tion. It is a well rectified temper, which finds in the loving kindness of the Lord and the approbation of Heaven, that which infinitely transcends all the idle breath of human commendation. It is therefore contented to forego the praise of men as that which ensnares when possessed, and baffles when pursued; does not turn upon itself the corrosions of envy, because another is advanced; does not contend for the phantom of secular honor with those instruments of vituperation which belong to the profane and unbelieving, and abstains from that worst kind of avarice, which is "avarice of air." Such a disposition must be regarded as an important prerequisite to rejoicing in the Lord. It should be carefully considered by those, whose public exercises often expose them to the temptation of seeking the good opinion of men, even at the expense of candor and godly sincerity. Whilst we entertain a just sense of that divine joy which communion with God affords, we shall be less inclined to overrate the advantages of a transient being. We shall regard all that ministers to the accommodation of the body as dying away by an incurable consumption, as falling into a general desolation, as ready to be consumed when the "elements shall melt with fervent heat." Therefore, "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which exercise loving kindness, judgments and righteousness in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord." THEOPHILUS. BENGALEE TRACT, Communicated for the Am. Bap. Mag. by Rev. Mr. Ward, of Serampore. I sin .............. Translation of a Bengalee Tract addressed to the Hindoos, relative to the god Jugurnath, that is, the Lord of the world. have heard how "the Lord of the world, being incarnate, destroyed ...BENGALEE HYMNS. This is the season, O beloved Hindoos, when thousands will worship an image which you call the Lord of the world. There is a true Lord of the world, and he is the true Saviour of the world; but you have lost the knowledge of God, and therefore you worship images of wood. These images can only be worshipped while men remain in a state of darkness. Your own wise men do not inwardly regard the images. All those nations who have been in darkness, have worshipped images, but they left this off as soon as the people became wise. Children are pleased with toys, but when they become men they despise them. Why then should you wish to remain in darkness? why wish always to remain children? The true knowledge of God is now revealed to you in the Holy Book: the day has begun to dawn upon you, and the night is going away. How gloomy is nighthow unsafe to travel in darkness. But how cheering is the light of day! This Holy Book, wherein alone the true knowledge of God and of the way of salvation is to be found, teaches us that by the worship of idols, God is dishonoured. Take a proof from that part which is called the Acts: xvii. 22, &c. We observe also that upon the car of the god whom you improperly call the Lord of the world, you have painted obscene images, and the representation of actions never named among good men, and for which an offender is put to death in England. Crowds of females and young people come to look at these pictures. Are not their minds thereby defiled, and their conduct rendered more wicked? If you were not in a state of gross darkness, you could not put the most wicked actions and divine worship together. But at this festival, gaming and every kind of wickedness are practised. Surely you cannot think that this is the way in which man should honour God! But you as well as all mankind are in a state of sin, and sin corers the soul with darkness, and plunges it into thisery. On account of our sins God is angry with us, and were he to visit us according to our sins, all mankind would perish, for there is none righteous, no not one; there is none that doeth good, no not one, but all are full of sin, and will not, cannot do good; so that the wrath of God lies heavy upon all men for sin; and living and dying in a state of sin, none can be happy after death. See another portion of the Holy Book called Corinthians, 1 book, vi. 9, 10. But we have to tell you good tidings: the true Lord of the world became incarnate, that he might bring men into a state of salvation. In order to do this he performed all that was necessary to procure our pardon, and make us fit for happiness after death. He was made man, that he might in the stead of man endure the consequences of sin. God put upon him the sins of all who believe, of every cast and country upon earth. Thus our sins were put upon Christ, and he endured them in sufferings which none could bear but he who was almighty. He died under their weight, but rose from the dead, and is now in his incarnate body in heaven praying for his people. He took our sins, and bare the punishment; he took our debts, and as a surety paid the Great Creditor in the drops of his own blood. He did this, as though a benevolent person should suffer for a criminal, and thus set him free; that is to say, a thief is ordered by the magistrate to receive 100 lashes, but a friend full of love and pity to this criminal, says to him, Oh! Huree, you cannot bear 100 lashes; you are old and weak, and you will certainly die under them. I cannot bear that you should thus suffer, I will go to the magistrate : I am a young man : I can bear the whole and I will bear it, and you shall go free. The magistrate