbury, elm,
mulberry, ash, and basswood. Back of
this is a second bluff of gentle ascent.
The country is timbered for some miles
around. At the foot of the first bluff is a
never failing spring, which is nearly suf-
ficient to turn a mill. The water is pure
and good. From a handsome site on the
bluff to the spring is about six hundred
yards, and a gentle ascent, so that a good
road might be made. The spring comes
out of the bluff at least fifteen feet above
the bottom, and might be carried to any
part of the fifteen hundred acres. There
is, also, about two acres of land, adjoin-
ing the spring, and below the bluff, which
is about ten feet higher than the other
part of the bottom. Not much of this
bottom ever overflows. This is the hand-
somest site for a Missionary Establish-
ment I have yet seen, and it embraces
more advantages than any other in the
country. The soil is superior, and the es-
tablishment may be carried on to any ex-
tent ; and from this, other establishments
may be extended to particular tribes, as
opportunity may present.

84

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

[March,

The site of the Missionary Establish- fort, and particularly of the commanding
ment has been selected with the advice officer.

and approbation of the officers s^t the (To be concluded in our next.)

INDIA.

LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

Under this head we gave in our last a number
of interesting quotations from the London Mission-
ary C/iro?tic^e for the month of December. From
the January number of the same work, which we
have since received, we now make the following
selections : —

DEATH OF MRS. COLLIE.

In a letter, dated at Madras, on the 31st of
May, 1822, the Rev. Mr. Loveless writes as fol-
lows : —

DurinK my residence in India (now
nearly seventeen years) it has frequently
been my painful duty to convey to you
heavy tidings, and such is the subject of
this communication.

When the Windsor Castle arrived, Mr.
and Mrs. Collie came to reside with us,
expecting to proceed, in two or three
weeks, to Malacca.

Little did we then think that their stay
would have been so long protracted, much
less so painfully terminated. But th«' Lord
is a sovereign, and though frequently mys-
terious in his dealings with his people, is
yet infinitely wise and good ; he has done
it. Instead of granting our dear sister her
heart's desire, to proceed to her station
and labour for many years with her dear
partner among the Chinese or Malays, he
has seen fit that she should here enter into
her rest. My afflicted brother Collie has
requested me to acquaint you with the
mournful event.

She was taken ill on Friday the 10th
inst. During the first part of her illness
she laboured under much darkness and
insensibility, complaining that passages
of scripture did not come to her mind as
they had done on former occasions of af-
fliction, and that her recollection of divine
truth bad almost failed her. At the same
lime she discovered a most eager desire

to hear the scriptures read, to converse on
divine things, and to join with her bus*
band in prayer. As the latter was in a poor
state of health during this period of her
illness, he found it difficult to attend to
these duties so often as she wished. She
frequently spoke to him with much feel-
ing respecting her utter inability to merit,
in the least degree, the favour of God,
and of her having committed her soul to
Christ to be saved entirely by his satisfac-
tion and grace. During the last week of
her life, the gloom which hung over her
mind gradually dissipated. Many passa-
ges of scripture, and some of Dr. Watts's
hymns, seemed to be blessed to her. Es-
pecially the sixth chapter of the Gospel
by John, and the 78th hymn, 1st book.

A few days previous to her departure,
she appeared to be fully convinced that
death was at hand, and spoke of it with
great composure, observing, that she did
not experience the joys of salvation ; but
that although it should please God to
withhold these blessings to the last, sal-
vation itself was more than enough.

She frequently observed to Mr. Love-
less, that whatever might be the result of
her sickness, all would be well ; adding,
" 1 know in whom 1 have believed," kc.
But she said that she felt much for Mr.
Collie's having to go to his station alone,
and for her friends, who would be grieved
to hear that she was not permitted to en-
ter on the field of labour. Yes, her whole
soul was set upon the glorious work for
which she had left her native shores. And
although for her to die would be eternal
gain, yet she was desirous to live to do
something for him who had done so much
for her. To a christian friend she observ-
ed, that had it been the will of God, she
would gladly have lived many years with
her husband, to comfort and encourage

1823.]

LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

him m the great work in which he was
engaged, and to have endeavoured to do
something herself; but that if it was the
Lord's will to call her now, he would carry
on his work independently of her.

The night before she died, she thanked
her heavenly Father that he had not per-
mitted Satan to tempt her with hard
thoughts of her God; adding, that al-
though she had little joy, she had no fear.
On the day of her death, seeing her hus-
band weep, she stretched out her hands,
and with great solemnity and much feel-
ing committed him to the great Head of
the church in the following words : " O
Lord, I roll over my dear husband upon
Thee, keep him as the apple of thine eye ;
be Thou his light and his salvation ; never
leave him to himself for a single moment.
Thou hast a strong arm, although mine be
weak." During the day she was much en-
gaged in ejaculating prayer, sometimes
uttering aloud such expressions as the fol-
lowing : " O Lord, I have no claim to thy
' regard but what is founded on the work
of thy Son. Thou never saidst to any of
(he seed of Jacob, seek ye my face in vain :
I have often sought thee in tears, cast me
not off at last. O Lord, lift now upon me
the light of thy countenance. O Jesus,
save me in thine own way. There is no-
thing in this world to draw my affections."
At this expression her husband wept, and
pointed to himself. Upon which she ob-
served, " Yes, my dear, I love you, per-
haps too much ; but I love Jesus infinitely
more. His arm alone brought salvation.
I trust I shall soon enter into joy unspeak-
able."

A few hours before her death she asked
me to pray by her bedside ; after this ex-
ercise was over, her mind seemed greatly
delighted with the infinite fulness treasur-
ed up in Christ. Whilst expatiating on this
delightful theme, she fixed her eyes on hep
weeping partner, and, in the language of
humble, but strong confidence, assured
him, that in the fulness of which she was
speaking, there was abundance of consola-
tion for him in this trying hour. Nearly
four hours before she expired the faculty
of speech almost left her. During this so-
lemn period, however, she was heard to pro-
nounce, although with a faltering tongue,

the following expressions, " He is the chief-
est among ten thousand, and altogether
lovely." Whosoever believeth in me hath
everlasting life ; and I will raise him up at
the last day." The following were the last
words which she uttered : —

" The baule's fought, the prize is won,
" Now, O Lord, let trouble cease,
*' And let thy servant die in peace."
Thus our dear sister fell asleep in the
Lord, on Friday night, the 24th inst. hav-
ing been ill 14 days.

Her death was considered as one of
those occurrences in Providence that
would afford a suitable subject of improve-
ment to the congregations with whom she
had united in divine worship ; and a fune-
ral sermon was therefore preached by Mr.
Traveller, on last Sabbath evening, at
Persewaukum chapel, from Luke, ii. £9,
30. (part of the last words she uttered ;)
and on Wednesday evening Mr. Crisp
also improved the mournful occasion in a
sermon at Black Town chapel, from Psalm
cxvi. 15.

