in conversation with his guest, which under the blessing of God left an indelible impression on his mind, that issued in the happiest consequences; for he seriously entered upon the study of the holy Scriptures; devoutly and regularly resorted to the house of God; and in the difficult station he held, laboured to serve and please God through his remaining days. When our traveller on the following morning, was about to resume his journey, and requested to pay his reckoning, 'No,' said his host, you shall not pay me one farthing. You have done for me more than I have done for you, and more than I can ever repay you for. They exchanged a hearty and affectionate farewell, and parted."—pp. 29 -31. The tale, or rather description entitled " My Friend," is a fine illustration of the efficacy of religion in giving happiness, where outward circumstances exhibited misery in its most squalid and wasting form. Brief Memoir of Krishna-Pal, the first Hindoo, in Bengal, who broke the chain of the Caste, by embracing the Gospel. By the late Rev. W. Price 1s. Ward, of Serampore. Serampore, printed London, reprinted. Offor, 1823. THE character of this excellent man is so well known to the religious world, that it is only necessary us to announce this very interesting memoir of his life. A biographical sketch of Mr. Ward is added, and will be read with much gratification. A neatly engraved portrait of Krishna, from a drawing by the Missionary Lawson, is prefixed. for The Example of Departed Saints recommended and enforced. A Sermon occasioned by the Death of the late J. Plaisto, Esq Delivered on Sabbaih Evening, March 30th, 1823, in the Independent Chapel, Chichester. By the Rev. W. Vowles, M. A. AMIDST a multitude of funeral discourses, which are continually issuing from the press, few comparatively can lay claim to any thing beyond a local and fugitive interest. The removal of individuals of acknowledged worth and excellence, undoubtedly affords one of the most favourable opportunities for pathetic and impressive appeal, of which the ministerial labourer can avail himself. What is said on such an occasion falls upon the ear with more than ordinary effect, and comes home to the heart with the solemnity of a voice from the dead. This circumstance, in conjunction with the solicitations of surviving relatives and friends has frequently brought before the public eye pulpit addresses, which were designed only to serve the immediate occasion, and therefore could scarcely be expected to rise very high in the order of literary merit. Rare instances we meet with indeed, which form an exception to this remark; and among these we do not hesitate to place the sermon, which Mr. Vowles has here presented to our notice. The text is selected from Heb. vi. 12. "Be not slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises." A portion of Scripture eminently suited to the character of the excellent and venerable person, whose death it was designed to improve. After an appropriate introduction, the author expresses his ardent wish to stimulate and encourage his hearers to follow holy men, who have entered into their rest by leading them to consider first the example they have left us, and secondly the glory they now inherit. These general heads of observation he unfolds and illustrates under a variety of striking particulars, and maintains throughout a strain of bold and manly eloquence. Our readers will be pleased with the following specimen taken from the commencement of the second division of the subject. "Here a glory opens upon us, in the prospect of which, the believer finds all that can soothe and relieve, all that can astonish and delight, all that can animate and attract his spirit. A complete deliverance from the evils of this disordered and calamitous world, an everlasting exemption from all pain and sorrow both natural and moral, a perfect freedom from the influence and effects of sin, and to have all tears wiped away from all eyes; light unclouded, which in revealing happiness, imparts it, truth unmixed with error, knowledge ever growing, where no illusions shall mislead, no uncertainties perplex; the possession of spiritual perfection exposed to no accidents-of sinless virtue and holiness unsullied-to enjoy a pure and faultless society where no interests divide-peace unalloyed by suspicion, unruffled by angry or ambitious passions-with love unabating and without bound to be with Christ to behold his glory, and to see Hin face to face, and bear the full feelings, the reader will feel little inclination to lay the volume aside, till he has gone fairly through it. impression of His image, to have immediate access to the fountain of life, and the unlimited fruition of all possible good in his presence, where is fullness of joy, and at whose right hand are rivers of pleasure for ever more. This is the consummation of the promises for which the Christian may hope without presumption a glory which, as we have now no faculties to grasp at, is yet to be revealed. Though hid behind the clouds of time, it is magnetic, drawing to it the faithful from all places, attracting them from all distances and all commixtures. Confined and ill at ease in this world, the believer sends his thoughts and affections before him into eternity, and