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2. Let femnljß adopt more extensively, the plan of cowßituting their pastors mem bers for life. In (hi* way, so easy is itself, and pleasant to/all concerned, more than $5,000 have already been received into the treasury. / Were all tie ministers of the Presbyte rian and Colgregational churches in this country made life-members, the sums would amount to j|BO,OQO, more than all the soci ety has est r received, and, of course, more than enotigh to do what the society has al ready done. If we consider the number of ministers this sum would educate, and the number of souls they would be probably in strumental in saving from eternal death, how great is the object! 3. Let every person, who is able, en gage to support one beneficiary. The circumstances of a pious youth, whose parents were unable to assist him, and who was fearful of entirely failing in his efforts to obtain an education, were sta ted by one of our.agents, to a gentleman, who immediately sent him the following letter. “Dear Sir, —I am ready to commence. k. I trust in God, for future ability, to furnish the means to educate , the son of , in a manner, suitable to qualify him, in the hand of our great High Priest, to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ, to a per ishing world. I accept with gratitude, your kind offer to make this resolution known to him and his friends, and your agency in forwarding the arrangement, for me, which, I trust, is dictated by the Spirit of our common Lord. You are hereby au thorized to make the arrangement for me, and the enclosed draft will be duly honour ed, to commence it. And may our heaven ly Father make the youth a rich and last ing blessing to the World, and to Ihe church of our blessed Redeemer.” The circumstances of a charity student were stated to another gentleman; how the young man had left his father’s house and travelled many hundred miles on foot, to seek assistance in prosecuting hi3 studies, till his heart almost failed him; on which the gentleman wrote the following letter. “Dear Sir, —The situation of , in ——- college, calls upon my feelings to as sist him. If you approve of my purpose, you may authorize him to expect from me, upon the first day of June in each year, the sum ofsso, in all S2OO. 1 wish him to un derstand that 1 discontinue his assistance, in case he should within the above period, re linquish his literary studies, or cease, in your opinion, to give evidence of vital pie ty. I trust in God, that I shall not fail of the will and the ability to fulfil this prom ise.” These examples are strongly recommend ed tfi the imitation of the wealthy. How can they better invest a portion of their abun dance, than by thus lending it to the Lord? In this way, how easily might many hun dreds of pious youth, whose hearts throb with desire to preach the Gospel, but who are cramped under the pressure of poverty, be raised up to bless their benefactors and the church f 4. Efforts should be made to increase the number of annual subscribers. ’ 5 Let men of different occupations de vote a specifick proportion of their income to the object of the Education Society. Ministers might devote their marriage fees for one or two months in a year to this sacred charity. Merchants might return a certain proportion of their gain to him, who own 9 the silver and the gold, and holds | the winds and waves in his hand. This 1 would be the best insurance of their prop erty. Let the trader consider how entirely his loss or his gain is at toe disposal of divine providence, and ask how he can find the best security. Let mechanicksset apart one or two days in each month, to labour for the Education Society, remembering from whom they re ceive their strength to labour, and all their success in business. This plan if generally adopted, would greatly enrich the treasury of the Lord, without impoverishing the donors. 6. Let education fields ha set apart in all our farming towns. Let every good man give each of his sons a small piece of ground to cultivate, and encourage a generous emulation to pro duce the Amount for the Education Society. The young men of every town, with scarcely any sacrifice, might combine to cultivate a large field for this object. Though little has yet been done in this way, a great revenue might thus be easily obtained. Let the charity students in every acade my and in every college be furnished with a field to cultivate for their own benefit. While they would thus do something for themselves, they would remove some oftbe . common objections to Education Societies; —-that beneficiaries are too idle ; that they are too proud to work with their hands: that they are in danger of losing their health fer want of exercise. 