had that day week taken my infant son; and, what afflicted me far more, three weeks before, dear brother Ward's second daughter, about six years old, in a putrid sore throat. While reflecting on these providences, some one exclaimed, The printing-office is on fre! I ran instantly thither, and beheld, at the lower end of the office, which is a room 200 feet long, a stage containing 700 reams of English paper, sent out to print the Tamul and Cingalese New Testament, euveloped in flames. Every door and window but one was fastened by a large flat bar of iron which went across it, and was secured by a bolt in the inside. In five minutes, the room was so filled with smoke that a candle would not live. Finding it impossible to open the windows, or for any one to go in without danger of instant death, we fastened that door again, in the hope of smothering the flame, and, ascending the root, pierced it over the fire; and by incessantly pouring down water, so kept it under for three hours, that nothing but that pa er appeared to have kinuled, and there the flame was greatly abated. The alarm which we gave brought all the Europeaus around us to our assistance, besides our native servants, so that we had all the assistance we could desire. While, however, the flames were got under there, I looked in, and suddenly saw a flame spread about twenty feet higher up. The smoke and steam increased so as to render it death to get three feet within the wall. In a few minutes the flames spread in every direction, and took away all hope of saving any thing from thence, and filled us with terror for Mrs. Marshman's school, about thirty feet to the north-west; a bed-room for the boys, about sixteen feet full north, which communicated with brother Carey's; and the hall, library, and museum, within twelve feet of it to the north-east. The wind, however, fell, and it burned as straight upward as a fire ia a hearth, and communicated to nothing beside. It remained burning six hours, and consumed the beams, five feet in circum ference, the root, the windows, and every thing but the walls. Happily no lives were lost, nor a bone broken. The loss we cannot at present estimate. It has consumed all but the six presses, which we rejoiced were saved, being in a side room. Two thousand reams of English paper are consumed, worth at least 50001. Founts of types in fourteen languages, besides English: namely,-Nagree (two founts large and small), Bengalee (two founts), Orissa, Mahratta, Seek, Burman, Telinga, Tamul, Cingalese, Chinese, Persian, Arabic, Hebrew, and Greek, were CHRIST. OBSERY. No. 129. burnt; besides founts of English for carrying on ten works, which we have now in the press; and the cases, stones, brass rules, iron chases, correspondent with all these. We have not types left for the circular letter, nor even to print a statement of the loss. The editions of the New Testament, which are stopped, are nine: viz. the Hindostanee, Persian, and Tamul, printing under the patronage of the Auxiliary Bible Society, and the Hindee (second edition), Telinga, Seek, Burman, Sungskrit (second edition), and Chinese. The editions of the Old Testament are five: the Sungskrit, Bengalee (second edition), Orissa, Mahratta, and Hindee. Among the English works suspended till we get types from you are, the Sungskrit Grammar (second edition), Brother Ward's work on the Manners of the Hindoos (second edition), Confucius (second edition), the Dissertation on the Chinese (second edition), enlarged to more than two hundred pages; Bengalee Dictionary, and a Telinga Grammar, both by Brother Carey. The loss cannot be less than twelve thousand pounds sterling, and all our labours are at once stopped. “Yet amidst all, mercy evidently shines. I trembled for dear Brother Ward (as our sisters did for us both), lest the roof should have fallen in with him, or lest he should have entered too far, and at once extinguish the spark of life. But we were all preserved, blessed be God. The flames touched nothing besides; they might have consumed every thing. The presses are preserved, and happily the matrices of all the founts of types were deposited in another place; had they been burnt, it must have been years before they could have been replaced. We can now, however, begin casting types to-morrow, if we can find money; country paper can be substituted for English; and thus two or three months will put the versions of the Scriptures in motion again. But for English we shall be distressed till you send us a supply; we know not even how to send you a circular letter. I am writing this at Calcutta, to go by the packet this evening, whither I am come to inform Brother Carey, and therefore cannot tell you what types, nor how many. They must, however, be of all the sizes from the text of Confucius to the Minion in the circular letter; also Italian, and every printing utensil accompanying. Perhaps some friend in London, in the printing line, can tell what goes to complete a printing-office with English types. You must also send a fount of Greek and Hebrew. I am distressed to think where