idolatry, ignorance, cruelty, and wretchedness of every kind; and as Jesus has tasted death for every man, and God wills all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth; it is the imperious duty of every Christian soul,-of every humane mind, to send, as extensively as possible, and with the utmost speed, that gospel of God, which is the only cure for all these evils.-While we hesitate, multitudes are perishing for lack of knowledge. We have not done the whole of our duty by merely contributing to the universal diffusion of the Bible:-this we should do, and not leave the other undone. We must send the missionary also, to call the attention of the millions (who, if they have even the word of life in their own languages, cannot read it) to the things which make for their peace, and the things whereby they may edify each other. No nation ever was, or, humanly speaking, ever can be saved, where there is neither a prophet to proclaim the righteousness of the Most High, nor an evangelist to comfort those who labour and are heavy laden, by pointing them to that Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world. If any further arguments or motives can be necessary to induce those who have tasted and seen that God is gracious, to send, as far as their influence and means can reach, the gospel of Jesus to be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and salvation to the ends of the earth; let them consider the following: God, who made you, says, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind, and strength." And God, who redeemed you, has said, "Thou shalt do so, and love thy neighbour as thyself;" and adds, "There is no greater commandment than these; and on these hang all the law and the prophets." To this he further adds, "What you would that men should do to you, do even so to them." Now, 1. If we love God, shall we not keep his commandments? 2. If we love our neighbour as ourselves, shall we not labour to make him happy? 3. If we have ever felt the gospel to be the power of God to our own salvation, shall we not endeavour to send it to those who are destitute? 4. If we feel bound to do to others, as we would wish, on a reverse of circumstances, they should do to us, then, from what we now know, had they the gospel, and we were destitute of it, how ardently should we desire that they would share with us that heavenly bread? And how hardly should we think of them, if they had the blessing of which we were destitute, and had the means of sending it, which we could not command, and yet permitted us to perish while they themselves had bread enough and to spare, although giving, however largely would not lessen their store? Think of this, and then act under the influence of that conviction which the evidence may bring. 5. There is a maxim in law, "that he who neglects to save life, when it is in his power to do it, is a murderer, as well as he who violently takes it away." What, then, must God and considerate men think of us, if we permit Satan to murder those souls, which, by the grace of God, it is in our power to snatch from the sides of the pit, and pluck as brands from the burning? 6. But this subject is placed in the strongest point of view by God himself: "Son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore, thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die if thou do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand." (Ezek. xxxiii. 6-8.) Will not these words apply to every man, whether in Palestine, England, or elsewhere, who neglects, when it is in his power, either personally, or by proxy, to turn a sinner from the error of his ways? We find from the above passage, that although the sinner who is not warned "shall die in his sins," yet his blood shall be required at the hands of the negligent watchman. And may we not infer, that the Gentile nations who do not receive that warning, which it is in the power of Christians to send, "will die in their sins?" And surely they who die in their sins, where God is, can never come. We know that any Gentiles who act according to the dictates of that light which lightens every man that cometh into the world, shall, on their death, enter into Paradise; for in every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him. But how many of the Gentiles, in any nation of the earth, do really act up to the dictates of that light ?-Out of the millions of heathens, with whom our commerce has brought us acquainted, how few individuals have we ever found who were living according even to the general rules of justice, righteousness, and mercy? In millions, scarcely one thoroughly moral character appears! How awful is this consideration!-Let us remember that vice uncurbed, daily gains strength; and that evil habits become inveterate where there is nothing to counteract them. Myriads are annually sacrificed to superstition. Darkness is perpetuated and becomes thick and gross in consequence. God is not known, and the people are led captive by Satan at his will!-Who will arise, grapple with the destroyer, and pluck the prey out of his teeth! Many excellent men, full of the Holy Ghost and power, are on tiptoe, with their lives in their hand, saying, "Here are we, send us! Send us to the dispersed among the Gentiles,—to the stupid Hottentots,-to the savages of New Holland,―to the cannibals of New Zealand,-to the uttermost parts of the earth, where God our Father is not known,-where Christ our Saviour is not named,-where Satan keeps his seat,—and where reason and the human form are degraded. Constrained by the love of Christ, we will freely go :-Here we are, "the messengers of the churches for the glory of Christ." After such offers, (and, through the mercy of God, they are in abundance,) these men will be guiltless, if not sent.