for support. Our morals are corrupted -our resources are consumed-our lives endangered, by the hordes of convicts and paupers which are annually thrown upon us. The calamity cannot long continue a local one. It must sooner or later extend itself, till it pervades the country, and until all sections are made to feel the curse of it. Our indigenous vices-the growth of our own depravity on our own soil-would seem to be enough to call forth the prayers and exertions of the American churches, and task their liberality and zeal to the utmost. What concern, then, should we feel for our country, when we are apprised, that the dregs of Europe, the refuse of her armies, the burglars, robbers and homicides, sloughed off by society as insupportable nuisances-as well as those who come hither as propagators of Romanism and infidelity—are all poured into the stream of population that is flowing through our land! Correspondence of the A. H. M. S. IOWA. Fourierism on the frontier. From a Clergyman in Iowa. About nine miles from Oskaloosa, upon the Des Moines, is a settlement commenced by a society of emigrants organized in Watertown, N. Y., on the principles of Fourier. It is called the "Iowa Pioneer Phalanx." In September it consisted of about fifty persons, including women and children. A part of these only had come from Watertown, others having joined them since their arrival. They have in their possession a mill site, regarded by many as the finest which the Des Moines affords. Here, at some future day, they hope to be able to erect a mill, which, from the increase of their numbers and wealth, shall eventually grow into a splendid manufacturing establishment. Their cabins are joined to each other in a con tinuous range, and seem like a little city in the wilderness. They have farm, stock, and other property in common, share their labors in common, board at a common table, and hope, in the economy of such an arrangement, to find wealth, and in the pleasures of social intercourse to find happiness. They believe, in common with the founder of their system that most of the evils which we suffer, so al and moral, spring solely from the jarring of individual interests, and would at once disappear under a proper organization of society. They believe that he has discovered, and that they are carrying out, that principle of unity "under which the interests of all will blend in the most delightful harmony, and that hatred must of course cease when its causes are cut off. Their motto is, "Love thy neighbor as thyself." We, of course, were deeply anxious to see the development of so holy a principle, and as they seemed equally ready to exhibit the merits of Clayton Co. their system, we discussed it with the From Rev. J. J. Hill, Jacksonville, utmost freedom. We ventured to bring forward another principle as lying still deeper than the above: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart." The propriety of this requirement was readily admitted, but it was urged that God was a spirit, and could read at a glance all the thoughts and feelings of our hearts, and therefore any external form of worship was unnecessary; besides, those who profess most often feel the least. On the other hand it was urged, that God positively commands us to worship him, and that the expression of our love to him was as natural, and for some reasons as necessary, as that of our love to men; besides, those who express most love to men, often feel the least. We hazarded a few inquiries as to the practical operation of their system, and learned, not much to our surprise, that there had been, in a few instances, difficulties between different families, "probably the result of a short acquaintance," and that "the matter had all been talked over, and at last happily settled," and that "nothing of the kind would probably occur again." I have since, however, met several individuals who were then prominent members of the association, having joined it at Watertown, but have left on account of some dissatisfaction with the practical workings of the system. No objection was offered to holding meetings for those who wish to attend, at night or on the Sabbath, any time when we might find it convenient. The use of a room was politely offered to us. We therefore made an appointment for the next Sabbath, and found a congregation of women and children, with a few men; others, acting up to their professions, were too busily employed in doing good to themselves, and their fellow men, to waste any time in the unnecessary worship of God. Here we found a few professors of religion of different denominations. We left a few tracts, which were read with interest by some, and ridiculed by others. A Cumberland Presbyterian had preached here once or twice. Besides this there had been no other preaching. There has been no other preaching in the county for the last three months. I have preached at the court-house nearly every Sabbath. We expect to maintain two meetings upon the Sabbath through the winter. The congre gation is attentive and solemn. I have preached occasionally in the neighboring settlements, and have always received a cordial welcome. In visiting the people I have found several who had been professors of religion, but who did not bring their religion across this great river, and have so lived that their neighbors never suspected that they had ever felt any interest in it. Two of them, who were in good circumstances, told me that they would cheerfully give up all their property, and begin the world anew, could they only feel and enjoy what they once did. We have continued to hold our temperance meetings once in two weeks, and have had considerable accessions to our numbers. The poison is still sold in the midst of us, which causes many to stumble, and is to us a great occasion of grief, but we are steadily moving onward. We are about to hold meetings in all the adjoining settlements and form auxiliary societies. Our governor appointed a day for thanksgiving in Iowa. I preached a sermon on the occasion, and we observed the day with