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a want of proportion between the different missions. This has arisen from the necessity of abridging the lat ter part of the work, to bring it within a limited number of pages. The mission of the American Baptists, and of the Church and Edinburgh missionary Societies, are particularly affected.

That the materials of the Work are either selected, or arranged, in the best possible manner, is by no means presumed. Much doubtless might be amended. If they are thrown out in a confused heap, without distinction; or in a form altogether crude and undigested, the compiler deserves no indulgence. If this is true to some extent, he offers one apology; and this, only, because it relates to what would otherwise be unpardonable. Every one who adds a book to the long. catalogue before the public, is bound to make it, however imperfect, the best he is able. In the present case, there may be marks of haste. When the Work was in a state of some forwardness, and proposals were issued for its appearance, the writer was unexpectedly required to make immediate preparation for leaving the country. It must, then, be hurried through the press, or thrown away. The former was done; and the sheets were struck off without the benefit of revision. This will account for some inequalities of style, and perhaps excuse them, when it is considered, that in collecting facts from such a variety of sources, it is extremely difficult to bring the heterogeneous materials together, and to make the thoughts so much one's own, as to avoid imitation, and maintain a uniform and characteristic manner.

Whether the Work deserves patronage, the public

must judge. If any profits should arise from it, they will be devoted to procuring a library for the mission to Ceylon, and to assisting a pious young man in preparation for the Christian Ministry. Unless good is effected, in some way, the writer cannot be compensated; but if these pages give any additional impulse to the moral operations of the day; if they add one wheel to the great machines that are in motion; if they throw any light on the subject of missions, which may bring conviction of their vast and unquestionable benefits; if they awaken one new energy to save the nations, that are going down in unbroken succession to people the dark world of woe, he will not have laboured in vain.

Andover, Theo. Sem. January 1819.

CONTENTS.

Page.

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Propagation of Christianity by the United Brethren.

CHAP. I. Greenland. Circumstances that led to the first mis-

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CHAP. IV. Cape of Good Hope. Mission commenced by

Schmidt....Renewed at Bavian's Kloof....Opposition of the

Boors....Brethren driven from the settlement....Return....

Settlement flourishes....Account of it by Mr. Barrow....Mor-

tal sickness....Benevolence of the Brethren....New Settlement

....Mr. Campbell's description of Bavian's Kloof....Hottentot

experience....State of the mission

CHAP. V. South America. Berbice....Mission difficult....Em-

barrassed by Government.... Destroyed by the Negroes....Sur-

inam....Lewis Christopher Dehne ... Lives alone in the wil-

derness....Exposed to death from the savages....from famine

....from wild beasts....Contest with a serpent.... Destruction

of the settlement....Great mortality of missionaries....Settle-

ment burnt....Bambey.... Conversion of Arabini....Paramari-

bo.... Present state of the mission

CHAP. VI. Labrador. Several fruitless efforts to establish a

mission....At length succeed....Danger of the Brethren....

Three settlements formed....Some converts....General awak-

ening....Pleasing instances of Indian experience....State of

the mission and translations

175

CHAP. VII. Tartary and Nicobar Islands. Mission establish-

ed in Tartary....Sarepta built.... Visit to the Tschecks....

Five Tartar girls baptized....Nicobar Islands....Attempts to

plant a colony....Missionaries....Their sufferings....Mission

relinquished

CHAP. VIII. North America. Mission commenced by Rauch

at Shekomeko....Two Indians awakened.... Persecution ex-

cited....Tschoop's account of his conversion.... Brethren's

manner of life and preaching....Their danger....Happiness of

the Indian converts....A prodigal brought back....Indians re

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