unutterable, and in complete defpair of relief or respite thro the never-ending ages of eternity!Hence how awfully dangerous is the state of the wicked every day and every hour! Our lives are in God's hands, and he can take them away whenever he pleafes. The wicked in particnlar, being out of Chrift, and under the curfe of God's broken law, have no title, by covenant promise, to life or any good whatever, but are liable, every day and hour and minute, to be cut off from life, and from every fource of comfort, and placed beyond the hope of happiness forever. And fome are, in fact, fuddenly cut off in childhood and youth, and fome in riper years.-How evident is it, then, that the wicked are continually in an exceedingly awful and dangerous state! How could any man foberly view himself as liable every day to be cut off from the living, and that, under a full conviction that when he dies, all his hopes will utterly perish, without fenfibly feeling that his ftate was awful and dangerous indeed-fuch as no wife perfon could think fafe to be refted in for a moment! Is it not then high time for every one, who yet ranks among the wicked, in the fcriptural fenfe in contradiftinction from the righteous, to repent, and turn to God thro Jefus Chrift, and do works meet for repentance! Can it be thot prudent and fafe can it be rationally viewed in any other light, than of daring, wicked prefumption, for any to go on fecure in the ways of their own heart, and neglect the great falvation now clearly exhibited, and gracioufly propofed to them in the gofpel ! PHILEUSEBES. Religious Intelligence. BY a recent letter from the Rev. Mr. Bacon, Miffionary to the Indians, it appears that he is at Michillimackinack, making preparation to vifit fome of the tribes the enfuing spring. He meets with fome unexpected embarraffments; but thefe, instead of abating his zeal, make him more engaged to attempt to do fomething for the Indians. The obftacles in the way of communicating the gofpel to thofe poor, perifhing pagans are many and great; this fhould animate the prayers and quicken the exertions of the friends of Christ, and while they do all that lies in their power they muft fubmiffively wait God's time to crown their efforts with fuccefs. Mr. Bacon, after fpeaking of many delays and troubles, fays, "if those who support the miffion will have patience and refolution to continue their prayers and exertions, I am still in hopes, if I am fpared, to have fomething to communicate in years to come which will rejoice their hearts, and thro the thanksgivings of many redound to the glory of God. Perhaps it will be found, on examination, that the events of the prefent year are not, on the whole, fo difcouraging as what they might feem at first view. It is notorious that Indians are naturally fhythat they are flow in their decifions on the most common cafes-that they are extremely cautious in accepting the fairest proposals of others, unlefs fanctioned by their own experience. Thefe obfervations will univerfally hold true with refpect to them, except they are feduced from their ftedfaft purpofes by the intoxicating draught. When an object is prefented to them, they should be left to approach, and withdraw from it, at their leifure, till their judgment is formed. And if its afpect is not evidently forbidding, their fcruples will be likely to vanish as it becomes familiar. As they will not haftily adopt any thing that is new, and as they are difpofed to think and act for themselves, to urge them to an immediate decifion with respect to an object with which they are unacquainted, is the fure way to make them decide against it, notwithstanding all that can be done by the most perfuafive arguments or the influence of friends. These tho'ts have helped to confole me of late under a review of the grievous delays I have met with." Proclaims a dying Saviour's love, I. Jefus the Chriftian's refuge in trouble. ESUS, my Saviour and my king, mercy thy truth Thy pard'ning mercy hath no bound, And all thy words are faithful found. 2. When first ny finful state I saw, And fled the terrors of the law, Oppreft with guilt and hopeless grief, Jefus, in thee I found relief. 3. And now, beneath these clouded fkies, While waves of trouble round me rife, Shall I thy goodness doubt, or fear Thou wilt no more attend my prayer? 