you will find meney; but send, if you incur a debt; the silver 4 K "I have received from the Depository of the British and Foreign Bible Society, for the use of the troops confined by sickness and convalescent, at Royal York Hospital, Chelsea, 50 French, 20 Dutch, and 100 German Testaments; and I beg leave to return my grateful thanks to the Society for this supply, so valuable and so important. I will put them into the hands of the German Legion, and other foreigners serving his Majesty, myself; and I will add a few words of advice and exhortation at the same time. The good that is done by thus circulating the Scriptures is incalculable. Government has supplied the Barracks and other Hospitals with Common Prayers, English Testaments, and Bibles; and a selection of Religious Tracts, from the list published by the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, has been made, and sanctioned by the Archbishops and the Bishop of London, and circulated with the Bibles. And it affords me the most heartfelt satisfaction to be enabled to say, that the poor sick soldiers receive the books with expressions of thankfulness and gratitude; and, instead of idling their time away in unseemly, or spending it in wicked, conversation, they are frequently seen forming small parties, and reading the Bible and the religious tracts to each other. "I have taken the liberty to enclose two Pound notes as my mite towards your excellent and truly Christian design, and I hope you will permit me to insert my name as subscribing one Guinea annually." The following letters have reference to the prisoners of war in this country, and with these we shall close our extracts. Translation of a Letter from Mons. to the Agent for Prisoners at Norman Cross. "The sacred books, which have been delivered to the prisoners, are, for the most part, preserved and respected, as they deserve to be. Messrs. -,- --, &c. to whom the Bibles were given, have told me, that they derive the greatest consolation from them; and they offer their thanks to those pious and charitable persons who have taken a pleasure in imparting to them the Word of God, in a situation in which the soul has so much need of comfort. Thus, Sir the effect produced by these books is such as all Christian souls could desire." From a Correspondent, near Chatham. "As the British and Foreign Bible Society have honoured me with the charge of a considerable number of Bibles and Testaments, for distribution among the prisoners of war at this depot, I deem it my duty to give some account of the manner in which they have been distributed. "For many months past, numbers of the prisoners have manifested a great desire to read the Scriptures. As soon as I found this to be the case, in order to supply them as far as possible, and at the same time to prevent the books being too cheap, I procured one or two respectable officers on board of each ship, and committed to their care a few Bibles and Testaments, to lend out every day in the manner of circulating libraries. This plan has hitherto answered well, for we often see small parties collected together in different parts of the ship, and one engaged in reading to the rest. But in proportion as the Bible is known, the desire to read it becomes more general; hence, in addition to the circulating libraries, when I find a person who expresses a strong desire to possess a Bible or Testament of his own, to take home with him to his native country, I give him one." "I would here beg leave to observe, that I do not fail to embrace the opportunity of cartels going to France with invalids; when such an opportunity offers, I give to each invalid a Bible or a Testament. With respect to the fruits which appear at present, in addition to those I mentioned in a former letter, the sacred Scriptures are read with much apparent attention, and I doubt not with much real benefit. A few days ago I visited the general hospital ship, and was much pleased to see some of the poor dying captives reading the Bible as they lay in their beds. I have letters in my possession, both in French and German, expressive of the high sense of gratitude which many of those feel to whom the bounty of the British and Foreign Bible Society has extended." BAPTIST MISSION IN INDIA. It is with very deep concern that we communicate to our readers the particulars of a calamity which has befallen the printing The establishment attached to this mission. account is extracted from a letter from Dr. Joshua Marshman, of Serampore, to Dr. Ryland of Bristol, dated March 12, received September 9th, 1812. "I closed a letter to you on the 10th, but now write anew. Another leaf of the ways of Providence has been since unfolded, which will fill you both with sorrow and gratitude, and call for the exercise of faith in Him whose word, firm as the pillars of heaven, has declared, All things shall work together for the good of them that love God.' "Last night, about six, I was sitting in my study, musing over the dealings of God, who. had that day week taken my infant son; and, what afflicted me far more, three