364

He stopped, and seemed much which I here subjoin under the affected. title of

"My friend," said I, "I will now pray with you for your own soul, and for those of your parents also."

"Do, Massa, dat is very goot and kind, do pray for poor Negro souls here and every where."

THE NEGRO'S PRAYER.

JESUS, who maks't the meanest soul
An object of thy care,
Attend to what my heart would speak,
Hear a poor Negro's prayer.
For thou, when bleeding on the cross,
My sins and griefs didst bear;
This makes me think thou'lt not refuse
To hear a Negro's prayer.

I was a helpless Negro boy,
And wandered on the shore,
Thieves took me from my parents' arms,

I never saw them more.

Quite otherwise did prove!

This was a new and solemn "house of prayer." The seasand was our floor, the heavens were our roof; the cliffs, the rocks, the hills, and the waves, formed the walls of our chamber. It was not indeed a "place where But yet my lot that seem'd so hard, prayer was wont to be made;" For but for this once, it became a hallowed spot it will by me ever Poor be remembered as such. presence of God was there. prayed. The Negro wept.-His In ignorance I long had liv'd, heart was full. I felt with him, and wept likewise.

The

I

The last day will show, whether our tears were not the tears of sincerity and Christian love.

I

And

I

was carried far from home

To learn a Saviour's love.

and despised though I was, Yet thou, O God, wast nigh, when thy mercy first I saw Sure none so glad as I.

A rebel too I'd been;
But thy great kindness, O my God,
Sav'd me from all my sin.
Mine was a wretched state, expos'd
To men and angels' view;
A slave to man, a slave to sin,
A slave to Satan too.

But if the Son hath made me free,
From power of man, of sin, and hell,

Then am I free indeed;

For evermore I'm freed. send thy word to that far land,

It was time for my return; leaned upon his arm, as we ascended the steep cliff in my way back to my horse, which I had left at the top of the hill. Humi-O! Where none but Negroes live; lity and thankfulness were marked Teach them the way, the truth, the life, in his countenance. I leaned upon Thy grace, thy blessing give. his arm with the feelings of a bro-O! that my father, mother dear ther. It was a relationship I was

Might there thy mercy see;

happy to own. I took him by the Tell them what Christ has done for them,

hand at parting, appointed one
more interview previous to the
day of baptizing him, and bid
him farewell for the present.
"God bless you, my dear
Massa."

"And you, my fellow Christian, for ever and ever. Amen."

What Christ has done for me. Whose God is like the Christian's God! Who can with Him compare! He hath compassion on my soul,

And bears a Negro's prayer.

Lord Jesus, thou hast shed thy blood

For thousands such as me,
Many despise poor Negro slave,
But I am lov'd by thee.
And this is all I want below,

To be thy constant care,
Keep me from sin and danger, Lord,
And hear a Negro's prayer.

In heaven the land of glory lies,
If I should enter there;

My interviews with the Negro, I'll tell the saints and angels too

suggested the following lines,

Thou heard'st a Negro's prayer.

Keligious Intelligence.

MEMOIR

But although this variety of languages

RELATIVE TO THE TRANSLATION OF THE gives to the work in which we are engaged

BACRED SCRIPTURES, BY THE BAPTIST

MISSIONARIES AT SERAMPORE.

[Concluded from page 284.]

a highly formidable appearance, since they almost confuse the mind by their number, the difficulty will be found more apparent than real, particularly when they are taken singly as they occur. With a previous

31. THE Khassee. This language is knowledge of the mode of construction, and spoken by a small nation to the east of Sil-nine-tenths of the words in any one lanket, who inhabit the mountains extending guage, the study of it can scarcely deserve from Silhet nearly to the borders of China. the name of labour. The peculiar terminaIn this specimen three or four Sungskrit tions being once familiarized, (scarcely a words may be traced, but so disguised by hundred in any one of those languages,) the the monosyllables prefixed or added to language is already understood. Nothing them, that they are not easily recognized; while the pronouns, gna, I, fee, thou, kee, they, and the frequent recurrence of the syllables ming, eng, ung, &c, plainly indicate its distant affinity with the Chinese monosyllabic system, however widely it differs from it in its present state.

remains dark and uncertain to discourage the pursuit; and the gradual acquisition of four or five hundred words, the tenth of as many thousands, the general number of words in these languages, has little in it that requires hard study. It will be evident, therefore, that to a person already acquaint

cost scarcely the labour of acquiring one language totally new to him, as it will be merely that of familiarizing himself with less than five thousand words, a labour performed by every one who adds to Latin a knowledge of Greek; a labour certainly far inferior to that of committing to memory five thousand Chinese characters, each describing a different idea by a different combination of strokes; and far, very far less than that involved in the previous acquisi tion of the Hindee, Bengalee, and Sungskrit languages.

