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No. 30. Voi„ lit
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AGENTS FOK'THIS PAPER.
AUGUSTA, J. & H. F.ly.
COfjUMBIA, J.By nom flsq.PM.ColumbiaC.H.
GREF.NESBOROUGH, A. H. Scott.
SPARTA, Cvprian Wilcox.
JR ti'LNTON Wilkinson Th. Sherrer, Esq. PM.
HARTFORD, Pulaj4t,G.B. Gardiner Esq. PM.
POWELTON, S. nuggar, Esq. T M.
CLINTON, Jones Cos. J. W. Carrington.
SAVANNAH, S. C.& J. Scheiick.
EATONTG X, C. Pendleton, Esq. P M.
AEFO RD'S P.O. Greene, C. Alford, Esq. TM.
JjJBREVILLE, (S. C.) Itev. TL Reid.
yDOPER, Abbeville, S. C Maj. U. Hill.
MARION, Twiggs, S. Williams, Esq. P M.
JSFFERSOX, Jackson, Rev. E. Pharr.
LIBE RTY HALL, Morgan, C. Allen, Esq.
WATKLNSVILL \, Clark.
H. VV. Scovell. Esq. P. M.
RICE BORO', Liberty, Wm. Baker, Esq. Y M.
G RANTSVfLLE, Greene, Samuel Finley.
PENDLETON, S.C. Joseph Grisham, Esq. PM.
DANJELSVILLE, Madison, J.l.ong, Esq. PM
ER FINS FILL E, Rutherford. N. C.
Rev. Hugh Quin.
ATHENS, Clarke, B. B. Peck.
LINGO LXTCjX, Lincoln. Veter Lamar,Esq. PM.
SPARTI A BURGH, S.C. J.Brannon,Esq. PM.
Ml LLEDGBVILLE, Leonard Perkins.
ELBERTON. George Inskeep, Esq. P M.
DUBLIN Laurens, VV. B. Coleman, Esq. P JVT.
LOUISVILLE. J ff'n, John Bostwick,Esq.PM.
MALLORYSVILLE, Wilkes,
Asa Hearing, Esq. P M.
WAYNESBORO', Samuel Stnrges, Esq. P M
LAURENS, S. C. Archibald Voting, Esq.
WRIGHTSBO AO', Q. L. C. Franklin, Esq.
MONTICr- LLO, Greene H. Brantley, F.sq P VI.
CARNESVILLE, Henry Freeman, F.sq. P. M.
SALEM, Clark, Raleigh Green, Esq. P. M.
FOR THE MISSIONARY.
MY MINISTER.
Messrs. Printers,
1 moved into this up-coirntry some two or
three years ago, and united with a respec
table church,concerning the pastor of which
I beg leave to give you some information,
and ask you a few questions. He is turned
sixty, and has been preaching nearly half
his life. The Lord has blessed his labours
in an eminent degree, and made him the
moans of salvation to many souls ; but
though he is my minister, and I have every
reason to believe a pious, godly man—yet I
will tell you I fear he has become spiritual
ly proud. Can this be the case with a man
of God ? With what are termed the doc
tfc ines of The Reformation, he is thoroughly
acquainted and defends them with no small
share of ing-nnity amiability. He makes,
however, some queer exordiums to his ser
mons, such as a relation of his feelings when
riding to meeting, what he has thought be
fore now of certain subjects in the abstract,
what would have become of man had be
not sinned, &c.’; but he generally gives us
wholesome truth® in a plain, unvarnished
style, though sometimes a vulgar expres
sion escapes his lips. Thi®, howevpr, is
easily overlooked in one of his age, and is
indeed sufficiently atoned for in the zeal he
displays, and rich doctrines he communi
cates. On the ivbolp, I am pleased with
his discourses, though now and then a
remark does grate on the ejr of re
finement, for I am a plain blunt man myself
apd tell our grandees that they will he more
.profited by him, than by those frothy de
claimcrs who have nothing but their lungs
and their impudence to recommend them.
You know a wise man would willingly bear
the goadings of a few thorns, where fruit
was plentiful, rather than, for fear of them,
get nothing but leaves for climbing.
