in regard to these things. Within two or three years past, the improvement is very obvious. Add to this, these churches are small, have had but little religious training in years past, and therefore are not as decided and efficient as they might be. But without the aid of your Society they must be destitute of the means of grace. From a Missionary on the Ohio. My field of labor is some 20 miles in length, and 8 or 10 in width, embracing a rough part of the country on both sides of the River. But notwithstand ing the ruggedness of my field, the Lord has blessed me with health so that I have been enabled to perform the duties of my office. I preach one third of my time at the congregational church. The blessing of God thus far has attended our efforts. This church now numbers 36 members, 9 of whom have united since I commenced my labors there. Our congregation listen to a preached Gospel with a good degree of attention, and some seem to feel an interest for their soul's salvation. One aged man, the father of a numerous family, has recently expressed a hope in Christ. Eighteen years ago he was a member of the Baptist church; but he soon became a notorious drunkard, and was excommunicated. In this state he continued far from God and true religion. Almost two years ago he signed the temperance pledge, and has lived up to it. Since I entered that neighborhood he has attended my meetings with his family regularly. His conscience would not permit him to rest in his former wicked life. He thought himself too great a sinner to be pardoned, and was in great distress of mind. Without knowing the true state of his case, I preached a sermon from 1 Tim. 1, 15: in which I showed that Christ died not only for those who thought themselves little sinners, but for the greatest-even the chief of penitent sinners. This touched the secret springs of his soul, so that he can now speak forth the pardoning love of God boldly to his fellow men. Thus far he appears well. I will here state another cheering fact. There is a neighborhood about 2 miles from this church, embracing near 40 families, the most of them have fertile farms, and some are rich in worldly goods. But Universalism, infidelity and error, have obtained the ground. I know of but three families of them that belong to any evangelical denomination. All is truly a moral waste. I called a few weeks ago to converse and pray with one of these families. The father is a disbeliever in the Bible. After a short but pleasant stop, I left him. He soon sent word by Deac. C., who lives in the neighborhood, that he wanted I should preach there. He visited every family, and got their consent that I should occupy their school-house. They consented on condition that I should say nothing against infidel writers. So I appointed a meeting, and preached Christ to them. I have had several meetings-the house full-a majority of the hearers are unconverted young men. I shall continue my meetings there; and I cannot but think that the Lord will bless this opening for good. We have started a Sabbath School at Mof more than 30 scholars, with a library of 50 volumes. The church is united, and seem grateful hat they can enjoy the labors of one that cares fortheir souls. The Presbyterian church is 8 miles east of the above mentioned church. It numbers 27 members, 17 of whom are females. There has been no additions since my last report. The state of religion at present not very flourishing, There is a great want of enterprise and energy, both in temporal and spiritual things among them. Although I have preached upon Sabbath schools, and laboured to have one commenced, I cannot find the men among them that will take the responsibility. As I preach there but one third of my time, and always make it a point to preach three times on the Sabbath in different neighborhoods, I should find it very difficult, as well as too hard, to engage in the S. S. myself. But the urgency of the case has compelled myself and wife to engage in it every third Sabbath. My congregations here are increasing. A good degree of interest is felt. I now hold meetings in other neighborhoods ish them another season. They intend to in the vicinity, where a Presbyterian clear and fence enough land for a pasture preacher was never heard before this for our cow and horse. I long to have the summer. One woman told me that she time come when I can turn my whole atwas 60 years old, and never before heard tention to the work of the ministry, una preacher of that denomination. This embarrassed by secular concerns. I neighborhood is thickly settled, and has would not be understood to complain. been pre-occupied by Universalists, The Lord has been kind to us. The more Newlights and Methodists. The Me- self-denying our work has been, the thodists two years ago received more more of his presence he has afforded. than 40 persons into their church here, We have been and are still happy in of whom but one now remains in regu- his work. We have tried his promises lar standing. My meetings in the and they have not deceived us. Our school house are crowded to the over- circumstances are favorable to a deep flowing. There is a prospect of doing sense of dependence on the arm of the good in this whole region. Almighty. I have spent one third of my time in Co., Virginia. There is here no church of our order. There are a few Methodists and Baptists, but the majority are infidels or nothingarians, who are the principal owners of the property. Sabbath breaking, profaneness and quarrels are very common. There seems to be no unity in feeling or action. They only have occasional preaching. One of the encouragements is, they have a disposition to attend my meetings; for years I have taught Sabbath school among them, which creates an attachment towards me. I feel that something should be done for' them. I have been in many parts of the West, and I can truly say that I A question to be answered. And now, dear brethren, as agents of the A. H. M. S., will you help us! Will you renew my commission and forward me a draft? I have never wished to stand in the way of any other person who could be more useful. The Lord has blessed our efforts beyond our deserts. We leave it with you, brethren, under God, whether we remain in this field of labor or not. Without the aid of your Society we cannot remain here. MICHIGAN. have not found a more destitute field From Rev. Luther Shaw, Algonac, St. of labor than this section of country. Forest Labor. Clair County. A world of darkness