FOREIGN MISSIONARY CHRONICLE. VOL. III....No. 1. PITTSBURGH, JANUARY, 1835. WHOLE NO. 22. ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. MONTHLY CONCERT OF PRAYER. ( our countrymen; but for the inhabitants of We have assembled this evening to unite every land and the sailors on every sea. our hearts in the devout and solemn exer. For them, we should implore the light of cises of prayer and praise. The glorious divine truth and the power of the Spirit Object of our worship is infinitely right- grace. Let us be encouraged and animat. eous and holy; yet merciful and gracious ed by the assurance, that the God, to to sinners in Christ, and "rich unto all that whom we address our united supplications call upon him." He has erected a throne in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, is of grace, and made it accessible to sinful the Hearer of prayer, and the Author of men through the merits and intercession of "every good and perfect gift. "Behold, the only Mediator of the new covenant. It the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it becomes us to "lift up holy hands without cannot save; neither is his ear heavy, that wrath and doubting;" exercising confidence it cannot hear." And let us be cheered in God, supreme love to him as the best of with the reflection, that while we pray, on beings, reverential fear of his majesty, zeal the first Monday of the month, we are not for his glory, gratitude for the unspeakable alone; thousands of our Christian brethren gifts of his Son and Spirit and all his bene in the United States; in Great Britain; in fits, and ardent desire for the increase and Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Isles of the universal establishment of his spiritual Sea, are engaged in the same exercise, and kingdom. The grand subject of our peti- present the same petitions to the Father of tions this evening is the extension and pros- mercies; saying, as taught by their Lord, perity of this kingdom, not only in our be- "Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom loved and most highly favored American come. Thy will be done on earth as it is land; but also in Pagan, Mahomedan, and in heaven." Papal countries; among "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" in their dispersions and sufferings under the frowns of Heaven; and among mariners, engaged in the transpor tation of merchandise on great waters, and exerting a powerful influence, good or bad, according to their characters, upon the inhabitants of all seaport towns and cities which they visit.-We surround the throne of Divine mercy to offer "supplications, prayers, and intercessions, for all men"for mankind of all ranks, occupations, orders, and descriptions; and of all nations, kindreds, people and languages," not only for ourselves, our relations, our associates, That our hearts may be enlarged, our zeal kindled, our benevolence and compassion expanded, and the fervency of our prayers increased, let us survey, on one hand, the depths of ignorance, depravity, degradation, and wretchedness, of a large portion of our race; and, on the other, the efforts which are successfully using in the all-important and glorious enterprise of exangelizing the world. We ought to es. teem and feel it our duty, and our high privilege and honor, to bear our humble part in this sublime and interesting work. This may be done by, our pray erg-----by our personal efforts and by our all the benevolent institutions of the day, whose grand object is the illumination and conversion of sinners by the most appropriate instrumentality-the dispensation of the Gospel by faithful ambassadors of Christ; the multiplication and effective operation of Bible classes and Sabbath Schools, for the instruction of the young and others who are in danger of being "destroyed for lack of knowledge;" and the most extensive dissemination of evangelical tracts, carrying to all nations, in their vernacular tongues, the knowledge of "the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent" for the redemption of sinners.-When these incomparably important objests are attained, some very desirable subordinate ends will be secured; such as the improvement of the physical and civil condition of men; their translation from a state of degradation, ignorance, bondage and misery, to a state of intelligence, liberty, social order, earthly comfort, and acquaintance with useful arts and sciences; and, what is a great desideratum, the elevation of females, (now subjected to intolerable slavery, and treated with profound contempt in heathen lands) to that state of liberty, relative happiness, respectability, and usefulness, of which they are capable, and to which they are entitled according to the benign and ennobling principles of our holy religion. freewill-offerings poured into the treasury of the Lord. Let us pray with importunity for the purity, peace, and prosperity of Zion-her ministry, her eldership, her communing members, and all who assemble in her sanctuaries-that the Spirit of grace may be shed down upon them in copious effusions, for the revival of believers, and the conversion of those who have "a name to life while they are dead." Let us "pray for the peace of Jerusalem;" saying, "Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces"-pray that "her ministers may be clothed with salvation, and her saints shout aloud for joy;" that her number of those who spiritually worship the living God may be vastly increased by accessions from the world; and of Zion it may be inquired, "Who is this that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?"-Let us pray, that "the sacramental host of God's elect," armed with the panoply of Heaven, "strong in the Lord and the power of his might," may triumph over every foe; and, in the use of weapons of warfare "not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds," may be efficient agents in destroying satan's kingdom, and building up the kingdom of Christ upon its ruins.-Let us earnestly pray for the conversion of the world, which "lies in wickedness"-for the blind in heart, the unbelieving and impenitent; the ungodly and profane; the impious scof fer and the vile blasphemer; the proud infidel and the sceptical philosopher; the stupid idolater and the deceitful sorcerer; the wild enthusiast and the disdainful Pharisee; the unrighteous dealer, unmerciful extortioner, and cruel oppressor; the ambitious aspirant, the sordid worldling, the degraded sensualist and drunkard; the chief of sinners, who practice the works of darkness without restraint, and formal professors of religion and decent moralists, who rely up-lence of the Savior, his immeasurable love, on their own righteousness for justification before God. "The hearts" of all "are in the hands of the Lord as the rivers of water; and he turneth them whithersoever he will." Let us particularly pray for the descent of the Holy Spirit, to give efficiency to the Gospel and its ordinances, and success to The Lord, in building up his kingdom, makes use of a great variety of means; but the principal means used by the Spirit is the preaching of the Gospel, which "is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." By means of the word preached, the Spirit awakens sinners to a sense of their infinite moral distance from God, their desert of his displeasure and exposure to destruction; their absolute need of reconciliation, pardon, and holiness, to prepare them for the service and enjoyment of God. He discovers to them the excel his unsearchable riches of grace and blessings; and inclines their hearts to receive him, as he is offered, for all the purposes of their salvation. And he uses the Gospel as a great means of carrying on his work in the hearts of his saints to its consummation in glory. When we look at the field of the world, we see that "the harvest is great, but |