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ance, patience, and faith; and that I may be found worthy by our Lord and Saviour, to spread his knowledge among the benighted inhabitants of this island, and to gain immortal souls for his heavenly kingdom.

Extract of a Letter from Mr. Robinson to
Dr. Ryland, dated July 16, 1817.

A young man has offered himself for baptism, who is, we hope, a proper subject for that ordinance, and we expect that he will join us next month. It appears, that he received his first religious impressions under my preaching about three years ago. There are one or two others who, we hope, will join us after a time.

guage of the nation; and though many of them understand a little of the Malay, they are far from understanding it so as to hold conversation on religious subjects. But I find, that the Javanese language is at least three times as difficult as the Malay; because there are two dialects quite different from each other, called the higher and the lower; others add to these a middle and half middle language, which lie between the two first. All these different dialects have words and sounds quite different from each other, which are used and applied according to the different ranks existing among that nation. From this you will conceive, that the Javenese language is very copious.I have found already more than twenty names for a king, upwards of ten for an elephant, five to express the verb to sit down, and four signifying to sleep, &c. Yet, for things of more importance, they seem to have but few words or none at all; many have been borrowed from the Arabs; those for instance concerning religion, a future state, and the attributes of the divine Being. Nevertheless, these different dialects are found mixed together in their books, which makes it difficult to understand their writings. Besides, nearly all their books, historical as well as others, are in verses or poetry, injuring, and almost all other gross sins which there are many repetitions, and words used merely to make up the measure, or to improve the sound. And as no grammar or dictionary has yet been compiled for the use of the public, this altogether makes the acquisition of that language exceedingly difficult. I have now applied nine months to it, and am not yet able to understand them when they speak; and I dare say, that at least another year will be required for me to converse in it.

A great part of the inhabitants are Mahometans, and many of them are very well acquainted with the contents of their religion, as there are many priests among them who have been educated in Mecca, and others are continually going thither. For the remainder, they are given up to lying, cheating, and all sorts of evil works. I think it will be almost a miracle if any of these people should be brought to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Perhaps some persons may suppose that' these native Christians only change their sentiments relative to baptism when they join us, and that, my preaching among them rather promotes the interest of a party, than the general cause of Christianity. This, however, is not the case; for I found these native Christians, as they are called, deeply sunk in sin. Sabbath breaking, drunkenness, gaming, fornication, and (if I may credit report) con

were common among them, and are com mon among the generality to this day. Some of them pretend to believe the doctrine of the transmigration of the souls, and others are deeply tinctured with the spirit of deism, through becoming acquainted with the works of Voltaire. Surely such characters are men of the world..

THE REFORMATION.

Extract of a Letter from a Hanoverian Clergyman; dated Hanover, November 3, 1817:

DURING the three last days, the cele bration of the third Jubilee of the Reformation took place in this city: upon the whole it was kept in a very solemn and edifying manner. I was particularly affected by the administration of the ordinance of the I.ord's-supper in all the churches. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge set the example. I rejoice, that notwithstanding the awful apostacy of our days, there are still Christians among us who are deeply interested in the momentous concerns of reli

My health is improved in some measure, and I hope to improve more in it. I have lately begun to translate a little of Matthew's gospel, but feel my great weakness in the knowledge of the language. I recommend myself particularly to your prayers, that there may be granted unto me the spirit of persever-gion.

VOL. X.

F

Domestic Religious Intelligence.

ADDRESS TO THE PRINCE REGENT. | Source of all good, whose ways, though

ON Monday, Dec. 1, 1817, a very interesting meeting was held in the Town Hall of Derby. It consisted of the ministers and members of the Presbyterian, Independent, and Baptist congregations in Derby, and was called "to take into consideration the propriety of presenting an Address to His Royal Highness the Prince Regent on the late melancholy and lamented death of Her Royal Highness the Princess Charlotte of Wales, and of dutiful and loyal attachment to the principles which placed the illustrious Family of His Royal Highness on the throne of these realms."

Copy of the Address.

To His Royal Highness George Prince of Wales, Regent of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

"May it please your Royal Highness,

66

We, the undersigned, the Ministers of the Presbyterian, Independent, and Baptist Denominations of Protestant Dissenters in Derby, on behalf of ourselves and the members of our respective congregations, approach your Royal Highness with feelings of dutiful and loyal attachment and of unfeigned sympathy.

