the afflictions of humanity in distant climes; and have given birth to Christian desires and endeavours to overcome the evil that is in the world, with our good.

Still (he proceeds) compared with the need, little, it must be owned, very little indeed, has been accomplished: for, lo! if we lift up our eyes, what do we behold but the appalling sight of more than sixty millions of Pagans and Mahomedans, and a vast territory, fallen under the dominion of the civilized nations of this quarter of the globe; and that a territory and a people augmenting every day.

Must we not inquire then, What is this territory; and what are these mighty millions of mankind; what are they to us? You will allow me to ask, what are they especially to this our beloved country? We have seen the common duties which bind us all, as we have opportunity, to do good to all our fellow-creatures. These Mahomedans and Hindoos, are they not such? And have they not the pleas upon us also of necessity and misery? Are they not all sitting in the region of the shadow of death? Have they not been all sorely bruised and marred, like the wayfaring man (Luke x. 30.), by Satan, the robber and murderer? Have they not the claims upon us, I say, of our common humanity? —But what, again I ask, are this vast territory, and these mighty millions of mankind: what, I mean, are they to England? Alas! they are, as we might almost say, bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh. Do we not breathe their air? Is not the soil ours? Have we not poured out our English Blood, and mixed it in their sands? Is there a rock, or fortress, of their almost inaccessible fastnesses, where the British Standard does not wave? Are we not placed in such relations toward them as these-that some we have vanquished in open war; others serve under our banners; others have called for our protection and help, and have willingly submitted to our mild and equitable sway? Do we not make profit and merchandize by their hands? Do we not live among them, and carry on with them such various intercourse as belongs to those who are our friends, dependents, labourers, servants, and subjects? These, doubtless, are the considerations which appropriate and bring home the GENERAL duties of humanity to us in particular. OTHER nations may, and ought to PRAY for the conversion of the Hindoos: but England must do this, and much more. We have taken this Em

pire to ourselves; have set it apart, and fenced it round, and erected it, as it were, for a theatre, wherein to display ourselves, and to act our part in the sight of men and angels. I am saying nothing in what way, by what steps, we have attained this eminence. But so it is. There we stand. We are upon our trial. We have voluntarily undertaken a tremendous responsibility and it is in no way possible, I conceive, but that as a nation we shall be accountable in this world for our trust; and further, as individuals, shall many of us be called to a reckoning, perhaps in THIS, but assuredly in the next world.

:

these nations, has any thing ever interposed But, again in our transactions with to taint the purity of our track-any thing ever intermixed itself of a corrupt lust of gain, of a secular ambition, of a mere desire of military aggrandizement and glory -any thing interposed of oppression, or spoliation, or perfidy? If so: if in any cases we have taught them our vices, and made them partakers and companions of our sins; if, alas! we have repelled them yet farther than where they were before from the light of truth, and the life of God, and from the reception of Christianity, by exhibiting in their sight the lives of wicked Christians; by effecting that the name of Christ and His doctrine should be blasphemed among the Heathen through our offences-if there be any truth in these charges sometimes made against us—these all are considerations which, in their degree, darken our responsibility; and may well awaken in good men's minds an extraordinary compassion and sympathy; and arouse them to put forth so much the more strenuous efforts to make good the deficiencies, and repair the injuries of the years that are past.

And how then does our account stand? What estimate shall we make of the manner in which England has discharged her obligations to her Eastern Empire?

It was vehemently affirmed by a celebrated orator, some years ago, (Burke, vol. iv. p. 123, 8vo. London) that "were we to be driven out of India, nothing would remain to tell that it had been possessed, during the injurious period of our dominion, by any thing better than the ouran-outang or the tiger." But, No. It has been eloquently replied, by one who has the best claims to be heard on such an occasion, No. "It is true we have not built a Tadmor in the wilderness, to impress the world with the incongruity of

introducing the refinements of splendour amid uncultivated society. We have not constructed pyramids, to excite the indig nation of mankind at the capricious des potism which could enjoin such a misapplication of human exertion. But we HAVE reared the bulwark of security round the humble hovels of the helpless. But we HAVE raised the proud temple of impartial justice on the ruins of lawless violence. But we HAVE established the sacred altars of mercy, where oppression, and insult, and ravage, used to print their paths with blood. And do acts like these leave no memorial?"

And, as the same eloquent advocate pursues his argument; "It is an undeniable fact, that ours is a dominion over willing minds; that the Natives feel their happiness to be promoted by our predo minance; and that they regard our stability as their blessing. Justly do they so esteem it. For, where has the British Standard been advanced, without over. turning some Moloch of barbarity; and placing on his pedestal the hallowed image of that Equity, of which, if ever a notion before floated in these regions, it was but as the vague conception of the Unknown God."

