In this field, long a field of painful interest, the Society has endured some of its severest trials, while it has gathered some of its sweetest fruits. In no part of the world has the Great Head of the Church granted a more abundant measure of success, among no people under heaven are the prospects brighter, and from no class of converts has the Society met with more cordial and effective co-operation, than from the now enfranchised population of the British Colonies. For many years the Society had but two or three lahourers in the West Indies; it now has twenty Missionaries, and will be happy to augment the number, to the extent required, should the Lord incline the hearts of his servants to enter the field.

With profound veneration the Directors would regard all the good accomplished, as displaying the finger of God; and while they desire to prosecute the work before them, strong only in the Lord, and in the power of his might, they would, in acknowledging the mercy which has distinguished the past, devoutly exclaim,-Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel, our Father, for ever and ever! Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty. Now, therefore, our God we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. Amen.

AN ODE,

Written, by request, for the Auniversary of the "Brainerd Missionary Society of La Fayette College," by Mrs. J. L. G.

LA FAYETTE COLLEGE stands in the "Forks of the Delaware," the consecrated spot where the Apostolic Brainerd, a Presbyterian Missionary, nearly a century ago, laboured for the conversion of the heathen by whom this place was then inhabited.

From the elevated mount on which the college stands, one of the loveliest landscapes in nature is visible. Spread out as upon a carpet, at the feet of the spectator lies the beautiful borough of Easton, with its turrets and spires, bounded on three sides by the rivers Delaware, Lehigh, and Bushkill, and away in the back ground noble mountains, covered with majestic forests, terminate the view.

On a mount, whose fair summit o'erlooked the dark wave i wodz
Of the Delaware, rolling majestic away

Where the Lehigh its tribute of bright waters gave,

And the Bushkill leaped forth like a child at its play.

Alone, in his sadness, a desolate sage,

Looked down on its scene through the mist of his tears;
Though furrowed, his brow was not furrowed by age-
Ah! many his sorrows, but few were his years.

And weary and far was the way he had trod-
And long had he laboured; alas, it was vain!
He led the dark sons of the forest to God,

But they had now turned to their idols again.†
He knelt in the depths of his agony there;

And bitter and sad were the tears that he shed,
As he poured forth his soul to the hearer of prayer;
That his Spirit might breathe on the desolate dead.‡

For the heathen he wept, for the heathen he prayed—
And a rapture of peace to his bosom was given;
While the finger of sleep on his eyelid was laid,

The veil of the future before him was riven-
And fair was the vision that rose on his sight;

And soft were the voices that whispering stole,
Like dew when it falls on the flowret at night,
Reviving they fell on a sorrowing soul.§

O then had some pitying angel been sent,
A messenger missioned to dry up his tears,
To show him the shade of each coming event,
And point him a way through the vista of years—
Had he seen on the spot by his sorrow bedewed,
This temple majestic in beauty arise;
And heard in the tenantless lone solitude,
Your anthems of glory ascend to the skies!

* Brainerd at this time was but 26 years of age.

Under date of "The Forks of the Delaware, July 21, 1774," Brainerd writes" towards night my burden respecting my work among the Indians began to increase much, and was aggravated by hearing sundry things which looked very discouraging, in particular, that they intended to meet together the next day for an idolatrous feast and dance."

On hearing of this idolatrous feast and dance, Brainerd says, "I was in such anguish, and pleaded with such earnestness and importunity, that when I arose from my knees, I felt extremely weak and overcome; I could scarcely walk straight; my joints were loosed; the sweat ran down my face and body, and nature seemed as if it would dissolve."

After his agony of soul, Brainerd says, "What I passed through was remarkable, and indeed inexpressible. All things here below vanished, and there appeared to be nothing of any considerable importance to me, but holiness of heart and life, and the conversion of the heathen 'to God. Indeed I had no notion of joy from this world; I cared not where or how I lived, or what hardships I went through, so that I could but gain souls to Christ. I continued in this frame all the evening and night. While I was asleep, I dreamed of these things; and when I waked, (as I frequently did,) the first thing I thought of was this great work of pleading for God against Satan"

Though little his joy to have known that you bear,
His name on the banner your faith has unfurled-
But, O, had he known you to be what you are-
The heralds of hope to a perishing world!
In holiest rapture, his soul at the sight,

Like Simeon's had longed to be rid of its clay;
Forgetful of earth in its boundless delight,

Would gladly have soared to its glory away. ›

On you rests his mantle-on you rests his name;
The forvour and hope of his spirit be yours;
Like his be your courage in glory or shame,

And faith in his Saviour your triumph secures !
Then Brainerds arise! 'tis that Saviour aloud
Commands you to gird on the conquering sword;
And fear not the hearts of the fierce and the proud,
Shall bow at the feet of your crucified Lord.

ON REVIVALS OF RELIGION..

