his boon companions. He had gone to hear Whitefield, in order to get up a new tavern harangue;' but when he had caught enough of the sermon for his purpose, and thus wanted to quit the church for the inn, 'he found his endeavours to get out fruitless, he was so pent up.' Whilst thus fixed, and waiting for fresh matter of ridicule, he was arrested by the gospel. That night he went to Prince, full of horror, and longing to beg pardon of Whitefield. Prince encouraged him to visit the preacher. Whitefield says of him, by the paleness, pensiveness, and horror of his countenance, I guessed he was the man of whom I had been apprized. Sir, can you forgive me?' he cried, in a low but plaintive voice. I smiled, and said, 'Yes, Sir, very readily.' 'Indeed you cannot,' he said, when I tell you all.' I then asked him to sit down ; and judging that he had sufficiently felt the lash of the law, I preached the gospel unto him.' This, with other remarkable conversions, gave increased energy and influence to his preaching in Boston. My bodily strength,' he says, is recovered, and my soul more than ever in love with a crucified Jesus!'

"At Exeter, also, a man came prepared to knock him on the head with a stone, whenever the sermon should furnish an offensive expression. He stood with the stone in his hand. He could find no fault. The sermon soon interested him so, that the stone dropped from his hand, Then his heart melted. After the service he went to Whitefield, and said with tears, 'Sir, I came to break your head; but God has given me a broken heart.'

"The late FULLER of Kettering was wont to tell the following anec dote, which he had from the lips of the person. A young man who had gone out in the morning on a frolic, with a party of his companions, would have his fortune told by a gipsy they met. She predicted for him a good old age, and lots of children and grandchildren. He believed the prophecy, and resolved to store his mind with such knowledge as would make young folks like an old man. 'Let me see,' he said, 'what I can acquire first? O, here is the famous methodist preacher, Whitefield; he is to preach to-night, they say; I will go and hear him.' From these strange motives, he really went to hear. The sermon was on John's appeal to the Sadducees and Pharisees, to flee from the wrath to come.' 6 'Whitefield,' said he, described the Sadducean charac ter but that did not touch me. Then the Pharisaic: that shook me a little. At length he abruptly broke off-then burst into a flood of tearsthen lifting up his hands, he cried with a loud voice, O my HEARERS! the wrath is to come-the wrath is to come! These words sunk into my heart like lead in the waters. I wept. I went alone. These words followed me wherever I went. For days and weeks I could think of little else but the awful words, "The wrath is to come-is to come. Fuller said, the young man became, ' a considerable preacher."

Ah! Whitefield! in vain do we search the long muster roll of fame to find a name so laden with the most brilliant glory as thine! The pomp of mightiest princes, the triumphs of most victorious warriors, the honors of titled nobles, the fame of literary geniuses, all fade out, "as a dim candle dies at noon," in the brightness of that supereminent lustre which shall encircle thy sacred head, when, before an admiring universe and an applauding Saviour thou shalt cast thine eye on a crowd and host of redeemed and shining ones and say, "Behold me and the children God has given me !"

[To be concluded in the August number.]

Missionary and Religious Entelligence.

1.-MISSIONARY AND ECCLESIASTICAL MOVEMENTS.

Since our last notice of the movements of our clerical and Missionary friends the following have occurred. The Rev. Mr. Kreiss of the Georgia Mission has removed from Burdwan to Calcutta: he, in conjunction with Mr. Pffander of the same Mission, is laboring amongst the Musalmáns in Calcutta who are familiar with the Persian language.-The Rev. J. Campbell of the London Society has removed to Bhawanipore. The Native Female School under Mrs. Campbell's superintendence is now located at Bhawanipore.—The Rev. Mr. Bennett of the American Mission in Barma is now in Calcutta, on his way to the United States for the recovery of his health.-The Rev. J. Vaughan of Dinapore has been obliged to proceed to sea for the recovery of his health.-The Bishop of Calcutta intends making another visitation tour, to commence after the rains.-The Rev. W. H. Pearce is expected on the Herefordshire, Capt. Chapman. The American Mission formerly at Sadiyá has been removed to Jaipur, Assam, in consequence of the almost entire destruction of the former place by the late insurrections. Jaipur is the centre of operation for the New Tea Companies.

