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Heathen. Amidst accumulated cares and labours, he preserved the most singular equanimity; his mind was always serene and tranquil, a circumstance which rendered his intercourse with others highly agreeable. With these qualifications were combined respectable talents, singular prudence, and a happy turn for the acquisition of languages. His discourses were judicious and affectionate ; his patience in instructing the Pagans was invincible; his love towards them was so pure and fervent, that it kindled a corresponding affection in their breast, and disposed them to receive his instructions with a ready mind. Such, indeed, was the attachment of the natives to him, that the Pagans as well as the Christians bewailed his death with many tears."-Vol. 1. p. 201. 2.

Of Swartz, after what has been said by Dr. Buchanan, with which all our readers are acquainted, it is scarcely necessary for us to say any thing. The value of his life and services may be estimated from the fact that he calculat ed, even some time before his detah, that he had been instrumental in savingly converting about two thousand to the faith of the gospel, of whom five hundred were Mahommedans, and the rest Hindoos of different casts.'-p. 263. While we rejoice in his success, we cease to wonder at it, when we hear a native convert thus account for it. Mr. Swartz,' said he, 'was full of love to Christ. He used to preach of the love of the Redeemer till he wept, and then his hearers soon became christians.'

Chapters sixth and seventh are occupied with the Missions of the United Brethren. When we mention that the account of their labours extends through three hundred pages of vol. first, and one hundred and thirty of vol. second, occupying a third part of the whole work-they will not VOL. II. No. 1.

be surprised at our not attempting an abstract of it. Their meritorious exertions have extended to the north and the south, the east and the west. In the most barbarous and inhospitable regions of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, these self-denied Apostles have propagated, with unwearied diligence and doctrines of the cross-herever W. unostentatious zeal, the sublime human nature was most degraded, miseryand wretchedness most deepened and extended The spots which were either overlooked on account of their ob

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scurity and supposed unimportance or passed over because of the insurmountable obstacles which stood in the way of their occupation-these have been the fields of Moravian cultivation, and in these, notwithstanding every discouragement, whether arising from the aridity and stub bornness of the soil, the awkwardness of the implements, or the unskilfulness of the workmen, they have often succeeded in bringing to maturity the fruits of righteousness and peace. By the divine blessing on their labours, Many wildernesses and solitary places have been made glad-and many deserts have rejoiced and blossomed as the rose.' We cannot give the names either of their Missionaries or Missionary stations. A brief view of them up to 1812, appeared in our first number furnished by the respectable author of this history, to which we must refer our readers. Nothing in the whole range of Missionary adventure is more interesting, than the detail, given by Dr. Brown, of the efforts and success of this veteran corps in the Christian cause of evangelizing the heathen. They had the honour of leading the D

we van, and if he should say, they still, in our opinion, carry away the palm, we would not be understood as undervaluing the labours of their co-adjutors, or bestowing on themselves empty or unmerited praise. If any be disposed to doubt the justice of our award-let them only read this history and consider; the poverty and diminutive numbers of the body by which these Mis sions were originated, and are still earried on; the wide grasp of their truly christian and philan thropic endeavours ;-the general character of the individuals who have fought and conquered under their banners;-the small expence at which they have maintained such wide-spread multifarious plans; the situations which they have generally chosen as the scenes of their laudable attempts;-the sufferings and hardships which their Missionaries have borne with incredible patience and for titude;-and the glorious success with which their faith and perse verance have been crowned :taking the tout ensemble of their history, let it be said, if any thing since the days of the apostles be more extraordinary, than the Missions of the Unitas fra

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Methodists, and professed a de-sire to flee from the wrath to come; so that as these are the only qualifications which are necessary to constitute a member, it is no wonder that their number is liable to great variations.' We may add, it is no wonder if their number soon becomes very considerable.

Chapter eighth, is occupied with a very detailed account of the labours of the Baptist Mission in the East Indies. But as this Mission is of very recent date, and its valuable and successful exertions so generally known, we merely mention it as part of the work, expressing, at the same time, our high satisfaction with the very faithful, accurate and liberal narrative, which Dr. Brown has given of one of the most important Missions whichever sailed from the shores of Britain. The same thing must be our apology for passing over the history of the London Missionary Society, which is given at great length in the ninth chapter, and in which, the good sense, discrimination; and impartiality of the author are as strongly marked as in any other part of the work. We are sorry to observe, that a very dif ferent view of this department of In chapter seventh, we have an the history, has been given in a account of the Missions of the contemporary work, which is like Wesleyan Methodists in the West ly to have considerable influence Indies. They were begun by on the public mind respecting a Dr. Coke in 1786, and extended history of Missions. From that to 15 or 16 of the islands. In critique a stranger would almost 1811, they had in all the missions be led to suppose, that Dr. Brown about 11,892 persons under their is either an enemy to Missions, charge. It must be observed, or at least a very equivocal, or however, that all these are not injudicious friend; and that at considered by the Methodists any rate, he is no friend to themselves as converted. Few the London Missionary Socieof them comparatively have been ty. Now, justice to Dr. Brown baptized or admitted to the Lord's requires us to declare, that we supper; they have simply agreed consider him and his work to submit to the discipline of the in a light completely the re

