At Aldeen, near Calcutta, the residence of the Rev. David Brown, Mr. Martyn was received and welcomed with all that cordiality of affection which characterizes the genuine servants of the Lord Jesus. Finding in him a spirit eminently congenial with his own, he gladly became one of his dear family, as he expresses it, and his days passed delightfully.—In order that he might enjoy as much retirement as he deemed necessary, Mr. Brown prepared a pagoda for his habitation: it was situate on the edge of the river, at no great distance from the house, and there the vaulted roof was so changed from its original destination as of ten to re-echo the voice of prayer and the songs of praise: and Mr. Martyn triumphed and rejoiced,that the "place where once devils were worshipped, was now become a Christian oratory."

Soon after his being fixed at Aldeen, his affectionate friends there became seriously alarmed at an attack of fever which he experienced. His illness was of some continuance, and in it he was assaulted by a temptation more dangerous than uncommon-a temptation to look to himself for some qualification with which to approach the Saviour-for something to warrant his confidence in him, and hope of acceptance from him.Searching for evidences for the purpose of ascertaining whether we are in Christ, widely differs from searching for them to warrant a boldness of access to Christ : for this we require no evidence; but need only the passport of faith, and the plea of our own wretchedness: and as it is the design of our great adversary (such is his subtilty) to lead us to deny the evidences of faith altogether--so it is his purpose to betray us into a legal and mistaken use of them. We find Mr. Martyn at this time expressing himself thus: "I could derive no comfort from reflecting on my past life. Indeed exactly in proportion as I looked for evidences of grace, I lost that brokenness of spirit I wished to retain, and could not lie with simplicity at the foot of the cross. I really thought that I was departing this life. I began to pray as on the verge of eternity: and

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the Lord was pleased to break my hard heart. I lay in tears interceding for the unfortunate natives of this country; thinking with myself that the most despicable Soodar of India was of as much value in the sight of God as the King of Great Britain."

So pleasantly and sweetly, after his recovery, did the current of Mr. Martyn's days pass on at Aldeen and Calcutta, that he began to fear lest the agreeable society he met with there should induce a softness of mind, and an indisposition to solitude and bold exertion. Of this society, he remarks, "I felt sometimes melancholy at the thought that I should soon be deprived of it. But, alas! why do I regret it? Sweet is human friendship-sweet is the communion of saints, but sweeter far is fellowship with God on earth, and the enjoyment of the society of his saints. in heaven."

The city of Calcutta was a place so evidently suited to that order of talent with which Mr. Martyn was endowed, that it is not to be wondered that the solicitations of his Christian friends there should pour in upon him at this time, with the view of persuading him to continue among them in a sphere which they considered so well adapted for the exercise of his ministry. But it was truly said of him by one,* now before the throne with him in the world of light-that "he had a spirit to follow the steps of Brainerd and Swartz ;" and "to be prevented going to the Heathen," he himself remarked on this occasion, "would almost have broken his heart."

In the vicinity of Aldeen, indeed, he witnessed, with horror, the cruel rites and debasing idolatries of Heathenism. The blaze of a funeral pile caused him one day to hasten, and endeavour, if possible, to rescue an unfortunate female, who was consumed before he could reach the spot. In a dark wood, at no great distance from Serampore, he heard the sounds of the cymbals and drums, summoning the poor native to

* Dr. Buchanan-Christian Researches.

the worship of devils-sounds which pierced his heart; and before a black image, placed in a pagoda, with lights burning around it, he beheld his fellowcreatures prostrating themselves, with their foreheads to the earth-a sight which he contemplated with an overwhelming compassion, whilst "he shivered," he says, "as standing as it were in the neighbourhood of hell."

Scenes so affecting as these might have pleaded with him effectually in favour of the proposition of his friends, had he not remembered that all these things happened at no great distance from Aldeen, Serampore, and Calcutta ; from whence many a holy man of God had already come forth, and would again come forth, crying out to the wretched idolatersWhy do ye such things?"-" behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world."

