was formed; his thigh bone wafted away in the focket; to which was added a cough, which very much troubled him. In the midst of fuch trials he faid, "I find my mind fo perfectly reconciled to the will of God, that if he choofes to continue me longer in this fuffering ftate, I am willing to tay his time-I am perfectly reconciled-I truit I feel what the apottle did when he faid, For me to live is Chrift, but to die is gain." After this he was feveral days under a gloomy fear that he fhould be left to murmur and dithonour God. In the adjoining room to that in which he lay, was the Sunday fchool, and hearing on the Sabbath morning the Bible clafs read in the 7th chap. of Micah," Therefore I will look unto the Lord, I will look unto the God of my falvation! My God will hear me; rejoice not against me, O mine enemy, when I fall I fhall arife! when I fet in darkness, the Lord fhall be a light unto me:" there words were accompanied with fuch a divine blefling to his mind, as brought him into perfect peace and liberty of foul; from which time he never appeared to have a cloud upon his mind. Thus the Lord gave him deliverance from the powers of darkness, by means of the inititution in the fervice of which he had conftantly employed the laft four years of his health. In the midit of his afflictions, he was heard to rejoice in the diftinguishing goodnels of God; and faid that he would gladly undergo ali his fufferings again, for fuch a glorious hope as he enjoyed; and eternity of glory, after twenty months pain. A few days before he died, he faid what should I do now without the Bible; my afflicted body; and my food afford me no enjoyment; they all fail me, but the word of the Lord endureth for ever. Then quoted from Dr. Watts: "What empty things are all the skies, "And this inferior clod; "There's nothing here deferves my joys, "There's nothing like my God." I have been thinking, fays he, on Chrift as a brother; a brother born for adverfity; the longer I live, the more I fee my need of him, and the more I love him; I long to be with him; I am ready to fay, why are thy chariot wheels fo long in coming? Come Lord Jefus, come quickly. Chrift, fays he, has kept his hold on me, and not I on him; his love is an everlating love; I might have been looking at death with a troubled confcience, hut now peace of confcience and joy in the Holy Ghost! The Friday before he died, his foul being in clofe communion with God, he declined much company or converfation; but being asked whether his nind was happy, he answered, "Yes, happy, very happy." He expreffed a concern that he might retain his fenfes till the laft, and refufed to receive any thing to fill his pain, that might fufpend, or even blunt the excrcife of his reason. Finding his fight fail him, he defired to take his laft leave of the family, which he did, affectionately embracing them all, and particularly his mother, ananking her for the great trouble the had taken with him. "I have faid to you all I can fay; I never thought I could have parted with you all with fo much pleasure, but it is in hope to meet you around the throne. "I am dying, fays he, not in an ecstacy; for my weak frame could not fupport me under what I have felt; but I am dying fafe, for I know him in whom I have believed. i hope your minds are fatisfied concerning me, for I have not the fhadow of a doubt on my own mind”. He He begged that the Lord would make his afflictions and death the means of the falvation of others. One of his relations, wiping his eyes, obferved, Thefe are weary eyes; "Yes, replied he, they belong to a weary traveller, but they are within fight of hoine"-thofe words of Dr. Watts, have made a deep imprettion my mind: on "He that hath lov'd us bears us through, "And makes us more than conquerors too." The end of all his fufferings was now come. His fpeech was hard to be understood, and his fight apparently gone. The evening on which he died, his father went into the room, and taking him by the hand, told him he would fhortly be with thofe "who had come out of great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." Upon this, to the astonishment of all who were prefent, he lifted up his left arm, which he had not used for fome weeks, and clafping him round the neck, held him fast for a confiderable time; his father repeated to him from the Scriptures, and from Dr. Watts's hymns, feveral pallages, referring to the glory of the heavenly ftate. He endeavoured to fpeak, and fiequently embraced him, and on his father's reminding him, that he was going to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerufalem; to an innumerable company of angels, and to the spirits of the just made perfect," he uttered with evident marks of rapture, It is now! It is now! It is now ! Such were the joys of his dying moments, and fuch the fource of confolation which he left to his affectionate parents. Shortly after this, he appeared to endure fharp pain, at, or near his heart. On his beckoning with his hand, his father read the 60th chapter of Ifaiah, and committed him to the Lord in prayer; immediately afterwards, lifting up his right hand, and waving it round, he laid it gently acrofs his breaft, and almoft imperceptibly expired. He was buried on Monday, Dec. 8. when an oration was delivered at the grave, by the Rev. R. Simpfon, Hoxton; and on the following Lord's Day evening, the funeral formon was preached at the Academy Chapel, to a very crouded and attentive audience, by the Rev. G. Collifon, from Lam. iii. 27. It is good for a man, that he bear the yoke in his youth. G. C. REV. JOHN REECE. ON Thursday the 8th of January, died of a putrid fever, the Rev. John