Bloomfield Academy. The academy at Bloomfield, purchased by the society the last year, is still occu pied by the Rev. Doctor Armstrong, who, with two capable assistants, keeps a boarding school for classical instruction. In this school there are usually ten or twelve pious young men in a course of preparation for the gospel ministry. The Board have every reason to be satisfied with the care and attention which this gentleman pays to his pupils; and they can confidently recommend his school as one where the morals of the students will be strictly attended to, and their instruction in the classics and elementary science faithful and exact. Donatious in books for the use of indigent and pious students, in any part of their course, will be gratefully received. It is hoped that pious parents will feel an interest in supporting this academy, as a place for the education of their sonsand that in time it may be furnished by christian liberality, not only with a good classical library, but with a philosophical apparatus, adapted to the elementary course given to the youth in this institution. The Board would bespeak for it the prayers and good wishes of those who take an interest in the pious education of the rising generation, and who desire to see the number of able and faithful ministers of the gospel increased. Conclusion. In conclusion, the Board cannot fail to remark, that the present aspect of this institution is, in a high degree, encouraging. Scarcely five years have elapsed since the society commenced its operations; and yet, such has been its increasing prosperi ty, that, notwithstanding the depressed state of the country, and embarrassments arising from other causes, it has seen under its patronage the last year one hundred young men, in different grades of improvement, pressing forward in their preparations for the work of the gospel ministry. It is easy to perceive what a few years more of perseverance will ac complish. Before its tenth-anniversary comes round, this society will have sent forth more than one hundred labourers 3 the wide wastes of our own country merely, but through the remotest regions of either continent, and in the distant islands of the sea, it shall be said. "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel; that bring glad tidings of good things!" Home Proceedings. UNITED FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY. The following "brief view of the Missions under the direction of the United Foreign Missionary Society," was compiled in May, and annexed to the last Annual Report. It is now inserted in the Register at the request of a number of our new subscribers, and for the information of the whole : All other communications for the Society should be addres-ed to Mr. ZECHARIAH LEWIS, Domestic Secretary and Trea surer, New York. 1. UNION MISSION. Commenced in 1820.-Situated on the West Bank of Grand River, about twenty-five miles North of its entrance into the Arkansaw, and about seven hundred miles above the junction of the Arkansaw and the Mississippi. Rev. William F. Vaill and Rev. Epaphras Chapman, Missionaries; Marcus Palmer, Physician and Surgeon; and Messrs. William C. Requa, Stephen Fuller, Abraham Redfield, John M. Spaulding, Alexander Woodruff and George Requa, Assistant Missionaries There is a school at this Station of thirteen Indian Children, who live in the Mission Family. II. GREAT OSAGE MISSION. Commenced in 1821.-Situated on the North Bank of the Marias de Cein, about six miles above its entrance into the Osage River, and about eighty miles South West of Fort Osage. Rev. Nathaniel B. Dodge, Rev. Benton Pixley, and Rev William B. Montgomery, Missionaries; William N. Belcher, Physician and Surgeon; and Messrs. Daniel H. Austin, Samuel Newton, Samuel B. Bright, Otis Sprague, and Amasa Jones, Assistant Missionaries At this Station there is a School of twelve Indian Children, living in the Family. III. TUSCARORA MISSION. This Mission, having been under the care of the New York Missionary Society about twenty years, was transferred to the United Foreign Missionary Society in January, 1821. It is situated in the Tuscarora Village, about four miles East of Lewiston, Niagara County. New-York. is a Church of twenty-one Indian members; and The Rev. James C. Crane, Missionary. There a school, the children of which do not live in the Mission family. IV. SENECA MISSION. Commenced by the New-York Missionary Society in 1811, and transferred to the United Foreign Missionary Society in January, 1821. Situated about four or five miles from Buffalo, near the outlet of Lake Erie. Rev. Thompson S. Harris, Missionary; and Mr. James Young, Assistant Missionary: There is a Church of four Indian members-also a school of nineteen Indian Children living in the Mission Family. V. CATARAUGUS MISSION. Commenced in 1822.-Situated near the shore of Lake Erie, and about forty miles from Buffalo. Mr. William A. Thayer, Assistant Missionary. A school of seventeen Indian Children living in the Family. Most of the Missionaries have wives; and at the various stations there are eight unmarried females, who are occupied in teaching, or in domestic avocations. From the Superintendent of the Union Mission we have several communications, dated at the post of Arkansaw-the latest on the 16th of June. The objects of his visit to that place are mentioned in the extracts below. Our advices from Tuscarora are to the 11th of August, from Seneca to the same date, and from Cataraugus to the 18th of July. From Harmony we have received no intelligence since the publication of our last number. June 4, 1823.