the care. In this there were generally about forty boys and girls. Besides learning the English, they were exercised also in the Persian and Tamul languages. Most of these children being the offspring of poor soldiers, were educated gratis.

During his stay at Ramanadapuram, Swartz had an interview with the reigning prince, and met with a very kind reception. But on his return, he found all in terror and alarm, in consequence of a change of government. The nabob was about to repossess himself of that province, notwithstanding that during the late war he had invested the present prince as the rightful heir, and had caused him to be proclaimed sovereign of the country. Swartz laments in his letter to Mr. Pasche that such faithless and perfidious proceedings, which had nearly ruined the country, were still continued, and observes that this change might extend its influence to the new institution of the English provincial schools; so that he doubted whether they would receive proper support, or be abandoned.

About this time, the following testimony to his nsefulness, and to the blessing which had attended his missionary labors, was addressed to the Secretary of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge by one of its lately elected members.

"I am happy," says this correspondent, "to be a member of a Society which professes to be animated by the noblest of all motives-the glory of God, and the eternal benefit of mankind. That these important ends may be answered by their efforts, must surely be the earnest prayer of every well wisher to the community; and as an encouragement to so laudable an undertaking, I have the pleasure to mention, from the personal knowledge of Mrs.

been proposed at Shevagenga. We even entertained lively hopes of seeing more of these schools in other places. But when the country was restored to the nabob, these pleasing expectations nearly vanished. The old system of oppression was resumed, and the country princes began to tremble. It does not belong to me," he modestly adds, "to write of politics; neither would I have mentioned the subject, had it not been so closely connected with the schools."

The congregation at Palamcotta had increased; and Swartz had lately sent there his catechist, Sattianaden, who had for many years sustained the character of a sincere Christian and an able teacher. The congregation was visited every year by one of the country priests from Tranquebar for the administration of the sacraments.

While thankfully acknowledging the past kindness of the Society, he was urgent, both in this and a subsequent letter for a fresh supply of books, not only for the native congregations and schools, but also for the soldiers in the garrison, many of whom were anxious for instruction; a request with which the Society, knowing how judiciously they would be distributed, cheerfully complied.

While thus adverting to the various charitable labors of this excellent man, it may not be irrele· vant to observe, that for a considerable space of time, during the late war, he forbore, on account of the public distress, to draw the pay which was due to him as chaplain to the garrison. Mr. Hudleston, in communicating this circumstance to the government, observes,. "Mr. Swartz makes no other use of money than to appropriate it to the purposes of charity and benevolence."

In his annual letter to the Society, dated from Trichinopoly, January 16, 1786, Swartz gratefully acknowledges the perfect health which he and his fellow-laborers had enjoyed during the preceding year, and the uninterrupted performance of their important duties. He had come to Trichinopoly for the purpose of consulting with his friend and brother, Mr. Pehle, upon points relating to the mission, and of visiting the congregations and schools. At this time, he informs the Society, that besides his young friend Mr. Kohlhoff, who was his willing assistant, and whom he intimated his wish of seeing established as his colleague, he maintained three catechists and one schoolmaster at Tanjore, one catechist at Tripatore, and three at Palamcotta. The Tamul school at Tanjore then consisted of twenty-two children, who were daily instructed in Christian principles, in reading, writing, and arithmetic, and some of them, at their own request, in the English language. Of the English school, Mr.

* Abstract of Reports, p. 248.

"DEAR MADAM :

"Trichinopoly, January 19, 1786.

"A few days ago I came hither to visit my friend Mr. Pohle. One afternoon I went with him to Warriore, to see your house and garden, where we have spent many a Saturday in a very agreeable manner. Coming near your house, Mr. Pohle put me in mind of my shameful neglect, You have not,' said he, written a line to Mr. and Mrs. Duffin for above a year.' Hearing the number of months, for he counted them, I was truly struck with confu sion. Though I have but few hours to spare, still I might have written some few lines. Well, pardon this neglect kindly. I have not written, but I have remembered you very often, wishing to spend some hours with you. I was very glad when your schoolmaster informed me, that Mr. Gericke had paid you a visit, for he is a sincere Christian, whom I have always much esteemed.

"When I came here, I thought to rejoice with Mr. Pohle; but we soon experienced grief instead of joy. A battalion mutinied; went upon the rock, and threatened destruction, if they should not get their pay. These poor people had received none since August; consequently five months' pay was due to them, besides former arrears. It is very melancholy to observe that nothing but fear will in

་

"In the world we have tribulation. This has been from the time mankind fell into sin, and will be so, till we enter into the peaceful mansions of the saints and angels in eternity. Having, then, little or no peace in the world, let us take care to have, maintain, and enjoy peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

"What an immense blessing is it to have peace with God! When we reflect on our miserable hearts, so prone to sin and iniquity, we might think that it was altogether impossible to possess that inestimable treasure. And no doubt, if it depended on our perfect obedience, we could not entertain a thought of enjoying it. But blessed be God, our peace and happiness stand on a better basis than that of our own merit.

