serious and exemplary in his behaviour; often complaining of his barrenness, and his want of spiritual life; yet frequently favoured with the quickening and refreshing influences of the Holy Spirit. In short, he appeared, in all respects, to possess the character and the disposition of one who was "created anew in Christ Jesus unto good works." The account of the propagation of Christianity by the United Brethren is long and interesting. We insert the following notice of Christian Henry Rauch, one of their missionaries. On his arrival at this place, Rauch was received by the Indians with much kindness; but when he spoke to them next day on the subject of religion, they derided his instructions, and laughed him to scorn. Not discouraged, however, by their rude behaviour, he was indefatigable in visiting them daily in their huts; he also travelled to the neighbouring towns, though, as he had neither the means to keep a horse, nor money to hire a boat, he often suffered extremely from heat and fatigue in the woods; and even on his arrival, he was often refused admission into their houses. But he soon forgot all his trials, when he began to observe some favourable symptoms in the two Indians, to whom he had originally made the proposal. Though among the most abandoned of the whole tribe, their eyes now overflowed with tears, whenever he described to them the sufferings and death of our Redeemer. They often lamented their former blindness in worshipping idols, and their ignorance of the true God, who loved them so much that he sent -his Son to die for them. Scarcely, however, had he begun to see the fruit of his labours, when some white people in the neighbourhood took the alarm, and endeavoured to thwart his further usefulness. Apprehensive, that if the Indians embraced Christianity, it would prove injurious to their interests, by promoting sobriety among them, they laboured to rouse the indignation of the savages against their teacher, by spreading the basest reports concerning him; particularly that he intended to seize their young people, carry them beyond the sea, and sell them for slaves. As the Indians are extremely tenacious of their personal liberty, nothing was better calculated to excite their jealousy than such a rumour; especially as they had too often experienced the baseness and fraudulence of the white people. Irritated to a high degree by these reports, the savages threatened to shoot him, unless he left the place without delay. He therefore thought it prudent to withdraw for a scason, and took shelter with a farmer in the neighbourhood. Still, however, he daily visited the Indians at Shekomeko, though often at the risk of his life. Several of the white people sought occasion to beat and abuse him; but this he was careful not to afford them, uniformly conducting himself in the mildest and most inoffensive manner. Some threatened to hang him up in the woods; others endeavoured to intoxicate the savages, in the hope they might murder him in a drunken frolic. An Indian once ran after him with his batchet, and would certainly have killed him, had he not accidentally stumbled and fallen into the water. Even Tschoop, who had manifested some concern about his soul, was so incensed against him, that he sought an opportunity of shooting him; and Shabash, though he did not threaten his life, was always careful to avoid his company. Rauch, however, was not dismayed by these various difficulties and dangers, but persisted in his labours with unshaken courage and unremitting zeal, in the hope they would at length be crowned with success. By degrees, the Indians began to admire his patience, perseverance, and courage, combined as they were with so much meekness, gentleness, and humility. He often spent half a day in their huts, ate and drank with them in a friendly manner, and even lay down to sleep in the midst of them with the utmost composure. This circumstance made a deep impression on the minds of the Indians, particularly on Tschoop. One day when Rauch was lying in his hut, fast asleep, he was struck at the sight, and thought within himself: "This cannot be a bad man: he fears no evil, not even from us, who are so savage. Here he sleeps comfortably, and places his life in our hands." On further reflection, he was convinced that the reports circulated by the white people concerning him, were entirely without foundation, and proceeded purely from their own wickedness and malice. He now endeavoured to persuade his countrymen of the missionary's innocence: and notwithstanding their violent jealousy, he succeeded in removing their prejudices, and re-establishing confidence between them. Having now regained the friendship of the Indians, Rauch had soon the pleasure of witnessing the fruit of his labours among them. Several of them were much impressed with the love of Christ to sinners, as displayed in his sufferings and death. The change which took place, on Tschoop in particular, was remarkably striking. Formerly he was the greatest drunkard in the whole town, and had rendered himself a cripple by his debaucheries. Now the drunkard had learned to be sober, and the man who was savage as a bear had become gentle as a lamb. He afterwards gave the brethren the following simple, yet interesting account of his conversion: "I," said he, have been a Heathen, and have grown old among the Heathen: therefore I know how the Heathen think. Once a preacher came, and began to tell us that there was a God. We answered him, say ing, Dost thou think us so ignorant as not to know that? Go back to the place from whence thou camest.' Then another preacher came to us, and began to say; You must not steal, nor lie, nor get drunk." To him we answered, Thou fool, dost thou think we do