My dear afflicted brother feels his loss
most keenly ; but his mind is graciously
supported by the consolations and hopes
of the gospel. O that this afflicting dis-
pensation of Divine Providence may be
sanctified to all concerned.

DEATH OF THE REV. DR. MILNE,

Senior Missionary at Malacca.
The society has sustained a most seri-
ous loss by the death of their truly excel-
lent, learned, pious, and laborious mis ion-
ary. Dr. Milne. His health has long been
in a declining state, and the directors were
anxious that he should try the effect of a
voyage to the Cape, or to England; but he
was unwilling to quit, for a considerable
time, a station which required his pre-
sence, at least until he could with confi-
dence leave its affairs in the hands of com-
petent persons, of which he had a pleas-
ing prospect had he been spared a year or
two longer. He, however, took a voyage
to Sincapore, and from thence to Pulo
Penang, or Prince of Wales's Island.
From the latter place, Mr. Ince, one of
our missionaries at that station, wrote a
letter to the directors, dated June 10,

86

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

[March,

from which the following information is
extracted : —

" Dr. Milne arrived here from Sinca-
pore in April last, and remained with us
about a fortnight; but finding the heat
of the weather in George Town so very
great and debilitating, (the thermometer
frequently 88° and 90° in the shade,) he
removed into the country, to the resi-
dence of our kind friend, David Brown,
Esq. : Mr. Beighton and I remained with
him two or three days at a time alternate-
ly. But, notwithstanding this desirable
change, he declined more and more daily,
and his cough and difficulty of breathing
became more and more troublesome. He
therefore returned to unr house about the
10th of May, He then became anxious to
return to Malacca, but there was no ves-
sel at our island about to sail thither.
We therefore applied to Mr. Brown, who
proposed writing to His Excellency, the
Hon. W. E. Philips, the governor, (who
had ever proved himself our friend,) to re-
quest the loan of the Government cruiser,
the jVautilus, to convey Dr. Milne to
Malacca. The favour was most rea-
dily granted, with an assurance of his
Excellency's cordial satisfaction in having
it in his power to accommodate so good
and useful a man as Dr. Milne.

" Our afflicted brother, accompanied by
Mr. Beighton, sailed on the 16th of May,
and reached Malacca in eight days. On
their arrival, as Mr. B. has informed me,
Dr. Milne was much worse. Indeed the
captain, the surgeon, and he, feared he
would not live to reach the place, but
that he would die at sea.

" On Sunday morning, June 9, I re-
ceived a note from the Governor, inform-
ing me that a few days after his arrival
at Malacca he expired. This is all the in-
formation I am yet in possession of, as I
have not yet heard from Mr. Beigh-
ton, who, I hope, is on his way back to
Penang."

Mr. Ince gives us, in the same letter, an
affecting account of the death of Mrs.
Ince, the particulars of which shall appear
in a future number.

He states, that Mrs. Beighton and chil-
dren were quite well. He adds, that a
few days before the date of his letter,
June 10, he had received a letter from

Mr. Ellis, one of the missionaries in the
South Seas, informing him that the bre-
thren were all well, as were also Mr. Ty-
erman and Mr. Bennet, and that the cause
of religion was flourishing.

The following is an Extract from the last let-
ter received by the Directors from Dr. Milne,
dated Pulo-Penang-, April 17, 1822, a few weeks
before his death) which shows how fully his heart
was set upon his missionary work.

" As to my own case, I think a great
and peculiar uncertainty hangs upon it —
there is a complication in my disorder. I
believe that a long sea-voyage would be
useful — and yet I am so tied at Malacca,
that I cannot take it. I must hang on,
till I see persons able to carry on the
work. Make haste and send them, or I
shall be gone before they come. ' When
heart and flesh fail, be thou, O God, the
strength of my heart, and my portion for
ever.' Pray abundantly for me. The
Mission here is doing well. There seems
to be a good deal of Christian truth com-
municated directly to the heathen weekly
and daily — a thing of much importance
in this stage of our Missions. We are al-
ready in possession of many books ; but
more preaching, catechising, Sec. is want-
ed. The Brethren have set up what I
call The Fhrm of Public Worship, in the
vernacular tongues, by which I mean re-
gular Sabbath services, consisting of pub-
lic prayer, reading the scriptures, singing,
preaching, he. I consider this a high
missionary attainment, and a good sign
at a Mission."

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

Letter from Mr. Beighton, dated Malacca.
June 10, 1822.

We sailed on Thursday evening, May
16, and arrived at Malacca on Friday
morning, the 24th. The wind was con-
trary most of the way, and Dr. M. became
weaker and weaker, so that we feared he
would die on the passage. It was his wish,
if he died on board, to be conveyed to
Malacca, for burial ; but this we feared
would be found impracticable.

On the Sabbath we spent at sea he ap-
peared to be a little more composed than
usual. I was near his couch, and he ap-
peared to be frequently engaged in prayer

1823.]

LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

67

On one occasion his petition was, " O
God, prepare me for life or death ;" add
ing, with peculiar emphasis, " but death —
death ! that is the thing !"

Many expressions dropped from his
lips, intimating that he thought his earth-
ly course was nearly finished. The Lord,
however, was pleased to &pare his dying
servant to see his family at Malacca,
where we arrived at the time before men-
tioned.

Dr. Milne had previously made his will,
so that his worldly affairs were speedily
settled. It soon became apparent that the
time of his departure was nt hand. The
Dutch physician attended him, and pur-
sued the same course of medicine which
had been commenced by Dr. Boyd. The
hiccough came on, and continued several
days. Dr. M. did not appear to expe-
rience those raptures and joys with which
some are favoured on the near approach
of death ; but his confidence in Christ was
thus expressed :

" If I am found in Jesus' hands,
" My soul can ne'er be lost."

About five o'clock on Saturday after-
noon, June 1. he was in extreme pain, and
exclaimed, " My God, my God, help
me!" He was afterwards somewhat more
easy, but became gradually weaker ; he
asked for little during the night, and at
half-past two o'clock on Sunday morning
(June 2) our highly respected friend
and brother was released from all his
sufferings ; and his happy spirit fled to
enjoy a glorious Sabbath in the paradise
of God.

Thus has the society lost a faithful and
laborious Missionary, and four dear chil-
dren are deprived of a tender father.

Upon the inspection of the body, it was
found that his disease was wholly pulmo-
nary, and not that of the liver. He had
attained his S7th year on the 27th of
April last.

STATE OF THE MISSIO.'T AT MALACCA.

