had lately died; Mr. John had been ill; and Mr. Pohlé likewise was ailing. We entreat God, Mr. Swartz observes, to send new labourers into his vineyard.

The Rev. Mr. Pohlé states from Tirutchinapally, that on the 8th of Jan. 1794, he set out for Namaul, in the Baramaul country, where no Protestant Missionary had been before. Having arrived at that place, he continued there with a worthy friend, the then commanding officer, until the 21st of the month. He

had preached daily to the natives, and visited the villages round, and had had the satisfaction of being heard with joy and amazement.

In the account for 1796, the Rev. Mr.Pezold, in a letter from Vepery, mentions, that in a journey to Tanjore, in company with the Rev. Mr. Swartz, he had had the opportunity, at Tripalore of being present at a conference between that excellent Missionary and about twenty Bra. mins, to whom he expounded the Christian doctrine; pointing out its great pre-eminence to their heathenism and idolatry. "Their general reply to him was-Very true; your doctrine, your religion, your instruction, is a pleasing thing: but it is inconsistent with flesh and blood; it is repugnant to our carnal affections; it strikes at the natural propensity to moral evil, and to worldly pleasures. Moreover, they replied, we do not see your Christian people live conformably to what they teach. The Christians appear to be doing quite contrary they curse, they swear, they get drunk; they commit whore dom and adultery; they steal, cheat, and deal fraudulently with one another; yea, they blaspheme, and rail upon matters of religion, and often make a mock of those who profess to be religious: in short, they said, you Christians often demean yourselves as badly, if not worse, than we Heathens. Now pray,they added, of what benefit and advantage is all your

instruction and recommendation of Christ's religion, if it does not reform the lives of your own people? Could not you first endeavour to convert your Christains, ere you attempt to proselyte Pagans?-Mr. Swartz replied to these insufficient objections with so much propriety, and with so wonderful an intrepidity and energy, that the Bramins unanimously said at last, Of a truth you are an holy man: if all your Christians thought, and spake, and lived as you do, we would without delay undergo the change, and become Christians likewise. Others said, If you would free us from sickness and from death, without hesitation we would apply ourselves to you: but, instead of that, we see that Christians likewise are subject to death, and even you yourself must die; so that in this respect you are not to be preferred to Heathens." Having produced such trifling observations as these, they all departed.

The Rev. Mr. Kolhoff speaks of his frequent converse with Heathens, of whom the far greater number applaud the doctrine of Christ, but are unwilling to submit to that fundamental precept, If any one will be my disciple, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. They continue, therefore, to be what they were before. He mentions the having had much satisfaction in the exemplary conduct of several privates of the 71st regiment, stationed at Tanjore, to whom he had several times administered the holy sacrament. He likewise mentions an affecting dispensation, in the loss of James Dods, in the Company's service, "who, with much piety and great talents, had applied himself to the study of the Gentoo and Tamulian languages; into the former of which he had began to translate some parts of the New Testament, in order to make the saving doctrines of the Gospel known to the the natives,

amongst whom he was always happy to converse upon the subject of Christ's religion."

Mr. John states that the new edition of the Old Testament had lately been finished in their Malabar printing press, which they had been enabled to accomplish by means of the printing paper sent out by the Society.

Two Missionaries, the Rev. Mr. Ringeltaube and the Rev. Mr. Holzbergh, were this year sent out to India by the Society. An able charge was given to them by the Rev. Mr. Owen, formerly one of the Company's Chaplains in Bengal, and now Chaplain-General of the Navy and Army. He exhibits in it some striking views of Hindoo superstition.

"Where shall we look for the morals of this people? Among their Bramins? They who officiate at the great pagodas are licentious, and eager for gain to an incredible extent. The unbounded superstition of the people protects them in their vices. In this respect, it would be difficult to say, whether their priestcraft has been more fatal to themselves, or to their followers. Will you seek for morals among their myriads of Fakirs and travelling saints? It is common to see one of these extorting money from the reluctant manufacturer by a torrent of obscenity in which he insults him, and the threat of curses which no Hindoo will incur.

"Will you inquire among their merchants, or manufacturers, or landholders? The great feature in a Hindoo's character is the desire of amassing wealth: this he does with a cold, unfeeling perseverance, that baffles all consideration of morals or humanity. The rich are oppressive; the poor are knavish: it is craft against violence. Their avarice is connected with parsimony; and hence, as from other causes, they are free from much of the luxury of their Mahometan invaders, who to

equal avarice united boundless profusion.

"Can it be asserted their superstitions are harmless? Their religion has inculcated human sacrifices; and they appear yet to exist under different forms. The number of widows who perish on the funeral pile, or are buried alive in the same grave with their husbands, is as great as ever. To their superstition, among many other injurious customs, may be ascribed their laying the sick at the edge of the river in all seasons, when the opinion, or whim, or interest of his relations may suggest that a man is near death. To this may be ascribed their base subjection to those who assume dominion over their conscience. No human vigilance can long keep all parts of a family from some ceremonial impurity that may affect its honour: nothing can exceed the secrecy and certainty with which a certain order of Bramins obtain information of what is amiss, or the address with which they turn the terror of their records to their own purpose.

