restoration of his chosen people should commence at least through the instrumentality and under the benign and pious reign of this chosen and anointed servant Alexander, the Cyrus of the church of God in the latter days. Pursuant to the Imperial Ukase of the 25 of March, the Committee for superintending the affairs of the Christian Israelites was founded on the 4th of April, in a full meeting of its members. The meeting was opened by reading the Imperial Ukase relative to this benevolent object; after which his Excellency Popoff, President of the Committee, addressed the members as follows:

Chosen and appointed to this new undertaking by the will of our most pious sovereign, let us enter upon it in humility of spirit as loyal and zealous subjects,in simplicity of hearts as true Christians,-in unity of spirit as brethren, sons of one Father, who is God.- Our most humane sovereign, being guided in his conduct by Christian principles feels for the present condition of the children of Israel returning to the Lord their God, and beginning to see that salvation which he hath prepared before the face of all people. The helpless condition of these converts has accordingly given rise to peculiar arrangements in favor of these descendants of Abraham, somewhat similar perhaps to what took place when the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia, to build the house of the Lord God of Israel."

We cannot but regard the proceedings of Alexander in relation to the Jews, as among the most auspicious and pleasing occurVol. VI. No. 12.

rences of this eventful age,adapted to excite much reflection in every country, and to diminish the sufferings of the Israelites in every part of the civilized world. The Ukase contains many benignant provisions; but the perfect liberty which is granted to every Christian Israelite to be of this or that denomination, whose opinions best accord with his own, and his entire exemption from all "military services," are traits as admirable as they are uncommon in the history of despotic governments. Happy would it be for rulers and for subjects if such liberty of conscience and such exemption from military services, should be extended by the several governments of christendom to every denomination of Christians, and to every class of men.

The Holy Alliance of the three Sovereigns which was formed in 1815, and in which it is supposed the Emperor of Russia was the principal agent-was of a character so uncommon as to excite both wonder and jealousy. Many intelligent men were disposed to regard it as a detestable species of political intrigue. Three years, however, have passed away since that remarkable occurrence; and it may now be asked, in what respects have the public acts of Alexander been contrary to the principles which he then avowed? And is not the Ukase in favor of the Jews accordant with those principles? Should this Emperor persevere in a course consistent with his public declarations, he will probably be a greater blessing to the world than any other man who has been permitted to wear a crown or sway a sceptre.

He

may indeed disappoint the fondest hopes of the inany millions

48

dangers, and privations have they been subjected to-willingly endured for the sole purpose of gaining souls for Christ, from among the heathen of this country! Ever since their first landing in this country they have been intent on this subject. Their Missionaries have exerted themselves to their utmost in doing their duty in being faithful to the trust committed to them. Some have persevered at their posts until death relieved them from their labours; one of whom, departing this life at the age of 87, had for upwards of 60 years been a Missionary, and within the last 40 years of his life, not been in the whole, 6 months absent from his post, and what had he witnessed during his long service? In Georgia where the brethren had in the year 1735 began a Mission among the Creek Indians, while the prospect was at best-the affection of the Chiefs gained-the nation agreed to have the gospel preached to them-a school-house already built for the education of their children; that already in the year 1758 this establishment was broke up, in consequence of a war having broke out between England and Spain-in which the brethren with the rest, were to turn out against the latter; but fighting and killing being not only contrary to their principles, but also in direct opposition to the service they were engaged in, they rather chose to leave that country, and engage in Missionary labours among the Indians, in the more peaceable province of Pennsylvania, and the Colonies lying to the Eastward of this. But what a series of troubles-what persecutions had they, together with their converts to endure, during a course of thirty odd years labour, while they resided on this side of the mountains? How often were plots laid for their destruction, especially when wars existed; wars indeed, which we had justly brought upon ourselves, by our base conduct towards them. Though it was well known, that the Christian Indians, during the wars of 1756-63 and 64, who were living near the Brethren's Settlements, were under the care and tuition of Missionaries stationary with

them, and that these were peaceable, and took no part in the war; yet this would not satisfy a blood-thirsty rabble, calling themselves Christians; and it was but by the most strenuous exertions of Government and other humane friends, that they were saved from sharing the same fate as had befel the Conestogo Indians.Compelled at length in the year 1772 to leave their fine improvements on Susquehanna, on account of the lands they lived on, together with that whole country being sold by the Christian Nations to the English--they emigrated to the Ohio-established themselves anew in their own country, where their prosperity soon became visible. They had formed and adopted good rules and regulations among themselves-they kept the Sabbath day holy, and after the manner all good Christians do, their children were taught to read and write; no intoxications took place at their peaceful villages; their temporal pursuits were principally agricultural; they declared publicly against wars and blood-shed, and when the revolutionary war commenced, they passed a resolution, that no one, joining, or taking up the hatchet a gainst either nation, whether English or Americans, could or should be permitted to live with them. Their numbers had so increased, that they were at the time near 500 souls, dwelling in three different places, and their living so peaceably together and with a plenty of every thing they wished for, operated as an encouragement to others of their nation to join them-and who were about joining them, when lo! at the instigation of vagabond white people, who, under a pretence of attachment and loyalty to their king, had deserted from the American side, and gone over to the British-not however to serve in a legal way, but to act unbridled, or unrestrained, and have an opportunity of plotting and committing under the cloak of loyalty, the crimes of savage murder, on such of their former neighbours, whom they envied, as also on other inoffensive people. The Christian Indians, who until the fall of 1781, had lived unmolested. admired by their country

