Income; Students; Native La- I Society for promoting Christian mittees; Secretaries; anti-in- fidel Books, &c.; Fund of Cle. ricus, &c.; Bishop of Calcutta ; Bombay District Report .... 815 sinia; Calcutta Auxiliary; Se- tributions; Scriptures issued. 817 African Institution-Seventeenth lished by the Imaum of Muscat; American Colonization Society; land; Germany; Levant, &c. 828 Missionaries; flagrant Outrage 833 Religious Tract Society-Report: ders; Circulation of the Scrip- Counties; Irish Peasantry, &c. 841 ........ CHRISTIAN OBSERVER. No. 253.] JANUARY, 1823. [No. 1. Vol. XXIII. RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATIONS. To the EditoroftheChristian Observer. ample wealth, exercising in private those graces which the providential dispensations of an all-wise and some friends, to submit the following narrative to the public through the medium of your miscellany. I am sensible that it has no claim to merit, but such as arises from its being an authentic record of several rare Christian virtues in a very humble walk of life. Some of your late Numbers have contained interesting notices of departed Christians, illustrative of true religion in various aspects. Among others, we see in Mr. Hey a zealous layman, steady in his Christian course, and unwearied in doing good, under the pressure of an extensive and exhausting secular profession; in Mr. Townshend, a clergyman of high birth and expectations, humbly con secrating himself to the service of God, and the temporal and spiritual welfare of mankind; in Mr. Scott, another faithful minister of Christ, strongly contrasted with the last mentioned in all the subordinate circumstances of birth, education, and outward fortune, but united with him in faith and spirit, and labouring in his study with a diligence and success which almost make us undervalue his extensive utility in his pulpit and his parish; in Dr. Dehon, a prelate of deep devotion and active charity, adorning his high order in the church of Christ; in Mrs. Hoffman, a Christian female of middle rank and easy circumstances, living a life of disinterested self-denial, and unwearied exertion for the benefit of the widow and the orphan; and in Lady Eleanor King, another female, of high station and On Sunday the 9th of January, CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 253. gracious Father did not allow her to exhibit in the more busy scenes of public duty and bodily exertion. Permit me to add to this list the name of an obscure individual, who exemplified how contentedly a Christian can suffer, how humbly he can deport himself, and how diligently, in the most abject circumstances of life, he can cherish feelings of love and gratitude, making the Bible the companion of his weary hours, and the temple of God a refuge from his cares. I wish that I had enjoyed an opportunity of knowing more of the exact religious sentiments of the subject of my narrative, and of conversing with him more fully on the peculiar doctrines of the Gospel, and their power over the human soul: on these points the memoir is less copious than I could have wished: but in the practical illustration of these principles, I trust it may be found interesting and useful; and it is in this view chiefly that I offer it for insertion, adding only my firm conviction, grounded on the whole evidence of the case, that my humble friend was not a Stoic, or a mere moralist, but a true, faithful, and affectionate servant of Jesus Christ, trusting wholly by faith in his atonement for salvation, and looking up for the blessed guidance of his Holy Spirit, while he evinced in his life much of the patience and contentment of his Great Example. I am, &c. Stone Easton Lodges B W. R. 18, as I was proceeding in the services of the day, my attention was attracted by a wretched object seated in the nave of the church. There was an air of devout seriousness about him, under all the disadvantages of tattered garments and squalid appearance, which afforded a favourable presentiment to my mind. When the service was over, the stranger disappeared. Conceiving that he was some poor passing beggar, who had been allured within the precincts of God's temple by the fire in the stove, I made no inquiry about him. To my astonish⚫ment, however, on the following Sunday the same object presented himself, and took his station, as before, near the stove. He seemed to be a man decrepit with age: his head resting upon his bosom, which was partly exposed, betokened considerable infirmity. Under a coarse and dirty sackcloth frock was to be seen a soldier's coat patched in various places, which was strangely contrasted with the cleanliness of his shirt. His whole appearance was that of the lowest degree of poverty. The same devout attention to the services of the day which I had remarked on the previous Sabbath inspired in me a hope, that he was a spiritual, though humble, worshipper of that common Father, a disciple of that common Saviour, at whose footstool we were prostrating ourselves in united adoration. When the service was concluded, I inquired who the old man was. "Sir," replied my informant, "he is a person who works at the blacksmith's shop; he is a remarkable man, and carries about with him a Bible, which he constantly reads." A secret pleasure stole through my heart at this delightful intelligence; and I could not but feel gratified at the prospect of seeing a man who, under such appearances of misery, made the word of God his companion and guide. Having taken an early opportunity in the course of the week of paying him a visit, I found him standing by the side of the forge, putting some links of iron wire