we instituted a few years ago a Society, whose Constitution and Reports I herewith send. We have also, within these few weeks, organized another Society, whose endeavours are to be extended to new States westward of Pennsylvania. I enclose their Constitution, and have the pleasure of mentioning that a Missionary is already on his tour. "It may help to give some idea of the state of this Diocese, to enclose two or three of the journals of our last annual conventions. This shall accordingly be done, and with them there will be the journal of the last triennial convention of our Church in the United States. "I was desirous of transmitting to you the series of the Reports of our Bible Society, instituted in this city at the close of the year 1809, which was the first in the United States. An enclosed list will shew how much they have been multiplied. It appears that our stock of early Reports is exhausted; but I send the last three. "Our Female Bible Society has also had the satisfaction of seeing their example followed in various places. Perhaps its Constitution and Reports may be acceptable, and they are therefore sent. "I shall commit my package, with entire confidence of its safe delivery, to a very respectable gentleman of my acquaintance, John Sargeant, Esq., Representative in Congress of this City, who visits England on a public concern, highly important to the commercial interests of this country. "I desire to present to your worthy Committee my respectful acknowledgments of their attention, and "I am, Rev. Sir, "Your brother and very humble servant, were consecrated Feb. 4, 1787, and Dr. Madison in Sept. 1790, all three at Lambeth Palace; and from these all the subsequent Bishops have derived their consecration. APPENDIX No. IV. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF MRS. CHARLOTTE PRATT, WHO DIED, NEAR BIRMINGHAM, OCT. 29, 1831, AGED 54 YEARS. (See p. 402.) WE collect some Notices of a late exemplary Christian, with the special view of stirring up and directing others. These brief records will shew in how many ways opportunities are afforded, in the present day, for the exertions of such females as have time at their command and the love of Christ powerfully constraining them, in promoting the cause of truth and charity, among them who are far off as well as them who are near. These Notices are furnished by a near relative of the deceased. The prevailing character of our departed sister was retiring and humble; united, however, with remarkable energy and perseverance in all that she thought to be her duty-and this often when her body demanded quiet and repose. She doubtless hastened her own decay by over-exertion; but she could never be persuaded to spare herself, if any thing would thereby be thrown on others which she thought would be injurious to them. When she entered the house of any of her relatives, for even but an hour or two, she always seemed to look round to discover who was ill, or in trouble, or wanting help; and there she was invariably found: and the more so, if there was any other society to be had which offered more attractions; for then she would apply herself to nurse the sick or relieve the burdened, that, by taking the employment of others upon Harborne (about three herself, she might set them at liberty for rest and enjoyment. She endeared herself, in this way, to all the young people of the family; who, by first appreciating her kindness to themselves, were led duly to estimate her character in other respects, and will long remember her example. She always used the influence thus acquired over them, in directing them to activity for the good of the ignorant and poor at home; and in the special support of the Church Missionary Society for the benefit of the heathen: the interests of that Society had, from its very beginning, lain near her heart. She removed from Birmingham to miles) for the last few years of her life. her time was chiefly occupied in assisting the charitable institutions connected with St. Mary's Chapel: she exerted herself in rendering the Missionary Association of that Congregation steadily effective; and, at the same time, set on foot and entirely conducted a similar Association at Harborne, which she maintained as long as she lived. In pursuit of these objects she would often walk miles on cold and wet winter days, and would labour hard to gain a few shillings from the neighbouring farmers; going time after time, with unwearied patience, under circumstances which would have discouraged any other person. She contributed, herself, to the Society all that she could spare; and kept up her interest in its proceedings by constantly studying its publications, so that she was a kind of living record of its proceedings. Her intervals of time, not needed for other work, were divided between knitting stockings for the poor and making small articles which she sold among her friends for the supply of a Missionary Box. She was never to be seen unemployed: if she stayed but a few minutes in a place, her work or her knitting was with her. She had interested several shopkeepers in Birmingham, who took those articles which she could not sell herself, and tried to dispose of them for her. The produce of these articles she would never put into the collection paid in under her own name, lest it should appear larger than those of other persons; but she always put it without observation into the Missionary Box, and let it appear in her accounts as the produce of that box. She had been particularly interested last year [1831] in the Tinnevelly Mission; and had begged of her friends, and contributed largely herself, so that she sent a considerable donation for that particular object. After she took up her residence at Harborne, she devoted herself, most regularly, to the Sunday and Adult Schools, and to visiting the poor to the utmost of her ability, and often even when ill health or bad weather would have rendered it prudent for her to desist: nothing but a strong sense of duty would have impelled her to these exertions, which, latterly in particular, were often felt by her as a burdensome effort; but she always resisted this feeling, and ascribed it to her own torpor and indolence. She kept up these efforts all through a great part of the winter of 1830, while her health was manifestly sinking. She left home in the spring of 1831; and when she returned, in August, was so reduced as to be almost incapable of occupying herself in any way: but her interest in the poor had not diminished. She was unable to talk much: but when she was drawn out, as she frequently was, in a Bath chair, she would carry little comforts to the sick; nourishing things which were provided for herself, she would take them a part of; to some, she gave little books, which she had bought for them in London; telling them to take care of them, for they were the last that she should ever give them. She was suffering much from extreme weakness and languor, but her patience and fear of giving trouble were remarkable; and she expressed the greatest gratitude for even common attentions, appearing to have constantly on her mind a sense of the great goodness of God to her in every circumstance of her illness, and in every act of kindness done to her by her friends. She frequently regretted that the necessary care of her body took up so much of her thoughts; and would say, "It had not used to be so." She seemed greatly impressed with the importance of preparing for death, before sickness and weakness rendered it impossible to think. Sickness, she said, was not the time for the great work: she could read and think but little now, and she felt her mind in a state of torpor and deadness. She wished that she loved her Saviour more. She had no hope but in Him; and must come as a sinner to His Cross. When she was drawn out in her chair, she generally had with her Baxter's "Dying Thoughts," which was marked by her in many places, and was the only book that she read, except her Bible, in these her dying hours. She exerted herself greatly, even to the last day of her life, in giving a word of exhortation to those whom she saw. She sent for several poor women; and gave to them the stockings which she had remaining of her own knitting, with advice suited to the case of each. When her danger became known, great anxiety was expressed by the poor to see her once more; and, to the utmost of her power, she complied with their request. Several came from a considerable distance, in the hope of taking leave of her; and many now bear the most affecting testimonies to her character in life, and the loss which they have sustained in her death. One poor woman observed "She never came near us, without doing some good to our bodies and souls; and I can never forget how she begged of me, the last time I saw her, to be sure to meet her in heaven:" another said "She was so humble-we shall never see her like again:" a third, that she felt she had lost a mother in her: and these are but specimens of the uniform testimony of those among the poor who had known her best. Even the day before her death, she was interesting herself in the case of a poor woman dying in consumption. This woman's present and everlasting concerns had occupied much of her thoughts during the last few days. She begged sheets and clothing for her; and sent a pious young woman in the parish to read and talk |