On this subject Mr. Beighton, in the letter above
quoted, gives the following information : —

The native schools are going on pros-
perously, under the vigilant care of Mr.
Humphreys. The Chinese youths attach-

ed to the College are also on the increase ;
and O that God may h:- })|eased to bless
the means that are used or instilling into
the minds of the young the principles of
the glorious gospel of our Lord and Sa-
viour.

The printing of the Chinese Magazine,
the Gleaner, &.C. will probably suffer some
interruption: but it is hoped that when
Dr. Morrison hears of the removal of his
esteemed colleague, he will visit Malac-
ca, at least for a few months, and make
some arrangement for carrying on the
various works usually published here.

It has pleased God to visit me with af-
fliction since I came hither. I have had
an attack of fever, which has brought me
verj' low ; but I am now recovering, and
anxiously waiting for a vessel to carry me
back to Penang.

Mr. Thomson had left Malacca for Sin-
capore before I arrived here.

In a subsequent letter, dated June 28,
Mr. Beighton, who was still waiting for
a passage to Penang, states that Mr.
Collie, who was appointed to the mission
at Malacca, had arrived.

BELLART.

Mr. Hands^s Missionary Tour.
In the close of 1321, and the beginning of 1822,
Mr. Hands made a Missionary tour through the
Mysore to Seringapatam. He was well furnish-
ed with portions of the Sacred Scriptures and
Tracts, in the Teloogoo and Canara languages.
On the 31st of January he wrote to the Secretary
as follows :

" Between Bellary and Bangalore (he
says) I halted a considerable time, at up-
wards of twenty large towns ; (in most of
which no Missionary had before appear-
ed ;)and Anundarayer and myself preach-
ed the glad tidings of salvation, and dis-
tributed tracts, [n almost every place
we were heard with great attention, and
our tracts were received with the utmost
eagerness. It was highly gratifying to see
these poor people coming to us with the
books in their hands, requesting the ex-
planation of some things which they could
not understand ; and often little grtmps of
them sitting on the ground and reading
them together, and sometimes requesting
us to stay longer with them, that they

88

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

[March,

might hear more of the new and impor-
tant things we brought to their notice."

Mr. Hands proceeded to Bangalore, Se-
rin^apatam, and Telliclierry, every where distri-
buting' books and addressing the people. On bis
way through the Jungle near the Western Ghauts,
he was seized witli the intermittent fever,, which
brought him very low. From Tellirherry he
went to Cannamore, where he embarked for
Bombay. At the latter place he remained some
time. He was here married to a Miss Smith, a
meml»er of the Bombay Mission, and ou their
journey to his residence at Bellary, his wife was
attacked with fever, which, in the course of a few
days, terminated her life.

HUMPEE.

In our last, we gave an extract of a letter from
the Rev. VV. Reeve, in relation to a heathen festi-
val. The following additional paragraph on this
subject is quoted from the same letter : —

" The Rajah of Hiirponeliy, whom bro-
ther Hands and myself visited five years
ago at the seat of his government, was,
with two other chieftains, at this feast.
He sent to us requesting an interview ;
we took the first opportunity of calling
upon him. But what with the bards re-
hearsing his titles, loud noise of drums
and horns, the scraping and bowing o
hundreds of interested sycophants, and
the chmging of the irantiense multitude
that stood in a semicircle before the open
area, we found but little opportunity of
preaching to him " of righteousness, tem-
perance, and a judgment to come." He,
however, treated us very courteouslj^,
made a few inquiries relative to the state
of the Mission, the health of my col-
leagues, &ic. SiC. and insisted upon our
returning to our lodgings on one of his
elephants. I would much rather have gone
on the apostle's horse, but to please him,
for the first time in my life, mounted, by
means of a ladder, this huge and sagacious
animal. There was a scarlet howder on
the top, in which we sat as easy as on a
sofa. He has always shown himself very
friendly towards us. He expresses a wish
that we would visit his country again.
Some time ago he furnished us with se-
veral scarce and very valuable native
books, from which we have derived no
small facilities in our philological pur-
suits."

" The Dessai, (a iMahratta chieftain,) of
whose correspondence we have formerly
given you several extracts, was to have
met us here. But some obstacles on the
part of government had rendered this
measure impracticable. He sent a note
of apology, expressing how much he was
grieved at the disappointment, and the
hopes he entertained of soon seeing us at
Bellary. Anundarayer was my amanuen-
sis in writing him a reply."

Description of the Hindoos.

On the character of the Hindoos Mr. Reeve
writes as follows : —

" The Hindoo character, of itself, is not
only altogether iminteresting, but extreme,
ly repulsive and forbidding, and the Mis-
sionary of Jesus needs much of the grace
of God to keep up the proper tone of his
mind, and to prevent his being a misan-
thrope instead of a philanthropist. The
Hindoos are not barbarous, but their ele-
vation from that state consisting mainly of
cunning, craft, and duplicity, renders them
rather despicable than amiable. They
are, it is true, a civilized people ; but while
on the one hand the powers of communi-
cation, memory, association, imitation, re-
flection, and reasoning, are prostituted to
the vilest of purposes, and made subser-
vient to the greatest fooleries in the world ;
on the other hand, we behold an almost
entire destitution of those traits of moral
complexion which shed a lustre and a
glory over the civilized nations of ancient
Greece and Rome. But shall we, there-
fore, conclude that their conversion to the
faith of the gospel is altogether a hopeless
case ? This be far from us ; when we re-
collect that this pagan nation, as well as
all others, is in the hands of the Great
Omnipotent, as clay is in the hands of the
potter ; that his divine fiat is irresistible,
and without controul ; that nothing is too
hard for the Lord."

CALCUTTA.

Fruits of Missionary labour.

In a letter, dated at Calcutta, on the 14th of
February, 1822, Mr. Bankhead remarks :—

" It aflfords me much pleasure in being
enabled to state that the work of the Lord

1823.]

LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY,

89

is evidently advancing in this quarter of
the globe : prejudice appears daily to de-
crease : large congregations assemble to
hear the word of life : and a spirit of inqui-
ry appears generally to prevail. Female
education appears to excite increasing in-
terest, and some natives have sent a pe-
tition to one of the church Missionaries,
requesting him to establish a school for
the education of their daughters ; but I am
sorry to say that this disposition only
partially prevails."

"The congregation at the English cha-
pel is upon the increase. God appears to
be honouring his word with success, as
there are now seven candidates for church
fellowship."

