open infidelity; want of strength toral profess hope in Christ, 4 of whom occupy a field constantly widening and where near their sixtieth year-veterans lengthening-but all these, and more, in Satan's cause. One, especially, was are overbalanced by the unfailing pro- a remarkable case, an old, way-worn, mises of God, even though there were out-cast drunkard, every way bad and no fruit of our toil visible to the eye of wretched. But the power of the Al sense. "Thanks be unto God, which mighty Spirit was upon him, and his always causeth us to triumph in Christ, sins were set in array before him. for we are unto God a sweet savor of Under powerful convictions, he trembled Christ in them that are saved, and in and groaned, pressed down under a them that perish." sense of his guilt, until he cried out, "O, I shall die! How can I live?" In this distressed condition he spent a sleepless night and a sunless day. At length, he died, unto sin, we trust, to "walk in newness of life." Ever since, he has given the clearest evidence that he is a new creature in Christ Jesus. His conversion is a matter of amazement to the community. A week ago, we took the preliminary steps towards organizing a church at that place. I wish I could open my heart to ministers of my acquaintance in NewEngland, in reference to the West. In particular, I would try to persuade some of much pastoral experience to examine the question of taking part with us younger men in the high privilege of guiding the ark of the Lord, and laying the foundations for many future generations. While I would not conceal from them the prospect of trials, which however different from, might not be greater than those of their present location. I would assure them the missionaries experience the truth of the promise, "My grace is sufficient From Rev. T. Lippincott, Madison co., for thee." A destitute neighborhood blessed. To a very needy region some ten miles distant, I have devoted some time for the last 6 months; preaching there, on an average, about twice a month, and visiting many families. During the progress of this labor, an increasing interest has been manifest. The old log school-house has been almost invariably crowded with attentive hearers. They need, and intend to build a larger house-using logs of twice the length. Some two months since 3 or 4 expressed great anxiety about their souls. More recently, many have been deeply impressed, and seve Ill. A New England Village in the West, I am laboring, as formerly intimated, one half the time at Bunker Hill, where a Congregational church may be said to be newly formed, by separation from that of Woodbourne. This is an inte resting field. A rolling prairie, in the south part of Macoupin county, which I have many a time travelled over, and looked for many miles every way without seeing a house, is now occupied by a neat village, (New-England pattern,) and farms and neat small dwellings in every direction. There is much industry and enterprise, though little speculation there. The settlement may be said to have commenced six years ago, consisting almost entirely of people from New-England. A few of them were professors of religion when they came, but, for a time, it was scarcely known. A revival of religion that took place three years ago, under brother Blake's labors, made great changes. Almost the entire population became members of the Congregational or Baptist church, the latter of which was subsequently formed. The Congrega. tionalists united with the church at W. and so remained until my connection with them, when they agreed to separate. This, though the two places are not distant, seemed advisable on geographical grounds, inasmuch as there are two very distinct centres of influence. One consequence of the separa. tion (which was entirely harmonious) is the greatly increased energy and ac has done much to strengthen and confirm the church in the faith. But for the severe distress in pecuniary matters, this church would now be a willing and liberal benefactor, instead of a pensioner of Home Missions. East on a visit. tivity of the brethren at Bunker Hill. From a Missionary returning to the In the autumn we held a protracted meeting at the place, the results of which are, greatly awakened feeling, increased activity, and evident spirituality in the members, and an ingathering of souls from the world to the number of some 10 or 12, besides the reclaiming of some backsliders. The cause of Christ lies on the hearts of the brethren, I hope uppermost. They want a minister. I am only engaged a year until they can get one. The distance, some 25 miles or more, is too great, and I have promised to aid them in procuring a minister to settle with them. I know not a people with whom I would rather settle, if personal comfort were all or chiefly my object. I allude especially to the intelligence, piety, harmony, and activity of the members. Their village is small and settlement new, but the society is good. I have now spent nearly 10 years in and under the patronage of your SoIllinois, and 6 of them with this people, ciety. The scenes through which I have passed, during this time, have so fastened themselves upon my mind and affections, that nothing but a plain indication of the divine will would per suade me to leave. When I came here, I travelled 25 miles over a trackless prairie, finding one house where a flourishing village now stands; and on arriving here, I found three families, all from the western part of New-York, anxiously waiting and praying to God, to send them a minister to aid them in raising the standard of the cross. These 3 families embraced 18 persons, 13 of whom I formed into a church. Wo immediately commenced two prayer meetings in each week, and a Sabbath school, which have been continued summer and winter, without interruption, ever since. The whole number received into the church, 89-4 have died-15 have been dismissed and excluded-leaving the present number From Rev. M. Kimball, Augusta, Ill. 69. Considering all the causes pecu liar to a new country, to distract, and destroy brotherly love, great peace and harmony have prevailed. Missionaries