Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

finful father for their daily fupport. | time, and engroffed my precious

While I laboured, acting in con- probation feafon of preparation for ftant rebellion against God, to pro- eternity. But feeling that this cure their fuftenance, I neglected pamphlet was more fpecious than their fouls. Alas, the parents talk clear or argumentative, I forwas fufpended, and little thought fook it. Boafted reafon carried was taken with regard to their pre- me above it, yet still my foul was cious and immortal fouls. They unimpreffed, and my danger, daily looked up to me for their daily of finking into hell torments, tofood; they needed daily inftruc- tally difappeared. I lived the life tion in religion, they needed the of a pagan, without prayer in my morning and evening prayers of a family, without prayer in any fitpious father, and to be dedicated to uation. My children were taught, God, but were neglected. I have but not in a way of piety. In to recollect with aftonishment the this fituation I became perfectly time when I difbelieved the word independent, and eternity was of God-and esteemed it nothing totally obliterated from my mind. more than a cunningly devifed fa- I neither wifhed, nor cared to have ble. As a confequence of this, any others concerned, about their I had no conductor. I was there fouls. Thus I lived in perfect fefore as you will eafily conceive, fet curity, every day hovering about afloat in the world. The bible, the door that enters into mifery. containing threatnings, made me The bible, lay undisturbed, like a defpife it, and the man who fhould ufelefs page upon the fhelf. I be fpeak with a reverent refpect for it. gan to think that gloomy infidelity Such being the condition of things, would foon be univerfal. DifturI became a great reafoner, and bed however in a certain converfuppofed I could confute any argu- fation, about this time, I went ments in favor of religion. My away fomething embarraffed-this reafon foon became my God and put me upon providing against the the boastful mad philofophy of the worst.-Poor thoughtless mortal!! Atheist, began to be a glorious Not feeling that God's anger was thing to me. By this fuppofed great against me, and that hell fuperiority of reafon above God's must be the portion of all impeniword, I hefitated not to esteem him tent finners, I thought to admit the foolish and infignificant who would idea of eternity, and to place myadmit any thing which came from felf in the beft poffible fituation, I the pulpit or prefs in favor of vital, agreed to lead a more strict moral experimental religion. Chriftian-life, and not to fay fo much to the ity now appeared a fophifm, re-injury of religion, as I had done. generation a delufion, and any pre- I thought my morality would certentions to religion enthufiafm, tainly fecure me from harm. and eternal mifery was thoughtideal. although I ftiH difcredited every My former belief, which my in-thing like vital religion, I hoped dulgent and honored father had Ifhould come offwell at laft. My impreffed on my mind, was banish- bible was ftill left to moulder on ed. Such being my ftate of mind, the fhelf, and eternal realities were Paine's Age of Reafon found left, without occupying any of my (though I was first reluctant) an ad- attention. Thus I was left, in vocate in me, I read it attentively, perfect carnal fecurity. Six months it engaged my affections for a fhort ago an enemy to religion, I had

And

wrath.

an idea that the gofpel was of no | felf every thing that was neceffary value, and confidered it vain to to constitute a hell. The dependencourage a difpenfation of it, and ence I had made on my morality although I attended public worship vanished like the idle wind, I faw pretty fteadily; yet in heart I that I had ruined myself, and this defpifed the awful, and fublime without any hope of deliverance. truths, which were communicated I had heard of a Saviour, but alas! from the word of God. Heaven I had abused his mercy. In this and hell, were mere founds to me, fituation I faw that I could not do I utterly defpifed the words, as they any thing to merit falvation, and flowed from the mouth of a minif- that if fovereign mercy did not ter. I thought there was fome- come to my affiftance, I must perthing great in difapproving all re- ifh forever. O! what a hell is ligious pretenfions. Thus a finner there prepared for fin-hardened ripe for damnation, was permitted defpifers. "Behold ye despisers to live from one day unto another, and wonder and perish." Tetal and although, hell, opened to re- depravity I now realized, not by ceive its victim, yet God who was fpeculation but by feeling, I faw boundless in compaffion to my pre- myself dead in trefspaffes and fins, cious foul, kept me from deferved I faw the doctrines of the gofpel were all against me, and that God might juftly caft me off forever, and his character be very glorious, Loft to all hope of recovering my. felf from the fatal disease of fin and death; I was, finally, as I truft, brought to lay afide my oppofition to God and bow before his fovereignty and holiness; acknowl edging him to be God. And now what fhall Ifay, but God be merciful to me a finner. Father, I have fin, ned against heaven and in thy fight. Pardon my iniquity, O Lord, for it is great. Give me I pray, the fin cere conviction and deep heart-felt repentance for fin. O give me a a deep felf-abafement before thee. Humble me O Lord into the duft, and O may I never have the bafenefs to deny thee. Lay my fins in order before my face, and for Jefus Chrift's fake, give me to be perpetually an enemy to fin, to thofe fins, which crucified my Lord, and make me truly holy, truly hum

