is no fear of disappointment; therein also Christians learn their duty and their prospects, with regard to the progress of the Sacred Cause. I shall be excused, I trust, for saying, that I cannot but think, that it would be well if the attention of the Christian Church could be directed more entirely to the directions and promises of the Sacred volume, instead of looking so much for encouragement in the actual progress of the work. We, the Missionaries of this District, have been led to take this view of the subject, very especially, of late; and our minds are deeply impressed with its importance. We are exceedingly happy to find, that the practice of the Christian Public is so much improving with regard to the Resolutions brought forward at General Meetings; and I cannot but think that something more may yet be done to improve the general feeling in reference to this subject-that the interests of Missionary and Bible Societies may not have to depend so much on the pleasing and encouraging reports which their Directors may be able to bring forward; but that Christians may learn to feel, that it is their duty to exert themselves for the propagation of the Gospel, even though every attempt should be, for the present, unsuccessful. EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE. A gentleman, in a letter addressed to the editor, (enclosing a donation) writes as follows, 66 Through the kind hand of a merciful Providence, I have the ability, the privilege, and the pleasure, to send you a little more in aid of the benevolent work in which the United Foreign Missionary Society is engaged. More than two years ago, a mission box was prepared and taken to our monthly concert, to receive the contributions of such as met to pray for the prosperity of the church. Although but few meet on these occasions, nearly $40 have been cast into the treasury of the Lord, through this medium, to aid in advancing the rising glory of that kingdom, which will, in God's due time, fill the whole earth. I hope the period is not far distant, when Christians will universally manifest the sincerity of their prayers, by their cheerful, liberal contributions. While God works by means as he now does, it seems necessary that we take a little money in our hands when we go to pray for the salvation of the heathen and Jews-that something may be furnished to carry our prayers into effect." The following is from a letter addressed to the Editor of the American Missionary Register. It has afforded me much pleasure to hear that the recent "time of refreshing" enjoyed by the church in Sville is daily affording additional evidence of the genuineness of its character, and of the permanency of its results, in the augmented zeal and increased activity of the subjects of it. Several numbers of the American Missionary Register have long been taken by individuals in that place. But, upon receiving the Circular lately issued by the Board, a few, (who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity,) associated together under the determination to procure in that congregation, one hundred additional subscribers to the work. This is as it should be. Your Society is embarrassed, through the want of resolution in the churches-not of ability. What but this can account for the fact, that in the city of New-York, you have only about three hundred subscribers to the Register? There is scarcely a congregation in the lower part of the city in which this number might not be taken. And a little resolute perseverance in a few individuals in each church in the city, would swell your list to THREE THOUSAND. And why is not the effort made ?---Can the expense be an objection? It will not be in S. And why should it be in NewYork? I believe, Sir, that the disposition and the ability would be discovered in all of the churches, if a few individuals in each would imitate the above example. Who cannot, or will not give one dollar and fifty cents a year to receive regular accounts of the labours and trials of our missionaries among the Osages? Add to these the journals of the Seneca, Tuscarora, Cataraugus, Machinaw, and Sagana Missions, and the work rises in importance and value. when it is considered, that the publication is the property of the society-is designed to constitute one of the permanent resources of its funds-and is still an expense to the board, what member of either of the churches would refuse to become a subscriber? If business occupies so large a portion of their time that they cannot read it, can they not cheerfully afford one dollar and fifty cents a year for so pure and profitable a gratification to their wives and children? I confess, Sir, that I have been grieved at the disclosures made in your circular, and can assure you, that I have resolved that my exertions shall not be wanting to obtain relief for your treasury. In the effort making at Sville, I thought I discovered a charge to me, "Go thou and do likewise." I hope that some in every church will perceive and promptly obey it. V. B. T. But 12 00 12.00 15 00 36 00 Donation from H. H. Schieffelin & Co. 2 13 9 89 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UNITED FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY, During the Month of March, 1824. 