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tad all the motions of nations and of individ
ual* in subserviency to (he great design
for which he created and preserves them.
Hi eye has been ever filed on the day
whidh he has appointed to judge the world
in righteousness; and he has directed all
things towards that grand consummation of
the system of bis Providence, which shall
fix the unchangeable destiny of bis accoun
table creatures, vindicate the wisdom and
goodness of all his. t proceedings, and glori
ously iHustrate his justice and his mercy.
All-around us the preparations for this event
have been progressive. We Have seen in
fancy opening Its eyes upon the world and
commencing it* journey to eternity- We
have followed to the house appointed tor
all Jiving the coM remains of those who had
closed their earthly career and gone to
their last account. We have beheld artless
childhood, chaaging into -blooming youth,
the activity and beauty of youth giving
place to the vigor and grace of manhood,
and then again retiring before the frosts &
sorrows of age. Another column in the
page of oar history has been filled with the
record of our principles, oor feflings, our
plans, our resolutions, our self-reproach or
self complacency, our failures or successes,
our frailties, our follies, or our sins. God
has tried us by the dispensations nt bis pro
vidence and bis grace, and our passions
have been weakened or invigorated, our
habits have been formed or fixed, our char
Mtn hare We wore fiilly developed and
more strongly marked, oar whole prepara
tion for judgement has been progressing
as rapidly as our approaches to eternity.
Shall we opt to day seriously ask ourselves
whither we have been tending daring the
past year - ? Wbat is the nature of those
changes which it has wrought in our char
acters? What influence will it have upon
our last account ? What effect upon our
everlasting destinies? If that influence has
ieeD on the whole propitious, how might
it have been more benign? If it has been
unfriendly, how may the disastreus cone
quertces-which it threatens be averted ?
how may the traces it has left upon our
characters be erased—the gloom it has
spread over oor prospect*, be dissipa
ted ?
Such a review cannot-indeed alter any
. thing that has passed. It cannot recall one
moment we have wasted, or change one
feeling we have cherished, one word we
have uttered, one action we have performed
or blot out their record from the register#
of the Omniscient Judge:
“ Our days and hours and moments past,
Descending down to night,
Can thenceforth never more return
Back to the gate* of light
But Infinite goodness has spared us (o
begin anew year. He who bassommoned j
away myriad# of our fellow-men to th*-ir [
last account, still prolongs our term of pro i
bation and gives us time and space to make i
preparation for eternity. The year we!
‘have entered, will be as frailful in changes
39 that isiich has just closed. The same
‘Almighty being, will still conduct all the
ctKicerov of his vart-empire to thdir catas
trophe. Ooe and woollier of those who
are now,actors on the scenes of life will rr
tire and give place to the it successors. Os
ns it may be written in the decrees ol Ilea*-
en, 44 This year thou shall die.’’ This year,
like the last, will give experimental demon- j
stration of the instability of all earthly pos
sessions, the imperfection of all earthly en
joy meals. We may profit by the lesson*
of experience, we maybe encouraged by
our past successes, be made wise by our
failures, be reprovedand bumbled by our
errors.
ont of the darkest season of the
year that has gone by, light shall arise to
irradiate aior path through that we have
ju*t entered to guide us in the wav of duty,
and safety and consolatioo. If indeed a re
view of ournins teach ns our unworthiness;
If (be recollection of our frailty work in us
an'abiding and practical conviction of our
entire dependence; if a deep sense of our
guilt bring us low in genuine contrition at
the footstool of unmerited mercy ; if while
we meditate on the stupidity with which
the years that are gone have flitted by and
the momentous influence they have exert
rig on our everlasting destinies; if we see
in them an emblem of the rapid transition
ofthe few remaining years that separate os
srom eternity ; if the recollection rouse
every power of our souls to vigorous, per
severing and prayerful exertion: if listen
ing to the exhortation of the wisest of men,
44 whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it
with thy might, for there is no work, nor
device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, fn the,
grave whither thou art hastening if we
make our resolutions to be more penitent
and more holy with believing reliance on
the nil sufficient gVace of “ Him who loved
ns and gave him-elf for us;” if we begin
to day to carry Ihera into execution and
persevere ip a course of cheerful, univer
sal and constant obedience, then shall this
be to each one of us a Happy New Ydar,
a year to which we shall look back with
gratitude and joy through every year of our
subsequent lives, a year that shall be gild
ed with celestial brightness as we look back
to it from the dark valley of the shadow of
death ; a year that shall rise like a res
plendent column amid the dreariness of our
earthly pilgrimage, while we behold it
with songs and everlasting joy from amid
the Mount Zion of our Lord and Redeemer
ou high.