beyond these gloomy and troubled regions, he converses with objects divine and immortal. Here a light dawns upon him which is to lead on to an eternal day, while his hope gains new vigour, and glows with increasing ardour as it springs upward to meet the opening rays," --pp. 24, 25. In the course of the sermon there are doubtless passages, which would advantageously bear the process of revision-an employment in which men of ardent minds are always most reluctant to engage. There is nothing, however, which affects the substantial excellence of the whole, or can materially impair the general impression: and we are mistaken if a candid perusal will not be found abundantly to justify the praise we have bestowed on it. As an illustration of the anxious pains taken by good men, in former times, when Bibles were with diffi culty to be procured, to make themselves thoroughly conversant in the word of God, we insert the following detail. "JOHN MARBECK, AND HIS CONcORDANCE.--John Marbeck, whose zeal for the reformation had nearly cost him his life, was the author of the first English Concordance, printed by Grafton, with this curious and explanatory title : A Concordance; that is to saie, a worke, wherein, by the ordre of the letters of the A, B, C, ye maie redely finde any worde conteigned in the whole Bible, so often as it is there expressed, or mencioned.' It was dedicated to King Edward VI. by the compiler, John Marbek. The account which he gave of his undertaking, to the bishops and others, who summoned him before them, and condemned him, is interesting, and exhibits him as a shining instance of indefatigable diligence. When Thomas Matthews' Bible came first out in print, I was much desirous to have one of them; and being a poor man, not able to buy one of them, determined with myself to borrow one, forth. And when I had written out the amongst my friends, and to write it five books of Moses, in fair great paper, and was entered into the book of Joshua, my friend, Master Turner, chanced to steal upon me unawares; and seeing me writing out the Bible, asked me what I meant thereby? And when I had told him the cause: Tush, quoth he, thou But this were a profitable work for thee, goest about a vain and tedious labour. concordance, said I, what is that? Then to set out a concordance in English. A he told me it was a book to find out any word in the whole Bible by the letter, and that there was such an one in Latin already. Then I told him, I had no learning to go about such a thing. it requireth not so much learning as diEnough, quoth he, for that matter, for ligence. And seeing thon art so painfull a man, and one that cannot be unoccupied, it were a good exercise for thee." He accordingly borrowed a Latin concordance, and had gone through the letter L, when he was apprehended, imprisoned, and all his papers seized. After being set at liberty, as his papers were dance to begin again, which, when comnot restored to him, he had his concorpleted, he shewed to a friend, who promised to assist him in having it presented to the king, in order to have it published by his authority; but Henry VIII. died 1824.7 before that could be brought about. His friend, however, to whom he could not say nay, requested a copy of it, which he accordingly transcribed for him. When Edward VI. was settled on the throne, he renewed his thoughts of publishing his work, and consulted Grafton, the printer, concerning it, who (says he, in his introduction,) seeying the volume so houge and greate, saied, the charges of imprinting thereof would not onely be importunate, but the bokes, when finished, would beare so excessive price, as few should be able to attain unto theim: wherefore, by his advise, I yet once again a newe writte out the same, in such sorte as the worke now appeareth.' We can only make room for another specimen. "RICHARD KILBYE, D.D.-This pious man was likewise one of the translators of the English Bible, was prebendary in the cathedral church of Lincoln, and professor of Hebrew, in the university of Oxford. Izaak Walton, in his life of Dr. Robert Sanderson, Bishop of Lincoln, informs us that he was tutor to that great prelate, and relates the following anec dote. Dr. Kilbye, going on a visit, into Derbyshire, took Mr. Sanderson with him. The Sunday they went, with the Doctor's friend, to the parish church; the young clergyman who officiated, not expecting such a hearer as Dr. Kilbye, wasted a great part of the hour allotted for his sermon, in objections against the late translation of the Bible, and, in particular, shewed three reasons why a certain word should have been differently translated. When the evening service was ended, the preacher was invited to the house of the Doctor's friend. After conversation on other topics, the Doctor, A well-engraved head of Wickliff is given, as a frontispiece. VARIETIES, LITERARY, SCIENTIFIC, &c. "The Persecutor tamed.