could find no alteration in him. About this time he talked of going away to leave us, to see his friends, and our squaws told us that we were fools to let him go, for the Great God had sent him, and that we ought to adopt him. But still we wanted to wait longer. But they told us what God had done for them by this man; so we attended his meeting in the council-house, and the Great Spirit came upon us, so that some cried aloud, some clapped their hands, and some ran, and some were mad. Now we held our meetings sometimes all night, singing and praying. By this time we knew that God had sent our brother unto us; so we adopted him, and gave him mothers and children. Then we went to the great Camp-meeting,* and were very happy. Then as soon as this work was amongst us at Sandusky, almost every week or two, more preachers came and told us that they loved us, and would take us and our preacher under their care, and give us schools, and do all for us we wanted. But we thought if they love Indians so, why not go to the Senecas and Mohawks? We have got our preacher. Some told us, now we believed we must be baptized all over in the water; and now great anxiety for them: but before our brother came, care nothing about us. Now we are, many of us, trying to do good, and are happy. We have found no change in our brother Steward; but the others that come, some of them, when our young Indians will not hear, and mind them, get mad and scold, so that we still think our brother is the best man; though we have many to oppose us, and this night I mean to tell it all out. Some whites that live amongst us, and can talk our language, say the Methodists bewitch us, and that it is all nothing but the work of the devil, and all that they want is to get you tamed, and then kill you as they have done the Moravian Indians on the Tuscarawas river. I told them, if we were to be killed it was time for us to be praying. Some white people put bad things in the minds of our wicked young Indians, and thereby make our way rough." So after telling that the Lord was good, and requesting the prayers of his brethren, he sat down. Then we commenced singing and praying, in which all joined and prayed alternately, some in Indian and some in English. All night was spent in this exercise-one Indian that had not yet embraced religion, this night got under conviction; but I do not think he was delivered from the guilt of sin. Just before day the Lord answered as by fire. O what a joyful time this was! all seemed to be dissolved in love. In the morning we shook the parting hand in hopes of meeting in a better world. Upon the whole, I believe God has done great things for these Indians-Sixty-two of them have joined our society. *At Lebanon. I was told that one of the Indians answered and said, "God made water to drink, not to drown people in." THE METHODIST MAGAZINE. FOR FEBRUARY, 1820. Divinity. A SERMON ON COL. III. 1, 2, 3, 4. (Continued from page 7.) HAVING attempted, thus far, to explain the duty enjoined in the text, it may not be unimportant, before we consider the arguments by which it is enforced, to offer a few directions, as helps to the performance of it. We sometimes perceive the beauties of truth, and our judgment approves the rectitude and authority of her mandates; but how to perform that which is good we find not. Encompassed with a thousand infirmities, and bound to the earth by innumerable ties, we find it extremely difficult to burst our fetters, and obtain the victory over ourselves. Our associations are strong, and our passionate fondness of the world seems to clog and enervate every exertion. Our senses are assailed in a thousand different ways. We are in the midst of a state of things calculated to engross our thoughts, court our affections, and draw our hearts from our God. Well may we cry out, "Prevent us, O Lord, by thy holy Spirit!" Help our infirmities, and strengthen us by thy grace. At the very commencement of our work, we should have it deeply engraved on our hearts, that our sufficiency is of God; that he careth for us, and that there is nothing too difficult for infinite wisdom, power, and goodness to accomplish. Destitute of a lively and abiding conviction of these cardinal, and encouraging truths, our exertions must be feeble, and ineffectual. "Of myself I can do nothing; but through Christ, who strengtheneth me, I can do all things." Yea, through his strength, VOL. III. "The vale shall rise, the mountain fall, 6 But as our Christian course is pointed out as a warfare; a labour, and race for eternal life, however dependent we are on the grace of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and the abiding agency of the Holy Spirit, we are assured that diligence, activity, and exertion belong to us; and in the neglect of them we have no proper ground of appeal to the promises of God for protection strength, and comfort. Therefore, that we may be the better able to set our affection on heavenly things, and pursue them in a suitable manner, it may be proper to observe the following directions. 1. Endeavour to form a just estimate of the relative value of earthly and heavenly things. Our affection for objects, and our zeal in the pursuit of them, are governed by the estimation we make of them. Our Lord certainly meant this when he said, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." The principal cause why men are so passionately fond of earthly things, is, that they have fixed too high a value on them; and a very large portion of our disappointments, anxieties, and sorrows, in relation to those things, may be traced to the same source. Our claims are so extensive on the world, that it declares insolvency, and leaves us to all the inquietude, and restlessness of disappointed creditors. On the other hand, the reason why the things of God-the treasures of the kingdom of heaven, are so generally neglected, is, that men have either greatly under rated them, or made no calculation at all relative to their real value. A loose and unsettled state of the mind, in reference to our eternal interests, is a situation, not only uncomfortable and melancholy, as it respects the pres ent life; but also highly dangerous as it relates to another world. We should not hesitate to call him an idiot, or a madman, who should put to sea for a foreign port, without compass, quadrant, or helm. What then shall we think of the man who attempts to navigate the boisterous sea of life, and make his passage to that port from whence no passenger returns, without