them that believe. Soon I hope we shall the Lord, for all shall know him from the least unto the greatest.”” be able to say The year of jubilee is come. Return, ye ransom'd sinners, home. "I come, now, to mention the unspeakable joy of seeing converts from among the heathen. When I think of what God has done for us in this way; when I think that God has increased our number since we came to this place; when I think of Malleappa, of Gabriel, of Nicholas, and of Philip; when I think of Porter, of Jordan, of Niles, of Onesimus, of George, and of Santeo, names enrolled with ours, and I hope with patriarchs and prophets; and when I think, also, of three or four others, who expect soon to become members of our church, my soul almost leaps from the body, and I pant for other powers, that I may be enabled to declare the feelings I possess. "The promises of God produce more joy in the breast of the missionary than all other facts and considerations combined. If this source of joy were dried up, all others would soon fail. It would be of little consequence to me that I have a few intimate and agreeable friends; that I see missionary stations formed, schools established, and the gospel preached to thousands; that I see many prejudices overcome, and many good impressions made; that I see my brethren and sisters much engaged in labour and in prayer; that I see a few, who were once heathen, giving up all for Christ. Circumstances like these are exceedingly pleasant, but, without the promises of God, can never support the missionary. These promises can never fail us. Hopeful conversions may all prove to be false. The most loving missionaries may fall out by the way, The ear that has listened to the sound of the gospel, may become deaf as an adder. These stations, that are now flourishing, may again be forsaken and tumble into ruins. But the promises of God will be accomplished; and the blessed Redeemer will have the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession; and the ransom'd of the Lord shall return, &c. And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, saying, Know His Assistance to the Mission. "It would not be correct to say, that in preaching the gospel, or in attending to other active duties of the mission, he was mentioned in the narrative, it will appear extensively useful; though, from the facts that he did something. But, Who does whate'er his circumstance allows, Does well, acts nobly, angels could no more. In speaking of him with reference to this sentiment, it is proper to say he was a laborious missionary, and acquitted himself well. But this is not all. His patience in suffering; his faith and confidence in God, amidst trials of various descriptions; his habitual cheerfulness and resignation to the divine will, while under the rod of affliction; his disposition to exert himself in the work of the mission, though unnerved by sickness; the lively interest he manifested in every thing that related to the cause of Christ; his desire to lay down his life in the sight of the heathen, as a testimony of love to their souls, and of his love to his Saviour; these, and other graces of a kindred nature, which he exhibited, reflect honour, not only upon himself as a missionary, but upon the cause to which he was devoted. "In speaking of the assistance rendered by him to the mission with which he was connected, it must be remarked that he was highly useful as a friend and counsellor ; as a companion and fellow-labourer. Viewing him as sustaining these relations, his brethren are made deeply to feel their loss, and are reminded of the advantages they derived from his assistance. He was under very favourable circumstances for giving counsel and advice, both to individuals and to the missionaries as a body. Consequently, he was very useful in promoting that spirit of union and brotherly love which has hitherto subsisted among them, and which is justly considered one of the most pleasing features of their mission. The example of this dear brother is a rich legacy, which his surviving fellow-labourers will highly value.” Reports of Societies. FIFTH REPORT OF THE PRESBYTERIAN EDUCATION SOCIETY, PRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING IN THE BRICK PRESBY TERIAN CHURCH, IN NEW YORK, MAY 8, 1823. In the introduction to this interesting Report, the Directors observe→→→ The lapse of another year has brought us to the fifth anniversary of this society —a society founded in benevolence, and loudly demanded by the increasing necessities of the church. It was known to those who originated this institution, that the ordinary supply of gospel ministers was totally inadequate to the wants of our own country, to say nothing of missionaries to be provided for evangelizing the world. They could not but see that a deficiency, already alarming, was every year becoming more palpable, and that in the progress of a few generations, without some material change in the course of events, an immense majority of the American people must be left destitute of religious instruction. A conviction was felt that the auspicious hour had arrived, when new and extraordinary exertions were to be made to provide for our own population, and to raise up men who should be prepared, at the call of their Saviour, to carry the gospel to the utter most ends of the earth. Under a persuasion of this solemn character this society was organized; and who that reflects upon its progress, inconsiderable as it has been, compared with the magnitude of the object, but must feel a high satisfaction that he has been allowed to put his hand to a work so elevated in its nature, and promising so rich a blessing to the church and the world. If the society has not made itself as generally known as some other kindred institutions; if it has not taken as deep and permanent a hold of christian feeling as its comparative importance demands, it is still a matter of grateful recollection, that the smiles of heaven have never ceased to attend it, and that every returning anniversary has witnessed some important acquisition to its inte rests. VOL. IV. $4 Agent of the Board. Early in the year, Mr. Joseph D. Wickham, a licentiate of the presbytery of New York, was appointed an agent of this