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No. 16. -Vol. 111. EDITED AND PUBLISHED BY NATH AM S. S. BEM AN £ CO wv%ww The Terms of “ The Missionary” are Three Collars a year if paid in advance, or within sixty -days from the time of subscribing; or Three Dol lars and Fifty Cents at the end of the year. No Subscription will be received for a short er time than one year, and no paper discontinued until all arrearages are paid. Advertisements will be inserted, by the quare, at 62 1-2 cents for the first insertion ; and Tor every subsequent insertion 43 3-4 cents. Those who furnish standing advertisements for the year, shall be entitled to a deduction, of one quarter of the amount from the abcve rates. All Communications aud Letters relating to the Office, will be directed to N. S. S. Beman & Cos. and whether enclosing money or not, must tome POST PAID: Should any neglect to do this they will be charged with the postage. Printino for Publick Officers and others will ■be done on the-inost liberal terms. WVVVWb .lomriru nm- xmo r Hffj K. AUGUSTA, J. & H. Ely. COLUMBIA, J.By nom,Esq.PM.ColumbiaC.il. GREENESBOROUGH, A. IT. Scott. SPARTA, Cyprian Wilcox. IRWINTON, Wilkinson Th. Sherrer, Esq. PM. HARTFORD , Pulaski,GM. Gardiner Esq.PM. POWELTON, S. Dugggf, Esq. P M. CLINTON, Jones Cos. J. VV. Carriugton. SAVANNAH, S. C. & J. Schenck. EATONTON, C. Pendleton, Esq. P M. ALFORD'S P.O. Greene, C. Alford, Esq. PM. . ABBEVILLE, (S. C.) Rev. 11. Reid. 1 SANDOVER, Abbeville, S. C Mai. U. Hill. MARION, Twiggs, S. Williams, Esq. PM. JEFFERSON, Jackson, Rev. E. Pharr. LIBERTY-HALL, Morgan , C. Allen, Esq. WATKINSVILLE, Clark , H. W. Scovell, Esq. P. M. RICEBORO', Liberty , W m . Baker, Esq.T M. &RANTSVILLE, Greene, Samuel Finley. PENDLETON, S.C. Joseph Grisham, Esq. PM. DANfELSVILLE, Madison, J.Long, Esq. PM. ERVINSVILLE, Rutherford. N. C. Rev. Hugh Quin. ATHENS, Clarke , B. B. Peck. MADISON, Moruan, Milu Nesbit. J. INCOLNTON. Lin coin. Peter Lamar, Esq. PM SPARTANBURGH, S.C. J.Brannon,Esq. PM. MILLEDGEVILLR, Leonard Perkins. ELBERTON. George Inskeep, Esq. P M. DUBLIN, Laurens , W. B. Coleman, Esq. PM. LOUISVILLE, Jeff'n, John Bostwick,Esq.PM. MALLORYSVILLE, Wilkes, Asa Hearing, Esq. P M. WAYNESBORO ’, Samuel Stnrges, Esq. PM. LAURENS, S. C. Archibald Voung, Esq. WRIGHTS BORO', Q. L. C. Franklin, Esq. MO YTICELLO, Greene I). Brantley, Esa.P M. CA ftNF.SVILLE, Henry Freeman, Esq. P. M. SALEM, Clark, Raleigh Green, Esq. P. M. Remarkable conversion of an Infidel. From, the New-Haven Intelligencer. We are well acquainted With Mr. Goldsmith, the writer of the following narrative, which we copy from the Con. Journal, aud are willing to vouch for its truth. We have known him as a •coffer of tbe religion which he now professes ; we now know him as a friend and brother, a bold and strenuous advocate of the truth as it is in Je sus, confounding Infidels and revilers, by proving Christ to be the Son of God, and exhibiting in his life and conversation the power of Religion. Mr. Editor.—An apology from me may le thought necessary in order to avert the charge of egotism, for coming before ihe publick in a narrative of facte and -pinion*, which relate chiefly to myself. YVheii it is taken into consideration, that the publick are already in soma measure acquainted with my case ; when it is recollected like wise, that the enemies of the truth have taken advantage of various statements and reports which were not literally correct, to declare that the whole affair respecting tny being awakened and brought to the knowledge of the truth in an extraordinary time and manner, was a “ base fabrication, having no foundation in truththereby cudeavouring to make it appear, that what ever I have said respecting the dealings of God with me, and Ihe exercise of my mind, was a scandalous attempt to impose upon the credulity of my Christian brethren and triends, (not that they have said this in so many words, but their statements imply all !*<* * - - . ‘ “ “* ” taken into consideration, I think every candid mind will acknowledge that a suffi cient cause exists for my coming be.fore ttie publick, with a plain statement of facts, relative to my feelings previous to the ev ening of the Bth of January, 1821, the transactions of that evening and the subse quent exercise of my mind. In the spring of 1820, when (he revival of religion first commenced in New-Haven< \ *ny mind was called up to examine the sub ject, and see how the case stood with me. 1 had been taught to believe that the scrip tures of the Old and New Testament were tbe word of God ; at least so my parents taught me; —but the natural disposition of tny heart always led me to question the truth of any thing which I could not com prehend. 