good land or country," made to "dwell for evermore ;" while in v. 29, both these mistakes meet together: "all the righteous shall be kings, they shall all dwell continually in a happy land."

In Ps. xlv. v. 7, line 2nd, the first "God," is omitted; which, whether you view it as nominative or vocative, is of no small moment in the theological exegesis of the passage.

In Ps. ciii. v. 3, we object to the rendering of non "forgiveth," by afa "destroys thy sins," for, say, ai atifa. This is not only an unnecessary deviation from literality, but an indulgence to native notions in this all-important matter.

In v. 18, v: is surely a more than doubtful rendering of "salvation"-it is rather a literal version of the English " righteousness" than a correct translation of the original "his deliverance."

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צרקתו

These may be deemed exceptions of smaller moment to the general accuracy of the metrical version of the Psalms of David. But for that very reason they might the more readily have been avoided, and may now the more easily be remedied. No measure of literal accuracy that is attainable, in a version of any part of the Holy Scriptures, should be disregarded. We think it highly advantageous, too, that many pairs of eyes and many minds be exercised on a work of such large importance and peculiar nicety. At the same time that we by no means pretend to any personal qualification to execute what is confessedly so difficult, we yet deem it neither presumptuous nor unkind thus to draw the attention of the able translators themselves, to at least those lesser defects that men of very much smaller abilities may discover in what is yet so generally excellent. They will, we doubt not, receive our hints with the candour to be anticipated from sound scholars and zealous Christian Missionaries.

In fine, we heartily rejoice in the appearance of this work, on the conclusion of which we congratulate our Baptist Brethren and the Missionary body in general. We only add, that it is elegantly printed, on good paper, in a bold clear type, and forms a neat small pocket volume of the sublime inspired Hymns of the" Sweet Psalmist of Israel," pleasingly dressed in the harmonious language of the once famous gymnosophists of India. Laus Deo! CINSURENSIS.

IV. Recollections respecting the late Bhaichand Narsaidas, a converted Hindu, who died 2nd October, 1839. By Alexander Fyvie, Surat.

The above named individual was born in Surat of Hindu parents, belonging to the Koonbee or cultivator's caste, and spent about 37 years of his life in walking according to the course of this world, and in the practice of the various religious rites of his forefathers. When a mere youth his father died, and by this dispensation he and the other members of the family were left in circumstances of comparative poverty. By prudence, economy, and perseverance in that line of business to which he had been brought up, he, however, in the course of time became possess. ed of something more than a mere competence, and when our acquaintance commenced he had obtained a considerable establishment for embroidery, was the owner of several houses which had come into his hands either by purchase or mortgage, and being naturally of a shrewd and active turn of mind was frequently employed in cases of difficulty as an arbitrator among his countrymen. The first time I recollect to have seen him was at a public religious service on the afternoon of a week day, in one of our school-rooms, about the latter end of the year 1831. The subject chiefly discussed was, "the state of man after leaving this world." A friend introduced him to my notice after service. On asking him what he thought of the truths he had heard, he plainly told me that all might be correct, but that he entertained very strong doubts in regard to the soundness of the whole. I requested him to call at the missionhouse, when convenient, and we would talk over the subject at some length. To this he consented, and some days after he and a few of his acquaintances called. Several subjects were discussed, and objections answered. On his departure some tracts were given to him for perusal, and he was particularly invited to attend regularly on sabbaths in the mission chapel to hear the gospel. From that period he occasionally called on week days and sometimes attended on the sabbaths, but his manner of disputing in favour of heathenism and against Christianity often manifested great obstinacy of mind, and a settled determination not to be convinced of the truth of the latter or of the falsehood of the former, but on the fullest evidence and after the most careful examination. Light however appeared to break in gradually on his mind, so that by the latter end of September 1832, he had become a regular hearer of the gospel on sabbath, and of his own accord declared before the congregation that he would not in future allow work to be performed on his premises on that holy day. There is not however sufficient reason to conclude that he had obtained at this period correct scriptural views of the character and government of the true God, nor of his own state before Him as a sinner, nor of the way of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. He seemed however to have become very uneasy in his mind, and to doubt the correctness of many of the sentiments he had formerly held, and even to say that Christianity had many strong evidences in its favour, and Hinduism very few and those of a doubtful kind. The moral character of the Hindu gods, as developed in their own shástras, seemed particularly to stagger his belief in the whole system; but the pride of caste, the supposed wisdom of ancestors, the connexion of the British Government with the Hindu religion, and his natural obstinacy of mind and love of disputation appeared to present great obstacles to his embracing the humbling truths of the gospel.