"It would be vain to attempt the expression of that sorrow which fills our hearts at the recollection of the irreparable loss which your Royal Highness has been called to sustain. That heavenly Providence which rules over all, and whose wisdom we can neither fathom nor arraign, has removed from the world your illustrious Daughter; and at a time, and under circumstances, which to human apprehension rendered her continuance here the most to be desired.

"To dwell on the virtuous and amiable character of Her Royal Highness, would be only to repeat the praises which fall from every tongue; and we fear to dwell on a subject which, in the poignancy of your Royal Highness's affliction, might tend rather to renew your sorrows than to alleviate them. If effectual consolation were in our power, it would be our greatest happiness to open every source of it to your Royal Highness; but He alone can bind up the heart who has broken it, and to the

mysterious, are always merciful, our prayers are addressed, that he will grant such portions of his all powerful aid as may support your Royal Highness under this awful dispensation of his power.

"We trust, also, that your Royal Highness will derive some alleviation of your grief, from the assurance of the affectionate and loyal attachment which pervades all ranks of people in these United Kingdoms.

"We offer it to the consideration of your Royal Highness as a source of no mean satisfaction, that a spirit of union and loyalty exists among the people of these realms which cannot be exceeded, and that every attempt to disturb the tranquillity of the empire has proved

abortive.

"Addressing your Royal Highness from a county which has been repre sented (unjustly as we believe) to be disaffected to the government of your Royal Highness, we have the highest pleasure in congratulating your Royal Highness on the very decisive testimony which was repeatedly borne by the Judges on the bench during the late trials for high treason, to the steady loyalty of the people at large, a loyalty which no intimidation could for a mo ment shake.

"It was with infinite regret that we observed occasional statements of the transactions which have disturbed our county, in which it was attempted to implicate the Dissenters in the recent outrages. That undeviating fidelity which the Protestant Dissenters have ever exhibited to the illustrious family of your Royal Highness, ought to have been sufficient to secure them as a body from such unfounded insinuations. And on mature inquiry, we have a confident satisfaction in assuring your Royal Highness, that not an individual connected with any religious society of the Three Denominations of Dissenters was in any degree implicated in the disgraceful occurrences so promptly and so happily suppressed.

"In veneration of those principles of civil and religious liberty which we have ever been foremost to avow, principles which seated and maintain the family of your Royal Highness on the throne of these United Kingdoms, and in zea

lous attachment to the venerated insti- | been appointed. I told this to Col. P. tutions of our country as secured by our who related to me the following anecinvaluable constitution, we trust we dote of a conversation which he had shall steadily persevere. with the same priest. The Colonel told the priest that he had heard that he (the priest) had burnt the Bible.'No,' said the priest, I give you my word that I never did; and am ready and willing to give you my oath; for let us say what we will, the Scriptures are the Word of God.' The Colonel would not suffer him to swear it, saying, his word was sufficient; and added, that he was sorry that his request for a school could not be complied with.

"To defend the land of our birth against foreign aggression, its tranquillity against the efforts of faction, its institutions against the encroachments of power, are our duties as patriots; to yield a ready submission to the laws and constituted authorities of the State, is the first lesson which we learn as subjects; to embrace every fit opportunity of expressing our dutiful attachment to our Sovereign and his family, is our privilege as Britons. In these characters we now address your Royal High-than two years past, to go to the west of ness, beseeching your Royal Highness to receive our professions of loyalty and affection, and our assurances that your Royal Highness will ever find us among the most faithful of his Majesty's subjects."

We understand, that this Address has been very graciously received by his Royal Highness the Prince Regent.

Our readers will perceive, that this loyal and constitutional Address completely removes the unfounded calumny cast upon the Dissenters of Derby, viz. that some of the persons lately tried for high treason belonged to their congregations.

BAPTIST IRISH SOCIETY.

Extract of a Letter from Mr. W. M. one
of the Readers and Expounders of the
Irish Testament, to the Secretary, dated
October 16, 1817.

"DEAR SIR,-I lay before you the state of the schools, which I have lately visited. They are in the highest degree of prosperity that can possibly be expected; and I may add, (what I never expected to see in my day,) that there is not the smallest opposition that I can learn from any of the priests; but on the contrary, many of them are requesting schools for their friends and favourites. An instance of this kind has lately occurred. You know that the parish of B. was the first place in which opposition was made to the schools: during the last two years, two priests have exhausted themselves in their attempts to suppress them. The present priest, who succeeds the other two, has applied to me, requesting a school for his nephew; and promised that he would engage for the propriety of his conduct: this is considered here almost a miracle. I am sorry that his application was too ́late, as all the additional schools had

"I have had a great desire, for more

the county of Mayo, where I lived at
the time the French landed in that
country. The reason I wished to go
was, because I was intimate with many
of the people, and there is nothing to be
done unless there are some acquaint-
ances; of which I have many from this
I was kindly received
part to that.
every where; but could not remain more
than one night in a place, as the fever is
raging in every direction: I hope the
word will have free course in future in

those parts.

