ants of the plantation of Williamsburgh, in a letter of nearly the same date, and in reference to the same object, observe: "There are four townships in this vicinity, viz. No. 3, and 4, in the seventh range, and Brownsville and Williamsburgh, which, from their local situation and occasional intercourse, are more connected with each other, than with any adjacent settlements, and are wholly destitute of religious instruction of any kind, except what they have recently received at the hands of the Society, for which they would express their unfeigned gratitude." In consideration of these statements and requests, the Society, at its last annual meeting appointed, Mr. May to a mission of three months in each succeeding year, for three years, in Brownsville and the vicinity. Mr. May is accordingly now settled with his family at Brownsville. The Proprietor of the town has granted him a lot of land; and the Proprietors of No. 4, and Williamsburg, two of the towns in which he is instructed to perform missionary service, have contributed towards his support 113 dollars. The number of families in the four townships, in which his entire services are to be performed, is about sixty. "Beside these there are many young men without families, who are clearing lands to prepare habitations for themselves." Mr. M. writes, "I live in the centre of these four townships. There appears to be a disposition in the people in general to attend on my ministration of the word, so far as is consistent with the local situation and employments of the inhabitants of a newly settled country, though there are some exceptions."

The Rev. Mr. WEBSTER performed a mission of three months at Eastport and in the vicinity; and his labors appear to have been acceptable and useful.

Rev. Mr. WILLISTON, the last year, performed a mission of about three months at Monmouth, in the District of Maine; and his services were very kindly received and gratefully acknowledged. There are about 20 families in the Congregational Society there; and they appear to be desirous of having the Gospel preached to them, and "willing to support it as far as is in

their power." They contributed toward the mission according to their ability; and were very unwilling to part with the Missionary. "Even the women," as one of the Society informed us, "proposed a contribution; and it was truly an affecting sight, to see the widow and the fatherless contribute their mite so cheerfully."

The Rev. Mr. SHAW spent two months in the service of the Society, at Jefferson, Lincolnville, Mortville, Palermo, Haerlem, Vassalborough, Fairfield, and Waterville. "On Sabbath days there was generally large collections of people; lectures on week days generally thin, it being a busy season of the year. Many appeared grateful to the Society for their benevolent exertions in supplying them with a preached word."

The Society, it will be perceived, directs its attention where the opportunities are favorable, to stationary missions. Missionaries and others, who have the best means of judging of the advantages of these, compared with itinerary missions, give them a decided preference. The Rev. Mr. Jenks of Bath, in a letter of the 11th September last, to the Secretary, observes: "The practices of locating missionaries, so judiciously adopted of late, bids fair to be productive of much good. Our Society in this quarter, are giving attention to it, and find it accelerates the settlement of ministers. You will congratulate us, dear Sir, on the flattering prospect of extending usefulness. Four ministers, it is thought, will soon have been added to the number of those in Oxford County, within a year. That part of the District will then be tolerably provided for, and thus allow the attention of these benevolent Societies to be extended east of the Kennebec with effect, and even of the Penobscot."

It is with peculiar pleasure, that the Society learns with what spirit and intelligence measures are adopted in the District of Maine for the diffusion of useful knowledge, human and Divine, among the inhabitants. Impressed with a regard for the rising generation, a respectable number, in different counties

from Portland to the Penobscot region, have associated upon an extensive plan, and are now incorporated under the name of "The EASTERN SOCIETY for propagating the knowledge of the sacred Scriptures, and establishing Christian Order, Instruction, and Piety, in the District of Maine." In a letter to the Secretary, giving an account of this new Society, the Rev. Mr. Packard observes: "We propose not only to regard with alleviating tenderness families destitute of the Bible, but to manifest a peculiar solicitude for the rising generation. It is a part of our plan to urge Preceptors and School Masters to institute weekly inquiries concerning the morals and improvement of their pupils; and we have agreed to reward diligence in reading and understanding the holy Scriptures, by bestowing on the most diligent in that important branch, Bibles and Testaments according to their merit announced by their instructor."

RHODE ISLAND.

