a short journey, she told me she | who generally had an appetite for East Rutland, gave the right hand of fellowship; and the Rev. Mr. Preston of Ruport, made the concluding prayer. The whole was performed in the prefence of a large, serious and attentive audi had had special comfort in religion and religious duties, while I was gone; and I prayed and hoped and believed while abfent, that I should find her in the ftate that I did. I will not ask you to excuse this long letter. It is upon a subject with which my heart is filled, and I could not well have faid lefs. I know that you and my dear fifter will rejoice with me, and join in thanksgiving to God. The humble shall hear thereof and be glad. Bless the Lord, O my foul! What shall I render to the Lord for all his ben efits! ANECDOTE. WH HEN the town of Newport was garrifoned by the British troops, Mrs. was a widow with three young children; one of whom, about fix years of age, was conftitutionally feeble, and often fick. The mother was under the neceffity of laboring for a subsistence; and was often interrupted and prevented from working by the illness of her child, who, at times, required her whole attention. This, with the uncertainty of supplies in a time of war, and the occafional scarcity of provifions, reduced her in fome instances to great ftraits, in which she had an opportunity of observing, in a plain manner, the care of divine Providence. At a certain time, she had been confined with her child, and was destitute of money. Flour was scarce in town, and at a high price; and for a day and a half she had used potatoes as a substitute, and then saw no profpect of obtaining a supply. After the family had dined, the fick child, nothing but bread, looking wishfully at her mother, said, "I feel like the Roman Emperor (meaning the Grecian Father confined by the Roman Emperor) for had I a piece of mouldy bread it would be sweet to me." After she spake, and while the mother was wiping the tear from her eye, a little dog, which had been lying before the fire, arose and went out at the door. In a few moments he returned with a fair, hard biscuit in his mouth, which he dropped at the feet of the child. The mother took it, and cutting out the parts marked with his teeth, furnished her child with that refreshment she appeared to want. The hand of Providence is not the less confpicuous, because it employed an animal whose instincts are remarkable. The instinct of the animal to take the food for himself was counteracted; the supply was seasonable, and in a cafe which appears to come within the promise of the divine care and bleffing. Note. The preceding anecdote was communicated to one of the Editors by a Clergymen of Newport, and may be depended upon as a fact. Religious Intelligence. MISSIONARIES. THE Rev. Calvin Ingalls lately returned from a miffion of four months to the north-eastern parts of Vermont. He is re-appointed a Missionary, and is expected foon to enter on a mission to the new fettlements at the fouth end of lake George. The Miffionaries now in the fervice of the Missionary Society of ence. Connecticut are, the Rev. David Bacon, at Michilimakinak, who is directed by the Trustees of the Society to leave that part of the country, and labor in New Connecticut; Messrs. Jofeph Badger and Thomas Robbins in New Connecticut; the Rev. Seth Williston, in the fouth-western counties of New-York and northern counties of Pennsylvania; and the Rev. Jedidiah Bushnell and Mr. Samuel P. Robbins in the north-western part of Vermont. The Rev. Revival Hymn: or, Joy in a revival of James W. Woodward and Mr. as Missionaries, and it is expected THE Editors are happy to inform their readers that from accounts lately received from New Connecticut, it appears the revival of religion is rapidly spreading in that country. ORDINATION. ON Wednesday, January 18th, Rev. ELIHU SMITH was ordained Pastor of the Congregational Church of Chrift in Caftleton (Vt.) The Rev. Mr. Hall of Granville (N. Y.), made the introductory prayer; the Rev. Mr. Gridley of Granby (Ms.), preached a fermon from I Tim. i. II, 12; the Rev. Mr. Haynes of Weft Rutland, made the confecrating prayer, during which the Rev. Meffrs. Gridley, Haynes, Kent and Bushnell impofed hands; the Rev. Mr. Kent of Benfon, gave the charge; the Rev. Mr. Ball of POETRY. COMMUNICATED AS ORIGINAL. Religion. 3. Those hearts which recently were 4. Those breasts, where pride has been 5. Those who society could feek, So great is the revival. 6. Those who have tafted carnal joys, 7. Those hands that, with an anxious çare, Are lifted now in humble prayer 8. As a light sprinkling lays the duft, 9. Since old things have been done away, Who need no fresh revival. 10. How great the work! the change how great! How great the Love! from whence it comes! Upon our Paftor's crown above, 12. O now that ev'ry eye might fee! And bless'd with this revival! 13. Now to the cross let finners come, His grace, in this revival. 14. Let ev'ry foul unite to bring The Father fills the mercy feat, For those of the revival. 