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Retrospect of the Scottish Mission in the Southern Konkan-

Letters on her Arrival in Bombay-Departure to the Konkan

-Proceedings at Bánkot-Residence at Harnaí for the Study of
the Maráthí Language Correspondence-Return from the Kon-
kan to Bombay.

MEMOIR.

CHAPTER I.

PARENTAGE-BIRTH-EARLY

DK

DISPOSITION AND EDUCATION-PROVIDENTIAL LIVERANCES-RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS-ENTERS A BOARDING-SCHOOL AT KILMARNOCK-RETURNS TO GREENOCK-DEATH OF HER MOTHER-ADMISSION TO THE LORD'S SUPPER AND LOVE OF CHRISTIAN COMMUNION-ZEAL FOR THE WELFARE OF HER SISTERS AND BROTHERS-RESIDENCE IN ABERDEEN-MATURE STUDIES AND ATTAINMENTS.

MARGARET BAYNE, the subject of this Memoir, enjoyed, from her earliest years, the highest spiritual and intellectual advantages. Her father, the Rev. Kenneth Bayne, A.M., of the Gaelic Chapel, now the South Parish Church, of Greenock, was a person of great piety and worth, and a Christian minister of no mean order. “He naturally possessed," says the late Rev. Dr Love of Anderston, one of his most intimate friends, "great strength of understanding, with a penetrating sagacity, and correctness of judgment. These were early turned into the right channel, invigorated and sanctified by the illumination of grace. He was known and remembered at Aberdeen as a diligent, discerning, inquisitive, and serious student." "He had,

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another of his acquaintances, "strong natural talents and eminent gifts, highly cultivated; an extensive and correct knowledge of all human learning, taught at our schools and colleges; but divinity was his chief study and delight: to it he made all his other knowledge subservient. He made great progress by the teaching of the Lord in these three great books,— the works of God, creation, and providence, the word of God,

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* Dr Love's Funeral Sermon, p. 29.

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and his own heart." As a preacher of the Word, he greatly excelled. "He was rich in good matter, clear, scriptural, and often striking in his illustrations: generally favoured with uncommon fulness and freedom, both as to the frame of his soul and language in delivery, accompanied with a sweet savour and holy unction." "In his application he used to be uncommonly animated; most searching and close in his appeals to the conscience; very rousing and awful when addressing unconverted sinners, formalists, and hypocrites. But he never finished his appeal to these characters without opening ministerially the door of mercy, and pressing and directing them most earnestly to the Saviour. He was most tender, affectionate, and consoling, in addressing weak believers, wounded consciences, and tempted and doubting souls."* "When he thought himself speaking to a number of truly spiritual persons, his illustrations of the precious truths and mysteries of salvation were remarkably clear, copious, comprehensive, attractive, and refreshing."+ He thus shunned not to declare the "whole counsel of God," to give to each of his hearers "a portion of meat in due season.” In his public labours, his diligence was most exemplary, because proceeding from the purest principles, and sustained by the highest motives. "I need not particularize," says Dr Love, "his zeal and activity in the work of his immediate charge, which gave him, through the blessing of God, a great and salutary command and influence over people from the Highlands in this place, (Greenock), in the lower classes of society; and which extended itself to serious people in general, and in some remarkable instances, to persons in the higher situations of society. His zeal and benevolence, however, were of a very expansive character. They led him to take deep interest in the work of God in other neighbouring places. This was remarkably manifest for a series of years, respecting the great awakening which appeared in the Island of Arran, under the late excellent Mr Neil M'Bride, minister of Kilmorie parish; for some

* Funeral Sermon by the Rev. Mr M'Kenzie of Gorbals, translated from the Gaelic.

+Dr Love's Funeral Sermon, p. 30.

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