From the Recorder and Telegraph.
MEMOIR OF CATHARINE BROWN,
J) Christian, Indian ofthe Cherokee Nationt.
By Robert Anderson, A. M. Assistant See
retar y of the American Board of Cominis
sinners fir Foreign Missions. Boston. ’ 9.
T. Arrnstrong.
in w e tv-ilderuev, far from the abodes of
polished life, wa* born the infimt savage, (if
tftie term may fie applied to so lovely qa
dljject) whose name is here prefixed, about
the year 1800. The (all fotesl twes had
waved over the place of her nativity from
beyond the memory of her fathers ; and in
ail the traditions which had descended from
the remotest generations of men, there was
not one which made mention of. a Saviour,
or n atonement, or any *acred ordinance
ofthe Christian religion. All they knO’w of
God was comprehended in their fantastick
notions of the Great Spirit, the author of
the visible creation, whose character was,
in their conceptions, made up of the most
jarring and discordant elements imaginable.
With a language powerful and rich in epi
thets of imagination, they had no literature
nor books, nor schools, nor any thing intel
lectual. but what grows wild in the forest
of Ibe mind.
it was in such a condition, nearly, that the
Cherokees were found by the Missionaries
of the American BoarJ, when they com
menced their labours among them in ibe
spring of 1817. Catharine, now at theage
of 17 or 18 years, had already learned the.
English language in the family oi a Cher
okee friend, also the letters of the alpha
bet, and to read in words of one s\ liable.—
Through this twilight of intelligence she
was nble to discern the beauty and loveli
ness of a well-educated mind ; and no soon
er did she learn of the establishment ol a
school at Brainerd, than she besought her
parents to send her thither, though at the
distance of a hundred miles. Her request
was granted and she joined the school in
July, 1817.
Catharine was beautiful, modest, and pre
possessing in her demeanour. She was a
child of nature in its most attractive forms.
And yet it was easy to perceive that she
loved herself, her ornaments, and her dress.
So much so, that when she presented her
self for admission to the school, the mission
aries were apprehensive she would not con
sent to their regulations, particularly that
of requiring manual labour of the scholars.
Shn, however, made no objection ; and so
astonishing was her progress, after admis
#ion, that in sixty days she was able to read
intelligibly in the Bible, and in ninety days
could read a* well as most persons of com
mon education. Alter writing over three
*heets of paper, she could use the pen with
accuracy and neatness,even without a copy.
But a different train of thoughts were
about to occupy her mind. For some week*
she had been unusually serious—but on the
last Sabbath of Mr Cornelius’ preaching at
Brainerd, (Nov. 1817) her mind was deeply
affected, and she was constrained to seek in
earnest for an interest in the Saviour of
sinners, lo December followiog she cher
i*hed a hope that she had found acceptance
through hi* blood. She now became ex
tremely anxious for the salvation of her
brothers and sisters, the Cherokees.
44 She wept and prayed for them in se
cret places, a* well as in the company of
her female friends at their weekly pray
pr meetings. Among the rest, the -case
of her brother David, then on the Ar
kansass-river, was specially interesting.—
One morning, having retired to the neigh
bouring woods for devotion, she became so
deeply eugaged in prayer for this dear bro
ther, that the time passed insensibly, and
she remained in her sacred retreat till the
sun was near setting. She had been fa
voured with unusual nearness of access to
the thrrfne of her heavenly Father, and re
turned home with an humble confidence,
that he would fully answer her prayers.—
After David had gone to New England to
complete his education, having previously (
given satisfactory evidence of piety, she re
lated these facts to a confidential friend, and
said she wished to remember them with
gratitude.”