of the A. H. M. S. have seldom returned to the East. This missionary returns not simply to visit an aged parent, three brothers, an only sister, and a beloved child, whom for many years he has not seen, but also on account of impaired health. And surely, if Foreign Missionaries may cross the ocean at a much greater expense of time and money, to recruit their health and refresh their hearts, it will not be thought improper for the Home Missionary to leave his field for a few weeks for a similar purpose, after having borne the burden and heat of the day so faithfully and so long. INDIANA. more familiar topic of conversation among the people, and a greater desire is manifested to attend on the means of grace. In some neighborhoods, where previously there was but little religious From Rev. S. Kittredge, Bedford, Ind. influence, and wickedness in all its Fruits of the Revival in 1842. For an account of the work of grace here alluded to, see Home Missionary for Dec. last, p. 184. appalling forms was prevalent, the change is truly wonderful, the enemies borhood of this kind, where but one themselves being judges. In one neighmember of our church previously resided, we now have twenty-nine. And among these, are some who had not teen years-but whose Sabbaths had been spent in hunting, fishing, gambling, and the like! In my last communication I gave you some account of our revival of re-attended a religious meeting for fourligion. As the fruits of that revival, forty-five have been gathered into our church on profession of their faith, and three by letter-besides many others In view of this work of God, we can into the Baptist and Methodist churches. adopt the language of the Psalmist, We have now had time to test, in a "Then was our mouth filled with good degree, the character of the young laughter, and our tongue with singing: converts. And I am happy to state, then said they among the heathen (or that I never witnessed a revival of re-enenies,) the Lord hath done great ligion where the work appeared to be more genuine; nor one where the converts, after a lapse of six months, appeared better than they do among us. Of those who have united with my church, I do not know of one who does not now give good evidence of having passed from death unto life. The effect of this revival on the community, is very marked. Its effect on the church has been truly wonderful. It has greatly elevated the standard of piety. The views and feelings of the church with regard to personal responsibility, christian character and holy living, have greatly changed; and they have received such an impulse, and made such an advance in the divine life, that I trust they are prepared for greater efficiency as well as greater enjoyment in the service of Christ. Another effect of this revival upon the church, is that it has brought into active service some who were before not only inactive members of the church, but whose neglect of duty and daily walk paralyzed the energies and efforts of those who had a heart to be faithful. Some of these have now become our most efficient members, while many new and active members have been added to our number. This revival has also changed very materially the whole moral aspect of the place, and of the region around. Religion has become a things for them." To which we can heartily and gratefully respond, "The Lord hath done great things for us ; · whereof we are glad." It is a matter of devout gratitude to God, that during the past year, we were enabled to complete our neat and substantial house of worship, which will accommodate 400 or 500 people; and that so soon after its completion, we were permitted to witness in it, such manifestations of the divine presence and power. And we can now look back and see that the first indications of this work of grace, were manifest about the time that our house was dedicated to the service of God. Who can read without emotion the fore going details of the blessing of God upon this Home Missionary effort? To think, that all this improvement of the social condition of a community, all this rescue of souls from perdition, all this edification of God's people, has been accomplished, instrumentally, at a trifling cost, and might, all have been prevented, had that cost been withheld-how does it exalt the grace of God! If the Lord so richly blesses the little that is done for Home Missions, what might we not expect, if the gifts of his people were such as to afford better evidence of their faith in his readiness to attend them with his powerful Spirit! From Southern Indiana. Roman Catholic Schools. Our Female Seminary, which is under the superintendence of Mrs. B. has recently been incorporated and promises to be prosperous and useful, if the hard times do not crush it. We propose to make a strenuous effort during the coming season to secure a fund for the support of one teacher. This is absolutely necessary to enable us to compete with the Romanists in this region, who have some 5 or 6 permanent seminaries within a hundred miles of us. They have thoroughly studied American character and institutions and are doing vastly more for their cause by their schools, than by all their churches and cathedrals. The last of December, the Spirit of the Lord was present at Monticello, to convict, and convert sinners. The Friday evening previous to the fourth Sabbath in January, I commenced a meeting, which was kept up for two weeks. This was one of the most glorious meetings I ever attended. I organized a church of thirteen members. Eleven more were added. The fourth Sabbath of February I held another communion season, brother Carnahan was with me. As the result of the previous meeting, thirty-nine united with the church. We are to have another coinmunion season the fourth Sabbath of this month, and I know of more than twenty who expect to unite with us. During this quarter I have organized the church with thirteen members. Since that time fifty have united with us. Forty-seven of them on profession of their faith in Christ. Thirty-two of them were baptized. They have raised From Rev. S. N. Steel, Delphi and a