who learned to read the testament from me are keeping to it still; and many more, like Nicodemus, come to read it by night. Several of those who died lately uttered many expressions of love and gratitude to the Saviour in the dying hour. A man and his wife who live next door are reading the Irish testament. A woman, another neighbour who also reads the word, went to confession lately. The priest turned her away because she would not promise to give up reading. Another woman, to whom I gave a testament about nine months ago, has left off confession and going to mass too. Another, whom I taught to read, was publicly called in the chapel by the priest to give up the testament. He would not, and now goes to a church where the gospel is preached near four miles off. Three more, who have been reading, have given up going to mass altogether; and three more, who were much persecuted, have gone to Achil, carrying the knowledge of the word of God with them. One of his neighbours said to his wife, who also occasionally attends, "Why do you let your husband be baptized ?" She replied, "I would not wish him to prevent me to worship God in the way I believe to be right, and why should I give him any trouble about following the way he thinks right. May the Lord bring you and me to know and do his will." There is a great change in the whole of this family. His wife's father, who had led a careless life, is now reading the word, and is always glad to see me visit the family.' PRIESTCRAFT NOT IMPREGNABLE. As far as priestly influence is concerned, I trust it is weakening every day. Many of the people say that the Lord is punishing them for their disobedience to his holy will. I find many, who before would not hear a word about the priests, now speaking very lightly of them. A few days ago, a man came to me from K for a margin bible. I found he was a reader of the scriptures. I said, "If the priest demands the book of you, you will give it up." "No, sir;" said he, "that time is gone by now. I'll not give it up for all the priests in the country." The people are beginning to think for themselves. Among the many beneficial results of the fearful calamity which has fallen on Ireland, for God always brings good out of evil, and often his most terrible dealings are inflicted, that thereby his marvellous works might be shown forth, we may notice the gradual diminution of confidence in the rites of the church as indispensable to salvation. A SAD TALE. I regret to state, says ENEIS M'DONNELL, that many whom I used to visit have died of want; and so have some of their children. These latter were regular attendants at the school. Hunger and nakedness have thinned our numbers considerably. In every townland you enter all sorts of distempers are prevalent. Mortality is on the increase daily throughout the country. SORROW OFTEN GIVES OCCASION FOR JOY. I feel glad to tell you that though there is so much death in the land, yet many die happy. Through means of reading the scriptures, only one out of five persons, who lately died in my neighbourhood, sent for the priest. This is a great change. I visited, writes JOHN JUDGE, A. H— and family. Some time ago they refused to hear the scriptures through fear of the priest. But now he gladly receives me, and the whole family say the fear of man shall never more cause them not to hear the word of God read and explained. And W. H- of B- and family declare the same. As the The trustees of the late Mr. BOYCE of Bristol have agreed to support a missionary in Ireland. They have sent over there Mr. WILSHERE, lately a student in the Theological Institution. chapel at Athlone was occupied only occasionally, it was at once placed at their disposal, so as to enable them to locate that gentleman advantageously. While he is entirely unconnected with the Society, as an agent, yet his proceedings will have equal interest for our readers, and we notice them because there is no other medium by which they can become known, and they may serve the general objects of the mission. POPERY HIDES THE LIGHT. The ignorance of the poor here, Mr. W. observes, is very great. It is difficult to make them understand the simplest elements of Christianity. When speaking to a poor man the other day about his being a sinner, he replied, "But, sir, there never was a man of a more blameless life. No one can say I was ever at a session, or an assizes, or in any prison, for misconduct." And yet he was living with a woman who was not his wife. POPERY EXHIBITS MANY CROSSES BUT NO CHRIST. A presbyterian missionary informed me that in one week he had visited ninety-eight families in the county of Kerry, comprising at least 500 souls. Of these, seventy-five when asked who God was, could give no distinct answer; the general reply was, "Is he not our father?" None of them knew anything of Jesus as a Saviour, or had ever seen the word of God. The following extract from a recent letter of Mr. BERRY'S will be read with deep interest and pleasure. It shows how truth and kindly feeling are spreading, and that bigotry and intolerance always go hand in hand. The power of these last-mentioned evils is evidently diminishing. A DELIGHTFUL OPEN AIR SERVICE. Amidst all the gloom which surrounds me, it is cheering to return from my short visit to England, refreshed and strengthened for my proper work. It is indeed pleasant to rescue the starving from the jaws of death; but far greater delight is experienced when the sinner is converted to God. I had an open