68 THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDER NESS" to prepare its way. Allow me, then, my dear brother, in addressing you from this field, to express my increased conviction, that the work, in which it is our privilege to labour, is, of all others, the most important in its action upon the religious condition of the west. It is indispensable I had almost said, it is the one thing needful. I will not, however, undervalue any agency which the Holy Ghost has been pleased to honour as the instrument of converting a soul. I venerate the zeal which is spreading the Bible, and religious Tracts, and Sabbath Schools over this field, and my heart melts into sympathy with every agent who is putting his hand actively to these labours of love. But they will utterly fail of accomplishing their object without the living ministry; and I cannot do justice to my present impressions, enforced by a multitude of facts, with which, in a brief survey of this country, I have become familiar, without urging upon you, and, through you, upon the hearts of the benevolent in the older states, my confirmed opinion, that the cause of EDUCATION and of HOME MISSIONS have not received their proportionate share of the patronage of the religious public. Able, devoted, well educated. ministers, must be sustained on this field, in sufficient numbers to arouse the attention of this wide spread population to the things which belong to their peace, or the hopes of the churches concerning them will never be realized. This is God's appointed ordinance for salvation, and they that preach the Gospel may claim his promise to be with them till the world shall end. And with such an agency, so wisely adapted to the condition and wants of the people, and with God for its author, who has so signally crowned with his blessing the feeble efforts which we have hitherto exerted, the work may be—it will be accomplished. Difficulties and opposition will vanish before it, for strong is his hand, and high is his right hand. Only let the friends of the cause, the whole But I have indulged longer than I intended in these general remarks. It was my intention to give you, in this letter, a brief statistical view of the churches and Home Missionary operations in Illinois; but I must defer it for another communi cation, in which I shall also embrace some remarks on Missouri, which I hope to visit again before my next. My heart is now warm with emotions of gratitude, in view of the happy results of MY FIRST SABBATH IN ILLINOIS. I arrived in Jacksonville on Saturday ||evening, the 29th December, and felt my way, in the dark, to a wing of the new College building, which stands, on a beautiful rising ground, about a mile from the nary. The suggestion was reciprocated by our missionary in this place, and met the approbation of several friends of literature in this state. The young men were sent out in succession as missionaries of the A. H. M. S.; and principally by their village, and met a warm reception from President Beecher and his family. On the morrow, being the first day of the week, and almost as mild as April in New-York, the sun rose in his glory, and I looked out in the rear into a delightful grove, which caps the gentle hill upon which the Col-agency here, and in the eastern states, the lege stands, and in front, upon a beautiful sum of $46,000 has already been raised prairie of 13,000 acres, or 20 square miles, towards the founding of this institution. of the richest soil, a large proportion of it Permanent buildings have been erected, fenced and partially cultivated, embracing ||and nearly completed, which will accomthe town of Jacksonville, with 1200 inha-modate well 100 students-a philosophical bitants, and the scattered farm houses, and chemical apparatus procured, worth which seemed like boats at a distance from $600 to $800, a President, two Profloating on this smooth sea of soil; and the|| fessors, and an Instructer in the Preparawhole skirted by oaken forests, like the tory Department, and between 60 and 70 shore of a lake, except in one direction, students, now on the ground. All this has where the trees sink below the angle of come into being in less than three years; vision; and it was remarked by one stand-and to one as familiar as I have been with ing by, "there you cannot see land." I never beheld a finer plot of ground, and the stillness of the Sabbath resting on it, ren-awaketh; while its prospective influence dered the scene enchanting. Eight years ago, this domain, in all its richness and beauty, was an uncultivated waste. In \1828, our missionary, Mr. Ellis, was stationed here, and sustained principally by Such were the scenes spread under my the funds of the A. H. M. S. The popula-eye and rushing upon my memory, on the tion of the place was then 200. Their minister was continued, and aid granted in his support, until January, 1832, since which the congregation have sustained the support of the preaching of the Gospel. In the mean time they have built a convenient house of worship, and the village now contains 1200 inhabitants. Here, as I have intimated, stands "Illinois College." This, too, owes its origin so essentially to the operations of the A. H. M. S., and has been reared to its present respectable standing by the enterprise of its missionaries, that it cannot fail to be an object of lively interest to all who labour with us in the cause of the west. It is less than four years since the first thought of establishing a college in some western state was suggested by an association of seven young men, then pursuing their studies in an eastern Theological Semi the history of its small beginning, its present magnitude is like a dream when one upon the intellect, morals, and religion of this rising state, must be regarded with the liveliest interest by every Christian and every patriot. morning of my first Sabbath in Illinois. I read, in my room, the 103d psalm, "Bless the Lord, O my soul," &c., and then walk. ed to