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of our will and affections to those of the holy and blessed God, so as to absorb and annihilate our own individual feelings, we can form no idea of in this state; but it is what the "spirits of just men made perfect" most certainly attain; for otherwise, the general judgment, when so many of their fellowcreatures will be doomed to endless misery, and that, in their view, would imbitter all the pleasures of Heaven.

I cannot close this paper without remarking, that whatever ideas we may form of a subject on which the word of God appears to be less decided than on many others; yet we ought to be thankful, that whatever is essential to the eternal salvation. of them that believe, is fully and clearly revealed. T. P. B.

Sir,

LETTER TO THE EDITOR.

In the Monthly Magazine for July, there is the following piece, entitled, A THEOLOGICAL DIFFICULTY.

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"IN one of the Jesuit Missionary Letters, entitled, Lettres, Edifiantes et Curieuses, an observation is made of the gross ignorance of the papas, or priests, of the Greek church, of which the following story is given as an instance: A country papa coming to Thessalonica, put this question to a papa of that city, Is it true that Christ is God? I think I have frequently heard it asserted; but, on the other hand, they say he is a man. How can these two things be made to agree? If he be God, how can he be a man? and if he be a man, how can he be God ?" The city papa hereupon gave a lesson out of the Catechism to his vil lage brother, who readily acquiesced in every thing. The writer goes on to observe, "That it was not necessary to be a great theologian to resolve this question."

From the sinister and sceptical tendency of the work in which it is introduced, this anecdote seems to be designed as a sneer at the divinity of Christ. Will then our soi-disant rational Christians insinuate, that this great foundation of our hope is worthy only of the ignorance and implicit credulity of the modern Greeks, who readily acquiesce in any thing? Have they forgotten the shameful route which Socinus and his early coadjutors received, in sp te of all their boasted learning, from the superior arms of the immortal Owen? Or have they not dared to witness the issue of the combat between Jamieson and their modern champion, who now sleeps in dust? Perhaps also, it is their intention to remind us here, that we, like the Greek priest, must go to our Catechism to learn what the Bible does not teach us, that Christ is both God and man. Yet I know of no Catechism, however orthodox, to which I would sooner refer for proofs of the divinity of Christ than to the Scriptures themselves. But it is probable, the leading design of the anecdote was, to leave on the minds of the readers an impression of the impossibility, as well as difficulty, that Christ should be a man, and yet God. So then our rational and learned theologians tacitly own themselves as incapable of receiving this "wisdom of God in a mystery, which none of the princes of this world knew," as a poor Greek village papa. That he, who is the eternal “ God over all, blessed for ever,” could, if he so pleased, assume to himself an inferior nature, and become man, is, I believe, not denied by the Socinians; and that he has done so, the lively oracles of truth abundantly declare. J.B. 3 T

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I send you the following extract of a Letter written by a friend at W—g, in S-x, to a gentleman here, who has exerted himself in promoting the building of a Meeting at the above place. I read it with pleasure; and persuade myself others will do the same.

Edmonton.

To Mr.

Yours, &c.

I. F.

I CANNOT forbear testifying my gratitude for your unwearied labour in behalf of such an unworthy creature; but it is for the Lord; and those who are most in his business have most of his company. Blessed be our adorable Master, in the days of his humiliation he never sent out his servants to work and withdrew to indolence and ease!

How have you fared, my dear brother (I would ask with all freedom) } I suppose you board with your Master; and he keeps a good table. Wages, you know, are not to be expected; but when our time is out, we know, if we run not away from his service, we shall receive, at the close of our Term, sufficient to retire and spend an eternal day. Blessed be his liberal and all-bountiful hand, he permits us to draw enough to carry us on our journey! Praise to Jesus, my poor heart is ready to burst. with gratitude for his matchless and unmerited goodness, though I have to lament sometimes, I am more brutish than the stupid ass, who knoweth not his master's crib.

With an heart thankful to the God of Seasons, for fine weather to erect our building,—to the God of Providence for raising up friends, and bless ing their endeavours in procuring abundant means,-and praying the God of Grace to crown the labour with abundant prosperity, I subscribe myself yours, in everlasting bonds,

Sir.

CHARACTER OF MR. KICHERER.

To the Editor.

J. T.

The following character of that truly zealous teacher the Rev. Mr. Kicherer, extracted from the second volume of "Barrow's Travels in South Africa," just published, will, I am sure, be highly acceptable to the worthy Members of the Missionary Society; and as such, there needs no further apology for requesting your insertion of it in the Evangelical Magazine. Yours, &c.

