Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

| whole exhibit, in a forcible and ftriking point of light, the futility and danger of new theories: The impoffibility of enjoying liberty, civil or religious, without morality: That no truft can be put in rulers nor fubjects, who have no moral principles: That America fhould afcribe all glory to the Supreme Ruler, that her revolution terminated more favorably than that of France, and those of other countries. Who maketh thee to differ from another? And what

mediate, or fpeedy commencement of a millenium of liberty and religion, knew of the times or feafons which the Father hath put in his own power; and what prayerfulness, caution and modesty become thofe who attempt an explanation of the divine predictions.

the reign and violence of the Jacobins; and that it would give fuch a check to the atheism and infidelity of illuminatifm, as could have been effected by no other means. He may have forefeen that popery in its prefent debilitated and dependent ftate, with the establishment of a toleration for proteftants, might better serve to prevent a total forgetfulnefs and abolition of the Lord's day, and of the word and ordinances; and to preferve and protect a remnant of the holy feed, through exten-hast thou that thou didst not receive? dive countries, than to have left They alfo fhow how little our mothem without any religious eftab-dern feers, who predicted the imlifhment. But be thefe as they may, that the Lord hath effected these events, should command our perfect fubmiflion; and while we ery like the fouls under the altar, How long, O Lord, holy and true, doft thou not judge, &c. it fhould improve our patience, and awaken us to greater importunity and fervency in prayer, that the fet time to favor Zion might come on. There is really no occafion for difcouragement, nothing to diminish our hope, or check our zeal, in the events which we have been contemplating For although Roman Catholicifm has been once more eftablished, after it seemed to have been nearly abolished, yet the pope and his clergy have fuffered a wonderful diminution of their wealth and influence, and are wholly dependent on the will of another both for their existence and fupport. On the whole the man of fin is greatly fallen. The weak and distracted ftate of the Turkish empire portends its approaching fall. So that both thofe capital enemies to the Sa viour and his people, are evidently progreffing to perdition.

The events in Europe, on the

While Europe hath generally repofed in the arms of peace, war hath hung out her bloody flag, and raged with uncommon violence and deftruction in the WeftIndies. Efpecially, St. Domingo and Guadaloupe have exhibited fcenes deeply humiliating and afflictive to the benevolent mind. We have feen a formidable fleet with between thirty and forty thousand veterans, employing all their skill and prowess to conquer and destroy the miferable inhabitants of those islands. On the other hand, we have seen the inhabitants, in their own defence, and to avenge themselves on their invaders, maffacreing the white people, burning their towns and plantations, and laying waste every thing before them. In their turn, we view the French, in many hard fought battles and fkirmishes, killing and captivating thousands of

In America, the events of the paft year have been peculiarly merciful. Peace, general health and plenty have pervaded our country. Our diftinguishing privileges, civil and religious, have been continued to us, notwithftanding our unprofitableness, ingratitude, and other numerous and aggravated provocations. In New-England the bleffings of the gospel have been moft amply enjoyed. In no part of the world is the gofpel more generally or more faithfully preached, nor the ordinances more conftantly and folemnly administered.* The ftate of literature and civilization has been flattering. Our colleges, academies and schools were never better endowed, better regulated, nor more flourishing.

them. Others we fee them hang-erence and wonder of the divine ing, and fhooting in a moft wan- foreknowledge? And not receive ton and extraordinary manner. irrefiftible conviction, that the In their victorious career, we fee fcriptures, whose antient predicthe hand of heaven. interpofing; tions are thus punctually fulfilled, and by the peftilence, in a won- are indeed a divine word? derful manner, mowing down their generals, captains, and mighty men, like the grafs of the field; and fo animating the blacks that they have driven them from the field, obliged them to take refuge in their fortifications, if not wholly to abandon the principal island; and they have fo harraffed and preffed them on the other, that they have with great difficulty been able to maintain their ground. Not less than thirty thoufand lives have, probably, been loft in this bloody conteft. Can we contemplate how the former French inhabitants were plundered, murdered, and driven from the WeftIndies, by their own flaves and natural children, the fruit of their debaucheries, and the deAruction and diftrefs of the French armies, and not be ftruck with ftrong conviction, that the Almighty is awfully teftifying his displeasure againft their wicked-necticut, the divine fmiles have in nefs, and avenging their fins, in enflaving and oppreffing their fellow men! Do they not teach what all men of this character may reasonably expect from his avenging hand? Who can read thofe antient predictions, uttered between four and five thousand years ago, Curfed be Canaan, a fervant of fervants fball he be unto his breth

ren.

