of Christ is to be extended over the inhabitable globe. This is the revealed decree of heaven. "The knowledge of the glory of the Lord shall fill the earth, as the waters cover the seas.' We know with equal certainty, that the designs of redeeming love, are to be accomplished by the instrumentality of means. "The Captain of salvation" has constituted the prayers, and alms, and labors, of his people as his way of bringing many sons and daughters to glory." By the well directed zeal of the obedient "He will cause his name to be made known among the nations, and his saving health among all people.”

this remark. In most things essential to the distinguishing temper of the gospel, they were the reverse of the missionary spirit, now abroad among the nations. In this spirit, and in the success which Christ causes to accompany the exertions it calls forth, the people of God rejoice, as eminent tokens for good to our country and world. Unless we

are greatly deceived, we see the way preparing for the universal prevalence "of the truth, as it is in Jesus."

In numerous missionary societies, domestic and foreign-in successful efforts to circulate the scriptures and books of Christian piety, both near and afar off-we behold evidence to support the joyful hope, that the prayers and the alms of millions come up together with ours, "for a memorial before God."

The people of Connecticut, we see, in comparison with oth

Christ selected seventy of his disciples first, and sent them to declare his salvation" unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." He then commissioned twelve with a great enlargement of powers. He constituted them missionaries of the gospel, to both Jewers in America, stepped forward, and Gentile without "respect of and took an early and an active persons." By them he "added part in this work of the Lord. many to the number of those By the smiles of Zion's King, that would be saved"-and they have continued it, with greatly enlarged his kingdom increasing energy and effect, to among men. In every follow-the present hour. Who will ing age, his church and cause have been preserved by his blessing on the exertions of the righteous.

doubt their perseverance in this holy service of their Redeemer, until the whole earth shall be illuminated with the splendor of Millenial glory?

Singular instance of Christian
Forgiveness.

Our age is distinguished by these exertions. The missionary spirit has warmed the hearts of Christians more extensively, within fifty years, than in any period preceding. Neither the Croisaders, of the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries- -nor the E extract the following af zeal of the Jesuits proselyting fecting relation from the Literato the half pagan superstitons of ry Panorama. It is a part of Rome in the 16th, and 17—can a conversation, which the Rev. be admitted, as an exception to Mr. Wilson had with Belling

W

had received a religious education, and whether his parents were pious persons?

"He said, that his father die ed when he was young; but his mother was a very pious woman. At the mention of her name, he was sensibly affected: he wept, He added, that his mother was a truly good woman, and that her dying words were, that she wished to meet him in heaven, He was greatly moved, when he gave this account.

ham, (the assassin of Mr. Percival,) the day previous to his execution."I told him I had an anecdote to relate to him, which was sufficient, I thought, to melt the heart of a stone; and then read to him a letter, stating that the afflicted Mrs. Percival, with her orphan children had knelt round the corpse of her murdered husband, and had put up earnest prayers to God for his murderer. "Thus," said I, "while you, on a mere presumption of injury in your own mind, have assassinated a a man who had never personal-casioned chiefly by her unprinly injured you, and whose amiable and benevolent character you cannot but acknowledge; his widowed partner, whose injuries from you are incalculably greater, than any you can even pretend to have received from Mr. Percival, has, in all the poignancy of her anguish, been offering up prayers to God, on your behalf."

“As I was standing up to read the letter, by a dimly burning candle, against the wall of the cell, my friend took particular notice of the murderer's countenance; and distinctly observed that, on hearing this touching account, he hung down his bead for an instant. (for he had before been steadfastly looking at us) as though he was much affected. He soon, however, resumed his former attitude, and said, as one recollecting himself, "This was a Christian spirit; she must be a good woman. Her conduct was more like a Christian's than my own, certainly."

"His pious mother had long fallen a victim to afflictions, oc

cipled child. She died at Liv erpool, weighed down with trou ble, in the year 1802."

Mr. Wilson very justly ob serves,

"The neglect of the religious instruction of his mother, may be considered in his case, as it undoubtedly is in that of thousands, the first step which he took in the way of evil. How considerable the influence of his mother originally was. may be gathered from the poignant re gret which the mention of her name excited, even after all the obduracy he had manifested on every other point. It is certain that few deport very far from the paths of rectitude, so long as they continue to cherish any due reverence for their parents. And we may fairly regard his rejection of this sacred yoke. as the one great cause of his future ruin."

