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Paulersbury, in the county of Northampton, August 17th, 1761; made a public profession of religion, by baptism, in 1783; and was ordained to the pastoral office in 1787.

"Under the pressure of poverty, and while obliged to support himself and his family, at first as a journeyman shoemaker, and afterwards as a village schoolmaster, Mr. Carey had acquired several languages.... With the earliest dawn of Missionary purpose in Carey's mind, was associated the study of history and geography. Whether the moral sympathy led to the geographical investiga tion, or the investigation prompted the sympathy, it may not be easy, and is not important, to determine. They existed together, and were wrought into the habitudes of his mind. He addicted himself to the construction of maps of the world. In sketching the outlines of various countries, and noticing the chief places, and their population, he reflected much on their spiritual destitution. One thought generated another, thought associated with feeling, and feeling with purpose and plan. Such were the first 6 workings of a mind, whose singular capabilities were training, under divine influence, for a mighty undertaking.

"We must go farther still, however, to reach the spring-head, the primary cause of the Missionary excitement in Carey's mind, and its diffusion among the Northamptonshire Ministers. At the Meeting of the Association, in 1784, at Nottingham, it was resolved to set apart an hour on the first Monday evening in every month, for extraordinary prayer for the revival of religion, and for the spread of Christ's kingdom in the world.' This suggestion proceeded from the venerable Sutcliff. Its simplicity and appropriateness have since recommended it to universal adoption; and copious showers of blessings from on high have been poured forth upon the

churches.

prompted of Heaven, felt a holy impa tience to cross the ocean, and penetrate its recesses. (Ibid., page 11.)

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"At the anniversary of the Association at Nottingham, in May, 1792, Mr. Carey preached a sermon from the second and third verses of the fifty-fourth chapter of Isaiah, which excited the deepest interest, and induced the Ministers to resolve, that at the autumnal Meeting at Kettering, a plan for forming a Society to spread the Gospel among the Heathen, should be prepared, and submitted for consideration. This discourse was arranged under two hortatory divisions, which, like the brief, condensed expressions of illustrious men, on the eve of noble enterprises, have ever since become the watchwords of the church: Expect great things from God: attempt great things for God.' If,' says Dr. Ryland, all the people had lifted up their voices and wept, as the children of Israel did at Bochim, I should not have wondered at the effect; it would only have seemed proportionate to the cause, so clearly did he prove the criminality of our supineness in the cause of God."

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(Ibid., page 17.)

"At the Kettering Meeting, on the second of October, the Society was formally incorporated; and the first subscription, made on the spot, amounted to £13. 2s. 6d. This sum, though really small, was comparatively large; for it was the contribution of a few poor but enlightened servants of Jesus Christ. It was such as to free it from all charge of ostentation in the motive, and yet such as to evince the faith and self-sacrifice of those who laid it on the altar."

(Ibid., page 18.)

These small beginnings, however, soon increased so far as to warrant, though not without much faith in the promised blessing of Him whose glory was thus sought, the actual commencement of the undertaking which has produced such decided issues. After various hinderances, the final arrangements were completed, and the Baptist Mission begun.

"At the different Ministers' Meetings, held between 1787 and 1790, Mr. Carey was incessantly introducing, and descanting upon, the subject of the importance and practicability of a Mission to the Heathen, and of his own willingness to engage in it. Few, if any, however, yet sympathized with his views: some imputed to him an absolute infatuation, denouncing his project as wild and hopeless; and even the most excellent and eminent men hesitated amidst doubts and fears. They saw not that this new Columbus beheld a yet undiscovered world of Heathenism; and, inwardly VOL. XXI. Third Series. December, 1842.

