ity, yet it remained impossible to in different parts of the Island.predict what course things would Many more are anxious to learn, take among a people without any but for want of books and teachfixed principles of action, ignorant ers, they must for the present be of true religion, volatile and denied that privilege. Orders fickle in all their dispositions and have been given out for all the purposes. It was therefore most people, without exception, on this joyful to all the friends of religion and the neighboring Island Oneeto learn that the missionaries at how, to observe the Sabbath as their arrival were gratefully re- holy time, devoted to the service ceived, and entered upon their of the Lord Jehovah ; strictly forlabors with the universal appro- bidding any play or work, or even bation of both rulers and people. the kindling of a fire on that sacred

In tracing the subsequent labors day. Drunkenness is prohibited ; of these missionaries, and those, and infanticide, which heretofore who have since been added to has been practiced to no inconsidtheir number, we find that success crable extent, is now punishable adequate to the most sanguine ex- with death." From other ac. pectations has attended them.- counts given by the missionaries, Schools have been established, it appears that the islanders begin and both adults and children have to cherish a kind of reverence for made good proficiency in learning the christian religion, which it is to read and write. The rulers reasonable to expect will be suchave publicly acknowledged the ceeded by the most happy results. Sabbath, and done something to Several of the chiefs have prayers promote its

observance. Mr. morning and evening in their famWhitney writes from the Island of flies, constantly attend public worAtooi, in January last, as follows, ship, and exhibit much external 66 The chiefs, at their own ex- reverence for divine institutions. pense, have built us a very con- 66 The nation,” says one of the venient house for public worship, missionaries, 6 is beginning to feel in wbich I have preached regular- the salutary influence of the gosly, in the vernacular tongue, for pel, and its rulers are becoming eight months past, twice every our patrons. Churches are erectsabbath and occasionally on other ing in different places, and pressdays. Our meetings are general- ing requests are made to us for ly well attended and many of the labors which we are not able to people are desirous of becoming afford." acquainted with the gospel. Un- Here is evidence of success be. der our immediate inspection, we yond what could have been exhave two flourishing schools of pected in so short a time by the about one hundred and twenty most sanguine friends of Missions. scholars. There are other schools What will be the effect of the reMr. Cyrus

cent death of the king and queen menced in 1817. upon the nation, it is impossible Kingsbury entered upon this misto foretel. But the disposition sion with a truly missionary spirit which the natives have already and has from the beginning borne manifested and the success which with examplary fortitude and the missionaries have already cheerfulness, the privations and witnessed, excite the cheering and fatigues of an untried and arduous confident hope that these Islands enterprise. On his first arrival are already arrested from the in the Cherokee nation, he was great usurper, and that erelong kindly received. During the first the conquests of the gospel will year, he wrote as follows: 6Soon be there, as general and as con- after our arrival in the nation, we spicuous as at thc Society Islands. opened our doors to receive chil

dren into our family, to teach Indian Missions.

them the rudiments of the English The American Board have also language, the principles of the established thirteen missionary sta. christian religion, and the industry tions among our western Indians. and aris of civilized life.” With And a review of these missions is pe- the subsequent operations of the culiarly gratifying to all the friends original missionaries and those of humanity and religion, for who have from time to time been it appears that there are few pla- sent to their aid, the christian ces in the heathen world in which community are generally and faa greater readiness is manifested miliarly acquainted. I need not, to hear the word of God than a- therefore, enter upon details.mong these tenants of the forest.— A summary view will be sufficient And upon no people surely is the for the purpose of this number. obligation to send to the ignorant The labors of the missionaries, it and destitute, more imperious, will be remembered, have been than upon the people of the United particularly directed to the instrucStates with reference to the Abo- tion of children and youth.riginal inhabitants of North Amer- Schools have been established at ica. In these, as in all other mis- each of the stations. The two sions to the heathens, where efforts prominent objects at which the must be made to counteract in- teachers aim continually are the veterate habits, and to form a new improvement of their pupils, by character for uncivilized people, meays of useful knowledge and difficulties must be experienced. the formation of habits of industry, But that the missionaries, and the both these as subsidiary to the inBoard, and the christian public, troduction of christianity, and its have abundant encouragement, ultimate prevalence. Already, will be seen by a brief reference more than five hundred Indian to facts. This mission was com- children and youth have received

the rudiments of a christian edu- acquaintance with David Brown, cation. The state of these Indian and many other native youth, schools is very pleasing. The would satisfy the most incredugood order and conduct of the lous. children has been favorably no- Under the influence of the mis. ticed by distinguished visitors.- sionaries, the Indians have made The facility with which they learn great progress, within a few years, has also been often remarked.- in civilization. The Cherokees, The President of the United States for instance, among whom the and other eminent civilians have missionaries first settled, have expressed their highest approba- courts, court-houses, judges and a tion of the plan and operations of police, and many of them, instead the missionaries, and have said of roaming the wilderness, possess they considered it the best, and comfortable houses, a herd of catperhaps the only way to civilize tle and cultivated fields. At cight and christianize the Indians. The of the stations above mentioned, President has not only expressed among the Indians, churches have his satisfaction in seeing the im- been organized, and about one provements already made in the hundred of the natives have made manners and character of these a public profession of their faith long neglected natives of the soil, in Christ. Several others are sebut has confirmed it by his liberal riously disposed. The chiefs and patronage. He was peculiarly principal men have given their in