not know that? Go learn first thyself, and then teach thy own people to leave off these prac tices; for who are greater drunkards, or thieves, or liars, than thine own people? —Thus he dismissed him. After some time, Brother Rauch came into my hut, and sat down by me. He then spoke to me as follows: "I am come to you in the name of the Lord of heaven and earth. He sends to inform you that he will make you happy, and deliver you from that misery in which you at present lie. For this purpose he became a man, gave his life a ransom, and shed his blood for us.' When he had finished his discourse, he lay down upon a board fatigued by his journey, and fell sound asleep. I then thought with myself, • What kind of a man is this?' There he sleeps. I might kill him, and throw him out into the woods; and who would regard it? But this gives him no care or concern.' At the same time, I could not forget his words. They constantly recurred to my mind: even when I slept, I dreamed of that blood which Christ shed for us. I found this to be something different from what I had ever heard before; and I in I terpreted Christian Henry's words to the We are compelled to pass over, without extract, the accounts of the Baptist, London, and other Missionary Societies; and we do this with considerable regret, because they present many instructive lessons and would supply many interesting anecdotes. In point of fact, we must regard the Baptist Society as taking the lead of all modern Missionary Societies, and think in this respect they should have been placed before the Meост, 1824. thodists, who can, strictly speaking, not be. said to have had any Mis sions the heathen till a very among recent period. The exact precedence, in point of time, is, however, of small importance; but the distinguished labours of Dr. Cary and the Serampore Missionaries; their enlightened views on the subject of translating the Scriptures into all the languages of the East; their perseverance under ficulties; and their eminent dismost trying and embarrassing difinterestedness, exhibit an example deserving of the most serious contemplation. would just remark, that the SoIn closing these volumes, we cieties for Promoting Christian Knowledge and for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts are passed over in a very improper manner. Indeed, unless persons happen to turn to the chapter where the propagation of Christianity by the Danes is related, they will scarcely discover that there is such a society as the former. Now, as the whole expense of the missions on the coast of Coromandel has been defrayed from their funds for above a have occupied a more conspicuous century, they certainly ought to place.. We should gladly touch on some other points which these volumes suggest to our minds, but we must at present forbear. They deserve, however, especial attention from Missionary Societies, and from persons engaged, or about to engage, in this arduous work. Here they inay learn their need of faith, and patience, and holy boldness, and perpetual watchfulness, and selfdenial; and here, too, they may learn how God is faithful to his word, and will never suffer his servants to remain without witness; but will assuredly in due time fulfil all his declarations, and fill the earth with his glory. 3 E So many fictitious tales, relating to the East Indies, have recently been published as real histories, that we took up the present work with considerable doubts of its genuineness. Those doubts, however, vanished from our minds on perusing the narrative; and we are fully convinced that the writer is a plain, pious, and sensible individual, recording the leading points of his own history, and describing events and circumstances with the accuracy of an eye-witness; and, as such, we recommend the publication, as well calculated for usefulness to various characters. Serjeant B. was born at Peebles, in Scotland; and while struggling with severe hardships, arising from the loss of friends in early life, found his almost only solace in playing on an old fife which he had procured. This amusement led him to become fifer to a company of volunteers, from which he enlisted in the Army of Reserve, and at length was persuaded to engage as fife-major, with serjeant's rank and pay, in a regiment about to sail for India. On arriving in that country he was attacked by fever; and after several recoveries and relapses was invalided and returned home to his native land, where he is now subsisting by his honest industry, aided by the reward of fourteen years service, a pension of ninepence per day. Soon after passing the Cape, on his voyage to India, the crew were reduced to short allowance of water; when Serjeant B. gives the following description of their dis tress: We were put on short allowance, which in these latitudes is an English quart a day; this we thought very hard, and it was so in some respects; but it would have been well if this allowance had been continued ; but from a quart we were speedily reduced to a pint; and in this parched condition were we kept till we reached the land, which was three weeks. The reader may be inclined to think, that this was no great hardship; but I hope you will not take it amiss, if I say that this shows your entire ignorance of the matter. Only consider for a moment, and you will, I am persuaded, come to a very different conclusion. Take for your dinner a salt herring, or a piece of beef that has been perhaps a twelvemonth in the brine, in a very hot summer day, having ate no breakfast beforehand, and try if you would find an English pint of water sufficient even for the afternoon; but what is a single day when the body is full of moisture? Continue this experiment for three weeks or a month, and