be alleged, the undertaking is great, and when committed to such unskilful hands, it must of course miscarry; but let none of my brethren be discouraged or despair. Although our best efforts in the great work would prove as the vain puff to turn the northern blast, or as indolent wishes to break the rock of adamant: yet unless my heart deceives me, one who is worthier and mightier than all, has entered the list with his puny soldiers -one who can open, and none can shut; who can shut, and none can open-who can break to pieces the iron gates overturn the barriers-rend the vail of unbelief, and dissipate the darkness; who can cause his voice to penetrate the darkest recesses-make the dead to hear; in hearing to obey, and in obeying, live for ever.-Such an one I believe has unfurled his standard here, and taken the command; and who can despair of victory under such a leader!

Alas! how much of the beauty of the gospel is lost to this people: yet blessed be God, there remains an allsufficiency to make them wise unto salvation. This people can receive at present only the very crumbs of divine truth.

The tropes, figures, and most beautiful similitudes with which the sacred oracles abound, are in general lost to my Tuscarora hearers. Although I have made various attempts, I never have been able to point out, even to Cusick, the usefulness of exegesis and improvement. If therefore my audience are to understand me, they must be at once introduced as a party concerned; the business of the day must be transacted between them and their God. Thus it is with you fallen lost sinners; and thus has God, in infinite mercy, prepared salvation: accept and live for ever-refuse and you perish eternally, is the manner in which it appears to me this people must be addressed. I think the great art of preaching to Indians, lies in reducing the style and sentiment to their capacity: and instead of proving the authenticity of sacred writ by arguments to them abstruse, we are to assume the authority it gives us-bring forward its great truths in the plainest and most simple manner-with zeal and fervency urge them home to their consciences,

leaving the result in the hand of the great agent of the New Covenant*.

000

Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Gideon Blackburn, to a gentleman of this City; dated Maryville, Dec. 24th, 1809.

WHAT is the state of religion in your city? Are all at ease in Zion? It is too much the case here-The vicious examples of the white people who mingle with my Indians, effectually prevent much religion amongst them. But in point of civilization, they are rising in respectability. Their country is covered with well cultivated farms-their stocks have so increased that 700 beeves have been sent to market this season, and 1000 hogs. They have formed written laws, and keep them on record. I have educated near 300 of their children; and gave each who learned to read, a bible, or testament, and some other good book. Thus I hope the advantages will not be lost. They are now getting into the idea of private schools, at their own cost, with a little of my assistance. This I am desirous to encourage.

000

Extract of a Letter from the Rev. President Atwater, dated Carlisle, January 4, 1810.

I HAVE received three letters from there, (Middlebury, Vermont,) on the subject, (a revival of religion.)

In confirmation of the above sentiment, we have the experience of the Moravian missionaries in Greenland. For ten years did a very learned and pious minister labour among them without the conversion of a single soul. He thought that he must prove to them the existence of a God, and the original stain of our natures, before he could preach the peculiar doctrines of the gospel; and he never could get over this first step for they either could not, or would not understand it. At length he saw his error, and the plan of operations was altered. Jesus Christ was preached in simplicity, without any preparation. The Greenlanders seemed thoughtful, amazed, and confounded-their eyes were opened to their lost and ruined state-the gospel was every where received in love, and proved effectual to the destruction of the kingdom of darkness-numbers came from the borders of the northern ocean to hear the word of life; and perhaps the greater part of the population of this country has now received the truth.

About 70 have already been the subjects of the work. Of these 28 were members of College.

FOREIGN.

Letter from the London Missionary Society to the New-York Missionary Society; dated London, 9th Oct. 1809.

It is with sincere pleasure that we resume our corres

pondence with you, which we regret has been for a long time suspended. We trust, however, that our respective Societies have not been altogether forgotten by each other, when they have approached the throne of grace to obtain that Divine assistance, which can alone succeed our endeavours and render them instrumental in the conversion of the heathen.

