Conversations on Matrimony, &c. By

· John Ovington. pp. 143.

MANY years have elapsed since Dr. Witherspoon wrote "Letters on Marriage;" but, of late, efforts have been multiplied to give our young friends "line upon line" on this very interesting subject. The Christian law of marriage, expressed by the apostle in few words, "only in the Lord," is too little regarded. We have seen and perused with pleasure "The Guide to Domestic Happiness," and Mr. Jay's "Sermon on Marriage," and the "Letters on Marriage," &c. in the publication of the Religious Tract Society in London.

paid to the memory of the wor- | give in a future number, from the thy minister, by whose decease conviction we feel that it contains this sermon was occasioned. the leadings of providence reAfter having laboured the last specting "a faithful man who twenty-one years of his life with feared God above many:" In the the congregation assembling at conclusion, there is an affectionHampstead, Mr. Wraith died, ate address to the widow of the as he had lived; humbly, confi- deceased; who, we understand, dently, and cheerfully trusting in has since finished her course also. the rich and sovereign grace of the Saviour of sinners.

LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

Just published, The Rural Christian, to which are added, Sylvan Letters, on the pleasures of a country life, in prose and verse. The fifth edition, enlarged with occasional notes and illustrations. By G. Wright, Esq. author of Solitary Walks, Retired Pleasures, &c. 18mo.

Preparing for Publication.

The text selected by himself is Luke, ii. 29, 30, from which the preacher (who has succeeded Mr. Wraith in the pastoral charge) considers, that "the glorious object exhibited is worthy serious consideration. "The fervent prayer presented, requires particular observance,"-and, "" the mournful event [which has] trans-lished, Closet Prayer, the Duty of all In the press, and speedily will be pubpired calls for due improvement." Christians, proved and illustrated by the A variety of particulars dedu- example of pious believers. By that truly ced from these general observa-eminent Minister, The Rev. Oliver Heywood, B. D. one of the ejected Ministers tions are discussed in an impres-in times of persecution. Revised. With a sive and evangelical manner. The short Sketch of his Life, by The Rev. style is rather too much of the Joseph Kerby, of Lewes. fashionable kind: it is pretty, but not elegant. The following passage on the effects of the fall of Adam, may serve as a specimen, and may certainly be read without the idea of " great plainness of speech," once striking the mind.

"The cup of earthly bliss is dashed in pieces; the fair garden of the East is changed into desert wildness; the "tree of life" is transplanted to the heavenly Paradise; and the perfection, in which man first enjoyed the Divine presence, and contemplated the Creator's works, is irrecoverably lost. In all the gradations of society-in all the ages of time-in all the countries of the globe-in the depths of poverty, and in the agonies of distress-in the tones of some, and in the tears of others-we read the doctrine of human apostasy, in a plain, powerful, and universal language."

The Sermon contains, a brief, but interesting memoir of Mr. Wraith, which we may probably

The Rev. Josiah Kinghorn, of Norwich, has committed to the press, A Treatise on Communion, occasioned by The Rev. Robert Hall's recent publication on that subject.

Mrs. Mary Hays, authoress of "The additional Tales, designed to promote Brothers," is preparing for publication two

happiness in domestic life.

Mr. Robert Thomson has it in contem

plation to publish an interesting Dialogue Catholic Priest, at Paris, upon the subject of Infant Baptism,

between himself and a French Roman

A Journey to Salem, Containing a description of that famous city, its customs, laws, and privileges; the rare products of Immanuel's Land, and the grand prospects of Mount Zion, &c. an Allegory. By Amicas. 18mo.

Hervey's Letters. A Selection of valuvolumes published since his death; with able Religious Letters, from the different several original ones, in one volume.

In a small 12mo volume, A Collection of Letters, from printed books and MS. suited to children and youth. Selected by John Brown, minister of the gospel, Whitburn.

A New Edition of the Memoirs of Captain James Wilson. By the Rev. John Griffin, of Portsea

33

Missionary Retrospect, and Foreign Intelligence.

BAPTIST MISSION.

THE last letters received from the missionaries in India announce that they are all in good health.

Dr. Carey says, he has reason to bless God, that he was never better, nor more able to pursue his labours. By a letter, dated July 14, 1815, he says, "I expect to baptize nine persons next sabbath-day."

The following Letter was written by
Sebak-rama in, Bengallee, addressed
to the Reverend George Barclay,
Kilwinning, Scotland.

"VICTORY TO GOD. Sebuk-rama supplicates an interest in the compassion, holiness, forbearance and gospel of God.