weeks before, dear brother Ward's second daughter, about six years old, in a putrid sore throat. While reflecting on these providences, some one exclaimed, The printing-office is on fire! I ran instantly thither, and beheld, at the lower end of the office, which is a room 200 feet long, a stage containing 700 reams of English paper, seat out to print the Tamul and Cingalese New Testament, enveloped in flames. Every door and window but one was tastened by a large flat bar of iron which went across it, and was secured by a bolt in the inside. In five minutes, the room was so filled with smoke that a candle would not live. Finding it impossible to open the windows, or for any one to go in without danger of instant death, we fastened that door again, in the hope of smothering the flaine, and, ascending the root, pierced it over the fire; and by incessantly pouring down water, so kept it under for three hours, that nothing but that pa er appeared to have kinuled, and there the flame was greatly abated. The alarm which we gave brought all the Europeans around us to our assistance, besides our native servants, so that we had all the assistance we could desire. While, however, the flames were got under there, I looked in, and suddenly saw a flame spread about twenty feet higher up. The smoke and steam increased so as to render it death to get three feet within the wall. In a few minutes the flames spread in every direction, and took away all hope of saving any thing from thence, and filled us with terror for Mrs. Marshman's school, about thirty feet to the north-west; a bed-room for the boys, about sixteen feet full north, which communicated with brother Carey's; and the hall, library, and museum, within twelve feet of it to the north-east. The wind, however, fell, and it burned as straight upward as a fire in a hearth, and communicated to nothing beside. It remained burning six hours, and consumed the beams, five feet in circum ference, the root, the windows, and every thing but the walls. Happily no lives were lost, nor a bone broken. The loss we cannot at present estimate. It has consumed all but the six presses, which we rejoiced were saved, being in a side room. Two thousand reams of English paper are consumed, worth at least 50001. Founts of types in fourteen languages, besides English: namely,-Nagree (two founts large and small), Bengalee (two founts), Orissa, Mahratta, Seek, Burman, Telinga, Tamul, Cingalese, Chinese, Persian, Arabic, Hebrew, and Greek, were CHRIST. OBSERY. No. 129. burnt; besides founts of English for carrying on ten works, which we have now in the press; and the cases, stones, brass rules, iron chases, correspondent with all these. We have not types left for the circular letter, nor even to print a statement of the loss. The editions of the New Testament, which are stopped, are nine : viz. the Hindostanee, Persian, and Tamul, printing under the patronage of the Auxiliary Bible Society, and the Hindee (second edition), Telinga, Seek, Burman, Sungskrit (second edition), and Chinese. The editions of the Old Testament are five: the Sungskrit, Bengalee (second edition), Orissa, Mahratta, and Hindee. Among the English works suspended till we get types from you are, the Sungskrit Grammar (second edition), Brother Ward's work on the Manners of the Hindoos (second edition), Confucius (second edition), the Dissertation on the Chinese (second edition), enlarged to more than two hundred pages; Bengalee Dictionary, and a Telinga Grammar, both by Brother Carey. The loss cannot be less than twelve thousand pounds sterling, and all our labours are at once stopped. "Yet amidst all, mercy evidently shines. I trembled for dear Brother Ward (as our sisters did for us both), lest the roof should have fallen in with him, or lest he should have entered too far, and at once extinguish the spark of life. But we were all preserved, blessed be God. The flames touched nothing besides; they might have consumed every thing. The presses are preserved, and happily the matrices of all the founts of types were deposited in another place; had they been burnt, it must have been years before they could have been replaced. We can now, however, begin casting types to-morrow, if we can find money; country paper can be substituted for English; and thus two or three months will put the versions of the Scriptures in motion again. But for English we shall be distressed till you send us a supply; we know not even how to send you a circular letter. I am writing this at Calcutta, to go by the packet this evening, whither I am come to inform Brother Carey, and therefore cannot tell you what types, nor how many. They must, however, be of all the sizes from the text of Confucius to the Minion in the circular letter; also Italian, and every printing utensil accompanying. Perhaps some friend in London, in the printing line, can tell what goes to complete a printing-office with English types. You must also send a fount of Greek and Hebrew. I am distressed to think where you will find meney; but send, if you incur a debt; the silver 4 K.. and the