other money contributed for the same purpose, and that it shall be applied to the distinct purpose of training native Missionaries for the service of the Gospel. DESIGNATION OF Messrs. EVANS and BURTON. A PASSAGE to Bencoolen having been secured on board the Company's ship London, Captain Cameron, for our brethren, Messrs. Evans and Burton, they have been solemnly designated to their important work: the former at Kingstreet meeting-house, Bristol, on Wednesday evening, December 8; and the lat. ter at Reading on the following evening. At Bristol, after prayer and reading the scriptures by Rev.T. S.Crisp, the Rev. W. Ward delivered an introductory address, and received Mr. Evans's confession of faith, &c. The ordination prayer was offered by Dr. Ryland; and the Rev. Thomas Roberts, Mr. Evans's pastor, addressed him in a suitable charge, from Ephesians iii. 8. The service was closed in prayer by Rev. Jenkin Thomas. At Bristol, the Rev. Thomas Welsh, of Newbury, commenced the service by reading and prayer; Rev. Thomas Roberts delivered the address, and concluded by asking the usual questions, to which Mr. Burton replied in a very satisfactory manner; the Rev. W. Gray, of Chipping Norton, offered the ordination prayer, and the Rev. W. Ward delivered the charge from 1 Tim. iv. 16; the Rev. A. Douglas, the Independent minister of Reading, concluded the service in prayer. The congregations on each occasion were numerous, and highly interested by the transactions which they witnessed. After the Missionaries and their wives had arrived in London, a public prayermeeting was held on their account at Eagle-street Meeting, where Mr. Burton has been for several years a member; and on Thursday the 17th inst. they attended a special meeting of the Central Committee, at the Society's Rooms, 15, Wood-street, when their instructions were delivered to them by the Junior Secretary, and, after an appropriate address by the Chairman, Joseph Gutteridge, Esq. they were once more affectionately commended to God in prayer, by the Rev. Joseph Ivimey. Our friends are expected to leave England before the close of this month, (December.) Foreign Intelligence. SERAMPORE. Extract of a Letter from Dr. Carey to Dr. Ryland, dated March 30, 1819. FOR the last two or three months, I have almost ceased to write letters; this no doubt arises chiefly from that na tural dislike to it, which has attended me through life, and which is always ready to catch at any excuse for the neglect. At the same time i think want of leisure is seldom pleaded with more truth than in my case. I might sometimes take a little of that time for this purpose, which I have considered it a duty to appropriate to relaxation from my daily labours, but the truth is, that I generally feel myself so worn down by work, that I have no inclination to sacrifice that time to writing letters. I am now nearly fifty-eight years of age, and though I enjoy a tolerably good state of health, yet feel fatigue sooner than I formerly did. Long before this reaches you, I hope brother Ward will have sately arrived in England; from him you will learn every thing respecting the state of the Mission, which had transpired at that time. Since his departure, nothing of moment has occurred: we are all in nearly the same state of health as we were then, and all our undertakings proceed in nearly the same manner. The translations, and works connected with them, regularly occupy my time, and probably will continue to do so till I am unable to engage in them. I have lived to see versions of the Bengalee, Sungskrit, Ootkul, (Orissa,) and Hindee, begun and completed. This year will, I hope, add the Mabratta to them. The Punjabee, or language of the Shikhs, is the next in point of forwardness; the Pentateuch in which is printed, and I hope the Historical Books will be finished by the end of the year. We are now considerably advanced in the 1st Chronicles; so that I hope in two years more, should I live, to see the whole Bible printed in six of the languages of India. The New Testament is also finished in Pushtoo, Kunkuna, l'elinga, and Mooltanee, or Wuch. (The first, viz. Mooltanee, is the proper name of this language, being that of the province, while Wuch is only the name of the chief city in it.) The Assamese is nearly printed off also, so that by the time this reaches you, the New Testament will be printed in five languages, besides those in which the whole Bible is printed. To these must be added the Chinese, which is going forward with considerable rapidity. The whole number of translations now on hand amounts to forty two. I am, through mercy, well; my dear wife is extremely weak, but she has that enjoyment of nearness to God, which enables her to bear the weakness with the spirit of a Christian. My family is about me. Felix is at Serampore, assisting in the printing-office, on a monthly salary; William at Cutwa, where he has baptized thirteen natives already this year. Jabez is gone to Agimere, to try to set up schools in Rajpoothana; and Jonathan has a good situation in Calcutta, in the law, and is in expectation of being soon appointed an attorney in the Supreme Court. Brother Sutton is gone to Moorshedabad, where I trust he will be useful: he writes in a good spirit. Brother Chamberlain was lately here, I feared in the Jast stage of a consumption; but since his return he has been much better, and there are considerable hopes of his recovery. He was evidently under the influence of the genuine sentiments of the gospel. Brother Moore has lately married a third wite, au élève of our