_Containing a short Review of former Undertakings for
the Conversion of the Heathen._
Before the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ the whole world were either
heathens, or jews; and both, as to the body of them were enemies to
the gospel. After the resurrection the disciples continued in
Jerusalem till Pentecost. Being daily engaged in prayer and
supplication, and having chosen Matthias, to supply the place of Judas
in the apostolic office, on that solemn day, when they were all
assembled together, a most remarkable effusion of the Holy Spirit took
place, and a capacity of speaking in all foreign languages was
bestowed upon them. This opportunity was embraced by Peter for
preaching the gospel to a great congregation of jews and proselytes,
who were from Parthia, Media, Elam, Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia,
the proconsular Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, Lybia, Crete, Arabia,
Rome, &c. and at the first effort God wrought so powerfully that three
thousand were converted, who immediately after were baptized, and
added to the church. Before this great addition they consisted of but
about _an hundred and twenty persons_, but from that time they
continually increased. It was but a little after this that Peter and
John, going up to the temple, healed the lame man; this miracle drew a
great multitude together, and Peter took occasion while they stood
wondering at the event, to preach Jesus Christ to them. The
consequence was that five thousand more believed.
This was not done without opposition; the priests and sadducees tried
all the methods they could invent to prevent them from preaching the
gospel. The apostles, however, asserted their divine warrant, and as
soon as they were set at liberty addressed God, and prayed that a
divine power might attend their labours, which petition was heard, and
their future ministry was very successful. On account of their
necessities who were engaged in this good work, those amongst them who
had possessions, or goods, sold them, and devoted the money to pious
uses.
About this time a man and his wife out of great pretensions to piety,
sold an estate, and brought part of the money to the apostles,
pretending it to be the whole; for which dissimulation both he and his
wife, were struck dead by the hand of God. This awful catastrophe
however was the occasion of many more men and women being added to the
church. The miracles wrought by the apostles, and the success
attending their ministry, stirred up greater envy in the priests and
sadducees, who imprisoned them; from which confinement they were soon
liberated by an angel; upon which they went immediately as they were
commanded and preached in the temple: here they were seized, and
brought before the council, where Gamaliel spake in their favour, and
they were dismissed. After this they continued to prosecute their
work, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the
name of Christ.
By this time the church at Jerusalem was so increased that the
multiplicity of its temporal concerns was the occasion of some
neglects, which produced a dissatisfaction. The apostles, therefore,
recommended to the church to chuse seven pious men, whose office it
should be to attend upon its temporal affairs; that _they might give
themselves to prayer, and the ministry of the word_. Seven were
accordingly chosen, over whom the apostles prayed, and ordained them
to the office of Deacons by imposition of hands: and these things
being settled the church increased more and more. One of these
Deacons, whose name was Stephen, being a person of eminent knowledge
and holiness, wrought many miracles, and disputed with great evidence
and energy for the truth of Christianity, which raised him up a number
of opponents. These soon procured his death, and carried their
resentment so far as to stir up such a persecution that the church,
which till now had been confined to Jerusalem, was dispersed, and all
the preachers except the apostles were driven thence, and went every
where preaching the word.
A young man whose name was _Saul_, was very active in this
persecution; he had been educated under Gamaliel, a member of the
Sanhedrim, was a person of promising genius, by profession a Pharisee,
and much attached to the jewish ceremonies. When Stephen was stoned he
appeared much pleased with it, and had the custody of the clothes of
his executioners; and from that time was fired with such a spirit of
persecution himself, that he went about dragging some to prison, and
compelling others to blaspheme the name of the Lord Jesus. Neither was
he contented with exercising his rage at Jerusalem, but went to the
chief priests and obtained testimonials of authority to carry on the
same work at Damascus. But on his way, as he was almost ready to enter
into the city, the Lord changed his heart in a very wonderful manner;
so that instead of entering the town to persecute, he began to preach
the gospel as soon as he was able. This presently brought upon him the
same persecution which he had designed to exercise upon others, and
even endangered his life, so that the brethren found it necessary to
let him down the city wall in a basket by night, and so he escaped the
hands of his enemies. From thence he went to Jerusalem where he
preached the word, but being persecuted there, he went to Cesarea, and
from thence to Tarsus.
