A SERIOUS REFLECTION. I ever felt the burden, groaned Since I am only a creature of a under the weight, or ardently day, born to exist but a short longed for deliverance from sin; time in this lower world, and as, and has the consequence of all upon my leaving it, I must be been the forsaking of it? fixed in a state of unspeakable 2. Have I been led, under a happiness, or remediless ruin, it deep sense of my own vileness, behooves me seriously and atten- and utter inability to help or save tively to consider what ground I myself, to the Lord Jesus, the sinhave to hope or expect I shall ner's Friend and only Saviour? escape the misery of hell, and Have I been enabled by a divine obtain the bliss of heaven. I am faith to lay hold upon him; and informed by an unerring book, to receive him as my wisdom, that by nature I am a child of righteousness, sanctification, and wrath, that I fell in my first parent redemption? Is Christ precious Adam, (who was the head and to me in all his offices? Do I see representative of the whole hu- a peculiar suitableness in him? man race,) and thereby became Am I willing to renounce all for Jobnoxious to the curse and ven- him, to deny myself, take up my geance of a righteous sin-hating cross, and follow him through evil God; and, indeed, I have given as well as good report, regardless demonstrative proof of the cor- of the scoff of infidels, or the ruption and depravity of my na- ridicule of the ungodly? Do I ture, by repeatedly committing walk in the way of his commandactual transgressions. The same ments and ordinances, and pant divinely inspired, and, conse-after more conformity to his image? quently, infallible book further Is it my earnest desire not only informs me, that except I am born to get to heaven, but also to gloagain, I cannot enter into the rify Christ upon earth? Do I love kingdom of heaven. My nature all who bear the Saviour's image, must be renewed; a divine change notwithstanding many of them may must be effected; the current of differ from me as to the circummy soul must be turned; in short, stantials of religion; and is it my I must become a new creature, or sincere wish to be instrumental in I can never dwell with a holy promoting his interest? If I am God. Now, if this be the case, totally unacquainted with these let me knock at the door of my things, which are all Scripture heart, and inquire of conscience, evidences of a work of grace upon God's vicegerent within, whether the soul, I am yet in the gall of or not I have any experience of bitterness, and in the bond of inisuch a change, and examine if its effects are visible in my life and conversation; and may God help me to be sincere and impartial in this truly important and moment quity, under the curse of a violated law, and my state is not a moment to be rested in. But if, on the contrary, I know something of these matters by experience, and bear these evident marks of 1. Have I ever been convinced one truly regenerated, let me call of the evil nature of sin, as being upon my soul, and all that is within utterly contrary and infinitely odi-me, to praise and bless the Lord ous to a holy and just God? Have for his distinguishing goodness ous concern. towards me the most unworthy caped by true faith and sincere reof his creatures; in selecting me pentance, there is reason to susfrom an ungodly world, dead in pect many have gone down to hell. trespasses and sins; in quickening my BAD COMPANY. If, therefore, you value your credit and comfort in life, your peace in death, or your happiness in eternity, shun evil company as destruction; and remember, that under the idea of dangerous society we are to include, not only the drunkard, the profane swearer, the unchaste, or the dishonest; but likewise all who do not love God and obey the gospel of Jesus Christ. Lord, keep me near thyself! ANECDOTE. The very sound of the expression, Bad Company, is painful to HENRY IV. King of France, a prudent and pious ear. The was, in every point of view, a soul of a good man trembles at the great man. It reflects no small idea of being the companion of honour on his piety, that on the the wicked. And what is the rea- return of his birthday, he made son? He has many reasons for it. this reflection: I was born,' said 'He has reasons which relate to he, as on this day, and, no doubt, time, and reasons which relate to taking the world through, thoueternity. He knows such com- sands were born on the same day pany to be disgraceful. The wise with me; yet, out of all those and good judge of men by their thousands, I am probably the only company; and with them it is one whom God hath made a king. always accounted disreputable to How peculiarly am I favoured by be seen in the society of those the bounty of providence!' whose character is stained. Evil A Christian too, reflecting on company also hinders religious his second birth, may, with greater improvements: takes off the heart reason, adore the free and sovefrom God; gradually lessens the reign grace of God. 