ne the obedience, and the atone- tile world, and firmly stated, ment from the sufferings of that the gospel had exclusive Christ: the total depravity of claims on the faith and obedithe heart, and the necessity of ence of men. "To us there the generation by the spirit: is one God, and one Lord." the impossibility of justification" Neither is there salvation in by the works of the law; the any other." "If he who dereality and glory of justification spised Moses' law, died without by faith in the work of Imma- mercy, of how much sorer punuel the security of all who nishment shall he be thought believe these, and such tenets worthy, who tramples under which are interwoven in the foot the blood of God's Son." texture of the sacred scriptures, They boldly declared, that none are rejected as the offspring of could escape, who even human invention, and the re-glected the great salvation. .sult of corruptions, long pre- Does socinianism repeat these valent among the professors of primitive declarations? No; she christianity. faulters-pauses -stammersThe great religious tenets of hesitates-questions if any can an enlightened theist, and a be lost, eventually, under the hardy socinian, are nearly the government of so gracious and same. They unite in their merciful a God. If I am not views of the character of God; much mistaken, your favourite the condition of men; the terms authors do deny the eternity of of acceptance, and the neces-future punishment. But if you sity of retribution in a future once admit, that even the sinworld. The minutiæ, connect- ners who now die in their sins, ed with their general topics, and die in actual rejection of may be subjects of discussion: the Saviour, shall finally be and the evidence on which their delivered from the pains of hell, respective creeds are founded, and be brought by any, the is different. But their general most circuitous route, to the presystem is the same :-built, by sence and enjoyment of the the one, on the dictates of rea- great Redeemer, you strip the son only, and, by the other, on law of all its terrors, and rob the united dictates of reason the gospel of all its distinguishand scripture. ing characters. The gospel is no longer salvation, no longer a remedy, seeing that men who reject it shall finally enter the realms of infinite and eternal bliss. Do weigh seriously and candidly the above statement, and, if it be on the whole tolerably fair and correct, retrace your footsteps without delay, abandon your new associates, and return into the good old paths, that you may find rest to your soul. IV. Socinianism weakens the sanctions of revelation. "Go," said the founder of christianity, "preach the gospel to every creature: he that believes, and is baptized, shall be saved; he that believeth not, shall be damned." When the apostles went forth, to execute their commission, they proclaimed war against every system of idolatry and philosophy in the gen L. Miscellanies. MR. EDITOR, THE following minute description of a widow's burning with her deceased husband, has been communicated to me by Mr. Lawson, of Serampore. He, with several of the mission family, was present at the melancholy spectacle. PARTICULARS OF A WIDOW BURNING ALIVE WITH HER DEAD HUSBAND. On Friday morning, July 1st, 1814, about six o'clock, Mr. John Marshman gave me the information, that a woman was just going to be burnt with the corpse of her husband. I agreed to accompany him, to witness a scene, from which a missionary cannot retire without more compassion for souls, and a deeper conviction that the Gospel is a real blessing to India, notwithstanding the opposing sentiments of modern times. We hastened to the spot, fearing we should not be in time to see the whole of the preparatory ceremonies; but, on our arrival, we found that the order from some petty native magistrates had not yet been granted, without I would fain hope, that the pubfication of this case, in addition to many preceding ones, will not be lost on a commiserating publie, I might say on a British public; for, comparatively speaking, they only view these things as they deserve. I would hope, that ere long, the British legislature itself will interpose on behalf of our Asiatic subjects; for, as the solemn sanction of the law is necessary ere this immolation can take place, it cannot be a boon too great for humanity, to ask that a negative should be put to all such applications. "If leave cannot be obtained for burning the widow alive, what would be the consequence? The nearest re-which the poor woman could not lation will lay down his burning legally put herself to death. The brand, and reply, with the great people not being assembled, we est sang-froid "Why, then, we had time to rest ourselves, and must burn the dead body alone, contemplate surrounding objects. that is all." It was near a ghaut, adjoining the estate of the late Rev. Mr. Brown. Many natives were engaged in their different occupations, such as carrying bricks, mending