1 believed that reason was given to man as a sure guide to him and that eve ry thing was to be tried by that standard, and that whatever after a fair investigation appeared to be inconsistent or contradicto ry, or was not capable of mathematical de monstration, was of a questionable charac- Among such things were the Holy Scriptures, and the Religion of J esus Christ. The scriptures after (what I called) a fair examination, appeared so inconsistent, so unreasonable, and a great part of them so Unnecessary, that they could not he true, i was confident that the God I believed was so wise, great and good, that never would have sanctioned such THE MISSIONARY. i -A a piece of mummery as the Jewish dispen sation appeared to he ; in fact I believed, or rather wished and hoped, that the whole Christian religion and its formation, was the work of Priest-craft. It was in this sit uation that the revival of 1820 found me ; the effect was to create in me, in addition to my former sceptical feelings, a bitter hatred to the spirit which appeared to be moving on the hearts of many of the inhab itants of New-Haven. i therefore set about to arm myself with all the arguments which could be found: I searched all the works of every infidel which 1 could find, and my opportunity was great. I read Hume, Voltaire, Gibbon and Paine, and felt as if any man who would believe in the Bible was a fool, i also read many con troversial works of different denominations of Christians, and heard them dispute on their oer.uliar tenets. Some declared one thing, and some another, totally opposite and contrafliciory to eau. vd.„, and each, if we would believe its advocates, was ex clusively the doctrine of the Bible. Hop ing, wishing and believing that all these contradictory systems could be maintained from the scriptures, 1 naturally supposed that whatever rule would prove two princi ples which were directly opposite, to be both tme, must be a false rule. Thus, by setting out on false premises, I came to a wrong conclusion. In the mean time the spirit of God began to move more power fully than at any former period ; meetings were very frequent, people in general look ed very solemn, Christians assumed anew appearance, and began to act as if there was a work for them to do ; they began to warn, and lo pray for sinners, and sinners began to tremble, and in every heart where satan ; had the prevailing influence, he seemed determined to arouse a correspond ing energy and to awake to new life every evil passion. My heart was one which he led captive at his will, and in which he found no difficulty in awakening a feeling like his own. I hated the Bible ; I hated all those who believed it (if they practised what they believed-,) I hated Christians if they were Christ-like ; and l cannot but in dulge my feelings for a moment, when 1 state that I have since passed some of the happiest hours of my life in the company of those I once hated, in thanksgiving and praise to him who hath redeemed us and washed us in His blood. Tbi9 was pleasure that leit no sting behind it, and the contem plation ofwhich will be sweet in a dying hour. But to return to the subject:—-I used every means in my power to bring con tempt upon religion and those who profes sed it. If any idle or malicious story got into circulation, ! took great pains to spread it; and if I found the story was an untruth I took good care lo contradict it, endeav ouring in every case to misrepresent the motives and actions of those who professed lo be Christians. I left off going to meet ing almost entirely, and as far as was in my power prevented my family from going. In fine, I vented my malice in every nay which Satan could suggest, or my wicked heart improve. In this state of mind I re mained without any material alteration till the evening of the Bth of January. At this time my family were not in town ; I had broken up house-keeping, and hired myself out for the winter; but had reserv ed my evenings to myself, calculating to spend them in dissipation and pleasure, and impossible lo confirm myself in the infidel principles I had adopted. On the Bth of January it was though! proper by a number of gentlemen to celebrate the