opinions. It was pleafing to fee those who had been at variance in political matters, unite in joining the church, in love and harmony. Although there be ftill perhaps the fame difference in political opinions, yet difagreeable animofities are much laid afìde, as far as refpects the fubjects of this work. There is a pleafing alteration among the youth as to vain amufements. I have not known of a ball being attended in the fociety, fince the beginning of the revival. In the first part of it there was one attempted, but it failed for want of numbers to attend. One evening in each week is fet apart in particular, for young people to meet and attend to religious concerns; on which occafions they choofe to meet, in preference to attending to the found of the viol and fpending their time in mirth. It is peculiarly pleafing to fee fo many youth draw around the table of the Lord, on communion days. Almoft the whole of thofe who fing in public worship, are profeffors of religion. Thofe new converts who have made a profeffion of religion, appear as yet to bring forth the good fruit of a regular life and converfation. But, after all, it may be that fome of them have deceived themselves, and others are still in the gall of bitternels. They ought to be exceedingly critical in self-examination, and conftant in watchfulness and prayer, confidering they are to be judged by the heart fearching God, and that it will be unfpeakably awful to fall from a vifible ftanding in the church into the horrors of hell. Some who were ITH increafing thankalarmed to a confiderable degree fulnefs to the God of all in the time of the awakening, have grace, who is pleafed to accept relapfed into a state of inattention, and blefs our labors of love, we and many who were folemnized wish to communicate to you, brethappear on the whole, to have idledren, and all who love our Lord away the glorious harvest feafon, and it is to be feared they are left to ripen for final deftruction. It is high time for them to fear and tremble, and to flee to the Saviour left they be confumed. Notwithftanding the great things God hath done for us, whereof we are glad; yet it is an affecting confi deration that there are many among us who have hitherto refufed when God hath called, and difregarded when God hath ftretched out his hand. Let every benevolent reader of this narrative be intreated not only to praise the God of all grace for his goodness; but pray, that the fubjects of this work may have grace to be faithful to their God and to their own fouls, and at laft be found at the right hand of their judge; also that the unhappy mortals among us who are yet impenitent may be awakened and converted, by the fovereign grace of God now in time, before they awake in that hell from which there is no redemption. Withing the bleffing of heaven to attend your benevolent exertions, I am, gentlemen, with much refpect, yours, &c. SILAS CHURCHILL. Lebanon, ftate of N. York, June 1803. Letter from the London Miffionary Society to the Miffionary Society of Connecticut. London, 12th July, 1803. Dear Brethren, W Jefus Chrift in fincerity, the refult of our ninth annual affembly. Through the good hand of our God upon us we have again met to confult on the best means, and to carry them into the speediest effect for fpreading moft extenfiyely throughout the world, and fpecially in the lands of the heathen the knowledge of falvation by the blood of the Lamb. Fully perfuaded that we fhall finally reap if we faint not, and favored with beholding the bleffed commencements of the Redeemer's kingdom in the lands which are afar off, we haften to detail the present ftate of our miffionary labors, and the fteps we are ftill pursuing; affured that you will join with us in bleffing the great head of his church and people for all his mercies paft, and cry mightily with us to him, who hath the refidue of the fpirit, that he will crown thefe efforts with more abundant fuccefs, fet up his kingdom through the earth, and take to himself his great power and reign, We doubt not the common in terefts of Zion have lain deep upon your hearts; and that we have fhared the bleffing of your prayers, which have entered into the ears of the God of Sabaoth; we therefore addrefs you in the confi dence of fraternal regard that you may abound more and more, and as iron fharpneth iron we wish to excite and animate a spirit of more vigorous exertion in all lands, to promote the fame great object. Every where the means are within your reach, and with us you will find, that the facilities of execution will advance with the activity and perfeverance of the faithful. The returning horrors of renewed devaftations fo inimical to miffionary labors have not discouraged us. We have met a host, and renewed the folemn pledge to each other never to be weary in well doing, to redouble our exer-tions, and when our strength shall fail, hope to devolve the bleffed fervice on our fucceffors more able, more active, and more fuccefsful, till the earth be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the fea. It will hardly be poffible to communicate to you an adequate view of the