Heathen Cruelties.
In the letter just quoted, Mr. Bankhead states
the following painful facts : —

" Mrs. Euston Carey called upon us last
Sabbath-day, on her return from Chin-
surah. While coming down the river, she
was witness to a Suttee, or immolation of
a widow upon the funeral pile. The poor
victim walked with the greatest compo-
sure to the fatal spot, and after a short
ceremony was tied to the dead body of
her husband — a torch was applied to the
pile, and in a short time both bodies were
consumed, amidst the shouts and yells of
the surrounding multitude."

" At a short distance from the above
place, the same lady saw ten sick persons
brought to the side of the Ganges, and
after their relations had filled their moutlis,
ears, and nostrils with mud, left them to
be carried away with the tide, expecting
to be conveyed thence into a place of
perfect happiness. Thus, Sir, while we
are called to notice such painful circum-
stances, let us adore the grace which
maketh us to differ, and pray with re-
newed vigour, that the Holy Spirit may
be poured out from on high; that idola-
try may be banished far hence, and the
religion of Jesus universally prevail."

Death of the Bishop of Calcutta.

The Rev. Dr. Middi.eton, bishnp uf Calcutta,
«5ied in that city on the 8th of July last. In an-
nminciDg the death of this distinguished Prelate,
the London Times says ;

Vol. IV.

" Bishop MiDDLETON received his early
education at Christ's Hospital, (the Blue
Coat School,) from \\ hence he removed
to Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, where he
proceeded B.A. in 1792, M. A. in 1795.
In 1812 he was collated Archdeacon of
Huntingdon, and presented to the vicar-
age of St. Pancras, Middlesex. In 1814,
when it was determined to appoint a re-
sident bishop in our eastern dominions,
Dr. M. was selected by government to fill
that very exalted station. As a scholar^
Dr. M. acquired great reputation by his
celebrated Treatise on the Doctrine of the
Groek Article, applied to the illustration
of the New Testament."

CHINSURAH.

In a letter of the 15th of April, 1822, the Rev.
H. TowNLET writes as follows:

During my late visit to Calcutta, a mea-
sure was unanimously resolved upon,
which has given me the greatest satisfac-
tion of any event since the commence-
ment of the Mission.

It is, that the Friday of every month
antecedent to the administration of the
Lord's Supper (which is the second Sun-
day in the month) be sepai^ated to the
duties of secret prayer, self-examination,
imploring the outporing of the Holy Spi-
rit, fee. The building of Union Chape] ;
the formation of the Bengal Auxiliary
Missionary Society ; the circulation of the
Scriptures and Tracts ; the preaching of
the Gospel — all these are calculated to
raise hope that some good will be done ;
but altogether do not administer so much
hope to my mind as that nhich arises
from any indication of a spirit of grace
and supplication being poured out upon
us. This will fit us for the reception of
the blessing which the numerous churches
in the West are drawing down for us by
their increased and fervent supplications.
Let us wrestle with God, and we shall
he virtually wrestling with all the heathen.

Our dear fellow-labourers at Chinsu-
rah are ripening in their work, and pur-
suing it with unabated ardour.

A gentleman resident at Chinsurah,
who has lately become pious, and who
understands the Bengalee and Hindoos-
taaee, occasionally exercises his gifts ia

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

[March,

speaking; to the natives in the Bungalow
Mission Chapels, at that station.

BF.LGAUM.

Progress of the Mission.
On this subjert, we select the following para-
graphs from a letter, by Mr. Taylor, dfited at
Belgaum on the 31st of December, 1321 ;

" I feel happy in communicating to you
that the few persons here who desire to
serve the Lord and to live in obedience
to His commandments, have formed
themselves into a Christian Church the
beginning of this month. Our number is
17, and the ordinance instituted by our
Lord, in commemoration of his dying
love to sinners, is to be administered every
month.

Our association, as it respects subscrip-
tions, has been very successful. Since our
general meeting we have collected up-
wards of 500 rupees within the last half
year; of that amount 175 rupees have
been voted to our Society, and sent to
the agents at Madras; 105 rupees have
been sent to the Bible, and 60 to the
Tract Societies at Bellary, and 60 to the
Bombay Bible Society. A sergeant of his
Majesty's 46th Regiment, lately deceas-
ed, and who I have reason to hope died
in the Lord, left his property to me,
amounting to 60 rupees, for the Associa-
tion. The amount altogether transmitted
from the Belgaum Association to the
agents of our Society is 385 rupees or 44i.

The Brahmin, mentioned in the Report
as being under great concern for his soul,
still, I am happy to say, continues se-
riously disposed. He has been lately
speaking about Baptism ; he hopes, he
says, God will enable him to overcome
his sins ; his. evil heart he finds his great-
est burden, and, expresses his fears lest,
after acknowledging Christian Baptism,
he should fall into sin. He says he is
not so much afraid of the world as he is
of his own sinful heart. If he continues
steadfast, 1 expect he will prove a valua-
ble assistant in the Mission, as a preacher
of the Gospel among his own country-
men. He, with two of the school chil-
dren, came last week to witness the cele-
bration of the Lord's Su])per at my own

house, of which Rayadass and his wife,
for the first time, partook. After the ser-
vice, I spent some time with them in
prayer, and in end«*av<)uring to explain
the nature of the ordinance which we
had been attending to, and what were
the obligations of those who partook of
it. The time thus spent proved a season
of refreshment to my soul, and encou-
ragement to persevere in my humble en-
deavours to serve the Lord.

A few other natives, of the weaver cast,
also seem to be under concern about
their souls, and attend at the Shawp(»ore
school every evening for instruction from
Rayadass, who reads to them the Scrip-
tures, and gets them also to engage with
him in prayer.

Our native Schools continue to be well
attended, and afford me encouragement
to hope that in time some good will result
from them. Almost all the children are
committing to memory Catechisms and
portions of Scripture ; the diligence with
which some of them learn, and the atten-
tion they pay when spoken to, incline me
to think that their young minds are in
some measure impressed with what they
read and hear. By the Divine blessing
upon these means, we may trust that they
will not only become acquainted with
Divine truth, but also feel its power and
live under its influence.

I am anxiously expecting the arrival of
another Missionary to assist me; the field
here is large and the prospects very en-
couraging, but one Missionary is not suffi-
cient for all the labour here. I sincerely
hope the Directors will feel inclined and
be able soon to send another labourer to
occupy this field.

SOUTH AFRICA.
Improvement of Bethelsdorp,
Recent communications from Dr. Philip stale,
that the missionary settlement at Bethelsdorp is
now in a very improving state. The uncertainty
of continuing the station, occasioned, for a long
time, a total neglect of the buildings and other im-
provements ; but new houses are now built, and
others are about to be erected. In addition to
these circumstances, the Secretary of the London
Missionary Society mentions the following :— •

1323.]

LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

91

A shop is opened by a respectable per-
son for the sale of such goo«ls as the Hot-
tentots need, and for which they were
formerly obliged to travel many miles.
A large farm, a few miles distance from
Bethelsdorp, with a substantial house, has
been purchased by the directors of the
London .Missionary Society, where the
cattle belonging to Bethelsdorp may oc-
casionally be fed, and corn raised ; and
the Hottentots have lately contracted with
the commissariat department of the colo-
nial government, to furnish 30 wagons and
teams f(»r the conveyance of goods ; and
being; their own drivers, and employing
their children for wagon N aders, they are
enabled to fulfil the contract much cheap-
er than any other persons. These engage-
ments will, it is hoped, tend greatly to the
advancement of the temporal interests of
this despised place. Dr. Philip says, " I
can now meet the calumniators of mis-
sions, and the enemies of the H(»ttentots
on their own ground, and challenge them
to show me, in any |)art of the world, a
people more capable of being improved
than the abused Hottentots of South Af-
rica ; or attempts at civilization more
complete in their success than what may
now be seen at Bethelsdorp."

Distress of ihe colony at the Cape.

In a letter of the 3d of August last, Dr. Philip
makes the following statement : —

Owing to the failure of the crops, and
the distressing situation of the colony, the
expenses of the missionaries are necessa-
rily, this year, higher than usual. Every
thing in Cape Town and in other parts of
the colony, is at an extravagant price. We
have no rice but what we receive from
India, no wheat but what comes from New
Holland or from England, and every ne-
cessary of life is in proportion to the price
paid for foreign grain. Such a state of
things — a state of things approaching to
famine, cannot be sustained without bring-
ing additional burdens on the funds of the
Society ; but it is to be hoped that this af-
fliction will not be of long continuance.

Your hearts would bleed to see the pre-
sent condition of this colony. We have
had no crops f(»r two years, and fears are
generally entertained for the one approach-

ing. While the western coaatof Africa has
been deluged with rain for four months
past, in such a degree that the seed is rot-
ting in the ground, and h«iuses and even
villages are falling down, the eastern coast
has scarcely had any rain for a twelve-
month past, and the grass is parched, as
if it had been burnt in an oven.

This severe drought was succeeded by a storm
equally severe. In the same letter Dr. Philip
adds : —

While I am writing this letter, tidings
are continually brought in of the desola-
tions occasioned by the late storm, a-
raounting, in many instances, to the al-
most total ruin of a great part of the in-
habitants in the wealthiest districts of the
colony.

The damage done in Table Bay by the
late gales, you will read in the newspa-
pers; and the destruction of the buildings
in Cape Town is so great and general, that
we esteem it a distinguished mercy that
the mission house and chapel are not da-
maged. This state of things will account
to you for the extra expenses of the mis-
sions during the last six months.

SIBERIA.

Zeal and liberality of the Heathen in supr
port of superstition.
Mr. Savan, one of the Missionaries at Seling-
insk, in Siberia, thus describes the zeal of some of
the Dalai La7nas in propagating their religion
among their neighbours:—

" Their zeal has carried some of them
beyond the Baikal,to the unlettered tribes
around Irkutsk, among whom they are
acting as missionaries, building temples
&.C. and thus preparing to set up their un-
intelligible mummery in regions where it
has hitherto been unknown. I am sure,
my dear sir, you cannot read this state-
ment with indifference. Is it not enough
to provoke the society — the churches, to
jealousy ? Shall no soldiers of the cross
be sent to take that field against these
emissaries of Dalai Lama ? — Some m.iy
think that If e ought to wage the war there;
but I could easily show why we should
not desert our present post. On this side
the lake we have enough, abundantly-
more than enough, to employ our hearts

92

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

[March,

and hands were our numhers increased
seven-fold.

I have nnQther provoking circumstance
to mention — the liberality of the heathen
in the support of their superstition. Du-
ring my late journey, some Buriats, in my
presence, were conversing about the flocks
and herds of the Taisha Djis^jit. They
said he was not so very ricii iij sheep. I
asked how that hapj)pned, since I had been
told that his father Damha, to whose pro-
perty he succeeded, had upwards of ten
thousand ? " Yes, his father, at one time,
had ten thousand, but seven thousand
sheep (besides other property) were disposed
of for the building of the temple /" Shall
christians be outdone by heathens ? Shall
greater sacrifices be made by individuals
to uphold or prop., gate the mass of lies
and nonsense of which Dalai Lnmaisrn
consists, than christians who have it in
their power, are willing to make for the
furtherance of the gospel of Christ ? Will
not such muiiificent heathen ofierings as
these rise up in judgment against some
who are withholdinsj; more than is meet ?
These facts sj)eyk for themselves ; hot I
am moved when 1 see such calls for mis-
sionaries, and the society unable to meet
them — such fields of exertion, and so few
to occupy them, because the christian
world does not furnish the means.

FRANCE.

FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY IN PARIS.

Rev. Jonas King to the Rev. Mark Wilks^
Marseilles, Oct. 26, 1822.

In our number for December last, (page 231 of
vol. 3d.,) we gave a leUer from the Rev. Mark
Wilks, announcing the formation of a Foreign
Missionary Society in Paris, and the appoint-
ment, by that society, of the Rev. Jonas King, an
American, as Missionary to Palestine. Mr. King
left Paris for his destined station about the 20th of
October. The following letter, written to his friend
in Paris, (the Rev. M. Wilks,) on the eve of his
embarkation at Marseilles, will be perused with
interest : —

It isjust midnight, and I expect to era-
bark at one o'clock. I can only give a
general idea of my journey, and reserve
details for a future opportunity. All my

letters of introduction have been duly ho-
noured ; had they been written by Louis
XVIIL, 1 could not have been treated
with more kindness and respect. I wished
for as many thousands of tracts as I had
hundreds; at every post 1 distributed tiiose
I had, and preached a short sermon to at-
tentive groups — on the fall of man, and
the necessity and sufficiency of the sal-
vatir)n of the cross. The people pre.ssed
round me, and demanded tracts with an
eagerness and interest I have never seen
exceeded, so much so that some persons
were afraid I should be arrested for my
pains.

Had I been an apostle, I could not have
been received with more affection than I
experienced at Nismes. A meeting was
held at the Pastor Tachard's for the pur-
pose of forming a society auxiliary to that
of Paris. Three hundred and four franca
were subscribed, exclusive of 70 francs
afterwards given by a poor widow 75
years of age. The society of Nismes will
prohably extend its operations throughout
the department of the Gard. As soon as
the rules are printed, send a supply to the
pastors Tachard and Gandes.

At Montpelier, the pastor and dear
friend Lissignol, constrained me to abide
at his house ; he is labouring at the for-
mation of an auxiliary society, which he
has much at heart, and desires warmly the
establishment of monthly prayer meetings
through France. The pastor Michel was
also very friendly, and entered into all my
views.

