ber of those who have not united themselves to any denomination—and, in general, of all such particulars as will enable them to select, among the multiplied objects of Christian benevolence, those which need their earliest attention, and the greatest share of their bounty. Communications on this subject may be addressed to the reverend Jackson Kemper, Philadelphia.

We do not think it necessary to point out to our readers the very great importance of a prompt attention to the above request, because we think that no Christian can reflect on the objects which the soicety has in view, and on the responsibilities of those who are most privileged, to provide for the suffering and dispersed members of the flock of Christ, without feeling a desire to aid the exertions of the society, and bid them "God speed."

New York.

Extracts from the journal of the thirty-fifth annual convention, continued from page 102. The reverend Daniel Nash, an aged and venerable missionary, who has all the purity and guileless simplicity of a Nathaniel, reports as follows: "Not until late in the spring of the year was I able to attend to my missionary duties; and since then, the services performed have not equalled those of former years. For about seven months I was able to preach only once on each Sunday; since then, I have divided the time principally between St. John's, Otsego, Burlington, and Paris. One Sunday I attended at Cooperstown, one at Cherry Valley, and two at Richfield. In the beginning of the summer, I visited Oneida, in company with Mr., now doctor Orderson, of the English church; and with him administered the holy eucharist to forty or fifty of the Oneida nation, and baptized five adults, and about forty children, the greater part of which were baptized by him. I afterward visited that church, and baptized nine children. In addition to these, I have baptized two children at Paris; two at Verona; one adult and seven children at Cherry Valley; three children at Burlington, and one adult and eight children at St. John's. "That holy Being, who rules all things, knows whether I shall be able, any further, to prosecute my missionary labours-the almost constant pain in my breast renders it extremely unpleasant to speak in publick: but as far as God enables me to go, by his grace assisting, I shall endeavour to be faithful."

church, I found some local disadvantages under which she laboured, but trust, through God's grace, that they are, in a great measure, removed.

in

"There appears much unanimity now existing among the people, and an anxious desirethat Jerusalem might be as a city at unity with itself.' On the whole, the church is in a flourishing state. I have officiated in this church twice every Lord's day, excepting a few which have been devoted to missionary purposes. Among the duties which have devolved upon me, one no less interesting than important has been my anxious concern-the duty of training up the young the nurture and admonition of the Lord. To this intent I have catechised the young people and children, repeatedly, in the church, on the Lord's day. In addition to this, on the thirteenth day of May, I succeeded in organizing a Sunday school, which I have regularly attended every Sunday afternoon, when at home. Seventy-four scholars are members of this school. Your missionary has the pleasing satisfaction of reporting, that he has met with much success and encouragement, both from parents and their children, in his exertions. Parents manifest an anxious desire, and frequently attend at the school, in order to hear the recitations, and to assist me in instructing; while a spirit of seriousness and piety has been awakened in the minds of the young. The excellent liturgy of our church has been explained, and her distinguishing principles have been inculcated, not only in publick, but from house to house.”

"Besides officiating at this church, I have preached five times, on different days of the week, in a school house in the upper part of my parish. I have also officiated in the following places: One Sunday, and twice on week days, at Franklin. In this place there is a number of interesting episcopal families. One Sunday at Windsor, to a numerous congregation. At Coventry, one Sunday, and twice on week days. Here I catechised the young people and children, and inculcated to parents the interesting and important duty of training them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. One Sunday at Paris. One Sunday, and two afternoon lectures, at Sangerfield, where are a few episcopalians. Once at Rome, and once at Sidney. Your missionary would take the liberty of further reporting, that, some time previous to his call to missionary labours, he officiated one Sunday, and twice on week days, at Sherburne, where are a few families of episcopalians, and once at New Lebanon. In these places a spirit of inquiry has been excited, and considerable interest manifested in favour of our ancient apostolick church."

"The reverend George H. Norton, missionary in Ontario and Seneca counties, reports to the bishop as follows:-In making out a report of missionary services for the past year, while I have to regret that the result of my labours falls greatly short of what had been anticipated, it gives me pleasure to state, that, in the several places where I have officiated, there has been manifested an increased attachment to the doctrines, discipline and worship of our church, and an earnest wish expressed for a continuance of her services. On Sundays I have preached at Waterloo, Seneca county, at Vienna, Clifton Springs, and Palmyra, Ontario county, and at Catharine's Town, Tioga county, and on week days have lectured at various places within the bounds of my circuit. In the different churches of which I have had the charge, the Lord's supper has been administered to about sixty-six persons, and the ordinance of baptism to twenty children, and two adults. I have also performed four marriages, and attended sixteen funerals.

"The more I travel over the missionary ground, in the western section of this extensive diocese, the better am I persuaded that the most important benefits will result to the church, if a competent number of labourers can be furnished for that portion of God's vineyard."

