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be blest; and that they would make most ample provision for my support, if I would settle with them. As to my moving from Sussex, money would not induce me to do this. I am here, I think, very useful; and as long as I can obtain a maintenance for my family, among these indigent, but affectionate people, it will not, I conceive, be my duty to leave them: And as to my visiting the peninsula, this would be very agreeable to me: but I do not think it will be in my power to effect it, especially this fall, as my labours here daily increase; and as my appointments to preach the gospel, in various parts of this state, now extend to about two months to come. However, if possible, I shall endeavour to comply with this request next spring; and as Mr. Roe gives us some hopes that you will soon ride in this circuit, we shall then confer on the subject.

I applaud the continuance of your zeal to promote the interests of Christianity, and ardently pray that you may ever enjoy the divine presence and protection.

Believe me to be,

Dear and Worthy Sir,
Your sincere friend,

And very humble servant,

Newtown, 4th Sept. 1783.

UZAL OGDEN.

LETTER XV.

To the Reverend Mr. Hugh Knox, a Presbyterian Clergyman, of the island of St. Croix.

REVEREND AND WORTHY SIR,

PERMIT me to mention, that I have the honour to be a Missionary from the Venerable Society in England for the propagation of the gospel in foreign parts;-that lately, I providentially met with your printed letter to the Rev. Mr. Green, which I read with pleasure, as many since have done of my acquaintance;that a few weeks past, Lucas Van Beverhoudt, Esq. of this state, gave me a pleasing account of the Rev. Mr. Knox, and said he had sent Mr. Knox a sermon I published, not long since, on the subject of Regeneration.

These particulars, dear sir, respecting you, occasion me to request your acceptance of four pamphlets, I have published, which accompany this, and to beg the favour of being honoured with your correspondence.

It will ever afford me great satisfaction to receive a line, on practical religion, from the Rev. Mr. Knox; especially, as I am of opinion our conceptions of the Christian system have so near an affinity to each other; though, perhaps, no person can more patiently submit to a diversity of religious sentiment, in a correspondent, than myself; especially, if my friend adorns the gospel

of our Lord by a life of undissembled piety. I consider there ever were, and, it is possible, ever will be, a diversity of religious opinions among men; that we are enjoined to "receive," or to be kindly disposed towards "those who are weak in the faith;" and that, agreeable to the idea of an eminent English Philosopher, "those are the real heretics who live lives of impiety,"

Polemic divinity may be useful to mankind, if properly discussed; but as religious disputation, in general, hath been conducted, I cannot but think it hath been of unhappy consequence among Christians; and, as a historian of eminence hath observed, that it would have been for the honour of religion, and the peace and prosperity of the Church, if all the volumes on the subject of religion, published in a certain century, had been consigned over to the flames;-so I cannot but conceive, if nine tenths of our modern books of religious controversy had not been written, it would have been for the honour and interest of Christianity.

Few persons who engage in religious disputation, appear to possess that candour, penetration, humility, disinterestedness and piety, requisite to govern controversial authors that they may be of real utility to mankind.

It was with pleasure I observed the letter above-mentioned, dictated by so happy a temper; this adds much to its dignity and use, and hath very sensibly endeared its author to me. And the writer of it, I humbly presume, will pardon me, if I desire the favour of him to inform me wherein "he is more of a Calvinist than an Arminian ;" as I must confess this expression in the letter, when compared with the other parts of it, appeared to me a little extraordinary.

I shall only add, that my best wishes attend you, and that, with great esteem, I beg to be regarded as,

Reverend and Worthy Sir,

Your affectionate Brother,
And very humble servant,

Sussex County, State of New-Jersey,
December 6, 1783.

UZAL OGDEN.

(To be continued.)

ANECDOTE OF GROTIUS.

The celebrated Grotius, one of the most learned men of his age, was, in his last illness, attended by a friend, who desired him, in his great wisdom and learning, to give him a short direction how he might live to the best advantage. To whom Grotius only said, "Be serious. This is my parting advice to you, as what comprehends every thing I have said.-Be serious."

VOL. VI.

15

Religious and Missionary Intelligence.

DEAR SIR,

MISSOURI CONFERENCE MISSION.

Letter from the Rev. Alexander M'Allister.

St. Louis County, Missouri, Nov. 28, 1822.