Board. He was instructed to visit the various executive committees and auxiliary societies in the middle and western districts of the state of New-York, and endeavour to reanimate the associations in their bounds, and to increase the general interests in behalf of the society. He entered upon his agency on the thirteenth of August, and spent three months in this service. During that period he visited the executive committee of the county of Orange, of Columbia, Cayuga, Onondaga, Geneva, Bath, and Ontario, together with the auxiliary societies of Rochester and Catskill. He spent considerable time in the Northern Associated Presbytery, and formed three additional associations within their limits. He was instrumental in laying the foundation of a new executive committee, and had an opportunity of pressing the object of the society throughout a wide extent of country. Besides much private exertion, he preached about fifty times, and had the happiness to witness new and refreshing tokens of zeal among the friends of the same general cause. His object was not to solicit funds for the parent society, but to encourage and invigorate its branches. Executive Committees and Auxiliary At the date of the last Report it was stated that there were fifteen executive committees, and six auxiliary societies, acting in connection with the Board. To these two others have been added in the course of the year, viz. The executive committee of Chenango, state of New York, and the Western Education Society. We hail the acquisition of these important Auxiliaries; nor can we doubt that their vigorous co-operation will give new impulse to our zeal, and add essentially to the prosperity of this Institu tion. The executive committee of Chenango is composed of the Union Association of the same district; and comprises several influential laymen, and eighteen ministers, who have in their connection thirty congregations. They occupy a region where the waste places of Zion are continually spread out before them—and where the eries of those that are hungering for the bread of life cannot fail to reach their ears. They have given assistance to one young man in the course of the year. Other promising youth are within their reach-and will be taken up so soon as the resources of the committee shall warrant their reception. The Western Education Society has been in operation about five years, and has already done much. By a unanimous resolution it became auxiliary to this society in December last. From its annual report of the same date, it appears that four of its beneficiaries have already commenced preaching the gospel, or are well nigh prepared for this service; that nine have completed their collegiate course, and have either entered, or will soon enter upon the study of theology; and that twenty are still dependent on its funds, and pursuing their studies in college-all of whom, it is gratifying to state, in point of scholarship and christian deportment, are entitled to the continued confidence and patronage of the society. The receipts and expenditures of the year, ending in December last, amounted, in money and provisions, to eight hundred and nineteen dollars and seventy five experiment was found so successful in diminishing the amount of expense, that the Directors have determined to pursue the same system on a more extended scale; and, accordingly, having purchased several acres of land, conveniently situated, have commenced their preparations for building a house adapted to this design. Taking it for granted that the friends of religion, in the neighbourhood, will show the same readiness as they have heretofore done, to contribute of the produce of their fields and of their flocks for the support of the establishment, the Directors express a confidence, that with six hundred dollars in money annually, they shall be able to furnish forty students with board, while pursuing their studies at the college, an article which, when charged at the lowest rates usual, would amount to scarcely less than two thousand dollars. We rejoice to perceive the Directors of this new and powerful auxiliary moved by a spirit of such noble and vigorous enterprise. Feeling as they do the responsibility of their station, and the sacredness of their trust, they shrink not at the prospect of great and unremitted exertions. "They know full well," to use their own words, that without much time and labour devoted to the object, it cannot prosper. But they are willing to spend and be spent, so far as their other official duties shall permit, in a work vitally important, in their view, to the interests of Christ's kingdom. They cannot believe, if they perform their duty well, that such a work, in so highly favoured a region, will be suffered to languish for want of means." The executive committee of New York have had thirteen young men under their charge the past year: four at Hamilton College; one at the Charity School in Maine; and one at the society's academy at Bloomfield. Five are pursuing their studies under private instructors, and two, having recently completed their collegiate course, have entered the Theological Seminary at Princeton. A female association has been formed in aid of this committee the last year. They have received from sources within their own limits two hundred and eight dollars and seventy The executive committee of Morris and Essex, state of New Jersey, have had under their care, in the course of the year, six young men. Two have recently been licensed to preach the gospel; one is a member of Hamilton College; one of the Collegiate Institution at Amherst; and two are pursuing their studies at the Bloomfield Academy. The committee have received since their last report two hundred and sixty-two dollars and sixtytwo cents, and have expended one hundred and seventy-five dollars and fifty-six cents; leaving a balance in their hands of one hundred and eighty-two dollars. The committee feel themselves much indebted to the ladies of Newark, Rockaway, Bloomfield, and Orange, and to other individuals, who have generously contributed various articles of clothing to aid the beneficiaries under their care. The executive committee of the Northern Associated Presbytery have added two to