will board in his family, and teach his

ALABAMA.

A. H. M. S. in Alabama.

children, four or five in number, he will From Rev. Robert Holman, Agent of the give four hundred dollars and the board. If the gentleman is qualified, and would take 12 or 15 scholars, he might, with our subscription, obtain a very handsome salary. One who would allow other denominations the liberty of conscience, and not intermeddle with any other than his own business, and not be surprised with our manners and habits, or make odious comparisons between ours and the country he came from, and who should be an able preacher, and a gentleman, would be

well sustained."

The town of has about 800 inhabitants. The situation is peculiarly beautiful. A minister would be treated with every token of kindness which could promote his happiness. I am deliberately of opinion, that there are but few more eligible places in the state, and I know of no field that presents a brighter prospect for ministerial usefulness. Its extent is immense; but two Presbyterian preachers within a hundred miles, in any direction from that spot. In the name of this interesting little flock, wandering like lost sheep without a shepherd, and calling to you for the bread of life, we ask can nothing be done for them? Must their cry be disregarded? Is there no young man of piety and talents, who will be willing to come over and help" them?

CLAIMS OF THE SOUTH.

I have visited and preached in many of the destitute places in my own and the adjacent counties. There is, in all the places that I have visited. an increasing disposition to hear the Gospel. Talladega and Coosa counties had never been visited by a Presbyterian minister. Wetumpka is in the last-named county. This is a flourishing town, at the falls of the Coosa river, the head of navigation, and is destined to be an important place. Here a few Presbyterians are exceedingly anxious to have the Gospel regularly preached to them. Before the close of the present year lexpect to be able to organize a church, and call upon the Society for a strong man to be located there, as their minister.

still in possession of the Creek Indians; The county of Talladega is but there is a dense white population in parts of the county, where a church may be organized. This is an interesting field,

ILLINOIS.

A church formed on the North-eastern
Frontier. From our Missionary at Chicago.

According to appointment, I went, on the second week of July, to organize a church at Fountaindale. To any high gratification, I found Brother Clark there, ready to take the infant into paternal emWould to God our young clergymen all brace, and watch its growth. Brother had a correct knowledge of the spiritual Babbit was also present to aid in the work. desolations of our state, and of the South The Lord had sent forth labourers, when I generally; if they had, surely there would had supposed myself alone. Saturday we be something like an equal distribution of passed in fasting, prayer, and exhortation, labourers, between the South and West. organized the church, and elected the elders. On Sabbath we repaired to a I have a personal knowledge of the comparative claims of both, and it pains my grove, the place being too small to accom. heart to see the tide flowing entirely West, modate the audience where we had preto the almost utter neglect of the South. viously met. It is now near three years since I set out to this field; and I know of no individual that has come to our state in the character of a missionary since. Let our destitute situation have its due weight, and I know we shall not be disappointed. Not only one, but many could be supported, if they could be procured. Do all you can for us, and you shall have our lasting grati. lude, and will, I know, subserve the high. est interest of the church. But unless you can send us a thorough-going man, send us none. We want no drones, no man who is afraid of labour, and privation, and hardship. We want a man who is wholly given up to the work, who is willing to part with all for his Master, VOL. VI.

The supper was administered in the afternoon to about thirty-five communicants. Few had dared It was a cheering scene. to expect such a one at this early period in the settlement of our frontier, The grain of inustard seed, we trust, will be. come a great tree, so that multitudes shall yet rest under its delightful shade. Of the communicants, twenty-one had been admitted by letter to that particular church; others had come ten and fifteen miles to be present, and partake of this feast of the Lord. Two brethren present from the settlement fifteen miles below, said there had twenty professing Christians now located in their grove, and there were several others near them, on Hickory Creek,

14

where there are many families. Theyney of eternity. I looked over my little wish me to go and aid in planting a church | flock: seven have been taken from the with them soon. Brother Babbit is remain-fold. They were of those we could illy ing with them for a few Sabbaths. They need a pastor, and will aid in his support. A letter from Hickory Creek, received yesterday, requests me to go down, and aid in forming a church, on the 18th instant. One from White Pigeon, to-day, says, they want a minister there.

GREEN BAY.

afford to lose. They were constant worshippers; they were found at the prayer meeting, the lecture, the concert, in the great congregation, at the Sabbath School, in the sick chamber, at the dying bed. In their turn, they have been borne away. How we shall fill up the ranks, and who shall do it, the great Head of the Church only knows.

DECEASE OF MRS. JANE A. ROBINSON.