M. Lissignol accompanied me to Mar-
seilles. Here, and in the neighbourhood,
we have received some contributions. A
pious lady, who desires to be anonymous,
not only treated me with the most aflfec-
tionate kindness, but gave 100 francs for
the society. They have given me here
various letters of recommendation to La-
dy Esther Stanhope, to five Danish con-
suls in the east, and to several Sheiks in
Syria. I have obtained considerable in-
formation from the American consul at
Algiers.

I long to hear that the society has es-
tablished a monthly prayer meeting. As

1823.]

MISCELLANIES^

93

its missionary, I cannot but request its
prayers for myself and the success of my
labours ; and I am convinced that God

has great blessings in store for France,
and only waits till his children ask, to
shed them on the churches abundantly.

EDITORIAL NOTICE.

We are requested to state that the donation
of sixteen dollars from the Female Auxiliary
Missionary Society of Morristovvn, New-Jer-
sey, was forwarded " by Miss, and not Mrs.
J. N. Johnes, Secretary, as stated in the Re-
gister for February."

The Editor avails himself of this opportuni-
ty, to request that all persons who may have
occasion to write to him, in relation to this
work, or to any of the concerns of ihe United
Foreign Missionary Society, would give him
their proper address. He has often found
himseU embarrassed for want of information
on this point. If his Correspondents, in sub-
scribing their names, would prefix the appel-
lation to which they are respectively entitled,
it would preserve him at least from some
perplexity, and perhaps from many blunders.

SOURCES OF MISSIONARY FUNDS.
In glancing over the list of contributions to
(he United Foreign Missionary Society during
the last month, we were gratified to observe
a number of new sources of Missionary ft ids.
Among the number are the following

Fines collected of Grand Jurors, by their
foreman.

Contribution of a Society of Lads in an
Academy.

Avails of a small Missionary field, cultiva-
ted by a lad of ten years of age.

A string of gold beads from a female friend
of Missions.

Contributions from the children of a Sab-
bath School.

The contents of a family Mission box.

Another source, which, to us at least is
new, is thus announced to the Secretary in a
letter from Bath, Steuben County, in this
State : — " We have in this place a Female
Benevolent Society, who have a small flock
of sheep, and who annually manufacture the
wool, and appropriate the whole to Mission-
ary purposes. They forwarded, in November
last, to Mr. Dwight, your agent at Geneva, a
piece of flannel, of forty-one yards, valued at
twenty dollars and a half, to be sent to the
Missionary station at Tuscarora, or that at
Seneca, as most needed."

To these may be added the following ex-
tract of a letter from a gentleman in (he coun-
ty of Monroe, one of the former subscribers to
the American Missionary Register: —

I have just received the Missionary Re-
gister for January, and am much gratified
with the perusal of the powerful appeal of
your Committee to the Christian public.
At the same time, I regret most sincerely,
that the operations of your Board are em-
barrassed for want of funds. I now enclose
fifteen dollars, out of which please deduct the
amount due you for the Register to the pre-
sent number, and place the balance [^12 50]
in the funds of the United Foreign Missionary
Society."

We are also gratified to find that the num-
ber of Churches which contribute to our fund*
at the Monthly Concert, is increasing, and
that a number of individuals have recently
made themselves Life Members of the Socie-
ty, by contributing the requisite sum of thirty
dollars each.

Should the examples here mentioned be ex-
tensively followed, and our Auxiliary Socie-
ties continue and increase their contribu-
tions, the Board would soon be relieved from
their present embarrassment, and be enabled
to pursue their operations with renewed assi-
duity and vigour.

AMERICAN MISSIONARY REGISTER.

It is now two months since this work be-
came the exclusive property of the United
Foreign Missionary Society. During this period
about three hundred and fifty have been added
to its list of patrons. The present number of
Subscribers is less than twelve hundred : while
a similar work, belonging to a kindred insti-
tution in Boston, is supported by more than
twelve thousand.

The Register is now issued at the very mo-
derate annual price of one dollar and a half,
(twelve and a half cents a month,) with the
view of bringing it within the reach of almost
every family in the community. At this price,
it will require a very large subscription list to
pay the expenses of publication, and to yield
any considerable profit for missionary pur-
poses. The present subscribers, as well afs

94

MISCELLANIES.

[March,

the clergy throughout the country, are, there-
fore, earnestly reque-ted to exert their influ-
ence in liehalf of the work.

Any individual, who will procure eight sub-
acribers, and forward the aniouni of subscrip-
tion, wi!| be furnished with an additional copy.
There is not, it is believed, a villatie to be
found, in which, on personal application, a
greater number than this could not easily be
obtained. Indeed, a Laynj;in in the interior
of Virginia has already transmitted the names
oi thirty Subscribers, and a Clergyman in the
interior of this StiatBy ihirty-lwu : and several
other Clergymen and La\men have procured
from ten to twenty in their resj)ective villages.

The ladies and gentlemen who have al-
ready interested themselves in behalf of the
publication, are entitled to the thanks of the
board : and it is hoped that many others will
make a cheerful sacrifice of the requisite time
and trouble in a cause so worthy of their
couuienance and support.

LETTER FROM A COUKTRY DRAPER.

In the London Missionary Chronicle for
January last, we find the following letter ad-
dressed by a sentleraan who st) les himself " a
country draper," to one of the secretaries of
the London Missionary Society. The sug.
gestions ot the writer are worthy of notice ;
and if tne particular plan he has mentioned
cannot be made equally productive in this
country, yet the reader may be led " to in-
quire what (other) new scheme can with
propriety be brought into action for raising
the necessary means for evangelizing the
world ." —

Dear Sir, — At a time like the present, when
you are calied upon for funds to a larae
amoiins as appears by the accounts presented
to the society at the last anniv. rsary, when it
was stated that the expenditure has far ex-
ceeded the income, and unless some greater
exertionsare made, you wil' not only be oblig-
ed to refuse ihe pressing calls tor missi(Uiaries
to new and inij)orlant stations, but l>e com-
pelled to lessen your expenditure even in
those, already established, and where so much
good has been done, it is certainly the indis-
penscble duty of every person to do whatever
he can to help forward the great work

To hear that you are at all embarrassed in
your operations i- painful to every one who
has telt bis heart w aruied by a Saviour's love,
and i as been cheered with the delightful tid-
ings ot the extension of the Redeemer's king-
dom ill heathen lands, where idols have been
cast d< wn — idolatry destroyed — temples of
superstition turned into houses ol prayer,
and many of the idolaters have been led to

renounce their false hopes, and embrace the

gospel of the Son of God,

Some, no doubt have been roused by these
considerations, to inquire what new scheme
can with propriety be brought into action for
raising necfssary means for evangelizing the
world. There is one method which I sub-
mit to your attention, and when generally
known I think may be of great advantage to
the s«)ciety.