To this we add from another part of the same work, the observations of the editors, ros

This anecdote needs no com-pecting the religious character ment!-To return to the pris- of the deceased. To a Christian, oner; Mr. Wilson's friend "af- it will afford no small pleasure, terwards asked him, whether he thus to be told, that he who was

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who followed by half a score of lank haired, young methodists, paraded in sanctified ostentation to the church at Hamstead, &c.

so suddenly cut off from the enjoyment of life-had been active in the duties of religion, and had left behind him, to his afflicted friends, the consolatory-let him, or any other, deterbelief that he was righteous mine-does Mr. Percival now before God, walking in the com- repent of it ?-Does any one of mandments and ordinances of his family repent of it, for him? the Lord, blameless." Is there one among his friends, one among his enemies, who wishes he had been less devout, less punctual in his devotions? Even in town, while involed in the vortex of public business, there were sacred hours, when the minister was inaccessible, and the man was engaged in duty to no earthly power. Who now regrets the hours thus spent?

"And now when the catas trophe has demonstrated the fate that awaited him. is it too much to ask whether Mr. Pereival was not infinitely wiser and happier for his steady attention to religion and piety? The momentary stroke of his death left him no time for preparing his heart had it been unprepared; no interval for contri-Let him stand forth who dare tion for past follies, for what is avow his conviction that the properly termed "making his departed Premier, could his peace with God." He was voice be heard, would forbid that struck at the instant, pious or practice in which he persevered impious-a believer or an in- and delighted. Whether sucfidel-renewed, or reprobate.-ceeding times will applaud the Let those who formerly ridiculed conduct of Mr. Percival, as a his 'preciseness,' his supersti- great minister must be left to tious attendance on religious events-and by events will the forms-let them say now what superficial not fail to judge on could he have done better.it: but to the venerated list of And especially let a writer, good men who have adorned whom we have in our eye, who our country, the public voice in terins little short of opprobri- | will, with deep regret, but withous, enlarged on the mighty out reserve, unite the honored minister of a mighty nation! name of SPENCER PERCIVAL."

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

Extract of a letter from the Rev. work of divine grace has been pow

Alfred Ely.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE CON-
NECTICUT MAGAZINE.

DEAR SIR,

WE have heen favored with another season of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. The VOL. VI. No. 9.

erful. Some bitter opposers and the wild leaders in sinful amusement have become apparently the meek and humble disciples of Jesus. It commenced about the 1st of April, and spread with great rapidity, in a number of families. Immediately previous to this, we seemed to have relapsed into a state of great stupidUu

ity. But from this time, during good has been effected by others, afnearly three months, instances of fords a high degree of mental enconviction and conversion were con-joyment. We may reasonably supsiderably frequent. The character pose that the primitive Christians of the work is much the same of experienced in a very high degree that with which we were favored this sacred delight; for as the conthe last year. The subjects of it version of the Gentiles formed a have, however, generally had more new epoch in the history of the clear and affecting views of their to- Church, so it opened a new source tal depravity, and opposition of of pleasure to the disciples of Christ. heart to the ever blessed God, than When Peter reported to them the was the case before; and they have conversion of Cornelius and his been soon made willing to yield to friends at Cæsarea, with what exthe methods of his grace and to re- ultation did they exclaim, "Then nounce all things for Christ. In hath God also to the Gentiles grantsome instances, God has, in a re- ed repentance unto life." And when markable manner, suddenly hum- the missionaries sent from Antioch bled the proud objector, and brought returned and announced their sucthe open enemy to the truth, into cess to the assembled church, how sweet subjection to himself Oppo- great was their satisfaction when sition has been considerably excited, assured that God had opened the while the riches of divine grace doo of faith to the Gentiles have been displayed, and the power Professing, as we humbly hope, and necessity of true godliness ap- the same faith, and actuated, as we peared, to the view of unbelievers. trust, by the same Spirit, the memThe first Sabbath in June, 9 per-bers of the Missionary Society, formsons, and yesterday 21 were received for the sole purpose of spreaded to the communion of the Church ing abroad the glorious Gospel aA number more have expressed a mong the heathen nations, are now hope that they have passed from convened, to hear from the Directdeath unto life. The work has not ors the transactions of the past year, yet entirely subsided, though visibly which, it is presumed will excite eand greatly abated. "God has done motions of pleasure and gratitude, great things for us, whereof we are and satisfy every member that his glad." And may Christians every prayers and his pecuniary aid have where be excited to more earnest not been offered in vain. prayer, that God would pour out his Spirit, so that the wilderness may become a fruitful field and the desert as the garden of God. A. E. Monson, Mass.) Aug. 2, 1813.