gratitude and joy. To the eye of sense this appears to be the day of small things, but the eye of faith sees great consequences depending upon every action. emphatically "the accepted time, the day of salvation" with this people. Emigrants. This is A company of Dutch (chiefly Lutherans and Catholics) have bought Prairie la Porte, a town on the Mississippi, about eight miles from this place, and many of them expect to move on early in the spring. The company consists of about 350 families, and many of them are wealthy. They will probably bring with them their own minister or priest, and will carry on among themselves the The various branches of industry. farming part of the community will settle on the high prairie near Jacksonville, and intend entering about 1500 acres of land. This colony will probably be advantageous to the business part of the county, but disadvantageous, we fear, to the morals and religion of the people. From the Rev. R. Gaylord, Hartford, Des Moines Co. in his Master's work. He lived for God. To him we are all ready to accord the highest attainments in piety. His "conversation was in heaven"; his motto was "to spend and be spent for Christ." He brought all his powers and consecrated them to God. For several weeks before his sickness he appeared to be ripening for his exit. A few lines from a letter written to his brother a few weeks previous, show the habitual state of his mind for months. "As yet," says he, "I sojourn like Abraham in the land of promise, as in a strange land, having no inheritance, this land is, I am daily seeking a better, save a space 2 feet by 6. But good as even an heavenly. I am satisfied ten thousand Iowas would not make heaven. The footstool is the footstool still-and but a footstool. But the wonder and the glory is, that we who inhabit it, after all our guilt and unworthiness, may through grace aspire to the throne and the crown of heaven." Truly I can say, "Goodness and mercy have followed me" during these three months. We have had, thus far, a most delightful winter, and I have preached without interruption twice every Sabbath. My labors are two sermons on the Sabbath-class in the Sabbath school during intermission. Prayer meeting Sabbath evening, to which I go from two and a half to four miles, and a prayer meeting on Thursday evening, which is held from house to house through the congregation. The monthly concert is regularly observed. The Sabbath school is quite interesting. For the first time, we keep it up through the winter. It embraces a large portion of the congregation. I have a class of married ladies. The attendance on the Sabbath is steadily on the increase. Our house-20 by 24-is well filled, and often very much crowded. All see the need of a new and larger house, and the committee are pushing their arrangements for putting up a house early in the season. to be a frame 30 by 40. We build it within ourselves. Our prayer meet- People of color, Free, ings are increasingly interesting and very fully attended. A Missionary fallen. It is MISSOURI. Rapid increase of Population. A new census of the State of Missouri was taken in 1844, and has just been made public. The following is a synopsis of the leading facts. 80 Number of counties in the State, Slaves, Free whites who can read and write (in 77 counties,) do. Total of Population 1,551 70,300 71,851 168,246 165 111 511,937 The gain since 1840, has been 128,235, or more than 33 per cent. in 4 years. This re You may perhaps, before this will reach you, have heard of the death of our devoted brother Payne. He died at Burlington, January 8th, after an ill-sult is altogether unexpected, considering the ness of eleven days, in the midst of active life, in the meridian of his days. At the early age of 38 years, he has been called to his heavenly rest. Since his residence in Iowa, brother Payne has been engaged with untiring diligence VOL. XVII 22 causes which have operated to turn the tide of emigration to Iowa and Wisconsin. The new county of Platte, situated in the etxreme west, has now a population of 13,994, and is exceeded only by St. Louis and Boone, From Rev. G. A. Renshaw, Springfield, Struggling with frontier difficulties. During the three months just passed, I have preached less frequently in this needy field than heretofore, in consequence of the sickness, which has been very general, and of a very malignant character. In October, 4th Sabbath, I rode to my appointment, which was in the house of one of the members of our church. Three of the family were prostrate. The physician, who was there at the time, told me that he had then had more than 500 patients, and that more than two-thirds of the people where he had been, had been sick since the commencement of the sickly season. The prevailing sickness did not enter our family until the last day of October. Then Mrs. R. had a violent attack of inflammatory fever. For a few weeks she needed my attendance almost every hour, day and night, during which time I never undressed to take rest in sleep. In almost every family, in three miles distance, some were sick. Consequently but few could go from home to relieve the distressed. live twelve miles and more from Spring. field. Some say they would take religious newspapers if they lived near a post-office. Others say they would take them, if they could pay for them. Thus, almost without exception, they are de prived of the advantages of such papers, except as I loan or give them some that have been sent to me. From Rev. D. Weir, Morgan Co., Mo. In my last report I mentioned the afflictions with which we had been visited in our own family. From these afflictions we obtained but little relief till near the last of November. In consequence of this, I have had to confine my riding and preaching to narrower bounds, so as to be able to reach home more frequently. On this account I have visited the Moreau church but twice in my last quarter. But since that I have commenced regular preaching at another point, not so far distant, where there seems to be some encouragement. We have in