fcene prefented in our affemblies of the faithful minifters of Chrift from all parts of our ifland, and the thoufands of our Ifrael united with them; indeed no place of worship however vaft could contain them. The report is every where gladdening of the endeavors made to spread the gospel through every corner of our own land. The numbers of faithful witneffes daily increasingthe care of the rifing generation particularly attended to-many thoufands are under the tuition of faithful men, who freely devote themfelves to this charitable work, and happy inftances constantly occur of the bleffed effects on our youth, living and dying. Socie ties for the difperfion of the most impreffive religious tracts are formed in different parts, and the immenfity of the number of these spread through the land, and daily increafing, has had the strongest tendency to diffuse evangelical truth on every fide. But as we efpecially have longed for a more univerfal diffufion of the fcriptures, that every family may pos fefs a bible, we with pleasure inthat a particular attention has been lately paid to this important fubject. With this view an addrefs has been circulated and enquiries instituted, in various form you parts of the British empire, and alfo on the continent, to ascertain the actual fituation of the poor with refpect to the facility with which they may obtain bibles. The refult has already proved that they are under much greater difficulty than could have been expected from a fuperficial view of the fubject, and we hope it will ftimulate the opulent profeffors of Chriftianity to adopt fome fufficient measures, which may enable every poor perfon who fhall be defirous of reading the word of life to obtain a bible, on making proper application. Permit us, brethren, to urge you to inftitute a fimilar enquiry in your vicinity, and alfo to try what can be done to promote the object for which fuch enquiries are entered upon. And we fhall feel peculiar pleafure in fubmitting any communications on the fubject to the Christian brethren who have entered with diligence and zeal on so noble a pursuit. Amidst the fhaking of the nations we truft the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, will be our ftrength and our redeemer, and make us yet a praise in the earth. Oh that the days of peace may quickly return, the fword be beat into the plough share, and men learn war no more. It will be fo, whenever the fpirit of God and of glory resteth upon us. But you will defire especially to know how the more immediate objects of our miffionary efforts proceed and profper. And herein, glory be to God! we may truly fet up our Ebenezer, and fay the Lord hath helped us. In all places where our brethren labor, the Lord of Hofts is with them, the God of Jacob is their refuge. The accompanying report will in the fulleft manner communicate to you the prefent ftate of our miffionary labors by which you will perceive with pleasure that many of the heathen receive with gladnefs the word of life. To you therefore, our Chriftian brethren in all lands, we would addrefs ourselves, affured how much joy it will give you to hear of the progrefs of the Redeemer's kingdom, and confident we shall find in you an awakened spirit of wifdom, zeal and exertion to promote the fame bleffed object, according to the means which the divine providence may point out to you; only be ftrong and very conrageous. Our Redeemer is mighty, tho' we are few and feeble and as the excellency of the power is of him and not of us, we will not defpair under the fense of our infufficiency, or any of the difficulties and dangers in the way. In the ftrength of the Lord and the power of his might we refolve in the patience of hope to perfevere. Never can we fufficiently acknowledge the great things the Lord hath done, the widely diffu fed fpread of evangelical truth in our own land, the hoft of witneffes rifen and arifing to lift up the ftandard of the crofs and determined to know nothing but Jefus Chrift, and him crucified. Tidings of great joy are wafted to us across the atlantic, that times of refreshing from the prefence of the Lord, are given to many of our brethren in different provinces of America. From various parts of Europe we receive the pleafing intelligence that in many places the living waters have broken forth to renew the face of the earth. Societies are formed to promote miffionary objects; and active zeal employed in the publication and difperfion of religious tracts, admirably calculated to revive the lumbering, to call the inattentive, to inftruct the ignorant, and to confirm ine faithful. Secretary. Together then let us arife to the work of the Lord, nor doubt On you, brethren, therefore we that he who is for us, is greater are emboldened to call, up and be than all that are against us. Bedoing, before the night cometh fore Zerubbabel the great mounwhen no man can work. In your tain becomes a plain, difficulties feveral fpheres of ufefulnefs re- and dangers difappear where infindouble your activity. Look round | ite wisdom and infinite power unite and confider what can be done to fulfil the counfels of his own