The missionary. (Mt. Zion, Hancock County, Ga.) 1819-182?, May 18, 1821, Image 1

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No. 51.—— Vol. 11. Obituary. REV. BENJAMIN FIVEASH. Letter from the Rev. Mr. Brantley to Mrs. Fivcash, dated Augusta, October 3d, 1820. My Dear Madam—On me devolves the office of apprizing you of the lamented death of your excellent and interesting son Benjamin. I wrote a few days since to his ■worthy friend, Mr. Fauqnier, informing him of the distressing occurrence. Dis tressing, not to himself, but to us who live to lament his early exit. When l saw him ■dying so much like a saint, such rapture of repose, euch boldness of triumphant faith, I •felt that a wish to detain him from such brilliant scenes of felicity would be the height of injustice to him. He seemed to love death, and to smile when he offered me his hand, now cold in the final agonies of nature, for a last adieu. 1 felt thankful for the opportunity of beholding such a dis play of piety and resignation. It was one of those rare instances in which religion builds her bright structure on the ruins of and exults amidst the ravages of mortality ; when the soaring spirit, startled ffrom its dissolving abode, spreads its wings for Sight, and shows the surprising beauties of an undiscovered plumage. Looking around on the confusion in its little domain, it passes with eager haste to anew and unwavering habitation. It was one of those examples in which the raging storm and prevailing darkness of disease, were suc ceeded by the calmness and splendour of a cheering light ; v.hen, after the scowling tempest that spread a gloom over the day, has subsided, “ The radiant sun, with fare well sweet, extends his evening beam.” It was one of those prominent cases, in which the energy of faith was so conspicuous, that, after the unabating violence of his malady had drunk up the last drop of the vital current, his soul appeared in a fresh ness and vigour that could not be impaired by the wastiogs of disease, and then his lips were opened to utter words of confidence which nothing could shake. It was a be reavement in which the mercy of God was visible, softening the sorrow of anxious and mourning friends, by ihe clear and consol ing testimony which his young servant was allowed to furnish to the majesty of divine triflh. The sweetness of his part ing benediction made us forget awhile the {greatness of the calamity occasioned by his •ieath, to the church, to the society, and to tiis friends in general. In death, the gen tleness of the Lord made him great, and his lips were touched with hallowed fire. Whatever might have been our reluctance lo meet the impending disaster whilst its principles were in their earlier progress, nnd before the cheering manifestations had dispelled the gloom which hung over the scene ; after we saw the firmness and unc- Vion of his spirit in the immediate view of death, we were constrained to dismiss eve ry reluctant and rejoice in the superlative evidences of efficient sustaining grace. It is not probable that he seriously ap prehended his own dissolution until he was within a short period of his end. The day preceding his death had been passed in much indifference, and occasional delirium. He would say nothing unless roused by some vehemence of sound. It was about 12 o’clock at night when he appeared first -to resume the exercises of reason and faith. To some friends who surrounded his bed at the time, and whose countenances spoke their fears of his speedy departure, he paid—“ | shall not die just now : I have much to think before I go.” After repos ing a little, he suddenly exclaimed—“ lam under a summons of a speedy appearance before God, and the blood of his Son pre pares me for the interview.” “ l have escaped the wrath to come, and Oh ! the Hell, the Heil that awaits the wicked.” He again slept, and waking with much im patience, he cried— u When shall 1 wake, and find tne there.” Continuing in a ex posed and tranquil state until sunrise, he called roe to his bed, ami offered me his hand, which was then quite ,cold. Said I to him, are you going ? He replied, “ Yes.” i'lfter this he uttered the following prayer, with a firm unfaltering expression. “ O < jod, my Father, in nature’s trial support l ne. In thy pre*ence I long to dwell for r ver. Draw my spirit to thyself, and hold ir. iy fainting heart. Mv dear Redeemer, tl oil bast washed me in thy blood; enable ir. @ now to follow thee through the gloom of death. Thou Holy and blessed Spirit, vvl to makest intercession for the saint 9 with g-r. isnings which cannot be uttered, help me through this struggle.” After this he jnv >ked the blessed Trinity, and having pru fed for me, and others who were stand ing by, he composed liiaiseif and said, N o.v let me die.” In fifteen minutes fron r this time he ceasoc to breathe. M bilst you feel the painful bereavement whic ‘.b the loss of an engaging son must in flict, 1 have to deplore the sudden dejection ofht tpes that had attained a considerable heig ! it. Asa pupil, I have ever found him i ‘espectful and attentive, circumspect and ■ liiigent. In aiding his native petie tratic a, and in conducting the early efforts of hia i fine intellects, I have bad a satis- THE MISSIONARY. GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD, AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE.