BENEVOLENT DONATIONS. We are told that the Treasurer of the Board of Foreign Missions was the other day lamenting with some of the friends of missions the low state of the funds, and while walking the room almost in despondency, a boy rapped at the door and handed him an anonymous letter containing one thousand dollars, to be appropriated where it was most needed. Another letter, from a gentleman in Portland, enclosed $100 for the Education Society. Surely the Lord will provide. [Rel. Intel. IMPORTANT REFORM. A paper, of which the following is a copy, has been drawn and placed in the office of the Daily Advertiser for signatur Between one and two hundred persons, among whom are man, of our most wealthy and respectable citizens, have already signed it; and it is hoped that the reprehensible custom of giving scarfs and wine at funerals, will now soon be abolished. "We the subscribers, inhabitants of the city of New-York, disapproving of the custom which has too long prevailed in our city, of giving SCARFS and WINE at funerals to pall-bearers and physicians, and thinking it ought to be abolished, because pomp and parade on such solemn occasions should be discountenanced, and because a compliance with the custom necessarily involves many in expense who cannot afford it-do therefore mutually pledge ourselves to each other to do all in our power to abolish the custom, (excepting the giving scarfs to the clergy) either in case of deaths in our own families, or others over whom we may have any influence. New-York, Dec. 5th, 1820." Moneys received by the Treasurer of the United Foreign Missionary Society, for the month of February, 1821. (Concluded from p. 704.) From Churches and Prayer Meetings.-Collected in the first Presbyterian Church in Wall-street, $92 17. Collected by the ladies of the first Presbyterian Church in Wall-street, $50. Collected in the eighth Presbyterian Church in New-York, and a subscription by a few ladies, $55. Collected by a committee of ladies in the Dutch Church in Garden-street, $81. Collected in the congregation of Blooming Grove, Orange County, N. Y. $17. Collected in the Rev. Dr. Romeyn's Church, New-York, $136. Collected by the ladies of Dr. Romeyn's Church, $201 44. Collected at the February Concert of Prayer, in Dr. Romeyn's Church, $17 61. Collecte Church at Wilton, $15. Collected in the Dutch Church in the English N hood, $7 69; ditto, $4 87. Collected in the second Presbyterian Church with the remainder of the ladies' collection, $92 25. From the Fer North West Dutch Church in Franklin-street, $10 19 Collected in Reformed Church in Baltimore, $100. Balance received from Mrs. Ro $200 collected by the females in Dr. Mason's congregation, 868 09 Fr Church in Market-street, $36 83. Collected in the first Presbyterian ark, and by the ladies of the same church, $250 88. Collection in the F Church in Springfield, $15 72. Collected at the Concert of Prayer $6. Collected in the Dutch Church in New-Utrecht, L. I. $18 53. Church in Nassau-street, $4 27. Collected in the Dutch Church $31. Collection in the Presbyterian Church in Fredericksburg, Va by the ladies of the Brick Church, New-York, $181 62. Collectio Spring-street, $24 12. Collected at the monthly concert of Ridge, N. J. 814. From a praying society at Wilmington, Del. and Miss Campbell, $29 50. From Donations --Collected by Miss Brinckerh Mrs. Dr. Abel, $10. From Miss Ann Brinckhoff and Miss Maria Proudfit, $62 5! From Mrs. Zosan Schoonmaker, Miss C. and M. M'Leod, and Miss S. Day, 843. From Miss Cooper and Miss Ann Halsted, $13. From Miss Hughes and Miss G. Kip, 1 75. From Miss Maria A. Sutherland, $13. Donation from Dr. Neilson. g10. From two ladies, one dollar each, $2 From the students in the academy of Messrs. Wylie and Engles, and that of Crawford in Philadelphia, $17. From a young friend, $1.. Douation from the Rev. Wm. Blain, of Middletown, Orange co. N. Y5. Donations from the scholars of Sunday School No. 1, $3. From a friend to missions, in Granville, Washington co. N. Y. $10. From a female friend to missions, $10. From Mr. Heman Averill, $20. From a female friend, $1. From a few young females, $1 75. From the sale of a gig, $15 50. From J. Lincklaer, of Cazenovia, $30. From Mrs. Ball, collected by her, 84. From Mrs. Romayne and Miss M. Varick, collected by them, $8. From the Rev. T. Halliday, collected at New-Scotland, $8. From Mrs. Valentine, collected by her $14. Donation from Mr. orer, $3. From a few friends in Greens Farms, Conn. $16. From John Nitchie, to constitute his three sons members for one year, $9. From the Dorcas Soin South Salem, West Chester co. N. Y. in addition to the box of clothing. $10 From the Rev. John Nayes, $3. From the Rev. Mr. Haight, of Wilton, Conn. From 52 annual subscriptions in the English neighbourhood, at 50 cents each, $25. Donation from Mrs. Elizabeth Nitchie, $10. Donation from Mr. A. Brouwer, $5. Collected by Miss J. Covert, $2 50. From a lady, $2 25. From the Rev. Mr Fonda, $1. From Miss Crygier, $5. From Mr. John Borland, $5. From a friend to the present inission, $20. From two friends to the present mission, $2. From Samuel Thompson, $5. Donation by sundry individuals in Elizabethtown, $56. Douation from two friends at Nyack, $20. From Roswell W. Colt, $50. From twoFrom individuals at Clarkstown, 82 60. From Charles Marpoor widows, 75 cts. vin, a boy of 8 years old, in Perth Amboy, a piece of gold, 82 25. From sale of a gold ring, given by a lady at Ogdensburg, $2. From individuals at Newtown, L. I. $25. From John Bingham, Esq. a piece of gold, dolls. 804. From Mr Kellogg, 1 doll. From Miss Julia Lynch, dolls. 25. From Mr. Thomas Smith, dolls. 3. From Fairfield and Bridgeport, Conn. dolls. 32. From Pleasant Valley and Westfield, N. Y. From the Sabbath school in Spriog-street, dolls. 15 12. Tota! dolls. 44 62. dolls. 