triend, Mrs. G. of Agra. CALCUTTA. Extract of a Letter from Mr. Yates to Dr. Ryland, dated Calcutta, March 10, 1819. I AM just now recovering from a severe attack of the bilious fever, by which I have been confined to my room for a week. It was brought on, I believe, by my being too much exposed to the sun; and has been removed by my taking ca lomel till I became a little salivated. I am now recovering, but still very weak. During this affliction, I have felt my mind very much resigned to the divine will, and have had one prevailing desire, that whether I lived, I might live unto the Lord; or whether I died, I might die unto the Lord; so that whether living or dying I might be entirely his. It has furnished me with another proof of the vanity of all things here below; and, what is better, with a fresh resolution more than ever to set my affections on things above. How precious is the doetrine of the atonement in the prospect of death and eternity! will be best seen and distinguished from those who hear his name, but are none of his. How great is the real Christian's reward already in this polluted world! While those whose hope is only in this life are terrified by seeing numbers of their fellow-mortals hurried into eternity, the true Christian is enabled to stand, as it were, like a child, by his Father's side, and see, with serenity, what he is doing! "I would humbly say to my superiors, Be not dismayed at the dark dispensations of our God! Fear not, for the Saviour shall yet see of the travail of his soul among the tribes of Africa. I am by no means cast down: I know that the Lord can work by a single individual as much as by a thousand only I would crave your earnest petitions, at the throne of his hea venly grace, for us the survivors." Mr. Jesty concludes his affecting narrative of the death of his excellent wife, with an earnest entreaty. "O send us more labourers! Our party is very small now, but we are enabled to lean and repose our trust on our blessed Saviour. Never once did my dear wife regret coming to Africa." Mr. Morgan says, in reference to the same mournful event, " Let none be discouraged; nor let any come, who are not ready to say, with our dear sister departed, "I am entering the glory of my Lord! My Head is in heaven; and where should I be, but with him?" " Mr. thus, May the God of Missions endue all his servants with like precious faith, and every obstacle must eventually be removed out of their way! WESLEYAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY. THE following extract from the Journal of Mr. Shaw, a Missionary employed under the patronage of this Society, among the Hottentots in South Africa, will furnish another pleasing evidence of the success with which they have been instructed in the truths of the Gospel. In the month of May last, I rode to a farm about twelve miles distant, in order to preach to the Bastard Hottentots whe inhabit the house. It happened that many of our people followed on foot, and others on horseback; so that the house was nearly filled. My poor wife being ill at the time, I, after service, hastened home in the midst of the rain that was falling, and our people were left behind. The Namacquas, wishing to employ their time to the profit of themselves and those present, held service after dinner; and while thus engaged in worship, a farmer, Bull expresses himself who had come some distance, opened the "I believe I speak the feeling of most of our remaining few, when I say, that we are not disheartened, but encouraged. We have every reason to be steadfast, for the Lord will yet have mercy upon Zion! You may hear, perhaps, next of my removal; and another may take up his pen to write of me. But be it so! May I be but faithful to him who has said, Where I am, there shall also my servant be!' Be not cast down, dear Sirs! Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God! yea, does now begin! Truly the poor instruments employed are in jeopardy every hour, in a very particular way; but the Lord reigneth! and heaven and earth shall pass away, but his word shall not pass away. Let us hope then for brighter days. At evening time, it shall be light. Only pray for us, that we who remain, may, with one mind, strive toge ther for the faith of the Gospel." door, and looked in. His aston hment being in some measure abated, he retired to the kitchen till the service was ended; and having a desire to converse with the Hottentots, and ridicule their worship, he began as follows: Farmer. What sort of singing and praying is this that you have had? I never heard any thing like it; nor can I understand any thing you have said. Jacob. I think, Master, you only came to mock us; nevertheless, let me ask, does Master understand this chapter, (John iii.). especially that part respecting the new birth? Pray, who are the persons that must be born again? Farmer. (The New Testament being handed to him, he complained that he could not see very well; but said,) [ suppose Jesus Christ is the person who must be born again. Jacob. No, Master, no such thing; Jesus Christ says, that we, and all sinners, must be created anew, born again of the Spirit, and become new creatures, or w cannot enter heaven. John, (brother to Jacob.) Master, you once told me that our names did not stand in the Bible, and that the Gospel was not for us. Will Master now tell me if the name of Dutchman or Englishman is found therein? Farmer. (No answer.) Jacob But, Master, you who are Christians, call us Hottentots Heathens; tha' is our name. Now I find that the book says, Jesus came a light to lighten