name of our Lord and Saviour Je- | to bring you to the knowledge of fus Chrift we, and all others, who Jefus Chrift, and to the belief and profefs the religion which he practice of his holy religion. taught, are every where 'called Chriftians, and that religion is called Chriftianity or the Chriftian Religion. FRIENDS AND BROTHERS, The General Affembly, or Grand Council of the State of Connecticut, feeling the importance of fpreading the knowledge of the Chriftian Religion in the new fettle ments on your borders, and among you, have, from time to time, granted liberty to the Trustees to afk the contributions of the good people of Connecticut, and their liberality has enabled the Trustees to fend a Miffionary among you, to inftruct you in the great truths of religion; and to prepare the way for this, they have fent their Chriftian Brother who reads this TALK before you, as their meffenger, to explain their defires on this great fubject, and to learn your mind upon it, whether you are willing to receive a Miffionary among you. Him though not by office a teacher of religion, they recommend to you as a good man and a good Chriftian; he will talk freely with you on the great truths contained in the Bible; and will more fully explain the views of the Miffionary Society; and having learned your mind on the subject, he will faithfully report to the Trustees the fuccefs of his journey and labors. The General Affembly and people of Connecticut, the Miffionary Society and their Trustees in all this, can have nothing in view but to promote your peace and happinefs in this world, and your everlafting welfare in the world to come; they defire not your cornfields, nor your hunting grounds, nor any of your goods; but only In your dealings with people who call themselves Chriftians, it is not unlikely you have obferved, in fome of them, much fraud, injustice and cruelty, and may have become prejudiced againft Chrif tianity on that account: But you may reft affured, that men of this foit are not indeed Chriftians, but the bafeft of men, who either never embraced Chriftianity, or have wickedly renounced it, and become apoftates. True religion muft be learned from the Bible, and not from the practice of wicked men, who though they, may take the name of Chriftians, are wholly unworthy of it. The Bible teaches us to love God and our fellow men of all complexions and of all tribes and nations; to do to others as we would with them to do to us; to deal justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God; and, in all things, to ceafe to do evil; and to learn to do well. The Trustees having thus briefly flated their defign in fending this their good brother to you, conclude by intreating you to receive him, and to treat him kindly as a friend to you, and to all his brothers of the human race, and only add their fervent prayer that God would prepare the Indian tribes and nations, who are the offspring of God as well as others, to embrace and practise the holy religion of Jefus Chrift, and with this prayer they commend you to his favor and blessing. By order of the Trustees, The Committee of Miffions, appointed to do business in the recefs of the board of Trustees, ac cording to the orders given them, are the Honorable JONATHAN BRACE, and the Rev. Meffis. Nathan Williams, D. D. Cyprian Strong, Nathan Strong and Abel Flint, Mr. BACKUS' account of the Religious Revival in Somers, in Connecticut, in the year 1797. N the latter part of February, This awakening was not, in a fingle inftance, attended with outcry, or noife. The fubjects of it appeared very folemn while attending public worship, and conferences. In converfation they complained of their ignorance and stupidity-they wondered that they had not before seen themselves on the brink of everlasting ruin; and expreffed a ftrong defire to be inftructed in the doctrines of the plaineft manner. In fome the alarm was but momentary-they foon returned to their former state of carnal peace. In those who appeared to become the subjects of faving grace, their first alarm was followed with a more full difcove religion began in this town, in the congregation under my miniftry. It followed a feafon of awful fecurity; and was not immediately preceded by any unufual difpenfation of Providence, either in the town or neighbourhood. There was not at that time, any uncommon feri-ry of their moral pollution. They ous thoughtfulness within fifty miles of us. confeffed that they felt themfelves to be enemies to God, and wholly opposed to the plan of falvation revealed in the gofpel. They were diftreffed because they had no proper conviction of their fins; and obferved that while their confciences told them that they should receive no wrong if they were fent to hell, their hearts rose against the justice and fovereignty of God. The hopeful converts, in general observed that when divine truth firft appeared in a new and pleafing light, they scarcely thought of their perfonal safety; or whether they were, or were not, converted. They difcovered a relish for the doctrines of the Bible; and de This awakening began with the youth, and afterwards extended to the middle