anniversary of the famous bailie of New-Orleans, by having a supper and drinking a few patri otick toasts, in honour of General Jackson, and the brave men who gained that victory. The thing was accordingly undertnnJ- •, in the course *L..t any a persoD called at the store where 1 was, aod invited the gnmicuian wun whom 1 resided, and my self to attend, and in the evening 1 attend ed. A large and respectable party of gen tlemen sat down at the table ; every thing was conducted with decency and order, and after easing supper and drinking a few patriotick toasts, the principal of the assem bly retired not far from 10 o’clock. A few with myself remained at the table a while longer, singing patriotick and other songs; after some time, two or three of us came down stairs. I sat down in the bar room, and two or three more retired. Soon after the remainer came down stairs, and part went into the bar-room, and part went into the room opposite and began to sing: the rest soon followed them, and for a few minutes I was left alone: shortly af ter, however, I went into the other room myself, and they were singing these words ; —“ There shall be mourning at the Judgment seat of Christ ,” “Othre’ll mourning,” Sic. chorused by Glory to God, in imitation of the manner of the Methodists, who used that hymn in their religious conferences. A moment after I came into the room, while they were singing: the idea that there would he a final judgment, and that there would he mourning at the judgment seat of Christ, and who it would be that would mourn there, came across mv mind ; and it was manifest to me that myself and the others there engaged with me, would be among the chief mourners on that awful occasion. The feelings of my mind wore GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE.— Jksus Christ. MOUNT ZION, (HANCOCK CO. <3A.) MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1821. indescribable, but terrible. Directly after i this, before 1 had said any thing, someone < nominated me to preach a sermon; and the observation Has made, that as there had been singing and prayer,* the thing could not be complete without a sermon. < The impulse could not be resisted, and 1 endeavoured to describe my views of the subject, and the awful situation in which 1 saw myself. 1 warned them, and told them truths of what 1 believed they will one day be convinced. When 1 got through, which 1 believe was about one o’clock, I retired, and some of the others also ; 1 do not know but all did, for all left that room. 1 went home, but rfot to sleep: my life and charac ter passed in solemn review before me, aod it was no pleasing sight. My doubts of the truth of God’s word and the gospel of Christ were all gone. *r I fully believed they t.tic, end I also knew that I was forever debarred the privilege of being a partaker in the happiness and glory there set forth—at least I thought so; the de praved nature of my own heart was set be fore me; all the warnings from my parents and from other Christians were then re membered ; all the warnings I bad receiv ed from the various dispensations of God’s providence by sickness, and narrow escapes from death, seemed to speak as the voice of God, saying, “ Because 1 have called and ye have refused,” &c. Poverbs i. 25th 26th and 27th. My day of mercy was gone by—O what opportunities I had lost; but there was nothing before me M but a certain fearful looking for.of judgment, and fiery indigna tion, which shall devour the adversaries.” Pray 1 dared not, for every blessing had been offered to me ami I had spurned it from me. Thu 9 I passed a sleepless night; in the morning it became necessary for me to form some resolutions, as I was going out into the world, and this thing would not be kept secret: the question would be asked me and what shall I say ? At that mo ment I believe Satan lent me all his power to make the desperate determination of despair. I saw no prospect of mercy : die I must; and pride said, drive all these things from your mind, and if you must die, do it like a man of courage ; drown all such feelings in the bowl, and as you have lived like a fool, die like a madman. According ly 1 made the rash attempt, and went to the same publick home where we had pas sed the preceding evening. There 1 found some of the same persons with whom that evening was spent, and 1 endeavoured by every means in my power to drive all re flection from my mind. I endeavoured to make the company believe that the trans action was but the result of a momentary impulse, aad that there was nothing on my mind of more weight than common. 