ablest author of original compositions in the institution, is an Indian youth. I have been told that his essay, or rather oration, on the subject of Christian Education, at the last public examination, was an admirable production. I have seen this very boy running about with his bow and arrow, dirty, and half naked, when I was a missionary among the Indians. Yet Sir F. Head, under the elevating and expansive impulse of his philosophy, tells my Lord Glenelg, that the best thing that can be done for the Indians is to place them on a distant island, where there is soil only in the interstices of the rocks for trees to grow, on the berries of which the Indians can "feed." Thanks be to Almighty God for a Christian philosophy, which teaches us better things than such humane devices of human pride, selfishness, and depravity.

It would be useless for me to attempt to enumerate the positive misstatements of Sir F. Head. I will mention one as a sample: he represents the Indians as readily acceding to his proposals in regard to their relinquishing their territory, and removing to the islands of Lake Huron. This statement is wholly untrue, as he evidently intends it to be understood. His first proposal to them was, to give up all their territory: to this they objected. The governor persuaded, cajoled, threatened; and the Indians were inflexible. Mr. Stinson, who was present, joined with the Indians, and spoke in council in their behalf. The council broke up a few hours afterwards. governor called them together againemployed persuasion and threatening again. The Indians were greatly alarmed, but still refused to give up their land. The governor then proposed that he would secure to them for ever that part of their territory which lies north of Owen's Sound, if they would relinquish their claim to that part which lies in the neighbourhood of the Canada Company's land. The territory north of Owen's Sound is from sixty to eighty miles in extent, and

The

contains a great deal of fertile and excellent land. The governor likewise promised to build them houses, and assist them to settle on this land, which would be thus secured to them against every encroachment. To this proposal, made under these circumstances, Mr. Stinson informs me the poor Indians did readily accede, with tears in their eyes. Their most anxious wish has been, for years, that their land might be secured to them and their children as a home, and a resting-place for their bones. The governor having told them that they had no land at all as a hunting ground, and that the white people had a right to come and settle on it, and he could not and would not keep them off, the poor Indians were ready to do almost any thing that would secure to them and their children the absolute and permanent title to any portion of territory, and especially one skirted by good fishing grounds, and containing a large quantity of good land, with the promise of being settled on it from the proceeds of the sale of their other lands.

Now, how different a version does Sir F. Head give of the affair! In his agreement with the Indians you will find an acknowledgment of their right to the territory north of Owen's Sound, but no engagement to settle the Indians upon it; but rather a plain intimation throughout, that the Indians intend to remove to Manataulin Island, and other islands in Lake Huron. This is totally untrue. The Indians told Sir F. Head, again and again, that they could not live in Manataulin Island-that they would not go there; that they wanted to settle upon land of their own, and have their children taught to read and write, like the white man. Upon this Mr. Stinson also insisted; and the governor promised to assist them in doing so from the proceeds of the sale of what he himself boasts is a million and a half acres of excellent land. Yet he conceals this part of the bargain from Lord Glenelg, and represents the Indians as intending to go to Manataulin Island-a thing

they told him they would not do, and that they no more intend than I do.

And his statement as to the mortality of the converted Indians is equally at variance with fact. It is true that Christianity has not given to the converted Indians new physical constitutions; which, in very many instances, among both male and female, had become irreparably enfeebled and impaired by poverty, vice, and suffering: it is also true that there are not wanting instances of sickness and death from the causes stated by Sir F. Head; but be it also remembered, that if the ravages of disease and death had made the same progress among the converted Indian tribes during the last ten years that it did among those very tribes during the previous ten years, when they were living in the practice of what Sir F. Head is pleased to call " the simple virtues" of the Indians, there would not have been, at this hour, a survivor among them, to weep for the wrongs attempted to be inflicted by Sir F. B. Head, or to call into exercise the generosity of his philosophy. Let it also be remembered, that while, even under the disadvantages already stated, the converted bodies of Indians have been reduced but very little, in any case, in respect to population, unconverted families of those very bodies have totally disappeared before the wasting progress of various diseases incident to Sir F. B. Head's "simple virtues of the Indians."

LETTER FROM MR. COCKBAIN, MAN-
CHESTER.

THE resignation of Thomas Simpson, which was tendered some time ago, was accepted at the last Monthly Meeting; and John and Mary Windsor were separated from membership with the Society by minutes of the Monthly Meeting of third month, for non-attendance of meetings. They have left the Society from conscientious motives.

Four other individuals have tendered

their resignations, but they have not been accepted.

I observe that in the first number of THE INQUIRER, page 27, the editors notice that they have before them J. J. Gurney's "Brief Remarks on Impartiality in the Interpretation of Scripture." Some pains have been taken to get the pamphlet read here; and it appears to have excited the jealousy of some of the zealous advocates of the mystical views of our Early Friends in this neighbourhood; who, by way, I presume, of counteracting the influence which a more enlightened view of Scripture truth must necessarily have upon their members, have selected extracts from thirteen of the early writers in the Society, for the purpose of proving that J. J. Gurney's views of the right interpretation of the first passage he alludes to, viz., 2 Pet. i. 19-21, are by no means in accordance with those of approved Early Friends.

I hope the editors of THE INQUIRER will review this tract. It appears to me very desirable that the young and inexperienced should be cautioned against such mystical views as are contained in these extracts. They certainly tend to divert the mind from the true object of saving faith, by confusing the offices of Christ and of the Holy Spirit, and identifying the word of pro phecy with both, in a most extraordinary manner; reducing the Saviour, as J. J. Gurney justly remarks, to the rank of a principle.

