as being most auspicious to civilization and | system of human instrumentalities precedes good citizenship. We might speak also of this out-stretching of the divine hand. God that conciliation of the public mind which has appointed means to be used by his has been secured to foreign missions, and people for the procurement of every blessevery where expressed-it is written in the ing which he has to bestow. We have literature of the age, it has been painted used many instrumentalities for the conupon the canvass, it has been chronicled in version of the heathen, and with various the daily newspaper. That sympathy for success. The same means in kind, and in the heathen, which in late years has been a still larger measure, we must continue to ardently and devoutly cherished by many use, but is it not obvious that we need to of the pious of all lands, seems to have employ some additional means? What pervaded, in some measure, the whole mass shall we call it, or how shall we describe of civilized society. it? Shall we denominate it a consecration; such a consecration to the Lord Jesus Christ, as implies a dedication of ourselves and all that we possess, to him, accompanied with a deep sense of indebtedness, of utter helplessness and unworthiness; and, above all, a desire to glorify him. This devotement must be accompanied, also, with a lively perception of the adaptedness of the gospel to our sinfal condition, of its fullness and freeness, and with a burning, quenchless desire that others, even all mankind, may be made the partakers of its joys. All this, and infinitely more than language can express, must be rendered to God with cheerful obedience, accompanied with prayer and supplication, with strong crying and tears."

It must be confessed, however, that notwithstanding all the favorable results which have been secured, the victory has not been achieved. Should the work cease here, the waves of depravity that are sweeping over this world in ceaseless agitation, would soon obliterate the last vestige of it. The pagan may be convinced of the absurdity of idol worship, and yet be no Christian. If, therefore, we go no farther than to take from him his false system of religion, we leave him as far from the kingdom of heaven as we found him. Indeed, such a change would, in our opinion, be decidedly prejudicial; and if we do not mistake, the salvation of millions in India has been put in jeopardy from this very cause. They have been dispossessed of one evil spirit, but are in danger of taking to themselves seven other spirits more wicked than the first. The scriptures which have been translated will remain a dead letter, unless they are brought to bear upon the consciences of the heathen by the voice of the living preacher. And death and the wastings of apostacy will soon obliterate from human view, and from human recollection, those feeble native churches. Most that has already been accomplished has necessarily been preparatory work; and what is now needed is the seal of Divine approbation-the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit, as on the day of pentecost.

But how shall this be secured? This display of divine grace is not that needed element of which we have spoken. We have in mind rather, that which in the

There are periods in the history of every Christian, if we may so speak, when God finds it necessary to put him into the crucible.

They are seasons of humiliation, when God abases that he may exalt, and secure the cleaving of the soul to himself. The same is true of Christian churches and of Christian associations for sending the gospel to the heathen; and into exactly such a crisis, as it seems to us, have we, as a missionary association, been brought at this time. We have attempted some things, and have met with a partial success. In the mean time, there has doubtless been much in our services in this branch of Christian duty that has been displeasing to God. But if we now subject ourselves to the divine inspection, and attain that needed purification, in motive and desire, and come to this holy service with a renewed consecration, what may we not expect?

The promises of God in Christ Jesus are yea and amen.

We have some reason to hope that our missionaries abroad have already obtained renewed pledges of God's approbation. Shall the same be secured by their fellowlaborers at home? This, as it seems to us, is indispensably necessary; it is necessary to our becoming fit instruments to be employed by the Almighty in the accomplishment of his purposes of grace. This is the light in which we must view our best services. In ourselves we are impotent, we cannot make one hair white or black; and God, though he is infinite in condescension, will employ none but befitting instru

ments.

THE TWO GOLD PIECES.

The Cherokees have had a delegation at Washington during the late session of Congress, for the purpose of obtaining from the government an indemnity for the great losses sustained by them in being compelled to relinquish their endeared homes, in Georgia, for the distant west. In this delegation was our esteemed missionary, the Rev. Jesse Bushy head, from whom a letter has just been received by the Treasurer, in which it is stated that the mission had been unavailing. In addition, however, to his official duties, at the seat of government, Mr. Bushy head has found opportunities to serve the interests of his nation in his appropriate capacity as a minister of the gospel. During the spring and summer he has visited most of our principal cities, on such occasions as promised the greatest usefulness. The following incident that occurred after one of his public addresses, has been communicated with a remittance of funds, and is worth recording.

