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About The missionary. (Mt. Zion, Hancock County, Ga.) 1819-182? | View Entire Issue (Jan. 7, 1822)
of remembering the different parts of Scrip ture which I read. The king begged hard that I would stay till all the headmen should have time to arrive and hear. Toward night I was seized with a pain in the head, which prevented my going out again. March 10.—l continued very unwell most part of the day; but towards night was a little better. 1 took the opportunity of going to the king, to bear his final de termination, which he gave, assuring me that he should be glad to receive and afford protection to William Davis, to live as a teacher among them. He requested that I would leave him a book, to state what i had told him; with this I complied, and took down his answer iu a book for myself. There is abundant room for as many teachers as we can send them, and there appears a great disposition to receive them. March 11.—The king came early to see me, and bid me farewell. Soon after seven o’clock, we leit his town, on our way back, having repeated our mutual desire for the instruction of the Bassa conntry. It is stated in a New York paper of Au gust 20th, that the tract of land purchase ed by the American Agents is estimated at between thirty and forty miles square. It is situated on St. John’s River, about the 6th degree of North latitude. It is said to be healthy and fertile—lying high—and producing rice of an excellent quality, with all kinds of tropical grain and fruits, and very good coffee and tobacco. The water is go al, and the river furnishes the best fish and oysters. The purchase has been effected, it is said, on the most advantage ous terms; the cost, in America, of the annual supply of articles agfeed for in re turn For the land being about 300 dollars. We regret to state that the settlers have encountered another trial in the death of thp Rev. J. R. Andrus, and the return ot Mr. Bacon: “ Avery great loss, says Mr. Johnon, “humanly speaking, to the cause of Africa.’’ PERSIA.— Hexry Martyr. We are happy to hear that the spirit of inquiry excited by the beloved Martyn still exists. A gentleman recently returned from Persia states, that when conversing with the Moolahs at Shiraz about his death, they spake of him “ as too pure a spirit to stay here,” as ** a good man they say that they had proposed difficult questions to him, which at first he answer, though at last he answered them all, whilst he had proposed some questions to them selves, which they had never yet been able to answer. Ii appears that Martyn’s Per sian Testament is read secretly amongst them with great attention, but that a pub lirk perusal would be attended with danger. The gentleman to whom we are indebted this information,states that a Missionary the Jews, Armenians, or Ndzarines, .V \.Hbt be safely sent among them, but (bat |||!|c; mission to the Persians would not |!||||^m rated at present ;in fact, it was pro answer Mnrtyn's argunr nts with jraHHHife, and he was only saved by the in lnn of Ali Jafiier, who represented a traveller who was only there for a lime, and who blamed the Moolahs, BHH excited him to speak by their qnes- HSHpt. ‘ C/i. Guardian. r RELIGION AMONG SLAVES. Atmctra. From the London Methodist Magazine. Extracts from Mr. Hyde's Journal, dated Parham, May 7, 1321. Feb. 15, 1321. I havebeen preaching at Betty’s Hope, an estate belonging to Sir C. Codrington. The people were deeply attentive. The manager behaved with great politeness when l called upon him. wishing me great encouragement, and good success. He told me that Mr. Baxter used to preach oo the estate, and several of the fir-t Missionaries; aud added, “ Most of the slaves on (bis estate are in your Society, 1 believe ; and I am happy to say, that they are very exemplary. Avery great change,” he observed, “ has taken place in their conduct since they began to think for themselves, ar.d to act from religious prin ciple. We scarcely ever use the whip now,” said he, “ not once in a quarter. It itt not needful!” This is cause for gratitude, and encouragement to labour in this good woik. March 9. Wen! Ibis evening on Casma jor’s estate; and a; l had not been there before, l went first to see the manager, who received me with great kindness, and bore an excellent testimony to the effects of religion amongst his people, the greater par! of whom are members of your Socie ty. He observed, “ The sound of the whip is rarely heard on the estate, and we have very few offences. Os course they get a little out of the way at times, but 1 do not think there is a