mercy vouchsafed to us:" and God expects that we should improve our mercies for their good. This, therefore, is our bounden duty and if we neglect to do it, we do not answer the end for which our present mercies are vouchsafed unto us. Now what would any of you, having committed a sum of money to a steward to lay out for the benefit of some distressed Jews, say to him, if he withheld it all from the Jews, and spent it on himself? Would you commend him as a just steward? Would you not rather regard him as a thief and a robber? What then will God think of you, if, when he has committed the blessing of salvation to you for the benefit of the Jews, you withhold it from them, and leave them to perish for the want of it? Truly, it is no good account that you will give of yourselves to him. I do not mean to say that you can with innocence withhold the light from any for you are not to put your light under a bushel, but to set it on a candlestick, that it may give light to all who are within the sphere of its influence; but this I must again say, that your first obligations are to the Jews, to make them partakers of the richness of their own olive, from which, for your sakes, they have been broken off.

I will notice only one more objection, and that is, that because we have reduced our expenditure to our income, our income is equal to our necessities. But this is far enough from being true. We have retrenched in every thing to the utmost of our power: and we hope in one or two things to be able to effect a yet further retrenchment; but I beg leave to assure you, and the public at large, that there are many great and important objects which we are compelled to decline for want of funds to meet them. You have just heard from the Secretary the urgent and pressing entreaties of that great and good man, Leander Van Ess, (so justly called upon the continent, Luther the second,) to take under our care two pious Jews, who are desirous of embracing Christianity, and of devoting themselves to the study of it in order to qualify themselves for future usefulness in disseminating its blessed truths. And you have heard the answer of the Committee just sent to this great and good man, that "though we wish them well, our funds do not admit of our rendering them any assistance." What a heart-rending thing is this; that to entreaties in behalf of persons so recommended, we should be constrained to return such an answer, because we dare not to run ourselves in debt, or to contract obligations which we are not able to fulfil! And I am expecting that many, many such applications will soon be made to us from the Continent, where our name begins to be known, and where some of our friends, together with a converted Jew, are now gone, (but not at the Society's expense,) to inquire into the state of the Jews, and to circulate the Hebrew Testament among them. I beg leave to assure you also, that there are other most important measures which we conceive would be of the greatest utility, if we could carry them into execution: but we must suspend them till your

liberality shall enable us to proceed with them. That time I trust is now speedily arriving; and I hope that what you shall do in this opulent city, will be a pattern for Christians in every part of the empire.

I feel persuaded that the members of the Church of England will show themselves not unworthy of the cause they have undertaken, and that they will now arise as one man to redeem the pledge given in their behalf, and never desist from their labours till they shall see Jersualem a praise in the earth.

The Jews.-The persecutions which the Jews have for ages endured, are approximating to a close, as the world becomes enlightened by the spread of the Gospel. The King of Prussia has lately issued an edict to abolish a law which has existed from time immemorial, by which the Jews were forbidden to open their shops or houses in Leipsic, during the Fairs there. Recorder.

Russian Emancipation.-Letters from Riga, of the 26th July, announce, that on the 18th, the States of Livonia assembled, to Lake into consideration the wish of the Emperor Alexander for the enfranchisement of the Peasantry on the domains of the Nobility. The Governor, in an animated discourse, exhorted the Nobility to second the enlightened views of their Sovereign, and follow the example of their brethren of Esthonia and Courland. The reply of the Marshal of the States, in the name of the Nobility, announced the readiness of the order to comply with those wishes. From this proceeding, the speedy accomplishment of the great work of emancipation is certain, and will add another to the blessings of the benignant reign of ALEXANDer. Ibid.

MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

Eastern Branch of the Massachusetts Evangelical Missionary Society.

The annual meeting of this important and interesting institution was holden at Portland, Oct. 1st. Its object is to supply the means of religious instruction and moral improvement to those parts of our District where they may be most needed. For this purpose its missionaries are to confine their labours to certain spots, judiciously selected, that the inhabitants may be furnished with experimental evidence of the peculiar advantages of stated religious instruction. It is made a special part of their duty to incite and encourage the people to establish and support schools in those places where children are growing up in ignorance of the first rudiments of useful knowledge. To promote this most important object, the Society will do every thing in its power. The labours of the Rev. Mr. Nurse, who is one of the missionaries of the parent institution, and who has particularly directed his attention to the superintendence and instruction of schools in the eastern section of the District, reflect the highest credit on that excellent man, and on the Society by which he is em

ployed. It was a striking remark of the late Mr. Little of Kennebunk, well known in the District of Maine as a most judicious and worthy missionary, that in his opinion more good would be done by encouraging the establishment of schools where needed, than by the public preaching of itinerant instructors. It is true the law provides for the instruction of the rising generation; but to accomplish this most interesting object in the new and thinly settled towns and plantations of our district, the advice, encouragement, and assistance of judicious and respectable missionaries, who should converse with the people upon the subject, and direct their special attention to it, would be of incalculable advantage. In a case of such magnitude we should not ask what ought to be done without our assistance, but what may be done with it. It should be sufficient to inquire whether it be in our power to accelerate the moral advancement of the district at a more rapid rate than would be effected by the operation of other causes if our exertions were withheld.

