TRANSACTIONS OF THE MISSIONARY SOCIETY. 
ates the title of the clergy to the rank 
which they hold in society, and to the 
emoluments of their office, as justified 
by their education, and required by 
the situation which they are obliged to 
maintain in life. He concludes by 
briefly urging on his clerical audience, 
the sacred obligations which they are 
189 
under to devote themselves zealously 
and disinterestedly to the service of their 
master, and to “ remember that nothing 
is to them ornamental, nothing good or 
great, which does not immediately or 
ultimately conduce to the glory of Ged, 
and the salvation of mankind.” 
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY AND CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 
Art. LXIV. Transactions of the Missionary Society. Vol. 1. 8vo. pp. 416. 
THE history of this society is truly’ 
characteristic of the Evangelicals: it 
displays their honourable zeal, and their 
base superstition ; their collective impor- 
tance, and their individual imbecility ; 
the prodigious means which they pos- 
sess, and the more prodigious absur- 
dity with which they ex2rt them. 
A warm address appeared in the 
Evangelical Magazine for September, 
1794, exhorting the “ Gospel Chris- 
tians” to advance the glory of God by 
attempting the conversion of the hea- 
then. Shortly after, Mr.{Melville Horne 
published his Letters on Missions; how- 
ever little attention this book -excited 
elsewhere, it was reviewed and strongly 
recommended in the Evangelical Maga- 
zine. The tinder was ready, and the 
spark took. Accordingly, a number of 
“Gospel Ministers” in London, toge- 
ther with some of their country brethren, 
held every fortnight, during six months, 
a meeting for prayer and consultation 
on the most effectual means of com- 
mencing and carrying on the missionary 
work. This led them to insert. an ad- 
dress in their magazine, and to send cir- 
cular letters to ministers in the country. 
Their provincial brethren, in reply, pro- 
fessed a similar zeal, and offered liberal 
pecuniary aid. A general.meeting was 
summoned in London. Immense mul- 
" titudes of all denominations assembled ; 
money was subscribed ; missionaries of- 
fered themselves; and sermons were 
reached, which, by their own account, 
tivalled in success the spiritual trophies 
of St. Bernard. 
The society determined to make their 
first efforts in the South Sea Islands. 
wenty-four single and five married bre- 
thren were shipped bythe grace of God, and 
in good condition, on board the good ship 
Duff. The captain and his crew were 
all god-fearing men, and many of our 
ilors remember the strange circum- 
Stance, that this vessel heaved anchor, 
and set sail from Portsmouth, the cap- 
tain, the crew, and the cargo, all sing- 
ing psalms. The details of this voyage 
have been published in a volume, which 
contains moreinformation respecting the 
South-Sea islanders, than is to be found 
in all the volumes of all the navigators, 
French or English. Two of the mis- 
sionaries returned to England in. the. 
same ship; twelve single and the. five 
married brethren were left at Otaheite ; 
one at the Marquesas, and nine at Ton- 
gataboo. This volume commences with 
the Otaheitean journals, beginning on 
the day of the Duff’s departure. 
«© August 4th, 1797.---This morning the 
ship Duff was got under sail, and lay ta 
without the reef. The boat went off with 
our dispatches for England, and we took, 
with tears of love, our last farewell of the 
captain, officers, and seamen; and stood 
gazing at that highly favoured ship, in which 
we had lived almost eight months, and sailed 
more than twenty thousand miles, over the 
boisterous deep, ull it vanished from our 
sight ; not forgetting to lift up our hearts 
to God, in fervent prayer, for her protection, 
and safe passage to our native are: We 
also gave ourselves, in a more particular man 
ner, to the Lord, to aid and uphold us in 
our important undertaking, praying that he 
may grant us such qualifications, as shall 
enable us to act with consistency before the 
poor benighted heathen ; and that many may, 
through our instrumentality, be translated 
from the power of darkness, into the king- 
dom of his dear son Jesus Christ. We are 
now situated in one of the most delightful 
countries in the world: here the cares and 
anxieties, which possess the poor man’s 
breast, with respect to the maintenance of his 
family, require not a thought ; but still we 
have our troubles and..anxisties, when we 
consider our critical situation, upon a small 
island, many thousands of miles distant 
from our native country, and surrounded by 
an uncivilized people. We have, itis true, 
received from them kind treatment, greatly 
surpassing what we expected ; bat from our 
knowledge of human nature, we have cause 
to fica SO that much deceit and covete 
