house, to the awakening and conversion labored altogether in vain. My own of souls. Our meetings continued faith has certainly been increased of inore than two weeks, were full and late. I have tried to consecrate my solemn. We cannot tell how many powers anew to God. I do love to souls have been hopefully converted labor for souls. Brethren, pray for during these protracted exercises. us. Pray for the descent of the Holy Twelve have already made application, Spirit upon the heart of your missionand been received under the care of the ary, and upon all this region. session of our church; others will be received soon. The Methodist Church has received several members since the Is there not a very perceptible connection between the revived faith and zeal of this minister and the following results communicated in his next report? Speaking of a protracted meeting, he writes close of our meeting. This revival has greatly strengthened and encouraged this feeble church. It has brought to our aid several families of intelligence and influence, who have hitherto not been identified with any congregation. This feeble church feels truly grate-a ful to your Society for the aid which you have afforded them. Had it not been for your help a minister could not have been sustained by the church. NEW-YORK. season, and labored and prayed for Christians gave up their business for the conversion of sinners. The Spirit verted. At the close of the special was poured out and sinners were coneffort about forty professed to have submitted their hearts to God. The great majority of those who professed conversion appear well, and encourage the opinion that they have indeed been From Rev. Hiram Gregg, Hume, N. Y." born of the Spirit." The manner in For some four or five weeks we have been enjoying a precious revival; quite a number of the members of the Bible class have been converted, and some heads of families. In all, we trust there have been between 38 and 40 conversions, all very interesting cases, and among the most respectable of the place. We received an addition to the church of 21 by profession, and one by letter. The good work is still going on, and we trust many more will be brought to bow at the feet of the Savior. I believe the church is perfectly united, and we feel that we have great reason to be thankful to God, and to humble ourselves in the dust before him. Cause and Effect. In a report of his labors the last autumn, a missionary gives the following account of the state of his feelings: which the meeting was conducted was calculated to leave a good and permanent impression, and a good impression was made upon the community. The church was blessed. About the time the protracted meeting closed here, the state of things in the W. congregation became very The result was about interesting. 30 cases of hopeful conversion. Some of these were cases of very great interest. One of them, a man of extensive influence in the community, on the second evening met the Lyceum, which held its weekly meetings within a few rods of the church-introduced some strong resolutions against the effort Christians were making, but was finally induced to come into the church before the meeting closed, was deeply convicted, and in a few days was rejoicing in hope. Subsequently his wife, her sister, and a servant girl, followed-a whole household! At the regular quarterly communion in W., thirteen united with the church, all on profession of their faith, save I am conscious of great unfaithful-one-all adults, and ten of them heads ness, but as I review the first half of my present missionary year, have the consolation of believing that I have not of families. The accession is a most important one, an accession of real strength to the church. Appointments by the Executive Committee of the A. H. M. S., from April 1st to May 1st, 1842. Re-appointed. Not in commission last year. Rev. Ward Childs, Sheldon, N. Y. Rev. Geo. Hornell, White Lake and Independence, Rev. P. W. Gray, Hamburg, N. Y. Rev. W. Day, Enfield, N. Y. Rev. R. E. Wilson, Hammondsport, N. Y. Rev. Wm. Clark, Red Creek, N. Y. Rev. N. S. Smith, East Aurora, N. Y. Rev. S. Dunton, Huron, O. Rev. Oren Johnson, Kennedy'sville and Avoca, N. Y. || Rev. Levi Rose, Barton, U. C. Rev. N. B. Dodge, Bates co., Mo. Rev. Philander Bates, Utica, Mich. Rev. Courtney Smith, Warrensburg, N. Y. Rev. C. M. Seaton, Mooers, N. Y. Rev. C. C. Stevens, Elizabethtown, N. Y. Rev. G. C. Wood, Manchester and Whitehall, Ill. Rev. Luther Shaw, Algonac, Mich. Rev. Joseph Rieger, German Ch., Higland, Ill. Rev. S. Kittredge, Bedford, ind. Rev. Nathaniel Pinne, Union Center, N. Y. Rev. Calvin Butler, Boonville, O., and Warwick, Ind. Rev. C. Cory, destitute places