"O Jefus, if this be thy will, “And whisper the call to my heart. T. H. RECENT DEATHS. On Lord's day December 7th, died the Rev. PHILIP GIBBS, Paftor of the Baptist Church in Plymouth. He had arrived at the 72nd year of his age, and his illnes was but of a few days. He had preached twice on the Lord's day preceding, and then feemed to poffefs as much strength of body and energy of mind as for feveral years past. He entered on the work of the Ministry at 16 years of age, and the Paftoral office at 18; fo that he was 56 years the Paftor of that Church. His whole deportment prov'd him to be an affectionate husband, a fincere friend, an ornament to Society, and an able and ufeful Minifter of the Golpel of Chrift; fo that in his death, the world has loít a good man, the Chriftian hemifphere, a bright luminary, and the firmament of Heaven has gain'd another far. The remains of mortality were brought to the Meeting, on Friday the 12th, which was thronged on the mournful occafion. Mr. Mends introdu. ced the folemn fervices, by prayer and reading the Scriptures; Mr. Birt, Paftor of the Baptist Church in Dock, delivered an oration; and Mr. Penn of Kingsbridge closed. The body was then conveyed to the Baptift burying yard, and deposited in the family Vault. The Pall was fupported by eight of the members of the Church, and eight Minifters, two of whom were of the establishedChurch; many other Minifters attended, to pay their last tribute of refpe&t to the venerable deceased. Laft month died the Rev. Mr. MABBOTT, paftor of the Baptist Church at Biggleswade, Bedford fhire. This worthy man has been many years in the Ministry, and in the exercise of his office was much respected, both as a Chriftian and Minister. RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. MISSIONARY. SOCIETY. THE great encouragement with which Providence has favoured this Miffion has induced the Directors to fend additional affistance to that quarter. Meflrs. Bekkar and Manenberg, having been previously fet apart for miffionary work, and Mr. Fofter, defigned for a catechift, with their families, embarked on board the Eliza, Capt. Holman, 5th November, 1800, deftined for the Cape of Good Hope. Mr. Bekkar is to refime his ftation at Stellenbosch, in which, for fome time before his vifiting Europe, he had been labouring among the flaves and native Hottentots. M. Manenberg is defigned, either to join Dr. Vanderkemp in Caffraria, if the circumitances attending him be encouraging; otherwife he will be fixed within the boundaries of the colony, where there is abundant icope for uteful exertion. Mr. Folter is recommended by the Society of Rotterdam, te affift the Rev. Mr. Vos in that extenfive fphere of usefulness, in which we understand he so honourably and fuccessfully labours. Accoun 1 Account of the STATE of RELIGION in the Country of Waaveren, Cape of RODESAND. THE Director Vos, our worthy minifter, doth not only zealoufly labour to inftruct the Heathens and Christians in his preaching, catechizing, vifiting, &c. at that place; but several other friends of religion being excited thereto by that gentleman, are alfo uting their utmost endeavours to teach the Heathen in their own families, and thofe of their neighbours, the way of falvation and this has been attended with fuch fuccefs, that not only is the Chriftian Society in a very flourishing ftate, feveral of them having been, as we truft, converted unto the Lord fome years ago; but also, from the Heathen fome converts are gained for the Lord. Among thefe are two flaves, belonging to the Rev. Mr. Vos, the one named Toontje, being a native of this country, and the other Maart, born at Mofambique; as alfo one belonging to W. du Pleffis, called Sedras, likewife from Mofambique. Thefe trees are known by their fruits, and are fuch, .in whofe hearts is rooted the love of God and of the Lord Jefus. There are others of the Heathen, on whom the Lord appears to have begun a work of grace. 1 BOKKEVELDEN. The endeavours of our worthy minifter fome time ago, and of late those of our worthy member and warden, P. Vander Merwe, have at that place been attended with fuch fuccefs, that divine worship is with all folemnity performed in the houfes of many families, and 317 Heathen are under inftruction, among whom there are three, of whom we hope that grace is poured into their hearts. ROGGEVELD. Divine worthip is alfo performed in fome families at this place, and fe veral of the Heathen are inftrusted, particularly by our worthy brother, C. F. N. Heerop, who, by appointment of our minifter, holds godly exercifes on Sundays, firft for the Chriftians, and afterward for the Heathen among the latter of whom there are three or four, who appear to have a work of grace begun in their hearts. AT THE TWENTY FOUR RIVERS: The Heathen women of this place are, in most families, already instructed by one of our young filters, Cloje Burger. ELEPHANTS' RIVER AND SEEDERBERGEN. The Heathens at the Elephants' River under inftruction are as yet only in a few families; but our zealous brother, Jan. M. Kok, at the Seederbergen, whose heart is burning with love for Jefus, difcovers fo much zeal, that he not only exerts himself with great fuccefs among the Baflars and Hottentots, but alfo among the Christians; infomuch, that he hopes there are