rica, shall be brought, through its benevolent operations, under the hallowed and saving influences of the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

From a Pioneer.

Feeling of loneliness.

Standing so far separated from any of my fellow laborers, I am often led to feel as though I were alone, and that the whole responsibility rested on me. Here the valley of death is spread out before me, while my inquiry often is, "Can these dry bones live?" Were it not for the glorious truth, that God is able of the stones to raise up children) to Abraham, my heart would sink within me. The light imparted by the promises of God gives me new courage and urges to renewed action.

From Rev. Z. Eddy, Mineral Point.

Mr. Eddy went to the West during the last autumn, and commenced his labors in Mineral Point in November. Speaking of his journey to that place, he remarks

The country through which I passed is exceedingly beautiful. Villages are every where springing up with surprising rapidity; and many of the prairies already present the appearance of vast and highly cultivated gardens. Eastern benevolence has too much overlooked the present and prospective importance of this beautiful territory.

The last year I had three churches under my care, but this year I have had but one. It may be considered in a prosperous condition. It is gradually, though slowly, gaining strength. The members are becoming more confirmed in their christian character. The Campbellite mania for a time set its current against it, and the prospect for a season was somewhat alarming. But the church has survived the shock, and is now going forward with renewed vigor. It has made no inroad into our little vineyard, nor has the wild boar from Mineral Point is built at the termithe woods plucked down its branches. nation of a range of hills, rich in mines It sustains a weekly prayer meeting, of lead, copper and zinc, whence its besides regular worship on the Sab-name. It is the most important inland

Mineral Point.

village in the Territory, containing a
population exceeding 1500, and being
the centre of the lead and copper
trade of the entire mining region. The
population is composed of immigrants
from almost all parts of the globe.
This community has been somewhat
singularly exempted from the evils of
I have found no Univer-
sectarianism.
salists, Campbellites, Unitarians, Mor-
mons, &c. I was happy to find, on my
arrival, that the cause of Temperance
was triumphant-that many who had
been addicted to gambling and kindred
vices, had visibly reformed, and that,
on the whole, the morals of the place
would compare favorably with those of
most eastern villages.

Meeting house dedicated.

I preached my first sermon to a congregation of about sixty. Every succeeding Sabbath has swelled the audience, and it now sometimes exceeds three hundred, and seldom falls below two hundred. After having preached here four Sabbaths I dedicated our new church. It is a beautiful edifice, 50 feet long and 36 feet in width, and cost $2,500. Of this sum $1,500 were contributed by one man. I have been laboring for a revival of religion, and on the whole have seen much to encourage me to persevering diligence. A few persons seem impressed with a sense of their guilt and danger, and are inquiring, "what must we do?" Ma

numbers and in interest. Five individuals united with the church, by letter, at the first communion season after my arrival here, and it is expected that several others will soon follow their example.

This is an interesting field, and I trust that labor will not be in vain bestowed upon it. There are Christians here who are deeply interested in the advancement of the cause of Christ, and who are laboring and praying for this object.

The congregation have already relieved the A. H. M. S. of a large portion of its responsibility for Mr. B.'s salary.

worth Co.

ny of the children are unusually fa- From Rev. D. Pinkerton, Elkhorn, Walmiliar with the teachings of the Bible. One little boy, five years old, brought me a dollar, which he had long been keeping for the purpose of buying a drum; and entreated me to send it to the missionaries. He had formed this resolution while listening to a sermon on Missions. Similar instances of self

denial frequently occur among the Sab

bath school children.

At a general meeting of the church and society, last evening, a formal and unanimous call for me to settle here was made out, which I shall probably accept. It is thought best that I should be installed the first of next month. It is with trembling that I assume the pastoral office among this people. I know its difficulties and trials in an old and established congregation; but what must they be in a new, mixed and fluctuating community like this?

New Laborers Acceptable.

We are happy to hear of the favorable reception, (in nearly all cases of which we have yet been informed,) of the missionaries sent out during the last autumn. The following brief notices of two who went to Wisconsin will be acceptable to their numerous friends.

From Rev. H. H. Benson, Geneva, Wis.

I commenced laboring here on Sabbath, Oct. 27th, 1844. The congregaon the Sabbath is increasing both in

In company with brothers Benson and Snow, I arrived in Milwaukie on Oct. 13, having been somewhat hindered in our passage across the lakes by head winds. We were all employed in preaching in the course of a few hours

after we landed. The second Sabbath I spent in a small settlement 20 miles north of Milwaukie. During the following week I came to Sugar Creek, and spent the next Sabbath in that neighborhood, having received an invitation from the people of Sugar Creek and Elkhorn to remain with them a year. I have continued to preach since that time, alternately in these two places.