the list of their former beneficiaries, mak ing their present number six. Two of them are at Hamilton College; two at Union College; one at the Collegiate Institution at Amherst, and one pursuing his studies at Jefferson Academy, county of Schoharie. Their receipts amounted to two hundred and sixty-six dollars ninety-nine cents; and their appropriations to two hundred and seventy dollars; twenty of which they have paid over to the treasurer of the parent society, as an acknowledgment for the faithful and useful services of the society's late agent, Mr. Wickham. They have a balance in their treasury, unappropriated, of one hundred and fifteen dollars and forty-eight cents. The executive committee of Ontario have added three to the list of beneficiaries formerly reported—and have, at the present time, six under their care: one at the Theological Seminary at Auburn; one at Hamilton College; one under a private instructer at Bergen, Genessee county, and three at the Bloomfield Academy, county of Ontario. They have received from sources within their bounds, including clothing, boarding, and money, one hundred and thirty-six dollars sixty-two and a half cents; from the parent society, drafts to the amount of one hundred and twenty dollars; and have expended a somewhat larger sum. The operations of the year have left them in debt about fifty dollars. The executive committee of Onondaga, for want of more adequate funds, have not taken up any new beneficiaries since their last report, yet they have been enfive, reported to the Board the last year. abled to proceed with the education of Of these, two are members of Hamilton College; two are in the Academy at Homer; and one at the Academy at Onondaga. The executive committee of Geneva have three young men still under their care, one of whom is a member of Hamilton College. The female societies of Canandaigua and Geneva have each zealously patronized a beneficiary under the direction of this committee. The executive committee of the county of Orange have one young man upon their funds, who is a member of Williams' College. They had at the commencement of the year forty dollars in their treasury. They have since received in money and other articles, to the amount of one hundred and thirty-one dollars; and have expended one hundred and fifty-nine; leav ing a balance in their treasury of twelve dollars. The executive committee of Columbia have given assistance to three young men in the course of the year; and, besides aiding them in board, have appropriated to their use something more than fifty dollars. The executive committee of West Tennessee have had six young men under their care the past year; three of them are in an advanced stage of their education, and expect shortly to be licensed to preach the gospel; and all of them are distinguished for their industry, the correctness of their deportment, and their increasing desire to be employed as labourers in the vineyard of the Lord. Three associations have been organized within the bounds of this committee the past year; and a hope is indulged that the number will soon be increased. The receipts of the committee since April 1st, 1822, have been seven hundred and seventy dollars, including a draft paid by the treasurer of this society of one hundred dollars; and their expenditures not far from eight hundred dollars; leaving a balance against them, including a deficit of former years, of something more than three hundred dollars. Among the donations received by the committee, they mention two as particu larly deserving notice: one of a little girl about nine years of age, who obtained liberty of her mother to knit two pair of socks, and put the avails, amounting to one dollar, into the treasury. Another, of an aged negro woman, who sold two dozen cucumbers, and piously devoted the proceeds, twelve and a half cents, to the same object, saying "it was her mite for the Lord." The executive committee of East Tennessee, with Greenville College in their bounds, are advantageously situated to accomplish much; and from the zeal which they have hitherto manifested, the most flattering expectations are indulged of their ultimate success. They have now twelve approved beneficiaries under their from the parent society; which sum was entirely exhausted by appropriations recently made, chiefly to defray the winter expenses of their beneficiaries. The Rochester Education Society has two beneficiaries under its care, one of whom is preparing for an advanced standing in college, and the other for the freshman class. Both are entirely supported by the society. At the annual meeting in December last, there was in the hands of the treasurer an unexpended balance of one hundred and sixty-two dollars eighteen cents. The Auxiliary Society of the Brick Church, New-York, has given support to two young men the past year: one at the Bloomfield Academy, and the other at Williams' College. The prosperous state of its funds will adnfit of receiving an additional number of beneficiaries, so soon as persons of the requisite qualifications shall be found. the executive committees of Cayuga, GeNo Reports have been received from nessee, and Bath, nor from the auxiliary societies of Catskill, Grand River, and Meadville. It is known, however, that the executive committee of Cayuga, and the Auxiliary Society of Catskill, are both active in promoting the object of this society. Number of Young Men under the care of the Society. Of the various executive committees, and auxiliary societies, acting as branches of this institution, sixteen have transmitted their Reports; and these have had. under their charge, the last year, eightyeight young men, in different stages of their education. Allowing to those committees and Auxiliary societies whose Reports have not come to hand, the same number of beneficiaries as the last year, and the result will be, that this society in all its branches, has had under its care in the course of the year one hundred and two young men preparing for the gospel ministry. Several of these have already been licensed, and have gone forth into the vineyard of the Lord. May the angel of the everlasting covenant go with them, and keep them, and crown their labours with success. |