you lead a heavenly life, and fo live, as you will wish you had 'done, when you come to die. of giving up his child in baptifm. O my friends, with this child, you have a precious foul com'mitted to your care-fee to it that Rife early; devote your morn'you do your duty, and walk be-ing hours to your God, and to fore it with pious examples.—his holy word-there are sweet May God grant the fweet influ- 'counfels and directions, that will ences of his Holy Spirit upon you, fcatter every doubt, and lead and guide you at all times, in every duty-liften to its fill give you free accefs to him, thro'fmall voice. Do not let the bu the merits of his Son." In another letter to a fifter, dated Chester December 22, 1800, fhe writes thus, "I hope you are enjoying all the fweets of health: If fo, you have great opportunity for reading, meditation and prayer. In the morning of life, im'prove those precious moments.Not with vain books, which will not profit--but the bible, that beft of books. Let it be early treafured in you mind-It will guide and direct you in every fcene of life. Befides, there are 'many and a great variety of very 'excellent books, in which we may improve the mind, if we have a heart difpofed for it. we fit ftill, we shall perish. But 'there is every encouragement for us to prefs forward. God has promifed to "be found of them 'that feek him.” fy world draw your feet afide. But O may you be kept from the many temptations that fur'round you, and be found in the way of your duty-hufbanding your time to the best advantageknowing that we are probationers for a fhort space. Happy they, that are found with their lamps trimmed and burning, waiting for the coming of their Lord. My dear brother, be found in that happy number." In another letter to a fifter, fhe writes "Many thanks for your kind 6 ( favor, prefented by the hand of 'fifter B. Your juft fenti'ments in religion rendered it truIfly agreeable. O my N may you profefs it in fincerity ' and truth. Find God a father to you at all times, the Holy Ghoft your fanctifier and prefervcr. In enjoying God, you pof'fefs all things that are truly valuable, for time and a never ending 'eternity. Now you have a talent put into your hand, improve ityou are not hurried in businessa great opportunity to read your bible, the best of guides-attend 'it while young, it will direct you 'in every fcene of life." His favor and love are of 'more value than ten thoufand 'worlds. Should we not leave "all for him? This world is a dark 'world without Chrift. O may 'he be our light and life. I wish "you every happiness for time and "eternity." B. M. In a letter to a younger brother, June 1799, the writes, "O my brother! more than brother, my 'child! How are you? What are 'you doing? How do you spend 'your time?-Perhaps you may think me impertinent ;-but I feel interested in every concern 'of your life and long to have God grant that the amiable temper, and pious examples which this perfon has exhibited, may be imitated by all her furviving friends and acquaintance, and by all into whofe hands these memoirs may JOSEPHUS. come ! Admonitions from the Death-Bed. (Continued from p. 153.) NUMBER IV. N aged Lady, who had pafA fed her ninetieth year, ap peared in the morning to be com fortable, except the common infirmities of age; nor were there any fymptoms in her cafe, of fpeedy death. Sitting at a window, fhe obferved her minifter paffing in the street and defired he might be called in. On his entering, fhe told him that for feveral weeks the do nothing to difhonor him orjreli gion. Her defire was complied with, and her request particularly urged at the throne of grace. Im her feated in a chair, without any mediately after this duty, he left apprehenfions of his own, or in her friends around her, that the was foon to die. converfation, immediately on his Being a little wearied with the departure, fhe retired to an adjoining bed. She was no fooner laid on the bed, than fhe expreffed a feeling of strong pain from the crown of her head to the fole of her feet, and was inftantly dead. had been much troubled with the apprehenfions of death, which muft The event was fingular. Whence be near to a perfon of her age.-came her anxiety on the fubject, Suppofing he had loft the evidences of her Chriftian fincerity and when there was no particular indiintereft in Chrift, he began to cation of approaching death, from bring into view fuch marks of trial the state of her health? Whence as would most fenfibly excite the her concern to die as a Chriftian, feelings of her heart, and thus af- and her fpirit of prayer for divine fift her to regain that peaceful fupport in that trying hour? All the circumftances, as they took hope which he had enjoyed for many years, and which he believed place one after another, in the to be fafely grounded in the gof-al; but viewed in their connection fight of men, appeared to be cafupel. Perceiving his defign, the told him he had no fpecial doubt of her own fincerity; that though an unworthy finner, fhe could fay, "Whom have I in heaven but thee;" and that fhe was not afraid to be dead: Alfo that fhe was not much afraid of the pains of dying; but that her fear was, left through pain or fome other caufe fhe might do fomething that would dishonor Chrift and religion. A fear of this appeared to