7. The design of the society might be greatly aided by donations in clothing. Ar ticles of clothing are much needed. Dona tions of this sort, are to the society equiva lent to their worth in money. Those who have made exertions to procure boxes of clothing, will accept the grateful acknowl edgment* of the directors. 8. Important aid may be afforded by sub scriptions for boarding beneficiaries, in the 1 eighhourhood of academies and colleges. 9. Let booksellers and other gentlemen be i luced to make life-subscriptions in Looks. TREASURER’S REPORT. Bal.mcu Current Fund from last year, $2129 64 “ Permanent Fund, 48 50 Amount received for Perm. Fund, 750 00 Uidi Subscriptions, 1620 00 AunuaJ do. 684 00 Donations, 9087 43 luterest, 967 54 Amount brought up, $15,887 11 . ■— Amt. pd. beneficiaries $9093 Incidental expenses 985 72 Bal. on hand for current use, 4469 89 Permanent Fund. 798 50 j 15,887 11 Permanent Fund. Thirty-five shares of U. R. bank stock, $3500 00 Seven per cent. U, S. Stock, 4080 00 Real estate, 6000 00 Loans to individuals, at 6 per cent. 2500 00 Cash on hand, 798 50 $16,877 50 Officers of the Society. Hon. William Phillips, President. Aaron P. Cleveland, Esq. Treasurer. Rev. Asa Eaton, Clerk. Directors. —Wm. Bartlett, Esq. Rev. Abi el Holmes, D. D. Rev. Ebenezer Porter, D. D. Rev. Leonard Woods, D.D. Rev. Asa Eaton, Rev, S. E. Dwight, Rev. Warren Fay, Rev. R. S. Storrs. AMERICAN” MISSIONS.* MISSIOX AT BOMBAY. From the Christian Watchman. The Missionary Herald for December i contains a detail of particulars respecting . this interesting mission which are well wor t thy of attention. It is true no very re i markable success has attended the preach • ing of the Gospel at Bombay ; but ‘from a sense of absolute dependence on God for a blessing on the means which is religiously acknowledged and appears to be deeply felt by the missionaries, there is good reason Jo believe that a precious seed is sowing which will hereafter spring up anil furnish a glo rious harvest in the salvation of many sin ners. The Prudential Committee in their report, observe that “ The Missionaries at Bombay do not forget that, however important and neces sary their other objects ofattention may be, preaching the Gospel is their highest em plovment, as it is the divinely appointed method, by which sinners are usually brought to the knowledge and obedience of the truth. In the most discouraging cir cumstances, a confidence in the superiour efficacy of the means which God himself has established, should never be shaken, as it will never ultimately be disappointed. Whatever human philos-ophy may imagine, if is by the foolishness of preaching that men are induced to believe, whether they live in Christian countries, or amid the darkness of paganism. Where this divine institution is honoured and maintained with humble re liance on its Author; where the great truths of revelation are proclaimed, in the form of a plain, solemn, earnest testimony ; though the effect may not, for a long time, be apparent, God will at length vindicate his own word, and prove the wisdom of his own plan. At Bombay and the vicinity, no material alteration has taken place, as to the times and manner of communicating the Gospel by preaching. The missionaries, in their ‘ several spheres, and at many places more or less frequented, were in the constant habit of publishing salvation to the deluded j thousands, by whom they were surroun ded. The missionaries relate an interesting fact respecting the condition of lapsed Catholicks in Salsette and the northern coast opposite to that island. It appears that “ the Portuguese, a few generations ago, by the use of means not to be commen ded, brought a great number of the Hindoo inhabitants of Bombay, Salsette, and the adjacent coast, into a nominal subjection to the Roman Catholick church ; but the zeal of the Catholicks,for the conversion of the heathen appears long ago to have subsi ded,” and the time-serving priests seem contented to retain the descendants only of those, whom their predecessors brought, in some instances by violence, within the pale of their church. “But these people are held in subjection to the priests, by very precarious tenure. During the prevalence of the cholera mor bus , about two years since, great numbers of these native Catholicks joined in the idola trous rites, that were practised by the Hin doo* to arrest the vengeance of heaven; for which cause, they were, no doubt very properly, excommunicated by the priests. There are probably two thousand people, in this