in St. Joseph's Presbytery. Rev. S. Mason, Eckford, Mich. Rev. A. M. Dixon, Platteville, Wis. The Treasurer of the American Home Missionary Society acknowledges the following sums, as reported by Auxiliaries and expended on their respective fields, or received into the Treasury, from April 1st to May 1st, 1842. MAINE Missionary Society, Windham, Cong. Soc. Mon. Con. coll., Gay, $1; A. Weed, $1; C. Abels, 0 50; A. Wheeler, $2; F. Parsons, 0 25; J. Parsons, 0 25; Mrs. H. & P. Goodwin, $1; I. Lyman, $1; Mrs. L. Lyman, $1; Miss S. A. Rowley, 0 25; L. H. Merchant, $3; Mrs. P. Pratt, 0 50; P. Hamlin, $1; B. Sears, $2; R. Boland, $1, NEW-YORKBolton, Presb. Ch. and Soc., by Rev. C. Smith, $23 92; Mrs. C. Smith, $2, Brooklyn, First Presb. Ch., coll., by R. J. Thorne, $223 51; Rev. Dr. Cox, $5; S. B. Hunt, $5; G. M. Atwater, $3; S. W. Torrey, $3; J. D. Hurlbut, $20, Second Presb. Ch., Ladies' Benev. Soc., Central Agency, Utica, N. Y. Chester, Presb. Ch., by Rev. T. J. Has well, 23 00 Delhi, Presb. Ch., by Rev. S. G. Spees, Edinburgh, Cong. Ch., by Rev. R. A. Avery, 22 81 18 75 252 66 New Rochelle, Mrs. Lucy Smith, L. M., New-York city, viz: 30 00 18 00 Northampton, Isabella Thompson, 4 00 Pepperell, Ladies' H. M. S., 62 00 Sturbridge, a friend, by Rev. D. R. 30 00 West Springfield, in part of legacy of the late Rev. J. L. Pomeroy, by L. Strong, Esq., Houston St. Ch, Sub. by J. G. Brower, Mercer St. Ch., Mon. Con. coll., by T. S. Nelson, 38 09 47 33 250 00 RHODE-ISLAND Murray St. Ch., Sab. Sch. Miss. Assoc., 250 00 Rev. J. J. Owen, $5; Mrs. Owen, $3; 33 50 Spring St. Ch., Mrs. Dr. Patton, $5; Mrs. Stickney, $1, 6 00 A Lady to const. Rev. E. Robinson, D. D., a L. M., 30 00 100 00 A. P. Cumings, 10 00 New-Haven, to const. Mrs. S. Maltby, H. Leet, 10 00 Miss Amoret Maltby, and Miss Harriet G. Maltby, Life Members, Palmyra, S. Jessup, 1 00 100 00 Chapel St. Ch., Sab. Sch., by H. N. Whittlesey, 25 00 James P. Hart, L. M., $30; Friend, $2, Pen Yan, Presb. Ch., by E. P. Jones, Poughkeepsie, Presb. Ch., in full, to const. David Boyd, Esq., and Stephen H. Bogardus, Life Members, by A. Lathrop, 20 00 25 00 Saratoga Springs, Rev. C. Eddy, 10 00 Saybrook, Fem. Miss. Soc., by Miss S. J. Hotchkiss, Trea, Sheridan, by Rev. E. Taylor, 16 00 3,420 30 Sharon, D. Gould. $10; J. A. Elliott, $1; R. Smith, $1; Miss C. Sears, $1; Mrs. E. Smith, $1; A. Orton, 0 16; A. Boland, $2; Mrs. S. Chapman, $2; Cash, 0 25; C. F. Sedgwick, $1; Miss B. Reeve, 0 25; B. Hamlin, 0 75; C. NEW-JERSEY Gardiner, Cong. Soc., 3 50 50.00 Upper Alton, 13 87 Elk Grove, by Rev. D. Rockwell, 5 00 Receipts of the Central Agency at Utica, N. Y., from March 11th to April 29th, 1842. Rev. A. Crane, Secretary. Binghamton, coll., $45 26; Curtis Thorp, in full to const. himself a L. D., and his sister, Mrs. Mercy Fitch a L. M., $75; Col. Ely, $5; Elias Hawley, $15; Mrs. Hawley, $5; Young Ladies' D. M. S., Miss S. M. Bailey, Treas., $20; Cincinnatus, in part, Clinton, bal. of coll., $14 02; Young Ladies' Social Circle, $4, Cortlandville, Rev. P. Lockwood, $10; Mrs. Lockwood, $5, in full to const. Mrs. Lockwood a L. M.; O. Stimson, $5; Fem. Circle of Industry, in full to const. Henry Nelson a L. M., $10; coll., $17, South Reading, Rev. Mr. Emerson's Soc., Fitchburgh, Ladies' Sew. Circle, $58; Malden, Ladies' Benev. Soc., North Hadley, Rev. Mr. Beaman's Soc., Presscott, Rev. Francis Wood's Soc., Dedham, Fem. D. M. S., North Middleboro, Rev. Mr. Colby's Soc., Westminster, Rev. Mr. Smith's Soc., Plymouth, 3d Ch. and Soc., Braintree, Mon. Con., 165 26 13.00 Lowell, Sab. Sch., 1st Cong. Soc., 18 02 Sandwich, Evan. Soc., Fort Pulaski, Ralph Dunning, Esq., Florida, Col. J. S. Vose, U. S. Army, Berkshire and Columbia, Aux. Soc., J. W. Robbins, Treas., Medfield, Orthodox Soc., 93 86 104 12 11.00 17.50 10 55 28 33 5.00 37 00 63 18 35 16 10.00 50 00 22 35 500 58.00 362 75 2 25 15.00 332 35 13 64 47.00 Coventryville, by Mr. Wright, Monson, A. W. Porter, Esq., 100 00 Essex, North Aux. Soc., L. H. Currier, Guilford, to const. Rev. J. L. Janes a L. M., 30 00 North Oxford, Sew. Circle, 5 65 Madison, by Mr. Platt, 21 75 Morrisville, coll., $24; M. Harrington, $6, THE 16th Annual Report of the A. H. M. S. is now issued, and has apprized the public of the results of the last year's operations, so far as they are visible to human eyes. It shows that God has blessed the Society; that the interests committed to it by the churches are steadily advancing in prosperity; and that there is abundant encouragement to go forward to the accomplishment of still greater good in future. The Executive Committee, in their report, use the following language in reference to the coming year : "We enter upon a new year with an increased amount already