cerning the articles necessary to be used by the Family in general and appropriated to individuals. SECT. IV. Respecting Reports. A written report shall be submitted to the Family annually, and oftener if necessary, by each department, concerning its progress, and the state of its business. Overture for Peace. Thursday, May 17.-A person has called upon us, who has been in pursuit of stolen horses. He left the Osages at their encampments, about twenty miles beyond the village. He informs us, that Clamore requested him to go to Webber, one of the most influential Chiefs among the Cherokees, and inform him that he wished to have peace; that he did not wish to injure the white people, and that there were too many between the two nations for them to be at war; that he would keep his young men from fighting three months, and give the Cherokees time to conclude whether they would make peace or continue the war; that if they would send an agent, or properly authorized person, with a Chief, he would conclude a peace that would stand; that if, after that, any of the people of his village made depredations, he would be answerable; and that if any of the other villages committed depredations, he would assist the Cherokees in gaining satisfaction of those villages; but as he could not control the other villages, he did not want to be answerable for the damages which they might do. He said that he did not beg a peace, because he could send an army of 1500 warriors, and that if they saw fit to carry on the war, he should, on his part, carry it on with vigour. We hope this presages a speedy termination of war. This evening voted, 1. That Brother Spaulding be appointed to take charge of the storehouse. II. That Brethren Vaill, Spaulding, and Palmer, be appointed a Committee of Appraisal. III. That Brother Chapman and Sister Johnson be appointed to assist the Superintendent, in advising and adjudging, concerning the appropriation of the goods. Wednesday, May 23.-Brother Spaulding has had another attack of the intermittent, which has much reduced his strength. Thursday, May 24.-Passed the following votes: I. That we erect a frame building, 48 feet long by 20 feet in width, two stories high, with a piazza in front, a cellar, and cellar kitchen below. II. That we commence this building immediately. Our millwright, with Brother Redfield, have been engaged for several days past, in exploring the streams, to find a millseat. They have not yet found one, which will answer our purpose. After much consultation, we have, therefore, concluded to commence one of our permanent buildings without delay. Although it will cost us more, we must make use of a whipsaw for the present. Church established. The Family assembled this evening, to attend to the articles drawn up by the Committee for the Constitution of the Church. They were read and considered, and the Family concluded to meet again to-morrow, to decide whether they were such as met their approbation. Friday, May 25.-We have nearly enclosed seventeen acres more, and ploughed and planted about half with corn. The spring has been very backward for this country; and, until within a few weeks, the ground has been dry. We have planted as much ground as, by the most active exertions, we could prepare. It is a laborious work to fence the fields. The Family met again, and assented unanimously to the articles and covenant, as suitable for them to adopt in forming a Church. In this meeting, the sweetest harmony of feeling and sentiment has been manifested. We have concluded to set apart to-morrow for the purpose of forming ourselves into a Church, and of attending to suitable religious exercises, together with fasting. We have agreed, that it is our duty to suspend our business, and invite our hired men to observe the day with us. Saturday, May 26.-Spent the day in fasting and prayer, as proposed yesterday. Formed the Church, by solemnly professing our belief in the Articles of Christian Doctrine, and covenanting together. Two discourses were delivered on the relative duties of ministers and the people. As soon as the Church was formed, the lay brethren expressed their desire, in writing, that Brother Vaill and Brother Chapman should take the pastoral care of this Church, to which they agreed; promising to discharge the duties of Pas tors so long as God in his Providence First Administration of the Lord's Lord's Day, May 27.-United at the table of Christ, and received the symbols of his body and blood, of his sufferings and death, of his love and presence. The Transaction has brought Christ our Lord near to us, and made us realize more than ever his promise," Lo! I am with you." O, the delightful, precious season! May it strengthen us to future labours, and be a foretaste of greater joys to come. GREAT OSAGE Extract of a letter from Miss Woolley to her Mother. Mission Boats, Aug. 8, 1821. May the Lord direct my pen, and enable me to speak of his goodness; for truly his goodness and mercy have followed us all our way. He hath not dealt with us according to our iniquities, but in his great loving-kindness hath he watched over us for good. Most of the family enjoy comfortable health. Although a number are feeble, yet no raging fever burns their sickly frame. The most infirm are able to walk abroad; our spirits are good, and our prospects are flattering. We entered the Osage river on the 29th of June; and on the first of July, we met on one of its banks for Divine worship. Our Sanctuary, formed by the God of nature, was grand and sublime. We assembled under a large shelving rock, sufficiently extensive to shelter a thousand persons from the peltings of the storm, or to shadow them from the schorching rays of the sun. Here we MISSION. met with only one white family, the last we expect to see on our way to the