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From Rev. F. R. Gray, Houston,
Marion Co., Mo.

Sickness.

I hastily employ an hour this morning, to make my third quarterly report for the present year. I am pressed on every side-around us, all over the country, are the sick and the dying scarce a day but brings intelligence of some one that has been called to eternity. Yesterday evening we buried the wife of one of the elders of this church. She has left behind four motherless children. Two young men in the bounds of Newark congregation, died last week. Many more are still sick. For three or four days past we have heard of no new cases of sickness. But the amount of sickness this year has been unparalleled in this country. Last week I went to assist a brother at a protracted meeting-and there I found that in almost every house some one was sick, and in some cases nearly whole families were down. The pastor was himself in bed and only able to get to the church twice during the meeting. Several whole families were kept away from church by sickness. Of many others, only one or two were able to get there. The congregations were, therefore,' small; and the sickness continuing to increase, we were compelled to close the meeting on Monday after the morning service. There was some interest in the meeting-seven were added to the church and a few others were brought to feel they needed an

interest in the friend of sinners.

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The church in W. are in great need

of fervent piety and a good stock of common sense are the kind needed. The counties of Clark, Scotland, Knox, Shelby, Adair, Macon, &c., are all entirely destitute, so far as Presbyterians are concerned, except that a small part of Newark church is in Scotland county. Shall this destitution be continued? There are already two or three organized churches in these counties, and there are a few Presbyterians scattered all through them-but they greatly need some one to look after them, collect them, and form them into churches. If ministers are not sent into this field soon, error, in some of its multiplied forms, will sweep over it, and leave it vastly more barren and dead to all that is moral and elevating than it now is-and surely it is barren enough already.

I have as many calls from abroad, from destitute places, and from the brethren who are in large destitute regions, to assist them and preach for them, as two such men as I am could fill. Cannot some be sent to our aid? My own field of labor is, in all reason, large enough to require the time of one man altogether. And yet I am obliged to be absent nearly one fourth of my time, and still have to turn away many pressing calls, that I feel ought to be attended to, and that too, from places where there is a prospect of doing good, could they be attended to. I wish I could spread out this necessity before the brethren and churches at the East, as we see it and feel it here. Surely some of your best men would come to our

aid!

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Platte Co., Mo.

The A. H. M. S. is taking advantage of the awakened missionary spirit, to extend its

of a pastor-cannot some one be sent From Rev. Edmund Wright, Weston, out to break to them the bread of life? I am the nearest to them of any in our presbytery, and I am fifty miles from them. There is no Presbyterian minister in any county on our northern border from the Mississippi River, near-operations in that interesting section of the ly to the Missouri River, almost three country called the "Platte purchase," lying hundred miles-the country is rapidly beyond the old line of Missouri, hetween filling up with an enterprising popula- the Little Platte and the Missouri Rivers. tion. We ought to have at least three or four men settled in that region; men

In September, 1842, I left Massachu

setts for this frontier part of Missouri. | destitute places ?" they inquired. I It is indeed a large and very destitute told them of the A. H. M. S., and enmissionary field. Here we had hoped, couraged them to hope for occasional by personal sacrifice, to be able to sup- aid from me as a missionary of that Soport ourselves without foreign aid. But ciety. the expense of our journey hither, and incidental family expenses, together with an unexpected pecuniary loss, seemed to make an application to your society necessary.

The Sabbath school cause has been considerably revived in this region during the past summer, still we find it difficult to give permanence to our Sabbath schools in this new country.

We have comparatively few intelligent and self-denying Christians in our churches, whose early training qualifies them for active labors in the various branches of christian benevolence.

I feel encouraged by the recent ar

The Presbyterian church was organized here, about a month before our arrival. At first it numbered only 10 members-3 males, and 7 females. Since that time, we have admitted by certificate 10, and by profession 6. Of this number, one has died, and six remov-rival of Br. Reeve in the "Purchase." He ed to other places, leaving but nineteen now in our connection. Several will probably join us soon. The most of my church are too poor to aid materially in my support. It is the day of small things with us, but we hope for future growth and prosperity. It shall be my humble endeavor to lay here the foundation of many generations. The only meetinghouse in the place belongs to the Methodists, which we can occupy only once a month. Of course my usefulness here is much abridged for the want of a church. I feel that I am in a missionary field, and when I have no house in town in which to preach the Gospel, I go forth into the country. I have a small church organized in the country six miles from Weston, where I preach once a month. Platte City, the county seat, is 8 miles distant. I preach there occasionally, and in various places round about.