exchanged for one of light. Another death has occurred in this We have unavoidably been subjected church, since my last report. The to many inconveniences and hardships; blind girl, to whom allusion was made few even in a new region of country in a former communication, took a seare called to meet with so many. They vere cold, a year ago last winter, from cannot be described; in order to be which she never recovered. She bore known, they must be experienced. her sickness with the greatest patience, For example, nearly all the feed for my and the utmost composure. During the horse, in the summer season, is to be summer and fall, she was able to be obtained from the woods. Many a about and ride, and she frequently visi time, after riding my horse nearly all ted us, and conversed on the subject of day, have I been obliged at night to death, and the scenes of untold interest turn him loose into the forest; and be which would follow. This spring and under the necessity perhaps of going most of the winter she was confined to many miles for him the next time he is the house, and generally to her room. needed. And this is a pretty fair sam- I visited her as often as circumstances ple of inconveniences in other respects. would permit (her residence being 8 Our people are making effort to dimin-miles distant) and always, except on number of impenitent parents and friends of the children, with other individuals, are reached, who would otherwise remain entirely inaccessible. From an early missionary. one occasion, found her enjoying great peace of mind through the Lord Jesus Christ, and entire willingness to depart. When in health she was rarely absent from the house of worship, notwithstanding the great embarrassment under which she labored from her blindness. She always paid the strictest attention to all the exercises of the sanctuary, and for years she could repeat the texts, she had heard discoursed from, and portions of the psalms and hymns which she had heard sung. She had made some progress in learning to read the New Testament in raised let-missioned to this new country. I have ters. She took great delight in hearing the Bible and good books read; and she had treasured up in her mind much Scripture which she would repeat, if occasion required, with ease and appropriateness. She loved, and prayed for the church. At her earnest solicitation, I administered the sacrament of the Lord's supper to her about 4 weeks previous to her decease. It was a scene of deep interest to her and other members of the church. But her cares and toils are ended, and I trust she rests in peace. In reporting for the half year since the date of my commission, I feel like renewing my age. My mind runs back fifteen years, when I was first com been permitted to see the desert blos som as the rose, and the wilderness and solitary place made glad,' by the effusions of God's Spirit. Years since, I But God in his providence has thrown supposed I had done being a missionary. rather I should say, my Society, for if me back once more upon your Societythere be one benevolent object I love more than another, it is the A. H. M. S. And I think I shall love and cherish it so long as I love any object of earth. My labors during this year, thus far have been arduous. I have preached three times on the Sabbath, and while the evenings would permit, twice or three times during the week. I have felt a strong desire to see the Lord's From Rev. J. W. Smith, Eaton Rapids. work revive among us; and have Good accomplished. sometimes felt that the time to favor Zion was at hand; but the blessing is deferred. My congregation is considerably larger this season than for years before. Still our house of worship is not full, and I have reason to mourn that many attend no meeting for religious worship, unless when one comes along to tell them, "Ye shall not surely die." There have been no conversions among us, during the period covered by this report. Still, as I hope my most prominent desire is to be useful, so do I believe that our efforts in the cause of Christ have not wholly failed to produce present effects. A friend to good order remarked the other day that he thought there was a general improvement in the morals of this community; and it is certainly true that our tracts, Sabbath school, and other religious books, are now continually finding their way into almost every family in the village and neighborhood. Former opposition to our Sabbath school seems to have ceased, and no one now refuses to let his children attend. The school is now in a most flourishing state; and though we are so poorly supplied with teachers that Mrs. S. is obliged to act as superintendent, yet by its means a large There Our Sabbath school is interesting, though not quite so full as in some former years. My Bible class is connected with the school. This scattered population cannot be gathered to study the word of God, except on the Sabbath. The majority of the church and congregation is connected with the school. We hope it is a nursery of piety. Our teachers are all pious. We No Groggeries, remain a temperate people. never has been in the limits of this town a place to sell intoxicating drinks. There are very few of the children and youth, and I may say of the people, who are not pledged to "total abstinence." The cause has taken deep root here, and were it not that in surrounding places the poison can be procured, none of the people would drink. Specimens of adverse influences. During most of the three months past, numbers have been sick of a prevailing epidemic, and consequently numbers have been prevented from public worship. I have been very sick myself, but through the blessing of God I am now recovering, yet have scarcely strength left to make out this report. It is now the fourth week since I have been able to appear before this people on the Sabbath, and I cannot expect sufficient strength to preach for a Sabbath or two to come. In addition to the above discouragements, this place has been so long an uncultivated waste, that infidelity has assumed the boldest tone, and seems to bid defiance to the Gospel. It takes the highest seats in the place, and most if not all of the older settlers have drunk largely of its poisonous draughts. A year last winter, one of the New-Jerusalem sect gave several lectures, setting forth his peculiar views, which were very favorably received by infidels, and eagerly listened to by those who wish to break away from the restraints and authority of the Gospel. Thus