to send you, as a token of our friendship, the last volume of the Evangelical Magazine, and all the numbers of the present year hitherto published. I trust you will favor us with frequent correfpondence, shall we say, twice in the year? and I will endeavor to tranfmit to you every religious event of importance. Our Society has in contemplation sending several more Miffionaries to the East Indies, and a Mission to the island of Ceylon, which last we hope Mr. Voss, an excellent minifter who was near the Cape of Good Hope, will direct. One of the Magazines will inform you of the wonderful success which it hath pleased God to give to the labors of Mr. Geriké in the East, which will afford you unspeakable delight. We are waiting with some anxiety to hear from our excellent brother Vanderkemp, from Al- | goa Bay, but suppose his difpatches are delayed by their circuitous route thro' Holland. I am, Dear Brethren, in behalf of the London Miffionary Society, and with great respect, Your affectionate Brother, Religious Intelligence. Berkshire Missionary Society. THE annual meeting of the Miffionary Society in the counties of Berkshire and Columbia, was holden at Stockbridge, on the 20th of September. A fermon was delivered, on the occafion, by the Rev. Thomas Allen of Pittsfield, from Pfalm xiv. 7. Oh that the falvation of Ifrael were come out of Zion! When the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob Shall rejoice, and Ifrael Shall be glad. The Trustees made to the Society a report of their doings rel. ative to the employment of Miffionaries, and expenditures of monies, fince their appointment in September 1802. From this report it appears, that the Trustees employed the following Miffion. aries the last year; viz. the Rev. Joseph Avery twelve weeks in the county of Luzerne, in the State of Pennsylvania, and in the counties of Oneida, Chenango, Tioga, Cayuga and Onondaga, in the State of New-York; the Rev. Benjamin Wooster twelve weeks, in the new fettlements between Lake George and Canada line, and in the towns on the NewYork and Vermont shores of Lake Champlain and the Rev. Jabez Chadwick fixteen weeks in the county of Luzerne. This report ftates also, that the Rev. Mr. Wooster was appointed to perform another mission of fixteen weeks, and to take nearly the fame tour which he did before, that he had entered on the service, but had not finished his miffion. From the journal of the Rev. Mr. Avery, it appears that he commenced his miffion the 24th of November laft-that he travelled 986 miles, preached 80 times --attended 22 religious conferences and 5 funerals-visited 106 families and 6 schools-baptized 8 children, affifted in one ordination, and received in contributions, for the use of the Society, 12 dollars 94 cents. The journal of the Rev. Mr. Wooster states, that he commenced his mission the 18th of January laft-that he preached 75 times -attended 21 conferences and zed 10 children, administered the Lord's fupper once, and received in contributions for the Society 24 dollars 82 cents. other religious meetings,-bapti- | ver Ayer, Clerk. Rev. Jeffe Rev. Mr. Chadwick, in performing his miffion, which he commenced the 28th of April last, rode 1086 miles, preached 122 fermons, assisted in forming one church of 27 members, admitted 12 persons to the communion of churches-baptized 4 adults and 21 children-adminiftered the Lord's supper 4 times, visited 2 schools and 80 familiesattended 2 religious conferences and 6 church meetings and received in contributions, for the Society, 42 dollars 38 cents. By these three Missionaries the Society has afforded to the new fettlements forty weeks of minif terial service, and 277 fermons, in the course of the last year. The Miffionaries bring back accounts of their reception and encouragement in their work, which must be animating to all who love the profperity of Zion. They uniformly testify, that the people are generally disposed to attend upon the preached word, are prompt and apparently fincere in expreffing their thanks to the Society, and, in many instances, through the infinite mercy of a fovereign God, their hearts are opened to receive, in the love of it, the truth as it is in Jefus. Townsend, Rev. Aaron Bafcom, Rev. Dr. Stephen West, Rev. Ephraim Judson, Rev. Alvan Hyde, Rev. David Perry, the Hon. William Walker, Esq. the Hon. Timothy Edwards, Efq. Deacon Stephen Nash, Deacon John Hall, and the Hon. Barnabas Bidwell, Efq. Trustees. Extract of a letter from a person in Hubberton, to his father in Connecticut, dated Sept, 20, 1803. "HONORED SIR, "MY last informed you of the good work in Pitsford, WestRutland, and some other places, and the hopeful profpect here. At Pittsford the number hopefully born into the kingdom of grace, is 200, or upwards. At WestRutland 100, or more. About one month fince there was the found of abundance of rain in Benfon, which still continues to pour down, and it is emphatically a time of refreshing from the prefence of the Lord. Converts spring up as the grafs. The wilderness and folitary places are glad for them, and this northern defert is made to blossom as the rose. Saints feed on hidden manna, and join in the joy of angels. I have heard fome grey headed Chriftians exclaim in extacy, "Lord now let thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have feen of thy falvation." The good Lord is now by his spirit in this sinful town, and a greater shaking I never faw amongst dry bones. Oh pray for the enlargement and peace of Zion. May her borders be as extenfive as the globe-her children numerous as the human family-her peace as a river-and her righteousness as the waves of At the above mentioned meeting, the Society, in conformity to their constitution, proceeded to elect, by ballot, the officers for the ensuing year. The following were chofen; viz. Rev. Ephraim Judson, President; the Hon. Timothy Edwards, Esq. Vice Prefident; the Hon. William Walker, Efq. Treafurer; Rev. Alvan Hyde, Secretary, and Rev. Oli- | the fea!" ORDINATION. ON Thursday the 10th day of November 1803, the Rev. TIMOTHY STONE was ordained Paftor of the confociated church of Chrift în Cornwall. The Rev. Samuel J. Mills of Torringford, made the introductory prayer; the Rev. Bezaleel Pinneo of Milford, preached a fermon happily adapted to the occafion, from 2 Tim. ii. 15.; the Rev. Ammi R. Robbins of Norfolk, made the confecrating pray. er; the Rev. Peter Starr of Warren, delivered the charge; the Rev. Afael Hooker of Goshen, gave the right hand of fellowship; and the Rev. Alexander Gillet of Torrington, made the concluding prayer. Solemnity and order pervaded the affembly. Once more his course has run; Another year's forever fled, 2. Within the year that's now no more, 3. While thousands, younger far than I, 'Midst tombs unnumber'd I am spar'd, A monument of grace. 