Religious Tract Society (Contributions $9,621, Sales $29,533.) Scottish Missionary Society Society for the Propagation of the Gospel Wesleyan Missionary Society 39,154 1822-3 23,870 1822 69,157 1821 32,589 1823 - 159,247 $1,669,564 American Board of Foreign Missions.-During the year ending Aug. 31, 1823, this corporation expended $66,379 75, exceeding by $10,870 its receipts during the same period. It is in contemplation to form a union with the United Missionary Society, which we believe is under Presbyterian direction. Attention to the Jews.-Mr. Simon, a converted Jew from Poland, is travelling through this country for the purpose of obtaining aid towards improving the condition of his nation. Societies of persons interested in the object have recently been formed in Boston, Salem, Worcester, and Northampton, Mass. in Portland, Me. in Newark, New Jersey; in Philadelphia; and in Charleston, S. C. The design of the American Society for Ameliorating the Condition of the Jews is stated to be 'to invite and receive from any part of the world such Jews as already profess the Christian religion, or are desirous to receive Christian instruction; to form them into a settlement, and to furnish them with the ordinances of the Gospel, and with such employment in the settlement as may be assigned them.' For its present use the Society has hired a large house with three acres of land, about three miles from New York. Slave Trade in France. The Paris Society of Christian Morals, of which some account was given in the Christian Disciple for November and December, 1823, has offered a premium of $187 for the best essay in favour of the abolition of the slave trade, with particular reference to the circumstances of France. A report presented to the Society upon this subject, contains a detailed history of the attempts made for the abolition of the slave trade, bestows due praise on the British and American governments for their acts and treaties concerning this traffick, and admits how little (and that how ineffectually) has been done by the government of France. The large and respectable committee on this subject, (in which we find the name of Mr. Wilder, our countryman, who is deserving of all praise, for his activity in religious and benevolent * In one or the other of these items there must be an error of 1,0007. institutions,) seems to have chosen the true and only practicable method of operation, namely, to exert a constant and extensive influence on publick opinion. It is the purpose of the committee to collect and publish such information as shall tend to produce a horrour of this base traffick, and such facts and arguments as shall best serve to overcome the prejudices and passions which tolerate or protect it; and to second the attempts which may be made, directly or indirectly, to annihilate it altogether. To this end, it is proposed by the committee to open a correspondence, not only in France, but throughout Europe, with societies and individuals devoted to, or disposed to concur in the same work; and to extend this correspondence even beyond the European continent, in order to encourage the progressive labours for the abolition of the slave trade, and for improving the condition of the blacks in different parts of the world; and, especially to aid the humane establishments on the coast of Africa, for the civilization of the blacks. We cannot help taking encouragement from these exertions, that a better state of publick feeling will ere long take place in France. The effect of example brought home to the people from other countries, and the direct exertions and influence of great and benevolent individuals, cannot be thrown away. Publick opinion, when once arrayed on the side of humanity in this cause, will, and must be appalling to private cupidity; and the government cannot long bear the crying sin and the national disgrace, which must infinitely overbalance any supposed paltry good, which arises from winking, as it now does, at this impious traffick. Methodist Episcopal Church.-It appears from the minutes of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America for the year 1823, that there have been 182 preachers admitted on trial; 98 admitted in full connexion; 187 deacons; 59 ordained elders; 44 located; 47 supernumeraries; 59 worn out preachers; and it also appears, that America is divided into seventy-two conferences, and these conferences into twelve districts, with a presiding elder in each. In the recapitulation, the whole number of members in each conference stands as follows; Increase this year, 14,908. Travelling preachers, 1226.-Connec ticut Courant. Wesleyan Methodists.-The following account is taken from the Minutes of the Eightieth Annual Wesleyan Methodist Conference, held at Sheffield, in England, July, 1823. Number of members belonging to the Wesleyan Methodist connexion; In Great Britain, Ireland, Foreign Missions. EUROPE. 219,398 22,039 Sierra Leone, St. Mary's, Cape of Good Hope, Little Namacqualand, &c. AMERICA. West Indies, Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, Newfoundland 76 68-144 490 178-668 352 26,171 1,081 2,094 901-30,247 272,848 775 137 109 1,021 273,869 Number of regular travelling preachers; In Great Britain and Ireland, In foreign stations, including assistant missionaries Supernumerary and superannuated preachers, Whole number of preachers, Whole number of preachers and people, Add to these the number of members of the Methodist Episcopal church in America, as stated in the Metho Suicide by Intemperance.