turers, which cast a dark shade of suspicion on the motives and the views of the Missionary, when he pressed on the natives the acceptance of the religion of purity and peace. We are not prepared to assert, that these impediments, however discouraging, might not have been gradually surmounted by the perseverance and activity of the preachers, if the doctrines and maxims of their Church had allowed them to teach the truths of the Gospel unadulterated by erroneous traditions, and to proclaim the sovereignty of Christ without reference to the dominion of Rome. But the disadvantages under which they laboured in these respects, were further aggravated by the craft or the vanity of individuals, who, in derogation of a primary law, with a view to the acquisition of nominal proselytes, presumed to conceal or disguise the fundamental truths of the Gospel, and to sanction the communion of darkness with light, (2 Cor. vi. 14.) by opening the pale of the Church to idolaters, without faith, repent. ance, or knowledge; who were suffered to retain the pollutions of Paganism, whilst they professed the worship of Christ. Nor did the evil terminate here. The fairest hopes of success were, in some instances, fatally blasted, by mutual competitions, animosities, and dissentions; and, in others completely extinguished by the natural consequences of an ambitious policy, which infected their ranks, and subjected alike the guilty and the innocent to the suspicion and vengeance of the native Princes. From the operation of these several causes, the blood of Martyrs has flowed without the effect of producing, as in happier ages, a new groth of believers: and, among the descendants of their once numerous converts, the few who still profess Christianity are sunk in the grossest corruption; without even a shadow of pretension to the knowledge, the virtue, the constancy of faith, which obtained for the primitive Christians the respect and admiration of mankind. When, to these considerations, we add the principle of intolerance and lust of exclusive domination, which contemning alike the claims of antiquity and the rights of conscience, invaded the privileges of the Eastern Bishops and Patriarchs and the liberties of the native Christians, we shall contemplate, without astonishment, and with less proignant regret, the failure of the Romish Mission. But the Bishop, with a faithful hand, applies the view which he has taken of the causes of primitive success, in the just rebuke of the negli gence and failings of the professors of a purer faith than that of Rome. The enterprises of protestant Missionaries, more contracted in plan, and less ostentatious in conduct, may perhaps establish a claim to superior praise, if we compute the amount of success by the number of real believers, and allow no other test of conversion than sincerity and effi cacy of faith. But the hope of an invidious triumph must yield to feelings of humiliation and shame, when we are compelled to acknowledge, that the impression produced on the natives by the preachers of our pure religion is almost as nothing in proportion to the immense population of India; and that, among the Protestant nations which have obtained power and influence in the East, we have little claim to the palm of distinction, in the comparison of our feeble exertions with the amplitude and extent of our means, The cares of one venerable Society have, indeed, for more than a century, been directed with parental solicitude to that interesting quarter of the globe. Among the Missionaries employed in her service, are shining examples of zeal and devotion, of knowledge and holiness, of meekness, disinterestedness, and charity, worthy of the Apostolic age. The vir tues of these holy men have been justly appreciated by the natives, have been rewarded by the affection of the lower ofders, and the favour and confidence of the great. Yet, whilst in the spirit of primitive Christianity they preached her purest doctrines, whilst they were respected as sages and revered as saints, their instructions were heard with indifference, and the number of their converts was small. To what peculiar combination of circumstances must we ascribe the infelicity and barrenness of their conscientious labours-to the obstinate prejudices of the natives?-their vicious habits?-their indifference to truth-their aversion to novelty?-their dislike to the moral restraints implied in reformation and repentance? The influence of these causes is great, perhaps insurmountably great, in the present state of opinions and manners among the nations of India. But is this the whole of the case? Is the blame of rejecting the offer of salvation exclusively imputable to the natives? Have we taken all possible means to dissipate the prejudices and discourage the barbarous superstitions which shackle their minds and degrade their character? and have they not reason to complain, that we have never assured to the convert, protection, employment, or favour; security from the resentment, or compensation for the find an obvious cause of their disregard scorn, of his countrymen? May we not to the Gospel and inaptitude for the reception of its truths, in the prevalence of sentiments and conduct among the Europeans in India, altogether discordant with the pure spirit of evangelical charity, which united the affections and efforts of the Apostolic Church in the promotion of the common cause? The energies of