gold are the Lord's. The Christian sympathy of our friends almost overwhelms me. Mr. Browne was confined by illness, but Mr. Bird, his son-in-law, exerted himself for us in the most strenuous manner. I fear it affects Mr. Browne's mind even more than mine own; he sent off an express at midnight to acquaint Mr. Harrington, who is deeply affected. Poor Mr. Thoinason wept like a child to-day on hearing of it. He begs us to make out a minute statement of our loss, and he says he will use all his interest on our behalf; we shall write again to-mor1ow. How it arose we know not. Brother Ward and others think it must have been done by design, and that some idolater among our servants, turning pale with envy at the sight of the Bible printing in so many languages, contrived this mode of stopping the work. This, however, is mere conjecture. Be strong in the Loid, my dear brother: he will never forsake the work of his own hands." "P.S. One thing will enable us to go to work the sooner: the keys of a building larger than the printing-office, which we had let for years as a warehouse, were given up to us on Saturday last. Thus we have a place to resume our labours the moment types are cast." SOUTHWARK AUXILIARY BIBLE SOCIETY. We have to apologize for the delay which has occurred in giving an account of the formation of an Auxiliary Bible Society for Southwark and its vicinity. A meeting was held for this purpose at the Horns Tavern, Kennington, on the 3d of June last, which was most numerously and respectably at.tended. The Earl of Rothes filled the chair, and was also chosen president of the institution. The vice-presidents are, Earl Spencer; Sir J. Frederick, Bart.; Sir T. Tarton, Bart. M.P.; Sir T. Sutton, Bart.; S. Thornton, Esq. M.P.; H. Thornton, Esq. M.P.; R. Barclay, T. S. Benson, J. Curling, T. Gaitskell, W. H. Hoare, J. Newsome, and R. Slade, Esys.: the Treasurer, B. Shaw, Esq.: and the Secretaries, the Rev. W. Manu and G. Clayton, and C. S. Dudley, Esq. A letter was read from Earl Spencer, expressing his regret at not being able to at-tend in person on an occasion in which he 80 entirely concurred; and assuring the -meeting, that " I shall be very ready, as vice: president of the proposed Society, to give your lordship and the rest of its members the best assistance in my power, in further Dance of an object so truly congenial to the genuine principles of Christianity, and likely to prove so highly beneficial to the best interests of all classes of society. "I beg likewise, that your lordship will be so good as to put my name down as a subscriber to the fund, which, I conclude, will be raised for this purpose, to the amount of 501. as a donation, and 51. as annual subscription." The speakers on the occasion were, the Rev. C. F. Steinkopff, Rev. J. Hughes, S. Thornton, Esq. M.P., H.Thornton, Esq. M.P., Sir T. Sutton, Bart., Sir T.Turton, Bart. M.P., Earl Rothes, Rev. R. Hill, Rev. J. Townsend, Sir J. Frederick, Bart., Mr. E. Quin, Rev. W. Abdy, B. Shaw, Esq., Rev. W. Mann, Rev. G. Clayton, Rev. J. Owen, Professor Dealtry, and Rev. J. Humphreys. The business of the day commenced with a Report from the Provisional Cominittee, which contained some interesting facts. We extract the following: "When the idea of establishing an Auxiliary Bible Society in Southwark was suggested, its local necessity became the object of immediate inquiry, and a few individuals associated in order to ascertain this necessity the result has painfully justified their anticipations, and a brief statement will exhibit the melancholy fact of a most deplor able want of the holy Scriptures. "In so populous a district, the inquiry was necessarily partial; but having been indiscriminately made, the result is submitted as a fair criterion, by which to form an esti mate of the deficiency in the Borough of Southwark, and its vicinity. "In 925 families, comprising 4508 individuals, 2745 can read, and only 395 have Bibles or Testaments. Of the 530 families who are thus destitute of the holy Scriptures, more than 400 expressed a strong desire to possess them, many of whom professed a willingness to pay for them, so far as their very limited means would admit; 14 of those families have never seen a Bible! and about 60 are Roman Catholics, a large proportion of whom appear extremely desirous of copies. "Of those who are supplied, several expressed a wish to be allowed to purchase a few Bibles and Testaments, at the reduced prices, for neighbours still poorer than themselves; and it was observed with pleasure, that they appeared sensible of the treasure they themselves possessed. "The extreme poverty of a numerous class in this extensive district, rendered additionally severe by the peculiar pressure of the times, precludes the expectation of payment for many copies which, it is ascertained, would be thankfully received. "In visiting the abodes of wretchedness, and in exploring the obscure lanes and alleys of Southwark, however melancholy the scenes of poverty and distress which presented themselves, a high degree of satisfaction was experienced, in witnessing many instances of grateful and interesting sensibility, and in finding the inquiry treated with becoming respect." If the utility of Auxiliary Bible Societies wanted any additional confirmation, it ought to be found in the fact, that in the whole borough of Southwark, and its immediate vicinity, comprising a population of nearly 150,000, only 39 subscribers to the British and Foreign Bible Society were to be found previous to this day's meeting, the aggregate of whose subscriptions was only 811. 