IN commencing this fourth Volume of the American Baptist Magazine, the Editors take the liberty to address their friends and patrons on the liberal support and general encouragement they have given to the work. A primary object in commencing and continuing this work is to promote the cause of missions, both in this and in foreign countries: And from the increasing exertions which we are permitted to witness, we indulge the belief that our labours have not been in vain in the Lord. There are many others labouring in the same field. We have done no more than was our duty; and if our exertions have proved successful, to God be all the glory. In the missionary cause, especially the foreign mission, it has been our lot, to announce to our readers the pleasing and the painful events which have attended the establishing a Mission in the despotic empire of Burmah. This was indeed a most daring attempt. It required the zeal of an Apostle, united with the wisdom of the serpent and the simplicity of the dove, to accomplish such an undertaking. Such a missionary God was pleased to give us; who, fearless of danger, opened the christian Zayat, and announced to listening heathen the glad news of salvation through a crucified Redeemer. The God of missions has succeeded these labours of love, for the conversion of a number of Burmans, who have turned from their dumb idols to serve the living and true God. Notwithstanding the many discouragements which have attended this mission, we have reason to hope, that the precious seed which has there been sown, will yet spring and rise, and produce a glorious harvest. Thirteen Burmans have given evidence of real conversion to God, and have been solemnly baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus! These all, as far as we can learn, have continued steadfast in the faith. One has been called to a better world. We have heretofore given the mournful intelligence of the death of Mr. Wheelock, one of the two young brethren who sailed from this port on the 16th of Nov. 1817, to join the Burman mission. We have now the painful task, to announce the death of Mr Colman. This promising young missionary closed his life and labours at Cox's Bazar, 60 miles from Chittagong, on the 4th of July last. same fever at the date of our last accounts. The Burman mission has been recruited the last year, by the arrival of Dr. Price and family, and by the return of Mr. Hough and his family from Serampore to Rangoon. Our long tried and faithful Missionary, Mr. Judson, remains in health and firm at his post. May God preserve him for a long time to come, and crown his arduous labours with abundant success. Mrs. Judson is now on a visit in this country on account of her health. We offer our sincere prayers to Almighty God, that her visit may not only be conducive to her health, but be happily instrumental in promoting a deeper interest in the Burman mission. It gives us pleasure to lay before you from time to time, the most interesting articles of intelligence from the missions established among the Indians of this country. It is devoutly hoped that these several missions may excite a more lively interest in the minds of christians than they have hitherto done. While the cause of religion generally, and that of missions in particular, will ever claim preeminence in our columns, it is not our design to exclude such communications as relate to the interests of literature, and the social order and happiness of society. Well written essays on doctrinal or practical subjects of religion, on the advantages of literature to the rising generation, such in particular as may have a tendency to do away the prejudices that still oppose its progress; and generally whatever may tend to promote knowledge, and purity, and brotherly affection among christians, will be gratefully received by the Editors. It is our sincere aim to avoid giving offence; but we consider it a duty which we owe to ourselves as well as to our readers, to select from the mass of matter before us, what we deem the most useful. To our old correspondents we tender our grateful acknowledgments, and solicit the continuance of their favours, hoping that new ones will arise to enrich our pages. As the profits of this Magazine are sacredly appropriated to missionary purposes, we hope our readers will derive both pleasure and advantage from the work, and that they will continue to use their influence to extend its circulation. EDITORS, THE commencement of a new year is justly considered an occasion of universal congratulation. To have escaped, for so long a time, the ravages of death, to find ourselves still in a state of probation, to have been favoured with additional opportunities of glorifying God and of preparing for heaven, are subjects not only for mutual rejoicing, but also for deep and devout thanksgiving. We would, therefore, unite with our readers in offering up unto the Giver of every good and perfect gift, our humble tribute of praise for that unwearied care with which he has watched over us since the period of our last Annual Address. From the multitude of subjects suggested by this interesting occasion, we select the brevity of time, as the theme for a few reflections. On a topic to which the moralist has so frequently adverted, we can scarcely hope to offer any thing new, We, however, recollect, that the frequency with which it has been urged upon the attention of mankind, evinces the general conviction of its importance; and that truth of universal importance can rarely be too frequently inculcated. By time, is generally understood that portion of duration which is measured ence of our world. by the existWe date its commencement from the moment when the Creator said, "let there be light;" we look for its termination when the Son of Man shall come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, and all his holy angels with him. Now considered of itself, this is but a brief period of duration. In a few hours we can bring to mind all the empires which have risen, declined, and fallen, and we can review all the dynasties which have flourished and have faded since this world commenced. It is not a difficult task to recall to our recollection all the mighty deeds with which the page of history has been emblazoned from the time that the second man lifted up his hand against his brother. Passing along over the record of our species, we soon leave behind us those kingdoms which for a few years were considered universal, we converse with David, the Psalmist of Israel, with Abraham the father of the faithful, with Noah, our second great progenitor, with Enoch who walked with God, with Adam in the garden of Eden, until our inquiries are