of falvation. While, therefore, we expect the rapid wheels of providence will foon introduce the joyful days of Zion, fhall not the followers of the Lamb gird up their loins and double their diligence? If we wish to difpel the fatal ignorance which broods over the minds of millions of the wretched natives; if we wish to arm our infant fettlements against the increafing powers of infidelity in one word, if we fupremely love the glory of God in the falvation of fouls, let us harmonize with the fpirit of gofpel miffions: For until the elect fhall be gathered, or Chrift fhall recall his fervants from their labours, this command, " Preach the gospel to every creature," will remain in full force. Inftead of dreaming, like idle men, that there is a lion in the way, let us advance in the name of the Lord, and remove every difficulty, and furmount every obstacle. By perfonal exertions, merely, we can do nothing; but by tlre gracious influence of the Almighty we can do all things: For the Lord effects the purposes of his grace, not by the wifdom and power of man, but by the energy of his holy Spirit. If we embrace Chrift to conduct and fupport us, we have nothing to fear but our own declenfion. Oppofition will fly before us, and mountains become. plains. Let not the day of finall things be defpifed.

Let preachers of the gospel, who are beft qualified for Miffionaries, accept the elevated office, and magnify it from end to end of our extenfive and deftitute territory. Let our brethren, both in the city and country, who poffefs property, poffefs also charitable hearts, and improve their riches by fupporting faithful miffions, till the wilderness fhall bow before the king of Zion: For what qualified Miffionaries can quit their domeftic and parochial connections, and fpend their time, and exhauft their ftrength, among the remote fettlements, without incurring heavy expenfe? The labourer is worthy of his hire; and to fupport the moft ufeful miffions, we must be furnifhed with anfwerable funds. But the earth is the Lord's, and the fullncfs thereof: and we willingly believe, that he will open the hearts of rich men, and fpeedily furnish

pecuniary means to erect gofpel churches beyond the Western mountains and lakes, where the perifhing natives are offering facrifices to devils. Prayer and pecuniary aid are both neceffary to carry into effect the noble defign of Miffionary Societies: And is it poffible for the work to fail while Chriftians pray fervently for its fuccefs, and men of property love the fouls of their fellow mortals? How eafy for a fmall number of men, who poffefs but a common fhare of property, to fupport feveral Miffionaries from year to year? A thousand dollars only of golpel charity will furnifh much bread for ftarving fouls in the wilderneís.

While the Society wifely improves donations, and generously rewards faithful Miffionaries, why shall not our fund increafe like a river which is fupplied by thousands of brooks and unremitting fprings? All good men love to do good, and to communicate. For it is more bleffed to give than it is to receive. Let the children of profperity, therefore, take the advantage of their property, and devote a fmall fhare of it, at leaft, to ornament the temple of falvation. Let them give a portion to seven, and alfo to eight. Money devoted to the Miffionary fund is fo much precious property previously lodged in the bank of heaven. Chrift loves and will bountifully reward the cheerful giver. A fingle cent of gofpel charity, in Chrift's estimation, is more valuable than mines of filver and gold in the contracted hands of selfishness. Shall we then be remifs while the falvation of thousands depends on Miffionary exertions? Shall we not commiferate the vast number of children who never faw the Bible, nor any of Chrift's minifters? Shall we be attentive to objects of the leaft importance, and neglect those of the greatest importance? Shall we be out-done by the men of the world? Shall the mifer painfully penetrate the bowels of the earth in queft of glittering duft? Shall the merchant meet every danger of the elements, both at home and abroad, to accumulate wealth? Shall the emulous fons of fcience waite the midnight lamp, and even life itfelf, to regifler their names among the lite

