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No. 25. - ■ Vol. 111. EDITED AND PUBLISHED BY NATHAN S. S. BEMAN & CO. The Terms of “ The Missionary” are Three Dollars 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 square, at 62 1-2 cents for the first insertion ; and for 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 above rates. All Communications and Letters relating to the Office, will be directed to N. S. S. Bernan & Cos. and whether enclosing money or not, must rome POST PAID: Should any negleot to do this they will he charged with the postage. Printino for Fublick Officers and others will be done on the most liberal terms. VWVVW/ AGENTS FOR THIS PAPER. AUGUSTA, J. & H. Ely. COLUMBIA, J.Bynom,Esq.PM.ColumbiaC.H. GREENESBOROUGH, A. H. Scott. SPARTA, Cyprian Wilcox. IR WINTON, Wilkinson Th. Sherrer, Esq. PM. HARTFORD, Pulaski, G.B.GardinerEsq.PM. POWEL TOM, S. Duggar, Esq. PM. CLINTON, Jones Cos. J. W. Carrington. SAVANNAH, S. C. & J. Schenck. EATONTON, C. Pendleton, Esq. P M. ALFORD'S P.O. Greene, C. Alford, Esq. PM. ABBEVILLE, {S. C .) Rev. H. Reid. SAND OVER, Abbeville, S. C Maj. 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 , Wm. Baker, Esq. P M. GRANTSVILLE , Greene, Samuel Finley. PENDLETON, S.C. Joseph Grisham, Esq. PM. DANIELSVILLE , Madison, J.Long, Esq. PM. ERVINSVILLE, Rutherford, N. C. Rev. Hugh Quin. ATHENS, Clarke, B. B. Peck. MADISON, Morgan, Milus Nesbit. /. INCO LNTON.Lincoln, Peter Lamar,Esq. PM. SPARTANBURGU, S.C. J.Brannon,Esq. PM. MILT.EDGEVILLE, Leonard Perkins. ELBERTON, George Inskeep, Esq. P M. DUB LIN, Laurens, W. B. Coleman, Esq. PM. LOUISVILLE, Jeff'n, John Bostwick,Esq.PM. MALLORYSVILLE, Wilkes, Asa Dearing, Esq. P M. WAYNESBORO', Samuel Sturges, Esq. P M. LAURENS, S. C. Archibald loung, Esq. WRIGHTSRORO', Q. L. C. Franklin, Esq. MONTICF.LLO, Greene D. Brantley, Esq.P M. CARNESVILLE, Henry Freeman, Esq. P. M. SALEM, Clark, Raleigh Green, Esq. P. M. NEW ORLEANS. The following communications were received and read at the late Sessions of the Synod of South Carolina and Georgia, and were referred to in our Editorial Remarks of last week. They are now presented to the publick with the full persuasion, that they will be read with interest, and with a hope, that this affectionate appeal to the wealthy and the liberal will produce the de • sired effect. The Christian can hardly look upon the picture of religion and morals here pre sented, and at the same time reflect, that the in habitants of this dark region are our fellow citi zens as well as our fellow immortals, without ma king, if practicable, some effort for their aid. Albany, Sept. 29, 1821. To the Moderator of the Synod of South Caroli na and Georgia. Rev. Sin, Give me leave through you to present to your Synod the case of the Church at New Orleans. This statement was verbally made by me to the Synod of Albany, which lately sat in this City. It was regarded as presenting a strong claim upon the sympa thies and more substantial regards of the Churches of our connexion. It was unani mously and with great feeling referred to the Ministers and Sessions of the churches under the care of Synod, by collections or subscriptions to come to the aid of that Church—bereaved, embarrassed, and in danger of being sold and converted into a theatre. The Synods of New York and New Jersey and of Philadelphia I have no doubt will concur with this Synod. As that region is remarkably destitute, and specially interesting to the Church at large, may we not hope that your reverend Synod also will come to our aid? The case is certainly emergent—and the importance of maintaining the station at New Orleans vast and acknowledged. Will you submit these papers to the notice of the Synod? The proceedings of the Synod in relation to this case I shall be glad to be apprised of as soon as convenient, at Philadelphia, Care of Robert Ralston, Esq. With great respect, your fellow labourer, ROBERT F. N. SMITH. On the transfer of Louisiana to our gov ernment in the year 1803, the inhabitants were almost universally Spanish k French, and embosomed within the Roman Catho lick Church, which had been the establish ed church. No Protestant institution exis ted for some years afterthe transfer. Oc casionally a travelling Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal and Presbyterian Minister visited New-Orleans. The city was exceedingly sunk in dissipation. Irreligion knew almost oo bounds. The Catholick inhabitants had and still have, although 30,000 in number, but one place of publick worship, besides the Chapel of the Convent. The city, from its local situation, presented great ’ promise of pecuniary advantages—Thous THE MISSIONARY. ands of our country men flocked thither from all parts of the Union. Men of broken for tune, and young men just starting in the ca reer of life, without capital, hoping to rise with the city, rushed there. Finding no religious institutions, similar to those which they had left behind them, and beset on every hand by powerful temptations and the