She was baptized Jan. 25tb, 1818, being
regarded as the first fruits of missionary la
bour among the Indians, under the direction
ofthe American Board Since then about
one hundred adult Chi ‘okees have receiv
ed the same ordinance, preparatory to ad
mission into the church. She was admitted
to full cooitnuDion March 29th of the same
year.
On the 20th November, Catharine was
removed from Brainerd by her father, Mr.
John Brown, who then purposed emigra
ting to the Arkansas without much delay.
This event was so overruled as to afford
joy to the very friends who were afflicted
by her departure, and no doubt also to the
angels of God, for to her removal maybe
clearly traced the formation of schools, and
the stated preaching of the word at Creek
Path, the place of her father’s residence ;
and likewiee the hopeful conversion of near
ly a|l the member* of the family—there
being no less than nine who give evidence
of piety.
To the no small satisfaction of her friends
at Brainerd, her father carried her back to
that place, May 1819, and committed her to
the care of the missionaries till her educa
tion should be completed. This change in
the intentions of her parents respecting her
she always ascribed to the special provi
deoce of Him that heareth prayer. After
about a year, it seemed to be her duty lo
go and lake charge of a school, about to be
commenced in her father’s neighbourhood,
and she could not hesitate. The following i
extract from her journal, was written the
day before she left Brainerd.
“ Brainerd , May 30, 1820 Tomorrow
morning 1 shall leave (bis school, perhaps
ocver to return. It is truly painful lo part
with my dear Chrialian friends, those with
whom 1 have spent many happy hours in
the house of worship. I must bid Ihem j
farewell. This is the place where I first;
became acquainted with the dear Saviour.
He now calls me to work in his vineyard,
and shall I, for the sake of my Christian
friend* and df my own pleasures, refuse to
go, while many-of my poor red brothers
and sisters afe perishing for lack of know,
ledge ?9, no. 1 will not refute to go. ,1
will go Wherever the Saviour calls me. I
know he will be on my right hand to grant
me ell the blessings that ( shall need, and
he will direct me how to instruct the dear
children who shall be committed to my
‘care.”
Catharine commenced her school with
about twenty achotnis, anti the number soon
increased. After couUnoing in it three
quarters of a year, much to the satisfaction
or her scholars, their parents aud the mis
sionaries, she relinquished it to tho ebarg*
of Mr. Potter, that she might herself be
able to prosecute sopae higher branches ot
study, in the hope of greater usefulness to’
her people.
But her course of life was almost run.—
From the time she left Brainerd. she seem
ed in general to think it so. Yet as her
times were in the -hand of God she felt it
her duty not o deprive herself of the mean*
of doing good, should her days be prolonged
heyoud her expectation. Early in the year
1323, the seeds of consumption began to
take deep root in her constitution, and the
scene of her departure seemed evidently to
be drawing near. Her greatest desire to
live was that she might teach her perishing
people the way of salvation. But 44 as she
approached nearer to eternity, her faith
evidently grew stronger, and she became
mure and more able cheerfully to resign,
ont only herself,but her pareots,her friends,
her people, her all, to the disposal ot the
Lord.”
About the middle of May she was attack,
ed by a hemorrhage from the lungs, and for
a few days was viewed as 00 Ibe borders ol
the grave. Mr. Bascotn’s journal ol the
19th contains the following paragraph :
44 l have rarely if ever seen a more love
ly object for the pencil than she appeared
to be on her dying bed. The natural mild
ness of her features seemed lighted with a
beam of of heaveoly hope, and her whole
aspect was that of a mature Christian, wait
ing with filial patience, the welcome sum
mons to the presence of her Lord.”
Mrs. Potter says — 44 Death was now dis,
armed of all his terrors. She could look
into the grave without alarm. She con
fessed ber sins with great meekness, and
mourned that she had not been more faith
ful in the service of God ; yet rejoiced to
resign her soul into the bauds of her Re
deemer.
