of the philosophers themselves? What the influence which they could exert over the religion of those who felt for their learning the highest veneration, and adopted its dictates with the most implicit confidence? To the result of this examination-the more extensive, and the more minute, the better-the question may be fairly and confidently left. How lively should be our gratitude to God that we are not exposed to the miserable delusions that the whole history of mankind declares to be consequent on religion, formed and maintained without a knowledge of revelation! That we are not the wretched votaries of a religion superstitious, cruel, blasphemous, and obscene; our thanks are not due to the light of human science. Time has been when that shined with a splendour never surpassed; and yet could not dissipate the blackness of thickest darkness in which the moral and religious world was enveloped. At the same time, there was a people, but children in human knowledge, who stood alone in the exercise of a religion which reason and reflection could approve. That people was the Jews. Save for the lively oracles which had been committed to them; very inferior were their means of moral and intellectual cultivation. These lively oracles raised them, in the purity and excellence of religion, high above all the nations of the earth. If we would know what mere ethicks can effect, combined with deepest learning and research, and urged with every advantage of sound reasoning, of eloquence, and of authority, we have a fair specimen in the history of heathen nations. Would we know what our Bible can effect, when it is the only instrument in the hands of humble, obscure, persecuted men, in their bold enterprize of shaking the faith of kings and emperors-meeting every opposition of prejudice, of interest, and of power and changing the religious and moral system of the world,-history, here too, is full and express; testimony, direct and indirect, of friends and foes, is clear and strong. Let it be weighed by a reasonable and impartial mind. The result will dictate the candid and grateful confession, that to a revelation from God, and that alone, we are indebted for the freedom we enjoy from the deplorable ignorance and superstition of pagan worship. How awful the responsibility hence arising! A great and precious gift is bestowed upon us. We are required to improve it. Ten talents are given unto us. We are required to increase them. The requisition is attended with the promise of eternal reward for fidelity, and the threat of eternal punishment for neglect. Just as heavy will be this punishment: for the neglect that provokes it is an awful combination of iniquity. Its worst feature is its ingratitude in casting shame and reproach upon a pure and holy reli gion, provided, by the mere mercy of God, for our temporal and eternal good. Many of these wretched Hindoos themselves will rise up in judg ment against professing Christians. They verily thought they were doing God service. They were instructed that such and such were necessary duties of religion. They knew no bet-ter, and from a principle of devotion and obedience, performed them. Christian reader, dost thou do like wise? Light is the burden, and easy the yoke of thy religion. Its duties, requiring no other sacrifice than that of thy sins and sinful propensities— no other suffering than the bringing of thy evil tempers into subjection to a rule holy, just, good, and happy-no other self-denial than is necessary to a mastery over thy appetites and passions, most essential even to temporal peace and comfort: these duties are perpetually urged upon thee. By authority from the Author and Giver of all good, sufficient grace is offered to enable thee to discharge them with fidelity. What effect does all this produce upon thy heart and life? The question is now put in the spirit of meekness and love. It will be put, hereafter, in the awful accents of majesty and power. It will be put when heaven and hell, both in view, will forbid a moment's delay in the reply. The Redeemer established his Church, that it should extend to all nations the blessings of his religion. What deep anxiety, what lively interest, what liberal contribution, what faithful exertion in the good cause of being instrumental in the enlargement of its borders, should be excited by witnessing so great a portion of the globe still wrapped in heathen darkness, still the votaries of the reli gion that mere reason can afford with all its superstitions, its idolatrfes, its cruelties, and follies! Christians; unite your prayers, enlarge your benefactions, contribute, in your respective spheres, your faithful and unwearied exertions, to build up that Church, to bring within its holy pale all over whom you may have influence, to increase the faith, the zeal, devotion, and piety of its members, whereby its light may shine before men, to the glorifying of its divine Head and Pre server. Here, indeed, so crying are the wants at home, that without injustice to our own household, we can give but little more than our blessings and prayers to the exertions of that church whose preeminent advantages mark it out as designed by Providence to bear the glad tidings of the Gospel to the remote corners of the earth. Let those blessings and prayers be with them; and remembering a fervent supplication for ourselves, let us, in humble reliance on Divine direction and aid, bestow our utmost efforts to lengthen the cords and strengthen the stakes of the spiritual tabernacle, the church of God, which he has reared up in our land. We shall thus contribute to the great work most faithfully and effectually, within the sphere which appears to be prescribed by Providence to our present exertions, On our brethren in this city, now that the stated time is at hand for so liciting their contributions in aid of the extensive usefulness, and in relief of the crying necessities of the missionary cause, we would respectfully and earnestly press this subject. Ó that we could bring to their ears the heart-rending complaints