'I am, he fear of sin; imperceptibly draws may probably say, 'the only one men into the commission of ini- of a large family, or a larger cirquity; and in this way destroys cle of friends, that at present both the usefulness and the com- appears to be of the election of fort of life. It has been the ruin grace. In the midst of a conof thousands and tens of thou-gregation of many hundreds, or, sands. By it multitudes have perhaps, thousands, I was possibeen led on to actions and crimes, bly the only one on such a day, at the bare thought of which their and under such a sermon, to souls once shuddered. By means of whom the voice of Christ came evil company they have had their with power! How much more do minds filled with fears, and their I owe to God than if I had been consciences overwhelmed with born to all the honours, cares, and horror; and for one that has es-dangers of an empire!' SINGULAR ACCOUNT OF SOME JEWS replied the other, but we believe as firmly in Christ as most Christians do. We have been IN HOLLAND. Some gentlemen, in the pas- long separated from the Synasage-boat between Amsterdam gogue, and meet by ourselves to and Utrecht, met with several read the New Testament, and Jews. The weather was unfa- pray to Jesus Christ; our numvourable, and this formed the bers are very considerable in subject of their conversation. Amsterdam.' But why,' asked One of the Jews observed that it the gentleman, do you not come was a judgment upon the Chris-forward, and join the Christians tians, for their disrespect to the at once?' Sir,' said the Jew, Messiah, the Saviour of the world. your practice and profession ' And what do you care about the are so much at variance that we Messiah,' said one of the gentle-think we are better by ourselves.' men,' are you not Jews?'Yes,'-Bap. Miss.Mag. March, 1818. 6 Keligious Intelligence. MISSIONARY SUMMARY. A CHASM in the receipt of our European publications will prevent our presenting a regular view of missionary proceedings-but though broken, they will be found interesting. Sylhet, Chittagong, Chongacha, and seve ral other places on the continent. In Ceylon another Buddhist priest has renounced idolatry, and been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. In this island the word seems to have free course; and the gods of wood and of stone are falling before the King of kings and the Lord of lords. The missionaries of different sects seem to have but one strife, which shall make the greatest exertions to spread the savour of the Redeemer's name. In Amboyna Mr. Jabez Carey is labouring with his accustomed zeal, aud with great suc cess. Opposition to the Gospel appears every where to be giving way, and the painful labour of the missionary is at length receiving its reward. The Baptists in India still go on in their steady course, enlightening those who sit in darkness. They are depositing the Scriptures, without, in every case, attempting to explain them. Fearful of exciting prejudices against their mission, at the first outset, they wait until the word has been read, and a desire produced to know more of its contents. It is then the missionary steps in, and unfolds the great mystery of godliness. The reports of the missionaries do not record any numerous or extraordi- Perhaps the most arduous and the least nary conversions, but there is in many unostentatious situation of the missionary is places a deep concern evinced to know the in South Africa. Here are, indeed, but truth, and some are inquiring what they few prejudices, except such as arise from shall do to be saved. Stations are already the corruptions of human nature, to oppose effected at Dinagepore, Goamalty, Cutwa, the progress of the Gospel; but there is an VOL. II....No. 2. 6 indifference to encounter, calculated to that the time may come when the heathen shall be given him for an inheritance, and when Ethiopia shall stretch out her hands unto God. damp the most ardent zeal; and a ferocity Men just come from EDINBURGH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. The most pleasing intelligence has been received from the Society Islands. PoMARE, king of Tahiti, has long been açquainted with the truth in Christ. Now the chiefs of the Leeward islands have openly professed Christianity, and deolared their gods to be no gods. Their idols had been sent to the Rev. Mr. Marsden, in New South Wales, and while peace was in all the borders of the missionaries, and the Church had rest, the blessed work of conversion from sin to holiness was proceeding among the natives. The mission to New Zealand, under the direction of Mr. Marsden, promises great success. Two young chiefs from thence have arrived in London, for the purpose of being taught the mechanical arts, as well as for Christian instruction. Letters have been received from Messrs. Glen, Mitchell, and Dickson, at Astrachan, dated the 3d and 16th of December, at which time the missionaries and their families were in their usual health, with the exception of Mr. Mitchell, who had been a good deal indisposed for about a month, but who, the directors are happy to find, was almost completely recovered at the date of the last letter. The printing of the second edition of the Tartar New Testament for the Russian Bible Society, was advanced to the end of the Epistle to the Romans; and it is expected, if no unforeseen hinderance should occur, that the whole will be finished by the month of May. The number of books circulated during November