air service yesterday, and baptized five persons. Two were Romanists, and one of the others was clerk of the episcopal church. The banks of the river were crowded, and never did I see greater order or attention. Protestants and Romanists freely mingled with each other. We have other candidates for fellowship whom I hope to baptize next month. My opinion is that we are making greater progress than we are, perhaps, aware of. The calamity will be blessed to all. May those whom famine and fever spare, be brought to the cross! The following extract from T. DUFFY's journal of his labours in Dublin will A STRANGE THING BUT TRUE. One man whom I long and earnestly entreated to read the bible, but refused, said to me, with evident reluctance, the other day, "You often told me that all men had a right to read the bible, but I could not believe it until now. I was passing through Capel Street the other day, and to my astonishment saw in a bookseller's shop, a paper denying that the scriptures were forbidden to be read in English ;-denying that the Catholics omitted the second commandment in their catechisms-and denying saints! I did wonder at this, and went in to that we are taught to worship the Virgin or ask whether it was a priest that wrote it; and that being certified, I bought it for a penny. Here it is, and states these are well known facts. Neither I nor my parents ever knew them before. I now grant you there must be something wrong somewhere; for all catholics, old or young, never saw more in their catechisms than, 1st. I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt have no other gods but me.' 2nd. Thou shalt not take the name of God in vain,' &c. May the Lord forgive me for what I said to you when you quoted the true second commandment for me, and bless you for putting me in the way of getting a bible." · Light is springing up in darkness; and it is very striking to observe how soon all dependence on mere ceremonies gives way, when Christ is seen as the Saviour of poor sinners. PAT. BRENNAN'S journal for May supplies an interesting example. PEACE IN JESUS. Last week I went to visit a poor man to whom I had often read. When he saw me coming into his house, he said, "I am happy to see you, for I think this is my last day, and you have often given me real comfort." I asked what he had heard from me that had given him the comfort and peace he had been speaking of. He replied "Hearing you tell about Jesus dying to save poor sinners from their sins. I am a poor sinner who has nothing to depend upon but Christ." I told him how happy I was to hear that he had no confidence in himself, and assured him that if he looked to the Saviour alone, Jesus Christ would save him. Lifting up his hand he exclaimed, "To my Saviour I will look, and to none else." I read to him the 14th John, and Ephes. ii. It was his last day, for he died early the following morning, and is, I trust, now glorifying the Saviour in whom he trusted. TRUE FAITHFULNESS. A poor Romanist woman has attended our meetings for the last six weeks, coming with her bible in her hand, without fear or dread. She says she never kenw what religion was before; and lately she expressed a wish to be baptized. I said I should wish so too, if I thought she was truly converted to God; but that I would tell her, and every other person, that we would not baptize the priest himself, if we did not believe him to be a truly converted man. "Well, then," she replied, "I think more of you than ever I did; for some people say you would be anxious to receive any one who would come to you." NO RELIGION AND REAL RELIGION. There is another poor woman who comes to my house every week to hear my wife read She was asked by one the Irish testament. of her neighbours, what was bringing her so I POSTSCRIPT. We are glad to be able to announce that the accounts from Ireland are of a somewhat more cheerful character. Fever declines as the supplies of food increase. The weather has been most favourable, and the crops look most promising. The rumours respecting the potato blight are contradictory; but lately they have been less alarming. A much larger space is occupied by green crops than was ever known in Ireland; thus showing an advance in the right direction. It may gratify our friends to know that the Relief Committee have arranged to send supplies every month to the agents according to the demands made upon them; and it is hoped the funds will enable them to continue their grants until the harvest is finished. The preceding accounts of the mission are not less encouraging. Everywhere there are signs of great improvement; and the agents are greatly encouraged. We trust that our friends who have exerted themselves so much to relieve temporal wants, will feel richly rewarded in the good they have been able to accomplish; and should the remarks on the "greater duty," which we trust have caught their eye, appear just, that will set their hands to help the mission with new zeal and more importunate prayer to the Holy One for his blessing. (Contributions in our next.) Subscriptions and Donations thankfully received by the Treasurer, EDWARD SMITH, Esq. 60, Old Broad Street; Rev. J. ANGUS, and by the Secretary, Mr. FREDERICK TRESTRAIL, at the Mission House, Moorgate Street, London: and by the pastors of the churches throughout the Kingdom. J. HADDON, PRINTER, CASTLE STREET, FINSBURY. THE BAPTIST MAGAZINE. AUGUST, 1847. MEMOIR OF THE LATE MRS. MARSHMAN, WIDOW OF THE LATE DR. JOSHUA MARSHMAN OF