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brought from England, is reserved. We pray for nothing else? No, Sir, I did not

hope then to print the Gospel of MATTHEW; more than two-thirds of which is translated; but this must depend on our receiving an adequate supply of paper."

then know that I wanted any thing else.* Did not you know then that you had an immortal soul? Oh, no; the farmers used always to say that Hottentots had no souls, and that they were made by the devil, and not by the God of the Christians.* They would never allow us to go to Church; I was never in a Church till I came to BethelsConversation with a Converted Hottentot, dorp, nor ever heard one word out of the on his former state of Ignorance.—Ex-book (the Bible.) Before I came there, I tracted from the Journal of Mr. Evan was as ignorant as these oxen, and knew Evans, July 15, 1817.

AFRICA.

nothing. Whenever I used to see this in-
sect,' holding the creature still in his hand,
I used sometimes to fall down immediately
before it; but if it was in the wagon-road,
or in a foot-path, I used to take it up as
gently as I could, to place it behind a bush,
for fear a wagon, or some men or beasts
should tread it to death.' If a Hottentot by
some accident killed or injured this creature,
he was sure to be unlucky all his lifetime,
and could never shoot an elephant or a

July 15.-Experienced much pleasure this morning in conversing with the driver of our wagon, concerning the state of ignorance in which his nation was plunged previously to the time in which Missionaries came among them. He showed me a small insect, which the farmers call the Hottentot's god; and which, in fact, they used to worship. This man said to me, "Oh! Sir, it is impossible for me to say how thankful I am to the good men over the great waters, be-buffalo afterward. cause they have sent you, his servants, to teach poor Hottentots. But it is God, the Almighty God, who put this in the hearts of the good men in England. He said to them, The poor Hottentots in Africa know nothing of me, the true God; they worship a poor insect that even they themselves can tread to death with their naked foot. Yes, bere he is!-here he is! This was our god, before God's servants came among us. Yes, the farmers told us before you came, that we were nothing but baboons or monkeys; and if they saw us listening when they were reading the book, (the Bible,) they would immediately cry out, What do you want, you baboons? begone, you have no business to look in our houses!'

I asked, Did you ever worship this insect then? He answered, 'Oh! yes, a thousand times; always before I came to Bethelsdorp; whenever I saw this little creature, I would fall down on my knees before him and pray.' What did you pray to him for? *I asked him to give me a good master, and plenty of thick milk and flesh.' Did you

It is impossible to describe the thankfulness which this poor man manifested, because the Lord had remembered his wretched and despised nation, and had sent his servants to teach them the knowledge of the true God, and the way of salvation through Jesus Christ, instead of worshipping this poor creature, which, as he observed, he could squeeze to death between his fingers, and which could not deliver itself out of his hands. How true are the Apostle's words! "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen; yea, and things

* This, however, is by no means the character of all the farmers; many of them are pious and worthy men, who promote the religious instruction of their servants.

which are not, to bring to nought things that gentlemen: Mr. Hawtrey, Dr. Clarke, are: that no flesh should glory in his pre- Rev. Mr. Moore, of Birmingham, Joseph sence." Who more foolish, who more weak, Brindley, Esq. of Manchester, Rev. Mr. who more base, and who more despised than Gaulter, Mr. Davies, and Mr. Griffiths. In the poor Hottentots were? Yet I have no course of the morning some very important doubt that they would be able to confound letters had been received from their Mismany wise philosophers, princes, and war-sionaries, which they had not had time to riors, if they were set to converse with examine; and also a letter stating, that Sir them respecting the things of God. Al- Alexander Johnstone, the Chief Justice of though they are poor, and as 'the offscour- Ceylon, had just arrived in England, and ing of all things'-yea, though they are would probably be in town the next day: not,' as it were, yet I doubt not there are on these accounts, and because the business hundreds of them rich in grace and faith, was not more than half gone through, Mr. heirs of everlasting glory, who shall be for Bunting proposed an adjournment to Thursover rich, even when the riches of this day evening, which was the more readily world shall be consumed. I never saw the agreed to, as Dr. Clarke stated the hope he beauty of this passage so much as since I entertained, that at that time they might be game to South Africa. favoured with the company of Sir Alex. Johnstone. The Meeting was therefore closed as it commenced, about five o'clock; and at seven the same evening, and in the same Chapel, the Rev. R. Newton preached a missionary sermon.