aged, and to a few who had paffed the meridian of life. The greater part of the fub-clared that the truths with which jects of this work were heads of families. More than half of the whole were under 35 years of age. Fifty-two perfons united themselves with the Church within two years from the beginning of this religious appearance; the most of whom profeffed to have experienced a faving change in the courfe of this revival. they had been contending, were the objects of their prefent enjoyment. They were abundant in acknowledging, that if gofpel grace were not free and fovereign, there could be no hope for fuch great finners as they were. They con feffed that they had not made any advances, of themselves, towards fubmiffion to the will of God; and that if they were his children, he had, in fovereign mercy, fubdued their hearts by his fpirit. None manifefted high confidence of their converfion. They felt themfelves bound to confefs Chrift before men; but were afraid left they should be deluded by a falfe hope, and fhould not live agreeable to covenant bonds. It was common for them to fay, when converfing about joining the church, "We "know not how to refrain from "publicly appearing on the Lord's children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. When they dedicated themfelves and their houfeholds to God, "in the affembly of the faints," there were vifible tokens of his gracious pref ence. They carried religion into their houfes, and called upon God's name, morning and evening, in a focial manner. The hopeful converts were reformed in their lives, and appeared defirous to know and practife all the duties both of the first and fecond table of the law.-Amidst the declenfions which have taken a number will to eternity look back with joy on the late happy feafon, as the day in which they were cfpoufed to Chrift. ide; but we tremble at the "thought of reflecting difhonor on "his name, in the eyes of a fcof-place, there is reafon to hope, that ❝fing world. Yet, unworthy as we are, we define to give up our"felves to God, and to attend on all the ordinances of his ap66 pointment, We know that he "can enable us to live to his glory, "and we pray that we may al"ways feel our dependence on "his grace." ་ It was animating to meet at the Lord's table, in this feafon of refreshing. Old Chriftians were enlivened, from the beginning of this work. It rejoiced their hearts to behold fouls flocking unto Chrift, and coming to his table. The old and the young appeared to feel the worth, and to taite the sweetness of the Saviour's dying love. The fpectators were more numerous than they had ever been; and not a few of them were in tears. In feveral inftances, perfons had their doubts removed, and were embol dened to join the church, by what they faw and heard at the adminiftration of the Lord's fupper. The heads of families who were the fubjects of this work expreffed aftonishment, that they had lived fo long without any juit fenfe of the duty which they owed to their offspring. They refolved, by divine affiftance, to train up their It is to be expected in the most promifing religious appearances, that there will be tares with the wheat. Falle brethren have mingled with the true, ever fince there was a church on the earth.—If any profefling Christians rest in past attainments, and become habitually indifferent to holy diligence and watchfulness, they make it mani feft that their hope is the hope of the hypocrite. It ought not to furprife us, if we fee perfons of this description become more loose in their lives than ever before. Perfons may hear the word, and receive it with joy, from a belief that they are faved from the wrath to come, without any relish for the holy beauty of divine truth. These "have no root in themselves;" and hence "endure but for a time." They have nothing to fecure them against stumbling at the doctrines of the cross, and thrinking from the trials of the Chriftian life. They are prepared to fall away; and to imbibe fome damnable herefy, or to indulge their vicious propenfities without reftraint, when affaulted by tempt | England, and various other parts ations. Let him that thinketh of our country, is undoubtedly he flandeth, take heed left he fall." worthy to be left on record. It is Chrift's sheep will hear his voice a divine teftimony to thofe facred and follow him. They will in-truths and inftructions, which God crease in the knowledge of God, and in the knowledge of the wick ednefs of their hearts. They will watch and pray; and according to their abilities will labor to promote the interest of pure and undefiled religion. True Chriftians do not think highly of their attainments: "Forgetting thofe things which are behind, and reaching forth unto thofe things which are before, they prefs toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Chrift Jefus." They are attentive to duty; and in this way give diligence to make their calling and election fure The firft was mth of young converts is but of fhort continuance, It is foon exchanged for the conЯicts of the Chriftian warfare. The followers of Chrift are conducted towards heaven, in a way which teaches them