vicinity, now in this condition. All hope of their reconciliation to the church is given up; and they seem bent on turning back to the idolatry of their forefathers. The change is indeed easy and natural. It is only to change the names and images of Romish saints for those of heathen deities. The Hindoos are well pleased with this de fection of the Catholicks, though they still look upon them as outcasts, and would not, on any account, intermarry with them.” For the conversion of these lapsed Cath olicks to real'Christianity, the Missionaries are making judicious exertions; and they solicit the prayers of the people of God, that he would bring them to the knowledge of himself. Their labours do not yet ap pear to be crowned with success; but they very piously remark, that if “ the want of immediate success should discourage or damp the zeal, either of ourselves or our patrons, it will doubtless be very sinful in us, and provoking to Him, who loves Zion and the souls of men infinitely better than we do, and knows infinitely better than we do, how to advance their highest interest. The dispensations of Providence, most mys terious to us, but no way doubtful as to their result, offer a very salutary exercise to our faith and humility, and a most interesting, solemn, and sublime theme to our contem plation.” Numbers oftbe Hindoos have no confi dence in their idolatrous religion, and par tially perceive and acknowledge the supe riority of Christiani'y. But their heart* are opposed to that holiness which the gos pef requires, and destitute of Christian res olution “to come out from the multitude and be singular.’J But as the liininoua points, in the Bor ders of the kingdem of darkness, are contin ually increasing i> oumber and brilliancy, the Egyptian gloim of thirty centuries will at length be dispilled. In the war against Satan’s empire, w- only need courage, per severance and confidence in the great Cap tain, whom we poles* to follow. •’ MISSION IX CEYLON. Messrs. Richards, Meigs and Poor, are restored to mor* comfortable health. The schools are in successful operation. Mr. Poor superintends nine common schools, in which “ the names of 426 boys are Enroll ed as pupils, of whom two thirds or three fourths are actually in school from day to day.” “ The process of making these multi tudes of heathen childien acquainted with the rudiments of human learning, and the simple but most sublime truths of our holy religion, las regularly advanced. Useful knowledge has been communicated; the conscience has been formed by the aid ot a perfect standard : the dormant powers of the soul have been called into exercise ; and the seed of the word has been sown, which, it is no presumption to say, has sprouted, and is now in blossom.” “ Publiek worship is regularly attended on the Sabbath, at all the stations. The mission families, domesticks, school boys, and other natives attended. The whole number at Tdlipally varies from 200 to 400, the usual number being about 300; the greater part of whom are children. Prayers are off red in lie church, accom- panied by the reading of the Scriptures, morning and evening through the week The boys at the station, and -time other na ■ lives, are present at these seasons. During several months that Dr. Sc udder and Mr. Spaulding- resided at Tillipatly, they fre quently made krown the glorious truths ol the Gospel in die neighbouring villages, wherever acce :s could be gained to the people, in the bouse, by the way, or in the field. And since they have removed to other station®, Mr. Woodward has followed the same course. At first they were oblig ed to preach by an interpreter; but their ’ assiduous attention to the language so far conquered it, that two of the newly arrived missionaries, Messrs. Winslow and Wood ward, preached in Tamili early in Novem ber, only eigiit months after they became settled on mission ground. Preaching has also been regularly atten ded at a rest house , in the neighbourhood of Tillipally, on Sabbath afternoon, for more than three years. Several of the head men are usually present, and many others, who are unwilling to meet at the church. A strikmg effect of the preaching at this place has been, that a school-master, strongly ad dicted to heathenism, has been induced to bring his boys with him to this place of worship ; and, after a long conflict \v>tb his old prejudices and feelings, has at last pla ced his school under the care of the mis sionaries. Evangelical labours have been continued, at all the stations, in the neigh bouring villages, and among the people as the health of the missionaries, and other circumstances, would permit.” WILL of the Hon. Elias Boudinot, L.L.D. From the New Jersey 1 imes. It is generally known that this distin guished Philanthropist has appropriated a large proportion of his estate to religious and charitable uses, and as it must be ac ceptable to all, & particularly advantageous to those concerned, to be correctly inform ed on this subject, the following summary has been obtained, and may be relied on as autheritick. The testator gives 1. The sum of S2OO, to be distributed by his daughter among ten pool widows. 