"All false religions have been accommodated to the corruption of human creatures, by whom nothing is less sought than justice or purity of heart. It has ever been' bodily exercise that profiteth little,' instead of godliness that is profitable to all things.' The people of India have indeed line upon line to make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter! But is that superstition harmless by which a man would sanctify unjust gain by giving part of it to an idol, or purify his soul as he washes his body in the Ganges? I have seen them shew strong symptoms of uneasiness when urged on this side; and no wonder."

He adds in a note

"The officers who led back the Bengal troops by Jagernaut, at the close of the last war, indulged the Hindoos in their earnest desire of visiting this celebrated place of worship, the resort of men from the

1

manner by simply altering the accents, and writing it thus aurη.

It is well known, that in the most ancient manuscripts written in uncials or capitals, without points or accents, the word is ambiguous, and therefore the alteration that I propose is perfectly allowable. Let us then consider how the sense of the passage will be affected by it.

The primary object of our Lord in this prophecy was doubtless to forewarn his disciples of the approaching destruction of Jerusalem. This he does in the fullest and plainest manner, in the preceding part of the chapter to the end of the 23d verse. In the 24th verse he concludes this account by the following declaration: "And they (i. e. the Jews) shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations." He then immediately adds, "and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled;" viz. till the 2300 years of the duration of the Roman Empire, or, what amounts to the same thing, till the 1260 of the Antichristian Apostacy are completed.* After their expiration, he informs us, "there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth." In these words we read a most accurate description of the events of the last twenty years. Have we not seen great and mighty empires, which formerly shone like suns in the political firmament, either eclipsed or set in total dark ness? Have we not seen the minor and dependant states falling like stars

* That this is the right interpretation is evident from the 2d verse of the 11th chapter of Rev. where it is expressly asserted, that the Holy City, i. e. Jerusalem shall be trodden under foot of the Gentiles, forty and two months, or 1260 prophetic days.

from heaven? Have we not seen upon "the earth distress of nations with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;" innumerable and furious multitudes madly rushing to destroy each other? And let me ask, is there an individual to be found, whose heart has not failed him for fear, and for looking after those things that were coming on the earth? If then these things are so, oh sir! let us take to ourselves the encouraging declaration with which the whole concludes, "When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." "Verily I say unto you, that* generation shall not pass away till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away."

But let us consider the precise meaning of the words; and is it not clearly this; that all these great and awful events shall occupy a space of time less than a generation? Now a generation we know by the consent of all chronologers is thirty-three years and a half; and we likewise know from the book of Daniel, that the time of the end, in which all these great events are to be accomplished, is precisely thirty years; or three and a half years less than a generation. So accurately true are the words of our Redeemer, so appropriate was the confession of his enemies themselves, he spake as never man 'spake. Well indeed might he conclude with that decisive asseveration.

"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away;" and well may we rely on. his never-failing promise, that, "to those who look for him, he will appear the second time without sin unto salvation."

*The word aùtn is so rendered by our own translators in the 38th verse of the 2d chapter of this Gospel, xai aürn aùTý

ga srisaga, "and she coming in at that instant." The same translation is applicable also to Matt. xxiv. 34. Mark xiii. 30.

EXTRACTS FROM THE WRITINGS OF LUTHER.

(Continued from Vol. for 1814, p. 692.) We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.—Rom. xv. 1. MEN are very unwilling to bear with the failings of others; but every one in fact almost requires of others that they be perfect. Still men think of this duty of forbearance, and one will say here and another there, that he has overcome his dislikes, and cultivates friendship and harmony with those around him. But when such persons have deserted their neighbours and rejected them, they contrive to flatter themselves, and say, they do it for the love of righteousness, and because they do not wish to be acquainted with wicked people, but only with pious and good men like themselves; and thus really neglect the duty of bearing with the weak. This evil prevails most in those who are somewhat different from the generality, and follow a decent kind of life, and have more grace than others. These are apt to swell and hold up their heads. Whatever is not like them is odious. They condemn it: they despise itand consider themselves as the only favourites in the house.

So then, brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free. -Gal. iv. 31.

Where persons who build upon the law prevail, there are mere Ish

maels, conceived of God's right seed, even as Ishmael was conceived of Abraham, hearing the word and preaching, and talking more about it than true and right Christians; but not sincere. They stumble on the law of works, they attempt every thing with their own free-will, and leave themselves to its guidance. They have God's commands before them, and pass a plausible kind of life in the eye of the world, which no one can particularly blame; but they are all children of the bond-woman; for there is no promise of God's word in their religion. It is all flesh and blood. It is a work of nature. God's grace has wrought nothing. There is no faith in the heart, by which they might be delivered from the law. They are therefore nothing more than Ishmaels.

For whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Rom. xiv. 23.

We must learn to judge aright what it is that makes a work really good, that it proceeds from God's Spirit; and not to consider so much how long or great or difficult it is, or who has done it; but, scattering all this to the wind, to see whether God has commanded it and it is done in faith. For that is the standard, and measure, and weight by which God measures and weighs all works. Wherefore if it is not of faith and God's word, even though it should be raising the dead or living as chaste and pure as the blessed Virgin, it is yet nothing better before God than open sin and shame.