I get your excellent paper—l see the ac
counts of the revivals in our own country ;
of the progress of light in the dark corners
of the earth*—of the zeal of all denomina
tions of Christians in sending the Bible to
the ignorant, the out-cast and destitute, and
of the many schemes of benevolence now
laid and advancing wittvsrfch signal rapidity,
and it warms my heart—it is like cold water
to a thirsty soul. Before 1 became ac
quainted with my Minister's views on these
‘subjects, l had mentioned my gladness at
Rearing that some of the Sandwich Islands
THE MISSIONARY.
had cast away their idol gods; that two
missionaries had been sent to Jadea, and
one had already set his feet on the prom
ised land—that eleven Gurmans had pro
fessed Jesus Christ, &c. &c.—and that this
had been effected through the instrumen
tality of Missionaries ; hut, Messrs. Printers,
instead of rejoicing with me at such soul
cheering news, he seemed agitated, turned
pale, and was silent 1 Had it not been for
my loquacity, I should have left him igno
rant of the true cause of his apparent sad
ness. 1 supposed at firet., his mind, from
the sketch 1 had given him, had so grasped
the miseries of the heathen, and was so la
bouring with the load, that his tongue re
fused to do its office; but oh ! how was I
mistaken, how did my heart ache, when I
had broken the silence by observing, “ you
must rejoice to see the spirit now exhibited
for missionary exertions,” and I received
for answer, “ the missionary business is all
a matter of speculation.” fie made other
remarks of the same purport, but for the
honour of Christianity I will not permit the
eye of infidelity to see them. Isitpossible
that prejudice can so chill a breast which
has been once warmed with a Saviour’s love,
that it has no pulsations for the salvation of
the heathen ? Is that Christianity genuine,
which looks no further than the bounds of
the neighbourhood which gave ns birth 1 —
Or does the benevolence of Christ which
embraced a world, teach us to pray and la
bour for every description of people ?
It any good object is proposed at our
monthly conferences or in our social circles,
say, for instance, the formation of Mite So
cieties for Missionary and Education pur
poses, he invariably repeats the fable of
the cat and rat—“ It may he meal,” &c.—
One of our members had been down to
Augusta, and attended the Sabbath School
there, and the monthly concert for prayer.
He bad seen the proficiency in Scriptural
knowledge made by the pupils in the form
er, and had caught a little of the fervour of
spirit exhibited in the latter, and on his re
turn made bold to mention it—the old gen
tleman exclaimed, “ What shall we come
to when such a passion for new things gets
hold of the people—our children will be
came head-christians, and religion will be
unknown among us.” He so far possesses
the affections and confidence of the church,
that not a member will knowingly offend
him. Should any one propose an innova
tion, though it be ever so small, he would
be denounced as heterodox,and expelledthe
church. 1 do not object to influence in a
good man ; no, who so fit to sway the ojjjn
ions of a people as men of righteousness ?
1 protest against Popes, and every attempt
to lord it over God’s heritage, for I find no
superiour orders in my Bible. Though a
preacher may claim no pre-eminence as a
man, yet his office entitles him to a kind of
authority or influence in the church. He
is to “ feed Ikeflock, of God.” Now 1 learn
ed bv reading an Essay on the office of the
Ministry, that the word here rendered feed,
is used in relation to a shepherd, leading,
controling his flock : So the minister his
brethren, not arbitrarily, but gently. Rut
what I regret is, that he does not exercise
hi? authority for the grpnter good of thp
cause of religion. The people are wealthy
and some of them ready to communicate of
their substance for the purpose of forward
ing the great objects in which so many
Christians are engaged—hut they are afraid
to incur his displeasure—they are so jaun
diced by an inveterate prejudice against
missions, that they cannot see the deplora
ble condition of the heathen world. 1 fre
quently take my paper to their housps, read
to them, press them to become subscribers,
but no—we have our Bible.
When a minister of a different stamp
comes along and preaches in our meeting
house, we are all quite punctual to attend.
But when he has warmed our feelings by
his comfortable truths and persuasive man
ner, and wound us up almost to a pitch of
enthusiasm, should he happen to mention to
encourage us, the promise, “ l-willgive the
heathen &c. and that this is becoming ac
complished by the exertions of Missionaries, ,
some of us in a twinkle are cold as lumps of
ice in Nova Zembla ; others abe gaping and i
nestling on their seats; others are fa- 1
tigued with silting all at once ; others’hor- j
ses are loose, and must be seen to, &c. &c. t
But let me ask you, Messrs Printers, though 1
GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE wOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE.— Jusus Christ.
MOUNT ZION, (HANCOCK CO. GA.) MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1821.
