their earthly goods, for raising neceffary funds; and many inftruments have been raised up, and endowed with extraordinary zeal and fortitude, who have been fent and are now laboring as miffionaries in the most distant and uncivilized parts of the world. The fame fpirit has operated, in a moft extraordinary manner, on the hearts of Christians in A. merica. Within a few years past, there have been formed ten or twelve miffionary focieties, for the purpose of furnishing the inhabitants in the new fettlements with the preaching of the gofpel, and the administration of Christian ordinances; and of gospelizing the tribes of Indians who inhabit our western frontiers. So extenfive a co-operation among Chriftians, to fpread the knowledge of Chrift and to ad A Narrative on the fubject of Mif-vance his kingdom in the world, fions and a Statement of the Funds of the Miffionary Society of Connecticut, for the year 1803. Published by order of the Trustees of the Society. A MONG all the great events which have taken place within a few years paft, no one is more remarkable, than the fudden and extenfive ardor which has been excited, among Chriftians, in almost all parts of Christendom, to fpread the light of the glorious gofpel of Chrift, and advance his kingdom in the world. In Eu rope, Christians, of every denomination, have united their efforts, to fend the gofpel to nations which are in total darkness, and to extend the means of falvation with respect to those who but partially enjoy them. Many miffionary focieties have been formed. The hearts of Chriftians have been opened, to contribute liberally of affords great reafon to believe, that it is God's defign to make fome uncommon advances, at least, towards the fulfilment of his promife, to fill the earth" with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord." A miffionary fociety was formed in Connecticut in June, A. D. 1798. And, although at first it was deftitue of the neceffary funds for carrying into execution the benevolent defigns of its institution, yet it has pleafed God to open the hearts of the people to contribute, publicly and privately, in fo liberal a manner, that the funds of the fociety have been uniformly increafing; notwithstanding a number of miffionaries have been conftantly enployed. The fame zeal which has prompted the pious, by their prayers and contributions, to advance the miffionary caufe, will naturally enkindle in them a defire and folicitude to know in what manner the monies they have contributed have been applied, as well as the fuccefs which has attended miffionary labors. The Trustees of the fociety, therefore, as they have annually done, now prefent to the public the following narrative of their proceedings and tranfactions during the past year. There have been, in the courfe of the year 1803, thirteen miffionaries employed in the fervice of the fociety; fome during the whole year, others for a fhorter period. The following is a fummary account of their labors and fuccefs, as far as can be collected Mr. Willard writes, "I can truly fay, I never spent thirteeen weeks in my life more agreeably than when I was upon miffionary fervices, tho' the business was fatiguing; wherever I went I was cordially received. In fundry from the various letters and jour-inftances, it feemed as tho' my nals which have been received from them. From whence it will appear, that miffionary labors have been extended over a vast tract of country-that the hearts of many pious people have been made glad that fome in fecurity have been awakened-and that there ftill remains abundant encouragement for the friends of the miffionary inftitution, not only to continue their exertions, but to redouble their zeal. labors were attended with fuccefs." He further informs, that in general the people were ready to hear the word; and manifested a high degree of gratitude, for the benevolent exertions which have been made to furnish them and other infant fettlements with the preaching of the gospel. The account Mr. Willard gives is confirmed by feveral letters from fome of the inhabitants in the places where he labored, which express a high degree of gratitude for the attention which has been paid them, and earneft folicitations that they may ftill fhare in the benevolent exertions of the Miffionary Society of Connecticut. At the clofe of the Narrative of 1802, it is faid, "The Rev. John Willard is now laboring in the settlements adjacent to Con'necticut river, &c. But no par⚫ticular accounts have been receiv'ed from him." The Board of In the laft Narrative it is menTrustees have fince received a par- tioned that the Rev. Jedidiah ticular journal of his miffionary la-Bushnell was reappointed a miffionbors; from which it appears, that ary, with directions to visit the he entered on his miffion the be- towns and fettlements in the states ginning of October 1802, and of New-York and Vermont where confined his labors to the towns he had formerly labored. The on each fide of