Being necessitated on account of the health of myself and family to take a voyage to England, I left him in this state of mind in October

As

1832, and my brother having returned to Surat from his temporary stay at Kaira, the deceased and others came under his particular instruction and advice. A little before my departure I translated into Goojuratee "The Exposure of the Hindu Religion, in Reply to Mora Bhatta Dandekara, by the Rev. J. Wilson," and my brother judging that the reading of it might be of great advantage, gave him a manuscript copy for perusal. He read it attentively several times, and soon became convinced that it was unanswerable. In the course of time he began to take it with him to melas, &c.-to read it in large companies-to comment on its statements, and to hold up Christianity as God's best gift to mankind. he continued regularly to attend the public means of grace and to read the scriptures and tracts with attention, my brother says, his progress in Christian knowledge soon became considerable; but his anxiety to make Hinduism and Christianity agree with each other, the terror of losing caste, and the opposition of his family and relatives, together with a desire which on certain occasions manifested itself of becoming the head of a sect, bearing indeed the name of Christianity, but in its peculiar principles and precepts, rank Hinduism, with a few of its excrescences lopped off, kept him for about 18 months in an undecided state, and plainly shewed that nothing but the omnipotence of divine grace could transform such a haughty and obstinate individual into a meek and teachable disciple of Jesus Christ. The working of conflicting sentiments in his mind during this period seems to have been of the same nature, making allowance for his small degree of knowledge and the untutored state of his mind, as what is recorded in that interesting English publication by the late Rev. T. Scott, entitled "THE FORCE OF TRUTH." Scott however always appeared anxious in all his mental struggles to adopt just premises and to draw correct inferences from them, and to follow truth to its legitimate consequences, whatever sacrifices he might be called to make. Bhaichand on the other hand wished to mix error with truth, so as to neutralize the influence of the latter, and make Christianity assimilate with his own preconceived opinions and that of his fellow-creatures. On this account the premises he adopted in argument were often grossly incorrect-sometimes his inferences were false, and more frequently both his premises and inferences were alike erroneous; and when he found his arguments overcome and his schemes blasted, he often appeared much annoyed and even chagrined. One stronghold after another was however demolished by the force of scripture truth, and the agency of the Holy Spirit, and about July 1834 he mentioned to my brother his full conviction of the truth of Christianity, his hope that as a guilty and hell-deserving creature, he had received Christ by faith, his earnest wish to be baptized in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and his determination in the strength of divine grace to walk henceforth as a disciple of Jesus, whatever he might have to endure from the world. The reading of a manuscript copy of my brother's translation into Goojuratee of "The Brahman's Claims, by Rev. R. Nisbett," appears to have aided considerably in bringing him to that state of mind and feeling, as I have heard him frequently express his gratitude to God for the perusal of that work, and declare that it particularly convinced him that the Hindu religion was never intended to promote the spiritual good of any of its votaries, but to increase the pride and fill the hands of the privileged few-the Brahmans. After being more fully instructed respecting the duties which devolve on those who have thus devoted themselves to God, he was baptized in his own house, before many witnesses, by my brother, on the 4th November, 1834, and immediately after he devoted his two children to the Saviour in the same ordinance; but no arguments could persuade his wife to follow his example, and to the present day she con