In the time of this trouble in the church, Philip went and preached at
Samaria with great success, nay so great was the work that an
impostor, who had deceived the people with legerdemain tricks for a
long time was so amazed, and even convinced, as to profess himself a
Christian, and was baptized; but was afterwards detected, and appeared
to be an hypocrite. Besides him a great number believed in reality,
and being baptized a church was formed there. Soon after this the Lord
commanded Philip to go the way which led from Jerusalem to Gaza, which
he did, and there found an eunuch of great authority in the court of
Ethiopia, to whom he preached Christ, who believed, and was baptized;
after which Philip preached at Ashdod, or Azotus.
About the same time Peter went to Lydda, or Diospolis, and cured Eneas
of a palsy, which was a mean of the conversion not only of the
inhabitants of that town, but also of the neighbouring country, called
Saron, the capital of which was Lasharon; and while he was there, a
circumstance turned up which tended much to the spread of the truth. A
woman of Joppa, a sea-port town in the neighbourhood, dying, they sent
to Lydda for Peter, who went over, and when he had prayed she was
raised to life again; which was an occasion of the conversion of many
in that town. Peter continued there preaching for some time, and
lodged at the house of a tanner.
Now another circumstance also tended to the further propogation of
Christianity, for a Roman military officer who had some acquaintance
with the Old Testament Scriptures, but was not circumcised, was one
day engaged in prayer in his house at Cesarea, when an angel appeared
to him, and bid him send for Peter from Joppa to preach in his house.
Before this the work of God had been wholly confined to the jews, and
jewish proselytes, and even the apostles appeared to have had very
contracted ideas of the Christian dispensation; but now God by a
vision discovered to Peter that Christianity was to be spread into all
nations. He accordingly went and preached at the house of Cornelius,
at Cesarea, when several were converted, and baptized, and the
foundation of a church laid in that city.
Some of the dispersed ministers having fled to Antioch in Syria, began
to preach to the greeks in that city about the same time, and had good
success; upon which the apostles sent Paul and Barnabas, who
instructed and strengthened them, and a church was formed in that city
also, which in a little time sent out several eminent preachers.
In the Acts of the apostles we have an account of _four_ of the
principal journies which Paul, and his companions undertook. The
first, in which he was accompanied by Barnabas, is recorded in the
xiii. and xiv. chapters, and was the first _attack_ on the heathen
world. It was a journey into the lesser Asia. In their way they passed
over the island of Cyprus. No sooner had they entered on their
undertaking, than they met with great difficulty; for Mark, whom they
had taken as their minister, deserted them, and returned to Jerusalem,
where, it seems, he thought he should enjoy the greatest quiet. Paul
and Barnabas however went forward; in every city they preached the
word of the Lord, entering into the jewish synagogues and first
preaching Christ to them, and then to the gentiles. They were heard
with great candour and eagerness by some, and rejected by others with
obstinacy and wrath, and cruel persecution. One while they had enough
to do to restrain the people from worshipping them as gods, and soon
after, Paul was stoned, dragged out of the city, and left for dead.
Having penetrated as far as Derbe, they thought proper to return by
the way that they came, calling at every city where they had sown the
good seed, and finding in most, if not all these places, some who had
embraced the gospel, they exhorted and strengthened them in the faith,
formed them into a church state, and ordained them elders, fasted and
prayed with them; and so having commended them to the Lord on whom
they had believed, returned to Antioch in Syria, from whence they
first set out, and rehearsed to the church all that God had done with
them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the gentiles.
About this time a dispute arising in the churches concerning
circumcision, Paul and Barnabas were deputed to go up to Jerusalem, to
consult the apostles and elders on the subject. This business being
adjusted, they, accompanied with Judas and Silas, returned to Antioch
with the general resolution, and continued there for a season,
teaching and preaching the word of the Lord.
Paul now proposed to Barnabas, his fellow-labourer, that they might
visit their brethren in the places where they had been already, and
see how they did. To this Barnabas readily acceded, but a difference
arising between them about taking _John Mark_ with them, who had
deserted them before, these two eminent servants of God were parted
asunder, and never appear to have travelled together any more. They
continued however each to serve in the cause of Christ, though they
could not walk together. Barnabas took John, and sailed to Cyprus, his
native island, and Paul took Silas, and went through Syria and Cilicia
to Derbe and Lystra, cities where he and Barnabas had preached in
their first excursion.
