been connected with it, in giving form and features to the new Republics, that have since sprung into being in Spanish America. The abandonment of the project, however, was not final. Seven years elapsed after Mr. Mills had matured the plan, when the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, engaged the services of two gentlemen, one of whom, Mr. Brigham, crossed the southern part of South America, explored its western shore ; visited Mexico, and brought home a mass of facts, which have awakened a deep and increasing interest in behalf of that country. But here and there a single ray of religious liberty is permitted to shine through the dark cloud of Catholic despotism, which, at the present time, notwithstanding the political revolutions, almost universally overspreads the land. This vast country presents a most inviting field for Missionary labor, and "who on earth, rather than ourselves, are the people to pour the river of life through that desolate region ?"

Whatever may be the obstacles to such a Mission, they are no more than have been surmounted in other portions of the earth. What has been accomplished in South America by the United Brethren, forms no criterion by which to judge of the success of Missionary efforts in the present age of the world, and present condition of that community. The trials which they experienced are not to be looked for again the scenes of Berbice, Surinam, Bambay, and Par

rimaribo, will never probably be acted over again while the world stands. Let it not be forgotten that the question, whether South America shall be free, is to be determined by the question whether she is to be Christian? Liberty without godliness, is but another name for anarchy or despotism. Let philosophers and statesmen argue as they please-the religion of the gospel is the rock on which civil liberty rests. You have never known a people free without the Bible; with it, they cannot long be slaves. Let not the American churches forget, that more than one quarter of the circumference of the globe lying immediately under their eye, is little else than an extended dungeon, where forty millions of immortal beings are in the gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity.

CHAPTER VII.

His residence in New-York, and his exertions in behalf of the Poor and Ignorant in that city.

FEW men knew better how to gather up the fragments of time than Mr. Mills. "Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" appeared incessantly to be his motto. He was seldom at a loss to know how to "" fill up life well;" and it was no difficult task to a mind like his, to create opportunities of usefulness, where he did not find them ready to his hand. While some of his plans were ripening for execution, he spent the summer and autumn of 1816, in the city of New York, where he devoted himself to inquiries into the moral condition of the poor, with a particular view to supply them with Bibles and tracts.

The true condition of our large cities, in respect of moral instruction, it is lamentable to state, has been little thought of, even by those who, in other departments of duty, manifest a commendable zeal in promoting the best interests of their fellow-men. This "New Missionary Field," as it has been justly styled, discloses a picture of pollution and misery

which we little expected to behold. From an interesting document, published in 1817, it appears, that not less than 60,000 persons in the city of New York, 18,000 in the city of Boston, upwards of 50,000 in the city of Philadelphia, between 30 and 40,000 in Baltimore, and upwards of 10,000 in Charleston, are wretchedly destitute of the privileges of the gospel, and in a state of sottish ignorance and deep impiety. Upwards of 700,000 also in London, and 80,000 in Liverpool, are in the same deplorable ignorance; "while in Great Britain and on the continent, most other cities are in no better, and many of them are in a much worse condition." What must be thought of that community, where, in one section, "out of twenty families adjoining each other, sixteen are destitute of the Bible; in another, out of one hundred and fifteen families adjoining each other, seventy are destitute; in another, out of thirtytwo, twenty-one are destitute; and in another, out of thirty, twenty-seven are destitute"-and that in this Christian land? Little do we know what heathenism is to be found in our most enlightened and privileged cities. Corroborative of these remarks, and as indicative of the extent and success of Mr. Mills's efforts for the relief of this class of people, a few facts will be presented from his own journal :—

"June 20. Mr. S

and myself called at a house on Manhattan Island. The first person we saw was a married woman, about 30

years of age. After a few introductory observations, we inquired of her whether she had a Bible in her family. A Bible,' said she, with an expression of some surprise, 'what do you do with the Bible?' We told her that the Bible was the word of the living God, and ought to be attentively perused by every one; that we all needed its instructions, and the consolations which its doctrines and precepts were able to give, when received in the love of them. Her countenance soon became more solemn, and she listened attentively to the serious admonitionTM which was given her. We gave her a religious Tract, and addressed ourselves to another woman who came in. She was 35 or 40 years of age. She appeared a sensible woman, and we had reason to hope before we left the house that she was a pious person. She informed us, that she had entertained a hope that she was a Christian for more than twelve years. Her circumstances had been such, that she had not made a public profession of religion, though she had often wished for the privilege of doing so. It appeared that the reason of her delaying this duty, had been owing principally to the want of evidence with respect to her good estate. Her attachments were in favor of the Presbyterian church. The greater part of the time we were conversing with this woman, there was present a young lady, who appeared very solemn. We entered into conversation with her, and found that for some months past she had been the