The Connecticut Evangelical Magazine

Religious Intelligence.

From the London Evangelical Magazine.

The Christian world will derive great fatisfaction from the perufal of a letter from Mr. Gerriké to a Relation; in which he gives an account of the joyful reception of the gospel, by WHOLE VILLAGES of Heathen. Mr. Gerriké is a Miffionavy employed in the East-Indies, by the Society for promoting Chrif. tian Knowledge. He fucceds the late excellent Mr.Schwartz; and appears to possess the fame Miffionary Spirit.

Extract of a letter from Mr. Gerriké to a relation.

SIR,

Vaparry, Jan. 18, 1803.

I WROTE to you last from Seringapatam; fince that time I have experienced great hardships, and also fingular mercies. When, in my journey, I came near to the extremity of the peninsulas, I found whole villages waiting anxioufly for my coming, to be further instructed and baptized.They had got acquainted with our native prieft in that country, and the Catechists and Christians; and had learned from them the catechism; which those who could write copied, to learn it themselves at their leifure. When they heard of my coming, they broke their idols to pieces, and converted their temples into Christian churches; in which I instructed and baptized them (in some about 200, in others near 300;) formed them into Christian congregations;

procured for them catechists and schoolmasters; and made them choose, in each place, four elders. These examples awakened the whole country; and when I was about to leave it, the inhabitants of many more villages sent messages to me, begging of me to remain a couple of months longer in the country; and to do in their villages the good work I had done in those of their neighbors. My situation not allowing this, I recommeded them to the native priefts and catechists that are there; and fince that, there have been inftructed and baptized 2700 people more, and eighteen more congegations have been formed. Among these new converts are several chiefs, all very zealous; and one of them travels about, preaching the gospel: but fince my return, fome of the Heathens of that country, old enemies, have stirred up а perfecution against them, and they have written to me to return, as soon as possible; for while I was among them, all went on very smoothly; and the Heathensthemselves seemed to feel a pleasure in what was going on. But it pleafed God to afflict me with a fever, which began with a cold fit, which I contracted, perhaps, in the latter part of my journey, when I came thro' much rain and water in the monsoon; and from which I recover now by flow degrees. Perhaps my grief, and the many painful letters I wrote, have contributed to my illness. When I began to recover, I found a letter from that country; which I was afraid to open in my extremely weak state. It contained the good news, that the perfecution had abated in several places; and that the Christians, who had been confined, had been honorably ac quitted. From that time I began

to recover.

The conftancy of mas H. Wood a Licentiate of

these people, under their fuffer-
ings, may overcome their enemies,
and contribute greatly to the
spread of the gospel in these parts.
The Rev. Mr. Kohloff is willing
to go into the harvest, and be for
some time among them; and a ve-
ry fit person he is for such a work.
It requires great humility and dif-
cretion, and a mind that, by grace,
has learned to be content, for the
fake of Chrift, with many things
which are not pleasant.
Yours, &c.

W. GERRIKE.

ORDINATIONS.

Ordination of Mr. Wood.

At a Meeting of the Northern Affociation of Ministers in the county of Hampshire, at the Rev. Icha

bod Draper's, in Amherst, May 1, A. D. 1804,-Present Rev. Mess'rs. Samuel Hopkins, D. D. Justus Forward,

Rufus Wells, Jofeph Lyman,

D. D. Solomon Williams, Enoch Hale, Joel Hayes, Ichabod Draper, Payfon Williston, Elijah Gridley, Payson Munfel, Vinfon Gould.- After forming, Rev. Henry Williams.

Rev. Samuel Hopkins, D. D. was chofen Moderator.

A communication from the committee of the Trustees of the

Hampshire Miffionary Society,

was read, as follows:

Hatfield, April 23, 1804. To the Rev. Moderator of the Northern Affocation of Minifters in the county of Hampshire, to be communicated.

REV. SIR,

The Committee of the Truftees of the Hampshire Miffionary Society, having invited Mr. Tho

your Association to undertake a miffion into the new fettlements to preach the gospel to the destitute inhabitants of those settlements the ensuing season, and he having consented to labor for the Society in that service; and it being in the opinion of the committee most conducive to the success of his mission, that he should receive ordination previously to his entering on his work, the committee do therefore request the Rev. Minifters of the Association, in conjunction with Rev. John Emer son, Rev. David Parfons, D. D. and Rev. Jonathan Grout, to ordain Mr. Thomas H. Wood, if they find him qualified, to the work and office of a Minister and Evan

gelift in the church of Chrift, at Amherst, on Wednesday the fecond day of May next. Wishing the prefence of Chrift with the Affociation and other Paftors of churches invited to attend this fervice, and asking your prayers for a divine bleffing upon the labors of

the Hampshire Missionary Society, we are your brethren and fellow

fervants in the faith and patience

of Jefus.

By order of the Committee,
JOSEPH LYMAN.

Voted, That the Association be refolved into an Ordaining Council, in conjunction with Rev. John Emerson, Rev. David Parfons,

D. D. and Rev. Jonathan Grout, for the purpose of ordaining Mr. Wood.

The Council was opened with prayer by the Moderator.

Rev. John Emerson, and Rev. Jonathan Grout, attended, and took feats in the Council.

Having examined Mr. Wood, the Council, satisfied with his qualifications,

Voted to ordain him to-morOn Wednesday, May 16, the row, at 3 o'clock, P. M. to the Rev. Thomas Williams was orwork and office of an Evangelift | dained as an Evangelist, to labor and Minifter of Jesus.

Voted, That the solemnities of his ordination be introduced with prayer by Mr. Grout-that Mr. Emerson preach the fermon, Mr. Forward make the confecrating prayer, Doct. Hopkins give the charge, Mr. Hayes give the right hand of minifterial fellowship and Mr. Wells make the concluding prayer.

as a Missionary in the service of the Miffionary Society of Conecticut. The ordination was performed in the South Parish in Killingly, under the direction of the original Affociation of Windham county. The Rev. Abel Flint, of Hartford, made the introductory prayer; the Rev. Walter King, of Norwich, preached the fermon from Acts xx. 24. The Rev. Joel Benedict, of Plainfield, made the confecrating prayer; the Rev. Levi Hart, D. D. of Prefton, gave the charge; the Rev. Daniel Dow, of Thompson, gave the Right Hand of Fellowship; and the Rev. Eliphalet Lyman, of

May 2. At 3 o'clock, P. M. Mr. Thomas H. Wood was ordained to the office of an evangelift and Minifter of Jesus Christ. The fermon was preached by Mr. Emerson, from 2 Tim. iv. 5."But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of | Woodstock, made the concluding

an Evangelift, make full proof of thy ministry."

A true copy, by

ENOCH HALE, Scribe.