A few days ago $12 were paid to the treasury of the A. B. C. F. M, for the education of a heathen child in Ceylon which sum was collected by a society of young ladies who depend on their own labors for their subsistence, most, if not all of them being employed at service in a country village. This is truly a most laudable example. It is the product of hard labor, and cannot be said to be an offering which cost nothing. It affords an example which ought to put to the blush those many wealthy men in our country, who give nothing for any charitable or religious purpose, but who, with perfect ease, and without abridging one substantial enjoyment, or denying themselves one rational pleasure, might give hundreds nay thousands of dollars. To immense numbers in alnost every county, nay to many in nearly every village, an hundred dollars would be a smaller sum in the means of living, and the donation of it a less sacrifice, than the single dollar of an industrious female, who procures it in the mode above mentioned. A man prosperous in business became wealthy. Money was his object and his all. He could give nothing for charity; and to support the Gospel in his own town but five or six dollars, and rarely attended religious meetings. An alarming and afflictive providence awakened his attention to eternal things. He is made a hopeful subject of grace. He became a constant attendant on all religious meetings, and united himself to the Church of Christ. In about one year he has given to the American Board C. F. M. $75. To the Education Society $50. To the American Bible Society $60 To Mr. J. B. Hyde 20;besides many articles in clothing, bread, and other necessary comforts of life to the poor of his neighborhood. He can now give $25, or 30 to his own minister; and it is believed has given a piece of land to the General Baptist F. M. Society worth $600 or $800. CLAIMS OF THE MISSIONARY CAUSE. IT may be thought by many, who see the published lists of donations to the Board of Foreign Missions, that the sums lately received are adequate to the recent expenses. But this is not the case. Since the first of September, about twice as much has been paid from the treasury, as has been received within the same time; and large remittances must speedily be made both to the east and to the west. What is to be done? Let every reader peruse the lists of donations, and select the most prominent instances of liberality; and then, according to his means, let him go and do likewise. NOTICE TO THE FRIENDS OF MISSIONS. IT is desirable that each mission among the heathen should be furnished with an extensive Library; and it is presumed that many friends of missions have on hand books, which would be highly valued by the missionaries, but which, in their present situation, are of very little use to any one. Such persons might render an important service to the cause of missions by a donation of books, in almost any department of knowledge. It is desirable, that each mission library should contain a variety of works on theology, practical religion, biography, history, languages, medicine, geography, &c. &c. The missionaries to Judea will need a library containing books of different kinds in French, Italian, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic. Any grammars, dictionaries, or classical works, or any copies of the Scriptures in either of these languages, or any English works relative to Western Asia; histories, travels, geographies, gazetteers, any periodical works, or any copies of the Bible, or any part of it, in any language, will be an acceptable and useful addition to their library. Books of any kind, that would be useful to missionaries, may at any time be forwarded to the Treasurer, or to any of the agents of the Board. PALESTINE MISSION, THE week after the mission to the Sandwich Islands had sailed, a favorable opportunity was presented for sending Messrs. Fisk and Parsons to the Levant, in pursuance of their previous appointment. It was supposed that the ship, in which they had taken passage, might sail on Saturday, Oct. 30th. The missionaries, therefore, after making a hasty visit to their parents and friends, and using the utmost expedition in their preparations, were in Boston by the time assigned. For want of favorable winds the ship was detained till the following Wednesday; and thus the missionaries and their friends were permitted to enjoy several most interesting scenes together. In the forenoon of the Sabbath, the Old South and Park Street churches united in celebrating the Lord's supper, at the house of the former, where it was the regular season of the communion. The missionaries and the members of Park Street Church were present by invitation. The Rev. Mr. Codman, who preached that day to the destitute church, presided; and the Rev. Dr. Worcester, and the Rev. Messrs. Jenks, Dwight, and Fisk, took part in the exercises. In the afternoon Mr. Parsons preached in Park Street Church, on the state of the Jews; and in the