44 Once, when l visited her, 9he affection
ately took my hand and said, 44 My dear sis
ter, I have been wishing to see y on for sev
eral days. I have thought a great deal of
you and Mr. potter. I love you much,but
am going to leave you. I think I shall not
live long. You have done much for me. I
tnaok you, and hope the Lord will reward
you. lam willing to die if it He the will of
God. I know that 1 have experienced his
love. 1 have no desire to live in this world
but to do good. But God can carry 00 bis
work without me. I hope you will contin
ue the meetings of females ; you must not
be discouraged. 1 thought when I should
gel to the Arkansas, I would form a society
among the females, like ours. But I shall
live lo get there. I feel for my dear
parents, but the Lord will take care of
them.”
44 At another interview, she said, 4 l feel
perfectly resigned to the will of God. I
know ha will do right with his children.—
I thank God that 1 am entirely ia his bands.
I feel willing to live or die as He thinks
best. My only wish is, that he may be
glorified. 1 hope should 1 ever recover, I
shall be more faithful in the cause of Christ
than I ever have been.’ ”
On the 23d,” says her physician, Dr.
Campbell, 44 she seemed to have the most
cheering evidence of her interest in the
Lord Jesus; Thus, she exclaimed, Now
lam ready to die. O how delightful is the
view of my Saviour ! How Happy shall I
be when I arrive at my Father’s house.”’
It being impossible for Dr. Campbell to
attend upon her at a distance of 40 or 50
miles from hi* residence, she was carried
on a litter, (being unable to ride in a car
riage) six miles to the Tennessee river,
then down (be river 40 miles io a boat, and
from thence about five miles in a litter to
Limestone, Alabama, the residence of Dr.
Campbell. Here, with every attention
which could possibly be afforded, she con
tinued to languish, with only such intervals
of apparent relief as are common in cases
of consumption. On the 13th of June, her
friend, Mrs. Potter, who had followed her
to Limestone, wrote a letter to Catharine’s
brother David, informing him of her ill
ness.
“ When about to close the letter, says
Mrs. Potter, I went to her bed-side and said,
4 Catharine; what shall i say to your broth
er for you?’
44 After a short panse, she replied, ‘ If
you will write, 1 will dictate a short let
ter.’
44 Then raising herself ia the bed, and
wiping away a tear that was falling Irom
her eye, she with a sweet smile, began to
relate what Gad bad done for her seal while
upon that sick bed.
44 To my partial eye, she was, at that
moment, an interesting spectacle, and I have
often wished, that her portrait could then
have been taken. Her countenance was
softened with the affectionate remembrance
of an endeared brother; her cheek was a
| little flushed with the exertion of speaking,
her eye beamed with spiritual joy, and a
| heavenly smile animated the wlicde scene.
! | shall never forget it, nor the word* she
i then wbispereJ in my ear.”
! We cannot withhold a brief extract of
• the letter which she dictated on this occa
jsioo.
44 1 have found, that it is good for me to
be afflicted. The Savionr i* very precious
,to me. I often enjoy his presence, |nd I
long to be where I cao enjoy it without sin.
| have indeed been brought verjf |ow, m.d
did,nut ekpeet to live until this time. But
! have had joy, such as I nevfereXperiencett
before. I longed to be ffone ; was ready to
die at any moment.
n 1 love you very much, and il would be
a great happiness to me to see you again
in this* world. Yet I don’t know that 1 shall.
God on I v knows. We must submit to bi*
will. We know, that if we never meet
-.gain in this world, the Lord has prepared
.1 place in his heavenly kingdom, where I
Hust we shall meet never to part. We
•aght to be thankful for what he has.done;
for us. If he*had not sent us the Gospel, j
we should have died without any knowledge j
.f the Saviour. * ,< .J- t i
44 I know lam his. He. has bought me ■
with his blood, and I do not wish to have |
any will but hi*. He i* good, and can do
nothing wrong. I trust, if he spares my
life, he will enable me to be tailhtol to his
cause. I have no desire to live In this
world, hut lo be engaged in hi* service.
The closing scene we give in the words
of the memoir :
44 Dr. Campbell now thought it his duty
to iulorm her parents and herself, that his
hopes, even of her partial recovery, were
gone.
44 Upon communicating this intelligence,
to her father, whoa little before had come
to Limestone, the good old man, after a sol
eum silence of several minutes, obset.ed,
44 The Lord has been good to give me such
a child, and he ha* a to lake her when
he thinks best. But though it is my duty
to give her up it is hard to part with her.”
