to be sent; and which at this moment most earnestly solicits the liberality of all, who wish well to the spread of the Gospel, and to the most important interests of their fellow men. The outfits of this mission, the expense of conveying the missionaries to their destined field, and the advances suitable to be made to them for their establishment and support there, are estimated at seven or eight thousand dollars. Nearly as much as this, when our mission was fitted out three years ago, was contributed in three or four weeks, and within a very imited district of our country. If a similar liberality be displayed in the three or four months, which may elapse before the departure of the missionaries now to be sent out, there will be no occasion to diminish the present. productive funds of the Board. This cannot fail to be regarded, by all the friends of the glorious cause, as vastly desirable; if they at all consider the necessary permanent expense of supporting so many missionaries as

enormous, and universal violations of morality and decency, as could not be named, or even hinted at with propriety in this place.

5. The experience of all modern missionaries, who have been in a situation like the one here in view, seems to be decisive on the subject. Dr. Carey, in a conversation with one of the American missionaries on that subject, would hardly admit the possibility of a missionary being so situated, as not to make it expedient that he should be married. As a general rule, he urged marriage upon missionaries as an indispensable duty. The missionaries in South Africa, among the wild Hottentots, Caffres, and Boschemen, have generally deemed it expedient to be married. The Moravian missionaries, though engaged among the most savage people, have generally been married. Surely all this experience is entitled to very great consideration.

we shall have in the East, and especially if they also consider, that it is now in serious contemplation to commence, as soon as possible, a missionary establishment in the Missouri Territory, and another in South America, for the benefit of the Aborigines of our own continent, who have so many powerful claims on our Christian benevolence.* The missionary work has long been obstructed by the war: by the return of peace the obstructions are removed; doors are opening in various directions; every thing invites and urges to the most zealous and vigorous operations. Shall pecuniary means be wanting? Are there not many, very

* Attempts to evangelize the barbarians of our own continent have met with great discouragements. Their irregular and idle habits, their having no settled residence, in the proper sense of the language-their stupid, incredulous and word residence-their having no written obstinate disposition,-their aptitude at catching the vices of our dissolute countrymen, who visit them for purposes of trade -the systematic opposition of these vile wretches to every thing which is good, and their successful endeavors to prejudice the natives against the Gospel:--all these things make it a matter of peculiar difficulty to diffuse the knowledge of Christianity among them. But arduous as the task is, it must be undertaken. While missionaries are sent to foreign parts, where the incalculable advantages of a settled residence, a written language, and a civil government are enjoyed, the Christians of this country will not forget our savage neighbors, who are as yet destitute of these advantages.

American settlements are extending on the Mississippi, and its tributary streams. The tomahawk now buried We ar dently pray, that it may never be seized again. Authentic information is received, that some of the principal men in our border settlements would foster a mission tothe Indians. Let this favorable season be gladly embraced. Let all, who love the Lord Jesus Christ, pray earnestly that his Gospel may speedily be preached, with divine effect, from the Mississippi to the Pacific ocean,

many, who have been waiting impatiently for an opportunity to contribute, with the prospect of having the fruits of their liberality immediately applied to the desired object? Such an opportunity is now offered. In what way can the people of this favored land better testify their gratitude to the Giver of every good gift, for the blessing of peace so mercifully restored to them, and for their many distinguished privileges, than by liberally contributing to spread the glad tillings of peace on earth and good will to men, which he has sent to this guilty and miserable world at the expense of his own Son's blood? Who that professes a regard for Christianity, has a heart So untouched with benevolence, as to contribute nothing?-Who will not contribute what he can, and do what he can to induce others to contribute? The Lord hath need hath need of a portion of what He hath bestowed upon the stewards of his bounty for the furtherance of his great design of saving those, who are ready to perish. From his throne in the heavens, He looks down to see whose hearts, and whose hands, are open-open to that glorious object, for which He descended from the bosom of his Father to these abodes of sin and misery, and yielded up his life on the cross.

He will not overTook the widow's two mites; He will not fail amply to recompense the most liberal offerings of the wealthy. He loves the cheerful giver.

LETTERS FROM MR. WILBERFORCE.

