Body, and one Spirit, and one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one GoD and Father of us all; so we may henceforth be all of one heart, and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and charity." Then shall our Missionaries become an invincible band; then may we look, with confidence, for the Divine blessing on their labours; then shall "GOD be merciful unto us and bless us, and shew us the light of His countenance, and be merciful unto us; that His way may be known upon earth, His saving health among all nations." I am, Rev. Sir, Your obedient Servant, "A COUNTRY VICAR." HALE PAROCHIAL ASSOCIATION. To the Editor. Hale, near Farnham, 25th March, 1850. DEAR SIR,-A very interesting communication in the Parochial Missionary Magazine of this month, from the Rev. E. W. Relton, describes how much may be done in a small way by a poor town district; let me now show your readers what may be done in like manner in a poor country district. It will be two years the 12th of next June, since I first spoke directly to my poor people on the cause of Christian Missions. Since that time, we have paid into the venerable Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, £12 16s. 10d.; to the Church Missionary Society, (including more than £10 for the Jubilee), £24 2s. 10d.; and to the London Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews, £7 14s. 6d. ; making a total of £44 14s. 24d; besides nearly £2 in hand. I cannot exactly say, with your correspondent Mr. Relton, that there are no persons of easy circumstances in the district, but this I can say, that the larger part of the amount has been contributed in small sums. The greater part of the district is so poor and wild, that many persons would think a Missionary association impracticable: yet in this very portion of it we have found the greatest interest excited. The quarterly meetings are admirably attended, though our schoolrooms are on the highest and bleakest part of a barren common. The general school and the infant school are thrown into one, in order to accommodate the numbers of children and parents who attend. No collection is made on these occasions: but twelve of the elder children, boys and girls, go round to the cottagers every fortnight, at a stated time, in pairs, (of course of the same sex), for the purpose of collecting. What they receive (though it be but a farthing) is immediately entered in a book they carry with them for the purpose. These books they deliver, with the money, to the schoolmaster, and afterwards render their accounts to me. For the most part, the children are well received and are much more successful than the ladies who kindly collect in other parts. Before each quarterly meeting, these juvenile collectors drink tea at my house, to which they look forward with great delight. A similar system has been adopted in another district of the mother parish, and with equal success. The quarterly meetings of the districts and in the parish are so arranged, that in some part of the parish there is a Missionary meeting on the 2nd Tuesday of each month; and the collectors of one district frequently take sufficient interest to walk to the quarterly meeting of another. The population of the Hale district amounts to nearly 1500. The larger half of this population is parcelled out among the juvenile collectors; adults take the charge of the rest. All the smaller contributions are equally shared by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel and the Church Missionary Society. But encouraging as has been the amount collected in aid of Missions, I look upon the general interest excited among the people, as a yet greater advantage. In more cases than one, individuals have been attracted to the Missionary meeting who used never to be found at the Church; and I trust that others have been led to value their own privileges more highly, from the example set them by converted heathens. I write in the midst of many pressing engagements, hoping that ministers and their flocks, in town and country, may emulate each other with a pious rivalry for the honour of doing most in the holy work of Christian Missions. P. S. I subjoin a few hints to the Juvenile Collectors," which I inserted at the beginning of their account books. Hale Association for Church Missions.-The Juvenile Missionary Collectors will be (1) desirous to serve the Lord JESUS CHRIST in this work; (2) not merely strictly honest in money matters, but very accurate and regular in accounts. FRIENDLY ADVICE. I. Be not cast down, if you meet with many little disappointments. II. Be punctual in the time of your rounds. III. Be very respectful to all you visit, under all circumstances, remembering the work you are engaged in. IV. Inform yourself about missionary work, that you may inform others, and in your monthly visits to me relate your little difficulties. V. Pay your money after each collection to the schoolmaster. But never fail to come to me at half-past four o'clock, on the 2nd Tuesday in each month, and then bring your account book ready made up, that I may compare each book and balance accounts. VI. Remember Prayer! Seek God's blessing on the work. L. M. H. MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE. TORONTO. The Church papers continue to exhibit the excitement felt throughout Canada West against the new "University." The following is from the Christian Gaurdian, a Wesleyan Paper we believe "At the very lowest, we may safely say, that three-fourths of the country are opposed to the Bill, and that proportion is daily increasing. The Presbyterians have spoken out decidedly against the measure. The Roman Catholics have also expressed themselves in an intelligible manner. The Methodists have repeatedly stated that they cannot "have any connexion with a University such as the Act establishes,-which repudiates religion, and in which the voice of prayer and praise is never to be heard." The Episcopalians are equally opposed to the principles of the Bill. The Bishop, in his Pastoral Letter, and in his Petition to Her Majesty, and also in that to the House of Lords, expresses his uncompromising hostility to the godless character of the Act. His lordship contemplates coming to England expressly to oppose it. The Syracuse Journal says that a series of Indian councils have been held daily at the Onondago Castle, for the past fornight. The writer says, "on Friday last was celebrated the important rite of sacrificing the White Dog! The customary victim was immolated on a flaming altar, with all the formality and circumstances of an. cient usage among the Iroquois, in presence of a pagan portion of the nation, and numerous white persons, spectators. On Tuesday last this crowning festival of the Indian year, after a continuance of nine days, was closed with the exciting ceremony of the War Dance. These observances are continued in the midst of a Christian community with all the reverence, solemnity and zeal of ancient times, with a punctuality and devotion which show the regard these people have for the institutions of their fathers, and with what tenacity they still cling to their ancient customs.' CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.