or perhaps will even cherish :the peculiar and urgent calls, arising from his Christian principles, on his purse and on his both to health, and to usefulness, | from theirs. His universal obeand to enjoyment, and shoulddience to the divine commands, be forced to abandon it as falsi- while their obedience will be fying all my expectations. Thus, more or less partial :—his earwithout reaping any advantages nest cultivation of some disposifrom my experiment, I should tions which they will little value; have incurred a good deal of and his earnest struggle against censure as whimsical and unac-others which they will not dread, commodating, if not also as rude and inhospitable; and I should have run the risk of retaliating on the world in my thoughts if not in my language, and of ad-time—and, not least, the very mitting into my religion a certain tinge of rigorous criticism, adverse to that love for all mankind, which, next to the love of God, ought to be its prevailing color. On proper occasions these evils must be fearlessly encountered. But, from various causes which I have not time to enumerate, they will be far greater when incurred on insufficient grounds; and then also their effects will be much more formidable from an additional cause of the highest importance, namely, that the same measure of the divine bles-pecting the evils on the one hand sing cannot be expected in this case, as when the individual is clearly moving in the line of his duty. taste created by his religion, and operating powerfully on his choice of friends, of amusements, and even of business :—all these things will separate him widely from the men of this world, and "Form a life whose holy springs, though hidden" in a great measure from public view, will give no dubious signs of their reality and force; however their nature may be mistaken or misrepresented. If what has been advanced in this and my former letter, res of undue compliances with the world, and on the other of needless singularity, be well-founded; with what circumspection should we steer our course through life! The first great question ought always to be, what does the law of God forbid? And the second, of all that it permits, what promises most advantage to ourselves, to our immediate connections, and to the world around us? Let these questions be fairput, and honestly answered. But let me guard against being thought to concede, that, through the different causes which have been mentioned, the plan of life of the Christian will in practice differ little from that of other men; at least from that of the sober and decorous part of the world. His principles are as far removed from thosely even of the most sober and most decorous worldling as light from darkness; and if he is faithful to them, it is impossible but that his life, even in its general complexion, and as viewed by the world, must differ essentially But though honestly, they may be rashly answered, unless we are well aware of the temptations to extremes which abound on every side. Those to improper singularity are neither few nor weak. While fidelity to our his heart. Can it then fail to meet with powerful advocates within us? How often will craving appetites shelter themselves under some of the arguments against improper singularity, and with a display of zeal for the cause of God and and Christ prove dangerous traitors at the council-board? Nay, even some of the most eminent Christian graces will range themselves on the same great Lord is always pleaded in vindication of a departure from worldly habits, how often is a conviction forced upon us, that a want of love for mankind, or perhaps even some contempt for those who are of a different sect; that a sense, if not an ostentatious display, of superiority; that a fear of the censure, and a love of the commendation of this or that class of religionists; that a superstitious regard for certain singularities of inferior import-side, unless duly tempered and ance, as if they were essentials in religion how often is a conviction forced upon us, that these, or other unhallowed causes, have had no small influence on the mind! On the other hand, how many and great are our temptations to swim with the stream of the world! If, indeed, we live in a little set of our own way of thinking in religion, this set will be the world to us, and we shall proceed most smoothly when we move in unison with it. Our little world will be every thing to us, and we must not think that we make a sacrifice when we adopt its customs, and depart from those of the great world. But if our situation in life calls us to mix much with mankind at large, a departure from common usages will subject us almost every day to rubs and annoyances, and our love of ease will urge many an ingenious argument for falling into the habits of our neighbors. Add to this, that the system of the world is built on the natural propensities to man. It is expressly calcufated to accord with those dispositions and feelings which are most congenial to him. Its very object is to gratify the desires of modified by others of a different character. Humility will be prone to distrust her own decisions when they appear to be singular; and meekness and gentleness will not fail to insist on the evils arising from being made a theme of conversation, and from being called upon to encounter criticism and obloquy. Amidst these difficulties and dangers, (of which little more than a brief sketch has been attempted,) how shall the Christian find the right path, and keep it when found? Let him apply earnestly to his God for help. Let him study the character of his Saviour, and both the precepts and the spirit of the sacred volume. And let him, in that frame of mind which God bestows on those who diligently seek him and search his word, take a careful survey of all the personal and local circumstances which ought to influence his decision. If all this be rightly done, he may hope to be preserved from dangerous errors, and to be so guided and blessed in his course as to promote his own salvation and God's glory. R.S. THEY HAVE DISPERSED; THEY Many, instructed by their pious example, shall be quickened, through the grace of God, to go and do likewise. THE Trustees of the Hamp-vivors. shire Missionary Society, with sentiments of gratitude to the Preserver of men, congratulate their brethren on the arrival of Through the favor of Heaven, the seventh anniversary of their this Missionary Institution, proInstitution. They notice, with mising in its beginnings, has inhumble thanksgiving, the un- creased beyond the sanguine merited goodness of their Hea- expectations of the Trustess venly Father, in the gracious Wonderful and animating has protection he has afforded to the been the success which the members of the Society, and blessed Jesus has afforded to his the numerous benefits he has own cause. From year to year conferred upon them, in their liberal funds have been furnishendeavors to extend the privi-ed, and able and faithful Missionleges of the gospel to their breth-aries have been found and emren in the infant settlements and ployed, to the growing reputaplantations of the United States. tion of the Society, to the comThe Trustees gratefully record fort and