1804 Donations to the Miffionary Society of Connecticut. April 7. A Friend of Missions, for purchase of Books, 18. A Friend of Miffions, THE Connecticut Evangelical Magazine. [PUBLISHED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS.] VOL. IV.] JUNE, 1804. The benefit of fanctified afflictions. Written by BENEVOLUS. (Continued from page 432.) HE subjects of sanctified afflictions will find the grace of the gofpel peculiarly en. deared to them, and will ftrive to obey God's will in all things. "Before I was afflicted," saith the Pfalmist, "I went aftray; but now have I kept thy word." Here we may observe that the pious Pfalmist was led, by means of his afflictions, to love more than ever the book of God's grace, and to conform to it in his practice. Rom. v. "We glory in tribulation; knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us." 2 Cor. i. 5, 9. "For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our confolation also aboundeth by Chrift. We had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead." VOL. IV. No. 12. [No. 12. The more deeply any are impressed with a sense of their fins, and of the divine justice in their punishment, the more fully convinced are they of the necessity of gospel grace, and the more clearly do they fee the glory of the gospel plan of falvation. Seasons of fuffering have often proved feafons of high enjoyment to the people of God. The patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and the primitive Christians in general, under their trials, were favored with abundant communications of divine grace; and rejoiced in hope of the glory of God. We may observe at the present time, that those who appear to be true Christians shine brightest when in the furnace. To them Christ appears peculiarly precious, and they appear at times, to be chearful, in giving up all things for his sake. They discover that they count not even their lives dear unto themselves, that they may finish their course with joy. Christians, when under the rod, read the holy scriptures with special attention and uncommon engagedness, and manifest a strong relish for the truths contained in Iii the inspired volume. They now ties which they owe to God and feel that God's word is a light to each other. What a wide difunto their feet and a lamp unto ❘ference is there, in ordinary cafes, their paths, while passing through the darkness and temptations of the prefent world. between the prayers which are made in a day of adversity and those which are made in profperous seasons ? Those who feel themselves to be burdened with guilt and forrow, and are convinced that God is a rewarder of thofe who diligently seek him, will feel themselves engaged to go to the throne of grace, and to feek for mercy. Pfalm cxix. 50, 54. "This is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickened me. Thy statutes have been my fongs in the house of my pilgrimage." The Pfalmift declares in the fame Pfalm, The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and filver. How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea fweeter than honey to my mouth!" (verses 72, 103.) Afflictions are neceffary to lead persons to understand many parts of the Bible, particularly those which relate to *fufferings, and the divine fupported under them. Who understandeth like the good man under the rod, how tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and ex perience, hope? Who understand eth like the patient fufferer how confolation aboundeth by Chrift, as the fruit of chastisement. The best of men do not know how much they truft in themselves and in the world, until their attach ment is tried and broken by the rod. Now they fee more fully than ever their own folly in placing fuch confidence, in the things which perish. They will bless God for ever for that difcipline which hath opened to them the pride and deceitfulness of their hearts, and hath brought them to difcern the worth and glory of that kingdom, which cannot be moved. True Chriftians have rarely so clear evidence of their ⚫ adoption as when their earthly hopes are dashed in pieces. Sanctified afflictions lead men to be more attentive to the du Prayer is not to them an unwelcome task, but is the delight of their fouls. When they find Satan and their wicked hearts striving to throw hindrances in the way of the performance of this duty, they will not rest until they have, in some degree, obtain the victory, and can fervently pour out their hearts to God. He is pleased fometimes remarkably to fill their mouths with arguments, when all worldly appear ances are against them, while they are bowing at his footstool. They are uncommonly affisted in praying for themselves, for their families and friends, for enemies, for the whole human race, and espe cially for the peace and profperity of Zion. It is painful to those who derive benefit from their afflictions to be deprived, by ill health, or other means, of attending on the worship and ordinances of God's house. These are objects for which they find an increasing relish as they are emptied from vef fel to veffel, by their trying changes. Hence when they are excluded from the place which they love, they can adopt the language of David, when he was wandering in the wilderness of Judah, by the perfecutions of Saul. "O God thou art my God; early will I |