very unwell, and without being able to take any thing more than a cup of tea, went into the town to preach; but towards the latter part of the service, was obliged to conclude rather abruptly, and returned home very ill. About Tuesday he said to Mrs. P. "I have had some most pleasing thoughts this morning." She replied, "I wish it had been so with myself;" adding, "that the cares of the family had occupied too much of her thoughts." He replied, "My dear, I hope the enemy will not be permitted to distress you; I have no doubt but I shall meet you in heaven."

They were both too ill to converse much. During the week, though in very great bodily pain, and burning with fever, he manifested the most patient resignation, praying to God to enable him to suffer patiently all his holy will concerning him; and several times said, I don't know why a Christian should wish to stay here-a real Christian, that loves, and has lived to God." On Sunday, the fever was very high, and he endured great agony, not able to say much; but in a very impressive manner, while Mr. Gordon was by his bedside, said, "My times are in thy hands." On Monday he was thought to be rather better, and at night he appeared more composed than he had been for some nights past; but, alas! about 3 o'clock on Tuesday morning he expired.

Mr. Pritchett was a man who possessed great vigour of constitution, and had endured the climate of India for ten years without any material inconvenience. He was a truly devoted Missionary, and took great delight in his work, notwithstanding the great labour of it. His acquaintance with the Telinga language was extensive, accurate, and idiomatic. He had finished the

New Testament, and was looking forward with holy expectation to a period, apparently not remote, when he should have the inexpressible satisfaction of completing the Old Testament also. But the great Sovereign of the world, for reasons unknown to us, was pleased to put a sudden period to his useful exertions, and remove him from his work to his reward. "The Lord is

righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works."

At the time of Mr. Pritchett's illness, Mrs. Pritchett, his second wife,

was exceedingly ill of an epidemic fever, which then prevailed in the country, and was scarcely expected to survive him; but, through the goodness of God, she was gradually restored; and it being judged that her return to England was absolutely necessary for the recovery of her health, she' embarked at Madras on the 3d of March in the present year, and arrived in England on the fourth of October: but the youngest of three children who embarked with her, died at sea; the youngest but one died soon after Mr. P.'s death at Vizagapatam, and two others had died before him.

Mr. Pritchett was a Missionary whose memory deserves to be cherished by all the members and friends of the London Missionary Society, and by all who wish prosperity to the cause and kingdom of God our Saviour; and while we justly lament the removal of so excellent a man, let us earnestly pray that the Lord of the harvest would send out many labourers like-minded with him into his harvest.

* Mrs. P. was a Miss Greene, who left

this country in 1810, with a view to a conjugal union with Mr. Brain, before mentioned; but he expired before she reached India. Her marriage with Mr. Pritchett took place in April 1814.

THE prayer of the Earthenware Man in your Magazine for September, with the statement in your next Number respecting some Gipsies, cannot have failed to interest your numerous readers.

As the subjoined narrative will tend to show that some of this wandering tribe are the subjects of real piety, perhaps you will give it a place in your valuable miscellany, it having some connexion with prayer; and the more especially, as the insertion of the anecdote may prove gratifying to the members of the Religious Tract Society.

Little do we know, Sir, or perhaps enough consider (as they have much time for reflection,) the hopes, the fears, and the general feeling respecting religion, of that most abject portion of our fellow-creatures whom we see wandering about from place to place. I have frequently considered it my duty when I have met with them, to speak to them on the subject of religion; and few instances do I remember, wherein my conversation was not received with the most apparent gratitude: and in some cases they have so fervently invoked the blessing of the Lord to rest on me for that which I have spoken to them, as has sensibly affected my mind. The nature of these conversations the following dialogue will manifest, and perhaps you will permit me to note it down in the plain and familiar manner in which it was conducted :

