ivating the ground, has been very great ; and they are now ruined. Our stock of useful articles, to pay our workmen, is almost expended; so that should peace be restor ed, we shall not be able readily to replace our affairs in their former situation.

The work of preaching the Gospel continues; and so far the Lord has over ruled the disorders of the land, by giving seve ral hundreds of this island and Eimeo, an opportunity to hear the word of salvation, who never before did hear it; and, perhaps, 'would not have heard it for months to come. One circuit of the island was taken just before the rebellion broke out, and the Gospel preached in every district, except Attahooroo. In the midst of great darkness and perplexity of mind, we sometimes have a gleam of hope that God is humbling this people, and thereby prepar ing them for a more cheerful and universal reception of his word. Otoo has, of late, on two Sabbath-days, desired to hear the word of Jehovah; which was accordingly spoken to him, and others of his family, and many of his subjects, that he assem bled to hear. He seems to have some idea that there is but one God; and expresses no dislike to any part of the plan of salvation, so far as he can comprehend it. Pomarre is a most bigotted man, and is, as it were, the soul of his country's abominable superstition.

of health and strength. Our prayers are
for Zion's increase and prosperity. We
beseech you to pray for us.
I remain,

Dear and honoured Fathers and Brethren,
Your affectionate brethren and sisters
in the Lord.
JOHN JEFFERSON,
for the Society.

To the Directors of the Missionary Society.

The civil war that existed in Ryatteeaf, when the Royal Admiral was here, has lately been quelled; and the chief remains in his full power. Since Pomarre's retreat from Tyaraboo to Mattavai, a flame of a like nature broke out at Eimeo: but Pomarre sent over a strong party, which, for the present, extinguished it, with the loss of twenty of the rebels.

From the statement of the foregoing particulars, we leave it to our honoured fathers and brethren's better judgment, to consider, whether or not it would not be expedient to fix such a body of Missionaries on Otaheite, and to accommodate them with every necessary, as to be independent of the support of the chiefs; and not to stand or fall as they stood or fell; and whence also the Gospel may be dispersed abroad among the neighbouring islands, as the leadings of Providence directed the way. This, we say again, that had not God in his great mercy, unexpectedly and singularly lodged Capt Bishop and men on the island, and wrecked the Norfolk on our coast, we should this day most assuredly have been, with Pomarre, &c. expelled the island (if not some of our lives cut off) and our usefulness, it may be, at

an end.

Extract of Letter from Mr. Henry to

Mr. S. Pinder, of London, dated
July 2, 1892.

"Numbers of people, who, from different districts, flock to Mattavai for refuge, now hear the word of life: and :oo's mind is so far changed, and his superstition so diminished, that, instead of being greatly averse to our preaching the doctrines of Christianity in the land, and using all his influence (secretly at least) to deter the people from hearing them, as we expected he would, when we should commence our public exercises, he happily rather coun tenances and encourages our labours in this way; and last Sabbath, and the Sabbath but one before, requested to hear the word of God; and was, with the rest of the royal family, and some hundreds of people, assembled by his orders, addressed on the first Sabbath by Brother Jefferson: and on the last by Brother Not; but not so many people were assembled then as on the foriner occasion.

Through the mercy of our Heavenly Father, we, in general, enjoy a good portion

me.

"As a proof of our toleration here, and the liberties we enjoy in propagating our religiou, I shall just relate an occurrence of last Sabbath. Mrs. Eyre and Henry taking a walk in the afternoon, towards the king's house, which is but a small distance from ours, for the benefit of the air, the king sent to them, and invited them in; and while they were sitting with him, he took it into his head to send for When I came to him, he placed me close by his side, as he usually does any of us when we visit him; and after a little conversation had passed between us, about the ship in the harbour' and other things, he mentioned the sacred name of Jehovah, in the broken manner the natives in general do. This I pronounced Yehovab (the Hebrew pronunciation of it) and he repeated it after me very properly. I then told him, this was a sacred and powerful name, and not to be mentioned irreverently; and took occasion to represent Jehovah as the only true God, and to point out his power and greatness, as the Creator of all things; observing, that the gods of Taheite were oply evil spirits, banished by Jehovah to the Pos,

+ Or Ulietea.

