APPENDIX.

A brief view of the Indian Missions under the direction of the General Assembly.

THE condition of the heathen on our own borders, has long engaged the attention of the General Affembly. A defire to bring these unhappy people to an acquaintance with the Christian religion, was one principal motive which induced them to folicit, and the people to grant, donations, for the establishment of a fund for miffionary purposes. Although, for fome time, no effectual door was opened for the propagation of the gospel among the Indians, yet now, at length, God, in his providence, has prepared the way for the introduction of Chriftian inftitutions, among two of their tribes. It has been the conftant aim of the Affembly to attempt the civilization of these people, at the fame time that they attempted their converfion; confidering that a wandering, favage life, was very unfavourable to the existence and continuance of chriftianity; and believing that these two objects, could be more fuccessfully promoted together than separately.

In the year 1803, the Rev. Gideon Blackburn was fent as a miffionary to the Cherokees, in the State of Teneffee, by the General Affembly. This tribe confifts of about 15000 fouls; and although they have for a long time refided in the vicinity of the whites, and are now almost surrounded by them, yet no ferious effort appears to have been made before this time, to introduce christianity among them. Mr. Blackburn was kindly received, and fuc

ceeded in establishing a school amongst them, which has flourished beyond the expectations of the friends of the miffion. Between forty and fifty children, of both fexes, are here gratuitously instructed, fed, and clothed. The fchool appears to have been under excellent management from its commencement. The children are docile, and eafily governed. They are inftructed in reading, writing, and cyphering; and judging from fome fpecimens of their writing, exhibited to the Affembly, their progrefs exceeds that of most white children, in the most favourable circumstances. But what is of more importance, they are carefully instructed in the principles of the christian religion. They are made to read the fcriptures daily, and their attention is particularly directed to those paffages which feem beft calculated to produce abiding impreffions. They are taught to begin and close each day with prayer, for which purpose, fuitable forms are provided for them; and they are frequently employed in finging evangelical hymns, in which exercise they are very expert, and excite the admiration of all who have an opportunity of hearing them.

Befides the school already mentioned, which is under the direction of the General Affembly, Mr. Blackburn, at the earnest folicitation of the Indians, has erected another school upon the fame plan, and conducted under fimilar regulations; and which contains nearly as many scholars as the former. It is but just to observe, that this zealous miffionary, has for fome time fupported, and does still support this latter inftitution, entirely by his own exertions, as well as aid to a confiderable extent, in the fupport of the former. He is at prefent engaged in foliciting donations, from the pious and benevolent, for those purposes, in which we cannot but hope that he will be fuccefsful.

The effect which these institutions have had on the favages, is reprefented to be of a very favourable kind. They are becoming daily, more friendly; fome of them discover a willingness to be inftructed in the chriftian religion, and when hearing the gofpel, feem deeply impreffed; and there is one inftance of hopeful converfion to the chriftian faith. The good effect of thefe fchools is manifeft; they open the way for preaching to the favages. These children even now, are able to act as interpreters, between the miffionary and their parents. Thus, one of the chief obftacles, which commonly has stood in the way of preaching to the heathen, is, in this cafe, likely to be removed.

What a pleafing fubject of contemplation muft it be, to every pious and benevolent mind, that three or four score of human beings, who would have grown up under the influence of the most gloomy fuperftition, and who, from infancy, would have been habituated to the most favage ferocity, are now nurtured in a christian school, and difciplined in the ways of piety! Inftead of their hideous

war fong, they fing the praises of redeeming love; and instead of pagan darkness, the precious light of revelation is prefented to their minds!

The other tribe of Indians, which has given a favourable reception to the miffionaries, is fettled on the Sandusky river. This mif fion has been conducted with a truly chriftian zeal, by the fynod of Pittsburgh, which manages the whole miffionary bufinefs within its own bounds. By a report of the Board of Trust, acting under the direction of this fynod, it appears that the Rev. Jofeph Badger has been employed as a stated miffionary at Sandusky river, for the fpace of a year paft. He arrived at the fettlements of the Indians in May, 1806, and was well received by them.

He took with him three men as labourers, one of whom was a married man, and accompanied by his wife. Both this man and his wife have been fubjects of the late remarkable revival, and are hopefully pious. They have built a fmall dwelling house and a school house, upon the referve, oppofite to the Indian village, at the lower rapids of Sandusky. They have inclofed about ten acres of prairie land, five of which were planted with corn the latt season. They ploughed the corn ground of the Indians, about 24 acres, and directed and affifted them in the cultivation of their crop. The Rev. John M'Clain, was fent by the Board of Trust, to affift the million, by obtaining fome live ftock from the fettlements on Scioto, and he received from the people of that district, 15 head of cattle and 22 hogs, as a donation, which he conveyed to Sandusky; by which the perfons belonging to the miffion, were fupplied with meat for the feafon, and with fome stock for future ufe.

The Board of Trust appear to be highly pleased with the fidelity, diligence, prudence and economy of Mr. Badger, in conducting the business of the miffion.