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Detained as Mr. Martyn unavoidably was at this time from what he considered his especial employment, he applied himself more ardently than ever to the acquisition of Hindoostanee, availing himself of the assistance of a Cashmirian Brahmin, whom he wearied with his unbending assiduity.-He was also instant in preaching the Gospel to his countrymen, both in the Mission Church and New Church in Calcutta.

His first discourse at the New Church, on 1 Cor. i. 23, 24, occasioned a great sensation of a kind very different indeed from that which he heartily desired; but which, from the treatment to which he had been accustomed on board the ship, he was prepared to expect. The plain exhibition of the doctrines of the Gospel was exceedingly offensive to many of his hearers. Nor did the the ferment thus excited subside quickly, as it often does, into pity or contempt. He had the pain very shortly after of being personally attacked from the pulpit by some of his brethren, whose zeal hurried them into the violation not only of an express canon of the Church, but of the yet higher law of Christian charity, and led them to make an in

temperate attack upon him and upon many of the truths of the Gospel. Even when he was himself present at Church, Mr. *** spoke with sufficient plainness of him and of his doctrines, calling them inconsistent, extravagant, and absurd; drawing a vast variety of false inferences from them, and thence arguing against them-declaring, for instance, that to affirm repentance to be the gift of God-and to teach that nature is wholly corrupt, was to drive men to despair-that to suppose the righteousness of Christ sufficient to justify, is to make it unnecessary to have any of our own. Though compelled to listen to this downright heresy; to hear himself described as knowing neither what he said, nor whereof he affirmed-and as speaking only to gratify self-sufficiency, pride, and uncharitableness,-"I rejoiced," said this meek and holy man thus unjustly aspersed, "to receive the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper afterward-as the solemnities of that blessed ordinance sweetly tended to soothe any asperity of mind;-and I think that I adminstered the *** ***, with sincere cup to good-will." When exposed to a similar invective from another preacher, who commenced a public opposition to him, by denouncing his last sermon in particular as a rhapsody-as unintelligible jargon-as an enigma; declaring that the epistles of St. Paul were addressed to Heathens alone, and that if St. Paul could look down from heaven, and see what use was made of his words to distress and agitate the minds of men, he would grieve at such perversions; and who, in addition to this, pointedly addressed Mr. Martyn, and charged him with the guilt of distressing and destroying those for whom Christ died, with taking away their only hope, and driving them to mopishness, melancholy, and despair-and finally, with depriving them of the only consolation they could have on a death-bed, he again observes, "we received the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and I was glad of the blessed ordinance, as it tended much to compose

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my mind, and soften it to compassion and love towards all mankind."

But, if Mr. Martyn had abundant reason to be grieved and pained at the conduct of some of his brethren at Calcutta, he had no small satisfaction in the wise and temperate line pursued by another Chaplain in this season of doubtful and distressing disputation; who, perceiving that the doctrines of the Church of England were becoming a matter of warm and general controversy, adopted the admirable plan of simply reading the Homilies to the Congregation, thus leaving the Church authoritatively to speak for herself, and affording to all classes an opportunity of deciding which of the parties was in accordance with her incomparable formularies-Mr. Martyn or his opposers. Mr. ***, he says, to the great satisfaction of all serious people began to read a Homily by way of sermon ; after stating the diversity of opinion which had lately prevailed in the pulpit, and again "at the new Church I read, and Mr. *** preached the second and third parts of the 'Homily on Salvation.' The very clear exhibition of divine truth which was thus presented, was very rejoicing to our hearts."

Attached as Mr. Martyn was to the Church of England, he was far from either the apathy or the jealousy in which too many are apt to indulge, respecting the interests of other Christian communities. Very decidedly did he differ in some important points from the Baptists. But it was with the sincerest grief that he heard, during his abode at Aldeen, of an order issued by the Government (though it proved afterward that he was misinformed) to prevent their preaching and distributing tracts. So perplexed and excited was he by the intelligence, that it even deprived him of sleep; and he spoke afterward with so much vehemence against the measures of Government, as, upon reflection, to afford him matter for self-condemnation. "I know not," he said, "what manner of spirit I am of; I fancy, it is all zeal for God; but what a falsehood is this? I am severe against a Governor, not