32. The Burman language. This lan-ed with Sungskrit, Bengalee, and Hindee, guage has borrowed the Sungskrit alpha- the acquisition of ten of these languages will bet, in which it is now constantly written. But notwithstanding this, scarcely three Sungskrit words can be descried in the specimen given. Syllables, however, which accord with those in the Chinese colloquial system, are to be found in abundance; and, indeed, the language adopts two of the four Chinese tones. We here find the Sungskrit arrested in its progress eastward, therefore, and constrained to lend its alphabet to do little more than clothe and express another system, said, by those who have studied it most closely, to be originally monosyllabic, and which still retains tones completely But much as any two of these languages foreign to the Sungskrit system. The lan- may approximate, the terminations, though guages which spring from the Sungskrit, in few instances exceeding a hundred, are therefore, evidently form a whole of them-so often repeated in discourse, that a lanselves, and, taken together, constitute a guage formed of the same radical words, philological family, which for number and will, when spoken, be scarcely intelligible close resemblance to each other, can to one of a neighbouring province. This scarcely be paralleled. will be evident from an example: the Mah

ratta specimen of the Lord's Prayer has fact, that one to whom a language is vertwenty-nine out of its thirty-two words nacular, can, in general, express an idea agreeing with the Bengalee; but of the therein with a degree of perspicuity and hundred and nineteen syllables which it neatness scarcely attainable by a foreigner contains, no less than fifty-nine will be in a long period of years. Of this we befound to differ in sound from those in the came early sensible, from repeated trials in Bengalee specimen; so that while the lan- Bengalee. We have long observed, that guages have nearly the same words in com-on communicating an idea to a learned mon with each other, in discourse only one Bengalee, with a wish that he would exhalf of the sounds convey the same idea, press it in his own way, he has done it in a and the other half (that is, the terminations) manner so clear and expressive, that while so disguise these, as to render the whole we could fully comprehend the force of nearly unintelligible. This will not appear every word employed, we have found it strange, when it is considered that the radi-almost impossible to express it with equal cal words and the pronouns, which are force and freedom ourselves. It therefore nearly alike in all the languages, convey the occurred to us, that if, to this freedom and idea in its unmodified state; but whether force of expression, strict accuracy could be it be that of a thing, a quality, or an action; united, a version of the Scriptures might, and if the former, whether it be singular or in a very few years, be produced in the va⚫ plural; if the latter, whether it be affirmed, rious cognate languages of India, superior or denied, advised, commanded, or forbid to what might be expected possibly in half den, must be learnt from the different termi-a century from a man's going into each of nations which convey the idea to the mind, these countries, sitting down to acquire the with the various shades of meaning nicely language ab origine, and then forming the discriminated. Hence, languages unintel-style of a translation himself, with the stiffligible for want of an acquaintance with the ness and baldness for many years inseparaterminations, become plain and clear when ble from a man's writing in a foreign lan these are acquired. guage. We therefore first made the trial From this it will appear, that, while in one or two of the languages with which those who speak these cognate languages, we were most familiar, and finding it suc varied as they are by their different termi-ceed beyond our expectation, we extended nations, are almost unintelligible to each it to others. The process of the work is other, a few persons, acquainted with Sung-nearly as follows:

skrit, and the leading cognate languages, On engaging a pundit in one of these cog familiar with Indian grammar, and the nate languages, after having examined and principles on which the permutation of let-ascertained his qualifications, we gave him ters is founded, may, with little difficulty, an approved version of the Scriptures in a obtain that knowledge of these languages, language with which he is well acquainted which, to those unacquainted therewith, for most of the pundits we employ, while might seem almost unattainable; and by good Sungskrit scholars, are also acquainta diligent improvement of native talent and ed with at least one or two of the cognate knowledge, if the means for printing are languages of India, besides their own vernafurnished, compress into a few years what cular tongue, and some of them with three might seem otherwise the work of ages, and or four. Then placing him among two or accelerate the general introduction of Chris- three other pundits, who have been for tianity into India, possibly by half a century. years employed with us, we direct him to In the method we pursue, however, this express the ideas he finds there, in his own labour, if not actually shortened, is at least vernacular idiom with the utmost care and greatly facilitated. It is a well-known exactness, and to ask questions wherever he

ands it necessary.

Meantime the gram- if it could have that extension given it in India, which the Roman alphabet has obtained in Europe. This we wish, if possible, to promote; and hence, though we have cast several founts of types in the local characters for the use of those who now read these alone; yet, as many prefer the Nagree, it is our design ultimately to publish an edition of most of these in the Nagree character.

matical terminations, and the peculiarities of the language are acquired, possibly by the time he has finished the first Gospel. The work of revision is then begun with the pundit. This at first proceeds exceedingly slow, as nothing is suffered to go to press till fully understood and approved; and in some instances the alterations made are so numerous, as to leave little of the first copy That the labour is not lost which is thus standing. This revision is, however, of the employed in giving the Scriptures in a lanhighest value, as the discussions which it guage, though spoken by not more than originates, both lay open the language to two millions of people, as is probably the us, and the sense of the original to the pun- case with some of these, must be obvious to dit. As we advance, we proceed with in- all who are acquainted with the state of creased ease and pleasure, and seldom go things in the British Isles. The value of through the fourth Gospel, without feeling this has been demonstrated in Wales, ourselves on firm ground relative to the faith- where the word of God, being translated fulness and accuracy of the version. Thus a first version of the New Testament is produced, not inferior in accuracy, and far superior in point of style and idiom, to the first version of the Bengalee New Testament, the product of seven years' severe labour and study. The Old Testament becomes still more easy; and the knowledge and experience acquired in bringing the first edition of the Scriptures through the press, form no contemptible preparation for the re-further appear, if we, on the other hand, vision of a second edition of the New Testament.