"Mr. Kicherer, a regular bred minister of the reformed church, and a gentleman of mild and persuasive manners, proceeded, alone and unprotected, into the midst of the Boscheman hordes, on the skits of the Orange River. He considered, that a solitary being, without arms, or any visible means of doing injury to his fellow-mortals, would be received without suspicion, and might enter into the society of the most savage hordes without danger. The event proved his conjectures to be right. He lived in the midst of a tribe the most needy and wretched that he could discover; for many years, shared with them every inconvenience; and suffered a total privation of all the comforts, and very frequently even of the necessaries of life: with a weak constitution he braved the vicissitudes of an unsteady climate in scanty cloth ing; in temporary huts and hovels, that were neither proof against wind nor water; and often in the open air, on desarts wild and naked as those of Arabia: he learned their language, instructed them in the benevolent doctrines of Christianity; and endeavoured, with enthusiastic zeal, to assuage their miserable lot in this life, by assuring them that there was another and a better world." In a word, he became so

much attached to this most indigent and deplorable race of human beings, who possess nothing they can call their own; but live from day to day on the precarious spoils of the chace, and commonly on the spontaneous products of a barren soil, that it was not without much difficulty, and great distress to his feelings, he mustered resolution to tear himself from his little flock: lingering under a disease that threatened to terminate in a consumption, he could not be prevailed upon to desert them, when urged by his friends to accept of a vacant living of, one of the colonial churches, which was offered to him by the government."

QUERIES ANSWERED.

ANSWER TO QUERY II. IN OUR LAST, p. 458.

THE semblance of contradiction in these two accounts of the miracle at the conversion of Paul, will vanish, if it be considered that it is no uncommon event to hear the sound of a speaker's voice, yet to be unable to distinguish the articulate words. This was undoubtedly the case with Saul's associates. It is also not improbable, that an awful sound, resembling thunder, preceded the words addressed to Saul, and intelligibly heard only by him. An instance very similar occurs in John xii. 28, 29, There came a voice from Heaven," &c, "Then the multitude which stood by and heard, said, that it thundered; others said, an angel spoke to him." If these persons, who were calmly standing by, were unable to distinguish the words spoken from Heaven, what a much greater suspension of faculties must have occurred in the minds of men, who saw their leader actually struck to the ground by the terror of what they saw and heard! The fact then was this, The companions of Saul heard a most awful sound, and beheld a divinely majestic splendor; the effect of which was such, that they were fixed speechless and insensible (iv) on the place. They, therefore, neither heard the words spoken, nor saw the glorious person who uttered them.

ANSWER TO QUERY III. Ibid.

S.

THE manuscript to which the enquirer refers, is one of those MSS. preserved in the library of New College, Oxford. It contains the Acts and all the Epistles, accidental mutilations excepted. Its date cannot be carried beyond the beginning of the fourteenth century, probably, it is even still more recent. It is marked in Mill, Nov. 2; and in Wetstein, Cod. 43. It does not appear to have been the work of an ordinary copyist; but of a critical transcriber, who has adopted many singular and, as far as we now know, unauthorized readings. Many of these peculiar readings pretty evidently betray their origin; as they seem designed to soften a difficulty, or answer some other systematical purpose. Such a manuscript, therefore, is of little weight in sacred criticism; and, in the case of a reading peculiar to itself, of no weight at all.

The reading Harng (Father) instead of Ewing (Saviour or Preserver) is of this latter class; and cannot be admitted, unless we were to reject the united evidence of all other and better MSS., of all the ancient versions, and of citations by the fathers. To reject the common reading would be committing unjustifiable violence on the sacred text. If our theological systems cannot be supported without having recourse to such means, let them be abandoned. The passage very evidently relates to the daily providence of God, as the supporter and preserver of all mankind; but especially of the faithful," as is strictly means. The venerable Ethiopic version has justly, though rather paraphrastically, rendered the clause to which the enquiry refers, "The God of life, who giveth life to

all men."

S.

MRS. START.

Obituary,

MRS. START, the subject of this narrative, was born Nov. 13, 1766; and was favoured with the blessing of a pious education, as her parents lived in the fear of God, and died in the enjoyment of his favour. Her maiden name was Rachel Davis; and she rez sided, in the former part of her life, at Craswell, near Long Town, in Herefordshire. At the age of thirteen, she was called by grace, under the instrumentality of Mr. Hide, a student at the late Countess of Huntingdon's Colleg, at Trevecca, from this text, John di. 16. Prior to this time, she laboured under strong convictions; but they were not durable upon her mind, until those words came with power, From this period she becai. a decid. i follower of the Lamb.

