[Jan. country, in which you shall reside, you would be but as a barbarian unto the people, and they barbarians unto you. These languages are principally the Tamul and the Portuguese: many other dialects are partially spoken; but you will perhaps find it useful, without loss of time, to direct your attention to these, and even to make them in some degree vernacular, before you shall attempt other languages, if you shall attempt them at all. You will consider, that it is not merely in preaching to the natives, what you shall have premeditated, that your usefulness will consist: you will find it necessary to converse with them familiarly on every subject, which may present itself; to enter into their sentiments, feelings, associations, and prejudices; and to be altogether such as they are, except only in their ignorance, their superstitions, and their vices. You will endeavour to acquire an intimate acquaintance with the prevailing tenets of Hinduism, with the arguments, by which they are defended, and with the reasoning, by which they may be refuted. You will cultivate those branches of knowledge which you find to be popular, and likely to recommend you to the natives. You will diligently review the records of the Mission, and the labours of your forerunners, considering well to what causes their success has been chiefly attributable, and to what their failure, and resolving to profit by their experience, whilst you emulate the bright example of their virtues. Above all, you will make the Sacred Volume your meditation by day and by night; both as it will enable you to establish Divine Truth in the hearts of your hearers, and (which is indispensable to that great end) to preserve it pure and vigorous in your own.

To knowledge and learning you will add discretion. You are doubtless animated with the noblest zeal for the salvation of souls; I would not damp the sacred fire which is kindled in your bosom by the Blessed Spirit: I trust, it will be extinguished only with your latest breath. Let your zeal, however, be so regulated, that it fail not of its object: attend to times and seasons and opportunities: a degree of jealousy fatal to your views might be excited by your imprudent interference with an inveterate superstition. But it is not merely in officiousness and temerity, that zeal may err: it appears in a still more reprehensible form, when it has ceased to be inge

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nuous. Beware, then, of holding out delusive representations to those, who may be disposed to listen to you avoid every thing, which may be construed into a subterfuge or suppression of the truth: inculcate the doctrine of a crucified, as well as of a glorified, Redeemer: exhibit the Man of Sorrows in his meekness and lowliness: point out the necessity of an offering for sin; and let your endeavour be less to make a multitude of pretended proselytes, than that they, who shall profess the faith of Christ, shall profess it in truth and sincerity. It is admitted, I think, by all who have preceded you, that your hopes of making genuine converts must rest, in great measure, upon the instruction and education of youth. In this department much has been done to lessen your labour by a distinguished Member of our Society who has greatly improved the method, which he brought from Madras, by giving it a more systematic arrangement and a more extensive application. You will not fail to avail yourself of this powerful aid: in conveying the elements of European Knowledge you will insen¦ sibly prepare the way to the adoption of our religious tenets: and these you will avowedly and strenuously inculcate, wherever it can be done without violating your good faith with the parents of the children committed to your care.

Finally, let me remind you, that under the guidance of the Blessed Spirit you must ultimately rely for your success on those Christian Graces, which are the proper fruits of the Spirit: they must live in your life, and breathe in all your actions: humility, patience, kindness, devotion, charity, and peace, are the virtues of the Chris tian Apostle: by these you will adorn and recommend the doctrine of God your Saviour. That the Almighty may accord to you these assistances, and whatever else may further the work, to which He hath visibly called you, that He may make you the instrument of good to thousands, and through those, whom you shall instruct, bring tens of thousands from the power of Satan unto Himself, is our most fervent prayer. We shall take a lively interest in all your proceedings: we shall be thankful to God for all your successes: we shall rejoice in your joy. For the present, accept this our cordial greeting and farewell; and may the God of love and peace be with you evermore.

The Rev. Mr. Jacobi's Reply to the Charge of Archdeacon Middleton.