1 drank with them, and endeavoured to join them in all their lightness and mirth ; but in the midst of this career to death, con science resumed its office, and its rebuke was terrible—my resolution and strength failed before it, and 1 was obliged to leave the place with feelings of great horrour. The atrocity of the attempt which I had made to destroy myself, by trampling under foot the spirit of grace, by despising re proof, and by “ counting the blood of the covenant an unholy’ thing,” was shewn to me in its proper light, together with all its unhappy consequences ; the just vengeance of God hung over my devoted head; one hour previous I might have found mercy, now it was eternally too late. Still howev er, when any one during the day asked me, I told them I had nothing on my mind. The Bible was now a consistent book— consistent in my condemnation, 1 was alone inconsistent; I wondered how Christians could have suffered me to be going the ui .rj rood, and yet never faithfeJJr varu me of danger. But now “ tb* harvest was past, tho J-J, and my soul was”— lost. 1 felt in some little degree what was the value of the soul, and en deavoured in a feeble manner to warn oth ers of their danger. It appeared to me mercy could reach every being in a state of probation hut myself. 1 did not doubt God’s power to save—but it appeared to me that if any person in the world was to be damned, 1 was that parson ; none appeared so fit for it; none had sought for it so carefully; none so richly deserved it. 1 conversed with Christians; they told of the boundless mercy and goodness of God—of his willingness to save even to the uttermost all that would come unto him; but all was in vain with me; the “ master of the house had risen and shut too the door.” Thus 1 parsed comfortless days and sleepless nights; I went to Chris tians and confessed how I had felt towards them, particularly those who in any meas ures endeavoured to do their duty to their ; fellow-men.—l had tried to blacken the character of the Ministers ofChrist, by eve- i ry means in my power. With some 1 have ] had an opportunity lo converse, and have i made satisfaction as far as acknowledgment i would do it; toothers, particularly to Mr. Nettleton and Mr. Maflitt, 1 have had no op portunity to do it; if I hadl cortainly should > have done it. And for fearl shall never see i their faces in the flesh, 1 take this opportuni- I ty, thus publickiy to dec'are, that the feel- t * There was no one went to prayer, but one I mocked an old man who made a singular prayer. ! ings of my heart towards them, and my ; conduct and conversation respecting them, I were in the spirit of the Prince of Dark- j ness, and that the hatred which 1 had to- , wards them, was not for any evil they had , done, but because they bore some resetn- | blance to him they professed to serve. | “ The world loveth its own ;” and had they j beeu of the world I should not have hated | them. In this situation of mind 1 remained i till Thursday evening, with the exception of being obliged to own in the course of that day that 1 had something on my mind, which distressed me. On Thursday evening 1 went to meeting; but I was a stranger there; no comfort was there for me ; 1 wished 1 was a Christian, but knew no way to be one ; 1 did not know how to repent. On Friday evening I went to the Confer ence room to meeting—what for, 1 knew not; I did not expect to get any thing which would do me any good. 1 was past good ; I was only waiting the execution of the just sentence of an offended God :~Mr. Taylor preaciitui these words, “ that every mouth may be slopped, and all the world may appear guilty before God ;” it was a sermon 1 had heard all the week—but be brought the subject to light iD a clearer manner, shewing the complete glory and beauty of the law of God, and the awful nature of mau’s transgression, in a manner which 1 cannot describe: 1 felt a guilty rebel receiving the sentence of condemna tion ; every eye was turned on me—and to make my wretchedness complete, the con gregation rose np and united in singing a hymn : l could not rise, it was beyond my power: the beauty of the worship of God, the happiness of the saints, and all the en joyment which I had irrecoverably lost, came across my mind like a torrent; there was a gulph fixed betwixt me and the right eous, as