from opportunities of attending to the object of my mission among the Chinese, what from seasons of religious instruction to Dutch and English, what from intercourse with gentlemen of education and knowledge of the world, what from occasions of stating clearly the object of missions, and of endeavouring to remove prejudices against them, and what from the view of a highly cultivated country, happy under an enlightened and liberal government, I have much reason to be satisfied with this journey, though attended with some personal inconvenience, and accasionally with extreme fatigue, both by sea

and land.

On my return from the East, I found three Dutch missionary brethren arrived from London. -Their coming here is most scasonable, as both the ministers in the Reformed Church are advanced in age, and the people in many places destitute of the ordinances of religion. Mr. Supper is chosen and appointed to assist Professor Ross.-Mr. Bruckner goes to Samarang, to take the place of Mr. Montanus, who is now unable to preach; and Mr. Kam goes to Sourabaya, to wait there for a passage to Amboyna, where there is a considerable number of Christians, entirely without a minister, and very desirous of having one. last step was particularly recommended by our friend, Professor Ross.

This

Allow me to mention to you, that, in the Chinese Mission, I hope you will not restrict us to a certain sum. There are some favourable seasons when certain pieces of work, by allowing a little extra expence, may be accomplished in one year, and by one person, which on a contrary plan would require two years, and two persons and even the same expence of last; with this difference-in the one case the money is required in one year in the other only in two. I do not mention this as if we wished to serve ourselves of the churches, but because we are desirous of carrying on the work with vigour; and of knowing that we shall not offend hy going a few pounds beyond the line, when the object is sufficiently important to justify it.

I am truly glad to inform you, that in consequence of the kindness of the Governor, the expence of my last journey has not been very heavy.-It would have amounted to 1600 rupees, had I been obliged to pay for the horses.

ABOLITION OF THE SLAVE
TRADE.

THE latest accounts from the frontiers of Austria inform us, that Lord Castle reagh has succeeded in prevailing upon all the maritime powers to abolish the

Slave Trade, though not immediately. Spain and Portugal, we are told, have engaged to do it in six years; and France has consented to reduce the term from five to two years. Most ardently do we hope that we are misinformed respecting these latter particulars; for while any of the powers of Europe are permitted to continue that nefarious traffic, humanity must mourn at the painful recollection; and we can have no security that even our own countrymen are not engaged in it; for the unhallowed gains attached to it must always operate as an inducement to them to strive to partake of its spoils, which we suppose they will find little difficulty in accomplishing, by forming establishments in other countries.

REVIVAL OF THE CRUSADES.

THE late King of Sweden has published a very curious address. He says he has received the grand Seignior's permission to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land: in consequence of which he invites ten persons to accompany him, one from each of the nations in Europe. They are to wear black robes, let their beards grow, take the style and title of Black Brethren, and are each to be attended by a servant in black and grey livery. Notice of the willingness of an individual to accompany him, is to be published in some paper in the country to which he belongs, and all the Black Brethren are to assemble at Trieste, on the 24th of June!!

of this good man, which is worth preserving: Some years ago, the country players appearing at Colchester, his spirit was stirred in him to testify against this race of genteel vagrants. He accordingly went to the Theatre one evening, with an

The following Queries have been sent us for insertion, with requests that some of our Correspondents will furnish Scriptural answers to them. EDIT.

2. Are unbelievers exhorted in the Scriptures to perfect obedience to God's commandments? But if unbelievers are convinced they cannot possibly keep the commandments of God, may they not be exhorted to some duties as means of obtaining the faith and hope of the Gospel? 3. What is to be understood by the Baptism of the Holy Ghost?

1. What do the Scriptures propose for intention of freely delivering his thoughts; relief to a wounded conscience-And if but not finding himself at liberty that relieved, how shall the person ascertain evening, he returned without accomplish-whether his relief be delusive, or accoming his purpose. His conscience, how. panied with salvation? ever, was not satisfied at the silence of his tongue; and the following day, upbraided him that he should appear to countenance that by his presence which he went on purpose to discourage by his speech. He accordingly went again, and on his rising to solicit the attention of the audience, the populace would have silenced him by hisses and shouts; but such was the veneration which the more respectable part of the company had for his character, that they determined to procure for him a fair bearing; the play was accordingly stopped while this respectable Friend uttered his remonstrances against the dangerous and immoral tendency of these entertainments. After he had thus acquitted his conscience, he quietly left his seat, and retired from the place.

SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATED.

bell made no allusion to it.

4. What is meant by the Covenant of Grace?

LITERARY NOTICES.

THE NATIVE IRISH, A Memorial on behalf of the Native Irish, with a view to their improvement in moral and religious Knowledge, through the medium of their own language, is now in the press, and will be published in the course of he present Month, by Mr. Christopher Anderson, Edinburgh. This Memorial includes a Statement of what has been done towards the instruction of this in

their own ancient language, from the earliest to the present times;-an account of the translation and printing of the Sacred Scriptures in Irish ;—the latest calculations with regard to the prevalence of this language, and the extent of population to whom it is vernacular ;answers to the most plausible objections against its being taught systematically in Schools, like the other dialects of the United Kingdom.-A plan is proposed, and to proceed in its support, various encouragements, founded on facts, are brought forward. A variety of particulars are incidentally mentioned with respect to the other dialects of the Celtic, or Iberion language, whether those spoken in Britain, e. g. the Welsh, the Galic and the Monks, or on the continent, as the Bas Bretayne or Armoricon, the Basques, and the Waldensian.

