terrible proof of the truth of that gentleman's assertions, by dispatches, announcing that the predicted result had actually taken place; that several of the wealthier traders had leagued themselves with the officers of the regiment against the governor, whom they had actually arrested and imprisoned; and had thus produced a complete revolution, and put some of the most daring of their own conspiracy at its head. We shall pursue this subject, however, no further: the conspiracy has since been suppressed; order is by this time completely restored; another regiment has been sent out to take the place of that whose officers had conducted themselves so unworthily; its commanding officer, Lieut. Col. M'Quarrie, a gentleman of most exemplary character, has been appointed governor; and the ringleaders of the plot are at this moment on their way home for trial.

The departure of Mr. Marsden for England, at the period we have just alluded to, was as providential to himself as it was beneficial to the public cause; for there can be no doubt that, in the height and exacerbation of the tumult, he would have been seized, had he remained in New South Wales, and condemned abruptly to the most ignominious punishment, if his life had not fallen a sacrifice to its violence. From the nice accuracy of his information, moreover, and the comprehensive judgment evinced in his plans, he soon acquired so much of the confidence of the minister for the colonial department, and other members of the cabinet, that there were few of his suggestions to which they did not readily assent.

Among the more important of his propositions, we shall enumerate the following: That officers and soldiers, instead of being forbidden, should be encouraged to take out with them their wives and families: that no person should be allowed to act as a magistrate who is not, or has not been married: and that such of the convicts' wives as chuse it, should be permitted to accompany their husbands at the public expence. The expediency of all these must be obvious, not only from what has been already observed, but from our remarking, in addition, that there are not at present more than the proportion of one woman to eight or nine men throughout the entire colony; that as general marriage is hence impracticable, promiscuous intercourse is a crime almost impossible to prevent, and illegitimate children a growing and enormous burden to the state; while, on the other hand, it has been satisfactorily ascertained, that by far the greatest number of reformed criminals have consisted of those who have intermarried, or whose wives have been able to purchase their passage over. The encouragements to honesty and industry in the colony are indeed very great; and none who shew a disposition of this kind continue long without having their sentence remitted, and, like other free settlers, being allowed a grant of land to a certain extent. Government has not yet acceded to the proposal respecting the convicts' wives, tho' it is at this time under consideration. To the two former it yielded most readily; in conse

quence of which, the wives of the officers and soldiers who have accompanied the regiment, which is now on its passage, amount to not less than 300.

In connexion with these regulations, it was farther proposed, That three additional clergymen should be provided, and three schoolmasters, with small salaries from government; one for each of the settlements of Sydney, Paramatta, and Hawkesbury. From the increasing population of the colony, as well in consequence of numerous flocks of free settlers from all parts of the world as from internal increase, and frequent importations from the mother-country, it was absolutely impossible for one, two, or even for three clergymen to perform the whole of the very important duties demanded in such a station, with due punctu ality. For nearly 14 years Mr. Marsden had officiated with a zeal, an industry, and a constancy that are scarcely perhaps, to be paralleled; but it had long been at the hazard of a most robust constitution, which, at last, excellent as it was, proved altogether incompetent to one half of the services required. Two public free-schools (a boy's and a girl's) Mr. Marsden had already established and provided for, without any expence to government; but a growing population, and a population of the very worst kind, of illegitimate children, demanded threc times the number: a population which, if early instructed in habits of industry and principles of virtue by a judicious and pious education, may indeed be rendered of inestimable value to the rising colony; but, if neglected and abandoned by the state, must assuredly work its speedy and absolute destruction. To both these propositions also, administration readily assented; and his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, to whom these points were chiefly referred, wisely and liberally left it to the able founder of the plan, to select such persons as he thought most likely to promote his benevolent object; in consequence of which, altogether heedless of expence or trouble, he travelled, at his own charge, over a great part of this country, in pursuit of persons who were recommended to him as qualified for the station. He. at last succeeded to his own satisfaction: some of them have by this time reached the settlement; and the rest are on their voyage thither."

[To be concluded in the Supplement.]

THE UTILITY OF GIVING AWAY BIBLES.

Sir,

To the Editor.

If you will please to insert the following Anecdote, you will oblige, Penzance.

yours, &c.

