Visit of the Commodore and Staff to the Sheikh.

March 9.-Being the day fixed for weighing anchor, the Commodore with ten officers went on shore to meet the Sheikh. As I was invited to accompany the party, I went with them to the house of the Honourable Company's Agent, where the Sheikh and his brother soon after arrived. They were attended by some well-armed Arabs, and several Nubian and Abyssinian slaves. The Sheikh himself was a short ferocious looking man, of a dark complexion, black rolling eyes, and an unsettled piercing glance. He answered in every respect the prediction given of Ishmael at his birth, that he should be a wild man. The brother was rather a mild and amiable man, with a pleasing countenance, long beard, keen eyes, beautiful teeth, glossy, rich hair, and most graceful deportment. They received the Commodore most civilly, apologized for not having been on the spot before his arrival, and then entered into conversation with all the ease, frankness, and independence of the unfettered and unrestrained inhabitants of the desert. My plain dress amongst so many officers, with gold laced caps, glittering epaulets, and terror-striking swords, at once marked me out as an object of curiosity, and led them to inquire what office I held on board the ship; and on being told that I was a Christian Mullah, they abandoned the subject of diplomacy, and with great seriousness and caution began to converse on the more important topics of religion.

Curiosity of the Sheikh about the Chris

tian religion.

The first question which the Sheikh asked me was, whether we prayed. I answered in the affirmative. He then continued to ask, do you invoke the prophet Mahomed. I again replied, that Christians did not acknowledge Mahomed, nor consider him a divinelyinspired prophet. His brother, Sheikh Ali, interrupted me by saying, that the Jews had informed him that Mahomed was foretold and predicted in Holy Scripture; to their astonishment I flatly contradicted the truth of this assertion. As the Sheikh and his brother had never read the Bible, they requested me to state some of the principal doctrines of our holy religion, as contained in Scripture. I told them

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that our Bible described man's innocence and subsequent fall, unfolded the mercy of God to lost sinners, and declared to every true believer a gracious Saviour, a perfect sacrifice, a general resurrection, a final judgment, and a never-ending existence beyond death and the grave. These important topics quite engrossed their attention, and filled their hearts with great solicitude.

Eagerness of the Sheikh to obtain a Bible.

Sheikh Ali entreated me to give him an Arabic Bible: I assured him that I had not a copy with me, but promised to send him one with Commodore Hawkins, when he made his next cruise. This satisfied him, and the conversation assumed again its former tone; but he did not feel any interest in the subject of debate, for his mind could not be diverted from the topics we had just discussed, and, as if unconscious of those around him, he inclined politely towards the Commodore, and with faltering voice implored him not to forget to bring the Bible. In fact, he appeared completely absorbed in what I had told him about our holy religion; and when the whole party separated, and the mutual greetings had ceased to ring in my ears, Sheikh Ali came back again, and whispered, as if afraid of the servants, do not disappoint me and forget the Torat and Angeel, i.e., Old and New Testament. The Commodore assured him that he would be very happy to attend to his request; and I have much pleasure to add, that he is now in possession of that valuable Book which alone is able to make him wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. It was a pleasing reflection, and I felt grateful to God for having chosen me as the instrument to scatter the word of truth amongst the very tribe and descendants of the false Prophet.

As I was on board a ship of war, whose political relations with the inhabitants on the coast could not allow me any direct interference with the religion of the natives, I was obliged to circumscribe my own activity; yet I trust that my feeble labours, by the help of God, will not have been in vain, but redound to the honour and glory of God.-Missionary Cruise, &c., by the Rev. H. A. Stern, a late Inmate of the Institution.

ALL people that on earth do dwell,
Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice;
Him serve with fear, his praise forth tell,
Come ye before him and rejoice.

The Lord, ye know, is God indeed;
Without our aid he did us make:
We are his flock, he doth us feed;
And for his sheep he doth us take.
O enter then his gates with praise,
Approach with joy his courts unto:
Praise, laud, and bless his name always,
For it is seemly so to do.

For why the Lord our God is good,
His mercy is for ever sure;
His truth at all times firmly stood,
And shall from age to age endure

HYMN.

The Holy Ghost invoked.
COME, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire,
And lighten with celestial fire;
Thou the anointing Spirit art,
Who dost thy sev'n-fold gifts impart.
Thy blessed unction from above
Is comfort, life, and fire of love;
Illumine with perpetual light
The dulness of our blinded sight.
Anoint our heart, and cheer our face,
With the abundance of thy grace:
Keep far our foes, give peace at home;
Where thou art guide no ill can come.

Teach us to know the Father, Son,
And Thee of both, to be but One;
That through the ages all along,
This, this may be our endless song.

HYMN.

OH! why should Israel's sons once blest, Still roam the scorning world around? Disown'd of heav'n, by man opprest, Outcasts from Zion's hallowed ground. O God of Jacob, view their race;

Back to Thy fold the wanderers bring, Teach them to seek Thy slighted grace, To hail in Christ their promised King. While Judah views his birthright gone, With contrite shame his bosom move, The Saviour he denied to own,

The Lord he crucified to love. Haste, Lord, the day, expected long,

When Jew and Greek one prayer shall

Where once the praises of thy God, From Zion's temple rose,

Thy children tremble at the rod, And crouch beneath their foes; Thou sittest lonely on the ground, No longer great or free, Jerusalem Jerusalem!

Our tears shall flow for thee.

Jerusalem! Jerusalem!

Until thou turn again,

And seek with penitence of heart, The Lamb thy sons have slain; Till to the Saviour of mankind, Thou humbly bow the knee, Jerusalem Jerusalem!

Our tears shall flow for thee.

HYMN.

FOR Zion's sake I will not rest;
I will not hold my peace,
Until Jerusalem be blest,
And Judah dwell at ease:
Until her righteousness return,
As day break after night;
The lamp of her salvation burn,
With everlasting light.

The Gentiles shall her glory see,
And kings declare her fame;
Appointed unto her shall be

A new and holy name.

The watchmen on her walls appear,
And day and night proclaim,
"Zion's deliverance is near,

Make mention of her name."

Go thro'-go thro'-prepare the ways,
The gates wide open spread;
The standard of the people raise,
To glorious triumph led.

In every clime, through every land,
Proclaim the joyful word;
"The holy people are at hand,
Redeemed of the Lord."