Newspaper Page Text
No. 36. ■— Vol. V.]
For the Missionary.
IjjpIESSRS. Editors— Alio tv me to propose
Sfljough the medium of your paper,
We following questions to your corres
pondent “ Arethusa,” who so strenuously
Contends that there is no distinction in the
intellectual powers of the two sexes.
&1. Were not the male and female sexes
by the Creator to fulfil different
. duties in the world ?
■I. 2. Are not these duties most clearly
Understood in Christian nations —and does
Sot the Bible gire to woman as elevated a
rank in the world as the God of oature
intended she should occupy ?
||| 3. Does the revealed will of God require
that women should neglect the duties of do
iiestick life, to become ministers at the al
Jar, philosophers, statesmen, or warriors ?
iSn the contrary, are not engagements in
§jjhese pursuits forbidden by the whole ten
|r of sacred writ ?
I 4. Would God, haring determined the
which a portion of his creature*
should occupy, nnd the duties they should
fulfil, give them talents adapted toother du
ties, entirely distinct, winch they could
■jiever bring into exercise without violating
*j!fin some cases the positive, and in others the
f implied prohibitions of his word ?
5. If women possess the same intellectu
al gifts as meD, why are they called the
I “ weaker vessel,” and forbidden by in-pira
'i tion from publickly expounding the law, or
| enforcing the doctrines of the gospel—and
p required “to learn of their husbands at
home?”
G. Does the whole course of history pro
duce a single instance in which women
have equalled men in any pursuit which
properly appertains to the male sex, par
ticularly where great powers of mind are
necessary ?
7. Have not a multitude of kings, both in
ancient and modern times, governed their
‘subjects with as much wisdom and discre
tion as the queen of Palmyra, though their
talents were not deemed of the first order ?
8. Can the poems of Sapho and Corrinna
compare with those of Homer and Virgil ?
9. Was not Elizabeth, the boasted sove
reign of England, surrounded by a conslel
laiion of experienced statesmen whose coun
sels she was, in a manner, n?cessitattd to
adopt; and Joes not the history of Russia in
the reign of Catharine 11. present the names
of many distinguished minister*, who enabled
their mistress to pursue the plans marked
out by Peter the Great—and of celebrated
generals who carried her arms victori
ously abroad, while she herself was indul
ging in thi most shameful voluptuousness
at home ?
10. Does history award to Catharine de
Medicis alone, the everlasting infamy of
devising the massacre of St. Bartholomew’s,
and are cunning and duplicity the neces
sary constituents of greatness ?
11. Are the talents of Jane Gray and
Elizabeth Smith estimated above those of
thousands of men who have occupied sta
tions of mere mediocrity in the
of letters ?
12. Have not a host of military adven
turers, which no man can number, made
more extensive conquests, ami achieved
greater victories, than either Semiramis or
Margaret ?—and were not thee boasted
heroines merely the nominal directresses
of their armies, while experienced officers
planned and directed the movements of
their forces ?
13. Are not greater advantages for the
acquirement of knowledge enjoyed by thou
sands of females in this country as well a*
Tn Europe, than were possessed by many ot
the most celebrated men wbo have exist
ed in the world ?
14. It women possess the same order of
intellect as men, among the numerous fe
male writers who are known to us, would
there not have been found &ne who had at
least equalled some of the most distinguished
male writers of the eighteenth century —
would not the world have known one fe
male who bad excelled either in poetry,
philosophy or painting dnring a period so
fruitful in works of genius ?
15. In the higher mathematical studies,
has there ever appeared one female com
petitor for rewards which men who pre
tend to nothing above mediocrity may not
justly claim ?
16. When or where has that woman iiv
THE MISSIONARY.
ed, who has made one valuable discovery
in any branch of science whatever ?