Here they found Timothy, a promising young man, whom they encouraged
to engage in the ministry.
Paul being now at Lystra, which was the boundary of his first
excursion, and having visited the churches already planted, and
delivered to them the decrees of the apostles and elders relating to
circumcision, seems to have felt his heart enlarged, and assayed to
carry on the glorious work of preaching the gospel to the heathen to a
greater extent. With Silas and Timotheus he in his second journey[2]
took a western direction, passing through Phrygia, and the region of
Galatia. Having preached the word in these parts with considerable
success,[3] he and his companions wished to have gone into the
proconsular Asia, and afterwards assayed to go into Bythinia; but
begin forbidden of the Holy Ghost, who seems to have had a special
design of employing them elsewhere; passing by Mysia they came down to
Troas on the sea-coast. Here a vision appeared to Paul, in which he
was invited to go over to Macedonia. Obedient to the heavenly vision,
and greatly encouraged by it, they with all speed crossed the Egean
Sea, and passing through the island of Samothracia, landed at
Neapolis, and went from thence to Philippi, the chief city of that
part of Macedonia. It was here that Paul preached on a Sabbath day to
a few women by a river side, and Lydia, a woman of Thyatira, was
converted and baptized, and her household with her. It was here that a
poor girl, who brought her employers considerable profit by
foretelling events, followed the apostles, had her spirit of
divination ejected, on which account her masters were much irritated,
and raised a tumult, the effect of which was, that Paul and Silas were
imprisoned. But even this was over-ruled for the success of the
gospel, in that the keeper of the prison, and all his house, were
thereby brought to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and were
baptized.
[Footnote 2: The account of this second journey into the heathen world
begins at Acts xv. 40. and ends chap. xviii. 22.]
[Footnote 3: See ch. xviii. 23. and Gal i. 2.]
From Philippi they passed thorough Amphipolis, Apollonia,
Thessalonica, (now Salonichi,) Berea, Athens, and Corinth, preaching
the gospel wherever they went. From hence Paul took ship and sailed to
Syria, only giving a short call at Ephesus, determining to be at
Jerusalem at the feast of the passover; and having saluted the church,
he came to Cesarea, and from thence to Antioch.
Here ended Paul's second journey, which was very extensive, and took
up some years of his time. He and his companions met with their
difficulties in it, but had likewise their encouragements. They were
persecuted at Philippi, as already noticed, and generally found the
Jews to be their most inveterate enemies. These would raise tumults,
inflame the minds of the gentiles against them, and follow them from
place to place, doing them all the mischief in their power. This was
the case especially at Thessalonica, Berea, and Corinth. But amidst
all their persecutions God was with them, and strengthened them in
various ways. At Berea they were candidly received, and their doctrine
fairly tried by the Holy Scriptures; and _therefore_, it is said,
_many of them believed_. At other places, though they affected to
despise the apostle, yet some clave unto him. At _Corinth_ opposition
rose to a great height; but the Lord appeared to his servant in a
vision, saying, _Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace, for
I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee; for I have
much people in this city_. And the promise was abundantly made good in
the spirit discovered by Gallio, the proconsul, who turned a deaf ear
to the accusations of the jews, and nobly declined interfering in
matters beside his province. Upon the whole a number of churches were
planted during this journey, which for ages after shone as lights in
the world.
When Paul had visited Antioch, and spent some time there, he prepared
for a third journey into heathen countries, the account of which
begins Acts xviii. 23. and ends chap. xxi. 17. At his first setting
out he went over the whole country of Galatia and Phrygia in order,
strengthening all the disciples; and passing through the upper coasts
came to Ephesus. There for the space of three months, he boldly
preached in the jewish synagogue, disputing, and persuading the things
concerning the kingdom of God. But when the hardened jews had openly
rejected the gospel, and spake evil of that way before the multitude,
Paul openly separated the disciples from them, and assembled in the
school of one Tyrannus. This, it is said, continued for the space of
two years, _so that all they who dwelt in_ the proconsular _Asia heard
the word of the Lord Jesus, both jews and greeks_. Certain magicians,
about this time were exposed, and others converted, who burnt their
books, and confessed their deeds. So mightily grew the word of the
Lord, and prevailed.