SERAMPORE. FROM THE FUNERAL ADDRESS DELIVERED MARCH 14, 1847, BY THE REV. W. H. DENHAM. It is now little more than two years ago, shortly after my arrival in India, that I was favoured with an introduction to the circle at Serampore, and to the family of Mrs. Marshman in particular. At the request of Mrs. Marshman herself, I came to pay a friendly visit here. Dear Mr. Mack was then living; and during my stay I saw much of him also. You will not be surprised when I say, that many things combined to endear the place and family to me, though at this time I was unable to form a correct estimate of the worth of its venerable head. The effect of my first interview is, however, impressed on my memory with all the freshness and vividness of the moment. There was so much simplicity and Christian kindliness, that I seemed to be talking to a friend with whom I had held converse for years instead of one to whom I had been introduced but recently. My first interview pos VOL. X.-FOURTH SERIES. sesses a power over me now, from which I am not anxious to divest myself. More than once I visited Serampore during the few months I continued in Calcutta, unconscious indeed that I should come to live and labour among you, in the gospel-and it may be to die and leave my ashes among you. To be associated in the work commenced by the illustrious dead, is to my own mind a source of more ennobling pleasure than had I been dignified with sovereign authority in this gorgeous land. It is true, my acquaintance with you is of recent date; but the intercourse I have been privileged to enjoy in the family, and the accurate knowledge you possess, partly obviates the difficulty I should otherwise feel in addressing you. Of the early history of our departed friend I can say but little, but it is genuine, and I think you will concur with me that it possesses much value. Her own lips and her own pen are the 3 P principal sources from whence every | to her words. They made a great imsentence is taken.* The last year, as you are aware, was a season of affliction to her. During this period she often spake of God's gracious dealings with her in the days of her youth. Occasionally she would take a delighted retrospect of the happy and profitable hours she had spent with her own mother in similar affliction. Her eyes would frequently fill with tears while she narrated the instances of parental tenderness and Christian counsels of one who was taken from her in her infant years. But I must not anticipate. Mrs. Marshman was born on the 13th of May, 1767. She was the daughter of Mr. John Shepherd, a freeman of Bristol, who possessed some estates in that neighbourhood, and of Rachel his wife, who was the eldest daughter of the Rev. John Clark, of Frome, in Somersetshire, an eminent minister of the gospel, and for more than sixty years pastor of the church at Cockerton in Wiltshire.t Her It was her happiness to be early trained in the ways of God, and to be taught, in the first lispings of infancy, the words of truth and peace. mother appears to have been an eminently godly woman. It was but a day or two before her death that she affectingly referred to the scene of her mother's death and fervent wishes for her offspring. She said, "My serious impressions commenced very early. was the custom of my dear mother to retire with me and talk to me of heaven and heavenly things. Her health was at this time very indifferent. I recollect sitting by her bedside and listening It * Besides scattered papers, three quarto volumes of memoranda in her own hand-writing remain in the possession of her children. † This venerable man is said to have been absent from his people but once during his long pastorate. He preached his last sermon at the truly patriarchal age of 93! pression upon me-they were gentle like the morning dew. And then her prayers for me and for God's blessing on us all, were so fervent and affectionate! When at the early age of eight years I saw her lovely countenance silent in death, her tender and affectionate words rushed upon me. I endeavoured to recollect them; and though unconscious of the loss I had sustained, prayed that God would be my God: and I think he heard my prayer. The removal of my dear mother so sensibly affected my father's health, that he never fully recovered the stroke. In about three years he followed his beloved wife to the silent grave." Thus at the early age of eleven or twelve she was deprived of both her natural protectors. From this time the charge of the orphan devolved on her venerable grandfather, the Rev. Mr. Clark. He instructed her himself; and whilst imparting secular knowledge with unremitting solicitude, he nurtured to the fullest extent those seeds of genuine piety which had already been sown in the heart of the child by the pious mother. To the happy years she spent under his roof, and to the high and holy advantages she there enjoyed, she was accustomed to the last to refer with grateful affection and holy delight. It always gave her pleasure to repeat to her children and others, with a zest and interest peculiarly her own, the trite yet wise maxims and anecdotes with which her mind had been stored by her beloved grandfather, and those who were accustomed to meet beneath his roof. In the case of Mrs. Marshman were verified those many encouraging words of holy writ-to "train up a child in the way it should go "-with the assurance that out of the mouths of babes and sucklings God can and frequently does perfect his praise! |