broad as the distance between heaven and hell;'it was impassable also ; the presence of Christ when he met his people was insufferable ; it seemed to me if 1 could bave sunk to tbe bottomless pit, 1 should have found company more congenial to my nature and disposition: in fine, 1 be lieve I had a little idea how a sinner would i feel in heaven without a new heart: morn -1 ing enme, and with it came one new idea, I that, as God had preserved my life through tit* might have me rev i in store even for such a rebel as me ; then • 1 began to pray, not only’ to pray myself, 1 but I felt as if I wished every person who t had any interest at the throne of grace ’ would use it in my behalf, and be earnest ■ also. One of the brethren prayed with ) me a number of times ; others I believe re ■ memhered me in their hearts, and carried r tny case to Him who is able to help ; hut : my heart was exceeding hard, full of unbe- I lief and pride. i On Saturday evening I went to visit Mr. t Thatcher: I had harboured a great enmity - against his people, and 1 confessed my feel i ings to him and some of the biethren who i were at his house, and he prayed with me ; : I then left his house and went to a place . where I had been in the habit of spending I considerable time, in hopes to find some of ■ my old friends there, to tell them the awful ■ danger of tbt ir situation. I did find some ! of them, and I endeavoured to discharge > the duty I had undertaken. After 1 had described as far as 1 was able the terror of ! God’s wrath, I attempted to tell of a Sa ! viour’s love ; it was something I had not felt, , but as I spoke of it, Ifelt it: tbe plan of sal ■ vation by a redeemer, the amazing love of , God to a sinful world, was something be vond description glorious: the children of God know ivhat it is; they have felt what E cannot describe, viz. the love of- Christ. That nitjht was a night of joy and peace to soul ; 1 knew on whom 1 had believed. From that time to tbe present, I cannot sav but I have at all times believed that he was faithful who had called me, though my own short coinings are such, and my heart is so full of unbelief and prone to evil, that if his mercy was not infinite, I should have no hope ; but it is, and he has declared, “be cause I live ye shall live also.” These things I have stated because there has been so many reports respecting my case, (some made by those who merely mis took from wrong information, and meant well—some by those vvbo did not mean to tell the truth themselves nor suffer it to be told by others if they could help it.) that the publick and particularly my Christian brethren did not know what to depend up on. Particulars I have not gone into, for i I cannot do it on paper: but these are the t outlines, and I commit this statement to tbe i publick, with a solemn reference to t)ie day i when God shall judge the secret of men’s ’ hearts by Jesus Christ, hoping my enemies i will conduct themselves in such a manner j as to be able to answer, for both their ac tions and their motives, to him that judgeth , righteously ; that they and 1 may meet in I peace at the right hand of God through the < mercy of Jesu9 Christ is the sincere praver t of A. B. GOLDSMITH. r New-Haven, July 16, 1821. \ P. S. Thus, Mr. Editor, I have e.ndeav- j oured to slate fairly and candidly the deal ings of God with ny soul; the apology Ii have made I think is sufficient; should any ( one think to the contrary, they will 1 hope i forgive me; but before I leave the publick, I wonldszy a word respecting Caps, Augur's I Price, f n - °M 7 f $ 3,00 tn advance. > account of the affair, which has so publick iy been declared to be a falsehood , “ having no foundation in truth,' 1 ’ and accompanied with a threat of “ further investigation.” I would inform whom it may concern, that there wa9 an errour iD bis statement, that the meeting was not got up as a mock con ference ; neither did the main body of the party consist of Infidels. But, to say that there was not-Infidels there, is an assertion I dare not risk ; one 1 know there was, a “ real practical Infidel,” and others 1 believe there were, for his practice met no opposi tion from them, therefore taking into con sideration the transactions of that night, and the transactions of other nights an t days which can be brought if a “ further investi gation” should be thought necessary,l must say that it is no slander to New-Haven to say, that it contains in it “ real