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intend the printing of such tracts as may by that time be prepared. You will observe that this is a mere suggestion.

I have made two or three attempts to establish a school in the Batak village near us, but have hitherto failed from a cause that will appear a little singular to you; viz. the children do not like to attend, and the parents have not sufficient authority over them to command their attendance. When books have been circulated amongst them, and they find that solid advantages result from the ability to read, I hope the parents will exert an authority, to the exercise of which they have hitherto been strangers, and in the mean time, our failure in this particular, is the less to be regretted, when we consider that there is not a single book in their language we should wish them to read.

JAMAICA.

SEVERAL letters have recently come to hand from our Missionaries in this island.

At Kingston, large additions continue

to be made to the church under the care

of Mr. Coultart. His health, we regret to add, is somewhat impaired, and that of Mrs. C. still more so. Mr. Coultart is very anxious to obtain a new school-room for the instruction of the pupils under the care of Mr. Knibb, as the old chapel, in which they have hitherto met, is falling into decay; and is, besides, very inconveniently situated, and much too small to admit the numbers who would gladly attend. He expresses a sanguine hope that the friends of education in this country would, if appealed to on the subject, cheerfully aid these poor negro youth, by

contributing to the erection of a new school for their reception; and it must be allowed that the peculiarly destitute condition of this part of the population pleads very forcibly in their behalf. Renewed application has been made to him from the friends at Manchineel for assistance there; while the committee have not as yet been able to procure a suitable person for the newly formed station at Mount Charles. Must these poor, simple-hearted people, implore in vain for a pious, intelligent, prudent, and self-denying teacher from England!

Mr. Phillipo continues to receive much countenance from the chief magistrate at Spanish Town, and has probably, by this time, made a commencement in erecting a new chapel, which has long been most urgently required; his own health, if not the lives of the congregation, being seri.

ously endangered, by worshipping on the dilapidated premises belonging to the society, and purchased while Mr. Godden resided there. This undertaking will necessarily involve much expense, but Mr. Phillipo hopes for considerable aid on the spot; and all concur in stating that, if the station is to be maintained at all, the erection is unavoidable. Mr. P. recently announced his intention of opening a school; and in the course of a few days after his advertisement appeared, received numerous applications for admission, among whom, twenty were from Jewish parents. There seems every reason to hope, should the health of Mr. Phillipo be mercifully continued, that this station will soon be second in importance to none in the island.*

From Annato Bay no particulars have lately reached us. We have reason to believe, however, that Mr. Phillips is slowly recovering from his late illness. Mr. Burchell, at Montego Bay, like Mr. Phil

lipo, is full of anxiety respecting a place creasing congregation; and whoever can of worship capable of holding his still inappreciate the amount of suffering sustained by an European, in having to address a congregation of negroes, and persons of colour, in a small place, crowded to excess, under the burning sun of Jamaica, must earnestly wish that this most desirable object may be speedily attained. It must not be concealed, however, that the expense will be great, and that from a variety of causes, little can be expected

on the spot.

In the mean while, the word of God has free course, and is glorified. Mr. Burchell baptized forty-three persons on Lord's-day, May 1, and his prospects generally are more encouraging than ever before. He most urgently implores further help.

HONDURAS.

AMIDST many circumstances of a trying and perplexing nature, which have occurred in relation to our Mis

We add with great pleasure that an of ficial communication has this day (Sept. 15) been received from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, from which it appears, that the representation made to Government of Mr. Phillipo's having been required to serve in the Militia, was immediately forwarded to the highest authority in Jamaica, accompanied with instructions for his relief from military duty. By the existing law of the island, it seems that even clergy of the Established Church are liable to this service!

sion in this quarter, it is encouraging to find that Mr. Bourn is cheered by some instances of success. The following is extracted from the last letter received from him, dated

Belize, May 31, 1825. God has been pleased in some degree to own my labours, and is still owning them. The man I first baptized, possesses a mind superior to any coloured person I ever met with. His improvement in scriptural knowledge has far exceeded my expectation; he knows the French, and in part the Spanish and Musquito languages, preaches usually in the week, and holds prayer-meetings in different parts of the settlement. He usually attends at a fixed time for religious instruction at my house, and I have such confidence in him, that I should feel no fear in trusting him to defend the cause of religion with any white man in the settle. ment. I baptized last ordinance day two elderly brown females, who gave very satisfactory evidence of a change of heart; and I am about to baptize to-morrow,

and receive two into the church. I fully expect in another month to baptize seve ral more, of whom I have reason to hope well. The work appears to be going on silently and powerfully, though not ra pidly; the congregation is as good, if not better than ever, and so is the Sunday school. Last ordinance day we were twelve in number, including whites, blacks, and browns. I have a young man who has been lodging with me ever since January, who has been in the settlement three years, and sustained during that time a good moral character; he had been brought up among the Friends before he left England, but seldom attended any place of worship here, till he came to reside with me; since then he has constantly attended, and there is good reason to think the word has been blest to his soul. One Sabbath evening, a little while back, in some private conversation on the things of religion which I had with him, the word had such an effect upon his mind, that he wept for about two hours. He has had thoughts of going to live at the shore, and endeavouring to make himself useful, though he is doing well for himself here.