Mr. Campbell in his late Travels interesting class of people by means of South Africa, tells us, "that the Hottentots have a very curious manner of drinking water from a pool or stream." "They throw it up," says he, "with their right hand into their mouth, seldom bringing the hand nearer than a foot's distance from the mouth, and so quiek, that however thirsty, they are soon satisfied. I tried frequently to imitate this practice but without success." p. 153. The reading of this paragraph reminded us so strongly of what is related of Gideon's army, that we were surprised Mr. Camp"Gideon brought down the people to the water; and the Lord said unto him, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down on his knees to drink; and the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth were three hundred men, but all the rest of the people bowed down on their knees to drink. And the Lord said unto Gideon by the three hundred that lapped will I save you." Judg. vii. 5-7. Would it not seem from this, that the practice of Gideon's three hundred men, and that which Mr. C. witness- An Easy Introduction to reading the ed among the Hottentots, were nearly, if Hebrew Language; with a copious Henot preicsely, the same; for it is plain brew and English Vocabulary, containthat the former did not, any more than the ing all the Words of common occurrence latter, bow down their heads to the wa-in the Old Testament, by George Offor,

ter.

Facts and Evidences on the Subject of Baptism, in a Letter to a Deacon of a Baptish Church: by the Editor of Calmet's Dictionary of the Holy Bible, with two plates. Price ls.

'Jun.

CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE EDITOR.

IN answer to the Correspondent who | iniquitate conceptum, nisi quia suscepti

signs "Seek Truth," and his "two or three friends," we crave permission to say that we know of no just cause he has to doubt the correctness of the translation of Psal. li. 5. He and his friends, in all probability, dislike the doctrine of "original sin;" but if they could succeed in getting rid of the testimony that is contained in our translation of that passage of scripture, they must still have the same difficulties to encounter with others, particularly Job xiv. 1-4. and Eph. ii. 3. and indeed we may add, with the whole of divine revelation, yea, and with the whole of the history of the human race also ; for what is the history of the world but the history of human depravity! That sin is in the world; that it has overspread the world; and that none of the children of Adam have been exempt from it, are facts too stubborn to be denied. These "friends of truth" may say that this is owing to the prevalence of bad example, and not inherent depravity, but how comes it to pass that none have ever escaped the prevalence of bad example—and whence does it arise that a good example is not as prevailing as a bad one? How comes it to pass that virtue is not as easily practised as vice?

But upon the text in Psal. li. which is the subject of inquiry, we beg leave to present this correspondent with the opinion of two learned writers; the first is the late excellent BISHOP HORNE, eminent for his skill in Hebrew learning.

Thus he comments on the text

"David was the offspring of the marriage bed, which is declared to be "honourable and undefiled." No more, therefore, can be intended here, than that a creature, begotten by a sinner, and formed in the womb of a sinner, cannot be without that taint which is hereditary to every son and daughter of Adam and Eve."

The other is the learned BOSSUET, Bishop of Meaux, who observes as follows

66 Nunquid David de adulterio natus est? De Jesse viro justo natus erat, et conjuge ipsius. Quid ergo se dicit in

personam humani generis, et attendit omnia vincula, propaginem mortis, originem iniquitatis advertit ?"

By several letters received from Stratford during the present month, we are given to understand that the representation of T. D. L. at the close of our last number, relating to the destitute state of that neighbourhood, in regard to places of public worship, and the means of religious instruction, is far from being correct. Some of these letters we should have had great pleasure in printing, especially R. F. and "A lover of the cause of God and truth," had our limits permitted: but as that cannot be done, we tender our thanks for them to the writers, and assure them that we are quite satisfied, not only of the injustice of the charge, but also that Stratford and its vicinity are highly privileged in those respects, in regard to which our correspondent T. D. L. exhibited them as objects of pity! We should be sorry to adopt the opinion thrown out by one writer, that the correspondent in our last, had intentionally imposed upon us a statement which he knew to be false; and are rather inclined to resolve it into inadvertency, or wrong information. In future, however, we must request that those who transmit us similar articles of information which they wish to be inserted, will have the goodness to favour us with their real names, (not with a view to their being printed) otherwise they must pardon us if we decline noticing them.

*

* *The poetry sent us by Jobe, has been in print at least twenty years! It is now before us in a Collection of Psalms and Hymns, printed at Glasgow, 3rd edition, 1799, Appendix, Hymn 5. The same remark will apply to the "Stanzas said to have been written in a Summer house at Spalding." I. S. Hoxton, has heen making free with Quarles's Emblems. L. S. has our thanks for the handsome things he is pleased to say of our Magazine; and in return for his kindness we beg leave to wish him a more useful employment, than that of weaving cobwebs to catch flies.

96

Poetry.

Ah! how my days, and months, and years,
Encumber'd still with worldly cares;
Or charm'd by folly's syren song,
Roll fast, and unimprov'd along;
Yet still the high and holy Lord
Suspends his sin-avenging sword;

When light'nings flash, and thunder's roar, And Sinai's lightnings, from above,
Through all the darken'd skies!