Reece, independent Minifter of Haward Street. Chapel, Sheffield. At this place Mr. Reece had not refided more than three years, where, with the bleffing of God upon his labours, the congregation had greatly increased. By this unexpected bereavement, his people are deprived of a ufeful and much loved paftor, and a widow, and fix children, the oldeft under nine years of age, and the youngest only fix weeks, are left deftiture of the fmalleft fupport, except what thall be afforded them from a generous public, which it is hoped will not be wanting in that lively fympathy to often fhewn to the widows and orphans of God's faithful minifters. Any fubfcriptions towards raifing a fund for their future fubintence, will be thankfully received and faithfully applied, by the Rev. John Eyre, Hackney, the Rev. Mr. Wilks, Old-ftreet road, or the Rev. Jofeph Boden Sheffield. On Monday January 12, died in the 65th year of his age, the Rev. James' Illingworth, D. D. formerly curate to that excellent minifter, Dr. Conyers, then of Helmsley in Yorkshire. After the removal of Dr. Conyers to Deptford, Deptford, Dr. Illingworth refided for fome time in London; but being prefented to the rectory of Fickingley in Warwickshire, he went to refide on it, where he preached the unadulterated gospel of Christ, and recom◄ mended it by a correfpondent life. We are concerned alfo to announce the recent Death of the Rev. Mr. Maiall, who has been many years a laborious and fuccefsful preacher in North Wilts, and who has left a pregnant widow and three children, in diftreffed circumstances. While the Lord is thus removing his faithful minifters of different denominations, we rejoice that he is alfo raifing up others to fupply their place, and bear an honourable teftimony to the gospel. RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE MISSIONARY SOCIETY. The Directors have at length had the fatisfaction to hear from the Miffionaries, who after a feries of uncommon trials, and the lofs of Mr. Turner, Surgeon, (late one of the Miffionaries on board the fhip Duff;) are fafe arrived at Rio-de-Janiero. We have reafon to hope, that their labours have been already fucceeded in the converfion of fome of the convicts that failed with them, but who died on the paffage. Letters have been received from Dr. Vanderkemp, the laft of as late date as Auguft 1800, when he was still in Caffraria, rejoicing in having escaped a thousand dangers, and having begun to reap the fruits of his labours, in the converfion of, at leaft, one heathen native. This letter we are obliged, with many others, to defer to our next number. A Letter has also been received from Mr. Hillyard, Miffionary at Twillingate, Newfoundland, dated the 4th of laft November, by which it appears, that an epidemic fever has prevailed, which has employed almost his whole time in vifiting the fick, and induced among the people an uncommon ferioufnefs and attention on the word. On the whole we have much reafon to acknowledge the good hand of God upon us, as it refpects the various miffionary objects; and to be encouraged to go forward under his gracious protection, who in his own time and way, will certainly fulfill the word in which he hath caused us to hope." Letters from the Miffionaries, on board the Royal Admiral, bound to the South Seas. To the Directors of the Miffionary Society. Rio-de-Janeiro, Brazils, South America. Dear and honoured Fathers, WE think it our duty to inform you, that we have arrived fafe in the harbour of Rio-de-Janeiro the 12th of August, after a tedious paffage of 89 days. When we recollect the way the Lord hath led us thro', and the circumstances we have been in, we can join with the Pfalmist and fing of mercy and judgment." In the days of old; God did not lead his people the nearest and most direct way to Canaan, but thro' the midst of the Red Sea, and the howling wilderness of Arabia. He brought them into trials and difficulties, that his mercy, power, and wifdom, might be gloriously displayed in their wonderful deliverances: and that his great name might be magnified. So, in fome refpects, it hath been with us; we have been brought into ftraits and difficulties, yet in the midst of them all, we are now living monuments of the great goodness of our heavenly Father Father, and witneffes of his providential protection and tender mercy. -We fet fail from Spithead on the 15th of May, but contrary winds obliged us to return to St. Helen's; and, on the fecond attempt, we were obliged to put into Torbay, from whence we failed on the 27th, in company with 18 fail, under convoy of the Belliqueux of 64 guns. Soon after our departure from our native fhore, we difcovered that the unhappy convicts brought with them, not only impaired conftitutions, (reduced by long confinement in the prifons of England,) but also the feeds of almoft every difeafe; and now, when fo great a number as three hundred were clofely confined, the air being infected, the prifon foon became the nursery of difeafes. A dangerous fever broke out, and fpread alarmingly among the prifoners, and we are forry to obferve, that the furgeon, Mr. Turner, fell a facrifice. After an illness of fourteen days, he died on the fecond of June. The fever daily encreased as we approached a hotter climate; and as we have been detained a long time in the calm latitudes, on both fides of the equator, infomuch that we have spent no lefs than fifty-three days in our paffage through the torrid zone, and being under the fcorching rays of the fun, almost every body on board felt the effects of this unwholesome climate, and especially the fick. But when we got into the fouthern tradewind, and the climate