These, Messrs. Editors, are some of the
questions which occurred to my mind on
reading the communication of“ Arethusa
and which must be satisfactorily answered
before 1 shall become a convert to her doc
trine. I would oot be understood as con
sidering the education of females a matter
of no moment ; on the contrary I believe it
is of the first importance to society. But
I do not think it accords with duty or good
sense to lead them into the bewildering
paths of the higher sciences, where (if the
experience of three thousand years be a
criterion by which to judge) they can nev
er excel ; and even if they could, their
knowledge must be in a great degree use
less, unless they neglect the appropriate
duties of the sphere in which nature and
revelation equally require that they should
move. Let women be flattered with the
idea that studious application will make
thein Homers, Miltons, Shakespears, New
tons, Lockes, Addisons, Johnsons, Frank
lins and Wests, and your fashionable par
lours will be filled with manuscript Prin
eipia, Idlers, Spectators, Novels, Plays,
Romances, and rolls of daubed canvass, as
far out-numbering the creeping plagues of
Egypt,as these ministers of vengeance must
have exceeded in number the distinguished
■seamen who have flourished in the world.
This is not as idle or a3 extravagant a re
mailt as some may suppose. We have on
ly to glance over a catalogue of those
worksol fiction alone which women havesent
into the world, nnd consider what numbers
have been left unfinished, suppressed by
the advice of friends, or fallen still-born
from the press, to convince us that when
all our female readers shall he encoura
ged to become authoresses , this paper del
uge may one day be realized. We shall
have female politicians too, and the policy
of Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison
and Monroe, will be commented upon by
the fire side with as much zeal and pertina
city over a stocking or a cambrick handker
chief, (1 beg pardon—we shall not then he
troubled with the manufacture of these ar
ticles at Iwmc) —over the u Federalist,” or
a volume of Public!* Documents, as at an
editor’s desk, or on the floor of congress.
Let our females receive such an educa
tion as will make them moral and intelli
gent— and useful— Let them be
well instructed -in the principles of their
own language, and it they cannot be con
tent with one tongue , let them study such
dead and living languages as their oppor
tunities will admit. Let them be furnish
ed with useful book? on History, Biogra
phy, Poetry, Geography,&c.; hut with sub
jects the right comprehension of which re
quires the closest attention of the most
powerful minds, it is neither their province
nor their duty to engage. What very few
men have been able to reach, after years
of studious application, no woukid can he.
expected to attain ; and the time wasted
in making the experiment might have been
far more usefully employed.
Svphax.
a —* wmmmmmtmm ww ——
RELIGIOUS.
From the Southern Intelligencer.
SYNODICAL SOCIETY.
Fourth Annual Report of the. Board of Man
agers of the Missionary Society of the Sy
nod of South Carolina and Georgia , Jan.
1824
The Board of Managers present tbeir
fourth report to the Society with feelings
of enfc-Auragament from a review of the
past year, and with sentiments of gratitude
to the great head of the Church.
It will bp seen that every obstruction to
the complete success of our operations
among the Chickasaw Indians has been re
moved; and that the Mission at Monroe has
assumed the posture of a permanent estab
lishment. It will he seen too, that the
prudence and economy of the mission fami
ly have been such as to excite our highest
confidence in the very important concerns
entrusted to their management and care.
Many of the difficulties which we bad rea
son to apprehend have been entirely over
ruled to the benefit of the mission. “ Ev
en,” -ays the last report of the superinten
dauts, “even the painful necessity we have
been under, of restricting the number of
scholars has had a happy effect on our
school by promoting in the minds of the na
tives the belief that it is indeed a favour to
have their children instructed by us. The
result of (hi 4 persuasion has been a diligent
care on their part to induce the punctual
attendance of tbeir children, And when,
Os all the dispositions and habit/th?rh W °£’ ? nd preach <he Gos P el to e '’try creature.—Jesus Christ.
h h dto P°-'tical prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports.— Washington.
MOUNT ZION, (HANCOCK COUNTY, GEORGIA,) MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1824.
in consequence of the increase of our means,
it was announced that the school would be
enlarged from thirty to fifty pupils, the
number was almost immediately tilled up,
and many mote were anxiously waiting to
be admitted.”
‘•The spirit of civilization is evidently
advancing among the Chickasaws. They
are more and more convinced of the iaspor
tance of education: a conviction produced
not only by their intercourse with the
whites, but by the rapid improvement of
their children in the elements of a useful
education. They began to see the necessi
ty of a different mode of life from that
which they have hitherto pursued. Their
previous dependence for a subsistence has,
every year, become more precarious : and
the only alternative left, is to abandon the
pursuite of game, and to turn their atten
tion to the culture of the soil. Such a state
of things we consider peculiarly favoura
ble to tbeir civilization. It facilitates our
communication witb them, and gives us a
more full opportunity of intruding them in
the agricultural and mechanical arts.”