I fear I may weary you with my silly ques
tions—is that true zeal for religion which
evaporates whenever a bare mention is
made of the Father’s promise to his Son is
meeting its accomplishment in ithe very
way and by the very means whith he has
used in every age to convert men.
Without thinking, I oue day read your ac
count in his hearing of the Theological
Seminary at Andover. He fetched a deep
sigh, with “Ah ! what will become of the
uext generation ? I once knew a young fop,”
continued he, “by the name of W ~
whose father sent him to study divinity on
purpose to make him a clergyman. Well,
he appeared quite moral because it concern
ed him to be so—he was ordaiued, and for
a while all thought he would be useful ; but
it turned out just as I prophesied. His heart
had netfer been changed, and 1 told them
that he was not called of God—he soon be
came profligate, and is now a poor wretch.
I would not send a son to such a place for
the world. He apostatised, and so may
others.” W ,an unregenerate young
man, entered a seminary with a heart des
perately wicked, and when he could not
conceal his dissimulation any longer, he de
serts his profession, and gives a loose to
those appetites which he had before curb
ed for mercenary purposes : ergo , all pious
young men, called of God to the ministry,
because they have shared the advantages
of a Theological education will follow his
footsteps. I will thank you, Messrs. Print
ers, if have Duncan or Watts by you, to
see whether this reasoning is logical or
not —if not, I beg you would detect and ex
pose its fallacy, that plain, unlearned peo
ple like myself, may not be deceived by its
specious claims. Indeed, gentlemen, I could
not convince my minister, that students be
fore admittance to Theological Seminaries,
must be regular members of some church,
and in the Baptist denomination thev must
be Licentiates : but his notions are differ
ent, and he “ is wiser in his own conceit, than
seven men who can render a reason .”
A respectable young man of talents and
acquirements had nearly engaged himself
to teach our school, while my minister was
absent from the neighbourhood. When he
returned he was quite pleased with the
candidate—he was a young man of piety
and stability, and possessed every qualifica
tion to instruct our children, not only in the
various branches of science, but also in re
ligious knowledge. There was but one ob
jection made to him, and that was, it was
thought it would take our children so long
to understand a learned man, that neighbour
B would be preferable. They say he
knows enough to teach them, and is sure to
bring them forward mighty fast. I never
knew before that real learning was the
eruise of men’s speaking unintelligibly.—l
had charged the many big words and wise
expressions to conceited knowledge. But
so it is. Now instead of an accomplished,
pious instructer for our neighbourhood,who
would have corrected the many erroneous
ideas and habits which children have imbib
ed from ignorant and vicious teachers, we
have engaged Mr. B , who not unfre
quent ly uses foul language in school, and
sometimes carries his bottle there ; who
also condescends to play games with his
pupils, and to hunt and fish with them on
the Sabbath !
How can we expect any thing better
when we yield our offspring to the control,
and permit them to see the copies of such
Instructers t
If your patience is not quite gone,Messrs.
Printers, indulge me while I beseech you
to advise me what I ought to do to change
our notions on certain subjects. A constant
reader of your paper,
Richard Orderly.
AMERICAN EDUCATION SOCIETY.
Extracts from the sixth Report presented Octo
bei, 1821.
[Abridged for the Southern Evan. Intelligencer.']
Though the directors have cause for
much gratitude to God for the posperity
that has attended the discharge of their
arduous duties, they have found their way
obstructed by disheartening difficulties.
While the number of beneficiaries was rap- i
idly increasing, they beheld, with painful i
apprehensions, a great diminution in the 1
receipts of the treasury. The prospect !
that the claims on the Board would continue |
to increase beyond its resources, suggested j
the obvious necessity, either of rejecting a i
part of the young men, or of requiring all
to refund a portion of wbat they receive,
to he applied when refunded, to the aid of
others equally necessitous and deserving
with themselves.
It was accordingly adopted as a general
rule, that each beneficiary, in making ap
plication for the continued aid of the society,
shall transmit to the treasurer a promissory
note for one half the sum of the appropri
ation, which he had last received from the
funds. This note is to become due within
one year after the beneficiary shall have
entered on his professional labours; aud if
not paid by the jend of that year, to be
thenceforward oa interest. If any benefi
ciary, however, chooses not to obligate
himself in this manner, he may notwith
standing, receive one half the usual appro
priation.
