"A famine of bread or a thirst for these churches will be the means of lessen- | ing. ing their next annual contributions, but that water" I have not seen; but "a famine of it will be the means of "stirring up their pure minds by way of remembrance," to bring the American Education Society in their contributions upon a level with the other benevolent societies. The people of Vermont feel that justice to their own destitute churches, calis loudly upon them to do all they can to increase the number of ministers; for there are many destitute churches who feel themselves abie to support the gospel, and the Domestic Missionary Society is ready to help many more to do the same; but the men are wanting; there are not ministers to be had. And the whole American church ought to feel that the prosperity of Zion is deeply concerned in keeping alive these feeble churches. These little mountain churches are to the armies of King Emanuel, what the mountain Cantons of Switzerland are to the standing armies of Europe, fertile nurseries of hardy and faithful soldiers. Past experience too plainly tells us, that the church is not to look so much for her ministers, to the churches of the crowded city and the bustling village, as to those which are gathered from the quiet hamlets and the secluded farm-houses of the land. Since my last report I have adopted in some respects, a new method of making collections. To places where I am to preach on the Sabbath, I go some time before the Sabbath, and visit as many as I conveniently can, of the people, at their houses, and after as free and full discussion of the subject as they desire, endeavor to obtain their subscription. This gives opportunity of answering inquiries and removing groundless prejudices. I then tell them there will be a subscription taken on the Sabbath, for the accommodation of those whom I am unable to visit, and request them at that time, to subscribe the sum they pay me and write paid. By this course I secure the advantage of personal interviews, and at the same time retain their influence in the general collection. I think this advantage also results from going round among the people before the Sabbath, that it better prepares me to preach and them to hear. There is another plan which I have adopted and shall pursue, in those churches where I cannot be on the Sabbath, when it is expedient. I go during the week, make my arrangement with the minister, visit some of the people, talk over the subject, get their subscriptions, tell them their minister will present the subject on the next Sabbath, and take a general subscription, when they are requested to put down the sum they have paid me and write paid. With hearing the words of the Lord," is dreadfully prevalent. If I am rightly informed, in one of the largest, and in soil, one of the richest counties of this State, there is but one settled pastor and very few stated supplies. Are there such destitutions within the limits of religious New England, and shall any fit candidates for the ministry be deterred from that good work for want of that aid which the American Education Society affords to her beneficiaries? such a state of things within our own borders, can the churches of New England withhold either their money or their sons and hold up in the sight of God, hands "clear from the blood of all men?" When they shall stand at the judgment bar of Christ, to answer for the manner in which they have fulfilled his commands, how will they answer for their obedience to that great command of his, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature?" Can they say we did what we could? Hardwick, Vt., March 25, 1837. The names of two individuals were stricken from the list of beneficiaries on account of gross improprieties of conduct, and the appropriation of another was withheld for deficiency in religious deportment. Voted, That the annual amount of appropriations to the young men in the first A great panic has been excited throughout stage of education, shall be sixty dollarsthe country, about the scarcity of food, and fifteen dollars for each quarter; to those the suffering that must ensue. I have been in the second and third stages, eighty dol. through the region where perhaps it was lars, of which twenty dollars shall be ap reported abroad there would be most suffer-propriated for each quarter. The death of the Hon. Mr. Reed, having | man has been appointed Agent for the taken place since the last meeting of the Western Reserve Branch of the American Directors, it was voted to enter on their Education Society. They both have acminutes the following notice: cepted their appointment, and entered upon their agency with encouraging success. The honorable William Reed, one of the Vice