boats, &c. quite unconcerned, as though the circumstance of a woman being burnt alive, was of no moment whatever. Just on the brink of the Hoogley, lay the corpse of the poor woman's husband, covered with cloth. A small branch of the toolsee (a sacred plant) If the thing be taken up by wise and prudent men, and firmly persevered in, the object of our desire must be obtained, and the blessings of the widow and the fatherless, of those that are ready to perish, will come upon us, down to the latest generations. I am, Mr. Editor, Yours, respectfully, WILLIAM JOHNS. Birmingham, Feb. 20, 1815, plied, "Why, then, we must was placed in a ball of clay at his | her to burn, what would be the head. At a little distance lay consequence?" He carelessly relogs of wood, bamboos, and the dried leaves of the cocoa-nut tree, all which were materials for the funeral pile. Nearer the corpse was a burning brand, kept alive by occasionally supplying smaller sticks and leaves; this was propped up by a cutting hook. To watch this little fire, stood a young man, brother to the deceased. We asked him, why he was at the trouble to watch this fire so carefully, as more could readily be procured? He answered, that he was obliged to bring their own fire, as no one would give fire on such an occasion. This appeared extraordinary. They venerate a woman for burning, and yet will not give fire for the purpose. From this young man we learnt, that his brother had died the preceding day. He lived three or four days journey from Serampore. His calling was that of an oilman. His connections respectable. He had left home to attend the festival of Juggernaut. The weather was extremely hot; the poor man complained of a severe pain in the head. He had been sun-struck (coup de soliel). His wife was immediately sent for, who, on hearing of his situation, cried out, perhaps in the excess of grief, "If my husband dies, Ileading the deluded victim to the will eat fire;" that is, she would be burnt with him. Thus, as they say," she is given to God," and she must not retract. There is a law, lately established, which forbids a woman to burn, if she has a child at the breast. This was the ground of difficulty in her getting leave to burn. Her brother-in-law told us, she had two children; the youngest of them only nine months old. We asked him, "If leave cannot be obtained for Understanding that she was not likely soon to obtain license to burn, we retired from the disgusting place, sincerely hoping, that as this was the mother of a helpless infant, her death would be prevented. But, about mid-day, we found that the permission had been granted, and on this shocking pretence, viz. " Though the child was at the breast, it could subsist without it." We, then, with others of the family, took the mission boat, and again repaired to the spot, to witness, from the beginning of the detestable ceremonies, to the final catastrophe. The tide being high, our boat came up within three or four yards of the corpse, which was still lying on the bank. A large multitude were hastening towards us, place of her immolation. Her appearance was striking in age, about twenty; very agreeable in her person, more so, indeed, than any other I have seen among the natives. She looked stout and healthy; well dressed, and much ornamented with roses, jewels, bangles on her wrists, and a large spot of red paint on her forehead. Her countenance was pensive, yet betrayed no fear; but, at times, I thought I discovered absence of mind; on the whole, she seem ed to possess herself. Her mo- | authority! Her mother, with one ther, who attended her through or two more, escorted her into out the whole scene, supported her on one side. She was led to the corpse of her husband. Before I relate the various ceremonies, I will mention one circumstance which affected me much. During the time the poor woman was performing her last gloomy rites, if any thing was heard beyond the general clamour, it was the noise occasioned by the driving the stakes into the ground to form the pile. To me it was a heart-affecting sound, but she seemed insensible to it. The first thing she did was to uncover the feet of the deceased; then putting her hands in a supplicating attitude, she bowed to the earth, touching the ground with her forehead. Again, she covered the feet, went to the head of the body, and performed the same service. She then sat down by it, and, with a branch of some sacred plant, fanned the face of the dead for about half an hour. Occasionally her mother spoke to her, and put her arms around her neck as if to encourage her. Then again she resumed the fan, and drove away the swarming flies. At length her mother anointed the victim with a preparation, containing turmeric, &c. again she resumed the fanning for a short time longer. Her next act was to descend into the river to receive the benefits of this holy stream for the last time; in doing this, she came so near our boat, that I could have reached