After this an uproar being raised by Demetrius, the silversmith, Paul
went into Macedonia, visited the churches planted in his former
journey, and from thence passed into Greece. Having preached up and
down for three months, he thought of sailing from thence directly to
Syria; but in order to avoid the jews, who laid wait for him near the
sea coast, he took another course through Macedonia, and from thence
to Troas, by the way of Philippi. There is no mention made in his
former journey of his having preached at Troas; yet it seems he did,
and a church was gathered, with whom the apostle at this time united
in _breaking of bread_. It was here that he preached all night, and
raised Eutychus, who being overcome with sleep, had fallen down, and
was taken up dead. From hence they set sail for Syria, and in their
way called at Miletus, where Paul sent for the elders of the church of
Ephesus, and delivered that most solemn and affectionate farewell,
recorded in the 20th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. From hence
they sailed for Tyre, where they tarried seven days, and from thence
proceeded to Jerusalem.
Paul's fourth and last journey (or rather voyage) was to Rome, where
he went in the character of a prisoner. For being at Jerusalem he was
quickly apprehended by the jews; but being rescued by Lysias, the
chief captain, he was sent to Cesarea to take his trial. Here he made
his defence before Felix and Drusilla, in such sort that the judge,
instead of the prisoner, was made to tremble. Here also he made his
defence before Festus, Agrippa, and Bernice, with such force of
evidence that Agrippa was almost persuaded to be a Christian. But the
malice of the jews being insatiable, and Paul finding himself in
danger of being delivered into their hands, was constrained to appeal
unto Caesar. This was the occasion of his being sent to Rome, where he
arrived after a long and dangerous voyage, and being shipwrecked on
the island of Melita, where he wrought miracles, and Publius, the
governor, was converted.
When he arrived at Rome he addressed his countrymen the jews, some of
whom believed; but when others rejected the gospel, he turned from
them to the gentiles, and for two whole years dwelt in his own hired
house preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which
concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding
him.
Thus far the history of the Acts of the Apostles informs us of the
success of the word in the primitive times; and history informs us of
its being preached about this time, in many other places. Peter speaks
of a church at Babylon; Paul proposed a journey to Spain, and it is
generally believed he went there, and likewise came to France and
Britain. Andrew preached to the Scythians, north of the Black Sea.
John is said to have preached in India, and we know that he was at the
Isle of Patmos, in the Archipelago. Philip is reported to have
preached in upper Asia, Scythia, and Phrygia; Bartholomew in India, on
this side the Ganges, Phrygia, and Armenia; Matthew in Arabia, or
Asiatic Ethiopia, and Parthia; Thomas in India, as far as the coast of
Coromandel, and some say in the island of Ceylon; Simon, the
Canaanite, in Egypt, Cyrene, Mauritania, Lybia, and other parts of
Africa, and from thence to have come to Britain; and Jude is said to
have been principally engaged in the lesser Asia, and Greece. Their
labours were evidently very extensive, and very successful; so that
Pliny, the younger, who lived soon after the death of the apostles, in
a letter to the emperor, Trajan, observed that Christianity had
spread, not only through towns and cities, but also through whole
countries. Indeed before this, in the time of Nero, it was so
prevalent that it was thought necessary to oppose it by an Imperial
Edict, and accordingly the proconsuls, and other governors, were
commissioned to destroy it.
Justin Martyr, who lived about the middle of the second century, in
his dialogue with Trypho, observed that there was no part of mankind,
whether greeks or barbarians, or any others, by what name soever they
were called, whether the Sarmatians, or the Nomades, who had no
houses, or the Scenites of Arabia Petrea, who lived in tents among
their cattle, where supplications and thanksgivings are not offered up
to the Father, and maker of all things, through the name of Jesus
Christ. Irenaeus, who lived about the year 170, speaks of churches
that were founded in Germany, Spain, France, the eastern countries,
Egypt, Lybia, and the middle of the world. Tertullian, who lived and
wrote at Carthage in Africa, about twenty years afterwards,
enumerating the countries where Christianity had penetrated, makes
mention of the Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Mesopotamians, Armenians,
Phrygians, Cappadocians, the inhabitants of Pontus, Asia, Pamphylia,
Egypt, and the regions of Africa beyond Cyrene, the Romans, and Jews,
formerly of Jerusalem, many of the Getuli, many borders of the Mauri,
or Moors, in Mauritania; now Barbary, Morocco, &c. all the borders of
Spain, many nations of the Gauls, and the places in Britain which were
inaccessible to the Romans; the Dacians, Sarmatians, Germans,
Scythians, and the inhabitants of many hidden nations and provinces,
and of many islands unknown to him, and which he could not enumerate.