[The character of Mr. Wilberforce is well-known to our readers. Out of regard to his expansive benevolence, the deep interest, which he takes in missionary concerns, and his intimate acquaintance with Charles Grant, Esq. late Chairman of the Court of Directors of the East India Company, he was applied to in behalf of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, with a view to obtain certain facilities for their missionaries. These facts are mentioned to explain the following extracts. Some of these extracts however allude to other subjects. But on whatever subject Mr. W. writes, his pen is guided by Christian affection.]

Extracts of a letter from Mr. Wilber force to the Rev. Dr. Morse, dated Oct. 4, 1814.

"Dear Sir, "Two days ago I received your favor of the 30th of August with its inclosure. I wish you were right in supposing that my friend Mr. C. Grant is Chairman of the East India Company. That might have facilitated your (let me say our, for you are perfectly right in conceiving that I am happy to call the cause my own) aecomplishment of the object; but he is now only a simple Director. I observe your suggests, that a mission might be sent to friends mention Ceylon." [Mr. W. here Ceylon with less difficulty than to places under the control of the East India Company. He then proceeds:]

"I quite rejoice to see, that they in whose hearts the Lord has excited a missionary spirit, are so well educated: and ally when the East Indies, China, or any so, I trust, it will continue to be, especiother civilized country, is to be the scene of their labors."

"Alas! my dear Sir, we are still at war as nations. Blessed be God, that it is but nationally, and that as individuals we may, and I trust do, on both sides of the water, cherish sentiments and feelings of peace and love. But I cling to the hope, with which the restoration of peace in Europe inspired me, that we shall not long be national enemies; and still more strongly do I hope, that the evils which have been suffered on both sides, in this unnatural and monstrous will render both countries more war, backward to re commence another contest."

"I have been forced to scribble in extreme haste. Indeed, I scarcely need mention what you would learn from the internal evidence, which my letter itself

"I AM honored with your letter of the 31st of August last, and can truly assure you, that it would give me no little pleasure to be instrumental in promoting the accomplishment of your wishes, respecting the good men, who are willing to devote themselves to the most truly gloririous of all offices,-that of a Christian Missionary."

[After communicating the information, which he deemed important, Mr.. W. concludes thus:]

"May He, who has the hearts of all at his disposal, produce the desired result. Meanwhile, allow me to state, that it is a particular gratification to me, during the unnatural war, which is now raging between our two nations derived from the same stock and bound to each other by so many ties, to open a friendly intercourse with an individual of your country, for the diffusion of divine light and the augmentation of human happiness. Being extremely pressed for time, I will only add my best wishes for the success of all the plans, which may be formed on your side of the water, for glorifying God and doing good to men."

AMERICAN MISSIONARIES.

WE mentioned, at the close of our last number, that letters had just been received from the American missionaries at Bombay, the particulars of which we could not then give. The communications referred to are very ample. They contained Mr. Newell's journal from his arrival at Calcutta, in June, 1812, to the date of his letter, which enclosed it, April 12, 1814; and Messrs. Hall and Nott's Journal from Dec. 23, 1813, the date of their last letter, which had been previously received, to April 9, 1814. Mr. Newell joined his brethren at Bombay, March 7, 1814. The missionaries were not free from anxiety, in reference VOL. XI.

to their exposure to be sent away from that place by order of the East India Company. They had received no communication from government since their last letter; and they had a strong hope, that they should be permitted to reside there without further trouble. There can be little doubt, that Lord Moira will be inclined not to molest them, unless he is peremptorily ordered to do so by the Directors in England. Even in that case, we have hopes, that the missionaries will obtain permission to retire to Ceylon. It is desirable, however, that they should retain their present station, if possible. If they should be able to do this, and a new mission should be established in Ceylon, these two stations may be considered as among the most important in the whole heathen world.

The following letters were written as the missionaries were closing their journals, and preparing their packages to be sent to this country.

Letters from the Missionaries to the Rev. Dr. Worcester.