—The following list of deaths occasioned by drunkenness, during the year 1823, is taken from the bills of mortality of the respective cities; New York, 43; Philadelphia, 34; Baltimore, 25; Charleston, 14; Boston, 10; Salem, 6. Religious Newspaper.-A new publication of this nature called The Berean, has recently been undertaken at Wilmington, DelaIn the prospectus, the design of the work is announced to be to investigate the religious opinions and practices of the present day, and to bring them to the tests of scripture and reason.' ware. Evangelical Missionary Society.-The Treasurer of this Society acknowledges the receipt of the following sums; In a blank envelope Do. From Rev. Mr. White's Society in Dedham Do. Ladies of Rev. Dr. Prince's Society in Salem Do. Do. Rev. Mr. Clark's Society in Norton Religious Meetings. We request the attention of our friends in this commonwealth to the following meetings, appointed to be holden in Boston about the time of the annual election. Tuesday, May 25, at 3 P. M. the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, Piety, and Charity, meets in the vestry of the First Church, Chauncy Place. At 4 P. M. the anniversary sermon is to be preached in that church, after which a collection will be taken in aid of the Society's funds. This Society is the same which, from the name of a very valuable series of tracts published by it some years since, is sometimes called the Christian Monitor Society. In the list of its government are found names eminently entitled to the confidence of the religious publick. In their last annual report the trustees express their hope of being able soon to resume their course of publications, and call upon the friends of liberal Christianity, instead of complaining that this society has done so little, to show what similar society, with no greater means, has done so much;' and 'by their own personal and liberal aid to enable them to labour immediately at these excellent objects, with a zeal and efficiency corresponding to their earnest wishes.' Wednesday, May 26, at 8 1-2 A. M. the Ministerial Conference in Berry Street is to be holden in the vestry of Rev. Dr. Channing's church. The annual address is expected from Rev. Dr. Parker of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Wednesday, May 26, at 5 P. M. the Massachusetts Convention of Congregational Ministers meet in the New Court House. Wednesday, May 26, at 7 1-2 P. M. the Massachusetts Evangelical Missionary Society attend divine service in the church in Federal Street. The annual discourse is to be delivered by the Rev. Mr. Bailey of Pelham, and a collection taken in aid of the objects of the Society. We can in no way account for the scanty patronage which this most useful society receives, except on the ground, that its name of a Missionary Society leads to a mistake concerning the manner of appropriating its funds, which prejudices it in the minds of many, who would give it liberal aid if its practical character and judicious management were known to them. It has a committee for Foreign Missions, to attend to the appropriation of donations expressly made for this use. But when not thus restricted, its operations are confined to this country. There are many neighbourhoods of religious families within our own territory, who would heartily welcome the establishment of publick worship among them, but who are unable to support it; and others, it is to be feared, lapsing into indifference and vice, who still retain so far a respect early acquired for religion, that a faithful minister would readily reclaim them. That our new settlements should receive aid in founding religious institutions is a thing of the first moment, not only to those immediately concerned, but to the publick at large. It is to the supply of such wants that this society devotes its small resources, and by its frugal and wise application of them it has made them the means of substantial and extensive good. In some of the new settlements in Maine it has established the ministry under the most pleasing auspices; and in several instances it has apparently prevented the discontinuance of publick worship by furnishing a part of the support of the ministry to parishes, which were unable to maintain it wholly at their own cost, but have thus been encouraged and kept together till they were able to proceed without foreign assistance. The society has engaged for its preacher this year a gentleman well known to the religious publick as the author of a valuable series of sermons on the Unity of God. We cannot forbear to express our hope that our friends in town and country will take its claims into consideration before the approaching anniversary. We feel assured that they will then justify the urgency with which we ask them to bring or transmit their contributions. Thursday, May 27, at 11 A. M. the Massachusetts Convention of Congregational Ministers attend divine service in the church in Brattle Square. After the sermon, by Rev. Mr. Snell, of North Brookfield, a contribution will be taken for the benefit of widows and orphans of Congregational Ministers. |