London Missionary Society.

The London Missionary Society held their annual meeting May 13, 1813, when the Directors made the following Report:

Dear Brethren,

AMONG the various pleasures derived from true religion, that which arises from the exercise of Chris tian benevolence is certainly not the least. The consciousness of having done good, or the information that

AFRICA.

THE number and importance of our Missionary stations in South Af rica, naturally direct our first attention to that quarter. The lamented death of Dr. Van der Kemp, the increase of our Missionaries, and the derangement of some of our northern settlements by the violence of a lawless plunderer, induced the Directors to determine on sending one of their own body, if possible, to regulate the concerns of the Society, and to place them on a proper footing for the time to come. They were happy in prevailing on the Rev. John Campbell to undertake this labor of love; with great satisfaction they confided in his steady and prudent zeal; and the information they have already received of his proceedings, has fully convinced

1

With regard to Bethelsdorp, the Directors have to report that Mr. Read, assisted by Mr. Ulbricht, Mr. Smit, Mr. Wimmer, Mr. Bart

their memory than upon their understanding. They could sing and fray, and be heartily penitent for their sins, and talk of the Lamb of atonement, but none were really the better for all this specious appearance. No attention was paid to give them proper occupations, and excepting in the hours of prayer, they might be as indolent as they chose.” Page 236.

them that their confidence was well placed. They have the pleasure of reporting that Mr. Campbell reach ed the Cape (with his associate Mr. George Thom, intended for the East, on the 24th of October last. Mr. Campbell's health appears to have suffered at first, from a tedious voyage and the heat of the climate; but his last letters are written with so much spirit and cheerfulness as lead us to hope that it is completely restored. He has been favored with the most friendly intercourse with the Colonial Government, and the Society is under the greatest obligations to his Excellency Sir John In refutation of this calumny, we Cradock, the Governor, who has as-refer to our former Annual Resured both Mr. Campbell and Mr. ports and to the Missionary TransRead, that every practicable aid, actions. When this traveller visitConsistent with the expanded views ed Bethelsdorp in 1805 or 1806, the of Government will ever be given new settlement was in its infancy, to advance the real interest of a having been commenced only in community, (referring especially to 1802. It was therefore extremely Bethelsdorp,) that professes such sa- unfair to contrast, as the author cred principles-provided that the does, the state of Bethelsdorp with indispensable habits of industry and that of the Moravian settlement at useful employment, are inculcated Bavians Kloof, which had been culwith zeal and care as the most im-tured many years. Our Journals will portant object, next to the concerns of religion." In these wishes of the Government, we are certain that the Missionaries most heartily concur, as is evident by the advances already made in civilization and social improvement, particularly at Bethelsdorp: and in pursuance of this great design, we are confident that Mr. Campbell will steadily follow the example of Dr. Van der Kemp, as far as his advice and influ ence can extend in all our African Missions.*

shew how assiduously and -uccessfully Dr. Van der Kemp and his valuable associate Mr. Read (whom the author unjustly styles“ an ignorant man,") attended to the civilization of the natives, so that in the year 1809, the following report was made to the Directors by Dr. V. and Mr. Read.

"Our external circumstances are much as usual. The knitting school still continues, but misses its founder (Mrs. Smith.) The number however, increases and prospers beyond expectation; about 30 children in it have earned the whole * In a work, written in German, year their daily food, without touchand lately translated into English, ing our funds: and the call for entitled Travels in Southern Af-stockings and night-caps is more rica, by Henry Lichtenstein,” some very unjust reflections are thrown on the late Dr. Van der Kemp, which we cannot forbear to notice. Speaking of the Mission at Bethelsdorp, he says "its utility was lost by the over pious spirit, and proud humility of its head; the people," he adds, "were certainly daily irstructed for some hours in the Christian religion, but these instructions made much more impression upon'

than we can supply, especially of short stockings or socks, to which the officers of the military service are very partial.

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The industry of our people in general continues to increase. Mats are made in and Caffer baskets great abundance, and sold at Fort Frederick, and different parts of the country.

"Considerable traffic in salt has been carried on this year, which