the house of God, and preached to a church of 140 members, and a refined and intelligent audience crowding the house, which has become too small for their accommodation. In the afternoon I presented a brief history of the operations of our Society, and was listened to with an interest which beamed in almost every countenance, and made me feel that I stood in actual contact with the souls of men and the hearts of Christians. In the evening we held a meeting for the purpose of commencing a subscription for the A. H. M. S. Several addresses were made. There was deep emotion manifested in the audience, when one brother arose, and said he rejoiced in the opportunity now afforded this people of resiprocating, in to that place, it was deemed inexpedient to ask a new subscription. I received, however, the most ready assu. rances that the cause will not be forgotten by that increasing and enterprising church and congregation. Efficient aid will hereafter be received from Louisville, and I have the best reason to believe, that the plan of our operations is enlisting, more than formerly, the affections of the church. es of Kentucky. It was with deep regret that I denied myself the pleasure of visit the presence of the Secretary of the A. H. M. S., the kind feelings of the eastern churches, which had been so liberally manifested by the inestimable benefits conferred upon the west, through this Society. Another said, he would waive all consideration of the blessings which had been conveyed to the state of Illinois, and to the whole valley of the Mississippi, by the operations of this institution, and would ask the members of this congrega. tion, not Christians only, but every intelligent man, whether Jacksonville were noting the brethren in the interior of the the better for the Home Missionary Society? Under the influence of these considerations, "the people had a mind to work." A subscription was raised on the spot of $205, which will probably be increased to $250. When it is considered that eighteen months ago, the congregation of Jack. sonville was receiving aid from our Society, this result is truly cheering to the friends of Home Missions. Let our brethren and the churches in the older states look at it, and remember that this result is but one of many of a similar character on the field of our labours, and they need not fear that they are spending their strength for nought. As the work ad. vances many of the feeble will become strong, and will rejoice to bear their part in efforts to aid others, till the whole land shall be supplied, and all the people shall rise and sing together of salvation. MISCELLANEOUS REMARKS. state. But time would not permit. On the 18th, the travelling across the state of Indiana being unusually bad, I was dissuaded from my purpose of taking that route by stage, to Illinois, and embarked by water; proceeded down the Ohio, to its mouth, 430 miles, and up the Mississippi, 140 miles, with the intention of proceeding 60 miles further, to St. Louis. But the ice from above obstructed our passage, and we were landed at St. Genevieve, an old French town in Missouri, on Saturday evening, the 22d. The majority of the passengers proceeded by land, on Sabbath morning, to St. Louis; but a Methodist brother and myself, gave notice of our willingness to preach, if the people would assemble to hear. A little group of about 30 assembled, and we divided the day in addressing them. At the close of the service, one good lady, a native of Connecticut, informed me that she had been twenty years in this country, and that on her arrival in St. Genevieve, she was told that the Sabbath had not yet crossed the Mississippi. Here are three Presbyterian professors of reli By this time you will desire to know the route by which I have reached this central part of Illinois. Dec. 12th, I left Madison, Ind., from which I last ad-gion, members of the church at St. Louis, dressed you, and proceeded by boat to Louisville, Ky., where I spent four days, and addressed the second church on the Sabbath, who listened with interest to my statement of the operations and prospects of our Society. But as they had recently contributed to its aid, according to their ability, on the late visit of Br. Douglass 60 miles distant, and a few Methodists, but the mass of the population, about 800, are Catholics. A few of the Protestants seem anxious to be supplied with the preaching of the Gospel. On Monday I proceeded on horseback, in company with the Methodist brother alluded to, and reached St. Louis on Thursday evening, and remained until Friday, when I took stage for Jacksonville. As it is my pur. pose to return to St. Louis, I will speak of my reception there, and the prospects of the churches in that place, in my next.its population has increased hitherto. The I have only room to express my ardent wish that the wants of this country may be more fully appreciated by the friends of our Society, and to assure you and the Committee, that I am ever yours, ||which it is regarded by emigrants, both from the older states and from Europe, the ease of its cultivation, the abundance of its produce, and the rapidity with which ABSALOM PETERS, No. 4. Mississippi River, bound from St. Louis A. H. M. S. My Dear Brother, Last evening I left the city of St. Louis, having spent three weeks in Illinois and Missouri, and made such arrangements for the permanent operations of our Society in those states, as seemed to be required. I am now floating down the Mississippi, at the rate of 200 miles per day, while I feel that the wing of time is bearing both you and me, with still greater rapidity, to eternity. It is meet that I seize upon this opportunity to sketch some of the scenes, which have attracted my notice, since my last. According to my promise, I begin with census of 1810, exhibited a population of only 12,282. In 1820, it had increased to 55,211, and in 1830, to 157,445. It is now estimated at 200,000, having more than doubled, four times, in