Papers from the Port-folio of a Minister.

Anecdotes of King William III.

This illustrious monarch, of glorious memory, in a voyage to Holland in 1690, was in great danger of being lost. Perceiving that some of the seamen were greatly alarmed, the king with that intrepidity which he usually manifested, thus addressed them; "What are you afraid to die in my company?" Many Christians are much terrified with the prospect of passing "the valley of the shadow of death," notwithstanding be that hath "the keys of hell and of death" hath promised that he "will never leave them nor forsake them." But are there any reasons why they should be afraid to die in his company?

Bishop Burnett, who was intimately acquainted with the above monarch, gives the following account of his regard to religion and morality. "He believed the truth of the christian religion very firmly, and he expressed a horror at Atheism and Blasphemy; and though there was much of both in his Court, yet it was always deried to him, and kept out of sight. He was most exemplarily decent and devout, in the public exercises of the worship of God, only on week days he came too selim to them. He was an attentive hearer of sermons, and was constant in his private prayers and reading the scriptures."

Latimer and King Henry VIII.

Extract from a Sermon by M. Newcome, before the House of Commons, Dec. 30, 1646.

All things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do. One sort of men in particular to whom I would recommend the consideration of this passage, are Ministers, preachers Now did we, could of the word. They are God's Ambassadors.

we, remember the eye of God upon us, how diligent, how abun dant would it make us in the work of the Lord! How faithful, how courageous, how unbyassed, how above the frowns and smiles of men! This was it made Paul so faithful and uncorrupt in the work of his Ministry. 2 Cor. ii, 17. For we are not as many who corrupt the word of God; but as of sincerity, as of God, as in the sight of God so speak we in Christ. That which made Paul handle the word so uncorruptly, and with such sincerity was this, he spake it as in the sight of God. I have heard of that holy Martyr of Christ Jesus, Mr. Latymer, that having in a sermon at court Vol. III.

3 F

in Henry the eighth's days, much displeased the King, he was commanded next sabbath, to preach again, and make his recantation according to appointment he comes to preach, and preface th his sermon with a kind of Dialogue in this way. "Hugh Latymer, doest thou know to whom thou art this day to speak? To the high and mighty Monarch, who can take away thy life if thou offend; therefore take heed how thou speakest a word that may displease his Majesty." But (as recalling himself) "Hugh, Hugh!" (saith he) "dost thou not know from whom thou comest, and on whose message thou art sent? even the great and mighty God, who is able to cast both body and soul into hell fire forever; and therefore take heed to thyself that thou deliver thy message faithfully;" and so comes to his sermon, and what he had delivered the day before, confirms, and urges with more vehemency than Sermon being done, the court was full of expectation, what would be the issue of the matter. After dinner the King calls for Latymer, and with a stern countenance asked him how he durst be so bold as to preach after this manner?-He answered, that duty to God and to his Prince had forced him to it, and now he had discharged his conscience and duty in what he had spoken, his life was in his Majesty's hand. Upon this, the King arose from his seat, and taking Mr. Latymer off from his knees, embra ced him in his arms, saying, "He blessed God that he had a man in his kingdom who durst deal so plainly and faithfully with him." Had never king in England since his time wanted such a faithful, plain-dealing Chaplain to preach to him, it might have been bet ter with England than it is at present.

ever.

Way of disposing of the aged and infirm.

Among the Batta tribes in Sumatra it is an approved custom, that when a man becomes infirm and weary of the world he invites his own children to eat him, in the season when salt and limes are cheapest. He then ascends a tree, round which his friends and offspring assemble, and, as they shake the tree, join in a funeral song, the import of which is "the season is come-the fruit is ripe-and it must descend." The victim descends, and those who are nearest and dearest to him deprive him of life, and devour his remains in a solemn banquet.' Buchanan's Researches in Asia.

