of considerable fervour and interest at the New Church in Calcutta. It however excited a spirit of hostility, which always, in a measure, pursued him during his residence in India.

On the 19th of September he received his appointment as Chaplain to Dinapore; and on the 15th he entered his budgerow, or travelling boat, to proceed to the place of his destination. On that occasion, as before in England, some of his brethren accompanied him a part of the way on his expedition, desiring to catch the last glimpse of their much beloved friend.

Mr Martyn speedily and eagerly entered on the study of the Oriental languages, and on every other employment calculated to promote the great object of his mission, as appears from the following extract.

"Sept. 18. Reading hard all day-wrote out a list of the errata in one of the tracts, and read Sanscrit grammar. In the evening, walked along the bank with my gun, and fired at some wild fowl, which the servants eat. At night, read part of a Nagree tract with moonshee. Learnt some Arabic roots. Felt an occasional depression of spirits; but prayer instantly removed it; so that, in general, I was near to God and happy."

The following extract will put our readers in possession of some of the plans of Mr Martyn at this period, relative to the fulfilment of his ministerial office.

"On reaching Dinapore, which for a considerable time was to be his permanent residence, Mr Martyn's immediate objects were threefold: to establish native schools-to prepare translations of the Scriptures and religious tracts for dispersion-and to attain such readiness in speaking Hindoostanee, as might enable him to preach in that language the Gospel of the grace of God. Of Hindoostanee he already knew enough to translate with grammatical accuracy; and his moonshee was at hand to suggest the proper idiom; and-what in that language is so difficult-the just and exact collocation of the words in the sentences. The obstacles which he had to overcome respecting the languages of the country, he represents as formidable. Passing out of Bengal into Bahar, he found that he had to acquaint himself with the Baharree, as well as the Hindoostanee; and the Baharree had its various dialects. I am low spirited,' he said, soon after reaching Dinapore, about my work; I seem to be at a stand, not knowing what course to take.' From the pundit whom he employed, he learned, though the statement was probably exaggerated, that every four kos (miles) the language changes; and by the specimens he gave of a sentence in the dialects across the water at Gyah, and some other places, they appeared to differ so much, that a book in the dialect of one district, would be unintelligible to the people of another.

Under these circumstances, Mr Martyn thought it best for the present to aim at a translation of the four Gospels, into four different dialects, for the province of Bahar, and to add to these the Book of Genesis, some of the Psalms, and the Ten Commandments, and the Sermon on the Mount. The study of the Sanscrit he resumed at the recommendation of his pundit." Mr Martyn faithfully carried these plans into effect. He was intensely occupied from day to day in the establishment or conduct of schools-in preaching, or in visiting the sick and distressed of all classes.

Mr M. brought a feeble frame to India in the first instance, and symptoms of a disorder, to which more than one of his family had fallen victims, had at different times discovered themselves. About the end of the year 1810, the state of his health became such as to demand an immediate change; and either a sea-voyage or a visit to England was considered as the only means of checking the progress of disease. At this period particular circumstances determined him to adopt a measure, which, had his friends fully known his physical weakness, they doubtless would not have allowed him to prosecute. To these circumstances we shall briefly advert.

Mr Martyn, our readers should be apprised, had for some time been diligently employed in superintending the translation of the New Testament into the Persian language, by Sabat. Two of the Gospels, which had been printed by way of experiment, being subjected to the examination of some individuals qualified to judge of the merits of the translation, many deficiences were discovered; and even after a careful revision by Mr Martyn and Sabat, it was still found that the version, though suited to the classical eye, had too large an infusion of the Arabic idiom to render it well adapted for general circulation. This determined Mr Martyn to visit Persia in person, that he might correct and complete the translation at the fountain-head of Persian literature. Having consulted his friend Mr Brown on this important subject, he received from him the following striking letter, sanctioning, though with a sort of despairing acquiescence, his proposed expedition.

"But can I then (said he) bring myself to cut the string and let you go? I confess I could not, if your bodily frame was strong, and promised to last for half a century. But as you burn with the intenseness and rapid blaze of heated phosphorus, why should we not make the most of you? Your flame may last as long, perhaps longer, in Arabia, than in India. Where should the phoenix build her odoriferous nest, but in the land prophetically called the blessed?' And whence shall we ever expect, but from that country, the true Comforter to come to the nations of the East? I contemplate your

6

New Testament springing up, as it were, from dust and ashes, but beautiful as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers like yellow gold."

In consequence of this determination, we find him embarked, and in the bay of Bengal, in January, 1811, on his voyage for Bombay. The occurrences which took place in the five months after his departure from the mouth of the Hoogly are recorded, partly in his private journal, and partly in a letter to Mr Corrie, from Shiraz.

The two following extracts from his journal, in the bay of Bengal, are interesting; the first as shewing what honours are rendered, in some instances at least, even by unbelievers, to the devout and consistent Christian missionary; and the second, as displaying the frame of mind essential to that character.

"Our captain was a pupil of Swartz, of whom he communicated many interesting particulars.-At the time when the present Rajah was in danger of his life from the usurper of his uncle's throne, Swartz used to sleep in the same room with him. This was sufficient protection, for (said the captain) Swartz was considered by the natives as something more than mortal.' The old Rajah, at his death, committed his nephew to Swartz."

