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to teach their parents and the generation that will succeed them. The boys will, it is contemplated, be instructed in some practical husbandry; and from among them, no doubt, will be raised up preachers who will both preach to their own nation, and carry the gospel to other Indian tribes with more success, than white men can ever do. They will, in all probability, make a generation of good citizens, pious Christians, and industrious farmers, for their hunting will soon be done. The girls will be taught to sew, spin, knit, weave, cook, &c. and will be thus qualified to become obedient wives and tender mothers. In short, the instruction of the rising generation will entirely change, under the blessing of God, the whole nation for the better.

The Mission family now in this place, is as follows; myself and wife, two young men, one young woman, and an interpreter; besides another young woman that we hired with difficulty till Christmas. The women have three times as much to do as they are able at present in striving to make clothes for half-naked children, washing and cooking, besides every other part of housework, without being suitably furnished to do any of these things without much additional labour and trouble. We expected two young women before this time, but owing to their sickness, and that of brothers Jacob Young and James B. Finley, who were to provide them, they have not come, and we expect none sooner than three weeks. Bro. Finley was sick at the time of, and after, conference, and perhaps is now, so that our lot is for the present a very laborious one. As to myself, I had to teach the school till a few days ago altogether, besides providing for our large family; but the interpreter teaches the school now; but it so increases that I shall be under the necessity of re-commencing it with him again; and how I can attend to other matters is more than I can tell, unless by some miraculous aid, which I do not expect nor wish. The hours not devoted to school, are closely employed in regulating so many boys and girls taken out of the woods, and unaccustomed to our manners and customs. The school will, in all probability, amount to about fifty by next Christmas, (if it must not be stopped for want of means to support it, of which there appears something very like it at present) and next spring and summer, to between seventy and an hundred of the yandot nation; besides there is a number of the Seneca children that we are solicited to take. This, if not the certain, is undoubtedly the probable view of the future state of this school, and amounts in my opinion to its real prospect.

We want many things now to enable us to carry on this establishment. Many of the children are half-naked or more; their old leggins, mockasins, hunting shirts, &c. are worn out. With much struggling we have got them two shirts apiece, so as to be enabled to put on clean shirts every week, which, by the way, is a very necessary expedient to prevent ****. We have only ten knives and forks for a family amounting to more than forty persons. We are so ill off for beds and blankets, that I dread, as the approach of a deadly enemy, the coming winter. What will ensue, I cannot tell precisely; but this I know, that without a speedy relief we will be reduced to the greatest extremity. Most of the nation are now at a distance hunting, and if, when they return, they find some of their children frozen and others almost famished, it will have a serious effect, after our churches having pledged their faith to support them. Every sort of clothing is needed, such as linen, and woollen cloth, factory cotton, shoes, hats, stockings, &c. for children from four years of age to full maturity. We need money; I have now only a few dollars, and I owe, on the Mission's account, twice that sum. do not spread this alarm, to give any, even the most remote idea, that brother Finley has neglected us; for no man could do more than he has done. But perhaps he is now sick; he lives more than a hundred miles from here, and when he left this place he did not expect the school would increase as it has done. Perhaps he has got money; perhaps he is well now; perhaps he has got supplies; and certainly he will not be wanting on his part. Surely every benevolent mind will assist us. I need not add any more. My paper is almost done. We will struggle on till we hear what the public will do; we hope God will support CHARLES ELLIOT.

us.

I

Obituary.

DEAR BRETHRen,

DEATH OF JOHN ALLEN.

To the Editors of the Methodist Magezine.

Richmond, Va. Dec. 2, 1822.

By request of the Society in this place, I send you the following. By inserting it, as early as convenient, in the Magazine, you will gratify them and perhaps others.

Yours, &c.

Departed this life, on Thursday, Oct. 24th, in the 37th year of his age, JOHN ALLEN, a native of England, but for three years a resident of Richmond. In the death of this lamented man, society has lost one of its rare ornaments, the church a most useful member, and a surviving partner one of the best of husbands. His attainments in learning and piety were such as, in addition to his excellent natural qualities, could not fail to please and to edify those who came within the influence of his spirit.

P. ANDERSON.

way; but from the paucity of such persons, their diffidence if there were such, or the novelty of the thing, it did not succeed as in the case above-mentioned. My acquaintance with him justifies me in saying, that,

