Admonitions from the Death-Bed. (Continued from p. 153.) NUMBER IV. N aged Lady, who had paf A fed her ninetieth year, ap do nothing to dishonor him or religion. Her defire was complied with, and her request particularly urged at the throne of grace. Immediately after this duty, he left her feated in a chair, without any apprehenfions of his own, or in her friends around her, that he was foon to die. Being a little wearied with the peared in the morning to be com fortable, except the common infirmities of age; nor were there any symptoms in her cafe, of fpee-converfation, immediately on his dy death. Sitting at a window, the obferved her minifter paffing in the street and defired he might be called in. On his entering, fhe told him that for several weeks the departure, the retired to an adjoining bed. She was no fooner laid on the bed, than the expreffed a feeling of strong pain from the crown of her head to the fole of her feet, and was inftantly dead. had been much troubled with the apprehenfions of death, which muft The event was fingular. Whence be near to a person of her age.-came her anxiety on the subject, Suppofing fhe had loft the evidences of her Chriftian fincerity and when there was no particular indication of approaching death, from intereft in Chrift, he began to the ftate of her health? Whence bring into view fuch marks of trial her concern to die as a Chriftian, as would moft fenfibly excite the and her spirit of prayer for divine feelings of her heart, and thus affupport in that trying hour? All fift her to regain that peaceful the circumftances, as they took hope which she had enjoyed for many years, and which he believed place one after another, in the fight of men, appeared to be cafuto be fafely grounded in the gof-al; but viewed in their connection pel. Perceiving his defign, the told him fhe had no fpecial doubt of her own fincerity; that though an unworthy finner, fhe could fay, "Whom have I in heaven but thee;" and that she was not afraid to be dead: Alfo that fhe was not much afraid of the pains of dying; but that her fear was, left through pain or fome other caufe fhe might do fomething that would dishonor Chrift and religion. A fear of this appeared to have taken deep hold of her mind. Various things were faid to infpire her with confidence, that he who had given her grace to live, would alfo give her grace to die as a Chriftian, She then defired him to pray with her, and particularly to intreat that God would fo order the circumtances of her death, that the might after the folemn event, appear to have been the fpecial ordering of a good God, who heareth prayer, and in whofe fight the death of his faints is precious. The Lord gave to this his child the fpirit of prayer, that he might anfwer it to the praife of his grace. She feared not to be dead, and he fo ordered the circumftances of her departure, that no difhonor could come onher Christian profeffion, even from the frailties and weakness of a tender fe male conftitution. It is beft that God fhould order the circumstances of death for his people. It is not uncommon for Chriftians, who have a confirmed hope in the grace of God, to be anxiously concerned about the circumstances of their death. Let them, from the many inftances of divine care which we the hands of a wife and good Redeemer. If they will make it their chief concern and daily prayer, that God may be glorified in their death, he will be faithful to fee that their prayer is gracioufly anfwered. fee, learn to trust this matter intends in fociety, fo far we are leading others to that which is good, or to that which is evil. We are undoubtedly instrumental of forming each other's characters for eternity. This is a most folemn thought! Confidering our relation to our families-to our neighbours and to all our acquaintance, the lofs of our own fouls may be as nothing, compared with the evil which may come upon others, as a fruit or confequence of our wickednefs; and yet they be taken away in their own iniquity. PRESBUTEROS. Thoughts on the danger of being inftrumental of hardening others in fin, and of aiding them in the deftruction of their fouls. IN Every perfon who indulges himself in thepractice of fin, whofe conduct evidences that he has no fear of God before his eyes, may be confidered as being infinitely mischiev ous to the fouls of his acquaintance. It is true, God may interpofe, by his power, and prevent the mifchief. But what if he does ?What if God by his almighty grace, prevent others from being ruined by his wicked example? Surely no thanks will be due to this ungodly perfon, nor will his criminality be leffened. We are to look upon N tracing the evil confequences of fin, the unrighteous ought not to stop at the deftruction of their own fouls; for it is often the cafe, that they are inftrumental of bringing ruin on many others, whofe fouls are of as much worth as their own. Viewing their connection and influence in fociety, the lofs of their own fouls may be but a very fmall part of the evil