-As we began to entertain fears that our expected supplies had all failed, it was thought prudent that I should descend the river to ascertain the state of things, and, if it became necessary, to procure supplies from other sources. Accordingly, I set off with brother Spaul ding on the 21st of May. On our way down the river, a little below the Dardanelles, near the Cherokee nation, we met, to our great joy, our boat from Cincinnati, in company with the mission supplies for Dwight. We praised God for his goodness; the beloved family at Union being on their last barrel of flour, and having no corn except what they procured of the Indians, and there being nearly a famine in the white settlements below us. Brother Spaulding returned to the station in the boat; but as the iron for the mills was not on board, and as they must be put back, if the iron failed, at least a year, and at great loss, I continued my voyage, and reached this place last evening. Here I found a letter from New-Orleans, advising me of the purchase and ship ment of the iron, and another from the mouth of White River, informing of its safe arrival at that place. Again did I lift up my heart in thanks to God, whose providence extends to every event. The iron reached the mouth of White River several days after our boat from Cincinnati had passed. Had it arrived a few days earlier, we should have saved the whole expense of transportation from that place to Union. By its safe arrival there, however, I am relieved from the necessity of proceeding to New Orleans -a journey at this season of the year dangerous to health, and at all seasons expensive to the Mission. On the subject of funds, Mr. Vaill writes as follows: Since I left home I have received your letters of the 17th of December, 1822, and the 6th of March, 1823 It was with anxiety that I broke the seals, because we had expected, from your July letter, that the next would bring us directions to suspend our improvements. My mind, however, is now relieved-not so much because your funds have increased as beCause your faith, (with praise to our Covenant God do I speak it!) appears to be firm. I believe the beloved Board has been perplexed as well as we. But, if you, my dear sir, could witness all our privations and labours, you would be satisfied. After some remarks on the importance of having their bills promptly honoured, the Superintendent adds Hitherto we have been enabled to pay our debts; and of late have negotiated our drafts with less difficulty than in the first two years. The Board have not yet failed to meet our bills. May the Lord increase their funds by opening new streams into their treasury! Never did I feel such a wrestling of spirit at the Throne of Grace, as at this time, that the society and the mission may struggle through the many trials in the way. When I met the boat from Ohio, and saw how deeply she was laden, my first thought was that she must have cost the society a great sum. But when I discovered, from her papers, that a Board of agency at Cincinnati had not only been appointed, but had already acted, my spirit began to revive. It was a season of thanksgiving. Light sprang up. I saw the pledge from Ohio redeemed. I saw the goodly fellowship up and doing; and what is more, I saw the pledge of unabated future effort. June 10-Since I wrote the letters of the 4th and 5th instant I have obtained, through the politeness of Mr. Lewis, the A few days after I had left the boat, and post master at this place, all the missionwhile pursuing my journey down the ri-ary publications which were in the mail ver, I received a letter from James Chute, for Union. I found many, many interestEsq. secretary of the agency at Cincin- ing statements: but that which most innati, giving me an account of the organi- terested my mind, and caused the greatzation, design, and prosperity of that im- est joy, was an acknowledgment, by the portant auxiliary. This, my dear sir, is treasurer of the United Foreign Missionas it should be. It is getting into system, ary Society, of the receipt of eleven hunand thus giving efficiency to missionary dred dollars in the month of March. support. It is paving the way for chris Comparing this sum with the nine huntians in Ohio to labour in this good work, dred dollars received in three months last with one another, with the Mission, with autumn, I could not but thank God and the Board in New York, and with the take courage. O, may the dear society Great Head of the church. Now, there- prosper, and may the Mission · sucreed. fore, we are no more strangers and foreign. Its situation is yet critical. One of the ers, but fellow citizens-we are labourers Osages broke the treaty last winter by together with God killing a Cherokee, an account of which was given in the journal. This single act affects the whole nation, and essentially impedes our success. Let us not, however, be dismayed. Let us rise near to the throne of the Almighty Ruler, in the strength of prayer. June 5-1 spent most of the day, yesterday, with his excellency govers.or Miller, who is about to go to New England. My object was to plead for the poor Indians, that he might use his influence at Washington to have a resident agent appointed for the Osages of the Arkansaw. In the course of the conference I requested him to give you an opportunity of an interview on his arrival at NewYork. Of his excellency I received thirty dollars for the Mission-ten as a donation, and the other twenty as a matter of honour, in consideration of two elks which we had kept for him, and which had been killed by the Indians. A short time before I left Union, doctor Palmer received at one time fifteen