society have never, in fact, been directed to the work of conversion, as an object of general concern; whilst the truth and dignity of our holy religion are, in too many instances, discredited by the vices of its professor, their neglect of its sabbaths and sacred ordinances, and their contempt of its ministers and doctrines. The future advancement of Christianity in India will, in a great measure, depend on the success of our endeavours to eradicate the infidelity and correct the morals of the European population. Will the native embrace a faith which is disgraced or derided by its professors? Will he admit the necessity of renouncing his vicious practices, when he discovers no traces of Christian virtue in the conduct of Christians by name? A reformation of this kind might be justly regarded as the dawn of a brighter day in the East. In the present state of society, it were, indeed, absurd to expect an immediate and extensive revival of the virtues and graces peculiar to the early ages; but much may be gradually effected by the application of existing resources, in repairing neglects and omissions, which are generally acknowledged and lamented in the present day. And much has already been done. This great concern of humanity is no longer regarded with indifference: it has engaged the serious attention of Government, and interested the feelings of individuals. The necessity of extirpating the germ of the evil, by rational and pious education, is universally felt; and, whilst appropriate instruction at home is secured to the higher ranks, institutions have been established in India, to communicate religious knowledge to the children of indigent Christians, and by early cultivation of reason, to prepare the hearts of the natives for the reception of Divine Grace. In this state of public opinion and feeling, the formation of an ecclesiastical establishment," on the genuine model of antiquity, in the capital of our Eastern dominions, is a circumstance of peculiar importance, whether it be considered as restoring to our pure religion her inte grity of form and legitimate honours, and thus promoting the salutary influence of her ministers, and observance of her ordinances; or whether we regard it as a centre of union to men of sober and reasonable piety, who, in the arrangement and prosecution of their beneficent schemes * See the Bishop of Calcutta's admirable Charge, delivered at his Primary Visitation, 1815, and lately published in London: for the advancement of the Gospel, will be led by duty and prudence to this high authority, for information, direction, and assistance. By the light of this new star, the wise and the virtuous, who in singleness of heart engage in the service of Christ, will be anxious to shape their course to this point they will look for instruction, in the original conception of their plans, the preparation of means, and the choice of instruments: and here they will find their best security against the danger of wasting the energies of zeal and of talent in fruitless exertions, from want of concert and regularity in their proceedings, or of consistency and precision in their views. To such unity of principle, of action, and of object, we have traced the successes of the primitive Church; and from the return of the same spirit, we may expect the renewal of those victories which first shook the empire of darkness, and the consummation of that triumph which shall effect its final extinction. After a brief recapitulation of his argument, his Lordship thus concludes: From this view of the case, we derive the consolatory assurance, that the obstacles which have hitherto disappointed our hopes, may in time be surmounted, by a vigorous and honest application of means confessedly within our reach, and already in partial operation. The path which was trodden by the early disciples is still open: it will still be illumined by the presence, and smoothed by the power, of the Redeemer. In making our country the centre of action, the source of light, to the remote dependencies of the empire, and, through them, to the whole world, we shall lay the solid foundations of success. And hence we perceive the necessity of redoubled exertion, to root the love of Religion in the hearts of our people, and to accustom them from their infancy to walk as children of light. (Eph. v. 8.) By perseverance in this system, we may ultimately be enabled to check the moral infection too widely diffused by our countrymen, who are brought, by the calls of professional duty or commercial enterprise, into immediate contact with the heathen; and to impress on their mind and their conduct the genuine character of Christianity; so that all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed. (Isa. Ixi. 9.) The supposed impracticability of working an extensive reform among a descrip. tion of men, more particularly exposed to the evils of ignorance and the seductions of vice, may furnish to indolence or indifference a specious pretext for inaction. But Charity, sustained and directed by 1 the principles of duty and faith, is not easily discouraged, and never despairs Her ardour and energy will quicken and kindle, in the struggle with difficulty: her strength will increase with exertion: her skill will be perfected by experience, Confiding in the goodness of her motives, her end and her means, she will never re lax her endeavours to accomplish a task, which, if sovereignty be granted