I cannot go amiss in searching for destitute neighborhoods. One of my preaching places, is 12 miles below Weston. Here are several Presbyterians from Ireland, of the better class,

has located at Oregon, the county seat of Holt, about 75 miles above me on the Missouri river. Br. Lord is on his way to settle at Parkville, 25 miles below W. on the river. Br. Carson is at Savannah, Andrew Co., 50 miles north of me. Two weeks since I went up to assist him at a communion season. Last Sabbath, I held a meeting and administered the sacrament 26 miles north-east of Weston, and at night preached in Sparta, the county seat of Buchanan. I go again next month, and hope ere long that a church will be organized there, midway between me and Br. Carson. The population of this region is quite unsettled, consequently we cannot so safely speak of the results of our labors-but it may be hoped, that during the past year much good has been effected by these missionary efforts which eternity alone can disclose.

WISCONSIN.

Wis.

and truly pious. My first visit to them From Rev J. H. D. Street, Cassville, six months since, cheered them exceedingly. They began to despair of ever hearing preaching again. Said they, "It was our prayer while crossing the ocean, that God would send us a minister. We have waited long indeed for the blessing-and now it has come, we will praise God."

It did my soul good to witness their eagerness to receive the bread of life. "Have you no Missionary Societies in this country, to furnish ministers for

This church was organized about the 25th of Sept. 1842, consisting of 14 members. I have been laboring with them several months previous to March 1st, and at that time I was invited to become their pastor. There have since been 3 added to the church by profession, and 2 by letter. Several brethren from adjacent churches, assisted me in holding a protracted meeting

From Rev. F. R. Gray. Marion Co., M

Sickness.

I hastily employ an hour ing, to make my third quar for the present year. I am every side-around us, al country, are the sick and ! scarce a day but brings int some one that has been ca nity. Yesterday evening w wife of one of the elders of She has left behind four children. Two young 1 bounds of Newark congr last week. Many more For three or four days Į heard of no new cases of the amount of sickness been unparalleled in this week I went to assist a tracted meeting-and t in almost every house s and in some cases near were down. The p in bed and only a church twice during veral whole famil from church by others, only one there. The con fore, small; ar ing to increas close the me morning serv terest in the ed to the

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abolic church,
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are strict Pa-
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descreverses the
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the children
of those po walilow him to
on so, and the term aecome Roman
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Res, J. Purter, Green Bay, Wis necessary to fit these sons of the

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forest for heaven! But if they fall away from this grace and spend life in jewdness and drunkenness, what more is necessary in a dying hour, but extreme unting is a true priest, to prepare the son for heaven? Or it, unfortunately,

have bed without that unction, poate pravers and masses for

hem from purgatory to

-Praying for the de head.

ty led me, a few days sin e papal church-yard, by whicassh

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any times a month as I go to my
tments. It is about two miles
own. The church has attached
the rear, a large building, pro-
.00 feet in length and two stories
aking with the church a cross.
'ding was designed for a monas-
', but for many years, no school
taught there. It is said that a
ho has just arrived, has brought
ids for the endowment of a
d should it go into operation,
dren of nominally Protestant
ay seek education there. On
ground, back of the church,
secrated yard; in the centre of
d the graves, is a small build-
use of which I did not under-
d therefore visited it; and on the
id of it, I found, to my surprise,
inscriptions in English, which
ude must have been written for
⚫cial benefit of the Protestant po-
n, as the Catholics are almost
it exception French, Germans or
as, very few of whom can read the
sh language.

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1300 years before his time! And the argu-
ment must needs be strong which is taken from
the confession of such an adversary."
"There then must be a third place to can-
cel our debt. To this third place or middle
state of souls, the Church has given the name
Purgatory. Very probably the soul of a fa-
ther, or mother, or brother, or husband, may
be suffering great torments there, for sins they
committed on your account. This is their cry

to you:
Have pity upon me, at least you my
friends, for the hand of the Lord hath stricken

me.

"And though it should happen that those you pray for are not in want of your praying, your charity and tenderness God is equally pleased with."

Such are the arguments in favor of praying for the dead; while reading and transcribing them, I felt much disposed to pity and pray for the living, that God would open their eyes to turn them from these vanities, to serve the living God. Supposing that those who read this most conclusive reasoning would be convinced by it, the following forms of prayer were written beneath it.

sa specimen of Catholic logic, and religious curiosity, I transcribed a "O God! who hast commanded us to honor of the inscriptions; and I send our fathers and mothers, have mercy on the m to you, that your sympathies and souls of my father and mother, and grant that yers may be again awakened for I may see them in the glory of eternity ose who have, as it were, a license to through our Lord Jesus Christ. , in the belief that though they die sin, their surviving relatives will pity hem and pray them out of purgatory. The following is the argument inscribed on that house, in favor of praying for the dead, drawn from the Apocrypha, the Bible, and the confession of Calvin !