rati? Shall Columbus, and other navigators, quit their native shores, and explore the globe, amidst all the inclemency of the feafons, and other indefcribable dangers, to discover a new ipot of land to perpetuate their names? Shall kingdoms and empires be depopulated? Shall millions of the human race bleed and die to procure the victor's laurel? Shall the greateft efforts be made, and the greatest sufferings be endured, for nothing; and fhall we neglect the falvation of immortal fouls? Shall Chrif tians be furpaffed in exertions by the children of this world? No. Let us then turn the tables, and be influenced by the example of enterprifing Miffionaries. Shall the unwearied Jefuits fly from weft to eaft, and eaft to weft, thousands of leagues, to profelyte the Pagans? Shall the benevolent and piously enterprizing Moravians explore the northern regions, and bleed, and freeze, and die, to warm and comfort the hearts of the poor heathen, with divine love and grace? Shall Elliot, Brainard, and others of congenial fouls, forever wear the fparkling crowns which they earned among the native tribes? Shall British Chriftians, at the prefent day, bear the glad tidings of grace to the other fide of the world? Shall all thefe, and many more examples, be prefented to our view in vain? In one word, fhall Christ die to give us an opportunity to promote the falvation of man, and fhall we remain indolent, and let them be loft forever? God forbid. For how, alas! can we efcape, if we neglect the means in our power of promoting the great falvation of others? Let us then fhow ourfelves men, and act according to truth. What would be the duty of the heathen were we in their condition and they in ours? Suppose the change to be actually made; fuppose them now clothed with gofpel advantages, and we deftitute: Would it be their duty to blefs us? Shall we not then bless them? For the golden rule is divine, and must be adopted in order to meet the folemn process of the great day with confolation. Bleffed are thofe who love the fouls of others as they ought to love their own, for they will be approved by their Judge. But how fhall

others who neglect to furnish the deftitute with gospel advantages, endure the criterion which Chrift will finally adopt? For, to neglect the falvation of fouls, is to neglect and difregard the Saviour. The faithful only will finally receive the crown of eternal life; but how can men be faithful who knowingly neglect their advantages to spread the knowledge of falvation among the deftitute?"Go out and compel them to come in, "that my house may be filled," is the unalterable injunction of divine grace. With this the apostles uniformly complied, and were they to revifit the world, neither the heathen tribes, nor any other deftitute people, would be neglected. Every quarter of the globe, the most folitary places not excepted, would witness the pungent inftructions of Paul, the burning zeal of Peter, and the divine eloquence of Apollos. Faithful men! ample reward!

Now, Chriftian friends and fellow mortals, are these things interefting? The reprefentation we confefs is manifeftly inadequate to the object. The one half is not told; but the path of duty is plain to those who are willing to embrace it. The field is wide, the work is great, and the encouragement is most excellent. If we feek the Lord, we fhall find him: If we devoutly acknowledge him in our charitable attempt to diffufe the knowledge of the gofpel, he will guide and fupport us.

While then the members of the Society will punctually and faithfully attend the bufinefs of the annual meeting according to the fpirit of the conftitution; and while the Trustees and Miffionaries, it is hoped, will act answerably to the repofed confidence, fhall we not expect God's bleffing? Shall we not experience the charity, and realize the liberal donations of Zion's friends who are not members of the Society? Fervent prayers and generous donations are particularly neceflary to fupport the caufe which we advocate. Will a gracious 'God own and bless the Society, and make it extenfively useful to the fouls of men, and plentifully reward its benefactors, and fill the world with the glory of his great name.

A concife View of the prefent State of Evangelical Res ligion throughout the World.

P

[Continued from page 320, and concluded.]

SWITZERLAND..

ASSING up the Rhine to its fource, we know, at Franckfort and Neuwied, and probably at other places, that there is a faithful people, witneffing to the power of the gofpel, extending their defires to the Heathen, and longing for the fpread of faving truth into all lands. We have affured evidence, that the Swiss Cantons, however declined in religion, or ravaged by invaders, are not deftitute of the living power of godliness, and many are affociated for the revival of true Chriftianity. At Bafil and Zurich are found men in whom is the Spirit of the living God, who are united to spread his glorious gospel around them, and are zealously disposed to forward Miffionary efforts among the Heathen. Such a marked evidence of active exertions manifefts the remaining power of divine grace in the midft of them; and that from them fhall the word of God again found forth, and that they fhall be made bleffed and happy inftruments in the preaching of the everlasting gospel.

FRANCE.

In the prefent convulfed and turbid state of that great nation, where all religion feems for a while to be overturned, it is difficult to fay what true religion is yet hidden among them, and what may be hoped, when quiet of any kind, and a fettled government, fhall fucceed to the ftate of war, and ravage, under which all the pro vinces groan. Many proteftants are found holding faft the faithful word. We know that in Languedoc an earnest defire has been expreffed, to fend among them minifters, who should preach the pure gofpel of Christ. We have evidences that fome fuch are labouring with zeal in Alface, in connection with the Society at Bafil: and it can hardly be doubted, that in other places, VOL. I. No. 6. F