' their attendance when circumstances will admit. They not only ' attend with decency and decorum, but in many places numbers have appeared solemn and affected. I have conversed with some few who are under serious impressions. In several places they have subscribed generously to pay for preaching, and are de'sirous of obtaining ministers to labour statedly among them."

Mr. Jonathan Leslie, who lives in the vicinity of New Connecticut, has lately been appointed a Missionary to that country; and others will be sent there as soon as suitable persons can be obtained.

From the preceding Narrative it will be seen that, exclusive of the services lately performed by Messrs. Weeks, Brainerd, Williston, Spencer, and Scott, the Missionaries employed by the Trustees the year past have laboured in all about 180 weeks, preached nearly 1000 sermons, administered the Lord's Supper 23 times, baptized 63 persons, formed 3 churches, and admitted 22 persons into the communion of churches, besides performing other ministerial services as opportunity presented.

It affords the Trustees great satisfaction to reflect, that their endeavours to supply the new settlements with preaching, and other ministerial labours, the year past, have been attended with more success than in some preceding years. They consider this as an encouraging circumstance, and a motive to renewed and still more vigorous exertions. Though much has been done by the several Missionary Societies in the United States, for the benefit of the new settlements, much still remains to be done, as those settlements are rapidly increasing in number and in extent.

In the course of the year the Trustees have sent a number of religious books to the new settlements, a particular list of which is subjoined to this Narrative. More would have been sent had opportunities presented. There are now on hand, belonging to the Society, nearly 30,000 numbers of the Connecticut Evangelical Magazine, some of which will probably be sold, and the rest will be distributed among the inhabitants of the new settlements, whenever they can be sent there. There are also on hand many other books designed for distribution, particularly several hundred copies of a Sermon on Christ the Bread of Life, given by a friend of missions, to whom the Trustees take this method to express their thanks, in the name of the Society, for the many valuable donations of books and money received from him.

The distribution of religious books is a very important means of promoting religious knowledge, and of advancing the kingdom of the Redeemer. The Trustees therefore request the pious and charitably disposed to aid them in this work, by making donations of books, and by endeavoring to procure persons to carry books to places where they are needed; particularly they request those who may be going to the new settlements, to call on the Book Committee, and receive from them as many books as they shall be willing to carry, and be responsible for their faithful distribution. C

VOL. I. NO. 1.

By inspecting the statement of the Society's funds, subjoined to this Narrative, it will be seen that the liberality of the good people of the State still continues. The public contributions of last May were about equal to those of preceding years, and in the course of the year several valuable private donations have been made.— There has also been a payment of nearly 800 Dollars from the publishers of the Connecticut Evangelical Magazine; and another of about 120 Dollars from the Editors of the Hartford Selection of Hymns. There has likewise been a valuable legacy bequeathed to the Society, by Richard Devens, Esq. of Charlestown, Massachusetts, of ten shares in the Boston Fire and Marine Insurance Company, and arrangements are making for a legal conveyance of the same to the Trustees. This legacy is worth about 1000 Dollars. Mr. Benjamin Beecher of Cheshire has also made a generous addition to his former donation of land. The Trustees feel grateful for the above donations, and take this method to express their thanks for the same.

The expenses of the last year have very considerably exceeded those of the preceding year; and much more would have been expended, if the Trustees could have obtained as many Missionaries, and found the means of distributing as many books as they desired.

The time for which the legislature of the State had licensed contributions having expired last May, and the Trustees having judged, from the liberality with which the people continued to contribute, that they wished again to have an opportunity in this way to promote the cause of missions, application was made to the legislature, and permission obtained for another contribution.

A measure of this kind was the more necessary, as the Editors of the Connecticut Evangelical Magazine determined to discontinue the publication of that work; and consequently a very considerable source of revenue was cut off. The profits arising from the sale of the Magazine have exceeded the most sanguine expectation. Upwards of 8150 Dollars have already been paid into the Treasury, and there is now due from subscribers about 3200 Dollars, the most of which will probably be collected. This is exclusive of 30000 Magazines left on hand, which are the property of the Society, and many of which it is presumed will be sold. The Editors, and those who furnished materials for the Magazine, deserve the thanks of the public for their generous, disinterested exertions.

The Trustees, judging that the interest of the institution required, that the vacancy occasioned in their Board, by the late much lamented death of the Honorable Oliver Ellsworth, Esq. should be immediately filled, made choice of Enoch Perkins, Esq. for that purpose, and he has accepted the appointment.

No recent communications have been received by the Trustees from the London Missionary Society; they have therefore no particular information to give to the public respecting the missions established by that Society; nor have they received any particular

intelligence from the other Missionary Societies in Europe. From general information however, derived from various sources, they have reason to believe that the missions to the East Indies, Tartary, and Africa have been attended with some success, and that great good will ultimately result from them. It is believed also that much good will be done by the dispersion of the holy scriptures in various languages, under the direction of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and other similar institutions.

On the whole, the friends of Zion have encouragement to continue their exertions. Though the enemy has erected a standard' to which great numbers are flocking, yet he who, in the days of his flesh, spoiled principalities and powers, still reigns as head of his Church, and king in Zion. Let this idea animate his subjects to exert themselves to the utmost, according to their respective stations, for the enlargement of his glorious kingdom. Above all let them pray without ceasing: "For Zion's sake let them not hold their peace, and for Jerusalem's sake let them not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness; and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.”

JOHN TREADWELL, Chairman, Passed by the Board of Trustees,

January 6, 1808.

Attest,

ABEL FLINT, Secretary.

Officers of the Missionary Society of Connecticut.

