to a certain extent, and he seems to have lost, even in his most lucid intervals, his former impressions, which he has often expressed in the strongest language, in reference to the truth, the excellence, and the importance of the Christian religion. [See Alleghany Mag. for Nov. 1816.] All his representations, for nearly two years, have been in favour of the ancient aboriginal mode of worship. Hence, the pagan party, on Buffalo Creek, not long since, sent for him to a council, thinking to strengthen their cause by the aid of one, who had formerly been the most popular and influential chief in the Seneca nation. He readily attended, and endeavoured, by an address, to prop their tottering system; but, the powers of his mind were so impaired that no notice was taken of his public speech. While we regret the situation of the once venerable, thoughtful, and seemingly not only almost persuaded, noble spirited Kiendtwohke, and the cloud, which stills hangs over one half of his tribe, there is great reason to rejoice at the smiles of Heaven, which, at length, are beginning to beam, with gladsome rays, upon this long neglected people. God, in the wisdom of his providence, has prepared the way for rendering the blessings of religion, pure and undefiled, to all the territories of the Senecas. A few years since, no missionary could have the sanction of the chiefs for delivering the messages of grace. Now, there is not only a willingness in a majority of these chiefs, but an eagerness and anxiety, to hear and understand the words of eternal life. Some have been under deep convictions, and a few, it is conceived, have chosen that good part, which will never be taken from them. Soon may we expect to see churches organized, and the ordinances of the gospel duly administered, in a region, which the prince of darkness has ever claimed, and the present opposition gradually subsiding, till all these tawny sons of the forest shall flock to the standard of the cross. This happy period is fast approaching. The angel now in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach to every nation, kindred and tongue, will shortly reach his utmost bounds, and soon will the poor savages of the American wilderness, with the heathen of every clime, commence the everlasting song of redeeming love.—(Communicated for the Christian Herald.) OBITUARY. THE Rev. THOMAS SCOTT, Rector of Aston Sandford, (E.) was called to his eternal rest on the 16th of April last, after an illness which confined him to his bed five weeks. For seven or eight years past, says the Christian Observer, various infirmities had confined Mr. Scott to the immediate neighbourhood in which he resided, and most of the time to his own very small parish, not containing seventy souls. His labours, however, as a student, and with his pen, were undiminished: and it is not twelve months since he wrote to one of his family, "I believe I work more hours daily in my study than ever I did in my life." His only relaxation was cultivating his garden, when the weather would permit his thus employing an hour or two in the afternoon. Increasing deafness had of late nearly precluded him from conversation, in which he used to take great delight, and reduced him almost to a life of solitude, in the midst of a family who greatly loved and were tenderly beloved by him. On the first Sunday in March he preached in the forenoon with great animation, (from Rom. viii. 32.) and administered the Lord's Supper; and in the evening he expounded, as usual, to several of his parishioners assembled in his kitchen-the subject, the Pharisee and Publican, Luke xviii. But it was for the last time. He soon after caught a severe cold: and though the catarrhal symptoms gave way sooner than was expected, yet on Saturday, March 10, he was attacked with fever, which continued, with some variations, till its fatal termination at the period already mentioned. His last fear respected the agony of death itself, the act of dying, and the severe struggle which he thought he had peculiar reason then to expect. But, blessed be God! death brought no agony, no struggle, not even a groan, or a sigh, or a discomposed feature to him! His breath (so to speak) gradually ebbed away, and that he ceased to breathe, while his countenance assumed a most benign and placid aspect, was all the description that could be given of his departure, Thus "slept in Jesus," in the 75th year of his age, and after the faithful discharge of his ministry during more than 45 years, this honoured servant of God, who, by his numerous and valuable writings, "being dead, yet speaketh," and will, it may be hoped, continue to instruct and edify to distant generations. THE Rev. Dr. WORCESTER is no more. He died at Brainerd on the 7th of June. The Seaman's Magazine. They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. They cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.-Psalms. SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING THE GOSPEL AMONG SEAMEN IN THE PORT OF NEW-YORK. Annual Report, Presented June, 1821. JONATHAN LITTLE, Esa. President. 