into the vernacular language of that small principality, has, age after age, brought forth fruit in the most abundant manner. This, however, it could scarcely have done in the same degree, had the Welsh been left to derive all their knowledge of the Scrip tures from the English language, although it is the language of their nearest neighbours, and spoken in a certain degree among themselves. The importance of this will

consider the state of things in Ireland, in the vernacular language of which, the Scriptures, if wholly translated and printed, have never yet been circulated to any extent; and to this very day we find the in habitants, under a splendid and numerous Protestant establishment, which conducts worship in the English language, almost as ignorant of the Scriptures as the Hindoos themselves. The expense and labour which have been so commendably applied within these few years past to the comple tion of a Gaelic version of the Scriptures, though that language is far less extensive than any of the Indian languages, serve further to show the value of the object before us.

The printing of these versions is highly important, as for want of the means to print them, versions have often lain almost useless, and, in some instances, many have been lost. In this part of the work we have been favoured with such assistance, that we have types ready for printing in almost every one of these languages. Some of them have a peculiar character of their own, as the Orissa, the Kashmeer, the Wuch, the Goojuratee, &c. In the greater part of them, however, the Deva-nagree is familiar to most of those who can read; and as this alphabet is perfectly complete, while some of the local alphabets are greatly deficient, it seems desirable to extend the Deva-nagree as widely as possible. It would, indeed, greatly facilitate the progress of knowledge, guages, if possible, will further appear, it

The importance of thus preparing versions of the Scriptures, in all these lan

we consider the ease with which the Gospel all things are ready for the work, the ex

may be introduced by any Missionary into pense of pundit's wages for translating the one of these provinces when this is once New Testament, and bringing it through effected. A Missionary who may in some the press, and that of printing a thousand future period wish to carry the Gospel thi- copies, including types, paper, &c. will be ther, may not possess that turn of mind little more than four thousand rupees, or five which would enable him to sit down with hundred pounds; which sum, we think, delight to so arduous a work as the transla-will both secure a version in almost any one tion of the Scriptures; he may not possess of these languages, and an edition of a thouthat knowledge of the originals which such sand copies; a number sufficient to convey a work requires; or he may not have a the knowledge of the Gospel into any one press at hand to print the Scriptures when of these provinces, as well as to secure the translated, or funds to meet the expense; translation against the possibility of being but devoid of all these, with the Scriptures in his hand already translated, he can begin proclaiming the glad tidings of mercy to perishing sinners; yea, the very perusal of these Scriptures, with care and diligence, will be to him both grammar and dictionary in the acquisition of the language.

equal ease. The Old Testament is to the New as seven to twenty-five; that is, it contains more than thrice, but less than four times the quantity of the New. Two thousand pounds, therefore, would now defray the expense of translating the whole of the Sacred Oracles into almost any one of these cognate languages, and of printing a first edition of a thousand copies.

lost. A second edition of three or four thousand copies, will, of course, come for about a rupee each copy. Thus then five hundred pounds will almost secure the Gospel's being given to any one of the provinces of India; and were any friend in his lifetime, or in his will, to devote five hunNor when the Scriptures are thus transla-dred pounds to this purpose, the effect of it ted, will a European Missionary be in every might continue operating from generation instance requisite for the purpose of intro- to generation, till time itself shall be no ducing the Gospel into these provinces. Amore. Were we to include the whole of brother born and raised up in India, or the Scriptures in one of these languages, even a Hindoo convert, though incapable of the expense could be ascertained with translating the Scriptures, may acquire the local character, if different from his own, go among his bordering neighbours, and quickly attain a language so nearly allied to his own. Thus several of our brethren born in Bengal, are now employed in Hindoostan; and not only have brethren Kerr, Thompson, and Peter, natives of Calcutta, carried the Gospel into various parts of India; but our brother Krishnoo-das, whose It is from a view of these circumstances, memory is precious among us, took the that we have been induced to improve to Orissa New Testament, went into that the utmost those advantages which we pos country, learned the language, and labour-sess for carrying forward the work. It is ed there with brother Peter, till arrested in true, that at the date of this Memoir, we his career by that sickness which at length had not begun the translation of the Scripconducted him to his Father's house above.tures in eight or nine of these languages; as The expense of giving a version in each of the Southern Sindh, the Kutch, the Marathese languages is also far from being great, Our experience in the work of translating and printing enables us at this time to judge pretty correctly respecting the expense of one of these versions: and we think that, in general, now types are prepared, and

war, the Malwa, the Magudha, the NorthKhosbula, and the Mithilee. But whoever will refer to the specimens of the Lord's Prayer in these, and reflect on the ease with which they can be added to the rest, will not wonder if we candidly acknowledge