Indian settlement. On the 2d of August, we arrived at Chateau's Establishment. Here, for the first time, we saw Osage Indians. We were politely received by Wah-ton-eyah, a warrior of distinction, who had been left here to give to the chiefs information of our arrival. When three of the brethren, who had gone forward, approached the Indian huts, this warrior marched out with an air which would not have disgraced royalty. He took the Missionaries by the hand, and bade them a cordial welcome. He then walked down to the river, and welcomed the whole family to the territory of his nation. At this place, we found many of the Osage Indians. Their appearance is most interesting. Their cleanliness much surprised us. We could not but love their children, some of whom were neatly dressed, while others were en tirely destitute of clothing. One of the Indians said he had two children, and he would send them to school, and when they became white-men, he would come and live with us, and be a whiteman too. In the course of the afternoon, we moved up the river about a mile. Wahtoneyah accompanied us, took a seat at our table, and conducted himself with propriety. On the 3d, we rested, while the brethren examined the land. On the 4th, we moved up the stream until we were arrested by the shoals. On the 6th, the brethren took a more extensive view of the land, and found a situation about four miles distant by land, and eight or ten by water, with which they are highly pleased. Some of the brethren are now employed in erecting a store-house on the scite just mentioned, while others are conveying goods thither in a skiff. Brothers Newton and Bright have gone to the Missouri river for horses, oxen, cows, &c. We are within 80 miles of Fort Osage, to which all letters for our family should in future be directed. The Osage chiefs and warriors have not yet returned from their summer's hunt. They are expected soon, and on their return a Council will be immediately held. Foreign Intelligence. SOUTH SEA ISLANDS, AND NEW SOUTH WALES. [Selected from the London Missionary Chronicle.] SOUTH SEA ISLANDS. Interesting communications have been recently received from New South Wales, Otaheite, &c. A letter from Mr. Henry Bicknell to Mr. Hudson, dated Taheite, May 22, 1820, came to hand a few days ago, with other letters of a later date. In the above letter, Mr. Bicknell states, that his health was then in an improved state, but that others of the Missionaries were very unwell, particularly Mr. Wilson. In relation to the state of the mission at Taheite, he writes in an encouraging manner; he says, "I have baptized 297 persons;" and, in the various stations he judged that about 2000 had been baptized. "We are living (says Mr. B. in a remote part of the island, for the sake of the mission, but there is work enough for ten missionaries. About 700 people attend at the chapel near our residence, and I preach to them four times a week; and when from home, at the other districts, more frequently. About 400 belong to the school, where I attend two days in the week, and 20 teachers are employed. Thus diligently was this good man, [the first individual, we believe, who offered his services to the Society] engaged; and it might have been hoped, from the improved state of his health' that his exertions would be long continued; but we are informed, by a letter from Port Jackson, that his labours are terminated, and that the Lord, whom he faithfully served, has been pleased to call him to his rest and reward. We are concerned to add, that another labourer, in the same part of the vineyard, Mr. Tessier, is no more in this world. He was advanced in years, and so feeble, that he could not travel, but was useful. Mr. Wilson, also, who has been an efficient labourer, was mentioned in Mr. Bicknell's letter as greatly reduced by illness, so that his recovery was deemed doubtful. We are now informed, that he thought it necessary to remove to Port Jackson, in hope of restoration. Mr. Darling, who had resided for a time at Eimeo, returned to Otaheite on the 22d of October, 1819, and settled at a new station (called Burder's Point) among the people of Atahura. A great alarm of war prevailed at that time, which, however, soon subsided, and a considerable number of the natives have settled near the spot. In a letter dated June 5, 1820, Mr. Darling says, "We have baptized 151 adults and 287 children. The work of the Lord is prospering among us, and many who were formerly thirsting for blood have become as meek as lambs. This is the Lord's doing, and it is wonderful in our eyes." "The people of Atahura consist of two principal divisions; we agreed to supply that at some distance from us every Sabbath; but this would not satisfy them; they determined to remove and live near us, that they might enjoy the means of instruction on the week days also. This they have done. Their principal chief has of late become very attentive, and we intend soon to baptize him. We think it necessary to make a selection of those who offer themselves, for were we to receive all who desire it, we might baptize all the people of Atahura next week. Those whom we baptize we consider as candidates for the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and we catechise them twice a week. The Gospel of Matthew has been printed at this station; the people received it with great eagerness, and mauy were much disappointed who could not obtain a copy." Several other letters from the South Sea Islands have come to hand, which we have not room for in the present Number. We have observed, with peculiar pleasure, the improvement in the outward condition of the people, and their progress in civilization. Several of them have finished very neat plastered dwelling houses, with doors and windows; and are boarding their