preventing the man from persevering in any given course, became the occasion of his becoming burdened with debt, and they have halfdespised him as an adventurer who tried missions after failing at everything else. Such a verdict will probably be rejected as cruelly unfair by persons competent to weigh the ample evidence now forthcoming of the man's sterling faith and enthusiastic earnestness. John Thomas's boyhood foretold the troubles of his after life. His temper was restive and his habits were desultory. At one time his friends, who lived at Fairford in Gloucestershire, were concerned at his making only slight progress in learning; at another time they were distressed because he ran away from home. Nor were the misgivings of friends allayed when, at the period of going out into the world, he was apprenticed successively to nearly a dozen masters, and to each in vain. He found no occupation suited to his inclinations until he was entered as a medical student at Westminster Hospital. The sins of Thomas's early life entailed bitter memories in after days, though probably he painted himself blacker than he really was. In his medical capacity he obtained an appointment in the navy, and met with exciting adventures. Once he was carried ashore insensible, being stricken with fever; and a dream he experienced at this time is sufficiently remarkable to be recorded: "I thought the violent pains of my head continued till I expired; and then I felt an utter freedom and separation of the soul from my body. The moment of departure was sensibly distinguished by a total exemption in one moment from all pain of body. As soon as I was clearly satisfied that my death was over, I heard a sound of words, as though a voice had uttered them, to this very purport: There; now you see the immortality of the soul!' My feelings were at this time exercised in such a manner, that though I could never recollect it clearly, yet I know it was unutterable. I thought myself filled with joy and freedom. I thought myself in the midst of immensity, and capable of sweeping through immeasurable distances in a moment with ecstasy and vast power. I saw myself surrounded with appearances which, whether they were angels or souls, I do not remember to have determined; but I was filled with inexpressible awe and admiration. This most delightful of all sensible enjoyments endured but for a short time, when I began to think whether that was heaven, and what I was in heaven for; when, on a sudden, the Almighty spoke, and in a moment I saw the world beneath me consuming in flames of fire; and feeling the scorching of that fire, I became lost in dreadful astonishment and fear. And so ended the vision." Leaving the navy he practised as a surgeon in London, and married in 1781. Soon after he became converted through the instrumentality of Dr. Stennett. Subsequently he gave way to backsliding, being in the meantime, so far reduced in circumstances as to get imprisoned for debt, while nearly every available article he possessed was pledged for money. From this low estate he was partially delivered by obtaining a surgical appointment in one of the Honourable East India Company's vessels. Such was the early experience of one of the earliest of medical missionaries; a man who was the first to preach the gospel to the idolaters of Bengal. Of the low standard of morals common among the European populace of Calcutta ninety years ago we need scarcely speak. Europeans not only disgraced the Christian name, they even reflected dishonour on humanity, the chaplains of the East India Company being no exceptions, ministers as well as laymen being greedy of gain and careless in morals. Thrown among a profane company on board his ship, John Thomas commanded respect by his upright, religious walk, and medical skill. Then came life's sacrifice, when on reaching Calcutta he relinquished his appointment, in consequence of an irresistible longing to preach the gospel to the natives. Impetuous and uncalculating, he entered into an arrangement with Mr. Grant, a resident, to learn Bengali, and to labour among the natives at Malda, a station two hundred and fifty miles from the capital, where his patron owned a factory. This pioneer missionary's history, until the date of his return to England and connection with Dr. Carey, was a strange mixture of weal and woe, of extravagant elation and of unnecessary depression. He had known the stings of poverty, but past experience did not prevent his throwing up a lucrative appointment to undertake with the enthusiasm of a new convert the preaching of Christ to perishing tribes. He had formerly been unfortunate in his profession, but he did not now hesitate to sacrifice fair prospects when he was just beginning to prosper. The few Christians with whom he associated as little understood John Thomas as John Thomas understood them. A half-educated man, lacking common prudence, bold and outspoken to a fault, he soon offended his patron and friends by the persistency with which he advanced and defended his religious tenets, and a breach occurred which time could not heal. During the years of his residence in Bengal, between 1786 and 1792, John Thomas did no mean work, taking into account the private troubles which worried him, and the difficulties he had to overcome. He faithfully preached to Europeans and not without results. He learned the language and gained such an acquaintance with the native sacred books as astonished the Brahmins with whom he came in contact, and he would have anticipated his future colleague, Dr. Carey in publishing the Gospels in Bengali, had he not been crippled for funds. He may have been a hasty man, indulging in vain and even in superstitious imaginings, lacking common prudence and business tact, nevertheless, he was self-sacrificing and devoted to the cause upon which he set his hand and fixed his heart. Enthusiastically attached to one idea preaching Christ to the heathen-he returned to England to awaken his countrymen into action, when to his delight he found that his brethren were already discussing the subject of missions. Thus the surgeon who had borne untold hardships as a solitary witness of Christianity among the myriads of an Indian district, opportunely appeared in London to become the valued co-worker and adviser of those who were forming the Baptist Missionary Society. On his return to India with William Carey what a strange, chequered path he traversed. His acknowledged surgical skill won many friends, and opened up many opportunities