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earth, to succeed Him in the great work of evangelizing the world. To aid them in this glorious undertaking He gave them His benediction, and distinct directions, commanding them to perpetuate the system, according to the pattern He had set them. We may, indeed, clearly discover in the life and labours of Jesus and of His disciples, that their grand object was to promote peace, holiness, and happiness through the world.

We do not intend, brethren, to patronize missionaries whose object is to seek comfortable livings; and when found, by some unaccountable contrivance, extinguish the flame of missionary ardour, and quietly rest in peace and plenty. This is not our object. It is to enlist men into the cause of missions who are willing to devote their all to the salvation of their fellow men, "to spend and be spent in the cause of Christ." Neither do we intend to apply your donations to make your missionaries gentlemen, by raising them to affluence, and affording them an opportunity to live in ease and luxury. We hope to employ men, who will not only report that many parts of our country are a moral wilderness, but who shall assiduously labour to convert the moral wildernesses into a fruitful field. Our intention is to apply your donations to support and comfort labourers who are now employed, or who may be hereafter employed, in carrying the gospel of peace to the destitute inhabitants of our vast frontier settlements, from the river St. Croix, in the Maine, to St. Mary's in East-Florida, and through the western territories bordering on the United States. In this vast circle of more than three thousand miles, including the Indian Tribes who have their residence in the neighbourhood of the White settlements, are thousands and tens of thousands, who are dependent on missionary labours for the gospel of the grace of God. And permit me to say, dear brethren, that we now have many labourers who are serving these destitute hundreds and thousands, who are scarcely furnished with the comforts of life, but who, after the example of that great and good man the Rev. John Wesley, are willing to lodge on boards, or on the ground, and to live on the coarsest diet; to swim creeks and rivers, if they can but win souls to Christ, and join with them in singing praises to Jesus in their humble cabins. These cabins, indeed, are often honoured with the presence of God, while filled with penitent mourners, and thankful pious Christians.

But these hardy veterans of the cross, who are submitting to these privations, and making such great sacrifices, are often destitute of decent raiment to cover them from the inclement blasts of winter, or to shelter them from the chilling rains of spring and autumn. We state it as a fact, that we often meet, in these frontier settlements, with these real missionaries, destitute of the comforts of life, not having even those garments which

decency and decorum require. We would have supplied their wants, but we had not the means. This deficiency, your society is designed to supply.

I conclude by saying, that those who exert themselves to send the glad tidings of salvation to these children of the forest, the Indians, to their destitute brethren on the frontiers of our country, by supplying the wants of such laborious missionaries as have been described, who are travelling by day and night to promote the honour of their divine master, and the happiness of his redeemed creatures, will undoubtedly meet with the blessing of God in this world, and, if faithful in the discharge of other Christian duties, shall not fail of life everlasting life. To all such we say, your charity, by the help of our good and gracious God, shall not be misapplied, but shall be expended to comfort those who are needy, to whom Jesus has directed His gospel to be preached. May the great Head of the Church bless you with holiness on earth, and eternal happiness in heaENOCH GEORGE.

ven.

New-York, May 26, 1821.

SECOND ANNUAL REPORT

Of the New-York Female Missionary Society, Auxiliary to the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

THE silent lapse of time, whose ceaseless current has borne many of our fellow-beings to the grave, has presented us with another opportunity to commemorate the establishment of the "New-York Female Missionary Society." On this interesting occasion the Board of Managers beg leave to congratulate the members and friends of this Institution, that the same merciful Providence, under whose auspices we were first associated in this labour of love, has kindly continued to us the means of usefulness.

None of our number have been taken from us by death; and though the causes to which we alluded in our last Annual Report, viz. the depression of business, and consequent pecuniary embarrassments, have still operated to lessen our resources, we have been enabled to collect the sum of $122 which we present to the parent Institution, with our warm hopes and fervent prayers that the design for which it is given may be answered in the conversion of many immortal souls.