"Receive my affectionate acknowledgements, and ten thousand thousand expressions of my love. I must now relate the particulars of my reception of the gospel: and, first, from the day of leaving my mother's womb to come into this infamous world, I prepared my soul and body to break the commands of God; I worshipped, served, and praised, and partook of the offerings to the gods and goddesses; my mind was wicked; I associated with the vile; I was unrighteous; full of wrath and of filthy conversation; resorted to wicked places; and, being intoxieated with abominable pleasures, I gave that body which should have been the temple of the blessed God, to the devil, and prepared my everlasting bed in hell, at once to lie down in eternal torments.

"At length, at a certain time, in the Khooroot market-place, Ramkrish-na-poora, Mr. W. Ward, and our soul's beloved brother Krishnapal, came to the house of Mr. Cuningham, at which tie and place, making known the words of Jesus Christ and the good news, they left a New Testament, and pious books, which books our excellent brother Jugunnat'ha receiving into his own

hands, placed them in his house.-
At this time, I was a servant in the
cannon foundery in the Fort.-On
the above day, about four o'clock in
the afternoon, after leaving my work,
immediately on my arrival, brother
Jugunnat'ha said, Brother, God has
called us; and has sent a messenger
of the holy book.' I said, 'Well,
brother, as soon as I have ate a mor-
sel, I will come from home, and look
at it.' After a little time, I return-
ed, and read, and examined the
book. I saw it contained only the
way of holiness, and that God for
sinful men in his own body, bearing
sufferings, had completed the sa-
crifice. Therefore, brother, judging
in thy own mind, see that in this we
may indeed obtain salvation. This
is certainly the truth. Being confi-
dent of this, the same night two or
three friends getting together, and
throwing open the doors of our hearts,
we confessed that we had commit-
ted the blackest crimes, and wept
much. We confessed to each other,
that our Lord Jesus Christ was
truly the Son of God, the Saviour
of sinners: we really believed this,
and making it certain in our minds,
with, a loud voice we called out in
faith, 'Oh! Lord? where art thou!
Oh! Saviour, save us.' Then closing
our eyes, we saw, through our tears,
the light which the Holy Spirit had
shed in our hearts. Thus, possess-
ing a mind fixed in faith, we were
brought to hate all transgression and
sin, all evil connections and works,
the gods and goddesses; all the evil
customs of this wicked world, so that
hearing of them, our ears tingled, and
seeing them, we turned another way.
This we considered as the pouring
out of the Holy Spirit; and, through
the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ,
our minds became prepared. Then
God, taking hold of my hand, and
raising me from an unfathomable
hell of everlasting sorrow, placed
my feet on Mount Sion, and prepared
me to enjoy everlasting life in his
service.

"Thus obtaining the mercy of God,

and being full of joy, I would be ever
ready with my Spirit in the work
of God, in ascribing blessing to the
Holy Spirit, and in proclaiming for
the salvation of sinners, the glad
tidings of our Lord Jesus Christ's
death. Wherefore, I intreat, that
having thus found the Saviour, you
will kindly pray for this sinful,
wicked, ungodly, unbelieving man,
that Satan may never enter into him,
nor into those brethren and sisters
who live in the same place, nor into
any who may embrace the gospel.
"This is now my desire, and day
and night, full of fear, this is my
prayer to God, that I may be con-
stantly ready to proclaim his gospel."
Dec. 30, 1814.

Extract of a Letter from the Rev.
Mr. Chater to the Missionaries at
Serampore.

"Columbo, March, 17, 1815. "DEAR BRETHREN,

not the least hope for him; that it
appeared to me he was to that mo-
ment a stranger to true penitence,
and that if he did not begin to weep
for sin immediately, I feared he would
weep, and wail, and gnash his teeth
As he after-
for it in hell for ever.
wards said, he thought me, on this
occasion, very harsh. I visited him
on the sabbath morning, and found
him in such a state, as it appeared
to me, that I wished to see him,
deeply sensible of his guilt, his mi-
sery, and helplessness. I began then
to point him to the Lamb slain from
the foundation of the world. And
though he was deplorably ignorant,
had much encouragement to hope,
that he was brought to place his
whole trust in the great atoning sa-
crifice. One thing, however, which
was not pleasant, was, that he could
not be satisfied without having a
priest, and confessing to him. But,
on the Monday morning, the time
appointed for his execution, he ap-
peared fully prepared to meet death.
As soon as he left the cell, 'This,'
says he, is a blessed day; it is the
best day I have ever seen.' The
priest, in going to the place of exe-
cution, walked before him, mutter-

