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have nearly arrived, when, with all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, there shall be but one opinion on the practicability and duty of engaging in missionary enterprises.

these petitions flocked together from every part of England, Ireland and Scotland, as if moved by the same impulse; that they were every where encouraged by the wise, the considerate, the benevolent, the piAre we to reason, and act, as ous; and that their success was earthough all these advances were un-nestly desired by all classes of perworthy of consideration? Is the pro- sons from the prince to the peasant, gress already made to be accounted from the learned divine to the amiaas nothing? Is it nothing, that mis-ble child? sionaries are stationed in New Holland; at many places in Hindostan ; in Ceylon; at five or six places in Africa; in Tartary; in South America; in Labrador and Greenland; and in the islands of the Pacific ocean? Is it nothing, that such

(To be continued.)

of which will be attended with consequences lasting as eternity.

The interesting events of the year, now bidding us adieu, may be viewed in reference to ourselves, to our friends, to our fellow-men, and to the church of God. There are very few who can say, this year has not been productive of most important events to themselves. Such a portion of our season of probation, on which our immortal existence depends, is irrecoverably past. In the lives of all who enjoy the means of gospel instruction, there are, undoubtedly, certain points, on which turn their moral character, for all their future

The Close of the Year. THROUGH the mercy of a holy God, a man as Dr. Buchanan has travelled, and published the result of his ther year. Many of our acquaintwe are drawing to the close of anoresearches, in order to show the pro-ance, and thousands of our fellowgress of Christianity in the east, and men, who began the year with as to press upon Christians the duty of favorable prospects of seeing its teractivity in this great work? Is it nomination as any who now survive, thing, that the caverns of the Inquisi- have finished their earthly course, tion at Goa have been thrown open, and have appeared at the bar of and the wretched captives suffered God. Great are the changes which to go free? and that this victory of the passing year has produced, some religion over superstition has been achieved in consequence of the benev olent atempts to extend the light of the Gospel to Asia? Is it nothing, that we are enabled, by intelligence received while we are writing, to celebrate the triumph of the friends of missions in the British Parliament? a triumph which unbars India to the missionaries of the cross? Is it nothing, that the executive government of Great Britain is strongly in favor of communicating religious instruction to sixty millions of Asiatic subjects? Is it nothing, that the voice of the English nation was raised, in the course of three mouths, to a louder note of intreaty in favor of send-existence. ing Christianity to the east, than it had been raised for a century past, on any moral or political subject whatever, not accepting the abolition of the slave trade for which the nation struggled twenty years? Is it nothing, that nine hundred petitions loaded the tables of each House of Parliament, signed by nearly half a million of individuals,-a greater number than ever before offered petitions in their own hand-writing, for one common purpose, to any government on earth? Is it nothing, that Vor. VI. No. 12.

Those who ever close with Christ, who renounce their enmity to him, for the love and service of holiness, do it at a certain time. Though the instances are few in which the mind can ascertain the

precise moment of this interesting period; yet there is such a time in the existence of every one, who from a course of steady departure from the divine Saviour, becomes a humble friend of the Lord Jesus. It is equally true that there are those critical junctures in the lives of those who will be fmally lost, which de M m m

