Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

and we hope it will be long continued.

You will naturally wish to be informed of our proceedings, we therefore inclose our last annual Report which gives a general account of the state of our various Missions. Very lately advices have been received from Otaheite by which we learn that the Missionaries are preserved in peace and safety-that they have preached the gospel to far the greater part of the inhabitants, but as yet with very little apparent effect. Pomerre the king's father, and chief ruler of the island, who was looked upon by our Missionaries as their principal friend, is dead; but they hope they shall enjoy the protection of the government. The inhabitants are dreadfully reduced by war and disease. In France our operations are totally suspended by reason of the war. Mr. Mitchell has removed from New-Carlisle in New-Brunswick, but a Mr. Pidgeon has lately been sent to occupy his station and itinerate in that country. We greatly lament the want of laborers in New-Brunswick and many parts of Canada. Would it not be practicable for your society to send Missionaries thither? There seems to be a great disposition in some places to hear the word, it is much to be regretted that the laborers there are so very few.

Our Society has long wished to dispatch the messengers of gospel peace to the numerous inhabitants of the East-Indies. A few months ago Mr. Ringeltaube, Mr. Craw and Mr. Des Granges left England for Tranquebar, from whence after learning the language, they will go to the most suitable spot to which

| Providence may direct, to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. The same vessel conveys the Rev. Mr. Vos and others to the island of Ceylon, where we trust an effectual door will be opened for the admission of the gospel.

Since the departure of these brethren the Society has determined to send three or four Missionaries to the populous city of Surat, which appears to be a very important station. Suitable persons are selected for this great undertaking and will probably sail from England in the course of a few weeks. The Report will furnish you with a general account of the success with which the great Head of the church has crowned the Missions among the degraded children of Ham in South-Africa. -The labors of our Brother Kicherer appear to have been singularly owned of God for the conversion of many. Three of the people came over with him to Europe, whose appearance and lively conversation in Holland and at London inspired our Christian friends with the liveliest emotions of gratitude and zeal. They have not yet been able to return to the Cape from Holland, but we trust are now on the point of departure.

The Society being engaged in the pursuit of so many important objects greatly needs the divine assistance, for which we sincerely request your earnest supplications. Hitherto the Lord has helped us. We have reason to hope that the liberality of the public will keep pace with our extended operations, and we have the satisfaction of receiving from time to time fresh laborers who willingly consecrate

themselves to this service. Several of these are now under the tuition of our Rev. brother Mr. Bogue, at Gosport, and promise to be eminently suitable for their expected work.

We shall rejoice, dear Brethren, to be favored, when convenient, with a further account of the state of your Society and its operations. The accounts contained in the Connecticut Magazines of the power which attends the preaching of the gospel in North America fill our hearts with joy. The Spirit of God appears to be poured out in very uncommon measure, and we trust the work will be found solid and durable, notwithstanding the very peculiar circumstances with which it is accompanied, and with which some persons are offended.

[blocks in formation]

HE footsteps of Divine Providence, in the government of the world at large, are traced with devout attention by every real Christian; but those events which are visibly

Herewith we send a copy of four discourses preached at our last anniversary, with the Re-connected with the extension of port of the directors, &c. We the Saviour's kingdom among also send a set of Magazines for men, and the salvation of those the last year-and two numbers who had not heard his name, are of the Society's transactions.- observed with the most diligent These will fully inform you of and affectionate regard. To the nature and extent of our at- those who are the subjects of the tempts, and the present state of great Redeemer, the interests of all our affairs which will excite, pure and vital godliness are inno doubt, in your pious minds, expressibly dear; and the smallthankfulness to the God of all est advances towards the estabgrace, and fervent prayers for lishment of his gracious reign, our support and success. The where Satan ruled in pagan darkConnecticut Magazines are come ness, must be pleasing in the to hand, for which please to ac- highest degree. In this view, cept our sincere thanks. We the Directors of the Missionary beg your acceptance of the Mis- Society indulge a hope, that the sionary Sermons and Magazines Report which they have now the which accompany this. honor to make, will present to its members the path which they have trodden during the past year, sufficiently marked with mercies to excite their thankful, ness to our gracious Lord, and

May the good will of Him that dwelt in the bush be with your Society and may your labors of love be attended with much prosperity.

to invigorate their holy zeal in pursuing the grand object of the Institution.

