we hear the universal call from our frontier borders for missionary aid without concern? We cannot. We rejoice in beholding the opening prospect, and cordially unite to contribute our aid in furthering so good a cause as that of missions.

The Managers congratulate the Society, and the Christian world, on the united and mighty efforts making in the cause of missions. May they continue and increase until all that sit in darkness shall see a great light—until all flesh shall see the salvation of God."

By information received from Rev. Martin Ruter, it appears that an auxiliary society is formed in Cincinnatti. These, together with those formed last year, make the number of auxiliary and branch societies to be sixteen,

viz.

1. The Female Missionary Society of N. Y. Auxiliary, &c. 2. The Young Men's Missionary Society,

3. Courtlandt circuit,

do. do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

6. The Genesee Conference, do. located in Ithaca.

7. The New-England Conference do. located in Boston.
8. The Auxiliary Society of Columbia, S. Carolina.
9. South-Carolina Conference Missionary Society, do.
10. The Baltimore Conference,

of Baltimore.

do.

11. The Auxiliary Society of Cincinnatti. 12. The Branch Society at Annapolis.

do.

located in the city

13. The Branch Society at Lynn.

14. The Female Branch Society of Boston.

15. Pope's Chapel Branch to the S. Carolina Society. 16. The Female Auxiliary Society of Albany.

When we recollect that this Society has been in existence only two years, we shall find abundant cause of gratitude to God for the success which has attended its operations, and for the general interest excited for its welfare and extension.

In the course of the year past, very encouraging information has been received respecting the progress of the work of God among the Wyandotts at Sandusky. A Missionary under the patronage of the Ohio Conference is stationed among them; and, through his instrumentality the work of reformation so happily begun, has spread, and, we believe, is still spreading.

To evangelize these natives of the forests, is one prime object of this Society, and we hope the time is not far distant when the songs of redeeming love shall echo through their mountains and valleys.

We bear indeed a cry from beyond the Alleghany, "Come over and help us." Lo! the fields are white for the harvest. The western tribes are ready for the word of eternal life. The abodes of savage men will soon be enlightened with the lamps of salvation. The war hoop shall subside in shouts of hosanna to the Prince of Peace. The lion and the lamb shall lie down together, and they shall not hurt nor destroy in all the holy mountain of the Lord. In the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. The time long anticipated by the spirit of prophecy hastens.-Jesus shall have the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for a possession. The heralds of the cross, in full armour, shall enter the temples of idol deities, kindle living fires upon their altars, and bear away in triumph their captivated priests.

Blessed be God that he has in any measure honoured the Methodists to be instruments in such grand atchievements. It is devoutly to be hoped that the spirit of our departed founders will not slumber in their successors. Although the bistory of Methodism, in the four quarters of the world, will exhibit a success unparallelled by any thing since the apostolic age, still the work of reformation is but commenced. It is, indeed, a number of years since the instruction and conversion of the poor Africans in the West Indian Islands, and in these states, became a subject of deep concern with us; and to how many of this class of our fellow-creatures, will the names of Coke and Asbury be dear, as long as the human memory exists, and parents hand down to posterity the events of their own, and of former times? It is also considerable time since the first attempts were made to carry the blessings of the gospel to the native

Africans in their own land. The grand enterprize in India is of more recent date; but not less successful. It is but of yesterday that the design was formed to evangelize the numerous and wandering tribes of the aborigines of our own Continent. The design is worthy of Apostles, and it will require the zeal of Apostles to accomplish it.

But if at the first view of the difficulties and dangers which gather round this arduous work, our courage seem to forsake us, and our faith to tremble, let us not fail to recollect the numerous instances in which success has attended the labours of the Christian ministry in opposition to all human probability. The souls of the savages are purchased by the blood of atonement. Their hearts are in the hand of God, and He can turn them as the rivers of water are turned. And it is by the instrumentality of the ministry of the word, according to the appointment of God himself, that their conversion is to be effected. Under such circumstances does it become the followers of the Lord Jesus to pause, and hesitate, and object? This is an important, and may we not say providential, crisis? The peace and amity existing between the Indian tribes, and the United States, the conciliating and fostering measures of the national government, and especially the encouragements held out to religious societies to use their exertions to bring them to the knowledge of the social arts, and of the principles of Christianity, must be considered as circumstances highly favourable to Missionary enterprize. The tomahawk is buried-The hostile arrow has fallen neglected from the bow of destruction-The escutcheon has ceased to scatter terrors on the field of death-At our approach the Red men rise up and call us brothers.

May we not then entertain the pleasing conviction that the time has arrived for a Star to appear in the west, and direct the children of the wilderness to the Shepherd and Bishop of their souls?

O brethren! let us wake up to this pressing call from the western forests, which cover vast tribes of untaught inen. Other Christian communities are pursuing energetic measures, to send the light of divine truth among these aborigines of our country. Two Missionary families under the direction and patronage of the United Foreign Missionary Society," have gone to the Great Osages of the Missouri, with a view to introduce among them the arts of civilization, with the blessings of the gospel.

Our brethren in England, instead of declining any of their Missionary enterprizes, are pursuing them with increasing ardour, and are witnessing the most beneficial and happy results, both at home and abroad. Indeed, the whole Christian world, though divided into different denominations, appear to be uniting their energies for the universal diffusion of gospel truth. May those barriers raised by sectarian prejudices, be speedily broken down, and the time arrive when there shall be "One fold and one Shepherd."