There are many linen drapers who are pi-
ous, active, generous friends of the society ;
they have also apprentices and shopmen who
wish well to the cause, and do what they can
towards its support ; but perhaps the follow-
ing plan has not engaged their attention. At
the ends of book, mull, and jaconet muslinst
there is a strip of gold which, in many parts
of the country is considered of no value, on
account of its being free of cost to the trades-
man ; many might probably be induced to
give these gold ends in addition to their for-
mer subscriptions ; and others, who w ish to
sub-cribe more largely, but cannot, owing to
the pressure of the times, would no doubt use
every exertion to collect and stimulate those
in their employment to take care of all they
can for the Missionary Society.

I under«tand there are purchasers in Lon-
don and its vicinity, who give from Qd. to 2s.
per dozen for those gold ends ; but in the
country we have not so good a matket
for them. Indeed, they are most generally
given or thrown away. Now, if the whole
of these were collected by persons employed
in the shop, as circumstances might suit, and
presented to the secretary or treasurer of the
auxiliary society in the neighbourhood, who
should, at suitable times, transmit them to the
missionary rooms in London, I have no doubt
but a very respectable sum would be annually
raised for the Missionary Society. / suppose,
on a fair calculation, there may be thirty thou-
sand drapers in the kingdom, and if only half
of them could be induced to give to the so-
ciety what they could collect, say five shil-
lings, on an average, annually, this would
amount to no less a sum than three thou-
sand seven hundred and Jiffy pounds per an-
num ! ! !

OLD SHOPKEEPERS,

The follow ing suggestions, from the Mis-
sionary Chronicle, may be considered as ap-
propriate in New -York, as in London — in the
United States, as in Great Britain : —

It frequently happens that tradesmen, on
" iakirtg stock'' find some kinds of goods which
have long been known by them as " old shop-
keepers" consisting of articles which have
been either damaged, faded, or gone so en-
tirely out of fashion, that they can scarcely
be sold for any thing ; and to use the well
known expression, *' They are neither fit for
sale, nor to be ^'iwen away." Articles of this
kind, however inferior or unsaleable, in plain

1S23.]

MISCELLANIES.

95

or printed cottons, coloured borabazins, siuffs,
ginghams, woolen cloilis. rtancieh dniggeis,
ribands, ^c. kc would be very acceptable
for some of the missionary stations abroad,
and would be thauklully received by (be
directors.

2EAL0DS ATTACHMENT TO THE MISSIONARY
CAUSE.

A minister in England, having formed a
juvenile auxiliary missionary society, writes
to the parent institution as follows: —

" The seal of these poor children to come
forward in this good and great cause quite
gratified and atfected me. I look au op[ior
tanity in the most familiar manner of describ-
ing to them the object which the society had
in view, and the use which would be made of
their money ; their attention and subsequent
conduct convinced me that they understood
vs'hat was said. As an encotiragemenl to ju-
venile societies, 1 think it right to name to you
one pleasing fact which came under my no-
tice : — Two little boys who came to [lear the
address, presenied me. at the close of it, with
6rf. each. I a-ked them if they knew for what
purpose they were giving their money, O
yes," they replied, *' that heathen children
might be taught to read the Bible as wpII as
ourselves." The tears started from the eyes
of one of them while bespoke When in-
quiry was made of their parents, it was as-
certained thai the sum they save was a gift,
which they had received at Christmas, with
permission to do what they pleased with it.

" It is certainly plea^in? to witness such in-
stanres of early benevolence. I am happy to
inform you t lat our Society keeps up (ow ing
to the perseverance of the Ladies) remarkably
well ; there is scarcely a falling off amona
the poorest of the people, [f at any time a
week or two should pass before any of them
are called upon, several have deposited in a
small box their pence, lest they should be
tempted to use it for any other purpose.
Others will bring their money to meeting
when the weather is bad, to save th^ Ladies
the inconvenience of the walk Examples,
these, worthy of being js:enera//j/ imitated."

Another says: — "I am attempting to do a lit-
tle more among a very poor people here, and
I trust no exertion will be wanting on my
part in a cause which has appeared of the first
magnitude from the commencement of the
Missionary Society, and is seen to be more
important every year.

" I am inducing very poor people to dedi-
cate something to the great work at their
marriages, and to devote an offering to the
glorious cause whenever they dedicate a
child to God in baptism, nor have these efforts
been in vain. We will beg from dour to door,
rather than not do something more for you."

A Minister in Wales writes thus : — In con-
sideration of the greatness of the expenses
that are always inseparably connected with

the important work of sending Missionaries
to the dark rn^loiis of the world, and that
the defraying of such expenses does in a great
measure depend on our faithfulness in con-
tributing our mites, and also in soliciting ibe
help of our friends and the public at larjie. I,
and my friends here, feel a desire of entering
into covenant with each other for a more
mutual co-operation and diligence in the
work of soliciting weeklv and quarterly col-
lections towards the Missionary cause."

Thus (says "he Editor of the' Londi>n Mis-
missionarv Chronicle) to see the principle of
obligation to support the cause of Missions,
reco>inised by the friends of Christ, afid ex-
tending its commanding influence in different
ranks of society, is very gratifying to the Di-
rectors : for it is only as this priiiciple is felt
and acknowledged, and prevails, that they
can calculate on their continued liber:ility,
permanent co-operation and acceptable ser-
vices iu the great work of evaugelizing the
world.

PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE.

The Rev. Mr. Thomp.son, one of the Mis-
sionaries under the care of the Church Mis-
sionary Society in London, embarked at Ports-
mouth on the 16th of October, on his return
to Madras The ship, before she left the chan-
nel, met with a providential esca[)e, which is
thus related by Mr. Ti.onipson, in a letter of
the '■23d, from Falmouth : —

After beating about in the channel in very
severe weather, but with little injury, ive
were obliged to put back, and got int • Fal-
mouth on Sunday afternoon the ^Oth Friday
and Saturday nights were fearful — com(>lete
storm, with some tremendous thunder »nd
lightning. The ship, however, sailed admira-
bly; and we weathered it all with little more
damage than shivering one of our stualler
sail<. The close was ma^ ked w ith one of those
striking: providential d^^liverances of which
you hear occasitinally ; and which should
never be suffered to pass unnoticed, without
special fraise and thanks«;iving to an ever-
watchful and ytacious Protector. Through
Saturday ni;zht the weather was very hazy,
with a perpet'iat drizzling rain. To vard the
morning a light from the shore was distinctly
observed, and all were satisfied it was the
Eddystone ; and we steered accordingly.
Soon after day-break the haze cleared con-
siderably : and to the terror of all on deck, we
were fi)und running ashore, a^^ fa-t as we could,
on the Lizard I Ten minutes mote of the haze,
the captain told me, would in alt probability
have made us an awful wreck ! All hands
were instantly on the alert; the shif» readily
obeyed the helm, and we were safe again, and
on a straight course into this fine, sheltered
harbour. Oh that meji would therefore praise the
Lord for his goodness, and declare the wonders
that he doeih for tht children of men !