-"A pious and zealous minister, now with the spirits of the just in heaven, was invited by a gentleman in a large town in Yorkshire, to preach for the first time in a contiguous village; the worthy evangelist went on the appointed day, and called on his friend, who received him with much trepidation, and urged him to desist from preaching, as he was convinced that his life would be endangered: he laid before him the causes of his apprehension, but these representations availed nothing; he counted not his life dear unto him in such an employment; and at the expected hour, he entered beneath the roof of the barn, and was received apparently with much respect. CONG. MAG. No. 73. The service commenced by singing H Joseph's history, he adverted to the incarnation, sufferings, and death of Jesus, at the close of which the persecutor took off his hat. At the close of the sermon, he stated that his design in coming to preach to them, was the same as that of Joseph, and of his incarnate Redeemer. The countenance of the man changed. The minister then spoke of the plan devised to take a vay his life, and expressed himself willing to die in the cause of his Divine Master. The once hardened sin ner felt for his pocket handkerchief, and his tears began to flow plentifully; and after a solemn appeal from the man of God, the singing of the hymn, and a short prayer, public worship closed. On retiring from the barn, the man, from whom he had suffered the most painful apprehensions, stepped before him; and on coming into the open air, his companions vociferated, John, have you got the parson?' He replied, I have, but before you shall touch him, you must pluck out my heart.' His companions retired confounded, and the man conducted the minister in safety to the neighbouring town. And now, (said the venerable servant of God to me,) in that village, there is a place of worship, and he, who was the chief persecutor, is the deacon of the church.'"--Coa's Lectures. Liberality of Lieutenant-Governor Melvill." A lady living in the garrison, [at Pendennis Castle, Cornwall,] whose age and infirmities' disabled her from attending the church at Falmouth, suggested to him on behalf of herself, and of others under similar circumstances, the propriety of endeavouring to procure a clergyman, to preach occasionally in the garrison, representing in forcible terms the destitute condition of several aged persons, who were deprived of the means of grace, and of spiritual instruction. A case so interesting as this, could not fail to excite his particular attention, and stimulate his endeavours to provide a remedy. He applied to the minister of the church at Falmouth, a man of great piety and extensive charity, with whom he was united in the bonds of personal affection, as well as of Christian fellowship. But the pastoral care of a congregation amounting to some thousands, obliged this gentleman, though with great reluctance, to decline the service. The lady before mentioned had in the meantime represented the case to a truly respectable minister in the Independent connexion, well known to the Lieutenant Governor, who offered to supply the garrison with a preacher once a fortnight. This offer, under the existing circumstances, could not, consistently with christian principles, be refused, though it was foreseen that the introduction of such a novelty would expose the commandant to much misrepresentation. The service was performed at first in a store-room; but as winter advanced, to avoid the risk of fire, it was held in a room of the Castle. The gratification he felt in seeing it well attended, and especially by those infirm and aged persons for whose spiritual benefit it had been provided, encouraged the Lieutenant Governor to persevere in the plan, which was continued for years, by various ministers of the Independent connexion, and doubtless became the means of salvation to many souls. On these occasions he regularly attended with his family, stimulating the devotion of others by that warm spirit of devotion with which he was always actuated. Neither distance of place, nor inclemency of weather prevented the constant services of these worthy labourers in the Lord's vineyard, who were ready to sacrifice health and life in the employment of their Divine Master. He sincerely preferred the Liturgy of the Church of England to the prayers of the best qualified ministers, yet he was of a more enlarged and charitable spirit, than to think it inconsistent with the duty he owed the establishment, to hold occasional communion with other denominations of Christians who were sound in the faith."-- Memoirs of the late Philip Belvill, Esq, p. 93. Prudence in reference to Charitable Contributions.-"The Rev. Gilbert Tennent," says Dr. Franklin, came to me with a request, that I would assist him in procuring a subscription for erecting a new meeting house. It was to be for the use of a congregation he had gathered among the Presbyterians, who were originally disciples of Mr. Whitfield. Unwilling to make myself disagreeable to my fellow-citizens, hy too frequently soliciting their contributions, I absolutely refused. He then desired I would furnish him with a list of the names of persons I knew by experience to be generous and publicspirited. I thought it would be unbecoming in me, after their kind compliance with my solicitations, to mark them out to be worried by other beggars, and therefore refused to give such a list. He then desired I would, at least, give him my advice. That I will readily do, said I; and, in the first place, I advise you to apply to all those who you know will give something; next, to those who you are uncertain whether they will give any thing or not, and show them the list of those who have given; and lastly, do not neglect those who you are sure will give nothing; for in some of them you may be mistaken. He laughed and thanked me, and said he would take my advice. He did so, for he asked of every body; and he obtained a much larger sum than he expected, with which he erected the capacious and elegant meeting-house that stands in Arch Street."