Connecticut river, following extract from his Jourin the northern parts of New-nal contains a general account of Hampshire and Vermont. He his miffion : continued to itinerate from one fettlement to another, for fixteen weeks, excepting three Sabbaths VOL. IV. No. 9. "I commenced my miffion 'the 18th of May 1802, and was gone 40 weeks. Twenty one S f weeks I fpent as a miffionary; and 19 I preached as a candidate without expenfe to the fociety. During my miffion I preached 120 fermons; attended 20 public ⚫ conferences; adminiftered the ⚫ facrament of the Lord's fupper 5 times; and baptized 43 children and 4 adults. Thefe miflionary labors were performed, the moft of them, in infant fettlements and churches which I had formerly visited, with a few exceptions; and in places where I thought 'the neceffities of the people and the caufe of religion required." "Through my whole miffion I ⚫ have been treated kindly by the people; and have found the young churches generally to bear fruit to the glory of Chrift. Some "of them appear with hardly that life that they once did, but 'fome give evidence that their laft 'works are more than the firft. • If the fhowers in the wildernefs are not fo heavy as they have been, the cloud is more generally 'fpread, and there is a divine dropping of heavenly rain, almost throughout the wildernefs; fo that Sion begins to raise her head in many places, above her enemies, and looks like an army ties upon the weft fide of the 'mountain, and among the moun'tains. I have been twice nearly to the northern line of the ftate, and once caftward of the mountain." Towards the clofe of the Narrative for 1802 it is faid, The Rev. Samuel Leonard is itinerating in the northwestern parts of Vermont. But no account had then been received of his miffionary fervices. The Trustees have fince had particular information, by feveral letters from him. By a letter dated Poultney, February 28, 1803, it appears that he commenced his miffionary labors December 7, 1802. From Poultney he proceeded on a tour through a large number of towns, which continued for five weeks. He then returned to Poultney. In this tour he preached 30 fermons-attended 11 conferences, and adminiftered baptifm to one child, bew fides making many family vifits. On Tuesday, March 11, 1803, Mr. Leonard began another miffionary tour of 11 weeks; in which he vifited many of the new fettled towns; and preached, vifited the fick and from house to houfe-attended many confer ' with banners; fhe is not only in-ences, and administered the ordivigorated, but confolidated and ' extended." nances of baptism and the Lord's fupper. He writes, "In the whole ri weeks I have preached 60 fermons-attended 24 conferences baptized 19 perfons-received nine into the church, and admin'istered the communion four times. My laft tour has been chiefly in After he had completed his miffion, Mr. Bushnell was reappointed a miffionary to labor in the northwestern part of Vermont, fuch a portion of the time as he could be fpared from the people of Cornwall in that ftate, where he has been recently inftalled. In a let-the new townships where miffionter dated December 5th, he ob- 'aries have scarcely been. Peoferves; ple have been attentive to meetings, and treated me with hof pitality. Many have expreffed a high fenfe of gratitude, to the • Miffionary Society and people 66 Refpecting my prefent miffion, I have fpent 13 weeks in the fervice of the fociety; principally in the three northern coun miffionarylabors than can be per formed by the miffionaries already appointed for that extenfive field. * of Connecticut, for the exertions | mentions the great need of more they have made for their future well being. I think I have found, in every town, occafion to thank God and take cour< age." Mr. Badger ftill continues to la bor as a miffionary in that country, and manifefts great zeal and engagednefs in the miffionary caufe. Mr. Leonard has fince been another fhort miffionary tour among the fettlements in the northweft-In many inftances his labors have ern parts of Vermont, in many of which there has been for fome time paft a revival of religion; and numbers have been added to the Lord. New Connecticut opens a wide and extenfive field for miffionary labors. It contains upwards of fifty new fettled towns, and by perfons and families from different parts of the country, but chiefly from Connecticut. The Truftees of the Miffionary Society, as appears from preceding narratives, early turned their attention to the ftate of thofe infant fettlements. At the commencement of the year 1803, there were two miffionaries in New Connecticut. The Rev. Meffrs. Joseph Badger and Ezekiel J. Chapman. been attended with a divine blefs. ing, and numbers through his inftrumentality have been brought to a knowledge and love of the truth. -By late accounts from New Connecticut it appears that there is a very general revival there that it has extended to most of the fettlements, and its effects are