Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

prayer-meetings are established on board of vessels in this port. "We have," say the board of managers of the "New-York Bethel Union," a standing committee to provide vessels on board of which to hold meetings. If a vessel is procured for Monday evening, notice thereof is given to the Chairman of the Monday evening committee, whose duty it then is to cause the Bethel flag to be hoisted at mast-head during the day; the signal-lantern at night; to notify his co-members; who may also invite such other friends as may be thought necessary to assist in conducting the exercises of the evening." These meetings have been generally well attended, and, it is believed, much good has been done. Success attend every such effort to convert our ships into houses of prayer, and our seamen into temples of the Holy Ghost!

The proceedings of the "United Foreign Missionary Society," are amply detailed in the American Missionary Register; from which it appears that the Osage Mission, is likely to succeed, though it is to be feared that the war which has been declared between the Cherokees and Osages, will retard the operations of the Society. The Mission family have formed themselves into a church, confirmed their union, and renewed their covenant by partaking of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

GREAT OSAGE MISSION.

Extract of a letter from Miss Wooley to her Mother.

Mission Boats, Aug. 8, 1821.

May the Lord direct my pen, and enable me to speak of his goodness; for truly his goodness and inercy have followed us all our way. He hath not dealt with us according to our iniquities, but in his great loving-kindness hath he watched over us for good. Most of the family enjoy comfortable health. Although a number are feeble, yet no raging fever burns their sickly frame. The most infirm are able to walk abroad; our spirits are good, and our prospects are flattering.

We entered the Osage river on the 29th of June; and on the first of July, we met on one of its banks for Divine worship. Our Sanctuary, formed by the God of nature was grand and sublime. We assembled under a large shelving rock, sufficiently extensive to shelter a thousand persons from the peltings of the storm, or to shadow them from the scorching rays of the sun. Here we met with only one white family, the last we expect to see on our way to the Indian settlement.

On the 2d of August, we arrived at Chateau's Establishment. Here, for the first time, we saw Osage Indians. We were politely received by Wah-ton-eyah, a warrior of distinction, who had been left here to give to the chiefs information of our arrival. When three of the brethren, who had gone forward, approached the Indian huts, this warrior marched out with an air which would not have disgraced royalty. He took the Missionaries by the hand, and bade them a cordial welcome. He then walked down to the river, and welcomed the whole family to the territory of his nation.

At this place, we found many of the Osage Indians. Their appearance is most interesting. Their cleanliness much surprised us. We could not but love their children, some of whom were neatly dressed, while others were entirely destitute of clothing. One of the Indians said he had two children, and he would send them to school, and when they became white-men, he would come and live with us, and be a white-man too.

In the course of the afternoon, we moved up the river about a mile. Wahtoneyah accompanied us, took a seat at our table, and conducted himself with propriety. On the 3d, we rested, while the brethren examined the land. On the 4th, we moved up the stream until we were arrested by the shoals. On the 6th, the brethren took a more extensive view of the land, and found a situation about four miles distant by land, and eight or ten by water, with which they are highly pleased.

Some of the brethren are now employed in erecting a store-house on the scite just mentioned, while others are conveying goods thither in a skiff. Brothers Newton and Bright have gone to the Missouri river for horses, oxen, cows, &c. We are within 80 miles of Fort Osage, to which all letters for our family should in future be directed. The Osage chiefs and warriors have not yet returned from their summer's hunt. They are expected soon, and on their return a Council will be immediately held.-American Missionary Register.

The following is an extract of a letter from Bishop M'Kendree, dated Lezington, Kentucky, September 26, 1821.

"THE Missionary business, in the Ohio Conference, promises a reward for our labour and expences. We have sent on a Missionary family to carry the school into effective operation."

By a letter from Rev. Ebenezer Brown, it appears there is a gracious revival of religion in Middlebury, Vermont. He says, "The most hardened offenders came to the altar last Tuesday evening seeking forgiveness, and desiring an interest in the prayers of God's people. It was an awful time. I never witnessed so mighty a revelation of the power of God; and yet the most perfect order prevailed, and all was solemn as the house of death! Indeed order and solemnity characterize every meeting for the public worship of God. About fifty have been added to our church since my residence here, one of which is the high-sheriff of the county."

*

Obituary.

Died in Stratford, Vermont, March 8, 1821, in the 36th year of his age, Rev. Salmon Winchester. He was born of respectable parents, in Westmoreland, Nov. 11, 1785. When about sixteen, through the instrumentality of the Methodist ministry, he was brought to the knowledge of the truth; and he ever after maintained the character of a pious, consistent Christian. Evincing an ardent desire for the salvation of souls, and a talent for usefulness in the ministry, he received license, first as a Local Preacher, and in 1815 he joined the travelling ministry, and was stationed on Ashburnham circuit: In 1816 on Tolland: In 1817 he was admitted into full connexion, ordained deacon, and again stationed on Tolland circuit. In 1818, he travelled Vershire circuit: and in 1819, he was ordained elder, and appointed again to Vershire. In 1820, for reasons which he thought sufficient to justify him, he discontinued from travelling, and received from the Conference a location. Being, however, dis satisfied in his present state, with a view to join the Conference again, he re-commenced travelling on Vershire circuit, but did not, on account of ill health, re-enter the Conference.

In his sickness, he exhibited, in a very eminent degree, the virtues pe culiar to the Christian, holding an unwavering confidence in God, and a firm hope of immortality; and when assured that his restoration to health was hopeless, he said, "If I were alone in the world, I could die with ease but my family." He, however, calmly resigned them into the hands of his God, while he committed his own soul to the care of his great Redeemer.

About 10 o'clock on Thursday, he observed, "I have failed fast since sun down. I shall not probably live to the rising of another sun. Five days agol was as likely to live as any of you; but God, in His wise Providence has seen fit to afflict me, and I hope I fully acquiesce in it. I wish I could say, my work is done and well done.” (By this remark he appeared to allude to the time of his location.) "Yet, blessed be God, I can say that for six years I have had an unshaken confidence in God, and have been striving to do good. I am now ready to be offered-I have finished my course; I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.' Many other passages of scripture he repeated.

He then gave a charge to his disconsolate wife and children, giving them his blessing, and exhorting them to faithfulness. In this happy frame of mind his soul took its departure into a world of spirits, and, we doubt not, rests from labour, in the bosom of God.

Much might be justly said in favour of his character. But suffice it to say, that, in all his exterior deportment, he displayed the virtues of the Christian, the husband, the father, the member of civil and religious society, and, after his exaltation to the ministry, he evinced his divine call by the manner, and the success with which he discharged his ministerial duties. Neither were the inward tempers of his mind less amiable in the estimation of his intimate acquaintance, than his external conduct was correct. In a word, he enjoyed communion with God, and in that communion he died.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
« AnteriorContinuar »