stimulating example of others, very many at once made shipwreck of their ear ly religious feelings, their correct moral habits, their health and their lives. The human mind is prone to rush to extremes. The legal restraints being removed, and the provisions in support of a religious es tablishment being destroyed, many men at tached to the Catholick communion, re nounced all religious principle. Infidelity assumed an open, a bold, and scornful as pect, and uumbers of our countrymen, born and nurtured in the bosom of pious fami lies, and Protestant churches, pursued the same course. There are more professed skepticks, rejectors of all religious princi ple, in New Orleans, than can be found in any other city in any other Protestant country, in proportion to numbers. In the year 1814, the American citizens in New Orleans built a Church, which was styled the American Church. A Presbyte rian Minister was then statedly preaching there. After its erection, a majority of the trustees procured the congregation to be incoporated as a Protestant Episcopal Church, and the minister took Episcopal orders, and still officiates in that church. With this arrangement many were not sat isfied, and declined attending upon his min istry from the influence of rarious consid erations. In the same year, Messrs. Mills and Smith visited that regipn in the service of the Philadelphia Bible Society, and perhaps as agents of some other associations. Mr. Smith was sometime afterward invited to take charge of a Presbyterian congregation in Natchez,which had been organized some 10 or 12 years before, by Dr.flall, of North Carolina—the venerable missionary and apostle to the destitute, whose head is now whitened by the snow 9 of more tJian 70 winters. A few other Presbyterian con gregations had been organized within 50 miles of Natchez, in what is now the state of Mississippi. The Presbytery of Missis sippi, embracing the state of Louisiana and Mississippi, had been set off by the Synod of Tennessee. The attention of the Presbyterian body was turned toward that destitute region, as one that ought to be occupied and cultivat ed. The General Assembly, at their mee ting in May, 1817, appointed the Rev. Syl vester Larned, of the Theological Semina ry at Princeton, a Missionary, who was specially instructed to visit New Orleans- About December, 1817, or January 1818, be reached the city, and in concert with the Rev. Elias Cornelius, now of Salem, Massachusetts, laboured during the winter to introduce some favourable change. Their activity and zeal, and the splendid and enchaining eloquence of Mr. Larned, under the providence of God, excited and enkindled an ardent zeal far the organiza tion of another Protestant church. Inde pendent of all other considerations, the Episcopal church was found to be wholly inadequate for the supply of the wants of the American citizens. It cannot be made to seat comfortably down stairs, more than perhaps about 350 persons, and from 100 to 150 up stairs. A meeting of persons fa vourable to the proposed institution was held, and with great unanimity and ardour a resolution was adopted to erect a Presby terian house of worship. Measures were adopted—funds subscribed—a call present ed to Mr. Lamed. He accepted the call in due time, and was authorized to contract for buildiog the house. He returned to the north, entered into contract for the building, and returned to New Orleans in December, 1818. When these measures were taken the city was enjoying unexam pled commercial prosperity. Cotton, the staple commodity of a large portion of the country above the city, commanded from 32 to 33 cents per lb. Sugar sold well, and the western country produce bore a proportionable price. Money was plenty and in free circulation. Every man enga ged in business felt himself safe in indulg ing expectations that the great and desira ble undertaking would succeed. Men who had not large possessions subscribed and paid 500 or 1000 dollars, besides after wards purchasing pews after the rate es four or five hundred dollars. The corner stone of the church was laid on the Bth day of January, 1819, and Mr. Lamed preached for the first time in the new building on the 4th of July in the same year. Notwithstanding these measures had been so promptly devised and so vig orously and expeditiously executed, so great and unexpected a revolution had been effected in the commercial state of the city, that the trustees, from the pro ceeds of subscriptions and first sales of pews, were not able to realize more than $22,000. The amount of expenses incur red was $52,000. The ground on which the church stands cost SIO,OOO. The ac tual cost of erecting the building itself, was perhaps about $36,000. It is ninety feet in length, and about sixty-five jn width, GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH TH# GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE.—Java Christ. MOUNT ZION, (HANCOCK CO. GA.) MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1821. made of brick, with the exception of the basement story, which is built of stone. In this basement story are warehouses for the storage of goods, capable of yielding an an nual income of $1,500, in good commercial time*. The wall around the lot, chanda lier, bell, and other necessary articles, cal led for the expenditure of the remainim? S6OOO. The house will accommodate perhaps about 1200 persons. One side of the gal lery, capacle of holding conveniently 150 persons, is appropriated to the use of blacks, and it is usually well filled. In planning and erecting this house, the pastor and congregation, warned by the errour committed in building the first Protestant place of worship there, thought it imperi ously required at tbeir hands to avail them selves of the favourable impulse then giv en to the publick mind and the then propi tious state and prospects of the commercial community, by building not for themselves alone, but for the thousands of strangers annually visiting the place, coming from the west and frem the north, sons and daughters of their pious brethren, the rising hope of the churches of God, spread throughout our extensive, growing, and enterprising country; for their own pos terity ; and the rapidly increasing prosperi ty of New Orleans—a city destined to be come the greatest in our country, and per haps, in process of time, the greatest in the world. It it situated almost literally and, as to any possibility of successful rivalry, en tirely at the mouth of the Mississippi, the great father of waters. His current, swell ed by the tributary floods of noble rivers and smaller navigable streams, passing in its course, through regions of country the most extensive, the most remote and dis similar, bears on its bosom to that empori um, the productions of soils the most fer tile, and will hereafter bear the fruits of the labours of millions of our countrymen who shall cultivate lands now shaded by the almost impenetrable gloom of solitary forests. In return, the means of comforta ble subsistence, and improvements in the arts and elegances of civilized society must go thence to them. It is impossible to set limits to the magnitude and importance of that city in its manufacturing, commercial, social, moral and religious influence. We cannot estimate the countless waves of pop ulation which will constantly roll into its bosom. With such prospects, the congre gation must be justified, or at least excused, for what some may deem their extrava gance and imprudence in venturing to erect such a house, at such an expense. With such prospects, and with the unparalleled popularity, both ministerial and personal, of the pastor, they were justified in the publick mind. No man entertained doubts that, through his influence, under Provi dence, the sale of pews would ultimately, and that at no distant period, discharge the debt incurred. Accordingly the city coun cil, managed by Catholick influence, unhe sitatingly extended to the trustees a credit for SIO,OOO, and the bank a further credit of about $20,000. In this state of things it pleased the great Head of his church, as it were in a moment, to obscure the prospects of his church there, and to shake the confidence of her members and friends by withdrawing his servant from that sphere of duty. By the early fall of Mr. Lamed, the church is be reaved, the congregation covered with mourning, and filled with despondency— the confidence of the community is with drawn, & pecuniary embarrassments press. The council has acted with a hesitating, fluctuating policy, towards the infant estab lishment : last winter it was apparently on the point of recalling its letter of credit — that recall must have necessarily drawn along with it a like recall on the part of the bank. The families of the trustees must in the first instance have been ruined or injur ed, and then the house sold at auction. In this emergency the honourable Mr. Pay dras proposed to transfer to the board of trust a mortgage, which he held on the es tate of one of his neighbours for securing the payment of $40,000, on the recovery of which he offered to lend for an indefinite period, $20,000, to be alternately paid over to the Female Orphan Asylum of New-Orleans, sometimes called the Pay dras Asylum, on their paying regularly over to the asylum ap annual interest of 10 per cent, the legal interest in the state of Louisiana. This proposal stopped the re call on the part of the council. It was, however, found on investigation, that the son of the mortgagor bad a preferred claim on the mortgaged premises, for $56,000, and that this sum must be secured to him before the mortgage could touch the prop erty. Thus likely again to be cast upqn the liberality of the council, the trustees deemed it to be their duty to throw them selves upon the sympathies of Christians k Philanthropists throughout this union, and especially to fly into the bosom of the Pres byterian body, of which they are a constit uent part. The church is the church of that body, participating in its privileges