there is no other way in which the divine law could be honored and men saved. JANUARY 1, 1812.-Is it possible! yes I am here a monument of infinite clemency. I have been preserved another year. This has been a very stormy, and may I not say, a melancholy day to me? The youth of this town had appointed a religious meeting here this evening on account of my ill health. But the Lord in his all-wise providence has seen fit to disappoint me.-May thy dealings toward me, teach me the lesson which it is thy pleasure I should learn. Soon after this she was reduced very low. She conversed with those who came to visit her, as long as her strength would admit. She urged them to attend to the things which related to their everlasting peace without delay. Especially did she urge her young friends to remember their Creator in the days of their youth." The near approach of death did not terrify her. She often spoke of her own dissolution with great composure of mind, and said, it was better to depart and be with Christ, than to remain in this sinful world. A few weeks before her death, she wrote the following address, requesting it to be read at her funeral. BRETHREN, SISTERS AND FRIENDS, PRORABLY you are all some effected on this occasion, as the call is unto all, "be ye also ready." But you, with whom I was particularly acquainted, cannot have reached this place without reflecting that I, with whom you used to be conversant, shall speak with you no more forever.Prompted by strong effections, I feel a desire to speak to you this once. Dear Friends, a few months ago, you saw me in the bloom of youth, active, sprightly and healthful, and during the illness of a number of months, cheerfulness did not forsake me. Death has now closed the scene! Look on me, O my friends, and see what death hath done unto me! I cannot see you. These eyes, which have gazed on many of you with much delight, have lost their lusture. They are closed in death and will never more be opened to behold objects by the light of this world. These ears will listen to the sound of your voices no more. This bosom can no more heave a sigh for those of you left behind, who are unprepared for the scene I have just witnessed. This lump of clay will now be consigned to the tomb, there to mingle with its mother dust. While life remained, this bosom throbbed with gratitude, to the dear friends who exerted themselves in acts of kindness during my last illness-I now entreat them to improve this stroke of divine providence to their own spirit ual interest. Do my friends ask yourselves individually, "Am I ready to die? Am I willing that my spirit should take its flight into eternity?" Those of you who are still impenitent, are not ready, and cannot be willing. Oh how preposterous to live at ease, in such a dangerous situation! Death may be sudden. O let it not be unexpected. Remember few linger as I did. Some die without a moments warning of their dissolution. Many are taken sick and senseless at the same time and in that manner are hurried into eternity. O give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eye-leds, till you have made your peace with God. As for those of you who already believe, your salvation is now nearer than when you first believed. You have every thing to encourage you to be diligent in duty, and fervent in spirit. I trust you will remember the words of our dear Lord, “Watch, for ye know not the hour when the Son of man cometh." May God Almighty have mercy on this assembly, the Redeemer save you all by his merits and the Holy Ghost sanctify and prepare you for heaven.-FAREWELL. Agreeably to her request, this address was read on the day of her interment, to a large concourse of people. A few evenings before her death, she called her brothers and sister to her, and gave them her parting counsels and instructions. She endeavored to impress their minds with the importance of early piety, and urged them to attend immediately to the one thing needful. Though her bodily strength was nearly exhausted, she was blessed with a great degree of mental vigor, and enjoyed the use of her reason to the last moment. Early in the morning of the 21st of May, her attendants supposed her to be dying. She did not appear to be ignorant of it herself, and turning to a young lady who had spent the night with her, she said, "O seek the Lord." The family was immediately called to her apartment. At first her mother supposed it was only a return of faintness, with which she had been frequently attacked. When Hannah was informed of this, she expressed her fears that she should not at this time depart. In a few moments, her friends discovered that she was really dying. She then collected the little strength which remained, and raising her hands and dying eyes to heaven, she said, "Lord Jesus receive my spirit, and then fell asleep." Fair plant of righteousness, of transient date; 19 1 She ripened for the skies; was then removed To Canaan's flow'ry mount; where now she stands Reader, can you refrain from adopting the language of Balaam, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his ?" If ever death was completely disarmed of his terrors, he was, in the instance above mentioned. Her Redeemer in whom she believed did not forsake her in her last moments. "Whom he loveth, he loveth unto the end." But let it be remembered that hers were not the triumphs of infidelity, but of true religion. Infidelity never afforded an instance of such dignified composure in death. What, think you, but a religion in its origin divine, could render a timid female calm and intrepid, in circumstances in which the stoutest hearts have trembled? Although this bright star in the gospel firmament has set, to rise no more on the earth; her example like a train of light, still glitters in the horizon. Let the eye of the young be directed to it, and be exhorted to become followers of her, who through faith and patience now inherits the promises. AMICUS. An Historical View of the First Planters of New-England. No. V. (Continued from Page 212.) IN our third Number we gave an account of the establishment and early progress of the Colony of