Objects of the Society.

1. To enable Clergymen and Gentlemen engaged in promoting the Reformation in Ireland, to avail themselves of the co-operation of existing Institutions to such an extent as may be necessary o meet the local demand for the books and instruction which they dispense.

2. To defray the expense of publication, and generally to assist individuals and Associations in the diffusion of authentic information, suited to the wants of their respective parishes and districts.

3. To adopt such modes of instruction as are best adapted to the condition of the lower orders of Roman Catholics in other parts of the Empire.

In the plan here presented, it will be seen that there is no intention of providing in any manner for the temporal sup. port of converts to the Protestant Faith. It is the design of the Society to promote the Religious Principles of the Reformation by such means only as are cha racteristic of the high and heavenly object; and as there will be a systematic exclusion of political influence from its councils, so, on the other hand, there will be a careful avoidance, in its practice, of every thing calculated to act as a secular inducement to proselytism.

Continent.

GERMANY.

United Brethren's Missions.

THE Annual Circular issued by the Mission Committee furnishes the following particulars: it is dated Herrnhut, Oct. 31, 1826.

State and Prospects of the Missions. The Report of the Missions is thus introduced

At the close of 1825, there were 178 persons employed in 36 Stations: 60 adults and 67 children were provided for by the Committee.

We felt great grief, when it pleased the Lord to call so many useful and active Labourers in our Missionary Service into eternal rest; but had also the joy to see their place supplied by 13 Brethren and 11 Sisters, who with will ing hearts offered themselves to enter on the same blessed service, of calling the Heathen in different parts of the earth to come to Jesus, their Creator and Saviour.

The General Synod of the Brethren's Church, assembled at Herrnhut in 1825, made the Missions a peculiar object of their attention: and the hearts of all present were filled with humble gratitude to the Lord for the mercy and favour shewn to our Church in this branch of our constitution; by which we are encouraged to hope and believe, that He will not forsake us, notwithstanding our many failings and short-comings, but continue to own and bless us as part of His family on earth, and grant us to bear fruit well-pleasing to Him: both by written memorials and the verbal testimonies of some Missionaries present at the Synod, we were greatly encouraged and refreshed.

We also rejoiced at the success granted by God to the ministry of our fellowlabourers in different communities, who are at present zealously engaged in bringing the glad tidings of Salvation to Heathen Nations in many distant parts of the world; and we pray, that, by His blessing, it may continue to attend them everywhere.

As a signal proof of the Lord's mercy toward us, we consider that He, by His Spirit, has inclined the hearts of so many of His children and servants in other Denominations to take an active share in the well-being and support of the endeavours of the Brethren's Church, to promote the spread of the Gospel: their exertions in our behalf have been unremitting, and the fruits thereof beyond all our expectation. May He bless them, and grant them to perceive that their labour is not in vain in the Lord! This will be their most accept

able reward.

To us, Dear Brethren, who are Members of a Church which the Lord has so undeservedly favoured, and counted worthy, for 94 years, to proclaim the word of His salvation to Heathen Nations, sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, this great privilege and commission shall always remain highly important and precious. Let us, though deeply sensible of our unworthiness, pray fervently to the Lord our God and Saviour, that He would continue thus to bless us; granting to us wisdom, faith, and full confidence in His help, and still prepare and send forth many willingly-devoted servants from among us into His vineyard.

The following is the Report of the Year: some of the facts stated

in it have been anticipated in the last Survey, but we thought it best to give the Report entire.

The past year has been one of unusual activity in our Missionary Work. We can confidently and thankfully declare, in regard to the labours of our Brethren among the Heathen, that the blessing which has rested upon them has far exceeded what our weak faith and anxiety led us to expect: in 37 Stations, no fewer than 185 Brethren and Sisters have been employed.