bedrooms. They have also erected a very strong and capacious place of worship, 90 feet by 60; it is plastered within and without, and they are sawing boards for the floor. Considerable progress has also been made in cultivation; many acres around us are enclosed and stocked with food of various kinds. Useful tools, pit saws, &c. together with paper and writing utensils, are in great demand among them. The females especially are much improved in their habits and appearance. When they procure a few yards of foreign cloth, it is not, as formerly, carelessly bound round their waists, but made up into gowns, which gives them a much more decent appearance. Our sisters have, by every means in their power, contributed to their improvement; and they continually instruct them, in their own respective houses, in needlework; in which some have made considerable proficiency. We cannot conclude our report without testifying our gratitude to the Divine Author of all good, for the mercies we have received since the commencement of our mission here; and we earnestly entreat an interest in the prayers of all who long for the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom among men, that our feeble hands may be strengthened by the mighty God of Jacob, and we enabled, with a single eye to his glory, and a love for immortal souls, to hold on, till he shall call us from the fields of labour to the abodes of rest." Further Information. In a letter from one of the brethren at Huaheine, to a friend, dated June 1820, enclosing the preceding Report, he says, "Since that time (Dec. 1819) our missionary affairs have prospered greatly. Our people, I believe, have finished the best, neatest, and most commodious place of worship in all the islands, though there are several good ones at Tihiti and elsewhere. Our people may be divided into four classes. 1. Common hearers. Almost every one in the island may be included in this class; and our congregation at Tare Harbour, for many weeks past, has been on the Sabbath from 1400 to 1600, yet our chapel is not near full. 2. Those who are Candidates for Bap fism, and have tickets for admission to a weekly meeting, held every Thursday afternoon for conversation with them. Their number at present is about 570. The conduct and experience of these are carefully inquired into, that we may be able to ascertain who are qualified for Baptism and Church membership. 3. The baptized. We have baptized in all 55, including some children. 4. Those who have been admitted to the Lord's table, are, as yet, only 14; but most of the baptized are judged to be proper subjects for this ordinance also, and are intended for regular church membership; and probably about 30 more will shortly be baptized, as they desire it earnestly, and their profession and conduct are, in every Fespect, consistent. School. The School under my superintendence (says Mr. D.) has prospered greatly. It consists now of between 700 and 800, including children and adults; and there are now but few in the island who cannot read. NEW SOUTH WALES. Extract of a Letter from Mr. James Hayward, Missionary, dated Sydney, Feb. ruary 9, 1821. I WROTE you last from Bonavista, and informed you, if I mistake not, of our Captain's relinquishing the voyage, and proceeding thence to America, a circumstance which Mrs. Hayward and myself very much regretted. During the time we were together on board, he showed us kindness, and every mark On his of respect, and, for our comfort, every attention in his power. He took an affectionate farewell of us. quitting the Hope, the command devolved on our first officer. We left Bonavista on the 29th July, soon after which we had contrary winds, and found our vessel to be leaky. Aug. 12, we crossed the Equator, and stood for the island of Trinidada, where, I believe, the Captain intended to have touched, had the weather permitted. As we advanced to the South, where the vessel had more motion, we found she began more seriously to leak. The water in her hold rose at times nearly a foot in an hour, which employed the seamen night and day at the pump, and excited, in some, apprehensions of danger. The Captain, in consequence, was induced to steer for the island of Trisban da Cunha, and on the lee side thereof endeavoured for several hours to lie to, in order, if possible, to discover and secure the leak; in this, however, he failed, but found it soon after he sailed again. We had now the unpleasant prospect of having to make 160 degrees of longitude in a leaky condition, before a hope could be entertained of procuring the assistance we needed, as it was intended we should touch no where else until we arrived at New Holland Our little vessel, originally designed for speed only, of which we had no reason to complain, was heavy laden, and for a passage of such length, in the seas over which we had to sail, drew too great a depth of water. The consequence was, that when the weather was rough, heavy seas broke on board, and rolled from side to side on her decks in torrents, so that they were covered with water for weeks together. Thus, when the sea was boisterous, and the nights dark, and the idea of being far from port occurred to our minds, our situation on board became dismal and comfortless. We made the coast of New Holland on the 13th of October, and anchored in Sydney Cove, on the 23d. The first report of land was welcome news to all on board, but to none more so, I believe, than to myself, and my dear wife, who had, during a considerable part of the passage, from the use of bad water, and living principally on salt provisions, to which she had not been accustomed, suffered very severely in her health. Her strength and spirits became much reduced, and her mind, though naturally lively and cheerful, much depressed and dejected, so thar |