-openly at war with Christianity-and yet spreading over some of the fairest portions of the globe-Turkey in Europe, Palestine, Persia, Arabia, Syria, Mesopotamia, Independent Tartary, Afghanistan in Asia, Egypt, the Barbary States, and the interior nations as far south as the Niger in Africa, and holding in delusion from one hundred to one hundred and thirty millions of immortal beings. To these may be added the Jews, not less than eight millions; who, in respect to the influence of Christianity, are on a level with a greater part of the heathen world, since they reject the New Testament, notwithstanding that all the evidence of its divine authority has been an hundred times presented to them. Nor in this estimate may we omit the Greek and Latin Churches, for though Christian in name, they possess but little of the form and even less of the spirit of Christianity. The former of these Churches embraces about seventy millions of souls, scattered principally over Eastern Europe, Africa and Western Asia. The Latin Church includes from eighty to one hundred millions, who may be found in Italy, France, Bavaria, Austria, Sardinia, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Netherlands, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, New Spain, the Canadas, and South America.

"Such is the melancholy and even awful condition," observes the author of the Harbinger of the Millenium, " of perhaps twelve thirteenths of the world's population." And for the conversion unto God-for the rescue from an eternal ruin, of this vast host of immortal souls, what has been done?-what is now doing?

In respect to the past, there is indeed cause for deep sorrow. For centuries the Christian world slept, while millions went down to the grave unenlightened and unreformed-without scarcely an attempt on the part of the disciples of Christ to send to them the word of eternal life.

But, at length, a better and a brighter day for the world has arrived. The long sleep of the Christian Church is at an end. The friends of piety in many parts of Christendom are alive to the wants of their fellow men, and are engaging with becoming ardor to make amends for their past remissness and want of benevolence.

Contemplating the future, we must consider the vast machinery which a gracious Providence has brought into motion. Sunday schools, nurseries for the Church of God, are established through the British empire, and the United States of America; and, with the scriptural plans of the British and Foreign School Society, they are becoming common, in nations, through every quarter of the globe, the most admirable means of advancing the cause of God and his truth. Bible Societies are pre

paring by the multiplication of copies of the Holy Scriptures, to supply the reading population in all nations. The British University printing establishments possess the means of producing at the rate of about two copies of the Bible every minute! and the American Bible Society, with its sixteen steam presses, is said to be capable of producing at the rate of more than four copies of the Bible every minute!! To anticipate the ardent wishes of awakened immortals in every nation, God has graciously raised up his servants among the evangelical missionaries, to translate the Holy Scriptures into all the languages of the earth; of which more than a hundred and fifty are now sanctified with the Divine Revelation, that every man may soon both hear and read, in his own tongue in which he was born, the wondrous works of God! Religious Tract Societies are vigorously in operation; publishing and circulating, by millions, their pure works, to excite the multitude to read their scriptural lessons of saving doctrine. Members of the Church of God, among all denominations, are now deeply impressed with their obligations to bless their fellow-men. Missionary Societies are sending forth their devoted messengers of mercy to call the ignorant, superstitious, and degraded heathen population to believe the Gospel, and live forever through Jesus Christ; and God is graciously crowning the labors of his servants.

It was the intention of the author to have spread before his readers an account of the missionary operations of various existing societies; but finding the subject too extensive to be embraced within his prescribed limits, he must content himself with a brief view of the missionary operations of the early settlers in America, and notices of the most prominent missionary and other benevolent societies in Europe and America, at present existing.

I. MISSIONARY OPERATIONS OF THE FIRST SETTLERS IN AMERICA.

LABORS OF THE MAYHEWS. The first attempts to evangelize the aborigines of North America were made on Martha's Vineyard, a small island near Nantucket. Thomas Mayhew, Jun., having in connection with his father, Thomas Mayhew, Esq., received from the agent of Lord Sterling a grant of this island, together with Nantucket and some smaller islands in the vicinity, left Watertown, in Massachusetts colony, and went to the island, with a few others, in the year 1642, for the purpose of forming a settlement. He was then about twenty-one years of age. His father soon joined him, and became, according to the custom of the times, governor of the island.

Mr. Mayhew, being distinguished both for learning and piety, was invited to take charge of this small plantation as a minister. To this he

consented; but his congregation being small, he turned, his attention to the moral and religious improvement of the neighboring Indians. With this in view, he learned their language, and by mingling with them in a kind and familiar way, soon gained their confidence.

Within a year, he had the joy of converting to Christianity an Indian of no mean consequence, by the name of Hiacoomes, who enter.. ed with great zeal, with Mr. Mayhew, into the work of evangelizing his brethren. But for several years their success was small, arising in part from the strenuous opposition of the Indian powwows or priests, who exercised a powerful sway among the tribes; but still more to the general prejudices of these heathen in favor of the religion of their fathers.

Notwithstanding these, and other obstacles, the Gospel gradually prevailed. At length, in 1646, an event occurred, which gave a signal impulse to the evangelical doctrine among these heathen. This was the breaking out of an epidemic, which proved fatal to multitudes. In the ravages of the disorder, a marked distinction was visible in favor of those, who had given any countenance to the great truths proposed to them; and Hiacoomes, who had openly professed the Gospel, was, with his family, almost entirely free from it.

