Mr. Williston returned to Hartford about the first of May ult. having been abfent nearly 18 months; the whole of which time he labored as a Miffionary in the western counties of New-York, except a few weeks which he spent at Lifle, fupported by the people of that place. This was in confequence of a vote of the Truftees authorifing him to spend one half of the time at that place at the expense of the people, and to travel the other half as a Mifhonary. He will continue in the fervice of the fociety and has lately entered on another miffion to that part of the country where he has been before. Mr. Bushnell returned, in January laft, from a miffionary tour in the western counties of NewYork of nearly 12 months; and after about three weeks went out again. He proposed to spend a fhort time in the northern part of Vermont and then proceed to Springfield, in Otfego county, ftate of New-York, to take the paftoral charge of the church in that place for one half of the time, and to itinerate as a Miffionary the other half, to be supported by the people of Springfield while there, and by the Miffionary fociety when absent from them. This arrangement to continue for one year.* Mr. Jerome returned the beginning of May laft, having spent nearly 11 months in the western counties of New-York. Mr. Huntington returned from Vermont about the 10th of March, having been on his miffion 22 weeks. The ftate of his health was fuch as to prevent his continu ing longer at that time. Should his health permit, he will probably perform another tour, as he stands. appointed during the pleasure of the board of Trustees. Mr. Badger arrived at New-: Connecticut fometime in December laft. Two letters have been received from him. He gives very favorable accounts concerning the country. It is very rapidly fettling, moftly by people from Connecticut; and in fome of the fettlements there are appearances of a revival of religion. The call for Miffionaries to that territory will increase, and it is a place to which much attention will be paid by the Trustees. Another Miffionary will be fent there as foon as a fuitable person can be found for the fervice; and two or more Miffionaries will in future be kept there continually. Mr. Hart did not go on the miflion to which he was appointed, on account of the indifpofition of his family, and Mr. Robert Porter was appointed in his room. He went about the first of March laft and returned the beginning of May. A more particular account of the labors of thefe Miffionaries, and of the state of the fettlements which they vifited will be given in the narrative to be published next winter. From their journals it appears that they were generally received with cordiality; and in many towns particularly in the counties of Otfego and Delaware their labors have been abundantly bleffed. A glorious work of divine grace has been carrying on there. Many finners have been hopefully converted, and the people of God greatly comforted and edified. The country where the Miffionaries have travelled is fettling with an aftonishing rapidity; new churches are forming and the call for Miffionaries is continually increafing. From the above account it will appear that there are at prefent but three Miffionaries out in the fervice of the Society, viz. Meffrs. Willifton and Bushnell in New-York ftate and Mr. Badger in NewConnecticut. The Rev. Job Swift of Bennington has been late ly appointed to a miffion of a few weeks to the northern parts of Vermont. Whether he will accept the appointment is not known. The month of May is the time when the Trustees make their arrangements and appointments for the year. They have determined to employ, for the current year, the following number of Miffionaries two to New-Connecticut, three to the western counties of New-York, one to the northern counties of New-York and the north-western parts of Vermont; one for four months to the fettlements on Black River and parts adjacent, and one for four months to the northern counties of Vermont. To the miffion to Black River, &c. Mr. Robert Porter is appointed. Other Miffionaries are to be appointed, and vacancies fupplied by the committee of miffions, as fhall become neceffary. With regard to the mifion to the Indians, the Trustees have no information to communicate, in addition to what is contained in the printed narrative, except that Mr. Bacon left this place the latter end of January laft. He took with him a young man to learn the Chippeway language, and it is fuppofed he is now at Detroit performing the fervices to which he was appointed. A confiderable time muft neceffarily elapfe before much can be expected to be done among the Indians. The difficulty of procuring fuitable interpreters is ex ceedingly great, if not wholly infurmountable except by appointing perfons to learn the Indian langua ges exprefsly for that purpose. The Trustees hope that Mr. Bacon and the young man with him, af ter they fhall have learned the Chippeway language, will be able to affect fomething towards accomplifhing an object fo near to the hearts of the Society and all good people as the diffufion of the light of the gofpel among the poor pa gans on our