METHODIST MISSIONS.

THE Anniversary of this Society commmenced on Friday, May 1, by two sermons; On Thursday evening the large Chapel the one in the forenoon, at Queen-street in the City Road was again thronged, when Chapel, by Dr. A. Clarke; the other at the remaining business was gone through. Hinde-street Chapel, in the evening, by the The meeting was indeed disappointed at not Rev. T. Roberts, A. M. of Bath. The an- being favoured with the company of Sir nual meeting for business was held on Mon- Alex. Johnstone, who apologized in a polite day forenoon, at the City-Road Chapel. At and friendly note, stating his being obliged 11 o'clock the Rev. Mr. Benson opened the immediately to accompany Lady Johnstone meeting with singing and prayer, when to Cheltenham, on account of her alarming THOMAS THOMPSON, Esq. M. P. of Hull, fook the chair, and after a few words to introduce the business, called upon the Rev. Mr. Watson, one of the Secretaries, to read the Report. This stated, that they had recently received very encouraging letters from some parts of France, from Ceylon, from India, from West and South Africa, from the West-Indies, particularly the republican part of St. Domingo, from British lar, might aid the cause by missionary boxes America, and from Ireland; and that the income of the Society last year amounted to 17,2271. to which the expenses would probably be nearly equal. The usual motions relative to receiving the Report, thanking the Mr. Benson read very interesting extracts Auxiliary Societies, were then moved and from some of the letters just received from seconded by the following ministers and the Missionaries abroad. Dr. Clarke moy:

state of illness. The chief speakers on this occasion were Mr. Watson, who gave a very interesting account of the deplorable state of the heathen world; Mr. Bunting, who electrified the meeting by a most ani. mated and energetic address in favour of missions; and Mr. R. Newton, who strik ingly exhibited the simple and easy manner in which all ranks, and females in particu

and baskets, and by little presents calcu lated to excite and reward the attention of children and young persons among the heathen.

ed, and Mr. Haslope seconded, a vote of and Foreign Bible Society, he could not but grateful acknowledg.nent to Sir Alexan-regard it as the work of God. The simplider and Lady Johnstone, for their libera city of its nature strongly indicated the divipatronage of the mission to Ceylon, and for nity of its original. Pious and benevolent their kind attention to the Missionaries, men had, in different ages and countries, dewhich was passed with unanimity and en-vised various methods of doing good; but thusiasm. Several lay gentlemen support- their plans had been fettered by party preed the interest of the Meeting by their ardent and liberal pledges of support.

In the close of this Meeting Mr. Davies came forward, by request, confirming the melancholy fact which he had mentioned at the former Meeting, that some of the African nations practise cannibalism from the most gross and sensual motives-a circumstance which he strongly urged as an argument for attempting their instruction and

conversion.

FOURTEENTH ANNIVERSARY

judices, and encumbered by insuperable difficulties. Different bodies of Christians could not unite without violating some con. viction, or sacrificing some principle. At last, an Institution had been formed, which proposed the greatest possible good, by means the most simple, and therefore the most unexceptionable: an Institution whose specific and exclusive object was the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, at home and abroad, without Note or Comment; and which, therefore, afforded a common ground on which all denominations of Christians could consistently meet, and find scope for co-operation without compromise. He could not but trace the same divine

Of the British and Foreign Bible Society. agency, in the manner in which the opera

(Continued from page 277.)

tions of the Society had been conducted. When persons united together in any secular enterprise, how frequently was the har

