WESLEYAN METHODISTS. The Seventy-third Annual Conference of the Preachers, in the Connexion established by the late Rev. John Wesley, was held in London, July 29th, 1816, and the following days. From the Minutes of the Conference, lately published, we copy the following general recapitulation of the number of members in the Society, and of the number of regular travelling preachers : In Great Britain 101,680; in Ireland 28,342; in France 35; at Brussels 35; at Gibraltar 63; at Sierra Leone 129; at the Cape of Good Hope 42; in Ceylon 56; in the West Indies 18,938; Nova Scotia, &c. 1824. Number of members under the care of the British and Irish conferences 244,318; number of members in America—whites 167,978; coloured 43,187–211,164.-Total number of members in the Methodist Societies throughout the world 452,484. Preachers.-There are 725 regular travelling Preachers now stationed in Great Britain-132 in Ireland-96 on foreign missions and 704 in the American Methodist Connexion.-Total of travelling Preachers not included in the preceding account, 1657. The increase of members in Great Britain in the last year, is stated to be nearly 10,000, and in the West Indies 100. [London Paper. WIDOW'S SOCIETY (of New-York.) The Managers of "The Society for the relief of Poor Widows with Small Children" acknowledge the receipt of twenty-five dollars from an unknown benefactor. In hopes that the letter which conveyed this charitable offering may edify, and prompt others to do likewise, it is inserted in this publication. Savannah, December 13, 1816. DEAR MADAM, In reading a recent Report of the "Widow's Society," published in the "Christian Herald," my mind was deeply impressed with the important blessings which this Society has been a means of dispensing to such of the afflicted family of mankind as God in his word, and the Saviour while on earth manifested a special care for; and I feel confident that God will strengthen the hands and enlarge the means of this Societyŝto continue their useful labours, and I pray that through their instrumentality in doing good to the bodies of their fellow creatures, their hearts may (by the blessing of God on the means) be prepared to receive the truth Please accept the with joy, as it is in Christ Jesus our Lord. mite enclosed, in aid of the funds of the Institution, and may the Lord reward your labours of love by an approving conscience and an increasing desire to be more useful in the promotion of his honour and glory, and the welfare of the afflicted. 111 NEW BIBLE SOCIETIY. X. "The Bloomfield Bible Society, (N. J.) auxiliary to the American Bible Society," instituted 1st January, 1817. Rev. Cyrus Gildersleeve, President; Mr. Cyrus Gildersleeve, junr. Treasurer; Mr. William I. Armstrong, Secretary. [IN our last Number we made mention of a pamphlet entitled "A Narrative of five youth from the Sandwich Islands," &c.--from which we gave some extracts tending to show the progress which Obookiah, one of those natives, had made in learning and piety. We shall now furnish some account of William Tennooe, another of those youth, which we extract from the same pamphlet. Tennooe, with his brother and four other young natives of the Sandwich Islands, arrived at Boston about the year 1809. The four last mentioned "dissatisfied with their condition, soon returned to their own country." The pamphlet proceeds as follows.] Tennooe and his brother went on board a privateer, and made several cruises during the late war. After their return they set out to travel from Boston to New-York in quest of employment; as they could find no opportunity of returning to their own Island. They travelled as far as Providence, in Rhode Island, and there the brother of Tennooe sickened and died; leaving him alone in a strange land without friends or resources. At this time he seems to have laboured under great depression of spirits. The state of his mind was deplorable, and to use his own language, "he felt so bad he did not care whether he lived or died." From Providence he came to Hartford, where he staid a few days, but finding no employ, went on to New-Haven. Here he staid in several public houses, and gave good satisfaction to his employers. At length he went into a barber's shop to learn the trade, and soon became very expert at his new occupation.Here he was found by some of the students of College. ' They proposed to him to go to studying under their direction, engaging to become responsible for some debts which he had incurred, if he answered their expectations. He complied with the proposal, and was put to school under the direction of his Christian friends. His case excited much interest in those who were acquainted with his circumstances. Particularly was his case remembered in a circle of pious females, who met weekly for social prayer. VOL. II-No. 20.. One day while he was at school, he was observed by his in structor to appear unusually pensive and troubled. The instructor inquired the reason; he said" he felt so he could not study," and requested leave to go home. Having obtained leave to retire, he went to his lodgings, and lay down upon his bed, as he says, t to see if he could not sleep away his feelings. But his distress of mind increased, and finding no relief in this way, he arose and went into the yard to cut wood, in order to divert his mind. But his distress increased so, that he could no longer conceal it. He appeared bowed down under a deep sense of his sinfulness in the sight of a holy God. These impressions never left him until, as is hoped, he found peace at the feet of Jesus. It was afterwards found that the time when his attention was first arrested in the school, was the very time when his female friends were assembled for prayer, and probably about the time when they were praying for him in particular. He continued to receive instruction at New-Haven, until the spring of 1815, when he removed to Goshen and joined Obookiah, with whom he has since lived most of the time. He is He is now about 19 years of age, is possessed of promising talents, and has made very good proficiency in his studies. able to parse English tolerably well, has studied geography and arithmetic some; writes a good hand, is affable in his manners, and of decorous deportment. The following extract of a letter written by him, is subjoined to give the reader some specimen of his improvement. The letter is not considered as his best, but is the only one now in our possession. My dear Christian friend, "North Guilford, April 16, 1816. You have begun to think that I have forgotten to write to you. But it is not so: I never