394 Missionary Society of Rhode-Island. braced for endless and complete felicity in the world to come, it is most reasonable and important that they by whom it is enjoyed, should not only be grateful and solicitous to secure its privileges for themselves, but be affected with the miserable state of those without it, and ready and zealous to do all in their power that its blessings may be extended to them.. [APRIL. the inhabitants of this state are, in some respects, under peculiar advantages and obligations to perform. From these considerations, the subscribers agree to form a Society, to be styled "The RhodeIsland Missionary Society," the objects of which shall be to promote the gospel in any part of the state where there may be opportunity for it and to assist Africans in coming to the knowledge of the truth in any way which may consist with our means and advantages. : We agree that the following In addition to this, Christ, who is "Head over all things to the church," hath commanded his disciples thus to exert themselves, "going to all nations, and preaching the gospel to ev-doctrines shall be supported by ery creature:" and it is gra- the missionaries and schoolmasciously promised, that in this ters, who may be employed by the way "the kingdoms of this Society, viz. That there is one world shall become the kingdom God subsisting in three Persons; of our Lord and of his Christ." that the second Person in this It is further to be observed, that mysterious Trinity hath become in the present season there is a man, by taking the human nature general prevalence of errors and into personal union to Deity, by destructive delusions: and the which he is "God, manifested in enemies of Christianity are pe- the flesh" that He, by sufferculiarly bold and active in at-ing the curse and obeying the tempts to introduce doctrines precepts of the law, hath opensubversive of piety and morali-ed a way for the pardon, justifity and all the best interests of men; and that it is incumbent on Christians to exercise a zeal proportioned to that by which their enemies are actuated. cation and complete redemption of those who may be brought to believe in him that all men, in their natural fallen state, are wholly under the influence of Among the associations of moral depravity-that they must Christians in this country for be born of the Spirit of God in the purpose of counteracting in- order to be saved that they fidelity and vice and promoting who experience this sanctifying the gospel, but few of the in-change are pardoned and justihabitants of this state appear, [fied, and shall be "kept by the though in some parts of the mighty power of God through state the people are destitute of faith unto salvation"-that God the regular preaching of the hath decreed whatever comes gospel, and ignorance and vice to pass, and hath elected some to are very prevalent. Nor by any everlasting life-that the purMissionary Society in the coun-poses of God are in general intry has any attention been paid stances accomplished by means, to the condition of Africans, and that the preaching and orwhich duty, important to them, Idinances of the gospel are ap pointed means of salvation-that dent, call a special meeting of the condition of admittance to the Society. The Society shall the Sacraments is a credible pro-hold a correspondence with other fession of faith in Christ; and Missionary Societies, so far as that the children of such pro- may conduce to the object of fessors are to be baptized-that promoting the gospel among the "God hath appointed a day in Africans, and shall solicit benewhich he will judge the world," factions when they may be apand that he will confer on the plied to useful purposes. righteous an everlasting reward, and doom the wicked to endless punishment. + This Constitution may be altered at any annual meeting, by a vote of two thirds of the memWe agree that each one sub-bers present, provided the whole scribing this plan and paying number present amount to two one dollar into the Treasury, thirds, or a representation of shall become a member of this two thirds of the whole number Society and at every annual of members in the State. But meeting of the Society each no essential alteration shall be member shall pay the sum of made in its doctrines. one dollar, which monies, with whatever may be acquired by donation, or otherwise, shall be drawn from the. Treasury only by order of the Society, and their Committee, or Committees hereafter specified. An account of the Society shall be published annually, in some Magazine, or in a manner most satisfactory to those interested in its proceedings. AT the time the preceding The votes of two thirds of the Constitution was adopted the Somembers present at any duly ap-ciety was organized, by the folpointed meeting, shall be deem-lowing choice of officers, and aped the act of the Society. pointments, viz. There shall be an annual Rev. Samuel Hopkins, D. D. meeting of the Society, at New-Newport, President. Rev. Wilport, on the Tuesday evening | liam Patten, Newport, Secretapreceding the general state elec-ry. Mr. Jabez Denison, Newtion, at which time the officers | port, Treasuser. for the year ensuing shall be chosen. Rev. Thomas Kendall, SouthKingston, Man Shepard, Little Compton, Wm. Patten, Messrs. The officers shall be a President, and if expedient, a Vice-John Mein and Jabez Denison, President, a Secretary and Trea- Newport, Committee. surer:-and there shall be a Committee, or Committees of business. AT an adjourned meeting of the Society, May 18, A.D. 1803, To the annual meeting, or It was voted, That it be recomoftener, if requested by the So-mended to the several ministers ciety, the Treasurer shall re-belonging, or who may belong port the state of the funds, and to this Society, to concur in a the Committees the business by quarterly meeting for prayer, them transacted. for the revival of religion, and extension of the influence of the Either of the Committees may, with the consent of the Presi-gospel; the meeting to be on The funds of the Society consist of the subscription money of the members, collections at quarterly prayer meetings, and by the missionaries; private donations, &c, and the part belonging To the African fund amounts to *AT an adjourned meeting of the Society, July 13, A.D. 1803, It was voted, That the Rev. William Patten be appointed to de- To the general do. to liver a Sermon before the Missionary Society, on Thursday succeeding the day of General Election, in May next; and that at the close of the service, a collection be made for the Society. By a previous vote there is to be a sermon annually delivered. At this meeting Gold S. Silliman, Esq. of Newport, and Cyrus French, Esq. of South-Kingston, were added to the Committee-and a majority of the Committee being present, they elected Mr. John Mein, Chairman, and Gold S. Silliman, Esq. Clerk, $168 30 247 $415 Which is at present at interest, payable on demand. None of it constitutes a permanent fund; but the whole may be applied according to the discretion of the Society. In the State of Rhode-Island to the eastward of a line from Newport to Providence, there is but one minister of the Congregational order. To the westward of that line, a territory still more extensive and populous, there is but one, whose settlement is very uncertain. There are several remnants of churches and societies, who were once AT the annual meeting of the Society, May 3, 1804, Rev. Man | flourishing, and who are amply Shepard of Little Compton, was elected President, in place of Dr. Hopkins, deceased. The officers of the Society and the Committee for the preceding year, were re-appointed for the year ensuing; and Major John Bailey, of Little Compton, added to the Committee. The Committee then made choice of their own officers as before. According to appointment, a Sermon was delivered before the Society on Thursday the 4th inst. from Matthew xxii. 39."Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself;"-and after the service a decent collection was made. Rev. Man Shepard was appointed to deliver the Sermon at the next annual meeting. able, if they were disposed, to support the institutions of religion. The few, who are disposed, need encouragement and assistance; without which there has been reason to fear that the knowledge and influence of the gospel would cease from among them. The Society has several times sent missionaries to those parts of the state which are destitute of the gospel; and their labors have been attended with some success. They have in general been received with much kindness and gratitude, and there is a prospect that two or three societies will be gathered and have the ministry established. With respect to Africans the Society has no particular plan: | morally certain, that he dilinor is there any other than a general prospect of being useful to them. Its attention is not confined to the natives of Africa; but may be applied to their descendants in this country, and the West-Indies. In a field so extensive, and which requires great labor, much good may be done. Within the United States, there may be some disposed to devote their services, and to contribute of their wealth to the spiritual interests of this description of men. Opportunities to do them good might be lost, were it not the professed object of some to observe and improve them. It was the design of those who subscribed the preceding Constitution to hold up this object, and if there should be any opportunity to promote it, that it might be improved to the best advantage. SOME An Explanation of Scriptural Types. No. IV. ENOCH a type of CHRIST. OME of the names given by parents to their children, in the early ages of the world, were dictated by the divine Spirit, and denoted what manner of persons they should be, or some important event to be effected by their instrumentality, or some peculiar blessing to be derived by mankind from them. Among those of this description, may we not place the name of the son of Jared, by whom the Messiah was eminently prefigured? We may consider him as a type of Christ, I. In his name. Enoch signifies teaching. From his eminently holy character, we are gently taught his family the right and good way. As Abraham did, he commanded his children and his household to keep the right way of the Lord, inculcating the doctrines and duties of religion, in the house and by the way, when he sat down and when he rose up; while in his social connections he diffused a savor of divine knowledge all around him. Enoch was endowed with the gift of prophecy and enforced his instructions, warnings, and reproofs, by the solemn retributions of judgment and eternity. Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these, saying, Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly of all the ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. In these respects did he not typify that teacher who truly came from God; who taught his disciples, his little family, the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, explaining and inculcating the sublime and glorious doctrines of the gospel, recommending all manner of holy conversation and godliness by the blessed rewards which he would confer on his humble followers in their regeneration, and animating them to patience and perseverance in suffering for his name's sake, by assuring them, that great should be their reward in heaven? Was he not indefatigable in preaching the gospel of the kingdom to the multitudes who attended his public ministry, addressing the most instructive and awakening considerations to the stupid, Of all the excellent charact and exhorting sinners to repentance by the terrors of the worlders drawn of holy men, in the to come? I have preached right- holy scriptures, few are equal to eousness in the great congrega- the character given of this emition. I have not refrained my nent saint. Enoch walked with lips, O Lord, thou knowest. God; importing views which And at the same time, in the corresponded with God's end melting accents of compassion, and designs, the pursuit of the inviting those who labored and same objects, the glory of God, were heavy laden to come to and a mode of action, or manner him, with the promise of rest and of living which, in his place, corpeace. Was he not also a di- responded with divine adminisvinely enlightened prophet? mi-trations, and by which he pronutely predicting his own suf-gressed with God in the daily ferings and resurrection-the walk of life. In this did he not trials and persecutions of his typify the holy life of Christ Jedisciples-the destruction of Je- sus? How perfectly did his views rusalem and the calamities of harmonize with the mind and the Jews-the end of the world, will of his heavenly Father! and the eternal retributions of How perfectly united in object the righteous and the wicked? and design! How cordially did he co-operate with him in effecting the grand designs of his wisdom and his power! How were his heart and soul absorbed in prosecuting that wondrous work of love and grace, the glorious work of redemption! I must work the work of him that sent me whilst it is day. My meat-is to do the work of him that sent me and to finish his work. I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straitened until it be accomplished. J Enoch also signifies dedicated, or devoted. And did not that exemplary holiness which he exhibited in life, originate from a voluntary dedication of himself to God? Consecrating himself a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, whether he ate, drank, or whatever he did, he performed it for the glory of God. In this did he not typify the divine Saviour, who was dedicated to God by his parents, and who perfectly resigned and consecrated his body and soul to the service and glory of his hea-of venly Father? Mine ear hast thou opcned, (to receive the intimation of thy will, or bored as the servant who loved his master and would not relinquish his service, Deut. xv. 12.) said the only be gotten Son when he came into the world. With what solicit-porting manifestations of the exude did he apply himself to his Father's business, in his youth, and with what zeal, fortitude, patience and perseverance, did he pursue it to the end of life! : II. Ia his communion with God. III. In special manifestations divine approbation and favor. Enoch walking with God in the way of truth and holiness, had this testimony that he pleased God. What holy and refreshing communications did he receive from him! How was his mind enlarged and enriched with trans cellence and glory of God, and of the wisdom and perfection of his ways and works; while his soul, enjoying the loving kindness of the Lord, was satisfied with marrow and fatness! In |