The labours of the ministers of the gospel, in this early period, were
so remarkably blessed of God, that the last mentioned writer observed,
in a letter to Scapula, that if he began a persecution the city of
Carthage itself must be decimated thereby. Yea, and so abundant were
they in the three first centuries, that ten years constant and almost
universal persecution under Dioclesian, could neither root out the
Christians, nor prejudice their cause.
After this they had great encouragement under several emperors,
particularly Constantine and Theodosius, and a very great work of God
was carried on; but the ease and affluence which in these times
attended the church, served to introduce a flood of corruption, which
by degrees brought on the whole system of popery, by means of which
all appeared to be lost again; and Satan set up his kingdom of
darkness, deceit, and human authority over conscience, through all the
Christian world.
In the time of Constantine, one Frumentius was sent to preach to the
Indians, and met with great success. A young woman who was a
Christian, being taken captive by the Iberians, or Georgians, near the
Caspian Sea, informed them of the truths of Christianity, and was so
much regarded that they sent to Constantine for ministers to come and
preach the word to them. About the same time some barbarous nations
having made irruptions into Thrace, carried away several Christians
captive, who preached the gospel; by which means the inhabitants upon
the Rhine, and the Danube, the Celtae, and some other parts of Gaul,
were brought to embrace Christianity. About this time also James of
Nisbia, went into Persia to strengthen the Christians, and preach to
the heathens; and his success was so great that Adiabene was almost
entirely Christian. About the year 372, one Moses, a Monk, went to
preach to the Saracens, who then lived in Arabia, where he had great
success; and at this time the Goths, and other northern nations, had
the kingdom of Christ further extended amongst them, but which was
very soon corrupted with Arianism.
Soon after this the kingdom of Christ was further extended among the
Scythian Nomades, beyond the Danube, and about the year 430, a people
called the Burgundians, received the gospel. Four years after, that
Palladius was sent to preach in Scotland, and the next year Patrick
was sent from Scotland to preach to the Irish who before his time were
totally uncivilized, and, some say, cannibals; he however, was useful,
and laid the foundations of several churches in Ireland. Presently
after this, truth spread further among the Saracens, and in 522,
Zathus, king of the Colchians encouraged it, and many of that nation
were converted to Christianity. About this time also the work was
extended in Ireland, by Finian, and in Scotland by Constantine and
Columba; the latter of whom preached also to the Picts, and Brudaeus,
their king, with several others, were converted. About 541, Adad, the
king of Ethiopia, was converted by the preaching of Mansionarius; the
Heruli beyond the Danube, were now made obedient to the faith, and the
Abasgi, near the Caucasian Mountains.
But now popery, especially the compulsive part of it, was risen to
such an height, that the usual method of propagating the gospel, or
rather what was so called, was to conquer pagan nations by force of
arms, and then oblige them to submit to Christianity, after which
bishopricks were erected, and persons then sent to instruct the
people. I shall just mention some of those who are said to have
laboured thus.
In 596, Austin, the monk, Melitus, Justus, Paulinus, and Russinian,
laboured in England, and in their way were very successful. Paulinus,
who appears to have been one of the best of them, had great success in
Northumberland; Birinnius preached to the West Saxons, and Felix to
the East Angles. In 589, Amandus Gallus laboured in Ghent, Chelenus in
Artois, and Gallus and Columbanus in Suabia. In 648, Egidius Gallus in
Flanders, and the two Evaldi, in Westphalia. In 684, Willifred, in the
Isle of Wight. In 688, Chilianus, in upper Franconia. In 698,
Boniface, or Winifred, among the Thuringians, near Erford, in Saxony,
and Willibroad in West-Friesland. Charlemagne conquered Hungary in the
year 800, and obliged the inhabitants to profess Christianity, when
Modestus likewise preached to the Venedi, at the source of the Save
and Drave. In 833, Ansgarius preached in Denmark, Gaudibert in Sweden,
and about 861, Methodius and Cyril, in Bohemia.