When we consider the existence and operation, both in the old and new world, of Bible Societies, Tract Societies, and Missionary Societies, in which are united the talent, the ability, and the zeal of all religious denominations in christendom, we cannot but anticipate the day when the watchmen, seeing eye to eye, shall lift up their voice together, and combine their strength to prostrate infidelity, and every principle and practice which stands opposed to God and to his Christ.

May this Society contribute its full share towards the accomplishment of so desirable an end.

N. B. Since this report was finished, official information has been received of the formation of another auxiliary in the city of Richmond, under the title of the "Virginia Conference Missionary Society," with two branch Societies, one in Raleigh, N. C. and one in the Amherst circuit. The Constitution and first report of the Society in Richmond have been received, and their prospects of success are highly gratifying. May the God of missions succeed the great design.

Obituary.

DEATH OF REV. JOHN ROBERTSON.

good and useful preacher. He was industrious and indefatigable in his ministerial labours, and in visits from house to house, instructing and exifying the various members of the flock entrusted to his care. In the stations he occupied at different times, he was in the habit of paying his pastoral visits to almost every family in the neighbourhood in which he lived, whether of the society or not, and praying in each family as far as circumstances would admit, and he could obtain permission; and this course he pursued, the last station he filled until within a few days of his death. He preached

two days prior to his dissolution; at which time he informed his congregation that he spake to them as a dying man, who should shortly account to his God for the manner in which he had improved his ministerial talents.

JOHN ROBERTSON, the subject of the following short memoir, was born of respectable and religious parents, in the township of New-Providence, Essex County, East Jersey, March 31, 1782. He professed to obtain the knowledge of salvation by the remission of sin in 1800, when he connected himself with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and soon began to exercise his talent by way of exhortation, and preaching as a local preacher. He joined the travelling connexion in 1803, and was appointed to the following circuits, Norton 1803-Vershire 1804-Croton 1805-Pittsfield 1806-Saratoga 1807 -Newburg 1808-Grand-Isle 1809 his last sermon, on the Sabbath, only New-York 1810-Bergen 1811-Union and Kensington 1812-Staten-Island 1813-Essex 1814 and 1815Trenton 1816. Located in 1817 on account of debility -1818 re-admitted into the Philadelphia Conference, and was stationed in Bristol-Chester 1819 -St. John's 1820,-where he finished his course, August 8th. at five o'clock in the morning, in the thirty-ninth year of his age. His constitution was rather feeble, which subjected him to frequent attacks of disease. For some years before his death, he had been afflicted with occasional Heamaptysis, which excited an apprehension of the approach of some fatal disease of the organs of respiration. In the beginning of the year 1820, he had a severe attack of Pleurilis, of which he never entirely recovered, and which ended ia Phthisis Pulmonalis, that terminated his earthly career, his sufferings, and his labours.

J. Robertson, was a man of great simplicity of manners and character: He was a sincere Christian, and faithful disciple of his Master: He was affable, courteous, and respectful to all; and ardent in his attachments to his family and his friends. As a minister of the gospel, he was in general high ly and deservedly esteemed: he possessed considerable talents, and was a

On the following Sabbath his funeral sermon was preached in the same place, to a large and deeply affected congregation, from "Let me die the death of the Righteous, and let my last end be like his.'

In his last moments there was no opportunity of conversing with him, in consequence of his sudden departure, so that the particular state of mind he then was in, could not be precisely ascertained; but we have no doubt his end was peace; for he had been for some time looking for death, not as a messenger of terror, but as an harbinger of peace to release him from this valley of tears.

On the morning of his death, he was about rising from his bed at his usual bour, and commenced a conversation with his wife on some domestic subject, and was suddenly seized with a violent discharge of blood from his lungs, and instantly expired. He s left a wife and three children, who sensibly and deeply feel the loss they have sustained.

Poetry.

THE

METHODIST MAGAZINE,

FOR JULY, 1821,

Divinity.

From the London Methodist Magazine.
A SERMON

BY THE LATE REV. JOHN FLETCHER, VICAR OF MADELY; 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.*

THE Corruption that has overspread the Christian world as a flood, and the lukewarmness of those who distinguish themselves by some degree of seriousness, make it next to impossible to preach many of the most important doctrines of Christianity, without giving offence to some. We love to lie down as if our spiritual race was run, even before we set out in earnest. And if any one attempts to shew us plainly our danger in so doing, we look upon him in general as a troublesome person, who endeavours to make us uneasy without necessity. This is one of the reasons why those who are appointed to shew unto others the way of salvation, dare hardly mention what Christ said of the narrowness of the way that leads to life, and the few that walk therein.

We fear to be thought uncharitable, or suspected of preaching new doctrines and this fear makes us soften, if not conceal, those parts of the gospel which Christ and his apostles insisted upon in the plainest terms.

Nevertheless, as we are commanded to declare the whole counsel of God, without respect of persons, or fear of men, I shall now discourse on one of those points of doctrine which worldly Christians seldom make the subject of their medita

Although the subject of this Discourse is nearly the same with that of the Sermon published in our two last Numbers, the reader will perceive they are two entirely different sermons.