The Taheitans consider their images as representatives er vehicles, of the gods which are in the Po; i. e. the invisible world.

for their rebellion against him; and that there were many such, who deceive men, desiring their destruction; that our fore. fathers in Britain were deceived by them in time past, and worshipped them, and images like the Taheitans, until the servants of the true God came there, and taught them his word; which they attending to and receiving, cast away their false gods, and took Jehovah for their God, and served him Thus much of my discourse to him and his attendants, on this occasion, is sufficient to shew what liberties we may take, &c. To relate, in order, all that I

told them, would take up too much time; suffice it briefly to observe, that I treated of the Fall,the way and method of salvation by Jesus Christ,-and the happiness or misery of the souls of men after death, — of the resurrection, and of the misery of the wicked, and happiness of the righteous afterward. All which things the king lis tened to with attention and apparent pleasure; and when I was about to depart, he requested me to meet him, with the rest of the brethren, in the evening, to teach him and the people again the word of God; which was done as before related."

THE ANNUAL MEETING

Of the Missionary Society will be held as follows :

ON Wednesday morning, May 11, the Rev. S. Bottomley, of Scarborough, will preach at Surry Chapel. At Three in the afternoon the Society meet for business. In the evening, the Rev. T. Young, late of Canterbury, is to preach at the Tabernacle.

On Thursday morning the Society meet for business, at Ten o'clock. In the evening, the Rev. Greville Ewing, of Glasgow, will preach at Tottenham Court Chapel.

On Friday morning the Rev. Jeremiah Nervell, Vicar of Great Missenden, and Perpetual Curate of Lee, Bucks, will preach at Shadwell Church. In the evening, a general communion at Sion Chapel.

The morning-services will commence at Half Past Ten; and the even ing-services at Six. The Meetings for business will be held, as usual, at Haberdashers' hall, Staining Lane, Wood Street.

The Religious Tract Society will meet at Seven o'clock on the Thursday morning, at St. Paul's Coffee-House.

Ministers, and other Gentlemen attending the Missionary Meeting, may render important service, by bringing with them authentic documents respecting the want of BIBLES in their different neighbourhoods. Various means will occur for ascertaining the fact; probably, much information may be obtained by enquiring with minuteness and care among the children supported in Charity-Schools.—A particular attention to this hint is earnestly requested.

MISSIONARY COLLECTIONS.

From the Basil Society, by the Rev. Mr. Steinkopff £.30 0
From the Stirling Society (North Britain) for the
Spread of the Gospel, by Mr. Campbell

19 14 9

A Letter from Professor Young to the Committee of the Religious Tract Society *. Marbourgh, March 13, 1803. Honoured Sirs, and, in our blessed Redeemer, dearly beloved Brethren !

I AM not able to describe how greatly I am affected by your benevolence, zeal, and activity, in the work of the Lord; and how much your example excites me to exert myself more and more for the salvation of my fellow-men. When I received the agreeable letter of our dear Brother Steinkopff, with your draft for 281. my wife happening to sit by me, my head sunk upon her bosom; and I was moved to tears of gratitude to God, and to you. I indorsed the draft to a friend at Frankfort, who received the money for it.

I hope you have received my letter of the 27th of February, in which I menti oned the principal occurrences of my life; and expressed a wish that it might please the Lord my God, in his gracious provi dence, to release me from all worldly em ployments, so that I might live and la bour for him and his cause alone.

Although this is still my heart's desire, yet I am quite easy, and resigned to the will of God; he will continue to guide me according to his good pleasure, and that is the best for myelf, and for my use fulness in his kingdom.

I likewise requested you to defer sending us any money, as we would first try

See the Evan. Mag, for November last, page 461.

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

Elegy ON THE DEATH OF THE REV. MR. EYRE.

DAUGHTER of Zion, join the pensive strain ;

In dust and ashes bow thy weeping head:
Thine is not mimic grief, nor woe prophane;

For EYRE, thy lov'd, thy honour'd EYRE, is dead.
Inactive now that brain which us'd to form

Rich schemes of wide benevolence for men :
Cold is that heart which beat with love so warm,
And useless now his once instructive pen.
Mute is that tongue, whose artless eloquence
Enchain'd the list'ning crowds to heav'nly themes;
That chac'd with truth the infidel's pretence,

And 'woke delusion from its wanton dreams.
Not periods polish'd by scholastic art,

Nor morals borrow'd from some heathen's shrine,
But gospel-truths flow'd warmly from his heart,
And reach'd the heart with energy divine.
No more his flock those soft persuasions hear,

That fixt their faith, and bade their fruits increase i
That rous'd the careless into godly fear, .