True: so it is. The representation is indisputable. You will find, we HAVE effected, and ARE effecting, much. We have given security in private life to the persons and property of the Natives, by our administration of justice. They may now sit every man under his vine and under his fig-tree. We are diffusing among them, by our example, the knowledge and practice of good faith and upright dealing. We are rescuing their hostile tribes from the fury and perfidy of one another; and facilitating the progress of the arts of peace, by superseding and controlling the spirit of aggression and rapine. Educa tion and civilization are beginning to make progress. The narrow horizon of their minds is dilating and expanding, in such as have intercourse with Europeans; and their barbarous institutions are, by degrees, impairing and fading away before the dawning light of reason and humanity.

But here the question recurs-Is this ALL that can be effected? Are there no greater and better things to be secured than these?-Truly, this does not reach the extent, either of their necessity or of

our duty and glory. This is not enough, either on their behalf or our own. What

is the Civil Governor, in his real, authentic, exalted character? Nothing less than the vicegerent of Heaven-the minister of God for good to the people committed to his care. He is the channel through which are to be diffused, over a thirsty land, the various streams that gush forth from Him, who is the fountain of every good and perfect gift.

In this view, let the Governor embrace his genuine dignity and glory, and fill up the measure of his high calling. We say nothing in disparagement of the arts of civility and peace. In their due place, we honour military prowess and glory. We honour the statesman, whose glory it is to raise up an abject people by diffusing among them the blessings of liberty, justice, and law: and, in their place, we hail the quiet occupations and comforts, which follow in the pursuit and train of the merchant's honourable gains. But, wherefore should we stop here? Why erect an empire that has no purposes but those of temporal gain and glory? No. For ourselves, there are crowns to be won of a brighter renown than any which these things can bestow. Let us have taught the Hindoos the arts of life-let us have established among them humanity, and equity, and order-let us have made them companions in our military prowess, and partners of our fame: at the best, considered in themselves, all these things are but for a season. Whether theirs or ours, all these must soon be over. They bear not the characters of eternity-But, antecedently to that consideration, how shall not we, who are a Christian People, deny, that even these blessings can be diffused otherwise than through the channel, grow at all otherwise than upon the stock, of Christianity? philosophy is built upon the apostolic precept, Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Manners, morals, law, government, peace, civilization, all are as a building on the sand-all want their choicest virtue and most becoming graceall want their firmest support and most binding cement-all are dead-unless sanctified by religion, and erected on the foundation prescribed, that we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Our

The argument of Duty is concluded by the following forcible

2 A

Search where we will, where shall we find Salvation promised to him who bears a lie in his right-hand ?—where find his meetness to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light, who provoketh the Lord to anger continually in all his abominations?-But, we repeat it, even with regard to his being in this life, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, certain it is, it is best or only to be found in the train of the Gospel. The Hindoo is wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Therefore, would we open his intellectual eye; would we give him dignity and worth as a man and a citizen; would we raise him in the scale of being, and awaken him from the stupor and insensibility in which he has been sunk for ages: we shall disclose to him prospects into eternity; call him to recognise the dignity of an immortal spirit; set him to inquire, what he shall do to be saved; challenge him to contend with us in the race for the common prize of our high calling, and to understand that he too, as one for whom God spared not to give His own Son, is called to be a fellowcitizen of the saints, and of the household of God.

The NECESSITY of propagating the Faith among our Indian Brethren is argued, in opposition to all misrepresentations of their fancied virtues, from their abject condition of wickedness and folly; and its PRACTICABILITY from what has been already effected.

On this last topic we shall quote

a passage.

By the powers which heretofore have been put in action, you are aware that repeated shocks have already been given to the enormities of Paganism. Their corruptions, where our people have had the opportunity of facing them openly, have

not been able to bear the light, I do not say of Revelation, but the light of reason and of the day. As has before been observed, "Where has the British Standard been advanced, without overturning some Moloch of barbarity?" Bel boweth down. Nebo stoopeth. Their idols of silver and idols of gold, which they had made each one for himself to worship, they are ready almost to cast to the moles and the bats. It is apparent that the minds of the Natives are at work in many parts of the East: and,

