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INTELLIGENCE.

Society for propagating the Gospel among the Indians and others in North America.--The anniversary of this society was held in Boston, Nov. 9, 1820, when the Discourse was delivered by Rev. C. Lowell, from Luke xii. 48. “To whom much is given, of him will much be required." The sermon and the annual report have been for some time published, but we have been prevented from laying any account of them before our readers till the present time. Assistance is given, as is well known, by this society to the small settlements of our own country, and instruction sent to the Indians. The following is a brief sketch of their operations the last year:

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Missions in Maine.-The Rev. Dr. Porter accomplished his mission of three months at Fryeburg and the vicinity. Mr. Douglas performed his mission of two months at Alfred and Shapleigh. In Alfred his labours have been crowned with unusual success. "I have been," he writes, "greatly encouraged. 1 have baptized 23 persons; 4 adults and 19 children; 10 persons have united with the church-nine by a public profession and one by letter." Mr. Calef laboured two months in Parsonsfield, Limington, Effingham, Newfield, and Waterborough. Mr. Adams performed a mission of three months at Vassalborough and the adjoining town of Winslow. He bears a decided testimony in favour of "local missions;" but adds, "not that itinerant missions ought to be abandoned; the sheep and lambs, scattered on the mountains, should not be forgotten. Still F conceive, that local missions, judiciously conducted, promise the most permanent utility." Mr. Sawyer performed the duties assigned him at Brownville and the vicinity. "The prospects, in this section of the country, do, in some respects, look more hopeful than heretofore. As a mean to what has been done we are greatly indebted to your Society." Mr. Parker performed two months' service at Dresden and the vicinity. Mr. Fisher performed one month's service at Sedgwick and the vicinity. Mr. Peet performed one month's service, assigned to him at Norridgewock and the vicinity. It is grateful to learn, that Mr. Nurse, at Ellsworth, has been favoured with such an improved state of health, as to be able to prosecute his labours without interruption, both in the work of the ministry and in the conduct of the school. "In my school," he writes, "things have gone on pleasantly and prosperously. It has been in operation more than eleven

months of the twelve. The number of scholars has varied from 20 to 60. Their attention to study has been pleasing and commendable. The Examining Committee were of opinion, that the school never appeared so well as at the last examination. Those, who believe and realize, that it is not good that the soul should be without knowledge, must, I think, contemplate the operations and influences of this school with some degree of interest. In it upwards of 40 have been qualified to take charge of schools, and have been employed as instructors of youth in this town and in the eastern part of Maine. They have been dispersed from the Penobscot to the St. Croix. With a very few exceptions, they have been very faithful, acceptable and successful. In places of great ignorance, and in the bosom of the wilderness, flourishing schools have sprung up, in which the children have been taught and daily habituated to read the Bible; have been taught to write systematically, to parse the language, the use of figures in common life, and the elements of geography. The mode of instruction practised in our school has been carried into many others; and hundreds, if not thousands of youth have felt the benefit of it.

Mr. Kellogg visited Dennysville, Robbinston, and Perry, and performed service there and at other places, gratuitously; devoting the two missionary months exclusively to Lubec. The church that was erecting in Lubec, was dedicated on the 30th of August; the sermon was preached by Mr. Kellogg. It is the first congregational church in that place. A church, consisting of 11 members, was gathered here by Mr. Kellogg on his former mission. The importance of Lubec, in a religious as well as commercial view; the wise measures adopted by the inhabitants for the promotion of their moral and religious interests; the enlightened zeal with which those measures are carrying forward into effect; and the successful influence of our missionary in this great and sacred enterprise, are amply testified by the communications that have been received. The movers of the subscription to the maintenance of public worship in the newly erected church, observe: "Lubec contains, by actual enumeration, more than 1300 souls. Of this number nearly half are children and persons under age. Though a house of worship has been erected, there is no prospect of a settled ministry unless public spirited individuals will step forward and make a common effort, suited to the emergency of the case and to the greatness of the occasion. A committee of Lubec, in a communication to the Secretary, observe respecting Mr. Kellogg: "His labours and zeal to unite the discordant materials of which our population is composed into one religious society; to lay the

foundation of a permanent establishment for the gospel ministry, to make ready a people prepared to worship God in the beauty of holiness in his sanctuary in this place, have been unremitted, and we believe, without example. We feel greatly indebted for his counsel and advice in projecting and maturing our plans in relation to our ecclesiastical concerns. His labours for the whole time he has been with us have exhibited one uniform effort to promote our spiritual interests; and the result appears in a total change of the aspect of the town with regard to its ecclesiastical prospects and the best hopes of Christians on religious subjects." After a statement of facts, illustrative of the peculiarity of their situation, they conclude by saying; "Under these circumstances the gratuitous and unexpected assistance of the Society for propagating the Gospel in North America has been peculiarly acceptable and grateful to us, and, we believe, has resulted in a remarkable accordance with their views in sending a missionary to this section of the country."