“ Ihe present session of the school,”
continues the report, “commenced on the
15 f h September. The children were punc
tual in their return and attendance. Four
new scholars were admitted and we shall
probably consent to receive as many more ;
although it exceeds the number to which
we were limited by the board of the Society.
The Lord, we trust, will provide the means
of supporting them. Indeed it is difficult to
resist their solicitations. Every sympathy
is excited when they visit us with their
children, and humbly and earnestly crave a
place for them in our family.”
At ihe sessions of the Society in Nov.
1822, it will be recollected that the expe
diency of appointing an ageot to visit the
station came tinder consideration : and it
was resolved to commission an agent for the
purpose, requiring of him a minute detail
of the state of things at the establishment.
The Rev. Hugh Dickson was selected for
this important service. He accepted the
appointment: and has furnished a report
to your board in every respect satisfactory
as it respects the execution of his own duty,
md gratifying in respect to the results of
his enquiries. The following extracts from
this report, it is presumed, will be accepta
ble to the Society.
“The Chickasaw nation is bounded on
the West by the Mississippi river, on the
North by the Tennessee, on the East by
the State of Alabama and the Tombeckbee
river, and on the South by the Choctaw
Country: and embraces a tract of land of
about 120 miles in length, ami nearly the
same in breadth. The population of the
Chickasaws is about 3,700 ; of this number
about 320 are under three years of age.
The resident whites and negroes swell the
whole ainount to upwards of 4000.”
“ The nation is divided into 4 districts;
over which are four hereditary princes,
viz: Samuel Leely, William M’Gilvray,
Tishomingo, and Arpansiubby. The whole
of these are under the direction of an hered
itary prince or king, Istaholopa, The suc
cession of these princes is in Ihe female line
of the family. Besides these officers, there
area Chief Counsellor and Speaker; and
for every district a chief warriour ; with
some other subordinate chiefs. These are
all elective.”
“ The Chickasaws are governed by laws
of their own,but almost all their regulations
are exceedingly defective. They have
however, passed an act against the intro
duction of ardent spirits into Hie nation,
which has produced a salutary restraint, and
rendered the vice of intoxication less fre
quent than formerly.”
“ Monroe is situated in the S. Vs. district
on an elevated spot of the dividing ridge
between the waters of the Tombeckbee
and Yazoo: about 30 miles VV. of tbe Cot
ton-Gio Port and 6 N. of the Chickasaw
agency: 2miles South ofM’lntoshville on
the Natchez traco, 65 N. W. of Columbus
and 108 S. W. ofFlorence. The houses at
the station are arranged ia two parallel
lines; bearing nearly S. E. and N. W.
about 60 yards in length. The area is
handsomely interspered witb trees of the
natural growth.”
“ The mission family is at present com
posed of the Rev. Messrs. Thomas C. Stu
art, Hugh Wilson and W. C Blair, Messrs.
Hamilton V. Turner and James Wilson.
Mrs. Susan C. Smart, Ethalinda Wilson.
Nancy Turner, Mary Ann Wilson, and Miss
Prudence Wilson—Betsy Norwood and Eli
za Jane Wilson, not considered as missiona
ries. Besides these, there are several hir
ed hands for the farm, and a few
belonging to Mr. Turner.”
“ The Farm encloses at present nearly
40 acres. The crop at the time of my visit
was promising : and together with the in
come derived from the mill will probably
furnish a sufficiency of grain for the ensuing
year. The soil is fertile: and if the mis
sion were sufficiently numerous to spare one
of tbe members for its exclusive cultivation,
instead of hiring daily laborers, much more
might be raised than has hitherto been
done.”
The Board are now making all tbe efforts
in their power to procure a practical farm
er for the station ; under whose instruction
the boys would acquire a more perfect
knowledge of agriculture.