This difference excited reflection in the Indians. Those who had ascribed the former disease to the displeasure of their gods, now inquired whether this was not a token of the anger of Jehovah. Some began earnestly to desire that the Gospel might be preached to them. Among these was Mioxo, a chief. He sent a messenger five or six miles in the nigl. to Hiacoomes, entreating him to come and preach to him. Hiacoomes immediately went. Being arrived, he found many Indians collected, among whom was Sawanguatuck, a chief Sachem. Mioxo received Hiacoomes with great apparent pleasure, and told him he wished "that he would show his heart to them, and let them know how it stood towards God, and what they ought to do." Hiacoomes immediately embraced the opportunity. Having finished his speech, Mioxo asked, How many gods do the English worship?"-" One, and no more," was the reply. Upon this, Mioxo reckoned up about thirty-seven principal gods which he had. "And shall I," said he, "throw away all these thirty-seven for one only?"-" What do you yourself think?" said Hiacoomes; "for my part, I threw away all these, and many more, some years ago, and yet I am preserved, as you see, this day."-" You speak true," said Mioxo, "and therefore I will throw away all my gods too, and with you serve that one God."

Hiacoomes was then more full in his instructions; and, as was desired, opened to them his whole heart. He particularly addressed their con

sciences, specifying many sins of which they were guilty, and telling them of their miserable, fallen state, and the way of redemption through Christ. Many were much affected, and said they had now seen their sins. Mioxo became a convert, and supported a Christian character, through a long life. The sachem received such an impression from the discourse, as, added to the effect of the sickness, induced him shortly after to invite Mr. Mayhew to preach publicly to his people. He himself became a constant hearer. Thus was a door opened, which Mr. Mayhew had long desired, for public preaching to the Indians.

In this work he now engaged with great ardor; and, aided by the faithful Hiacoomes, was instrumental in gathering not a few to the standard of the cross. By the end of the year 1612, two hundred and eighty-two were brought to renounce their false gods, and among this number were eight powwows.

In 1657, Mr. Mayhew, finding more laborers necessary, embarked for England to solicit assistance in his benevolent work; but an inscrutable Providence ordered that he should return no more. Nothing further was ever known, either of him, or the vessel in which he sailed.

Yet the work was not, on this account, abandoned. His aged father, now seventy years old, having always taken a deep interest in the mission, succeeded his son, and, with unwearied diligence, perfected his knowledge of the Indian language, and commenced the work of a missionary among them. Although he did not settle over them as a pastor, he caused two of their teachers, Hiacoomes and John Tackanash, to be ordained to this office; while he himself, in his old age, went from island to island, and from place to place, doing the work of an evangelist. He sometimes travelled on foot nearly twenty miles, through the woods, to visit them.

Before the death of this venerable and apostolic man, who lived to spend twenty-three years in the work, one of his grand children, the son of Thomas Mayhew, Jun., had entered the field. At this time, about two thirds of the inhabitants on Martha's Vineyard, or fifteen hundred persons, were reckoned as praying Indians. Of these, fifty were in full communion, and gave ample testimony to the power of religion in the heart. Mr. John Mayhew labored with great zeal for the space of about sixteen years, when he was removed by death. He was succeeded by his son Experience, then only sixteen years old. The latter continued to labor among the Indians sixty years, and died in 1754, aged eighty-one.

At the close of the eighteenth century, the missionary on Martha's Vineyard was one of the Mayhew family-himself a venerable old man

-the representative of ancestors, whose lives had been with singular benevolence devoted to the conversion of the heathen, through a period of more than a century and a half. At this present time, a remnant is stili found on the ancient spot, of whom some are nominal Christians; but the true spirit of vital godliness, it is to be feared, is little known among them.

It may be interesting to add, in respect to the converts made by the Mayhews, that not a few of them gave ample evidence of a real change of heart, by a walk and conversation conformed to the maxims of the Go-pel. Some, even in early life, appear to have turned unto the Lord, and to have proved themselves faithful disciples of Jesus. Eleazer Ohhumah was one. He appears to have been serious even from a child. Having an intemperate father, this youth ventured to remonstrate with him on the sin of intemperance, and succeeded in withdrawing him, on several occasions, from a scene of riot, and to induce him to return to his family. The kind and respectful manner in which he did this, so won upon the father, that, added to the premature death of the son at the age of sixteen, he became altogether a reformed man.*

LABORS OF ELIOT.-This pious man was born in England, in 1604. In the year 1631, he emigrated to America, soon after which, he became pastor of the Church at Roxbury, in Massachusetts. The miserable condition of the Indians early attracted his attention. He saw in them the deplorable effects of ignorance and superstition, and his heart became inflamed with a desire to enlighten and reform them. Prompted by his benevolent regard, he commenced the study of their language, and in a few months, notwithstanding its extreme difficulty, he was able to convorse with these poor heathen intelligibly.

Having made arrangements for the supply of his pulpit-his brethren in the ministry kindly offering their assistance for this purpose-he entered upon his labors. His first interview was with the Indians not far from Roxbury. He was received by them in a friendly manner, and they listened with attention to his explanations of the great outlines of Christianity. When he had ended, the Indians asked him, among other questions, "How may we come to know Jesus Christ?" "Were Englishmen ever so ignorant as ourselves?" "How came the of people, if they were all once drowned in the flood?" Christ understand prayers in the Indian tongue?" Having answered

*Winslow's Sketch of Missions.

world so full "Can Jesus