North America-The Cherokee Congregations, collected by our Missionaries at Springplace and Oochgelogy, are, indeed, but small; consisting, at present, of not more than from 18 to 20 adults, and about as many children who attend the school: but the neighbouring Indians and Negroes flock to the meetings in considerable numbers: by commission of the Wachovian Conference, Br. Theodore Shultz, of Salem, paid a visit to these Stations, which lasted from April 3d to May 13th: during the course of which, he witnessed with astonishment the evident effects of the power of the grace of God upon Indian Hearts; and could indulge a joyful hope of the future prosperity of these congregations, even in the event of the Cherokee Nation being compelled by the State of Georgia to emigrate westward, beyond the Mississippi: an Indian, named David Brown, educated in Connecticut, has translated the New Testament into Cherokee. After an eight months' visit in Pennsylvania, Br. Luckenbach and his wife returned to Upper Canada, and were received with wonted affection by the Congregation at New Fairfield: the affectionate Letter addressed to the Delaware Indians, by the Provincial Conference at Bethlehem, was listened to with serious attention; and appeared to be attended with the desired effect, to encourage them more diligently to seek after the One Thing needful the sum allowed by the Canadian Government, as compensation for damage done to the Settlement during the campaign of 1813, it was hoped, would enable them to undertake the building of a Church.

Labrador-The Harmony sailed for Labrador on the 3d of June-reached Okkak on the 30th of July and, after visiting the Three Settlements on the coast, set out on her homeward voyage on the 7th of September: she arrived in the Thames, October the 7th; bringing home Br. Meisner with his wife and daughter, and the Single Brother Beck. The accounts which have been received from our Esquimaux Congregations, both written and verbal, agree in stating that their internal course has been, on the whole, very satisfactory; and that the meetings and schools have been diligently attended. A long, severe, and snowy winter rendered it very difficult for the Esquimaux to lay in a sufficient stock of provision: the Bay of Nain continued blocked up with ice from the 30th of November to the 30th of June: in the depth of winter, the cold was so intense, that Fahrenheit's thermometer sunk from 36° to 40°, below 0: in July, the quicksilver rose as high as 86°. Our Brethren at Hopedale

hoped to finish the erection of their New

Church before the end of October: at that Settlement, 188 Esquimaux resided; at Okkak, 350, and at Nain, 228. The 50th Anniversary of Hopedale was celebrated by old and young, with peculiar emotions of joy and gratitude to the Lord, whose presence was powerfully felt at all the solemn meetings of that festival.

Greenland-On the 14th of May, the Brethren Ihrer and Ulbricht (the former of whom had been married at Neudietendorf, to Sister Louisa Kleinschmidt) arrived at Lichtenfels, in Greenland: Br. Ulbricht has been appointed to serve the Mission at New Herrnhut, from whence Br. Albert returned to Europe: Brother and Sister Ihrer proceed to Lichtenau. The ship from Julianeshaab returned to Copenhagen as early as July 31st, bringing Br. Popp from Friedericksthal, whose shattered health, we trust, may be recruited by a visit to his native country: his residence for a quarter of a year in a Greenland family-house, containing 36 persons, having produced no beneficial effect upon it. The Lord's blessing continued to rest abundantly upon the New Settlement, which already is occupied by 256 Greenlanders: during the whole of this second winter, which was, however, not quite so stormy as the first, the Missionaries were under the necessity of remaining in their cold damp hut, built of sods, for want of a sufficient quantity of boards to build a house; yet Brn. Kleinschmidt and De Fries continued well in health, to the astonishment of all: it was, however, found necessary to remove this house, which had already been partly erected, to the other side of the rivulet, that it might be sheltered, in some measure, by a rising ground, from the violence of the winds: the foundation was laid for the new building on June the 3d. A dangerous epidemic, the principal symptoms of which were cold in the head and pleurisy, broke out early in the winter, among the 600 inhabitants of Lichtenau, and lasted throughout the whole of it: a similar disorder prevailed at New Herrnhut, and proved more fatal. At that station, the Missionaries were unable to sow their gardens before the beginning of July, and the long continuance of drift-ice proved of serious hindrance to the Greenlanders in the seal-fishery: otherwise, there was no want of a supply at any of our Settlements. At Lichtenau, where there are 364 inhabitants, they were long blocked up by immense masses of snow. In general, our Brethren at all the Missionary Stations could rejoice over the spiritual course of their congregations, and a special work of grace was observable among the youth.

