unborn, than not to fear God, or to be evil brought up. Which thing (I mean bringing up well of children) if it be diligently looked to, it is the upholding of all commonwealths; and the negligence of the same the very decay of all realms. Finally, whosoever thou be, take these words of Scripture into thine heart, Romans ii. 8; James i. 22; and be not only an outward hearer, but a doer thereafter, and practise thyself therein; that thou mayest feel in thine heart the sweet promises thereof, for thy consolation in all trouble, and for the sure establishing of thy hope in Christ, and have ever an eye to the words of Scripture, that if thou be a teacher of others, thou mayest be within the bounds of the truth, or at least though thou be but an hearer of another man's doing, thou mayest yet have knowledge to judge all spirits, and be free from every error, to the better destruction of all seditious sects and strange doctrines (1 Tim. iv. 1), that the holy Scripture may have free passage, and be had in reputation, to the worship of the Author thereof, which is even God himself; to whom, for his most blessed word, be glory and dominion, now and ever. Amen. MISCELLANEOUS. Tothe Editorofthe Christian Observer. THE name of Mayhew, the venerable missionary to the Indians, must be so well known to your readers, and his memory be held in so great reverence by them, that I doubt not they will be interested doubt not they will be interested in the following account of a visit recently made to his grave. I give the words of the relater. "In the twilight of an autumnal evening, so tranquil that nothing could be heard but the soft murmuring of the ocean, I visited the grave of Mayhew, the friend and father of the Indians on Vineyard Island. As I entered the humble enclosure where repose the remains of this man of God, I could not but feel that I was treading upon holy ground. I thought of his la bours and prayers for the salvation of his flock, of his mouldering clay, throne of God. At the distance of and of his spirit now before the half a mile from any dwelling- no voice of man nor hum of business to be heard-alone in the land of THE REV. EXPERIENCE MAYHEW, A. M. AND DIED OF AN APOPLEXY, HE WAS ESTEEMED A MAN OF GOOD UNDERSTANDING, AND SPENT ABOUT 63 YEARS OF HIS LIFE IN THE GOSPEL MINISTRY; CHIEFLY AMONG THE INDIANS OF MARTHA'S VINEYARD. The sweet remembrance of the just Psalm cxii. 6. As it has been frequently urged by the owners of slaves, that affording them an opportunity to obtain a knowledge of reading and writing would be the means of injuring their morals, and produce insubordination, &c., I requested Charles Andrews, a very respectable teacher of the school established in this city for the education of children of Colour, to furnish me with replies to a number of queries, in order to ascertain if any, and if any what number, of the children who have received an education at his school, had been convicted of crime in our courts of justice. I send you for publication a copy of the queries, and my friend Andrews' replies to them. "There is then, thought I, at least one respect in which, even in this world, death is not the same to all. The good man sleeps-but not in forgetfulness. However obscure may be his character, his memory is long cherished by the little circle of his acquaintance, and the hand of piety strews his grave with flowers. What impulse has brought me hither, on this evening of the day and of the year, if not the memory of exalted virtue? More than threescore winters have shed their snows upon this humble grave, and yet with what emotions do I approach its hallowed confines! "I now turned from the consecrated spot, and observed, at a little distance, the grave of his successor, marked by a decent monument, with the following inscription:-In memory of the Rev. Zechariah Mayhew, who died March 6, 1806, in the 88th year of his age. "It was enough. I had seen the graves of two eminent servants of God, who had devoted their lives and faculties to his service. They were gone to receive their reward, and I feared there were none to supply their places. I thought of the perishing Indians who had been the objects of their care, and saw them wandering in the devious paths of vice. Who was now to lead them to the fountain of life? Help, Lord,' I exclaimed, for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men." S. D. THOMAS EDDY. New-York, 9th month, 13th, 1826. Query 1. When was the school commenced? Ans. The school was instituted in the year 1787, being a short time after the organization of the manumission society, and under its direction and support. Query 2. What is the probable number who have been educated in part, or as far as reading, writing, and arithmetic to the rule of three? Ans. Previous to the year 1809, at which time the monitorial system of instruction was introduced into the school, it was comparatively small; but since that period, the number educated in part, and as far as in and beyond the rule of three, may be said to be about 3000, male and female. Query 3. What has been the average number usually attending for three years past? Ans. The number in both schools, boys and girls, usually attending, is about 450. Query 4. What is the present state of the boys' school? Ans. Number of scholars on register, 328. Query 5. Whether any instance of conviction for crime has come to thy knowledge, in boys who have passed a sufficient time in the school, to complete an ordinary education in reading, writing, and arithmetic? Ans. I have paid considerable attention to this important subject