Our Annual Reports have, we trust, 'ere this, reached your hands; by which you will have perceived that we are enabled, by the good providence of God, to increase the number of our missions. Besides those many years ago commenced in an island of the South Sea, and in South Africa, we have commenced others in India, and in South America, which bear already a pleasing aspect. The Directors feel themselves much obliged by the very hos pitable and generous attention shown to their missionaries Gordon and Lee, and their families, while detained in your country; and for the very generous regard paid to them, in facilitating their voyage to India, in prosecution of their original design. Our missionaries have spoken of the truly Christian kindness which they re ceived from several pious individuals of your number with becoming sentiments of gratitude, and we beg to return our cordial thanks on their behalf.

We have perused with pleasure your letter of May the 20th, and Report of April, 1809, and rejoice to find that

you are pursuing in your mission to the Tuscaroras. The difficulties under which your missionary, Mr. Gray, labours, in being obliged to employ an interpreter, must be considerable; more especially as you find the language itself to be so ill adapted to express those ideas with which the Gospel abounds. This is an evil which all the missionaries, who speak in a language purely heathen, must expect to find; and forms, no doubt, a very embarrassing impediment to the full declaration of the gospel of Christ. We apprehend, therefore, that your determination to establish a school among the Indians, in which they may acquire the English language, is a wise and judicious measure. Mr. Lancaster's plan, which gains ground in many populous towns of this country, may probably be found, at least in many parts of it, to be well adapted to the purpose. Sincerely shall we rejoice to find that your labours among the Tuscaroras are attended with great success.

We think ourselves much honoured by the respectful reference you are pleased to make in your Letter and Report, to the efforts of our Society, in various parts of the world, and amidst many discouragements. We shall think ourselves highly honoured of God, if any exertions which we are enabled to make, should in the least degree incite our Christian brethren in any place to engage in missionary services, or encourage them in the work they may have commenced. We are still, by the blessing of God, going forward. The success with which we have been favoured in Demarara, is peculiarly animating; and we give glory to God, who, in his sovereign disposals, is pleased to "choose the base things of the world, and things which are despised, that no flesh should glory in his presence."

The expenditure of our Society amounted the last year to nearly 70007.-—a sum much larger than the actual income of the year; but we have always indulged a hope that the liberality of the British public would keep pace with the exigencies of the Society; and we are now making a new appeal to our brethren for that purpose. What we have hitherto attempted, bears no proportion to the real state of the world. Thousands of mission

aries are wanted. Millions of souls are perishing for lack of knowledge; and we long for the time when the Lord shall give the word, and the company of those that publish it shall equal the demand for their labours. In the mean time, we cannot but entertain a hope that the calamitous wars and national convulsions which humanity so tenderly laments, are in the inscrutable order of Divine Providence, among the means which shall accele-. rate the glorious period. Secret things, however, belong to God, and without prying into futurity, the path of duty lies straight before us. Let us "go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature:" He who gave the command has accompanied it with the promise of his presence" Lo, I am with you always, to the end of the world." It affords our Society unfeigned pleasure to leam that the spirit of God has been poured out on many of the churches in your State, and in other States in your neighbourhood; and that you consider this revival as a stimulus to your efforts for the conversion of the heathen. We heartily concur with you in this pious conclusion. To the revival of religion in England many years ago, and the new impetus that was given to the professors of evangelical religion, by a more zealous mode of preaching, and to that union of spirit among various denominations which accompanied it, we can trace the origin of the Missionary Society. May your endeavours, dear brethren, and those of other labourers in the United States, be the happy means of establishing numerous missions " among the inhabitants of the western wilderness." To this labour of love, your local situation seems immediately to direct, and the more so as," instead of maintaining an obstinate opposition to the Gospel, many are loudly imploring your assistance."

Go on, dear brethren, and prosper. The Lord whom you serve will not leave you without testimony of his approbation: nor will he suffer your labour to be altogether in vain. To his grace we commend you; and remain, Your affectionate brethren,

And fellow-labourers in the work of the Lord, &c.