cide their eternal ruin. These event- | he was true, his aspect was shrouded ful periods of the immortal existence, with divine glory, he informed him it may not be very easy to point out, who he was, and the governor was yet every attentive observer of his faithfully admonished of his danger; own character may determine some yet the love of the world and the of them with a good degree of pre-deceitful charms of sin, rushing upcision. They are times, when the on his mind with all their force, inmind yields to the power of temp-duced him to condemn bis innocent tation, while the conscience clearly prisoner and deliver him to death. sees the wrong and faithfully remon- The awful turn of his eternal charstrates; when the precepts of God acter was now arrived, and it was are distinctly contemplated, and that soon decided.-Events equally interinclination which invites to a plain resting and transient, have deterdisobedience, is obeyed; when the mined the eternal moral standing of tender instances of parental fidelity characters of an opposite descripor gospel ministrations, believed to tion. Abraham is directed to offer be sanctioned by divine precept, and his son, the son of his hopes, upon to flow from an affectionate tender- the altar of sacrifice. All the feelings ness, are disregarded; when volun- of a father and the hopes of the tary vows,made in the face of heaven, church plead a non-compliance. and made as a condition of receiv- The divine command is uncondiing providential blessings, are delib- tional. The Patriarch's decision erately neglected; when covenant is made; he binds the victim. By engagements, in which every power myself have 1 sworn, saith Jehoof the soul has sworn fidelity, are vuh, for because thou hast done this voluntarily violated; when the mind thing, and hast not withheld thy has an awful sense of the immedi-son, thine only son; that in blessing a e presence of a holy, omniscient I will bless thee.- -Some of the God, convinced of what would be pleasing to Him, yet taking the course of disobedience and transgression. Such events in the lives of the finally impenitent, will probably be viewed hereafter, as the turning points, on which the destinies of eternity are suspended. The reason that they are such, is, not that probation then absolutely closes, but that in consequence of such voluntary and deliberate engagements in the service of sin, the heart becomes hardened, the means of grace become inefficacious, the strivings of the good Spirit of God with the conscience grow feeble, and all the passions of wickedness receive renewed strength. The truth of God, flowing through the irresistible eloquence of Paul, brought the mind of the Roman governor to an awful pause; with trembling solemnity he resolved the question, shall I like Paul become a disciple of Jesus, or continue in the anduigence of sense and the service of sin? Hell and heaven were before him. For the present, heaven must be disregarded. His eternal allotnent, probably turned on that decision.-Pilate saw his Lord before him, his conscience assuerd him that

early martyrs were chained in an
iron chain at Lyons and burned over
a slow fire With all the instru-
ments of suffering before them, they
were informed that if they would
abjure Christianity, and sacrifice to
the gods of the empire, they should
be discharged. They could not but
reflect that if they rejected Christ
now, they might afterwards have
opportunity for repentance.
they saw that the period had arri
ved which should try their fidelity,
in which they were called to witness
for their Lord. They advance to the
conflict, and their names are noted
on high.

But

In view of these truths, it is deeply incumbent on every individual, în the review of any past period of human life, particularly in the review of a closing year, solemnly to enquire whether he has passed any of these eventful periods of his probationary state which may determine his cternal portion. The present year has produced such events with many. Some have closed with Christ, and have taken him as their only Saviour. Some have performed those trying services of fidelity for him, which determine their character for

eternity. Some, who yet live, have deliberately taken those courses of iniquity, which they will hereafter Contemplate as having fixed them in the broad road of endless destruction.

have been long neglected, the church has been hated and opposed, Zion has been despised. Israel's God is awaking to the execution of his threatenings. The voice of those that were slain for the word of God, that have long cried under the altar, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? seems at length to have been heard. Have we not reason to fear the performance of the divine answer to the trembling prophet? Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate.

At the close of the year we may profitably reflect on the dealings of divine Providence with us in reference to our friends. All human ties result from the divine appointment; God knows their strength, and that theygovern all the tender movements of the heart. In the mercies and afflictions which he sends upon our near connexions, he is directing our minds to himself, he is calling upon us to contemplate his character, to consider the design of his dealings, and to be instructed by his voice. The events of Providence are peculiarly calculated to illustrate the divine character, and they faithfully corroborate the testimonies of holy Scripture concerning God. The same is our God, in whom we live, to whom we are to account for all moral conduct, by whose pleasure our future being is to be appointed. In those events of his providence, in which he comes near to us, he shows us the greatness of his mercy, his displeasure at iniquity, the terribleness of his justice, and the certainty of its execution. By all the persua-pressed with the necessity of consives of his mercy he invites us to renounce sin and follow him; by all the terrors of his justice he warns us of the fatal dangers of iniquity.