for some years; and although I have, occasionally, recognized some names of boys, which once were on our school register, amongst the list of criminals convicted at our courts of justice, yet I have uniformly found them to consist of such only as had been but a short time in our schools, and consequently could have received but a very limited share of the advantages of the institution. I have never known or heard of any boy having left our school, who had completed an ordinary education, to be convicted of crime; and be added, that the trustees of the school have taken pains, from time to time, to ascertain this fact, and the result has corresponded with this statement. it may Tothe Editorofthe Christian Observer. THE inclosed paper is a transcript from the first chapter of Dr. William Brown's History of the Propagation of Christianity among the Heathen since the Reformation. His authorities for the story are, Thuanus, Lery, Laval, and Southey; their works being severally particularized in his margin. Nearly two hundred and sixty-nine years have elapsed since the effort here described; and nothing is yet done, or can be done by merely human means, in the Brazils, to diffuse the knowledge of the Gospel! The country is entirely excluded from all missionary enterprise by the tyranny of the reigning superstition; and this appears to be as intolerant of all good as its parent church in Europe. In the other South-America independent governments, the aspect of things is brighter. I am no Calvinist; if that expression implies a devotion to the entire system taught by the founder of the Genevese Church; but I venerate the memory of Calvin as one of the most holy, learned, and use ful ornaments of our common Christianity; and I recognized his name with peculiar pleasure, as connected with the very earliest attempt to enlighten and bless the heathen world. Bad men may draw poison from the writings of Calvin by exactly the same process as they have made St. Paul, and a greater than St. Paul, to justify their own licentiousness. But Calvin is not responsible for such an abuse of his doctrine He was himself zealous of good works; and his name will be had in everlasting remembrance. VIRESCIT VULNERE VIRTUS. A In September, 1556, Philip de Corguilleray, Peter Richer, William Chartier, Peter Bourdon, Matthew Verneuil, John du Bordel, Andrew de la Fond, Nicholas Denis, John Gardion, Martin David, Nicholas Raviquet, James Rousseau, Nicolas Carmieau, and John de Lery, took their departure from Geneva, with a view of proceeding to Brazil on the coast of South America. colony had been sent to that country the preceding year, by Henry the Second, King of France; under the command of Nicolas Durand de Villegagnon, a man of distinguished talents, and high in the French naval service. The Admiral de Coligni had promoted this measure with all his influence at court, in the hope of providing, in a distant country, an asylum for his Protestant brethren, who were at that time persecuted and proscribed in their native land. Villegagnon himself had embraced the Reformed religion, and was eager to co-operate with the Admiral in accomplishing so desirable an object. On his arrival at the Rio de Janeiro, he wrote to Coligni, requesting farther reinforcements, particularly some good divines from Geneva, to plant the Christian faith in the new world. He addressed a letter to the same effect to Calvin, the cele See the account of the character and death of Admiral de Coligni, in the Christian Observer for 1825, pp. 134, 135. brated Genevese Reformer; and in consequence of the prospects he held forth, the individuals now mentioned resolved to proceed to America in the hope of establishing the doctrines of the Reformation on that extensive continent, and of introducing them among the savage inhabitants. On their way through France, they were joined by a considerable number of other persons, who, in consequence of the influence of Coligni, and the uneasy situation of the Protestants in that country, determined to accompany them, and establish themselves in the new colony. The whole company embarked from Harfleur in three ships, furnished by the Crown; and on arriving at the Rio de Janeiro, they were received by Villegagnon with the greatest demonstrations of joy. Scarcely, however, had they landed, when they began to experience the difficulties and hardships which commonly attend a new settlement, in a distant and uncultivated country. Before they had recovered the fatigues of their voyage, they had to engage in severe and manual labour, in order to complete the fort, which the first settlers had begun; and they had, at the same time, to live on the hardest fare, their only food consisting of a little meal, which they had either to eat dry or to boil in dirty water. During their residence in Brazil, the Geneva divines appear to have had at least some intercourse with the natives; but as they were ignorant of their language, their means of communication with them were necessarily very imperfect. They endeavoured, however, to give them some ideas concerning the principles of natural and revealed religion; but though the savages expressed great astonishment at what they heard, it does not appear that any of them manifested the slightest disposition to embrace the Christian faith. Some of them, indeed, promised to become worshippers of the true God; but there is no reason to suppose, that their understandings were enlightened, or their hearts impressed by the Gospel.