Danish West-Indies-In the three Danish Islands, St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. Jan, Divine Life appears to pervade the Seven Negro Congregations. The most numerous is that at Friedensfeld, in St. Croix, which numbers 2232 persons. The moist weather, so fruitful for the sugar plantations, had, however, produced dangerous fevers, from which our European Brethren and Sisters had their share of suffering: three active Missionaries, in the prime of life, were called

home to eternal rest; viz. Sr. Sparmeyer, of St. Croix, in September; Sr. Blitt, of St. Thomas, in October; and Br. Gloeckler, in St. Jan: the Mission was reinforced by the arrival of Br. Eberman and his Wife, from North America; and Br. and Sr. Plattner, and the Single Brn. Klingenberg and Freytag, from Germany, also by the safe return of Br. Yung from a visit to Europe in November, Br. Zetzsche sailed for St. Thomas: Br. and Sr. Hohe have returned to Europe, after a faithful service of 21 years: Br.Sybrecht has undertaken the superintendance of the external affairs of the Mission; and removed, with that view, to New Herrnhut. Our Mission Premises were graciously preserved from harm, during a second destructive fire in the town of Tappus, the capital of St. Thomas. On August 21st, the Missionary Family at New Herrnhut celebrated the 94th Anniversary of the commencement of the Mission in St. Thomas: they had occupied their present dwelling-house 50 years.

British West-Indies-By the appointment of two Bishops of the Established Church, to direct the Ecclesiastical Affairs of the British West-Indies, the relations existing between our Missionaries and the population of the islands appear likely to be affected. To the service of the Mission in Antigua, where 14,823 Negroes are under the care of our Brethren, Br. Wright, from St. Kitt's, and Br. Müntzer, and the Brn. Simon and Zippel, from Europe, have been newly appointed: a New Mission-House has been begun at St. John's; the present building having been found too small to provide the needful accommodation: the Single Sr. M'Dermot, of Gracehill, has lately accepted a call to this Mission: several shocks of earthquakes were felt in January, and again in April, of a stronger description, so as to alarm the inhabitants: though suffering from frequent indisposition, 21 Brethren and Sisters in this island have been enabled to persevere in their work with joy, and to see abundant fruit of their labours. In Barbadoes, on the 2d of February, Br. Lichtenthalen, after short service in that Mission, departed this life: Br. Taylor and his Wife arrived on the 17th of May, from Antigua; and were received with great joy by the worthy proprietor of the plantation Mount Chance: Br. Brunner, who was still labouring under the effects of his severe fall, was rejoiced to welcome Br. Seitz, from Neuwied, as his assistant, toward the end of April: the public and private Services continued to be attended by an increasing number of Negroes, and about 60 children received instruction: the congregation at Sharon consists of about 338 members. The Brethren and Sisters Shick and Staude have entered into the ser→ vice of the Mission in St. Kitt's, one of our most flourishing fields of labour in the West Indies: the two congregations, at Basseterre and Bethesda, continue to increase: to the former belong about 3000, to the latter 1838 Negroes: 700 children are under instruction at both stations: Br. Hock, from Okbrook, has been appointed to supply the place of Br. Scholefield, who is called to Jamaica; May, 1827.

and Br. Klose, of Gnadenfrey, that of Br. Staude, who retired, owing to his weak state of health: the Widow Sisters Sautter and Lichtenthalen have removed to Bethlehem. Our Missions in Jamaica are, by the Lord's blessing, on the advance of our three congregations on that island, New Eden numbers 1213 negroes, Fairfield 1190, Irwin and its vicinity about 300: Sr. Berger soon followed her husband into eternal rest; and Br. Becker and his Wife were necessitated, by increasing infirmities, to request their dismission, after a faithful service of 24 years in the West Indies, and returned to England: these vacancies rendered the arrival of the Brn. Timæus and Pfeiffer doubly welcome to the remaining Missionaries: on January 15th, the New Church at Fairfield was consecrated, under a powerful sensation of our Saviour's gracious presence: the Brn. Ellis, Light, and Timæus continue to make periodical visits at Hopeton and Mesopotamia. A Mission in the island of Tobago was begun as early as the year 1790; but it was interrupted, shortly after, by the departure of our late Br. Montgomery: it was renewed in 1799, at the earnest request and by the generous assistance of the late Mr. Hamilton; but again discontinued upon his decease, in 1801: agreeably to the wishes of his Son and of several other proprietors of estates, will be re-commenced; and to this service, Br. Rixecker, of Lancaster in North America, has been lately appointed.