Bombay, April 8, 1814.
Reverend and dear Sir,

OUR last letters to you were dated Dec. 22, and 23, 1813, and were sent by the very opportunity, by which we had every reason to expect, we should be sent to England. Our communications at that time were full, (and as correctly transcribed as our very limited time would allow,) These communications, with those which we made in October, will furnish you with an account of our eircumstances and conduct after arriving in India, till that date. If they shall have come safe to hand, you will no doubt be expecting to hear the long-wished-for intelligence, of our happy settlement among the heathen. It would, indeed, be gratifying to us to speak so comforting a word to your Christian hopes and wishes; as it certainly would be, to be able to consider our anxious suspense brought to a happy close. But our gracious Sovereign has not yet made known to us his decision on our case. After residing in Bombay fourteen months, we are still unsettled; and cannot tell you of our assurance, but only of our strong hope, that we shall finally be allowed to remain.

Since the favorable intimations from Lord Moira, to your Committee in Bengal, we have heard nothing decisive of the disposition of the supreme government: and still remain in the house in which we were placed by this government, when it was expected that we should be sent away within a fortnight. #16

We shall send you herewith, a copy of our Journal to the present date. Mr. Thomason's last letter expresses the hopes, which we entertain ourselves, respecting our staying here. Our hopes are strong, and we look on the prospect with great delight. We trust that God's wonderful and merciful dealings with us, are ere long to be crowned with the special blessings we have sought; that our merciful Father has a work for us to do here; and that his various dispensations have been allotted with fatherly tenderness and care, and intended to teach us lessons of humility, trust and patience; graces which we have found no more easy to our hearts here, than in our native land. We would hope that they may make us more prepared for our work. Pray for us. We are sensible that God alone can teach us to profit. Because we do not depend suitably upon his teaching, we know that we lose the advantage of many valuable lessons. Pray for us. The God to whom you pray dwells also in this land. Here he dwells in his own almighty strength; and, in answer to the prayers accepted from your altars, can pour a blessing; yea, an immediate blessing upon our heads. He can, he may, in the hour of darkness, light up our path, cheer our desponding hearts, dissipate our doubts, and fill us with faith and love, because you pray for us.

We have great reason to acknowledge the kind attention paid to our circumstances and wishes, by the Rev. Dr. Carey, and by the Rev. Mr. Thomason, and G. Udny, Esq. acting at his request as your Committee in Calcutta. To their efforts, under God, we are indebted for the hopes we now enjoy. Mr. Harington, in whose place Mr. Udny acted, has lately returned to Bengal, so that the only vacancy existing in your appointment, is that occasioned by the Rev. D. Brown's death, and which is now filled by the Rev. Mr. Thomason. The kindness of Mr. T. and his ability to help us, will appear from the letters of which we send you copies, and we have every reason to love him as a Christian and a friend, who after all his labors for us, will continually help us, by his prayers. We know no one whom, for our own parts, we should be so well pleased to have fill the vacancy in the Committee.

We recommenced the study of the Mahratta on January 1st. after having laid it by two months and a half. Our time is principally filled up with this study, Hebrew and Greek, and such reading and writing, as you will readily conceive. We have divine service in our family every Sabbath, at which four or five persons attend. We have a prayer

meeting, to seek God's blessing on our mission here, every Wednesday evening; and uniformly observe the evening of the first Monday in every month, as a season of prayer for the Church, in union with the friends of missions in England, and in India. It would be very pleasing to be informed, whether this season is observed, and how extensively, by our friends in America, as at present we have no appointed season for a union in prayer with them. We have become acquainted with a few persons here, who, we hope, are the disciples of the Lord Jesus.

Hitherto we have received no letters from you, but those which came by the Alligator. The box of books has not yet arrived, but we have reason to expect it shortly. We are extremely anxious to hear from you again; to know how you prosper. How flourishes the Church? Are there revivals in schools, colleges and congregations? Is there a spirit of fervent piety among professors of religion? Is there an ample supply of missionaries? From this country we have nothing new to communicate; the little, however, that we see and hear of the power of divine grace, convinces us, that God can work in India. The time we trust is at hand, when the number of missionaries will be much increased. The terms of the new Charter, we think with Mr. T. encourage the hope, that the past difficulties of entrance will be removed. In regard to future missionaries from America, we have only to repeat, what we have said in our former letters, and to express the desire that all may come, who are devoutly inclined; who are humble, zealous, and ju dicious men. The harvest is truly great, and the laborers are few.