1 ALTHOUGH for the last twenty years, schemes of Christian benevolence have been gradually put into operation, it was not, till about three years since, that public attention was in any special manner directed to the moral condition of seamen. The bravery of this interesting class of men in war, and the value of their services in time of peace, had indeed for a long time been fully appreciated. The ports and waters of the old and of the new world had alike borne testimony to their valour and enterprise, and public honours had not been wanting in the celebration of their achievements, but notwithstanding that their situation exposed them to peculiar temptations, as well as to the greatest dangers, and to sudden death, the Christian community did not seem to realize the importance of raising their moral views, and of leading them to a course of life, by which they might be prepared for greater usefulness in this world, and for a crown of glory in the world to come. Some Bible and Tract Societies, and a few benevolent individuals, it is true, had directed a portion of their attention to the religious welfare of seamen. There have not been wanting in the British navy, for many years, pious officers and sailors, whose influence has been sensibly felt, and in the merchant service, instances have occurred of similar exertions, attended with happy effects; but as a community, this portion of our fellow beings was, till very recently, neglected and forgotten; with little exception, they were daily dropping into a watery grave, or falling a prey to battle, or to unhealthy climates, or to the still more certain destruction of various indulgences, without any to remind them that they were immortal beings, or to rouse their attention to the importance of their eternal concerns. To use the words of a late London report," the moral and religious condition of our seamen has been most deplorable. Darkness has covered our ships, and gross darkness our sailors. They have been without Christ, strangers from the covenant of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. A man of war has been proverbial for every kind of wickedness, and a sailor but another name for a lawless being, neglected by man, and apparently abandoned by God,-given up to his VOL. VIII. 16 own heart's lusts, to work all uncleanliness with greediness, his places of resort on shore have been infinitely more fatal than winds, or seas, or storms; for in these, thousands, and tens of thousands, have made shipwreck of body and soul; whence they have been hurried unprepared to meet an angry God." In the year 1818, a simultaneous effort was made in Great Britain, and in America, to meliorate the condition of Seamen. In Great Britain, the Port of London Society commenced its operations by opening a floating Chapel upon the Thames, since followed by like exertions in other parts of that kingdom; and in this country the society for promoting the Gospel among seamen, may be numbered amongst the first engaging in the laudable work, by its erection of the Mariners' Church in this city, now accompanied with similar establishments, though not on a scale equally extensive, in other parts of the United States. It is more than three years since the society for promoting the Gospel amongst seamen was first organized; but as circumstances have hitherto prevented the board of Directors from laying a formal report before their constituents, they conceive that it will not be uninteresting to glance at something more than the proceedings of the past year. men. For a year previous to the formation of this institution, the Rev. Ward Stafford, while engaged in christian labours among the poor of the city, had directed a part of his attention to the moral improvement of seaThe encouraging manner in which attentions were received, led him to urge on a number of merchants and shipmasters, the importance of a more extensive effort in the promotion of this object. The first meeting took place in the month of May, 1818, when the incipient measures were adopted. The association had many difficulties to contend with, and many prejudices to overcome, and it was not till the fall of the same year that a commencement was made of the work, by fitting up a school room capable of accommodating 400 persons, and by engaging the Rev. Mr. Stafford, to whose exertions in the cause so much was due, to officiate both as a pastor and preacher for seamen. In this place public worship was regularly maintained till May, 1820, and it was soon perceived that sailors were not only willing to attend on the ordinances of religion, but that many of them regarded such attendance as a privilege and a pleasure. In the course of six months, more than 800 seamen called upon Mr. Stafford, either to converse on religious subjects, to take leave of him, or to solicit Bibles and Tracts. Their language and conduct on these occasions, afforded a convincing proof, that the exertions thus made for their benefit, met with their cordial approbation, and drew forth their grateful acknowledgments. Stimulated by this success, notwithstanding that the general embarrassment of the country rendered it a very unfavourable moment for obtaining pecuniary aid, the board ventured in February, 1819, to purchase most of the land which forms the present site of the Mariners' Church. The limited state of the society's funds, however, and the difficulty of obtaining assistance, delayed the erection of the building, which was not completed till the summer of the following year, the foundation having been laid in October, 1819. In the execution of this work, a grateful acknowledgment is due to many individuals, whose assistance has been liberally given, either in the shape of loans or donations. The institution is also much indebted to the exertions of the "Marine Missionary Society," which charged itself with paying the salary of the officiating minister. An act of incorporation was obtained from the state legislature in April, 1819, giving the usual powers to the association, under the title of "The Society for Promoting the Gospel amongst Seamen in the Port of New-York." On the first Sabbath of June, 1820, the building was solemnly dedicated to Almighty God. The day, it is trusted, will be long remembered by the numerous body of seafaring persons assembled on that interesting occasion, amongst which were many, whose correct deportment and attentive countenances, spoke a language not to be misunderstood. The dedication services were performed by ministers of the Presbyterian, Episcopal, and Methodist denominations; and it is not one of the least interesting features of this institution, that it presents the novelty of an establishment, in