Plymouth, which was the first of the New-England colonies. The last Number consisted of general reflections on the nature and effects of religious persecution. We now resume the narration, and will give a sketch of the dispensations of Divine Providence in the first settlement of the colony of Massachusetts. This is the second in the time of settlement, and, for population and wealth, has always been the first of the colonies of New-England. The successful efforts of Mr. Robinson's congregation, in removing to Holland, and thence to America, for the sake of the undisturbed enjoyment of the worship and ordinances of God, engaged the attention of all the pious part of their fellow-countrymen. They saw what men, engaged in a holy zeal for God could do; they saw how such efforts met with the countenance of Heaven; they saw how difficulties unparalleled were dissipated by their fortitude and exertions. Many of their brethren in England, who were suffering under the unabated rigor of religious intolerance, heard indeed of their sufferings, but they heard of their prosperity. They found that God attended them to their prepared habitation, that he had made a way for them in the wilderness, that they enjoyed the privileges of his service without molestation, and that they were laying the foundations of eminent churches of the Lord Jesus, upon the pure principles of gospel order. The future prospects of the American church opened to their view. These unhallowed shores, which had been, indeed, the habitations of cruelty and the seat of the worship of false gods, for ages; but which had never been defiled with Papal impositions, and the polluted superstitions of the great Apostacy; they believed were to become the dwelling place of the divine Emmanuel, in the holy communications of his grace. While the oppressions of the Ecclesiastical courts continued; while the usurpations of the prelates and the severities of the High-Commission remained unabated; while fresh attempts were constantly made to enforce the observance of the canons and ceremonies of the church, the number of non-conformists steadily increased; multitudes of the best men were constantly driven from the service and the privileges of the church. While the conscientious non-conformists sought to enjoy the pure worship of God, unadulterated with human impositions, in private assemblies, the vigilance of blind zeal discovered their retreats, and dragged them forth, unfeelingly, to the light, and to punishment. These sufferings, long endured, without any prospect of their termination, by a very natural effect, impressed upon the non-conformists the deepest sense of the inestimable worth of the pure privileges of Christian liberty, as contemplated in the gospel of Christ. It is not possible for us, who have never felt the evils of civil or religious tyranny, to conceive the nature of their feelings upon this subject. We can best judge of them by the effects which were produced. As a spirit of emigration began to prevail in the nation, by which the views of men became greatly enlarged, some pious people, persons of enterprise, of character, and of fortune, projected the plan of a settlement, on the principles and for the purposes of religion. The character and the success of the infant colony of Plymouth, with various other considerations, turned their attention to NewEngland. Some of those considerations were the following: The country, excepting at the small settlement at Plymouth, was wholly unoccupied by Europeans. The natives of the country were few, and no great dangers were apprehended from their hostility. The climate and state of the country were such as to present no great allurement to the cupidity of adventurers, whose sole object was gain.-The abundant fisheries of the sea-coast and the rivers, must afford a facility of support to the first planters. And, finally, the country was thought to be sufficiently distant to avoid the oppressions of the hierarchies of Europe. In addition to these, there was another motive, which had, with many of them, a very powerful influence. They knew that the church of Christ was first planted in the cast. It had been, for ages, gradually, journeying to the west. They believed this progress not yet completed. They saw the holy providence of God awakening the spirit of daring navigators to unveil new climes to the view of men, and all in subserviency to the interests of the holy kingdom of Him, to whom is given dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him. They believed that the heavenly dove would shortly rest on this side of the Atlantic, and here fix a long abode. In the year 1606, King James I. granted the whole of North America, between 34 and 45 degress of north latitude, to two companies. The proprietors of the southern part being, principally, merchants in London, were denominated the London Company, and their tract of country retained the name of Virginia. The proprietors of the northern division being, generally, merchants of Plymouth, were stiled the Plymouth Company, and their territory was called North Virginia. The name of Virginia had been given to the whole country, in the reign of Elizabeth. In 1814, the coasts of the northern district were particularly surveyed by Capt. Smith of Virginia, who gave it the name of New-England. This name soon became general in the mother country. It appears probable, that the Plymouth Company would never have done any thing for the settlement of the country, had it not been for the successful enterprize of the first planters of New-Plymouth. Their object was wealth, and all their efforts issued in disappointment. Had not some more powerful motive engaged the exertions of other characters, this fair country might have been, at this day, in the possession of the aborigines of America, or subject to the tyranny of Papal superstition. It is very doubtful whether the small settlements, which had commenced in Virginia and New-York, would not have been wholly relinquished, which had been the event of several preceding attempts, had it not been for the firm stand made by the pious pilgrims of the north. 2 I |