In it, Neshech, signifies biting. the parable of the talents, he that had"hid his talent in the earth," is told," thou oughtest to have put my money, to the bankers, and then at my coming, I should have received mine own with usury," or as Doddridge reads it, the common interest; and it seems to imply, that money paid for the loan of money, or common interest, was a common practice at that time, and not disallowed by our Saviour. Instead, however, of determining whether the business of a pawnbroker be such, as a christian may conscientiously follow, I shall only observe, that a friend of mine, who was a preacher, might have succeeded to that business in the family, which would have been highly advantageous to his worldly interest, but he declined it, for two reasons because it was not a business of good repute, and therefore not suitable to a minister and because his feelings would be hurt at seeing poor people, hardly driven, bring goods, and even wearing apparel, which they could but ill spare, to pawn; and which oftentimes they could never redeem. ably to the scriptures, though not to the same extent. While it operates to restrain us from violating the precepts of God, it serves also to encourage us in the prosecution of that which is good. It is a very powerful agent, and our peace and unhappiness alike depend on its approval or censure of our actions; for if it approve of our conduct, no attempt of the world to depress or destroy our spirits, will succeed; this will buoy up the mind, and render it secure and satisfied in conscious innocence. Like the summer sun, which, however the winds may blow, and tempests rage around it, will shine in glorious unabated splendour. But if we have a condemning conscience, we cannot shelter ourselves from its wrath though the world smile, yet that will frown; and a wounded conscience who can bear? Not the sinner-no rocks wil screen him, no friends protect him! We may consider conscience in the capacity of a witness-ever present, one which no time, nor place, nor circumstance can remove from us,-silent, which (if we may use the comparison) like God, perceives all our actions and thoughts, but is itself unperceived, and a true witness. It has a voice which will be heard, and whether we are in the midst of pleasure or engaged in business, its voice predominates, and we are compelled to hear. Is there any sinner, be he ever so hardened, that has not often shuddered when his conscience spoke. It is a condemner to the mere moralist, and a mount Sinai with all its terrors, to the avowed sinner. We cannot, in any manner, de ceive it; we may easily conceal our purposes from the eyes of the world: they nay think us humble and pious, surrounded with pleasures, and filled with peace, but the smiles and opinions of the world will not avail, is against the gnawings of au accusing conscience, which will darken our hearts with a deeper dye than the shade which it will cast on surrounding objects, for while it will effectually deprive them of all their fascinating charms; it will fill us with discontent and anguish. Sometimes we may suppose that we have the gate of heaven full in our view, but we hear the voice of conscience declaring to us that our sins have created a great gulph betwixt us and that heavenly gate, which our self-love prevents us from discerning. own ruin. How many disregard the voice of conscience, but it is to their Would they listen to it, it would be their leading star; if they neglect it, it is a worm that dieth not. When the shadows of death are advancing rapidly upon them, and scarce a vestige remains of that veil which separates eternity from their view, then conscience will speak with dreadful eloquence, will bring to their tormented recollection, a long, black, catalogue of crimes, and in imagination, will hurry their souls into their own place" before the expiring body shall have passed the confines of the tomb. And at the judgment day, it will be a witness against them which it will be out of their power either to answer or neglect. However lightly its warnings may be treated now, its voice will then be dreaded more than ten thousand thunders. The day of hope will then be past, and " an eternity of torment will be at hand. Then Time's last moment will have passed away, and it will be in vain for them to expect a period to their woe, for it will run parallel with eternity. S. W. ON GRATITUDE. WHAT a delightful and ennobling principle is gratitude! ennobling indeed when it regards the meanest of our fellow worms from whom we may have received offices of kindness and respect; but transcendantly more so when it is engendered in the breast by the Spirit of the living God, and exerts its joyous influence in ascriptions of praise to the Lamb in the midst of the Throne. Man as a link in the great chain of being has constant and imperious calls for gratitude from all around him, while things animate and things inanimate join to demand its exercise. Do I share in the anxieties that constantly inhabit the parental breast? and can I be ungrateful for their tenderest regards? Are the affectionate and faithful counsels of a friend extended towards me? And shall I be ungrateful for his generous esteem? Does my prosperity enhance the joys, or my adversity increase the sorrow of those around me--and shall not my bosom glow with this heaven-born principle? principle? Are the ministers of Christ my friends-his people my companions, and their fervent prayers my constant benefactors? And shall, not gratitude inflame my heart, and kindle my best affections towards them? In a word, is Christ, who is the brightness of his father's glory, and the express image of his person, my Saviour and my Friend? and shall not INDIAN MANNERS, &c. The Rut'ho festival.