better gang of negroes in tbe country.” Then you think, said I, crimes have considerably decreased among them? “I am sure of it,” he replied. “We need only look at the old Journals on tbe esta'e, and compare them witfi the present ones, which I and my Lady were doing not long ago, when we discovered amongst oth er things, that the number of run-a-ways generally amounted to five or six a week, but now such a thing rarely occurs. In fact, we have bad but one instance since 1 have been on the estate, which is about five years, and that was a foolish little girl who did not know what she was doing.” I, ot course was much pleased, and went with additional spirit to visit the sick, and preach to the people on the nature, necessity, im- portance, and blessedoess of regeneration. I then gave tickets, and settled two dis putes; one between an adult negro and his aunt, lie, it appears, from some offence, had lately passed by her without speaking, but, “ hi* heart f |ell him dat no right before Godand, with tears running down his ■ cheeks, he confessed his unhappiness, and I wished to be made friends. I called for his I aunt, —talked to both,—they shook hands, I and departed perfectly at peace. The oth , er case was a negro young man, who had quarrelled with the young woman he had I engaged to marry, and was nowresolved, t although thfe banns had been ]4Mtshed, to r leave told him he iMst not; and ■ gave her He, s I ply with ifhat I stated to be rigW[ At last t I said, “ Wall then, you must qpv take I your own way ; ” At this he started: and I in a moment replied, “No, Massa, no, me I no take my own way. My way no good : Me take yours.” April 2. On my way home this evening, from St. John’s a gentleman related to me the following instance of God’s care for his people, and of the disposals of his sove reign will for their good; when every trace of his operations appears lost: A fe male domestick slave, in a very respecta ble situation, some years ago, was awaken ed under the ministry of a Methodist Mis sionary. She fell into deep distress, —tore i off her necklaces, rings and other gaudy decorations, and with all her soul forsook her sins, calling for mercy in the name of the Lord Jesus. She sought God with all her heart; and ever faithful to his promise, he was found of her. Her manner of life was now altered, and, to the carnal mind, gave offence; hatreil, ridicule, and suffer ing became her portion. On one occasion >be was charged with the crime of having a certain key in her pocket, (with which she had always been entrusted,) at the chapel when it was wanted, and was imme diately put down and flogged for it. It was the first time the whip had been put upon her. It wounded her sou!; she felt it keenly, and grieved over it; her daughter participating in her sorrow. They were now charged with the spirit of rebellion for daring to grieve, and the mother was doom ed to th o field. The gang, struck with as tonishment at seeing her brought there, rested upon their hoes to gaze at her. This was immediately called a signal for rebellion ; and a certain person rode off, full gallop, to inform the proprietor, who immediately sent out au order for the two rebels, (itae poor mother and daughter,) to be sent to town in heavy chains. The or der was executed'and they were sent from the Island to Santa Cruz , and sold. The afflicted mother had not been there long, before she was falsely charged with some other offence; but God was with her. Her language appears to have been, “ Though thou slay me, yet will I trust in thee.” God’s grace was sufficient for her; and in due time he appeared in her behalf. The charge was proved false. Her conduct se cured the love of her new mistress; and at; length the Lord disposed (he heart of her! mistress to make her and her daughter ’■ free. She has now returned in credit to the place from which she was exiled: she! is happy in the love of God, and comforta- j ble in her circumstances. The blessing; of the Lord seems to rest upon the family.! Blessed are the people whose God is the; Lord. ii April 3. Gave tickets this afternoon to the invalids on a neighboring estate. 