1st. The great importance attached to eternal things. Religion is not a speculative concern. The truths which the Bible declares are conveyed in terms the most decisive, and carry with them evident marks of their being genuine. You may err in the common transactions of life, and may possibly be able to rectify your mistake. But if you err here, you are undone for ever. No human, nor even angelic contrivance will be able to deliver you from the pit of destruction into which your own folly will have brought you. Why then should you delay for a moment a thing which is of the utmost importance? You would be astonished at the indifference and neglect of a criminal, who, on being assured of receiving a pardon at his own request, should refuse to make this request till within a few moments of the time allotted for his execution. Yet your imprudence is greater, in proportion as the terrors of eternal death exceed those of temporal. . 2d. The uncertainty of life is another grand argument against procrastination. The present we may call our own, but the future we cannot. We are exposed to a thousand unforeseen events, which may deprive us of our existence, and hurry us into an awful eternity. We dare not calculate on the morrow, for "In human hearts what bolder thought can rise, Than man's presumption on to-morrow's dawn? For numbers this is certain; the reverse Is sure to none." Yet, strange to say, many young people comfort themselves with such reflections as these :- "I am now in the vigour of youth, and in the full enjoyment of health: no foul disease threatens to cut short the thread of my existence. For aught I know, I may live to old age, and then it will be time enough to make my peace with God." Deluded mortals! For aught you know you may be summoned to appear before the tribunal of an angry Judge 'ere the sun has darted his cheering rays through the window of your chamber! and the place that knows you, may know you no more. Remember that in the midst of life you are in death. 3d. If you stifle present convictions, you have just reason to fear that the Lord will give you up to the hardness and impenitency of your heart. Nothing will then remain "but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation." Heb. x. 27. Oh! beware that you weary not the patience of a merciful but just God, and cause him to swear in his wrath, They shall not enter into my rest," Heb. iii. 11. Jesus now invites you to come unto him. Say not, "I will accept the invitation to-morrow," you may then be in eternity. "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Cor. vi. 2. Consider likewise that evil habits will obtain a faster hold on yon in proportion as they are * encouraged the longer. Conscience will become less and less tender, until at last it may be seared with a hot iron. 1 Tim. iv. 2. "Tis easier work, if we begin "To fear the Lord betimes; ON INDUSTRY AND APPLICATION. There is nothing in which young people are more apt to err than the manner in which they employ their time. They appear to forget that diligence, assiduity, and the proper improvement of time, are most important duties, and that a failure in this particular will subject them to a heavy responsibility. Talents and opportunities are given for use, and it is to no purpose that a person is endowed with the best abilities if he does not possess activity for exerting them, and useless will be the best directions he can receive, either for his present or his eternal welfare. Youth is the period for fixing the character of the future man, and for acquiring those habits which will abide with us through life. At this period, habits of industry are soonest acquired, and the incentives to it are most powerful. Industry is not only the instrument of improvement, but it lays a solid and permanent foundation for the most rational and refined enjoyment. The slothful man, like the miser, may possess much, but he enjoys nothing. It is employment that gives the true relish to pleasure. It is the indispensable condition of our possessing a sound mind in a sound body. Sloth and inactivity are irreconcilable enemies to virtue, to health, and to happiness;-they are like stagnant water, which fills the air with pestilence and death. Rational amusements are certainly needful for youth, but although they are allowable as the relaxation, they would be highly culpable if they were made the sole business of life. They would then become the grave of time, and the bane of the mind. They would foment and concoct all the evil passions, enervate the native vigour of youth, and render every future period of life wretched and contemptible. The sacred writings abound in exhortations to diligence, and dissuasives from idleness. The wise man recommends the industry of one of the smallest of insects as a model of instruction to the idle, "Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways." Prov. vi. 6. And our Lord himself enforces the necessity, and points out the advantages of diligence, especially in the parable of the talents, in which the awful doom of the slothful servant is introduced to show the just displeasure of God against idleness, while the rewards bestowed on the others are intended to stimulate us to imitate their example, with a well grounded hope that in so doing we shall be approved in his sight, and receive the rewards which he has graciously promised to industry and application. VOL. V.] Saturday, February 6, 1819. [No. 21. Extract from the Third Annual Report of the Board of Directors of the Young Men's Missionary Society of New-York. The different fields of Missionary labour to which the attention of the Board has been directed during the year past, are the suburbs of this city, the Northern, North Eastern, North Western, and South Western frontiers of this State, the North Eastern parts of Pennsylvania, the parts of Virginia between Fredericksburg and the Blue Ridge, together with North Carolina, the new State of Illinois, and the Alabama Territóry. It will be remembered, that the Society were apprized, in the last report, of an intended Mission to the last mentioned region. It will no doubt be gratifying to learn that Providence has enabled us to obtain, as it is hoped, two suitable Missionaries to proceed to that important field of Missionary enterprise. In the month of April last, Mr. ISAAC W. PLATT, formerly a member of this, Society, and then a student of very respectable standing in the Theological Seminary at Princeton, and Mr. TнoMAS I. BIGGS, also a student at the same place, made a conditional engagement with the Board to undertake a Mission to that part of our country. Both these gentlemen have since been licensed to preach the Gospel. Mr. Biggs declined an appointurent, having felt it his duty to accept a call at Frankfort, in Pennsylvania. Mr. Platt, however, proceeded from this city, in the month of October, on his Mission to Alabama, where the Board have reason to believe that he will be received with joy; and that, if his life be spared, he will, under God, become a rich blessing to the people of that new, but rapidly increasing territory. The term of Mr. Platt's