4554 43. WM. WILSON, Treasurer OBITUARY. Died, much regretted, at Spring-place, in the Cherokee country, on the 19th February, aged 58 years, Mrs. Anna Rosina Gumbold, wife of the Rev. John Gambold, a missionary of the United Brethren. It had pleased God to bless her with fine natural talents, which were well improved by education; and it became, by grace her chief delight to employ them in his service. Her whole soul was, through life, actively engaged in the work of the Lord, which her labours of love evidently manifested. She had lived with her husband among those Indians above 14 years. ters to her numerous friends bespoke her superior mind; e an early insertion 4orrespondents—"Biography of the late Rev. Mr. Bruen" is reThe interesting Journal of a "Mission at Munsee Indians" will be inserted according to the anthor's ry." and several other poetical pieces are received. ca. The Trustees will here transcribe a letter addressed by one of these, to his teacher. (See C. H. Vol. VII. p. 127.) Some of the scholars in this school, when absent from home, have attended Sunday schools in foreign ports. On the recommendation of the teachers, the scholars have held prayer meetings at their own houses. The Trustees have no doubt these meetings, if properly conducted, will be the means of promoting the spiritual interest of a great many of our coloured people, especially if they should become general. We hope that it will not be thought improper, to present the following extract of a letter, addressed to one of our teachers, when our obligations to do all in our power for the moral improvement of the blacks is considered. Dated at Alexandria, Dis. Columbia. "Dear Sir-Knowing that you will (as well as all Christians) sympathize with me for that much neglected part of God's creatures called negroes, induces me to write you this, to acquaint you that a few of us have commenced a Sunday school exclusively for their benefit. Our first attempt was three sabbaths back, when we had but twelve; the second sabbath we had one hundred and fifty, and on the third two hundred; and will no doubt continue to increase. The opposition here being so great to our undertaking, that I should despair of success, was I not certain that the hand of God is able to support us." Some of the scholars have deposited in the "Bank for Savings" from 25 to 125 dollars. One scholar, residing at the distance of eight miles, has been a regular attendant at school, and many scholars have manifested their attachment to the schools, by coming without waiting for their ordinary meals. "On conversing with one of our pupils," says the Superintendent of school No. 6, "on the privileges she enjoyed as a Sunday scholar, she replied, 'I do think it a privilege now, but have not thought so always. I never knew any thing of a Saviour, (as our minister told us on New-Year's day,) until I learned it here. The same child, on hearing one of her classmates say, she had not learnt her lesson, replied, 'your teacher wishes you to learn for your own good-it is not for her you are to learn.'" The following extract is from the same book : "With feelings of much pleasure, we notice a circumstance which illustrates the attention paid to the study of the Scriptures in our school. A child was found guilty of swearing; and immediately on the Superintendent asking whether some scholar present would not prove to her from Scripture, the sinfulness of swearing, several of them repeated very appropriate sentences from the Bible: this scholar melted into tears, and on being asked the reason, she said, 'Because I am so wicked."" Notwithstanding there are many more interesting and animat ing facts recorded on the journals of these schools, we must pass them over, as further extracts would surpass the proper limits of this report. The principle laid down by the Parent Societies is, "that the word of God constitutes the foundation on which the whole system is constructed." In perfect accordance with this position, the teachers in these schools have laboured to impart a knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, as the essential means, with God's blessing, to improve their hearts and lives, and bring them to an acquaintance with their own characters as sinners, and teach them to feel their need of a Saviour. More than five hundred thousand verses of Scripture have been committed to memory by the pupils in these schools, besides catechisms, hymns, and their ordinary lessons. The amount of Scripture recited by some, is truly astonishing: one scholar repeated the whole of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, in four lessons. A still more important part of the plan is, giving out questions relative to Christian duties, to be answered by the pupils from the Scriptures. This exercise familiarizes them with the contents of the Bible, and will fix many particular passages in their remembrance, which will be "profitable" in after life, "for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness." Several of the boys who entered the school five years ago, are still found in them as pupils, or assistant teachers; several have been able to procure good places as apprentices in various trades. Of the boys who formed a class of seven, at an early stage of the schools, one is in the country with his father, a promising lad; one is in a grocery store, with a liberal compensation; one is an apprentice to a tinman; one to a saddler; and one to a brass founder: one a clerk in a hardware store, and the seventh a member of Trinity Church Charity School. In walking along our wharves and slips, we not unfrequently see our older scholars, during their hours of leisure, attentively perusing their books. It is with pain we record the fact that four of the pupils (two coloured men and two coloured boys) have been convicted of theft; these are, however, the only instances recorded of any scholars in the five schools having been convicted of crime. At the commencement of the first school, the teachers held a weekly prayer meeting, which in the course of a year and a half became a more general meeting, in which the congregation unite every Friday evening. This meeting is attended by our pastor, who usually delivers a lecture. Since this change took place in the character of the first prayer meeting for teachers, they have organized another, which is still continued. We have abundant VOL. VIL 4 Z |