At the succeeding quarterly meeting, the treas
urer reported that the whole amount of money in
his hands for current use, was only $1,446. As
the only alternative therefore, the directors, after
serious deliberation, made a reduction of twenty
five per cent, below what had been usually grant
ed them ; still the excess of appropriation beyond
the amount in hand, was $2,408, with a reliance
upon the generous co-operation of Christians, as
in a similar previous case. The directors notice
the succeeding exertions which were made to re
plenish the treasury in the following manner.
In the mean time, they made efforts of
no ordinary kind to increase the funds of
the society. They spread their want 9be
fore the publick, in the hope and belief,
that they would not be compelled, for want
of means, to abandon any of those who
are training up for the ministry under their
care. To every one ofthem, the directors
consider themselves as standing in a very
sacred and endearing relation. And it has
never been without pain, that they have
found themselves obliged to leave any one
ofthem to pursue his studies in circum
stances of embarrassment or anxiety. But
notwithstanding all the exertions that were
made, it appeared, at the quaterlv meeting
of the Board, in April, that the receipts of
the preceding quarter fell far below what
was necessary to make even the scanty
appropriations, that were made in January.
Still hoping and believing that an enlight
ened Christian community would not suffer
an institution of such vital importance to
the interests of the church, to languish and
die for want of that support which may be
afforded with so little sacrifice and self-de
nial, the directors determined to divide the
amount of their funds, for present use,
among the whole number of beneficiaries.
In doing this, they indulge the hope, that
the relatives and friends of those young
men, whose necessities were urgent, hut
could not be relieved by the funds of the
society, would be excited to make larger
contributions and greater exertions for
their relief. It was also believed, that many
of the beneficiaries might make a saving of
expense, by the practice of a still stricter
economy.
The disclosure of these embarrassing and
discouraging circumstances to the publick;
the appeals made and repeated to the.hearts
of the benevolent; and the other efforts
which the exigency of the case demanded,
had so far the desired effect, that at the
quarterly meeting in July, the funds for the
present use were sufficient to meet the exis
ting demands; not, however, upon the
scale that guided the appropriation® of
former years, hut upon a scale somewhat
above the point of depression, which had
been made the ratio of the preceding
grants.
A number of tracts (the report states,) have
been published to promote the objects of the so
ciety and augment its funds. The amount re
ceived into the treasury from September 30,
1820, to September 30, 1821, amounted to
$13,108 97. Os this, SSOO are a bequest; $1660
from life members; $684 from annual subscribers ;
and $667 54 interest of productive funds. The
balance were donations. The society consists of
about 425 members, of which 197 are life-mem
bers ; 40 of them added last year, 26 by the liber
ality of females ; 133 of the 197 were made life
members from the same source of benevolence.
The number of beneficiaries aided by Hie socie
ty is 321 since its first establishment in 1815;
and the number now depending on it about 250.
The report then notices the benevolence of auxil
iary societies.
The Norfolk Auxiliary society within the five
years of its existence has paid into the treasury
$4,579 31.
The Young Men’s auxiliary society of Boston,
in two years ha 9 added $1,000; the Female Aux
iliary Education Society of Salem has contributed,
in five years, $695 03 ; the Female Auxiliary
Society of Boston, in three years, contributed
sl,l 19 32; and the Graham Society of Boston,
have aided 42 beneficiaries with articles of cloth
ing to the amount Os $626 27.
The profits on the sale of treatise
on education ha* yielded to the society $350.
Os the 51 auxiliary societies, 31 are composed
of females.
%
If, then, the Christian ministry is of vast
importance to the salvation of men, and the
want of preachers is great and increasing
must not those who are convinced of these
facts, allow to the claims of this society, a
magnitude inferiour to the claims of no oth
er institution ? Os the former of these facts,
it must be taken for granted, that every
man who believes in the necessity of the
Gospel, believes in the necessity that the
Gospel should be preached. And as to the
latter fact, the great and increasing want of
preachers, the evidence has been too dili
gently sought, too ably and fully exhibited,
too often repeated, and too widely spread
Pnce,* *3,50 Pr. RM>. or,)
7 # $3,00 in advance. )
in our land, to leave a doubt in the mind of
any enlightened Christian.
But the evidence already overwhelming,
is daily increasing. The Macedonian cry
from every part of the country, waxes
louder and louder, send us missionaries, .
send us pastors.