already feven among the Heathen and five among the Chriftians, who certainly are concerned for their falvation; and the like exertions are alto made by others in their families. HAUTEN AND BOKKELAND. With respect to divine worship in these remote diftri&ts, they were in a deplorable fate, a few perfons excepted, who occupied themfelses with the concerns concerns of their immortal fouls; but vifits performed from houfe to house, during two months by our paftor, affifted by the worthy warden, P. Van der Merwe, have been attended with fuch effects, that matters are expected to take a more favourable turn, and the Heathen are at this time already inftructed in four or five families. On the other Side of the BROAD RIVER. There are several Chriftians in this part of the country, who fear the Lord in truth; and the Heathens are in most of the families inftructed in the doctrine of falvation, of whom fome fhow by their conduct, that the Gospel has had fome effect on their hearts: amongst others one girl has ometimes prayed with a fick young woman in a certain family, in whom a work of grace was begun. HEX-RIVER. The divine worship in houfes is tolerably well performed in this part of the country: the Heathen are mostly inftructed, chiefly by our young brother Jan Jordaan, and the young man P. de Vos, though no news of any particular progrefs has as yet tranfpired. BOSIES VELDEN.. There is yet nothing particular to be reported from this place, I not having had the opportunity to receive a proper account from thence. Monthly prayer meetings are kept in our part of the country. Jan. 1, 1800. (Signed) PR. FR. THERON. Account of the Inftruction given to the Heathen of CAPE-TOWN, by brother Petrus Job. Le Roux, at the house of brother William Wydeman, commenced the 9th of February 1798. The number of hearers, belonging to this Houfe of Inftruction, amounts to ninety five perfons, Men, Women, and Children; whereof eight, according to their own declarations, are enquiring after the Lord Jefus, and twelve advanced in the knowledge of the Truth. Inftructions given to the Heathen of this place, by fifter C. M. Heye, born Koning, commenced about eleven months ago. On Sundays in the afternoon, there are generally thirty or forty persons, both free and flaves, affembled at this houte; among them is a flave-girl called Eva, to whom the Lord, according to her own confession, has some time paft, by means of his Spirit, revealed that he is a poor finner; that neither herself, nor any one elfe, is able to fave her out of her mifery, except the Lord Jefus alone; and fhe, therefore, daily applies for refuge to that Saviour by means of prayers and fighs; and her actions, as far as I know, are correfponding with the confeffions of her mouth. An other flave-girl, named Tiny, makes alfo nearly the fame declaration, and there are belides thefe, four or five others, in whom there seems to be a defire, and who appear to be hungering and thirsting after the true and pure milk of God's word. Among the men-flaves are alfo two perfons, of the names of Adrie, in whom, I believe, the Lord has begun a good work. There are alfo, among the hearers, five or fix who pretty well understand to read; four or five who fpell, and fhew a great defire to be inftructed therein. When any one afks them, why they are fo fond of reading, their answer is, that they wish to be able to fearch after what the Lord speaks to them in his word. VOL. IX. G Infruction Inftruction given to the Heathen at this place of Cape-Town, by fifier, the Widow Moller, born Hynings at the house of brother Schoonberg. The number of Heathen, who now and then affemble at this Houfe of Inftruction, amounts to forty perions: A certain man-flave, by the name of Robyn, is mostly known by his fruits of faith; and the Spirit of Chrift has difcovered to him what a great finner he is, fo that he inceffantly bows himfelf before the Throne of Mercy; and fubmits himself like a child, to be led and conducted by the Lord. Two flave-girls, the one called old Rofette, and the other Salatie, give likewife continual proofs of their hunger and thirst after juftification by faith in Chrift, without which they are perfuaded there is no falvation for them. There are many more who have begun to lend an attentive ear; but cannot exprefs what rays of grace the Lord has diffuled in their hearts. In the district of the village of STELLENBOSCH, the work of the Lord feems outwardly to make daily progrefs both among the unenlightened and the heathen, and the godly exercifes, afforded the flaves, are uninterruptedly continued, as well as the intruction of the children of the Heathen, in the fpelling book. In a citrict of old Nimaquay's country, the inftruction of the unenlightened and Heathens, is continued with much zeal. In another certain dittrit, called the Wagemaker's Valley, fituate a few miles from hence, the labour is zealoufly and with much bleffing continued, by means of Godly exercifes, both among the Chriftians and Heathens; and there the number of the latter, belonging to that place of Instruction, is actually great. Brother 1.1. Van Zulch, who labours there, and whose conititution is very much enfeebled, fo that according to human appearances, no hopes remain of his recovery, is very anxious for his beloved flock; and