and united with it by community of feeling and identity of principle, government and inter est. Its pastor was the child of the Gener al Church, educated in its bosom and sent out by its authority. No one consideration which induced the mission of Mr. Lamed, and raised the hopes of the religious com munity on witnessing the origin and prog ress of those measures which promised such great and lasting advantages to the in terests of the Redeemer’s kingdom, has lost an iota of its interest. On the contra ry, it is an hundred fold magnified in its in tensity. If this church be sold, in all prob ability it will be converted into a Theatre! This event 19 looked to, and this determin ation is announced. The congregation will be dispersed, grieved, disheartened, and made nerveless. The good effects, in part already realised, will vanish, and impiety in principle and practice will the more abound. This church is a sort of moral light-house, erected for the guidance and safe conduct of many a bark over the sur ges and the shoals which have already ship wrecked many—too many. If this light be extinguished, may we not apprehend that the darkness will b.e mightily aggra vated ? This sad catastrophe cannot be averted by any exertions which that congregation, unaided, can make. There are but about thirty pew-holders, and of these not more perhaps, than half a dozen can at present do more than comfortably support their families. The remaining pews cannot at present be sold. If, however, from 12 to 15,000 dollars could be realized, the pay ment of the remainder of the debt can be postponed for some three, four or five years. In the mean time the congregation may procure some able, faithful and suc cessful pastor, through whose ministrations, under the blessing of Heaven, their num bers may be enlarged, their pews sold, and the whole establishment extricated from embarrassment and placed upon a secure and permanent footing. There ajre in that region already some encouraging symptoms, which Christians should foster. The Presbytery of Missis sippi consists of nine or ten members, and has under its care two licentiates, and ten or twelve churches. There are several ministers and churches, both of the Baptist and Methodist denominations. In general, these churches and ministers are well uni ted in Christian feeling and exertion. Be sides what the churches of the two last nam ed bodies have effected, a spirit of religious charity has been excited and fostered. There are several Bible Societies in that region. A 9um of money, not less than sev en or eight thousand dollars, has been paid, within the last four years, lor the support o£ missionary, tract, education, sabbath school and theological institutions. The Presbytery of Mississipi has recently resolv ed itself into amissionary society fordomes tick purposes. Their agent, in the course of five weeks last winter, collected 500 dol lars. A domestick missionary society has also been organized in New-Orleans, whose missionary is specially to labour in the pris on, hospitals, asylum, and amongst the boat men and mariners visiting that port. The church at New-Orleans is usually well at tended—mornings, afternoons and evenings, whenever service is held. Os the attend ants, a very large proportion, 9ay one half, are commonly strangers, having no perma nent residence in the city, holding no con nexion with the congregation, and not yiel ding any support to the institution. Still much ground remains to be occupied. In Louisiana there is but one Baptist house of worship, one Protestant Episcopal, and one Presbyterian church. It is not known that one Methodist house of worship is to be found within the limits of the state. There are several stations where their ministers bold publick worship. In the state, no Sabbath is recognized by law. Civil pro cess served, and all secular business trans acted on that day, are valid. The theatre, ball rooms, counting-houses, ware-houses, and gambling-houses, are thrown open. Os these last, exclusive of billiard-rooms, there are in the city fifty, licensed by law, yielding to the state an annual revenue of $17,000. Their keepers often pay $2,000 rent for a single room id or near the best established hotels and coffee-houses, and $4,000 for refreshments, for soliciting and entrapping the youDg and unwary—and SIOO,OOO are usually spread upon the tables within the compass of every twenty-four hours. Sixteen thousand dollars have been known to be staked on the i3soe of a single throw of dice. Injustice, however, to the state legislature, it should be stated that last winter, after a hard struggle, the li cence law was repealed from and after the first day of November, 1821. During Mr. Larned’s ministry, many counting-houses were closed on the Sab bath, which formerly had been kept open —and since his decease many have been re-opened. A few feet from the church stands a cotton ware-house, whence issues the sound of the songs of negroes at their work, which annoys and distresses the de vout worshippers within the church, and al most overpowers the songs of Zion. These things speak to the hearts of Chris tians and Philanthropists. Shall this ap peal prove ineffectual ? Shall this jeUgious institution go down ? Shall the footing gain ed at New Orleans be relinquished ? The Synod of Albany have commendedi this charity to the churches under their I care—have appointed the Rev. Mr. Gris- ’ Price, Jf3vsoP r - ann. or,> } $3,00 in advance. 