"You will be pleased to hear that the address of Mr. Bushyhead was listened to by a very crowded auditory, with strong manifestations of deep interest and feeling. The next morning a lady belonging to the Presbyterian church sent her two little fatherless daughters to see him, each with a five dollar gold piece, with a request

that he should employ it as he thought proper, for the benefit of little Cherokee children. I have every reason to believe that the effect produced by his visit to this place will be salutary and lasting. He is one of the precious sons of Zion. May God give us all grace to look this important enterprize steadily in the face now, as we shall wish to do, when all its glorious features will be fully developed in another and a better world."

SUMMARY.

We invite the reader's particular attention to the journal of Mr. Kincaid. It brings to view a new, deeply interesting and most promising field of missionary labor. The original papers referred to by Mr. Kincaid, as having been communicated to him by the "mountain chief," have been forwarded to the missionary rooms— the one being a large sheet of coarse paper containing the petition, and the other in the form of a little book in which are recorded the names of 273 children, of both sexes, whom he wished taught, and they are objects both of curiosity and of affecting interest. Did our monthly Magazine contain no other paper or intelligence, this journal is in itself enough to inspire our most ardent hopes, and to enlist our entire energies in the missionary work. Here is opportunity to give to one of the tongues "under heaven" the word of God, and the gospel of his Son Jesus Christ in all its preciousness and fullness.

But we have intelligence also, scarcely less important, from Assam, other sections of Arracan, China, Greece, and Germany, and from different tribes of native Americans.

The petition for a press from the Cherokees is deserving of special attention.

Messrs. Kincaid and Bronson petition for additional laborers. Mr. B. is the only missionary in a district of 200,000 souls; but his request is not for a missionary for the district of Nowgong, but for Gowahati; where, for nearly an equal number of inhabitants, there is not a solitary mission

ary. Mr. Kincaid asks for four additional | The house, however, was plundered, and all men for Arracan. That this number, and the moveable property of any great value carried off, except Mr. K.'s library, which was even more, could be advantageously emleft untouched. ployed, admits of not a single doubt. Cheduba we regard as a very promising field; and such as may wish to investigate the prospects of this island as a missionary station, will find a valuable article upon it in the April number of the Magazine, copied from the Asiatic Society's Journal.

How ought we to dispose of these often repeated requests from our missionaries for additional help? Shall we regard them as the mere caprice of children, and think it sufficient that they are allowed to make them? My Christian brother is on the other side of the globe-we were born into the kingdom of heaven in the same revival, we united with the same church, and for a season walked to the house of God in company, and sat side by side at the communion table. He, in obedience to the command of the great Head of the church, has gone far hence to the gentiles, and is surrounded by millions of pagans who are dependent on him alone for a knowledge of salvation; I, by the same infinitely wise Disposer of events, am allowed to remain in a Christian land, and am loaded with its benefits, and can I be indifferent to his condition? Can I see him yearning over those whom his voice cannot reach, and sinking under his accumulated cares and labors, into a premature grave, and remain indifferent and at ease? There certainly would be no equality in this.

Recent Entelligence.

ARRACAN.-Just at the hour of going to press a letter was received from Mr. Kincaid, dated March 5, 1842, which was found to be so full of interest that we have made room, though at considerable inconvenience, for the extended extracts which follow. The city of Akyab was

Visit to the island of Cheduba-Baptism of a Mussulman-Great awakening among the Karens.