Surinam-On the 14th of July, fifty years had elapsed since the baptism of the first Negro by our Brethren at Paramaribo : that day was therefore kept as a solemn festival by the Negro Congregation; and the various Services were attended by a numerous company, not only of Negroes, but also of the White Inhabitants of the town, who all appeared to take a lively interest in the prosperity of this work of God: the church proved far too small to contain all who wished to be present. Since the first baptismal transaction in 1776, there have been baptized 3477 Adult Negroes: the Congregation, at present, consists of 1240 Members, besides 500 New People. Several planters, in the neighbourhood of Paramaribo, have invited our Brethren to preach the Gospel to their Negroes. Br. Bruck has been obliged to return to Europe, by repeated attacks of rheumatism. Another painful loss was sustained by the Mission, in January and February, by the departure of the Sisters Graf and Voigt; and, in September, by the alarming illness of Br. Genth, whose life was, at one time, despaired of, but who is now slowly recovering. Br. Graf, having visited Europe, will return to the service of the Mission. Two Brethren, who formerly served the Mission in Surinam, for above 30 years, have, in this year, finished their course with joy; viz. Br. Langballe, at Bethlehem, in February; and Br. Randt, at Herrnhut, in May.

South Africa-The Mission to the Cape of Good Hope proceeds with the blessing of the Lord upon it: Br. and Sr. Lemmertz returned to their former post in the beginning of the year, accompanied by Br. and Sr. Son

2 K

derman. Br. and Sr. Teutsch followed some months later. The crops had again failed; and, in the neighbourhood of Groenekloof, a mortal distemper among the cattle caused serious loss: the abundance of pumpkins at Enon alleviated the distress occasioned by the scarcity of corn; and, at Gnadenthal, the poor Hottentots have been enabled to satisfy their hunger, by means of a plentiful supply of wild almonds. The number of inhabitants at Gnadenthal was 1218: in the early part of the year, new life and love to Jesus appeared to be enkindled in the hearts of the Hottentots, many of whom joined themselves into little companies, and engaged with one another to walk as true followers of the Lord. Of the patients in the Leper's Hospital, at Hemel-en-Aarde, whose number exceeds

100, more than half have been awakened through the labours of Br. and Sr. Leitner; and those who have been admitted members

of the Church of Christ, appear to grow daily in knowledge and in grace. Elim increases gradually, and is a blessing to the whole neighbourhood: on festival occasions, more than 200 friends have sometimes attended

the meetings: the Sunday-School is frequented by a large company, both of adults and children, and is a means of benefit to old and young. Owing to the pressure of the times, many Hottentot Families have flocked to Groenekloof: the work of the Holy Spirit, which appeared evident among these poor people, has been productive of blessed effects likewise among the older inhabitants, whereby our Brethren have been encouraged to persevere in their work with renewed confidence. The Congregation at Enon has increased to 400 members; the number of inhabitants, to 450 Br. Hallbeck accompanied Br. and Sr. Nauhaus thither in May last; and spent above five weeks, from June 10th to July 26th, at Enon and its neighbourhood, witnessing, with joy and thankfulness, the earnest desire of the Hottentots to be made acquainted with Christ and His great salvation,

Mediterranean.

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. Proceedings of Missionaries in Egypt. Or an intended Visit to Abyssinia by Messrs. Gobat and Kugler, some notices occur at p.182. Mr. Gobat writes, in reference to it, on the 4th of December, from Caïro

A French Physician to whom I was introduced promised to look out for some Abyssinian in this city: the same evening he came to us, and told me he had just been invited to visit an Abyssinian in the Armenian Convent, who had lately arrived, and was unwell. The next morn

ing we visited the Abyssinian together: the Physician asked the Armenian Patriarch permission to take him into his own house; for, in the Convent, he was very much reserved, not knowing whether we were Turks or Copts, or what

we were.

for

In consequence, M. Dussap, the Physician, took him into his house yesterday morning. I passed the whole afternoon in reading the Bible with him, in Ethiopic and Amharic; with which he could never be satisfied. I gave him a copy of the Amharic Gospels; which he appeared very thankful; and told me that he had seen some like it in Abyssinia, which came from the English: he added, "The English are very good men." He speaks Arabic with difficulty; but, with the help of some Ethiopic expressions, I was able to make out the following information respecting his country.

The whole territory seems to be at rest at this time; though there is a discord between the King and the Ras of Tigre, of which, however, he did not say much; for he feels himself to be in a strange land, where policy is necessary. The Abouna or Papas, who was sent from the Coptic Patriarch, was an intemperate man, and, as my Abyssinian expressed it," His words are not good:" he has been expelled from Gondar and its jurisdiction; but he has been received at Adowa, by the Ras of Tigre. Our