I am fully satisfied you will change your tone. Let me tell you, my dear reader, that I never knew the meaning of that passage of the Psalmist, “Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth," before that time; but after lying in my hammock, in the orlop deck, a few hours (sleeping it could never be called), amongst two hundred men and upwards, without, I may say, one breath of air, and when the heat was such as to melt the scaling wax I had in my chest-I say, after a person place, for a few hours, it was hardly possible to articulate a word. You will allow had remained in that state, and in such a we must have been ill indeed before we could have chosen to be without any victuals cooked for us an entire fortnight. You will think it strange that we could live at all after so long wanting victuals, I answer, we had a certain quantity of biscuit served out to us, all the colours of the rainbow; and I am sure the pint of water, which we had every day at twelve o'clock, would, from taste and smell, have turned the stomach of any person who had never known any thing of this extremity. Often, in my troubled slumbers, did I imagine myself plunging and struggling in the waters of the Tweed; and "dreamed, that behold I was drinking; but when I awoke, behold was faint, and my soul had appetite." My dear reader, I pray to God that you may never experience this extremity; for the pain of hunger, which I have often felt, was pleasure itself compared with these sufferings.-Pp. 46-49. On his arrival in India, Serjeant B. was attacked with fever and dysentery, and in consequence sent to the hospital. When I entered the hospital, and looked around me to view the place, and saw the meagre and distressed features of the men stretched upon the beds, and many of the cots empty, as if death had been robbing the place of its inhabitants, to replenish the narrow house appointed for all living, something awfully solemn stole upon my mind, which I could by no means shake off, and which I am altogether unable to describe. The ward in which I lay was very large, and had a truly dismal appear ance at night, being lighted by two or three glimmering lamps, while all around was solemn and still, save the cries and groans of the sufferers, that seemed to contend along the echoing walls; and night after night we were visited by the king of terrors, to many, I am afraid, in his awfulest form. You may think that my state in these circumstances was truly deplorable, and you think rightly, for so it was; but I have not told you the worst; for "the spirit of a man may sustain his infirmity," and my spirit was not easily subdued by affliction, but "a wounded spirit who can bear?" and "the arrows of the Almighty were within me, the poison whereof drunk up my spirits;" for here I had time for serious reflection, or rather here it was forced upon me. Here I could not mix with jolly companions to drive away melancholy, and my favourite music could give me no relief. Here, too, I was compelled to listen to the voice of conscience; and O! how loudly did it expostulate with me about the answers I formerly gave it in Ireland; namely, that I had no opportunity, in the confusion of a barrack-room, for reading my Bible, meditation, or prayer; but that I would become a good Christian when I was out of the army. Here I was, indeed, out of the confusion of a barrackroom, but not only still in the army, but far, far from any minister of Christ to give me wholesome counsel. O what would I have given for the company of a godly minister, or pious, well-informed Christian! but, alas! "I looked upon the right-hand, but none would know me; refuge failed me, no man cared for my soul."-Pp. 56-58. One forenoon, when I was almost distracted with the agony of my soul, and the pain of my body, that blessed passage was given me, "Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me:" and never before did I feel any thing come home with such divine power and such healing comfort to my afflicted soul. I tried to recollect if ever I had read it in my Bible, or heard it any time, but in vain; yet I was fully persuaded that it was the voice of God speaking in his word, and accompanied by his Holy Spirit. I will not attempt a description of my mind at this time, for it is impossible, because it was indeed "a joy unspeakable." O what a flood of comfort did it impart to my helpless soul! for then I believed that God "had not in anger shut up his tender mercy, but still intended to be gracious." Now "the Lord made my bed in my sickness;" for my couch, as I thought, became softer, and every thing around me wore a different aspect.-P.p. 60, 61. The following is a brief specimen of some of the biblical illustrations contained in this work. I am not at all surprised, that persons who live in such a temperate climate as ours do not see the full force or beauty of many of the figures in the sacred volume; but were they to travel a few hundred miles in this country, they probably would not read their Bibles with such cold indifference; and, although even the figures of Scripture may fall short of the truth they are intend ed to convey, yet their appropriateness is often much greater than is generally conceived. Were a reader of the Bible to see a company of way-worn travellers, whose feet were roasted with the burning sand of the desert, the sweat streaming from their bodies, and their features distorted with thirst and fatigue, running to those rocks and waters for cooling and refreshment, would he not then discover a sufficient illustration, both of the strength and sublimity at least, of the second clause in that passage of the prophet Isaiah, "A man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, and as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land."