1815.

chapel is crowded, and many listen at the doors and windows--more than a thousand attend on the Sunday morning. Hundreds of them apply, Sabbath after Sabbath, to obtain catechisms; and those who have learned the catechism themselves, are diligent in teaching it to others. When they meet a person who can read, they will say, "Massa, I beg you to teach me a little." Mr. Davies says, "Not fewer than five thousand negroes learn the catechism, and attend in rotation." As a pleasing proof that these people prize the Gospel, they have established among themselves an Auxiliary Missionary Society, composed of people of color and of slaves, whose names appear in our last year's list of contributors, and whose subscriptions amounted to 189/.

THE friends of the Society have doubtless perused, with the most painful emotions, the representations which have been made in behalf of the missions of the United (or Moravian) brethren at Sarepta, Moscow, and other places, and the great arrear of debt which had accrued, in consequence of the impoverished state of Germany; and the Directors are confident that they will approve of the donation made to them of 2007. to alleviate the general distress, and to assist in the support of the missions undertaken by that Christian Society, whose pious example has contributed so much to fan the flame of missionary zeal throughout the Christian world.

SEMINARY.

THE Society will partake in the pleasure which the Directors feel in reporting the flourishing state of the missionary Seminary at Gosport. The great cause is not likely to fail for lack of suitable instruments. The last year has produced a great number of candidates for the honor and labor of carrying the Gospel to the heathen; the public meetings held at Liverpool, Leeds, and other places, have excited this noble spirit in several pious young men. There are now in the Seminary fifteen students, of whom the worthy tutor, the Rev. Mr. Bogue, reports very favorably. The greater part of the number have been admitted since the last anniversary, and h ve not yet had sufficient time to make much progress in their studies, but their application and their dispo sition promise very favorably.

A few of the students have nearly completed the time usually allowed: two of these are intended for those very important stations, Malacca and Surat; another is applying to the attainment of the Italian language, as there is reason to hope that

an opportunity will be afforded even in Italy for the preaching of the Gospel. [We have been obliged to defer a of this Report till next month.

BAPTIST CONVENTION FOR MISSIONARY

PURPOSES,

Soon after it was known in America, that Messrs. Judson and Rice had changed their opinions on the subject of baptism, and had joined the Baptist church in Calcutta, measures were taken by persons of the same denomination in this country to. support them as missionaries in the employment of the Baptist churches in the United States. Several societies were formed for this purpose before the return of Mr. Rice to America, in September 1813. Soon after his returu, he entered upon a journey to the southern states, with a view to assist in the formation of Foreign Mission Societies. The result is, that such societies have been formed in nearly all the states of the union. The great outlines of the plan are two; that the members of these societies engage to make an annual payment, and are represented in a triennial convention, which is styled, 'The General Missionary Convention of the Baptist Denomination in the United States of America, for Foreign Missions.

A Convention of this kind met at Philadelphia, on the 18th of May last, consisting of thirty three deegates from Societies in eleven states. The delegates proceeded to deliberate on a plan of combined operations, and adopted a constitution, which is in substance as follows:

Art. 1. Gives the name of the association as above expressed.

2. There shall be a triennial convention composed of not more than two delegates from each missionary society, or other religious body, of the Baptist de nomination, which shail contribute one hundred dollars or more to the general missionary fund.

3. This convention shall triennally ap point twenty one persons, who sha!! be members of said societies, to be called The Baptist Board of Foreign Missions for the United States.

4. The Board shall employ missionaries, and conduct all the exec

ness.

e busi

ntr 5. Such persons only, as are in full communion with some regular church of the Baptist denomination, and who furnish satisfactory evidence of genuine piety, good talents, and fervent zeal for the Kedeemer's canse, are to be employed as missionaries.

6. The officers of the Board shall be a President, two Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer, a Corresponding and a Recording Secretary.

The remaining articles relate to the duties of the officers, the mode of transacting business, and of altering the constibution.

The next meeting of the Convention is to be held at Philadelphia, on the first Wednesday May, 1817, on which day a sermon is to be preached before the Convention, and a collection 'to be made.

A Board of Commissioners was appointed, the officers of which are as follows:

Rev. THOMAS BALDWIN, D. D. of Boston, President.

Rev. HENRY HOLCOMBE, D. D. of Pennsylvania,

Rev. WILLIAM ROGERS, D. D. of Philadelphia,

V. Presidents. Mr. JOHN CAULDWELL, of New York, Treas.

Rev. WILLIAM STAUGHTON, D.D. of Phil.
adelphia,
Cor. Sec.
Rev. WILLIAM WHITE, of Pennsylvania,*
Rec. Sec.