4. I will not fear; thy grace and pow'r Have often cheer'd my darkest hour: My fun, my shield, I know thy name, Thy pow'r and grace are still the fame. 5. Thou knoweft why thy children Donations to the Miffionary Society of Connecticut. January 18. Solomon Goodell, Jamaica, Vermont, appro- D. C. priated to Indian Miffions, 28. Rev. John Willard, New Settlements, Feb. 11. From a friend of Miffions, NOTE. 116 75 In the Editors' New Year's addrefs p. 245, it is mentioned that the Rev. Mr. Potwine was the only minifter who had died in this ftate during the year 1802. This was a miftake which the Editors hope their readers will excufe. The Reverend and learned John Devotion, for many years Paflor of the third Society in Saybrook, died the 6th of last Sep tember. language of the natives about the year 1644-Act of the General encourage the chriftianizing of Affembly of the Maffachusetts to the Indians-Of the affiftance Mr. Eliot received from the Ministers, and the encouragement given by good men, in general, in the New England colonies-Of his first public effay in 1646, to instruct fome of the natives a few miles from his own houfe; his mode of inftruction, and the pleafing profvifits-Of his tranflating the Bipect which opened upon his first NUMBER VII. CHAPTER II. Concerning the propagation of the Gospel among the Indians in New England, particularly in the colonies of the Maffachusetts, and New Plymouth, in the feven-ble, and other books upon divine teenth century, by the miffionary fubjects into the Indian language labors of the Rev. John Eliot, of Roxbury, and of thofe divines, fhould be inftituted among the In-His early care that schools who, after fome time, were affo-dians-His reducing those whom ciated with him, as fellow-laborers in the good work. INTRODUCTION. -Some account of Mr. John Eliot prior to his coming to New England His arrival, and fettlement in the Ministry, at Roxbury, near Bofton-Of the refolution he formed to make an attempt to gofpelize the Heathen, particularly in Mafsachusetts and New Plymouth colonies; and of his preparing himfelf for a Miffion by learning the VOL. III. No. 10. he first taught, to fome degree of civil order, and induftry-General Court of Maffachusetts pass some Refolves to reduce the natives to civil order-Indians at Concord exprefs their defire to be civilized, and taught Chriftianity; and a vifit is paid them for this purpose to fome good effect-Mr. Eliot's great diligence in his miffionary work-The obftructions he met with in purfuing his work; the hardships he endured, and the Z z tury. He that makes any essays in hiftory, cannot but wish for the benefit of original writers. However, in the prefent case, this de dangers to which he was expofed in his miffionary courfe; and his patience, fortitude, perfeverance, and truft in Divine Providence amidit all his trials and perils-fect may be, in a good measure, Brief account of the London So- fupplied, by Dr. Cotton Mather, ciety for propagating the Gospel Mr. Neale, and Governor Hutchin New England, and parts adja- infon. These three gentlemen, cent, who affifted in fupporting at least the two first, as it appears, the Miffionaries-Of the fettle-had many of the original publicament of the Indians at Natick, tions before them, when they and forming themselves into a wrote their hiftories; and the last body politic under the direction had fome of them; and they were of Mr. Eliot-They defire to be gentlemen much efteemed in the formed into a Church: Elders province of history. and Brethren from neighboring churches convene upon the occafion, and examine their qualifications. Rev. Richard Mather's remarks upon the serious appearance of the Indians at Natick at the time the council met to examine them.* Gathering a church, and ordaining a minister at MafhipaugeOf Mr. Eliot's affiftants in his miffionary fervices-The ftate of the chriftianized churches and congregations under the fuperintendance of Mr. Eliot in 1670Religious exercises in the Indian congregations, and a fpecimen of the exhortations, or fermons of two of their teachers, comprehended within a very narrow compafs. INTRODUCTION. IT is matter of regret to the compiler, that he has not been able, after much enquiry made by his friends and himself, to obtain any books upon the fubject of Mr. Eliot's Miffion and labors, prior to Dr. Cotton Mather's hiftory of his life, publifhed in the latter part of the seventeenth cen * They are kept for a feafon, in the ftate of Catechumens; and at length are formed into a church. In the feventeenth century, not a little was done to propagate the Gospel among the Indians in New England. Some writers indeed, contrary to hiftoric truth, have