2. He gives his daughter 15 shares in the Aqueduct Company of Burlington, the yearly produce of which she is to distrib ute among the “Friendly Society of Fe males in Burlington.” 3. He gives S2OO to the N. Jersey Bihle Society, to be laid out in spectacles for the ue of indigent old persons, to enable them to read the Scriptures. • 4. A devise of 4000 acres of land, in the county of Warren, Pa. to “ the Society es tablished in New York for meliorating the condition of the Jews,” under certain con ditions, for the purpose of supplying Jew ish settlers with farms of 50 acres each, or at the option of the said society the sum of SIOOO within two years. 5. The sum of S2OOO dollars is given to the United Brethren of Moravians at Bethlehem, to enable them to civilize and gospelize the Indians. 6. To the Magdalen Societies of N. Y. and Philadelphia, and to the institution es tablished in Cornwall, Ct. for educating the Heathen, respectively, the sum of SSOO. 7. To the Trustees of the General As sembly of the Presbyterian Church, three houses in the city of Philadelphia, the rents of which are to be laid out io the purchase of books for pastors of congregations—the first year’s rent to be divided equally be tween the Presbyterian Church at Eliza bethtown, and the Episcopal church at Bur lington. 8. The testator’s library is left, after his daughter’s decease, to the Theological Seminary at Princeton, N. J. 9. 4080 acres of land in Luzerne co. Pa. to the General Assembly of the Presbyteri an Church, the proceeds of which to be ap propriated to the education of such stu dents of divinity in the Theological Semina ry of Princeton, as are not able to support thepiselves—each student not to receive more than S2OO annually. 10. 4000 acres of land in the same co. to the trustees of the college in New Jer *ey —from the profits of which are to be ap propriated SIOOO in the first instance, ‘for the improvement of the cabinet of natural history, and the residue for the establish ment of fellowships in said college, so that no incumbent, Bow e ver, be allowed more than $250 per annum. 11. 4512 acre* of luitd, in Lycoming co. Pa, to the American Board of Commission ers for Foreign Missions, in Ms. lor the pur pose of sending the Gospel to the heathen, and particularly to the Indians ol this con tinent 12. 3270 acres of land in the county of Bradford, and state of Pa. to the managers of the hospital in Philadelphia, for the use of poor and destitute foreigners, and per sons from other states than Pennsylvania, to enable them to guin admittance when ne cessary, into this institution. 13. To Messrs. Matthew Clarkson, Wm. W. Woolsey, Samuel Boyd and John Pin lard, of New York, in trust for the Ameri can Bible Society , 4589 acres of land in the county of Northumberland, Pa. the profits of which are to be applied to the general purposes of the institution, but especially to the sending the Gospel to the heathen. 14. To the Mayor and Corporation of Philadelphia, 13,000 acres of land in Cen tre county Pa. for the purpose of forming a fund for supplying the poor of that city with wood on the lowest terms —from this fund a medal worth $lO is to he given to any person who will undertake the pur chase and distribution of the wood gratui tously. 15. The sum of SSOOO to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian church, one half of the interest of which sum is to be ap propriated to the support of a missionary or catechist, who is to instruct the poor in the hospitals, prisons, &o. in Philadelphia, and the other halffor a like purpose in the city of N e w York. 10. The residue of his estate the Testa iorgives aud devises to his trustees —and among the trusts are the following of a pub lick nature, to Ije carried into effect after his daughter’s death. 1. To the trustees of Ihe college of N. Jersey the sum of SIO,OOO, half for the use of said college, and half for that of the Theological Seminary, as directed in the devise of real estate above mentioned. 