Though unsettled, we think it desirable that calculations should be made, on the supposition that there will be a mission here. For a part of the books at least, which you send us, we would suggest whether it might not be expedient, togive an order to your Agent in London, to procure them and send them directly to Bombay. Should we be even sent to England, we should probably arrive there before your Agent could execute such an order as we have suggested.

On reading the observations respecting Cochin and the parts adjacent, we trust you will consider, that we only profess to give as good an account of what we saw, as our cursory view would enable us to give.* Indeed, when you read any of our observations on this land, we hope you will bear in mind the difficulty of giving. information on subjects, with which our

* Reference is had to a part of their journal which will be published. E.c.

WE add a few lines to express our united gratitude to God, for his kindness in bringing us all together, after more than two years separation, to the place of our choice, and with prospects so favorable. God has visited us with judgments hard to bear, and with mercies for which no gratitude is sufficient. Pray for us, that we may be knit together in love; that we may be diligent in our calling; that God "may dwell in us, and walk in us," and that we may be faithful unto death. Hereafter we shall hope to write to you in our united capacity.

We salute you, and the Board, with Christian love,

SAMUEL NOTT, SAMUEL NEWELL, GORDON HALL.

Extracts of a Letter from Mr. Nott to the Treasurer of the Board.

(THE three missionaries wrote separate letters to the Treasurer, giving exact and very satisfactory statements of their pecuniary affairs, from the time they left this country to April 1, 1814. After going through the necessary detail of business, they added a few other paragraphs, some of which will be extracted.]

"My dear Friend,

IN regard to the whole expenses, you will observe, that we have been all the while so situated, as to be ill prepared to plan and economize, having been obliged to act with the ignorance of strangers, and to live from day to day like travellers. We have great reason to acknowledge the kindness of God, who has taken care of us all along, and hitherto enabled us to live in the enjoyment of the comforts of life. When I took my wife to Philadelphia, I had a prospect before me which depressed my spirits. But God in whom I think I trusted, has not caused his faithfulness towards me to fail. When I arrived in India, I had enough; when that was gone, through kind friends I had enough more; and now, in season to save us from drawing on the London Society, your remittance has arrived, and perhaps we have enough on hand now for eight months forward."

"I am happy to have finished what I had to say on business, to be able to add a few lines more. When at Pondicherry,

in December 1812, I wrote you a long letter, and sent it to Calcutta to be forwarded by the first American ships; but the war, having previously become known in Calcutta, no ships were going and the letter was not sent. I have since been intending to give you a long letter; but must still postpone the execution of my intentions.

"There are a few persons here, that seem truly devoted to God; and one or two, who, I have some hope, may yet be useful in the Church."

[The letter concludes with a brief notice of some of the abominations practised among the heathen, and with a request that the writer and his brethreu may be remembered by Christians in their prayers, and that suitable pieces may be published here on the Efficacy of Prayer, and on the Christian Duty of Intercession.]

Extract of a letter from Mr. Hall to the same.

"My last letter to you was dated Feb. 17 1814.* We write to Dr. Worcester by the present opportunity, and forward our journal to this date. Brother Newell, now with us, does the same. If, these communications go safe, and also what we have before sent, you will know all about us. I fear how it will be. But these things are not guided by chance. We need your prayers; and it is no small comfort to believe that we enjoy them daily. Yours affectionately, &c."'

Conclusion of a letter from Mr. Newell to the saine.

"Ir the Board see fit to allow my accounts, they will be squared up to the commencement of the present year 1814, and I shall hold, over and above, 913 sicca rupees, which will be the amount of my salary for 1814, wanting only 10 rupees.

"Before I received the last remittance, I had been obliged to draw on Dr. Carey, for a considerable sum, (which is now settled,) and once I drew on the London Society's agents at Madras, for 250 sicca rupees, which I have requested Dr. Carey to refund out of the sum which he holds for me. It is possible, however, that this bill may have gone to England, and may be charged to the Board on my account. If so, the Board will consider that sum as paid to me over and above what they have remitted to me. While I was Calcutta, I received a present of 3500

*This letter has not come to hand.

At the present rate of exchange 208 sicca r bees are equal to 100 Spanish milled follars.