practical infi dels —The other statements in Mr. Au gur's Letter are true. REV. MR. WARD’S LETTERS. FROM THE CHRISTIAN WATCHMAN. It will be remembered tbat the Rev. William Ward, Missionary from India, in the last winter v visited tbe American Churches for the purpose of obtaining their assistance in the support of a liter ary and theological institution at Seraiupore. Tt.ig College, although perfectly free as a literary es tablishment, is nevertheless principally designed for the instruction of those native Christians, con cerning whom there may be reason to believe that they will become acceptable instructed and preachers to their unenlightened countrymen. Mr. Ward having obtained the pecuniary assis tance which he solicited, on the 25th of March last, embarked for Liverpool in the Hercules, on his return to Serampore. On his passage he em ployed himself in the composition of addresses to his friends in Ts-gland and America, on the impor tant objects of his mission, on the state us the hea then in India, and on the general interests of th* kingdom of Christ. Mr. Ward sailed from Lon don for Serampore, May 28, in company with Ms. Mack, Mrs. Marshman, and several others con nected with the Serampore Mission. To the Rev. Dr. Baldwin, Boston. The Hercules, at sea, April , 27,1821. My dear Brothey, I am disposed to conclude, from the little success of our mission for the first six years, and from similar appearances in oilier mis sions, that the Christian publick have been hardly willing to allow time enough for the •w'QuifU.tiuiJ us tl>u mjiuoito lang’tirrgjC*, for tne characters of missionaries'to be known and appreciated, and for the seed to take root. After we had been at Serampore for some time,'l well recollect, that, in walking thro’ tbe streets, Mr. Marshman and myself would say to one another, “ O, if we had but one Hindoo brother, but one family in Seram pore, into which we could enter, and con verse on the things ofthe kingd- m of God !” The seventh year was then closing, ami not one native appeared on the side of Christ; not one respecting whom ve could indulge the least hope tbat be was under Christian impressions. Those who had made warm ■ professions, had all forsaken our brethren and fled. ■ About this time Mr. Thomas suggested f the propriety of setting some time apart I for prayer on this subject; and we began a : service for prayer at seven o’clock on Tues day morning, which has been continued now I for twenty years. This special acknowledgment of our need of divine aid, and of our solicitude to obtain it, bad not been long made, before we wpre blessed in the conversion of Jvrish nu. This person was a carpenter, and bad a wife and several children. He had heard Mr. Tbomas preach under a tree not far from his house ; but bis attention had not been awakened to the message, when he fell from a tree and dislocated his arm. Smarting with pain, he bethought himself of the white man under the cotton tree, for he recollected having* tio,rt (Koi tliie per son was a surgeon. He immediately sent for Mr. Thomas, who went and restored the arm to its position. But Mr. Thomas did not leave Krishnu till he had told him of the salvation which is in Christ Jesus. Krishnu was mucb affected. Mr. Thomas daily renewed his visits, and daily preached on Jesus and salvation to this poor man and his family ; so that by the time the arm had recovered its strength, Krishnu was so much impressed, that he came himself for instruction, and ultimately solicited baptism. Here was the first fruits of Bengal. From that time to the present the mission has been making a gradual but steady prog ress, while encountering many formidable difficulties, and sustaining many severe con flicts. It reckons at present tbe following stations. In Bengal , Serampore, Calcutta, Midnapore, Jessore. Chittagong, Cutwa, Moorshadabad, and Dinagppore. In the up per provinces , Monghyr, Digab, Cawnpore, Allahabad, Benares, Delhi, Rajpootonab. In the Islands of the Indian Ocean, Columba, Batavia, and Sumatra. —Divine service is conducted at these stations in the Bengalee, * the Hindeost’hanee, the Hindee, the Bur man, the Portuguese, the Malay, the Ja vanese, the Cingalese, and the English lan guages. More than a thousand person* have been initiated into a Christian profession by bap tism, and more than six hundred of these wore formerly idolaters or Mahometans. About fifty of these Asiaticks and hea thep converts are employed in superinten-