which all sectarian views are discarded; that it affords at least one spot of neutral ground, on which the clergy of all christian denominations may officiate, and where christians of every name may co-operate in promoting the interest of their Redeemer's kingdom. As an evidence of the reality of this circumstance, it is necessary only to allude to the united general prayer meeting for the outpouring of the Spirit, which is held on the first Tuesday of every month in the Mariner's Church, and which is regularly attended by christians of almost every denomination in the city. The Rev. Mr. Stafford having resigned, some time since, the charge which he held under the society, and its want of means precluding the further employment of a stated preacher, the institution has depended for some months on the Rev. Clergy of this metropolis, and those who occasionally visit it, for a gratuitous supply of the pulpit. Most of these gentlemen having very liberally promised their assistance, whenever it might be needed, the board have considered it a duty to apply to all of them in turn, and while the directors gratefully acknowledge the important aid thus received, they have pleasure in adding that, from the friendły disposition so generally manifested, there is reason to hope this aid will be as freely continued. The board, however, being fully aware that something more is necessary for their purpose, than the mere supply of the pulpit, and having witnessed the good effect of pastoral attention to the wants of seamen, a suitable person has been employed at a small expense to visit them in their houses, to lead their minds, by familiar conversation, to a knowledge of religious truth, and to a sense of its importance, and to persuade them to profit of the privileges which the institution affords them. The Rev. Henry Chase has been engaged in the performance of these duties the last quarter. His attentions, as well as those of his predecessors, appear to have been gratefully received, and these interviews are usually marked with that frankness and warmth of feeling so characteristic of sailors. In his last report, he says, "In all these visits, with one solitary exception, I have been received in the most friendly and cordial manner; your object has been highly approved, and the mariners called upon, have promised to attend the church service and the prayer meetings as often as possible. It was very encouraging, in some instances, when leaving these men, to be followed by repeated and pressing invitations to call again, and by their earnest wishes, that ten thousand blessings might settle on my head." It has been made the duty of the same person, in his visits, to distribute Bibles and Tracts. These have in general met with a favourable reception, and the directors cannot refrain in this place from expressing their obligations to the New-York Religious Tract Society, and to the Marine Bible Society, for the means they have very liberally afforded of effecting so useful a distribution. A devotional meeting for seafaring persons is held every Wednesday evening, in a room in the basement story of the Mariners' Church. These meetings are conducted by the pastor before mentioned, and your board have the gratification to state, that the attendance on these occasions is gradually increasing, and their deportment in many instances not only correct, but solemn and devout. The prominent object of the society being to provide for seamen the means of regular attendance upon the public worship of God on the Sabbath, it was found necessary, in order to secure this end, to appropriate the lower floor of the church entirely to the accommodation of seafaring persons and the male friends of the institution, leaving the galleries for the use of the female members of the families of those for whose use the building was erected. By this arrangement a barrier is removed to the attendance of many who might otherwise from diffidence or backwardness decline entering a more mixed assembly. It affords, at the same time, to the society, a better opportunity of judging themselves, and of convincing the public, how much this class of persons avail themselves of the benefit thus afforded them. The result has surpassed the most sanguine expectations of the board, and satisfactory evidence has been afforded, that the arrangement made of the house is the only one which can secure to the building its peculiar character of a Mariners' Church. It is hoped, that every reflecting person, far from being offended at this measure, will be sensible how much better it is that others should suffer a trifling inconvenience than to risk the possibility of restraining a single seaman from taking his seat. The part of the house alloted to Mariners is capable of containing above 600 persons. Already it has been as well filled, in proportion to its size, as the churches of the city usually are; seamen have been much more easily prevailed upon to enter this place of worship, than was at first supposed, and the increasing interest excited amongst them, in respect to it, warrants the anticipation that the time is not far distant, when throngs of willing and devout worshippers shall return from their wanderings on the ocean, to give thanks, and to renew their vows, on this spot, to the God of Heaven, whose mercies they have so often experienced. Numerous incidents have occurred, highly gratifying to the directors, as throwing a pleasing light on the character of those whose welfare has been so much the object of their solicitude; amongst others it may be interesting to mention, that a letter was received by the secretary from one of the crew of a British vessel, who, in the abundance of his heart, could not refrain from expressing the rude but pious overflowings of gratitude, in the contemplation and enjoyment of privileges so freely extended to himself and his fellow seamen. |