1. He possessed a true Christian zeal. Immediately after his settlement in Richmond, he began to search for opportumities of doing good. Not contented with merely filling his station in the church as an approved member, he was solicitous to improve every occasion, Little is known by the writer of the all times, and every talent to the utterearly part of his life. But being inti- most. The management of a Sunday mately acquainted with the deceased, I School was an exercise for which nalearned from himself that he was a lead- ture and grace had both contributed to er of two classes in his native land, and render him eminently qualified. Here, also the superintendent of a large Sab- but not here only, Allen seemed to be bath School. When he informed those in his element. And such was his comwhose literary and religious instruction manding, though mild and affectionate, was entrusted to him, of his expected re- influence, that assistant teachers and pumoval to America, they were deeply pils seemed to please themselves when affected. And I have heard him speak they pleased him. When the exercises of the ardent attachment of his soul, not of the school were concluded, with his only to many youth, for whose interest " company of young soldiers," to use in time and eternity, he laboured Sab- his own expression, would he, morning bath after Sabbath, but also to some ad- and afternoon, repair to the house of vanced in life, who unfortunately, from God. On the sum of good which a man some cause, had failed, in their tender thus constituted is calculated to accomyears, to receive the elements of learn- plish, it is unnecessary to enlarge. Deing; but who notwithstanding had been clining no suffering, shunning no cross, prevailed on to seek a sufficient ac- he persevered in the path of duty, not quaintance with letters to enable them for a month or a year only, but to the to take knowledge of those divinely in- end of life. His visits to the sick were spired writings, which make wise unto not performed with that heartless charsalvation. And such was his success, ity, which only says, "be ye warmed that in one instance at least, a person and filled," but with prayers for their who had long lived in ignorance and salvation, accompanied by that liberalsin, was brought to feel the spirit and ity, which will finally be accepted by power, as he read the letter, of the sa- the Judge of all, in terms like these, "I cred oracles, and will probably shine as was hungry, and ye fed me, sick, and a star in the crown of our beloved bro- ye visited me," &c. By his conversather to all eternity. How worthy our tion and example, he warned the unimitation such acts of benevolence! He ruly, reproved transgressors, consoled also made an attempt in Richmond to the afflicted, and charmed to the obebenefit the aged illiterate in the same dience of the cross.

2. He was free from bigotry. So good was done, he was not solicitous under what name the desired end was attained, or to whose credit it was set down. A member of the Bethel Church, for the benefit of seamen, a manager of the Religious Tract Society, Secretary to the Sunday School Union, and VicePresident of the Junior Bible Society, as well as Secretary of the Virginia Conference Missionary Society, he seemed disposed to try every means, and make the most of every opportunity, by which there was any probability of promoting the divine glory and the benefit of human kind. If a report was to be drawn up, Allen was often looked to, as a person possessing a mind so enlightened and improved, and a soul so ardently devoted, as to render him eminently prepared for the task.

3. But he was decidedly and of choice a Methodist. Believing this people to be eminently blessed of God, whatever were the views entertained by others, he seemed to say, Thy God shall be my God, and thy people mine." Not willing to make a loud profession of attachment to the economy of the church, on some occasions, which might be contradicted by his practice on others, he considered it both his duty and privilege to observe all her institutions. His attention to the public ministration of the word and ordinances, to his class, to prayer-meetings and meetings for business, was uniform and uninterrupted, except by unavoidable circumstances. His services might be commanded at any time when they could be rendered without infringing on other duties. During the two years in which I had the pastoral charge of the society here, I found him sufficiently disposed to acquiesce in those wishes which were judged most consistent with the genius of our institution. His ardent concern for the suc

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cess of Methodist Missions, is clearly discoverable in the last annual report of the Virginia Conference Missionary Society.

That he was truly, and on all occasions, the gentleman, many are prepared to testify who had the best opportunity of knowing. That he should have been taken from us at this time, while his services were so important to the church, while many, whose attainments in every respect, were far in the rear of his, are still preserved, and the chasm made by his removal will be so difficult to fill, if filled at all, is one of those mysteries of Providence which we cannot know now, but must wait to know hereafter, and which for the present we must be contented to resolve by this general solution, that "in wisdom God orders all things."

He seems to have had a presentiment of his approaching end. For at the last meeting of the class of which he was the leader, and to which he had become greatly endeared, before concluding, he called the name of every member separately, and told each what he thought of his or her spirit and deportment. Shortly after submitting with a Job-like patience to the loss of two lovely infants, the mortal affliction seized his system. His testimony in the trying hour was, " my temporal business is adjusted, my peace is made with God, my soul is calm and serene, and I have only to wait the will of my heavenly Father." Notwithstanding the severity of his disease, his soul remained throughout calmly staid upon God, till it took its everlasting flight to the regions of bliss. His remains were followed to the grave by many sighing hearts; and while virtue is revered, and Heaven is prized, he will live in the remembrance of many whose language will be, "Let me die his death, and let my last end be like his."

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THE

Methodist Magazine,

FOR FEBRUARY, 1823.

Divinity.

From the Wesleyan Methodist Magazine.

THE TRIAL OF ABRHAHAM ILLUSTRATED AND IMPROVED:

A SERMON,

BY THE REV. JOSEPH BURGESS, SEN.

HEBREWS XI. 17-19.

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Issac; and he that had received the promises offered up his only-begotten son, of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.-(See also Gen. xxii.)

THE obedience manifested by Abraham, in the unparalleled trial to which the text alludes, was probably the most prompt and unreserved that has ever been offered by a creature to the almighty Creator. And as it has pleased the Divine Being to transmit this history to us through the medium of inspiration, doubtless it is his intention that we should derive from it instructions of the most salutary nature.

The doubts and difficulties which necessarily occurred to Abraham, on receiving a command to sacrifice his son, would greatly augment the reluctance, which, as a kind father, he must have felt to the perpetration of such a deed. And it is evident, that God, in the manner of giving this command, seemed determined to exaggerate its severity, and thereby to enhance these doubts and difficulties. "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt-offering."

Among the thoughts and soliloquies of the holy patriarch on this occasion, would not the following naturally occur?. "Is it posVOL. VI.

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