Ir affords me no inconsiderable degree of satisfaction, to correspond with you on a subject than which none can be more interesting to the Christian, nor more beneficial to the Pagan world. The Methodist Missionary Society is, as yet, in its infancy; but its growing importance portends greater good to mankind that any institution of the kind hitherto known. I am induced to believe, that there will be both numerous and liberal contributions to support the institutution, since the money so raised is to be deposited in the hands of men, who will, no doubt, distribute it with an economical hand for the support of those Missionaries whose zeal is not a transient blaze, but a constant flame, consuming vice and iniquity before it, and with a gentle hand, leading the penitent sons and daughters of men up to the throne of grace, where they may obtain the mercy and salvation of God. Widely extended fields are already discovered, and the Christian Missionary has irresistible inducements to go, not only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but to the untaught aborigines of this vast frontier, whose native goodness moves them to meet the priest of Christianity at their hospitable threshhold, welcome him to their coarse fare, and with apparent conviction of their own inferiority, sit down at his feet to hear what he has to say about the Great Spirit. May we not hope that something will yet be done among our Spanish neighbours? Surely they are not incorrigible. When the mind has long been benighted and begins to be enlightened, it is a favourable time to attack its errors, and introduce correct principles.

Our Spanish neighbours have experienced a political revolution: and if the public mind could be kept going, something great and good might be effected before it stops! be this as it may, the inducements to Missionaries are very great; so much so, that nothing but pecuniary embarrassment, can keep the man of God from going; and it is most devoutly to be wished, that your society may succeed in removing all embarrassments of a pecuniary nature.

Amidst the happiness which I enjoy while contemplating the magnanimity of the design, I feel a mingled shame and regret, to think, that we, in this conference, have been so slow in uniting our efforts with yours, in an enterprize so philanthropic. I hope we shall be enabled to atone for it to the satisfaction of our brethren of the east.

Our Missouri Missionary Society is at last constituted, and we were enabled to remit to the treasurer of the Parent Institution, sixty dollars. Twenty dollars of this money were raised in the conference when the society was organized; and forty-five dollars were sent from a society formed on Red-river, Arkansas Territory, immediately bordering on the Spanish country. It appears from the communications received from that society, that the people in that remote place, are very zealous in the cause of Missions. It is no doubt desirable with you to learn how your missions succeed in different parts. I will give you an account of the St. Louis Mission for the last year, as I was very frequently with the Missionary. I have the most intimate knowledge of his success, and of the difficulties which he had to encounter in that place during his labours there.

Your Missionary went under the most unfavourable circumstances. Certain Missionaries had visited the town of St. Louis, and the citizens had subscribed largely for the purpose of building churches; but those houses were commenced on improper plans, and never finished; the people became dissatisfied, and some made vows against ever subscribing to build houses of religious worship. Letters had been written to the east representing the people as on a par with the inhabitants of Birman; but notwithstanding all this, the citizens of St. Louis remained hospitable and kind to the ministry. My partiality to the St. Louisians may have

blinded my eyes; but without the least intention to flatter, I can say, that I never visited a more friendly, hospitable people; and notwithstanding the difficulties which your Missionary had to encounter, he succeeded so well as to gain not less probably than one hundred souls into society, and built a very comfortable little chapel, 35 feet long, by 25 feet in width, with a gallery. The whole neatly finished. It will contain near five hundred hearers. The house is not quite paid for as yet. St. Louis has now become a station and is not only able, but willing to support its ministry. Great good has been done in that place; and we must attribute it, under God, to the indefatigable exertions of a good man, the Rev. Jesse Walker, who is most certainly the father of Methodism in St. Louis. Sp little has been done for the present year by the Missionaries of this conference, that I have nothing on the subject as yet to communicate.

Yours respectfully,

ALEXANDER M'ALLISTER,
Sec. for Missouri Conference Missionary Society.

WYANDOT MISSION AND SCHOOL.

Letter from the Rev. James B. Finley.

DEAR BRETHREN,

January 3, 1823.

THIS is a true copy from the original, taken from the mouth of the interpreter, at our last Conference; and at the request of Bishop M'Kendree, I send it to be inserted in your Magazine. Three of the Wyandot Chiefs attended our last Conference, and in their communications to the Conference, spoke as follows:

BETWEEN-THE-LOGS." Brothers; we have met here all in peaceful times, and feel happy to see you all well; and your business seems to go on in good order and peace. This being the day appointed to hear us speak on the subject of our school and mission, which you have established among us, we think it proper to let you know that when our Father, the President, sent to us to buy our land, and we all met at Fort Meigs, that it was proposed that we should have a school among us, to teach our children to read; and many of the chiefs of our nation agreed that it was right, and that it was a subject on which we ought to think: to this, after consulting, we all consented. But government has not yet sent us a teacher. Brothers; you have; and we are glad and thankful the mission and school are in a prosperous way, and we think will do us much good to come. Many ministers of the gospel have come to us in our land, who seemed to love us dearly, and offered to send us ministers and teachers to establish missions and schools among us; but we always refused, expecting government would send us some which they promised to do, and which was most consistent with the wishes of our chiefs but when you sent our first brother to preach, we were pleased and listened with attention. Then when you sent our good brother Finley, we rejoiced, for we all thought he was a good man, and loved our nation and children, and was always ready to do us good; and when he moved out all our chiefs received him with joy, and our people were all very glad. Brothers; we are sorry to tell you that this is not so now. Since that time some of the chiefs have withdrawn their warm love, and this influences others to do so too. Brothers; they have not done as well as we expected, and we feel astonished at the conduct of our chiefs; they have backslidden. But there are some of us yet in favour of this mission, if the rest have gone backwards; and we still wish to have the mission continued, and school also. Though the chiefs have mostly left us, yet there are four faithful ones among us." viz. (Between-the-logs, Hicks, Mononque, Peacock.) "Brothers; we know the cause why they have withdrawn; it was the words of the gospel. Brothers; it is too sharp for them; it cuts too close; it cuts all the limbs of sin from the body, and they don't like it; but we, (meaning the other four) are willing to have all the limbs of sin cut from our bodies, and live holy. We want the mission and school to go on, and we believe that the Great God will not suffer them to fall through; for, brothers, he is very strong; and this, brothers, is our great joy. The wicked that do not like Jesus, raise up their hands and do all they can to discourage and destroy the love of the little handful; and with thefr