-The following extracts from a journal kept at Capetown are borrowed from the pages of the UNITED STATES.-Indian Council. Colonial Church Chronicle. Schools.-One feature has struck us as most pleasing here. The Bishop maintains a school for coloured children under his own roof. It may, indeed, be doubted whether schools for children are the effective instruments for bringing over a heathen population to embrace the Gospel, while their parents are left to follow their own ways. But here as the language, a mixture of Dutch and some African dialect, forms so great a bar at present to our intercourse with them, it seems the only way of beginning adapted to the circumstances of the case. I hope something more efficient and vigorous may arise out of it. * * # I had some interesting conversation with- -on the subject of Missions, I felt constrained to combat the notion which I found that he, in common with others of the Colonial Clergy, advocates, viz.; that it is with the rising generation, and through the medium of schools for children, that we must hope to effect the Missionary work. I cannot find that the heathen population of any country were ever beguiled into the adoption of Christianity through such an easy process, which seems to keep out of sight the offence of the cross of Christ. As the system addresses itself to those who can neither oppose nor resist, its results appear to vanish away, as might be expected, while the children live under the roof of their heathen parents, whose souls appear uncared for under this plan of operations, and who naturally corrupt their children. We are rolling this Sisyphean stone up the hill, which as fast rolls back, and leaves us where we were before. Mem. I find my views confirmed in the February Number of the Colonial Church Chronicle; Article, "On the Spread of the Gospel in Western India." The Coloured Population.-The coloured races in this [Capetown] part, (who, as far as I can make out, form nearly two-thirds of the population,) consist: 1st, of Malays; which name includes all who profess Mahomedanism: 2dly, Mozambiques, who are of mixed races, being either captured slaves, or the descendants of such as have been liberated by our cruisers, or who have enjoyed the benefit of the Emancipation Act: and, 3dly, Africanders, a mixture of Dutch and black blood. The Malays are the finest race, and the most advanced in civilization, making also the best servants and workmen. Though one frequently hears complaints againts their honesty and truthfulness, it is allowed by all that their religion has some power over them. They have stolen the hearts of many of those whom God seems to have placed here as a trial to our nation, to see whether we would win them from their darkness and evil ways to embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Apostasy. I learned last night that--, who had been at―, had fallen in with three young women, sisters, who had emigrated about four years since from England, and had all adopted the profession of Mahomedanism, wearing the red handkerchief on their heads, which is the usual badge. One of these had been married to a Malay; which, I believe, was the cause of the conversion of the whole party. We have an apostate of a similar nature not many hundred yards from the house at Let him that thinks he has faith take heed! BOMBAY.-The Lord Bishop of this Diocese has arrived in England for the benefit of his health. OUR MAGAZINE. The first year of our humble periodical has now been completed. Commenced under a strong sense of the necessity of such a Publication, but without any extensive list of contributors, it has scarcely come up to the idea which was, and still is, in our mind. The labour has proved heavier than we anticipated, and being discharged in the midst of numerous avocations, bears, we are very sensible, too many marks of haste. Still we are thankful to find at the close of our experimental year, that the attempt is so far appreciated, that we are urged by friends, both at home and abroad, to continue our exertions. Our readers will participate the gratification with which we lay before them a letter just received from the Lord Bishop of Newfoundland, who will be acknowledged by all to be no mean judge, even if the recollection of a brief personal acquaintance should make him read with a partial eye. St. John's, Newfoundland, April 15, 1850. MY DEAR SIR,-I know not whether I am indebted to your kindness for the very liberal supply of your Parochial Missionary Magazine, which I received about a fortnight ago by a vessel from Liverpool; but, to you certainly I am indebted for the Magazine itself, and I am desirous of expressing my obligations to you for what, in my poor judgment, appears so well calculated to promote a knowledge of, and concern for, the Missionary cause. I have read Nos. 3, 4, 5, and 6, just received, with great interest. The publication seems exactly of the size and character required to instruct the persons who most need to be instructed and interested, viz., those in the middle class of life. I am glad you have not consented to lower its character by adapting it merely to the capacity of the very poorest or youngest. It now holds a rank next to the Colonial Church Chronicle, and I hope and believe both together may, by God's blessing, be of extreme benefit. I can see no necessity for altering in any respect the character of your publication, nor (if I saw or fancied such a necessity) should I feel competent, or called on, to suggest the method or mode of alteration. I may, however, perhaps mention, that it struck me that some prayer, or prayers, for Missionaries and their work, printed on the cover, or otherwise appended to every number, might turn the awakened interest of your readers into the most proper and profitable channel. Such was the direction and command of the Great Missionary (if I may presume so to speak): "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest," &c. I remain, my dear Sir, Your faithful brother and servant, F EDWD. NEWFOUNDLAND |