"The souls of the elect were saved upon trust, for four thousand years. The Father gave credit to Christ, and glorified his saints on the footing of a sacrifice not then offered up, and of a righteousness not then wrought. Christ also, in the days of his flesh, went on credit with his Father, every time he said to a sinner, "Thy sins are forgiven thee," previous to his offering himself on the cross.' John Ryland.

Dbituary.

Rev. JAMES BERRY.

The subject of this memoir was born at Taunton, Somersetshire; in the year 1762, of Baptist Parents; and at the early age of 10 years, he was put an apprentice to a boot and shoe maker, in that Town: but his master, being entirely a man of the world, he soon forgot any serious instructions that his parents might have given him. About the twenty fourth year of his age, he married; and within three weeks of that period, he enrolled himself to serve as a substitute in the old militia, for the county of Somerset, for the term of five years; during which time I be heard him say, he follow all kinds of sin with impunity; and drank down iniquity, as the greedy ox drinketh down water But he said, that though at that time, he took such dent in the work of sin, yet he frequently held disputes with his courades, on the leading doctrines of the Gospel and generally overthrew the opinions of those who opposed

them.

As soon as the time of servitude in the Militia was expired, he settled

in Wells: and sometimes attend

where the Rev. Ar. Bishop (who ed at the independent meeting now resides at Glocester,) then preached. One Lord's day evening, he went to meeting as usual, when it pleased the Lord to work effectually on his soul by a hyma which Mr. Bishop gave out (the ninth hymn in Rippon's Selection) and particularly the third

verse.

Chain'd to his throne, a Volume lies,
With all the Fates of Men,
With every Angel's form and size,
Drawn by th' eterual Pen,

Some time after, Mr. Bishop asked him, why he did not join the Church? To which he replied, that as he was born of Baptist parents, he had not been baptized in his infancy; and not. Mr. therefore he could Bishop said he would do it for him; but on being asked in what manner he would do it, he said he would do it either by sprinkling or pouring: upon which Mr. Berry told him, that neither of these ways appeared to him to be consistent with the word of God; but that if he would baptize him by immersion, he should have no objection to be baptized by him; which Mr. Bishop, of course refused: and very soon after, he was baptized on a profession of faith, by Mr. Sotteridge of Paulton; and joined the particular Baptist Church in that place about the year 1796.

Soon after his baptism he commenced preaching at Paulton;

and from that time he continued to preach occasionally both a'mongst Baptists and Indepen dent, till about the year 1806; when the Rev. Sam. Evans, the late Pastor of the baptist church at Croscombe, being ill, Mr. Berry undertook to supply his place; and upon the death of Mr. Evans, which happened on the 31st of March 1807, he rebecome their Minister; which ceived a call from the church to call he accepted, and was ordained over them on the 29th of March, 1809.

death the church at Croscombe was at a very low ebb; the whole of the Congregation, very often, did not exceed six or eight people; but by the blessing of God

At the time of Mr. Evans's

left him at ten o'clock in the evening; after which he spoke but very few words, and about seven in the morning of the Lord's day, April 14, 1811, he sweetly fell asleep in Jesus, in the forty ninth year of his age. On the following sabbath, he was interred in the meeting house at Croscombe; Mr. Čantle of Keynsham, preached a sermon and delivered an address at the Grave; and on the Lord's day, April 28th, Mr. Sotteridge of Paulton preached his funeral Sermon, from Luke xxiii, 28. Weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your Children; which was the text he desired to have his funeral sermon preached from.

ACCOUNT OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS.

stand that the work is in the hands of Hebrew Compositors (most of whom knew the language from childhood) employed at the Office of the London Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews; and in correcting theSheets,aJewish Boy reads to Mr. F. every Letter, Point, and Accent, from Sal-Proop's Hebrew Bible, which is considered the most accurate ever published; and by this means more than forty errors have been already discovered and corrected, that were in this first part, in van der Hooght's. Every Sheet is then revised by a perfect Hebraist (a converted Jew) who has been engaged for the purpose at considerable expense.