to nations in trust for the benefit of mankind, may seem to have been specially assigned, by the dispensations of Providence, to this favoured country. The joint obliga tions of gratitude, of wisdom, of duty, imperiously require our hearty concurrence to the apparent destination of heaven: nor shall we escape an indelible stain of national guilt and disgrace, if, indifferent to the welfare of our fellow-creatures, or insensible to the advantages which we experience from the diffusion of light, we refuse to communicate the blessing; if, deaf to the gracious voice which invites us to exercise the noblest of privileges, we leave it to others to spread the truths of salvation to the ends of the world, and to hasten the rising of that glorious day, when the desert shall blossom as the rose, (Isa. xxxv. 1.) the leopard shall lie down with the kid, (Isa. xi. 6.) and all the famalies of the earth, renouncing their unnatural animosities, shall merge the distinctions of country and colour in their com mon relation to the Saviour, who died for the redemption of mankind. We have extracted the greater part of this Sermon, not only on account of its intrinsic excellence, but because we wish our readers to partake with us in the pleasure which we derive from witnessing the pledges thus given, in the highest quarters, of hearty co-operation in the diffusion of Christianity through the world. The anxiety which the higher pastors of the Church are beginning to feel for the recovery and edification of her distant members, and which is strongly expressed both in the primary charge of the Bishop of Calcutta and in the present discourse of the Bishop of London, awakens in our minds a lively hope, that the course, which has been at length entered on, will be consistently pursued, until the various assemblages of our fellow-churchmen throughout the world shall enjoy all the benefits of Christian worship and discipline that it may be possible to extend to them. The state of most of our colonial possessions, in respect of morals and religion, is truly afflicting; and nothing can so effectually, under the blessing of God, remedy the evil, as the practical application of the principles of this discourse. While free scope is given to the voluntary exertions of Christian Societies in this great work, the state is bound to extend to all her dependencies the blessings of our primitive order and worship. The British possession in the West-Indies, the assemblages of Englishmen scattered round the Mediterranean, the Western and Southern Colonies of Africa, the Presidencies of Madras and Bombay, the Island of Ceylon, the groups of the Eastern Archipelago, with the growing empire of New-South-Wales-all these demand the vigilant and affectionate exercises of the Episcopal Functions, the maintenance of devout Worship, and the faithful administration of the word. The Right Reverend preacher has forcibly urged the advantages which must arise to every effort to propagate the faith, should the parental care of the Church reclaim by the divine blessing, her own children scattered throughout the world to a walk consistent with their Christian profession. THE ANNUAL MEETING. was held, as usual, in the Vestry Room of St. Mary-le-Bow, immediately after the Sermon; when the report of proceedings was read, and thanks voted to the Bishop of London for the Sermon preached by his Lordship, [Missionary Register. ORDINATION. At an Ordination, held in Trinity Church, New-York, on the 23d day of October last, by the Right Rev. Bishop HOBART, Mr. David Brown was admitted to the holy order of Deacons, and the Rev. Samuel Johnson, Deacon, to the holy order of Priests. Printed and published by T. & J. Swords, No. 160 Pearl-street, New-York; where Subscriptions for this Work will be received at one dollar per annum, or 24 numbers.-All Letters relative to this Journal must come free of Postage. CHRISTIAN JOURNAL, AND LITERARY REGISTER. No. 23.] SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1817. MEMOIR of MOWNEE, a Youth from New-Zealand, who died at Paddington, Dec. 28, 1816. By the Rev. BASIL WOODD. (From the Christian Guardian) So far as I have been able to ascertain particularly, this young man was born in the island of New-Zealand, about the year 1796. On Monday, Dec. 16, about twelve days before his death, I had taken him to spend the evening with some friends. We came home together, as I was fearful of trusting him by himself, lest he should mistake his way. We had some very pleasant conversation, in which he expressed himself greatly delighted and edified with the company to which he had been admitted. I little thought that this would prove the last time I should ever take him out with me. Just before we got out of the coach, I said, "Mowhee, you can now write a tolerably good hand. I wish you would, at your leisure, write down what particulars you can recollect of your history. I will keep it, to remember you, after you have departed for New-Zealand." Accordingly, in the course of the week, he undertook this narrative; and had proceeded in it as far as his return to his native island, at the close of 1814, when his unexpected death prevented farther progress. From this narrative, and from occasional conversation, I have collected the following interesting facts: and, so far as I am able, I shall insert the statement in his own plain and unaffected words. The history discloses an extraordinary series