Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

6

jectured, without my telling them, that I was a religious teacher, and when they found that I came from a far country,-nay, from a country of which they had never heard,-the very existence of which was contrary to Gaudama's instructions in geography, their curiosity was very much excited. The priests inquired if I received offerings from Burmans. I told them I would not receive offerings that were made with a design of obtaining merit. Why not? Because I do not believe that men who are sinners can have any merit. And to receive their offerings would be the same as sanctioning their errors. 'But how are men destitute of merit? Ans. All men having sinned against the true God, by transgressing his law, they cannot merit any thing at his hand; and if they know not the true God, but worship a false one, and obey not the true law, they add sin to sin, and unless some way of salvation be found out, they must suffer the consequences of their sins. The priests assented; and inquired, 'Have you found out that way? Ans. I have heard that there is a way, and knowing that the Daways have not heard the joyful tidings, I have come to proclaim them. They requested me to explain my doctrine on the spot; which I thought it prudent to decline, and told them, that as I was not skilful in their language, and had no Scriptures with me, I chose not to preach at present; but if they would come to my house, I would tell them what I could. One of the priests said, 'I want to see this teacher again very much.' He inquired where I lived, and added, I shall come to see you.'

They asked me many more questions, invited me to see their ceremonies, conducted me back to the coolest seats, and when the funeral rites were over, we all repaired to a zayat, where the priests received their presents.

When the priests had assigned me a good seat and had all seated themselves near me, they pressed me to tell them about my religion. I finally said, the God we worship is free from sickness, old age, birth, death, and annihilation; is descended from no one, but exists of himself, eternally, without beginning, end, or change. What is his name?' His name is the true God.' 'Of what race is he?" He is of his own race, without an equal or a progenitor. "Where does he reside?" Every where; but he displays his glories in heaven.' But tell us more distinctly, where his residence is.' 'He is a spirit without a body, and is so glorious and exalted a being, that we cannot conceive of his nature or I understand you,'

his residence.'

said one of them, 'our minds are not mature enough to attain to such knowledge.' I added that Gaudama, the being whom the Burmans worshipped, was the very reverse of all this; to which the priests assented. When all was over, several of the priests who were going different ways, seemed desirous of my company. As the officiating priest was going the same way with me, I walked with him into town. He was a well proportioned, grey headed, smiling, but dignified old man. As we walked along, he took hold of my arm, and said, 'You have come to Tavoy, then, to teach religion.' I answered yes -and he smiled-probably in contempt. Such was my first interview with the ecclesiastics of this place thirteen days after my arrival. May it be followed by some good results. It will now be known in every corner of the town that a foreign teacher of a new religion has arrived. It would not be strange if the priests will condemn me as a dangerous heretic, and warn the people against coming to hear me. But great is the truth, and it will prevail.

(To be continued.)

LATEST INTELLIGENCE FROM THE BURMAN MISSION.

Rev. and dear Sir,

Extract from a Letter to the Corresponding Secretary.

Tavoy, Oct. 11, 1828.

We are going on as usual in our work. No baptisms since the third of August. One or two persons give us encouragement. Mrs Boardman has commenced a boarding school for girls; but it is a subject of very deep regret to us all that the Tavoy women speak so impure Burman, that Burmans who have lived here fifteen or twenty years cannot understand them. This is a most serious impediment to my dear partner in all her intercourse with the females of this place. We are constantly obliged to call an interpreter, in order to converse with them. The Karens in this province are attentive to the Gospel. We have much reason to hope they will, ere long, embrace it in sincerity. We are favored with excellent health. Yours in the Gospel, GEO. D. BOARDMAN.

2d Wednesday in April, 1830. Rev. William Leverett of Roxbury, was appointed first, and Rev. Moses Curtis the object of this Society to excite the of Canton, second preacher. As it is churches to more zeal and activity in the cause of Christ, and especially to more fervent prayer and systematic effort for the spread of the gospel, it is hoped every Baptist Church in the will be represented at the next annual meeting, and that all the moneys raised sions, will, hereafter, flow into the within these Counties for Foreign Misgeneral treasury through this channel. During the last three years, (the whole period of its existence) this Society has paid over to the General Board a little

Counties of Middlesex and Norfolk

more than 1200 dollars-that is, on an average, about 400 dollars each year. If all the churches would establish