Contributions received by the Treasurer of the Baptist Missionary Society, from August 20, to September 20, 1825, not including Individual Subscriptions. FOR THE MISSION.

£

15

Devonport, Juvenile Missionary Association, by Rev. Thomas Horton
Bradford, (Wilts,) Collection and Subscriptions, by Rev. Joseph Rodway 25 12
Norwich, Collected by Ann Thompson, a poor Milk-girl, 9 Years old
Sundries, by Rev. Joseph Kinghorn

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Eye, Collected by Three Young Ladies, by Rev. P. Saffery.
Scarborough and Bridlington, Collections, &c. by Mr. C. Hill
Lincoln, &c. Collection and Subscriptions, by Rev. J. Jarman.
Rev. Thomas Puddicombe, Branscomb, by the Secretary... Donation
A Friend, Southwark,·
by Thomas Smith, Esq. Ditto
J. H. L. T.
by the Secretary....... Ditto

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10248742000 16460014000

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3 18

11

86 14

27

20

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TO CORRESPONDENTS.

THE thanks of the Committee are returned to Mr. Weston, for a parcel of Magazines, "Gold Ends," &c. by Rev. John Bain; to the Rev. J. H. Hinton, of Reading, for a Collection of Magazines and other Pamphlets; and to a Friend to the Mission' for six volumes of the Evangelical Magazine.

To many Correspondents, anxious to be visited by our much esteemed brother Mr. Eustace Carey, the Secretary has to state, with deep concern, that the health of Mr. C. is so much impaired that he is wholly unequal to the fatigue of much travelling and preaching. Whatever engagements may be found consistent with his strength Mr. Carey will gladly fulfil; but these must, of necessity, be very few for the present.

Printed by J. BARFIELD, Wardour-Street, Soho.

BAPTIST MAGAZINE.

NOVEMBER, 1825.

MEMOIR OF THE REV. JOHN CHAMBERLAIN, LATE MISSIONARY IN BENGAL.

MR. JOHN CHAMBERLAIN was born at Welton, in Northamptonshire, on the 24th July, 1777. He received the best education the circumstances of his parents would admit, at a village school, where he was the first of a considerable number of children much older than himself a circumstance which his biographer mentions, as the first indication of that principle which led him in all he undertook to labour to excel. He was the subject of serious impressions, at a very early period; he says in a note, "Nor did I dare even then to do any thing I thought sinful. I used to attempt to pray. When I went to meeting I was delighted with the singing, and united with all my might to give vent to my rapture. Some times then, glimmerings of Divine truth illumined my mind, which at least prepared me for after days. I thank my God for parents who, though poor, taught me to read the Bible, and took me to hear the word of God preached. Ah! how much I owe to the care of my dear mother!"

Mr. Chamberlain in his infancy was very weak and delicate, and by a fever lost his hearing in one ear, which he never recovered: he was brought up to the farming business as a likely means of strengthening his constitution. This occasioned his removal to Market Harborough, where he attended the ministry of Mr. Gill, and was occasionally much

VOL. XVII.

affected, though no lasting impression was produced. In the year 1794, he went to reside at Burby, and heard Dr. Bridges, now of Bristol. The state of his mind at this time, he thus describes-" Here I heard the glorious news of salvation. Here I began to think and read and pray. Dr. Watts's Psalms and Hymns were my constant companions. I committed the greatest part of them to memory, and was continually repeating them, whether walking in the fields, or working in the barn. Morning, noon, and night I was glad. But, alas! how vain and weak was I; puffed up with pride! I formed resolutions, but sin revived! My futile efforts failed; and I rolled down the tide of vanity. My heart, treacherous heart, beguiled me. I soon forgot my vows, sinned vilely, and strove to lull my conscience fast asleep. But in vain,— it stood faithful, and with severe reproofs chastised me for my sin. My guilty soul was overwhelmed with deep remorse, shame, and bitter pain." In 1795, he went to live at Braunston. Here he was required to promise not to go to meeting: to this he agreed, only insisted upon going to hear Dr. Bridges at a neighbouring church, where he attended every other Sabbath. Having been prevented from going to church for three Sabbaths, on the evening of the third he said to his mother, "I have not been to church a lòng time, I wish you would let me go to meet2 s