2. To the American Board of Commis sioners for Foreign Missions the sum of SSOOO, for like objects as stated in the de vise of real estate. Finally, after providing very liberally for his nearest family friends and connexions, by a codicil, he gives the residue of his estate, after the death of his daughter, and after satisfying his specifick appropriations to the use of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church towards the support of such of the members as are of the Synod of New Jersey, and whose salaries are in sufficient for their support —or, this fund may, at the discretion of the General As sembly, be applied in whole or part to mis sionary purposes, or to the use of the two Education Societies under the superinten dance of the said Assembly. The Trustees and Executors are— Mrs. Susan Bradford, of Burlington. R Stockton, Esq.and Samuel Bayard,Esq. of Princeton. L. H. Stockton, Esq. Trenton. Elias E. Boudinot, Esq. Newark, N. J. The amount of the above bequests is 23,- 400 dollars in money, and 37403 acres of land, which, valuing the land at a low rate, will make a total amount of at least Sixty Thousand Dollars. DIED, At Elliot, in the Choctaw nation, on the 13tb of October, Mrs. Judith C. Williams, an assistant missionary Mr. Kingsbury, in the last letter receiv ed from him. thus describes her character. “ Like our muc h lamented brother Fisk, she was an instance of uncommon devoted ness to the cause, and of indefatigable la bours. She literally wore herself out, in the discharge of the most fatiguing duties; and, we trust has gone to receive the re ward of the faithful. Her memory will be precious to all who knew her.” THE MISSIONARY. MOUNT ZION, MONDAY, DECEMBER 31. We have given this week the substance of the last Report of the American Education Society, and we are unwilling that the opportunity should pass without urging once more upon the Christian publick, the claims of an institution which is sec ond to few, if any, in vital importance to the cause of religion. Like all other great and prom inent plans for promoting the welfare and happi ness of the human family, it is doomed to encoun ter the opposition of open enemies, and what is scarcely less an obstacle, the luke warmness of professed friends. But notwithstanding these dis couragements it has already been productive of i many gratifying results, and its benefactors have j much reason for thankfulness, that so much good has been accomplished by its means,, Its future prospects are indeed sufficiently discouraging, but we trust there is yet no ground for despairing of a success in some measure commensurate with the warmest hopes of those who have so liberally contributed of their substance, and whose prayers ’ and whose exertions have been unceasingly em- I ployed in its behalf. In due lime !hey will reap if they faint not. We are compelled to limit our observations on this subject from a desire to lay before our read- I ers the subjoined remarks from the “ Boston Re corder,” to which we respectfully beg leave to call their attention. The Report of the Directors in our opiriion fully establishes the just demands of the Society upon the liberality of the friends of i Christ, and in the following observations, we feel ; equally assured, the unprejudiced and reflecting ! reader will 6nd one of the most popular objec tions to the institution clearly and ably answered I and refuted. j Objections to the American Education Society considered. It has been intimated, in very friendly terms, that while we urge the claims of the “ Eddcjilioo Siciety” cnpuhlicli patronage, we neglect IQ answer jhe various ohjec 4ions that are urged against those claim®. If we must plead guilty lo the charge j n any messure, it is certainly true that the neglect has not been intentional ; we have no reluctance to meqt any objection from any quarter, nor to allow to it all. tha weight which it deserves. Nor is it tf Ue that the most formidable objections have been overlooked, either by us or by much more able friends of the Institution. They have been fairly met, and we should think nearly silenced—at least satisfactorily an swered. But it is to be confessed, that we have considered the arguments in favour of Education Societies, as so clearly sound, that no objections hitherto brought forward, have seemed capable of invalidating them. The existing deficiency of educated Minis ters, and the certain increase of llial defi ciency, according to the ratio in which the population of the country increases, are facts which admit of no denial, and prove the nrcess tty of sQme measures to remedy the evil. If Education Societies will not do it, let some other plan he devised that will do it. A palpable evil exists. It is be coming every day more inveterate. Noth ing hitherto done, has