Presidents of the American Education Society, having recently been suddenly removed from time into eternity, this Board would record on their minutes an expression of their deep sense of the loss sustained by this Society and other benevolent institutions, in which he manifested so lively an interest, and which have been so largely indebted to him for personal services and pecuniary aid. In his sudden removal while engaged in his Master's service, the Board would recognize a solemn call to them to be found thus employed when summoned to render their last account. The Directors would also tenderly sympathize with Mrs. Reed in her deep affliction, and earnestly implore for her the support and consolations of that gospel which it was so much the delight of her departed husband to impart to others. The Rev. William L. Mather, who has of late been Secretary of the Maine Branch, having spent more than five years as an Agent of the American Education Society in the New England States, and being desirous of retiring from his employment for the purpose of settling in the ministry, resigned his office as Secretary and Agent, on the first day of April current. Mather has labored in his agency with good fidelity, acceptance and success; and he retires from it with the approbation of the Directors of the Branch and of the Parent Society, and he is most cordially commended to the fellowship of the churches and ministers where God in his providence shall I call him to labor: Mr. Orange, individuals 7 71 20 00 40 00 10 00-50 00 5 43 43 00 Winthrop, Cong. Ch. and Soc. Blanchard 50 00 Post Mills & W. Fairlee, Cong. Ch. and Soc. Rutland, by William Page, Esq. viz. Collection in Cong. Ch. E. Rutland Sudbury, William Peirce Strafford, Cong. Ch. and Soc. 3 50 3.00 3.00 4 26 68 46 21 75 43 02 2 50-67 27 23 14 25 00 1 00 10 50 St. Johnsbury, Cong. Ch. and Soc. of which $40 $909 69 Thetford, Cong. Ch. and Soc. in part to constitute their [Hon. Samuel Morril, Concord, Treas.] Bath, Ira Goodall, Esq. 6th paym't on his Tempo. Schol. Deerfield, contribution by Moses H. Wells Dunbarton, Ladies' and Gentlemen's Benev. Soc. 30 of which towards H. M. of Rev. Jno. M. Putnam, and from Mrs. Margaret Mills and Mrs. Thankful Caldwell 5 towards L. M. of Co. Soc. Wallingford, Charles Button, Esq. with $25 paid last 4 00-95 06 36 00 Westfield, monthly concert 3 00 Williamstown, Cong. Ch. and Soc. 17 50 year, to constitute himself and Mrs. Button, L. Ms. Worcester, Cong. Ch. and Soc. 25 00 9 50 75 00 West Randolph, Cong. Ch. and Soc. 27 72 Waitsfield, Cong. Ch. and Soc. 10 00 Waterbury, individuals 6 00 Walden, individuals 12 00 Waterford, individuals 3 50 41 93 Most of the above by Rev. Joseph Emerson, Agent. $1,158 86 on Temp. Schol. 75 00 Loudon, Rev. Mr. Corser, in part I.. M. of N. H. B. 13 00 Note. The $22 from Hartland, in last Journal, was 18 37 Glastenbury, collection in the 1st Cong. Ch. and Soc. collection in Worthingtor. Soc. The above by Rev. Samuel H. Riddel, Agent. Colchester, Ladies' Sewing Society, by Mr. Charles Hartford, Ladies' Aux. Ed. Soc. by Mrs. L. B. Collins Temp. Scholarship, by Dea. Lebanon, Mrs. Lucy Abel, by Mr. Charles Coit, Manchester, collection in Cong. Ch. and Soc. by Mr. 32 00 73 00 59 15 80 00 25 45-105 45 45 45 13 82 2.00 84 12 130 05 75 00-205 05 5 00 3.00 24 82 73 00 5 00 ton Berlin, individuals NORTH WESTERN BRANCH. [Elnathan B. Goddard, Esq. Middlebury, Tr.] Barre, Cong. Ch. and Soc. $40 of which is to constitute their pastor, Rev. Joseph Thacher, an H. M. 3 16 from Ladies' Circle of Industry Barnet, individuals Benson, Cong. Ch. and Soc. by Rev. D. D. Francis Brookfield, Cong. Ch. and Soc. Bradford, of which $40 is to constitute Rev. John Norfolk, Mrs. Sarah Battelle, by H. Hill, Esq. Bos Norwich, Ladies' Asso. in 1st Soc. $40 of which is to constitute Rev. Hiram P. Arms an 1st Ch. and Scc. by Mr. C. Coit, 5 00 123 50 16 50-140 00 50 55 Pomfret, 1st Ch. and Soc. by Mr. Charles 5 50 12.00 Matthewson, through Dr. William Hutch- 14 04 50 00 South Mansfield, 1st Ch. and Soc. by Mr. A. J. Hink- 80 00 29 10 1 50 South Woodstock, 1st Ch. and Soc. by Mr. Rockwood, 12 00 Upper Middletown, Mr. Edmund Sage 5 00 Suddard an H. M. 40 40 1st Soc. by Rev. T. Crocker, thro' S. Southmayd, Esq. Tr. &c. Wallingford, 1st Cong. Ch. and Soc. by H. White, 29 50 Coventry, monthly concert 7.00 Esq. Tr. &c. 36 00 76 44 Chelsea, Cong. Ch. and Soc. in part to constitute their pastor, Rev. James Buckham, an H. M. Corinth, Cong. Ch. and Soc. 23 68 Danville, Cong. Ch. and Soc. $40 of which is to constitute their pastor, Rev. D. A. Jones, an H. M. Greensboro', contribution by S. Boynton H. M. 121 14 23 35-144 49 Hon. T. Frelinghuysen 55. Female Praying 2 10 Pres. Ch. in Parsippany, by Rev. E. Phelps 61 00 |