—And I am sure the traveller himself must be destitute of all moral taste or natural sensibility, or rather, in more appropriate language, "the things of the Spirit of God must be foolishness unto him," if he does not perceive the force of this passage. I can say it from my repeated experience, that I have been so exhausted by heat, fatigue, and thirst, as to be hardly able to crawl along on the march, even with all the natural spirit I could muster; but after having had an opportunity of resting for a short season in the cleft or shadow of a large rock, and receiving a mouthful of refreshing water, I have gone forward more invigorated, than if I had partaken of the choicest dainties of India. O that the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ were much valued by my precious and immortal soul, as the waters and rocks of the desert have been by my poor exhausted bodily frame! O, how precious indeed would he then be! I might then say with truth, that "he is the chiefest among ten thousand, and altogether lovely."-Pp. 102 104. It is melancholy to observe the awful effects produced in numerous instances by the temptations to which men are exposed in foreign countries, and by the degrading effects of military punishment. In this way many of those who might be called the sober and decent part of the regiment, gradually fell from their steadfastness, and became as dissipated as those whom they had condemned. From the miserable languor produced by idleness and the climate, they now did not bethink themselves of any other refuge than liquor; mustering a fuddle as often as possible, which is by two or three of them clubbing together for a rupee's worth of arrack; and it was no uncommon thing to hear it said, on these occasions, that it was no use for them to lay up money for others to spend; and as their comrades were dying so fast, and they did not know how soon it would be their turn, it was the best way to be merry when they had it in their power; saying, in effect, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die." In their drunken rambles, they would often have altercations among themselves, or with the non-commissioned officers, when trying to keep good order amongst them, which brought them under one or more breaches of the Articles of War; and this not unfrequently terminated in their pain and dishonour, by their being exposed to corporal punishment in the front of the regiment. To those who had any regard to their good name, this was a severe trial, and the effect generally was, that it either cast them into a despondency of mind, or more commonly rendered them utterly regardless of their character ever afterwards. I may also notice a circumstance which had not a little influence in spreading this evil contagion among us. After we crossed the equinoctial line going to India, it was the notion of a number even of the men who seemed to have had something like religious instruction, that they were then under no obligations to keep the sabbath, saying, that there was no sabbath beyond the line. This sentiment became a matter of frequent discussion amongst many of them, and seemed to receive a very welcome reception. I could not suppose that they were in earnest in this opinion, until they manifested by their conduct either that they really believed it, or that they had succeeded in silencing their conscience on the subject; for, after passing the line, they made no scruple whatever of whistling and singing, and passing the sabbath day in vain and unprofitable discourse, if not in profane talking and jesting. On their arrival in India, their notions were still farther confirmed by the irreligious and profane example set before As them by our countrymen of all ranks. We close our extracts with the following description of the serjeant's feelings on the first sabbath after his return. I found one of my brothers and accompanied him to chapel. Upon entering the meeting-house, a mixture of unutterable reverence and joy thrilled through my soul, while I thought of the solemnity of the place, and looked back on the long dreary period during which I had been deprived of an opportunity of " assembling with the people of God in his house of prayer." But how was I struck with adoring wonder, when the preacher gave out the 63d psalm: "Lord, thee my God, I'll early seek : My soul doth thirst for thee," &c. which he prefaced in a very pathetic manner; and during the whole of the explanation set forth the Psalmist's condition, so exactly applicable to the feelings and circumstances of my past life, particularly in India and in my voyage home; and the next psalm which he gave out was the 122d: "I joyed when to the house of God, Go up, they said to me," &c. which was equally applicable to my now happy situation. I found it too much for my feelings, for I thought my heart would have burst with alternate joy and sorrow: joy, when I saw in this the answer of many a longing desire, "and my prayers returned into mine own bosom ;" and sorrow, because of the many unbelieving and ungrateful thoughts I had formerly entertained, that "I should never again see the Lord, even the Lord in the land of the living." The whole of the services of the day corresponded with its commercement, and all had a tendency to refresh and satisfy my thirsty soul. Surely the Psalmist's choice of spending his time was mine; for I certainly esteemed "this day better than a thousand," and found these .comforts sweeter to my soul than honey to my mouth. Surely on this happy day, if ever in my life, I found out in a great measure the truth and emphasis of these gracious words: "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled."-l'p. 279--281. |