consents: the punishment is borne by this substitute, and the culprit goes free. This, beloved Hindoos, is what the true Lord of the world has done for man. As the Holy Book says, "By his stripes are we healed." Thus God reveals both his anger as a Judge against sin, and bis pity to sinners, in the death of the true Lord of the world. There was no other way for God to do, or of our escaping death and hell, for if God had let sinners escape, he would have been an unholy judge; and if we had endured the fruits of our own actions, yea, our very best actions, as these actions when examined by God are found sinful, we must have perished. As we have no merit, therefore by no works of ours can we be saved. But God puts our sins on Christ, and puts Christ's merits on us. We sinned, and Christ died. We have no merits of our own, but when we believe in Christ, we obtain his boundless merits, and we are no longer treated as sinners, bound to endure our own sins, but, we are permitted to enjoy all the blessed fruits of Christ's merits. Christ also delivers his people from the power of the world, sin, and satan, and gives them a new heart, so that they become holy, and capable of enjoying happiness after death. The incarnation of the true Lord of the world was foretold for ages by holy men, and these prophecies are contained in the Holy Book. There is something of the same kind spoken by one of your sages: "The vedůs are at variance, the holy law books are at variance, and all the sages are at variance, for truth is concealed in the fissures of the rock. But the way of the Great One must be followed." This Great One, the Lord Jesus Christ, who was incarnate near two thousand years ago, was of the seed of David, king of Israel, among the Jews; and multitudes of men, in all ages, and of every nation, have been saved by his merits from sin now and from hell hereafter. You, beloved Hindoos, now hear the joyful sound of salvation. You need not endure the fruits of your sin. God will hear if you cry to him for mercy, using the name of Christ; Cbrist has died for Hindoos, and if you obtain his merits you will not endure the fruit of your sins, but at death will enter upon eternal life. We will not conceal from you our wish. We do wish you to become Christians from your own knowledge, that Christ, and Christ alone can save. But we do not wish you to become Feringees; to change your dress, or your food, or your name. No, we wish you to remain Hindoos, but to become Christian Hindoos, and to leave off the worship of idols, and all sin, and to become holy men. It is not for any worldly benefit that we wish this: it is only for your salvation: and we seek your salvation, because we VOL. II. 7 wish you to escape hell, and to obtain happiness for ever after death. We pray for you every day in our places of worship, and in private for we know that out of Christ there is no salvation. Serampore, July 4, 1818. MOURNING WITH RESIGNATION. The following very interesting reflec tions were addressed to one of the Editors, by a highly esteemed brother in the ministry, who has lately been called to mourn the loss of an amiable and beloved companion. This communication was undoubtedly made, without the least expectation of its being made public; but believing, that under the blessing of God it may be made useful to others, who are called to mourn the loss of earthly friends, we hope the author will excuse the liberty we have taken in presenting it to our readers. My dear Sir, IT has pleased the Lord in his wise unerring providence to take from me the lovely and engaging wife of my youth, and thus to call me to mourning and anguish of spirit. She had gladdened nine years of my pilgrimage, and had been the tender counsellor and sweet ornament of my early days. Her sudden removal from me in a few days after the birth of her fourth child, has left me to bleed in the pain of protracted sorrow. - The ways of God have conducted me to the scene of affliction, and have opened in my house the volume of grief which I am compelled to read, moistening every page with many tears. Yet whilst God makes my heart soft, and the Almighty troubles me, he does not leave me to the total gloom of unavailing dejection. I have had strength equal to my day, and whilst nature crushed into horror, and consternation has felt the tumult of a thousand pangs, faith has exhibited in the height of the tempest, my "Father at the helm." Yes, Christ has appear ed in the beauty of new and surprising attractions, and the principles which I had previously labored to inculcate on the minds of others, have poured their sacred balm into my bleeding heart. At first indeed it was more than my feeble spirit could support with the tranquillity of a ready submission. When I saw death seizing my fairest earthly hope, and depriving me of one by whose aid my ministry had been formed and directed, and whose deep experimental knowledge in the things of God afforded me extensive help in my public efforts, it was like a sword piercing through my soul. But she was mature for bliss. She had leaned all the time of our endeared intercourse towards heaven. She had often left me in the holy flights of faith, and now she leaves me "till the heavens be no more." I should not trouble you with this recital of private sorrow, but from my persuasion that you know how to feel for an afflicted brother, and will help me in your prayers, that