refulting from their ungodly lives. The unfaithful minster, in confequence of his concealing the truth, and prophefying fmooth things to the people of his charge, may go to deftruction with the blood of hundreds of fouls found in his fkirts. The wicked parent, in confequence of his irreligious life, may lie down in everlasting forrow, accompanied by his children, and his children's children. Though every finner will be taken away in his own iniquity, yet his ruin may be the natural fruit of the example In both cafes, evil tions of fome other perfon. Form- interpofition. Depraved men are or the inftruc- will follow without fome special ed, as we are, for fociety, we ne- wife to do evil. They may eafily ceffarily have influence on each be influenced to forget God, to other. We are practically invit- trample upon Chrift, and to break ing each other to that as being the natural tendency of fin, which would appear to be its tendency, if God did not interpofe and prevent its mifchief. Confidering the corruptnefs of the human heart, it is no lefs dangerous to fet bad examples before our families, and before our neighbours, than it is to drop fire where there is a quantity of combuftibles. purfue the broad his laws. All this is natural to way which leadeth to deftruction, them. Only let divine restraints orto walk in the ftraight and nar- be taken off, and nothing will be row way which leadeth to life eternal. As far as our influence exVOL. II. No. 6% too bad for them to be taught. That head of a family, who lives F £ in the neglect of family-prayer, does the fame as to tell his children, that they may difpenfe with prayer. He gives the fame inftruction to his neighbours and to all who are acquainted with his practice. His example, as far as it is known, influences others to forget God, and to live without God. He exhibits evidence of not being afraid of aiding his family and others in the deftruction of their fouls. That perfon who neglects public worship, and who pays little or no refpect to God's holy fabbath, fpending it in carnal reft, or in performing unneceffary labor, does no better than to tell his family and his neighbours, that public worship is of no great confequence, and that a strict obfervance of the fabbath may be difpenfed with. His example is calculated to have a moft pernicious influence on their fouls. Placed, as he is, at the head of a family, he is a blind leader of the blind. That he ought to have influence in his family, all will admit; but while he is fo regardlefs of the word and inftitutions of God, his influence operates directly against God. He tramples the religion of Chrift under his feet, and teaches others to do the fame. They, who have been convinced of the worth of fouls, feel that their example, as others are refpected, is of great confequence. When they have any proper feelings on this fubject, they are conftrain. ed to look diligently left any one, through their means, fhould fail of the grace of God. God has given the benevolent fome fight of their own loft state, and they know how to pity others. They are afraid of being inftrumental of hardening them in fin. They are afraid that the blood of the fouls of their partners in life, their children and their neighbours may be found in their skirts. Convinced that God makes use of means to harden men, as well as to arouse and awaken them, they know that whenever they yield to fin, they countenance and fupport it in the view of others, and if God do not prevent, this will certainly be a mean of hardening them. In the application of a fubject of this nature, men cannot be too critical, because it concerns their daily practice, and in matters too, in which their future peace, and the future well-being of thofe who are capable of being influenced by them, are deeply interested. .H. Religious Intelligence. Extract of a letter from a pious woman in NEW-CONNECTICUT, to her parents in this flate, dated AUSTINBURG, September, 1801. "HONORED PARENTS, I IMPROVE a favorable op portunity to inform you how we get along in this wilderness.We arrived the 21st of July, and found the inhabitants of our fettlement in general well. They all appeared to welcome us here, and to rejoice that the Lord had made our way profperous. Bloomfield Church was the laft that we paffed, and we hardly found a Christian or any appearance of religion_till we came to this fettlement. The first fabbath after our arrival, we attended meeting; and to fee our little affembly, which confifted of about fifty perfons, meet with fo much folemnity, was matter of fo much joy, that I almoft forgot the privileges I had left behind. Mr. Robbins'* letter was read, which brought to mind our worthy paftor, and deeply affected the hearts of all, even those who were ftrangers to him; fo that it was with difficulty the last prayer was made. We have very good meetings. There are feveral people who affift in the fervice, who appear to have the gift as well as the grace of prayer. At our meetings a fermon is read, and we have