4. And while along life's dang'rous path 5. How many precious hours and days From wisdom's narrow way! 8. Ev'n in his prefence, in his house, 9. How cold my zeal to praise his name 10. Lord, should'st thou strictly mark my faults, And bring thy judgment near, Beneath thy searching, holy eye, Oh, how must I appear! II. But thou art LOVE; thy grace can cleanfe And fanctify my foul; The precious blood of Chrift can make The wounded finner whole. Donation to the Missionary Society of Connecticut. December 21, 1803. Rev. Benjamin Trumbull, avails of his Sermon, . 12. Lord, glorify thy boundless grace ASPASIO. D. C. 21 70 1 THE Connecticut Evangelical Magazine. VOL. IV.] [PUBLISHED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS.] FEBRUARY, 1804. The Rev. CHARLES BACKUS, S. T. D. Pastor of the Church in Somers, and one of the Editors of this Magazine, departed this life Dec. 30th, 1803. R. BACKUS was born of [No. 8. after he commenced a preacher he ministered to the people in Somers, and received the paftoral charge of the church in that place, by ordination, on the 10th of of August 1774 He was twice elected Profeffor of Divinity, first at Dartmouth College, and afterwards at Yale College, both of which elections D reputable and Chriftian pathetic rents, in that part of Norwich which is now called Franklin, on Nov. 5th, 1749, and by the wife and righteous providence of God was left an orphan in his child. hood, when his education fell under the direction of pious relatives. Discovering an early love of science, although his patrimony was not fully competent for the purpose, his friends determined to affist him in obtaining a liberal ed. ucation. He was graduated at Yale College in the year 1769. In the year 1801, Williams College conferred on him the degree of Doctor of Divinity. His theological education was under the Rev. Dr. Hart of Pref. ton; and he became a licentiate for preaching the gospel, in June 1773. On the fecond Sabbath VOL. IV. No. 8. The first attack of diseafe, which disabled him for public labor and hath terminated in his death, was on August 31st, 1801. He departed this life, on Dec. 30th, 1803, after a faithful ministry of more than 29 years. In College, he made a diftinguishing proficiency in science, and his life was moral and amiable. His understanding which was naturally clear, and his judgment which was correct, were improved by a general acquaintance with literary fubjects and the best authors. In the latter part of his collegiate life, his mind was impressed with divine truth, and a deep conviction of the fin of his nature. These impressions, after a variety of exercises, terminated in a comfortable Christian hope. Mm In his private writings he speaks | life hath been spent, graciously re of a season in May 1770, in which the natural obftinacy of his heart was humbled, and he was led to a knowledge of the glory of a precious Redeemer; and from this time he maintained a Chriftian hope. As a Christian, he was humble, exemplary and submissive, especially so, under the death of his only child, Mr. Jabez Backus, who died March 16th, 1794, in the 17th year of his age, and while a member of Yale College. As a Christian minifter he was faithful, evangelical and indefatigable in his pastoral fervices, being filled with a love of the fouls of his people. Under his miniftry, which we hope hath been bleffed for the salvation of many, there have been four feafons of the special revival of religion. He was evangelical in all his inftructions, and his preaching, being drawn from the oracles of truth, was not according to the wisdom of man, but in demonstration of the fpirit and in power. The people of his charge, and those who occafionally heard his miniftration, are witnesses with what plainness he rebuked fin, and taught falvation thro' faith in Chrift, together with the neceffity of perfonal holiness, as the only evidence of a good hope; and how he enforced these doctrines by a Christian example. membered him to the end. In his last fickness, which was long, he had much of the divine prefence until he departed, and as we confidently believe slept in Jesus. The last words which he was heard to whisper, were " Glory to Godintheh gheft, and on earth peace, good will towards men." - His remains were committed to the duft, the Tuesday following his death. In the funeral service, Doctor Williams first prayed. A fermon was delivered by Doctor Strong from Pfalm xxiii. 4. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me." The concluding prayer was made by Doctor Perkins. The friends of Zion are fenfi ble that a light is extinguished in our churches, and they pray that much of the divine prefence may be granted to the bereaved widow, and to the church which is left without a pastor. [Sundry extracts from the wri tings of Doctor Backus will be published in the future numbers of this work.] Dialogues on the Chriftian Doctrines, continued from page 257. YOU James. OU observed, my friend, in our last interview, that the doctrine of total depravity was very alarming to every natural man-but it appears to me if fins ners are ever so much alarmed, it is to no purpose. If God, from all eternity, has elected a certain number to falvation, they will be saved, let them do what they will; and if he has determined a certain number shall be damned, it will The Lord, in whose service his ❘ be impoffible to avoid it, as their As a theologian he was eminent. His retired fituation which was favorable to serious studies, and his eminence as an instructor, drew around him many who were designed for the Christian minif try. Nearly fifty have been members of his theological school, the greater part of whom are now paftors in the churchesão |