T. F.

A PERSON, who is concerned for the salvation of his fellowcreatures, put a Bible into the chest of a young man who lately went to a distant part of the world, in the packet. When

the young man returned, he thanked his friend for his sacred present; which he said was very acceptable, as there was no other Bible in the ship! It is painful to think that men quit their native country, and enter upon the mighty deep in such shameful neglect of the word of God! Persons of property, who live in sea-port towns, have many opportunities of instructing ignorant and supplying destitute sinners. The gift of Bibles and Religious Tracts to mariners, when they are going upon their voyages, may prove a blessing to them when they are in distant climates, or on foreign shores.

Evangelicana.

66

COLLINS, the Free-thinker, met a plain countryman going to church. He asked him where he was going: To church, Sir.' "What to do there ?" To worship God.' Pray, whether is your God a great or a little God?" He is both, Sir.' "How can he be both?" . He is so great, Sir, that the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him; and so little that he can dwell in my heart.'-Collins declared, that the simple answer by the countryman, had more effect upon his mind than all the volumes which the learned doctors had written against him.

SLEEPING AT SERMONS.

NERO was very angry when Vespasian slept at his music. Is not sleeping under the gospel, which is God's music, much worse? The sin of sleeping at sermons should be carefully guarded against; and occasionally, but mildly reproved. The evil might be lessened, if the hearers would wake the sleepers ; and why should it be thought uncivil to do this? A pious person would be thankful for it. Those who would be displeased at it, would only betray their pride. "Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness."

“In

A POOR Arabian of the desert, ignorant as most of the Arabians are, was one day asked, how he came to be assured there was a God : --the same way," replied he," that I am enabled to tell, by a print impressed on the sand, whether it was a man or beast that passed that way.”

JUVENILE DEPARTMENT.

Experience of a Young Man,

lately gone abroad as a Missionary to the Heathen.

na

IT was my invaluable privilege to be born of pious parents, rents who, as soon as reason began to dawn in my soul, began, by their instructions, their exhortations, their restraints, and their example (accompanied by their prayers with me and for me) to train me up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.'

Serious impressions of the importance and necessity of true religion were made upon my mind at a very early period. The first particular one that I can recollect, was when, I think, I was about five years of age. There happened on a certain day to be a very violent storm of thunder and lights

ning in our neighbourhood; on which occasion a few Christian friends, who lived near us, being somewhat terrified by its violence, came into my father's house. Being here, in a moment, suddenly came a most vivid fash, followed by a dreadful peal; and these very much alarmed the whole of the company, except my father, who, turning towards my mother and our friends, with the greatest composure and serenity, repeated those lines of Dr. Watts: —

These words, accompanied with such circumstances, sunk deep into my heart. I thought how safe and happy are those who have the great God for their Father and Friend! but being conscious that I had sinned against him, I was afraid he was not my Father; and that, instead of loving me, he was angry with me; and this, for some time after, continued to distress and grieve my mind.

At another time, when somewhat farther advanced in years, I remember I was much impressed by an exhortation which I received from my mother. I had been guilty of an offence, which very much grieved her mind, and which deserved severe correction; but, instead of her being enraged and violently beating me (as is the conduct of too many parents on similar occasions) she took me aside, and, in the most affectionate maaner, reasoned with ine; pointed out to me the folly and sinfulness of my conduct, aud shewed me that I had not only grieved her spirit, but (which was of far greater consequence) I had grievously offended God. me of the awful consequences of sin; and asked me how I could bear the idea of being for ever separated from her, and banished from God and Heaven into everlasting torments, which must be the case if I continued such a wicked child. This deeply penetrated my soul, and caused me to weep bitterly; and, for a considerable time afterwards, had a material influence upon my spirit and conduct.

She told

From hence, till I was about 12 years of age, I was the subject of very frequent convictions of sin; and often, under the preaching of the word, I have been so much affected as to shed tears. Often did I resolve to be better, more punctual in my attendance upon duties, and more watchful over my conduct; but, alas! these resolutions being made in my own strength, were almost as soon broken as made. My goodness was indeed as the morning cloud; and, like the early dew, it soon passed away!