have taken deep hold of her mind. Various things were faid to infpire her with confidence, that he who had given her grace to live, would alfo give her grace to die as a Chriftian. She then defired him to pray with her, and particularly to intreat that God would fo order the cireum- ! Rances of her death, that she might after the folemn event, appear to have been the fpecial ordering of a good God, who heareth prayer, and in whofe fight the death of his faints is precious. The Lord gave to this his child the fpirit of prayer, praife of his grace. She feared that he might answer it to the the circumftances of her departure, not to be dead, and he fo ordered that no dishonor could come onher frailties and weaknefs of atender feChriftian profeffion, even from the male conftitution. It is beft that God death for his people. It is not unfhould order the circumstances of common for Chriftians, who have of God, to be anxiously concerned a confirmed hope in the grace about the circumftances of their inftances of divine care which we death. Let them, from the many fee, learn to trust this matter in | tends in fociety, fo far we are leadthe hands of a wife and good Re-ing others to that which is good, deemer. If they will make it their or to that which is evil. We are chief concern and daily prayer, undoubtedly inftrumental of formthat God may be glorified in their ing each other's characters for eterdeath, he will be faithful to fee nity. that their prayer is graciously anfwered. PRESBUTEROS. Thoughts on the danger of being inftrumental of hardening others in fin, and of aiding them in the deftruction of their fouls. N tracing the evil confequences of fin, the unrighteous ought not to stop at the deftruction of their own fouls; for it is often the cafe, that they are inftrumental of bringing ruin on many others, whofe fouls are of as much worth as their own. Viewing their connection and influence in fociety, the lofs of their own fouls may be but a very fmall part of the evil refulting from their ungodly lives. The unfaithful minfter, in confequence of his concealing the truth, and prophefying fmooth things to the people of his charge, may go to deftruction with the blood of hundreds of fouls found in his fkirts. The wicked parent, ia confequence of his irreligious life, may lie down in everlafting forrow, accompanied by his children, and his children's children. Though every finner will be taken away in his own iniquity, yet his ruin may be the natural fruit of the example or the inftructions of fome other perfon. Formed, as we are, for fociety, we neceffarily have influence on each other. We are practically inviting each other to purfue the broad way which leadeth to deftruction, or to walk in the straight and narrow way which leadeth to life eternal. As far as our influence exVOL. II. No. 6. F This is a most folemn thought! Confidering our relation to our families-to our neighbours and to all our acquaintance, the lofs of our own fouls may be which may come upon others, as as nothing, compared with the evil a fruit or confequence of our wickednefs; and yet they be taken away in their own iniquity. Every perfon who indulges himself in the practice of fin, whofe conduct evidences that he has no fear of God before his eyes, may be confidered as being infinitely mifchievous to the fouls of his acquaintance. It is true, God may interpofe, by his power, and prevent the mifchief. But what if he does ?What if God by his almighty grace, prevent others from being ruined by his wicked example? Surely no thanks will be due to this ungodly perfon, nor will his criminality be leffened. We are to look upon that as being the natur al tendency of fin, which would appear to be its tendency, if God did not interpofe and prevent its mifchief. Confidering the corruptnefs of the human heart, it is no lefs dangerous to fet bad examples before our families, and before our neighbours, than it is to drop fire where there is a quantity of combuftibles. In both cafes, evil will follow without some special interpofition. Depraved men are wife to do evil. They may easily be influenced to forget God, to trample upon Chrift, and to break his laws. All this is natural to them. Only let divine reftraints be taken off, and nothing will be too bad for them to be taught. f That head of a family, who lives in the neglect of family-prayer, does the fame as to tell his children, that they may dispense with prayer. He gives the fame inAtruction to his neighbours and to all who are acquainted with his practice. His example, as far as it is known, influences others to forget God, and to live without God. He exhibits evidence of not being afraid of aiding his family and others in the deftruction of their fouls. That perfon who neglects public worship, and who pays little or no refpect to God's holy fabbath, fpending it in carnal reft, or in performing unneceffary labor, does no better than to tell his family and his neighbours, that public worship is of no great confequence, and that a ftrict obfervance of the fabbath may be difpenfed with. His example is calculated to have a moft pernicious influence on their fouls. Placed, as he is, at the head of a family, he is a blind leader of the blind. That he ought to have influence in his family, all will admit; but while he is fo