OTAHEITE.

sionary cause, the Directors think themselves bound to make the most grateful acknowledgment.

From this kind interposition of Divine Providence in the res toration of peace in Otaheite, we are encouraged to hope, that the patient and persevering labors of our faithful brethren, who still persist in well-doing, will, by the power of the Holy Spirit, be ul timately crowned with that success, which shall inspire our

means of promoting its future interests.

It would have afforded great satisfaction to the Directors, to have been able to announce to the Society any important information from that distant quarter of the globe, the islands of the South Sea, to which their first efforts were directed: but, during the last year, only incom-souls with ardent gratitude, and plete parts of the Journal of the richly repay all the labors. cares, Missionaries in Otaheite have and prayers, which the Society come to hand, others having has bestowed on this object; and been lost, or detained in their they wait the arrival of the Jourpassage. They have, however, nals, which may be expected to lately been favored with the wei- contain such information of the come tidings of the complete actual state and circumstances restoration of tranquillity. The of this Mission, as may greatly Missionaries embraced an oppor-assist their judgment as to the tunity to transmit to Governor King, of New South Wales, a letter, dated February 3, 1803, The two Otaheitan youths, informing him that, contrary to Mydo and Oley, who were plaexpectation, the disputes between ced for education at the MoraviOtoo and Pomere with the At- an school in Yorkshire, and of tahoorooans had been amicably whose improvement an encouradjusted, and the Government in aging report was given last year, the hands of the former fully con- have both been removed by firmed. Had the event of the death. The Society is thus diswar been reversed, it is probable appointed in the hopes which that our Missionaries would have were entertained of their becombeen in the most imminent dan-ing future blessings to their ger, or at any rate have been countrymen, but may receive no obliged to abandon the island; small consolation from the acbut in consequence of this favor-count which the Brethren have able termination of the contest, published concerning them, and they continued in perfect safety, in which they express much satand were enabled to pursue their isfaction as to their religious various avocations without mo- state. They both received Chrislestation. This letter his Ex- tian Baptism, and departed in cellency has had the goodness to the faith and hope of the gosforward to the Directors, for the pel. The Directors cannot but satisfaction of their minds res- acknowledge with gratitude, the pecting the welfare of the Mis-kind attention shewn to these sionaries for this and other strangers by the Brethren at marks of attention, which Gov- Mirfield, while they ascribe to ernor King has paid to the Mis-the God of all grace the glory of

:

calling and converting them by their instrumentality.

AFRICA.

invited him to an interview with them in London, together with the African strangers.

An opportunity to behold and converse with some of the firstfruits of the Missionary Society's labors in Africa, and to hear them declare with their own lips

The whole Society has abundant cause for joy and thankful ness, that ever their attention was directed to the wretched inhabitants of South Africa, so many of whom have been turned from" the wonderful works of God," "darkness to light, and from the afforded a new and unequalled power of Satan unto God," and kind of satisfaction and delight. in whose conversion the observ- Nor was this pleasure confined ation of St. Paul, concerning the to the Directors: they were infirst converts to Christianity, has duced, by the example of our again been verified" God hath Dutch brethren, to comply with chosen the foolish things of the the wishes of many pious friends world, and the weak things of in London, to introduce them to the world, and the base things of the Missionary Prayer-Meetthe world, and things which are ings, and other religious assemdespised that no flesh should blies; where, through the meglory in his presence." We bow dium of Mr. Kicherer, Mr. Vos, with reverence and gladness to and others who understood the the sovereign grace of God, who Dutch language, (which the Hothath " mercy on whom he will tentots spoke fluently, and one of have mercy," and embrace in them elegantly,) they discoverthe arms of our Christian affec-ed, in answer to a great variety tion those once-degraded children of Adam, who are now become the children of God, and fellow-citizens with the saints.

