About 70 have already been the subjects of the work. Of these 28 were members of College.

FOREIGN.

149

Letter from the London Missionary Society to the New-York Missionary Society; dated London, 9th Oct. 1809.

It is with sincere pleasure that we resume our corres

pondence with you, which we regret has been for a long time suspended. We trust, however, that our respective Societies have not been altogether forgotten by each other, when they have approached the throne of grace to obtain that Divine assistance, which can alone succeed our endeavours and render them instrumental in the conversion of the heathen.

Our Annual Reports have, we trust, 'ere this, reached your hands; by which you will have perceived that we are enabled, by the good providence of God, to increase the number of our missions. Besides those many years ago commenced in an island of the South Sea, and in South Africa, we have commenced others in India, and in South America, which bear already a pleasing aspect. The Directors feel themselves much obliged by the very hospitable and generous attention shown to their missionaries Gordon and Lee, and their families, while detained in your country; and for the very generous regard paid to them, in facilitating their voyage to India, in prosecution of their original design. Our missionaries have spoken of the truly Christian kindness which they received from several pious individuals of your number with becoming sentiments of gratitude, and we beg to return our cordial thanks on their behalf.

We have perused with pleasure your letter of May the 20th, and Report of April, 1809, and rejoice to find that

you are pursuing in your mission to the Tuscaroras. The difficulties under which your missionary, Mr. Gray, labours, in being obliged to employ an interpreter, must be considerable; more especially as you find the language itself to be so ill adapted to express those ideas with which the Gospel abounds. This is an evil which all the missionaries, who speak in a language purely heathen, must expect to find; and forms, no doubt, a very embarrassing impediment to the full declaration of the gospel of Christ. We apprehend, therefore, that your determination to establish a school among the Indians, in which they may acquire the English language, is a wise and judicious measure. Mr. Lancaster's plan, which gains ground in many populous towns of this country, may probably be found, at least in many parts of it, to be well adapted to the purpose. Sincerely shall we rejoice to find that your labours among the Tuscaroras are attended with great success.

We think ourselves much honoured by the respectful reference you are pleased to make in your Letter and Report, to the efforts of our Society, in various parts of the world, and amidst many discouragements. We shall think ourselves highly honoured of God, if any exertions which we are enabled to make, should in the least degree incite our Christian brethren in any place to engage in missionary services, or encourage them in the work they may have commenced. We are still, by the blessing of God, going forward. The success with which we have been favoured in Demarara, is peculiarly animating; and we give glory to God, who, in his sovereign disposals, is pleased to "choose the base things of the world, and things which are despised, that no flesh should glory in his presence."

The expenditure of our Society amounted the last year to nearly 7000 7.- -a sum much larger than the actual income of the year; but we have always indulged a hope that the liberality of the British public would keep pace with the exigencies of the Society; and we are now making a new appeal to our brethren for that purpose. What we have hitherto attempted, bears no proportion to the real state of the world. Thousands of mission

aries are wanted. Millions of souls are perishing for lack of knowledge; and we long for the time when the Lord shall give the word, and the company of those that publish it shall equal the demand for their labours. In the mean time, we cannot but entertain a hope that the calamitous wars and national convulsions which humanity so tenderly laments, are in the inscrutable order of Divine Providence, among the means which shall accelerate the glorious period. Secret things, however, belong to God, and without prying into futurity, the path of duty lies straight before us. Let us "go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature:" He who gave the command has accompanied it with the promise of his presence" Lo, I am with you always, to the end of the world." It affords our Society unfeigned pleasure to learn that the spirit of God has been poured out on many of the churches in your State, and in other States in your neighbourhood; and that you consider this revival as a stimulus to your efforts for the conversion of the heathen. We heartily concur with you in this pious conclusion. To the revival of religion in England many years ago, and the new impetus that was given to the professors of evangelical religion, by a more zealous mode of preaching, and to that union of spirit among various denominations which accompanied it, we can trace the origin of the Missionary Society. May your endeavours, dear brethren, and those of other labourers in the United States, be the happy means of establishing numerous missions " among the inhabitants of the western wilderness." To this labour of love, your local situation seems immediately to direct, and the more so as, " instead of maintaining an obstinate opposition to the Gospel, many are loudly imploring your assistance."

Go on, dear brethren, and prosper. The Lord whom you serve will not leave you without testimony of his approbation: nor will he suffer your labour to be altogether in vain. To his grace we commend you; and remain, Your affectionate brethren,

And fellow-labourers in the work of the Lord, &c.

OBITUARY.

The following is the narrative promised, page 417, Vol. II. The short preface which relates to Catherine's conduct, on her arrival in England, was written by the same Aunt who has recorded her dying exercises.

"WHEN my niece Catherine came from India, shẹ

was little more than six years old. I soon discovered marks of grace and thoughtfulness in her, along with great sweetness and cheerfulness of disposition.

"The first request which she made to me was on the day after she landed, when in broken English she asked me You teach me to pray? One little girl on board our ship could say prayers, but I could not. I only try, and say at night, O Lord! carry me safe to Europe country, and make me good woman-then I fall asleep.'

"She then said- Why my sister A- not here?' I answered, that she was dead-that God had taken her from this world. The recollection of the dear child I had so lately lost, made me shed tears. She directly said- Why you cry? You say God did take her; God can give good place for her.'

"During her education, I found that such books or conversation as made her most acquainted with God, were most acceptable to her. I saw with thankfulness the pleasure she had in her private duties, and in reading her Bible, especially after she had the advantage of hearing the Rev. Mr. JF, which was during the last three years and half of her life. During that time she regretted much when any thing prevented her being at Church; and used to beg that I would bring her home as much of the sermon as I could. These, and other circumstances, gave me a hope that a work of grace was not only begun in her, but was gradually advancing.

"She was mercifully supported during the sickness, and at the death of her sister Margaret, which was a very great trial to her. By every means in her power she showed her beloved sister that she was willing to resign her to God. And she was enabled to do this, because she sought for help and strength where she could not seek them in vain. When I thanked her for her behaviour during so trying a scene, she said- Not me, aunt, not me: that God who supported Margaret, supported me.'

"On my saying one day that I regretted to pass the chamber where the body of my dear niece was lying, without having time to go in; and asking her if she did not feel the same regret, she said, 'No, my aunt, I do not mind her poor dust. I love to think of her as an angel in heaven.'

"About four months after the death of her sister Margaret, she was taken ill; and as soon as I was sure of the nature of her disorder, I acquainted her with it. She had seen her sister carried on in one continued and unvarying sunshine of hope, peace, and cheerful resignation, to her last moments, when she left the world rejoicing in the prospect of heaven. Catherine felt not the same assurance. Her hope for a time seemed taken away; and her mind was filled with doubts and terrors. 'O,' said she, if I should be deceived in every thing at last! If when I die I lift up my eyes in hell, when it is too late for repentance!' The promises which she used to delight in, for a time lost their sweetness, and she could not appropriate them to herself.

"Thus in tender mercy did God convince her, that she had yet deeper work to learn. In much love and pity He showed her, that she had relied too much on those duties which she had performed, and too little on him to whom they were paid. O, how bright does that grace and mercy shine, which drew aside the cloud that hung over her, and enabled her at length to say- I have carried all my fears and cares to God, and he has turned them all into peace and joy.'

November 28th, 1802. "If ever mind was in heaven, while the body was on earth, it is my Catherine's. The most edifying sight VOL. III.-No. II.

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