Our readers will recollect the lamented Rev.

C. A. Robinson, one of the earliest pioneers of the Lord's host who penetrated the West, codured hardships long, and died in the foremost rank. His widow, of like spirit with himself, continued in the West, and lived, and laboured, and prayed, for its welfare. She has repeatedly encouraged and stimulated us with her pious letters, several of which have been published in the Home Missionary. Our readers will perceive that her work is done, and she has gone to her reward.

Since last writing you, I have received another appeal for help from Green Bay. My correspondent, after describing their state, says, "You can judge, then, what our prospects are. A people, as I have described them, with no spiritual guide to point them to the Lamb of God; no shepherd to gather the lost sheep; and left to the workings of their own evil hearts, cannot be expected to present a very high standard of morality. A few of us meet once or twice a week, to pray for a blessing on this perishing people; and could we have a minister sent to us, (and how ardently do we pray for such a blessing,) Mrs. Robinson is no more. Two weeks I have no doubt but that a reformation would take place." Again, he says, " ago she was attacked with fever, which is know I need not ask you, if you do not now more dreaded than cholera. She was think we stand in need of a guide. Were soon apprised of her approaching dissoluthe world but made acquainted with our tion. On Friday pevious to her death, she wants, with our true state, surely they called her two little boys to her bedside, would do something for us. I doubt not and gave them her dying charge, commit. but that a liberal subscription could be ted them to the safe keeping of her Heavenobtained towards the support of a minis-ly Father, and mentioned their names no ter, were we assured of one being sent," &c. Dear sir, cannot this appeal from Green Bay be regarded by your Society?

MISSOURI.

In our 'last number we published an affecting account of the cholera, at St. Charles, Missouri, în the journal of our Missionary there for one week. We have since received additional intelligence, from which we extract the following:

more.

She was not afraid to die. Death was her constant prayer. I asked her why. That I may be with my Saviour, where I shall be free from sinning." Her sufferings were amazing, protracted, and without intermission. She bore them without a murmur, and only said, "I deserve a thousand times greater pains than these." She died, without a struggle or a groan, on the 28th of August, in the thirty-second year of her age. We shall see her no more; but many a slow-rolling year shall pass into the dark stream of eternity, before there shall sleep in the bosom of those who knew her, the memory of JANE A. ROBINSON.

Since the first of July, our history is short, but dreadful. We are a people "stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." The house of God has been deserted, our Sabbath Schools shut up, our Bible I am thus particular, because I loved classes discontinued, our catechism meetings laid aside, the building of our church her as a saint-because she loved you, as retarded-desolation spread its evil wing, the secretary of the cause dear to her and death hurled his poisoned arrows fast heart-the Home Missionary cause. The and thick around us-gloom, horror, death, friends of Home Missions should know, were every where seen-before, behind, that with Mrs. R., they have lost her and around. But the arrow, executing prayers; a loss which no costly donation judgment, has sped. It has fulfilled its of gold and silver can refund. The only commission, in part. How great the de-course to be pursued, is to labour the more solation! In two short months, out of a po. diligently, give the more freely, and pray pulation of scarce a thousand, one hundred the more fervently. immortals have gone on the long jour

NEW-YORK.

From Rev. R. H. Conklin, Pike. In June, 1832, I formed a church in Pike, which had been organized about eight months, composed of a little more than forty members.

Although weak, we soon formed the design of erecting a temple for God. All repaired to the forest, and soon the timber was on the ground; and in about five weeks more we had a meeting-house finish. ed, all but painting, capable of containing four hundred persons. In the mean time, while we were building a house, God was pouring out his Spirit and building up the church. As soon as our meeting-house was completed, a protracted meeting was in progress, which continued thirteen days, and resulted in the hopeful conversion of about thirty souls, and which also aroused the church to greater diligence and activity.

NEW-HAMPSHIRE AND VERMONT

ANNIVERSARIES.

teresting addresses were made by the agents of the Education and Bible Societies, and the American S. S. Union, and liberal contributions made for each. The reports of the New-Hampshire Missionary Society and their agent were received with lively feeling. The amount raised during the year is about $6000; the num ber of missionaries employed 54, in 73 congregations. The collection and subscription at the close of the anniversary was about $1800.