of spiritual Isaiah liv. 2. deprivation, and the earnest entreaties for spiritual help, which are perpetually heard in the new settlements of our state! that, for a moment, they could see the opportunities, daily lost, of laying, under most promising circumstances, the foundation of churches which, in a few years, would gladly and gratefully relinquish foreign aid; and the triumphs malignantly exhibited by irreligion and vice, where, by a little exertion-rendered impossible through want of means-the pure doctrines of the cross might diffuse their holy influence! Their hearts would melt. Their own distinguished religious privileges would excite pity for their suffering brethren. In the rich edifices, and amidst the decent and impressive solemnities of their worship, they would think of those whose hearts would dance for joy, could they, but in humblest buildings, and with homeliest appendages, be blessed with the ministrations of God's ambassadors. They would fairly weigh the merit of every claim upon their pious liberality; and this would, rejoicing, wait the issue. The third Annual Report of the NewYork Protestant Episcopal Missionary Society, instituted to assist the Authority of the Church in the Support of Missionaries, presented at the Anniversary Meeting, held in Trinity Church, December 7, 1819. Trinity Church, December 7, 1819. THIS being the third Anniversary of the Protestant Episcopal Missionary Society, pursuant to public notice, the Society asChurch. The Rev. THOMAS LYELL, Rector sembled in the Vestry Room of Trinity of Christ Church, was called to the chair, and THOMAS N. STANFORD appointed Secre tary The proceedings of the last Anniversary meeting were read and approved. Managers was read by Mr. SMITH; where The Annual Report of the Board of upon, on motion of the Rev. Mr. ONDER DONK, the following resolutions were adopted: Resolved, That the Report of the Board of Managers be accepted. be presented to the Board for their faithResolved, That the thanks of the Society ful execution of the trust reposed in them. Resolved, That the Society has heard 1 with much pleasure, of the establishment of the Auxiliary and other Societies mentioned in the Report, and return their thanks to the Clergy and others who have been instrumental in the formation of them; and to the Societies themselves for their contributions to the funds of this in stitution, or otherwise to the good cause of the missions of the Church. Resolved, That the Society earnestly so licits the continued patronage of the friends of the Church, and their prayers for its successful prosecution of the objects of its establishment. On motion Resolved, That the Report, together with the proceedings of this meeting, be published under the direction of the Board of Managers. Officers for the ensuing year. Right Rev. John H. Hobart, D. D. President ex officio. John Watts, jun. M. D. 1st Vice-President. REPORT. In presenting the third Annual Report of their proceedings, the Board of Directors of the "NewYork Protestant Episcopal Missionary Society" deem it an essential part of their duty, to express their gratitude to the "Giver of every good and perfect gift," for their individual preservation during the past year, for the continued existence of the Society over which they have presided, and for the opening of its greater future usefulness. The importnace of this Institution, as one of the means of extending the "Borders of our Zion," and proclaiming the glad tidings of salvation by her apostolic ministry, demanded the utmost exertion of the Board of Directors to augment its funds. The multiplicity of previously established charitable associations having claims upon the public bounty, forbade the hope of any considerable accession of funds, by the ordinary means of annual subscriptions; the Board therefore deemed it expedient to appoint a committee to make arrangements for having a Sermon and Collection for the benefit of the Society, both as it respected the augmentation of its funds and its more particular introduction to the favourable notice of their fellow Episcopalians. Accordingly, with the consent of the Rector of St. George's Church, in this city, a sermon, to be preached by him, and a collection for the benefit of the Society, were appointed in that church on Sunday evening, the 20th of December last. To excite a higher degree of interest, and thus to insure a crowded audience, they addressed and distributed nearly five hundred printed invitations to respectable heads of Episcopal families. The various duties of that Committee were arduous, and demanded the sacrifice of considerable time, which might have been profitably devoted to their private concerns; but the duties were faithfully and diligently performed, and the sacrifice cheerfully borne, in the delightful anticipation of being amply rewarded by a liberal collection. Their expectations were not disappointed. It is proposed, the present year, to have a Sermon and Collection in Grace Church, in this city. The sum of $926 31 have been received into the treasury during the past year, including $167 17, the balance of last year; five hundred and five dollars of which was collected in St. George's Church. The current expenses have amounted to $157 98, which includes the printing of the second Annual Re port, and the expenses in St. George's Church. Seven hundred and fifty dollars have been paid into the General Missionary Fund, and the balance remaining amounts to $17 45. Although the constitutional period for the payment of the annual subscriptions is the first Tuesday in December of each year, the collection of them has heretofore taken place in the months of September and October, in order to place all the funds of the Society at the disposal of the "Committee for Propagating the Gospel," at or before the meeting of the Convention; at which time it was understood the Missionaries generally received their salaries. The existence of malignant fever in our city, the consequent dispersion of a large proportion of our subscribers, and the general