practicable, and the good that would result from its attainment would be incalculable. I do not say, that every family would gladly accept the visits of such a pastor. But I fear not to affirm, that not more than one family in a hundred would reject them; and, that many hundreds would receive them most gratefully. Nor do I say, that all desirable good would be so obtained. There would still be unreached, and unrelieved wretchedness. But this, compared with that which now exists among us, would be small. It would, too, be that wretchedness, almost exclusively, which is connected with gross vice; and for the remedies of which, we must wait for circumstances in the providence of God, which will bring the subjects of it into a state, in which they may be affected by moral influences. And then will the services of a minister at large be duly appreciated. With the opulent, then,—the men of influence among us, with those who at once believe our religion, and have the means of establishing this ministry, I leave the appeal, where lies the responsibility if it be not established? My best thanks are due, and I am glad of an opportunity to give them, to the contributors to my poor's purse. Several of these benefactors to myself and to the poor are wholly unknown to me. Their favors have come to me with no other information, than that of the fact, that they were designed "for" my "poor's purse." To "the Ladies' Sewing Circle," also, I am much indebted for very efficient aid in my labors. My book of receipts and expenditures may be examined at any time, by any one who has committed any money to my disposal. I have the gratification to be able to inform you, that by a subscription that was obtained for the purpose, a new lecture room, or chapel, has been built for me, and will very soon be used for our evening's service. Since the heat of summer has passed, our present lecture room has been well filled, inconvenient as is the access to it, and poor as are the accommodations with which we are furnished there. To the subscribers for our new place of worship, I beg leave to offer my very sincere gratitude. I believe that they have done an important service to the cause of our religion among us. Many have been gathered for worship with us on Sunday evening, who would otherwise have worshipped no where; and I doubt not whether there are those among them, who have thus been advanced in their preparation for a better world. I owe also, and will not fail to pay, my thanks to the gentlemen, without whose assistance in the conduct of them, the exercises of the lecture room could not have been maintained. To my whole services indeed, through the two past years, I recur with the warmest thanksgiving to God, in the conviction that these have been far the most useful years of my life. The harvest in the field in which I am employed is plenteous, and rich are the compensations to be found in it. May the Lord of the harvest send forth other laborers, by whose devotion to the work of saving and blessing the poor, our city may be made glad in all its families, and be a mountain of holiness, and a light to the world! Within the last six months I have made upwards of fifteen hundred pastoral visits; and more than a hundred have been added to the number of families, with which I have become connected in my ministry. Very respectfully, Boston, November 5, 1828. JOSEPH TUCKERMAN. |