engage ment is six months, with liberty to extend it, if he think expedient. In the course of the summer they employed Mr. JAMES S. WOODS; a licentiate of the Presbyterian Church, as a Missionary, for four months, to the same district, with power to prolong the period to six months, if his labours are found profitable. Mr. Woods was to go to Alabama from Lexington in Kentucky, and was structed to proceed directly to the scene of his labours. From himo information has as yet been received. In the month of August, the Directors, having learned that the parts of the state of Virginia between Fredericksburg ad the Bluc Ridge, afforded an extensive and very encouraging fieldr missionary labour, employed Mr. WM. CHESTER, a licentiate the same church, to labour for the term of nine months in that itute region, and in such other places as they might afterwards ignate. Mr. Chester commenced his mission in the beginning of Sember. The Secretary has received a short letter from him, dated 4th of October. He represents the scene in which he is engag one of the most interesting character. Many are engaged in reng • 66 and he has frequently been urged to settle among them for life. He had already preached twenty sermons, and established eight Sunday Schools. He remarks that there are in that country a few bright Christians, the most eminent he had ever known; but adds, they are indeed a little flock; while on the other hand, infidelity, and vice, and error prevail in some places to an extent that I never witnessed or believed existed in any part of our country. If you were here, your heart would bleed." Since he has been in Virginia, Mr. Chester has excited the people of two places to take measures to erect churches for the worship of God. One of them has already been commenced. He says, "the fields here appear whitening to the harvest." The Board would add, "God grant that it may be abundant." In the course of the summer, Mr. WILLIAM D. SNODGRASS, another licentiate of thesame church, was employed to undertake a mission to the eastern parts of Virginia, and to North Carolina, in company with Mr. Chester. Mr. Snodgrass has recently set out for the place of his destination. Previous to his departure for Virginia, Mr. Snodgrass, at the request of the Board, undertook a short tour of Missionary duty in the towns of Bolton, Caldwell, and Warrensburg, where auxiliary societies were formed during the summer, and from which places, particularly Bolton, very pressing calls had been received for missionary aid. Of the very interesting church at the latter place, in which the power of the grace of God has heretofore been remarkably displayed, almost without the use of means, he gives the following account:-"The Presbyterian Society in Bolton is scattered over an extent of country of about six miles square. As a Society they are extremely poor, and from their situation, have no opportunity of attending upon the administration of the word, except when Missionaries are sent among them. They however manifest a very unusual anxiety to enjoy the preaching of the gospel, and are always ready to make a Missionary comfortable and useful among them. Their congregation consists of about 40 families, in which there are about 80 persons who publickly profess the religion of Jesus. They have a very convenient place of worship, in which they assemble on the Sabbath for prayer and to attend the reading of a sermon. Besides this, they hold a conference meeting on Sabbath evenings, and one on Thursday evenings, which is intended particularly for the benefit of the young. One of those I attended. After the introductory exercises, I delivered a short exhortation, and then requested them to proceed in their usual manner. One of the deacons then made a few remarks, and was followed by two young men, who spoke in a very solemn, impressive, and interesting manner The meeting was conducted with the greatest propriety. I attended it with much satisfaction to myself, and observed with pleasure the spirit of undissembled piety which seemed to manifest itself among a majority of those present." Mr. Snodgrass visited Caldwell, where he preached twice, and was treated with much respect; but was prevented from proceeding to Warrensburg by the inclemency of the weather. The Board are engaged in endeavouring to procure suitable Missionary aid for those three places. On the 25th of June the Directors agreed to employ the Reverend THOMAS C. SEARLE, of the Presbyterian Church, as a Missionary to labour in the present state of Illinois. As they have received no communication from that gentleman, they are uncertain whether his commission has ever reached him. Sometime ago they resolved to send Mr. WM. TIMLOW, a licentiate of the Hudson Presbytery, to the counties of Sullivan and Broome, in this State, and Wayne and Susquehannah, in Pennsylvania. They have been informed that Mr. Timlow received his commission, and intended to fulfil it, but was providentially prevented. They are still in hopes he will be able to accomplish this mission. In the last report it was mentioned, that Mr. JOHN Barnard, a licentiate of the Presbyterian Church, had been engaged to labour during the winter in the Northern parts of this State. He entered on the performance of his duties in the beginning of Deceinber last, and continued three months in the employment of the Board. He laboured as the colleague of the Rev. Mr. Dunlap; but the pressing calls for the Word of life in that destitute region frequently kept them asunder in their work. The field of their labour was in the towns of Western, Boonville, Remsen, Steuben, Russia, Fairfield, Floyd, Constantia, Volney, Oswego, Newhaven, Richland, and Williamstown, in the Counties of Oswego, Oneida, Herkimer, and the vicinity. During this period Mr. Barnard preached 54 times, and attended a variety of meetings for religious purposes. He spent much time in visiting schools and families. The unusual severity of the season, the badness of the roads, the scattered state of the population, and the indifferent means of conveyance, prevented him from preaching as often as he wished. This circumstance, however, gave him more time for performing that most important part of a missionary's duty, visiting at their houses the people to whom he preaches. These visits he often found profitable to others, and exceedingly refreshing to himself. We are happy to find, from his report, that the New Testament, even in these dark parts of our state, is generally used as a school book, though we regret to learn that there, as well as in other places, where it is less excusable, " piety is considered so unimportant a qualification in the teacher of a school." Mr. Barnard represents the prospect in Western, where a church was organized by Mr. Dunlap, in January last, as promising; the attention to means as more general; and the desire to enjoy stated ministrations as increasing. After Mr. Barnard's first visit to Remsen a church was formed there which has since received an addition of twelve members; and though the prospect in March, when he wrote, was less flattering than it had been early |