wifely, speedily, for the fouls pe- will, to accomplish the sure word rifhing for lack of knowledge, or of his prophecy, and to manifeft languishing for want of the vivi- the faithfulness of his promises. fying breath to kindle the fmokGEORGE BURDER, ing flax into a flame. Much may be hoped from united efforts. But no individual is fo inconfiderable, as that from him may not arife the commencement of the greateft effects; at least every man who defires to do fomething for his Lord, and the fouls redeemed by his precious blood, may reft affured the labor fhall not be in vain. He fhall fee of the travail of his foul, or it fhall be remembered to his praife, at the great day of the appearing of our God and Saviour Jefus Chrift. Defirous of maintaining endeared communion, with thofe who love our Lord Jefus Chrift in every land we greet you in the bonds of that peace which paffeth all understanding-And whilft we refpectfully addrefs to you the detail of our feeble efforts, we hope to receive from you more animating communications of the rifing glories of the Redeemer's kingdom; we expect to be comforted and rejoice together to be anima. ted to more vigorous contention in the race where the ftrife itfelf is delightful, whilft preffing to the mark for the prize of our high calling of God in Chrift Jefus, each can exult in the fuperior excellence of those who precede him in the courfe, and with all the ag Report of the Directors to the ninth TH HE communication of thofe occurrences which relate either to the introduction or revi val of the gospel-difpenfation among the nations of the earth, is a circumstance which ftrongly excites the attention, and engages the feelings of those who have a fuitable concern for the honor of their Saviour. Whilft, as mem bers of civil fociety, they are actuated by thofe benevolent principles which embrace with ardor the interefts of the human race, their minds are engaged with oth ers in the confideration of those momentous operations of Divine Providence, which are producing fuchimportant effects in the world: yet it is the connection of thefe with the fpiritual dominion of Chrift among men, and their influence in relation to that subject, which most strongly fixes their regards and interefts their hearts. Not only is this the evangelical medium through which the great arrangements of the Governor of the univerfe will be contemplated, by fuch as confider the triumphant reign of Christ over the nations to be the leading principle by which they are regulated, and the great refult in which they will terminate; but thefe arrangements themselves will efpecially be regarded by thofe to whom the direction of Miffionary inftitutions is committed, as containing thofe fignals and intimations of the divine pleasure, refpecting their plans and proceedings, which demand their particular attention. was the the circulation of the holy Scriptures, they determined to confecrate a part of their funds to this object. Reflecting alfo on the awful effects produced by the prevalence of infidelity, they judged it might be of great ufe to connect with the Scripturés, a vindication of their divine author. ity. This important fervice has been atchieved in the moft fatisfactory manner, by the fuperior talents of one of their highly refpected members; and after having received fome alterations from the fuggeftions of wife and learned men, whofe opinions were invited on this occafion, it became the duty of the Directors to carry this meafure into effect as speedily as poffible. The treaty of peace between the two countries having renewed the means of perfonal intercourse, it was concluded that a deputation to France might be of great im portance, not only in determining on the beft mode of printing and circulating the New Teftament and the Effay, but also in procu When, therefore, thofe impediments are removed by the providence of God, which for ages have obftructed the progrefs of the gofpel; when facilities are afforded for the circulation of the holy Scriptures, and the pure administration of its inftitutions, in countries where they have long been interdicted by the fevereft penalties, this flate of things contains a providential voice, which inftructs us in our duty, and invites us to improve it. On thefe grounds the Directors have proceeded, in their meafures relating to the introduction of the unadulterated religion of Christ, in-ring fuch information on the state to thofe nations on the Continent, which, for a series of ages, were fo much under the control of the Papacy, and more recently fo overwhelmed with the principles of infidelity, as to be inacceffible to the exertions of Chriftians for this great purpose. As this is the moft diftinguifhing measure of the Directors fince the laft Anniverfary, they will introduce their Report with this fubject. For two preceding years, the Society has manifefted the commendable defire of endeavoring to be inftrumental in building, on the ruins of the Papacy, the divine edifice of pure Chriftianity; and as the moft powerful means for that purpose, within their reach, VOL. IV. No. 5. of religion in that country, as |