every good fprings, I beg leave to return you thanks as the inftrument of introducing and recommending me here; for my foul already reaps the advantage of it: and, I hope, by Divine Grace, I fhall in this voyage enfure to myself a more valuable treasure than all the gold and filver I could have earned in a trade which encourages flavery, wretchedness, and woe; where every new day exhibits freth fcenes of horror; where, but too often, the young and tractable mind is led attray in the paths of iniquity, to the utter ruin of both foul and body. Bleffed be God, I now fee the day I have often wished for, namely, that I could live among a people where I could ferve my God freely, and without reftraint. The Lord is with us of a truth, and wherever we come, we meet friends. We are fometimes, when the weather will permit, as much crowded here as when in Blackwall dock. We had the picature of your brother's company to dinner yesterday, with feveral of his friends, who brought us an abundance of the good things of this life, fo much that to specify the different articles would take up too much of my paper; and, in my opinion, if we do not get away foon, the Society had better fit out another fhip in order to carry fome of the ftores.

I fhall expect to fee you at Portsmouth, when it shall please God to bring us fafe there; but at all events, I will efteem it a particular favour to hear from you on receipt of this. Remember me in an affectionate manner to Ms. Tand family, to all my brethren and acquaintance in the meeting. I hope you will never forget me in bath public and private devotions. I would write you our general remarks, but time will not permit. You know the confufed ftate of the fhip, and what a great deal of my time is taken up in getting things in order to make us all comfortable; but if I do not fee you at Portfimouth, I fhall tranfmit you a copy of our proceedings. I add no more, but that the Lord may be your light and your falvation; your frength in life, and support in death, is the earnest prayer of Your obliged and obedient fervant,

Rev. J. T. Rotherhithe.

And fincere wellwifher in Chrift,
DAVID SMITH.

The writer of the above is the first mate of the Duff. He occupied a fimilar ftation on board a large West Indiaman, and was juft going to fea. Application being made to all the parties concerned in the hip, they very obligingly gave him upfor the accommodation of the Mifionary Society, and he chearfully facrificed advantages of a pecunia; nature, to take part in the navigation of a veffei embarked in a voyage of Chriftian benevolence.

FRIENDLY ISLANDS.

MISSIONARIES AT TONGATABOO.

Dear Sir, Deptjord, Sth January, 1799. AGREEABLE to the intimation you gave me the other evening, I have examined my Diary, in which I find that the American Snow, Capt. Garden, arrived at Manilla on the 1st January, 1798, from Port Jackson, and New Zealand; but not having made any further memorandums, muft refer to my recollection for his account of touching at the Miffionary Inlands. From him I underfood, that, after leaving Port Jackfon, he proceeded to New Zealand; and took off the remaining part of the crew of the fhip Endeavour, formerly the Lord North Indiaman, and left the greater part of them at Norfolk Island, according to an agreement made with the Governor of Pert Jack fon; a few remaining on board to affitt in working" the veffel: That in his paffage to the northward, through the Pacific Ocean, he touched at feveral lands to obtain refreshments and trade for pearls, among which was the Inland of Tongataboo, where, he informed me, VOL. VII. N

he had feen the Miffionaries fent out from England, and that two of them were on board the veffel, and he bartered with them for feveral neceffaries which he stood in great need of, and of which they had abundance; giving them in return nails and pieces of iron, &c.: That they poffeffed the entire confidence of the natives, who treated them with the utmost deference and respect, having entrusted to their care feveral children of both fexes; but that they had not commenced the important part of their minifty, but were endeavouring to acquire a perfect knowledge of their language, as a neceffary preliminary step to the promulgation of the truths of the Gofpel. I cannot take upon nie to affert from recollection, that he actually visited the Ifland of Otaheite, or that his statement of the number of Millionaries at the Islands was from the accounts he received at Tongataboo alone. I like. wife understood that two of those people, whom he had brought on from New Zealand by their particular request, were left at one of the Iflands, believe it to be Tongataboo.

I think we may venture to date the time of his being at the Islands, fometime in the month of October, 1797, which will allow a fufficient time. for a fhort detention at the Sandwich Islands, where he stopped to obtain yams and other refreshments, and proceeded direct to Manilla.

At the time of my receiving this information from Mr. Garden, my unfortunate detention at Manilla, with the very diftant profpect of feeing this country, rendered it very improbable that I fhould be able to give any information to the Friends of the Miffionary Society, or I would have obtained the time of his vifiting thofe Iflands, with a fatisfactory detail of the Mifionaries, as far as his information tended on this fubject. But happy. in being able to give the fmalleft information to those benevolent minds who are earneft for the extenfion of Chrift's kingdom among the innumerable inhabitants of the Pacific Ocean, I conclude with my molt fincere prayer that God the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift will acknowledge the work, and grant his peculiar bleffing to attend on all his faithful minifters, and make them inftruments in his hands of calling the Gentiles out of darkness into his marvellous light, by the redemption fet forth in Christ Jesus our Lord. Yours fincerely,

Mr. J. Rate.