arrested by beholding the earth without form, and void, and darkness upon the face of the abyss. And if we look forward, our anticipations are as speedily checked. A few more empires will rise and fall, a few more battles will be fought, the earth will perform a few more revolutions in her orbit, and then the angel will stand upon the sea and upon the earth, and lifting his hand to heaven, will swear, by Him that liveth forever and ever, that created heaven, and the things that are therein, and the earth, and the things that are therein, and the sea and the things that are therein, that there shall be time no longer. But if time be thus brief, when considered of itself, it diminishes almost to a point when compared with that endless duration of which it forms so infinitely small a part. Carry your conceptions backward before the morning stars sang together, or ever the sons of God shouted for joy, before the mountains were brought forth, or ever He had formed the earth or the world, when from everlasting to everlasting Jehovah was God. Nay, carry your conceptions still farther back, before seraphim or cherubim were created, when from eternity God reigned alone; and, having wearied yourself in endeavours to comprehend an eternity that is past, stretch every faculty of your soul to the utmost to comprehend an eternity to come. Think of a duration, which, as it never had a beginning, can never have an end. And having done this, ask what, in comparison with it, are those few moments which we denominate time. They are as a sand to the sea-shore. They are as a drop to the ocean. They are as a single ray of light to that exhaustless flood of brightness which from the first morning of creation has been poured upon illimitable space from the great luminary of day. But short as is the whole of time, we are personally interested in a very small part of it. It is divided into an infinite number of lesser portions, of which each generation occupies one. The generations which have preceded us have each occupied their portion, and have passed away like the shadow of a summer's cloud; we are now occupying ours, and shall in like manner quickly pass away. We look back upon them as upon the leaves of the forest, which in summer flourished, in autumn faded, and have long since mouldered into forgetfulness. We now are flourishing, we as quickly shall fade, and the places which now know us shall know us no more forever. For we are carried away as with a flood. We are as a sleep In the morning we are like grass which groweth up. In the morning it flourisheth and groweth up, in the evening it is cut down and withereth. The days of our years are threescore years and ten, and if by reason of strength, they be four score years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow, for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Behold thou hast made our age as an hand-breadth and our years are as nothing before thee. Surely every man in his best estate is altogether vanity. In a Or we may bring the subject more immediately to our own experience. What is our life? Let those of us answer, whose heads have been frosted by the snows of many winters. few minutes can you not recall all that ever you have seen or known? But few events have transpired since your existence commenced. The sun has performed but few revolutions since you began to be. The clock has told but few hours since its first stroke fell upon your ear. And every succeeding year seems shorter than its predecessor. The events of the past year seem but as the transactions of a fortnight. It seems but as yesterday since we exchanged our annual congratulations, and called to mind those friends whom the last twelve months had consigned to darkness and the shadow of death. But brief as is our probationary existence, the consideration of its brevity is still more emphatically impressed upon us, when we consider that a large portion of it has already consumed To some of us only a year, a month, a day; nay, there may be some to whom only a few moments remain. And this remainder is all that can be improved. The past is forever beyond our control. Whatever has been done is already sealed up for eternity. It is recorded in that book which shall not be opened until the day of judgment. Neither prayers, nor tears, nor penitence, can alter one article which is already recorded. Nothing is within our power, but the few fleeting, lessening moments which remain. Here let us add one more consideration. This fleeting transitory existence is all the probation that will ever be granted to us. The few moments we spend on earth will decide our destiny for eternity. All beyond the grave is fixed and unalterable as the throne of God. The character which we acquire on earth will be the basis of the character which will attach to us through interminable ages. The only alteration of which it will be susceptible, will be a change from glory to glory, or from shame to shame through the illimitable range of an endless existence. Beyond the confines of time it will be said, "He that is holy, let him be holy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still." If consequences so infinite depend upon our present ephemeral duration, how important is it that every moment of it be rightly improved! How aggravated is the folly of him who squanders so inestimable a treasure! If wealth be squandered, it may be regained; if influence be alienated, it may be recalled; but time once past, never returns; the moment that is lost, is lost forever." Let us each, then, at the commencement of a new year ask himself, am I accomplishing the great purposes of my existence? Am I living for eternity? or are my designs all bounded by the narrow limits of three score years and ten? Am I, by patient continuance in well doing, seeking for glory, honor, and immortality? Or am I treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath? Am I, by a life of holiness, preparing to unite in the anthems of cherubim ? Or by a continuance in sin am I adding force to those principles of evil which will only render me meet for the wailings of the damned? Or suppose we have a cheering hope that our names are written in the Lamb's book of life; that, sprinkled with the blood of the atonement, we shall stand accepted in that great day when the secrets of all hearts shall be made manifest,—still much remains for us to do. We are bound to exhibit in our lives the effect of the principles we profess. By a steady cultivation. of the grace that is within us we are to add to our "faith, knowledge, to our knowledge temperance, to our temperance patience, to our patience godliness, to our godliness brotherly kindness, and to our brotherly |