These gloomy apprehensions are soothed by the recollection that the Church yet lives, and that Zion's God is still on the throne. While, in the present year, we have seen infatuated millions rushing on to the gulph opened by the sword of slaughter, we have also seen divine grace enlarging the church's borders, the Holy Spirit accompanying the truths of the gospel with a divine energy, and, by the efficacy of sovereign mercy, many immortal souls commencing the eternal song. We have seen Christians deeply im

veying the blessings of the gospel to the destitute, and of laboring and praying for their success. We have witnessed the extent of this impresAs members of the whole human sion, and the unanimity of these exfamily, all of whom are ever under ertions, to a degree that compels the guidance of heaven, we cannot us to ascribe the effect to the interbe indifferent to the events of divine posing grace of God. Before the Providence, with which they are efforts of obedience and faith, the deeply affected. We have seen the obstacles which timidity has long bepresent year calling all Christian held to the dissemination of divinenations, the whole of what is usually truth, surprisingly fall. Every efdenominated the civilized world, to fort affords new encouragement to' the conflict of war. No independ- labor for God, and for the fulfilment ent nation has been permitted to of his promises.-These events are stand aloof from the scene. The cheering indications that the day of conflict rages in all quarters of the the church's travail is near its close. globe, with an energy of strength We discover the dawn of its rest never before witnessed, and with a and prosperity. The mighty strug-ferocity apparently insatiable War gles of wickedness are the struggles in all its forms, is God's sore judg-of despair; for shortly it shall be ment. Verily, the present is a day of the divine vengeance The name of God has long been forgot ten, Christ Jesus and his holy gospel

trodden under the foot of its holy Conqueror, who died to redeem his people, who rose to protect and rule them for ever in glory.

N.

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missionary,

new year's,

Page. Bible Society, Kentuckey,

270

Massa.

231

360
142

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Virginia,

377

440

40

64

27

of Con. Bible Society, 65,

115

26, 55, 467

7

226, 396

Dr. Green, 74, 103, 149
Mass. Bible Society, 231
Phil.
do.
279
Rhode-Island, do.
yearly of Quakers,

375

158

346

Africa, mission to,
Anderson, Dr. Thomas, death of, 240
Annuity Society,
189

120

Answers to Correspondents,
Arnold, Rev. Ambrose, death of, 360
Assembly, Gen. Presbyterian, 265
Association, Gen. of Con. 258, 297
Augustus Ferdinand, Prince,
death of,

Auxiliary Foreign Mission Soci-
eties,
Ayer, Rev. Oliver, mission of,

819

Bird, Jonathan, death of,
Bogardus, Rev. Cornelius, do.
Books sent to new settlements,
Boyd, Rev. James, mission of,
death of, 160
Brainerd, Rev. Israel, mission of, 33
British and Foreign Bib. Soc. 39, 316,
398, 425
Broome, Lieut. James, death of, 320
Brown, Rev. John W. do. 80
Burder, Rev. Geo. letter from, 356
Burr, Rev. Jonathan, installation
of,
Burroughs, Rev. Eden, death of, 240
C

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100, 156, 438

Chaplains of British navy,

359

34

Chapman, Rev. Joel, death of, 320

Charter of East India company, 394

B

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Christian edification,
forgiveness,

454

343

157, 274

OBSERVER, extracts

Barker, Dr. John, death of,

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142, 358, 359, 413, 419

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Barlow, Hon. Joel, do.

Barr, Rev. Thomas, mission of,
Bates, Rev. David, death of,
Beer, Rev, Joshua, mission of,
Beers, Isaac, Esq. death of,
Belden, Rev. Joshua, do

memoirs of 429
Benedict, Rev. Noah, death of, 240
Joel T. mission of, 35

Bible Society, Brit. and For. 39, 316,

120

28

319

29

360

320

21

317

Church of Abyssinia,
Clark, Daniel, Esq. death of, 440
Rev. Eber L. ordination of, 79
Clinton, Gen. James, death of, 40
Close, Rev. John, do.
Coe, Rev. Hervey, ordination of, 239
Commissioners for foreign mis-
sions,
439, 467
Connecticut Bible Society, 39, 65,
226, 396
General Association, 258,

142

200

297

398, 425

Miss. Society, 26, 55, 259

Conn. 39, 65, 226, 396

339

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