DANIEL PAINS.

The American Snow appears to have been at Tongataboo about two months after the Duff departure; and the circumstance of touching at the above and affords this confolation in addition to the pleasure of hearing of the Miffionaries, that there can now remain no doubt as to their periomal fafety,

Letter from the Rev. Dr. Burckhardt.

Dear and Honoured Sir,

Savay, Dec 15, 1798.

I herewith fend you the tranflation of the Bafil papers, together with the originals, thanking you at the fame time for the opportunity of participating of the pleasure which thefe letters will give to the Society.

I have not heard yet from Baron von Shirnding or the Rev. Mr. Dyfand; but feveral private letters from the Continent inform me of the fafe arrival of the latter at his ufual place of refidence, and that the Baron is bufily employed in recruiting for the miffion.

Be pleated, Sir, to accept the incloted foreign piece of gold coin, which I received lately by the hands of the Rev. Mr. Schrader, being tranfmitted to him by Mr. Kaufmann of Ratzeburg, as a mile for the miffion, from some inhabitants of the Bailiwick of Neuhaus. In

* Printed in the Foreign Correfpondence of this Number.

In a box of books, which I received from Tubingen, Mr. Hebeifen of Strafburg has packed up ten copies of an Ecclefiaftical History in German, which he defires me to fell, and to give the amount of it, in his name, as a fmall gift for the miffion. I fend you a copy of it as a fpecimen for the infpection of the Directors, whom I beg to affure of my refpects and further humble fervice and affistance in the German department.

July 1. Great Queen Street Chapel, Lincolns-Inn Fields.

Waugir. Bennett, Williams.

Wraith.

Freer.

Aug.5. Torrington Street Chapel

Sept. 2. Orange Street Chapel.

Qa. 7. Camomile Street

Reynolds.
Wills.

Priestley.

DONATIONS, &c. to the MISSIONARY SOCIETY fince our laft.

Aberdeen Correfponding Branch of the London

Miffionary Society,

}

£. 105

Portfea, Rev. J. Griffin, and Congregation,

46 8 9

12 12 6

13 O O

Staines, Rev. Mr. Yockney, and Congregation,
Trowbridge, Rev. Mr. Clark, and Congregation,

WIDOWS' FUND.

WE understand a few private gentlemen in London have opened a subfription in favour of this infant Society: £260-7-0 were fubfcribed in two days: An act of Chriftian benevolence which we hope will be imitated by many others, who will thereby tend to reduce the annual fubfcriptions of the minifters belonging to this infant fociety, or to increase the annuity to their widow's and children, when it fhall please God to remove them from their labours and families.

LONDON ITINERANT SOCIETY.

Report of the Committee at their Annual Meeting.

THIS Inftitution ought to be confidered one of the many happy confequences refulting from the establishment of the Miffionary Society. The tranfition from the view of the deplorable ftate of the Heathen abroad to that of the Heathen at home is eafy and affecting.

An individual now on board the Duff, was much concerned in witneff. ing, by frequent vifits, the benighted ftate of the village of Dich, fituate about four miles to the fouth of the metropolis, and began to re... volve upon fome method of introducing the Gofpel in that place. Entering into converfation with two religious friends upon the fubject, they coincided in his views. Having failed in the attempt to procure a place where the word of life might be difpenfed, the beginning was made with

N 2

. Gut

out doors in the year 1796. Much oppofition was experienced; but hy patiently perfevering a room was procured, in which the word hath been preached from that time.

From what paffed at Dulwich, the thought was fuggefted that a Society for the purpose of preaching the Gofpel in the Villages contiguous to the town night prove a great bleffing. The fcheme being approved, a few friends met weekly to devile means of carrying the defign into execution. Several months elapfed before they ventured to make their intentions more public, when meeting with countenance from perfons of age and standing m the church, they formed themfelves into a body, and have been enabled to raise an intereft in ten different villages, to open as many Sunday schools, and to direct into a channel of ufefulness the talents of ro Preachers and 32 Teachers, who have given themselves up to labour gratuitously under the direction of the Society.

The progrefs of the work has been gradual. The reception of the Brethren has not been exactly fimilar in all places. In fome they obtained a peaceable entrance; in others met with confiderable oppofition. But hitherto the Society has been the object of fo kind a Providence that it has not fuffered the left ham in any of its members, notwithstanding the brethrens' journeying, early and late, throughout the year.