The reverend Amos Pardee, formerly of Massachusetts, and now a missionary at Manlius, Onondaga county, and parts adjacent, speaks thus of his labours: "At Jamesville I have, since December last, officiated every fourth Sunday; and, on more than half of the remaining Sundays, have there held a third service; and on other days have there, as well as in the village of Manlius, often visited the people of the congregation from house to house. Where, a short time since, only one episcopal family resided, there a respectable congregation has now been collected, and a number of persons of the first respectability, of information, of wealth, and of influence, have, from principle, attached themselves to the church; many prayer books are there seen in use; the responses are made with much propriety and solemnity, and the congregation of worshippers are not only increasing in numbers, but also are apparently growing in grace and in the knowledge of God.

"In the church in Manlius village, I have officiated on three fourths of the Sundays during the year past, on thanksgiving day, Christmas, and Good Friday, and on funeral occasions; and, during the summer past, have often called up the children and youth for instruction in the catechisms.

"The church in this place has had many

"At Lenox parish, in addition to the three Sundays already mentioned, on one Sunday, after two services in Manlius, I have there held a third, preached, and administered the Lord's supper, and a number of times have preached there on week days.

"The church meet on every Lord's day, read prayers and approved sermons; and a pious young layman, who has been there until lately, has taught the children the church catechism, the explanation and enlargement, and has taught the youth the catechism on confirmation, which has been attended with good effects, and some additions have been made to the communion.

"Having arranged their pecuniary concerns, and always having had the disposition, they now find themselves able to afford some support, as formerly, to a minister."

We cannot close these extracts without subjoining the following remarks of the bishop, on the value of missionary labours, which occur in his address to the convention, and which we thought proper to reserve for this place. They well deserve the attention of the friends of the church in every part of our country. "In thus recording," says the bishop," the advancement of our church, I would beseech you to bear in mind, that but for missionary labours, I should not have had the gratification of witnessing, nor you of hearing, these animating events. Our church, in almost every instance, has arisen in the new settlements from the smallest beginnings. A few churchmen, adhering with a zeal which no depression could extinguish, and no difficulties daunt, to the faith, the ministry, and the worship of that church which, as that fold of their Redeemer in which they are to be nurtured for heaven, engrossed their warmest affections, communicated, by conversation, and especially by regular meeting for worship, a portion of their zeal to others; and thus their small assembly, gradually augmenting, and cherished by the occasional visits of a missionary, rose at last to a congregation, which, by extraordinary exertions, erected an edifice for worship. This is the history of the rise of our church, in almost all those many cases in which we see her exhibiting the standard of apostolick truth, and

primitive order, in those new settlements of our state, where abound nearly all the variety of sects into which Christians are unhappily divided. And, brethren of the clergy and laity, let me impress deeply upon you, that this might be the history of the rise of our church in innumerable more cases, could we extend the sphere of missionary exertions. But our means are inadequate, even to the slender stipend of our present missionaries, whose scanty support is principally furnished by the free, but onerous contributions of those who have to contend with the embarrassments and difficulties attending the settlement of a new country. Could every individual of our church feel as I have felt, when compelled to damp every hope, urged by the most affecting intreaties, of receiving even the occasional supply of missionary services, the means of furnishing them would be amply afforded. And I know not how these means are to be supplied, and how our church is to be kept from a retrograde, instead of a progressive course, unless you, brethren of the clergy and laity, in addition to your personal exertions, will impress on others the duty and the policy of appropriating their bounty to their own church, while she thus needs it all, and of resisting that popular and well meant, but injudicious and contagious zeal, which, dispersing its gifts towards objects of uncertain benefit to all men, neglects the immediate sphere of obvious good, and leaves some of its own household to perish." "Let us do good unto all men," says the apostle, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." Gal. vi. 10. Charity should begin at home, though it should not end there; and if it be the duty of every man to provide "specially for those of his own house," surely it is the duty of Christians to provide specially for the wants of their own church.

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The trustees of the fund for the support of the episcopate, in the diocese of New York, reported, that the amount of that fund is now $23,756 20. This sum has been formed in the course, we believe, of not more than twenty four years, by annual collections in the churches, and the accumulation of interest; and exhibits evidence of how much may be done, by perseverance, in the collection of small sums. Till the annual profits of the fund, thus raised and managed, become sufficient to support the bishop without a parochial cure, he relies for support upon the funds of Trinity church. In addition to his income, as rector of that church, which is very ample, he receives fifteen hundred dollars per annum as bishop. By the second canon, passed at this convention, altering and repealing the second canon of 1796, it is pro

vided, that “There shall be, annually, in every church and chapel in this diocese, a sermon preached on the rights and duties which are peculiarly episcopal, in which the minister shall lay before his congregation the dignity and usefulness of the office of a bishop, and the necessity of supporting it by their voluntary contributions; which sermon shall be followed by a collection, in aid of the episcopal fund, raised in this diocese, agreeably to the second canon of 1796; the amount of which collection shall be reported to the next succeeding stated convention of the diocese, and entered on the journal of the same."