good finging. Our affembly is folemn; Chrift appears to meet with us, and we almoft forget we are in the wilderness. It is true we do not hear what God is doing in other places as we ufed to do; yet we have the confolations of religion in relying on his word, that he is carrying on all his defigns. I wish our friends would continue to pray for us that we may be profpered; that we may have pious inhabitants come in, and that God would plant a church here and water it with heavenly dew;-that one branch of Chrift's Church might arife here and shine, and that the gates of hell may never prevail against it. "The Rev. Mr. Badger, the Miffionary, preached here Auguft 9th, the first sermon that was ever preached in this place. His text was Acts viii. 5, 6, 8. He was very much admired, and appears deeply interefted for the welfare of the people in these new fettlements. On Tuesday he preached a lecture and catechized and instructed the children. On Thurfday he preached again from Colloffians ii. 6, a fermon particularly adapted to thofe of his hearers who were Christian profeffors. He re * Many of the fettlers of Austinburg removed from Norfolk, in this state. Mr. Robbins, paftor of the church in Norfolk, laft fummer addreffed a pastoral letter to them, which is the one alluded to above. minded them of the privileges they had enjoyed before their removal into the wilderness; pointed out to them the danger of their prefent fituation, and exhorted them to fpeak often one to another. After meeting he converfed with our leading men refpecting establishing a church, and drew up the form of a covenant for the purpose. Since then the people have had feveral conferences on the fubject, and have agreed to have a church establifhed on Mr. Badger's return from the Indians. I must clofe my letter with afking the prayers of our Christian friends, for we are indeed a little feeble band." Extract of a letter from one of the Connecticut Miffionaries in VERMONT, dated WAITSFIELD, O8cber 6, 1801. "The open door for Miffionary labors in this ftate far exceeds my expectations. The country is large and rapidly fettling. There are fome eminent Chriftians in every place, and in many towns there are awakenings. At Effex, Weftford and Swanton, the appearance is like many towns in Connecticut, the beginning of the year 1799; and the work is perfectly the fame. God has greatly smiled on the labors of Miffionaries, in thefe parts, and I trust that neither the Miffionary Society, nor the good people who contribute and pray, labor in vain. There is more bufinefs than ten Miffionaries can do on this fide the mountain, north of Hew-Haven. "And the found of a going is heard in the top of the mulberry trees." MISSIONARIES. Nov. 5. The Rev. Ezekiel J. Chapman, entered on a mission to New-Connecticut. ORDINATIONS. "the Board, should appoint a Can"didate for the Miniftry, a Mif Ordination of the Rev. Ezekiel J." fionary to New-Connecticut, the Chapman. "faid Committee request the Af"fociation where faid Candidate At a Meeting of the Affociation of« journment, in the firft Society of The Rev. Nathan Williams, A Letter from the Committee of Miffions, appointed by the Truftees of the Miffionary Society of Connecticut, addreffed to the Affociation was read, in the words following, to wit, At a Meeting of the Committee of ciation. To the Affociation of Tolland County, to be convened at Hebron the 27th of inft. October. Whereas the Truftees of the Miffionary Society of Connecticut at their feffion the 2d of September laft, paffed a vote in the words following, to wit, "Voted, that if the Committee "of Miffions, during the recefs of was licenfed, to ordain him to "the work of the gofpel Ministry, particularly as an Evangelift, "previous to his entering on his Mefs'rs. Levi Hart, D. D. and "miffion; and that the Rev. "Cyprian Strong be requested to "attend, as a delegation from this "board, and affift in the ordina❝tion of faid Candidate, if upon "examination he should be judged "qualified for the work." And whereas the Committee of Miffions have appointed Mr. Eztkiel J. Chapman, a Candidate for the Miniftry, licensed by you, to go on a miffion to New-Connecticut, the faid Committee, in purfuance of the above vote of the Trufthe faid Mr. Chapman, if upon extees, hereby request you to ordain amination you fhould think him qualified for the work of the miniltry; and that you admit the Rev. Mefs'rs Levi Hart, D. D. and with you tion, as and affift in the ordinaBoard of Trustees. The Coma delegation from the mittee alfo request, that, in cafe you should proceed to ordain Mr. Chapman, you tranfmit to the minutes of your proceedings on the Trustees a certified copy of the fubject, that they may be lodged among their files. In the name and in behalf of the Committee of Miffions, ABEL FLINT, Secretary. Whereupon Voted, that the Af feciation refolve themfelves into an ordination Council, for the purpofe fpecified in the above letter from the Committee of Miffions; and that the Rev. Mefs'rs Levi Hart, |