"It is Jesus, the blessed Redeemer, who has made an atonement, a perfect atonement for our sins, and thereby laid the foundation for a complete reconciliation between us and God. Without this divine atonement we could not expect pardon and peace. God would not be to us a God of grace, but rather a consuming fire.' What praises, then, are due to Jesus, the purchaser of our peace and happiness! The nearer we keep to him, the more we enjoy of that peace. We to the more we every of much the more we shall be perplexed. Nothing keeps and preserves our minds so much as this peace. The thunder of the law may frighten, but it will never compose or strengthen our minds to obey God cheerfully.

"Let us, then, daily look out for pardon and peace watching at the same time that we may follow its guidance-that so our reason, our will, and all our passions, (aye and our external senses too,) may be preserved in subjection, obedience, and the path of holiness.

"Remember me to Mr. Duffin, our beloved friend. Mr. Pohle tells me that he has written to you, enclosing a Portuguese calendar.

May, then, the peace of God in this year, and as long as we live, cheer, guide, and strengthen us all! "I am always, dear Madam,

"Your faithful friend and servant,
"C. F. SWARTZ."

In his next letter to the same highly esteemed correspondent, Mr. Swartz took occasion to communicate his view of the Christian Sabbath; which from his intimate knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, and his eminently devout habits, well deserves the most serious attention.

"DEAR MADAM:

Tanjore, March 26th, 1786.

"Your kind letter I received yesterday, and as my heart is warm, and cheered by the good news you have sent me, I will by no means delay to answer it.

"I rejoice with you, that it has pleased God to make your Sabbaths more satisfactory to you. For merly you got now and then some showers of the divine benediction. Now you will enjoy it every Sunday.

"Was the celebration of the Sabbath necessary before the fall, how much more now after it, to awaken the mind to a lively knowledge of God, to increase in knowledge, faith, love, and hope of everlasting life! No doubt we are to attend to all this every day; but particularly to set our mind to it on every Sabbath day.

"On that day we are to exclude worldly thoughts as much as possible, even those that are allowable on other days. The works of creation, redemption, and sanctification, ought to be our chief meditation. Likewise ought we also to exclude all worldly conversation, even that which is allowable on other days. It should turn upon the word and works of God. Prayer and edifying converse should be maintained on that day. Moreover, worldly actions (except those of necessity and mercy) should be excluded. To frequent the congregation of Christians should be a delight to us.

"Then may we expect a blessing from God.Moses uses those two words, 'God sanctified' that day, that is, he appointed it to mankind to become holy, or persevere in holiness, and blessed it, that is, he appointed it as a day of blessing, to make them partakers of the best blessings-pardon of sin, peace of mind, and hope of future glory. and of futention in instituting that

day? Then may we well sit down and weep ever ourselves and our fellow creatures. How is his day profaned! Alas! alas!

Some say, 'We can serve God in our closet.' No doubt we can and ought to do it. But this ought not to be an hinderance to our frequenting the public congregation. No sincere Christian will ever speak so. That excellent man, Lord Chief Justice Hale, in England, confessed that he had received particular blessings by attending public worship. Every Christian will confess the same. Nay, we are to look to others, particularly young people, to allure them to the adoration of God.

"May a gracious God bless your congregation! May he fill it with his glory, as often as you come together! My beloved friends, Mr. Toriano and Mr. Duffin, will receive a blessing from the Lord. Take care, my friends, not to do any thing by which your Christian work, which you perform on the Sabbath day, may become less esteemed. vow of the Lord is upon you, and the world will look critically upon you.

The

"My Spirit is with you, though I am afraid that my old body will hardly be there.

My young friend, Mr. Kohlhoff, joins with me in his wishes for the prosperity of your Zion. Mr. Toriano will look upon this as written to him. God bless you and yours. Amen!

"I am, and always shall be,
"Your affectionate friend,
"C. F. SWARTZ."

Within a few days of the date of the preceding letter, the pious missionary addressed a second to the distinguished relative of Mr. Chambers, already mentioned, which, like the first, abounds with the richest Christian wisdom and consolation.

"DEAR SIR,

Tanjore, March 29th, 1786.

*

ber, and wonder that it did not reach me sooner. I have perused the account, which you have kindly given me, more than once, and shall read it again. Even your complaints are precious to me, as they are a proof that you feel your want, or your poverty; and you know that our Saviour has declared such to be blessed.

"When I have reflected upon my own deviations, (and they have been numerous, nay, innumerable,) I have had reason to attribute them to some secret pride. We confess, no doubt, that we are poor; that we have lost the glory of wisdom, holiness, and righteousness. Our confession is very orthodox; but alas! our thoughts, wishes, aims, and whole conduct, are proofs that our confession is too often undermined.