of usefulness which were never neglected. Even when wanting money he never turned a deaf ear to the appeals of others more destitute than himself, and his accumulated burden of debt arose from unfortunate trading transactions rather than from wrong conduct. Generous, profuse, and uncalculating he might be, but he was never actuated by dishonest motives; for not a little of the misery he endured came as the penalty of stern adherence to principle. How he toiled and hoped against hope in oft repeated attempts to earn sufficient cash to satisfy the just claims of importunate creditors, many will now learn for the first time. He tried indigogrowing, and anon, a sugar plantation. Then the idea possessed him that he would practise his profession, or even edit a magazine. Alas! the chill wind of failure withered every project, and not seldom was the poor medical missionary reduced to pitiable straits of poverty. Yet the manner in which he yearned for the salvation of the heathen was wonderful to see. His apostolic zeal knew no bounds. He never spared himself, but laboured with that earnestness which commonly ensures an early grave. In the closing months of his life, he solemnly relinquished trade, since all his mercantile endeavours had ended in disaster. He assumed the native dress and went up and down the country delivering his glorious message. Returning wearied and discouraged to Serampore, he found one of the brethren prostrated by fever, and instantly forgetting personal trouble and fatigue, he watched by the sick bed through the night. In the morning letters arrived from England which were read and answered without thought of rest. Then followed the exciting time of the first Indian converts breaking caste. The poor physician's soul was thrilled with such extraordinary joy that reason reeled, and for the time became disthroned. He recovered, and seeing it was still necessary to supply temporal wants by engaging in trade, he resumed business while dreading a return of his disorder. In the meantime the rest he longed for was only a few months distant. He died in triumph in October, 1801, at the early age of forty-four. Mr. Lewis's memoir is a well-written story, and is likely to be read by all who desire to rightly understand the early history of modern missionary enterprise in India. We must deal tenderly with the memory of John Thomas. He bore a noble character, marred by many weaknesses which brought their own punishment by embittering his life. first Baptist missionary to Bengal it was his honour to instruct the first converts who professed Christ in that great province of Great Britain. Let us honour his virtues and avoid his failings. As the The Force of Prayer. "More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of."-TENNYSON. Prayer can win the ear of heaven, Prayer has stayed the mid-day sun, Try the force of Prayer. He who wields creation's frame, Loved the hour of Prayer; On the mount his prayer availed; In Gethsemane prevailed: Try the force of Prayer. Burdened sinner, though you know And you dread the gulf below, Jesus pleads before the throne, Once for all he did atone, Now he makes your cause his own: When the cares of life abound, When the end appears in view, Make this anchorage your own, Try the force of Prayer. When we reach our better home, Where no storms can ever come, And recount the wondrous sum Of God's blessings here, All to grace will date their gains, All will own, in joyful strains, The force that loosed their heavy chains Was the force of Prayer. REV. SAMUEL THODEY. A Golden Sentence. A BRIEF DISCOURSE BY C. H. SPURGEON. "Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." John iv. 34. THIS HIS text contains in it much consolation for those who are desirous of salvation; more of example to those who are saved; and most of all of matter for praise concerning our Lord himself, who is ils spokesman. I. Let us begin by noticing that THE TEXT CONTAINS MUCH OF CONSOLATION FOR THOSE ANXIOUS ONES WHO WOULD FAIN FIND MERCY THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. You who are trembling under a sense of sin will perceive that the work of saving souls is called by Christ "his Father's will." I know you are very prone to imagine that Christ is full of pity but that the Father is austere, severe, an avenging judge; you slander your God by such a supposition. "The work of mercy is the will of him that sent me," saith Christ, "all that I am doing when I am seeking the soul's good of a poor sinful Samaritan woman, at the margin of this well, is according to my Father's mind." Christ was not, as it were, introducing men to a mercy from which God would fain keep them, but he was bringing to reconciliation with God those concerning whom the benevolent will of God was that they should be saved; and more, concerning whom the effectual will of God was that they should also be brought into covenant relation with himself, and should enjoy eternal life. Sinner, if thou gettest into the garden of the Lord's grace thou hast not come there as an intruder. The gate is open; it is God's will that thou shouldst If thou receivest Christ into thy heart thou wilt not have stolen the treasure; it was God's will that thou shouldst receive Christ. If with broken heart thou shalt come and rest upon the finished sacrifice of Jesus, thou needst not fear that thou wilt violate the eternal purpose, or come into collision with the divine decree. God's will has brought thee into a state of salvation. One of the most vain fears that a man can entertain is the dread that the Father will be unwilling to forgive; or the equally absurd fear that he may possibly find a decree of God shutting him out when he is anxious to be reconciled. Where God gives the will to come to Jesus, we may be sure that the eternal purpose has gone before. O awakened sinner, thine anxious desire, thy prayerfulness, thy longing for God, are but the shadows of the divine will upon thine own will. Imagine not that thou canst get the start of God in the race of mercy. come. "No sinner can be beforehand with thee; Thy grace is almighty, preventing and free." If thou desirest, God has long ago desired. If thou purposest in thy heart God has long ago purposed. Thou needest never be troubled about divine predestination. The Gospel which we preach is that to which thou shouldst give thine attention. Rest assured that God has never spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth, and said, "Seek ye my face in vain." He has never passed a secret decree in the |