was 24 Persian Testaments, 4 Tartar ditto, 8 single Gospels, and 136 Tracts. The Moscow Committee of the Russian Bible Society had lately requested to be sent to them 15 copies of the Tartar New Testament, 15 of the Psalms, and the same number of each of the single Gospels and Tracts; which order has been answered as far as was possible, the edition of the Psalms having been previously exhausted. It must be gratifying to the friends of the Bible Society, as well as of Missions, to learn, that among the Tartars in the gov ernment of Perm, a great anxiety prevails to possess the Scripture. This information had just been communicated by Prince Galitzin to the Archbishop of Astrachan, who was requested, at the same time, to cause copies of all the books in the Tartar language, printed by the missionaries, to These facts strongly indicate that God is pouring out his Spirit on the heathen world, and preparing the way for the universal spread of the Gospel. Every devout disciple of Christ will join us in praying be forwarded to Perm as soon as possible. Nor can the following extracts from Mr. Dickson's journal for November fail to be at once interesting and encouraging. Nov. 1. "To-day Moulem Birdy called, and, in the course of a long conversation, proposed a number of questions respecting religion, which I was enabled to answer apparently to his satisfaction. From many of his questions, it is evident, that of late he has been thinking a good deal on what he had heard from Christians respecting their religion. He said, that, when opportunity offered, he conversed with all kinds of Christians; but (whether out of compliment or conviction I will not say) that what he heard from us appeared to him much more rational than any thing he met with else where. He speaks now with the greatest freedom on the principles of Christianity, and seems not to feel so much shocked as he once did, when the divinity of Christ is asserted, though he still opposes that doctrine. In short, he seems disposed to think favourably of Christianity upon the whole, but regards it, at the same time, as a religion that is now abrogated, and, of course, not binding on the conscience. He reprobates the idea of ranking Christians with infidels, as the Mahommedans do; and is of opinion, that their state (though perhaps more precarious than that of the faithful followers of the founder of Islamism) is not at all to be compared to the condition of the heathen, who are ignorant of the God that made them. He even proceeded as far as to say, "they are as ignorant as brutes who rank a believer in Jesus among infidels;" a declaration which, I am persuaded, he would not have ventured before Mohammedans, lest he himself should have been pronounced an infidel for his pains; for, as he considers the false prophet to be at least equal to Jesus of Nazareth, whose divinity he denies, the imputation of being an infidel is a burden which he is not yet able to bear. In the course of the conversation he admitted, that, in order to serve God acceptably, a change of heart is necessary; but on this subject his notions are confused. May it please Him, who walk eth in the midst of the seven golden candle. sticks, to open his heart, to receive the only begotten of the Father, not only as a Pro. phet, but as "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world." "Hagi Jan, who called several times of late, and appears to listen attentively to what is said to him respecting the Gospel, proposed to come and live with us in the capacity of a labourer in the printing-office, and was confident he would soon learn to work at the press. He complained that his place of residence was so far distant as to put it out of his power to hear the Gospel as often as he wished; and that thus debarred from the opportunities he might have, were he on the spot, his progress in knowledge was but little, in comparison of what it might otherwise be. I endeavoured to divert his thoughts from this project, being afraid that he might put us to trouble, were he to be received into the printingoffice, and that he might not be trust-worthy. Finding he was not to be dissuaded from his purpose, by any thing I could say against it, I told him it was not my province to hire labourers for the press, and referred him to Mr. Mitchell. 22d. "Had several conversations with the Jews, in which I sometimes pressed them pretty hard on their obstinacy in still maintaining, that the Messiah promised to their fathers is not yet come. They are unable, however, to argue the point, being almost entirely ignorant of the principles of the Christian religion, and of the evidences on which its truth is founded. I asked them to read Isaiah liii. with Psalms xxii. and cx. I read, in their hearing, Isaiah ix. 6, 7. and Gen. xlix. 10. and endeavoured to direct their attention to the names and titles there given to our Saviour. I remarked, that, in the history of Jesus of Nazareth, every thing was fulfilled which their prophets had foretold respecting the life and death of the Messiah; and that, in point of fact, the sceptre did not depart from Judah till he came; that, from his resurrection to the present moment, the people had been gathering to him as the Messiah; and that |