In the last Annual Report, the Directors were only able to state concerning our beloved brother, the Missonary Kicherer, that his labors among the Corannas, and at Zak River, had been attended with considerable success. Since that time, in the month of October, information was received from the Society at Rotterdam, that he had arrived in Holland, accompanied by three members of his Hottentot congregation. Upon due enquiry, instituted at the request of the Directors, by the Society in Holland, and the statement which Mr. Kicherer offered of his reasons and motives, the Directors could not but cordially approve of his conduct, and therefore affectionately VOL. V. No. 8.

of questions proposed to them by different ministers, their knowledge of the Divine Redeemer, their faith, their hope, and the ardent love they bore to | Him, who had saved them from their abject state of sin and barbarism. Thousands were witnesses of that admirable degree of spiritual discernment, as well as of fervent piety which they possessed, and which afforded to every candid mind the most satisfactory evidence of a real work of grace on their hearts. It was affecting, in no common degree, to hear these dear people, themselves recently delivered from the power of darkness, earnest ly pleading in behalf of the heathen world at large, and of their own countrymen in particular. A few sentences to this effect will not be deemed impertinent; and though they have appeared

NA

so remarkably suited to the ardu ous situation in which he was placed; and especially for the singular blessing with which those methods were succeeded, to the conversion of many souls. Perceiving with inexpressible pleasure, the wide and effectual door for usefulness, which the Lord himself had so evidently opened in that country, the Directors judged it to be their indispensible duty to add to the number of laborers in Africa. Our brother Kicherer whose judgment they highly respect, recommended a Mr. Vos, of Holland, as a suitable person to become his assistant, in the capacity of a catechist and schoolmaster. This worthy man, of whose good character, abilities, and zeal, they have received ample testimony, together with his wife and child, will accompany

in periodical works, may be thought proper to remain in the Report of the Directors, as the powerful voice of recovered humanity, intreating, in striking terms, the further assistance of the Church of God, like the man of Macedonia saying to a primitive Missionary, "Come over, and help us!" One of the Hottentot women thus expressed herself What a pity, what a sin it is, that you (Europeans) who have for so many years enjoyed in great abundance the heavenly bread, should keep it ail to yourselves, and not spare one little crumb to the millions of poor heathen;" adding, " that you may depend upon it, that you should not have the less for yourselves by giving some to them; but that the Lord Jesus would bless you and give you the more." She also observed, that "could we but conceive ful-him to the Missionary station at ly of the miserable situation of the Hottentots, we would cerLaifly feel more compassion for them." She expressed her humble thanks to the English people for sending Missionaries among them, but intreated them, earnestly to proceed further in this good work, the Lord having opened an effectual door, and there being yet so many thousands who know not the Lord." When taking leave of the congregation, she said. "The last thing I would say is, O pray pray for poor heathen.”

Zak River. Three other Missionarics, the brethren who were originally under the tuition of the Rev. Mr. Janicke, at Berlin, and who have resided for about a year in Hoiland, for the purpose of acquiring the Dutch language, are also intended to sail with him to the Cape; and there to be disposed of in such situations as may be deemed the most eligible, by our experienced brethren, Dr. Vanderkemp and Mr. Kicherer.

We have to regret the loss of Mr. Matthys, a valuable misThe Directors have had the sionary from the above-men-. satisfaction of learning from Mr. tioned seminary, who was assoKicherer, the methods which ciated with our brethren in Hol-. were adopted for the instruction land, learning the language; of the Hottentots and Bosche- and who was expected to accommen, and cannot but express pany them to Africa. It pleastheir thankfulness to our Goded the all-wise disposer of huand Saviour, for furnishing our man life and affairs, to remove much valued brother with gifts him from this world, by death,,

« FöregåendeFortsätt »