ments which are given to the Penitent. These most important subjects are here stated in very plain and forcible language. The writer has given a peculiar interest to his composition by a judicious selection of anecdotes, and by appropriate quotations from the best of our old Divines; but that which will endear this valuable little treatise to every sincere Christian, is, that spirit of liberality, tenderness, and purity, which breathes through out. The Decline of Religion: an Inquiry into the Causes of the Decline of Religion in Christian Churches, and the best Means of effecting a Revival. A Sermon preached before the Hampshire Association, at Ringwood, April 23, 1812, and published by their desire. By John Griffin. Second Edition, price 1s. 6d. THE text is Rev. iii. 2. Be watchful and strengthen,' &c. from which the preacher points out the following causes of decline,-a culpable inattention to the things which are necessary to preserve the spirit and life of religion, the pernicious tendency of erroneous sentiments, the destructive influence of a worldly spirit, the neglect of scriptural principles in conducting the affairs of the church,-a fastidious and false taste, and, an inefficient ministry. Under these general heads is produced a mass of most important instruction derived from the sacred Scriptures, from experience, and from the careful observation of a sound mind. There is so much excellent matter contained in this sermon, so well adapted to prevent decay in Christian churches, and to revive religion where it has unhappily declined, that we sincerely wish it may be read in every congregation in the united kingdom. Social Prayer recommended, Objections answered, and the Obligations of Christians to attend to this important Duty, stated, in a Letter, affectionately addressed by the undersigned Pastors to the Churches under their care. 6d. THIS is an affectionate address from several ministers to their people, on a very important subject. Among the means which it hath pleased God to bless of late years, for the spread of his gospel in Britain, we may safely number the increase of social meetings for prayer, which are in most places (where practicable) weekly and not confined, as formerly, to the members of churches, but including the more serious part of the congregations. There is yet, however, room for improvement. Some congregations have no prayer-meetings; in others, they are ill-attended, especially by the more wealthy; an exhortation, therefore, to this duty, on which the comfort of the minister and the success of his work so much depend, was needful, and does honour to the ministers who signed it: viz. the Rev. Messrs. Arrow, Godmanchester; D. W. Aston, Buckingham; T. P. Bull, Newport Pagnel; Samuel Hillyard, Bedford; and T. Morell, St. Neot's. It is also recommended by the Rev. Mr. Bull, sen. We hope this little tract will be much read (if read from the pulpit, so much the better) and be productive of much advantage to the Churches of Christ. PUBLICATIONS. The Danger of confiding in the Promises of an Enemy: a Sermon at Camden Chapel, by H. Draper, D. D. 8vo, 1s 6d. SELECT LIST OF RELIGIOUS Hymns, partly collected and partly original, intended as a Supplement to Dr. Watts, by the Rev. W. B. Collyer, D. D. 24mo, 5s. bound; fine paper, 6s.; 18mo, 6s. ; fine, 7s.; post 8vo, 16s. bound. A New Edition of Dr. Williams's and Mr. Boden's Appendix to ditto, 18mo, 4s. bound. Dobell's Selection, ditto, second edit.(near 800 Hymns.) 18mo, 58 6d. Memoir of Mr. T. Atkins, by C. Buck. 8vo, ls. Ordination of the Rev. W. Milne, Missionary to China. A Funeral Sermon for Mrs. Crisp, by J. Dennant, Halesworth. 8vo, 6d.; fine paper, Is. AMERICA. Society in Philadelphia for Foreign Missions. The following Extract of a Letter from Philadelphia, announces this important and pleasing intelli gence. "Ir will afford you pleasure to know, that a Missionary Society has lately been established in this city, whose object is to promote Foreign Missions. The Society is composed of Presbyterians, Independents, Scots Presbyterians or Seceders, German Lutherans, Calvinists, and Methodists; their board of Managers was elected a few evenings since. This, I hope, will be followed, as in the instance of the Bible Society, by other establishments in the United States. How much may be accomplished, under the divine blessing, by the united exertions of Christians in England and America,-but alas! the threatened interruption to the peace of our governments, casts a gloom on our hopes in this particular! The Lord reigneth;' and here must our dependence be placed." MR. BLACKBURN's Mission among the Indians is at an end: he had so injured his health, and, indeed, broken his constitution by his exertions in that service, and his numerous and ardent endeavours to do good, that he was compelled to resign his appointment as a Missionary at the last meeting of our General Assembly. We are looking for a successor, but have not as yet found one; if, however,none should ever be found, the effort made will not be lost. A considerable number of the youth of the Cherokee tribe of Indians have been so well instructed in the schools of Mr. Blackburn, both in literature and religion, that they are able to teach schools themselves, and are likely to do it. The whole nation is rapidly advancing in civilization.We have also another Indian Mission amongst the tribes at Sandusky and its vicinity, ine western parts of the state of Pennsylvania. Appearances here, so far as the interests of vital piety is concerned, are more favourable than among the Cherokees: several of the natives appear to be under serious impressions; and one of their headmen, of the name of Barnet, has become eminently pious. His family, with himself, have received baptism; and his children are under the care of our Missionary.