On the subject of the school, Mr. Dick
son-reports—“ when a parent oi guardian
brings a child to the school he is given up
without any reserve to tbe management of
the Missionaries, to be continued at their
pleasure. If a boy, he is to be exercised
on the farm or in the workshop : If a girl,
she is to be engaged in the kitchen, or in
sewing or knittiog. Such is ihe confidence
reposed in the missionaries (bat they are
authorized to adopt whatever system of
discipline may appear to them most efficient
for the benefit ot those committed to their
care.”*
At an early hour in the morning the chil
dren are called from their couches. Twen
ty minutes are allotted to washing and dres
sing; after which they are summoned to
morning prayers; at the close of the ser
vice, the females repair to the place of
their employment: and the boys arrange
themselves according to their classes in the
dining room, where they await the calling
of the roll and the orders of the day. They
are iheo exercised until breakfast on thp
farm, or wherever their services may be
required. After breakfast a portion of
time is given to relaxation: at 9 o’clock
they are summoned to the school where
they remain engaged until 12 o’clock ; at
which time they are dismissed until dinner.
At 2 they are again collected in the school
room, where they remain until 5; when
the school i 4 dismissed, and the children
are employed fur n short time in such man
ual labour as it i? deemed npcessary to
teuch them. On Friday evening the school
is always dismissed, and the pupils directed
to be present at tbe religious duties of the
Sabbath.”
Such is a brief view of the routine in
which the ordinary duties of the mission are
discharged, so far as relates to the scholars.
With all this parents and children have
been fully satisfied: and neither have ex
pressed any degree of uneasiness, or have
offerea any complaint agaiust the arrange
ments of the mission. The mode of discip
line which has been adopted is one which
secures tbe attention of the scholars, whilp
it does not even wear the appearance of
coertion.
The progress of the children Rt school is
described by Mr. D. as uniformly encour
aging. Pleased with the occupation them
selves, they have by a rapid improve
ment amply repaid the labours of their
teacher. In epeakiog on this subject Mr.
D. observes: “Children of both ?exeß
who had not been at school more than four
or five months, but who could speak a little
English, with a great deal of readiness an
swered, in my hearing, upwards of seventy
questions on the first principles of Geo
graphy ; and these questions had been at
tended to by them only by way of amuse
ment.”
A gentleman who bad taken occasion to
visit the Monroe station in the course of his
journey through that country, in a letter to
the Corresponding Secretary, after speak
ing of his great satisfaction'in the order,
economy and harmony existing in the estab
lishment,concludes by saying “Could the
opposer of Indian improvement only wit
ness these interesting groups of Heathen
youth, in the school, the garden, the field,
the workshop—could he behold their pro
gress in improvement, in so short a period
—or could be hear them unitedly and har
moniously singing the prais.s of Jehovah,
contented and happy—hi? judgement would
be convinced of the value of missionary es
tablishments, and his heart, if it were softer
than adamant, would mingle with tbe sym
pathies of others on this very important
subject.”
The number of scholars under the care
of the Mission family was at the last advi
ces, fifty-four. It has been deempd advise
* The views of the natives on this subject may
be more fully se£o in tbe following extract from
one of tbe journals of tbe station :
“ Wednesday 12th. School commenced with
twenty scholars (after a vacation.) The rain fell
incessantly throughout the day, consequently few
of the parents attended. In the evening the
Chief, Mingustubee, (Seely) brought us a fine
looking boy. He visited the School and gave the
children an animated address, of which the fol
lowing is the substance:
“ Children—l am about to give you a talk,
which I desire you to remember. Although you
are children, you have minds, and can recollect
what you hear. lam not about to talk to you as
a stranger who has no interest in you ; but as a
father who is concerned for your welfare. You are
all my children, under my authority, and there
fore ought to obey me. Children, when I
was young I had no one .to teach me. Had I
then enjoyed the privileges you now enjoy, I
should not have been dependent on the Missiona
ries to teach my children. 1 should not have been
poor and ignorant. My advice to you is, that
you improve your opportunity. Try to learn.
Learn every thing that the Missionaries tell you,
that you may become wise and good as they are.
Do all they tell you as far as you cun, and do it
cheerfully. Avoid rudeness ; bad children must
be whipped to make them good. Good children
need no correction. You must stay at School.
Do not think that if you should ever run away
from school, or tell bad things <>f the Missionaries
to your parents that you will be belit ved. My
talk to your parents is, that if children ever run
away from School, they are bad. and must be
whipped. For myself, if my own boy do such
evil, 1 will whip him and bring him back tnyself.”
