three first years. The avails of these to the Society, according to the terms of agreement with the printers, would exeeed one thousand dollars, and would print more than one million pages of tracts We mention this as a part of what it has done indirectly. Concerning its direct usefulness, we have not time to speak.

The original editor, after having, at the request of the Tract Society, prepared two numbers, relinquished all connexion with the work, in consequence of other duties. The gentleman, who prepared the number for the present year, has gone to explore a distant country. The number now under consideration, came from the hands of the Agent of the Tract Society.

In this number, there has been a considerable departure, in several respects, from the original plan; but, by most persons, and probably by all, the changes would be regarded as improvements. The most important are in the calendar pages, which are just twice as numerous as formerly. In other words, each month occupies two pages, instead of but one. This gives space for a number of valuable additions, the most important of which are, the equation of time; the sun's declination; greatest heat, greatest cold, course of the wind, each day, and face of the sky, both forenoon and afternoon, in Boston, for the year ending May last; and a farmer's calendar; containing many judicious and valuable observations. At the top of each page, are a number of well selected thoughts of a serious nature; and introductory to the calendar, is a table of the tides for the principal ports in N. America; and, also, a table of the quantity of water, which fell in Boston during one year. After the calendar, comes the usual tabular view of the Christian "System of Benevolence," with suitable corrections, and some additions; which is followed by a number of religious pieces, having a bearing on practical religion: then the customary notices of anniversaries, vacations, courts, stages, roads, &c.

This little work, having had so important a bearing on the religious charities of the day, we have thought worthy of particular notice and so long as it sustains its present character, of which we have the best guarantee, in its being the property of the Tract Society, we shall be happy to aid its circulation.

OBITUARY.

CATHARINE BROWN, who was one of the first pupils and first converts at Brainerd, has lately departed this life. She died of a consumption, on the 18th of July, at the house of Dr. Campbell, Limestone county, Alabama; where she had received the kindest attentions, during the latter part of her illness. She enjoyed a very happy state of mind in view of death; and had no desire to live, unless it were, that she might promote the Gospel among her countrymen. We hope to be able, at some time hereafter, to give a fuller ac. count of this interesting female, than has yet

appeared. Her Christian course, though short, was bright and glorious.

The Rev. WILLIAM WARD, D. D. died suddenly at Serampore, on the 7th of last March. The fatal disease was the cholera morbus, and he was sick but one day. The loss of this zealous and faithful servant of God will be very sensibly felt, not only by his missionary associates, but by great numbers, who had the pleasure of an acquaintance with him, in England and in this country.

ORDINATION.

On the evening of Thursday, the 25th ult. the Rev. EDMUND FROST was ordained, in the Tabernacle Church at Salem, as a missionary and evangelist, with a view to his la boring in connexion with the mission at Bombay.

The Rev. Messrs. AARON W. WARNER, ANSEL D. EDDY, NATHAN W. FISKE, ISAAC OAKES, and GEORGE SHELDON received ordination, at the same time and place, as evangelists.

The Rev. Samuel Walker made the introductory prayer, the Rev. Elias Cornelius preached the sermon from Exodus xiv, 15, Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward; the Rev. Samuel Dana made the consecrating prayer; the Rev. Brown Emerson gave the Charge, and the Rev. B. B. Wisner, the Right Hand of Fellowship; and the Rev. Warren Fay made the concluding prayer.

The nature of the services, together with the recollection that, in that same house, nearly twelve years before, the first mission. aries from this land to foreign nations were set apart for the solemn service, and ultimately settled in the same place to which Mr. Frost was designated;-imparted to the occasion a great interest.

Mr. Frost, with his wife and Mrs. Graves, embarked in the ship Pagoda for Calcutta, on Saturday the 27th ult. with the intention, should it be the will of Providence, of proceeding thence to Bombay. To the prayers of God's people they commend themselves, and are commended by the Committee.

PALESTINE MISSION.

