Plough. Why, sir, the hardest thing in religion is, to deny righteous self. You know I do not come to hear you preach; but go every sabbath with my family to Northampton, to hear Dr. Doddridge. We rise early in the morning, and have prayer before we set out; in which I find pleasure. Walking there and back, I find pleasure; under the sermon I find pleasure; when at the Lord's table, I find pleasure; we read a portion of scripture, and go to prayer in the evening, in which I find pleasure; but, to this moment, I find it the hardest thing to deny righteous self.

The simple recital of the poor man so affected Mr.Her. vey, that it proved a blessing to his soul; and the plough. man henceforth became his bosom friend.

IT IS NECESSARY TO MAKE PREPARATION FOR A

JOURNEY.

It is written of a gentleman who died very suddenly, that his jester ran to the other servants, and having told them that their master was dead, he, with much gravity, added, "There! And where is he gone?" The servants replied, "Why, he is gone to heaven, to be sure." "No," said the jester; "he is not gone to heaven, I am certain." The servants with much warmth, asked, how he knew that his master was not gone to heaven? The jester then replied, "Because heaven is a great way off, and I never knew my master take a long journey in my life, but he al. ways talked of it some time before hand, and also made preparation for it; but I never heard him talk about heav. en, nor ever saw him make preparation for death; and, therefore, I am sure he has not gone to heaven."

SKETCH OF A DIALOGUE AMONG THE BLESSED.

Ministring Spirit. ANGELS and saints rejoice! I bring you a trophy of sovereign grace from that land of idols, Bengal. To your happy company I introduce the spirit of a converted Hindoo.

Heavenly Host. Glory be to God in the highest! All heaven shall resound with the songs of his redeemed; and let the whole earth be filled with his praises.

Syam Dass. Brethren, I greet you all. Behold one, who, in sin, having grown old, was already sinking into endless perdition; yet my soul has been snatched as a brand from the burning; my former idols forsaking, of sin repenting, the true Savior embracing, I have tasted the sweetness of his love.

Brunsdon. What, are you one of the first fruits of India? Did you come hither from Serampore?

Syam Dass. Yes; there for many years I lived, following the vain customs of the heathen, and the way of life not knowing. There also I heard the word of truth, and found pardon through the blood of Jesus.

Brunsdon. How were you induced to obey the call of the gospel, and made willing to reject your cast, for the love of the Savior.

Syam Dass. I cannot say that I lost my cast for the love of Christ; I had long ago been drawn, by a far meaner passion, to make that sacrifice; for, without any sort of marriage, I have lived above thirty years with a Feringhee

Woman.

Brunsdon. How then was you delivered from that ensnaring connexion, which, while it prevented the pride of cast from operating on your mind, would yet form a strong

objection, though of a different kind, to your embracing

a holy gospel?

Syam Dass. As I confined myself entirely to this woman, I did not see, at my first conviction of sin, the evil of thus living with her; but as light increased, I was grieved at my having done all things during my state of heathenism, in an unholy manner. Then, consulting the missionary brethren, I determined, according to their advice, to be married before many witnesses. This was done at the mission house, not after the form of the Hindoos, but with prayer and exhortation, as becometh saints, who perform all in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Brunsdon. O! brother Fountain, here is a saved Hindoo! Though we were not permitted to gather in much of our Lord's harvest, yet the work of the Savior is going on in Bengal.

Fountain. I know it already; for brother Powell also is just arrived, who has been telling me news which rejoices all my soul. The knowledge of our Redeemer is beginning to spread up the country, in a more remarkable manner than ever we witnessed. Many scores have broken the chain of the cast; and numbers are studying the scriptures, and have resolved to avow themselves the disci. ples of Christ. I suppose this is the spirit of Syam Dass, the first martyr of India.

Syam Dass. Very unworthy was I of such an honor; yet I confess, to the praise of our beloved Jesus, that I lost my life in endeavoring to subserve his cause.

Fountain. Has any revolution in that sinful world which you have left, given power to the Brahmans of perse. cuting the followers of Christ? Surely, neither the Danish nor the British government would sanction such a deed,

Syam Dass. No, brother; the state of outward things remains unchanged; and both governments are more and more convinced of the integrity of the missionary brethren. By a lawless mob was I murdered, returning from the country to Serampore.

Powell. Brother Dass, I rejoice to see you; and to meet you also, dear Brunsdon, in this blessed world! I have been telling brother Thomas how the Lord enabled our Hindoo brother to seal his testimony with his blood. He will communicate the news to Grant; indeed, it will spread swifter than lightning through these realms of bliss. All heaven rejoices in your salvation, and admires the grace which made you faithful unto death.

Thomas. Saved Hindoo! We have brought brother Stephen, the first martyr in the days of the apostles, to congratulate thee on the honor which Christ has conferred upon thee.

Syam Dass. Venerable Stephen, for thy history I thank my dear Savior, and holy brother Luke, who recorded it. Of thee I thought when I was dying, and endeavored, like thee, to pray for my murderers.

Stephen. Our Lord is the same yesterday, today, and for ever. He is conqueror over death and hell, who alone gave us the victory. I rejoice in thee as a monument of his unchanging grace. Let us for ever celebrate his praise.

Syam Dass. Not unto us, not unto us, but unto his glorious name is all the glory due! Once I hardly dared have thought of calling thee, who was so early employed in the work of the Lord, my brother; but I now feel that we are all one in Christ Jesus. All pride is removed from my heart, while I am also freed from all fear, and eve

Fry

kind

of painful sensation. I perceive in you, my honored

brother, the most perfect humility and benèvolence; and I enjoy your holy love with the warmest return of gratitude

and complacency.

Grant. O beloved Hindoo! I rejoice greatly to behold thee in this state of bliss. In all the triumphs of grace do Iexult; but to see one of the natives of that country, where I once hoped to have been employed for my blessed Savior, affords me peculiar pleasure. My spiritual father Marshman, I find, is happily succeeded in the work of the Lord.

Syam Dass. Yes; he has lately been up the country with Peetumber, Mitter, and Bharat, to visit a number of Hindoos, who had for some time been convinced of the fallacy of the old religions of the country; among whom God seemed to have been preparing his way, almost as he prepared the friends of Cornelius for the visit of Peter. Many now appear to be earnestly seeking the true way of life, and are determined to own the name of Christ.

Grant. Welcome, dear brother, welcome to the skies! But tell us how you finished your course, and experienced the power of our Lord to support you, when suffering death by the hands of violence.

Syam Dass. Brother Bharat had been sent up the country, to the new inquirers after the gospel, with letters from the missionaries, and returned in safety. I also was willing to carry a written message, to inform my countrymen of the Friend of sinners. There were many Hindoos, at another place, nearer to Serampore, who, despising the Debtahs, and not believing Mahomet to be divinely commissioned, owned that there was one God; but knew not how he would be served, nor how sinners could be saved. VOL. I.

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