The General Convention of Vermont, met at Royalton, September 10, and though less numerously attended, appeared to be animated by a spirit equally propitious and encouraging. The character of the reports presented was similar to that of New-Hampshire. On the last day of the sessions, the anniversary of the Vermont Domestic Missionary Society was celebrated. The report was able and spirit-stirring, and the addresses of an animating character. Number of missionaries reported, 33;-receipts into the treasury during the year, about $3000. Col

Having just returned from the religious anniversaries of New-Hampshire and Vermont, we are happy to report, that the cause of Home Missions in both of those states is advancing. The General Association of New-Hamp.lection and subscription at the close of the shire met at Keene, on the 3d of September, and was numerously attended, by the clergy and other friends of benevolent ef. fort, from different parts of the state. The sessions continued three days, with an interest, which we have seldom seen surpassed, on similar occasions. Though the number of additions to the churches has been far less than during the previous year, yet the cause of temperance and other benevolent enterprises have been sustained with increasing efficiency. In- Vermont.

meeting, $650. This was followed by an able discourse from the Rev. Mr. Merrill, of Middlebury, and the administration of the Lord's Supper. The whole scene was one of thrilling interest to the friends of the Redeemer's kingdom, and we have returned from those states with impressions more deep than ever before, that the cause of Home Missions will not cease to hold its place among the most favoured objects of religious charity in New-Hampshire and

Appointments by the Executive Committee of the A. H. M. S., from August, 15th

The Treasurer of the American Home Missionary Society acknowledges the receipt of the following sums, from August 15th to September 15th, 1835.

AMERICAN PASTOR'S JOURNAL,

OR,

ORIGINAL SKETCHES OF REAL CHARACTERS, CONVERSATIONS, AND STRIKING FACTS, FURNISHED CHIEFLY BY CLERGYMEN.

SCENES IN THE DEATH-CHAMBER.

I.

"I have sent for help."

[Furnished by a Pastor.]

II.

The Sorrows of Old Age, in preparing for Death.

"Mr. H.," said an aged man, in one of our New-England parishes, as he came trembling into his minister's house one day, "I wish very much that you would come and see me. I wish to talk with you. My physician tells me that the disease which has distress

close my life. I have no hope! I am unfit to die! I wish to know what 1 shall do! my time it short! what I do, I must do quickly!" Circumstances prevented his remaining for conversation at the time, and he retired, saying nothing more.

SOME men spend life apparently without serious consideration, neglecting the sanctuary, averse to the truth, perhaps profane, and abusers of the Sabbath; and when thrown on the bed of death, then, in fear and conster-ed me lately, will probably, ere long, nation, they send for a minister, to come and assist them to do, in a few fleeting hours, the work which requires a whole life. E. H. was one of these. He was a farmer, in good circumstances, and lived in one of the towns in Connecticut, where the Gospel had long been faithfully preached. He had seen two or three revivals of religion.in Almost every day of the week he was near the meeting-house, at a place where, with others, he could talk and laugh away time; but in the meeting-righteousness.' house, I do not recollect ever to have seen E. H., except on one funeral occasion. In short, he seemed to live as though he had no soul to save, and no God to serve; as though Heaven were a fiction, and hell a bugbear.

||

Several things rendered the coming of this man, on such an errand, peculiarly interesting and affecting to the minister. He had been all his life one of the "stout-hearted, and far from

True, he was often

in his pew on the Sabbath, and listened to the preaching; and he was possessed of a mind of some strength, and ability to discriminate between truth and error, if he would. But he had a constitutional levity of feelings, under the influence of which, united with aversion to serious truth, he often endeavoured to turn aside the edge of the

66

In the winter of 1807, about the seventieth year of his age, he was attacked with pleurisy. It soon became evident that he was going down to the sword of the Spirit," by ridicule. grave. The minister of the place was Along with this, he had been long encalled to see him, at his request. On deavouring to bear up his courage rehis arrival, making some remark indi- specting his future well-being, by a cating that he thought himself near scheme of self-righteousness peculiar the close of his life, he said, "I have to himself. He had brought up, and sent for help." "My dear sir," said the settled around him, a large family of minister, "how can I help you?" All sons and daughters; but, with the exthat a mortal man could do for a dying ception of one or two, they had followman, by counsel and prayers, was done. ed his steps with such closeness, that, But the progress of his disease was as a family of immortals, on their way rapid; and in a few hours after he to the judgment together. they pre"sent for help," the thoughtless, jo-sented to the eye of the Christian a cose, profane, Sabbath-wasting E. H., melancholy group; respectable, in a was gone into eternity, without a ray worldly point of view, but "without of hope having shined upon the dark- God in the world." ness of his departing soul.

The intimations of the physician to