together, to form a chain to suspend scissars. The impressions of wretchedness excited by his first appearance, were now greatly heightened by the soot, which, from the nature of his occupation, had necessarily gathered round his person. After a few general observations, I went to Mr. H. S., the master of the shop, and from him learned some particulars of the poor man's history. He informed me, that on Tuesday the 4th of January, in the severely cold weather which then prevailed, this destitute object came to his shop, almost exhausted with cold and fatigue. In his passage through the neighbouring village of P, he had been inhumanly pelted with snow-balls by a party of boys, and might probably have perished, but for the humanity of some respectable inhabitants of the place, who rescued him from their hands. Having reached Mr. S.'s shop, he requested permission to erect, in a shed which adjoined the shop, his little apparatus, consisting of a slight table, with a box containing his tools. The benevolent master of the premises very kindly desired him to come in, and stationed him near the forge, where he might pursue his work with advantage by the side of the fire. In the evening, when the workmen were about to retire, Mr. S. asked him where he intended to lodge that night. The old man inquired if there were any ox-stall or stable near at hand, which he might be permitted to occupy. His kind benefactor offered his stable. Accordingly the poor creature, with his box and table upon his back, accompanied Mr. S. home, where as comfortable a bed as fresh straw and shelter from the inclemency of the weather could afford was made up. One of Mr. S.'s children afterwards carried him some warm cider, which he accepted with reluctance, expressing his fears lest he should be depriving some part of the family of it. Early the next morning Mr. S. went into the stable, and asked the poor stranger how he was. He replied, "I am very happy." The thermometer, during the past night, had been as low as 6 deg. or 7 deg. Fahrenheit. Having risen from his straw bed, and dressed himself (for he always took off his clothes at night, and wrapped himself in a blanket, which had been given him by the Dowager Countess of C-), he soon joined his hospitable friend, and resumed his post by the side of the forge. This station Mr. S. humanely allowed him to retain as long as he needed it; and, to his honour be it spoken, contracted so great a regard for the good man as to be unable to speak of him, even at this time, without emotion. I have heard him declare, that he never learned so complete a lesson of humility, contentment, and gratitude as from the conduct of this man. Little did he think, at this time, how soon his lowly guest was to become an inhabitant of that blissful world where there is neither sighing nor sorrow, "where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest." Little did he think that so soon that unsightly and despised body should be gathered to its dust, to be fashioned ere long "like unto Christ's glorious body," a fit casket for the inestimable jewel of a soul cleaned in the blood of the Redeemer from all earthly impurities, and made "meet for the inheritance of the saints in light." What a lesson this on the duty of prompt and cheerful attention to the wants of the stranger and the destitute! What a comment on the gracious declaration of our Saviour, "Forasmuch as ye did it unto the least of these little ones, ye did it unto me." The poor creature's days and nights continued to be passed much in the manner above described; with the exception, that he had exchanged the stable, at night, for the shop, which was warmer, and in which Mr. S. permitted him to remain, as soon as he was satisfied respecting his principles. He daily pursued with exemplary diligence his humble employment of making chains and skewers, although, as I afterwards learned, he was unable, even with success in disposing of his wares, to earn more than sixpence or sevenpence a-day. A cup of tea in the morning, for which he paid twopence, and some bread, or cold potatoes, if any remained from his dinner the preceding day, formed his morning's repast. At dinner he had some hot potatoes, or bread and cheese, with occasionally half a pint of beer. If at any time solicited to take some additional refreshment, he would decline it, saying, "I am thankful for the kindness but it would be intemperate.” Mr. S. further added, that he believed him to be a sincere Christian; that he always carried a Bible with him, which he used attentively to read when least liable to interruption; and that he never. partook of any of his slender meals, without first taking off his hat, and, as was judged from his attitude and the motion of his lips, imploring the blessing of Him who clotheth the lily, and feedeth the young ravens; but whose especial mercies are reserved for those who put their trust in him; and who not only commands us, whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, to do all to his glory, but encourages even the most afflicted and indigent of his faithful followers to be "careful for nothing, but in every thing with prayer and thanksgiving to let their requests be made known unto him," and that he will supply all their needs, both for body and soul, if not in the way most congenial to their wishes, yet in that which shall most conduce to their spiritual and eternal welfare. This poor man's conduct was uniformly consistent with his Christian profession. Never does his protector recollect hearing an angry word, or a murmuring expression from his lips; although, in addition to his bitter poverty and privations, |