tinues to persist in her attachment to the superstition of her ancestors and associates. As he had been in the habit for some considerable time of conducting Christian worship morning and evening with his family and domestics, and of not allowing any part of the Lord's day to be devoted to worldly business, but of spending all its sacred hours in the service of God, he had to encounter no new opposition, after his baptism, on these points: but he soon found that all who will live godly in Christ Jesus must in some way or other suffer persecution. If he fell into a difficulty, or a slight affliction came on any member of the family, his wife and other near relatives would advert to his apostacy from his former faith as the procuring cause of all their trials, and his workmen in various ways endeavoured to annoy him; while the finger of scorn was frequently pointed at him by his former caste and by the people generally. Amidst many failings, some of which arose from ignorance and previous associations, and others into which he plunged himself from the remaining obstinacy and ruggedness of his mind, he was enabled to go forward in the path of Christian duty, notwithstanding all opposition, and in many instances to "overcome evil with good." On my return from England in the latter end of 1835, he was, generally speaking. esteemed by many for his upright conduct, and particularly admired by the really poor and needy for his kindness to them; though some of his former associates and acquaintances still continued to load him with opprobrious names, and the Brahmans and other religious beggars, who had in his state of heathenism fed on his bounty, but were now refused their former allowance of good fare, ceased not to imprecate the vengeance of heaven on him and his family. He continued however to seek the present and eternal good of his countrymen of every class, and his influence was at all times especially exercised in favour of the Christian instruction of his family and the people in his immediate employment. Public worship was regularly performed by us every sabbath afternoon in one of the rooms of his house, which he particularly devoted to that purpose. In the latter end of 1836 both he and his family were much afflicted, but the spirit he manifested under that trial was of the most scriptural and edifying nature. His liberality to the blind, lame, and diseased poor was often very extensive, and his benevolence to sufferers by the Fire and Flood in 1837 was far beyond our anticipations. In distributing tracts, commenting upon them and recommending the gospel at melas and other places of public concourse, he fully performed the labours of a reader or teacher without any remuneration from man, and his house was the general resort of all who had any love to the truth, as well as an asylum to those who were persecuted for righteousness sake. In the spring of 1837 a circumstance occurred which deeply pained his mind. His wife, whom he had taught to read, and who had for a long period attended to Christian instruction, had for several months excited considerable hopes that she was about to come out from the world and cast in her lot with the followers of the Lamb. The baptism of their third child, had been delayed by the father's request, beyond the usual period, in order that the ordinance might be administered to it and the mother at the same time. All scriptural means were used to increase her knowledge, impress her heart, and to bring her to an enlightened decision on the subject. For several months divine truth appeared to make considerable impression on her mind, and her knowledge of the leading principles of the gospel seemed to increase; but her attention was soon diverted from these important matters, and she finally told her husband that she had for the present fully decided against making a profession of Christianity. At his request the child was baptized, but the mother's refusal to enter into the church of Christ continued for a

time deeply to affect the mind of the father, and to perplex and depress his spirits. In the course of time his mind assumed its wonted energy, but from that period he appeared to have obtained a more humbling view of human depravity than before, to see the great spiritual danger to which he and especially his family were exposed by associating with idolaters, and more fully to feel the entire inefficiency of all outward means to change the heart and fully reform the conduct without the influences of the Holy Ghost.

At his baptism our deceased friend publicly expressed, before many witnesses, his ardent wish that whenever removed by death, his body might be buried according to the general custom among Christian people, and not on any account be reduced to ashes by fire, as is usual among Hindus. This sentiment he not only held in common with all Hindus who have at any time, since the commencement of the Mission, manifested more or less attachment to Christianity, but practically exemplified it in his conduct by burying all paupers who died on his premises and had no relatives to claim their mortal remains, and by not attending the funeral of several near relations who died in the Hindu faith after he embraced Christianity. Being fully convinced of the debasing influence of the burning system on survivors, and finding so many examples in the scriptures of the worshippers of the true God having their bodies committed to the dust by interment, he concluded that it was the will of God that the bodies of the disciples of Christ should, after the departure of the immortal spirit, be committed to the grave in the certain hope that what was sown in corruption the Saviour would at the last day raise in incorruption. His sentiments on this point were very decided, and well known to us, his family, and to many other people in this city; though it is, in many respects, to be lamented that he left no recorded attestation of his wishes in reference to the disposal of his own body in that particular manner.

During the first five months of 1839 he did not in several respects manifest so much of the Christian temper as was to be expected from former professions. So far as we know there was no positive departure from the principles of the gospel in sentiment; but in conduct there was an evident meeting of the world half-way, a disregard of scripture authority, and a hankering after worldly enjoyments and the applause of his fellow-creatures. The appearance of this spirit grieved us much, and led us to increased faithfulness in warning him of his danger, and in beseeching him to beware of the snares in which he seemed about to be caught, both from his own ignorance and recklessness of consequences, and the blandishments and machinations of those who in heart were his most deadly enemies, though, to accomplish their own ends, they had assumed the garb and the speech of his most devoted friends. The betrothing of his

third child, a boy of about three years of age, to a girl something younger, of rich Hindu parents, and to which his wife wished him fully to consent according to native custom, and to go through with all the pomp of eastern manners, was the chief cause of this melancholy departure from the simplicity of Christian temper and conduct. Whether the agreement was on his part fully consummated, is not known to us, as a circumstance occurred about the beginning of June which led away our minds from that subject, effectually roused him from the lethargy into which he had fallen, shewed him that the friendship of the world is enmity with God, and convinced him that the path of Christian duty, however rugged and thorny, is the only path which leads to glory, honour, and immortal life. Almost from the period of his baptism both he and his family had been considered by his caste as lost to it, and he, at least, did not join in any of its meetings, either for feasting or business, but no public expul