attempted to diminish the work; and indeed have had the confidence to affirm, that what was done was trifling, scarcely worthy of being mentioned; and have paffed fe vere cenfures upon our ancestors; but it will appear in the fequel, in connexion with the narratives, which have been already given, that their cenfures were ill founded-that great pains were taken to propagate the Gofpel among the natives; and that, tho' many rejected the offer of the Gospel, yet the endeavors of the Miffionaries were crowned with no fmall fuccefs. However, it may feem, at this day, not a little strange, that such pious men as the early fettlers of New England undoubtedly were in general, fhould so long negle&t to make any fpecial attempts to chriftianize the Heathen, confidering that the work was fo benevolent and excellent, and that the Charter, granted by King Charles I. to the Maffachusetts Company, expressly mentions this as one defign of encouraging the plantation, that the emigrants The people of New Plymouth were, for many years, few in number-in very low circumstances at their first fettlement, and for many years after; having had their property greatly reduced by perfecution in their native country; by being obliged to remove to might have an opportunity to carry on this pious work: the words of the Charter are thefe, viz. To win and incite the natives of that country to the knowledge and obedience of the only true God and Saviour of mankind, and the Chriftian faith, is in our royal intention; and the adven-Holland, that they might enjoy turers' free profeffion, is the principal end of the plantation," A much better apology can be made for the colony of New Plymouth, than for either Maffachusetts or Connecticut; and indeed a good apology for the early planters of the former. "As the converfion of the Heathen was, from the firft, one profeffed aim of our forefathers in settling New England; fo almost all the royal char ters, grants, letters patent, and acts of the government, in England, relative to this country, have made mention of, and encouraged, yea enjoined upon fettlers the profecution of this pious defign to which purpose is the following paffage in the charter of the Maffachusetts (ufually called the New Charter) granted in the 12th of William and Mary-" To dispose of matters and things whereby our fubjects, inhabitants of our faid province, may be « religiously, peaceably and civilly gov "erned, protected and defended; fo as "their good life, and orderly converfa❝tion may win the Indians, natives of "the country, to the knowledge and "obedience of the only true God, and "Saviour of mankind, and the Chrif"tian faith; which his royal majefty, "our royal grandfather, King Charles "the First, in his faid letters patent "declared was his royal intention, and "the adventurers' free profeffion to be "the principal end of faid plantation." -Dr. Mayhew's Remarks upon Mr. Apthorp. William Penn, in the charter granted him as proprietary of Pennsylvania, by King Charles the Second, is reprefented as having it in view, in propofing to fettle a colony-"To reduce the savage "natives, by gentle and juft manners, to the love of civil fociety and the Christian religion." that religious liberty which they were unreasonably denied in England, and peaceably worship God agreeably to the dictates of their confciences; and by the great expense incurred by coming to New England, and making a fettlement here. Befides, the lands on which they planted were far from being productive; they met with heavy loffes at fea; they were alfo for a confiderable time deftitute of a fettled minister; Mr. Robinson, their very worthy paftor, was prevented from coming over from Holland; and after his death, for a confiderable courfe of years, they were repeatedly dif appointed of having one fixed among them for any long term. But the Maffachusetts colony in particular, could not plead fuch special inabilities, many of the first planters having been gentlemen of a handfome property, fome of them opulent, and fundry of the original churches having been fupplied with two ministers each, as Bofton, Dorchefter, Watertown, Salem, Ipswich, Newbury,* and feveral others. There was no war, except that with the Pequots in 1637, till the general war in 1675. That with the Pequots was not of long continuance. Though there were repeated difputes with the natives at other times, and there was a prospect of war breaking out, yet by one * Wonder working Providence of Zion's Saviour in New England. |