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PhotogTdiihic

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Coipordtion

23 WfST MAIN STRtiT

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1 2 3

V-\<-^^^0'^ , ^Oti^^X^

E T

FRIEND

In \i' h I c rf

30ME ACCOUNT IS GIVEN

O F T H E

BRETHREN'S SOCIETY

FOR THE

if URTHERANCE OF THE GOSPEL

■'.*>

i-7

AMONG

THE HEATHER

C' ■

LONDON:

Printed in the Yiar

mdcclxix,

lOO'

l^ - -.'^A

r-^^

Vf •

'^'X:S^

.L E T T E R

T O A

FRIEND, &c.

My VERY DEAR FrIEND,

OMEof the Brethren had a meeting to- Jay,

when we revived our Society for the *• Further-

* ance of the Gofpel among the Heathen in the Bri-

, **•* tifh dominions," and fettled it on a more enlar-^cd

f)kn ; but as you may be glad to know fomethinw of

phe original defign of this Societ)', I will endeavour

^o give you as exa£l an account as I am able j of the

occiiTion which gave rife to the defign of begirnin'T

fuch a Society almoft twenty-fe ven years ago, and

what our Society then was.

The Society is even now but fmall, and was be-
gun by a few perfons of the middle rank, or rather
fcmcthing above the lower fort of people, but they
were filled with a zeal, perhaps fcldom to be found
but among perfons of that rank j they were a good
natured willing people, quite in carnefl: in the matter,
and I can aflure you, it was one of the grcateft plca-
furcs of my life, to fee lhof<^ few fo hearty and alive
in the thing.

The Brethren's Church having had invitations to
preach the gofpel to the Heathen in fome parts of the

^T>_!»:a. *s^^ •^- f^ • _/• • _- _«. __<_

A 2

C 4 ] ■

to London in their way thither, and being unacquaint
cd with the language, had, at their firft fciting cut,
many a.id troublcfome difficulties, and were liable to
uncommonly difagrceable circumftanccs, for want qT
being properly underflood and known, and for want
of fome friendly care and rgcommi-Jation to the cap-
tains r.f the flilps they went with, and to fbme friends
in the countries they went to j neither were they
abounding in this world's goods, but had a truly an-
ticnt apoftolical truft in God, that he would know
hew to bring them to the places they were going tO}.
and as they had little experience in the price of
frright, and the charges of long voyages, they were
no? always fufficiently provided, a priori, with the
money nsce/Tary to fufjh purpofes.

, Some perfons in London, with whom they had
providentially become acquainted, took their circum-
ftances into confideration, and wiflicd to know how
to aa in the beft manner to affift thofe whom they
faw were enturing their lives and health in order to
bring the Heathen to the knowledgcof Jefus Chj-ift,
for the falvation of their immortal fouls. '

I mud tell you, my dear friend, that the very fight
of thcfc truly apoftolical men, and their zeal for the
converfion of the Heathen, not in a prefumptuous or
vain fpirit, or pharifaical afft-aation, but full of a hu-
mane, chcarful, humble behaviour, was fo edifying to
us, that it made us, who were intimate with them
and witneffes to their condud here, wifli moft zca-
loufly to take that fharc i.i their undertaking, which

BSiS**'

( f ^ ^

Vc th ^u_-!it mljht be po.TiWc for us licrc to execute,
f.J ivLvrly to r VKTHF.R tliem on their way, and
IfKT.Cv- \\" uijk the na;:.c of the " Sxicty far thcFur-
•» tli.r.ir.c: of the CTofpcl." 1 remember the ideas wc
tiuii haJ, aivl the fpirit of our firft meetings.

•

We believed, that cur Saviour had died for the
H'holc world, and would have all men to be favcd by
|Ik knowledge of the truth, which he had ordered to
|c preached to all natiojis : We faw thefc men willing
Id carry the gofpcl to the Heathen in perfon at all ha-
iards, and we faw that they did it out of love for
Jcfus Chrift, and a defire to fulfil his will, and a ten-
der concern for the falvation of the Heathen, and that
,|Jiey had embraced the providential call they had to
l^is blefTed bufinefs.

We rccolle£led that there was one Lord, one Sa-
viour for us and them, and that, though we for our
pcrfons thought we had not or perhaps never might
have the fame call with them, to go and preach to the

• Heathen in perfon, yet being redeemed by the fame
precious blood of Chrift, and having believed the
gofpel, as well as thcfe willing millionaries, we had

*in general the very fame inducement, which they had,
to be helpful in our refpec^ive ftations and callings to
the furthering of that work, which we fuppofed very
reafonably would be agreeable to the univerfal Lover,
Saviour and Friend of mankind, who had laid down
his life for his enemies, who only need be known to
be beloved and obeyed, and in whofc name alone ther«
iscompleatfalviitipn,

C 6 ]