lands they cover over the roots of wickedness. But, brothers, they may do all they can to stop it, the work will go on and prosper, for the Great God Almighty holds it up with his hand. When you placed my Finley amongst us in our own country, we rejoiced; and we have been much pleased with his living amongst us ever since. He is a plain man; he does not flatter our people; he preaches plain truth. He says to them, this is the way to life, and this is the way to damnation. Brothers; we suppose this is the reason why some have turned enemies to our brother; but he pleases all those who are willing to serve God, and love his ways; therefore we have nothing to fear concerning the mission and school. They are built on a solid rock, and look like prospering. For our parts, we have no learning, and we are now getting old, and it is hardly worth our while to trouble ourselves about learning now; but we want very much our children learned, and we hope our school and mission will do great good for them."

Here Between-the-logs stopped: and JOHN HICKS arose, and said, "Brothers; I feel great thanks to our heavenly Father for keeping us and bringing us here. Not long ago one of my brethren asked me my opinion on the school: I told him I would send all my children, for this reason: not a great while ago I stood in darkness and knew but little of God, and all I did know was dark; so that I could not see clear. But I heard our brethren preach out of the good Book of God, this word waked up my mind, and cut my heart. Brothers; it brought me to pray, and seek, and love the Great God of heaven, and his ways. This is the reason I want my children to learn to read the Great Book of God, and understand it, and get religion that they may be happy in this world and the next. Brothers; I don't want to be long on the subject, but will let you know that I am of the same opinion with my brother that spoke before me, with respect to our brother Finley. I hope you will still continue him with us; he has done us much good; he has been the means of converting souls; so that many bad men have become good men; and very wicked sinners have turned to the Lord, and now keep his good words. May the Great Spirit keep him amongst us, and bless his labours." Then he took his seat, and brother MONONQUE spoke as follows:

1

"Brothers; I have not much to say. You see us all three here to-day in health and peace, for which we are very thankful to God. You will not expect much from me on the subject of the mission and school, as my brothers have spoken before me all that is necessary. I wish just to say, we want our brother Finley still to live amongst us. For my part, last year I expected he would come among us, and it turned out so, and I was very glad, and I am still much pleased with him. The Conference made a good choice; it was our choice; and the Good Spirit was pleased to give it to us. He has a particular manner of teaching and preaching to us, different from other teachers who have been amongst us; and God owns and blesses his labours. May he still go on and prosper. We want him amongst us still. I know that the words he speaks are of God. When he preaches I feel his truth in my heart, in my soul. O Brothers! it makes my soul happy; all of us want him with us; his life amongst us is very useful, because it is straight. He was very industrious all the time he has been with us, and learns our people to work; and since he has left us, we have been lost, though it has been but a few days. We have felt as if our oldest brother was taken from us, and the place where he lived all looked sorry. But what feelings of joy did we feel in our hearts when we met our brother at this place, and took him by the hand! We thank the Almighty God who has spared our brother. The great objections that our chiefs have against our brother Finley is; A coloured man that preached to us used to feed them on milk; this they liked very well; but our brother Finley fed them on meat: this was too strong for them, and so they will not eat. But those that want to love God and his ways, could eat both milk and meat; it does well with us, and we feel always hungry for more.' After requesting the Conference to employ a steady interpreter for the use of the school and gospel, he sat down.

BISHOP M'KENDREE replied in substance as follows:-"We are glad we are exceedingly joyful-to see this day; for we have long been anxious to see the time when our brethren of the west would embrace religion. Our joy is abundantly increased when we see you face to face, and hear the gospel from your own mouths. We are well disposed towards you. In us you have real friends; and you may be well assured that our kindness will be continued. We will make every exertion possible to educate and instruct your children. These men (alluding to the Conference) are not the only friends you have. You have many

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