besides compelled to sell out 8000l. 3 per cents, of its funded property, to meet its expences-we surely ought to take shame to ourselves that such an institution should be suffered to languish, should be so crippled in its exertions from the want of that support, to which it has the highest and most imperative claims.

We are inclined however to think, that the neglect with which the pressing wants of the Society have been treated, is owing in a great measure to an ignorance, not only of those wants, but of the nature and constitution of the Society-persons not taking the trouble to acquaint themselves with its proceedings, or in some cases, we believe, confounding it with the recent institution of the Church Missionary Society, and transferring to the latter that support, which, (not to extend the comparison further) certainly the elder Society which set the holy example of converting the heathen nations, and whose past services demand our gratitude, is more exclusively entitled to receive. Its report, indeed, is laid before the public, and is as accessible to every other reader as to ourselves; but the fact is, that such reports seldom actually reach any persons but those who are already interested in the promotion of the interests of the particular Society whose labours they testify, and do not commonly make converts, or add to the number of contributors.

With the hope, therefore, that this Number may obtain a hearing with some persons to whom the authoritative document of the Society has not conveyed the needful message-the call for support for which the simple statement of its labours and finances eloquently pleads we shall proceed to give a summary account of it, tracing it from the period of its institution.

The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, was originally only a branch of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, which had a peculiar department appropriated to it-the support of Missionaries, and the diffusion of Christian knowledge in the settlements of North America. For this specific purpose the individual members of the Parent Society were formed into a corporation, after the example which had been set on a small scale during the time of the Commonwealth, when a corporation was formed (afterwards established by charter under Charles II.) for the conversion of the heathen natives in New England and the parts adjacent. The act of incorporation was passed in the year 1701, the last of William III., two years after the institution of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge. The Society was composed of the chief Prelates and Dignitaries of the Church, and of several Lords and eminent persons in the state, with a power to fill up the vacancies which might occur in their body, and to

receive the donations of all charitable persons in the furtherance of its pious designs-and it was required to give an annual account to the Lord Chancellor, and the Chief Justices of the King's Bench and the Common Pleas, of its receipts and expenditure. The person to whose exertion and influence it was principally indebted for its auspicious beginning was Archbishop Tenison, who, while he directed it by his wise counsels, was an annual benefactor to it by a contribution of 50%. during his life. The Society lost no time in commencing its benevolent career. Before, however, any local appointments should be made, it was determined to send an itinerant missionary, who by going through the different provinces of British America, might explore the feelings and wants which prevailed, and awaken the people to a sense of religion. The Rev. Mr. Keith, who had once resided in Pennsylvania, was appointed for this mission, and with him afterwards was associated the Rev. Mr. Talbot. Upon the representation made by these persons of the state of the colonies, the Society proceeded to send out missionaries to the different provinces, in proportion to its own resources and the exigencies of each place and besides the missionaries, schoolmasters for the instruction of children. The disturbed state of those provinces threw considerable impediments in the way-still we find, under the fostering care of the Society, religion made gradual progress amongst the colonists. In the province of Pennsylvania, where the administration of the government was in the hands of Quakers, no less than fifteen Churches were built under its auspices, through the private subscriptions of many zealous members of the Church of England, within the first thirty years of the Society's Incorporation. Houses were built for the officiating ministers, and the congregations contributed towards their support. Several valuable legacies were also bequeathed for the use of the Church and Clergy. In the same province, the Society distributed within the same period, above 2000 volumes of bound books, and small tracts, to the amount of about 300l. In South Carolina, where there was scarcely any appearance of the Church of England, when the Society was first established, within about the same period, thirteen Churches and four Chapels of ease were built. Schools also were founded, the Society contributing towards the maintenance of the schoolmasters, and sending the Scriptures and the Liturgy in large quantities, insomuch that before the year 1730, they supplied this province with more than 2000 volumes, besides tracts, to the amount of 3007.-In North Carolina, not more than two Churches were built, but at the same time the Church of England was publicly acknowledged as the established religion of the province, and the gratitude of the colo

nists was expressed for the exertions which had been made by the Society to promote religion among them. Here also its Missionaries had distributed above 300 volumes, consisting of Bibles, Common Prayers, and other books of devotion.-In New Jersey, where were originally chiefly Quakers and Anabaptists, seven Churches were built, and the progress of infidelity, which was spreading rapidly there from the want of the means of Christian instruction, received a timely check. In the province of New York, within the same period of thirty years from the establishment of the Society, the Society had sent over and distributed 2220 volumes of Bibles, Common Prayers, and other books of devotion, besides Catechisms and small tracts; and to the one Church, which existed at the city of New York, ten had been added and supplied with Missionaries. Nor had the assistance which was given here been confined to our own countrymen, but considerable relief was extended tothe German Palatines, who were settled on both sides of the Hudson River, to whose ministers, the Rev. Mr. Hagar and the Rev. Mr. Ehlig, benefactions were made, upon attestation of their diligence in the promotion of religion, and their conformity to the discipline of the Church. The Society also prepared and sent over a new edition of the Liturgy in English and Dutch, printed in parallel columns, for the use of the Dutch settlers.