-Oh! heathen shall be given to Christ for that the time were come when the his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession! In the mean time, let us be careful that our prayers, our patience, and faith do not fail. SOUTH AFRICA. Extracts of Letters from the Female Hottentots who visited England in 1803, to the Directors of the Missionary Society. [Translated from the Dutch.] Graaf Reinet, Dear Brethren, Oct. 4, 1811. THERE being now an opportunity of sending you a letter, I could not neglect writing to you, as, I trust, you will be pleased to learn that the Lord has hitherto shewn himself to me as a God of salvation. O! what am I, and what is my fa ther's house, that He has granted me his blessings! Yet, certainly, if it had not been his pleasure to make his free grace shine forth on the worst and unworthiest of the children of men, I should never have been an object of his eternal love. But it was his will to reveal to babes what he has concealed from the wise of this world. how delightful is it to me to sit down, like Mary, at the feet of our Saviour, for the purpose of being instructed by him! The little time that I shall have to live, and which probably will be very short, 1 shall endeavour to spend entirely in his service. The means of grace are not deficient here. We have abundance of them; and every one who feels the least inclination to the service of our Saviour, has nothing more to do than to accept, thro' faith. I can safely say, that no Christiancongregation in Africa receives greater spiritual blessings than this. The only thing we want amongst us, is the true hunger and thirst after righteousness. Many suppose themselves rich, enriched with the means of grace, and therefore they do not value them highly. This evening we had the blessing to go, accompanied with a great many, consisting of Christians and Heathens, to our prayer meetingt; and, with one mind and soul, we could prostrate ourselves before the throne of grace, and pray for our country and people, and the extension of the kingdom of Christ. To-morrow evening we shall have our private meeting of twenty-four females; when we unite in prayer and supplications to our Saviour, that he will give us courage to defend and propagate his cause. Dear brethren, we request you will also pray for us when you have your meetings He who hears your prayers will grant us his assistance. Here I shall finish my letter, recommending me to your friendship, and remaining Your unworthy sister in Christ, I AM very glad to meet with an opportunity by which I am able to send you a letter, though I have nothing particular to mention which you do not yourselves know by experience. It is only this that, I must confess, I perceive daily, more and more, that I am in my own eyes blind and foolish, but that Jesus Christ is all and all, and ever will be faithful in his love and grace; for he will never relinquish the work of his own hands. If it was possible that any change could be found in Jesus Christ, I should certainly be the first who must de clare, O God, now I must perish for ever!' but no fear; the sea may sometimes threaten with its waves to destroy the ships that are in the midst of them, but Jesus Christ is able to save us, and make us arrive safe in the port of eternal rest. We are not in want of the means of grace. Thousands of blessings we enjoy here, of which many of our fellow-creatures are deprived. O! that we may acknowledge it! that we may never give occasion to our worthy minister to perform his labours with sighs! It will not be necessary for me to write about our private meeting, which consists of twenty-four sisters; I shall merely say, that I am always very happy to be present. Every time that I am present I recollect those agreeable moments when I was present in your meetings. Yes; often when I think of them, tears of joy are in my eyes. I recommend myself to your prayers, and remain Your unworthy sister in Christ, MARIA S. VAN ROOY. INDIA. Extruct of a Letter from Mr. Prilchett at Vizigapatum, to his Brother, dated Jun. 13, 1812. VIZICAPATAM is in a very mountainous country. The Missionary Settlement is in a valley, about a mile from the sea; and the stillness of our nights is disturbed only by the distant roaring of the surf upon the sounding shore, aided by the re-echoing of the mountains. I suppose that the air of the country is pretty salubrious. We have generally plenty of wind, and (probably on that account) no fog. I suppose, in the summer season it is warin enough otherwise; and, were the people not mad upon their idols, it would be a most delightful place. O that the river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God, The ministry of Mr. Kicherer (formerly Missionary at Zak River) who is settled here, is remarkably useful, both to the whites and Hottentots. + On the first Monday evening of the month, when meetings for prayer are held in many parts of the world, for the spread of the Gospel. (and Britain's favoured isle) would How hither also and cheer this dreary waste! You wonder at the Divine forbearance in England! but there you have little, comparatively, to wonder at! How long, O Lord, will it be ere thou shalt arise and plead thine own cause! You cannot conceive how deeply these people are entrenched in the strong hold of ignorance, prejudice, pride, and obstinacy!