regardless of the word and inftitutions of God, his influence operates directly against God. He tramples the religion of Chrift under his feet, and teaches others to do the fame. They, who have been convinced of the worth of fouls, feel that their example, as others are refpected, is of great confequence. When they have any proper feelings on this fubject, they are conftrained to look diligently left any one, through their means, fhould fail of the grace of God. God has given the benevolent fome fight of their own loft ftate, and they know how to pity others. They are afraid of being inftrumental of hardening them in fin. They are afraid that the blood of the fouls of their partners in life, their children and their neighbours may be found in their fkirts. Convinced that God makes use of means to harden men, as well as to arouse and awaken them, they know that whenever they yield to fin, they counte nance and fupport it in the view of others, and if God do not prevent, this will certainly be a mean of hardening them. In the application of a fubje& of this nature, men cannot be too critical, because it concerns their daily practice, and in matters too, in which their future peace, and the future well-being of those who are capable of being influenced by them, are deeply interested. H. Religious Intelligence. Extrad of a letter from a pious woman in NEW-CONNECTICUT, to her parents in this flate, dated AUSTINBURG, September, 1801. " "HONORED PARENTS, "I IMPROVE a favorable opportunity to inform you how we get along in this wildernefs.We arrived the zift of July, and found the inhabitants of our fettlement in general well. They all appeared to welcome us here, and to rejoice that the Lord had made our way profperous. Bloomfield Church was the laft that we paffed, and we hardly found a Chriftian or any appearance of religion till we came to this fettlement. The first fabbath after our arrival, we attended meeting; and to see our little affembly, which confifted of about fifty perfons, meet with fo much folemnity, was matter of fo much joy, that I almost forgot the privileges I had left behind. Mr. Robbins' letter was read, which brought to mind our worthy paftor, and deeply affected the hearts of all, even those who were ftrangers to him; fo that it was with difficulty the last prayer was made. We have very good meetings. There are feveral people who affift in the fervice, who appear to have the gift as well as the grace of prayer. At our meetings a fermon is read, and we have good finging. Our affembly is folemn; Chrift appears to meet with us, and we almost forget we are in the wilderness. It is true we do not hear what God is doing in other places as we ufed to do; yet we have the confolations of religion in relying on his word, that he is carrying on all his defigns. I wifh our friends would continue to pray for us that we may be profpered; that we may have pious inhabitants come in, and that God would plant a church here and water it with heavenly dew;-that one branch of Chrift's Church might arife here and shine, and that the gates of hell may never prevail against it. "The Rev. Mr. Badger, the Miffionary, preached here Auguft 9th, the first fermon that was ever preached in this place. His text was Acts viii. 5, 6, 8. He was very much admired, and appears deeply interefted for the welfare of the people in thefe new fettlements. On Tuesday he preached a lecture and catechized and instructed the children. On Thurfday he preached again from Colloffians ii. 6, a fermon particularly adapted to those of his hearers who were Christian profeffors. He re Many of the fettlers of Austinburg removed from Norfolk, in this ftate. Mr. Robbins, pastor of the church in Norfolk, last summer addreffed a pastoral letter to them, which is the one alluded to above. minded them of the privileges they had enjoyed before their removal into the wilderness; pointed out to them the danger of their prefent fituation, and exhorted them to speak often one to another. After meeting he converfed with our leading men refpecting establishing a church, and drew up the form of a covenant for the purpose. Since then the people have had several conferences on the fubject, and have agreed to have a church eftablifhed on Mr. Badger's return from the Indians. I must close my letter with afking the prayers of our Chriftian friends, for we are indeed a little feeble band." Extract of a letter from one of the Connecticut Miffionaries in VERMONT, dated WAITSFIELD, Ocober 6, 1801. "The open door for Miffionary labors in this ftate far exceeds my expectations. The country is large and rapidly fettling. There are fome eminent Christians in every place, and in many towns there are awakenings. At Effex, Westford and Swanton, the appearance is like many towns in Connecticut, the beginning of the year 1799; and the work is perfectly the fame. God has greatly smiled on the labors of Millionaries, in these parts, and I trust that neither the Miffionary Society, nor the good people who contribute and pray, labor in vain. There is more bufinefs than ten Missionaries can do on this fide the mountain, north of Hew-Haven. "And the found of a going is heard in the top of the mulberry trees." MISSIONARIES. Nov. 5. The Rev. Ezekiel J. Chapman, entered on a miffion to New-Connecticut. |