he is taken away from his work, his brethren, and his spouse, to whom he had been united only nine months.*

CHAPTER II.

Conversion of Kristno-Persecution-Baptisms-New Testament printed--Mr. Carey appointed to a College-Death of Mr. Brunsdon and Mr. ThomasCharacter of Mr. Thomas-Two Brahmins baptized --Death of Mrs. Chamberlain-Translations-Op. position from government-Attempts in the Burman Empire-Missionaries robbed in Bootan-Printing office burnt.

THE usefulness of any minister is not always to be measured by his apparent success. Many, all their lives, go forth bearing precious seed, and die without seeing any fruit. Missionaries, particularly, are often called to this trial. Another enters into their labours. Those in India cannot expect to break up the fallow ground, sow, and reap the same day.

Thirteen years had now elapsed since Mr. Thomas commenced his exertions among the Hindoos, and more than six, since he and Mr. Carey arrived in Bengal, and yet no idolater had believed their report. About this time the missionaries were stirred up to uncommon faithfulness. A spirit of prayer was especially prevalent; a holy unction seemed to rest on them all; it was a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. A weekly prayer meeting, for the suc cess of the mission, was commenced at the request of Mr. Thomas. The death of Christ was more and more the subject of their preaching; a circumstance which seems always to promise good among the heathen.

Period. Acc. Vol. 11. p. 88....

Mr. Thomas soon called to attend on a man whose arm was dislocated. His name was Kristno. After the operation Mr. Thomas talked to him very impressively concerning his salvation. Kristno wept. Two days after he came with Gokool, a neighbour of his who was present at the time, to the mission house for instruction, saying, “Mr. Thomas has not only cured my arm, but brought me the news of salvation. They were both sensibly affected, and almost daily attended on the missionaries for instruction. Kristno's family likewise listened, but Gokool's wife left him. In less than a month, both Kristno and Gokool came and publicly ate with the missionaries, thus renouncing caste. The servants and all who witnessed it were astonished. They had all said, "no one will lose caste for the Gospel." The missionaries could hardly express their gratitude. Says Mr. Ward, "Brother Thomas has waited fifteen years, and thrown away much on deceitful characters. Brother Carey has waited till his hope of success has almost expired, and after all, God has done it with the utmost ease. Thus the door of faith is opened to the Gentiles; who shall shut it ?—the chain of caste is broken, who shall mend it ?*%

Gokool, and Kristno with his wife and wife's sister, were examined for baptism. Gokool told the missionaries, that before they came, he had been years in searching for a way of happiness in poojahs and holy places in the river; but in vain. When he heard the word of Christ he could not rest. He talked to Kristno about the agitation of his mind. He and another man sat up a whole night talking about it. He had great fears about his sins. When asked how he lost them, he said "They went away in thinking about Christ." The substance of what they all said was, "Their hearts seemed nailed to Christ." A day was appointed for their baptism, and that of Felix Carey, the eldest son of

Period. Acc. Vol. II. p. 24.

Dr. Carey, who for some time had given hopeful evidence of piety.

Satan would not, however, admit such a breach in his citadel without a struggle. The following day, Gokool came with the information that Kristno, with his whole family, was in confinement. It seems that when it was noised abroad they had lost caste, all the neighbourhood was in an uproar. It was said 2000 people were pouring their anathemas on the converts. They dragged them before the Danish magistrate. He dismissed them with commendation for losing caste. They were brought back under a fresh charge, that Kristno refused to give away his daughter to a man contracted to her in marriage. The Gov. ernor set them at liberty, and assured the girl she should not be compelled to marry the man against her consent.

This tumult intimidated Gokool and the family of Kristno. They desired their baptism to be deferred; but Kristno presented himself the next Lord's day, and with Felix Carey, was baptized in the presence of a large concourse of Europeans, Hindoos, and Mahometans. It was a most affecting sight. The Governor could not restrain his tears. To see," says Mr. Ward, "Brother Carey leading down into the water the same day his eldest son, a missionary at fif teen years of age, and the first converted native, who had fortitude sufficient to renounce his caste, was indeed an interesting spectacle."*

One circumstance alone damped the joy of the missionaries. All the Bengalee children were immediately removed from school, for fear they would become Christians. They, however, returned not long after. Kristno became a zealous assistant, though occasionally imprudent. He would say, "Christ is my joy, my hope, my all. If ever worldly things draw my mind from Christ, I say, 'Mind, why dost thou leave Christ; there is no other Saviour. If thou leave him, thou fall

Period. Acc. Vol. II. p. 127.

est into hell. I charge thee, mind, that thou keep close to Christ." He was tried by persecution; his landlord turned him out of his house, he lost employment in his trade, and his daughter Golook was taken from him by force. The latter event was very painful. She was seized, several months after the first attempt, a little distance from the house, by her espoused husband, assisted by another man. An alarm being given, Kristno followed them; but they beat him unmercifully, and hurried on to Calcutta. He soon heard she was murdered on the way, the man being enraged because she had lost caste.

Poor Kristno had now lost all his former friends, his honour, his home, and his daughter. What else does the world contain? He went to Calcutta, and found his daughter had been beaten, but not killed. She had made exertions to escape. Passing by a police station, she cried out, and the men were detained. She told the magistrate she had heard of the love and sufferings of Christ: these things laid hold of her mind, she was a Christian from choice, and was unwilling to go with the men. He replied he could not separate her from her husband, but would take care she should profess what religion she chose. This, however, he could not, or did not, perform. Her friends were scarcely permitted to see her; and if they did, were ordered to say nothing about Christ. Her husband used her very ill. Mr. Carey once visited her with Kristno. While there, he suspected some mischief was hatching, and sought safety in flight. A mob attempted to detain him by violence, and then by means of a constable at a watch house; but he rejected their authority, and passed on. Kristno was seized, carried before a magistrate, and accused of having brought low men to take his daughter from her husband by force. The magistrate, however, liberated him, and after considerable suffering, his daughter likewise succeeded in effecting her escape, and was baptized. What is worthy of remark, her husband, after being separated from her

about three years, went to live with her, became a hearer of the Gospel, and was himself baptized. Thus the Lord makes the devices of the heathen of none effect.

Soon after the baptism of Kristno, his wife's sister, and then his wife, with a widow in his family, followed his example. The latter said one day, "Formerly I never saw my sins; now I perceive I am in a sea of sin." Gokool, who had fainted at the outset, again came forward, and his wife, who had made very violent opposition, was not long behind. "We have now," (Oct. 4, 1801,) says Mr. Marshman, "six baptized Hindoos, whom we esteem more precious than gems. Yet we need great prudence in our conduct towards them. We have to encourage, to strengthen, to counteract, to advise, to disapprove, to teach, and to do all in such a manner, as to endear our Saviour and ourselves to them." They indeed exhibited abundant proofs, that the converts were their joy and crown; that their hearts were united to them by the most tender ties yet, that they watched them with a solicitude almost inexpressible.

The printing of the New Testament was finished before this, and a day of thanksgiving appointed in consequence. Another favourable circumstance had taken place. On the morning of May 8th, the English from the opposite side of the river came over, and while the inhabitants were in a sound sleep, quietly took posses sion of Serampore, without firing a gun. When the people rallied, they were surprised to see the English flag flying. The missionaries appeared at the govern ment house, were treated with great civility, and ordered to go on with their school, preaching, and translating, in the same peaceable way as before.

About the same time, Mr. Carey was appointed to an important station in the new college of Fort William. This proved in the end a great furtherance of the mission. Mr. Carey was able, when afterwards raised to the rank of Professor, to add more than six thousand dollars annually to the common stock, which