-Memoirs of Franklin, vol. 1. p. 191. Anecdote.--An Unfortunate Similitude.— A Catholic preacher in Austria, wishing to set forth the excellence of the Romish communion, and to decry those of Luther and Calvin, adopted the following extraordinary method. Presenting a green wallnut to the view of his audience, he said, "I am now about to show you the nature and comparative worth of the three religions." For this purpose, he first took off the husk, and said, "Here you have the Lutheran religion: it is not only worthless, but very bitter." He then exhibited the naked shell, say ing, "And here you have the religion of Calvin, which is both hard and dry. But now I shall show you the boly Catholic religion, which is the sweet kernel within." He then proceeded to crack the nut with his teeth, intending to eat the kernel, and commend its sweetness to his flock; when, lo! to his own confusion, the nut proved rotten, and was so offensive to his mouth, that with a blushing countenance, he was compelled hastily to lay it aside! Thus was the advocate of a corrupt religion caught in his own guile, and led to discover a truth he would have been glad to conceal! An aged Moravian minister, now living, who was brought up in Germany, has often related the above anecdote, at a friendly visit, to the amusement of many who know him. Account of a Young Confessor named Athanasius.--Athanasius, a young man, aged 24, the son of a boatman, having served two or three masters, fell into the hands of a Turk, who proposed raising him from the degrading bondage of a Greek, to the privileges of a Turk, on his renouncing Christianity. Every temptation to this change was resisted, till one fatal festival night, he uttered the word of abjuration, and was next morning made a Turk. He remained with his master about a year after this, suffering no doubt many pangs of conscience, and having no alterative but to die, as he could not live a Christian, (the Greek Church receiving back no apostates, however penitent.) Thus circumstanced, he went on a pilgrimage to Mount Athos, where he remained some months. On his return to Smyrna, he went immediately to the Meccamay, or Turkish Judge, declaring his resolution to die a Christian rather than live an apostate. The Judge, in order to save his life, wished to persuade the Turks that he was mad; but he persisted in publiely ahjuring Mahomedanism, and asserting his readiness to die. Upon which he was confined in a dungeon, and put to the torture, which he endured with the greatest fortitude and pa tience On the day of execution, he was offered his life, with riches, houses, lands, &c. if he would remain a Turk : but nothing could tempt him to save his life. As a last attempt, the executioner was directed to cut a little of the skin of his neck, that he might feel the edge of the sword; but this also failed; and Athanasius, on his knees, declaring, that he was born with Jesus, and would die with Jesus; the horrid deed was finished with a single blow. Singular Cure of the Small Por.--A countryman, who had recovered from the small pox, conceived the idea of attempting to cure a number of unhappy wretches, who had been abandoned, by cow's milk, which he gave them to drink. With this simple remedy, he cured all those whom he attended: while the physicians with their complicated prescriptions, saved but a very few. Anecdote of Philip II.-King Philip, of Spain, thus addressed his Confessor : -"Father Confessor! as you occupy the place of God, I protest to you, that I will do every thing you shall say to be necessary for my being saved; so that what I omit doing, will be placed to your account, as I am ready to acquit myself of all that shall be ordered to me. " Monkish Learning.-After the Lutheran controversy had been long carried on, many of the Monks in Scotland were so learned, that they charged Luther with being the author of a wicked book, called the New Testament. lowing extract from Bishop Grindall's Ancient Practice in Churches.--The folepiscopal injunction, will show, at least, what had been the practice in churches. "That no pedlar should be permitted time of service. That parish clerks should to sell his wares in the church porch in be able to read. That no lords of mis-rule, or summer lords and ladies, or any disothers, should come irreverently into the guised persons, morrice-dancers, or church, or play any unseemly parts with scoffs, jests, or ribald talk in time of divine service ! ! !" Bosom Sermons." The preaching by bosom sermons, signifies the reading of a written discourse, which lifeless practice," says Erasmus, many make use of in England."--" And to begynne fyrst of all at the Friers; ye se what a rascal rable ronneth aboute the country with bosomed sermones, preachynge fables, and old wyves tales, in stede of the worde of God." |