On Thursday the 13th of November, 1799, the Society met, at the request of the Board of Directors, having been prevented from meeting at the time to which they ftood adjourned, by reafon of a general derangement in the city, occafioned by the recurrence of a peftilential epidemic. This derangement alfo prevented the delivery of the annual fermon, and the ufual collection. The Society, however, elected their Officers, received the report of the Directors, and attended to all the other business which came before them. The Board of Directors having recommended to the Society to amend the Conftitution, by changing the time of the annual meeting, from the firft Tuesday in November to the firft Tuesday of April, the Society unanimously agreed to adopt the faid amendment, and accordingly adjourned till the first Tuesday of April next, then to hear the annual Sermon in the Church before directed. The last report made by the Directors will ferve to fhew the progress and prefent ftate of the Miffionary business under the direction of this Society. New-York, Nov. 14, 1799. Since the laft meeting of the Society, little has occurred to vary the ftate of its affairs, as they were detailed in the report then made. The fhort interval. which elapfed before the return of public calamity, the difperfion of the citizens of New-York, and the derangement of business which it occafioned, left the Directors few opportunities, and little leifure, for concerting measures, and applying the means of more extenfive usefulness. They have, however, the fatisfaction of congratulating the Society on the safe arrival of their Miffionary at the scene of his labours. The kind Providence of God, in protecting and comforting him on his journey, in preferving his health, his hopes, and his confidence; in giving him, thus far, favour in the eyes of the heathen; in ftimulating and enabling him, though not formally received by the nation, on account of the abfence of one of the chiefs, to enter without delay, and with alacrity, upon his interefting functions, deferves our firft and molt heart-felt acknowledgments. In a letter, dated the eighth of June, which accompanies their Report, the Directors are rejoiced to the discover the just and elevated principles of a Miffionary of the crofs. affords them a pleasing proof, that the spirit of his work has, in fome measure, defcended upon him, and a no lefs pleasing expectation, that the Captain of falvation will honour him to be the inftrument, if not of converting, yet of preparing the way for converting, and bringing under the bond of the covenant, numbers of the outcafts of the Gentiles. It The Directors have the additional fatisfaction of acquainting the Society, that they have obtained recent and flattering encouragement to profecute and extend their plan of miffions to the Southern Indians. Their prefent difpofitions and wifhes appear more favourable than at any former period, to the cultivation of religious truth, and of civilized manners. A gentleman of intelligence and enterprize, who has for fome time refided among them, is now exerting himself to facilitate the intercourfe, and confirm the friendship between them and the white people, and has engaged to promote the objects of the Society to the extent of his power. But the information and views of the Directors, with refpect to his proposals, are not, as yet, fufficiently matured for acting upon them. It cannot be uninterefting to the Society to hear, that our brethren of the Northern Miffionary Society, are employing their vigilance and refources to establish an evangelical miffion among the Northern and Western Savages. The Society will obferve, in the state of their pecuniary concerns, that the mind of the religious public is not indifferent to their profperity-they have at prefent, The Directors, therefore, feel perfuaded, that the fituation of the Miffionary concerns is aufpicious; and affords ample motives to excite thankfulness, to prompt praife, to animate zeal, and inforce perfeverance. By order of the Board, JOHN M. MASON, Sec'ry. Officers and other Directors elected November, 1799. JOHN RODGERS, D. D. Prefident. Rev. JOHN M. MASON, Secretary. OTHER DIRECTORS. William Linn, D. D. John M'Knight, D. D. Anthony Poft, Efq. Donations to the Society will be thankfully received by the Treasurer, or by any other of the Di rectors. Inftructions from the Directors of the New-York Miffionary Society, to the Miffionaries among the Indians. N this early ftage of the miffion, very particular inftructions cannot be expected. You will be furnished with them from time to time, according to the circumftances which arife; and fomething must ever be left to your own prudence. There are, however, certain instructions which will apply at all times, and in all circumstances, and by which you are, invariably, to guide yourfelves. Thefe refpect chiefly, 1. Your perfonal religion. 2. The matter and manner of your teaching. 3. Your outward deportment. 4. The formation of religious affemblies, and the adminiftration of ordinan'ces. 5. The establishment of fchools for children. 6. Obfervations on the language and customs of the Indians, and on the profpects of making fettlements, and extending the gospel among them. 1. Your perfonal religion. No words can express the importance of this, and urge it with fufficient warmth. Your comfort and fuccefs in your work depend upon it. Without it, the finest genius, the highest literary acquirements, and the greatest eloquence will be unavailing. By this we mean not only that your hope of an intereft in the Saviour be well founded, but that you constantly strive to maintain the power of religion in your hearts; that you live near to God; giving yourselves much to folemn meditation and prayer. As you need, in your difficult and perilous fituation, uncommon love to God, zeal for his glory, and communications of divine wisdom and ftrength, fo you fhould habitually feek these, in the full affurance of faith that they will be afforded. Though what is called oftentation in religion is to be avoided as vile, yet endeavour to live in fuch a manner as that those who obferve you may believe you to be holy men, denied to yourfelves, crucified to this world, and whofe converfation is in heaven. 2. The matter and manner of your teaching. As to the matter, let it be the great and peculiar doctrines of divine revelation; fuch as the fin and mifery of man by the fall; the eternal counfel of God, revealed in time, to fave finners by the substitution of his own Son; the incarnation, obedience, fufferings and death of the Son of God, in the room of finners; his refurrection, afcenfion, interceffion in heaven, and the final judg ment; the application of the redemption of Christ, by the Holy Spirit, and the abfolute neceffity of his agency to change the hearts of men, and bring them to holiness and happiness. The Confeffion of Faith contained in the conftitution of the Society, is to be the confeffion of your faith, and your teaching is to be conformable thereto. We believe that thefe doctrines are appointed by God, and found in experience to be the only and effectual means of favingly impreffing the minds of men, reforming their lives, and turning them to holiness. We warn, yea, we charge you, our beloved brethren, against fetting up your own wifdom; against preaching natural religion diftinct from revealed; against founding moral conduct on any other principle than the grace of God. We enjoin you to declare, as your hearers are prepared to receive it, the whole counfel of God; and to remember, in all your miniftrations, that Christ cruci fied is unto them which are called the power of God, and the wisdom of God. We would enforce what we fay on this particular, by quoting part of the inftructions given to the Miffionaries to the islands of the South Sea.* "The Bible, and the experience of the most successful miffions affure us, that the great doctrine of the Atonement must be the chief corner ftone. The glory and the humiliation of Jefus, and every thing relative to the deliverance from fin and death by him muft make the ground-work. A fimple recital of his love, the defign of his incarnation, death, and resurrection; these must be the points, chiefly, repeatedly dwelt upon. The obligations of love and duty which we owe him, naturally connect themselves with thefe views; together with promifes of his grace, through the agency of his own fpirit, to enable us to follow him in the regeneration. Affect not fubtilties and deep points of controverfy, either among yourselves or with the natives. Wave as much as poffible what would lead to questions, rather * Counsels and instructions for the regulation of the Mission, by the Directors of the London Missionary Society. VOL. I. No. 1. C |