Middlesex and Norfolk Missionary Society, Auxiliary to the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions. This Society held its third Annual Meeting in the Baptist Meeting-house at Roxbury, on Wednesday, April 1st. Delegates were present from Primary Societies in Cambridge, West-Cambridge, Canton, Charlestown, Dedham, Framingham, Woburn, Randolph and Roxbury. It having been previously announced that the meeting would be public, a large number of the friends of Missions were present. After sing ing a hymn, the blessing of God was supplicated in behalf of the Society and of Missions, by Rev. Mr Curtis of Canton. Interesting and appropriate addresses were then delivered by Mr E. Lincoln of Boston, Rev. Mr Jackson of Charlestown, Rev. Mr Jacobs of Cambridge, Rev. Mr Nelson of West-Cambridge, Rev. Mr Train of Primary Societies, or form themselves Framingham, and Rev. Mr Aldrich of into Missionary Societies, and become Dedham. The remarks that were connected with the County Auxiliary, made on this occasion, and especially raised the next year, and the amount there is no doubt 800 dollars would be the gratifying intelligence which was communicated respecting the revivals would be annually increasing. Beat our missionary stations in Burmah, and it will display itself in holy action, nevolence is the very soul of religion, evidently produced much feeling in the assembly, and left a salutary imwhen objects, worthy of its attention, pression on their minds; an impression, which facts shall be stated, respecting are presented. Public meetings in which will, it is believed, lead to more fervent prayer and more united exerthe actual condition of the heathen, tions for the spread of the gospel and their ignorance, their degradation, the conversion of the heathen. In the their misery-and in which informaevening, Rev. Mr Putnam of Randolph, the character, the wants, the suffertion shall be communicated relating to delivered a discourse, happily adapted to inspire benevolent feelings and stimu- ings and the success of our Missionalate to action, from Act xx. 35, "Ye ries-and in which the commands of ought to remember the words of the Christ, the obligations of Christians, Lord Jesus, how he said, 'It is more and the motives for pious exertion blessed to give than to receive."" Af- presented in the gospel, shall be enter which a collection was taken up in forced-meetings of this character, it behalf of the Society amounting to 24 is

dollars.

At this meeting, Rev. Charles Train, of Framingham, Rev. Bela Jacobs, and Dea. Levi Farwell of Cambridge, and Rev. William Leverett of Roxbury, were appointed delegates from this Society to the General Convention, to be convened in Philadelphia, on the 29th

inst.

[merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small]

believed, will, under the blessing of God, exert an influence, in every place favorable both to personal piety and to in which they may be held, highly religious activity. Every Christian the universal spread of the gospel-for must of necessity desire and pray for the conversion of the world to Christ. And this event will, at no very distant period, be accomplished. The earth shall be filled with the glory of Godhis Son shall have the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession.

The

kingdoms of this world shall become and he shall reign from sea to sea, and the kingdoms of our Lord Jesus Christ,

from the river to the ends of the earth. Through the instrumentality of his people, God is now reconciling the

[blocks in formation]

'The Lord has here placed me in an extensive field for ministerial labor, and has given me to hope that my labors are not in vain. I have had the happiness of baptizing about two hundred and seventy-five, within the last eighteen months, and the revival is still in happy progress in several places in this vicinity. We have had a great display of the power of the Spirit of God in the conversion of sinners. I suppose that in the time above mentioned, not less than one thousand have joined the different churches in this (Sumter) District. What hath God wrought!

"I forwarded you, by last mail, the minutes of the Charleston Associationby them you will see that my engage ments are not few. The Principal of our Furman Academy and Theological Institution, having resigned and left, the committee have appointed me as his successor, at least for the present year; and feeling that private gratification ought to give way to public utility, I have consented to give up my anticipated journey to the north the ensuing summer, and accept the appointment. Our Institution is yet in its very infancy, and has great difficulties to encounter and many enemies to oppose. It is an opinion, but too popular, that if God calls a man to preach, it is of no consequence whether he knows any thing or not; consequently, we have good as well as bad men against us. I think, however, that this opinion is yielding to the more correct idea that those who would teach others, must first be taught themselves.'

Extract of a Letter from Rev. John Peck, to a friend in Salem.

Rock Spring, Mar. 23, 1829. "The state of things at the Seminary is most interesting. The seriousness, that has for some months been gradually increasing, has assumed the characteristics of a revival among the students, which prevails generally. A number have professed to be converted, amongst whom are some, whose minds are already inquiring the path of duty in relation to the ministry. I can perceive, that correct principles are making a steady and successful progress through the country. soon shall have our tract system in successful operation. The second Saturday and Sabbath in April, a meeting is appointed to be holden, and if expedient, to constitute a church at the Seminary. It is expected that several will be baptized on the occasion."

We

THE CONVERTED INDIAN PRINCE.

Perhaps few uninspired works have been more extensively blessed to the conversion of sinners, than the inestimable treatise, Baxter's Call to the Unconverted. It has been translated into numerous languages, and the number of copies dispersed cannot be estimated. Mr Elliot, the apostle of the Indians, translated the work into the Indian language. Dr Rippon, of London, in a Sermon delivered before the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, states an instance of peculiar attachment to the work in a young Indian Prince, which he remarks, is recorded too briefly in the few following lines of Mr Elliot's Life, written by Cotton Mather.