And although the being a member of this Society
• docs not ^rr^ply a call to go in perfon among the Hea-
then, but only fhcws our free, wilting and difin-
terefted deftre to ferve the miffions ; yet we muft own,
that at fmes wc have felt in cur meetings fuch ,
ftrong .mpulfe to take perfonal (bar: in their miffions,
that we all fain would have gone ourfelves on that
important errand. Indeed fome of us have been bleft
with fuch a call now and then ; but the remainder
have had the comfort to be faithful partakers and pro .
meters of this great work of God, by catchin.. at
^very opportunity to ferve it at .ome by giving all the
ailutance m our power. • ^^

We were at firft but a kw, and thefc met 'together
to confider, how we might contrive to make the little
help, each of us could give, become any thin, worth
liammg by being addeJ together, and to m^ke that
little go as far as it could. To this purpofe we refolved
to form ourfelves into a Society, towards the deHgns of
which each member might contribute ftatedly or occal
fionally, his little mite, each according to his ability,
without tea?mg or preffing one another to enlarge ih^
contribution, as we believed, that our g^enero^s Sa-
viour had no pleafure in conftrained gifts, and that he
/.kes on'y fuch as are gi.cn out of a free, ^^illing heart,
fo we made that a principal point with usi and I caq
tru'y (,y, we wanted then more to rcflrain our mem-
bers, as to the larg^nefs of the fum, than to ur^e the^
to an mcreafe of their contribuiion. Such was the
fpint cf thoft; days.

•jff i^r ■

f 7 ]

We cirpioyed onrfL-lvcs therefore as a Sociot^- ii> re-
rdvlno: and erjtcrtainiiig fuch mifiionaries who paHbd
chro' jh London in their way to America, providincr
riK:n proper lodgings, taking care to fupply vvhal
iiH Jk be wanting for their freight and provificns, and
fo.ne neceflary refrefhments in their voyag», recom-
r.L-nding them to the captains, making the bargain for
their pafTage, taking care of their letters, doing their
J rtfe commilfipns, and indeed every kind of th'
wherein we could furiher them, or be of pIcafure'Tr
fc-rv.cc to them; and. can you think, that was not
. a plcaOire to ourfirlves ? My dear Friend, it was a
J great <?ne. and it was a very great advantage to us to
f fee fo many apoftolical people, whom the delays of
I the,r voyages kept here occafionally, a confiderable
I t.mc amongfl us, efpecially in war time by embargo's
waumg for convoys, &c. They were much to our'
edfcuon ftr. gthening and confirming our faith i„
Jclus Chnft, not only by their words, but by their
good example. ^

So we went on for feveral year,; but at Jafl the
brethren s Church, by the mi/Hons increafm^, wa,
obliged to appoint general deputies of all their chur-
f hes, who had ti,e care for providing for their Hea-
then m.lfions in all parts of the world, who rece-ve
he contributions of all thc.r churches to this work
i^ut we have now def.ed, that our Society here be
fcv.ved, particularly for that branch of the Heathea'
m.Oion in the Bririfh dominions, that we r^.y again
.Mkcourl.ttleflure in our feveral branches of a/Iiftancc.

'mf''mmmm^-^-

C 8 J

which the general Heathen deputies had for fcveral
je^» entirely taken upon thcmfelves, and we are
much obliged to them and to all our churches for the
plentiful contributions they have given thefe many
years to the Heathen miiTions in the Britifli dominions
and doubt not of their kind continuance, of which v/c
have the cleareft hopes.

As many of the old members therefore as were ftil}
in London, met together to-day, to renew and revive
our Society, and we had the plcafure to have fev.al
of the ancient Brethren of the Brethren's Church with
us, with whom we firft became acquainted in their
pafTage through Lonaon in their way to the Heathen,
and who were at the firft forming of the Society,
alntwlt twenty-feven years ago.

At this meeting we tried to give our Society a con-
fidence ; we revifed our rules, chofe new members
of the Society by ballot*, appointed by a majority of
votes, fix perfcns to be the] committee for current
affairs of the Society, one of whom Mr. William
Jackfoii, was chofen treafurer of the Society ; and
Mr. Wollin fccretary, who correfponds alfa with the
general deputies of all the Brethren's Churches for
the Heathen miffion, and two brethren, who arc
called frrvants of the Society, whofe bufincfs is chiefly
to execute the refolutions of the committceand Society,
in the fcveral branches of activity eceffary in buying

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focii
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-'^fnl'llSfrT?'-"

■ r 9 ]

lin fiup-provifions and refrc/hmcnts, in fpcaking with
Ith: c.prnins the mifTionarles go with, making the bar-
i;.:a tor their pa%c, conduding them in pl^pcr time
I on bojrd, doing their bufinefs at the Cuftom-Houfc &:c.
f a;id every one of the Society and committee are ^rra-
Jgcd to be afllftant to thcfe two fbrvants, occafionaUy

ia executing the refolutions of the committee and

Society,

The committee meet as often as there is occafion
generally once a week, the whole Society at leaft once
month.

