concern for their spiritual interest: The thought seems to put them upon consideration." And Mr. Crosby notices that in a number of places which he visited there appeared to be an unusual attention to religion.He says also of the people generally, "They receive and treat missionaries with tenderness and affection. Many appear to have a lively sense of their obligation to God for putting it into the hearts of their western brethren to send missionaries amongst them." A minister, respectable for his piety and zeal in the cause of Christ, who lives on the border of missionary ground, observes in a letter," With respect to those, whom I have had opportunity to converse with, both in this and the adjacent towns, all who appear to have a tender regard for the interest of Christ and religion in the world, speak with much approbation of your generous and pious designs. Sober people have appeared to me to be more animated, strengthened and encouraged in things of God and religion than what they were before; and their tongues and lips express the gladness and thankfulness of their hearts, for the mercy and goodness of God in sending such men among them to seek the welfare of Christ's kingdom."

The kind reception which our missionaries have received in the new settlements of NewYork, is no less encouraging. Mr. Cooley writes, "People have very affectionately expressed their gratitude to the Missionary Society, and to the benevolent people who have contributed to their good. They have generally received with a degree of kindness and

me

cordiality which scarcely admits of description They have taken great pains to get to meeting, and often travel several miles in bad roads to hear the words of life."

Four missionaries are again employed. Rev. Vinson Gould and Rev. Thomas H. Wood went the last week in May and early in June to the District of Maine. Their missions are for twenty weeks, and are directed to the counties of York and Cumberland, with liberty on a special call to go beyond those limits. Mr. Wood to be in a condition to perform all ministerial duties, received ordination from the northern association of ministers in this county, acting in council with Rev. John Em erson and Rev. Jonathan Grout.

In June, Rev. Joel Hayes went into the state of New York, and in July was followed by Rev. Theodore Hinsdale.They are to labor principally in the counties of Chenango and Onondago, and are expected to continue in the service of the Society eighteen weeks. The large extent of the missionary fields white already to harvest,. the fewness of laborers at liberty to go into the new settlements, and the exertions of different Societies to employ them, render it difficult to obtain a sufficient number of suitable characters for the work. Our wish has been to send, on each mission, one minister settled in the county with one not connected with a parish. And we bless God that he has succeeded our

exertions to engage gentlemen, who, we are confident, will do worthily in their important ministry.

The glory of Christ in con

verting and saving sinful men, is an object vast and interesting. It demands the employment of every mean which the wisdom of God has pointed out as conducive to its success. Much is to be hoped from the faithful preaching of the word; but this is. not to be relied on alone, to the neglect of other ordinances of instruction. The natural heart, unfriendly to gospel truth, and eager to follow the world, too often exposes the momentary impression made by hearing a sermon to be lost. Much seed falls by the way side, where the fowls of the air devour it up.To guard as far as possible against this evil, and give every aid in our power to the preaching of our missionaries, they are instructed not only to encourage and urge the faithful use of family instruction and religion, with attendance on public worship on the Lord's day; but by a liberal distribution of pious books, among the people who are but little furnished with them, to invite their attention to religious reading, that they may revive and reprint on their memories and hearts, the solemn and interesting truths, which they but rarely hear from the lips of those that preach the word of life.

The books selected for this purpose, in former years, have been noticed in preceding reports. Those added the present year are specified in a document accompanying this report.

The state of the treasury is exhibited in the certificate of your committee appointed the last year to audit the treasurer's accounts; which shows that $1406 67 belong to the Society. To this sum are to be ad

ded the annuities subscribed for. seven years, of which four annual payments are yet to be made in the month of January of 436 42.

A document accompanying, this Report contains a statement of the expenditures of the Soci-, ety since the last annual meeting, and of the monies which have been received.

It having been judged expedient to be concerned in a new impression of Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul, 330 copies were taken for the use of the Society, the greater part of which are on hand for future distribution. Sixty have been sent into the new settlements, and thirty are due to Rev. Dr. Morse, to repay a loan, received of him the last year.

The sum expended the last year is $924 904, the sum received 1403 24, making an increase of the Society's funds of $478 334 which encourages. the prospect of enlarging its future operations.

Of the sum received, the annuities and public contributions. with donations of individuals, including those made in the new settlements to our missionaries and the sale of books, produced $1141 2, the remaining part of $262 22 was contributed by the Charitable Female Association in the county. It is about a year since this Association began to be formed. Its payments are to be made semiannually, and the monies which it contributes are appropriated to the purchase of Bibles and other pious writings to be dispersed in the new settlements. Payments have been made, from twelve towns and parishes amounting to the abovenamed,

sum of $ 262 22, which gives a flattering prospect of the aid which the Charitable Female Association will give to the operations of the Hampshire Missionary Society.

Bibles have not been purchased the last year; those that remained of a former purchase being sufficient for distribution the present season. The other books purchased are stated in a document accompanying the report. For these $218 81 have been paid out of the monies contributed by the Charitable Female Association, and $5 by a donation of Deac. Ware. $43 41 given by the Female Association are now in the treasury.

The propagation of the gospel of our beloved Jesus is an object universally interesting.Every individual person should have opportunity to evidence friendship to it, by contributing to its success. To subscribe their names as friends of missionary exertions suits the circumstances and feelings of some. Others are better pleased with giving in a public contribution, where the sum advanced by an individual is not known. Both these modes of collecting for the service of the Lord have been tried with success, and much is further hoped from

them. There are also benevolent and pious women who rejoice in the opportunity of associating as members of a charitable institution, to express their friendship to the cause of Jesus and the souls of men. And it is pleasing to think, that while their generous and holy affections are thus excited, the Society has an increased interest in their prayers for its success, in offering the blessings of the

gospel to our needy fellow sinners, many of whose souls are in danger of eternally perishing for want of saving knowledge. When our blessed Lord became poor for our sake, and had not where to lay his head, godly women ministered to him of their substance. His example and instructions while he went about doing good, and was pre-" paring to lay down his life to redeem sinners from death, taught them lessons of kindness and compassion to the needy and destitute. How benevolent is his religion! With what power his precepts, institutions and divine pattern of love, move kindred souls to obey and imitate him in acts of beneficence. If we look back to the institutions of the Old Testament we see not only men but women and even children encouraged to make vows and to bring their free will offerings to the Lord. The New Testament tho' less expensive in its religious rites is not less benevolent in its doctrines and requirements. On the contrary as a new and glorious manifestation of the love of God is exhibited in the death of his Son, so the duty of brotherly love is taught as a new commandment. So important is charity that God's people have always the poor with them that opportunity may not be wanting to evidence in practice that the law of love is in their hearts.There is no bestowment of goods more like the love of Christ, than that which procures gospel blessings for his spiritu-1 al poor, and aids them in obtaining salvation. He, who gave his life to redeem lost men, is pleased with the fruits of love which promote the cause for which