TRUSTEES.........His Honor John Treadwell, The Honorable Messrs. Roger Newberry, Aaron Austin, Jonathan Brace and John Davenport, Esquires. Enoch Perkins, Esq. Rev. Messrs. Samuel J. Mills, Elijah Parsons, Nathan Perkins, D.D. Moses C. Welch, Samuel Nott, and Calvin Chapin.

Andrew Kingsbury, Esq. Treasurer.

Rev. Abel Flint, Auditor.

His Honor John Treadwell, Chairman, and the Rev. Abel Flint, Secretary of the Board of Trustees.

Committee of Missions.-Hon. Jonathan Brace, Enoch Perkins, Esq. Rev. Messrs. Elijah Parsons, Nathan Perkins, Moses C. Welch, Samuel Nott, and Abel Flint.

Book Committee.-Hon. Jonathan Brace, Rev. Messrs. Nathan Perkins, and Abel Flint.

Committee of Accounts.-Hon. Jonathan Brace, Enoch Perkins, Esq. and Rev. Abel Flint.

The Unbelieving will be self-con- feelings be, when we behold and demned in the day of Judg-have a part in the scene as a present reality?

ment.

A

That the decisions of the last SCENE more solemn and day will be righteous, we caninteresting cannot be pre-not doubt. Shall not the judge sented to our minds, than the of all the earth do right? But last judgment. The Son of whether the equity of these deGod appearing in the form of cisions will be seen and felt by his glorified humanity, attended those who are condemned, we by ministering angels, and seat- could not know without the light ed on a throne prepared for which the holy scriptures have judgment all the successive cast upon the scene. There generations of men that ever we learn, that it shall be a day of existed from the commence- the 'revelation of the righteous ment to theconsummationoftime judgment of God.' That the raised from their earthly or wa-Lord cometh in that day, not ontery graves, summoned to the ly to execute judgment upon all, judgment, and in character and but also to convince the ungod destination perfectly known to ly of the guilt of their ways and the assembled universe, by the words. And in the parable of difference in the bodies raised the nobleman, who, on his refor them, as well as by their un- turn from his journey, called veiled hearts: the interesting his servants that had been enseparation made before a tribu- trusted with capitals to give an nal of unerring righteousness: account, the unfaithful servant the utterance of the sentence, is condemned out of his own depart, ye cursed, into everlast- mouth. As this parable repreing fire prepared for the devil sents the second coming of our and his angels,' issuing from the ascended Lord, the part considlips of that compassionate Sav-ered intimates that then under iour who suffered and died on his sentence the unbelieving 'will the cross for the salvation of sin-be self-condemned. Such will ners, who prolonged the season be the light of truth presented of mercy, the day of grace, to the minds of all, that the senwhilst he called and importuned tence passed on the impenitent them to repent and believe that and unbelieving shall not only they might be saved: the joy-be approved by all the holy, but ful destination of the righteous the unholy shall be convinced of to the kingdom prepared for its righteousness. them from the foundation of the world and the departure of the wicked from the left, descending into the everlasting gulph, while the righteous ascend into heaven: these are parts which, passing before us successively only in imagina-pressions, which must confound tion, awaken the most solemn feelings; what then shall our

:

The materials for such a conviction may be discovered in the impenitent themselves, even in their present state. Whatever may be the professed principles of the unbelieving, practically they manifest the force of im

them in the day of judgment. Their avowed principles and

practice are so much at vari-investigation, of an intelligence that is supreme? What a variance of avowed principles and natural impressions!

ance, that their ways declare they have impressions, which to the utmost of their endeavors are disregarded and suppressed. In the day when every spirit shall be unveiled, when the delusions and idle dreams of earth shall have vanished, these neglected impressions shall arise with all their energy, irresistibly demand an audience in the court of conscience at the bar of God, and cover the guilty with confusion.

With some it is a favorite principle that sincerity sanctions every system. There is no unchanging rule of duty. Every one may do what is right in his own eyes. The Creator of the world has no uniform, invariable laws for the regulation of human conduct; but all are right, however they may vary in principles and walks of life, proviThe existence of a supreme ded they sincerely believe themintelligence, of God, who made selves to be right. Reason herand governs the world, is the self is to be suspected in oppomost obvious inference which sition to this liberal system, reason draws from the things and all who reject it are considthat are made. Here unbelief ered not only in an error, but ilstands shielded with consum-liberal in the extreme. Strange mate obstinacy against convic-inconsistency! And will men tion. "The fool hath said in his who discard all system, studiousheart, no God.' He wishes there ly engage in devising and drawwere none. Trusting in his ing up systems? Can they withheart he opposes the truth by out a blush put their finger upevery artifice until he arrive to on any principle and say this is the madness of folly and saith right? Yea they even endeav'there is no God.' How incon- or to spread and establish their sistent is such a principle with crude opinions as if they were the exertions that are made to exclusively right. So wondersearch into the nature and de-ful is their liberality that the bitpendence of the works of God?terest censure, and terms the How palpable is its contradiction most opprobrious, are liberally to that pride which is felt when dealt out to them that differ. To a few obstacles are surmounted, declare that the rejection ofan unand the mind is a little enlarged changing rule of duty is subverin the knowledge of these works? sive of all order and peace, castHow opposed to that conscious-ing away the reins of vice, and ness in all, that the highest reach of human intellect falls inconceivably short of the full comprehension of them? Are not these feelings, (notwithstanding any profession of principles to the contrary,) the fulJest acknowledgments that these works are the device of intelligence, of such as is worthy of

must eventually turn the whole earth into a range of infuriate passions enkindled by the fire of hell, is sure to receive the epithet of hypocrisy and to meet with the severest treatment. How this can be reconciled with the principle that sincerity sanctions every system, may be left forthe determination of them that hold.