44 Catharine received the notice without
manifesting the least alarm, only requesting
the Doctor to inform her how long she
might probably live.
On the morning es July 17tb, she was
supposed to have commenced her last ago
Dies, and Dr. Campbell was immediately
called to ber bedside.
44 1 found,” says he, 44 some appearance
of anxipty on bei- countenance, which was
the result of new sensations of bodily dis
tress, and not of any agilatioo of mind. A“
soon a* she could speak (far she was some
times speechless) extending her hand to me
she calmly observed, 4 I am gone.’
44 Some hours alter (hi*, when her dis
tress returned, and her respiration became
difficult and painful, she said in reference
to her sufferings, 44 What shall I do ?” I
inquired if, in this trying hour, she could
not confidently rely on her Saviour ? She
answered, Yes.
44 Through the day hrr mind was per
fectly tranquil, and though several times
when ber mother and friends were weeping
about her, the tear* would start into her
eyes, she would quickly suppress them.—
She seemed to spend most of her time in
prayer.
44 The night was one of considerable dis
tress, owing to her difficulty of breathing.
In the morning she looked toward the win
dow, and asked me if it was not day. 1 re
plied that it was. She then turned her
eyes toward heaven, and\an indescribable
placidnesß spread over her countenance.
44 Perhaps she thought that the next
morning she should behold, would be the
morning of the resurrection.
44 As death advanced, and the powers of
nature gave way, she frequently offered her
hand to the friends around her bed. Her
mother and sister weeping over her, she
looked steadily at the former for a short
time, filial love beaming from her eyes,and
then, shecloged them forever.
44 She expired without a groan ora strug
gle. Even those around her bed scarcely
knew (bat the last breath had left her, un
til I informed them she was gone.
44 Thos fell asleep this lovely saint, in
the arm 9 of her Saviour, a little past six o’-
clock, on thfe morning of Jolj 18, 1823.”
Effltß
MOUNT ZION, MONDAY, FFiB. 7, 1325.
Whenever an enterprise of any conside
rable magnitude is commenced, it is natu
ral for disinterested spectators to form some
conjecture with regard to its result. Their
opinions are formed principally from the
nature of the enterprise, and from the ex
perience and wisdom and resources of those
who are to conduct it. If it be a subject of
considerable interest, and on which a di
versity of opinion exists, every circum
stance will be noticed which has a tenden
cy to raise or sink it in the publick estima
tion. Thi* is emphatically true with res
pect to Domeßtick aud Foreign Missions.*—
Even those who have not thrown a mite
into the treasury that support* them—nor
lifted a finger for the advancement of the
cause, frequently inquire with a canting,
satirical sneer, Where is the fruit of their
labour ? And then gravely tell us, that mil
lion* have been expended for evangelizing,
the heathen, and all to no purpose. So
many changes have been rung upon this
theme, that it has become extremely
dull and uninteresting. Every objection
has been answered, and yet
44 They glean the blunted shafts that have recoil’d,
And aim them at the shield of Truth again.”
In spreading the Gospel of ‘Christ, time
btit especially the blessing of heaven is ne
cessary to give success to all efforts which
may be made. Such is the nature of the
undertaking that man is the honoured in
strument, but God will have the glory.
Another testimony to those which have
heretofore been given, that our Missiona
ries do not labour in vain, is the authentick
intelligence lately received from Ceylon.
Kev- Miron Winslow, missionary at that
place, slates that a work of the. spirit es
God ha* commenced in. the six missionary
stations on that island, principally in Ihe
‘schools, and eighty are
believed to hat# become tfaa sobjects of re.
generating grace. This intelligence aau*t
prove refreshing to those who have long
been engaged 1 in’ Ihe cans* of missions, Had
praying that God would fulfil his promise
with regard ti- the 44 isles of the sea.” Let
others 44 behold aqd wonder nhd despise,”
1 yet the Christian will not be ashamed to be
hieve that God will accomplish still greateV
thing* than these, and eventually can;e all
the nations of the earth to submit to the
authority of Christ, and acknowledge hi?
sway.