"OUR little church, on the 1st of January, was increased from three to five; Mr. and Mrs. Campbell on that day put on Christ by baptism; and now, like the Ethiopian eunuch, are going on their way rejoicing. We find in them a considerable acqui-ing Latin prayers. Mr. Armour, who sition to our comforts. They are Christian friends, such as we have long felt the want of; persons with whom we can take sweet counsel, and walk to the house of God in company. There are several in the 73d regiment that we hope are truly pious, and some of the best of them are agitating the subject of baptism. I hope some of them will soon follow the example of Mr. Campbell, who, even in New S. Wales, was a leader among them. We have hopes, that the Lord is taking possession of the hearts of some, who have hitherto been entire strangers to religion. One man, an Irish Catholic, who was some time ago condemned to be shot, and pardoned after the cap was drawn over his face, is now an attentive hearer. I visited him once or twice in the condemned cell, before the most awful things I could say made the least impression on his mind, though he considered himself even at that time a penitent. I left him on Saturday, telling him I had

had also attended him in the cell, on the one hand, and myself on the other. I constantly warned him against false dependences; reminding him, that there is but one Saviour, one Advocate, one Intercessor. He gave such appropriate answers to all I said, and enjoyed such a composed and happy state of mind, that if he had died, his death would have come but little short of being triumphant. The same week that this occurred, we began a prayer meeting at our house in the Fort, at which, though he had to march for Kandy at two next morning, he was present, and seemed determined to seek the Lord. After all that he said, and felt in the near prospect of death, he gives at present no good evidence of conversion; but is brought to attend the means, and we hope will not be permitted to attend in vain. With regard to the inhabitants of Columbo, I can say but little. All classes of society are deeply sunk in earthly, vain de

In

light; and, with a very few exceptions, no voice seems yet to have done the least towards awakening them. The person, of whom, (as also of his wife and son) I had at one time some hope, who intended proposing himself for baptism when I began preaching in Portuguese, by a little heat of the sun of persecution appears to be scorched up; and, so far as it regards a public profession, seems withered away. general, when I preach in Portuguese, I have a full house. May we not hope, yea, ought we not to pray, and expect, that the seed will not be sown in vain. I have now defivered a number of discourses in Cingalese; but, after all that we have heard of the many thousands of Christians in this island, I am not able yet, among the Cingalese, even in the metropolis, to find fifty who have so much regard for religion as to wish to hear a sermon. I hope, when I have so far advanced in the language as to enable me to preach oftener, I shall have to send you better information. Our grammar is now nearly completed. We were wishing to put it to the press some time ago, as the little we have to do to it would be ready, by the time it is wanted, even if we go on at our usual slow rate.

"The king of Kandy is now a close prisoner in this Fort. So far as you wish to look on this event as politicians, you will have better information than I can give, through other mediums. As missionaries, we rejoice most of all in this conquest, in the hope, that it prepares the way for one of another kind: one that will make all the conquered, not only as this does many, more happy in this world, but eternally blessed. Hasten it, O Lord, is the language of our hearts. 'Let thy work appear unto thy servants,' &c.

"As we have now five boys, and the means of educating and providing for them in this country are so scanty, and they are a heavy burden upon me, and a serious hinderance in my work, we have been induced to embrace a most favourable opportunity that offers of sending them home to the care of Mrs. Chater's father. You will conclude, that with the fear of God before our eyes we could

not take a step of so much importance without mature deliberation and much prayer. We have only to pay 200 rix dollars each for their mess. The vessel is a transport, chartered by government, and the passage therefore is free. We have met with a very suitable person who will take charge of them, without requiring any more recompence than her provisions, while on board, which are readily granted her from the mess. Should they never become missionaries, we shall be much more pleased with the idea of their being in England than here. If they are designed by the great head of the church to labour for him, they will, much more than they will lose. They we conceive, by going home, gain will have to learn the languages of this country, as we do: but they will obtain an enlargement of idea, a store of knowledge, and energies of body and mind to do good, such as they never could in this country. And if they are qualified and disposed to become missionaries, their parents being engaged in the work will be, we may suppose, an additional inducement to lead them on.

"P. S. I ought to have said, it was owing to the kindness of the gover nor that we got a passage for our boys; and that Lord Molesworth, who is going in the ship, has kindly promised to pay them every attention in his power. I remain, &c.

"J. CHATER."

of December 18th, the only one we have A FEW days since, we received yours

of Mrs. Newell, have been republished in The remarkably interesting memoir England, and is worthy the attention of all persons who are anticipating missionary labours.