About four months ago God faw fit to make a difcovery to me, of my calamitous fituation. He fhowed me the vanity of my endeavors, to counteract his benevolent purposes, by opening my eyes, and giving me to fee the ftrictnefs of his law. At this time human philofophy made me to fhudder, and I was brought to fee that eternal woe, was too folemn a reality to fport with, I faw I had lived in a ftate of perfect dependence on myelf, that I was under a moft holy fentence of condemnation, that I had incurred the divine difpleafure, by my conftant rebellion, and that my fituation was deplorable. I faw a Godthat was incenfed against me, "the terrors of hell laid hold on me." I faw a juftice, that threatened deftruction to ungodly men. A fovereignty, holy and gracious that I had difcarded. Mercy that I had abufed. My fins were of a crirafon dva. Alas!ble, truly refigned to thy will. May my foul was loft, I hid forfeited all mercy from God, I had refufed his calls, I had flighted proffered pardon, and now I found in my

infidelity that poifon of my foul be entirely removed; and may I trust in thee for increafing penitence, increafing engagedness and conform

[ocr errors]

ity of heart to thy moft holy and
glorious Lord. Ó may I be cloth-
ed upon with the garment of a Me-
diator's righteousness, and be faved
from every fin. And as the day
of trial is coming, may I fo con-
duct, as to come off a conquerer
through the blood of Jefus Chrift,
to whom, be glory forever.

Extract of a Letter from the Rev.
DOCTOR HAWEIS of London to
the TRUSTEES of the MISSION-
ARY SOCIETY of CONNECTICUT.

Bath, Jan. 31ft, 1801.
Brethren beloved in Chrift,

OUR favor of September

its venom against the principles, and people that bear the mark of evangelical peculiarity, we hope, that if the Lord had meant to flay us, he would not have fhewed us fuch and fuch things, and that we fhall yet be preferved for a light to the Gentiles and to carry his fal

vation to the ends of the earth. Thus the wall is ftill built in a troublous time, and whilst we leave all events in his hands, we would be found in the path of duty, as the way of fafety. I fhall fay nothing of the increafing and wide fpreading ravages of war, deeply interefted as I am in the welfare and profperity of the land wherein

Y 24th reached me only yer 1 dwell. We have a kingdom

that never can be moved, a city whofe maker and builder God is ; and looking not to the things which are feen and temporal, but to those things which are not feen and eternal, we thank God, take courage and go forward.

The intelligence you with will be gladly communicated by our Secretary, to whom, being at a diftance, I have feat your Magazines and kind letter, and the So.

terday. It drew forth the warm
effufions of thanksgiving to our
common Lord. It is evident the
different continents contain the
fame holy catholic Church, that
the waters of the Atlantic fepa-
rate not the communion of faints,
and that the redeemed by blood,
whofe fins are forgiven them for
Christ's name fake, hold faft the
bleffed hope of eternal life and re-
joice in the profpect of meeting
around the throne from every kin-ciety will I am fure receive this
dred tongue and nation, when we
fhall know even as we are known.
Nothing will be more grateful
to us than to hear your increafing
progrefs; and that the cloud no
bigger than a man's hand fpreads
over your firmament and portends
abundance of rain. The glorious
difplay of divine grace in many
lands adds to our hope, that he
whofe right it is, will take to him-
felf his great power and reign;
and amidst the awful and increa-
fing calamities around us, we of
this ifland draw favorable auguries
from the diffufion of gofpel light
and grace; and tho' infidelity and
itreligion lift up their banners as
tokens, and bitter enmity breathes

token of your fraternal affection with delight, and return it with equal affurance of theirs. Meantime, I thought the most acceptable fervice I could render to my Rev. Brethren and their honorar ble affociates in the miffionary work, would be to give them an epitome of our late proceedings and prefent ftate of the Miffion with which they feem unacquainted.

The intelligence we receive from Otaheite is highly encouraging, and the requests of the Miffionaries there to be reinforced are urgent. We hope nine or ten, firmly, faithfully, devotedly living together, preach and teach Jefus Chrift, with confiderable attention from the

in May, with four perfons, two Dutch and two English, to divide and join Dr. V. in Caffraria, and Mr. Kicherer among the Bofhemen; another of three men and four women all Dutch, was forwarded in November.

ance.

it on.