"In my journey I visited O. G's school. Twenty years ago I could not have imagined there would have been either house or inhabitant in this place; and now he has on his list 120 scholars; among whom (a circumstance I never saw before,) there is not one Protestant, nor one reader, that has not less or more committed the scriptures to memory, both in English and Irish. There were ten children who repeated to me twelve chapters each, six in each language; the Irish they spoke fluently, but the English with the tone that might be expected. There was not, however, one verse that was not correctly repeated; and what made it so gratifying to me was, when I considered that they would repeat those chapters at home to their parents, many of whom do not understand a word of English! In my last short letter I mentioned some of the circumstances which have taken place on the mountain called Shrone Cham Crohan, relative to Mary R

"What I then wrote was but little of the wonderful work of the Lord; I hope, that through her instrumentality, that a congregation of believers will be collected upon that mountain. She never read or spoke one word of English, and but seldom has heard the scriptures read; yet the Lord has enlightened her understanding, and sealed the truth upon her heart, and given her a great memory and ready utterance; for as

soon as the most intricate question is
proposed by an adversary, she is able
to answer, though with meekness and
fear. She is convincing many of their
errors, even from their own catechism;
but especially on the doctrine of tran-
substantiation. She brings this so pow-
erfully to their understandings, that
many are convinced that when the priest
administers the wafer to them they re-
ceive it to their ruin. At the commence-
ment of her conversion, she withstood
the priest, who kept her more than an
hour upon her knees. I had this from
her own lips as follows: When she first
saw the truth of the gospel, her first
enemies were those of her own house;
that is, her father and mother, (but,
blessed be God, they are now recon-
ciled to her, and entreated I would often
visit them.) They insisted, when the
priest came there to hear confessions,
that she should attend; which she ob-
stinately refused to do. To hear her
state how trying she found it between
her duty to God and the fear of man is
very affecting. However, the flesh be-
ing weak, she went. When it came to
her turn, as is usual, the priest asked
her, How long is it since you con-
fessed? She told him. What sins have
you committed since?' As to particular
sins,' said she, I have none to men-
tion; but yet I have broken the law of
God, and, therefore, I am brought in
guilty.' He paused, and then said,
Are you ready to take your Lord?'
(This is their mode of expression when
they are about to administer the wafer.)
She replied, I would be glad to know

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on what condition 1 am to take him?'

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nation!' 'If you do not promise neither to keep, nor hear that book, I will have nothing to do with you!' 'Well,' said she, that promise I will never make; so farewell!' She now puts the question to her neighbours, Dare any of them say, that they are free from sin?' which none of them will affirm. She then tells them plainly, that by their own confession they acknowledge their own condemnation; and many of them are under strong convictions of sin. "She publicly preached the gospel to two thieves on the gallows. When the people begged them to invoke the Virgin Mary, she said, 'Do not heed what they are saying, for there is none can be of any service to your souls, but only Jesus! and therefore cast yourself upon him.' One of them said, Oh, I throw myself upon Jesus !' May the blood of Jesus cover your sins,' said she. The other thief paid no attention to what she said. The account of these two thieves is very remarkable.

He said, If you take him free from
sin, he will be eternal nourishment to
you; and if otherwise, eternal damna-
tion to you!' She said, Then I will
never take him on those conditions, for
I know that I am a sinner; and in the
very act a sinful thought might pass
through my mind.' 'Oh,' said he, I
forgive your sins. You cannot forgive
your own sins,' said she, there is none
can forgive my sins but Jesus, who suf
fered for my sins.' I see,' said he,
that you are a preacher."
not,' she replied, I never
preacher.' Then how is it you come
by the preacher's words?' She said,
They are the words of the Testament.'
If you adhere to that book you are
certainly damned!'
This is strange,

I am

saw

a

"This has been the happiest journey I ever made, though I took a cold which brought on a severe deafness; yet my comfort was greater than my affliction. "W. M."