-In the mean while, Villegagnon, won over, it is supposed, by the Cardinal of Lorraine, began to express doubts. concerning some articles of the Reformed Church, particularly with respect to the nature of the sacraments, and the manner of their administration. From the protector he became the persecutor of the Protestants: they were obliged to hold their assemblies for divine worship without him, and even, like their brethren in France, to celebrate the Lord's supper during the night. Incensed at these proceedings, he declared he would not suffer a Protestant within the fort; and accordingly obliged them to leave that very place which they had assisted in building for their mutual protection, and to retire to the open country. But as others of the people, provoked by this tyranny deserted to them, he resolved, from dread of further revolt, to hasten their departure out of the country. With this view he gave permission to the captain of a vessel, which was lying in the river, to carry them back to France; but, with a baseness rarely paralleled, he delivered to the master a small coffer, containing, among other articles, a formal process against them, with orders to the first judges in France to whom it should be presented, to seize them as heretics, and commit them to the flames.-In January, 1558, they embarked from Brazil, after a residence in that country of only about ten months, but scarcely had they sailed, when they began to experience new disasters. After being tossed about for seven days, the vessel was discovered to have sprung a leak, and appeared to be sinking so rapidly, that there seemed nothing before them but a watery grave. Happily the sailors succeeded for the present in stopping the principal leaks; but the carpenter stated, she was so old, and wormeaten, that she was quite unfit for so distant a voyage. The master, however, afraid that, should he men were burnt, one of whom died again land, he might be abandoned by his crew, declared his resolution to prosecute the voyage, but offered to grant a boat to any who might wish to return to America, from which they were as yet only nine or ten leagues distant. It was at the same time stated, that, as the voyage was likely to prove much longer than ordinary, there were not provisions on board for the whole of the passengers and crew. On learning these circumstances, several of them, among whom were Peter Bourdon, John du Bordel, Matthew Verneuil, and Andrew de la Fond, returned to Brazil; but after escaping the dangers of shipwreck, the three first were, by the orders of Villegagnon, thrown into the sea and drowned, -In the meanwhile the vessel proceeded on her voyage to France; but for weeks together she was driven about by incessant storms; and she was at the same time so leaky, that had she not been cleared of water a hundred times a-day, she must inevitably have been swallow. ed up by the waves. Night and day the crew were employed at the pump; yet, with all their exertions, they scarcely saved her from sinking, One day as the carpenter was mending a place which needed repair, a plank suddenly gave way: the sea in a moment gushed into the ship, with the impetuosity of a torrent: the sailors rushed upon deck, exclaiming in terrible consternation, "We are lost, we are lost!" Meanwhile the carpenter, who maintained more presence of mind, thrust his coat into the hole, and, treading on it with all his might, resisted the force of the torrent; then, crying to the sailors as loud as he was able, to bring him other articles, he succeeded in stemming the water, until he prepared a board to fill up the gap. On another occasion, some powder, which was drying, took fire: the flame ran from one extremity of the ship to the other, and communicated to the sails and the cordage. Four a few days after. Had the ship taken fire, the whole of the passengers and crew must either have been burnt alive or drowned in the midst of the ocean. Meanwhile the apprehensions of famine, which had been entertained soon after their embarkation, began to be realized. Even at an early period of the voyage, it was agreed that part of the monkeys and parrots which they carried home with them as curiosities, should be killed and eaten, in order to spare their provisions. Worms, and excrements of rats, were at length found in greater abundance in the storeroom than particles of food; yet they collected the sweepings together, and made them into a kind of pottage; which, though black and bitter as soot, they were glad to use. Such as possessed bucklers of the skin of the tapiroussoa, an animal peculiar to South America, cut them to pieces, and devoured them. Others ate the coverings of their trunks, the leather of their shoes, and even the horn of the ship lanterns. They hunted the very rats and mice, which, as they had now nothing to eat, ran up and down the vessel in great numbers, dying of hunger; and, being so enfeebled, became an easy prey to their pursuers. Such was the value set upon these little animals, that a single rat sold for three and four crowns. Could the famished crew have obtained grass or hay, Lery supposes they would have eaten them, like the brute creation. Nothing now remained to them, except Brazil wood, which is represented as the driest of all woods. They were, however, so pressed with hunger, that to satisfy the cravings of nature, they endeavoured to chew it with their teeth. One day Philip Corguilleray, on putting a piece of it into his mouth, said to Lery with a sigh, "Alas! my friend, I have 4000 livres due to me in France; yet I would gladly give a discharge for the whole for a glass of wine and a pennyworth of bread." |