April 9th, 1815, Mr. Smith left New Orleans, and took his passage on board the Henrietta, bound to Charleston. He was fortunate enough to arrive at Philadelphia in May, in time to make his report to the Board of Missions during the sitting of the General Assembly. Though many highly interesting facts are found recorded in Mr. Smith's journal, which took place during the summer of 1815, when he was among his friends in New England; and though these facts are well calculated to cast a lustre upon his character, the limits of the present sketch will not permit us to notice them. We will again introduce him to our readers when at sea, on his return to New Orleans. Nor was the smooth sea, upon which he was sailing when this part of his journal was written, half so perfect a mirror as are these words of that heart which always seemed to glow with piety and benevolence. "At Sea, Oct. 31, 1815. "It is now a week since I took an affectionate leave of my friends in Boston, (the 24th inst.) and sailed in the barque Leopard, captain Marsters, for New Orleans. For the first five days the wind blew an almost incessant gale. I was very sick, almost wholly confined to my birth. Hour after hour lay and heard the successive commands, All hands on deck-to reef;-and then, to take in the sails, until nothing remained but a piece of The storm still raged. I had no companion with whom I could converse. I felt that I was in the hands of God. hope I was willing to be there. one. "The storm has ceased. The weather is delightful. All our sails are set; and a fine breeze wafts us forward. My sickness is over, and my heart is now light and joy. ful. "I now set myself down to sketch some account of the erigin and progress hitherto of the undertaking -in which I am engaged. "While travelling through the western states, on my former tour, (in company with my excellent companion, Rev. Saml. J. Mills,) I often felt a deep personal interest in many sections of the country. As I reached some new and more desolate moral wilderness, my heart would often exclaim, Surely this must be the field of my future labours. But I endeavoured to repress these feelings, and keep myself free from local and partial attachments, until I should see the end. When the whole tour is accomplished, then, thought 1, will I deliberately decide on the main question,-whether my days, divine providence permitting, ought to be spent in the wes tern country; and then to what section of it shall they be devoted? The repeated and earnest solicitations of my friends at various places, that I would tarry with them, or return to them, received no other reply than one consonant with such a decision. "The time at length came, when I found myself returning by sea from New Orleans to my native country, I wished to prevent the influence which the objections and the reluctance of my friends might have upon my mind. It would be doubly difficult to decide on the question impartially, when all my tender feelings were again excited by their presence, their kind attentions, and fond caresses. I feared that even the strong emotions I felt, when weeping over the desolations of the -west, would give way to these tender, but almost invincible affections.. I had leasure enough to deliberate on my passage here. I took up the subject, therefore, with seriousness, and not, I hope, without humble and fervent prayer for divine direction. "I soon found, that notwithstanding my resolution to to the contrary, the main question was in fact decided. It had crept into my journal, that "I cannot bear to think of settling in New-England while so great a portion of this country remains unsupplied with the gospel." The whole bent and current of my mind was towards the west. When I came to decide on my field of labour, I had more need of deliberation. Different and distant portions of the country had strong claims upon my attention, and made powerful appeals to my judgment and feelings. Never before did I wish myself divisible, or capable of something like ubiquity. The result was this-places of less importance were laid out of the question; New Orleans, Natchez, and St. Louis, were selected as places demanding attention first; to either of which I was willing to go, as the Lord should direct. "I found, however, in my feelings and judgment, a decided preference to Natchez. New Orleans was too far gone in wickedness. It seemed to be the duty of some mightier champion to storm that strong hold; and yet, had the inquiry been made-"Whom shall I send?" I believe I could have said, "Lord, here am 1: send me." St. Louis was yet comparatively in its infancy. It would be long before I could hope to see much fruit of my labours there. While at Natchez the field seemed white already to the harvest. A church had been built, the people were very desirous to obtain a preacher of the gospel. It was a crisis there. Either the disciples of Christ must, or the men of Belial would, immediately enter into the harvest. My judgment, and especially my feelings, were, I suppose, influenced in some degree by this circumstance, that I had been longer in Natchez than in St. Louis. I had formed stronger attachments, and had more confidence of success there. I had found in the territory a few pious clergymen, who would much strengthen my hands and increase my usefulness. "I determined, therefore, on seeking a missionary appointment to either of those three places, giving Natchez a decided preference." "Off Cuba, Nov. 8. "After the gale was over, with which we had been beset for several days at the commencement of our voyage, we had pleasant weather and very favourable winds until day before yesterday, when we were becalmed twenty-four hours. We were, however, exposed to some danger in passing among the Bahama islands in the night; and, in crossing the Bahama bank, our vessel struck several times. A few inches less water might have occasioned our destruction. For twelve or fourteen hours we were sailing across this bank, with barely water sufficient to float our ship. And yet we were entirely out of sight of land, except at the but tom. "Several times, both in the gale, and in crossing the bank, the mariners have been thrown into some conster nation: but somehow, either from ignorance of my danger, from natural apathy, or from some other cause, I cannot be greatly alarmed. While they are all bustle and activity, doing this and that for the preservation of the ship, I look calmly on, and say in my heart, "My spirit looks to God alone; "Balize, Nov. 18. "We passed Havanna and the island of Cuba, with a fine breeze, under full sail. The weather was very pleasant. But as I walked on deck, and contemplated this wretched land of ignorance, of superstition, and of suffering, my spirit was stirred within me. O when shall the light of the gospel, in its divine purity, irradiate this benighted island-when shall these "habitations of cruelty" become the dwelling place of humane, enlightened, and beneficent christians." It has been such men as Mr. Smith, who have carried the gospel from island to island, and from country to country, ever since the ascension of our blessed Lord. It is a comfortable thought to a christian minister, that he can pray for those to whoni he may not have it in his power to preach. Mr. Smith is sailing by the island of Cuba; he cannot go, ashore to preach Jesus and him crucified. But walking on the deck of the ship, he cau pray, "O when shall the light of the gospel in its divine purity irradiate this benighted island." This prayer is had in remembrance, and though the dust of our dear brother sleeps in Louisville, this prayer may |