While, however, the principal object of the Society was the guarding of the colonists from apostacy, and the extension of true religion amongst our own countrymen-it was not neglectful of the welfare of the negro slaves in the colonies, and the native Indians. In every province some of the negroes were instructed and baptized by the Missionaries. But not satisfied with general methods for the improvement of this unhappy race, the Society established a catechizing school for slaves at New York, in which city it was computed that this class consisted of no less than 1500, Negroes and Indians. It employed as its catechist in this school Mr. Elias Neau, a Frenchman by birth, of the reformed religion, for which he had suffered confinement in France for several years, partly in prison and partly in the gallies; and who was eminently qualified by his zeal and patient humility for the task. He had to labour against great prejudices on the part of the white population, many of whom objected to the baptism of negroes, from the idea that they would thus be rendered free, and some even regarded them as an inferior class in the creation. But by his persevering labours, in reading to the slaves-making short collections out of books on the Catechism, and an abstract of the historical parts of Scriptureand by familiar conversation with them on religious subjectshe succeeded in bringing a considerable number of them to the

knowledge of the Christian religion, who were accordingly baptized. The work was going on prosperously, and further plans were in contemplation for the advancement of it, when, unhappily, an insurrection broke out among the negroes, which forcibly awakened all the prejudices of the colonists against their instruction, as if that had been the cause of the rising: though, upon the trial of those who were taken, it was found that there were but two of Mr. Neau's scholars who were even charged with being accomplices, and only one of these had been baptized.

The conspiracy, however, was afterwards discovered to be only partial, and the prejudices against the instruction of the slaves were once more dispelled. The school was publicly visited by the Governor, accompanied by the Society's Missionaries, and in a proclamation which he afterwards issued, the Clergy of the country were recommended to exhort their congregations to promote the religious instruction of the negroes. The number of Catechumens then considerably increased. After Mr. Neau's death, the Society sent others to supply his place, and in further prosecution of this part of their designs, enjoined all its Missionaries to use their best endeavours in persuading the masters of slaves to permit their instruction. It also sent out several thousand copies of Bishop Gibson's three tracts upon the subject, written for the purpose in the year 1727, together with a Sermon by Bishop Fleetwood, which produced a very salutary effect on the minds of the people.

We have next to notice the endeavours of the Society in evangelizing the native Indians. Immediately after the act of incorporation, the Society sent a Missionary into South Carolina, with a view to the instruction of the Yammosees, but this intention was frustrated by a war which broke out just at that time. About the same time Archbishop Tenison, by command of the Queen, laid before the Society a memorial from the Earl of Bellamont, then Governor of New York, expressive of the want of ministers for the instruction of the five nations of Indians, on the borders of New York, then exposed to the designs of French priests and Jesuits, who tried, on the pretence of religion, to bring them over to the French interest. There was some difficulty at first in procuring a proper Missionary for this service; but in 1704, Mr. Moore was sent out. His mission, however, proved fruitless, chiefly through the injurious influence of the French priests, who prevented the Indians from receiving him as a resident among them; some of these priests, for the prosecution of their designs against the English, having incorporated themselves among the Indian tribes, and even assumed Iroquois names, so as to gain the entire confidence of the people. Moore

embarked again for England, but was never heard of afterwards, the vessel in which he sailed being lost. Another Missionary, Mr. Barclay, was then appointed. And in 1709, the Society availed itself of an opening which was made by the request of four native chiefs, who came over to England to confirm the peace made with them by the Governor of New York, "that their people might be instructed in Christianity, and ministers sent to reside among them." Accordingly it was resolved to send two Missionaries, with an interpreter, and schoolmaster. But one Missionary, it seems, could only be obtained; the Rev. W. Andrews, who had already been in the plantations, and possessed some knowledge of the Indian language. He was very favourably received by the Indians, and prosecuted his mission with some success: but the Indians shewed insuperable aversion to their children being taught to read English. The Society in consequence of this printed and sent over a number of Primers in the Indian language, and obtained, through the free gift of the Rev. Mr. Freeman, the Minister of a Dutch congregation at Schenectady, translations of different portions of Scripture and of the Morning and Evening Prayers of the Liturgy, which that clergyman had himself made into the Mohawk language, and by the help of these the labours of their Missionary was greatly facilitated. Symptoms of improvement began to appear among this uncivilized people; many were baptized, and some of the children could both read and write. Unhappily, however, after all these endeavours proved abortive. The artful representations of the Jesuits gained the ear of the natives, and excited in them unconquerable prejudices against the efforts of the Missionary. The Indians relapsed into their habits of savage idleness, and derided all attempts at their conversion. The Society, therefore, terminated this expensive mission on Lady-day, 1719.

Some years elapsed before the attempt was renewed by sending out Mr. Miln to Albany; when at length their efforts were crowned with greater success; many of the Indians, with their children, becoming, to all appearance, true converts to the faith.

In New England, where the Presbyterians and Independents were the prevailing parties, the Society was still not inactive. Connecticut was the first of the four principal divisions of New England which received aid. At the representation of the Governor of New York, Mr. Pigott was sent there, under whose ministry the number of communicants in the Church greatly increased. On Mr. Pigott's removing to Providence, in 1723, the celebrated Mr. Johnson, who had become a convert from the Independents, became the Society's Missionary at