About eighteen, she was publicly baptiz.d by sprinkling (as her parents were Baptists) and gave in a confession of her ith before the church at Treve.ca. She was zealous and useful in the pi where he lived, particularly among young people; and rode my miles to hear the gospel. She afterwards joed the church at Hay; and, in the year 1797, she entered into a marriage state with the Write of this account, and filled up her station with honour, being a most spiritual, wise, and confidential friend. In the whole of her deportment, she discovered a love to Christ, his cause, mini ters, and people. She was much with My at the Saviour's feet. She was often afflicted from a complication of disorders. Near the close of her life she was taken ili with the influenza, being in a state of pregnancy, and near the time of her confinement. This was about a fortnight before she was put to bed, during which time, until her death, winch was six days after her delivery, she was exercised much in her mind, and, through her excessive weakness, was low in her spirits. She was in Londen at this time; and on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 1803, was safely delivered

of her fourth son. Every circum stance appeared favourable for her recovery; but she had a violent cough and an intermitting fever with her other disorders. On Wednesday she was very weak, and complained of great darkness of soul, observing, she never had been so on any former occasion. She mourned the Lord's absence, and desired I would pray for her, that he would shine upon her, She saw the truth of the promise, but could not take the comfort of it. On Thursday, she was full of pain, continued very low, and thought she should die, and begged we would pray for her.. On Friday she appeared extremely languid. She spake to me about the children. In the evening, I found much liberty in speaking of the love of God; and begged her to recollect past mercies and blessings &c. The cloud now began to vanish: she observed her mind was more comfortable, she could view God as unchangeable, and thought he would bring her through. On Saturday she seemed to be somewhat easier, and her mind was more calm and serene. When I spoke about her soul, she seemed to enjoy it; and said, all that took place was according to God's will, and must be for the best. him do what seemeth good to him," said she, I am willing to submit ;" and begged I would not be cast down, for if she died, she should be happy. I asked, whether she could view the Lord as her portion? "O Yes, my dear, I can," replied she; "pray for me." On the Sabbath, she sat up for some time, and seemed to be more cheerful; but towards the evening, her cough and fever came on more rapidly than before. I spoke to her, and she seemed to have a steady faith in Christ, although no raptures; but much requested prayer of all who came to see her. This night she was very ill. On Monday, the day of her death, I went to prayer, as usual; but about two o'clock in the afternoon, she took her flight to her Saviour, Feb. 28, 1803. Mr. Bennet, of Birmingham, spake over her

"Let

remains, in Bunhill Fields; and on the Sabbath following, preached her funeral-sermon at Sion chapel, to a crowded congregation, from Rev. xiv 13, S.

G. R. ANDREWS.

March 6, 1804, died at Chelmsford, Mr. George Rutt Andrews, aged twenty-one, second son of the late Rev. Mordecai Andrews. From his childhood he appeared thoughtful and attentive to religion, was very dutiful to his parents, and kind to his companions. At the age of thirteen he joined the church at Coggeshall; and at fourteen, was bound apprentice at Sudbury;

where he soon devoted some of his leisure time to reading the Scriptures to some poor people who could not read, and at the SundaySchools took an active part in instructing the boys; and his efforts were crowned with considerable success. In Oct. 1803, a violent cold seized him, and produced on his lungs the disorder which terminated his life. About ten days before his death, when his cough was so violent and frequent in the night as not to admit of his lying down more than three or four hours at a time, he was continually desiring those about him to read the Scriptures; and seemed much attached to the Psalms, especially those that speak of affliction. One morning he said to his mother, "I found in the night that all attempts to comfort me were in vain, and I seemed like one left alone in the hands of God. I think I now understand something of what is meant by these words: "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." He seemed, at this time, to consider the Lord as his enemy; and that his affliction was sent in judgment. Upon its being suggested to him from the Scriptures, that the Lord Jesus had borne the curse due to sin, for all who believe on him; and that afflictions were not sent to the people of God as okens of his anger, but for their piritual profit, he said, He believed it was all true, but could not

take the comfort of it; and wished he could more clearly see the con nexion between the death of Christ and the pardon of sin, -His fatherin-law (the Rev. S. Douglas) was incessant in prayer, both with him and in the family, that the Lord would lift up the light of his countenance upon him. One morning, after prayer, he said, "I believe I have a great benefit to receive, but have a dark cloud to pass through before I shall obtain it !" Soon after this, his dejection seemed to abate, and consolatory pas sages of Scripture to be applied with power to his mind, especially Micah` vii. 18, "He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy," which he desired might be read over again; and then said, "That's the word!" About this time his confidence in the atone-, ment, which appeared to have been shaken, seemed gradually strengthening, and he said, "I believe there can be no other way." Upon those lines of Dr. Watts being repeated to him,

"The death of Christ shall still remain

Sufficient and alone," &c.

he said, "I believe it ;" and it was evident that, until he came to this conclusion, there was no calmness of mind in the prospect of death.The Sabbath-night before he died, observing that his afflicted parent saw him weep, he said, "You know that tears are not always expressive of sorrow, and, indeed, mine are not; but quite the contrary; for now I know that the Lord loves me, or he would not deal with me as he does. I have had this night such a clear view of the necessity of Christ's coming down from Heaven, and dying on the cross for sinners, as I never had before; and I have seen clearly, that had he not done so, the whole human race would have perished." A few hours after, he repeated those lines of the Dying Christian to his Soul:

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