And sooth'd the mourner into gentle peace.
Mysterious stroke of providence severe,

That swept such mellow'd talents down to dust:
Yet, tho' obscur'd by clouds and darkness here,

Thy ways, O God, are wise, and good, and just,
Oft was thy servant spar'd, and liv'd to prove

Those blest returns that holy fervour bring t;
The work of faith, the labour sweet of love,
In buds of promise fair began to spring
Around the world, while mad confusion ran,

And war and havoc spread destruction wide;
E'en then Compassion's godlike plan began

To still the storm, and stem th' o'erwhelming tide,

Far as Disease and Death had spread their sway,
And Sin and Error bound in chains the soul,
The gospel-heralds urge their onward way,

And dare with Martyrs' zeal the fiends controul.
Not circumscrib'd by Europe's bounds alone,

Truth's radiant hemisphere still wide expands
Thro' frozen regions, and the Torrid Zone,

O'er Afric's coast, and India's distant lands.
America's vast continental tribes,

And southern isles embosom'd in the sea:

Nor dang'rous leagues, nor savage darkness hides

Their wretched sons, Almighty Truth, from thee.

The Annual Meetings of the Missionary Society, which is referred to in the

following lines.

Fathers in Christ, from Britain far remote,

Ye know our loss, for oft his worth ye prov'd;
To you the portrait of his soul he wrote † ;

Ye saw the God, the men, the cause, he lov'd.
Tho' diff'ring much in outward form and name
(And party-rancour rage mistakes for zeal)
One gospel-spirit prompts one holy ain;

Alike the gen'rous flame of love ye feel.
Among the foremost, EYRE was ever found,

Nor felt discourag'd by success delay'd,
Eager to act, he felt the frequent wound

When cold Reluctance lent unwilling aid.
Yet soon would Grace bid ruffled Nature cease,
A little moment and the cloud was past:
Kind was his heart, his looks, his words were peace,
And the sweet bond of brotherhood stood fast.

And ye who bear his name, who felt the ties

Of dearest kindred twine about your heart, A husband lov'd, a father valu'd dies;

And ye are wounded in the tend'rest part.
Yet sorrow not as those of hope devoid,

For he has finish'd well his course below;
Has kept the faith, and Faith's support enjoy'd,
And triumph'd o'er the last invet'rate foe.

He lov'd his country, and with ardour strove

To mend its morals and instruct its poor:
To spread the knowledge of redeeming love,
And ope in ev'ry town a gospel-door‡.
He felt the int'rest of the rising race

And led their doubtful feet to Wisdom's ways;
For he had known the bliss of early grace,

And gave to God the blossom of his days. O ye who heard his voice, still list'ning hear,

For he, tho' dead, yet speaks aloud to you: Retrace the lessons past of many a year,

And from his death-bed catch a sermon new. For you he pray'd with his expiring breath:

"To God I leave my charge, from whom it came ; "Soon shall my feeble pow'rs be lost in death;

"But his firm love and care remain the same.”

O blissful scene, thy prospect cheers the mind
Blest promis'd mansions of redeeming love
May each departing saint thy solace find,

Then change their hope to certainty above!

He saw the righteous crown, the prize was won;
He heard the sweet sustaining plaudit giv'n,
"Well hast thou, good and faithful servant, done;
Enter thy Master's joy, and rest in Heav'n§."
There sin fhall ne'er pollute the spirit more,

Nor the frail body wound the soul with pain;
Temptation's struggles are for ever o'er;

Nor death dissolves the bonds of love again.
Bright as the sun, and like the angels pure,

The spirits of the just made perfect shine:
Their work is finish'd, and their prize secure;

Their joy is full, eternal, and divine.

As Secretary to the Missionary Society.
The text of his funeral sermoa.

ALIQUIS.

By promoting lunerancy.