if we shew ourselves to them as a CHRISTIAN people, they have many evident induce ments and tendencies to embrace our religion. They feel our power-they reverence our superiority-they acknowledge our services-and they begin to inquire whence our pre-eminence is derived. "These English," they are heard to whisper one among another," are a wise and understanding people." It rests with us to lead them to another more elevated lesson; and to extort from them that further confession, "What nation is there so great, that hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord their God is in all things that they call upon him for?" Such of them as have intercourse with Europeans are seen to be anxious to hide their insti tutions, their rites of cruelty and lust, with a conscious shame, and a feeling as of guilty persons, knowing that they cannot brook the test of our investigation:, and the question seems to be approaching toward this crisis, Whether we shall leave them in a state of dreary negation, in a barren, naked, defenceless infidelity; or hand them over as a prey to some fresh superstitions like the past: or shall not, rather, compleat the work which we have begun; supply what is wanting to their necessity and our glory; consolidate and consummate all our other benefits, by im parting to them the last, best gift, our pure and holy religion; that so, both here and hereafter, they may have cause to rise up,

and call us blessed.

In opposition to alleged Danger, the PRUDENCE of these efforts is in a mild and gentle spirit, and in asserted, while they are conducted the due order of Christianity. The perfect safety of these exertions is argued, too, from the docile character of the Natives, and the actual experience of past years.

On the improvement of the Native Character, particularly that of the Soldier, under European sanction and care, Dr. Wordsworth remarks

Henceforward let us discern, where the deficiency REALLY lies-that it is not in them, but in ourselves. Were our zeal in things spiritual, like to that which it has been in the temporal, we should soon behold them become good soldiers of Jesus Christ, fighting under His banner, and

Addresses of the Missionaries.

From the Reply of Mr. Haubroe to the Charge delivered to him and his Companion, we extract a few paragraphs:

I rejoice in the hope of every faithful Christian, that the time is drawing near, when the knowledge of the only true God, of whom all things are, shall enlighten still more and more their minds, who have changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. For they shall be taught, that their oblations, their sacrifices, and voluntary punishments, are an abomination to the Lord; and that there is no other worship agreeable to His desires, than that of spirit and truth; no other atonement for sins, than that which has been offered once through the redemption, that is in Christ Jesus; and no other access to our Heavenly Father, than through the Spirit of Adoption, which makes us children of God. It is these truths, which are able to exalt the human soul, to relieve its distresses, and open the heart for feelings of love toward God and men. It is this faith, which, by means of heavenly grace, furnishes man with strength to do well, seek judgment, relieve the op pressed, judge the fatherless, and plead for the widow. In such persuasion, and with such a hope, I shall be happy, if the Lord may vouchsafe to make me an instrument for promoting the object of His kingdom

upon earth.

However, I should fail very much, if I trusted upon my own strength, and flattered myself with delightful prospects, not being aware that the ways of God are not

at any time our ways. Surely, when trying myself, I cannot but apprehend with concern, how short I fall of that sharpness of mind, that knowledge of man, that skill and experience, which are necessarily required for being successful in the discharge of all my duties. Yet I put my trust on Him, who gives strength to weakness, and who chooses the weak things of the world, to confound the things that are mighty. May the Lord above make us strong to all good proceedings, through His Holy Spirit! Yea,

"Our soul on God with patience waits, Our help and shield is He Then let still our hearts rejoice,

Because we trust in Thee." Now, my dear Brethren in Christ, I take leave of you, endued with comfort and

hope. Receive you my heartfelt thanks, for all the marks of kindness and benevolence which you have bestowed upon me, since my arrival to your native country; and I pray God Almighty to bless all your undertakings, for spreading his Name, his Kingdom, and Glory, among men.

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BEDFORDSHIRE ASSOCIATION.

THE Annual Meeting on this occasion was held on Monday, March the 15th, in the County Hall, at Bedford. Two Sermons had been preached on Sunday the 14th, in St. Paul's Church, by the Rev. H. which the motives and encourageDavies, Chaplain from Bombay, in ments to Missionary Exertions were enforced in a very impressive manner, and illustrated by a reference to many idolatrous customs prevalent among our fellow-subjects in India, which excited a strong feeling in crowded Congregations.

The Annual Meeting was more fully attended than on any former occasion. The Rev. James Webster, Rector of Meppershall, President, addressed the Meeting at some length on the importance of the object in which they were engaged; and, with much zeal and earnestness, inculcated the duty of conveying the light of Revelation to the lost and perishing Heathen. The Rev. Mr. Davies communicated much important information to the Meeting. The several Resolutions were moved or seconded by the Rev. Messrs. Williamson, Neve, Crespin, Whit tingham, Grimshawe, Gregory, Gray, and other Gentlemen.

SIXTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BRISTOL ASSOCIATION.

THE Preachers, on occasion of this Anniversary, were the Secretary and Assistant Secretary of the Parent Society, the Rev. Henry Davies, the Rev. Dr. Thorpe, and the Rev. William Spooner.

At the Annual Meeting, which