derangement of financial affairs, were the reasons assigned by the Treasurer for having omitted to make the collections at the usual time. These reasons were accepted, as satisfactory by the Board, and directions given further to postpone them until after the anniversary meeting. The Board, in the early part of this year, anticipated the gratification of paying into the "General Missionary Fund" the sum of $1250; and but for the operation of unusual causes, this anticipation would have been realized. The sum yet to be collected on account of this year's subscription amounts to nearly $650, deducting probable losses. The scheme of forming Parochial Auxiliary Missionary Associations throughout the Diocess, by many may have been thought to be more an effort of well intended zeal, than the result of sober calculation, founded upon a comprehensive view of the state of the Church. It was not expected that such associations would be instantly and simultaneously formed, or that every part of the system could be brought into immediate and effi cient operation. On the contrary, it was felt and acknowledged to be an arduous undertaking, in the accomplishment of which many, and almost insuperable difficulties would occur; but it was also felt to be essentially important to the future well-being of the Church; it was believed to be practicable, and that ultimate success, by the blessing of Providence, would be the reward of patient perseverance. Undismayed, therefore, by difficulties, however formidable in prospect, your Board of Directors determined to make an effort, that should correspond with the high importance of the object to be accomplished. A circular letter was addressed to every Clergyman in the Diocess having the charge of one or more parishes; from several of whom letters have been received, approving the plan, and promising their exertions to assist the Socie ty, by forming associations as soon as a favourable opportunity shall offer. In the city of Albany an Auxiliary Society has been formed. The prompt attention of the Episcopalians of that city to the circular, demands the public acknowledgment of our gratitude. In the parish of St. Stephen's, in this city, (of which the Rev. Mr. Feltus is Rector) a Missionary Association has been formed. The second article of its constitution declares its object to be "to assist the Committee of the Protestant Episcopal Church for Propagating the Gospel in the State of NewYork, as appointed by the State Convention." It would have contributed to the gratification of the Board, to have announced that association as an auxiliary to this; but its object being the same with our own, we joyfully hail it as a sister society, and heartily wish it "God speed" in its good work. The constitution of the "Geneva Missionary Society" has been altered, so as to make it an auxiliary to this society. It has given a practical evidence of its ability to become an efficient aid, by the transmission of sixty dollars to our Treasurer. The Secretary of that society, in his letter, observes, "that in compliance with the above resolution begs leave to state, that this society, since its formation, has increased rapidly; it consists at present of upwards of one hundred members, and continues to increase daily. It has excited considerable interest in our little village. Each member pays annually one dollar." It is worthy of remark, that it is but a few years since that "Geneva" and its vicinity was a field for missionary labour, without a place of worship, and with but few Episcopal families; that it now has a neat and commodious house of worship, a flourishing congregation, is enabled not only to make a competent provision for its settled Clergyman, but to assist in furnishing to others that description of aid which was formerly extended to them. These facts are honourable evidences of the pious zeal of the Episcopalians of that place, and of the Missionaries who laboured among them. They also afford animating encouragement to this society to persevere, with un abated diligence, in its favourite scheme. Having began an important work, let us not look back, let us not relax our exertions, let us continue to invoke the blessing of Jehovah, and if we "faint not," we shall reap the rich reward and consolation of knowing that we have been instrumental in originating and fostering a system that may hereafter be the means of sending forth the "living Teacher" to reVOL. III. pair the waste, and to exchange "the spirit of heaviness for the garment of praise," in the desolate places of "our Zion," long after we shall have submitted to the stroke of death, and gone hence, to render an account of the deeds "done in the body." The Bishop has furnished the Committee with that part of his address to the late Convention which relates to the subject of Missionaries; which, on account of the information contained in it, and the pressing necessity which it exhibits for an increase of Missionary contributions, the Board deem proper to subjoin to their Report. Extract from the Address of the Right Rev. Bishop Hobart to the 1819. To "The importance of Missionary labours, and the zeal and fidelity with which our Missionaries dis charge their arduous duties, cannot be too highly appreciated. those labours we are indebted, under the Divine blessing, for the or ganization of many new congrega. tions in various parts of the state. I lament, however, to say, that the Missionary Fund does not admit of our sending Missionaries to many situations where their labours are earnestly desired, and would be eminently useful; and thus many opportunities are lost of establishing congregations of our Church. In my visitations of the Diocess, Í have seen many places "white unto the harvest," but there were no labourers to "put in the sickle." I have had my feelings often awakened by the anxious inquiry of those who, from the paucity of their. numbers, and the inadequacy of their means, are unable to procure the ministrations of the word and ordinances-Can you not supply us with Missionary services 48 |