During the year now ended, we have received considerable accessions to our numbers, and are happy to state that an increasing interest seems to have been excited in the prosperity of the Society.

We are now called upon to make an important alteration in our title, in compliance with the alterations made by the general conference in the Constitution of the parent Society.

The general conference have thought proper to limit the operations of the parent Society exclusively to Missionary purposes, leaving the distribution of the Holy Scriptures to those effective Institutions which are organized expressly for that purpose. This we cordially approve, and consider a happy presage of future prosperity.

While we were recognized as a Bible Society, we experienced no little embarrassment, in the scruples of many who were already members of other Bibles Societies: and some of these have repeatedly declared their willing ness to associate with us for purposes solely missionary.

This objection to our Constitution being now removed, we are encouraged to look for the co operation of our sisters who have hitherto withheld their support from motives which we cordially respect.

A retrospect of the past year affords much matter of thankfulness, in view of the increasing prosperity, stability, and usefulness of the parent Institution. Among its numerous auxiliary streams, we note, with peculiar pleasure, a Female Association at Albany, similar to this; and another at Boston, embracing the same object: and we must not neglect to mention the zeal and liberality of a few pious females, in a remote circuit in Maine, who contributed twenty dollars, to make their preacher, the Rev. Oliver Beale, a member of the parent Society for life.

When we compare our means, in this commercial city, with those of the scattered inhabitants of a country circuit, we at once recognize the principle upon which our Saviour predicated his approbation of the widow who cast her two mites into the treasury. We have given of our abundance, but they have contributed of their poverty. May such examples stimulate us to increased exertions, and may we enter upon the duties of another year with a realising sense of our responsibility!

Our labours have been bestowed in much weakness—but in the arm of Jehovah is everlasting strength.

The cause is the Lord's, the means also are in his hands; and while we rely solely on His providential interposition, we cannot adopt a better axiom than "to do our duty, and submit the result."

Thus acting, we may enjoy the blessed anticipation, in our individual as in our official capacity, that all things shall work together for good to those who love God, and in singleness of heart pray for the peace of Jerusalem. By Order of the Board of Managers. Č. M. THAYER, SECRETARY.

New-York, April 4, 1821.

THE NEW-YORK CONFERENCE.

THIS Conference held its last annual session in the city of Troy, from May 30th to June 6th inclusive. There were present about eighty-five preachers, members of the Conference; and the business was conducted with great order and regularity, much peace and brotherly love, under the presidency of Rev. Enoch George, one of the Superintendents.

There were thirteen preachers admitted as probationaries into the itinerating ministry; four were received into full membership, elected and ordained Deacons, and three were elected to the office and ordained Elders. Two received a location, and one was expelled.

The number of members, returned within the bounds of the Conference is, Whites. Coloured.

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THE following sketch of the life and death of brother Stephen Bass, I think worthy of a place in one of the numbers of the Magazine. If your opinion accords with mine, you will please insert it. LEWIS MYERS.

May 12, 1821.

STEPHEN BASS was born in Marion house was a home for the ministers of district, state of South-Carolina, June the gospel for between twenty and 3, 1795, of respectable parents. Their thirty years. Under the tuition of re

ligious parents, Stephen received a Christian education, and he was the subject of many prayers, both of his parents, and the ministers of Christ. About the sixteenth year of his age, be gave evidence, after having sought the Lord, of his conversion, and immediately joined himself to the Church, of which he became a zealous member. In 1816, he began to speak for God in public, and his word was at tended with divine power.

fessed to find peace under his first ser⚫ mon in the circuit, as did several un、 der his subsequent labours."