'Methinks I see that juvenile Sachem; the tufted feathers wave on his head; his hair in double tresses drops loosely on this side and on that, decorated with corals and with silver rings; a piece of gold is suspended from the cartilage of his nostrils, and the lappets of his ears are hung with pearls, with flowers, and with silver crosses. This part of his face is streaked with blue, the emblem of peace among Indians; and that part of it with vermilion, the signal of readiness for war. A broad collar of violet wampum ornaments his breast, on which hangs the scalping knife; in his hand is the tomahawk; his hatchet is hung on his girdle, and, in all the insolence of pride, he says, An Indian cares not for the Long Knives,

(meaning the Americans) nor for the God of the Long Knives. But, O astonishing compassion and grace! this God, this insulted God, cared for him. Mr John Cotton, an eminent Indian Missionary, carried the news of salvation to the savage clan, in which this young Prince was a Sachem. Mr Baxter's Call to the Unconverted was also given him. The lion become a lamb. Immediately the scalping-knife, the fatal tomahawk, and the bloody hatchet, were abandoned, all abandoned, for the Calumet, the pipe of friendship; while the tremendous warwhoop is exchanged, for an air now well known among the converted Indians, Glory to God in the highest; on earth peace; good will among the Six Nations, among the Long Knives, and the great people beyond the river; yea, good will among all the sons and

daughters of men, of every tribe, in whatever clime they breathe. This I cannot but assure myself was his spirit; and through a long, lingering disorder, he kept reading Mr Baxter's Call to the Unconverted, with floods of tears in his eyes, till he died.'

AID IN DISTRIBUTING TRACTS.

At a Meeting of the Executive Committee of the American Tract Society, New York, March 16, 1829, a communication was received from a Committee of the Baptist General Convention, requesting aid in the distribution of Tracts in Burmab and Liberia.

"Resolved, That 300 dollars be presented to the Baptist General Convention, to be appropri ated to the Burman Mission, to aid in their Tract operations; the conditions of the grant to be the same as adopted by the Committee, with reference to all appropriations for Tracts in foreign languages; also, that 25,000 pages of Tracts in English, be granted for gratuitous circulation at Liberia." A true copy from the Minutes.

WILLIAM A. HALLOCK, Cor. Sec. A.TS.
By J. TALBOT, Assist. Sec.

Account of Moneys received by the
for the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions, from March 28, toApril 18, 1829.

Treasurer of the General Convention

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

A number of friends in the Third Baptist Society, Boston, have agreed to present Dr Sharp, 50 dollars, to become a subscriber for the Burman Bible.

**The Treasurer's Account of the Auxiliary Society of Middlesex and Norfolk Counties, will be inserted in our next Number.

[blocks in formation]

(From a Sermon, delivered by the Pastor of the First Baptist Church, Charlestown, March 8, 1829, being the Lord's-day after her interment.)

MISS PORTER was the only child of her mother, and she a widow. The mother had anticipated much from the future life of her daughter, in which she was justified from that uniformly kind and affectionate deportment she witnessed. But alas! her fond expectation, like the early flower, was sadly blighted by the frost of death. After watching the progress of her disease for more than eleven months, she was at length called to witness her departure-but it was a departure to a happier world, on the morning, with which every Christian's heart associates the most endearing recollections. That was a Lord's-day morning, never to be forgotten by her who appears among us, with a heart filled with grief. I shall not attempt to describe what I suppose must have We bebeen the great and glorious discoveries of the deceased. lieve she entered the joy of her Lord, where her enraptured spirit beheld her compassionate Redeemer, and commenced, what she sang so often on earth, the song of Moses and the Lamb.

Miss Porter became deeply interested in the welfare of her soul, more than three years since, at a meeting of the Dorcas Societya Society of ladies of this congregation, constituted to aid and encourage young gentlemen, who are patronized by Education Societies, and designed for the sacred ministry. It is, I believe, their general practice at their monthly meetings, while they endeavor to inspire benevolent, to promote also, by prayer and the perusal of religious publications, pious feelings. The remarks at one of these associations were never obliterated from the mind of the deceased. She entertained a hope in the mercy of God; and after much trembling and deep solicitude, presented herself a candidate to this church, and received baptism, June 25, 1826.

There was nothing remarkable in the life of Miss Porter during her last sickness, till within three weeks prior to her death, except what characterizes many other Christians, an ardent desire to render herself useful in every possible manner to those around her. JUNE, 1829.

25

« ForrigeFortsæt »