WE learn, that Messrs. Fisk, King, and Wolff arrived safely at Jerusalem, about the 26th of April, where they have found opportunities to sell, at reduced prices, many copies of the Scriptures, and are much encouraged by their prospects of usefulness.

quently be wearied with such a course of study: especially as the natives themselves would enter into no conversation with them; and, as if inspired by the Wicked One himself, even stole away the manuscripts which had cost so much trouble. But the invincible love of the missionaries for these poor savages, cheered them in their tedious task, and fortified their minds against desponding reflections.

Two hundred families amounting to perhaps 2000 souls, were at that time resident in Ball's River: but they were scattered among the islands and hills, to fish, catch seals, and hunt deer; and, toward winter, they made voyages to their acquaintance, upward of a hundred leagues north or south. A life so wandering left the brethren but little hopes of gaining access to them, still less of making any permanent impression on their minds. No proffered advantages could tempt them to remain for any length of time at the colony. Some, indeed, paid a passing visit to the brethren, but it was only from curiosity to see their buildings, or to beg needles, fishhooks, knives, and other such articles, if not to steal. If the brethren sought them out in the islands, they seldom found any one who would give them a lodging, even for pay; and, instead of entering into discourse with them, they were continually asking whether they did not intend to be gone.

Arrival of the Brethren Boehnish and Beck.

In compliance with the request of His Majesty that more missionaries might be sent to Greenland, the brethren despatched two of their number thither in this year, 1734. One of these, Frederick Boehnish, was recalled from a journey for this purpose.

He had been previously destined for the mission at St. Thomas, but arrived too late to join the company that was proceeding to the West Indies. Being desired to choose one of two brethren, Daniel Schneider or John Beck, for a partner, he fixed upon John Beck. This brother had been before imbued with the missionary spirit by a letter of Matthew Stach's from Greenland; and, in the sequel, had signified his intention of engaging in the service to his elders: he therefore accepted the appointment without any demur; nor had he ever occasion to repent, as his labors among the heathen were blessed with abundant fruit.

Their voyage was far from being agreeable; for, besides hard usage, they were obliged to put up with a great deal of mockery and abusive language. We mention this, in order to excite gratitude in

those missionaries who undertake such voyages at present, for the many tokens of friendship which they enjoy from a class of men, who took all imaginable pains to torment their predecessors.

Matthew Stach had thus the pleasure of being joined by his old friend Boehnish, and by another fellow-laborer who had caught from himself the missionary spirit. The intelligence of their appointment arrived very seasonably.

Just at this crisis, two of the missionaries had begun to think of returning; as they could not see what could be gained, by remaining in a country which seemed almost depopulated, and where the small remnant of inhabitants showed no tokens of any interest in religion. But 'Matthew Stach could not resolve to go away. He often recollected a text which had had a great share in impressing the first impulse which he received to engage in missionary labors

At the evening it shall be light: and determined to stay alone, rather than forsake his charge, Mr. Egede kindly offering his services, while he remained in the country. But when they heard that two assistants were coming, and ascertained the determination of the congregation to support the mission, and the favor of the king, they prosecuted their exertions with renewed courage.

Employments of the Missionaries.

Being illiterate men, they found great difficulty in studying the grammar and peculiarities of an intricate language. However, young Mr. Egede, who had learned the language from the natives while a child, and spoke it with fluency, assisted them very faithfully, and practised with them twice a week in German and Greenlandic.

They also endeavored, as much as possible, to conform to the Greenland mode of living, and thereby to lessen their demands on the brethren in Europe: and God laid His blessing on their endeavors, so that they improved in the art of fishing more and more. They now also regulated their meetings for religious worship according to a fixed order; and, besides the hour destined for prayer and singing, appointed one every day for reading the Holy Scriptures, and meditating thereon: in this exercise, they began with the Epistle to the Romans. Besides, each of them set apart some particular time, both of the day and night, in which he importuned the Lord to bless himself, his brethren, the whole church of God, and, above all, their endeavors to learn the language, and convert the heathen inhabitants of Greenland.