they shield themselves from the truth, to excuse themselves from personal religion, on the ground of this fanciful interpretation of Scripture. The Bible, say they, does not mean as it reads. Hence the Mosaic account of the creation, the flood, the resurrection, and almost every thing else, is denied. At one time, we are told that the Bible ought to be so plain as to exclude the possibility of misunderstanding it; at another, that the fanciful interpretation of Swedenborg is very clear and satisfactory to their minds. Aother cause which seems to render powerless the Gospel, is the disregard paid to the Sabbath. Quite a large portion of the community have no more regard for the Sabbath than any other day. Most, I presume, cease their ordinary business on that day; but if any work presses, or any little job is to be done, the Sabbath is disregarded in doing it. So that every Sabbath is, more or less, made a day of amusement, of visiting, of hunting and fishing. The people, I think, are emboldened to break the Sabbath more openly and freely from the example of some of our first business men. Some of our forwarding merchants keep their establishments open on the Sabbath, as on any other day, and receive produce from the country, load teams with goods, and load vessels; all this on the Lord's day. Tavern influence seems to be another cause to divert the mind from the truth. A new tavern keeper has come in the past season, and he has been successful in getting up numerous balls and dances at his inn, which has kept a large portion of the community constantly excited, and left no time for serious reflection. This is indeed a discouraging picture; but we have known many such places changed by the power of the Gospel into fields of moral verdure, budding and blossoming as the rose. We doubt not, that the blessing of God on the faithful labors of our intelligent missionary at this station, will ere long give a different aspect to the community where he is endeavoring to teach a more excellent way. NEW-YORK. Revival. During the first two months of the quarter, nothing of unusual interest occurred. At the commencement of last month our Baptist brethren commenced a series of meetings. From that time an interest began to be felt among the friends of the Redeemer; they gave themselves to the work of prayer and self-examination. The Holy Spirit was evidently with them by his heart-searching presence, setting their sins in order before them. Some were led to question the validity of their hopes. Some who had made a profession of religion | course of lectures, "he must be "heard,” in former revivals were brought to see at all events, be he who he may. And that their hopes were not founded upon if he only asserts some novel opinion, the rock Christ Jesus, and to abandon (no matter how absurd,) with a good them; while they implored mercy at degree of positiveness, and some show the hand of a gracious God. A more of piety, there is a class always ready thorough work of the Spirit than this to swallow it, and to praise its propahas probably never been wrought among gator as the "most holy man they ever those professing godliness in this com- saw." With this class, the last lecturer munity. Our people, so far as they is always sure to be the "smartest and have attended upon the means, have most pious," and of course he must be been greatly benefitted. The fountains right. The practice of thus running of conviction in their hearts seemed to after strangers and being taken up with be broken up. And while the work of every "new thing" has been a curse reformation has been carried forward in to this place. Nothing has had such a the church, those without have been tendency to prevent the usefulness of aroused from their guilty slumbers, and Christians, and to bring religion into a number, I doubt not, have been contempt. But I am happy to say that brought into the liberty of the Gospel. my people are beginning to set their The hiding-places of some have been faces decidedly against it. exposed, while they have been led to seek refuge in Christ the only ark of safety. One man whose wife is a member of our church, and who is a man of influence, remarked, that he had supposed his influence to be on the side of religion until a few days since, when he was led to see that it had all been against God and his cause. The struggle in his own breast was protracted and severe, while the intercessions of God's people were incessant and earnest for his conversion to Christ. More decided evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit, making intercession for his people with groanings which cannot be uttered, I think I have never witnessed than I have within a few weeks past. A number of heads of families who were far from righteousness, have as we trust been made the subjects of renewing grace; a number of youth and children are cherishing a hope in Christ. Love of Novelty. Millerism is the exciting subject among us at present. A layman from a neighboring town is lecturing or "preaching" in one of our meetinghouses. Many flock to hear him, and think he is doing "a wonderful sight of good." They pronounce him the "smartest," as well as the most "pious" man they ever saw; though he scouts the idea of praying for the conversion of the poor heathen, and denounces ministers and every body else, as “cryers of peace and safety," who will not believe, now in 1844, that 1843 is the time when the world is to be destroyed! When I have witnessed the distracting influence of these lectures on the church, I have often thought of the words of the apostle: "He that troub leth you shall bear his judgment, whoso ever he be." These men are incurring a fearful responsibility. No doubt many of them mean well; but they are troublers in Israel. A few of the members of my church have been troubled with their doctrine, but the most are "steadfast, unmoveable," and I trust, to some good degree, are "abounding in the Though I am not without some en-work of the Lord.” couragement in my labors, yet I find there are many difficulties to be met. We have various influences in the com munity hostile to the welfare of our So- The Poor, away among the Monn ciety. Then, there is here, as in many other places, a strong tendency on the part of many to run after "new things" tains. In taking a tour the other day among in religion. If a stranger comes along the hills to search out the poor and igand offers to deliver "a lecture," or "a || norant, my soul was much cheered to |