The people at Sugar Creek are farmere, mostly from New-England. They live scattered over a considerable extent of territory, occupying land of the very best quality. There is a small church of some fifteen members. Two have been added to their number of late. We worship there, at present, in a school-house. The attendance has been regular, and the audience gradually inOn the whole, I am well creasing. pleased with the people and think it a promising field of labor.

Elkhorn is the county seat of one of the best farming communities in the The village has mostly Territory. grown up within three years, and is now increasing in interest and importance. The surrounding community are situated on several roads which pass

through the place in different directions. | The Congregational church consists of about twenty members, most of whom are females, and all, I believe, were professors of religion in some of the eastern states. We have established a weekly prayer-meeting for all, and a female prayer-meeting once in two weeks. There is, I think, an increasing interest in religion, on the part of the members of the church. I believe there has never been a conversion in the place, nor have they ever had a prayer-meeting till within a few weeks. The people are intelligent, though error of every description abounds. I have no hope for this village but in the power of God. I am entirely satisfied with my place of labor; it is just such as I have been looking forward to for years.

ILLINOIS.

Revival.

The Lord has blessed us with a precious revival. Several professed infidels, one Universalist, and one Roman Catholic, have yielded to the truth as it is in Jesus, and give clear and bright evidence that they have experienced the renewing influence of the Holy Ghost. Six were added to the church at the communion in November; sev. enteen at the next communion season, and four will unite with us next Sabbath; in all twenty-seven. Is not this cheering?

There are still others who are deeply convicted, and who will, I trust, find the Redeemer precious to their souls. Every thing seems to be encouraging. There is most perfect unanimity of feeling in the church. The prayer meetings are crowded and deeply interesting.

The young converts seem to be ready to take up every duty, without looking

From Rev. W. E. Chittenden, Belleville, upon duty as a cross. Their trembling

Ill.

Sacrifices and Blessings.

I was absent from Belleville about three months in the autumn. During my absence, I made an effort to obtain funds to complete our house of worship, and succeeded in getting $265. With out this aid, we could not have gone on with the building.

voices and imperfect but heartfelt lan-
guage, are heard in supplication at
every prayer meeting.

The young men have established a
Saturday evening prayer meeting for
themselves, and are fast preparing, I
doubt not, to be extensively useful in
building up the Redeemer's kingdom
in this valley of the west.

Sabbath is adding to their numbers.
More than half of them are German
children, and we have several German
teachers, members of the church-and
this, I am convinced, is the only way to
make a good impression upon our Ger-
man population, which is very large. It
is next to impossible to bring the truth
to bear upon the adults, but we hope
to train the children for the Lord.

Our Sabbath School has increased I found on my return, that encouraged during the past month from 30 to beby the amount I had obtained, my peo-tween 60 and 70 scholars; and every ple had gone on to finish the upper part of the house, instead of the basement as had been contemplated. It is now completed, and is finished in a very neat and tasteful manner. It will cost something over two thousand dollars, most of which has been raised among ourselves. We are few in number and poor. The church is principally composed of females; but the people have a mind to work. One poor man, a carpenter, has given one hundred and twenty days work; and others have done equally well.

When I look back one year and think what we then were, and then what we are now, my heart is filled with thankfulness to God, who has so won

Our house was dedicated on Nov. 9th. The sacrifices of this little church to pre-derfully sustained, strengthened and pare a temple for the honor of the Savior, have blest us. To Him be all the glory. I trust the time is not far distant been graciously accepted, and their prayers when our house will be completely finheard and answered. A more recent com-ished and paid for, and your Society be munication gives the following account of the relieved from the burden of my support. state of things up to Feb. 1st.

[For the Home Missionary.]

Miscellaneous.

To Pastors and Missionaries at the

West.

main school at the place of public worship. In all such cases, the schools are substantially under the care of the churches; they, or some of their members, are responsible for their proper management and continuance, and they come within the sphere embraced by the plan of the Board.

DEAR BRETHREN-A year ago this date, I addressed a few words to you, through the Home Missionary, on the subject of libraries for destitute Sabbath schools. Since that time the Mass. S. S. SOCIETY has collected for this object about 3,660 dollars. This, according to the direction of the Board, the Treasurer of the Society transmits to destitute schools in Sabbath school books, "undiminished by any expense for collection." More than two thousand dollars of the above amount has been contributed by Sabbath schools, juvenile benevolent societies, and individual youth. One benevolent lady has made the generous donation for this object of 100 dollars; a young man has left, as a dying be-mitted, the Society, so far as it shall be able, quest, 50 dollars; and a "Juvenile Sewing will be glad to render assistance. Circle" has recently given the noble sum of 100 dollars. Some Sabbath schools have contributed for this purpose ten or twelve dollars every month; and the interest in this work is constantly increasing. One of the most interesting features in this enterprise is, that while we are rendering important aid to our churches at the West, we are educating the young to be benevolent.