1 wold, of Saratoga Springs, a special agen to concur with the Rev Robert F. N. Smith, agent of the church at New Orleans, and have advised their ministers and church sessions, by collections in their churches, or by subscriptions amongst their people, to aid in saving from destruction this threat ened and interesting portion of God’s Zion. They have also appointed the Rev. Dr- John Chester, of Albany, an agent to re ceive such monies as may be remitted tp him for the use of that church. ROBERT F. N. SMITH, Agent of the Church at New Orleans. The Memorial of the Tr ustees of the First Presbyterian Church in the city of New Orleans, addressed to those Christians and Philanthropists , whose means enable them to promote the cause of Christianity. In the year 1814 the first Protestant Church in this city was erected, through the united exertions of American citizens of various religions denominations. Its cost was 15,000 dollars. The congregation was afterwards incorporated and the house has been since occupied as an Episcopal Church. In the year 1817 the late Rev. Mr. Lar ned visited the city, as a Presbyterian min ister. His extraordinary qualifications at tracted general attention. A desire was soon induced statedly to enjoy his minis trations. Accordingly a resolution was adopted to erect a Presbyterian Church; measures were put into operation for ac complishing this object, funds were amass ed, Mr. Lamed was invited to take the pas toral charge of the new congregation, and he accepted the invitation. An elegant house for worship has been erected at the Cost of 62,000 dollars. Donations and the sale of pews have enabled the trustees to pay about 22,000 dollars. Thirty pews have been sold, and sixty on the lower floor, together with all on the gallery floor remain unsold. Our pastor has been removed by death. A debt of about 30,000 dollars hangs over the church, for the payment of which the trustees are individually responsible. The congregation has no pastor, and, under ex isting circumstances, is in no condition to make adequate provision for the permanent and comfortable subsistence of one. WheD this church was erected the city was enjoy ing unexampled commercial prosperity, a large monied capital was afloat, and almost every man engaged in business felt himself safe in indulging flattering hopes that the congregation would ultimately succeed in its laudable enterprise. We have experienced a sad reverse.— Our animation has given place to despon dency —our hopes are supplanted by fears. Our city feels the pressure of pecuniary embarrassment.—Business languishes.— Capital is withdrawn from circulation.— Pestilence has repeatedly desolated our abodes, imparting terror to the inhabitants of our city, and repressing the tide of pop ulation, which promised new members to our church and increased means for its sup port. Thus situated, that portion of our popti lation to whom we can appeal for aid being small, we have no means amongst ourselves of averting the threatening evil. We feel that our infant and imperfectly organized congregation must be dispersed—our house, now dedicated to the worship of God, sold and applied to other purposes—and the an imating hopes of ourselves and our Chris tian brethren throughout the union extin guished ; unless the friends of religion and of mankind, whom Providence has endowed with wealth and endued with the disposition to apply a portion of that wealth to the support of religious institutions shall inter pose for our relief. Great is our exigency, noble our cause—and bright will be the re ward of him, who shall come to our aid, in the approval of a good conscience, the pleasing emotions of a benevolent heart, the gratitude and prayers of the pious here and every where, and the blessing of Hea ven ! And with the hope of finding this relief, and reposing special confidence in the Rev. Robert F. N. Smith, and relying on his ef forts, we have constituted him our agent, to call upon the friends of religion and phi lanthropy, throughout the union, to solicit their aid, for the purposei before men tioned. Alfred Heskes, Eben Fisk, J. Brown, William VVyer, John Nicholson, A. L. Duncan, R. Davidson, Joseph H. Hawkin.% John W. Smith, James W. Breedlove, Trustees ■, JVew Orleans, 14 th. May* 1821. A poor Arabian of the desert was one day asked how he came to be assured there was a God ? In the same way (said he) that 1 am able to tell by the print impress ed on the sand, whether it was a man oc a beast that passed over it. We cannot think too highly of our i\o.tvrtt, nor too meanly of oursslvept