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ing; it is not right to break the Sabbath in this manner." His mother said, Why, John, if you go once, you will want to go again, and that will not do. You may go to-night." He went Mr. Simmons (now at Wigan) preached-Divine power accompanied the word to his heart. Speaking of that night he says, "My joys overflowed! such wondrous things I felt. O, it was a happy season!" The Sabbath after he again solicited permission to go to the house of God; it was granted, but with a strict charge, never to ask any more. Persecution follow ed, and, in 1796, he removed into a serious family. In the summer of that year he, with his master, one of his fellow-servants, the house-keeper, and eleven others, were baptized by Mr. Simmons, at Guilsborough. It was in October, the same year, that his mind was first impressed with the state of the heathen. He heard of Messrs. Thomas and Carey, and continually wished to be with them; their very trials fanned the flame, till it was like a fire in his bones. He read the sermons preached at the formation of the London Missionary Society, and says, "I then felt a burning zeal for the welfare of the heathen. Sometimes I thought I could die in the cause, and triumph in the tortures of a fire. My hopes were directed to India, though I saw no way how they could be fulfilled. Involved in labyrinths, I walked in darkness." Considering it impossible to realize his desires, he went to live with Mr. Haddon, at Newry, in 1797; but, a true missionary spirit is the same in all places, and Mr. C. here evinced the same devotedness of heart for which he was subsequently so distinguished. Intending to change his occupation, that he might be more at liberty to serve God, the subject was mentioned by his master to some ministers, and by them

Mr. C. was recommended to the Committee of the Baptist Missionary Society. On September 20, 1798, he was received as a probationer, and placed under the care of Mr. Sutcliffe, of Olney. Here he continued about a year; during which period his diary furnishes ample proof that he paid the most scrupulous attention to the state of his heart, and rigidly examined the motives by which he was influenced. On November 1, he writes, "I feel myself condemned, and fear nothing but selfish motives have induced me to propose myself as a missionary-the thought of being a great man, such as John Chamberlain, Missionary in India ;—but, cursed be the motive, or, such motives as these, if such are in my heart. If such things move me to engage in this work, O Lord, overturn them, turn them to foolishness!" He was often dejected with a sense of unworthiness, discouraged by thoughts of unfitness, and overwhelmed with the responsibility of the undertaking

he was here exercised with deep searchings of heart. Before Mr. C. had been a year at Olney, it was concluded, that as the Baptist Missionary Society had no immediate need of his services, he should be advised to continue his studies at Bristol, with a view to the ministry; leaving it to future circumstances to determine his final destination. Altogether uncertain respecting his path, he prepared to quit Oloey, with a heart overflowing with gratitude to his beloved tutor, and the family and society in which he had lived, bowing to the will of God. "I am satisfied to resign and resume my former station (he writes) and to take hold of the scythe or plough with cheerful submission." He was, however, immediately invited to ministerial labours, in different parts of the country, till he entered the Academy at Bristol,

where he proved himself to be a diligent scholar, a pious christian, and a true philanthropist. His diary during his residence at Bristol, furnishes many interesting particulars; our limits forbid our transcribing more than the following: On seeing a ship launch, he writes, "it brought to my mind this reflection;-so we must launch into eternity. When our time is come, our heart-strings will begin to break, and we shall soon be gone. At first our souls will begin to Autter, as the ship when she just began to move; but when released, they will move with a force which nothing can impede, Not dear relations and beloved children, nor any, nor all the enjoy ments of this world, can cause our souls to stop one moment: no; swift, like an arrow, they will dash into the boundless main, whence they will not return till the heavens are no more, &c."

On reading the life of Edwards, he says, "What holy resolution! what a fervour of mind! O may I imitate his example, especially his guard over his words; his grave deportment on the Lord's-day; his moderation in eating and sleeping; his early rising; and his habitual close thinking! I am persuaded this is the only way to improvement." On hearing of the death of Mr. Pearce, and of his experience rela. tive to his going among the heathen, he writes, "My soul, let these things deeply affect thee; let them be powerfully impressed upon thee. Remember the importance of being united to Christ; this union is an everlasting one; death will but complete it. O my Saviour! be thou mine, and I ask no more. Mr. Pearce's feelings brought my past experience to my mind. What piety is manifested in what he wrote! what love to souls! what disinterested regard for the glory of God! He was willing to leave every thing

that was near and dear to him, and to spend and be spent in the cause of Christ. Does this agree with my experience? Could I leave all for Him? Not of myself; but if I should be then called, will he not assist me?”

Dec. 29, 1799, Lord's-day, "Have been reading the life of that dear man of God, John Elliot, the apostle to the Indians. O that I were of his spirit! what love to God and man, what indefatigable zeal did he manifest! Was much affected to-day in hearing my tutor mention what Mr. Carey had said, viz. that it is the bounden duty of christians, to expect great things from God, and to attempt great things for him; and that we, as christians, ought to be ashamed and confounded before God, because we have attempted no greater.' On hearing this, I wept much. Blessed be God that any impression was made on my hard unaffected heart."

When the news of Mr. Grant's death arrived, he writes, "My mind was impressed as though I must go to India, to fill up the place of my dear brother, removed to the world above."

The motto on a pioneer's cap, "Aspera non terrent," which on one occasion powerfully arrested Mr. Chamberlain's attention, and is so truly descriptive of his missionary character, is not less applicable to his labours while a student at Bristol:-he commenced preaching in the streets of the city; and both out of doors, and in such rooms as could be obtained, he made known "the unsearchable riches of Christ." His diary, describing these engagements, is as truly missionary, as any of his communications from Hindostan; nor did he labour in vain, or spend his strength for nought. He says, "My public work I see to be good and glorious; but when I survey the manner in

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