IOWA.

In commencing the foundations of society in a new country, many difficulties and reverses are to be encountered; so that immediate and visible success seldom attends the first attempts. It has been thus in Iowa; the earliest missionaries have had to struggle hard; nor indeed, are they yet free from great embarrassments-as the following extracts from their correspondence will show. But a lodgement has been made, the begin: ning of good things for the intellectual and spiritual well-being of the country are visible; and although there are many intrinsic difficulties, and some opposition, yet there is success enough already to fill our hearts with courage. The following missionaries in a high degree worthy of the confidence and patronage of the churches are now laboring in that territory, which seven years ago was a wild region, without civil organizations, and

almost without white inhabitants.

Beginning in the north part of the Territory,* Rev. James J. Hill is laboring in Clayton county. He commenced in June last, and al

ready a church has been formed at Jacksonville, the county seat, and efforts for the promotion of temperance and Sabbath schools have been made with encouraging success. Rev. Wm. Salter, in Jackson co., and Rev. E. B. Turner, in Jones co., are laboriously exerting themselves to supply the settlers on the Makoqueta and its branches with the bread

of life. Rev. J. M. Boal is stationed at Marion,

Linn co. ; Rev. Ebenezer Alden, Jr, at Tipton in Cedar co.; Rev. Chas. Granger, at Washing ton, and Rev. Chas. Burnham at Brighton, both in Washington co. ; and Rev. Chas. R. Fisk, at Solon, Johnson co. At Iowa City, the capital of

On the Mississippi River, the most important points are occupied as follows:-Three in Lee county, viz: at Keokuk, in the south, Rev. Daniel Jones is laboring; at Fort Madison, Rev. James A. Clark, who has been longer in this field, we believe, than any other laborer in the Territory in our connexion. Rev. Asa Turner, Jr., at Denmark. At Burlington, Des Moines co.,Rev. H. Hutchinson ; at Bloomington, Rev. A. B. Robbins; at Davenport, Rev. Ephraim Adams. At Dubuque, Rev. J. C. Holbrook is endeavoring to sustain the cause of evangelical Protestantism against many adverse influences, particularly those of Rome..

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But it is in the beautiful region bordering on the Des Moines river, that the change which has taken place in the moral prospects of Iowa, if not the greatest, is the most visible. Including Mr. Jones at Keokuk, already mentioned, there are now six churches, each with its minister in the valley of that stream, whose waters," in the language of a correspondent, a few years ago, were putrid with Infidelity." At Farmington, near which Abner Kneeland, the "Apostle of Atheism," lived and died, is Rev. Harvey Adams. Higher up, are Rev. D. Lane, at Keosauqua, the capital of Van Buren co, and Rev. Erastus Ripley at Bentonsport. In the New Purchase are Rev. Wm. A. Thompson having his central point at Troy, in Davis co.; Rev. Benjamin Spaulding at the Sac and Fox Agency in Wapello co, and Rev. G. B. Hitchcock at Oskaloosa, in Mahaska co.

Respecting all these fields, it may be said, that the occupancy of them is contested by sectarian zeal, or by Papal and infidel hostility; yet the brethren are acquiring the confidence of the people, by resolutely bearing re

* Our readers are referred to the Map of Iowa, which was published in the Home Miss. for May, 1841.

ness. We commend them to the prayers of those whose bounty has sent them forth, and to all who desire to see our land become Immanuel's. It will be seen, that in that beautiful territory there are now the instruments of great good, if the Almighty Spirit were but sent down to give divine success.

circumstances which do not promise an encouraging degree of success. In this way, the Society is liable to blame for sending men into the West, for whose presence there it has no other responsibility than, that, on the recommendation of others, it interposed its aid to keep them from suffering.

It is sometimes said, that as human nature is essentially the same in the West as at the East, the man who can do good in the latter must be equally adapted to the former. This plausible proposition covers several mistakes. The communities in the newer sections differ from those in the old, in that they embody more than the average amount of the extremes of character. Few but persons of buoyancy and enterprise-or else of desperate character -break through the difficulties attending the settlement of a new country. And then the very circumstances in which they are placed, excite mental activity, and compel men to in. quiry and discussion. Conflicting land claims are to be adjusted; town and counties to be organized. Public buildings, bridges, highways, the establishment and control of schools, the various details of political strifeall afford occasions for the collision of intellect, and develope the ambition to exert an influence. Hence, there grows up in a western community a shrewdness and wakefulness of mind, and an earnest and direct address, to which the didactic style and solemn composure of manner of the majority of eastern ministers is uncongenial. Consequently, if a minister, through prejudice, will not adapt himself to the taste of the people, or-what is more likely to occur, through the force of old habit, cannot do it-they may endure, but will not respect him, nor profit by his ministrations. But there are also some valuable men in the ministry-men whom the West needs and can appreciate-whom yet we would not advise to go to that portion of our country. Of this number are ministers whose health is delicate, and who cannot bear the exposures incident to a western climate. Also, ministers whose wives are in feeble health, and so accustomed to the refinements and conveniences of eastern life, that they cannot live happily in rude accommodations, and on the small income of western pastors. Likewise, clergymen who have large families of children and require a generous salary for their support and education. If those children are of an age to need immediate instruction, they must neces

sarily suffer; for in most sections of West, before the parent can raise up gui schools, his children will have passed in age usually devoted to education.

