the third chapter of John's gospel, from an Italian Testament. On reading the third verse, Mr. H. paused, and the old man in his own language, said, 'He knew and believed that to be true, by the feeling of his heart,' putting his hand to his bosom at the same time, to attest it. We found he was a Roman Catholic, and his faith so much involved in the superstitions of that church, as to render it very difficult to determine whether he was in fact a child of God. He remarked that he prayed every night to Christ, to the virgin Mary, and to all the saints.' Mr. H. being the only one of us who understood the language, endeavored to correct his ignorance by telling him he must pray to none but Christ.

"In the afternoon, at 2 o'clock, Mr. McC. addressed the sick in the other department. At 4 o'clock, I preached to the Africans in Mr. P.'s room, from John iii. 3, on the nature and necessity of regeneration. After the meeting, an old woman of color besought me to go and see a sick friend of hers, at her house. After my return home, I procured the company of Messrs. L. and C., and visited her house as requested. We found that she was a native of New Jersey. Mr. L. asked her if she ever went to church. 'La me,' said she, there are but two things that give me comfort in this world. One is, that the Sabbath comes round once in seven days, and the other, that I may here pray to God in secret as often as I wish.'

"February 23.—In the evening, assisted Mr. Larned in forming a constitution for a female domestic missionary society, for this city. The design is to procure a well qualified minister of the gospel to labor as a missionary. among the poor and sick, particularly such as may be found in the hospital and jail, among the Africans and seamen, and others, as there may be opportunity.

"February 25.-I had the pleasure of being introduced this evening to a Roman Catholic priest of some dis

It may

tinction from France, but last from Baltimore. seem surprising to a protestant that this priest is exceedingly fond of Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion, that he has resolved to translate it into the French, and it may seem as strange that Boston's Fourfold State is another of his favorite English books. Speaking of Blair's Sermons, he said a few days ago to a friend, 'The sermons are very good, but there is no Christianity in them,' meaning that the style and composition were fine, but the matter destitute of spirituality. Observing on his table Chalmers's celebrated discourses on the Christian Revelation viewed in connection with Modern Astronomy, I remarked to him, that 'I was happy to find him in possession of that excellent book, and had no doubt but he had taken much pleasure in perusing it.' 'True,' said he, 'but at first, I was a little shy of it from the title. In France, you know what has been said about astronomy and philosophy, as opposed to the Christian religion. Some have tried to make the Son of God no more than the sun in the heavens, and the twelve apostles, twelve signs in the zodiac, and as the title did not tell me, I did not know which side he would take till I read it.'

I perceived that he was a man of a truly candid spirit, and in the most friendly manner, I approached him on some of the peculiarities of the church of Rome. Very soon, we were in free conversation about her infallibility. I found he did not believe in the infallibility of the pope, nor any one of his spiritual subjects, but singular as is the logic, in the whole Catholic church taken as a body, from the apostolic to the present day. He advocated the sentiment, that however free and accountable to God every human being might be, still it was necessary to require an universal assent to the creed of the holy Catholic church, because there are many who cannot comprehend all the doctrines of the Scriptures, and who, if not guided by the

enlightened decisions of the whole church, will certainly fall into error. 'But,' said I, 'supposing that a man capable of judging for himself, finds the interpretation of Scripture by the holy church absolutely incompatible with every dictate of his understanding-What shall he do?' To which he answered, For example, I am the man you allude to. Now it is plain we cannot both be right; if I am right the holy church is wrong, if the holy church be right I am wrong. Now I will say, is it most probable I am wrong, I who am one being, or the whole Catholic church from the apostles to the present day?'

"The night coming on, I was very reluctantly compelled to part with my new and interesting acquaintance. He is a man of considerable talents, both native and acquired, and I cannot but believe a truly spiritual follower of Jesus Christ. He very earnestly requested me to call on him again, and I shall not fail to do it.

“ March 7.—This morning went with several citizens, on board a Dutch ship recently arrived from Amsterdam, and having on board two hundred and forty German redemptioners, as they are called. The vessel had been sixty days on the voyage, and most of the passengers, as I understood, were from an interior province in Germany. Two other vessels were in company, having on board between three and four hundred passengers of the same description. My object was to ascertain if there were any orphans on board, and if so, to make provision for them. This was no sooner disclosed, than there were presented before me nine miserable objects, seven girls, and two boys. Their parents had died during the voyage, and their situation was such as to excite the deepest compassion. One was a sickly looking infant of two years of age. Another was four years old, with but one tattered garment, and that so poor that I was compelled to tie my handkerchief about its body, to hide its naked

ness. Some of them were laboring under the worst cutaneous diseases, others were almost covered with vermin, and all were extremely filthy. Supposing that the Female Orphan Asylum would furnish them a home, I ventured to take thither all the girls, though in doing so I became responsible for the payment of the passage-money of the two eldest, amounting to one hundred and sixty dollars. An orphan boy, who had been the principal guardian of the little girls, though he rejoiced to hear that they were to have good food, clothes and a home, wept abundantly when he learned that I could not take him also. I could pacify him only by assuring him that if he did not soon find a home, I would provide him with one.

"Within a few hours, I had the unutterable delight of seeing the poor children washed, fed, and neatly clad. Several ladies, hearing of their condition, immediately sent in quantities of clothing and every thing necessary for their comfort, and at an early hour in the evening, I received from the young gentlemen of the city the generous donation of one hundred and twenty dollars, contributed as their free will offering towards the redemption of these children. Oh, I had rather enjoy the luxury of befriending, of feeding and clothing these friendless, hungry and naked children, than sit at the table of kings, or wear all the coveted badges of royalty.

Fortunately, the managers of the Female Orphan Asylum were in session at the very moment these orphans were found, and as if God would give us every facility, the opportunity was afforded of recommending them without delay to the sympathy and charity of the directors of the asylum, most of whom wept and sobbed, as mothers could hardly fail to do, when I related my sad story to them. They immediately received them under their patronage, and assumed the debt I had incurred for their redemption, at the same time authorizing me to obtain

such other female orphans as I might find on board the other vessels.

“With the intention of executing their kind design, I visited another ship at 5 o'clock, but found so many of the citizens already on board, each endeavoring to redeem a number of passengers, that I was compelled to postpone my investigation until the ensuing week. I however saw two orphans. One, a boy of ten years of age, expressed great anxiety that I would take him with me. He said he had lost both his father and mother, that he was alone, but could read and write. The girl sought to recommend herself by saying she could knit and sew, and do many things. I assured them if they found no home until I saw them again, I would certainly provide for them."

It is gratifying to learn that these poor redemptioners never forgot the kindness of Mr. Cornelius. A few years before his death, a friend from New Orleans informed him, that some of the individuals whom he had rescued, were still living, and that they never heard his name mentioned, without exclaiming, their eyes filled with tears, 'God bless him.'

It has been before stated, that he had received a commission to labor in New Orleans from the Connecticut Missionary Society. It is proper to add that his exertions were fully acknowledged by the trustees of that association. The following extract is copied from their report. "Mr. Cornelius preached statedly and frequently to the people before the arrival of Mr. Larned—a period of three or four weeks. After this, he turned his attention more particularly to other parts of the city, and preached in the hospitals, in the jail, to seamen, and to a congregation of two hundred Africans. His visits to the hospital were frequent and deeply interesting. To the sick and dying, he was a counsellor, a comforter, and often, with his own hands, administered both clothing and nourishment to their