fimilar to thofe of the revival in Kentucky and other fouthern ftates. The harveft there is truly great and the laborers are few. It is hoped therefore that the pi ous people of this ftate will pray earneftly to God to raise up and qualify fuitable laborers for that extenfive field; and that they will cheerfully contribute of their earthly fubftance to enable the Trustees to fupport a competent number of miffionaries there and in other places where they are wanted. Mr. Badger has continued in the fervice of the fociety through the whole of the past year. From feveral letters containing a jourThe Rev. Ezekiel F. Chapman nal of his labors and fervices, it left New Connecticut about the appears, that he has travelled middle of April laft. In the through a great part of the fettle- time he was on his miffion, which ments-preaching, vifiting fami- was about a year and a half, he lies and fick perfons-forming rode more than 2000 mileschurches-catechifing children-"preached 180 times-adminisattending conferences, and conver-tered the ordinances of baptifra fing with individuals-That peo- and the Lord's fupper-catechiple in general were ready to hear fed and inftructed children-vifitpreaching, although fome were 'ed families and converfed with difpofed to make oppofition. parents and children, and perHe found fome ferious and atten- 'formed other miffionary labors." tive Chriftians in most of the fettlements he visited, and many inftances occurred of individuals who were under deep religious impref Mr. Thomas Robbins of Norfolk was appointed a miffionary in May laft, to fupply the place of Mr. Chapman in New Connecticut. On the 20th of July following he was ordained by the North Confociation in Litchfield county, as preparatory to his entering on his miffion. He fet out from Norfolk for New Connecticut the 25th of Auguft. A letter has been received from him, dated Carlisle (Penn.), October 10, about 40 days from the time he left Norfolk, in which he writes, he "rode 470 miles-preached 39 times attended two conferences addministered the facrament of the Lord's fupper once-vifited fick perfons-catechifed chil⚫dren, and endeavored to give ⚫ much inftruction." The Rev. Meffrs. Seth Williston and James W. Woodward were appointed miffionaries to occupy and labor in the fame field which they improved the last year; viz. the western counties of NewYork, and northern counties of Pennfylvania. From the letters and journal of Mr. Williston, it appears that he made three miffionary tours, from Nov. 10, 1802, to May 14, 1803. The first confifted of eleven weeks, which were spent in the counties of Luzerne and Wayne in Pennfylvania, and terminated the latter part of January 1803. In which Mr. Williston preached often-vif 6 These fervices were performed in the settlements on the Sufque-ited families and attended conferhannah through which Mr. Rob- ences. In fome places he found 'bins was directed to travel as a mif- a fpecial attention to the great fionary on his way to New Con- concerns of futurity, and in general necticut; and it appears from his a difpofition to hear the word. letter that these fettlements are in He gives the following account great need of the labors of faith- of the ftate of religion in the ful, zealous miffionaries to preferve counties of Wayne and Luzerne. them from the baneful influence of "The counties of Wayne and errorists who are induftriously prop- • Luzerne, as far as they came into agating the most pernicious opin- my view, call for our compaffion, ions. By another letter from Mr. our prayers and our exertions. Robbins, recently received, it ap- The number of apparent Chrifpears that he reached New Con- 'tians is, comparatively, few. Still necticut the latter end of Novem- I found the people more hospita ber, having been detained feveral 'ble and kind, and more attentive weeks by fickness in the western to meetings than I expected.part of Pennsylvania. He men- There is not a fingle minifter of tions that there is a very general the Congregational or Prefbyte revival of religion in the back rian order, in thefe counties. The counties of that state, and many profpect, as it refpects the firm inftances of falling fimilar to thofe eftablishment of gospel order, is in Kentucky. Having been an exceedingly gloomy.-I hope, eye witness to these and attentive- "notwithstanding all thefe gloomy ly observed them, he is convinced and forbidding appearances, that they proceed from the power of God has good in ftore for these God and are not to be accounted people. The attention which he for upon any natural principles. has lately difpofed the different Mr. Robbins will labor in concert 'miffionary focieties to pay to with Mr. Badger and with a third them, gives me great encouragemiffionary who is foon to be fentment. I remember, that when there; the Trustees having deter-Chrift was on earth, he fent forth mined to keep three there for the 'his difciples, two and two, whithcurrent year. er he himself would come.” |