2d Maccabees, 12: 43. He sent 12,000 drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection. For if he had not hoped that they that were slain would rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead. And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep in godliness had great grace laid up for them. It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they be loosed from their sins. Math. 12. "Whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall never be for given him, neither in this world nor in the

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O God! giver of pardon and lover of the salvation of men, we beseech thy clemency in behalf of our brethren, kinsfolks and benefactors, who are departed this life, that by the all the Saints, thou wouldst receive them into intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the joys of thy Eternal Kingdom.

"O God! the Creator and Redeemer of all the Faithful, give to the souls of thy servants departed, the remission of all their sins, that through pious supplication they may obtain the pardon which they always desired through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen."

this doctrine of purgatory and prayers Considering how admirably adapted for the dead is to make men satisfied to continue in sin until the hour of dissolution, and thus accomplish the great purposes of the arch deceiver who hath given his power to the beast, I am no longer surprised, that the labors of the Jesuits here for two hundred years, have produced so little upon which the true Christian can look with pleasure.

The libertine, the debauchee and the drunkard, love that doctrine. At the same time the splendor and parade of

in our village during the Spring. The Spirit of the Lord was graciously poured out, and there was a general awakening all over the town-many cried out what shall we do to be saved. One man, quite an intelligent and influential farmer, and head of a large family, was awakened and felt deeply for several days. He finally went home, 7 miles distant-but the meeting continuing, the next day, while we were in the inquiring meeting, a wagon drove up and in came the farmer and his wife, avowing that though he had gone home he could not compose himself. "But now," said he, "I have given all up, and am come with my wife to make a business of religion." We trust they both found that Jesus had power on earth to forgive sins. Several more were hopefully converted. At our last communion season, the Lord was pleased to visit us with a reviving season to the members. They were much awakened in spirit.

Two thirds of my labor is at Cassville, the other third at Grant River, 7 miles back in the country. I also preach, the same days I preach in Cassville, 5 miles in the country to quite a good congregation-average 20-making 3 places of labor. At each place we have Sabbath schools, embracing respectively 25, 16 and 20 scholars, all doing well; but are sadly deficient in suitable books, which we are too poor to obtain. We feel that if hard and old sinners cannot be reached, we must bring the greater influence to bear upon the rising generation.

From Rev. J. Porter, Green Bay, Wis.

Having no opportunity of ministerial exchanges as most of my brethren have with those of our own name, I have occupied my own pulpit every Sabbath during the past quarter, and attended all my regular weekly appointments, having not been kept from one of them by either indisposition or the weather. In this enjoyment of health I am highly favored above many of your missionaries.

During this quarter I have preached in behalf of the Seamen's Friend Society, and the Temperance Society. In

the former of these we are considerably interested, as two families of our church have sons on the ocean, and one of our members commands a vessel on the Lakes. And we have much to make us feel on the subject of temperance, as our hearts are often pained, notwithstanding all our efforts, by seeing the poor, abused, miserable Indians, male and female, reeling and moaning most pitiably through our streets, under the maddening influence of alchohol.

Roman Missions to the Indians.

The Menominee Indians, now residing around us, are soon to be removed to their own lands on Wolf River, a tributary of the Fox, which enters it some 60 or 70 miles south-west of this place. These Indians have been brought under no religious influence, except that of the Papal church. And though missionaries of that church have been among them here for about two hundred years, they have been sinking as a tribe, lower and lower in degradation. A majority are initiated into the Catholic church, though to all appearance, they are degraded, drunken Pagans. Some who have intermarried with the French and their half breed children, are strict Papists, and are exceptions to the above description. The priest traverses the Indian country, baptizes all the children of those parents who will allow him to do so, and thus they become Roman Catholics, and grow up as members of that church. And if baptism by one who has received his authority by unbroken succession from Peter, communicates regenerating grace, what more is necessary to fit these sons of the forest for heaven? But if they fall away from this grace and spend life in lewdness and drunkenness, what more is necessary in a dying hour, but extreme unction by a true priest, to prepare the soul for heaven? Or if, unfortunately, they have died without that unction, will not a few prayers and masses for the dead, raise them from purgatory to paradise?

Popish devices—Praying for the dead.

Curiosity led me, a few days since, into the papal church-yard, by which I

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