SUGGESTIONS

FOR THE

Religious Instruction of Merchant
Seamen, while in Harbour.

that an experiment was made by a mi-
MANY of our readers will remember,
nister of our denomination, by preach-
ing on board a merchant ship, in the
river Thames, whether sailors would
gladly hear the word of life. The ex-
periment was repeated, and the notice
of a sermon was always productive of
numerous and attentive hearers. This
result has led to give the subject a grea-
ter degree of consideration. A plan is
in contemplation to fit up a large vessel
as a commodious chapel, to be moored
in a convenient part of the Pool, (the
Thames), to be under the joint patron-
birth for merchant ships in the river
age of the several bodies of dissenters,
and in which the gospel shall be preach-
ed twice on every Lord's day to the
seamen who may assemble from the ves-
sels in the river.

habits from early life, prevent their mixThe very nature of sailors formed by said she, when this is the only booking with landmen in places for public which tells me how I may escape dam-worship on shore, and there appears to

* A term applied to all who read the scriptures by the priests.

some persons to be, therefore, at least as great a propriety, if not an equal necessity, to send preachers expressly to

them, as to the heathen, or to dark villages, or to the sister kingdom.

On the cessation of the war, tens of thousands of seamen were discharged from the navy, and are now out of the reach of the Naval Bible Society; and at this moment have not the peculiar care of any associated body to watch for their spiritual good. Yet Englishmen always speak with rapture of the bravery and unrivalled skill of their tars, and that they owe them very greatly their warmest gratitude.

It appears, that it is now the time to shew that gratitude, by treating them as fellow men; by teaching them their greatest duties, and the way to enjoy hereafter the highest felicities. If the preaching of the gospel in harbour could be combined with a Bible Society, on an extensive scale, to supply every ship's company going from the Thames with at least one copy of the scriptures for perusal on the voyage, such means, watered with earnest prayer, might be expected to produce results unspeakably beneficial to our seamen.

Some friends to the former, purpose assembling on Thursday, the fifth day of February next, at twelve o'clock at noon, at the City of London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street, to meet such dissenting ministers and laymen, who may be willing to countenance and assist the plan. It is hoped, that the importance of the scheme will induce many to volunteer their services.

Any suggestions or communications which may be addressed (post paid) "To the Friends of British Seamen, at the City of London Tavern, Bishopsgatestreet," will be thankfully received, and will meet due attention.

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"From Letters addressed to a Roman Ca tholic cleryman, by a clergyman of the same church, February 20, 1817.

"To the glory of God we are constrained to say, that many read the word of God with joy, and derive from it, according to the measure of their understandings, comfort and encouragement, so as to excite others, both in and out of our parish, to

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emulation. Several heads of families have declared, that they could not now live without the gospel. People come from neighbouring towns and villages to fetch New Testaments: and we confidently hope, that the word of God will, at last, leaven the whole lump. The following anecdote may serve to illustrate its effects:

"About three months ago, a man, whose name is Anthony S. came from a neighbouring parish, on a visit to a family here, when a pious young woman of 20, named Francisca, used to read the New Testament to the rest. Anthony listened also, but laughed, and derided it. After some time, he paid another visit, heard again, but scoffed and blasphemed, particularly at the passage, John. iii. 16. Perceiving that the young reader rose, much grieved, and shut up the book, he said, I beg your pardon, I did not mean to offend you; but I do not believe either in this book, or in the priests: the whole is a lie,' &c. (Isaiah, lix. 20.) Francisca answered, in a solemn tone, You do not offend me, but God; whoever offends this book, offends God himself; for it is the word of God. But that you may not sin still more grievously, I will go away.' Matt. vii. 6 She took the New Testament, went into her closet full of sorrow, wept, and prayed, Lord, lay it not to his charge, but graciously open his eyes. Anthony went away, but could not get the New Testament out of his mind, either by day or night. Once, awaking out of a dream, it suddenly struck like lightning into his soul, What have I done? I have uttered blasphemies against the word of God!' His conscience was roused; he had no rest, and determined to return, beg pardon, and recant. This he did the very next Saturday. The first person whom he met was Francisca, whom he asked, whether she still had the New Testament? Yes,' answered she, but not for you.' Anthony, the man who had formerly been so hardened, now began, in the most affecting manner, with tears, to ask pardon for his profaneness, and told her how the Lord had convinced him of his sin.

Francisca gave him her New Testament, in which he read for days together. Soon after, he came as a heavyladen sinner to us; and that very passage which he had ridiculed, became the balm to his wounds, and the solace of his troubled heart."

SOUTH WALES AUXILIARY BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

WESTERN DISTRICT.

THE annual meeting of this district was held at Haverfordwest, July 15 and 16,

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