On the feveral miffionary focieties, inftituted within a few years paft, in Maffachufetts and Con

a peculiar manner refted even from their commencement. They have fent a confiderable number of miffionaries into the new and vacant fettlements in the northern, weftern and eastern borders of the United States. They have preached the gofpel through a valt extent of country; in the wilderness

• In Maffachusetts and Connecticut

God fball enlarge Japhet, and he shall dwell in the tents of there are more than feven hundred reShem; and Canaan fhall be his fer- gular churches; and between fix and vant;† and view the enslaved con- feven hundred ordained minifters, befides candidates. In the other parts of dition of fo many hundred thou- New-England there may be nearly fands of his pofterity in the Weft-two hundred more, nearly a paftor to Indies, and not be filled with rev- every thousand fouls. Including the Epifcopalian and Baptift paftors, there are more than one to every thousand.

Gen. ix. 25, 27.

eral bleffings, but hath enjoyed
fome which challenge our particular
notice and thanksgiving. The
lives and usefulness of our gov-
ernor and lieutenant-governor have
been preferved; and among the
gentlemen of the council, our fen-
ators and reprefentatives in Con-
grefs, and the judges of our fupe-
rior court, there hath not been an
inftance of death. Among about
two hundred clergymen, fome of
whom are far advanced in life, one
only hath refted from his labors
the
year paft.*

they have gathered many churches,, and won many new fubjects to the divine Saviour. They have gladdened the hearts of many thoufands, and caufed many thankfgivings to redound to the Father of all mercies. In the past year thefe focieties have been able to employ a greater number of miffionaries, than in any preceding year; and the gofpel has been more extenfively, and more abundantly preached in the vacant fettlements; and the overtures of mercy have been made to the heathen. These focieties have more God has been pleased in a most and more attracted the attention gracious and fingular manner to of good people; and through vifit our college. In a few months, their liberality, their funds have about feventy of the students were been conftantly increafing. Both brought hopefully to know themin Europe and America, the mif- felves and their Saviour; and in the fionary fpirit is kept up, and the courfe of the year, publicly joined zeal and exertions of the miffiona- themselves, incovenant to the Lord. ry focietiesare not abated. Thro' There are now about two hundred their means the gofpel is fent into forty-four ftudents in College, of the four quarters of the globe, and whom together with tutors and preached to the most poor, ftupid refident graduates fixty or more and miferable people. Never fince are profeffors of religion. They the apoftolic age have there been meet twice in every week to give fuch exertions to diffuse Christian praise to their common Saviour, to knowledge, and to fpread the fing forth the honors of redeeming kingdom of Jefus through the love, to warm each other's hearts, whole earth. In fome few inftan- and ftrengthen each other's pious ces the arm of the Lord hath been refolutions, by ipeaking often one revealed, and the gospel hath ap- to another; and to fupplicate the peared indeed to be the power of divine bleffing on themselves, their God and the wifdom of God un- inftructors, fellow-ftudents and the to falvation. The peaceable and Ifrael of God. O happy Yale! holy walking of the numerous thus vifited and bleffed of God! converts, who in preceding years Happy prefident and tutors in the have made a profeffion of Chrif- fuccefs of your labors, in your aptianity, hath given ftrength and pointment to inftruct fo many of beauty to our churches, and af. the fons of God, to witnefs their forded evidence of the genuinenefs piety and dutiful conduct, and enof that blessed work, with which joy their prayers! Will not this it hath pleased God to vifit them. awaken all your hearts to praife, Thefe are bleffings of the paft and call into exertion all the eneryear which demand univerfal praife.gies of your fouls, to advance the With refpect to Connecticut in divine glory and the good of men? particular, the ftate has not only The Rev. Mr. Potwine, inthe 724 had the ampleft fhare in thefe gen-year of his age.

[ocr errors]

a dry place, as the fhadow of a great rock in a weary land? What a joyful event is such a re

the fuccefs of the petition of the Another happy occurrence is Miffionary Society of Connecticut, praying the legislature to incorpo them to receive and hold monies rate the board of trustees, enabling to a refpectable amount, for the purpose of diffufing Chriftian knowledge in the new fettlements, and of communicating the glad tidings of falvation to the wild men of the American forefts. In confequence of which they have been vefted with ample powers for carrying into execution those charitable and noble designs.