The traders, who are among the Indians, apprehenfive that the civilization and inftruction of the favages, will materially affect their interest, are very inimical to the miffion, and throw every difcouragement in the way, which they poffibly can; but their influence, it is probable, will be of fhort duration, as Governor Hull is very friendly to the miffion, and views the character of Mr.. Badger in a proper light, and has taken fteps to bring the traders, refident among the Indians, to act in strict conformity to the law; and the Indians themfelves begin to difcover the finifter aims of the traders more and more, and to be more thoroughly convinced of the benevolent intentions of the mission.

But what must be peculiarly pleafing to every pious mind, is, that by late accounts from Mr. Badger, it appears, that four or five of the heathen have become seriously exercised, and one aged woman gives confiderable evidence of a faving change!

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Another very encouraging circumftance is, that fome of the Indians, who at first appeared ftrongly prejudiced in favour of their old pagan fuperftitions, and who were oppofed to the miffion, and fet up a prophet of their own, whom they followed, have now all given up their prejudices, and attend Mr. Badger's preaching; and fome of them, (particularly the one who profeffed to be a prophet,) appear to be ferioufly inquiring after truth.

One obftacle a little embarraffing to the propofed plan of the miffion ftill remains, and that is, that the land for which application was made to Congrefs, as a place of refidence for the miffionaries, has not yet been obtained, but the Board of Trust are still encou raged to hope, that their application to the next Congress will be fuccefsful, as their petition feems to have failed, rather on account of the want of time to take it up, than from any indisposition in that honourable body, to comply with their request.

The Board conclude their interesting report to the Committee of Millions, by faying, "Hitherto the Lord hath helped us; and if we should now relinquifh the important miflion to Sandusky, the heathen themfelves would reproach us."*

The committee, appointed to draught forms for the reports, from the inferior to the fuperior judicatories, report, that they have draughted forms agreeably to the exifting regulations, and the amendments to them, which they have thought proper to propose. The regulations as amended, ftand thus:

I. The prefbyteries fhall direct each congregation, whether fupplied or vacant, to make an annual report to the prefbytery to which it belongs; ftating the number of communicants, and the number of perfons baptized, and distinguishing both agreeably to the form prefcribed for reports from congregations to presbyteries. (See form No. 1.)

II. Presbyteries fhall make annual reports to their Synods; ftating,

* From the view given above of the missions to the Indians, it is evident that the expense in supporting them, must be very considerable. Besides his pay as a missionary, the Assembly allow to Mr. Blackburn $ 500, for his first school; and to the Board of Trust between $200 and $ 300, to aid them in conducting their mission to the Sandusky Indians. But these sums defray only a small part of the expense; and both Mr. Blackburn and the Board of Trust, have to apply to other resources, than those of the Assembly, for the support of their respective missions. Charitable individuals, it is hoped, will recollect how inadequate are the funds of the Assembly; and contribute of their abundance, occasional donations, that these important attempts to civilize and christianize the Indians, may not fail, through want of pecuniary aid.

A lift of paftors, in the order of feniority in the miniftry, annexing the names of their churches, to those who have paftoral charges, and diftinguishing those who have not, as in the form:

Of vacancies; defignating thofe which are able, and those which are unable, to fupport pastors:

Of licentiates, together with the number (without the names) of candidates for licenfure:

An account of the number of communicants admitted the last year, with the fum total in communion; and likewife the number of perfons baptized in the fame time, diftinguishing adults from infants:

And the amount of collections, made for the funds of the presbytery and of the General Affembly; and also the amount raised by collection or fubfcription, for the education of poor and pious young men, for the ministry.

Thefe reports should be closed by an historical account of licenfures, ordinations, inftalments, fufpenfions, depofitions, tranflations, deaths, and alfo of members or licentiates received or difmiffed : in which account, particular care must be taken to mention the prefbytery from which a minifter or licentiate is received, or the pref bytery to join which, or to put him under the care of which, he is difmiffed. (See form No. 2.)

III. The Synods fhall report to each General Affembly, and detail the whole presbyterial reports, except the historical account above mentioned. (See form No. 3.)

IV. The Synods which manage their own miffionary concerns, and their feveral presbyteries, fhall for the information of the General Affembly, report the amount of their collections, for pious uses specified in the forms; and to accommodate the forms to their fituation, shall substitute the word Miffionary, in place of the word Affembly, which makes the heading of the fifth and fixth columns.

V. Presbyteries fhall fend to each General Affembly, a duplicate of their reports to the Synods. But they are at liberty, in fome cafes, to deviate from this rule, and extend their reports to their laft meeting immediately preceding that of the General Affembly, fo as to include all proper fubjects of report up to that time. (See form No. 4.)

VI. The Synods and presbyteries fhall report on the subject of miffionaries, and miffionary business, only to the Standing Committee of Miffions; and to fecure a regard to this rule, the Affembly will, at each annual feffion, inquire whether the Synods and presbyteries have made fuch a report.

All reports fhould bear date and fignature; and if, by any means, they fail of being fent to the proper judicatures, fhould be sent by mail, to the ftated clerks of the fynods, or to the Stated clerk of the Affembly.