A canon was also passed concerning the missionary fund, making it lawful to dispense with an annual sermon and collection, provided that a missionary society be formed in the congregation for annual contributions, or that subscriptions or donations be otherwise raised among them. The canon further provides, thatThe amount of all contributions, by any congregation, in aid of the missions of this church, shall be reported to the next succeeding stated convention, and entered on its journal."

A third canon was passed, providing for a diocesan fund, to defray the necessary expenses of the convention, and particularly the expenses of those of the clergy who may have to travel a considerable distance to the place of meeting of the convention. This canon recommends that every congregation pay annually, not less than one and a half per cent on the amount of the clergyman's salary, and that no clergyman shall be entitled to any part of this sum, unless his parish complies with this recommendation. There is an obvious propriety in this arrangement, which will lead, probably, to the adoption of a similar measure in every diocese; we cannot help remarking, however, that a canon merely recommendatory seems not to be strictly accurate. A canon should be imperative; a recommendation is not. A recommendation should be entered on the journals in the shape of a resolution of the convention.

The standing committee of the diocese are the reverend William Harris, D. D. the reverend Thomas Lyell, the reverend William Berrian, the reverend Henry U. Onderdonk, M. D. of the clergy; and Richard Harrison, William Ogden, Nicholas Fish, and Henry Rogers, esquires, of the laity.

The committee of the protestant episcopal church, for propagating the gospel in the state of New-York, of which the bishop is ex officio, chairman, are the reverend Messrs. Lyell, Henry J. Feltus, John M'Vickar, of the clergy; and Dr. John Onderdonk, Thomas L. Ogden, esquire, and Hubert Van

Wagenen, of the laity. The bishop appointed certain clergymen to supply vacant parishes not usually visited by missionaries; after which the convention adjourned. The time of meeting will, in future, be the second Tuesday in May.

Theological Seminary.

Eliakim Warren, esquire, of Troy, New York, has presented two thousand dollars to found a scholarship in the theological seminary of the protestant episcopal church in the United States.

Fast Day in Easter Week.

We are sorry to see that the governour of the state of Vermont has appointed WEDNESDAY IN EASTER WEEK, (April 10,) as a day of publick humiliation, fasting, and prayer. That week in which the Christian church, throughout the world, annually celebrates the resurrection of her Lord, with songs of joy and holy gladness; that week which, from the days of the apostles, has been every where considered as the highest festival, the jubilee of the church, because on the resurrection of our Saviour depend all our hopes;-that week is selected by the governour of Vermont as a proper period for a fast! We do think that, in a coun try which professes to regard the religious rights of all classes of the community, some little attention should be paid to the feelings of episcopalians. In Massachusetts, the governour has appointed the Thursday in passion week, (April 4,) as a fast day. This is well; but why might he not as well have appointed the next day, (Good Friday,) in consideration of its being observed, all the world over, as a day of solemn fasting, humiliation, and prayer, for those sins which caused our blessed Lord to be nailed to the accursed tree? Since the time of the late governour Trumbull, it has become the invariable practice in Connecticut, to appoint the annual state fast upon Good Friday, and we see no reason why the same practice should not be extended to all the New England states. It is hoped that no feelings of hostility towards the episcopal church will operate to prevent so small a concession to the convenience and comfort of its members; a concession which will detract nothing from the privileges of other denominations, and will more effectually secure the proper solemnity of our worship.

At the annual meeting of the convention of the protestant episcopal church in South Carolina, held in Charleston, from the thirteenth to the sixteenth of February last, the

bishop in his address was pleased to make the following honourable mention of the Gospel Advocate.

"Permit me to avail myself of this opportunity of addressing myself generally to those, to whom, in the diocesan capacity, I stand related, to recommend to their adoption, some means of having religious intelligence, and other matter proper to a religious periodical publication, conveyed to them in some work of this description, proceeding on the principles of their own persuasion, and conformable to their own religious views and feelings. There is always much, relating to the interests and operations of our own communion, which we cannot expect to find, except in works of this sort, conducted under the hands of members of our own household of faith. That some such publication, locally adapted, should be set on foot in this city, is much to be desired. In the hope that such a task, justly, in its right execution, considered an arduous one, will ere long be undertaken, I feel it to be consistent with my duty to mention, as, in the mean time, worthy of your encouragement and use, the Gospel Advocate, edited in a spirit of evangelical piety, and with great ability, at Boston, and the Christian Journal, edited at New York. This last must become more and more interesting and useful, in consequence of its being published amidst the faculty and students of our seminary."