That it is in our power, is certain, for it has been proved. A comparison of the former and present situations of the spot where the labours of Mr. Nurse have been employed, furnish a pleasing demonstration of the fact. Here we would particularly observe that one essential requisite for good schools, and a requisite much wanted in some parts of the District, is good instructors; both male and female. This requisite it is a special design of this Society to supply, not by sending instructors from among ourselves, but by forming them on the spot where they are to be employed. Mr. Nurse's school at Ellsworth, for example, is a school for instructors, as well as for scholars of the ordinary kind. "A number of young men who were here educated, and nearly 20 females, were, in 1815, at the head of schools in Ellsworth, and the neighbouring towns. All these schools may be considered as branches of the principal institution, and they are under the general inspection of Mr. Nurse. These schools are supported principally by the voluntary contributions of the people of the respective towns. But it was the Evangelical Missionary Society which led to their erection." So sensible are the people in one of these towns, of the inestimable advantage they have derived from the work of benevolence commenced among them by this institution, that they have handsomely contributed toward commencing and carrying on the same out of their own place. All that is requisite is to commence this good work, and by the blessing of heaven it will carry on itself.

By the Minutes of the Methodist, Annual Conferences in America, for the year ending August 1, 1818, it appears that there has been an accession of 4,774 members to their communion.— The aggregate number of their membership amounts to 229,627. The Itinerant preachers, 748; and of their Local preachers, the probable number exceeds 3,000. In the city of Baltimore only, there are more than 3,600 whites and upwards of 1,600 blacks in the communion of the Methodist Church. The Missions in Mississippi Territory and State of Louisiana have been formed

into Circuits, and constituted a Conference. They have 12 Itine. rant preachers, and 2,000 members of their Church in that infant country..

HOTTENTOT CHRISTIANS.

Several English Missionaries who lately arrived at Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, soon after their arrival paid a visit to the Moravian Missionary Station at Gruenekloof, about 40 miles distant. The following account of their visit, extracted from their letters, will gratify our readers."

We set out at half past six, in the morning of the 16th of April, in two light covered waggons, each drawn by eight horses; and had, besides, three saddle horses, on which some of our company rode occasionally. In front of each waggon sat two men : one of these held the reins of the eight horses, while the other drove them with a long whip, the staff of which is made of bamboo, and reaches to the head of the second pair: with this whip he easily lashes any one of the horses, but those of the foremost pair most easily: in this manner the eight horses are guided with perfect ease, frequently turning short at full speed. The road lay along the coast, over a sandy soil covered with low shrubs and beautiful heaths, many of both which may be seen in hot-houses in England: several were in flower, and we adorned our waggons with them. We carried refreshments with us, and stopped twice on the road. The country is a wilderness, except here and there a good spot, where there is a farm. At length, about six o'clock, we got sight of the trees and houses of this delightful settlement; and arrived here, after about 12 hours' journey.

We were kindly welcomed, and hospitably entertained. Though we were fourteen in number, besides five servants, and the brethren were apprised of our coming but about an hour before our arrival, they did not seem at all disturbed about providing either food or beds.

We were soon called to a plain, but well spread table, at their usual supper hour.-Before and after meat, they sang most sweetly, in asking a blessing, and in giving thanks. After supper we went to church, where we met a goodly company of about a hundred. The service opened by a Hymn: after which, one of the brethren preached in Dutch, from-Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Another Hymn concluded. We never heard finer voices. No prayer, except such as is contained in their Petitionary Hymns, is offered in public on week days. We never heard finer voices than those of the Hottentots, nor more delightful singing: the children sing better than any children whom we have heard sing together: they are always taught by notes. The church is a very roomy good building.

We retired earley to bed. Our wives were accommodated in single beds, in one room; and for us, mattresses were placed on a

matting of rushes on the floor of another room, and there we all slept very comfortably, alongside one another.

At six o'clock, we rose, and found coffee prepared, before which an appropriate Hymn was sung; and, in conclusion, the text for the day, issued for the use of the brethren's churches throughout the world, was read, with a few remarks; and another Hymn was sung. The text for the day of our visit was, Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God.

At eight o'clock breakfast was ready; after which we went round among the people. The government have assigned to the brethren about 6000 acres of land: part of this they plough and sow with corn, and part is grazed. No persons are allowed to erect a dwelling on this land without their permission; and they admit none but such as engage to lead regular lives. There are, at present, about 350 settled here: of these, 92 have been baptized, 23 are candidates for baptism, and 69 are communicants. We visited many of them at their houses, which are chiefly built of mud and reeds: there are some respectable brick houses, the owners of which have saved money by their industry. We were delighted with their humble simplicity. One woman, when she was told that six of us were going to India, to instruct the heathen, said, "Now I am sure that God loves all mankind, because he is sending these persons to teach them.”

The brethren have a service at the church every evening; either for preaching, reading the scriptures, or reading an Exposition of Christian doctrine. They visit every cottage once a quarter, and address each of the settlers. The candidates for baptism, as well as the baptized, are addressed every week.

Mr. Leitner, one of the Missionaries, is married to an English woman; which was a great comfort, particularly to our females. The brethren correspond exactly to the idea which their publications would lead a reader to form of them-plain people, of good understanding, sound in the faith, and well experienced in knowledge of men's hearts. Their residence is a roomy, convenient house, surrounded by suitable offices; with carpenters' and smiths' shops, gardens, plantations, sheepfolds, &c.

We returned on the third day; much gratified, encouraged, and, we trust, profited, by what we had seen; having been delighted, indeed, to listen to the praises of God, confessions of sin, and declarations of reliance on the blood of Jesus for pardon, proceeding from the mouths of Hottentots; and to see that naturally wild, filthy, and slothful race, raised to a state of comparative order, cleanliness, and industry.

Extract from an "Address," delivered before a " Church Missionary Association," at Bewdley, England.

But here the utility of weekly penny subscriptions presses on our consideration. We see them producing habits of retrench