men on account of their prudent conduct; but suspected by those miscreants, that through them, their villany might, come to the ears of

their countrymen, (the American people,) whom they had deserted and were now on the alert, to have such a people out of the country, and having at length by means of the evil reports made to their superiors; and the suspicions raised among the neighbouring Tribes of the danger they were in, while these Christian Indians with their teachers were pernitted to live in the country, gained their point so far, that an expedition of upwards of 300 warriors, headed by one of those miscreants, came upon them and both distressed and removed them from their peaceful settlements on the Muskingum to the wilds of the Sandusky country, where they were reduced to extreme poverty, and placed even in a worse situation than the suffering warriors themselves and to compleat their misery, ninety odd fell victims, some months after, to a band of freebooters from the American side, while these poor half starved creatures many of whom were women and children-had from extreme necessity, resorted to their forsaken towns, for the sake of bringing off some corn from their deserted fields.*

Such then are the effects of wars-they furnish hot beds of vice; lead to plundering and to murders; go out of the camps into the lurking places of emissaries, subaltern agents, &c. and you find a hellish brood, who instigate the savage to murder without discretion, man, woman and child, and when told by the manly Indian warrior (who is either too proud or too humane, to be a butcher of women and children,) "not women and children, only men in arms"-these will reply," All! all! will breed lice!"

The foregoing short, but true relation, will shew how repugnant wars are to the designs and commands of our Lord and the head of his Church

*See Laskiel's history of the Missions of the United Brethren among the North American Indians, and "Brown's history of Missions."

and mortals dare to oppose his views and commands, nay, even find advocates for what they do! But for a want of proper energy and the case would have been reversed. Thousands of the Aborigines of this country might by the means of Missionaries from the different Christian denominations, have been, since the first settlement of this country brought over to a state of civilization and Christianity, had proper measures been taken on all sides to prevent wrongs and wars; setting good examples, and adhering to the "gol.' den rule, of doing to others as we would wish to be done to." Yet it

is not too late to reform, and indeed it is time we should think about it.' Our country has within the last few years been swarming with beggars, robbers and murderers. Every war leaves its dregs to disturb and harass the peaceable citizen; and well are those off, who escape the ravages and distresses caused by the incendiary, and the clutches of the midnight assassin.

What I have written above, is conclusive, much of which I had myself witnessed during a long course of years that I was stationary with the Christian Indians, including the whole of the time the revolutionary war lasted.

I am Sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant. J. H.

PROSPECTUS OF AN IMPORTANT

WORK.

In the press, and will be published in the course of the present year, by ABRAHAM SMALL, No. 112 ChesnutStreet, Philadelphia, TRANSACTIONS of the Historical and Literary Com mittee of the American Philosophical Society, held at Philadelphia for promoting useful knowledge. Vol. I.

ABOUT three years ago a permanent Committee of the American Philosophical Society was established, for the special purpose of promoting Historical Knowledge and General Literature. From the first moment of their institution, this Committee have been assiduously engaged in preparing and collecting memoirs, original letters, state papers, and oth

Although this Publication, from its nature, will be essentially miscellaneous, the Publisher understands that the Committee have determined to dedicate each of their volumes, as much as possible, to a particular branch of the General Subject. For this reason, the volume now about to be published, will be composed entirely of matter relating to the Indian Nations of this part of North Ameri'ca. These Aborigines of our Country are fast decreasing in numbers, and will in time either be amalgamated with us by civilization, or otherwise disappear by the operation of causes which cannot be controlled; we should, therefore, avail ourselves of all the opportunities which we now have, of becoming more intimately acquainted with the manners, customs, languages, and with every thing that relates to a people, who, for so many centuries before us, possessed the whole of the country which we inhabit.

The volume we are now about to present to the public will consist of: No. 1.-An Historical Account of the Indian Nations who once inhabited Pennsylvania and the neighbouring States; by the Reverend JOHN HECKEWELDER, of Bethlehem, a Member of the Historical Committee, and for many years a Missionary of the Society of the United Brethren among the Lenni Lenape, or Delaware Indians.

This Historical Account will form the greatest part of the present volume, which will consist of 450 to 500 pages octavo. The Author, by a residence of between 30 and 40 years among the Indians, has had the opportunity of acquiring a perfect knowledge of their manners, customs, habits, and language; and the publisher thinks he may safely assert that

Much as has already been written on the subject of the Indian Nations of America, it will be found, from the perusal of Mr. Heckewelder's work, that much yet remains to be known respecting them. The Indians are here exhibited in a new and interesting point of view-such as they were before they became contaminated by European vices.

No. 2.-A Correspondence between the Rev. Mr. Heckewelder and the Secretary of the Historical Committee, on the subject of Indian Languages, chiefly in respect of their grammatical forms and constructions, which are now known to differ essentially from those of the Languages of the Old World, and form a new and interesting subject of Metaphysical Disquisition.

No. 3.-A Grammar of the Language of the Lenni Lenape, or Delaware Indians. Translated from the German MS. of the late Rev. DAVID ZEISBERGER. The Historical Committee, in their late Report to the Philosophical Society, printed in the first volume of the Philosophical Transactions, New Series, give it as their opinion, "That it is the most complete Grammar that they have ever seen of any of those languages which are called barbarous.” It is indispensably necessary to elucidate the Correspondence which precedes it.

The Publisher having undertaken to print this volume at his cwn risk, on its success will greatly depend the future exertions of the Historical Committee for the benefit of their fellow-citizens. They do not wish to derive any profit from their la bours, but they have not the means of publishing at their own expense.