The known fuccefs refulting from thefe labours is encouraging, though no doubt what has been feen is only a fmall part of the good already done. At Lewisham, the encouragement has been fuch as to induce the erection of a chapel and school room. Here about an hundred children attend in general with evid.nt pleafure, and there happily fubfists a mutual attachment between the teachers and the scholars.

It is a great felicity to have the manifeft tokens of divine approbation among the children. Their tempers and difpofitions are generally improved fince they have been under the Society's care. Some of their parents have testified that they are more obedient to them; and there are not a few become praying children. It is unneceffary to enlarge refpecting the other fchools. The fpiritual advantage of all the fcholars is a primary object in teaching them to read, and learn the catechifm, and the fame means are úfed for the attainment of it. The preachers and teachers in each village receive fufficient encouragement to enable them to persevere. There are from 5 to 600 children under inftruction, (most of them taken out of the Hreet,) taught to keep the Sabbath to the Lord: a reflection highly gratifying, even if there fhould at prefent appear no real marks of fanctifying grace upon their minds.

Jan 15, the annual Sermon was preached before this Society at the Tabernacle, by the Rev. J. Moody, of Warwick, when a collection was made on the occafion amounting to 60l. ros. 6d.

ORDINATIONS.

Rev. J. T. PARSONS (late a ftudent at Hoxton Academy) was, on Sep. 6, 1798, ordained at Truro. The Rev. Mr. Paddon prayed, read the Scriptures, gave an introductory difcourfe, afked the questions, and received the confeffion of faith. Mr. Jones, of Plymouth-Dock, prayed the ordination prayer, and gave the charge, from 2 Tim. iv. 5. "Do the work of an evangelift." Mr. Lewis of Launcelter prayed the intercelfory prayer Mr. Redding or Tiuro preached to the people from 1 Theff. v. 12, 13, and Mr. Morris, of Penzance, gave out the hymns. A crowded auditory attended, and expreffed much-fatisfaction on the occafion.

Rev. J. RowLAND was, on OA. 13, 1798, set apart as Paftor of the old particular Baptist Church at Pershore, in Worcestershire. The fervice was conducted in the following mannes: Mr. Edmonds of Upton began with prayer-Mr. Williams of Cheltenham preached from 2 Cor. xiii. 1. laft claufe-Mr. Butterworth of Evesham preached from 1 Cor. xv. 11.—and Mr. Davies of Tewkesbury concluded the morning exercifes with prayer.

I

In the evening Mr. Bedford (an occafional preacher, member of the New Particular Baptist Church in the fame town) prayed, and Mr. Belfer, of Worcester, preached from 1 John iii. 8. and concluded the pleasing. and friendly fervices of the day with prayer. The prefence of the great Head of the Church was evidently experienced on the occafion.

SWALWELL, County of Durham.

THE Congregation under the paftoral care of Rev. A. D. Nelson, at the above place, through the generous affiftance of their triends, and particularly through the intereft of thofe in London, have reduced the mort. gage which was on their meeting and dwelling-houfe of 165. (including intereft) to 851. and have difcharged feveral incumbrances for repairing the premises.

Part of the ground being a gift, and built on free land, it is made over in trutt for the ufe of the church of Christ for ever.

SCOTLAND.

Comprehenfive Plan of a Religious Society, agreed to at Oll Deer, Aber deenshire, Nov. 24. 1798.

DESIGN OF THIS SOCIETY.

THAT real Chriftians of different denominations may unite, and comfort one another in the fellowship of the Gospel, at a time when Infidelity Spreads fo rapidly in the world, the following Plan is adopted for forming a Society of those who profels the Truth, (i. e. the Divine Sovereignty and Election in Chrift, Fuflification by free Grace, Faith alone as imputed for Righteousness and leading to a Holy Life, the corruption of Man's nature, and the neceffity of a New birth) independent of party difinétions; conidering that many lines are drawn by Man's device, but that Chrift is not divided, and that all who fincerely love the Truth are One Peoplewhote whole defign and business fhould be to ftrengthen themfelves in this Golpel, and propagate the fame, as what always has been and is ftill the power of God unto falvation, by which alone Jefus Christ is applied to the faving of men's fouls," the fane yesterday, to-day, and for ever."

RULES.

I. EVERY Member fhall think himleif bound to encourage the above defign in the ufe of all lawful and fuitable means.-II. No Member shall be admitted for the fake of any temporal advantage, whofe principles and conduct in Society are not agreeable to the uncorrupted Gospel. A Chriftian Profeffion and real integrity of heart will be effential to make any perfon a good and useful Member; without the former he cannot ferve the caufe, and without honelly he may betray it. And if any thing of a contraiy tendency appear in the conduct of any Member, it will be a friendly part in us to reprove him, for thou shalt in anywife rebuke thy neighbeur, and not fuffer fin upon him."H. Small parties of the Society