I intended to have enclosed the tract, but I cannot lay my hand upon it just now. It may be had of J. Patching, Devonshire House, Houndsditch. It is entitled, "Interpretation of the more sure Word of Prophecy." In haste to send by a private opportunity,

I remain thy affectionate friend,
J. H. COCKBAIN.

MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE.

(Concluded from page 64.)

"His brother Pundits have been to remonstrate with him; and the College Pundits sent him an invitation to come there, when they set upon him, and abused, and finally threatened that if he did become a Christian they would kill him. But still he waxes bolder and Mirza, my native reader, told me to-day that he has spoken with him, and expressed his wish to be baptised.

One other circumstance has pleased me very much : a young Pundit, a student of the astronomical Shasters, came to see him, and asked some questions respecting the Gospel, when he told him, in the presence of all the native Christians, that till he had come here he thought himself a Pundit, but now he found himself to be only a child.

"I am sure that you will feel that these circumstances are encouraging, and warrant us to entertain hopes that the good Lord of the Church will give us this Pundit, as a trophy of the Saviour's grace, and a brother beloved in the Gospel.

"Of course it becomes us to be cautious, knowing, as we do, something of the awful, profound, and infinitely-ramified forms of deceit in this country. Still Christian love says, Hope all

things,' and, ‘Stifle not the smoking flax, nor break the bruised reed.'

"In this country a difficulty arises respecting supporting candidates for baptism, as by losing their caste they lose also all employment. Now, to give nothing would be cruelty, not Christian love; and to give opens a wide door to every form of hypocrisy, and is a direct encouragement to the putting on a spurious profession. I have endeavoured to hit the middle path, by giving as much as is sufficient merely for food, and requiring a certain amount of labour in return for it, so that I hope no evil can possibly result.

"The coming of this Pundit has put new life into our native brethren. For a long time back I have been making strenuous exertions to promote a revival of religion amongst our native brethren, and have been greatly pleased by the results of my efforts. Mirza's mother appears to be growing in grace daily, and gives me daily more and more satisfaction. Had I ten such, with the Spirit of God upon them, what could not be wrought in this city? Hari, another brother, is also making advances; and if this Pundit should become a decided convert, I shall have three with me-two of them as bold as lions.

The Interpretation of the Scripture Passage, "The more sure Word of Prophecy," as given by G. Fox, W. Penn, R. Barclay, G. Whitehead, F. Howgill, S. Fisher, and J. Par

nell.

THIS tract, alluded to. in the letter from Manchester, is intended to counteract the influence of some observa

tions made by J. J. Gurney, in his "Brief Remarks on Impartiality in the Interpretation of Scripture." Speaking of conventional misinterpretations of Scripture, he says, " Small as they may be in their origin, consisting, perhaps, in an inaccurate view of a single word or sentence, these mistakes are often found to spread their influence to a great extent, and they are stepping

stones by which unwary persons may be, in no small degree, assisted in an actual descent into heresy. The first passage which I wish to notice is 2 Pet. i. 19-21; We have also a more sure (or very sure) word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well to take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise

in your hearts.' The idea was at one

time rather prevalent among the members of our Society, that when the apostle used the term, a more sure word of prophecy,' he was alluding, not to any thing written, but to that Divine, illuminating influence by which the prophets were inspired, and which guides the spiritual believer into all truth. Such a view of the passage is, indeed, but seldom insisted on at the present day; but as it is still sometimes advanced, I think it right to acknowledge my own sentiment, that it is at variance with that simplicity which we ought always to maintain in the perusal and interpretation of the Sacred Writings. That the 'very sure word of prophecy' was that which had been uttered and was written, is evident from the immediate context, in which the apostle distinguishes this word from the day-star which arises in the heart, and at the same time identifies (as I conceive) with prophecy of the Scripture,"

&c.

Here we have, certainly, a much more satisfactory explanation of the text than that given by the writers quoted by the Manchester tract; but then, what must we think of George Fox and the early Quakers, if the

above

"sentiment" be correct? for George Fox says, that as he went towards Nottingham, and came to the top of a hill, in sight of the town, he espied the steeple-house, and the Lord said unto him, "Thou must go, cry against that great idol, and against the worshippers therein." "When I came there," he adds, " all the people looked liked fallow ground, and the priest (like a great lump of earth) stood in his pulpit above. He took for his text those words of Peter,” [as_above ;]“ and he told the people that this was the Scripture by which they were to try all doc. trines, religions, and opinions. Now, the Lord's power was so mighty upon me, and so strong in me, that I could not hold, but was made to cry out and say, 'Oh no! it is not the Scripture!' and I told them what it was, namely, the Holy Spirit, (by which the holy men of God gave forth the Scriptures,) whereby opinions, religions, and judgments were to be tried; for it led into all truth, and so gave the knowledge of all truth," &c.

Here, then, we have the great founder of Quakerism convicted of asserting immediate revelation—his being even "made" to utter a sentiment which, in the opinion of the modern apologist for the system, is one of the stepping-stones by which unwary persons may be assisted in an actual descent into heresy. We do not wonder that alarm is excited, for a house divided against itself cannot stand; but how strongly do these things call upon Friends to examine the foundation of their system!-EDS.

"Prin