evening, Mr. Fisk preached in the Old South, on the design and prospects of the Palestine Mission. After sermon a collection, amounting to $293, 31, was received in aid of this enterprise; and the instructions of the Prudential Committee were delivered in public. Both the sermons and the instructions of the Committee are published. At the close of the exercises, a gentleman presented a bill of exchange for thirty pounds sterling, to form the foundation of a Bible Society, or a school, in Palestine, whenever the missionaries should be able to gain access to that interesting region. As general notice had been given, the Old South church was more crowded, than we almost ever recollect to have seen any place of concourse. Not only the pews, but the aisles, stairs, both galleries, and all the avenues, were thronged, so that it was with great difficulty that the boxes could be circulated for the collection. Many aged persons and many ladies, were obliged to stand during the whole services; and yet, the profoundest attention was observable to the close. It was supposed that multitudes would retire after the collection, and before the instructions were delivered, in consequence of suffering inconvenience from the pressure; but so deep was the interest of the occasion, that few availed themselves of the interval to withdraw. On Monday evening the united monthly concert of the Old South and Park Street churches was held at the usual place. On the recurrence of this meeting, a collection has been regularly made, during the past year, for the express purpose of supporting the Palestine Mission. It was peculiarly grateful to the members of these churches, therefore, to see the missionaries with them, just before their departure. Nor will it soon be forgotten, that these beloved, and highly valued brethren, led in the prayers and the exhortations of the evening. The combined tendency of all the meetings, which have now been described, was to promote religion in the hearts of Christians, to carry the most salutary convictions to the consciences of sinners, to enlarge the mind, to ennoble the feelings, and to swell the soul with the benevolent desire of sending the Gospel to the remotest corners of the world. On Wednesday forenoon, the missionaries and a few friends went on board the ship. While the anchor was weighing, a parting prayer was offered in the cabin; and, soon after, the mutual farewell was exchanged, and the vessel put to sea with a delightful breeze. She is expected to touch at Malta; and, after a stay of a few days, to go thence to Smyrna. This is precisely such a destination, as would have been chosen, had the voyage been planned solely for the mission. There is abundant reason to acknowledge the kindness of Providence in all these events and to trust in the same Providence in reference to the future. ERRATA. In our number for July, p. $22, line 22 from top, for "except his books and his library” read "except his books and his money. In the number for October, p. 436, line 33 from top, for "deceive” read “receive." In our last number, p. 524, he "collection at a prayer-meeting," $10 50, published as from Springfield, Mass. should have been from East Windsor. Con. The list of donations to the Foreign Mission School, published in our number for September, p. 427, contains not only donations received by the accountant, within the time there specified; but likewise donatious received by the Rev. Joseph Harvey for several months previously. American Bible Society, third annual Amer. Board of Commissioners for For- Batticotta, [See Ceylon.] 258 Beecher, Rev. Lyman, review of his ser- ib. 526 528 3 Bingham, Rev. Hiram, ordination of as a 460,467 Boom river, with the surrounding country, Boston Foreign Mission Society, annual 244 528 549 452 595 494 169 370 Authority of the Epistles of the New Tes- Bride, burning of a, with her husband, Crook, Rev. W. P. letter from, Butrick, Rev. D. S. letter from, 425-his labors as a missionary, 548 of age, 534 China, severity of the laws and government,448 -establishment of a school at, Christian professor, letters to a, 22, 68, Christian, peaceful death of, -establishment of a school at, Death of the Rev. Edward Warren, 35 Death,infliction of, on criminals as a pun- 573 467 469 20 434 7 8 Donations to Foreign Missions,38,84,127, 564 -to the Amer. Educ. Society, 92,138,189, of described, 493-resemblance of this Dunstable, Ms. revival of religion in, Dwight, Rev. Dr. extracts from his sys- Earthly attachments, the danger of, 129 434 32 555 559 sion to Palestine, 92-preparations of -Society of Wiscasset, extract from 73 172 560 Keep, Rev. John, Review of his sermon, 295 Knowledge,great increase of, in the Mil- Langdon, Hon. John, death of, astonishing progress in acquiring a 555 244 59 436 448 133 several towns of, ib. Leeds, [Eng] Extracts from the Report Hardships endured by missionaries, 431 of the missionary society of, 420 Harris, Miss Eliza, Memoirs of, 140 Letter to a friend, 168 |