11 00 39 00 Collected at the monthly concert in the Brick Collected at do. in the Presb. Church in New- Collected at monthly concert in Cong. at Wap- From a number of Ladies of the first Presb. Received as deduction on bill of Sundries from 11 88 12 75 13 75 From Presb. Cong. of Rev. Samuel Pelton, by the hands of do. 10 00 From the Female Miss. Soc. of Northumberland, Pa. by Miss Sarah H. B. Smith, Secretary, 27 50 From the Juvenile Female Miss. Society of do. by do. 5 50 Collected in the Rev. W. R. Smith's Cong. in do. 10 00 Collected at monthly Concert, in do. 12.00 From the Coxackie Aux. Soc. to constitute the Rev. Gilbert R. Livingston of Coxackie, and the Rev. Isaac N. Wyckoff of Cattskill, members for Life, by J. A. Hallenbeck, Treas. From the Members of the Associate Reformed Church in riagerstown, Md. to constitute their Pastor, the Rev. John Lind, a Member for Life, by Mrs. Mary M'Clenachan, 60 00 30 00 22 60 dolls. 685 81 *The agent was induced to desist from farther applications to these Churches, owing to their recent and very liberal contributions to their own institutions. Collected from the Congregation in Murray-Street, by the Rev. Mr. Crane. Missionary Register. VOL. V. MAY, 1824. Biography. No. 5. CHARACTERS AND OBITUARIES OF THREE NATIVE CHRISTIANS. [From the London Missionary Register.] To the Characters and Obituaries of the four Native Christians given in our last, we now add those of three others. Two of these, who were mother and daughter, were of that class whom Hindoo Superstition so often condemns to premature and violent death; and the third was a Native of Rank in a neighbouring country of Asia ;-all illustrating, in their peaceable departure, the power of that Gospel, which will one day banish the gloom and terrors of Heathenism from the face of the earth. Jugudumba, a Hindoo Woman.. These accounts of Jugudumba and Aluka are taken from the communications of the Baptist Missionaries in India. Jugudumba died in 1821, at the age of 53. She had been baptized nearly nine years; and had the happiness of seeing her four sons, two daughters, and two daughters-in-law, baptized likewise. Her Husband, a man high in the writer caste, lived and died a rigid Idolater; and, in his last moments, refused to receive food from his Son, because he had renounced caste and embraced Christianity, In her last illness, Jugudumba took leave of her relations, besought her children to suppress all grief on her account, and to rejoice that she was going to her Lord: whenever she found them at leisure, she desired them to read the Scriptures to her. After the death of her two sons, she become more meek (having formerly been of a violent and choleric disposition), and exhorted her sons to bear VOL. V. 17 and forgive injuries. She used frequently to say that she desired to depart, that she was weary of the world. When asked, upon what she fixed her hopes, she replied, "I am a great sinner-my only hope is in Christ!" When so reduced as to be scarcely able to move, she was still exceedingly anxious to attend Public Worship; and prevailed on two of her sons to support her, while she crept to the place, about half-a-mile from her own dwelling. For a week before her death, she was continually attempting to comfort her children; and would frequently say, "Why do you weep? Pray rather that Divine Mercy may rest on your last hours, as it does on mine." She often called them together, and exhorted them to avoid evil company, to live frugally, and never to omit attending Divine Worship. During the last week of her life, her son Komul, a member of the Church, and a student in the College, was sitting by her she said, "Why 66 66 do you not retire to rest?" Komul said he was overwhelmed with sorrow on her account, and could not sleep. She replied, Why do you thus grieve for me? what are my griefs? look at Christ, and see what He endured for us." While they were both in tears, the youngest daughter coming in, said, “O Mother, you used to be greatly concerned for us; but now you appear to have lost all your earthly attachments." She replied, I leave you in the hands of One, who loves you and cares for you, more and better than I can." By this time all the family surrounded the dying mother, who, seeing them all bathed in tears, said, "Why weep thus, and cast a stumbling-block in my path to heaven? Rather read your Bible and pray-pray especially for me." She never appeared to sink under her afflictions. When several females, of her own age, heard her frequently express a desire to depart, and argued that by this impatience God must be offended, she said that she hoped she had been made partaker of the Divine Mercy--that her Saviour had invited her to Him-and she did but feel anxious to obey His invitation. Her friends and relations being with her on the night of her decease, she urged first one and then another to pray with her; so that five or six of the Native Brethren prayed in the course of the night, and several Hymns were sung, especially that of which the chorus runs thus Eternal salvation through the death of Christ. Before her death, she shook hands with each individual, taking an affectionate farewell of them; and, about day-break, her spirit took its flight to the realms of eternal bliss. Aluka, daughter of Jugudumba. The death of Aluka was not less happy than that of her Mother. Aluka, one of the daughters of Jugudumba, died within six weeks of her Mother, at the age of 32. She was of a meek disposition, and anxious for the welfare of her family. After her baptism, her conduct was uniformly exemplary. She treasured up in her mind the Sermons which she heard; and frequently