vifitediby a Ruffian clergyman from Kamifehailldy That peninfula
coritaifis rsthe ■ only: glimmering: rayi iofx schriftianity-'that;, enlightens
th e. A /iatic :caajl o f the Pacific Ocean, . with the extfeptfim- oB the
Roman CathoMcs . fecreted’ in th’e.Chinefo empire. The-coaft o f
North. America, from Behring’s ftraits to California ,- is involved in
more than Egyptian, darknefs. Upon the laft-mentioned -pminfKk
Spain has feveral miffionary .Rations, where benevolent and laborious
efforts are made, at leaft to.civilize the mifcrable inhabitants." From
thence to the ifland o f Ghilbe; in 'South America, it" isi tp : be* feared
that the Spanilh conquefts have led the natives, rather to ■ deleft {the
'name o f "ehriftimity/than tbshompiehendrits ; nature. Ctoffing this
immcnfe ocean to NmtrlSbttib W ales, at aldiftance o f 135 degrees o f
longitude,. we find the gofpcl preached with purity and zeal to?a herd
of" our , own {countrymen, wHofe cvicesLaeduceiah^BtftetelsAthe. moft
abje&rcMfeiof the heathen world around. May -theiiffedfceteetsf Shi
crofs triumpfe-there biter ithe unpar^leledidhfiades it has to fubtt@0fatj
and may it advance: from-rffiore to. ffiore^ till iticoversr,the hemisphere
that jis;waffied by fheriFactfc Ocean!. Let him who reads fay,
“ Amen, {Lord Jefus I Thy; kingdom come! iT h y will be dose
4' in earth* as. .it-is. -in .heavenl** !
P. S. On the general chart that delcriBes Ciptain 'Wflfon’tftrack, ^ o j e countries
o f the Pacific Ocean, which lie within, or fouthward of the tropics, afe coiiipi'elMi3®3i
under the.general name of A u st r a l ia -, afterthe example'of "foreign geographers;
As theyfappear to -be .divided between two diflihft races o f inhabitants,’ one of which-
almoft wholly poffeffes-the more extenfive countries fituated in’the. fouth-weftern part
of the ocean, thefe are diftinguiihed from the reft by the titles of the Greater Auftralia:
the numerous linall iflands inhabited by the fairer race being included under that of
Lejfer Auftralia. T o the whole group, of which a part was difeovered by Cook,
and Called, by him.the Friendly Hies, the title of TJmtcd Archifelago is affigned upon the
chart. The propriety o f thefe innovations is fubmitted to the,judgment of filch'among
our readers as are accuftomed to geographical refearches.
L E T T ER OF IN S T R U CTI ON S
| -T O
"c a p t a ij s ?:; w i l suV/(
T H f D I R E C T O R S.
. ' Aug \$ i {79^\ )
T h e ' conflapt prptcdllon gviph whidh,it. .Has plea^d ^the^D^hjc
peing confems^F the Miffionary. .Society, f genders ti t
-mfumbent we enter on _ the. immediate fubjedl-of our
addrefs to you, to make a h um lfe an d , ynddfombled, acknowledgment
o f the gratitude, which is due to. Him, rand, tor^ognife’ with
thankfulnefs /the frequent ap.d manifeft irderpofitioiis .of'his U j p
'Bv o y r o f this inftitatibp.. *
Among many other occurrences yyhich j'-haye appeared Ulus of „2
nature peculiarly(providential, and vmich-we hayeyqnji^emd,as,the
proofs 'of the -bondefeendin^cire ,with which it great
Head o f the church to'regard'Tfems Undertaking, there Jjas l >een. none'
Wat- ,?XGited more, thankfulncis .forms'-name, ,or-,^c^Q^|d' more
univerfal fatisfabtion among'burfdyo, than the dreumfiauqe of your
haymg been inclineJito corifocrate yourfelf to the,fort ittjbf God on tins
intereftinsmecafoon. We « ^ 'th a t tip; jiame Being,! frota/whorh the
^ifpo'fition has proceeded, will impart tjje grace uifite
^0' accomplifh the arduous fervjce, and’ jnfjjy^'the wifdoifr which
needful fotthe execution of its important dutiesT. ,
Connefte^whh in the 'dfreiS^ongf' |h$ affiiijrs of the^Society,
you are fully Ipprifed, of ,the nature and delign of the expedition you
,|[aye undertaken to conduct.
u