borders. The promotion of this object will continue to occupy the attention of the Truf. tees, and while they themselves would look to God for divine light and wifdom therein, they ask the prayers of the Society and all well wifhers to the caufe that God would direct them to the adoption of meafures which he will blefs to the furtherance of this great and important work. The peace at prefent fubfifting between the United States and the various tribes of Indians, together with an increafing fpirit of harmony and friendship between the white people and Indians are aufpicious circumftances. The jealoufy which the latter have ever felt towards the former has been a great bar in the way of their receiving the Chriftian religion. Any decreafe of this jealoufy is therefore an omen of good. From thefe and other circumftances the Truffets are led to indulge the pleafing expectation, that the time is not far diftant when many of the aboriginal natives of America will be brought to a knowledge of the true God and of the way of flvation through a crucified Saviour and when to impure rites, and facrifices offered to idol or imaginary Gods will fuc ceed the pure incenfe of prayer and praife to the only living and true Jehovah.* (To be continued.) NOTE. By request of the Truftees of the Miffionary Society of Connecticut, there will be published in this Magazine, from time to time, an account of their proceedings, and of the receipts and expenditures of the Society. There will alfo be published monthly an account of donations made to the Society within the month, with the names of the donors where they are known, and of loffes any I which the Society may fuftain. The public are again informed, that fubfcription books are opened at the Office of the Treasurer of the : Miffionary Society, and alfo in each county town in the state, to give opportunity to thofe who may be difpofed to fubscribe to the funds of the Society. The following perfons are furnished with fubfcription books. Mr. Jeremiah Atwater, Merchant, New-Haven, Capt. Richard Douglafs, New-London, Doctor Joshua Lathrop, Norwich, David Burr, Efq. Faiield, Hon. Jofeph P. Cooke, Danbury, Jabez Clark, Efq. Windham, Col. Benjamin Talmadge, Litchfield, Matthew T. Ruffell, Efq. Middletown, Doctor Smith Clark, Haddam, Ephraim Grant, Jun. Efq. Tolland. illuftrated from circumftances in the life of Jacob. B EFORE the birth of Efau and Jacob, God had faid that the elder fhould ferve the Yet neither Rebekah younger. nor Jacob could confide in God, and leave it with him to difpofe things in his own way, for bringing about what he had foretold. Both mother and fon united in a piece of grofs deceit and falfehood, to fecure a bleffing, which God himfelf had before promifed. This was the fource of many of the future evils of Jacob's life. Though the bleffing was referved for him, he was not to go wholly unpunished. Accordingly, many circum. stances were ordered, in a peculiar manner, to lead him to reflect on his wicked impofition on the Father, and his unkind treatment of his brother. Thus, when he lov ed Rachel, and had agreed with her father to ferve feven years for pofed on him. Here God caufed her, the tender-eyed Leah was imhim to experience fome of the pains of difappointment and impofition; and måde him know how it felt to be overreached and cheated. As we do unto others, fo is it often rendered to us again, even in this world. But this was not all the of Laban. How often was he evil Jacob experienced, at the hand impofed on, and his wages chan FOR THE CONNECTICUT EVAN- ged! All, however, being pecul GELICAL MAGAZINE. The mportance of iuft rg in God * An account of Receipts and Expenditures from the clofe of the year 1800, to June 10th 1801, will be pubLed Lext month, at the clofe of the uitees report. It is pofiponed with at of the report, in order to give place to the interefting letter from Dr. Ilaweis. iarly adapted to lead him to reflect on the deceit which he himself had practised. When he had spent twenty years with Laban, and received much unkind treatment from him, God directed him to return back to his native country, and promifed to be with him. A little before he ar Irived, news was brought him, that J his brother Efau, with four hun-prince haft thou power with God and with man, and haft prevailed. The Lord, notwithstanding his for. mer wickednefs, would now be with him, and protect him; and would difarm Efau of his anger, and turn his heart to pity and tendernefs. What confidence could Jacob now feel, that his brother fhould not injure him; or, ever after, refume his refentments and meditate revenge! In this deep humility, what lively confidence, what fweet composure of foul did the good Patriarch feel! The intimate converfe, and near holy communion, which, on that ever-memorable night, he had with the glorious God, filled him with deep humility, laid him in the duft, and made him moft fenfibly feel his own nothingnefs and infinite unworthinefs. Now, remembering his former wickedness, he felt low, he felt humble enough to go and bow himself feven times to the ground before an injured brother. Now, with fincerity, he could fay to