the heathens; we read our name in the book. Farmer. It is time enough to repent when we are sick, and likely to die. Jacob. Dat you not find said in de book. No: we must repent now, as the Lord says in the Word. Farmer. I cannot understand you; your Dutch is not good. John. How is it, Master, that you do not understand, when Mynheer (missionary) understands all that brother says? Farmer. Your Missionary cannot understand or speak good Dutch. John. Our Mynheer learns the Dutch from the book; you learn the bastard Dutch without book. It is not wonder then that you think our Mynheer speaks not good Dutch. He speaks as the book speaks: you not understand de book, and therefore not Mynheer understand. Farmer. (Yet dumb; but after some consideration, he proceeds.) Your Missionary baptizes Hottentots, before they know their Catechism. You must first know this; then the Missionary must stand upon a high place, and ask all the ques tions. If you cannot answer all these out of your heads, you must not be bap-not understand; and when I come to tized. Jacob. Pray, Master, where is it so said in the book? Farmer. (No answer.) Jacob. I learn from the Bible, that the people dat repent and believe may be baptized; but the book says not dat he who can answer all the questions shall be baptized. If we had all in our heads that you say, what better if our hearts not converted be? Farmer. That is partly true; there are many things in the Bible that we do your place, I shall ask your Missionary the meaning of Gog and Magog. Henry, (one of our interpreters.) That you, Master, cannot understand many things in the book, is not a wonder. Paul says, "The natural man understandeth not the things of God, but they are to him foolish." Farmer. Who is the natural man? Henry We are all natural men in our sinful and natural state, and we can only Farmer. There is no conversion in this understand the things of God by the life; that must be after death Jacob. Will you, Master, tell me where that is writt n? Famer (No answer.) Jacob. If I right understand, a man who is of sin convinced-who also sin forsakes, and upon Jesus Christ believes, is converted; this man can be baptized. John baptized in Jordan them dat sin confessed. help of the Spirit of God. They then asked him (the Farmer,) the meaning of several passages; but he said, "I am no Missionary, and therefore cannot explain." Jacob then inquired, if he did not teach his own people, slaves, or servants; and his answer was, No; for they would then be as wise as I am myself!" TO CORRESPONDENTS. No. II. of the Periodical Accounts having been reprinted, a few complete Sets of the whole Series may be had, in six Volumes, boards, Price 1l. 10s. The single Numbers are selling at reduced Prices, to accommodate those friends of the Society who may wish to complete their Sets. All communications on this subject, or respecting the Missionary Herald, must be addressed to the Rev. John Dyer, at the Baptist Missionary Rooms, 15, Woodstreet. Those triends who wish to be supplied with copies of the latter publication, for the use of subscribers and collectors, will be pleased to specify the channel through which they may be forwarded from London. In the Press, and shortly will be published, The Annual Report of the Committee of the Baptist Missionary Society, read at the General Meeting at Cambridge, October 7, 1819, together with an Appendix and List of Subscriptions, Douations, and Collections for the Year. London: Printed by J. BARFIELD, 91, Wardour-street, Soho. Baptist Magazine. FEBRUARY, 1820. MEMOIR OF THE LATE REV. ELISHA SMITH, very years of age, produced by a ser- years of Mr. Smith's life there MR. SMITH was born at Bring- was little appearance of the ton, a village in Northampton- prayers of his pious mother being shire, May 14, 1754. His parents answered, except some were brought up in the com-powerful, but temporary convicmunion of the Church of Eng-tions, when he was about sixteen land, but being led to approve and adopt the principles of dissent, they joined the Baptist church at Towcester, during the pastoral charge of the Rev. Mr. Stanger. By honest industry in the wool trade, they acquired a respectable competency; but in consequence of a variety of losses, they were much reduced in circumstances towards the close of life. Adversity, however, was sanctified to them, and they left behind them an honourable character. They had six chil- In the autumn of 1774 he left dren, three of whom died in in-home, and resided for some fancy: the subject of this Memoir was the eldest of those who survived. His mother was a woman of eminent piety, and appears to have had an earnest desire, when her son Elisha was an infant, that (if it were the Divine will,) he might become a minister of Christ. She told him that when he was not twelve months old, if ever she prayed in her life, she prayed that he might be devoted to the service of the church of God. How pleasing must it have been to her to see her devout wishes so happily realized! For the first twenty VOL. XII. months, first at Foleshill, and afterwards at Coventry, working at his father's business. Removed from the restraints of parental observation, he fell into the snares of evil company, but was preserved from gross immoralities, and retained a regard for religion, and respect for good men. He attended the ministry of the Rev. Mr. Butterworth, which proved the means of bringing him, as a humble penitent, at the footstool of mercy, to an entire dependence on Jesus Christ for salvation, and an earnest desire to be numbered among his H |