Continued representations of the extreme want of religious instruction in many towns in the State of Rhode Island, induced the Society to employ a Missionary there the last and the present year, as well in reference to the exigences of the white, as of the aboriginal inhabitants. The Rev. Dr. Patten, in a letter to the Secretary dated May 30, 1809, observes: "There is sufficient employment in different parts of the State for at least. two Missionaries more than our Society can furnish, as there are several considerable towns destitute of the stated preaching of the Gospel, and many scattered settlements, which cannot be visited without much labor and expense of time, and which will have no opportunity of hearing the Gospel, unless by Missionaries. It will be a great assistance and encouragement to the Missionary Society of this State, and confer an important obligation on the people, should the Society for propagating the Gospel consider those destitute among us, as proper objects of their attention and charity." In another letter from a gentleman of eminence in Rhode Island, dated Sept. 11, 1809, it is observed: "The first settlers of this State made no provision by law for the support of the preaching of the Gospel er of public.

schools; and their successors down to the present time have followed their example. The means of instruction, however, through the exertions of individuals, are not wanting in our seaport towns. In the adjacent country a degree of neglect still prevails, as to these matters, reproachful to us as a people. How the condition of the people in general is to be improved, unless by the charity of the more enlightened of other places, I know not. Our country towns are illy furnished with meeting houses, and still worse with public teachers. I know not of any part of New England where the labors of a Missionary would be of more service, or are more needed."

For the appointment of the late Rev. Mr. EMERSON to a mission in the southwestern parts of Massachusetts, including also a part of Rhode Island, and for a donation of fifty dollars, the Society has received the thanks of the Rhode Island Missionary Society.

Rev. Mr. CoE was employed last year, on a mission of four months in the State of Rhode Island and the vicinity. During his mission he repeatedly visited the Narraganset Indians. "Monday," says his Journal, "I rode to the Indian house of worship (at Charlestown,) and the tribe generally attended, to whom I again preached; upon Acts xiv. 30, 31. They appeared very serious and attentive." After worship Mr. Coe desired the Council, and as many as he thought proper, to stop a while. He gave a Bible to one of the members, "it being observed, there was not a Bible owned in the church," He also gave them two of Watts's Psalms and Hymns and a Testament. He then proposed to them questions, the answers to which appear in the foregoing statement respecting the Narraganset Indians.

Mr. Coe performed missionary services at Freetown, Fallriver,* Tiverton, Westport, Dartmouth, New Bedford, Charlestown (Narraganset,) South Kingston, Richmond, Gloucester,

A village, partly in Massachusetts, and extending over the line into Rhode Island, "respectable in numbers."

Foster, Coventry, Hopkington, Westerly, and Little Compton. The Church in Dartmouth voted unanimously, that their thanks be presented to the Society, "for the labors of the Rev. Mr. Coe the present year."

In this mission, which was closed in October 1809, Mr. Coe preached 109 times; administered the Lord's Supper 5 times attended 7 conferences; made 8 visits at schools; baptized 3 children; assisted at 2 church meetings; attended one funeral; admitted one person to church fellowship; distributed all the books committed to his care; and made 370 family visits.

"Throughout the southerly and westerly part of the State," says Mr. Coe, "there is no constant stated worship, I believe, attended, excepted by the Sabbatasians and some others in Westerley and Hopkington, by the people called Quakers in South Kingston, and the Indians in Charlestown. Two houses of worship, and churches of our order in those parts have long since been demolished. I saw four houses of worship for the Baptists forsaken, and others much out of repair. The people in general are greatly averse to the supporting of ministers. Some devout people, chiefly of the Baptist brethren, are to be found, however, in most places, who treat Missionaries with decent hospitality. In most or all of those places, they may have occasional preaching by Baptists and others. In some other parts of the country they have stated worship of the different orders of the Baptists."

The account given by one of the Missionaries respecting the lax state of morals, particularly of the profanation of the Lord's day, in some parts of Rhode Island, is very affecting. "Several of my friends at told me that one of their neighbors, on that sacred day, had 25 men engaged in mowing his grass." "In the country of about 40 miles I passed from

the people live generally without public worship; and no public teacher of any denomination statedly labors among them." AtFord's day, "I had three meetings, but their custom has been