I have been almost constantly travelling for the last four months, preaching the gospel in towns and villages which cannot be visited during the six or seven months of monsoon weather. A part of this time was spent in the Kemmee country, of which I have already sent you an account, and the rest of the time among the Burmese. good, but early in this month my famMy health has been comparatively ily began to suffer. We took a native boat and went to Ramree, and then Mr. Comstock and I went on, to the island of Cheduba, and preached the gospel to interesting assemblies, much more so, than I had anticipated finding;-the truth is evidently making a deep impression there, and among island appeared to be a serious inquirothers, one of the principal men on the er. I have not time to enter into particulars, but allow me to say that it is an interesting and important field for missionary labor, and as soon as possible, should have all the labors of one man. There is a population of about 10,000, and it is, perhaps, the most healthy portion of these provinces; it channel eight or ten miles broad. is separated from the main land by a

While returning from the island we were near being cast away, in a gale of wind which blew from ten in the evening till after midnight. We were in a native boat, sewed together with rattans, and the waves rolled over us, and for nearly three hours we had but little hope of escaping a watery grave, or being dashed upon the rocks or a desert island. It was very dark, and nothing was to be seen but the luminous foam of the sea water. A merciful Providence, however, guided us, and we were thrown upon a mudbank; and when the light came, we sickly at this date. One of Mr. K.'s children discovered the peril we had escaped. had been dangerously sick, but was convales-On each side of us were huge rocks, and several within five or six feet of cent. The city had also been visited by an our boat. Our heathen boatmen cried extensive conflagration, in which the out-build-out in astonishment, and said that the ings of the mission premises were consumed. eternal God had saved us. and the main building was six times on fire, Last Lord's-day Mr. Comstock bapand was only preserved by the special exer- tized a Mussulman, in the presence of tion of Mr. Phayre, the senior assistant, who a vast congregation. I should think had stationed a large number of men upon it. | nearly half the city had assembled on

1

the bridge, and along both sides of the Jones of Aug. 10, in which, speaking of the stream. Mr. Comstock read appro- meeting at which the petition was adopted, he priate passages of scripture, and ex- says: "The brethren manifested a lively interplained in a tone of voice loud and est in the cause, and a sincere desire to be clear enough to be heard by the whole guided, in all things, by the word of God. assembly, who, with the exception of Some of them have become quite familiar with a few boys and females, were silent the gospel history, the Acts of the Apostles, and and attentive. When going to the the selections, translated into their language. water, the wife of the man who was to be baptized rushed into the street They are much better acquainted with gospel with a large bludgeon in her hand, doctrines and duties than might be expected screaming in the most frantic manuer from the small portions of scripture in their and striking her husband. She then bands. They are earnestly desirous to have seized and tore off a part of his clothes, more of the sacred word; and many of them and would probably have torn them are prepared to use it with advantage to themall off, if Mr. Comstock had not step- selves and their people. ped in between them; his brother also came furiously upon him, and would have dragged him away by force, if he had not been prevented. The convert behaved well; he offered no resistance, but remained firm, and told the people that whatever they might do, he should fear and obey God. On returning from the water, the stairs and windows of his house were broken to pieces, and the furniture inside was destroyed. Our friends at home can have but little idea of what converts from among the heathen are obliged to suffer.

"The meeting also resolved to advise the members of the churches to form themselves into small societies, in their several neighborhoods, so as to include every church member, and to impress upon them the duty of every individual doing something, however small, towards the spread of the gospel. Several of the brethren suggested plans by which many might provide the means to contribute."

"On the 6th and 7th inst.," continues Mr. Jones, "the Amohee church had their monthly meeting. Three males and one female were received and baptized in the name of the adorable Trinity. This church, after hearing with approbation the advice of the meeting of delegates of the 27th of July, resolved immediately to commence a more enlarged and vigorous

system of effort to diffuse the knowledge of
the gospel in the vicinity, and to procure con-
tributions to aid the funds of the Board."

Cherokee, Cherokee Nation, (
July 27, 1842.

The work among the Karens is still going on in a manner truly wonderful. Mr. Abbott has just baptized 278, and the glorious work is spreading in every direction among their villages. Within two years past, about 500 converts have been baptized in Arracan, mostly Karens, but still a number of Burmans, and one Mussulman. Besides this, the gospel has been preached in more than 150 towns and villages, and is Honored Fathers, and Elder Brethren, now carried into the Kemmee country, We are to-day assembled at the resia numerous and very interesting peo-dence of br. Evan Jones, from all the ple, never before visited by the am-churches and branches of churches bassadors of Christ. In a few days, if connected with the Baptist mission in not prevented by illness, I intend go- this nation. ing among the Kemmees to remain a month. Br. Stilson is now there, preaching the gospel and studying their language.