THE Rev. Robert Newton, (of the Me-mony broken by clashing interests and conthodist Connexion,) in moving the Resolution of thanks to the Committee, observed,

flicting passions! Even religious communities were not free from those whose object "That the Anniversaries of Public Insti- it was to sow discord, and cause divisions. tutions were occasions of no ordinary inter- But, though the British and Foreign Bible est: the friends of each Institution were so- Society numbered among its members and licitous to know what had been done, in the friends persons of every gradation in society, course of the year, towards realizing the and every diversity of profession in religion, proposed object; the report of success was the harmony of the Institution had never hailed with feelings of joy and exultation; been disturbed. The high and heavenly and mutual congratulation followed by mu-employment which it prescribed, rose far tual pledges of renewed and continued ex-above the minor distinctions by which reliertion. But among all the Anniversaries gious bodies are characterized; and when celebrated in this metropolis, or elsewhere, any of the peculiarities of party pleaded for that of the British and Foreign Bible Society a little more notice, the answer returned stood unrivalled in the estimation of the re- was 'I am doing a great work, I cannot lig ous public. It was an anniversary cele- come down.' If there were any strife, it brated not by one party only, but by all was the glorious strife of doing good; if parties; exciting a lively interest, present any rivalry, it was the noble rivalry of ing an imposing spectacle, and providing a Christian charity. Even in vindicating the zich repast. Society from those charges which miscon"In whatever light he viewed the British ception or prejudice had preferred, its adv

and the wealthy merchant with his pounds. Females, to the honour of their sex, were consecrating their powerful influence to this holy cause; and he was happy to bear his testimony to the prudence, as well as the zeal, which marked the conduct of the Ladies of Liverpool in this great work. The

cates had not dipped their pens in the gall he saw the hand of God, in disposing the of resentment: in contending for the Bible British public to support an Institution in the spirit of the Bible, they had exempli- whose object was to send the word of God fied the great precept of our common Mas- to the extremities of the earth. To aid ter, I say unto you, love your enemies.' this generous undertaking, the humble me In fact, opposition had defeated its own de-chanic was coming forward with his pence, sign; it had done so by the attention to the Society which it had awakened, the Christian spirit with which it had been encountered, and the able vindications which it had drawn forth; and if for a moment a dark shade had been cast over the Institution, it only occasioned a brighter burst of splendour as it advanced towards the zenith of brave defenders of their country were leadits glory. ing the van in this rapid, but bloodless "Nor could he forbear remarking a simi-march of the Gospel of Peace. Senators lar providential agency, when he viewed were employing their powerful talents in adthe Society in connexion with the country vocating the cause of revealed truth. Nowhich gave it birth. The Institution might bles were adding brilliancy to their coro have been formed in some other country; nets, by patronizing the work of Him who is but what country on the face of the earth King of kings, and Lord of lords. Right could have furnished those facilities for ex-Reverend Prelates, in conformity with their tensive and successful operations which Bri- dignified and sacred character, were laying tain afforded? Britain had at once the op- their mitres at the foot of the cross; and portunity and the ability for doing good on Princes of the Blood were doing homage to a grand and extensive scale. Her opportu- Him who is the Prince of the kings of the nity was furnished by the intercourse which, earth. If a reason for all this were dethrough her commercial transactions, her manded, it would be found in the language maritime connexions, and her military sta- of the prophet:- Thy people shall be wil tions, she maintains with almost every part ling in the day of thy power.' Nor would of the world It were grovelling, indeed, this work be overthrown: the winds might to presume that the opportunity afforded by blow, the rains descend, and the storms such intercourse, was designed to promote heat, against this temple of charity; but it her secular gain, and not rather to enable would stand; for it had been raised by a her to communicate to nations the most re-Divine Architect: it would stand; for it mote, the inestimable and imperishable was a building fitly framed, and compacted blessings of our common Christianity. Her together: it would stand; for it was foundability, also, arising from the same sources, ed upon a rock." had obviously the same design. Why was she so eminently distinguished on the scale of nations? Was it that she might appear "My Lord, in rising to second this Reso in the stern and commanding aspect of a lution, I sincerely rejoice in the opportunity conqueror? Was it not that she might be which it affords me of redeeming the pledge seen in the lovely and imposing attitude of which I have given to various Bible Sociea Benefactress?