On the 27th of August he was seized with a violent billious fever, which obliged him to desist from his ministerial work. His last text was, "Prepare to meet thy God." He spoke as if he anticipated a speedy departure out of this world, told his audience be was going to glory, and charged them to prepare to meet him there. Before In 1819, under the superintenden- he concluded his strength failed him, cy of Rev. Joseph Travis, he left his but he held on to the pulpit, and spoke affectionate mother, and many other like a man overwhelmed with a view endeared relatives, and entered upon of eternity, until he was quite exhaustthe labours of a circuit. In 1820 he ed. Having thus delivered his last was admitted on trial as a travelling message, he was taken from the pulpit, preacher, and was stationed on Orange- and carried to brother J. G. Stoudeburgh circuit, South-Carolina. His mires', where he was treated with talents as a preacher were no more great attention and kindness. On than ordinary, but his piety and zeal have been seldom surpassed. When not engaged in public duties, he gave himself to reading, meditation, and prayer. The Bible was his constant companion.

His colleague in the ministry, Rev. A. Turner, thus writes concerning him. "He was much beloved by those among whom he laboured, and was very useful, preaching with success in those places where the rest of us could do apparently nothing. One soul pra

Monday, the violence of his disease brought on, at times, a delirium; but even then his constant theme was religion, his preaching appointments, and the work of God. In this frame of mind he expired on Wednesday, Sept. 6th about 8 o'clock, A. M. So he lived, and so he died. He was a good man, a holy, pious Christian, and a useful preacher; his death was triumphant, and I doubt not but his spirit rests with God in glory.

Poetry.

From the Religious Intelligencer.

OLD AGE.

SAY, what wilt thou do when thy form is bent,
When the warm stream that thrills at thy heart
is spent?

When thy hand is powerless, the sunk eye dim,
And pain shall palsy the withering limb ?
When the thin hoary locks from thy chill tem-
ples fall,

And music and joy on thy senses shall pall?
When the stiffening tongue, and the tremulous
sigh

Must whisper the sound of the faint reply;
When the buried friend, and the child remov'd,
And the green sod cover the breast belov'd,
And the alter'd looks of an unknown race
Watching thy slow deceitful pace,
And younger dates on the church yard stone,
Shall chide thy long stay here alone.

Ah! how shall thy bosom then cope with des-
pair,

If the love of a Saviour be absent there?
Go! entreat him to save for his Mercy's sake;
Go! secure thy prop ere thy last shall break:
To doubt is but madness, when He is the theme;
To linger is folly, when life is a dream.

Oh! haste to God's temple; go knock at his
door,

Breathe out the warm prayer ere thou breathe no more;

Then launch thy frail bark on the cold stormy

wave,

And quietly rest in the night of the grave.

* Unto him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

THE

METHODIST MAGAZINE,

FOR AUGUST, 1821.

-0000

Divinity.

From the London Methodist Magazine.
A SERMON

BY THE LATE REV. JOHN FLETCHER, VICAR OF MADELEY; Supposed to have been preached soon after he entered the Ministry. Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God, JOHN III. 3.

(Concluded from page 245.)

11. BUT I know that all these proofs will not convince a man as long as he does not see why we must be born again: therefore I beg leave to lay before such an one the reason why God insists so much upon our regeneration in all parts of the Bible.

Whether we think of it or not, brethren, it is certain that man once enjoyed in Adam a life of happiness and holiness, loving God with all his soul, in every thing giving thanks, and rejoicing evermore. But, alas! his disobedience soon destroyed that life; for according to the sentence which God had pronounced, "in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die," he died spiritually; he died to happiness, to holiness, and to God; and from that spiritual death he hastened to bodily death, and, if not prevented by regeneration, to death eternal, "the destruction of body and soul in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone." Now Adam, having thus destroyed himself, (being made the devil's slave, and covered all over with his leprosy) swelled with pride, enflamed with lust, and filled with enmity to God, and unbelief of his sacred word: Adam, I say, being in that wretched state, could not beget children in a better nature than he had himself. "Can a clean thing come out of an unclean? and can the streams be wholesome when the fountain is poisoned?"

12. What, then, is the plain consequence? The whole lump of mankind is leavened with the leaven of spiritual as well as YOL. IV.

36

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