The Board took Messrs. Judson and Rice under their particular care and direction, and provided for their support as missionaries. They expressed thanks to Mr. Rice for his zealous, disinterested, and faithful services; and directed, that he should be employed, for a reasonable time, to continue his itinerant services in the

United States, with a view to excite the public mind more generally to engage in missionary exertions. Mr. Rice committed to the Board about $1000, which he had received from Foreign Mission Societies and individuals, for the purposes of the institution, during his tour. He made a communication to the Board, in which grateful notice is taken of the hospitality, kindness, and generosity which he had experienced in a great variety of instances.

The Board enumerate seventeen auxiliary societies as having been already formed, the aggregate of whose annual payments, and of the payments from societies about being formed, is estimated at $5,850. Several societies have since been formed, particularly in Vermont and New Hampshire. The balance in the Treasury of the institution, May 25, 1814, was $1,556 67.

The pamphlet from which this notice is taken was published by order of the Convention, and contains an address on the subject of missions and the substance of a sermon preached on the occasion by the

Rev. Dr. Farman.

*The towns in which these gentlemen reside are not known to the Editor.

For the Panoplist:

THE SABBATH.

Mr. Editor,

In this day when the public mind is waking up to the alarming abuses of the Sabbath, I wish to call the attention of your readers to a small volume, recently published containing, "Fipe Discourses on the Sabbath, preached at Durham, N. Y. by Seth Williston, Pastor of the Presbyterian Church in that place." In the first three Discourses the author spreads before the eye the most interesting passages of Scripture, which relate to the Sabbath, making suitable comments, and applications to the practices of our country, as he goes along. By passing over those ideas in later quotations, which had been the subject of previous remark, he constantly presents the reader with something new. In the fourth Discourse he offers you the arguments for the perpetuity and change of the Sabbath, The fifth is filled with Reflections. The whole concludes with an Appendix, containing "Some brief Strictures on Dr. Paley's Scripture Account ́ ́ of Subbatical Institutions."

This useful little work would be a valuable acquisition to any family, particularly those which contain children. If it is not too large, (144 pages 12mo.) it may lay a reasonable claim to the notice of the Trace Societies. At least those benevolent individuals who are in the habit of pur chasing small books for gratuitous distribution, may find this among the many which are worthy of their pious attention.

0.

Having received the preceding communication alter the former part of the nun

ber was printed, and being unwilling to defer it, we are obliged to give it a place, which may seem not the most appropriate. ED.

FOREIGN MISSION SOCIETY FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY,

THIS Society held its annual meeting on the 31st of May last, at East Guilford. The missionary sermon, by the Rev. Erastus Ripley, of Meriden, was very appropriate and uncommonly interesting. Text Isaiah xi, 9. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

The next annual meeting is to be held at Guilford; and the Rev. John Elliott, of East Guilford, is appointed preacher.

The following gentlemen were choseu officers for the year ensuing: viz.

Rev. JOHN ELLIOTT, Pres.
Rev. DAVID SMITH,
Dea. ABRAHAM CHITTENDEN, F. Pres.

Rev. TIMOTHY P. GILLETT, Sec.
Rev. MATTHEW NOTES, Treas.
Dea. DANIEL PARMELEE,
Rev. AARON DUTTON,

Col. JONATHAN TODD,

Maj. BENJAMIN BALDWIN, Dea. TIMOTHY ROSSITER,

Trustees.

THE FOREIGN MISSION SOCIETY OF BOSTON AND THE VICINITY

HELD its fourth annual meeting at the hall of the Massachusetts Bank in Boston, on Monday the 24 instant. The report of the Treasurer was exhibited and accepted, and the other annual business transacted. The following gentlemen were chosen officers; viz.

Alis Honor WILLIAM PHILLIPS, Esq. Pres.
SAMUEL SALISBURY, Esq. V. Pres.
The Rev. JOSHUA HUNTINGTON, Sec.
JEREMIAH EVARTS, Esq. Treas.
Mr. ELNATHAN DUREN, Aud.

In the evening of the same day, the an ual sermon was preached before the Sa ciety, by the Rev. JEDIDIAH MORSE, D. D. from Luke x, 1, 2: After these things, the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and every place, whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, the harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest. The Sermon was interesting, and well suited to the present state of the world. A copy

ORDAINED, Oct. 10, 1814, over the church and society in New Hartford, Con, the Rev. CYRUS YALE. The Rev. David L. Perry made the introductory prayer; the Rev. Samuel Shepard, of Lenox, Mass. preached from Mark xvi, 15; the Rev. Mr. Hallock made the consecrating prayer; the Rev. Mr. Gillett gave the charge to the pastor, and the Rev. Mr. Miller the charge to the people; the Rev. Mr. Marsh the tight hand of fellowship; and the Rev. Mr. Beach made the concluding prayer.

At Mendon, (Mass.) the Rev. SIMEON. DOGGETT. Seriaon by the Rev. Mr. Pipon of Taunton,

At Bristol, (R. I.) the Rev. WALTER CHANSTON, Tutor of the Greek Language in Harvard College, to the order of deacon in the Episcopal Church. Sermon by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Griswold.