their perfect dependence on the riches of divine grace. In every ftage of their journey, they are made to feel that believers are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto falvation. Somers, May 1, 1800. has given us in his word, and a part of that difpenfation of grace towards this finful world, by which the Moll High greatly enriches his kingdom with the knowledge of himself. The gufpel makes an unfpeakable advance upon all former manifeftations of God to his creatures: It merits the fixed attention of all intelligent beings, and really does very greatly engage the admiration of the holy angels, who defire to look into these things. All power in heaven and on earth is given unto Chrift, and he is made head over all things to the church, that in this work, he may declare the Father's glory. All events in this world, of every kind are under his government, and have an ultimate relation to the glory of God, in the advancement of Zion, and are subordinate to this caufe. But, when God revives his religion, this great intereft is directly promoted, and every circumftance of it claims the most ferious regard. Such feafons anfwer many important ends; they have a powerful tendency to con vince the felf righteous, and fuch as depend on their inoffenfive morals, of the truth and neceffity of experimental religion-give weighty evidence of the impeni tent finner's entire depravity of heart-of divine fovereignty in the difpenfations of grace, and of the Tation by the power of the Holy reality and importance of regeneGhoft, and are remarkable feasons of general inftruction. At fuch times, more religious knowledge is acquired in a few months, than in many years of fuch indifference as too commonly prevails. The The unufual attention to religion in this fmall parish, became vitible, a little before the middle of February 1799; though for several fabbaths before that time, fome The public mind becomes impreffed | friends by glorious manifeftations with the importance of real re- of his power and grace. ligion, the people of God are animated to greater exertions for proficiency in holiness, and ufefulnefs to their fellow-men, and many fouls are renewed, and become the trophies of divine grace. Thefe con-greater degree of folemnity appearfiderations perfuade me to approve [ed on the congregation, than had the propofal, which has been made, been common, and a few religious to publish fome account of the glo- conferences were attended. rious work of God among us, and people had been informed of the to believe that it may be extenfive-revival of religion in fome neighly useful; and I am willing to con- bouring towns, and generally contribute what I am able, by giving fidered it a bleffing, and defirable a brief narrative of it, in the con- that it should take place among us. gregation committed to my charge. There were however fome, who Before the prefent unufual at- made light of the religious concern tention to religion began among us, and anxiety of the people, where the church was few in number, and the awakening had taken place. mot of its members confiderably But the people of God among us advanced in life, few additions had defired, and I doubt not fervently been made to it for many years, prayed, that the Lord would make the people in general were fo unaf- us a gracious vifit, in pouring out fected with the things of religion, upon us his holy fpirit. While things that they made but fmall impreffion were in this ftate, the people were upon them, and there were thofe, notified, that two of the neighbour. who zealously propagated fome of ing minifters would preach with us, the moft dangerous errors, partic- on a particular afternoon, one of ularly Univerfalifm, and with fuch whom had the charge of a congreeffect, that it very much quieted gation, at that time vifired with the the apprehenfions, even of thofe fenfible prefence of God, and the who did not profefs to embrace influences of his fpirit. The peothofe fentiments, it led many fecret-ple collected, and expected fomely to hope that though they contin- thing unufual, for there had been ued in fin, they might poffibly ef no very vifible revival aniong cape the wrath of God, and it ren-us, fince the year 1783, and at dered the awful threatenings of end that time the work was fmall, comlefs punishment in their view, in pared with the prefent. Several fome degree questionable, and fo young people from another town gave them relief, and encouraged were prefent, who were very much them to neglect religion. Indeed awakened, and as it happened the profpects which concerned the were feated in fight of the greateft interefts of religion among us, part of the congregation. Two wore a gloomy afpect, and the peo fermons were delivered, both well ple of God were affected with adapted to the occafion. The them, and fpoke of them with grief. preachers appeared fervent in their But at this time, it pleafed the great prayers and animated in their dif Head of the church to appear courfes. The people were serious, among us in his own cause, and re- and fome of the Itrangers vifibly vive the drooping hearts of his affected. This was noticed by |