These things ought to be carefully pondere by clergymen who propose to remove to the West; although they do not in all cases dr termine against such removal.

The Executive Committee enjoy, as they suppose, the best opportunities of judging 2 such cases, and certainly can have no reas for deciding in favor or against an applicatio except what appears to them to be the greates probable good to the cause of religion.

It will be inferred from these remarks, the except in extraordinary cases, missionarie to the West should be persons in the ear part of their ministerial career, of good com stitution, possessing a knowledge of me and disposed to accommodate themselves a state of society not yet settled. Their de mestic relations ought not to be such as to make a regular and ample support indispensa ble to keep them from suffering. Their piety should be forbearing, yet resolute; looking kindly on things as they are, even while la boring assiduously to make them better Their mental furniture should be at ready command, and their whole bearing earnes and sincere, so as to impress all with the per suasion, "WE SEEK NOT YOURS BUT YOU.” The motives and spirit with which they should go to the West, are such as have been expressed by some already there. "We have adopted this country as our home under s deep conviction of duty as servants of Christ. We understand Him to require us to live and labor here where we must literally "endure hardness as good soldiers." And the longer we endure the evils incident to such a choice, or perform the duties assigned us, the more we feel the importance of the arrangement, and the more firmly have we resolved to abide the consequences, rather than abandon fields that have already nearly gone to waste for want of earlier cultivation. And could we command pleasant locations, or such as would be even more desirable, in some respects, in older sections of the country, we do not believe our ranks would be thinned by the hope of better society or more conveniences. So long as we can be sustained in such a manner that we can "give ourselves wholly to our work," we shall feel most cordially disposed to do

From Rev. B. A. Spaulding, Sac and Fox Agency, Wapello co., lowa.

The New Purchase.

A year, since my arrival in this place, and the first of my labors in the minis try, was completed on the tenth of November. It has been the most interesting year of my life. I have preached in about 30 different places, from one to 150 miles from each other. Six of these were under the charge of some of my brethren, one in the Indian country, and the remainder in the limits assigned to my care. At some of these places I have preached but once, at some twice, at others more, and at some eight or ten times each. At some of them there has been no other preaching; at some, the Methodists have preached regularly, the Baptists occasionally, and a few have been visited by Cumberland Presbyterians, United Brethren and various others. Within these limits two Congregational churches have been formed, (neither of which, I am sorry to say, was in a vi cinity of less than fifteen miles, and one scarcely less than fifty, of a Presbyterian church of any school or order whatever.) I have travelled, according to an average account, about fifty miles each week, or about 2,500 during the year, chiefly on horseback. I have been in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils in the wilderness, in weariness and painfulness, in hunger and thirst, and in cold. But in all this I joy and rejoice, and even glory.

On so wide and new a field, the results must of course, for the first year, be chiefly of the more general kind.

One individual, through the influence of a few sermons, and a few Sabbath school books, has, we hope, been brought from under the dominion of darkness into the kingdom of light; another, who seemed the child of Heaven, has gone fearfully backward; another who could speak seriously of serious things, sleeps in a hopeless grave; another, who came to me with an apology for going to ride on the Sabbath, instead of attending meeting, before I preached again in the same place,

had gone to meet her final judge; another, who told me that he had never known the value of the "Home Mission Box," till he learned it in Iowa, [See Home Miss., May, 1844, p. 12,] has gone, perhaps, where he may yet learn more of it, where the giver and the receiver, the sower and the reaper, the Redeemer and the redeemed meet, and rejoice together. These are but a few cases, among many as really, if not equally interesting.

General results.

But if there is a want of encouragement in particular cases, the general aspect of things is rather cheering. The attendance on our meetings has been constantly increasing, both in numbers and uniformity. Congregations are attentive and seem serious. Our little church, consisting of but six members, enjoyed its first communion season, September 15th. Several sermons were preached on Saturday and Sabbath. Brother Reed of Fairfield, and Rev. Mr. Dashiel, formerly an Episcopal Pastor in Baltimore, were present. For the first time our meeting house was crowded to overflowing with a deeply interested audience. Some were present, who had never been with us before; others, for the first time, seemed to listen in earnest. It was decidedly the most interesting_meeting that I have seen in the New Purchase, and although I do not know that a single conversion has been the result, I think we have reason to hope that impressions were made which will not soon be effaced.

"Lo the poor Indian!"

It may be interesting to know that this meeting was held in the "Old Council House," a building erected for the special purpose of accommodating the Indians when assembled in their negotiations with the authorities of the United States. Here, less than two years ago, savages were sitting and lying upon the floor, smoking their pipes and singing their songs; but now a congregation of Christians are celebrating the dying love of their Lord and Master.