quoted them against those who transgressed the commands of Christ, especially in her own family. When any lamented the afflictions of the family, she reproved them, and pointed, like her Mother, to the sufferings of Christ. Her faith in Him was lively and strong: she said that she had cast the burden of her sins at the feet of Jesus; and that, though she was a sinner, she knew that He would save her. She urged her brothers to employ the evenings in reading through the New Testament in regular portions, hinting that it would be well to note down those passages which appeared remarkable; and her request was for some time obeyed, but she died before the New Testament was completed: when her brothers urged that they were fatigued and could not proceed, she would request them to repose, and repeat portions of Scripture to her thus they repeated the History of Joseph, Peter's Denial and Repentance, the Miracles of Christ, with many other passages. She delighted to join her brothers in singing, and was much attached to the Bengalee version of these Hymns"Jesus thy blood and righteousness!" "Jesus! and shall it ever be ?" and to the Bengalee Hymn, of which the chorus is, "O my soul! what can hinder thy becoming the disciple of Him who brings salvation?" At length her disease began to por tend a speedy dissolution; and on her being asked what she should show to procure admission into heaven, she said, “I am not the servant of the gods. I will say, I am the servant of Christ, and He gave His life for me." When her brothers returned from work, she would not unfrequently ask them to read to her portions of the Book of Job, or of the Psalms. She seldom acknowledged that she was ill; but when her sufferings were very severe, would continue singing, while the tears rolled down her cheeks. When the family mourned the recent loss of their mother and two brothers, she made use of those bereavements as arguments to direct their affections heavenwards. In the hour of death, she forbade her brothers and sisters to indulge grief; and assured them, that, if they continued in the right way, they would never be forsaken. She urged them to consider the doctrine of the Resurrection, and to note the words of the Apostle, That which thou sowest, is not quickened, except it die. Thus richly did the Word of God dwell in her. She suppressed the anguish which her disease occasioned, lest she should make her friends sorrowful; and, to her, were her family chiefly indebted for their religious comforts. To the last moment of speech, she declared that she had indeed laid hold on Christ as her Saviour, and felt assured that she should not be disappointed. Her last night on earth was spent by her relations in prayer and in singing hymns for her comfort. When her speech failed, being asked of her hope and joy, she laid her hand first on her breast, and then lifted it up as in adoration. She took leave of all present very deliberately; and, about six in the morning, was dismissed to her final rest, almost at the same hour and on the same day of the week with her Mother. Badma, a Noble Burial. The following narrative has just appeared in the Periodical Accounts of the United Brethren: it is taken from a Letter of the Rev. J. J. Schmidt, the Brethren's minister at St. Petersburg, dated Nov. 14, 1822. It has pleased the Lord, to call home to Himself our friend Badma, after a consumptive illness of three months' duration. His often-repeated wish, to be received into the Christian Church by holy baptism, was renewed with peculiar earnestness, du ring his last illness; and was at length granted, though not exactly in the manner which he had desired, namely, according to the rites of the Church of the Brethren. Upon this subject, I had an interview with Prince Galitzin, who declared to me, that he had no personal objection whatever to comply with this request; but that as such a transaction could not take place without the concurrence of His Imperial Majesty, it would be necessary to wait his return. However, the rapid decline, which had begun to manifest itself in the health of the patient, leaving no hope that he would survive this interval, I deemed it my duty to lead his mind by degrees from the expectation of recovery, which, like most persons in a consumption, he appeared to indulge; and likewise from the hope connected with it, of being baptized by a Minister of the Brethren's Church. I stated to him, with as much delicacy as I could, the danger of his situation, and the possibility of his being soon called out of this world. After explaining to him the difficulties in the way of his baptism by us, I assured him, that this solemn rite, as administered by the Greek Clergy, had the same object and signification, and might be accompanied with the same blessing to his own soul that, on his part, all depended upon a sincere and heartfelt desire to be a disciple and follower of Jesus, and a true member of His Church; to renounce the world and whatever is contrary to the mind and will of Christ; and to receive Him, by faith, as the author of Salvation. He, at last, determined to be baptized according to the Greek Ritual; and I lost no time, in making the Prince acquainted with his resolution. I found with the latter, the Metropolitan, so that the whole could be immediately arranged; and Prince Galitzin having consented to become sponsor, the following day, Oct. 26, was fixed for the performance of this solemn transac |