subscription sufficient to build a good Monticello, Ind. Revival. When I came here the church numbered 28 members. They were mostly females and in a cold state, having had but little preaching for three or four years. As soon as I came here, I commenced visiting from house to house, conversing with Christians and sinners. During this quarter 19 united with our church-sixteen of them on profession of faith, and eight of them were baptized. Since November I have been preaching one fourth of my time at Monticello, the county seat of White county. During all the quarter from December to March the church has been in a constant revival state. The people of God have had a spirit of prayer, and God has blessed us with the influences of his Spirit. In January we held a short protracted meeting, and another in February. The Lord was with us in both meetings and much good was done. During this quarter twenty have united with the church, seventeen of them on profession of their faith in Christ. And there are eighteen or twenty who expect to unite with us at our coming communion season. house, and have commenced to work at it. They feel that they must immediately have a minister to settle with them. The Lord is still with them in great power. And all this has taken place in a new county in which there are not two thousand inhabitants, and in which there has never before been a revival of religion. Persevering prayer. About five years ago, two good, humble praying men in this church, selected three ungodly men, for whom they agreed to pray. And those two brethren met every week to pray for the three, who knew nothing of what was going on in their behalf. A year had not passed, before one of those men was hopefully converted; and has since, as we trust, gone home to heaven. Sometime afterwards, a second of the three made a profession of religion. The third man remained unconcerned until our revival last fall. About the beginning of that work, one of those good brethren said to the other, that the Lord had converted two of those for whom they had prayed so long, but that he felt discouraged, and supposed they bounds, for want of houses and teachers. I have been making attempts in the cause of temperance, but without much success. About the central points in my field, temperance principles have a firm hold, with the more respectable, but in the outskirts and corners, much remains to be done in this cause. might give up the third, as there was no prospect of his being brought into the kingdom of Christ. The other brother, however, replied, that he was not yet discouraged, that he yet had hope that the individual referred to would be saved. And in the midst of the revival, he became a subject, and is now a happy Christian. O if we did but have faith, and were importunate in Illustrations of character and condiprayer, what wondrous displays of divine grace might we behold! TENNESSEE. From a Missionary in the Hill County. At all my appointments, there is good attendance, and more than an ordinary degree of seriousness, and solemnity, without any thing, that deserves to be called excitement. I cannot but hope that the good seed, which you are helping to scatter in my field of labor, will ripen into a precious harvest ere long. I have during this quarter, organized a very interesting Bible class, made up, with one or two exceptions, of young people. This class numbers 20, some are members of the church and some are not. My rule is, first to give a critical and practical exposition of the passage, and then examine the class; so far the exercises are delightful and interesting. I have no language to set forth my deep conviction of the importance of catechetical instruction; nor could I express the pleasure I feel when engaged in such a work. The children of my charge, who are too small for the Bible class, are engaged at home in getting their little catechisms. It is a pleasant task to meet them and hear their lessons, at their own firesides. I have not been able to get the people at into the spirit of prayer meetings, or of keeping up the Monthly Concert among them; and from their peculiar condition, I do not expect such a thing this winter. Neither as yet, have I any Bible class among them. But I hope, under God, to report a different state of things, for this part of my field, at the end of my next quarter. There are no Sabbath schools in my tion. This report would be incomplete, did I not glance at some of my difficulties. In November, by request, I attended a protracted meeting of a sister denomination, held in the limits of one of my churches. A very astonishing excitement prevailed, and the brother, who conducted the meeting, received members into his church, whose convictione, by their own confessions, were removed while they were asleep, and whose first evidence of regeneration was granted to them in a dream. One individual in relating his experience, said, that on a certain day, while he was under conviction, he drank spirits enough to make two or three men drunk, but no intoxicating effect whatever was produced. His meaning seemed to be, that the influences of the Holy Spirit on his heart, had counteracted the effects of the alcohol and prevented his intoxication. He related also that his load of guilt and sin was removed while he was sleeping, and he wakened himself shouting. His experience was a bright one, not to say miraculous, and he was received. Shortly after, I appointed a temperance meeting at the same place. Several persons came, as it was the first effort of the kind in that neighborhood. I exhibited the evils of intemperance, and detailed the distressing casualties, that led to the formation of the first temperance society, and attempted to show that this reform was not unfriendly to republicanism, or to our civil and religious liberties. But the effort was unsuccessful. The principal man in the neighborhood, stated afterwards in conversation, that he still viewed the temperance movement as threatening to rob us of liberty, to load us with enormous taxes, and to produce civil war and bloodshed among us. As proof, he alluded to certain discussions |