By the agency of the society at Hernosand, "the word of God (observes the Report) will now be conveyed to our benighted brethren (the Finlanders and Laplanders) who are spread over these northern regions, where the foot of a Swede bas seldom trodden, and where the voice of a messenger of the gospel is still seldom heard."

(To be continued.)

From the Sixth Report of the Auxiliary Society at Boston, Lincolnshire.

The number of Bibles and Testaments issued by the Boston Auxiliary Bible Society, and the associations connected with it, in the past year, is ONE THOUSAND and EIGHTY-EIGHT; which, when added to those distributed in former years, and by the Ladies' Association, make a grand total of THREE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED and FIFTY-TWO copies of the Holy Scriptures, in whole or in part, circulated through the medium of this society, since its first establishment.

The total amount paid to the Parent Society during the past year, arising from the above subscriptions, and receipts for Bibles and Testaments sold by the auxiliary society and ladies' associations connected with it, is $1,955 60, which, added to the contributions of former years, amounts to eight thousand seven hundred and ninety-four dollars and fifty-five cents, contributed by this town and neighbourhood, in furtherance of the objects of the British and Foreign Bible Society; of which sum, two thousand nine hundred and forty-one dollars and sixty-three cents, have been appropriated exclusively to its extensive operations abroad. The Ladies' Bible Association of this town have gone on, increasing in interest and usefulness. The total sum collected during the past year, is, $780 16; of which $239 52 have been given by free subscribers, the remaining $540 64, have been given by subscribers for Bibles. The number of Bibles and Testaments distributed have been 396, which, added to 356, distributed during the preceding thirteen months, makes a total of seven hundred and fiftytwo copies of the Holy Scriptures already put into the hands of the poor of this town and neighbourhood, through the medium of this association, in little more than two years!

A poor old woman, who some time since received her Bible, always welcomes her collector with smiles of gratitude. She has almost paid the full price for it, and is therefore under no obligation, in that respect; yet she always expresses her warmest thanks, and, upon one occasion, said, that in supplying her with the word of God, the lady had done her a far greater kindness than she would have done in giving her fifty pounds; for her Bible, through the divine blessing, she could enjoy, while the money would have been of little service to one just sinking into the grave. She is 80 years of age.

The collector calling at a house in her district to solicit subscriptions, the woman said she should like very much to become a subscriber, but she feared her husband would not sanction it.The collector calling again soon after, the woman informed her that she had determined to become a subscriber, but requested the collector to call at her mother's for the subscription. Her husband, on hearing that she was paying a penny per week for a Bible, thought it was more than they could afford, and, after all, did not suppose it would be of any use to them. The woman continued paying, but still receiving abuse from him; at length, the time arrived when they were to receive their Bible. The Bible itself was received much better than the collector; for, soon after they had it in their possession, the woman met with the collector and expressed her pleasure that her husband was so far altered in his regard for the Bible, that he actually was improving himself in reading, in order to be able to peruse it, and said, the collector might afterwards call at their own house for the weekly contributions. Calling afterwards at the house, the collector met with the man, who received her with great civility, and, on her observing the Bible carefully preserved by an appropriate covering, she remarked that they seemed careful of it; "Yes," the man observed, "I believe you have brought me the best book in the world." His future conduct proved that his assertion was founded on a real sense of its worth: for it is known on good authority that he is in the daily habit of perusing it. Such has since been his zeal for the regular payment of his subscription, that, on one occasion, his wife, having no pence, begged the collector not to mention it before her husband, as he would rather deprive himself of any thing than allow the collector to go unpaid.

FRANCE.

From the Rev. M. Boissard, one of the Secretaries of the Paris Bible Society.

Paris, May 5th, 1820.

I could wish it were in my power to give you an adequate idea of the great good which is doing in France by means of the distribution of the holy Scriptures. There is not a pastoral visit I pay among people of the middle rank, where I do not discover some happy results. I see tradesmen making it their duty to read every evening to their families and their apprentices, assembled around them, a chapter of the Bible. The women, particularly, are acquiring a most happy taste for these domestic lectures. Some who could not read, endeavour to learn the art, in order to be able to read the holy volume for themselves. You behold the Bible regarded in these humble habitations as holy; and it is not without great respect, that it is taken out of the neat case in which it is carefully deposited after reading. The distri VOL. VII.

3 I

bution of the holy scriptures in German and French which I have made, in concert with our zealous brother, the Rev. Mr. Monod, jun. in the hospitals, poor-houses, and prisons, have there, likewise, excited the liveliest gratitude; and I am in possession of most touching letters which poor prisoners have written to me, to thank me for having procured for them this source of edification and consolation.

DEAR SIR,

UNITED STATES.-OSAGE MISSION.