Difficulties of the Language.

Having as yet no field of active labor among the natives, their chief occupation during the winter of 1734-5, was the study of the language. The farther they advanced, the greater the difficulties appeared; especially as they now endeavored to find appropriate expressions for scriptural and religious ideas. They had been told by grammarians, that it would be impossible for them to translate any thing more than historical pieces: but they did not suffer themselves to be discouraged; and, in a few years, their progress exceeded their most sanguine expectations-especially as the natives themselves, when light once broke in upon their minds, soon found words to express their newly acquired sentiments. And they now saw that they had reason to congratulate themselves on their judicious determination, not to speak with their charge on spiritual subjects in the beginning, lest their false or equivocal expressions might give them erroneous conceptions of the christian religion, and fill their minds with a strange medley of ideas.

The preceding extracts have all been made from Crantz. The following extract is worthy of the attention of all Christians, and especially of missionaries.

Serious self-inquiries of the Brethren.

While the brethren were thus anxiously waiting till the light should dawn upon the =natives, they were by no means inattentive to their own spiritual concerns. Though they had enjoyed many blessings in their family worship, they were sensible that they had suffered considerable detriment from a want of closer brotherly fellowship, each having endeavored to stand alone, and bear his own uncommunicated burden.

To remedy this defect, they resolved to spend an hour every evening, in free conversation on what had passed in their minds during the day, relative to their main object, and what obstructions and difficulties had occurred to each: they would, at the same time, admonish and reprove one another in love, when necessary, and spread their common wants in prayer before their Master.

That nothing might remain to prevent the closest union, they also allotted a period of some weeks for privately examining themselves on the following point:

Whether they were convinced that their call was of God; and were determined never to abandon it, whatever trials they might have to endure, until they could conscientiously believe that they had fulfilled their duty as faithful servants to the

utmost possible extent, or until God discharged them from their call.

The results of this self-inquiry were as follows:

Christian David declared, that his call to Greenland extended no further than to see the foundation of a settlement; and, having obtained this object, he intended to return by the first opportunity: yet he considered himself engaged to support the mission, wherever he was; not only by his prayers, but by active exertions.

Christian Stach had never considered himself bound to devote his whole life to the service of the Heathen: he had rather undertaken the voyage upon trial; but he would remain in his present situation, till God took him out of it, or till he was called away by his brethren.

The remaining three, Matthew Stach, Frederic Boehnish, and John Beck, were ready to enter into a solemn obligation to prosecute the work for life or death, believing, where they could not see, and hoping even against hope: nor would they desert their enterprise, until they could appeal to God, with the testimony of their consciences, that they had done all that man could do: they determined to indulge no anxiety as to the means which God would make use of to glorify Himself in this work; but, through the strength of the Lord, to persevere in the prayer of faith: they would be chargeable to no one who did not freely contribute his share toward the salvation of the Infidels. In confirmation of their vows, the three brethren drew up the following resolutions:

We will never forget, that we came hither, resting ourselves on God our Savior, in whom all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; not on the principle of sight, but of faith.

The redemption wrought out for us by Christ, through His own blood, shall be our chief doctrine: which we will confirm by our words and actions, as God shall give us ability; and, by this, we will endeavor to bring the heathen to the obedience of faith.

We will prosecute the study of the language with assiduity, patience, and hope.

We will each acknowledge and value the spiritual grace conferred upon the other, in honor prefer one another mutually, and be subject to one another in the Lord.

We will steadfastly maintain brotherly discipline, admonition, and correction, according to the rule of Christ; and will withdraw from any one who swerves from the purity of the Gospel, until he shall humble himself before God and his breth

ren.

We will do our outward labor in the name of the Lord; and if any one is remiss,

we will remind him of his duty: yet we will not be over-anxious for externals, but cast our care on Him, who feeds the sparrows and clothes the flowers of the field.