-On the 2d instant, the bathing of the image of Jugunnat'ha took place, of which god, the village of Muḥesha, adjoining Serampore, has a celebrated image. The landing-places on this occasion are crowded with bathers, expecting great advantages from ablutions performed on this auspicious day. At the appointed hour, the god is brought out of the temple in the arms of five or six stout brahmuns, (this is the case at Muhesha) and carried to a brick elevation at a short distance, where the god is drawn up by a cord round his neck, and placed on a seat. The brahmuns wait the arrival of the land-owner, and then perform the ceremony of ablution, repeating the proper formulas; the water is poured on the head of the god from the sacred conch through a cylinder having a thousand perforations, During the act of bathing, 10,000 spectators are seen at once in the act of homage, some with hands raised to the head, others prostrating themselves, and others stretching their arms towards heaven; after which they retire, and the god is carried back to the temple. Vol. VII. On the 19th, the same god was drawn up by the neck, and placed in his monstrous car, and then dragged by the crowd about a quarter of a mile, where the car remains for eight days for the mob to gaze at, while the god himself is carried in the arms of men to a neighbouring temple, on a visit to his nephew, Radha-Bullubha. This year, on account of the heavy rains, the people were comparatively few, and the car stuck fast in the mud: when some of the crowd begun to attribute this disaster to the prayers of the native christians. At length the brahmuns hit upon a lucky expedient; they brought out RadhaBullubha, and as soon as Jugunnat ha saw his nephew, the car rolled on without further obstruction, assisted by the enthusiasm of the mob, who equally with the god felt pleased with the sight of this new miracle, which they had not sense enough to attribute to their own increased efforts. On the 28th, the god returned to his temple in the same order as he came out; and here the festival closed. A great fair is held at this festival, and lotteries, gaming, and every obscenity is practised in the precincts of the temple which contains 2 D the god. The proprietors of these two temples realize annually not less 2000 rupees. the total wane of the moon this month, the image of Jugunnat'ha is exhibited after having been newly painted, when numbers go to the temple with offerings. For fourteen days preceding, the god remains in a state of uncleanness, having been touched by a shoodra painter, and during this time is neither fed nor worshipped. BUNYAN'S POPULAIRTY. John Bunyan used annually to visit London, where he preached with great acceptance, and was sometimes honoured with the attendance, and decided approbation, of the great Dr. Owen. And so popular was he, that if but one day's notice was given, the meeting-house in Southwark, near the Faulcon, where he generally preached, could not hold half the people that attended. Three thousand have been gathered together for the purpose in a remote part of the town; and not less than twelve hundred on a dark winter's morning, at seven o'clock, even on week days. 1 It is said that Charles the Second once asked Dr. Owen, how he, being so learned, could sit and hear an illiterate tinker prate; to which he replied, May it please your Majesty, could I possess the tinker's ability for preaching, I would most gladly relinquish all my learning. Ivimey's Life of Bunyan. A useful hint on KEEPING THE SABBATH. Vavasor Powell, an eminent dis senting minister in Wales, who suffered much for religion, and who died in prison in 1670, in the 11th year of his imprisonment, and 53rd of his age, hearing of a poor man in his neighbourhood, who Mr. J. Thomas's Hist. of the Account of the loss of the Alexander East Indiaman. EARLY in the morning of Monday, March 27th, this vessel was wrecked on the beach extending from the Island of Portland: and, out of a crew of 142 persons, five only were saved. The disaster was first dis covered by a countryman, who, observing an unusual appearance on the eastern side of the beach, approached and found four Lascars naked, sitting on the pebbles, with their hands extended to the sky. On the opposite side of the beach appeared a large vessel în à state of complete wreck. A poor fellow who had been thrown ashore beyond the surf, and was too much reduced to free himself from the water which ascends the beach on the influx of the waye, he was just in time to rescue. One individual only remained alive on the wreck uttering the most piteous cries for assistance; but, before the countryman could render it, he sunk and was lost. Having never been an eye witness of the horrors of a shipwreck, I determined to avail myself of the present opportunity. On arriving at the passage house of the ferry, between Weymouth and Portland, I found, in a small room, the five persons who had been rescued from the waves: and never did a scene of wretchedness present itself that so engaged my feelings. They were sitting round a fire, half clothed by the benevolence of the neighbours-and, their motley dress, their bruised bodies, the lanky hair of the Lascars all dishevelled, and still soaked with water, their eyes attempting to express the agony of their feelings, which their language could not do so as to be understood by the spectators, produced, altogether, an indescribable effect. A person now came in who addressed them in a moorish dialect and was understood. They stated to him that the vessel was 800 tons burthen, the number of the crew 142 persons, 9 of whom were children, and 6 were women the number of whites were about 40, and the rest were Asiatics. Pecuniary relief was offered, which the Lascars received, but a Persian, who was one of the saved, refused, and, bursting into tears, said his father was a mong the perished. I then left the room and, crossing the ferry, went to that part of the beach where the melancholy event had happened. The first things I perceived were several bales of W. H. R: Origin of Moravian. Missions. “In 1731. A negro called Anthony, who had contracted an ac |