His growing acquaintance with the Bible brought him into a new world. He had lost his relish for "the pleasures of sin," but the discoveries which he made in his Bible often filled him with rapture. I imagine that persons who have been acquainted with the Scriptures from their infancy, have no idea of the pleasure, and wonder, and astonishment which burst upon the mind of a man who for the first time in his life hears the affecting history of our Lord and Saviour. This was the case with my friend. He was born again when he was old, and with his new birth he began to read the Bible; and he frequently called on me to relate the glorious discoveries he had made; and having related them, he would ask me with childlike simplicity, "Did you ever hear anything so delightful before?" Dear old man! It was all new to him, and he thought it must be all new to me also! when alas! my unfeeling familiarity with the subjects often made me tremble. Oh how happy should we be if we could retain the freshness of first impressions!

It is often said that charity begins at home, but it does not stop there. This was the case with Mr. B. His first care was to give all diligence to make his calling and election sure. Next came his household, then came the congregation, and then came all within his reach. To meet the last class, he employed himself a good deal in the distribution of tracts and portions of the Bible, and was ingenious in finding out ways for their circulation.

On certain days, it is usual for the trades in the imperial city to meet at the Guildhall to transact the affairs of their various guilds. These were harvest days for the good old man. A day or two previous to the meetings, he would come to me, saying, “I want some tracts in different languages. We are going to have a great day at the Guildhall, and I wish to improve the opportunity. Let me have as many tracts as you can for an imperial," (about a sovereign.) Then, after the business was over, he would come to me and report: "Dreadful work yesterday, sir, at the Guildhall." "What was it ?" "Some people took tracts and tore them in pieces, and trampled upon them before my eyes. Others took the tracts and threw them in my face, saying, What have you to do with my religion? while some threw them into the fire: but I am not discouraged, sir. I will try it again next meeting. I will never give up, oh no! There is not one of them who has been so great a sinner as I have been. And if the Lord Jesus Christ could condescend to take hold of such an old rebel as I am, and change my heart, do you think I'll be discouraged, sir. No. I will work for Christ till my dving day !”

R. K.

IGNORANCE AND INDOLENCE.

WE learn from the Bible, that those who are simple and unlearned often are wiser as to the concerns of the soul, than others possessing much worldly wisdom: and we know from the same source that the sabbath is to be kept as a day of rest from worldly labours and earthly cares. But there is an ignorant simplicity which is far from the first of these cases, and there is an indolence which widely differs from the second. The two following instances will illustrate what is

meant:

"A woman in humble life was asked one day on the way back from church, whether she had understood the sermon. 'Wud I have the presumption,' was her simple and contented

answer.

"Well, Master J,' said his minister, walking homeward after service, with an industrious labourer, who was a constant attendant; Well, Master J, Sunday must be a blessed day of rest for you, who work so hard all the week; and you make a good use of the day, for you are always to be seen at church.' Ay, sir,' replied J- It is indeed a blessed day, I works hard enough all the week, and then I come to church o' Sundays, and sets me down and lays my legs up, and thinks o' nothing.'

Are there not many who resemble these characters, and that in other places besides villages? Are not such persons bringing down the Divine wrath on themselves, and living as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast?" Prov. xxiii. 34.

66

THE GOOD SAMARITAN.

THERE is a love of mercy and compassion due from us to all in their afflictions, which is plainly taught us by the parable of the good Samaritan. The wounded man was not his companion; he found him in misery, as it were accidentally, as he was passing by the way-side, and so whether he was Jew, or Gentile, or stranger, this Samaritan comforted him, relieved him, and took great pains to recover him. See what use our Saviour made of this, "Go, and do thou likewise." Dost thou see a man in misery? Be not like the priest, and the merciless 'Levite, but be a good Samaritan to him: speak comfortably to him; and let thy heart join with thy tongue, and thy hand with thy heart. Be as ready to do good, as to wish well to him, that he may bless God in thee and for thee.

W. GEARING.

EXTRACTS

FROM THE ADDRESSES AT THE LAST ANNIVERSARY

OF

THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY,

May 4, 1838.

THE REV. W. H. MEDHURST said, that it would be a pity if a motion on the sending of tracts to China were permitted to pass without a word from him. The Religious Tract Society had devoted several thousand pounds for the printing of tracts in China, and some millious of tracts had been printed. The members of the Protestant mission there had composed upwards of 100 tracts of from 30 to 50 pages each, several thousands of which had been circulated through the whole of the Malayan Archipelago, and along the coast of China itself. They were not tracts for the times, but tracts for eternity. In writing tracts for China, was necessary to consider the views, feelings, and sentiments of the Chinese. He therefore sat down to study their character and opinions. He found that they had a number of religious festivals among them which the people followed with the greatest avidity. He wrote tracts against the feast of the tombs, which the Chinese were in the habit of celebrating every spring; and against feeding hungry ghosts, a superstition to which they were addicted. They imagined that the future world was like the present, and as in the present world they needed food, so in another state spirits needed it also, and therefore they sacrificed various eatables. The missionaries felt deeply for the famishing souls of China; they were solicitous that the Lamb in the midst of the throne might feed them, and wipe away all tears from their eyes. With that view they had written tracts to counteract the prejudices of the Chinese against Christianity. One of the Chinese was much exasperated at the efforts of the missionaries, and wrote a tract against the tracts. The writer said that it was preposterous for barbarians to think of teaching the inhabitants of the celestial city morals, particularly when they were so deficient themselves in the five cardinal virtues. These virtues were, benevolence, wisdom, justice, propriety, and truth; and the barbarians possessed but one of them. Where, he asked, was their benevolence, when they came with opium to their shores, and poisoned the people by thousands? With regard to justice, where was their equity, when they sent armies and navies to conquer undefended people? As to propriety, that was out of the question, when men and women ate together, and walked arm-in-arm. As to wisdom, they disesteemed the ancient Chinese sages; they would not read the books of their philosophers, and, therefore, how could they get wisdom? Truth appeared to be the only quality which the barbarians possessed. In that way the Chinese endeavoured to overturn the efforts of the missionaries. But there were instances of a different kind. In the town