due to the missionaries; with an increased amount of pledges to be redeemed; with a hundred and one more missionaries in the field to be sustained; with a work before us, greatly augmented, by what we have failed the last year to do, and by the rapidity with which it every year grows upon our hands. Our destitute fellow countrymen never needed the Gospel more; never did so many of them need it. Infidelity was never more eager to corrupt them: God was never more ready to bless us, in our efforts to save them. Never will the difficulties that impede our work be so few; never will the same amount of expenditure be so available. This, this is the day of our country's salvation!" Progressive nature of the Home Missionary work. The inquiry may arise, "Why is it, that after all that is done, we hear more and more, every year, of the increasing demands of this cause?" The answer is, that the efforts to supply the means of grace, have always been too small in proportion to the work to be done; and the work to be done has also grown faster, in proportion, than the means employed. The population of our country gains more than half a million annually. Foreign immigration is constantly increasing the difficulties which arise on our own soil. Numerous domestic causes, political and pecuniary, are at work to deprave the public conscience. The transfer of great numbers of our own people from the old states to the new territories of the West, diminishes the moral strength of the former, and creates a great demand for help to numerous rising communities thus planted on the frontier. These things, combined, are gradually carrying the centre of influence towards the Mississippi Valley, and afford a demand for constantly increasing efforts in behalf of our new states. But there is another reason why the Home Missionary claim has steadily grown upon the churches. Our connexion with other parts of the earth, and our influence on their destiny, is becoming more extensive; and there is yet discovered no limit to bound its exercise. From all lands the benighted are calling upon us for light, and the miserable for relief. "For several years past, God has been opening wide and effectual doors for Christian Missions to Pagan and Mohammedan countries, till at length there is scarcely an obstacle to the propagation of the Gospel among every kindred and tongue and tribe on earth. And yet we are embarrassed. We cannot enter these open doors. We cannot go up and possess the land. We are straitened in ourselves. We have neglected the cultivation of a field, and are now in distressing want of its fruits. We are perplexed to find the means of sending the Gospel abroad, which means would come in full abundance, if the Gospel had free course among the unevangelized millions at home."* And every successive year will increase our embarrassment, until we obtain relief from the thorough cultivation of our own field. These general views are sufficient to show how it is that the Home Missionary effort has been, and must still be a growing work, calling more largely each year for devoted men and abundant means. But we go further, and urge that it is needful, not only that there should be a steady, general advance in Home Missions, but that the necessity for this, is especially urgent the present year. As proofs of this, let the following testimony be duly weighed. The Macedonian Cry. From Illinois, we hear such language as the following: "The numerous, extensive, and long-continued destitutions which still abound," says the Rev. F. Bascom, of Chicago, "are the darkest feature in the moral aspect of this field. I could enumerate at least ten important villages and country settlements in the northern section of this state, where ministers are imperiously demanded, and where the prospect of their usefulness would be abundantly encouraging. Could I spread out the appeals which I have received from these places before the unemployed ministers and theological students at the East-could I present to their minds the condition and prospects of these places, as they appear to me, I am sure it would not be in vain. If their prevailing desire is to labor where they can do most for the kingdom of Christ, they would only need to know the facts in relation to these places, to prepare them to say, 'Here am I, send me.' Within twenty miles of Chicago there are hundreds of families as destitute of religious privileges as if they lived in the heart of a heathen country." Again, another writes: "I must not omit to mention the destitution of important fields of labor in this region. Fountain Green, Camp Creek, La Harpe, Carthage, Rushville, Big Neck, Woodville, Chili, Round Prairie, &c., are among the number." |