I may obtain the genuine fruits of sanctified correction. I am afraid to say that my affliction has been already sanctified, for my sinful heart perverts every thing that comes in connection with it. I feel indeed the emotions of tender sorrow, but its streams are mingled with the current of nature, and are scarcely distinguishable from it, so that I know not that I have had true repentance for my sin and vile ingratitude. I am under a perpetual dread of dishonoring Christ by appearing to cleave too much to the dust where lies interred the desire of my eyes. Having never trodden this way before, it continually presents new occasions of humiliation and sorrow. Let me intreat your prayers, and valuable counsel, that I may be sustained, and brought through this deep tribulation with increased faith and love. I hope God prospers your useful and important labors in his holy cause, and that you may be long preserved in your active distinguished course. How solemn and interesting the profession under which we act! My languid heart is excited to do more for God than I have done, to live more for heaven and less for earth. As to earth, I have seen its pageantry passing away, and vanishing like a dream. As to heaven, its anticipation is increasingly precious to my soul. There I want my rest, where Jesus is Nothing else is solid, all besides is shadow. It raises my soul with ecstacy to think of meeting the myriads of kindred spirits who are now partly in heaven and partly on earth, whose bliss is love, and whose love is perpetual. I am, dear Sir, your affectionate, but afflicted brother in Christ. CONVERSION OF THE SAILORS. Messrs. Editors, The account in your last Number of the interesting scenes which transpired on board the ship in which the missionaries sailed to India, has no doubt filled many hearts with joy. I must confess while reading this account to my family, such powerful emotions were awakened in my breast, that I found it difficult to proceed. Feelings of delight, of gratitude, and of astonishment compelled me repeatedly to pause. The reflection that our dear brethren did not forget their missionary character, afforded me almost as much satisfaction as the success which attended their pi ous and faithful labours. There was one consideration, however, which caused me to "Rejoice with trembling"-the probability that some of these hopeful converts might make "shipwreck of faith and a good conscience" before their return to America. I was fearful lest some of them should be drifted from their course by the fatal current of sin, and thus perish on those shoals and quicksands which endanger our passage to eternity. Forever blessed be the Lord, there is reason to believe they have escaped these evils. With Christ for their captain, the scriptures for their compass, the hope of the gospel as their anchor, and the Holy Spirit to waft them forward, they seem to be steering to the port of endless rest. As soon as I heard of the arrival of the Independence, I went on board. I was almost afraid to make inquiry of the officers, concerning the conduct of the men, lest my trembling apprehensions should be realized. It gave me however the greatest satisfaction to be informed both by the captain and first mate, that the sailors had conducted with the greatest propriety. I observed to the first mate, we had received intelligence that several of the crew had become very serious on their voyage to Calcutta, and I wished to know from him whether their deportment on their passage home had been such as becomes religious men. He unhesitatingly assured me it had. Having ascertained this pleasing fact, I gave them all an invitation to call on me, that I might hear from their own lips "what the Lord had done for their souls." The first evening after this invitation, only one of them visited me, the others being unavoidably engaged. From him I received a very pleasing and satis factory account of his conversion to God. It would occupy too much of your Magazine to give a detail of the exercises of his mind. Suffice it to say that N. from being a notorious swearer, and a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God, displays the meekness and humility of a disciple of Christ. O, said he, "never did I go such a voyage before! it is frequently the case that sailors are picking up a quarrel, swearing at one another, and sometimes fighting; but we were all like a band of brothers trying to please one another. I never was in a ship where we knocked off the work so pleasantly and so cheerfully. There was no such thing as swearing all the way home. Such of our ship-mates as had no religion did not swear in our hearing." While attending to his artless story, the words of Watts occurred to my mind with peculiar force : Lions and beasts of savage name, On a succeeding evening three others came to converse with me. It was really a feast to hear these weather-beaten mariners relate their experience with the simplicity of little children. One of them, a Scotchman by birth, said, "the day before he shipped on board the Independence he was very low in his mind, and endeavoured to remove it by intoxication," but, as might be expected, the momentary excitement produced by the liquor left him still more depressed. His convictions of sin however were not very deep, or permanent, till the their Missionaries commenced ministerial labours. Then he had a view of his lost condition |