2.-NEW TRANSLATIONS OF THE SCRIPTURES.

We have this month received a most valuable addition to the existing stock of translated Scriptures.

The Hindustání New Testament, a joint production of the Calcutta Baptist Missionaries and Native Assistants has issued, in a neat and elegant octavo volume of about 800 pages from the Baptist Mission Press. Many an intelligent supporter of Missions at home would be ready to deem this an unnecessary labour. They would say the work has been done, a translation has been made and printed, why expend labour and money on a new version? Much unwarrantable discouragement too has arisen from a want of thorough information on this point. It has been said, the set time to favour India is evidently not come. What more could be done for the conversion of her inhabitants than has been done? In addition to the preaching of the Gospel, the Scriptures have been translated into their own languages, so that they may read for themselves the truth that is able to make them wise unto salvation. How is it that the results have been so small, so far below our expectations? Far be it from us to assert that the early versions were unfaithful. If they be subjected to the test of a dictionary it will be found that the words used contain the meaning intended to be con veyed. But we think too that all will allow that their idiom and style wore a very foreign complexion. Is it any wonder then that they should have been received with the reserve and suspicion which is commonly the lot of foreigners? If they are to receive the confidence and fellowship of a fellow citizen they must appear in the costume and habit of a citizen. This result has been greatly forwarded in the present version by the exclusion of words of a barbarous and foreign coinage. Ecclesiastical terms, as they are called, have been translated and not transferred. Allowing for some isolated passages, an improved rendering of

which might be suggested, we think competent judges will pronounce this version as a whole to be, simple and easy of comprehension, without degenerating to vulgarism, a faithful transcript of the original ideas given in idiomatic phraseology ;-in short a composition (so far as language is concerned), alike intelligible to the common people and acceptable to the learned. The value of this version is also greatly enhanced by the addition of marginal references. These have been prepared with special care, not so much to multiply the number of parallel places, as to elucidate difficulties, and give an entire view of revealed truth. When it is remembered how destitute our native preachers and catechists are of aids to attain a comprehensive view of the whole Bible, and consequently of ability to give an enlarged exhibition of the Gospel system in their discourses, the present will be deemed both timely and important. The typography and execution are what epicurean bookworms would style delicious.-A third edition of the Bengálí Testament prepared by the same hands has lately appeared. We understand that it has been again thoroughly revised and corrected.-We have also seen an advertisement by the same parties of a metrical version of the Psalms in Sanskrit, which has just issued from the press. The work professes to be " a faithful translation and not an elegant paraphrase." This the advertisement shews to be practicable because of the immense number of synonyms with which the Sanskrit abounds, the numerous expletives in common use, and the facility afforded for forming compound words, and desirable because the Divine Spirit first made choice of verse as the medium of conveying the ideas contained in the Psalms, because Poetry has a peculiar charm to the native, and because Sanskrit verse is more easy of comprehension than Sanskrit prose. And we are likewise shortly to expect, from the same quarter, a Sanskrit translation of the New Testament.-We are happy to find that the present diligence and achievements of our Baptist brethren are fully sustaining their ancient fame as translators of the Scriptures, and are more especially grateful that the powerful "sword of the Spirit" is thus unsheathed in the midst of those who oppose and usurp the Saviour's rightful dominions, and that the healing waters of salvation are thus flowing forth over a land crowded with malady and ruin. May millions be slain by the power of the truth and be healed by the virtues of the Gospel!

3.-LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

The London Missionary Society's operations in this district of India, have been very much extended during the last few months, owing to the increase of efficient labourers. The Society has, we believe, at this time not less than six Missionaries in this city, fully qualified to preach the blessed truths of the Gospel to the heathen in their own tongue.The Society has, during the last year, erected two new places of worship in Calcutta, and it is their intention immediately to erect two more in eligible parts of the city. These efforts, together with other measures for more extensive usefulness, have completely drained the local treasury of the Society. They have determined therefore, to endeavour to raise a special fund for the purchase of ground, the erection and repairing of chapels, together with all the extraordinary contingent expences, connected with the Society's operations in Calcutta. We shall be happy to forward any donations or subscriptions to the Society for this purpose. -Calcutta Christian Advocate.

THE

CALCUTTA CHRISTIAN OBSERVER.