1 was much struck with the expressions of gratitude for mercies received, and still en joyed from God, which flowed in abundance from a poor leprous negro woman, ivho, whilst she lifted op her hands, with her eyes and heart towards heaven, oshibited little more than stumps, her fingers having been slowly eaten oft by this shocking dis order. Preached in the evening at Sion hill to a full congregation, and married sev enteen couples. Had the following little anecdote related to me on my way home : The attorney of a large estate one day ask ed a pious slave “ What religion he follow ed?” “ The Methodists,” was the answer. “ I am sorry for that,” said the attorney; “ I had much rasher you had been of some other.” “ O Sir,” said the slave, “ 1 have been taught much good by going amongst lhe Methodists.” “Why, what have you been taught?” became the inquiry. “1 have been taught, Sir,” he replied, “to be sober , —to be honest , —to he industrious, to love God and Man.” “ Well, well,” said the attorney, “go on, William, go on ; you know the best.” MODERN GREECE. “ Fair Greece ! and relick of departed worth ! “ Immortal , tho’ no more ; tlio’ fallen,great /” At the present moment, when Modern Greece is the only portion of Europe where the sword is drawn, every thing- relating to the character and manners of her population cannot fail of arresting attention ; and the painful contrwt which the mind involuntarily draws between the present de gradation of that country, and her ancient great ness among the nations of the earth, awakens re flections upon the instability of human grandeur which should be as salutary- and lasting as they must be deep and impressive. From the London Courier. In the Annals of Travels , Geography , and History , a work published in numbers at Paris, we find a memoir on the different races which compose the population of Turkey, from the pen of a Greek. After giving an account of the Wallachi ans, Bulgarians, and Albanians, he proceeds to describe his own nation. He acknowl edges “that the Greeks have degenerated from their ancient glory, and that during a long course of ages they had added almost nothing to the stock of human knowledge. Their decline began during the domination of the Macedonians; it was accelerated during the sway of the Romans ; and was completed after the triumphs of Christiani ty under the reigns ofTheodocius and Jus tinian. Then philosophy was proscribed, and ancient models of taste neglected, and monastick subtleties usurped the place of reason and common sense. The irruptions i of the barbarians into Greet*) the victories i cf the Crusaders, and finally the conquest of the Turks, by reducing them to political slavery aud destroying the sources of their I wealth, compelled them to limit their exer- I lion to mere necessaries.” “ I shall be , among the foremost,” adds he, “ to repro i bate the conduct of ‘he Greeks, who, dur- I ing ten centuries, have been unable to ac qjpife their political emancipation; who ‘. were contented to he called Romans with ; out aiming at their ancient character or na > tional independence; who showed them -1 selves so feeble as to be invaded by, and > parcelled out among the Crusaders; and : who were at last unable to defend them selves against the Turks. When a nation, , from the nature of its territory, can imitate . the resistance of the Spaniards, it deserves i its slavery, if it submit to be enslaved. . But when by a singular concatenation of ! circumstances the conquest has been con summated ; when (he conquerors, becom ing more numerous than the vanquished, . hare obtained possession of fortified places and advantageous positions; when nothing remains to the conquered but to endure tyranny, or to be massacred in attempting to obtain independence ; in such a case, the : unfortunate people deserve, in my opinion, some indulgence, especially if they contin ue to labour in the improvement of their condition, in expectation of a happier futu rity. Such is the state of the modern Greeks.” The author proceeds to remark, that from the time in which the Turks were repulsed before Vienna, their power ceased to advance; and from that time be ing obliged to act upon the defensive, their subjects enjoyed a little more indulgence. From that era the commerce of the Greeks increased; books were multiplied; and schools were established at Constantinople, Smyrna, Janian, Voseopolis, and other Greek cities. Althongh the modern Greek bears a strong affinity to the ancient, it was found impracticable, on the revival of something like a national spirit, to return to the language of Xenophon and Demos thenes.