Revivals of Religion have lately commen
ced at Farming'on and Mercer (Me.) prin
cipally in the Methodist .denomination—ln
Blandford, (Mass.) among the Baptists—Al*
*0 in West Boylston, At Ashford; about
100 have become the subject* of Diviue
Grace. la Westford, (Vj.) considerable
additions have been made to the church.
In the county of Bertie, (N. C.) about COO
persons have been added t‘> the church by
baptism during the last Summer andlpaU.
In Middlesex couH'y, (V.) a work of grace
still continues. Forty eight persons have
been baptized, since last April. Intelligence
has also been received from Troy, (O.)
and from the Michigan Territory, that tite
3pirit of God is manifest in the. churches.
Catharine Brown.—To those who have
been in ahy degree conversant with thd
history of the Mission at Brainerd, Chero
kee Nation, the name of Catharine Mown
most be familiar. Her deep and ardent
piety, added to more than ordinary mental
powers, impressed a distinctive mark upon
her character, which willffong render her
memory dear to the Christian Church. So
interesting was her short bht useful career,
ihat a Memoir has been published embrac
ing the leading events of a life, the last
stages of which exemplified all the graces
of the most devoted, blameless and humble
follower of Christ. We h ive hot hail the
pleasure of seeing (his little work, but the
article given on the preceding page, con
vinces us that it is worthy of general circu
lation.
Who knows how many among the native
daughters of the forest, a* unnoticed and as
unthought of as was Catharine Brown be
fore she heard the glad tidings of salvation,
may yet be brought out of the darkness
which shrouds them, and exhibit such taste
and talents and piety as appear in the exam
ple before us.
44 Full many a gem of purest ray serene,
The dark unfathom’d caves of ocean bear ;
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste i|s fragrance on the desert air.”
Such examples as this should eocourage
the daughters of Zion to press forward in
the work in which many are engaged O,
how should they pity their sisters on whom
the lights of science and civilization and
Christianity have never sh v ne, when they
remember bow much they owe to the Gos
pel of Christ! Where thi* gospel i* un
known, how degraded and enslaved are the
female sex, and how elevated io all Chris
tian countries! This fact, if there were no
others; is sufficient to awaken them tuptill
greater exertioos for the advancement of
the Redeemer’s kingdom. f
General Intelligence.
Congress. —The Bill making an appropriation
for the continuance of the Cumberland Road,was
taken up in the House o*l the 17lh nit. and the
blank filled with the sum of $150,009, ayes 90,
nays 88. Mr. Clay advocated the bill with great
ability, in a speech of considerable, length. His
intention of addressing-the House being previ
ously known, the galleries were filled, and the
privileged seats and vacant places of the hall
crowded by ladies. Among the auditors were
Gen. La Fayette arid his sou.
The Bill has since passed. 1
The Bill authorizing a subscription Us $300,000
to the stock of the Delaware and Chesapeake
canal, has also passed the Ilopse.
The President communicated to Congress a
mass of documents relative to the effect produced
on our relations with Spain by the recognition of
South American Independence. These papers,
says the Intelligencer, show a state of considera
ble excitement on both sides, for the last two or
three years, between the American and Spanish
government;. The conduct of Mr. Anduaga, the
last Minister from Spain, was so offensive a to
hare been made the subject of representation so
his government, through Mr. Nelson, now at Ma
drid.
The Bill abolishing imprisonment fer debt was
rejected in Senate on the 17th, by a majority of
three votes. The objection was not to the prin
ciple, but to some of the provisions of the bill. 1
The bill for the relief of certain sufferers by the 1
destruction of property during the late war, par- j
ticularly on the Niagara frontier, which has long j
engrossed the attention of the House, has finally
passed by an unexpected majority of 64 votes.
A reward of S2OO has been offered by Oov.
Troup for the apprehension) of William Clark,
charged with the milder of Ridjfimond R. Watson,
in,Decatur county, on the,lßth lJecember last.
By oflicieV document* laid before Congress, it
appears that the number of Militia enrolled in the!
U. Staes, amount* so one million fifty-three thoiM
sand eevrp hundred and erghty-ievep men; foftj