18s. The benefit arising from such societies was farther illustrated by Mr. H. Thornton. "In the course of the last summer," he observed, "I happened to see a great number of the inhabitants of Southwark in their own houses, and my observation confirms the statement already made to you of the want of Bibles and Testaments amongst the poor of that district. There seemed to be a considerable degree of religious feeling, as well as morality and good order, in many of the lower classes. It is to the cultivation of a sober, quiet, domestic, and religious spirit, that we must look for our security against outrages. The charitable visits lately made with a view of ascertaining the religious state of the lower orders, serve to connect them with their superiors, and to produce a feeling of mutual regard and general philanthropy. The gift of Bibles serves also to pre-dispose them to public worship, and to the religious instructors who are set over them. There is another advantage in the formation of this institution, which I must not forget to touch upon. By our appearance here this day, we profess our own belief in that Book which we intend to circulate. Religion thus becomes accredited and exalted, and we give a kind of bond for our own good behaviour; for the love of consistency will suggest to us, that we should not violate in our own persons the precepts which we recommend to others." We cannot deny ourselves or our readers the pleasure of inserting another short extract from this gentleman's speech. After stating that the Parent Bible Society began in zeal for the propagation of the Gospel not only at home but abroad, he adds: “ And let it here be considered, my lord, from what evils we hope to deliver the heathen nations, as well as what good we aim to impart to them: we endeavour to deliver them from a religion, the very exercise of which consists in the most cruel and abominable rites; from a religion which contributes to immorality instead of restraining it; from austerities which serve only to torment the body; from ignorance the most degrading; and from a condition in every respect the most melancholy and base :—and in the place of this, what, I say, do we communicate? We give them a knowledge of the pardon of sin through faith in a Redeemer; we reveal to them a life to come; we instruct them in the nature of true virtue and goodness; we inculcate that self-denial which issues only in the increase of their enjoyment; we substitute true goodness and virtue in the place of those unavailing austerities to which they had been addicted.” We should far exceed our limits, were we to extract all in these speeches which deserves to be rescued from oblivion. The substance indeed of a great part of the able speech of Professor Dealtry, which was directed to recommend the formation of Bible Associations among the lower classes, has already appeared in our number for July, p. 464. We wish the following sentiments, delivered' by Mr. Owen, in the course of his eloquent speech, could be firmly impressed on the mind of every man who is induced to con nect his name with that of the Bible Society, "The institution, my lord, to which we are severally allied, is emphatically called the BIBLE Society. The Bible, which it is the object of that institution to distribute, is a sacred-the most sacred, book: and a voluntary engagement to promote its distribution. partakes, in some measure, of its sanctity and importance. A connection with the Bible Society, therefore, brings us within the precincts of holy ground; and establishes a relation between us and all who in every age have been concerned in the dispensation of the Scriptures. By engaging to co-operate with this institution, we connect ourselves with the goodly fellowship of the Prophets, and the glorious company of the Apostles, through whom the Scriptures were given by inspiration of God:-we connect ourselves with the noble army of Saints, of Confessors, and Reformers, who have propagated those Sacred Records by painful exertions, and; in not a few instances, at the price of their blood:- we connect ourselves with those Angels who ministered at the pub lication of the Law and the Gospel, and who continue their ministering services to those who shall be heirs of salvation :-we connect ourselves with God, the Father of Lights, by whose influence the Scriptures were produced, under whose direction they have been dispersed, and agreeably to whose ordinance they shall be sent into all the world, and be preached to every creature. A connection so sacred and so vast, makes a forcible ap |