The following appalling facts are drawn
from the most authentick sources.
In the state of Maine are 127 towns, ma
ny of them extensive and populous, that
are destitute of Congregational, Presbyteri
an and Episcopalian ministers. In 1813,
in two counties of New-Hampshire, were
45 destitute towns. In Vermont, 84 towns
have no minister, of any denomination, and
139 have no Congregational, Presbyterian,
or Episcopalian minister.
There are 53 congregations in Massachu
setts, and 35 in Connecticut, and 332 in S.
Carolina. Id the Presbyterian connexion
in the United States are 451 vacant church
es, and in the Baptist connexion 1000. All
Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, apd the Michigan
Territory, are destitute of regularly educa
ted ministers, except so far as 16 car. sup
ply a population of 300,000, scattered over
a territory almost three times as large as
New-England.
A table, made with great cat-', from in
formation obtained from gentlemen in civil
office from almost all the counties in Virgin
ia, furnish the following melancholy re?
suits: In that ancient and opulent state,
there are not as many Baptist ministers, in
proportion to the population, as in Connec
ticut. 46 counties have no Presbyterian
minister. 62 counties have no Episcopali
an minister. The whole Slate has not one
Congregational minister. 46 coontips, con
taining a population of more than 300,000,
have neither a Presbyterian or Episcopali
an minister. The State contains 974.000
inhabitants, and but 92 Presbyterian and
Episcopalian ministers, leaving upwards of
, 882,000 souls destitute of such ministers.
In 1810 the population of the United
States was 7,223,903. By the official re
port of the Secretary of (fie treasury, it
appears our population increases 34 per
cent, in 10 years. The census of 1820,
gives a population of almost 10,000,000.
On this ratio of increase, in 50 years, there
will be about 45,000,000; enough to give
all the territory within the limits of the
States belonging to the Union, a population
as dense as that of Connecticut. To sup
ply this population as well as Connecticut
is supplied, would require 45.000 ministers.
But in the last 70 years, the number of
ministers was a little more than doubled.
If we allow that the number will double in
the next 50 years, there will then be but
6,000, not as many as are wanted at this
moment.
War, famine and pestilence, mav retard
the rapid growth of our nation. But from
the immense extent of our territory, the
fertility of our soil, the salubrity of our
climate, and the enterprising character cf
our citizens, we may fairly calculate, that
the increase of our population will not be
checked for a hundred years. On this sup
position, our country would then contain
177,000,000 of souls, a number nearly
equal to the population of Europe, and yet
if spread over our whole territory, between
the Atlantic!* and Pacifick oceans would be
less dense than the present population of
Massachusetts. The prospect is grand.
But bow is it darkened by the moral deso
lation, that will overspread this vast em
pire, unless stayed by Omnipotence, thro’
the agency of Christians: unless the friends
of the Redeemer have more of his spirit;
his zeal for his God, —his love to man, —
his self-denial and perseverance in the
mighty enterprise of saving a lost world.
This enterprise must be achieved “ by the
preaching of the Gospel;” and the com
pany of preachers must be great. If moun
tains of difficulty obstruct the way, they
will sink before the power of faith. A
stronger impulse must he given to the tone
of feeling and action in the Christian com
munity. The word and providence of God
warrant the fullest confidence, that when
the friends of Zion unite, with system and
“energy, on Christian principles, (o apcom
plish the purposes of divine grace, every
mountain will be brought low, and every
valley exalted; the crooked ways will be
made straight, and the rough places smooth.
To excite the fripnd* of this society to more
systematick and vigorous action, the direc
tors respectfully propose the following
ways and means, fop increasing its funds.
I. Let the churches become education
societies. To Christian professors we ap
peal with confidence. Those who enjoy
the regular ministrations of the Gospel, and
eppreciate their importance, will naturally
care for the destitute. Those who have
been washed in redeeming blood, and tast
ed the sweetness of the liberty of Christ,
will have bowels of compassion for the
millions living without God, and dying in
spiritual thraldom.
Several chnrchps have given the exam
ple. The churches in Hartford, Farmingt
ton, Pittsfield, Lenox, Lop, Stockbridge,
Goshen, Old South and Park-street, in Bos
ton, in the Theological Seminary in Ando
ver, the Presbyterian church in Newbury,
port, and the churches in Beverly and Ports
land, have in effect become education $r
cieties, and support ?7 beqe^ciarjeff.