shall forget to write to you so long as I remember any body. I receive a letter from our dear friend Mr. C. He gives me direct, write letter to you. Now my dear friend you may read this letter, whom you hope will be a herald of salvation to some of those poor heathen who are sitting in the region and shadow of death; who are perishing for want of the blessings, which through the goodness of God you and I enjoy. I have desired to thank God for his goodness, that he brought me to this Christian land, where I have learned his name. Who God is like the Christian's God? Who can with him compare? He hath compassion on my soul. My dear friend, I hope you alway remember me in your prayer -my companion, (Honooree) I cannot tell you about his heart. He improve his time, he learn very well, he will soon be able to read the Bible, and pray to God; which I hope he may know the only living and true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath send. I hope you will remember him in your prayers, and that God give him a new heart, He send his best love to you, though he dont know you. Mr. C. tell me that one Owhyhean in state of New-York, the town is Catskill. It was from Mr. A. one whom I went to school to in New-Haven. Mr. C. say Mr. A. have one Owhyhean in his school at present. I have no doubt that the Christian do take deep interest in the welfare of poor heathen souls; surely this is the love of Christ, that Christian should glorify his name in the salvation of man, "Surely my dear Christian friend, I am indeed under obligation both to God and man. While you feel so deep interest in my welfare, I much acknowledge the kindness of you, and the goodness of God, in which all my benefits flow. I shall alway remember them in my prayer, the great Benefactor, and great Fountain, from which all our blessings flow. Wherever we are, in whatever are employ, may we set God before our eye. That Jesus Christ whom I hope I love, who come to die for sin ners and to make them holy. Let the language of our heart be, what shall we render to the Lord for all his benefits: we will take the cup of salvation and pay thee our vows. Thus Christians feed upon Christ, whose flesh is meat indeed, and whose blood is drink indeed. From Jesus thou shalt run without weariness, and walk without fainting, till thou reach the mountain of God, and sit down at the marriage feast of the Lamb-May God be with you. "I am your son in Christ Jesus, To the above extracts we subjoin the following letter lately written by Tennooe to a Christian friend in New-Yorkgiblos in "LITCHFIELD, (South Farms) Dec. 26, 1816. "Hon. and Dear Sir, T "I received your letter in 20th of December, 1816. I have promised to write to you as often as I can, for the kindness of you and our dear friend Mr. C. ; yea, more than a friend to me for I have no father or mother in this country, or any means of support. It was God first made you and our dear friend Mr. C. the instrument of support, both to this life and the life to come; how can I feel for all which had done for me through your instrument. It becomes me to ask myself-Have I li lived to the glory of God? What have I done in the service of him who has done so much for me, even laid down his precious life to redeem my soul? What answer does conscience make? Indeed it become me to say, by the grace of God 1 am what I am; not unto me, not unto me, but unto thy name be all the glory. Oh, that' I' could be enabled to come to that fountain which is open for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in, and cleanse my soul from all affliction. The time which ought to have been spent in the ser vice of a holy God, has been trifled away in the vanities of wicked world, when I enjoyed Sabbath and Sanctuary privileges: but my my heart, alas! how can I live in such dreadful stupidity? Awaken, O God, my drowsy powers-animate and warm these cold and languid affections. Why are not my privileges taken from me and given to my poor heathen countrymen? but it is the goodness of God, that I enjoy privileges of the Gospel of the blessed Jesus; that I am not left in the heathenism darkness and shadow of death. Why was I thus made to enjoy the Gospel of Jesus Christ? it is the grace of God. Oh, that I might be enabled to glorify God by my future devotedness to him! Oh, that Jehovah would pour down his spirit through this land and world! Oh that he would ride from conquering to conquer, and make not only America a place of his power, but Owhyhee also. Arise, O blessed Jesus, plead thine own cause, and have mercy upon Zion-now when men are making void thy law, arise, build up thy spiritual Jerusalem, and let her no longer mourn because so few come to her solemn feasts. I hope to join the church in this place at next communion; though I do not deserve this blessing, but I have a promise to the table of the blessed Jesus, and to have the right with the children of God. It gives great encouragement to my poor needy soul, that I have a Saviour so full of goodness and pity to look to, a mighty agent in heaven to plead my cause, and to present my bills, petitions, and supplications to the Father. I put all my requests and concerns in his hand, and commit my soul to his care and management; he knows the fittest time to present them, and to send me an answer. In the sacrament I swear allegiance to him as my sovereign Lord and King, over his broken body and shed blood. May I be a true and faithful soldier in his army; and to take the field against his enemies, I need the girdle of sincerity, the shield of faith, the helmet of hope, the sword of the spirit, the breast-plate of righteousness, and to have my feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. But, glory to thy name, my Redeemer and captain of my salvation, hath provided a noble armory and store-house to answer all these my necessities and wants. Lord supply all my needs out of thy infinite fulness, and furnish me with every thing requisite and necessary for the work and warfare that he may call me unto, though my enemies are strong. But I will look to my glorious captain to girt me with strength for the battle, and to teach my heart to war. "O can such an ill deserving creature appear before God of heaven, and expect mercy, who hath so long abused mercy! Lord, instead of stretching forth a sceptre of mercy to invite me to thy table, thou mightest, with the rod of thy justice, justly dash me in pieces as a potter's vessel: instead of entertaining me with the bread of life and the cup of blessing, thou, mightest give me the bread and water of affliction; yea, cast me into that pit ་ |