other States, in manners, sentiments, and institutions. The arrival of fresh intelligence respecting the Queen is looked for with as much impatience as in our provincial coffee rooms. As I found I could not, in any case, reach Boston, 20 miles distant, till late to night, I determined to avail myself of a letter of introduction, from my missionary friend, Mr. Kingsbury, to the Professors of the Institution here. Accordingly, after writing to you till I thought their afternoon occupations would be over, I delivered my letter, addressed to the Reverend "The Professors," to Mr. ——, one of the four, who was just setting out with his wife to drink tea with another, and took me with him. Here I found eight or ten ladies, and several clergymen; and the conversation turned principally on the state of religion in the two countries, and the characteristics of the different States, through which I had recently passed. After tea, we all adjourned to the chapel, as it was the first Monday in the month, the evening of which is very generally consecrated by many classes of Christians, in every quarter of the globe, to public prayers for the diffusion of the gospel, and the success of missionary efforts. It is, therefore, an interesting evening in itself; but I felt particularly happy in the opportunity of spending it at this Institution, designed exclusively for the education of ministers, and the source from which the American Board of Missions has drawn, as I was informed, all its missionaries, who are now labouring among the natives of Asia, Africa, and the Islands of the Pacific, and among those who have a yet stronger claim, the aborigines of their country. My missionary friends at Elliot spoke, with tears in their eyes of the pleasure with which they hailed the return of this evening, persuaded that then, at least, they lived in the memory of the dear friends, whose society they had for ever relinquished; and that they were . uniting their prayers for the spread of the gospel with large numbers of devoted Christians, in every quarter of the globe. * "In the evening, Father Marsveld, after a suitable discourse, offered up a fervent prayer for the prosperity of the work of God on earth, particularly among the heathen, the brethren having here followed the practice of several missionary societies in England and Holland, to meet for this purpose." -Latrobe's Journal in South Africa. "March 6, 1820.-Being the first Monday of the month, we joined in spirit with the friends of missions throughout the world, in praying for the universal spread of the gospel." -Campbell's Journal in South Africa. It is a fine establishment; and the handsome collegiate edifice, the spacious grounds, and the houses of the Professors, bear as ample testimony to the munificence, as the object of the Institution, to the piety of its founders. Though strict with respect to the doctrines held by the candidates for admission, a preference for any particular form of church government presents no difficulty; and Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Baptists, and Congregationalists, may here be initiated in those lessons of mutual charity, which will tend, at least, to extinguish prejudice and party spirit in after life. It is a beautiful star-light night, and whilst looking out of my window on this quiet scene, where many who are now labouring in distant regions of the globe, first felt those ardent aspirings after extensive future usefulness, which prompted them to encounter the trials of a missionary life-where many are now preparing for the same honourable enterprise; "Last Monday, we kept our first monthly concert of prayer on the Mount of Olives."-King's Journal in the Holy Land. The Traveller last mentioned, who is now a missionary in Palestine, or Egypt, completed his education at the very Institution I am describing, and afterwards visited Paris, for the purpose of acquiring a more thorough knowledge of the Oriental languages. I could not but contrast the privileges of a life, thus early and entirely dedicated to the noblest cause, with those of the most successful commercial, or political career; where the flame of piety, if not extinguished by the very atmosphere which surrounds it, is exposed to a thousand blasts, from which the religious zeal of the missionary is sheltered by his very situation. END OF VOLUME first. LIVERPOOL: |