"Jan. 24th to 31st.Generally unwell. In prayer my views of my Saviour have been inexpressibly consolatory. How glorious the privilege that we exist but in him! Without him I lose the principle of life, and am left to the power of native corruption, a rotten branch, a dead thing, that none can make use of. This mass of corruption, when it meets the Lord, changes its nature, and lives throughout, and is regarded by God as a member of Christ's body. This is my bliss, that Christ is all. Upheld by him, I smile at death. It is no longer a question about my own worthiness; I glory in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ."

On the 22d of May Mr Martyn landed at Bushire, in the Persian dominions, designing to proceed from thence to Shiraz. At Bushire nothing of any particular interest occurred; and on May 30, he set out on his intended expedition. He gives the following account of his external appearance when entering on his journey.

"Our Persian dresses were ready, and we set out for Shiraz. The Persian dress consists of stockings and shoes in one; next a pair of large blue trowsers, or else a pair of huge red boots; then the shirt, then the tunic, and above it the coat, both of chintz, and a great coat. I have here described my own dress, most of which I have on at this moment. On the head is worn an enormous cone, made of the skin of the black Tartar sheep, with the wool on. If to this description of my dress I add,

that my beard and mustachios have been suffered to vegetate undisturbed ever since I left India-that I am sitting on a Persian carpet, in a room without tables or chairs-and that I bury my hand in the pilaw, without waiting for spoon or plate, you will give me credit for being already an accomplished Oriental."

[To be continued.]

BERMON BY THE REV. MR WARD, OF SERAMPORE, ZION CHAPEL, JUNE 23, EVENING.

Acts xxvi.-From the power of Satan unto God."

GooD angels are ministering spirits. It is probable that wicked angels are tempters; and it is also probable that every individual sinner is attended by a separate tempter. It is farther probable, that the term Satan denotes not an individual, but an unnumbered multitude. He is characterised as an artful enemy-we are not ignorant of his devices; as an angel of light; as a roaring lion, walking about, and seeking whom he may devour; as going to and fro in the earth, and walking up and down in it; as a powerful enemy, uniting to his own power that of indwelling sin, and that of the unconverted world; as a destructive enemy, and therefore termed Apollyon, destroying first the body, and afterwards the immortal spirit.

In a Christian land, his operations are carried on, not in the way of terror, but of allurement. He diverts the mind from religion, by occupying it with other objects. He adapts his temptations to the various dispositions of men. He has one kind of temptation for the ambitious; another for the licentious; another for the covetous; and another for the thoughtless; in order that he may more successfully maintain his dominion over the human mind. But if he find it impossible to effect his purpose by these methods, he then becomes an angel of light; he permits his subjects to put on the form of religion; he makes them found their hopes upon the excellence of the sect to which they belong; or upon the excellence of their moral conduct. He is not contented with destroying single individuals; nothing will satisfy his rapacity short of the destruction of millions of souls. One of the modes in which he effects this design is, by the corrupting of Christianity; and especially by the setting up of his principal engine, the inquisition, whereby he hushes all inquiry and opposition. It is to be hoped, that amongst Catholics there are some true Christians; but it is evident that the great body of them are walking the downward

road. Under this head of maintainers of a corrupt Christianity, are three or four sects in our own country. 1. The deniers of the divinity of Christ. If this doctrine be denied, the design of Satan is effected. 2. Antinomians. These persons deny one half of the work of Christ. They deny that it is the work of the Holy Spirit to sanctify the soul, and to render it meet for heaven. 3. Those who deny endless punishment. If the terrors of the Lord are insufficient to deter from the commission of sin, the denial of endless punishment cannot be supposed to proceed from any other being than from him. But the most fatal of all the delusions into which Satan draws the professors of Christianity is, 4. A denial of the existence of Satan himself. By means of this delusion he betrays the sinner into a state of false security; for he can neither watch nor pray against him in whose existence he does not believe. In one or other of these ways nominal Christians are lulled to sleep in his infernal arms.

But the most fearful power of Satan is exhibited in heathen countries. It is apparent in their religion.-In India, it is universally maintained,

1. That the one God is an insulated being: that he is separate from all created intelligences; that he has nothing to do with creatures, in which class the Creator, the Preserver, and the Destroyer, are placed. Thus the connexion is destroyed between God and his creatures. To the one God not a single prayer is offered; no tribute of praise ascends.

2. That man is not an accountable creature. Believing man to be entirely material, and attributing all action to spirit, they assert that he is the chariot, and God the charioteer; thus exonerating themselves from all accountability.

3. That the present state is not a state of perfection. When we believe, that upon the present hour a whole eternity of happiness or misery depends, fervency at the throne of grace is excited; a desire of attending the house of God; and a zeal to work out our own salvation. If man be not a responsible being, the wicked cannot be exhorted to forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Accordingly the Gentoo, in accordance with this sentiment, gives himself up to the commission of iniquity. These three articles farm what may be called their philosophical creed.

That which may be denominated their popular creed maintains,

1. That bathing in a river washes away sin. Thus one part of their creed contradicts another: for the second article of their philosophical creed implies, that sin is a nonentity. In conformity, however, with this article, millions of people repair to the Ganges every morning and evening, to wash away their sins.