Sometime after this, when little more than 12 years of age, an infantsister of mine, to whom I was particularly attached, was suddenly snatched away by the hand of Death; which dispensation was like a dagger to my heart; and so deeply it afflicted me, that for a considerable time afterwards I was almost melancholy, scarcely capable of attending to any thing around me. At this time I was led very seriously to think upon the necessity of being prepared for death and eternity. With respect to my sister, who was departed, I doubted not that she was gone to Heaven. My fears were, that if I should die in the state I then was, it would not go so happily with myself. This produced, for a time, a serious concern about the salvation of my soul, and excited me to greater diligence in reading my Bible and other useful books which were put into my hands; but, alas, this concern was temporary, and by degrees vanished away! Yet the influence of those sound truths, which had been so early implanted in me, united to the restraints which were laid upon me by my parents, in a measure, kept my conscience tender, and prevented my ruaning into outward gross irregularities; and on this account I had no mean opinion of myseli; for although I knew I was not so good as I ought to have been, yet I thought

XVH.

4 B

I was much better than most around me; but, alas! soon after this, an opportunity presented itself for the display of my heart unto myself and

others.

When I was little more than 14 years of age, I was removed from the house of my parents, and placed in a family residing in the town of N-n. Just before this time, my master had made a considerable profession of religion, which had induced my parents to place me with him; ye, poor man, it appeared he was governed by worldly motives: he had an object in view he desired to attain, which he supposed he could not without a pretence to religion; but this attained, he directly threw off the mask, and returned,' as the dog to his vomit, or the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.'

Here I was called to a new scene; one widely different from that I had been accustomed to. I saw no family prayer, no reading of the Scriptures, no regular attendance upon the preaching of the gospel; indeed, the very appearance of religion, which had been assumed, was now entirely excluded. The neglect of these things appeared to me, at first, to be very strange; but this soon subsided; and at length I became perfectly satisfied without them. In this family there were several other young persons, who were accustomed to spend most of the time they could spare from business in playing at cards, attending the theatre, or reading romances, novels, &c. These were amusements I had always been taught to avoid and abhor, as foolish and injurious; but my abhorrence of them soon subsided; and I had not been in this family long, before I was induced, by the example and intreaties of my young companions, occasionally to look into one or other of the books they had read. I then soon began to persuade myself they were not such foolish and pernicious works as I had imagined them to be. From hence I proceeded farther; and began by reading a few of those novels which were said to be the best, or most moral. With these I was so much fascinated, that I proceeded to ethers of a more pernicious tendency till at last I read, with the utmost eagerness, all the books of this kind which came within my reach. Indeed, my heart was so much set upon tbem, that I have often spent that time in reading novels and plays, which ought to have been devoted to my master's business; and as soon as business was closed, instead of retiring to improve the time, by reading the Scriptures, with meditation and prayer, my Bible was almost entirely ne glected, and prayer either wholly omitted, or performed in a manner which must have been highly offensive to God; while, on the other hand, I was engaged frequently till two or three o'clock in the morning reading those accursed books which had nearly brought on the everlasting ruin of my soul; nor did I only follow the example of my companions in this respect; but, after a short time, I began to join with them in their card parties too, and occasionally to accompany them to the theatre. Thus, by this neglect of duties, the example and influence of my young companions, and the reading pernicious books, my mind became polluted, and my conscience, by imperceptible degrees, grew more stupid and callous; till at length novels, plays, cards, and the various amusements of the world, bɛcame my sole delight: I relished then with the greatest eagerness, and drank down iniquity as the ox drinketh down his water! But do not suppose, my dear friend, that I was happy when living in this state: no; true happiness was a stranger to my breast! My conscience, stupified as it was, would often condemn me, and fill me with the keenest remorse. withstanding my dreadful departures from that which was good, yet my conscience would never suffer me to absent myself from the house of God on the Sabbath-day. Here I heard the gospel faithfully preached; and frequently, after an alarming sermon, Conscience has been so much roused and alarmed, that I have roared from the anguish of it; and when retired to rest, have often lain weeping and tossing upon my bed for my follies, till sleep came to my relief. Frequently have I been led to conclude, when 1 considered the advantages which I had enjoyed, and the conduct which

Not