"On June 13th, 1793, Mr. Carey and Thomas embarked in the Kron Princessa Maria, a Danish East Indiaman. In the early morning of their departure, one of them addressed a London Minister, in the following emphatic words: The ship is come, the signal made, the guns are fired, and we are going with a fine 4 A

fair wind.

to

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Farewell, my dear brother and sisters, farewell! May the God of Jacob be ours and yours, by sea and land, for time and eternity!' It is unnecessary to record the incidents of the voyage. With the exception of a storm off Cape des Aquilas, the most southern part of Africa, in which they were for a short time in extreme danger, the course their desired habitation' was agreeable. Mr. Thomas employed himself on translation of the book of Genesis into Bengalee. 'Brother Carey,' says he, helped me out in passages which I could have made nothing of without him. So let the goldsmith help the carpenter, and the carpenter the goldsmith, that the work of the Lord may be done.' They arrived in Balasore roads on the 7th of November, and on the 10th went on shore, when Mr. Thomas preached at a bazaar or market. He was heard with great attention for three hours, and a repetition of the visit earnestly solicited. On the 11th they proceeded to Calcutta. A Hindoo, named Ram Boshoo, whom Mr. Thomas believed to have been converted by his instrumentality on a previous visit to India, waited for them on their arrival; but, to their grief, they found that he had been bowing again to idols. Mr. Carey soon saw reason, however, to entertain a good opinion of him; and, some time afterwards, engaged him as a moonshi, or interpreter." (Ibid., page 25.)

And thus commenced the Baptist Mission, one of the most glorious undertakings of modern times. What was subsequently effected by it, especially in the way of scriptural translation, who does not know? Nor can it be doubted but that this originated what may be termed, the modern Missionary movement. The Wesleyans, indeed, according to their limited means, had begun, and were carrying on, Missions in North America and the West Indies; but in these the public at large took no particular interest.

God put this honour on the Baptists, that he made them the instruments of awakening and fixing public attention on the great subject; so that, with the succeeding century, a new era opened on the world; and the church, by her revived activity, entered upon the Missionary age.

And here, under other circumstances than those in which we now live, we should be glad to pause.

But those circumstances imperatively demand additional observation. The age of intolerance, and bigotry, and exclusiveness, connected with a most unevangelical externalism, has likewise revived. After a long period of criminal indolence, a portion of the professing church has come forward to preach another Gospel, which yet is not another; and haughtily puts forth claims to be alone the church of Christ, and the exclusive channel of grace to the souls of men. The more thoughtless children of the fathers who engaged in so noble a work, on which the approving blessing of God so evidently rested, are tempted to desert the honourable position won for them, and to barter their decidedlymarked spiritual possessions for worldly respectability. They are told to look at genealogies, not only irrespective of spiritual qualifications, but too frequently awfully destitute of them. The sheep's clothing, forsooth, is to be every thing; the fruits, though solemnly appointed as the test by the Saviour himself, are to be nothing. But, if they have not utterly discarded the rule of a scripturally-evidenced spi. rituality, let them look at the origin of the Baptist Mission. It began with prayer, and prayer led to devout meditation on the state of the world, and the obligations imposed by the Gospel. Meditation led to resolution, resolution became arrangement, and the plans that were arranged were carried into effect. trines of the Episcopal succession, and salvation by sacramental union with the Church, are true, they are important; and yet the governing Spirit passed all their adherents by, and stirred up the mind of an obscure Baptist Minister, weighed down with an almost hopeless poverty, made him the instrument of accomplishing a mighty change in the public mind, and prepared him for most honourable success in the work of spreading the words of inspiration among the perishing millions of the world. How different all this from the movements, half-acentury afterwards, when the great work of pioneering had been accom

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plished by the expenditure of hundreds of thousands of pounds of schismatically-raised subscriptions, and the even joyous sacrifice of life, by hundreds of schismatical intruders, undertaken to episcopalize the portions recovered from the world's wilderness, and brought into a state of abundant fruitfulness! The comparison is forced on us; but with whatever reluctance we make it, we may not now make it by halves. The spirituality of the Gospel is at stake. Principles are now boldly put forth, which, taken in connexion with the attendant circumstances of the age, condemn the Reformation as the ebullition of combined schism and heresy, and all that has been considered as the revival of spiritual religion, as subtle and poisonous delusion. Let those whom a worldly glare may for a moment entice, seriously ask, Whether they are prepared thus to give up the character of their fathers, and thus to deny the work of God? For ourselves, our mind is made up. Let it be shown, from the word of God, that Christianity is essentially and primarily a system of outward form, in

which all that is spiritual is dependent and subordinate, and, of course, we must give up. But till then, we shall not cease enforcing_the command, as necessary now in England as when first addressed to the Galatians: "Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not again entangled with the yoke of bondage."