All these pastors, missionaries and churches, that need libraries in maintaining schools thus situated, or in establishing new ones, where they will enjoy the oversight and care of the pastors or members of the churches, || and who wish the publications of the Mass. S. S. Society, should send their applications to the subscriber as early as may be. It is presumed that "no one will apply for libraries excepting those who are unable to obtain the means of purchasing them." Where only a part of the means can be obtained and is trans

These contributions are appropriated mainly to schools connected with, or under the care of the denominations aided by the American Home Missionary Society. And it is the plan of the Board to continue to do this, except in cases where the donors may direct otherwise; at least till the wants of these denominations are supplied. And this will not of course be regarded any more sectarian, or improperly exclusive, than it is for any given religious society to provide for its own existence, or supply the wants of its own Sabbath school, before extending aid to others.

It is also the plan of the Board to appropriate these contributions to aid in establishing and sustaining schools where they will be under the general supervision of ministers or members of the churches. There may be cases at the West, as there are many in NewEngland, where a church will send out some of her more active and efficient members to conduct local schools, in neighborhoods which are too remote to be accommodated by the

APPLICATIONS.-In making applications for libraries, it is very desirable that the following particulars be definitely stated:

The situation, relative importance, and general character of the place where the school is, or is to be located; number of inhabitants; number of members in the church; number of churches and schools of other denominations; number of scholars in the school for which the application is made; and the number that might, with proper efforts, and the encouragement of a library, be brought in; and what the school have done, by contribution or otherwise, to secure themselves a library.

Yours, respectfully,

A. BULLARD, Secretary of the Mass. S. S. Society. Boston, Feb. 5, 1845.

First death of a Missionary in Iowa.
DIED,

In Burlington, Iowa territory, January 8th, Rev. SAMUEL PAYNE, of Yellow Spring, aged thirty-eight years.

Mr. Payne was a native of New-Jersey. His literary course was completed at Bloomfield Academy. After graduating at this institution he pursued his theological studies at Lane Seminary. The first year after leaving the seminary he spent in Miami-county, Ohio.

mourn him as one greatly respected and ardently loved. He is the first of our number who has gone home, and we see not among the survivors one so well prepared. The feeling of his heart for months before his death is well expressed in the text which he select

The way of transgressors.

A few days ago I officiated at the funeral of an aged man, who died in consequence of intemperance. He belonged to a highly re

Be fore the expiration of the year he received an invitation from the church in Salem, Meigs county, to become their pastor. This invitation he accepted, and labored with this church and in the vicinity for six years. During this period his ministrations were owned by his Divine Master, and enjoyed his rich blessed for his funeral sermon: "I am in a strait ing. A partial result of his labors was the betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be colonizing, at different times, of three chur- with Christ, which is far better." [See p. 253.] ches from the one in Salem, and still leaving it larger than at the time of Mr. Payne's settlement. The usual hardships of a western missionary's life, fell in their full share upon Mr. Payne. His constitution is thought to have suffered in consequence of exposure and toil. The hope of better health, combined with other reasons, led him to this new terri-spectable family-was thoroughly educatedritory. Two years have completed his labors here, and taken him to his reward. Yellow Springs and vicinity has been the scene of his efforts. Amid the shifting population of a new country, without houses for worship, or organized society, ministerial labor in the West is often seed sown by the way-side, and like bread cast upon the waters, "is found only after many days." Thus Mr. Payne mourned over the few visible results of his labors, and the saddening effects of this fact did much to prepare his constitution to sink beneath disease. But his record is on high, and in the hearts of those who listened to his faithful preaching. His ministerial brethren

acquired immense wealth-lived in splendor and luxury for some years-became intemperate-squandered his property-and after a long life, spent in profligacy and sin, died suddenly of apoplexy, without hope in Christ. His most intimate friend is now suffering the horrors of delirium tremens, and will soon give up his account to God. Two men were recently frozen to death while in a state of intoxication, a few miles distant. A third was burned to death in a grocery, in which he had been locked up for the night. "He that being often reproved and hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy."

Notice to the Missionaries of the A. H. M. S.

Dear Brother-By the terms of your commission, it will be recollected, a Statistical Report is to be forwarded to the Society by the first of April. The data supplied by such Reports are indispensable for making out a full exhibition to the public of the doings of the Society for the year. We, therefore, make early and earnest request, that you will furnish the following list of particulars, in a special communication, by mail, as early as the FIRST DAY of APRIL NEXT.

If by the terms of your commission, a quarterly Report is due from you to this office at that time, you can, of course, forward that on the same sheet. But you are requested, on no account, to delay your statistical Report after April 1st. 1. Name of the Church, with the township, county, and State; and also the post-office address of the missionary.

2. Number of hopeful conversions.*

3. Number added to the Church by profession.*

4. Number added to the Church by letter.*

5. Number of Sabbath-school and Bible-class Scholars.

To be reckoned from April to April, if you have been in commission the whole year; if not, for the portion of the year, between these dates, which your commission covers.