is alfo one of thofe, who heartily with, that, in cafe there fhould be any miffionaries sent out to this promontory, his diftrict may not be left unprovided. REVIVAL OF RELIGION IN SCOTLAND. WE rejoice in every thing which has a tendency to promote the caufe of the glorious Redeemer, though in a remote degree; but when we hear of the pouring out of the Spirit of God on a minilter's labours from week to week, and behold the defert bloffom as the rose, we are filled with peculiar delight. A pleafing inftance of this is recorded in a letter from Mr. Stewart, of Moulin (See above our Review of the Narrative) giving an account of the revival of religion in his parifh for two years paft. A few extracts we fubjoin, not doubting but they will caufe much thanksgiving, and raife many a heart in prayer to God for the continuance and encrease of the glorious work. We hope they will likewife draw forth the molt fervent fupplications both of minifters and private Chriftians for the fhedding abroad of the Spirit in a like abundant degree, in the place where they dwell. "In March, 1799, I began a courfe of practical fermons on regeneration, which I continued to the beginning of July following. Thele were attended with a more general awakening than had yet appeared among us. Seldom a week paffed, in which we did not fee or hear of one, two, or three persons brought under deep concern about their fouls, accompanied with trong convictions of fin, and earnest enquiries after a Saviour. It is obfervable that the work of converfion among us has been begun and carried on in a quiet manner, without any confufion, and without any of thofe agitations of mind, or convulfions of the body, or friekings or faintings, which have often accompanied a general awakening in other places. Having 46 Having lately made an enumeration of those of our congregation whom, to the belt of my judgment, I trust I can reckon truly enlightened with the faving knowledge of Chrift, I find their number about feventy. The geeater part of thefe are under thirty years of age; feveral are above forty; fix or seven above fifty; one fixty-fix, and one above feventy. Of childien under twelve or fourteen, there are a good many who feem to have a liking to religion; but we find it difficult to form a decided opinion of their cafe. Of thofe who have died within thefe twelve months, three, we are perfuaded, and we hope two or three others, have flept in Jefus. 1 obferve among four young converts a confiderable variety of frames, but a ftriking uniformity of character. They are dejected or elevated according as their attention is more fixed on their own deficiencies and corruptions, er on the glorious fufficiency of Chrift; but all of them are characterized by lowlinefs of mind, by a warm attachment to each other. and to all who love the Lord Jefus, and by the affections fet on things above. "We have not yet to lament any great failing off in thofe who have once undergone a faving change. There may be perfons who were fome time enquiring with fome earneknefs, and afterwards fell back to their former unconcern. But all, fo far as I know, who feemed to have been truly humbled for their fins, and made to feel in their hearts the grace of God in the Gospel, continue thus far to maintain a humble, fpiritual, confcientious walk. They have a conftant appetite for the fincere milk of the word, and for Chriftian fellowship with one another. The younger fort have lost their former levity of fpeech and behaviour, and are become devout and fober-minded: thofe more advanced in life have laid atide their felfishness and worldly-mindedness, and are grown humble, contented, and thankful. "We have no inftances of perfons among us remarkable for profligacy of manners or profanenets of fpeech, who have been restrained from fuch enormities, because there were none of that de cription to be found in our fociety. The changes have been from ignorance and indifference, and difie Jifh of divine things, to knowledge and concern, and fpiritual enjoyment. Neither are there among us inftances of perfons fuddenly truck or impreffed by fome alarming event, or fingular difpenfation of Providence. The word of truth proclaimed in public, or fpoken in private, has been almost the only outward means of producing conviction of sin, and confidence in the Saviour. We have till the happiness to find, from week to week, that the fame concern and awakening is fpreading around, and extemling to fome neighbouring congregations. Within thefe few weeks, perfons from fix and feven miles diftance have called here on a Sabbath morning, under evident concern about their fouls. On the fucceeding Sabbath the fame perfons have called again, introducing a relation or fellow-fervant under fimilar concern. All of thefe, fo far as can be judged from prefent arpearances, are in a hopeful way. Such is the manifold grace and loving kindness with which it has pleased the Lord to vifit this corner of his vineyard. I truft that all our Chriftian brethren who may receive the joyful intelligence, will join us in prayer that God may continue to water with thowers of hieffings this vine, which his own right hand hath planted; and that no boar from the wood may be allowed to walte it, nor worn at the root to finite it that it wither." RELIGIOUS |