Missions among the Indians are as follows.-1. Moheakunnuk or New Stockbridge Indians.-The labours of the missionary, Rev. Mr. Sergeant, have been directed, as usual, to the promo-. tion of the best interests, temporal and spiritual, of the remnant of this tribe. Beside stated expositions and discourses on the Lord's day, the missionary has visited and instructed the families, catechized the children and young people, and administered the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. On the 10th of September, 1819, he "attended a council of a delegation of the Six Nations, with four from Canada of different tribes; the object of which was, to strengthen each other's hands in the cause of the Christian religion in opposition to pa ganism, and also to recommend religion to the heathen tribes.": The second day of December was observed as a day of Thanksgiving. Governour Brooks' proclamation was read to the Indians in their own language. Mr. Sergeant notes, that “there i have been 8 births, 7 deaths, and 7 new.comers the year past:" also, that "The Stockbridge Indians have spun and made 20 coverlids and several hundred yards of cloth the year past.", [i. e. 1819.]

A later number of the Journal of Mr. S. (from 1 January to1 July, 1820,) records another attempt for a reformation. Mr. Sergeant having invited all the men of the tribe to meet at the dwelling house of the Chief, " to give them counsel and advice for a more general reformation in their morals;" they met according to appointment, on the 29th of May, when he addressed themin a long speech. They all appeared solemn and attentive; and afterwards voted several resolutions, the purport of which

was:-to be united in promoting regulations for the comfort, happiness and respectability of the tribe; to renew their covenant engagements, signed at the formation of the Moral Society, and to endeavour to support every regulation of it; to endeavour to deny themselves the use of spirituous liquors while cultivating their lands; to desire the neighbouring white people to use their utmost endeavours to put an entire stop to the sale of intoxicating liquor to any of their tribe; to appoint a committee to reprove, admonish, and complain of any white people, who may go about visiting or attending worldly business on Lord's days; and to use their utmost endeavours to promote among themselves all the arts of civilized life, which might, with the divine blessing, render them independent and happy. After which the Chief made the following reply:

"Father,

"We, your children, thank you for your good counsel. You have plainly told us all the errors of our nation for many years past; wherein our forefathers and we their children, have missed the good path of duty whereby they and we might now have been a rich, great and numerous people, like our brethren the whites. Every word you have said is the truth. We will try to do better for the future, than we have done in our past days, and follow your good advice."

2. Indians on Martha's Vineyard; and the Narragansets. Mr. Baylies, whose account of the Indian schools to the month of September the last year, as appears by the last Report, left them in a flourishing state, wrote in March, that in their close, his most sanguine expectations were gratified. Beside visiting the schools, it was necessary that he should take a part in the instruction of them. Four women schools have been supported the season past. In all they were taught 34 weeks; add 12 weeks which I taught, make 46 weeks. In my schools I had 132 scholars; 122 were coloured, 11 were married people. I have not the exact number further than I have stated, but I should say, in the above schools there were 150 coloured scholars. These schools are very pleasing to the Indians; and it is my fervent prayer, that they may tend to promote their happiness in time and in eternity." Specimens of writing from 70 of the Indian scholars, left by Mr. B. with the Secretary, and preserved with the papers of the Society, do great honour to the schools, and furnish good encouragement to their continuance. Mr. Baylies spent 8 sabbaths at Narraganset; the remainder of his time principally on Martha's Vineyard-at Gay Head, Chabaquiddick, Christiantown, and Farmneck; dividing it according to numbers and circumstances. Although there has been no

special attention to religion of late among the Indians here, "yet we are not to conclude," says the missionary, "that they are without thought. I find many serious, pious people among them. Our public worship is not so well attended at all times as I could wish; yet we often have full assemblies. These poor people, who have experienced so much benefit from the benevolence of the Corporation and Society, rest in humble hopes that they shall not be forgotten in future.". "Rev. Mr.

Thaxter has rendered me essential service. Though he is far advanced in years, yet he is never weary in doing good, especially to the Indians, as his frequent visits and great labour of love clearly demonstrate."

The recent grant of the Legislature of $300 to the Natives at Chabaquiddick, "to build a suitable house for public worship and school," has had a happy effect, and promises great utility. The house is already built and has recently been dedicated.

3. Senecas and Munsees.-President Alden has recently performed the service, assigned him the last year. It was chiefly devoted to the Seneca Indians, and to the settlers in their neighbourhood. 66 The prospect for effectually evangelizing the Senecas is more favourable than at any former time. Since my last mission, in some reservations one third and in others one half of the Indians, comprising the most respectable of the chiefs and of others of the best habits, have come forward and resolved to open their ears to the sound of the gospel. They accordingly are in the constant practice of meeting together with their wives and children, usually in their best robes, on the sabbath. When they have no preacher they spend the sabbath in singing, praying, conversing on the contents of the Bible, so far as in their power, recapitulating the discourse any of them may have heard, and in listening to the exhortations of their chiefs. At Cataraugus the chiefs have even appointed two Indians of talents to instruct their people in the Christian religion ; a wonderful fact! My exercises, in various instances, were mingled with the publick prayers of Senecas, who spoke with solemnity, reverence, and great propriety and variety of expres sion. "The line of demarcation," Mr. Alden observes, "is now distinctly drawn between the Christian and pagan party. The Munsees are with the pagan party, and are much given to intemperance. There is reason, however, to believe, that paganism will shortly lose its advocates, and that those who are wandering in the paths of darkness will be brought to join their brethren of the Christian party." He repeats his testimony to the zealous and successful labours of Mr. Hyde, who is esta blished by the New York Missionary Society as a teacher of re

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