32 American Bible Society. pay into the hands of the Treasurer twelve and a half cents, and afterwards, twenty-five cents per annum, to be collected by the Treasurer semi-annually. The money thus collected to be placed in the hands of the Rev. Dr. Inglis, and by him to be transmitted to the Board of Managers of the Mission School. As soon, however, as an Adult Society of a similar nature shall be established in Baltimore, then the funds of this Society shall be united to the funds of such Society. ART. 3. The Officers of this Society shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer, to be elected annually by ballot. ART. 4. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Society, or in his absence the Vice-President. The President shall, at the request of three members, call a special meeting of the Society. The stated annual meeting of the Society shall be held on the first Monday of March in every year; the semi-annual meeting on the first Monday of September. ART. 5. It shall be the duty of the officers to use every exertion to obtain signatures to the Constitution. ART. 6. This Constitution may be altered or amended by a majority of the members present at any stated annual meeting of the Society. After the adoption of which Constitution, the following young gentlemen were elected to the offices designated in the above Constitution, viz: Master Robert Robinson, President. Master Richard S. M'Kim, Vice-President. Master Wm. C. Inglis, Secretary & Treasurer. 1640 On the 8th of last month a Society was formed at Hempstead, Rockland county, in this state, denominated The Female Cent Society of Hempstead, the design of which is, to aid the education of indigent students for the Gospel ministry, in Queen's College, The officers for the current year, are, N. J. Mrs. Susannah Yury, First Directress. Mrs. Elizabeth Osborn, Second Directress. Mrs. Eliza Demarest, Secretary. Mrs. Charity Yury, Treasurer. AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY. The following clergymen have been constituted members for life of the American Bible Society, namely: Rev. Dr. J. Morse, by a contribution of 30 dollars from a number of ladies of the First Congregational Society of Charlestown, (Mass.); Rev. John H. Church, Pelham, (N. H.) by a contribution of 20 dollars from a number of his parishioners; Rev. Elisha Rockwood, by a contribution of 30 dollars from several ladies of the Congregational Society at Westborough, (Mass.);-also, the Rev. Thomas Carlile, of the Episcopal Church at Salem, (Mass.) by the contribution of 30 dollars from a friend. The Bible Society of the County of Ontario, (N. Y.) was instituted 6th of March, 1817, auxiliary to the American B. S.-Robert Troup, Esq. President. Dudley Marvin, Esq. Secretary; N. W. Howell, Esq. Treasurer. The B. S. of Pittsburg, (Pa) and the Farquier B. S. (Virg.) have likewise declared themselves auxiliary to the National Institution. THE CHRISTIAN HERALD. VOL. III.] Saturday, April 12, 1817. [No. 3. ON PROMOTING DOMESTIC MISSIONS. Compassion for the deplorable state of the heathen world, should never be a stranger to the heart which feels the value of the Gospel of the grace of God; and the zealous exertions which are making throughout Christendom to diffuse its light among those "who sit in the regions of the shadow of death," are certainly highly commendable, and it is hoped will continue to be ardently cherished and amply supported. It is, however, a question with many reflecting Christians among us, whether the attention of the religious public in America has been sufficiently directed to supplying with the means of grace those perishing fellow-sinners who are within our more immediate reach, many of whom are in almost as dismal a condition as the Pagans themselves. Our fellow-citizens who reside in places which have been long settled, and are blessed with the stated ministration of Christian ordinances, in their anxiety for the situation of the heathen, are too apt to overlook the spiritual wants of hundreds of thousands who dwell on our frontiers, and in the newly settled parts of the land. It is an indisputable fact, that vast multitudes inhabiting the interior, and the distant borders of these widely extended states and territories, are living and dying without ever hearing the precious sound of the gospel of salvation, and their numerous offspring are growing up in an ignorance of Christian truth, little short of pagan darkThe Editor has been informed by a respectable clergyman of New-Jersey, that, on a Missionary tour made not long since through the western part of that state, at a place in the woods, not many miles distant from settled congregations, he beheld a young woman, apparently about eighteen or twenty years of age, running to the door of a house at which he stopped to make some inquiry, and expressing great curiosity to see him, declaring she had never before in her life seen a minister. Many instances could be produced to show that great numbers of our fellow creatures residing but a short distance from Christian settlements, are living entirely without God in the world; and in places more remote from the ancient settlements, large districts of country are gradually sinking into a state of atheistic apathy in relation to reli ness. 34 On Promoting Domestic Missions. gion, that renders them no less the objects of Christian sympathy, and of missionary labours, than the idolatrous nations of the earth, Besides those who live in the most deplorable destitution of the Christian ordinances, and without a proper sense of their value, there are also many new settlements where a number of the inhabitants still retain a good impression of the religious doctrines and duties in which they have been educated, and are sincerely desirous of enjoying the Christian privileges with which they were once blessed in the places whence they migrated. This description of people affords a field for missionary labours both extensive and interesting, and a reasonable prospect of success. The following hints on this subject were recently communicated to us by a friend to the good cause. Presuming that they will prove acceptable to our readers, and hoping that they will awaken some attention to this interesting topic, we here insert them. As inducements to promote such missions, our correspondent observes, that "In these destitute regions are people of our own language, our own nation, enjoying a free government and reasonable laws. In many places, we find them blessed with simple manners, mild and hospitable dispositions, some Christian instruction, a sense of spiritual wants, and sometimes the Christian character, and the spirit of the gospel. Here too, multitudes are raising their importunate cries for Missionaries. They beg of you to send unto them a few loaves of heavenly bread from the comparative abundance of your tables, and a few cups of the waters of life from your numerous fountains, that they also may live and not die for ever. "On some of these fields the heavenly influences have descended, at various times, in gentle dews or more copious showers. In such a state of things, may it not be well said "Lift up your eyes and look on these fields, for they are white unto the harvest." "The beneficial effects of missionary labours in these destitute régions of our own country, are likely to be permanent and increasing. Even with the very transient aids heretofore afforded, new Christian societies are every year organized, new edifices rise for the worship of God, the word of life is statedly preached, and ordinances administered, where they were never before regularly enjoyed. Other settlements need but a little excitement, and a little salutary counsel. They call for your aid but a short time. Now, indeed, from the newness of the settlements, the thinness of the population, the scanty means of the people, the variety of sects, and the want of that influence which commonly accompanies a settled ministry, they labour under peculiar disadvantages. From these and other causes, if left to themselves, they may long continue in a destitute, irreligious, and perishing condition. But if awakened, animated, and strengthened by your missionary aid, many of them will soon not only decline the benefit of your contributions, but will Foreign Missions-Letter from Mrs. C. H. White. 35 themselves contribute to extend the invaluable blessings of the gospel to others. Soon they will supply not only themselves, but others, with the messengers of glad tidings. The formation of religious communities and preaching of the Gospel, will also greatly aid in establishing, fostering, and improving schools and seminaries of learning. And when once the fountains of truth and salvation are fully opened, with common care and a common blessing, their streams will flow for ages. Their pure and living waters will make these deserts blossom, bring forth most precious fruits, and yield successive harvests. "Let us remember, that they are our brethren, our kinsmen according to the flesh, of our own nation; that many of them are our old acquaintances, our former neighbours, our friends, our relatives, who need, who ask of us this favour, small for us but infinitely important for them, to partake a little, and a little while, of our Christian liberality and spiritual advantages. "If then we have any fear of the Most High God, if we have any love to the Saviour, or to our fellow-creatures, let not these great and infinitely precious harvests, through our neglect and sin, fall to the ground in our sight, and perish for ever. Let us rather throw speedily into the sacred treasury, our contributions of zeal, of money, of brotherly exhortation, and of prayer unto the Lord, that so many youth may be trained up unto the service, many labourers sent forth, and a harvest gathered in, infinitely more precious than this world, with all its productions, and all its wealth, all its pleasures, and all its glory." FROM INDIA. Extract of a letter from Mrs. C. H. White,* (now Mrs. Rowe) to her correspondent in Philadelphia, dated "Dear sister Serampore, May 2, 1816. "Our reception by our dear missionary friends at Calcutta and Serampore, was truly lovely as regards them, and comforting as well as animating to us. They wished we had been a hundred in number. The state of the British Baptist Mission is very prosperous. Their establishment is extensive and highly respectable. It is surprising how great an extent of country they have stationed. In Hindostan, from latitude 6 to 28° north, and from longitude 74 to 95o east, beyond which are the Indies, or Islands, where they have many stations. Otaheite, which not many years ago killed many of the prophets, is now shaking herself from the dust, and putting on the beautiful garments of Him who strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress with the weapons of Immanuel-the Spirit and the sword. "Our American Baptist champions are alone at Rangoon, happy, amidst all the barbarism that surrounds them; and hopefully Mrs. White sailed from Philadelphia for Calcutta in the ship Benjamin Rush, in December 1815, in company with Mr. and Mrs. Hough, Baptist Missionaries, destined to join Mr. and Mrs. Judson, at Rangoon, in the Burman Empire. 36. Abolition of Female Infanticide in Guzerat. waiting to get their hands strengthened from their native land. They now begin to talk and preach to the Burmans in their native language; and they have hope of the fruit of their love and labour in one converted woman. We should proceed to join them without delay, but for the desire of our brethren of this little Eden (the mission house and families) to form a tie to us by acquaintance; and also, the boisterous season commencing, discourages us from a voyage thither until it is over. A grammar in the Burmah language has lately been printed on the premises on which also, there is a type foundery, and a paper factory lately put in operation; and 13 different languages are printing. There is also a school of females of 60, and another of males of the same number, among whom complexions of all dyes are seen, from the fairest European, to the darkest native. Every man, woman, and child wear white every day; and all appear so genteel, neat, polite, and peculiarly gentle in their speech and manners, that it affords the most angelic sight ever beheld. "The American ladies who have any wish or prospect of engaging in the work of a mission to the East, should exert themselves to form the sweetest habits; and to acquire the politest accomplishments, if they would be beloved and useful. Some one talent or taste, which they mean to be exercised in, should be well obtained. Let them not waste time on employments of housewifery or labour, which must be laid aside here; but devote it wholly to literature and taste, such as the schools in America do now teach. A general knowledge of the political concerns, geographical situation, and religious interests of their country and the world, should be attended to. I do not say this from pride: (alas! I am deficient in what I advise) or that my country women may shine; but they will be of little use without them. High accomplishments are absolutely necessary to the prosperity of schools; and the support of schools is the bread of the mission, and the power of truth. this respect, the labour of females is highly important. In the fitting out of missionaries, bear it in mind, that all English and European goods are more expensive in India than in America, as I find needles, thimbles, scissors, pins, and linen threads, are scarcely to be had here. A few bombazets, dark ginghams, and old silks for the voyage. Let every thing be of the best quality; for if put up dry, seen to, and aired, they will sustain no damage in a good vessel. "The Life of Mrs. Newell has never been in Mrs. Judson are spoken of with much regard. hallowed where Harriet had stepped." In India. She and I felt the floors Account of the Abolition of Female Infanticide in Guzerat, with Considerations on the Question of promoting the Gospel in India : by the Rev. John Cormack, A. M. Minister of Stow. The Editor in his preface, informs us, that Colonel Walker's Report to the Bombay Government forms the basis of this narrative, and that by friendly intercourse with that gentleman, sin oe |