About the year 500, the Scythians over-run Bulgaria, and Christianity
was extirpated; but about 870 they were re-converted. Poland began to
be brought over about the same time, and afterwards, about 960 or 990,
the work was further extended amongst the Poles and Prussians. The
work was begun in Norway in 960, and in Muscovy in 989, the Swedes
propagated Christianity in Finland, in 1168, Lithuania became
Christian in 1386, and Samogitia in 1439. The Spaniards forced popery
upon the inhabitants of South-America, and the Portuguese in Asia.
The Jesuits were sent into China in 1552. Xavier, whom they call the
apostle of the Indians, laboured in the East-Indies and Japan, from
1541 to 1552, and several millions of Capauchins were sent to Africa
in the seventeenth century. But blind zeal, gross superstition, and
infamous cruelties, so marked the appearances of religion all this
time, that the professors of Christianity needed conversion, as much
as the heathen world.
A few pious people had fled from the general corruption, and lived
obscurely in the vallies of Piedmont and Savoy, who were like the seed
of the church. Some of them were now and then necessitated to travel
into other parts, where they faithfully testified against the
corruptions of the times. About 1369 Wickliffe began to preach the
faith in England, and his preaching and writings were the means of the
conversion of great numbers, many of whom became excellent preachers;
and a work was begun which afterwards spread in England, Hungary,
Bohemia, Germany, Switzerland, and many other places. John Huss and
Jerom of Prague, preached boldly and successfully in Bohemia, and the
adjacent parts. In the following century Luther, Calvin, Melancton,
Bucer, Martyr, and many others, stood up against all the rest of the
world; they preached, and prayed, and wrote; and nations agreed one
after another to cast off the yoke of popery, and to embrace the
doctrine of the gospel.
In England, episcopal tyranny succeeded to popish cruelty, which, in
the year 1620, obliged many pious people to leave their native land
and settle in America; these were followed by others in 1629, who laid
the foundations of several gospel churches, which have increased
amazingly since that time, and the Redeemer has fixed his throne in
that country, where but a little time ago, Satan had universal
dominion.
In 1632, Mr. Elliot, of New-England, a very pious and zealous
minister, began to preach to the Indians, among whom he had great
success; several churches of Indians were planted, and some preachers
and school-masters raised up amongst them; since which time others
have laboured amongst them with some good encouragement. About the
year 1743, Mr. David Brainerd was sent a missionary to some more
Indians, where he preached, and prayed, and after some time an
extraordinary work of conversion was wrought, and wonderful success
attended his ministry. And at this present time, Mr. Kirkland and Mr.
Sergeant are employed in the same good work, and God has considerably
blessed their labours.
In 1706, the king of Denmark sent a Mr. Ziegenbalg, and some others,
to Tranquebar, on the Coromandel coast in the East-Indies, who were
useful to the natives, so that many of the heathens were turned to the
Lord. The Dutch East-India Company likewise having extended their
commerce, built the city of Batavia, and a church was opened there;
and the Lord's Supper was administered for the first time, on the 3d
of January, 1621, by their minister James Hulzibos, from hence some
ministers were sent to Amboyna, who were very successful. A seminary
of learning was erected at Leyden, in which ministers and assistants
were educated, under the renowned _Walaeus_, and some years a great
number were sent to the East, at the Company's expence, so that in a
little time many thousands at Formosa, Malabar, Ternate,
Jaffanapatnam, in the town of Columba, at Amboyna, Java, Banda,
Macassar, and Malabar, embraced the religion of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The work has decayed in some places, but they now have churches in
Ceylon, Sumatra, Java, Amboyna, and some other of the spice islands,
and at the Cape of Good Hope, in Africa.
But none of the moderns have equalled the Moravian Brethren in this
good work; they have sent missions to Greenland, Labrador, and several
of the West-Indian Islands, which have been blessed for good. They
have likewise sent to Abyssinia, in Africa, but what success they have
had I cannot tell.
The late Mr. Wesley lately made an effort in the West-Indies, and some
of their ministers are now labouring amongst the Caribbs and Negroes,
and I have seen pleasing accounts of their success.