Bleffed youth who are taught of God, to whom he hath given fuch inftructors, and fuch opportunities with each other! Will ye not con-vival at the feat of literature? It fider, that ye are not your own? is not only of the highest confes That ye are bought with a price? quence to that, but to thechurch And therefore glorify God in your and commonwealth. The founbody, and in your fpirit, which are tain having been purified the ftreams God's? Will ye not ftrive by will be pure, making glad the city prayer, by conversation and ex- of our God. ample, by all means in your pow er to perfuade all your fellow-ftudents to become travellers with you to the heavenly Zion? Hath God caft fuch falt into the fountain, and will any refuse to be feafoned? Have fo many been taken, and will not others fear and tremble left they should be left? Will not they, after enjoying such a seafon of grace, after witneffing fuch evidence of the truth and power of religion, and fuch examples of piety and holy living, be without all excufe? How can they efcape, if they neglect the great falvation? O ye unhappy youth, who have yet refused to return to your Father, look forward to that day, when the master of the house shall rife up and shut the door against all who work iniquity, and confider how ye can bear to fee Abraham and Ifaac and Jacob, and all the prophets, and your pious fellow-ftudents in the kingdom of heaven and you yourselves fhut out! Will there not then be among you wailing and gnafhing of teeth? May not the door foon be fhut, the harveft foon be paft and the fummer ended? And may not you foon join the lamentations of thofe who have not been faved? Is there a moment to be loft? Will ye not fly, without delay, to the mighty Saviour, that he may be to you an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempeft? As rivers of water in

pal events of the past year, of genThese are some of the princieral concern, which challenge our notice, and correfpondent exercifes of heart, on the commenceare numerous others of a more priment of this new year. There vate nature which demand the par ticulur notice of families and individuals. While fome have enjoyed a year of uninterrupted health, others have been vifited with fore ficknefs, and been recovered from hath been their helper. He hath the fides of the pit. The Lord turned for them their mourning into dancing: He hath put off their fackcloth and girded them with gladnefs to the end that their glory might fing praise to him, and not be filent. Will not ye give thanks unto him for ever? Shall not this be your study and language, What

* Pfalm xxx. 10, 11, 12.

Aball I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me ?+ Bless the Lord, O my foul, and forget not all his benefits. Who healeth all thy difeafes. Who redeemeth thy life from deftruction. Who fatisfieth thy mouth with good thy youth is renewed like the eagles. In contemplation of all our national, public and private, domeftic and perfonal enjoyments; all the divine goodness the year paft to us, to the church of God and to the world, how fhould every heart warm with love and expand with gratitude, and every tongue fhout the praises of the Lord? How fhould our citizens break forth into finging? The inhabitants of the villages and of the rock fing aloud and fhout for joy? O let religious gladnefs, thanksgiving and praife pervade the nation! Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee! O may our time, our talents and all our opportunities be confecrated to his fervice and glory!

But fome perhaps will be ready to object, Our pleasant babes, our fons and daughters are mouldering in the duft, our brethren and filters are no more, we have been bereaved of the defire of our eyes, or we have been written widows, and our children fatherlefs in the carth. God hath written bitter things in judgment against us the year past. We are covered with fackcloth, our tears are upon our cheeks, and we have hung our harps upon the willows. How can we join the general joy and fhout our praises to the Lord? With all fuch mourners we mingle our tears of condolence. They awake the tenderet fympathy of

† Pfalm exvi. 12. Pfalm ciii. 2, 3,

4. 5.

our hearts.

We wish to help

them with our prayers, and by exhibiting to them the instructions and confolations of the gospel. Hath not the Lord given, as well as taken away, and is there not occafion to blefs his name? Is he not as glorious and worthy to be praifed as though he had never afflicted his finful creatures? If fome mercies are removed do not thoufands remain? Do not thefe challenge our praife? Is it not good for the Chriftian to be afficted? Is not the fruit of all to take away his fin? Are not life and death, things prefent and things to come his inheritance ? Is it not certain that while he forroweth after a godly manner, he can receive damage in nothing? Will not thefe light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work out for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory?— Should he not therefore blefs the Lord at all times? Though the fig tree fhould not bloffom, and there fhould be no fruit in the vines, fhould not he rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of his falvation? If affliction hath overtaken any in their fins, how important is it that they should fearch and try their ways and turn unto the Lord! Let them not defpife the chaftening of the Lord, but confider his work and regard the operation of his hands, and he will build them up, and not deftroy them. Let them repent and humble themfelves under his mighty hand, and he will exalt them in due time, he will wipe away their tears, and make them glad with his countenance for ever more. But there is no

peace to the wicked.

We congratulate our readers on the commencement of the New Year. We that it may be a e pray

« ZurückWeiter »