— Jesps Ciuubt. faction rarely enjoyed in other cases. The facility with which he acquired whatever was offered to his study, allowed us the certain confidence of his distinction and eminence in useful learning But it was in the sentiments and affections of a devout and pious mind, that he appeared in his proper elevation. Religion had assumed over his whole character an influence de cided and prominent. He evidently knew what it was to abhor sin upon Christian principles, and to love duty for the delight which it imparted. Such do 1 conceive was your son Benjamin Fiveash.* _ Let me hope that such considerations will mitigate the severity of your sufferings under the sense of his loss. By taking to himself your amiable son, God has given an additional strength to the attractions by which be would draw you to himself. This is the method by which he endears to us the anticipation cf Heaven, and pours a just measure of contempt on the fleeting vanities of time. 1 am aware that your troubles of late have been trying and se vere. Called within a short time to mourn the loss of a daughter, and now to feel the deep anguish of a son’s early departure, must be bitter. But remember that the Lord chasteneth those whom he loveth. The highest secret in Christian experience is the sense of sanctified affliction. God has a way of his own by which he can more that remunerate your present privations, and you may confidently expect that he will make good all his promises. THE OBSERVATION OFTHE LORD'S DAY REMARKABLY REWARDED. AN ANECEOTE Taken from a Tract printed at Bristol , by the Bristol Society for promoting Religious ‘Knowledge. The writer remembers hearing of a Bar ber, who lived at Bath in the last century : passing a Church or Meeting onp Sunday, he peeped in, just as the minister was giv ing out hi? text, “ Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” Exod. xx. 8 ; he listened long enough to be convinced that he was constantly breaking the laws of God and man, by shaving and dressing his customers on Sunday. He became uneasy, and went with a heavy heart to his Sunday task. At length he took courage, and opened his mind to the minister, who advised him to give up Sunday dressing, and worship God. He replied, beggary would be the conse quence ; he bad a flourishing trade, but it would almost all be lost. He told him he must not confer with flesh and blood ; but trust God , who requires from us no more than is for our good—never ask? us to make any sacrifice, but he will abundantly com pensate ; the command being absolute, ad mits of no relaxation. He could not bring his mind to it at once; sounded his customers, and soon found they would employ another. At length, after many a sleepless night spent in weeping and praying, he was determined to cast all his care on God; as the more he ■ reflected the more his duty became apparent. He discontinued Sunday dressing ; went constantly and early to church or meeting, and soor. enjoyed that self-gratulation which is one of the rewards of doing our duty, and in due ftrne that “ peace of God which the world can neither give enr take away.” The consequences he foresaw ac tually followed ; his genteel customers left him. as he was nick-named a Puritan or Methodist. He was obliged to give up his fashionable shop, and from various grada tions in life, in the course of years he be came so reduced as to take a cellar under the old market-house and shave the far mers t One Saturday evening, between light and dark, a stransrer from one of the coaches asking for a barber, was directed by the hostler to the cellar opposite. Coming in hastily, he requested to be shaved qoickly, while they changed horses, as he did not like to violate the Sabbath. This wa touch ing the barber upon a tender chord ; he burst into tears, asked thp stranger to lend him a halfpenny to buy a candle, as it was not light enough to shave him with safety. He did so, revolving iu his mind the ex treme poverty to which the poor man must be reduced, before he could make such a request. When shaved, he said— ‘ There must he something extraordinary in your historv, which I have not now time to hear. Here is half a crown for yon ; when I return I will call and investigate your case. What is your name ?” “ William Reed, 1 * said the astonished barber. “ William Reed !” echoed the stranger ; “ William Reed ! by your dialect you are from the West.’ “ Yes, Sir ; from Kingston near Taun ton. ‘William Reed, from Kingston, near Taunton !—What is your father’s name ?’ ‘ Thomas.’ ‘Had he any brother?’ ‘Yes Sir; one, after whom I was named: hut he went to (he Indies ; and a? we nev * Mr. Fivensh was born at Portsmouth, Virgin ia, October 4th, 1799, ami was engaged in study preparatory to the Christian ministry. MOUNT ZION, (HANCOCK CO. GA.) FRIDAYrMAY 18, 1321. From the London Evangelical Magaaine. The affecting narrative which we now present to our readers may be depended upon as strictly true. The minister who visited the unhappy man was the Rev. Mr. Coombs, of Manchester. THE LAST HOURS OF AN INFIDEL WHO HAD BURNT HIS BIBLE. On the Lord’s dny, October 24th, 1819,1 was called (says the person who has fur nished the following account) to visit a poor man in Manchester. He was described to me as dying in the most distracting agonies of mind. I found him in full possession of his mental faculties but much agitated and alarmed by a sense of his great sinful ness and approaching misery. For this I was at no loss to account, when I had learn ed, partly from himself, and partly from his neighbours, the following particulars of his history. He had been accustomed from childhood to reverence the institutions of religion, to read the Word of God, and to attend his worship. Regular in his habits, and moral in his deportment, he had generally main tained a fair character. About six months before the time at which I aw him, he had been deprived of his wife by death. To suppress the sorrow occasioned by this loss, he went frequently to a publick house; there he found companions whose mirth caused him to forget for a moment his troub le?. At first he was surprised and shocked by their profaneness, but he soon proved that “ Evil communications corrupt good manners.” These men were infidels ; and it was not long before they persuaded their new associate to imitate their exam ple, in abandoning the profession, and cas ting off the Restraints of Religion On Sunday mornings they met to encourage each other in all manner of wickedness; and on one of those occasions, according to pre vious agreement, they together committed their Bibles to the flames, arid vowed nev er again to enter a place of religious wor ship.— “ All this (said the wretched man) did well enough while I was in health, and could keep off the thoughts of death.” Now , however, he was stretched on a bed of sick ness, and conscious of his near approach to eternity; in this state, forced to reflection, his guilt and danger, excited the utmosF horrour and alarm: despair had taken full possession of his mind. When I spoke/ to him of mercy and forgiveness, which the most heinous offenders are encouraged to seek through the Mediation of a Redeemer, he hastily exclaimed, “What’s the msp of talking to me about mercy ?” When en treated again and again to behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world, he said, “ l tell you it’s of no use now; ’tis too late.” In reply to my exhor tation to pray, he said, “ Oh, I could pray once, hut now I can’t pray ;” and, after a pause, “ 1 will not pray.” These express ions were subsequently- several times re peated, “ I cannot pray, 1 will not pray.” Two men having entered the’ room, whom 1 understood to have been leaders in the guilty company by whom this poor man had been deluded, he hastily turned his face from them with obvious disgust and terror; and after they had addressed to him some blustering expressions,by which they hoped to rally his spirits, he raised himself on his bed, lifted up his hands, and in the most de liberate and solemn manner called on God Almighty to blast those wretches to all eterni ty! They almost immediately left the apartment, uttering a profusion of oaths. Some time afterwards three others of the men entered, and occasioned a repetition of er heard from him, we suppose him to fce dead.’ * Come along, follow me!’ said the stran ger. ‘I am going to see a person who says his name is William Reed, of Kingston, near Taunton. Come and confront him If you prove to be indeed him whom you say you are, I have glorious news for you: your un cle is dead, and has left you an immense fortune; which I will put you into poses sion of when all legal doubts are removed.’ They went by the coach, saw the pre tended William Reed, and proved him to be an impo3tor. This stranger, who was a pious attorney, was soon legally satisfied of the Barber’s identity,told him be advertised him in vain; Providence had thrown him iu his way in a most extraordinary manner, and he had great pleasure in transferring a great many thousand pounds to a worthy man, the rightful heir ofthe property. Thus was man's extremity (rod's opportu nity.—Had the poor Barber possessed one halfpenny, or even had credit for a candle, he might have remained unknown for years, but he trusted God , who never said— ‘ Seek ye my face in vain.’ He had read in the Bible (that fountain of all good, which he often consulted, though he seldom saw a newspaper)— 1 Trust him at all times , ye peo ple.—ln all your ways acknowledge him , and he will direct your paths :’ not, perhaps, in the way of man’s wisdom; no, he sees the end from the beginning; he weighs out all his dispensations in the balances of the sanctuary: he led the Israelites forty years through the wilderness, which they could have travelled in six weeks, had infinite Wisdom seen fit; but he delayed, 1 to shew them what was in their hearts.’ the imprecations, which it was impossible for any to hear without shuddering. After I had been with him two hours, (during which time lie frequently repeated such expressions as have been stated) he became quite indifferent to what was said to him, rolling about on his bed, and now & then ejaculating, “My Bible! O, the Bible.” His eyes were for several minutes fixed on me, but he seemed not to hear the ques tions and entreaties which I continued to address to him. He then concealed his face by turning it to the pillow, and after hav ing remained in this position perhaps a quar ter of an hour, his whole frame was violent ly convulsed; he groaned, and then again was still; and whilst 1 was speaking to the by-.nanders, he expired. “ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” — ’**ozo:t\i:ozo** — ■SOUTH AFRICA. The following is a communication from the Rev. Dr Philip , the Society's Resident at the Cape of Good Hope , giving an outline of Mr. Campbell's Journey , about 250 miles North East of Laitakoo. On Mr. Campbell’s arrival at Lattakoo, he found circumstances uncommonly fa vourable to the further extension of his journey into the interiour. The Missiona ries had been recently visited by Bootchua-. nas from different tribes beyond them, who had expressed a wish to have Missionaries among them, and a powerful chief of one of the tribes was at this time at Lattakoo, and had offered his services to assist our traveller in accomplishing the object of his wishes. Accompanied by Munameets, the king of Lattakoo’s uncle, and the king, whose name is not mentioned, and a suita ble escort, Mr. Campbell left Lattakoo on ihe 11th of April 1020, in his bullock wag on. Visit to Old Lattakoo. After travelling about forty miles, in a northerly direction, they came to Old Lattakoo. On the removal ofMateebe to New Lattakoo, the place was taken pos session of by people of different tribes, and Mr. Campbell supposes it to contain 8,000 inhabitants. It is governed by a chief of the name of Mahoomer Peloo. At a pub lick meeting of the principal men of that place, there was not only a willingness to receive and protect the Missionaries, bat even a desire to have them. A town called Meribohwhey. From thence Mr. Campbell proceeded in a northeasterly direction, and after trav elling a week (about 120 miles) came to Meribohwhey, the principal town of the Tammaha tribe, sometimes called “ Red Caffres,” and who are represen'ed as a sav age, warlike people. Mr. C. observed that their appearance corresponded with this report; but he experienced kind treat ment from them ; and after the chiefs had held a consultation, they consented to re ceive Missionaries, and promised them their protection. A large town named Mashew. He next visited Mashew, a town about 20 miles further, which was estimated to contain from 12 to 15,000 inhabitants. Much land was seen under cultivation. Here Mr. C. had some conversation with an intelligent old woman, who said she came from a country to the eastward bordering on this great water, where people live, who she said had long hair. At Mashew the people expressed an equal willingness to receive Missionaries. Dicovery of a very large town called Kurrec chane. From thL? town Mr. Campbell travelled a week (about 120 miles) further to the north eastward, and came to Kurreechane, the principal town of the Marootzee tribe, consisting of about 16,000 inhabitants. Here Mr. C. found a people arrived to a de gree of civilization, and possessing a knowl edge of arts superiour to any of the tribes he had seen. They smelt iron and copper from (he ore. The metals are produced from mountains in the neighbourhood. When Col. Collins was in Caffre land, and among the Tambnokees, iu 1809, the arti cles of iron and copper which he found among the savages, he supposed to have been furnished by the Portuguese at De La Goa Bay. From the description Mr. C. has given of the Kurreechane, the Colonel appears to have been mistaken in this opinio. The manufactures of Kurreechane re found to have diffused themselves from the borders ofthe colony of the Cape of Good Hope to the shores of Mozambique, and from De La Goa Bay to the wandering tribes on the opposite coast. The needles; bodkins, and other articles of a Similar na ture manufactured at Kurreechane, and found in great abundance in the neighbour hood of Augra Pequenna Bay, strengthens the supposition that the Portuguese have for mauy years carried on an inland corres pondence between their settlements and the eastern and western shores of Africa. The desire of keeping any thing ip trade secret indicates considerable eltvation above savage life. Mr. C. saw many found ries in Kurreechane, hut he regrets that they were guarded with so much jealousy that he was not allowed to enter thpm. Kurreechane appears to be the Stafford- Price i $3,50 pr. ann. or, $ ? ’ I $3,00 in advance. > shire as well as Birmingham of that part of South Africa. They