After this agreement they strengthened the bonds of their union, by a refreshing participation of the Holy Sacrament.

Outward difficulties of the mission.

The brethren continued to suffer great extremities, in the early years of the mission, for want of food. They were often driven to allay the cravings of hunger with shell-fish and sea-weed: they had recourse even to the remnants of tallow-candles, and thought themselves happy when they could procure some train-oil to mix up with their scanty morsel of oatmeal. The severity of their trials, at the end of 1735, may be judged of by the following state

ment:

Before the departure of the ship, they were pressed by every one to take their passage in it to Europe; and to return if possible the next year. Even the Greenlanders, who seldom trouble themselves with reflection, wondered much what could induce the brethren to remain among them. Their resolute perseverance only excited the contempt of these savages; who knew no other estimate of a person's value, than his wealth and his ability to give much away. "Your countrymen," they would say, are worthless people, for they have sent you nothing; and you are not wise if you do not return."

Their difficulties and the gracious care of God over them, are seen in the following passage:

Meanwhile God cared for their necessities. Among the rest, the boatmen found a dead white whale, and shared it with the brethren. On another occasion, after they had eaten nothing but shell-fish for five days, a Greenlander left them a porpoise taken from the belly of its dam, which was enough for a meal. Once, after an unsuccessful chase, they were forced by a contrary wind upon a desolate island, and obliged to lodge there all night: here they espied an eagle sitting on the nest, and shot it: after some trouble they got at the nest, and in it found four large eggs, besides the bird which weighed twelve pounds: it also supplied them with a quan tity of quills, an article of which they were much in want. In all their external distresses, the examples of Elijah and Elisha afforded them the most emphatical consolation.

The Greenlanders sometimes had not time to listen, on account of their business, or a dancing-match: at other times, they would hear nothing but news; and told the brethren that they had heard enough al

ready of spiritual things from abler instruc tors. At the same time, they were not only volatile and trifling under instruction, but, in case the brethren stopped more than one night in their houses, used all possible means to entice them to conformity with their dis solute practices; and as these did not suc ceed, but the brethren maintained their serious deportment, they endeavored to tire them out by mocking their reading, sing. ing, and praying with all kinds of ridicu lous mimicry, or by accompanying their devotional exercises with drums. They also took occasion, from their outward poverty, to ridicule them with all manner of cutting sarcasms, which the brethren had by this time learned to understand; and if the lat ter replied that they did not stay in Greenland for the sake of outward advantages, good eating or drinking, they retorted with a jeer, "Fine fellows indeed to be our teachers! We know very well that you yourselves are ignorant, and have learned your lesson of others."

The brethren bore these rude mockeries with equanimity. But, when the savages perceived that they could effect nothing in this way, they began to insult and abuse the persons of the missionaries. They pelt ed them with stones, for sport-took their things, and shattered them to pieces-and tried to spoil, their boat, or drive it out to sea. One night, the brethren heard a noise on the outside of their tent; and perceived that some one was pulling its curtains, which were fastened with pins. On going out, they beheld a company of Greenland ers collected about the tent, some of whom had naked knives in their hands, and could not be driven off till threatened with firearms. The brethren supposed, at that time, that they came only to cut their tent-skins to pieces; but, some years after, when a number of Greenlanders in these parts were converted, they were informed that a conspiracy had been set on foot against their lives, in hopes that the other Europe. ans would not revenge the death of such poor despised people.

First Convert from the Greenlanders.

The first decided fruit of the brethren's labors was afforded in the middle of 1738. "A wild native of the south," as Crantz calls him, "quite unknown to the brethren, and who had never heard a word about God, was solidly awakened by the doc trine of Jesus's sufferings." This native was named Kajarnak. He and his family, consisting of his wife, with a son and daughter, were taken under special in struction preparatory to baptism, and were admitted into the Christian church, the first-fruits of the mission, in 1739.