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TITLE: AN ADDRESS TO THE INHABITANTS OF THE COLONIES
AUTHOR: RICHARD JOHNSON
EBOOK: E03497 (O'Briens Book Cellar)

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 ardet 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 attemped 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 him--and 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, falthful, 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 [I 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.].

And oh, my friends, if this affectionate, though plain address, should
answer my ardent wishes and prayers, if it should prove the happy
means of converting even one soul to God, I should indeed rejoice, as
one that findeth great spoil [Ps. cxix. 162.]. For once, at least,
endeavour to lift up your hearts with me in prayer to Almighty God, the
bountiful giver of all grace. He only can make this or any other means
effectual; and should it please Him of his abounding mercy to make a
saving impression upon your hearts, you will reap the happy fruits of it
in life, at death, and to eternity. Oh that the gracious spirit of the
Lord may open the eyes and the ears of all who may read or hear what I am
writing. May they who are asleep, awake! May they who are spiritually
dead, be made alive!

May backsliders from God be reclaimed! May every one be stirred
up to consider, What will become of him in another world! For who
amongst us can dwell with everlasting burnings? [Isa. xxxiii. 14.] Yet
such MUST be our lot, unless we repent. May the Lord God give, to each of
you, repentance unto life, that you may be holy in this world, and happy
in that which is to come!

My brethren, I trust I can say in truth, and with a sincere conscience,
That I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.[Rom. i. 16.] It is a

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