96

SflSCELLANIES.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UNITED FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY,
During the Month of February, 1823.

For educating^ an Osage yt)uth, by ihe name of

James Caldwell, by the Fern. Miss. Society of

Morris Plain, N. J. two years payment.
Fines collected of jrrand jurors, June term. Essex

Co. N. J. by their foreman, J. K. Mead, Esq,
Collected at the monthly concert in the Rev. Dr.

Romeyn's church in Cedar-street,
Collected at the monthly concert at West Farms,

W. C. Co., N. Y., by Rev. T. S. Wycks,
Collected in Presb. contrregation of Freeliold, N.

J. by Rev. Dr. Woodhull,
From Fem. Benevolent Society of do. by do.
Collected at monthly concert in Athens, Bedford

Co. Pa. by Rev. James Williamson,
By Miss Eliza Calkin, of do. by do.
From a society of boys in the academy of do. who

pay two cents each per month, by do.
From Fern. Benevolent Society of Middletown,

Orange Co., N. Y., by Mrs. Margaret Hanford,

Treas.

From Mrs. Catharine Wells, of Goshen, Orange

Co., N. Y., by Rev. E. Fisk,
From Rev. John J. Christie, of Warwick, Orange

Co., N. Y., to constitnte Mrs. Sally Christie a

member for life.
From Female Charitable Society of Middletown,

L. I., by Rev. Ezra King,
Avails of asniall missionaiy field in Middletown,

L.I., by Thomas. I. King, aged 10 years, by do.
From a female friend of missions, at Brookhaven,

L. I., a string of gold beads,
From a friend of the society at Princeton, N. J.
Collected at the monthly concert in the Presb.

Ch. in Newton, N. J., by Mrs. Samuel Mor-

ford,

Collected in the Presb. Ch. in Chester, Orange
Co., N. Y., by Rev. J. H.Thomas,

From a friend in Rochester, Monroe Co., N. Y.

From Aux. Soc. of Cumberland, Md. by M. Wal-
lace, Tr.

From children in Sabbath school in do. by do.

Donation from R. Swan in do. by do.

Do. from G. Beal in do. by do.

Do. from A. Bruce in do. by do.

Do. from M. Wallace in do. by do.

Do. from P. Claramer in do. by do.

From the family mission box of Mr. John S. Wil-
son, Princeton, N. J., by Mr. A. Campbell,

From the Aux. Society of Mewville, Cumberland
Co.j Fa., by James McCord, Tr.

11 25

5 71

7 46
S 00

D. 0. D. c:.

Collected in the congregation of By Spring of
do. by do. 15 OQ

24 00 From a number of ladies of the Presb. Ch. in
Bedford, W. Chester Co., N. Y., to constitute
4 50 their pastor, the Rev. Jacob Green, a member

for life, 3f 60

13 13 From Fem. Aux Soc. of do. by do. 33 07

Donation from a person in Ithaca, N. Y., by Rev.
1 00 Wm. Wisner, 2 00

Collected at the Monthly Concert in the Presb.
10 00 Congregation of Mendham, N. J. by the Rev.

20 00 Philip C. Hay, 25 87

From Aux. Society of Lancaster, Pa. by William

7 50 Kirkpatrick, Esq. 38 75
1 00 Collected at Monthl v Concert in Presb. Church

of Lancaster, Pa. bv ditto.
50 Collected at Monlhly Concert in the 2d Reform-
ed Dutch Church in Phila. by A. Henry, Esq.
Collected at Monthly Concert in the 6th Presb.
10 00 Ch. in Phila. by ditto,

Donation from Mr. John McMullen, by ditto,
6 00 Collected in the Union Plymouth School House,
Montgomery Co. by Rev. Joseph Barr, in aid
of the education of two Indian Children, by do. 5 90
30 00 From the Philadelphia Aux. Mis.s. Soc. by ditto, 100 00
From Aux. Soc. of^ Basking Ridte, N. J. by Mr.

8 25 William M. Lindsley, Treasurer, 15 75

Collected in the Presb. Congregation of Basking
75 Ridge, N. J. by Rev. William C. Urownlee, 10 15

For one copy of Mr. M'Clelland's Sermon, 26
— From the Aux. Soc. of the city of Washington,

3 00 by M. Nourse, Jun. Esq. 23 50

Collected on the late Fast day in the Congrega-
tion in Connecticut Farms, N. J. by Rev. Ste-

4 56 phen Thompson,

Collected at theMonthiv Concert in the 3d Pres.
4 50 Church in Philadelphia, by Rev. Ur. Ely,
12 50 From Aux. Society of Coxsackie, N. Y- by T. A.
Hallenbeck, Sect.

21 74 From Aux. Society of Blooming Grove, Rens-
72 sellaer Co. N. Y. by E. Van Allen, Sect, and

1 00 Treas.

1 00 Collected at Monthly Concert in the Presb. Ch.
I 00 Bath, Steuben Co. N. Y. by Rev. Daniel Hig-

1 00 gins,
50 From Aux. Soc. of Lamington, N. J. by Corne-
lius Vanderbeck, Treas. 24 50

2 00 From the Aux. Soc. of Hackensack, N. J. by

James B. Cleveland, Treas. 26 00

15 00

5 00
8 00

20 00

15 00

2 00

Total,

^636 31

THE CONCERT OF PRAYER.

[from the LONDON MONTHLY CHRONICLE.]

Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke perfumed with myrrh
and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant."

Say, what are those columns of smoke which arise;

From the wilderness upward they move.
Slajestic and grand, how they darken the skies,

Wliich unfold to receive them above.

These pillars of smoke, thus ascending above,
Shedding fragrant perfume through the air,

Are the off'rings of Faith and the incense of Love,
From the Cburcb, at her Concert for Prayer.

From the four winds of heaven these odours ascend,

Though between them the wide waters roll-
In the vials of heaven, all happily blend.
And are answered with peace to the souL

But numbers, alas ! who profess to believe,

Refuse by their presence to share
In the blessings and comforts that Christians receive

At the grand Monthly Concert for Prayer.

I

•jloi use in Libiarf col?