66

where he had resided, a Chinese entered the house with a serious countenance, and asked a conference with him in private. He was introduced into his study, and the man requested that he might be admitted to the ordinance of baptism. He (Mr. M.) had never seen the man before, and asked him how he could think of being baptized. The man replied, Though you know not me, I know you; I have not seen your countenance before, but I have seen your tracts, and they have brought me to a sense of my condition." He found that the man's notions on the subject of religion were correct and clear, and he spoke with a feeling which was seldom witnessed in a sceptical and hard-hearted Chinese. The mandarins were very wily, and often succeeded in counteracting the designs and wishes of the missionaries; but he had, on more occasions than one, contrived to get those very men to assist him in the distribution of his tracts. Stress had been laid on the imperial mandates which were issued against Christianity and the circulation of tracts; but those edicts were, in many cases, merely nominal, and were often easily evaded. The reverend gentleman then related several anecdotes illustrative of the avidity with which the Chinese received the tracts.

CHOU TIH LONG, a native of China, attired in the national costume, next addressed the meeting. (Mr. Medhurst said he had been in England about a year and a half, and had acquired a considerable knowledge of the English language, and of Christianity.) He spoke to the following effect:Dear Christian friends, I find Englishmen love foreigners as well as themselves. You are this evening of one mind to give evidence of what is in your hearts. I have great pleasure in being here to witness your desire to send books which will tell men how to obtain the pardon of sin, the favour of God, and everlasting happiness. Such books are the best in the world. These tracts, I believe, have been very useful, and have done much good. They have often led the way for the Scriptures. But the doctrines of Scripture are very deep; these tracts are plain, and not difficult for simple people to understand. But new converts are weak; as their strength increases they can bear more. These books, dear people, make men happy, and you all have a desire after happiness. It is your duty to direct them into the narrow way and the strait gate that leadeth into everlasting life. I have read some interesting accounts, which have pleased me exceedingly. I wish, when I go out, to take some tracts with me in my own language, which will instruct my people in the knowledge of the true God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. These, I do think, would do good in China. They seemed to be written in the spirit of Paul, when he said, "I have fed you with milk, and not with strong meat." I believe there are 360,000,000 of my own countrymen who sit in darkness, who have never seen the great light. Pray that they may be led, by the great power of God, to seek the Saviour, that there may be one Shepherd and one fold. You remember the Epistle to Timothy, where Paul says, “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate." The hearts of all men are proud. I am sure the Chinese are very proud. If some means are not taken

to soften them, they will remain hard and proud. So we must do little by little, and they will believe. If you wish to be happy, go and enlist in this work, and you will bring happiness to yourselves. Now, I am afraid you are tired of my simple speech; but I hope you will pardon all my mistakes, when I tell you I did not know one word of English when I came to this country, and now it is only one year and a half since, therefore I find it very difficult to give you my ideas in English.

This simple address was listened to with deep interest.

ASSAAD YACOUB KAYAT, a Syrian, who appeared in his national dress, said, that if he appeared before the assembly to delight them with eloquence, he would read them some verses from Homer, or from Saadi and other renowned authors of his own country. But he trusted he should be allowed to speak to them on the cause of Christianity in the East. His nation had undergone great changes; one thing, however, had stood for 1800 years, and that was the name of Christian. He hoped that Christianity would be made to flourish there. Although he was not a son of Oxford or of Cambridge, yet the works of English authors had reached his country. The Bible and religious tracts printed in Great Britain had also reached them. They would afford him very great assistance in prosecuting his plans in the East. When he returned thither, he should be able to state that the Christians of Great Britain united together once or twice a-day to promote the diffusion of religious truth, and that the income of those institutious increased many thousands a-year. When he calculated the amount in piastres it would make millions.. God had given him the power of the languages of the East; he had studied the Mohammedan laws, and on his return he would see whether the Bible could not be conveyed into Arabia Petrea, Deserta, and Felix. The Mohammedans had tracts to which they referred to substantiate some statements not in the Koran. One great object which he had in view was to introduce religious education among the females in the East, that they might be able to introduce Christianity among the Mohammedans. On his return from Bagdad, in crossing Mount Lebanon, he spent a few days with the Druses. They inquired of him whether there were not a great many Druses in England. He assured them that there were none in England, though there were in this country many persons who were not real Christians. Jesuits who had gone there and destroyed the Syrian church, had put it into the minds of the people that there were Druses in England. He had a Bible in his saddle-bag, and he proved to them that the Bible was printed here to be circulated in all parts of the world; that there were institutions for sending out missionaries, and others for printing tracts, some of which he had also with him, and showed to the people. He had received some newspapers in this country, one of which he took out, in which it was stated that her most gracious Majesty had attended at the Royal Chapel, and, showing it to them, he said, "See, the Queen of England is the defender of the faith." The Druses, on being assured that there were none in England, began to look very serious. He recollected that in the journal of a Persian prince it was said that the English government kept peace all over the world. And