In my views the South fea ftill appears to hold out the great door of Miffionary ufefulnefs on the largeft fcale, and I trust he who hath begun the good work will carry Our difficulties are fewer, and our profpects more confirmed, and evidently nothing wanting to accomplish the work with efficacy, but perfeverance, and a firm establishment in one central place, with which we may maintain regular communication, and from whence the light may be diffused.

natives, and fome apparent impreffion. They are in poffeffion of the fame house, and plead with us to fix a stable settlement on the Ifland, as a focus from which the gofpel could be easily diffused on every fide, by a little fchooner, which would vifit any of the trop- What our two brethren in Canaical regions around them. I wish da have yet done I know not, you greater things had been done for are nearer to them than we. The them, but obftructions of various Miffionary at Twilingate, Newkinds have curtailed the numbers in-foundland, fends very pleafing ad tended to be fent by the Royal Admi-counts of his fuccefs and acceptral. Crook was referved with a defign to be fent with Tomoteiti to the Marquefas, the poor lad is fince dead. Only eleven, I hope, faithful men are now either on their way, or arrived at the place of their deftination. I have good accounts from them dated Auguft 20th, from Rio Janeiro. They are all well, but the convicts with whom they failed and to whom they have been greatly bleffed have fuffered a great mortality. I have furnished them with the choiceft Englifh Books out of my little library for the common ufe of the breth-It is afferted by those who are on ren at Otaheite, hoping they may the spot, that a commercial interconvey valuable information, where courfe would probably repay the books must be a treafure to men in expenfe of vifiting them. The fuch a fituation. particulars I cannot detail. The They will touch at Port Jack-prefent hateful ftate of war kas fon, and having landed the convicts been fo injurious already, and is proceed to Otaheite. The wars fuch a hindrance that we figh for which have broke out and defola-peace as a Miffionary body. Were ted Tongataboo, have driven the I an American I would have a ship Miffionaries from thence, and three laden for the fouthern Ocean before who were under the protection of the prefent year expired. We the vanquished chief were flain. hope however that at this prefent moment twenty or more are firmly fixed at Otaheite, and unwearied exertions are making to increase their number, whenever a providential opening fhall be made.

From the Cape of Good Hope we have received very pleafant intelligence, as the Magazines will inform you. I laft week heard from Dr. Vanderkemp, whofe life is preferved in the Caffree country. I have haftened to communicate amidit many dangers. The Bofhe- thefe particulars knowing they will men feem ripe for harveft, the So-be interefting to you. Our fecreciety have fent two embarkations tary will, I doubt not, fulfil your of Millionaries to the Cape, one I wishes. Mr. Eyre is a man of

fingular excellence and to whom the miffion is in an especial manner indebted.

Shall I beg a kind remembrance in the hearts of my brethren, and a mention in their prayers of their affectionate friend and brother.

T. HAWEIS.

ftituted, they would give him all the glory, and be humble from the confideration that their zeal has not been greater in his fervice, and that their hearts have not been more warmed with love tohim and to the fouls of their fellow-men.** As the general concerns of the inftitution are entrusted to their

Report of the Trustees of the Mif-management, the Trustees not onfionary Society of Connecticut. To the MISSIONARY SOCIETY of CONNECTICUT, to be con

vened at LITCHFIELD, the third Tuesday of June inftant, the TRUSTEES beg leave to fubmit the following REPORT, with the papers therein referred to.

N this their annual report the

In this es realit to be their due

[ocr errors]

ly feel themselves accountable to God for the faithful discharge of their truft, but alfo bound in duty whofe agents they are, a particular to communicate to the Society, account, from time to time, of the manner in which the important

concerns committed to them are conducted.

The narrative, published by direction of the Trustees, last win

ter, and fent to the feveral patithes

of the labors of Miffionaries to the clofe of the year 1800. To repeat in this report what is therein contained will not be deemed neceffary; as reference can be had to that for any information which is defired.

ty, first of all, to acknowledge in the ftate, a copy of which is the good hand of God in fo far herewith tranfmitted to each mem« feconding their feeble efforts, to ber of the fociety, contains a genadvance the cause of the Redeem-eral view of their proceedings and er. In anfwer to the prayers of his people, and in tender pity and compaffion to perifhing finners, he has been graciously pleafed to increafe a miffionary fpirit, to open the hearts of many to contribute generously to the fupport of miffions, and to crown the labors of his miffionary fervants, in various places, with great fuccefs. Never did there appear to be fo much need for faithful, zealous Missionaries as at the present time, and never have fo many circumftances confpired to ftimulate the exertions and excite the prayers of the people of God for the furtherance of this defirable object. The Truftees would arrogate nothing to themfelves. If God has enabled them to be in any measure faithful to the impor-board of Trustees. The Rev. Ira tant truft committed to them, and Hart is alfo mentioned as appointed if he has fucceeded any of their to a miffion to the fettlements on attempts to promote the great ob- Black river and other places in the jects for which the Society was in- vicinity, VOL. II. No. 1.

E

In that narrative the following perfons are mentioned as Miffiona ries then in the fervice of the fociety, viz. the Rev. Meffrs. Seth Williston and Jedidiah Bushnell and Mr. Amafa Jerome in the western counties of New-York ftate; the Rev. David Huntington in the northern counties of New-York and Vermont; and the Rev. Jofeph Badger in NewConnecticut, all appointed to continue during the pleasure of the

« ForrigeFortsæt »