This part of the bishop's address was referred to a select committee, consisting of the reverend Alston Gibbes, Robert J. Turnbull, and the reverend Dr. Dalcho, who reported as follows:

"The reverend Mr. Gibbes, from the committee to whom was referred the consideration of that part of the bishop's address, which relates to the establishment of a periodical religious paper, under the auspices of the protestant episcopal church in this state, made the following report:

"That they do not deem it practicable, or expedient, at the present time, to effect the object recommended; and that it appears to them, the chief purposes of utility, designed to be answered by the establishment of such a paper as is proposed, may be obtained through the medium of journals of a similar character, already published, in different parts of the United States; and they, therefore, respectfully offer the following resolu tion:

"Resolved, That it be recommended to the members of this convention, and of the episcopal church in this state, to extend their patronage and support to the Gospel Advocate, published monthly in Boston, and the Christian Journal, published monthly in New

York, at the rate of two dollars each, per annum, and to make those journals the vehicle of any communications they may deem it advisable to make, relative to the concerns of the episcopal church in this state, or the United States, or the interests of religion in general."

"The report of the committee on the establishment of a periodical religious paper, was then taken into consideration. No amendments being offered, the report was, on motion, agreed to."

The conductors of the Gospel Advocate may be permitted, they trust, to express the pleasure they have derived from this honourable mention of their labours, and their acknowledgments for the prospect of increasing patronage, which the resolution of the convention of South Carolina holds out to them. Next to the consciousness of pure intentions is the satisfaction resulting from the spontaneous offering of such approbation.

The following interesting account of a visit to the missionary stations at Elliot and Brainerd, extracted from the Missionary Register for December last, was given by Mr. ⚫ Hodgson, a respectable merchant of Liverpool, who travelled through this country in 1820, and visited those stations in May and June of that year. We regret that we have not room to give further extracts from Mr. Hodgson's journal of his tour among the Indians.

"Choctaw Indians.

"In the morning of the third day after leaving Natchez, Mr. Hodgson entered the Choctaw nation. He proceeded on what is called the Natchez' or 'Kentucky Train;' that is, the road by which the inhabitants of Kentucky or Tennessee return home from Natchez through the wilderness, when they have broken up the rude boats in which the pro duce of the western country is conveyed down the Mississippi. Stands,' as they are called, or houses of entertainment, are placed at the distance of thirty or forty miles from one another, throughout the nation.

"While resting at one of these places, on the first Sunday after he had entered the nation, Mr. Hodgson says

"We were visited by many Indians, some of whom were rather importunate for whiskey or tobacco. In the woods, about half a mile distant, fifty or sixty were collected to revenge the death of a woman, who had been murdered a few days before as a witch; but matters appeared likely to be compromised without bloodshed: we after wards saw, however, by the newspapers, that the dispute terminated in a bloody conflict.

"Toward evening, ten or twelve travellers dropped in-a noisy set. We all slept on bear-skins on the floor. Our host told me that there were not five nights in a year, in which some travellers did not sleep there, and that seventy or eighty occasionally called in a day. He removed from North Carolina about nine years ago, and has acquired considerable property.

"Set off early on the 15th of May; and finding that at the cabin where we purposed to stop, they no longer received travellers, we had to go twenty-five miles to breakfast. Here we got some coffee in an Indian hut, where the inhabitants could not speak Eng lish.

"As soon as it appeared to be twelve o'clock by the sun, three of the Indian women covered themselves with blankets, and approached a little spot in the garden, inclosed by six upright poles, on the highest of which were suspended several chaplets of vine leaves and tendrils; here they either sat or kneeled (the blankets prevented our seeing which) for about twenty minutes, uttering a low monotonous wailing. This mournful ceremony they repeat, at sunrise, noon, and sunset, for ninety days, or three moons, as the Egyptians mourned for Jacob three score and ten days. I have since been informed, by a very intelligent Indian, that the period of mourning is sometimes extended to four or five moons, if the individual be deeply regretted, or of eminent rank; and that it is occasionally determined by the time occupied in killing the deer and other animals necessary for the great feast which is often given at the pulling up of the poles.

"At the celebrated ceremony of the 'polepulling,' the family connexions assemble from a great distance; and, when they are par ticular in observing the ancient customs, they spend two or three days and nights in solemn preparation and previous rites. They then all endeavour to take hold of some part of the poles, which they pluck up and throw behind them without looking, moving backward toward the east. They then feast together, and disperse to their several homes. It was impossible to hear this simple recital without thinking of the account in Genesis, 1. 1—14.

Till within ten or fifteen years, the Choctaws generally killed the favourite horses or dogs of the deceased, and buried them, with his gun and hatchet, in his grave. They still sometimes bury the gun; but it is too frequently stolen: and they now satisfy themselves with believing that the spirits of the horses and dogs will rejoin that of their master at their death. The settlement of white people among them, and occasional in