ALL men by nature being dead in trespasses and sins, and the whole world utterly estranged from God, the Church of Christ could never have existed in the world, without the reviving agency of the Holy Spirit. Nothing less could overcome the opposition of man, subdue his prejudices, change his views, and renew his heart. Nor will the case ever be affected, by change of circumstances or length of time. From the decaying nature and general depravity of man, the same necessity must continue to exist, and the existence of the church can only be secured by the instrumentality of continued revivals. These must primarily, and in every case, depend upon God as the efficient cause. Yet such is the plan of the divine government, that God in the execution of his purposes, has ordinarily employed the agency of man. In all his dealings with his rational creatures, he has generally operated upon their feelings and interests, through the medium of human effort. And particularly in restoring the waste places in Zion, and rearing her broken down walls, a special providence has always wrought by the use of means. This being the fact, and the increase and prosperity of the church depending so much on the right use of them, as a secondary cause, it becomes us humbly to inquire, what are the means which God has ap pointed, with the promise that they shall be effectual, and to be unwearied in the use of them. I would preface the consi deration of this subject by saying, that certainly, no class of

individuals in the world, are so deeply interested in the consequences, or so awfully responsible for the results, as the ministers of the Gospel. To them the Lord of Zion has entrusted the interests of his kingdom; and honoured with the high commission of 'ambassadors,' has sent them to treat with his enemies, and to reconcile rebels to his government. On their skill in treating, and wisdom in the execution of measures much of their success must depend; and, perhaps, I may say without impropriety, that in exact proportion to their zeal and faithfulness, shall be the honour and glory of their celestial state.

The first great means of God's appointment, appears to be the preaching of the word. Go, said our ascending Jesus, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." But to accomplish the end proposed, the Gospel must be preached with power, preached in its purity, and in simplicity and faithfulness. Here is no room for compromise, -no neutral ground; the minister of Christ must feelingly and unhesitatingly "declare the whole counsel of God. The "wisdom of man," the maxims of philosophy, or the flowers of rhetoric, are here as unnecessary as useless. They may please, but cannot profit; they may increase the relish, but must poison the feast; and they may procure populartity for the minister, while they bring " shame and everlasting contempt," on his pleased but deluded people. And since the frequent recurrence of the most solemn duty has a tendency to weaken devout feeling in its discharge, may not the regular routine of pastoral duty, especially that of preaching the word, tend to extinguish the zeal and fervour of its perfor mance, and cause the holiest services of the sanctuary to degenerate into formality? How often do we see churches, once flourishing in the beauty of holiness, enjoying the continued refreshing of heavenly grace, and increasing by continual addition, having fallen under the influence of a cold and formal minister, blighted by his unhallowed service, and settling down under the withering power of formality, and a lukewarm spirit; affording neither strength nor consolation to the children of God, and presenting to the longing eye, only a parched and barren waste, where no verdure cheers the scene nor living waters flow. Such a minister, whatever qualifications he may possess beside, however pre-eminent his talents, had better be any where else than ministering in the temple of God. At the bar, on the stage, or in almost any other professional employment, he might be cold without crime,

and formal without guilt; but knowing the terrors of the law, and standing between avenging justice and a Saviour's love, to persuade men, his whole soul should glow with sacred ardour, and the most untiring zeal should animate and direct his efforts.

But his "zeal" must be "according to knowledge," strictly in accordance with the will of God as revealed in his word. Not that spurious zeal, which operating on the passions and cripling the exercise of reason, drives its blind votary headlong into the mists of fanaticism. Not of that loosereined character, which, disdaining those wholesome regula tions imposed by the counsel of consummate experience, sweeps away the landmarks of religion, and breaks over the ancient barriers that have so long defended the church against superstition and error.

Not of that self-wise kind, which wearing the garb of superior sanctity, and bearing in its van a set of novel measures, always graduates the zeal of others by its own scale, and can only live in an excitement of its own kindling. Ready, indeed, in the production of revivals of a certain character, yet alas! generally dividing the fold of Christ against itself, or banishing the faithful minister from his once affectionate people. But a holy zeal, originating in love to God and love to man; steady, calm, and judicious, and always under the exercise of reason. Scru pulous in the observance of established order, and a decent deportment; and regarding with reverence the sacred and peaceful character of the religion of Jesus, which sanctions neither division, nor innovation. Ever distinguished by humility and self-abasement, nor less attentive to the example of a meek and lowly Saviour, than ready if need be, "to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints." Such is the zeal, which must secure the favour of God, and the approbation of wise and devoted men, and which attending the faithful preaching of the word, is best calculated to revive the wastes of Zion, and to restore the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

A second means of promoting revivals, that has often been attended with the most blessed results, is fervent importunate prayer. It is true, that God at all times sees the desolations of his church, and knows all the wants of his people; yet he declares" For this will I be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them." This is a means, not at all confined in its use to the ministers of the Gospel, but in which all the children of God without distinction may participate. The