joy of believers in the the mercy of God, in preserving infant and destitute settlements the lives of all whom the Society of this country, and to the conhas entrusted with the manageviction and renovation of perishment of their concerns from the ing sinners, who will ever bless beginning to the present day, God for the pious labors of this with the exception of two memSociety, for their salvation. bers of the Auditing Committee, appointed at the last annual meeting, Gen. Jonathan Woodbridge, and Deac. Nathaniel Ely, brethren dearly beloved, piously devoted to the interests of the Redeemer's kingdom, and eminently useful in forwarding the benevolent designs of this charitable Association. With pleasing satisfaction the Trustess make mention of the grace of the Redeemer, that in the progress of the Society, he has opened the hearts of his female disciples in this county, to form charitable associations, for the purpose of obtaining funds to be applied in the pur With painful regret the Trus-Joseph Barnard, of Deerfieldtees also notice the removal of Billings, of Hatfield-Silas Billings, Oliver Smith, of Hadley-David several other useful and import- do. Seth Graves, do. Nathaniel Ely, ant members, who by their lib- Long Meadow----Levi Shepherd, eralities, prayers and exertions, Northampton-John Long, Shel have aided the labors of the So-burne-Samuel Lyman, Springfeld ciety for the salvation of souls.* seph Strong, Williamsburgh---Fran-William Pyncheon, do. Rev. Jo cis Marsh, do. Jonathan Woodbridge, Esq. Worthington, William Gore, jun. do. *Simeon Strong, Esq. of Amherst, 1st Parish-Elijah Clary, of Conway 4 In the first six years of the Society have been expended, in forwarding their great object, dolls. 5598,92. There have been paid into the treasury, dolls. 7854,73. By these receipts, and the skilful management of the funds by the Treasurer, there were remaining in the treasury, at the last annual meeting, dolls. 2572,32; also, dolls. 100,25, and a valuable collection of books, for future distribution, in the hands of the Trustees' Committee. opportunities where they might do good to the souls of men, and honor the grace of the Divine Redeemer. They were constant in preaching, in the administration of the holy sacra chase and distribution of bibles, and other pious Christian writings, among the needy inhabitants of the new settlements, and under the direction of the Society; and hath raised up many other liberal and pious benefac-ments, in settling difficulties in tors, in more distant parts, who churches already established, have brought their free will offer- in forming new churches, in ings to Christ, and have increas- holding religious and church ed the funds and ability of this conferences, in visiting and inInstitution. structing schools, in comforting the sick and afflicted, in assisting mourners, by their prayers and counsels, submissively, to bury their dead; in going from house to house, to teach the people the good knowledge of God. In addition to these services, and the diligent distribution of books, they preached nearly as many discourses as they spent days on missionary ground. The whole number of sermons they delivered, being six hundred and ninety-one. The Trustees and the Society will give God thanks, that their missionaries have been faithful in their trust. Nor may the kind and grateful reception they met with from the people, be passed over in silence. Cordial was the welcome given to them by the needy and scattered inhabitants of those new and The missionaries previously destitute settlements. Lively appointed, and who were enga- joy was impressed upon the ged in the service of the Socie-countenances of Christ's chilty, at the last annual meeting, dren in the wilderness, and a returned from their labors the general and solemn attention to passed year. By their letters their labors, was yielded by the and journals, and by letters from people whom they visited.those among whom they have There was the evidence of serilabored, they appear to have ful-ous and useful effects upon the filled their missions with an ex- hearts and lives of not a few, emplary fidelity, activity and who were favored with the inzeal, and with a patient self-de-structions and counsels of the nial. They travelled over ex- missionaries of this Society. tensive regions of the new settlements, seeking for places and VOL. 1. No. 11. Having given this summary of the Society's concerns, for the first six years, the Trustees, in compliance with the obligation imposed on them by the constitution, beg leave to report the transactions and events of the seventh year. The laborers employed were the Rev. Messrs. David H. WilGgg liston, and Alvan Saunderson, I mission were contributed to the for thirty-one weeks each, in the funds, dolls, 6,66; and 50 dolDistrict of Maine, in the coun-lars, by the town of Brookfield, ties of Oxford and Kennebeck,and and several ministers and parthe towns near the eastern boun-ishes in that vicinity, who genedary of Kennebec. They began rously supplied Mr. Lyman's their mission about the middle of pulpit, in his absence. March, and ended it after the middieof October, 1807. Having labored diligently, with apparent success, and with much activity and zeal,they returned in safety, at the close of their term, with the pleasing hope, that they had not labored in vain, nor spent their strength for nought. On their mission, they received for the funds of the Society, dolls. 16, 96. A particular inspection of the letters and journals of the missionaries, evinces the neccssitous condition of the inhabitants of the new settlements; their threatening danger from sectaries, from those instructions which cause to err, from divisions, and from the habit of living without stated preaching, and the regular administration of Christian ordinances. Their situation, aiding the natural es from God, and its opposition to evangelical doctrines and Christian morality, does most importunately urge upon Christians, The Rev. Royal Phelps and Mr. Ebenezer Wright, perform-trangement of the human heart ed a mission of twelve and an half weeks each, in the state of New-York, county of St. Lawrence, and were eleven weeks on missionary ground, indefati-able and well disposed, to succor gably employed in their Mas- them in their distress, and to ter's work. Peculiar were the help them in obtaining the tokens of friendship and of a truths of the gospel, and the welcome reception among the gracious offers of sanctification, inhabitants of that new and thin-pardon, and peace, through the ly inhabited county. Seldom Divine Redeemer. have the Society been encouraged by such ardent and grateful acknowledgments of their kind-by their missionaries, by bibles Great have been the benefits which this Society has conferred, and pious writings, upon their poor and destitute brethren.— Cheerful has been the reception which their missionaries almost without exception, have experienced, in the diverse remote and extensive countries, through which they have passed. They have given life and joy to the sincere, the considerate and pious. They have summoned the attention of the immoral and thoughtless, to the concerns of religion, and the safety of their souls. They |