twenty-two years, or nearly once in every five years during that period. Though the increase will not hereafter bear an equal proportion to its present population, yet, on the lowest estimate, the mind is surprised to per ceive how soon this state will contain a million of people! and then,-ten mil. lions! MISSOURI. To form some idea of the magnitude of this state, I have only to reflect that the Mississippi river, on which I am now floating, runs the long distance of 550 miles along its eastern border, while the Missouri flows 384 miles within its limits, its area is 65,500 square miles, which is 7,600 square miles larger than that of Illinois, and 19,000 larger than the state of New-York. Its population, in 1810, was 19,833; in 1820, it was 66,586, and in 1830,-140,455. A census, taken under the authority of the state, in 1832, only eighteen months after that of 1830, makes some general notices of the states of Illi-the population 176,276. At present it is nois and Missouri. First, of ILLINOIS. This state embraces an area of 57,900 square miles, and is 11,400 square miles larger than the great state of New-York. In amenity of climate, fertility of soil, and commercial advantages, it is surpassed by no interior state in the Union, 847 miles of its boundary being the navigable waters of the Mississippi, Ohio, and Wabash rivers, and lake Michigan, while the ag. gregate length of the navigable rivers that penetrate its interior, is 650 miles. The prospect of its being soon full of peo. ple may be estimated by the interest with not less than 185,000. The climate, soil, and productions of this state are not inferior to those of Illinois, and the eastern, central, and northern sections of it, are entirely equal to that state in commercial advantages. No reason can be assigned why it has not increased, and may not hereafter increase in population, with equal rapidity; but the single fact that slavery is tolerated by its constitution. This, while it is an allurement to some, whose places have become too straight for them in the older southern states, prevents the settlement of many from the north, and from Europe, within its bounds, who, otherwise, would choose it as the place of their abode. By us, this cannot but be lamented as an evil, but it must not turn away our sympathies from this great and growing state, as a field of action in the cause of Christ. Here, too, will soon be a million of people, and then,-ten millions! And if the principles of the Gospel prevail, the day is not far distant, when slavery will be abolished, and Missouri will stand even-handed with her sister, Illinois, in the benign and mighty influence which she will spread from the centre to either extremity of the great val. ley of the west. The obstacles to be over. come in Illinois, which I named in my last, exist also to an equal extent in Mis. souri. But these, as well as the embar. rassment to which I have here alluded, should be regarded as an inducement, rather than a hinderance, to the efforts of our Society in this state. Such, if I mis. take not, have ever been the views of the Executive Committee, and yet we have found fewer labourers, comparatively, who have been disposed to plant themselves on this field, than have chosen to go north of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi. The result is apparent from the following STATISTICAL VIEW OF THE CHURCHES AND When the A. H. M. Society was organized in May, 1826, there were, in these two states, eight Presbyterian ministers. Of these, five were in Missouri and three in Illinois, and five of the number, viz. three in the former and two in the latter state, were missionaries of our Society, under its former organization. Two of the above, viz. the Rev. Messrs. Giddings, of St. Louis, and Robinson, of St. Charles, have since been called to rest from their labours, having with great faithfulness and self-denial accomplished the work which was given them to do. Two others, one from each state, have removed to other Vol. V. fields of labour, leaving only four of the original eight, who, six years and six months ago,constituted the whole strength of the Presbyterian ministry in Missouri and Illinois; and the Holy Ghost, which was with them, constituted their strength, and laid the foundation of the unexpected success which has attended their labours. The number of Presbyterian ministers now labouring in these states, is 51, of whom 37 have been sent here, or aided in their support, by the Home Missionary Society. These now constitute two synods under the care of the General Assembly. The first is the Synod of Illi. nois, constituted in 1831, embracing three Presbyteries and 33 ministers, 24 of whom are, or have been, Missionaries of the A. H. M. S. The other is the Synod of Missouri, constituted in 1932, embracing 18 ministers, 13 of whom are, or have been, Missionaries of our Society. These, surely, are results, which the friends of Home Missions cannot contemplate with. out the liveliest emotions. Aid has, also, been granted to a number of the churches in these states, by the Board of Missions of the General Assembly; and there has been, in the mean time, an encouraging advance in the number and evangelical cha. racter of ministers of some other denomi. nations. The cause, the whole cause, has been prospered in these states. But when I contemplate the number of faithful men, whom our Society has contributed to sustain on these fields, and the blessings which have crowned their labours, my heart is overwhelmed. They are altoge ther new, extraordinary, and unexpected. No churches in the land, according to their numbers, have shared more richly in the revivals, with which our country has been blessed, for the last two years; and, perhaps, at no former period has the state of these churches been more interesting, and prosperous, in this respect, than during the last six months. In seve. ral of them there are revivals at the present time. Much in the state of the con23 |