—The modern language is indeed substantially the same as the ancient, and infinitely more nearly allied than the Latin is to the Italian; but they vary too consid erably for the onq.io be called a dialect of the other. About the beginning of the last century,an ecclesia?tick,who was after wards Bishop of Jerusalem, published at Paris the first Geography in the vulgar or modern Greek. The Archbishop of Athens afterwards published an Ecclesiastical His tory in the same language. The govern ment of the Venetian Republick evinced towards the unfortunate Greeks more in dulgence (ban that of any other European state: and accordingly in the Venetian dominions many of their most learned men took up their residence and published their works. The Greek printing press of Ven ice supplied for a longtime the whole of Greece; and we observe that most of the modern Greek books now dispersed over Europe bear the stamp of Venice. Unhap pily for the credit of Greek genius, most of them are translations. About the middle of the last century, a celebrated Greek school was established at Mount Athos, by Eugenius Bulgari, who was subsequently promoted to the archiepiscopal dignity by the empress Catharine. This able and learned man translated Virgil into Homeric verse ; but, as he preferred the ancient to the modern language for expressing his ideas, he rather retarded than promoted the literature of his country After this time there appeared numerous works on all subjects of education: books on grammar, on history, polemical divinity, &c. Subsequently, Vienna superseded Venice as the residence of learned Greeks, and the seat of Greek printing. Now we observe that a considerable number of Romaick works are publishing at Paris. Besides schools for teaching the higher branches of literature and science, established at Con stantinople, Janma, Smyrna, Cydonia, &c. great numbers of secondary and elementa ry schools have been erected in all parts of Greece. The learned Greeks who reside at Vienna, Paris, or other cities of the con tinent, form, by their translations of literary and philosophical works, and by the publi cation of their own acquirements, a kind of connecting link between the literati of Eu rope and their less improved brethren of the Turkish empire. They become, as it were, the conductors of the electrick fire of knowledge and genius. Our author cites the names of Corai, Eodrika, Koumas, Economas, Capetenaki, and several others, as, at present, able and successful labourers in the vineyard of Grecian literature: as promoters of education, and contributors to science and letters. Greek students are found in many of the universities both of Germany and Italy. Beside the schools es tablished in the different cities of Turkey, which we have before mentioned, a cele brated seat of learning, superintended by fourteen professors Hhs been erected in Chio, one of the Cyclades, and almost every island that And wields its little trident” in the Grecian Archipelago, is provided with some institution for education. In stead, therefore, of beiDg surprised that the Greeks are so backward in the race of improvement, we should be surprised that they have made so much progress, amid the vexations, insults and outrages of their Turkish masters. Nothing can belter evince the efforts which they have made, or display to greater advantage the spirit with which they are animated, than to com pare them with their masters or with the Albians, Arabs, and Other tribes who com i pose parts of the same empire, and who • are subject to the same oppressions. The author of the memoir, after stating these and many other facts, enters into a I well argued defence of his country against f the several charges of fanaticism, bigotry, ) &tc. that have been brought against them ; and thus concludes. “ The picture W Lityh 1 ! have drawn demonstrates that the >6refks i have not fallen so low as certain trit'ellcrs < have been pleased to aver ; and, bat, if placed in favourable circumstances,tmy are capable of rising to the rank of their meet tors. But, in addition to the do mestick obstacles which impede theirfcro gress, we must now mention the poliem of Christian Europe. The chief of a cine sa; government, who has now fallen, biffed to the Divan that it ought to double its da trust towards the Greeks. His counsel were superfluous for any thing short of th* total extermination of our race,it is difficult to inflict on any people a more calamitous lot than (hat to which our nation has been the prey for so many ages. It now pants after improvement, it now endeavours to find cousolation in the cultivation of letters. Europe ought to congratulate and assist, not calumniate us. Nothing about us evinces a barbarous people, or a race unworthy of a happier destiny. ANECDOTE Os the late Dr. Latkrop of West Springfield, related by himself. My steady aim in preaching has been to promote real religion in temper and prac tice, and to state and apply the doctrines of the Gospel in a manner best adapted to this end. Keeping this in view, have avoid- 1 ed unprofitable