After some introductory observations, Mr. Jacobi gives the following account of his life, and of the motives which induced him to deliver himself up to this particular work of God:

When a boy of seven years, my father, one of the most learned and pious ministers of the Church of Saxony, telling me something about this country, said, "Behold, God has certainly yet great designs with England, and it is a mighty instrument in His hands to establish His kingdom on earth." He then telling me of the Missions, I felt so deeply touched, that I cried out, " Father, I will one day go to England, from thence to be sent out among the Gentiles." And from that time all my thoughts were filled with this design. Childish as this might appear, my father kept these words in his heart; and when I afterwards had been four years at the college, and the hour of his death approached, he wrote me, that I might tell him, before he died, what my resolution about my future state of life was. I answered, that I was determined, if it pleased the Lord, to follow what I thought my calling to the Mission. I was then sixteen years of age. My father, answering to this, exhorted me to look carefully on the ways of God with me; not to presume to guide my own fate: but as he had no objection to my determination, he wished me the blessing of God to it. Alas! this was his last letter; the last words of which were, May the Lord finish His work!" Ile soon after died, and thus took my promise, to be a Missionary, with him before the Heavenly Throne.

When eighteen years of age, I left college for the university at Leipsic, where I studied two years upon my own fortune. Here many temptations assaulted me from all quarters: the allurements of sensual pleasure were easily overcome; but a more formidable enemy, the modern Divinity (if I may so term it), had very uigh caused my foot to slip in the path of faith. The lectures of the professors represented the Bible as a mere human book; in a word, infidelity was recommended, and preached from the pulpit designed for the preaching of faith. I had a

hard contest: but it pleased God to establish my heart again, and to open my eyes more fully upon the wonders of His word. I then burnt all my manuscripts of the new method of divinity, and visited these lectures no more: I retired, and gave myself entirely to private study. Another temptation then arose, to make me an apostate to the Lutheran Church: but after having closely examined the doctrines of the party that wanted to make me a proselyte, I thanked God that I had not left my church; and I am very happy to understand, that the Church of England considers the Lutheran Church as a faithful sister. By the particular providence of God, I became acquainted with the Rev. Dr. Knapp, who invited me, in a letter, to come to him, and to finish my studies in Halle. I accordingly left Leipsic, and Dr. Knapp shewed me the kindness to take me into his own house.

This last year in Halle every thing seemed to conspire to deter me from my design to become a Missionary. Many lucrative livings were offered to me in Saxony, Austria, and Russia: my own friends and relations began to urge me to accept such comfortable situations; they represented my intention to go on mission as fantastical, and my reliance on God in this point as a chimera. At last it had the appearance, on account of the present war, as if my hopes should never be realized, and my enemies and those that scoffed at me began already to triumph; when all at once, and unexpectedly, I received the call of this blessed Society; and from the very moment I accepted it, till the present, the Lord has been with me in a peculiar manner, in so many respects, that I clearly see it is His good pleasure, and firmly trust in Him that I shall safely arrive at the place of my destination in India.

Before I conclude, I beg the venerable and respected Society kindly to accept my most hearty thanks for the kind reception I have met with, the attention shewn to me, the care which has been taken to make my sojourning here, as well as my passage over the ocean, comfortable. May the Lord reward the Society for all this, by guiding me safely to my destination, by sending down His Spirit upon me, that I may be enabled soon to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation in Christ Jesus unto those that sit in darkness and under the shadow of death, and cause them to bless a Society that thus took

pity upon the poor benighted Gentiles. Yea, there are already crowns of thousands of saints, once Gentiles, prepared for those happy Members of this Society, that have gone asleep in the Lord; and may I be privileged to prepare a crown for those that now send me off and accompany me with their prayers! I promise to prove a faithful servant in the cause of the mission, to continue instant in praying for the grace of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to adorn his doctrine by my whole life and conversation, to endeavour to have always a good conscience both towards God and men. I depart with the prayer, that the Lord may vouchsafe to look down with his pleasure upon this Venerable Society, and to cause the same to remain for ever blessing and for ever blest.

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

Patronage of the Society.

AT a Special General Meeting, held at the Society's House, on the 13th of December, in order to consider of such arrangements in the patronage of the Society as should better adapt it to the general interest beginning to be felt in support of its objects and proceedings, it was resolved, that the Institution shall consist of Patrons, Vice-Patrons, a President, Vice-Presidents, and a Treasurer, with Life and Annual Governors and Members, and the necessary Officers for conducting its affairs. And it was further resolved, that the office of PATRON shall be reserved for such members of the Royal Family as may honour the Society with their protection: that VICE-PATRONS shall be appointed, exclusively, from among the Peers, spiritual and temporal: and that the PRESIDENT shall be such Peer or Commoner, and the VICE-PRESIDENTS such Commoners, as shall be appointed thereto.