Extract of a letter from Messrs. Vaill and Chapman. Little Rock, Arkansas Territory, August 19, 1820. We arrived at the Post in health, where we passed the sabbath the 2d of July. While there, two of our sisters, Miss Johnson and Miss Hoyt, and two of our hands, were taken with the fever. Sister Johnson had a long and distressing sickness. Sister Hoyt, though we were far less alarmed at her symptoms at first, was seized with a disorder, evidently in the end the typhus fever, which moved on, resisting human skill, and completed its work on the 20th, after a sickness of 17 days. One of the hands, taken sick at the same time with sister Hoyt, and with the same disorder, died on the sabbath following. The other is still living, and still with us. As he was a faithful young man, and desirous not to be left alone, we brought him along; but we have not had the benefit of his labour since. The young man who died, was one whom we took at Pittsburgh, and who had been a faithful boatman. On the day of his death, Mrs. Vaill was taken sick, and was seriously threatened; but by assiduous application, under the blessing of God, her fever was broken in a few days. It then assumed the intermittent form, and has continued more or less to this day, but with greatly diminished effect. She is now gaining strength. Sister Lines was seized about the 16th. Her health had been firm beyond most of the sisters, and we felt strongly persuaded, for several days, that she would soon recover. • But on the 20th, when sister Hoyt yielded up her breath, we began to fear the consequences of sister Lines' sickness; and on the 24th we were called to realize our fears, and to mourn again. Brother Redfield and brother Fuller were taken about the 18th, and were brought low. The disorder did not, however, assume the most threatening form. It partially left them in about ten days. They have had frequent relapses, and are still feeble. Brother George Requa, one of our most active members, was reluctantly obliged to yield to disease, and has been seriously afflicted. Brother William C. Requa, was seized with the fever on the day of our landing; and after a week's illness, his fever

assumed the symptoms of an intermittent; he has since been gradually recovering.

We arrived at this place on the 23d of July. The continu ance and increase of the sickness on board, appeared to render it necessary that we should stop. The country below has no good water, and is too level to be very healthy; and this was recommended to us as the most eligible place. Here we found the land more elevated, with good springs of water; and although the village is new, having been commenced last winter, yet we found two small cabins unoccupied, and reared but a few days before our arrival, as though prepared in providence for our present necessity. In these cabins we laid our sick, and found room and resting place for the family.

It became necessary, at this place, to unload our boats and air our goods. The heat was excessive; and, having such a number of persons on board, many of whom were sick, our situation called for relief.

On landing, our first object was to provide for the sick. The next week was employed in building a store-house, unloading the boats, conveying our provisions and goods up the hill, and storing them away. During that week, brother Vaill, who had been for several days in a feeble state, was visited with the fever, and the sole direction of the business, of course, devolved on brother Chapman. It was to him a laborious and fatigueing week. He held out until Saturday, when he was violently attacked with the fever. On the 9th day, his fever assumed the typhus form, and for two days the family were much alarmed with the apprehension that he was about to be taken from us. We prayed to Him who hath said, I will be with thee in trouble; and on Tuesday he began, to qur great comfort, to mend. He is now gradually gaining strength. Mrs. Chapman has been sick with the fever for two or three weeks, but is now almost restored. several days past, two of brother Vaill's children have been afflicted with the intermittent. This disorder is not considered dangerous; but, in this climate, it is weakening, and, while it continues, distressing.

For

This, dear Sir, is the story we have to tell of our afflictions.in We would call them our light afflictions, because we hope they will work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

P. S. August 24.-Sister Beach is still quite sick with the fever, but we hope not dangerous. Brother Spalding has also been recently taken with the fever. With the exception of thesetwo, all who have been sick are convalescent. Brother and sister Vaill, sister Chapman, sister Cleaver, and brother William C. Requa, are able to attend to business again; and the others are rapidly gaining strength. This disorder, however, is critical, and the convalescent are subject to obstinate intermittents.

From the Religious Intelligencer.

STATE OF RELIGION IN THE NORTHERN SECTION OF NEW-YORK.

The following is the Narrative of the State of Religion within the bounds of the Synod of Albany: read and adopted at their Annual Meeting in Brownville, September 15th, 1820.

To hear of the prosperity of Zion affords peculiar pleasure to her children. Such pleasure, the Synod of Albany have it in their power to bestow upon the churches and congregations under their care; by a relation of the dealings of God towards them during the past year. A year which will be set down in the annals of this judicature of the church of Christ, and in the hearts of its members, as having been most signally distinguished by spiritual blessings; one in which the interests of the Redeemer's kingdom have been greatly advanced; and which, when the redeemed of the Lord shall stand upon Mount Zion, and looking down upon the darkness of the bottomless pit from which they have been recovered, will be remembered by them with unutterable joy. In recounting these favours, conferred upon us by the hand of our covenant God, the Synod feel that they have been bestowed upon very unworthy labourers; that they are the favours of a sovereign, yet compassionate Jehovah; and would, with one heart, adopt the appropriate language of the Bible, and say, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy and for thy truth's sake." Whatever of success might be attributed to us, viewing ourselves only as the instruments in God's hand; we would, with the deepest submission, bring it all to the foot of the cross; convinced that "Paul may plant and Apollos water, but God must give the increase."

The Synod of Albany is made up of seven Presbyteries; and to have a clear and correct view of the state of religion, it will be necessary to retrace the providence of God during the past year, to each of these presbyteries, commencing with that of St. Lawrence. The Synod are very happy to have it in their power to state, that in the large, comparatively new, and in many respects, important part of the country within the bounds of this Presbytery, there has been a very visible and pleasing change in the state of morals. They who have been accustomed to see the Lord's day profaned by forbidden labour; and who, in the public service of God, have met with only a few of Zion's worshippers, now tell us of order, regularity, and very visibly an increasing desire to hear the word of God, and to attend upon all the ordinary means of grace. By several congregations under their care, new and commodious buildings have been erected and dedicated to the service of Almighty God; and the whole state of morals and of society greatly improved. In several of the towns within the bounds of this Presbytery, the interests of vital godliness have also been considerably advanced; and in many of their