controversy. I have been careful not to awaken disputes,which were quietly asleep, and not to waste my own and hearer’s time by reproving imaginary faults, or indifferent customs. Among these 1 have reckoned the fashion of dress. I was once requested to preach against pre vailing fashions. A remote inhabitant of ihe parish, apparently in a serious frame, called upon me one day, and presseJ the necessity of bearing my testimony against this dangerous evil. I observed to him, that as my people were generally farmers, in middling circumstances, 1 did not think thpy took a lead in fashions ; if they follow ed them, it was at an humble distance, and rather to avoid singularity than to encour age extravagance ; that as long as people were in the habit of wearing clothes, they must have some fashion or other,and a fash ion that answered the ends of dress, and exceeded not the ability of the wearer, I considered as innocent, and not deserving reproof. To this he agreed ; but said, what grieved him was, to see people set their hearts so much on fashions. I conced ed that as modes of dress were trifles com pared with our eternal concerns, to set our hearts upon them must be a great sin ; but 1 advised him to consider, that to set our hearts against such trifles was the same sin, as to set our hearts upon them ; and as his fashion was different from those of his neigh bours, just in proportion as he set his heart against theirs, he set his heart upon his own. He was therefore doubly guilty of the very sin he imputed to others ; and I desired him to correct his own fault, which he could not but know, and to hope that his neighbours were less faulty than himself, and less faul ty than he had uncharitably supposed them to be. I could not but reflect how easily men deceive themselves, beholding the mote in their brother’s eye, and consider ing not the beam in their own. EXTRACT FROM BLAIR. “ Life is short : the poor pittance of 70 years is not worth being a villain for. What matters it if your neighbour lies interred in a splendid tomb ? sleep you with inno cence. Look behind you through the tracks of time, a vast dpsert of unnumber ed ages lies open in the retrospect : thro’ this desert have your forefathers jonrneyed on, until wearied with years and sorrows, they sunk from the walks of man. You must leave them where they fell, and you will goon a little further, where you will find eternal rest. Whatever you may en counter between the cradle and the grave, be not dismayed. The universe is in end less motion ; every moment big with innu merable events, which come not in slow succession, bursting forcibly from a revol ving and unknown cause, fly over this orb with diversified influence.” METHODISTS. At a late conference of the Wesleyan Methodists, it appeared that there are of that society in Great Britain, 200,354; in Ireland, 23,538 ; in Foreign Missions, 28,- 678, making a total 0f252,570. The num ber under the American conferences amounts to 256,881 ; so that the total Meth odists throughout the world, exclusive of travelling preachers, amounts to 509,451. They have increased this year 20,330, viz. in America, 15,957, Great Britain 9,137 ; Missionary stations, 1,238. They have de creased this year 262 in Ireland. From the Emporium. “MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS.” The maxims impressed upon the mind at an early age are those which remain with us the longest, and this was the first I ever learned; for my old schoolmaster had it hung up, as large as life, between two nails, on one of which was suspended “ Rules of the School,” and on the other, the umpire to whose decision every disputed matter of’ right and wrong, between master and pupil, was referred—an ample and trusty hickory. The disposition to meddle in the affairs of others was one of the faults most fre quently chastised, and mo3t obstinately per sisted in, at that early age; but I have since found that the same disposition predomin ates to a great extent, over children of a larger growth, and that regardless even of chastisement, men and women too, full of ten clap their fingers into other people’s fires instead of taking care of their own. If a neighbour has a law-suit, how often do we see his friends and acquaintance,with the whole “ rag tag and bobtail” of the street, turn out from behind their counters. * f> W- | leave their hammers cn the anvil, or their ipudes in the ditch, to go up to the court to help pronounce judgment in tlie case ; and that, ten chances to one, while customers and employers are waiting to be served, apparently unconscious that they are throwing