to touch her with a walking stick. Several times she gazed full in my face; I, though almost bewildered, thought to myself, what if this poor woman should have some latent hope, that I should at length be her deliverer!' but, alas, I had no the water, and assisted to wash off the ointment with which she had been anointed. Several ornaments of wood, resembling combs, decked her hair. On being led up from out of the water, her linen was changed, and the red spots replaced on her forehead by the mother, who also painted her feet with the same colour. A Bramin now made her sit by him at the water's edge, and read to her certain words from a book, which she recited after him. By her side was placed an earthen vessel, from whence she took something; then filling her hands with water, threw it over her head, which she elevated at intervals in a very expressive devotional manner. Now she returned to the corpse, and again prostrated herself, as before, at the feet and head. During this time the young man, before-mentioned, was to purify himself in the river, for his was the office to set fire to the pile. His purification being effected, and having returned from the water, the corpse was made to sit up whilst some poured water over it, and others were wrapping it in clean linen. All things being ready, the multitude flocked to the pile, which was of an oblong square; at each corner was placed a burning lamp; on one side, at a small distance, were two bamboos, having one end of each fixed into the ground. The corpse was laid on the pile; and now arrived the awful moment. The poor des voted widow had commenced her circumvolutions about the pile. She was to do this seven times. As she walked (though must say she was hurried round) she threw some sugar-plumbs I from a basket which she held in waved her hand for some time, her hand, which were eagerly after the fire had been communicaught by the multitude. After cated. With long bamboos the going round five times, the bra-consuming fuel was occasionally mins, as if fearing her resolution stirred up, and more wood and should fail, would have per- leaves added to replenish the fire. suaded her to ascend, but she During the whole, we were so near, said, “ No —I must walk round that one of the bamboos employseven times." The next time sheed came on our boat; we were came to the spot, they made the now glad to push farther off. Onsame request; still she persisted taking another and a last view of in going round the seventh time; the hated spectacle, the flames and then-- O that I could having subsided a little, we could describe the scene in a manner distinctly see the head and an to convey an adequate idea of it! arm of the man, with one arm of she, being helped or rather push- the woman shrivelled and partly ed up by the bramins, mounted, consumed. We retired from and after standing for a moment, amidst the howlings of the miserflung herself down by the side of able relatives, almost overcome her husband, as I thought, in an with feelings which can never be agony of despair. Then all was forgotten. O Jehovah! have rebustle and confusion; two or spect unto thy covenant, for the three bramins mounted with ropes dark places of the earth are full to bind her to the body of the dead, of the habitations of cruelty! which they did in a very brutal manner, putting their knees upon her and drawing tight the ropes, just as is commonly done in cording a package: this was all done in an instant. The poor woman had stretched out her hand over her head, beyond the pile, and, as if to show her resolution, waved it to the populace. On the bramins descending, the two bamboos, before mentioned, were bent over the pile and pressed down upon the corpse and the widow, with all the might which these ministers of superstitious cruelty could put forth. Then a large quantity of dried cocoanut leaves were heaped upon and about the pile, which was no sooner touched by the fire in the hands of the brother of the deceased, than the whole was in flames, forming a vast burning pyramid. To increase the horror, the bramins gave the word, and Hurree-bol, Hurree-bol drowned every other sound. The woman We are happy to inform the public that, by a late act of the governor-general in council, at Bengal, some resolutions have been adopted, in reference to the burning of widows, which, we hope, will tend to render less frequent such inhuman practices. Still, however, more vigorous measures will be necessary to effect its entire abolition.-Let it be made a capital offence for any bramin, who is convicted of using any influence to persuade a female to immolate herself; and a love for his own life will prevent his trifling with the lives of others. To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine. DEAR SIR, IN your Magazine for April, page. 156, you have inserted a query respecting the meaning of Isa. lviii. 2, to which no answer has hitherto appeared. As the subject is of considerable importance, |