-But what a reckoning must those have with the great Head of the Church, who neglect these calls, and will not join hands with God to make the wretched live! Let us all feel and say, “We will not be any longer guilty of our brother's blood :—and now, go to, and we will show, that the hand of the Lord is upon us for good, -that our heart is enlarged,-that our hand is as ready as our prayers, and that, in the true missionary spirit, we consecrate our service this day unto the Lord! Amen. Selah! Wesleyan Methodist Mag. BIOGRAPHY. MEMOIR OF THE REV. WILLIAM BEAUCHAMP. "Some angel guide my pencil, while I draw, A man on earth devoted to the skies." YOUNG. In the beginning of the year 1816, the writer was much afflicted. Like his friend B. he possessed a weakly constitution. Unlike most persons in travelling for health, he chose the forests, and roved among the frontier settlers, and preached to whites and Indians. During this time a constant correspondence was continued with his friend. The object of the writer is to be concise, but, in justice to this subject, he must be excused in noticing several particulars in which he was personally concerned. It was during this period, that a subject had been suggested by the author of these memoirs, in regard to forming new settlements; the wretched and demoralized state of most of the towns in the western country, was truly lamentable. Societies for the suppression of vice and immorality had been instituted and succeeded. A reformation was produced; the late war had, however, swept off a vast multitude of the rabble. The idea at this time occurred in regard to forming a new settlement, in accordance to an association for the suppression of vice and immorality. It had been remarked, that in those places where there were no prevailing moral principles, even after a reformation, a relapse exhibited the depravity of the human heart in all its deformity; and the "last state of (such a place) was worse than the first." If it were practicable, it was cousidered to be highly advantageous to the community, to set an example, or, at all events, to try the experiment. The plan, though at first opposed, after being, somewhat modified, was apVOL. VIII. 7 proved of by brother B. A suitable place was purchased in the spring of 1817, in which a friend became concerned, and brother B. undertook the agency and the management of it. Time will soon prove how far we have succeeded. Mr. B., with his wife and family, left Chillicothe the 10th day of October, 1817, and arrived at the foot of the falls of the Great Wabash on the 5th day of November following, and took possession of his new settlement, situated in the (then territory) state of Illinois, and called it "Mount Carmel." The strict Hebrew interpretation of which is supposed to be "The Garden of the Lord;" or, according to Dr. Leigh's Hebrew Critica Sacra, a fruitful mount, or mountain.* The novelty of such an adventure excited much interest, and general curiosity, and many conjectures were had respecting it, some one way, and some another; some prophesied good, and some evil; there was much opposition, some persecution, and it produced some enthusiasm. Before the agent had arrived, or had prepared to set off, to enter upon his duties, persons visited the ground, and were astonished "that a city was not built!" The writer, even at this time, cannot but smile at the recollection of several occurrences of the kind. However, here was a field indeed, opened to a fruitful mind, and a new era in the life of our friend B. was now commenced. As an agent or manager, we find him now assiduously engaged as a surveyor, laying off his new town, arranging his streets, fixing his monuments, and preparing it for settlement, and looking forward for its future prosperity. As a preacher, in forming this infant congregation, introducing order, and forming regulations, he and his people presented a spectacle worthy of observation. His settlement was filled up by different orders and classes of people, but all delighted, greatly delighted, to hear him preach. Till now, with some propriety, it might have been said "But the sound of the church-going bell Or smil'd when a sabbath appear'd." Church bells we had not, the congregation was convened by the sound of the trumpet; and here in the wilderness a congregation was edified by discourses which would have charmed an assembly in the most intelligent circle, or populous city. Among all the preachers of the age, none exceeded our deceased friend for pleasing and profitable variety. * Since writing the above, the writer was called to witness the astonishing production of the earth on this spot, at the rate of more than 150 bushels of corn taken from an acre; near the same ground, 800 bushels of turnips were estimated to be raised to the acre! If the "mount" produces thus, what will the vallies afford, when brought into cultivation? He was an excellent physician, well skilled in medicine, and prepared at all times, and on all occasions, to administer to the necessities of the sick and afflicted, without fee or reward: and indeed as such, it is well known, that when other physicians were to be had, amidst his own severe afflictions, he has been taken from his own room, (owing to the confirmed confidence in his judgment,) placed in a close carriage, and, by hand, hurried to see a person whose disease appeared to be dangerous. Had he been so disposed he might have followed the practice of medicine as a profession, and made it lucrative, but he did not choose to be called a doctor, and administered to the necessities of the afflicted as a Christian. There could not have been a person more suitably qualified for giving a good impulse to a new settlement, and at the same time prepared to meet the variety of circumstances which called for aid; nay, active exertion, to maintain and carry on business with any tolerable degree of success. Brother B. was well versed in nearly all the mechanical arts. He has been known to build a house, make a clock, and repair watches; he was particularly delighted with the use of tools, and was fond of working at the cabinet business. The writer has seen him work in brass, iron, and wood, repair the firelocks of the hunters, so essentially necessary in a new country; repair and ornament his compass, and build a mill. All this he did, although never taught any particular branch of business. He delighted much in the instruction of the youth of both sexes. He was considered one among the best of our grammarians; was anxious to impress the rising generation with a sense of the importance of a proper understanding of their own language. He improved on Murray's plan, and at length appeared to adopt a plan of his own, so plain, simple, and easy, as to be comprehended by the weakest capacity. In this way he was more successful than any teacher that the writer ever knew, and from him the writer acknowledges to have received much instruction. He did, from choice, after the labours of the day were over, collect and form his grammar class in the winter evenings, and for a considerable time taught them with delight. The good effects of these lectures and lessons are yet observable. Though he was not master of music himself, yet he was a lover of singing, took particular delight in encouraging psalmo dy, especially among the young people of Mount Carmel. He not only approved of the cultivation of sacred music, but assisted, as far as he could, in teaching the knowledge of this useful and necessary part of divine worship. His active mind was never at a loss for employment; he had studied chymistry, and would frequently make experiments. It |