We have not room for a larger consideration of Dr. Cox's "History." We must content ourselves with this reference to the truly honourable origin of the Baptist Mission, and with adding, that the first volume is devoted to the operations of its agents in the East, and the second to those in the West, Indies. Both of them are highly instructive. We have read them ourselves with great pleasure, and cordially recommend them to our readers. To the "Mission Library," of course, it will be a valuable addition; but by all who take pleasure, especially in times like the present, in observing the progress of the work of God in the world, it will be thankfully received and welcomed.

Memoir of the Life of the late Rev. Peter Roe, A. M., Rector of Odogh, and Minister of St. Mary's Kilkenny: with copious Extracts from his Correspondence, &c. By the Rev. Samuel Madden, Prebendary of Blackrath, Diocess of Ossory. 8vo. pp. xv, 623. Longmans.

WE began the perusal of this volume, we must acknowledge, with expectations that were not subsequently realized,-that gave way, indeed, in several instances, even to painful disappointment. We met with much that was not only profitable, but gratifying; but we also met with much that grieved us. The ground of both these observations will be seen by the reader, in the course of the brief notice that we shall give of the work.

far as to England,-and therefore he gradually became less known. By many, however, he is remembered as a pious, zealous, active Clergyman of the Irish Church, decidedly evangelical in his sentiments, and warmly attached to the Bible and Church Missionary Societies.

Mr. Roe was born in the town of Gorey, county of Wexford, March 11th, 1778. This was a period in which the Irish Church was far from being prepared to promote the spiritual improvement of her own members, much less to check the influence of her ever-watchful Roman opponents, or to withstand their assaults on herself. Mr. Madden

Of late years, Mr. Roe's name has not been so frequently mentioned in England as formerly, only because, as he advanced in years, he became of course unable to take his accustomed journeys,—at least, so

says,-quoting too, the language of Bishop Mant,

"The state of the Church in Ireland, at the close of the last century, is described as having been very low indeed. It was almost the wilderness, the solitary place, and the desert' realized. One whose verdict will scarcely be called in question, and who exhibits a laudable desire to give praise where praise is due, says, 'But the latter part of the eighteenth century was, perhaps, on the whole, a season of supineness and inaction, as to religion, in these kingdoms; and the Irish Clergy, in general, may be judged to have partaken of this character, though the revival of the office of Rural Deans may be regarded as a symptom of increasing care for the discipline of the Church, in her governors; and the institution of the Society for discountenancing vice, and promoting the knowledge and practice of the Christian religion, indicates, both in them, and in the Clergy at large, and in the lay-members of the Church, a disposition to encourage spiritual improvement. For such improvement, no doubt, there was ample room in the interior of the Church herself.'" (Page 3.)

The cause of all this lies by no means deeply hidden from observation. If the church of Christ be "a congregation of faithful men," their interests can only be promoted by Ministers who are "faithful men" themselves; and if one of its marks be, that "the pure word of God is preached" there, then, unless care be taken that the ministry is spiritual, and not professional, this feature cannot possibly exist. Of all plans for the enlargement of ministerial usefulness, the essential foundation must be, that the Ministers are truly (not in name only) "men of God." And here it is that the doctrine of the Episcopal succession, implying the validity of Episcopal power, whatever be the character of the men exercising it, is seen to be the bane of the church. Of the Church of England, at the present day, it is every way the curse. It separates the Clergy from their fellow-labourers of other names, inflates them with a haughty—and at the same time vain and foppishexclusiveness, and breaks down all

the fences which distinguish the church from the world, and might, if kept in efficient repair, preserve its spirituality. Occasionally, he who enters the ministry as a profes sion, may experience a Christian change of heart, and be made an "able Minister of the New Testament;" such cases, however, are not the rule, but the exception. Such Ministers usually continue to be what they were at the commencement; and as they are mostly keenly sensitive on all points connected with their own ministerial position,which they describe as being not so much equal to that of others, as superior,-they adopt, and continually preach, a scheme of religious

doctrine fitted to maintain their own pretensions. A lifeless formalism is the result; and the perfect agreement of the facts with the assumed principles, and of the principles with the facts, reduces the hypothesis to absolute certainty.