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*verse. He has given us the fullest proof that he is a warm, judicious, and pious friend to the cause of Christ; and his work gives no evidence of party feeling, or personal dislike to any Missionary Institution. His account of the London Missionary Society is such, as they have no reason to be ashamed of. That

able intelligence from Eimeo, respecting Pomarre and others of the natives. If these representations

should

prove well founded, even this slender degree of success will be an ample compensation. for all the labours and expence which have attended the undertaking. Besides, as in Medicine, more instruction is often derived from those cases in which all the art of the Physician fails, than even from those in which it

more useful lessons may sometimes proves successful; so in Missions, be drawn for the conduct of other undertakings of a similar kind, from those which prove abortive than from those which are crowned with success. We question indeed, if in the whole history of the propagation of sion is to be found so fruitful in imChristianity in modern ages, a mis

he is a true friend to that venerable and important institution, will appear from the following quotation, which though long, considering its importance both in itself, and as a vindication ofthe Dr., we cannot withhold. We only beg previously to remark, that we most seriously deprecate the appearance of hostility or par-portant and interesting lessons, as ty feeling among the friends of the mission to the South Sea Islands. Missions. In any, these dispo- We shall make only one other resitions are deplorable, in them mark, and we think it is an obserthey are dishonourable, and calvation of considerable importance. culated to produce the most injurious consequences. The approaches to these things should be dreaded, and as soon as they are discovered, they ought to be discountenanced, and put down by all who wish well to Zion.

very

"Such is the history of the Missionary establishments in the islands of the Pacific Ocean. In taking a view of them, it is impossible not to be struck with the vast disproportion between the splendid hopes that were originally entertained of them, compared with the final melancholy result. We are not, however, to conclude that the undertaking has

been of no service. One or two

Otaheitan youths, who were brought to England, and died in this country, afforded some hopes that they departed in the faith of Christ. It is likewise said, that a sailor in one of the vessels, which touched at Otaheite, was brought under serious impressions by means of the Missionaries, and that he was afterwards exceedingly useful to many of his shipmates."

"To this, we have now the pleaBure of adding the late most agree

"The Mission to the South Sea "Islands, though it has been attended with little or no success in that quar

ter of the globe, has yet been a pow erful mean of promoting the interests of christianity in other parts of the world, particularly in Pagan countries. Eliot and Mayhew, and Brainerd, the Danes, the Moravians, and the Baptists, had all engaged in Missionary undertakings, and most of them with considerable appearance of success. But these operations never awakened the christian world from the lethargy into which it had fallen. Individuals were interested and delighted with their exertions; but the great body of professed christians scarcely ever heard either of them or their labours. It was not till the Missionary Soeiety was formed-it was not till the magnificent mission to the South Sea Islands was undertaken, the splendour of which dazzled the eyes of mankind, that the christian world was aroused from its slumbers.Then a general concern was excited throughout the whole of Christen

dom for the conversion of the heathen. Old establishments were revived, or at least supported, with

more vigour, and prosecuted with fresh zeal. New institutions were formed for the propagation of the gospel at home and abroad, some of which have already been crowned with extensive success, while others promise a yet more abundant harvest. In short, a new impulse ap

peared to be given to the operations of the christian world: and this, we think, may be traced in no inconsiderable degree, to the splendour and magnificence of the Mission to the South Sea Islands."-Vol. I. p. 401 -403.

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

[In our Number for July we gave some account of Abdool Messee, a converted Mahometan, now employed as a catechist, or reader, by the Church of England Missionary Society. We have now, according to promise, much pleasure in laying before our readers the following extracts from the Journal of a Voyage up the Ganges, from Calcutta to Agra, made by Abdool Messee; written by one of the Chaplains of the Honourable East India Company.]

Nov. 20,1812.-We left the neighbourhood of Calcutta, having two friends in company. There was a large party of boatmen and servants, Nov. 22-Being Sunday, we rested at a plain, away from any village. Abdool invited the boats' crews and others to his boat, to hear the word of God; but none of them would attend.

