The Connecticut Evangelical Magazine, and Religious Intelligencer

'creatures; and when I have found, that, in many places, they have teachers, who strengthen their natural prejudices against the truth.'

The Rev. Messrs. Salmon King, Erastus Ripley, and Chauncey Lee, have lately gone, as missionaries, into the Northern counties of Vermont and New-York. Others, it is expected, will soon engage in the same important work.

Much missionary service has also been recently performed, and is now performing, in districts so remote, as to render impossible an account of them in this Narrative. Be it sufficient to add here, that the Trustees have, the present year, distributed, among the needy in the new settlements, a greater number of pious books than they have found the means of distributing in any former

season.

An account of the books distributed, the present year, in the new settlements-and a statement of the funds belonging to the Missionary Society of Connecticut-will be found annexed to this Narrative. Although several sources of income, enjoyed in past years, have now ceased, yet the Lord has disposed individuals to contribute, to the purposes of this benevolent institution, portions of the substance he gave them for use: The time would fail to mention many particulars. One, however, especially deserves to be recorded in these pages. Perhaps a more correct view of the fact cannot be exhibited, than by inserting an extract from the Minutes of the Board, at a meeting specially convened by the chairman, at the state house in Hartford, May 19th, 1808.

"Voted, that the Rev.Jedidiah Morse,D.D. and Asher Adams, both of Charlestown, Mass. be, and they hereby are, appointed attornies, on the behalf of this board, to receive, from the execu'tors of the last will and testament of Richard Devens, Esq. late ' of Charlestown, deceased, the sum of Five Hundred Dollars, ' which said executors, by request of the residuary legatees of said Devens propose to pay, from said Devens's estate, to the Mis'sionary Society of Connecticut, in addition to ten shares in the Fire and Marine Insurance Corporation, in Boston, bequeathed by said Devens to said Missionary Society, as an equivalent for 'the reduction of the value of said shares at the decease of the testator, from their value at the time the said will was executed : And that they, the said Morse and Adams, be requested to remit 'the said money to the treasurer of this society, whenever they 'shall receive the same from said executors.

• Voted, that the thanks of this board be presented to the residuary legatees of the late Richard Devens, Esq. of Charlestown, Mass. and to the executors of the last will and testament of said Devens, for their having generously agreed to pay, to the Missionary Society of Connecticut, the sum of Five Hundred Dollars, 'from the estate of said Devens, in addition to ten shares in the Fire and Marine Insurance Corporation, in Boston, bequeathed by him to said Society.'

The Trustees think it, likewise, proper to insert, for the consi

deration of the Missionary Society, the following extract, from the minutes of their session, the 7th of September.

Voted, that the following alteration, in the Constitution of the 'Missionary Society of Connecticut, be proposed to the Society, at 'their session to be holden in Lebanon, the 3d Tuesday of June 'next, viz. That in the eleventh and twelfth articles of the consti'tution, the word August be substituted in the place of the word 'September.'

And now, readers and brethren, you observe how large and ani❤ mating is the account of missionary labors performed, and of their happy effects experienced, which the Trustees here put into your hands. They feel strong confidence, that, in the contemplation of these things, your joy will be one with theirs; and that you will cordially join them, in ascribing all the praise to Him, whose boundless grace has enabled them to accomplish so much for both the present comfort and eternal well being of souls, that were ready to perish. To be ambitious of unceasing instrumentality in such labors of love is, indeed, to be ambitious as Christians. By prayer, then-by worldly substance-by example in every possi ble way-let all come forward to the help of the Lord. Let all be ambitious to do good, by every talent conferred, and, for the use of which, there is, at hand, a day of reckoning, that is infinitely strict and awful.

It is, also, with high satisfaction, that the Trustees mention here the increasing prosperity and usefulness, the present year, of other missionary institutions in our land. Nor can they, in this place, refrain from noticing, with inexpressible joy, the great and numerous revivals of solemn and saving attention to religion, both in the old settlements of our country and in the new. Animating to the friends of Emanuel are the good tidings, which often and from various places, arrive, announcing the triumphs of grace. What, brethren, more encouraging, can be desired, as a foundation of hope for our beloved country, in a day of perplexity and distress, than the certainty, that the Lord is diffusing a spirit of evangelical supplication, and adding to the number of those who pray!

JOHN TREADWELL, Chairman.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

Berlin,

Bristol,

A STATEMENT

OF THE FUNDS OF THE MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF CONNECTICUT, JANUARY 1, 1809.

No. 1.

Account of Sums contributed in the several Congregational Societies in the State of Connecticut, for the support of Missions, on the first Sabbath of May 1808, pursuant 40 a Resolve of the General Assembly of said State, passed May 1807.