.'.•>■

The proper conftituent members of the Society arc
Jl of them aaual members of the united Brethren's
.hurch, and every ordained mnifter of the Brethren'^
.hurch who happens to be prcfent in London, has
right by our rules to a feat and vote in the com-
fttee and we have reafon to expe^ many good fer-
I'lcc^ from their prefence and encouragement.

But by our rules we can admit honorary members
Id correfpondcnt members, not of our church, who.
Jhen .n London, can be occafionaJly prefent, not
jnly at the public general meeting, when the accounts
of theprogrefs of the gofpel among the Heathen ar«
read, but alfo at the meeting of the members of the
aoc-ety. To thefe honorary or correfpondent members
•vill be communicated, occafionaJly, the frefheft ac-
counts we receive of the work of the Lord among the
ricathen, which is the chief joy of the Society, and
pr the fkke cf which we arc a Society, and we fmd

evcrv

t 10]
every where that the narration of the fiec-wl!lin3 riiT-
ferings of Chrift for the fins of the 'vorld, is recclvcj
by the Heathen with attention, and when indeed be-
lieved by them, changes their hearts and whole life,
and fhews plainly that true faith cannot but produce
good works and a proper behaviour, and that thcfe
Heathen believers become happy in themfelves and
very exemplary chriftians. Of this vvc have feveral
Ihoufand inflances among the divers nations of the
Indians in North and South- America, the Green-
landers, and the Negroes in the Weft-India-Iflands,
and they not only became happy and good chriftians
for themfelves, but confequently good neighbours,
good fubjeils, and ufeful to Society in general, and
the Negroes in particular very faithful to their
mailers. .

No perlbn of the Society is required, be he"a£lual
member, honorary member, or correfpondent member,
to contribute. Some are not able to contribute much,
others can contribute more, and when the members
of the Society meet at their monthly or occafional
meetings, each perfon may put in a box, placed in
the room for that purpofe, whatever he ftiall be dif-
pofed to give, quite unobfcrvcd. If there (hall hap-
pen to be a call for any extraordinary cxpence, the
affair will be mentioned, and no one will be hindered
from giving openly according to the exlgen.e of the
cafe, but no one is to be conftraincd to give at all.

At the feveral meetings of the Society, any matter
which occurs will be related, or any thing which re-
quires

[ r. 1

.. ;rcs otlibcratlon will be confulted about, an ac-
iint \vill*be given of what has been received and laid

ut what may be wanted to be done, what miffions
arcc>>in» forward, what the fuccefs is, or promifes
to he here or there, the committee report what ha^
pificJ in their meetings, &c.

Every year the whole committee can be continued,
or chanf^cd at the pleafure of the Society.

And at the meetings of the Society any of our
rules or proceedings can be corre£led or altered, if
needful, for we know that all human things may be
altered for the better.

At the above-mentioned public meeting; the ac-
counts of the progrefs of the gofpel are read openly at
Fetter- Lane Chapel monthly j at which alfo ftrangers,
who behave orderly, arc admitted.

Though we have hitherto publiOied to the world
but very little of the detail of our fuccefs in the Hea-
then miffions, except, very latsly, the Greenland hif-
tory, [which is indeed well worth the attention of all
chriftians of /ery denomination, and which We were
forced to publifh by the reproaches of fome pious fer-
vants of God, not of our church, who blamed us for
concealing fo long the marvellous effedls of the grac«
of God upon thofe barbarians. To him be glory and

bcnoi^r for ever. Amen.]

I fay, though we have hitherto publlfhed fo little

to the world in general of the detail of our miflions,

yet we cannot with-hold from our own people thr

:^:

[12 5

comfortable accounts we receive from thrncc and-
as wehop^ that the prayers of all good and ferious
people, who may come freely to that monthly public
meeting (and we fuppofe fcarce any elfe will find
any pleafure in being there) v/iil be of fervicc to our
Undmaking, we therefore read theie accounts with opea
t ••----■■... . • ■

We have frequently wanted more money than we
had any vifible profped of receiving, yet God ftirred
op the hearts of the Society and its friends and well-
wifhcrs, fo that we were able to do many things more
thar^ our means feemed to promife, and his bleffin^ and
gracious countenance was upon us* **

.; May he be pleafed to blefs the renewal of this So-
ciety, to take pleafure in us, to give and keep up iri
ps a hvcly and genuine free fpirit, and even fuch poor
beings as we are, (hall be ufeful in our little degree
to his kingdom and fervice.

..I forgot to tell you, that our Society meets " at
No. 10. Nevil's-Court, Fetter-Lane, Fleet-Street. ^

■■ ' ... . > am, . ■■' • • -

• ' /

.-'■•'.....'.- ■ '. . •

.■ . 1

tTK.».-Ko«„, % very dear Friend,

• ■ ;

Sept. 3, 1763.

■ .•■

Ever Yours, &c.

■7:! ^'Ot •'■'■"• ■-"_ A> ■■* i In'. I a.

J.H,

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