gradually cooled, the fever abated. During the paffage no less than 140 were taken ill of the fever, and of these 32 died. Most of the others are in a fair way of recovery. All that have died during our paffage to this place are 40 perfons. Neither have all of ur efcaped the common calamity. William Read was taken ill of the fame fever, and was brought, in appearance, to the very gates of death; but the Lord disappointed our fears, and he is restored to his ufual health again. Soon after, William Walters was taken ill alfo, had every symptom of a putrid fever, and for three days we had not the leaft hope of his recovery; but the Lord otherwife determined, and we have the satisfaction of seeing him daily getting better. When the fituation of the thip is confidered, it is evident that we were in a dangerous and unpleasant situation. At the fame time, the miferable ftate of the unhappy convicts, cried loudly for our compaffion and affiftance. After the death of Dr. Turner, no furgeon being on board, J. Elder took the charge of the fick, and has been much employed in admi. niftering to their complaints. The brethren have alfo embraced every convenient and prudent opportunity of reading and exhorting, &c. &c. but after all the means used, we have been ready many times to cry out with the prophet "Who hath believed our report?" Yet we have reafon to hope, that the Lord in fome measure hath bleft our feeble efforts, and that our labours have not wholly been in vain. One in particular of the name of Willouway, a convict, (formerly of Bristol) had been for fome time an attendant on the gofpel there, and experienced fome pleasure in religion; but had awfully backfliden, and was at laft brought to this unhappy fituation: fince we came on board, the Lord has been pleafed to biefs his word to the restoration of this prodigal. But foon after he was taken ill of the fever, and died. Previous to his death, we had much fatisfaction that he was a true penitent, relying on the obedience and fufferings of Chrift for pardon and falvation. Some others feemed to be under conviction that their state was not well, that they finned against God, and that they needed pardon: but most of them are now among the dead. As to the generality, they will hear us feemingly with attention; but when worthip is over, all is over. Oh! that the Lord may be pleafed to awaken thele miferable mortals, to fee their awful and dauVOL. IX. gerous N gerous condition. The frequent inftances of mortality, difeafe, and affliction, the threatenings of the law, and the invitations of the gospel, all the means and ordinances, will leave the finner in the fame ftate," dead in trefpaffes and fins" 'till the day of God's power comes. We fee daily proofs of this. Among numerous circumstances that call loudly for thankfulness and acknowledgment of the Lord's goodness towards us, one was our deliverance on the 4th of Auguft. God, in his providence, inclined the mind of the commodore, and fome of the fhips to accompany us, and touch at Rio-Janeiro; and by that means (in all probability) we have been delivered from being taken prifoners; for near the latitude where the Duff was captured, we fell in with three French frigates, and an American brig their prize; after a long chace, and running fight, two of the frigates, named La Concorde of 44 guns, and Le Medie of 40 guns, were captured, the other with the American efcaped. We now conclude, defiring your fervent prayers in our behalf; and we hope our friends and relations will not be alarmed in refpect to our fituation, as we are under the protection of a compaffionate Father, who also is the great and wife governor, and fovereign of the whole universe; and we trust that we are in the path of duty; therefore, in humble reliance on his promifes we defire to go forward, defiring his gracious prefence to be with us, and that he would make us the inftruments of bringing many, in the dark corners of the earth, to a faving knowledge of the only true God, and Jefus Chrift whom he hath fent; and while we defire this for ourselves, we fincerely with a divine blessing on all your efforts, to spread the knowledge of a crucified Saviour; may the Lord haften the time, when Sion shall be the praife of the whole earth! This, Honoured Fathers, is the fincere JOHN YOUL, Sec. Ship, Royal Admiral, August 27, 1800. LETTER FROM DR. VANDERKEMP TO DR. HAWEIS. River Debe, in Cafraria, May 14, 1800. Dear Doctor, and much respected Friend. EMBRACE the unexpected opportunity which Providence offers me, to fend my Journal of the first quarter of 1800 to the Colony, in hopes that my friends there will find means to forward it to the Cape, and from thence to England. In this letter I will fubjoin some general remarks on the state of the Miffion. If we look upon external appearances only, hopes for the fuccefs of miffionary attempts would be very faint, as things in this country bear a gloomy afpect. My dear, and always faithful companion, Edmond, has at length left me alone, from an irrefiftible averfion to this nation, which is indeed extremely favage; and has returned to the Cape with a view to proceed to Bengal. I have very little profpe&t that another fervant of God will be called to fupply this, in fome meature, irreparable lofs, or be difpofed to affociate himself with me, as his refidence in this country would be attended with confiderable danger and difficulties, partly from the difpofition of the natives, and partly from the difficulty of correfponding, and communicating with the Colony. The turbulent ftate of the political connec tions between the English, Colonists, and Caffres, feems to have rendered |