"As true religion endeavors to humble us and exalt God; and as this is absolutely necessary to our real welfare; we plainly perceive that God, in all his transactions with us, aims at this double point, viz. that we may be, what we really are, mere nothings; that he may be acknowledged as the only source of grace, strength, and happiness. "When I read your letter, I think I am reading the history of my own life. Our want of poverty of spirit, makes us put our confidence in our own (imagined) merit: at other times, it makes us indolent in prayer-sometimes presumptuous in venturing where we ought to be careful and vigilant. In short, it hinders us in faith, love, and hope.

This, I am sure, every saint now in heaven will tell you hereafter, that our pride is our greatest enemy. Nay, sometimes we attempt to bring it down furiously; and even this is a specimen of our pride.

"The best, the surest way, therefore, is to look up to Jesus, and to cry to him, Help me, grant me that true poverty of spirit which I need.

"I remember to have read the story of a pious man complaining of his unsettled mind. The old Christian, to whom he discovered his whole mind, answered him in the following manner: 'I perceive, Sir, that you do not pray.' The mourning Christian replied, 'Not pray? I fall on my knees oftentimes a day.' The old man said, 'I do not doubt that: but still I say, you do not pray I mean, you do not converse with God and your Redeemer, so intimately, so freely, so often, as if you and He were alone on earth. To converse so with God, in the midst of all our business, we need not be always on our knees.'

"In the same manner a friend once asked Mr. Francke (who built the famous Orphan House at Halle) how it came to pass, that he maintained so constant a peace of mind. Mr. Francke replied, 'By stirring up my mind a hundred times a day! Wherever I am, whatever I do, I say, Blessed Jesus, have I truly a share in thy redemption? Are my sins forgiven? Am I guided by thy Spirit? Thine I am. Wash me again and again. Strengthen me, &c. &c. By this constant converse with Jesus, I have enjoyed serenity of mind, and a settled peace in my soul.'

"Throw yourself upon Him, dear Sir, upon his mercy, atonement, grace, and Spirit. Do not look constantly upon your faults only. The sense of the love of God, and of Jesus, some true experience of ease, peace of mind, and a well grounded hope of a blessed eternity-all this, in some degree enjoyed, will give you more strength to deny the world, and the lusts of it, to take up the cross and to follow Christ, than all the thunders of the law. But as all this is not granted absolutely, but in the way of humble dependence upon God, therefore not only pray but watch earnestly, that you may not lose by dissipation, what you have obtained in the way of begging.

"Your whole letter is a clear evidence, that you hunger and thirst after righteousness; which by nature you have not, but which is purchased for you by your atoning High-Priest. The promise which is given to such is quite animating; viz. They shall be filled, and satisfied; they shall not be left in a painful hunger and thirst.'

"This promise, be assured, Jesus will make good. It is, as if he said to you: You shall be filled. Wait humbly his hour. Knock at his door confidently. Entreat him to fulfil his promise: do it again and again. You will soon find that he is faithful; and so, instead of lamenting your dejected condition, you will rejoice in the God of your salvation.

"Then the former experience of darkness, and uncomfortable hours, will be of great advantage. You will take care not to lose your roll, as Mr. Bunyan's pilgrim says.

"I shall not wait for your answer; but now and then send you a line as I have leisure.

Pray for us. We shall remember you and your family likewise. Peace be to you! "I am, my dear Sir, "Your affectionate friend, "C. F. SWARTZ."

The venerable missionary probably fulfilled his promise of occasionally writing to his eminent correspondent. The two letters which have been introduced are, however, all that remain; and after a few years, Mr. - returned to this country. As Swartz rightly concluded, the religious impressions which he had received, were deep and permanent, and productive of the fruits of a truly Christian course. These excellent men were personally strangers, having never met in India; and both have long since entered into rest: but in that higher world to which they aspired upon earth, and to which the Saviour, whom they loved and served, surely conducted them, they have, doubtless, renewed and perfected their friendship, and are recounting, to adopt the language of one of them, "the wonders of mercy," by which they have been made partakers of "the joy of their Lord."

To Mrs. Chambers, Swartz next wrote as follows:

"DEAR MADAM,

"Tanjore, April 5th, 1786.

"Your kind letter I have received, and made a proper use of it, by acquainting Mrs. Wood of the payment of a large sum. Here I have exerted my self much, by entreating the Rajah to pay off the 12,000 pagodas which he owed to the late Colonel. But though I do not despair, I find it very difficult to get any thing from these people.

The account which you have given me of your own condition has rejoiced me very much. No doubt, madam, all the world, its riches and plea sures, cannot satisfy the sinner, who feels his need of a perfect righteouness; and at the same time is fully convinced that such an immense treasure is not to be found in himself.

"How should we, therefore, rejoice at the comfortable declaration of the gospel-nay, invitation, to come and buy bread without money and without price.' Freely it has been purchased, freely offered, and freely given, in the way of repentance and faith in Jesus. Considering our own hearts, and the sinful workings of them, we must needs despair of getting proper food for our souls, if it depended upon our own works. But we know that not our works but the work of Christ, that great and divine work of atonement, has purchased all needful blessings for us.

"How happy are you, madam, that, in conjunction with your dear husband you have chosen