--if you come near their food, you pollute it; -to pour water on their hands out of a vessel, is a sin, &c.; but still it is our duty to go on, putting our trust in Jehovah. O for Truth and Patience!' IRELAND. WE rejoice to hear that additional Bible Societies are forming in Ireland, which, we trust, will prove, in the best sense of the phrase, Catholic Emancipation, or deliverance from the tyranny of Rome. The Belfast Branch of the Dublin Society has been particularly ac BRISTOL MISSIONARY SOCIETY. [Taken from the Bristol Journal.] In the History of the Christian Church the religion of the Lord Jesus has, perhaps, seldom assumed a more lovely form than that in which it appeared in this city in the course of last week [Oct. 6, 7, 8.] Much interest had been previously excited in the minds of pious persons of almost every denomination, by the expected meeting of the Friends of The Missionary Society. It had for several weeks been announced, that Sermons were to be preached for that truly-Christian Institution, and that it was hoped a Society would be formed in Bristol for the purpose of aiding its important operations. This information was ardently hailed by almost all descriptions of religious people; but every fond anticipation appears to have been exceeded. Indeed, the services were distinguished by that impressive solemnity and sacred joy, which could not fail to raise the minds of the devout worshippers to the celestial temple, where zeal for party distinction is superceded by divine ascriptions of glory, and honour, and blessing to Him that sitteth upon the Throne, and to the Lamb for ever. The Missionary Cause, which has for its object the illumination of the dark places of the earth, which are full of the habitations of cruelty,' is worthy of the best exertions of the best of men; and appears to awaken the zeal of every pious heart in proportion to the prevalency of the heavenly principle within. In truth, were the various speculations respecting the final state of the Heathen for ever abandoned, still the claims of kumanity are imperious on every Christian nation for the diffusion of Christian light. The miserable victims of the superstitions of the heathen world are to this day enduring incredible tortures, and the blood of thousands of the human race annually stains the earth, through the mistaken notion of thus bribing the friendship of Heaven. It is well known that, prior to the introduction of Christianity in Britain, human victims in great numbers were thus sacrificed; and among various tribes of Pagaus these horrible practices still prevail, particularly amongst some of the Hindoos, whose custom it is to select, in the bloom of life, those who are most remarkable for their beauty, and on public festivals to offer the unoffending victim to their gloomy goddess, in all the pomp of tremendous sacrifice!' There is a national custom still prevalent, which brings a widow, after having just closed the eyes of her husband, to be burnt to ashes at his side; and 30,000 at least of such victims are said to perish annually in the East Indies. In China too, a country so much celebrated by modern philosophers for the wisdom of its institutions, more than 10,000 children appear to be annually exposed; that is, abandoned to a cruel death. In attempting to rescue the barbarous nations of the earth from horrors like these, it surely becomes Christians to unite all their influence, and to be more than careful that lesser differences do not impede their course in so glorious a career. Such is the fundamental principle of The Missionary Society, which was founded in London in 1795. Like that noble monument of British philanthropy, The Bible Society, it knows nothing of the names of Churchman or Dissenter, of Calvin or Luther, of Episcopalian or Presbyterian; the best of men from amongst all these are enrolled as its most zealous supporters, and it concentrates all its energies in the exclusive dissemination of the knowledge of Christ, among heathen and other unenlightened nations. Since its establishment, this Society has sent out upwards of 100 Missionaries, and supports at present about sixty, whose different stations are in South Africa, India, the West Indies, North America, and New South Wales. To these many more might be added, were the funds of the Institution adequate to the pious zeal of its benevolent patrons. So truly liberal are its principles, that it enjoins on its Missionaries nothing in religion which is merely ceremonial or circumstantial: hence members of the Church of England, and of the Church of Scotland, and those who dissent from both, are all under its patronage; and, as Christian Ministers, are left to the free and unbiassed exercise of their own judgment in things confessedly indifferent. At some of the stations, therefore, these good men read the liturgy of the Church of England, and in other instances the worship is conducted without it;-but all are zealously employed in promoting the salvation of the lost. If then there be any institution on earth worthy the universal suffrage of Protestant Christians, those institutions are the Bible and Missionary Societies. It was to us, as we are persuaded it must have been to every truly liberal mind, a charming sight when we so lately beheld Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and Dissenters of various distinctions mingling hearts and hands, and nobly vying with each other in holy zeal for the advancement of so divine a cause! Ephraim did not envy Judah, nor did Judah vex Ephraim; all reverently bowed to the authority of the King of Saints, and mutual harmony and love were the blessed foretastes of that fulness of joy which in the heavenly world awaits the sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty. The first of these delightful services to which we refor, was celebrated in Redcliff Church, in the presence of a truly noble assembly. The prayers were read with great seriousness and propriety by the respectable Vicar of the parish; after which a sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. WILCOX, of London, from Neh. viii. 10: Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy unte our Lord; neither be ye sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. To do justice to the preacher in few words were impossible, and more our limits will not admit. We must, therefore, content ourselves by merely stating, that the discourse evidently exhibited all the characteristics of a superior mind ;-its doctrines were founded on the truth as it is in Jesus; its views were too lofty sẹ 1 |