No. 87.-August, 1839.

1.-Account of the Netherland Missionary Society, being the substance of an Address delivered at the Missionary Prayer Meeting, Union Chapel, on Monday evening, 1st July, 1839. By the Rev. A. F. Lacroix.

After a suitable introduction the preacher addressed the meeting as follows:

I purpose this evening to give you some account of an Institution for the diffusion of the Gospel, that appears to be very little known in this country. I mean the "Netherland Missionary Society," with which I had the privilege of being connected several years at the commencement of my missionary career.

Your attention will be called, I. To the origin of that Society; II. To its constitution, and III. To the various attempts it has made to propagate the Gospel in the world.

I need not add that the short time allotted for our exercises on occasions like the present will compel me to be extremely brief. Indeed, all I shall be able to offer will be a mere sketch of the

I.-ORIGIN Of the Society.

The Netherland Missionary Society was established in December, 1797, at Rotterdam, through the instrumentality of Dr. Vander Kemp. Some traits in the history of this extraordinary man are so remarkable, that, although probably known to many of you, I cannot resist the temptation briefly to allude to them.

Dr. Vander Kemp, was the son of a very respectable and learned Minister of the Dutch Reformed Church and Professor at the University of Leyden. He embraced the medical profession, and in course of time became so eminent in it, that he was appointed Inspector General of all the military hospitals in Holland, one of the most honorable and lucrative employments connected with the medical line. His research, learning and proficiency in other sciences, were likewise of no common order, but alas! as regards religion, he was a confirmed sceptic, and even wrote a book expressive of his doubts as to the existence of any revealed religion, which is thought to be one of the most acute and plausible ever published on the subject. It is remarkable VIII.

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and worth noticing, as it gives a favorable insight into one feature of his character, that he published it in Latin. From all I have heard respecting him of his most intimate friends in Holland, he appears to have been an honest, straight-forward man; and therefore aware, how an unthinking multitude is apt to take for valid every objection made against religion, he resolved not to put his book into their hands, but wrote it in a tongue which none would be able to read and understand except such, who at the same time from their superior education he presumed, would be competent also to weigh its merits and to form a correct judgment of the question. How unlike Voltaire and other infidels, who found a diabolical pleasure by satire, ridicule and other despicable means in unsettling the minds of the people on the most important of all concerns, the minds even of such who they well knew were incompetent to give the matter due consideration! Dr. Vander Kemp continued in this state till he was past 50 years of age; not however, it seems without having been occasionally the subject of the secret workings of the Holy Spirit. About this time being on a pleasure party on the Maas near Dortrecht with his wife and daughter, a sudden squall arose which upset the boat. His wife and daughter immediately sunk and were seen no more; but he, though unable to swim, was kept above water and floated down the stream nearly two miles, when he was picked up by some fishermen.

The loss of his wife and daughter to whom he was greatly attached, together with his own almost miraculous deliverance, greatly softened his heart and prepared it for more real and lasting impressions from above. The following Sunday he went to church, and there while under the sound of the Gospel, the Lord met him. Like Paul (to whom he bears a strong resemblance in many particulars), he felt a sudden change in his heart, a new light dawned upon him,-he perceived the truth of the Christian religion, and felt especially his soul melted down by the consideration of the incomprehensible love of the Redeemer so strikingly shewn to him the chief of sinners. He returned home a new man, and from this time he breathed with anxious desire to glorify that Saviour to whom he felt himself so deeply indebted. He thought however, that Europe did not afford him a sufficient scope for a proper accomplishment of his wishes, and having heard of the recent formation of the London Missionary Society, he went to London, offered himself to the Directors, was accepted, and appointed to commence a new Mission to the savage tribes of South Africa, in connexion with another Dutchman Mr. Kicherer and two Englishmen Mr. Edwards and Mr. Edmonds, the latter of whom many of you knew.

Previous to embarking for his destination, Dr. Vander Kemp visited his native country to settle his affairs. There he translated into Dutch and published an address of the Directors of the London Missionary Society to the religious people of Holland, which led eventually to the establishment of the "Netherland Missionary Society." He communicated the pleasing intelligence to the Rev. Dr. Haweis, one of the Directors, in the following letter, dated Rotterdam, the 23rd December, 1797.