dollars for the Mission for rendering medical aid. And for blacksmith work, we received, last year, one hundred and twenty dollars from the government. Be assured, my dear sir, that we are struggling hard to overcome the difficulties before us. Pray for us, that we may have an overcoming faith. I have lately been enabled more than ever to walk by faith. But walking is not fighting; nor is fighting overcom ing. I need your prayers-the Mission needs them that the victory may be won. Oh! how do the poor wild Osage people, need them, that they may be liberated from the dreadful bondage of Satan! Oh, God of mercy, arise and plead thine own cause! The subject of united, fervent, persevering prayer for the Osage Missions, presses hard on my mind. It is now almost three years since our boats passed this post. Delayed by sickness in our family, and by war in the nation, how little have we done! Was the way paved by prayer? Was the christian public sufficiently awake to the condition and the wants of the Osages? Has there been humble, simple dependence on the God of Missions? Is prayer at this time made by the church, as for Peter's release, without ceasing? Beloved fellow-citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem! do we desire that the city of our God may open its gates to every nation? Let us then not faint in prayer. At Dwight, Harmony, and Union, we have a morning concert. We rise while it is yet dark to plead together. True, in much weakness-still, we are striving together daily. Then there is the monthly concert. Forget not these opportunities. Pray for these vestibule stations, formed on the borders of many hundred tribes, which are yet to be reduced to the sceptre of our King. June 16.-On my way down the river I obtained nearly forty letters for our Mission, many of which had been detained for some months. Two were advertised as dead letters, because they were mailed to Little Rock. As it is important that all letters forwarded to our Mission should reach us in due season, I would request that in future they be superscribed, Union, Osage nation, Arkansaw Territory; and that, when they enter the territory, post masters would forward them to Crawford post office. And now sir, having finished the business for which I came to this place, I shall immediately take my departure for Union. JOURNAL FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL, 1825. Loss of Cattle. Thursday, April 1, 1823.-In meeting, for business, Resolved, That, we collect and herd our cattle and employ a herdsman. We have lost several. Some have died in consequence of the severity of the winter. The inhabitants on the river below have lost several hundred. Unexpected Assistance. April S.-Mr. Alsop, our first mill-wright, returned from a journey down the river to recover his health. He brought with him an additional mill-wright, whom we have employed. This man had set out as an adventurer to the Spanish country; but in attempting to ascend the Canadian he became discouraged, and returned. Thus Providence sends us help in the way we least expected it. Promised Accession to the School. April 4.-A Frenchman, named Joseph Swiss, having an Osage wife, came and requested us to take three of his children. Resolved, That we receive his children into the school, and employ him and his wife in our service, as they appear to be industrious, and we need their help. April 5.--Brothers Spaulding and Woodruff returned from Fort Smith, after an absence of more than three weeks. They have accomplished the business upon which they went; but in ascending the stream with their large canoe, they have been greatly hindered by rainy weather and high water. They found at Fort VOL. IV. 35 Smith two numbers of the Missionary Register, one for October and the other for December 1822, but no letters. Our last advices from New York are dated in July. April 6th. Lord's Day.-Four travellers attended meeting. Brother Chapman reached us this evening. One of the most unpleasant circumstances in being with the Indians is, in his view, the difficulty of observing the Sabbath. April 7th.-Monthly Concert. This day reminds us of our duty to pause a little and look up to God for his blessing on our labours. Sister Fuller, who has been confined for several weeks, is seized with the typhus fever. Arrival of new Scholars. April 10.-Swiss, with his wife and children, arrived. The oldest a boy of eleven. The other two are twins of the age of nine. They are amiable and promising children. Their names are Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. May the God of the Covenant be with them and bless them. April 11.-Another company of travellers passed by to-day. This appears to be the best rout from the Western part of Missouri to Red River, and the country West of Fort Smith. The boys in the school labour with more engagedness. At Sister Fuller's request held a prayer meeting this evening for her recovery, but especially for the return of Spiritual comfort. April 18th. Lord's Day.-Discourse A. M. from Psalms vi. 3. "Declare his glory among the heathen." P. M. “But to do good and communicate, forget not." April 14.-Sister Fuller's case being very critical, and in Dr. Palmer's view requiring the constant attention of her husband. In business meeting this morning, Resolved, 1. That there be a vacation of the school two weeks. 2. That brother Requa in the mean time assist on the farm. Indian Medical Remedy. An Indian severely burnt arrives for medical aid. Considering it duty to do good to all as we have opportunity, we refuse no applications from the distressed among this people. Perhaps no Indians |