away time, worth, perhaps, as much to them as would pay the costs of a prosecution, or defray the amount of a moderate judgment. These were not taught at school to “ mind their own busi ness,” and 1 pity them. Didyouever go to an election ? Ifyou did you have seen a fine specimen of this among peopie to interfere with patters that do not concern them. Tom, sick and Harry were there, whose only lkshiess it is, after voting, to look on and set what others are Bbout, and they stick to th laudable business until the polls are closed and the votes counted, though half of them have families dependent on their dai ly exertions for bread to eat. \ 1 have seen the husband go on such eri rands as these, 100, while the good woman'll of the house .walked out to a tea party, to * talk over the affairs of the neighbourhood, and regulate in the Assembly of the ma trons the domestick affairs of families that happened to have no representatives in at tendance. I have known individuals to make bad matches for young persons, and break good ones that were well nigh made'. I have known report blast the fairest cha racters ; and whispered scandals stigmatize good reputations. I have seen property sacrificed, and jails filled with insolvent debtors'—wives ruined, and children beg-V gared—the foundations of virtue sapped, * and religion scoffed at—aoimosities kindled and revenges taken. I have seen all that is hateful in passion—malignant in bitter ness—ruinous in misfortune, and wretched in poverty, engendered—and all for tne want of the wisdom that says to every man —“ mind your own business.” Do, Messrs, Printers, endeavour to per suade your readers that this is a fault too prevalent in our day. Oakwood. THE MISSIONARY. MOUNT ZION, MONDAY, JANUARY 7. The commencement of anew year is a subject that has generally employed tbe pen of the moralist and the philosopher. It is then considered a suitable time to mark out the line of our future conduct, to cir cumscribe within proper limits our passions and our desires, to originate plans of moral improvement, and to prosecute with renew ed zeal, whatever, in our best judgment,, will tend most effectually to promote the glory of God and the good of the communi ty. An impenetrable veil hangs over the future. Before this year closes, most per sons will unquestionably witness scenes, and experience changes which the wisest forecast could never anticipate. The sun will rise and set; the moon will wax and wane, and the planets will revolve in their respective orbits—but man knoweth not his time. The clouds may gather blackness, the storm may beat upon our fragile bark, a wave may be our winding sheet, our grave a billow :—or, to drop the figure, all our prospects and all our plans may be con signed to the tomb with ourselves, before the year on which we have entered shall expire. Some, however, may ba-k in the sunshine of prosperity, and close the year with the smiles of a benignant Providence. But whatever may await us, the object which demands our attention is the first requisition of Heaven. Is this, think you, to enlarge the bounds, of your habitation, j amass corruptible treasures, and live re-1 gardless of every other interest than younf own? Will this answer the purpose of yous creation, and furnish you a passport to tlw temple of God—to that House, not maS with hands, eternal in the Heavens ? Os no! Be not deceived. As rational and countable creatures—as stewards of manifold mercies of God, we must all a der to the great King and Head of ft Church, some more acceptable accil than this, of the talent committed tolr charge. “ All are but parts of one stiijfi” dous whole.” He who possesses the&t influence fills a niche in eocietj, and Jft never to consider himself as exemptjpi the obligation he owes to himself, his fi>+- men, and his God. p* Perhaps it may be profitable to jk<a retrospective view of the past, in oif ft® regulate our conduct for the future.’Tie picture is shaded with crime, but s in i contemplate it with profit. Let usirlo T the court of Heath, and behold its There we can see War, followed iftti lence and Famine. Envy, Jealoif, ud Revenge, stand as prominent chlictlp, attended by Intrigue, Violence anlD#*’ tation. But Intemperance, thoug|sl( in its operations, eventually drags tofhcttal altar the greatest number of ier contemplating the court of Deal & its . ministers, it may be profitable tolesiipe with an impartial aud ttie motives which have actuated oildiiCt, • the passions by which we have Lecou trolled, the course which we hfc qwu ed, am£ compare the whole wi f uner ring standard. Have we left wiit^in*