manufacture pot tery, and in the shape and painting of their articles, shew a superiour degree of taste. They appear to excel in the making of bas kets; and Mr. C. found the walls of their houses Ornamented with paintings of ele phants, camel-leopards, shields, &c. On the third day after their arrival, Mr. C. found himself in a critical situation, and be gan to suspect a snare. He was told that the king was advised to take him and his party on a commando against a nation with whom he was at war. As we are not told by what means our brother escaped from this awkward predicament, we may suppose that he was deceived in his estimate of the conversation on which this alarm wascreat ed. On Mr. C.’s proposing to send Mission aries to reside in Kurreechane, they called a Pietso, or a meeting of the principal men. About 300 assembled in a publick place, all armed with spears, battle axes, shields. &c. and an exhibition of savage or atory ensued, where noise, gesture and fla ency of speech were not wanting to make it strikingly expressive. Munameets set beside Mr. C. to explain the proceedings. In the course of the discussions, a lively old chief rose up and spoke, pointing bis sppar in a northerly direction, which immediately produced a general whistling, meaning “ Bravo 1 Bravo !” The interpreter inform ed Mr. C. that this speech was intended to stir up the people to go to war with a na tion beyond them, some of whose people had a short time before carried off some of their cattle. In his own way Mr. C. re marks, “ between you and me, I bare heard noise more agreeable to my ear than this whistling was.” After much had been said tespecting war, some of the people notv began to speak of white men now of fering thpmselves; and the assembly at last resolved that Missionaries should be received and protected. The king then presented Mr. C. with two oxen, and two large elephant’s'teeth. The chief towns of the Wanketzens avoided , by desire of the King of Lattakoo. Mr. C. passed within 20 miles of the chief town ofthe YVanketzens. It was here that Dr. Cowan and Lieut. Donovan and their party, who proceeded on a journey of dis covery into the interiour, during Lord Cal edon’s administration of the government of the colony, were arrested in their progress. Makkabba, the king of the Wanketzens, and Maleebe, the king of Lattakoo, have always been opposed to each other. Pre vious to Mr. C.’s departure from Lattakoo, he was strongly advised by Mateebe not to visit this rival’ chief. Mateebe, says Mr. C., makes a merit of having given up his plundering system, by the advice of the Missionaries, and he used this argument to dissuade me from visiting Makkabba. “ I have,” said the king, “given up by the advice of the Missionaries, taking, cattle from other tribes, although that was one great source of my revenue, and you ought to listen to me, and be advised by me in this case.”—At parting, Mateebe said, “Mr.a C. remember I advised Cowan and Dono 1 van, and their party not to visit Makkabba I and had they taken my advice, they might have be-in still alive.” I General account of the country. } About Kurreechane, and many otherplJ ces visited by Mr. C. the height of the hilll the smooth regularity of their outline, anl the indentations upon their sides, afford sol ficient indications of the presence of challl lime, &c. and ofa secondary andconsequenf- 1 ly a fertile country. From the distance travelled by Mr. C., Kurreechane must iay near the latitude of 24 degrees south, and not a very great distance from thp eastern coast of Africa. In this neighbourhood some of the rivers were seen running to the westward, while others ran to the eastward, and in aS.S. E. direction. It is probable that seme of the rivers seen by Mr. C. this occasion may be branches of the Mani ca, the De la Goa, or Machavanna, nen.- the source of those which empty them selves into the De la Goa Bay. Sever 1 large towns were reported to lay to the eastward of Kurreechane, the smoke of one or two of them was seen in the distance. From this place Mr. C. returned, nearly by / the same route, to Tammaba, and froml thence southward to M;‘h*peetzee, an./ Makoon’s Kraal; then westward in a disc '$ * line to New Lattakoo, from which be *- been absent two months. ’ ! Supposed Population of the Bootchuana co , try- From the number ot inhabitants seen bi , Mr. C. at the several towns through übiv. he passed, it would be a low calculating estimate the population oi the Bootcb>/; ii nation at supposing, what s4f| probable, that they inhabit the country MS the 24th degree of longitude to the eas* coast, and from the 24tb degree of comprehending 90,000 square miles. M C.’s recent attempt to penetrate in the interiour of South Africa, may f adduced as an additional illustration of* truth of Mr. Wilberforce’s remark, - Africa is to be discovered, it must b-? fc J Missionaries.” The report of the G. / town and Lattakoo missions is known -'vi all the Bootcbuana tribes, and perhap many tribes further in the interiour. is the respefj to the Missionaries, ttf ,