removed it, nor di minished it ; nothing has arrpsted its pro gress, except ,the incipient efforts of Edu* cation Societies. And if there can be any system of measures proposed that promises better results, we shall cheerfully accord to it our best wishes, and give it our most vigorous support. But, system we must have. Individual and insulated exertiohs will never effect the purpose. The most common objections to the sys tem at present adopted for Ihe increase of evangelical ministers, arise from mistaking incidental for essential defects in that sys tem. It is a defect in all our Colleges , that they furnish opportunities and temptations (o various raal-practices; and youth who , are removed at an early age beyond the reach of parental restraint, and associated with others of their own age, corrupt in j principle, are liable to the formation of hab its which may destroy them forever; but this incidental defect of collegiate institu tions, affords no solid ground of objection to their general utility—no reason why they should be denied the favour of the publiek, or denounced as engines of mischief. The adopted system of common school instruc tion, is liable to serious objections;—but until a better system can be devised, it would be folly to abandon it, and allow eve ry child in the country,or a large proportion of children, to grow up in ignorance. De fects belong to every thing human. No individual character is exempt from them — nor any body of individuals—nor any be nevolent enterprise devised and prosecuted on a larger or smaller scale. 1® therefore nothing to be done? Are we to make no efforts for the alleviation of human wretch edness, because those efforts must partake of the infirmities of the individuals or as sociations that make them? Are we to abandon all hope of improvement, because we have seen no perfection under the sun ? We are persuaded that so far a3 the Christian community distinguish between the essential and incidental defects of Edu cation Societies, they will not regard the popular objections to those Institutions a* having much weight. We are not disposed however to dismiss the subject with this general remark, but to improve the oppor tunity to reply briefly to a short list of objections forwarded to us by a friend. Ist Objection. “The money is often bestowed on those who are not worth edu cating.” If this be a fact, it is an impeachment of the fidelity or good judgment of the Direc tors and their Agents, not of (hp system which they undertake to execute. Accor ding to the sixth article of the Constitution, “ no applicant shall be assisted—who shall not produce from serious and respectable characters, unequivocal testimonials of—\ promising talents;” and satisfactory dence is to be had by the Directors annu ally, that, “in point of genius, diligence and literary progress,the applicant is a pro per character to be continued on the foun dation of this sacred charity. Among the standing rules of the Board of Directors, it is made necessary that “ three or more serious and respectable persons, best ac quainted with the candidate (e. g. his minis ter, instructer, a magistrate, or some other principal man in the vicinity,) furnish une quivocal testimonials respecting—his tal ents,” &c. or if he be advanced to the sec ond stage of education—i. e. if he be a member of College, and more than 100 miles from Boston, he must have like testi monials to his “ promising talents” from ! the three Senior Officers; or if in the third : stage, i. e. a Graduate, he must have like, | testimonials from “ the Bishop, Episcopal! 1 standing committee, the Presbytery or As j sociation in whose vicinity he lives.” These are as strong safeguards against the misapplication of the Society’s funds, as the nature of the case will admit, and it would j seem, must be to every mind. If these regulations are ever dispensed with, it is only ia very special cases, of rare i occurrence. The Constitution evidently contemplates possible circumstances in 1 which it may be proper to rest satisfied j with less formal testimonials, and of course ! vests the Board Directors with some discre'- tionary power, as it ought to do—making ’ them at the same time responsible for the : use of it. It is presumed, and fairly we believe, j that three or more of the most “ serious and respectable inhabitants of a town, are able to testify, with regard to the talents of a young man of their acquaintance, and that their testimony may be relied upon. They could have ho inducement to recommend j him without knowing him ; ndr will their I station in society permit ys to doubt their 1 veracity. Instances may occur in which