some settled, and fixed principles to guide him? If we would estimate things according to their real value, we must consider their suitableness to our nature, and our wants. If we view earthly things in this light, we shall find but little to engage our affection, or excite our zeal. Whatever appertains to the world, bears an incalculable disproportion to the properties of mind. Hence it is that we observe so little difference between the rich and the poor, in relation to the portion of real happiness which falls to the lot of each; and the same may be observed through all the grades and distinctions of human society. Mark this amazing disparity in a few particulars only. Earthly things are material, mind is spiritual: earthly things are corruptible, mind is incorruptible: earthly things are constantly subject to change, but mind is the same. The world, and the things which are therein shall be burnt up; and even the ele ments shall melt with fervent heat; but mind shall remain unhurt, undiminished, and surviving the wreck of the universe, and nature's funeral pile, shall inherit an existence parallel with that of its author. What a poor world, then, is this in which we live. O how its glories fade away in the light of immortality! Riches! honours! pleasures! false titles! ye shall deceive me no more. Alas! ye have too often thrown dust in my eyes, and stifled the flame of heavenly affection in my heart. I have weighed you in the balance, ye are found wanting- ye are altogether lighter than vanity. But however insufficient the world is to answer the demands of our nature, we shall find a perfect meetness in religion. Are our consciences troubled? it is the messenger of peace. Are we sensible of our guilt? it proclaims pardon. Do we feel the corruptions of our nature, and the misery of our condition? religion presents us with a perfect remedy-a fountain as deep as our wretchedness, and broad as our transgression. Are we weak and ready to faint? the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient for us. Are we perplexed with cares, and fears, and doubts? the voice of the Son of God proclaims, "Come unto me and I will give you rest." Do the dark clouds of affliction gather round us, and sickness and pain admonish us that this is not our home, that the earthly house of this our tabernacle is about to be dissolved? religion lights our path amidst the gloom, and points our faith and hope to that house which is not made with hands, eternal and in the heavens. Do we behold our friends and connexions fall beneath the feet of the pale horse and his rider, and bedew with our tears the precious remains of the prostrate dead? religion, the angel of consolation, assures us that the dear forms we so much admired and loved, have only entered a retired apartment to appear in a more splendid and beautiful dress. Do we hear the summons of the king of terrors, and cast our eyes over the solitude of the grave? religion, bursting through the gloom, proclaims a glorious resurrection! In short, do we feel within us a desire of existence, a "longing after immortality," and a thirst for permanent and durable happiness? religion assures us that the former is our birth right, and the latter the consequence and reward of virtue. Such a comparative view of things can scarcely fail to impress our minds with a sense of the vanity of the world, and of the infinite value of the things of God; and such a conviction will be found of vast importance in the direction and government of our affections. 2. A second direction proper to be considered as a help to the performance of this duty is, let the things of the kingdom of heaven be subjects of frequent and habitual meditation. It is as natural for mind to think, as for matter to rest. But in the present state of things it appears absolutely necessary that our thoughts should be variously employed. Thousands of objects are continually floating in the atmosphere of our senses, each of which serves as a conductor of ideas to the mind, so that it frequently becomes necessary for us to abstract ourselves, as much as possible from sensible objects, that we may converse more familiarly, and directly with spiritual and eternal things. It is of the utmost importance to subject ourselves to a regular habit of thinking. It is not sufficient to have our minds occasionally occupied with our religious concerns. The most irreligious men have transient exercises of a serious kind, and momentary reflections on those things which relate to their eternal welfare; but their reflections are too volatile to produce any lasting impression. We must meditate in the divine law till we delight in it. We must muse till the fire of devotion burns in our hearts, and the ardour of our affection breaks forth in acclamations of praise. Particular times and places should be consecrated to this blessed employment; nor should any ordinary business be permitted to intrude upon the hour which is set apart for conversation with God and eternity. 3. If we would be suitably detached from the things below, and have our affection firmly and constantly set on things above, it is of absolute necessity to have recourse to prayer for divine aid. We must have the constant and abiding influence of the holy Spirit, without which all our endeavours to subdue our passions, and govern our affections will prove fruitless. The holy Spirit is given for this very purpose. It is his province in carrying on the great work of reconciliation, to take of the things of the Father and show them to us. It lies within the sphere of his agency to renew our fallen nature, to create us anew in Christ Jesus, to subdue every carnal affection, and unite us to God in Christ. All our graces are begotten, strengthened and perfected by his operation. But prayer, constant, humble, faithful, fervent prayer, is the medium of his influence upon our hearts. Does the world advance upon us? does it present its flattering forms to enlist our affection? we must fly to the foot of the throne, and shield ourselves with prayer. As we rise towards the mount of God, on the wings of faith and prayer, the world diminishes, and at length disappears, and nothing is present to our enraptured vision but the throne of God and of the Lamb. Seasons of closet, family, and social prayer, are highly favour able to the improvement of our religious state, and especially the enlargement and constancy of our desire and affection for spiritual things. These directions, carefully observed, will be |