Nov. 29. We rested also in a Jonely place. In the afternoon, Abdool collected the boatmen and others on the bank, to the number of about forty, and preached to them. He began and ended with a hymn, after the manner of the Asiatic Religious, in which he was joined by the christian children and servants. His discourse was from the latter end of the 1st chapter of St. Matthew. He spoke of our sinful state by nature, adducing many proofs observable in their own life and conversation, which render a Saviour necessary; enlarged on the birth of Christ without sin, that he might be a suitable Surety for sinners; the meaning of his name Jesus, Imma

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nuel; bringing forward proofs of his divine power, and pointing out the salvation which he bestows.→ The latter part was very satisfactory indeed, as an evidence of his acquaintance with the change which passes in the Christian's mind. His discourse was intermixed with exhortations to embrace the religion of the only Saviour. Some, it seems, set light by what they heard: others approved, and said his book contained more weighty truths than their Shasters.

Bhaugulpore, Friday, Dec. 18.Arrived at mid-day, and spent the afternoon here. Abdool took a few copies of St. Matthew's Gospel in Hindoostanee; and, going into the town, came to a Durjat, where were a number, as it afterwards appeared, of learned men: some aged, who attend the tomb of the saint; and some young, their disciples. On Abdool's approach, they, observing his respectable appearance, rose with great deference to salute him, and invited him in to see the saint: he answered, "He is dead, and cannot be seen:" they replied, Well, but come in, and pay your devotions :" he again answered, "The saint cannot hear me, nor answer my prayers." They expressed their surprise, and inquired who and what he was. He told them he had been a Mahometan, but was now a Christian. They asked why he had come among them, this being the case: he replied, not to visit the dead, but the living; and that, as he was passing, he wished to leave them some valuable token,

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for which purpose he had brought some books, than which nothing could be more valuable, if they were disposed to read them. Some of them asked what books these were: he answered," A book whose name you have often heard, but which you have never seen-the first part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, written by Matthew, his disciple, and an apostle." One of them said, "What language is it?" He answered, "Oordoo." An aged man came forward, and with great eagerness said, "Pray, Sir, give me one: I have greatly desired to see the Gospel, and once met with a copy, but it was in Nagree, and I could. not read it." One of the party asked Ablool what induced him to become a Christian: he said, they acknowledged the Pentateuch, Psalms, and Gospels to be divine books, as well as the Koran; that he found the first three to agree, but the fourth was very different: he concluded, that, of four men, if three agreed and the fourth contradicted them, he must utter a falsehood; and if they would read the book which he offered them, they would find it so. Two of them received the books; and, after having looked into them, returned them, saying, they had had books given them before, which spoke ill of their Prophet, and it was not lawful for them to read such.Abdool said the Gospel spoke ill of no one; on the contrary, commanded us to pray for our enemies. The elderly man, who had thankfully received the book, and kept silence hitherto, now addressed his companions, observing what pains the Christians took, and how they sought after truth: at the same time remarking, that they had not only been at the pains of translating their Scriptures into the Eastern Languages, and having them printed, but sought out opportunities for distributing them. Some of the young men asked Abdool, what he got for his trouble. He said he came of his own accord, for their advantage; and contrasted their disposition to taunt, with the favourable one manifested by the elderly person, notising that the contrast itself verified

the Gospel account of the success of the Word; then. opening the book, he read and explained to them the Parable of the Sower. After a good deal of mixed conversation, he took leave of them, and they parted with mutual civilities.

Dec. 29th. We arrived at Patna, and proceeded to Danapore, where we were gratified with the sight of a large school of native children, kept by the Baptist Missionaries. They have another school in a neighbour ing village. One of the Missionaries told me, that Mr. Martyn's name is held in great esteem by the natives here; and that the schools which he had instituted when here, had rendered the way easier, for the people now send their children to school without scruple. I remember it was not so when Mr. Martyn began his schools.

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On leaving Danapore, our boat went on a-head, when Abdool's boatmen took the liberty of going into the market without leave. Abdool, desirous to keep up with us, that he might read the Scriptures as usual, said to the Christian Children, "Come, let us take hold of the line, and draw the boat ourselves; which when they hear of, they will be ashamed and come.' In this way they went about a mile on the bank of the river, when they came where a Mahometan Merchant was purchasing wood. On seeing Abdool, he asked privately of one of the children who he was, and was answered, "A Christian." When the boat came up, the merchant said, "Pray, Sir, wait for your boatmen, and do not take that trouble." Abdool: "They have behaved very ill, and this is the only punishment I can give them, by trying to shame them." Merchant: "But for a man of your appearance to engage in such servile work, is degrading. Do you not feel ashamed yourself, before all these people?” Abdool: "Before, when I was of your religion, I should indeed have felt shame; but I have embraced a religion whose Author was meek and lowly; and now I rather take pleasure in such employment, as by this the pride of my heart is brought down.”.

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