At Stratford, (Con.) on the 24th of Sept. last, the Rev. MATTHEW R. DørTON, as pastor of the congregational church in that town. The Rev. Dr. Dwight preached the sermou from Gal, i, 8, 9.

OBITUARY.

DIED, lately, in England, capt. H. GRIMES, aged 82, the last surviving officer who fought at the battle of Emsdorf in 1760.

At Newton, (Mass.) TIMOTHY JACKSON, Esq. aged 5S, for fifteen years in succession a representative of that town in the General Court.

In Geneva county, (N. Y.) Mrs. SEELY, killed by a blow on her head by her husband, who afterwards cut his own throat.

In England, JoHN LINCH, a gardener; who, having sat up in a green-house to watch against robbers, was found dead in the morning. He had all the appearance of having died by suffocation, the vitality of the air being destroyed by the mephitic exhalations of the plants.

POETRY.

VERSES

By James Mongomery, on the death of the Rev. Thomas Spencer, of Liverpool, who was drowned, while bathing in the tide, on the 5th of August 1811, in the 21st year of his age.

Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters; and thy footsteps are not known. Ps. lxxvii, 19.

From an English publication.

Ox earth, in ocean, sky and air,
All that is excellent and fair,
Seen, felt, or understood,
From one eternal cause descends
To one eternal centre tends,
With God begins, continues, ends,
The source of ev'ry good.

Him through all nature I explore,
Him in his creatures I adore,

Around, beneath, above:
But clearest In the human mind,
His bright resemblance when I find,
Grandeur with purity combin'd,
I'most admire and love.

Oh! there was one-on earth awhile,
He dwelt; but transient as a smile,
'That turns into a tear,

His beauteous image pass'd us by,
He came like lightning from the sky,
As prompt to disappear.

Sweet in his undissembling mein,
Were genius, candor, meekness, seen,
The lips that lov'd the truth,
The single eye, whose glance sublime
Look'd to eternity through time,
The soul whose hopes were wont to climb.
Above the joys of youth.

Of old*-before the lamp grew dark,
Reposing near the sacred ark,

The child of Hannah's prayer
Heard through the temple's silent round,
A living voice, nor knew the sound,
That thrice alarm'd him, ere he found,

The Lord, who chose him, there.

Thus early called, and strongly moved,
A prophet from a child approved,
Spencer his course began;

From strength to strength, from grace tá
grace,
Swiftest and foremost in the race,
He carried victory in his face,

He triumphed as he ran.

The loveliest star of evening's train
Sets early in the western main,

WE agree with our correspondent R., as to the tendency of the piece on which he animadverts; but we have hitherto abstained from noticing the work in which that piece appeared. We see no reason at present for altering our course in this respect. If R. wishes for his manuscript, it shall be left at the publisher's, on his making known to us such a wish. We thank him for his communication, though our previous determination forbids our mak ing use of it.

Several recent communications will be dály attended to.

*1 Samuel i, 3.

No. 2.

MEMOIR OF THE

REVEREND ASAHEL HOOKER, LATE OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT.

THE mortal epidemic, which so extensively prevailed in this country, in the years 1812 and 1813, will long be remembered. For several successive months, especially in 1813, the pestilence that walketh in darkness, swept through the land; and the strong, the active, and the useful, as well as others, were smitten down to the grave. Among the victims of that terrible disease, which filled so many hearts with anguish, and clothed so many families in mourning, was the excellent man, whom this sketch is designed to commemorate.

It is an office of no small deli sacy to characterize the dead. Though they are unaffected by the censures or applauses of men, still the claims of truth, in this case, are preeminently saered, and should never be sacrificed to the partialities of friendship, or the false naxims of the world.

The subject of this memoir possessed an assemblage of excellencies, which made him dear to those who knew him. To such persons this outline of his character may present a preious though imperfect memoriVOL. XI.

5

VOL. XI.

al of one whom they loved; and, by the blessing of God, it may prove instructive to others, especially to preachers of the Gospel.

The Rev. Asahel Hooker was born at Bethlem, (Con.) in the year 1762. He was a lineal descendant, of the fifth generation, from the Puritan patriarch, the Rev. Thomas Hooker, first min. ister of Hartford, (Con.) a man of God, whose praise is still in the churches. Many of those amiable qualities, which were unfolded in more mature years, were among the earliest traits of Mr. Hooker's character. From childhood he was distinguished by fondness for books, sweetness of temper and manners, and prudence in speech and behavior, The circumstances of his early life were in some respects favorable to the cultivation of these qualities. Though his parents, on account of many doubts respecting their own per sonal piety, did not make a public profession of religion till they were considerably advanced in age; yet their serious respect for religious institutions, their correct examples, their fidelity in the instruction and discipline of their family, made a salutary impression on the tender mind of their son.

and