AN ADDRESS
TO THE
INHABITANTS
OF THE COLONIES,
ESTABLISHED IN
NEW SOUTH WALES
AND
NORFOLK ISLAND.
BY
THE REV. RICHARD JOHNSON, A.B.
CHAPLAIN TO THE COLONIES
WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1792
PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR
TO ALL INHABITANTS,
AND ESPECIALLY TO THE
UNHAPPY PRISONERS AND CONVICTS
ESTABLISHED AT PORT JACKSON
AND
NORFOLK ISLAND,
THIS AFFECTIONATE ADDRESS
IS DEDICATED AND PRESENTED,
BY THEIR VERY SINCERE
AND SYMPATHIZING FRIEND,
AND FAITHFUL SERVANT,
IN THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST,
RICHARD JOHNSON.
TO THE BRITISH AND OTHER EUROPEAN INHABITANTS
OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND NORFOLK ISLAND.
My Beloved,
I do not think it necessary to make an apology for putting this Address into your hands; or to enter into a long detail of the reasons which induced me to write it.
One reason may suffice. I find I cannot express my regard for you, so often, or so fully, as I wish, in any other way.
On our first arrival in this distant part of the world, and for some time afterwards, our numbers were comparatively small; and while they resided nearly upon one spot, I could not only preach to them on the Lord's day, but also converse with them, and admonish them, more privately.
But since that period, we have gradually increased in number every year (notwithstanding the great mortality we have sometimes known) by the multitudes that have been sent hither after us. The colony already begins to spread, and will probably spread more and more every year, both by new settlements formed in different places under the crown, and by a number of individuals continually becoming settlers. Thus the extent of what I call my parish, and consequently of my parochial duty, is enlarging daily. On the other hand, my health is not so good, nor my constitution so strong, as formerly. And therefore I feel it impracticable, and impossible for me, either to preach, or to converse with you so freely, as my inclination and affection would prompt me to do.
I have therefore thought it might be proper for me, and I hope it may prove useful to you, to write such an Address as I now present you with. I transmitted a copy of it to my friends in England with a request, that if they approved of it, a sufficient number might be printed, and sent to me. Thus I am now able to leave with you a testimony of my affection for you, and of my sincere and heart-felt concern, for your BEST, because your ETERNAL, welfare. My times are in the hand of God. He, and He only, knows how long I may live, or how long my present connection with you, may continue. I trust, however, that so long as the all-wise Disposer of all events shall be pleased to spare my life, and strength; and government shall deem my services in this remote land, necessary, it will still be, as it has hitherto been, my most ardent desire, my uniform endeavour, and my greatest pleasure, to promote your happiness. And when recalled to my native country, or removed by my God to my eternal home, to receive that crown of righteousness, which I humbly trust is laid upon me, by reading and carefully perusing the following pages, I hope you will be convinced, and reminded how sincerely you were pitied, and how dearly beloved by
Richard Johnson.
Port Jackson, Oct. 30. 1792.
At this date, exclusive of those who died or were born on the voyage from England:
Baptisms.....226
Marriages....220
Burials......854
ADVERTISEMENT.
The author hopes that all well-disposed persons will excuse the imperfections they may meet in this Address. It is the first time of his appearance in print, and may be the last. Nor would he have attempted it now, were it not for the very peculiar situation he is in, and the hope he entertains, that his feeble, but he trusts, sincere, attempt, may, by the blessing of God, be made useful to those unhappy persons, with whom he is so nearly connected, and for whose salvation and happiness he is so deeply concerned.
And he returns his most sincere and hearty thanks to true Christians of every denomination, for their kind remembrance of him at the throne of grace. He still hopes, because he still needs, a continuance of their fervent prayers to God for him, that he may be indued with those gifts, and with that wisdom, zeal, and faithfulness which are so needful to direct, support, and strengthen himand may be favoured with more manifold and abundant success in that arduous, trying, yet honourable, and at times he can say, pleasant and delightful work, in which he is engaged.
ADDRESS, &c.
PART I.
I Beseech you, brethren, suffer this word of exhortation. Your souls are precious. They are precious in the sight of God. They are precious to the Lord Jesus Christ. They are precious in my esteem. Oh that you yourselves were equally sensible of their value.
We have now been here almost five years. During this time, I trust, I have been faithful in the discharge of my duty, faithful to my God, my country, my conscience, and to your immortal souls.
I would, nay I do, humbly hope, that my labours have not been wholly in vain. Some of you, I trust, have been convinced of your folly, sin and danger; you have earnestly sought, and happily found mercy with God through a Mediator. You can now approach him as a God reconciled, a merciful Father and Friend, and are evidencing the reality of you conversion, by an upright life and conversation.
But I must express my fear, that those of you, who are thus convinced of sin, and converted to God, and reformed from your evil courses, are comparatively very few. It is too evident, that the far greater part of you discover no concern for religion. The Great God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, death, judgment, eternity, heaven and hell,these are subjects which seldom, if at all, engage your attention; and therefore you spend days, weeks, months and years, in a profane and careless manner, though you are repeatedly informed and reminded in the most plain, faithful, and alarming language I can use, that the wages of sin, without repentance, is death,[Rom. vi. 23.] the curse of God, and the eternal ruin and damnation of your souls!
Oh, I intreat you, brethren, to consider what is contained in these two words, SALVATION and DAMNATION! The one implies every thing that an immortal soul can want or desire to make it happy. The other includes an idea, the most gloomy and dreadful that can be conceived. The former will be the admiration of angels, and the song and joy of the redeemed; the latter will be the torment of devils, and of all impenitent sinners, for ever and ever [1 Pet. i. 12.; Rev. vii. 9-17.; Rev. xiv. 11.].
Remember likewise, that ere long, either this endless inconceivable happiness, or unutterable misery will be your portion, or your doom, and mine. Our glass of life is running away apace. Our time is fast hastening to a period. Death is making sure and speedy strides towards us daily, judgment is at hand, and the judge himself is at the door. And oh! consider, when the breath we now draw shall depart, the tender thread of life be cut, our state will be unalterably and for ever fixed; either to live with God, with angels, and glorified saints, in heaven; or to dwell with devils, in the darkness and torments of hell.
On these accounts your souls are, as I have already observed, very precious, not only in the sight of God, but also to me. My brethren, God is my record, how greatly I long after you all, in the bowels of Jesus Christ.[Phil. i. 8.] Next to the salvation of own foul, nothing in this world lies so near my heart, as the conversion and salvation of my fellow creatures; and especially of you, over whom I am appointed more immediately to watch, as one who must give an account [Heb. xiii. 17.].