“We are gratified,” continued the journal,
‘ that the children who have returned have rather
improved than otherwise during tbeir ahsenee,”
[Price S3 50 per ann.
able for several important reasons to re
strict the number within this limit. Inde
pendently of the inconvenience attending a
larger Collection in one spot, it has been
found that less advantage is derived by the
pupils themselves, and that greater difficul
ty exists in preserving regularily of system
and order, which are indispensable to the
prosperity of the station. Oo the other
hand, the smallness of this number is a sub
ject of just regret with the societv, as well
as a matter of complaint with the natives,
whose eagerness to receive the benefits of
civilization very far anticipates the means
in our power.
To remedy this evil, the mission family
have warmly recommended the establish
ment ot one or two Local schools in popu
lous neighbourhoods, some short distance
Iron) Monroe, The reasons which they
have presented on this subject in favour of
such a measure are certainly satisfactory to
all who have considered them. In refer
ence to the expediency of this undertaking,
Mr. Dickson states in his report,—“ Two
such establishments, wi'h the one already
in operation, in twenty years,would, under
the smiles ot Providence, diffuse informa
tion into almost every wigwam in tbe na
tion.” The noard have examined this
question with all the care in their power.
I hpy have seen distinctly ‘that any lorruec
failures in attempting to civilize and Chris
tianize the aborigine 4 have arisen from a
radical delect in the plans adopted. That
part ot an Indian tribe which i* already ma
ture in years and in habits, are comparative
ly veiy little accessible to the mean* ot im
provement. A disposition to indolence,
which all have more or less contracted,
and an aversion to manual labour, or to the
care of agricultural pursuits, are not likely
to be removed by the arguments of the mis
sionary. St is the rising generation -.ho
are the hope of the philanthropist, and
whose principles and habits are in a feiv
year? to give u tone to the whole tribe.
And, excepting where tbe Gospel has
reached the hear! of the unlive, and crea
ted new desires and different views from
those instilled in early life, it has been seen
that the most powerful inducement to a
change in customs and manners has arisen
from the example of his offspring—industri
ous, intelligent and happy. The principles
in which these children are instiucted are
carried with them, to their parents; tbe
arts which they acquire, and the tone of
manners they receive, produce the most
favourable impression on the minds ofa pfo
ple who begin to make the discovery for
themselves, that, under present circumstan
ces, nothing less than civilization will save
them from a gradual but certain exter
mination. We believe that they will know
no teacher as successful, whether in the
necessary arts, or in the saving doctrines
of the Gospel, as their own offspring who
have been favoured with ihe example and
instructions of the mission family.
It must not, however, be understood that
the Board, either wholly despair of produ
cing some beneficial change among the older
natives, by the instrumentality of your
missionaries, or have neglected the neces
sary means for this purpose. On the con
trary, every possible pains are taken in the
intercourse of Ihe members of the mission
family with ihis people, to represent the
importance of cultivating the civilized arts,
as well as to explain to them the nature &
value of the Christian religion. The incon
venience which has arisen from the u?e of
an interpreter, and the very imperfect man
ner in which instruction is conveyed by so
indirect a way, has induced one of the
missionaries, by advice of the board, to ap
ply himself, as far as possible, to the study
of the Chickasaw language. In the course
of the past summer a church was regularly
organized at tbe station ; and a full oppor
tunity of religions improvement is now of
fered to the surrounding neighbourhood.
To these services a respectful attention is
constantly paid.—-And we can do no less
than confidently hope that ihe Great Head
of the church will register with favour the
prayers of his people, arising from the land
of Heathenish darkness. But notwithstand
ing these hopes, and the means which are
adopted for their accomplishment, our prin
cipal expectations must spring from the
rising generation, who in a few years beoce
are to succeed their fathers as beads of fam
ilies, and in turn as tfie strength of the na
tion.
Taking these things into careful consid
eration, the Board have resolved to direct
the superinteodant to commence the oper
ations of the local schools as early as con
venient.
The adoption of this measure will, it ia
true, subject the society to considerable
expense : but this is principally io the out
fit of the schools. After tbe erection of
necessary buildings,the annual income re
quired will be comparatively small—And if
our operations are ever to be extended be
yond their present limits, there is no lime
more proper for the undertaking than the
present.
The Board have to express their regret,
that the mission family continues so mall.
For some month* past unsual exertions have
been made to increase it* number of mem
hers. But these efforts have hitherto fail
ed, Those who are willing to derote them. 5