that settlement received three members on examination, who, the distance notwithstanding, chose to be connected with New Providence church until next spring, when we hope to or But we should be thankful that God is now blessing us with returning health.ganize a church in their own settlement. Last Saturday and Sabbath, Mrs. R. for the first time since she was taken ill, was able to be at preaching. I trust that these afflictions have been sent in mercy and in faithfulness; and that from them we will learn a lesson of heavenly wisdom. I have made several attempts to form Sunday-schools in the different places where I preach, but failed from the circumstance of being unable to procure suitable teachers, who were willing to confine themselves to a regular attendance. But I have lately succeeded in organizing a Sunday-school in my own permanency; and securing teachers who feel interested, we have determined on erecting a new and comfortable house for that purpose, and have just finished getting the timbers to the place; which I am sometimes at a loss to know how much to urge on them the duty of build-immediate neighborhood, which promises ing. They are poor. For a long time they have been prevented, by sickness, from attending to their work at home. Much of such labor is now greatly needed. I feel more and more the need of in-house is to be appropriated to the busicreased efforts in my field of labor-of being more holy, and, if my life be preserved, of doing more good this year than during any year of my past life. One difficulty in our way is, that some do not consider themselves permanently settled. This hinders improvement. Another difficulty is, our distance from a post-office. More than half of us ness of the Sunday school and monthly concert prayer-meetings. Pray for the New Settlements. The difficulties encumbering the work of a missionary are often such as awaken no feeling of romance in the reader, and therefore are by many passed over as of little interest. But the Christian of a tender and compassionate spirit will not fail to regard such statements as these, as presenting a claim on his sympathies. Let him remember, then, the missionary in the wilds of the west; let him pray for the people in their poverty, their sickness, and worse than all—their indifference. Throughout the year past, in our country, the missionary's way has been much impeded, and his prospects clouded by different circumstances. The spring and early part of the summer was deluged with rain; our country was flooded the principal part of the time, from the first of April till the middle of July; which, in many instances, materially interfered with attending on the public means of grace. From the difficulty of rains and flooded lands, general alarm spread through our country with regard to raising a support. Some few succeeded in making a competency, but many made almost an entire failure, which has rendered it impossible for them to meet their debts, without giving any aid for ministerial labor. But, instead of these dispensations humbling the people and leading them to repentance, the general mass overlook the design of God, their minds are on the stretch to invent new plans of business, to procure relief, and are but the more blinded with regard to things spiritual. Again. Our country has been visited with general and severe sickness, produced by the unhealthy effluvia arising from flooded ground and stagnant water. Often our congregations, from this cause, have been small, many unable to attend and others compelled to stay with them. Again. Through the summer and fall, the political struggle that agitated our country became the all-absorbing theme, and spreading its deleterious influence, has much infected the hearts of many professors of religion, and submerged the irreligious throng under its maddening billows-political discussions frequently taking place to the annoyance of worshipping assemblies, even on the Lord's day. Thus difficulty rising on difficulty, seemed greatly to baffle missionary effort. I have out of my assigned field of labor, visited parts of four counties, Henry, Johnston, Lafayette, and Jackson, and observed the same chilling effects of these things on religion generally through our land. But the rainy season is over, sickness has given place to health, and the political convulsions that agitated our country have measurably subsided, and we are encouraged to hope for better days. From Rev. B. Ryland, Bolivar, Mo. Mr. R.'s lungs suffered so severely from over-exertion in preaching, that his physicians gave him no hope of recovery except by ceasing from his labors. So great however, is the demand for the message of salvation, that he has begun again to speak, as he could bear it, and has found to his great joy, that his health is recovering, and he hopes yet to proclaim the gospel to the multitudes that are scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd. Gratitude to God for the A. H. M. S, The great and frequent rains in the spring and summer prevented very many farmers from raising grain enough to make their bread. The winter, so far, has been very mild. It appears to be directed by a kind Providence, to suit the peculiar circumstances of the people. They have suffered greatly from sickness; and in places, at this time, they are suffering very much, and many are dying. Your missionaries have not escaped. They have all been afflicted in their persons or families. I have received $12, in grain and pork, from my people, and it is all that I expect to receive. Some of them have not got any for themselves. They have no money. My dependence for a support is on what is furnished from your excellent Society. Permit me here, to express my gratitude to your Society for what it has done for me. The North may live without it, but the West cannot. I bless God that he has ever put it into the hearts of his dear children to form such a Society as the A. H. M. S. May the great Head of the Church continue his fostering care, and blessing with it, until every person and family in Ame |