. pleased with that excellence influence in favor of the missionathe management of the missionary ries. Though many unprincipled stations, by which the pupils are white men, who pass through not only taught reading, writing, their nations to take advantage of and arithmetic, with the principles them in trade, have endeavored and worship inculcated in the word to prejudice their minds against of God, but also, are instructed in the missionaries, yet they are genthe most useful arts of civilized erally convinced that the missiona life. The boys learn the use of aries are their friends and came the hoe and the axe, while the among them to do them good. girls learn the use of the spinning The Indians are, many of them wheel and the needle. And it convinced that their former habits has been found from actual experi- of living are unfavorable to their ment that they are no less tracta- happiness. Many have wept at ble than the children among our. the remembrance of their past sins, selves. There is no longer need have become prayerful, humble of attempting to prove that the and examplary in their deportment Indians have intellect of equal vig- and have done much by their tesa or with white men. Facts have timony and their friendship to supalready settled this point. A short port the schools and the missions..

was

Surely the wilderness and the sol- never to be brought into the pale itary places are beginning to be of christianized society, and as glad, and the desert to blossom as doomed to become extinct. All the rose.

Here the ransomed of attempts to christianize or civilthe Lord are returning and com- ize them, were considered visioning to Zion with songs and ever. ary and hopeless. A spirit of exlasting joy. They have obtained termination breathed out joy and gladness, and sorrow and against them. But now the whole sighiny have fled away. It is nation is moved with a different truly cheering to learn from these spirit. All classes, with the exceplate sayages of the forest such ev- tion of a few upon their borders, idence of the constraining intlu- who seem determined to dispossess ence of religion on their hearts them of their lands or to destroy and lives. The Board were right them from the earth, are moved in saying, in one of their reports, with good will towards the In" that they and the christian pub- dians. They are now considered lic had already received an ample as belonging to the human family, reward for all the toil and expense and as worthy of human regard. to which they have submitted, To evangelize and civilize them, even if another immortal being is now acknowledged to be both should not be gathered into the practicable and desirable. This fold of the great Shepherd and great change in public opinion bas Bishop of souls.'' But what has been effected by the influence of been done is only a prelude to what the American Board of Comsvhat may be expected in future missioners have done. time, when the forest shall be tem of labors and instruction, transformed into cultivated fields, which it has put in operation and “ from almost every hill in among the tribes of the forest, has the Indian country, shall be seen conciliated the favor, and secured spires of churches overtopping the the confidence both of the Indians wilderness and imparting a relig- and our own people. By producious and pleasing aspect to the ing examples of Indian improvewhole landscape."

ment, civilization and purity of In estimating the success of this manners, they have attracted the mission, we should not overlook attention of the great community the influence produced upon pub- and awakened a lively interest in lic opinion at home. Twelre the attempt to raise them from years ago, the aborigines of our their long degraded condition, to country were regarded by the a participation of our common and great community, with the ex- distinguished blessings. Thus we ception of a very few, as an utter- see that the American Board obas ly intractable race, as shut out not existed in vain, nor labored from all human sympathics, as in vaịn." I close this number with

The sys. aa extract from one of the Soci- of possessing it?” This question ety's reports. “ By its several assumes, that many persons do missions to heathen nations-by seem to desire religion, who still the cheerful sacrifices and labours exhibit no evidence of possessing of its devoted missionaries-by its it. The assumption is, I doubt disclosures of the ignorance, cor- not, agreeable to fact. It is by no ruption and wretchedness of the means uncommon, to find those, dark places of the earth--by its who are manifestly destitute of successive agencies in different religion, professing to desire it, parts of the country, the communic and to be seeking after it, nearly cations it has made of intelligence all their lives. And nothing is with motives and excitements to more common, in seasons of rebenevolent action, and its various vival, than to see impenitent sinoperations, at home and abroad, ners awakened to a sense of the its endeavors and intluences have importance of religion, to feel conduced to the benefit of many. their need of it, and to think they While they have sent the gos- desire it. Very often they expel abroad, the spirit of the gos- press these desires in the strongpel has been increased at home. est terms, and declare that they Especially has it been so, if by would willingly make any sacrithem the Monthly Concert office, or undergo any privation, if prayer, which is connected in a they might only be the subjects of particular manner with missions true religion. Instances of the to the heathen, has been promoted same nature are continually oc. and extended--and if these ex- curring among the sick and the dytensively united prayers and alms ing. Sinners are sensible that have gone up with acceptance be- they have buta short time to live, fore God, and in answer to them, and that they are destitute of that in any measure, he has granted religion, which alone can prepare those plenteous effusions of his them to die ; and under these imaspirit with which many of our pressions, they beg and pray for churches have been so signally themselves, and beg others to blessed."

W.

pray for them, that they might be brought to the possession and enjoyment of real piety.

It will not at all satisfy persons, AXSWER TO A QUESTION. under these circumstances, to tell Messrs. Editors.

them that they do not desire religIn your number for January, I ion. They feel and think they observe the following question :-- know that they do desire it, and “ How can it be accounted for, often with the utmost earnestness that many persons seem to desire and ardour. And yet they are religion, who exbibit no evidence satisfied themselves, and all who