Mr. Roe entered Trinity College, Dublin, in November, 1793, and pursued the required studies with diligence and success; and "seems to have contemplated the Church as his profession, at least so early as May, 1796." Thus writes his biohis mind was at all under the influgrapher. It does not appear that ing. He, of course, acknowledged, ence of religious principle and feelthat a Clergyman ought to be very circumspect, and resolved to be so himself; thinking that there could "not be on earth a baser or more detestable character than a profigate Clergyman." Beyond this, however, he does not appear to have gone; and in this state he was ordained, in 1798. Mr. Madden thus refers to his first, and, indeed, permanent, appointment, and to his character when he received it :

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body of resident gentry, of independent means it was also the quarters of a considerable military force. Those views of the awful truths of the Gospel, which are most effective in weaning men from the love of the world, and leading them to act on their baptismal vow,-to 'renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh,' were not fully held forth to the people: the Clergy themselves joined with but too great willingness in the frivolous amusements of the day; and all combined to make the place of Mr. Roe's first labours as gay and as pleasureloving a city as any other in the kingdom.

"Immediately after his arrival at Kilkenny, Mr. Roe renewed his correspondence with his father, and thus alludes to the subject spoken of above:

We kept the fast yesterday, (March 13th,) and had a most excellent sermon from Mr. Pidgeon. He gave a severe lecture to those who seem insensible to all the dangers with which they are surrounded; and particularly to the inhabitants of this town, who have, during Lent, gone on in the same round of dissipation and frivolous amusements, which they were accustomed to in the most peaceable times.' And again: The Judges are at present in this town. The ladies have lost all their accustomed dancing, &c., during the Assizes; as, unfortunately for them, it is Passion. Week, and the sober and religious part of the town could not, of course, listen to the idea of assemblies.' We must not, however, conclude from this, that Mr. Roe had at the present time taken a decided stand against those things. may, indeed, have thought it highly indecorous to pursue them in Lent, or Passion-Week, or at other particular seasons; but these are living witnesses to testify, that, at other times, no one was more gay, more lively, or more pleased with them than he was." (Page 34.)

He

Very melancholy is such a picture as this. Irreligion is always bad; but when it assumes the garb of a sort of compromising, compensating sanctity, the evil assumes a far deeper tinge. And yet this will always be the state of things connected with a professional ministry. Religion, as an inward life and power, will not be even understood. It will consist in the use of forms adopted and practised by the indivi

dual, and rather worn by him, than proceeding from the innermost depths of his being. And at certain periods, these forms will be more scrupulously observed, and the mind brought into a sort of temporary conformity to them. Cards will be laid by during the week's preparation for the sacrament; and when PassionWeek returns, the ball-room and the theatre must be closed. But all is useless. Just such a religion as this prevailed in the days of Malachi; and its professors said, as well they might say, "It is vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?" Happy is it for the people of a country where its national Church has sunk into such a wretched state, if God, in his providence and grace, provides, by the means of others, both for reviving his own work, and for affording to those who may not have forgotten him, opportunities for religious colloquy and prayer!

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In the autumn of 1799 Mr. Roe had a very serious attack of scarlet fever; and this, under God, was the means of bringing him to a state of mind at once more safe and happy for himself, and promising greater blessings to the people of his charge. The alteration, Mr. Madden says,—

"Was gradual. Light did not shine in at once upon his mind in its fulness; he slowly, but surely, came to an acquaintance with those doctrines which afterwards became the chief subjects of his preaching, as well as the wholesome food of his soul." (Page 39.)

The biographer adds,

"That this change, or rather enlargement of his religious views, brought along with it some corresponding change in his manner of life, may be fairly assumed; and that both combined, brought upon him some of the reproach which must be borne by those who will live godly in Christ Jesus, is only what was to be expected." (Page 39.)

From this time Mr. Roe became zealously and eminently devoted to his work as a Christian Minister. In labours he was, indeed, 66 more

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