If possible, four more missionaries should come out and join us, in Arracan, as soon as the Board can make the necessary arrangements. One for the Kemmees, one for the Khyens, and two for Burman work; one to go to Sandoway, and one to Cheduba. This is a great and promising field of labor.

CHEROKEES.-The following petition from our Cherokee brethren sufficiently explains itself. A letter has been received from Mr.

The object of our meeting is to deliberate on the best plans for extending the knowledge of the gospel among our people. We find the influence of the gospel is becoming stronger in all the churches, and we have determined to exert ourselves to of salvation, in which we have found so much peace spread the tidings and joy.

In addressing you we acknowledge the great obligation we are under to you for sending us the news of salvation. We cannot utter its value; we cannot utter our love to you and to our good brethren and sisters who aid

you in this great work; and beyond all, we cannot utter our love to God who put it into your hearts to do this great good to us and to our people. You have done much for us. We know not how to ask for more. That which we have received has opened our understanding to discern the value of God's word, and we now earnestly desire to know more of his precious word. Multitudes of our people can read, and are desirous to have more of the book of God. For this we must depend on you. We cannot get it ourselves. We ask, with much hesitancy, would it be possible for you to send a printing press to this country? It may appear wrong in us to ask for a press. If we were able to buy one, we would not ask for it.

can

We have determined at this meeting, to do as you have set us the example. We have determined to send to all our members, in their different neighborhoods, to form themselves into societies, to contribute what they to your funds. Our brethren of the Valley Towns church have already made a small beginning. We cannot expect to do much ; but we hope that a little, with a willing mind, will be acceptable to our God, and to our brethren, and help a little in the glorious cause of Christ.

WEST AFRICA.-Mr. Constantine, whose apparently returning health, as stated in the last annual report, encouraged the hope that be would be able to occupy the station at Made Bli vacated by Mr. Crocker, was subsequently compelled by disease to leave the mission. He arrived in this country in June. His health has been improved since his return, but not to such a degree as to afford any prospect of his resuming his missionary labors. And he has accordingly, at his own request, been released from his connexion with the Board.

Mr. Crocker, we are happy to state, has of late had some mitigation of his sickness, and hopes are beginning to be indulged of his ultimate restoration to health, and to the mission.

EDINA. Mr. Clarke writes-under date of

June 14, 1842-"The Lord is still sparing us and granting us excellent health. Our schools are increasingly prosperous. We have recently divided our school at Edina, and now have the

boys in one school and the girls in another. We have 55 in the boys' school, 45 natives and 10 Americans. In the girls' school there are 22, Americans 10, and natives 12; making in both schools 77. The children generally are making good progress."

Donations,

FROM AUGUST 1 TO SEPTEMBER 1, 1842.
Maine.

N. Ellsworth,

New Hampshire.
Milford Baptist Association, per
Rev. D. D. Pratt, Nashua 1st
Baptist church,

To our fathers Lincoln and Bolles, Portland, 1st Baptist church, per and our elder brother Peck,-We should be very glad to see you. Cannot one of you visit us? You would be received here with much friendship and love. Your counsel would be received with sacred attention. We hope our elder brethren in the north will pray for us, that we may increase in the knowledge of God and in obedience to him.

We salute you in Christ. Farewell,

OGANAYA,

LEWIS DOWNING,
JOHN FOSTER,

On behalf of the meeting, consisting of twentyone brethren.

Massachusetts.

A friend to missions
Mrs. Frances Pattison
Townsend Baptist church, Levi
Ball tr., per Silas Bruce,
Boston, Miss Roxana Bellows
do., James Loring, per J. C.
Loring,

68,00

100,00

,22

20,00

20,00

1,00

10,00

do., Miss Elizabeth Wetherby,
toward support of Mr. Onc-
ken,

1,00

do., Federal St. church, mon.