Efau, "nay, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy fight, then receive my prefent at my hand: for therefore have I feen thy face, as though I had feen the face of God, and thou waft pleased with me." "Your anger, and that of the ho dred men, was coming to meet him. This, it is natural to fuppofe, brought afresh to his mind, all his deceit and wickedacfs in his former treatment of his brother. How must these thoughts now have crouded upon his mind, and oppreffed it! He might rationally conclude, that Efau felt, now was his time to take ample revenge. What fhould he do? Which way fhould he turn, when his abufed, enraged brother was coming against him? There was no way for him to flee: Nor was he able to refift the force, which he must foon meet. There was now but one way left; and that was, to go to God. It was now fo ordered, that he should be driven from every refuge, excepting the divine promife. Before, he ⚫had not confided in the promise of God; but must interpofe wicked art, left its accomplishment fhould fail. Now, no art, no fkill, no power of his would be of any avail. The Lord alone could afford him help. He, therefore, betakes himself to prayer; and, confeffing his own utter unworthinefs, afks mercy, and pleads only the divine gracious promife. What other plea could he make? What other does the humble, broken heart ever wish to make? After taking prudently God, both which I had fuch measures for avoiding the threatening evil, the propriety of which, no proper truft in God ever excludes, he spent the night alone, in fervent humble fupplication committing himself, and all, to the God of promife and of all mercy and grace. His wrestling that night, denotes ftrong faith, and fervent prayer yea, fuch was his fervor and the ftrength of his faith, that he would not quit his hold, except the Lord would bless him. On this, the Lord gave him, the na me Ifrael, for, faid he, as a reafon to fear, are appeafed." Whatever gives fuch a sense of entire helpleffness in ourselves, and infinite unworthinefs--what forms to fuch felf-abafement, fuch humblenefs of mind, as near, intimate. communion and intercourfe with the great and holy God! And, whoever trufted in this glorious God in vain! How kind to be beat off from all other refuges, but the Lord! Let appearances to the views of men, be ever so dark, ever fo threatning, faith f land a fure refuge in the covenant ef and promife of God. Bleffed are all they that truft in him. An appeal to the Chriftian's heart. 66 OR I have learned in whatfoever ftate I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abafed, and I know how to abound; every where and in all things I am inftructed, both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to fuffer need. I can do all things thro' Chrift which ftrengtheneth me." "Here," faid an Angel of the Church," to the pious Angelina, as he fat, one day, converfing with her, upon religion, opening the bible and reading," here, Angelina, is a defcription of the bleffednefs and glory of the Chriftian temper; and, if my own heart has not deceived me, I have, fometimes, thought, I could heartily fay amen to it; let the will of the Lord be done, whatever becomes of me, who am but a worm of the dufta being of yesterstay-a creature of his power-made for his glory, in one way or another. But, to drop the defcription of my own paft feelings-here, Angelina, is a defcription of godliness, which a falfe heart can never feel--which a ftranger will never believe, and which an hypocrite can never imi be glorified. Yes, Angelina, to feel, as Paul felt, when these last words dropped from his pen"I can do all things thro' Chrift which strengtheneth me,” is, to feel an heaven upon earth-to have an angel's fpirit, tho' in rags-and without crowning, to be a king a conqueror-yea, more than a conqueror-* *a young immortal, born for endless glory.-To feel Chrift's image formed in one's foul; to rife up in the morning in his ftrength to go forth to our daily fhadow of his wings, and, at employments under the protecting night, to retire to reft, with a grateful heart, that God, in infi nite goodnefs, has preferved us from evil-that he still will do us good; and that however mysteri ous and afflicting the changes of this world may be to our bodies, they will all, thro' his overruling care, work together for our final good, and ferve to prepare us for the enjoyment of unfpeakable and endless glory, is not the fum of all these feelings, Angelina, peace— refignation-prefent contentment, in whatever ftate we are in ?— How will fuch a temper of foul take away the bitter ftings of human forrow, and brighten with hope the afflicted mortal! When the world, how will it foften his one is abafed, poor and afflicted in forrows, and fweetly wipe, from his cheerlefs eyes, thofe tears, which, without relief! Oh, when one's otherwife, might continue to flow, poverty is changed to abundanceto riches, honors and earthly goods, how will it melt the, otherwise, proud and fcornful heart, into pity proud and fcornful heart, into pity and compaffion towards the fuffering poor, remembering how the dear John xi. 26. And whoever liveth, and believeth in me, shall never die |