of the interpositions of Divine Providence. Mowhee was a relation of Terra, a [VOL. I. head chief, and a man of considerable influence, on the south side of the Bay of Islands. About the year 1806, one of the natives had gone to Port-Jackson, in New-South-Wales, and stayed there some time. On his return, he told his countrymen "what a fine place the English people had, and the wonderful news of our Saviour dying for sinners and the world." He also persuaded many of the natives to wish to send their children thither. Shortly after, two ships came into the harbour. The captains came on shore; one of them to the spot where Mowhee's family resided. By the character Mowhee gave of him, he appears to have been a man of a very friendly disposition, and of a religious state of mind. He frequently con versed with Mowhee's father; and endeavoured to impress on his conscience the value of his soul, the importance of eternity, and the leading truths of the Christian religion. This kind attention so much gained the affections and confidence of the father, that, when the ship was preparing to quit New-Zealand, he earnestly entreated the captain to take his son a voyage with him. Mowhee was at this period about nine or ten years of age. He had been a good deal with the captain while on shore, and loved him as a parent. He had also been frequently on board the ship; and, as was perfectly natural, was greatly delighted with the novelty of the scene, and the prospect of the voyage to a new island. Accordingly, when the day arrived for the sailing of the ship, the father and mother, and several natives, accompanied Mowhee on board. Here 45 he found a native, with whom he was acquainted, who had been to visit the English settlements, and was going back again with the captain. He spake highly of the kindness of the captain, and of the English people;" and persuaded Mowhee to persevere in his intention. At this time the ships were surrounded with canoes, which kept her company till she was withoutside the heads of the Bay. About sun-set they. left the ships; and now a most melancholy farewell was taken of Mowhee by his parents. The mother, in particular, was quite overwhelmed in an agony of grief. For a long time she refused to quit the ship; and was, at length, taken away by compulsion. This was the last time that Mowhee and his parents ever saw one another. Some months after, a fatal epidemic sickness was brought from a distant part of the island. Numbers caught the infection and died; and, among them, the affectionate parents of our young friend. Mowhee always spoke of his father as a man who had learned of the captain to worship the true God; and he trusted he should meet him again, to part no more. In the evening, the captain called Mowhee, and the other native, whose name was Hearry, into the cabin. He spake kindly to them, and bade them be assured of his friendship; and told Mowhee that he should in. future call him by the name of Tho mas. During this evening, the wind be gan to blow very hard, and the sea was very tempestuous for a few days. Mowhee was exceedingly terrified but his countryman quieted his fears, by assuring him that the storm would not long continue, and that, in a short time, they would see Norfolk Island. As soon as they arrived off that island, a boat came on board, with a Mr. Drummond, who took Mowhee and the other native on shore, to his own house. The first object which engaged his attention and excited his astonish ment, in this place, was the building of a brig, a sight to him entirely new. Mr. Drummond received him with great kindness; and assured him, that if he was disposed to reside with him, he should be treated like one of his sons. Mr. Drummond placed him at a day-school for near a year. Here he began to learn to read and write; and from this period, as a token of regard, he took the name of Thomas Drummond. Shortly after the whole family sailed for New-South-Wales. They landed at Sidney; and, in February, 1812, removed to a farm, at a village called Liverpool. During this period, it appears that Mr. Drummond, and the Rev. Mr. G, used to explain to Mowhee the general principles of the Christian religion, the meaning of going to church, the nature of the worship due to Almighty God, and the redemption of man by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Here, to use his own words, he frequently was taught that the Son of God came into the world to save sinners, and that whosover believed on him should inherit everlasting life. Mr. D. had adopted the pious and venerable custom of having all his family and servants, every Sunday evening, in his parlour. He heard them read portions of the Holy Scriptures, and then familiarly explained them, according to their capacities. Mowhee's ordinary employment was in the farm; and much of his time was occupied in taking care of the sheep, and preventing their straying to lose themselves in the woods. His mind, however, possessed too much ardour and activity for this mode of life. He described it as a lonesome employment; and, in a few months, he became completely weary of it, and expressed to Mr. Drummond his earnest desire to quit the farm, and gratify his curiosity in seeing more of the world. Just at this crisis, the Rev. Samuel Marsden calling at Mr. Drummond's, Mohee's desire was communicated to him. He arranged an exchange, in consequence; and Mowhee was removed to Parramatta. He was thus |