That, where Britain's power

The Rev. Dr. Henderson.

ties, and to numerous individual friends of this Institution, in different parts of the North

Is felt, mankind may feel her mercy too. of Europe. That pledge, my Lord, consists in a promise, that on returning to my native "In this view of the subject, he thought country, and especially if I should have the

honour of addressing the Parent, Society, I circumstances in any other part of the civil would express to you, my Lord, as its reve-ized world. And this, my Lord, must ap red President, the high sense of gratitude, pear the more surprising, when we reflect, and of obligation, with which they are pene- that there does not exist a single school for trated for the noble example which you children in that Island. But though there have set them in the establishment of Bible be not a school for the tuition of youth, yet it Societies; for the encouraging and animat-is a remarkable fact, that there is sccrcely ing letters which you have exchanged with to be found a boy or a girl, who has reached them in the course of your correspondence; the age of nine or ten years, that cannot read and above all, for the liberal and munificent and write with facility. I mention this, my aid with which you have encouraged and Lord, to show how well the Icelanders were assisted their exertions; and for that rich qualified for making a due and proper apsupply of copies of the Holy Scriptures with plication of that gift which was conferred which you have provided the inhabitants of upon them by your bounty. During the those kingdoms. I regret, my Lord, that winter which I was obliged to spend among they should have chosen an interpreter so them, I found that those copies of the Scriplittle competent to convey to this assembly tures which had been brought into circulaan adequate idea of their gratitude; but if lation were perused every evening in the the smallest weight can be attached to the family circle. Passages of the Old Testaplain, unvarnished, and simple testimony of ment were read by some good reader in the an eyewitness; and if his statement of facts, family, while they were engaged at work; which have come under his own observa- and after the occupations of the evening tion, can in any measure tend to strengthen were brought to a close, the sacred volume a conviction in the minds of the friends of was then employed at their family devothis Institution, of the great good resulting tions. from the foreign operations of the British and Foreign Bible Society, most cheerfully do I come forward to furnish you with that testimony.

"The spirit of joy and gratitude displayed by the Icelanders, on receiving copies of the word of God, I have also had repeated opportunities of witnessing in other countries in the North of Europe: and if it were necessary to add any thing to the interest

"It is, I doubt not, my Lord, still fresh in the memory of many now present, that in the year 1814 I proceeded, at the requesting details, that have been laid before you of the Committee of this Society, to the distant island of Iceland, for the purpose of distributing your bounty among its worthy but necessitous inhabitants. We had been accustomed to hear of the early and successful application of the Icelanders to the study of literature, and of the asylum which their Island afforded to the sciences, at a period when the darkest gloom covered the rest of the European horizon. And it is a fact which forms a perfect anomaly in the history of our species, that, in spite of all the physical evils with which they have been visited, the Icelanders are still attached to learning, and may at present boast of a strength and acuteness of intellect, and a "It is no less remarkable, my Lord, than stock of general knowledge, superior to gratifying, to be able to assert, that from what we meet with among people in similar this favoured spot, where we are now as

this day, relative to Denmark and Sweden, I would simply advert to one circumstance, which is, the celebration of the Third Anniversary of the Reformation by Luther. This event appears to have called the attention of thousands, and tens of thousands, in the Lutheran Church, to the importance of the Sacred Scriptures; and I may mention one fact, which, I doubt not, will prove gratifying to your Lordship, and this company, that by order of the Swedish Government, a collection was made, on the day of the Jubilee, in every Church throughout that kingdom, for the purchase and distribution of Bibles among the poorer part of the population.

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