AMERICAN RECOMMENDATION,

BY

PHILIP MILLEDOLER, D. D.

To the Members of the Presbyterian and Reformed Dutch Churches, in the city of New-York.

DEAR BRETHREN,

Ir is well known to many of you, that the Almshouse and Hospital of this city were, previously to the year 1810, in a very destitute situation, in point of Gospel privileges. Whilst ùnremitting care has been exercised in those important institutions, for preserving the lives and health of their inhabitants, the immortal part, uncherished and uncultivated, has been suffered to pine away with famine of the word of God.

The attention of the religious public has, for some time past, been called to this subject, by the Rev. EZRA STILES ELY, a member of the Presbytery of New-York. In June, 1810, he began to preach in the Almshouse, and in the month of October, of the same year, in the Hospital. In November following, a form of subscription was drafted, and subscribed by a number of individuals, who were principally of the Presbyterian and Dutch communion of this city, for the maintenance of the Gospel in those places. Mr. Ely was retained as their Stated Preacher,

and has laboured in the charge assigned him, from that time to the present, with approved ability, and indefatigable zeal.

Of the nature and success of his labours, some estimate may be formed from the interesting journal contained in this book. The writer of this address has not read the whole journal, but judges from what he has seen, that it will excite greater attention to the subject of which it treats than has ever yet existed. These documents prove their author to have taken a deep interest in his work. They prove also, with overwhelming conviction, the importance of missionary labour, in those asylums of wretchedness and woe, with which he has been conversant.

It is with extreme regret, that we have witnessed the failure of pecuniary resources in the prosecution of his designs. It is a fact, however, which ought not to be concealed, although he has requested me to be silent on the subject, that our missionary has hitherto laboured in that point, under the most distressing embarrassments. Solely dependant on a precarious subscription, which he has now entirely relinquished, his receipts have never exceeded half the necessary support of a single man. For want of proper arrangements at the outset, he has been under the disagreeable necessity of being his own solicitor, accountant, and collector. Having commenced his labours under a plan radically defective, he has submitted to all the evils growing out of it;

and for two years has faithfully preached Jesus Christ and him crucified in the Almshouse; and for the same time, lacking only a few days, in the Hospital.

Shall an object of such magnitude as this, my brethren, in such a city as this, be abandoned, or even suspended, for want of pecuniary aid? Great as it is in its present and eternal consequences, shall it be suffered to languish and die under our eyes? No, it is hoped and believed that it will not be abandoned.

That efficient measures should be taken for the continuance of the Gospel in those institutions, will appear,

1st. From the importance of the object.

By the last report of the Superintendent of the Almshouse, there were 1409 persons dependant on that institution. Of this number it is supposed that 800 at least are capable of receiv ing religious instruction. The Hospital admits of not less than a thousand different patients in the course of each year; some of these remain a few weeks, and others several months. Two hundred persons, on an average, annually die in the two institutions. What a field of labour does this offer to a faithful ministry! Here are some insane persons, in whose case the prudent converse of a spiritual physician may advantageously second the efforts of medical skill. Here many children need instruction, who, without it, might become the future pests of society. Here are

pious souls, oppressed with poverty and disease, who hail the approach of a minister of Jesus, with almost as much joy and gratitude, as if he were an angel from heaven. There are, doubtless, some who enter these institutions with minds shrouded in ignorance, and hearts hardened in sin: to them, how necessary is it that divine instruction should be communicated, and one more effort made to snatch them from perdition! Such an attempt is intercepting them from the very borders of destruction. Whatever may be the issue, it is interesting, it is rational, it is godlike. That men are often called to repentance by afflictive dispensations of Providence, who will deny? When their bodies are wasting with disease, or their souls sinking in despondence, dark is that mind which does not anticipate futurity, and hard that heart which is uninfluenced by the Gospel. There are such characters, we know; but on the other hand, are there not many who will have eternal cause to rejoice in afflictions, sanctified by grace to their salvation?

To extend the glad tidings of salvation, is a great christian duty; and the true disciples of Jesus every where acknowledge it. To fulfil this duty, missionary societies have been formed in our own country, as well as in Europe. Distant missions to the heathen have been planned and executed. That spirit which has deplored their situation, and attempted their relief, we honour and rejoice in. But shall we neglect missionary

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ground under our eye, and at our very doors? Whilst we explore far distant regions of missionary labour, shall we pass over our own fields, which are whitening to the harvest? The wisdom of such conduct is exceedingly questionable, The soul of a pauper in the Almshouse of NewYork, is as valuable as the soul of an Indian on the banks of the Ganges. Whilst our eyes then are turned to the distant harvest fields, let us not leave our own uncultivated, or ungathered.

To urge the necessity of immediate attention to

this subject, I would observe,

2dly. That if any thing is done, it must be

done by individuals.

Benefactions of a public or private nature, may hereafter forward this work of charity; but the foundation of it must be laid in individual enterprise. It is doubted whether the Corporation of this city have power to appropriate any part of their funds for the support of a religious instructor in the Almshouse. If they have not, it cannot be expected; if they have, they may wish to avoid the charge of partiality to a particular denomination.

Jealousy between different denominations, in a case like this, never has, and we have reason to believe from the nature of it, never will, appear. Be this however as it may, something should be done for the relief of these institutions, as soon as possible. We acknowledge it as a just principle, that privileges extended to one denomina