About five or six years ago, while passing through a meadow, I observed before me a beggar; he appeared to bend with the weight of years, having a bag on his back, containing, I suppose, his kettle, &c. on the top of which was a bundle of sticks. After walking a short distance, he frequently paused, as if

tired or afflicted. When I overtook him, I mildly accosted him, and said, "Well, master, where do you think you shall be in twenty years time?" He stopped, immediately fixed his eyes on me, and, after a short interval, replied, "In heaven I hope, master." "In heaven! (I rejoined) Why do you hope you shall be in heaven?" "Because I hope I shall, master."- "But (said I) you know there are two kinds of hope spoken of in the Scriptures: the hope of the hypocrite which perisheth, and the hope of the righteous which is an anchor to the soul; which hope of the two is "Why, yours ? faith is a great thing, master, is it not?" "Yes, faith is certainly very im portant." "To be born again is a great thing, is it not, master?" "Yes, to be born again is a very great thing: but (I continued) where did you get all this knowledge!" "I will tell you, master: About nine or ten years ago I was begging for something at one of the houses of the Royal Crescent at Brighton; after waiting for some time, as no one gave me any thing, I turned and walked away; a servant then came after me, and said that a lady had sent me a penny and a little tract, which she desired I would read: it was that little book, master, that taught me to know about faith, and about being born again." "What was the name of the tract?" " A Dialogue between a Traveller and Yourself: and such was the effect, master, which this little tract had on me, that I learned every word of it by heart." "Can you repeat it now?" "Yes, master." "Let me hear you." After repeating a small portion of it, his shortness of breath prevented his proceeding any fur ther. "Master (said he,) I have got an asthma, and cannot Wishing much to ascertain the truth of his statement, I asked him to call on me another day, and repeat

go

on."

the contents of the tract; to which he readily consented. Before we parted, he said, "Master, I wish you would give me some prayers." "Give you some prayers (I replied;) you do not find any difficulty in supplicating for a supply of your temporal wants at persons' doors, cannot you ask the Lord to give you spiritual blessings in the same way! ?? "Yes, Master; but my prayers are so sinful, I am afraid the Lord will not hear me."-I endeavoured to explain to him the nature of prayer, and how the Lord would accept the prayers of sinful creatures like ourselves, through the mediation of the Saviour. How ever, I promised to give him some prayers when he called.

دو

In two or three days after he came to my residence, when, having in my possession the tract before specified, my dear consort (now no more*) and myself, heard him repeat the whole of the tract, both questions and answers, without missing, I believe, a single word; although he was, as he informed me, and I have no doubt of the fact, eighty-two years of age.

I now examined him respecting his general view of religion, which I found to be correct, and which he informed me he had gathered entirely from this excellent tract. Indeed, I am well persuaded, though I wish ever to attach a proper suspicion to the deposition of strangers, that the Lord had so blessed the reading of this little production, as to make it instrumental to the salvation of his soul. He informed me that he was a mason by trade, and that the tract was given him not long after he became incapacitated for labour. After providing him with some prayers,

* A Memoir of whose Christian conduct and glorious death I hope very shortly to Lay before the public, it being in the press.

and these, Mr. Editor, I believe were from a little book on "SelfExamination" written by yourself, he departed, promising to call on me again when he came into these parts. I have not seen him since. It is probable he soon after paid the debt of nature; and if so, there is no doubt but he is now ascribing salvation to God and the Lamb amongst the countless number who surround the throne of glory, acknowledging that little messenger, of mercy, the tract, as the instrųmental cause of his salvation.

By associating (if it were only. this single instance) the salvation of this poor old beggar with the idea of eternity, it will infinitely more than compensate for all the expense that has been incurred in printing, and all the labour that has been bestowed in circulating these valuable productions; yea, it is of more value to the recipient of the blessing, than millions of worlds.

May this circumstance prove a fresh stimulus to those who are engaged in circulating religious tracts. It seems to say, "In the morning

sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand;" and the sure word of promise is, "In due time ye shall reap, if you faint not.' I remain, Sir, yours sincerely, Alfriston, Sussex. C. BROOKER

the subject of reproach against particular nations or periods, that literature in general, but principally the poets and their works, have too exclusively endeavoured to regulate themselves according to the rules of polished society, and, above all, the prejudices of the female sex. If such an observation be just, as no question it is, with how much force may it be applied to many instances of preaching; with this difference indeed, in the one case its evils are confined to the present state, in the other they are commensurate with eternity. Paul evidently had his eye on this when he said, "Christ sent me to preach the Gospel not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.” 1 Cor. i. 17. This consequence, fearful as it is, naturally results from the course which has been condemned: "Too often the cross of Christ is rendered of none effect, through the vain affectation of the preachers, to recommend it by the affected graces of elocution, or the ostentatious parade of learning and philosophy. Thus its edge is blunted, its convincing plainness is obscured, its general beauty and glory are tarnished, the preacher has his worthless reward in human applause or human popularity: but the Spirit of God disdains to set his seal to the word thus preached; it proves the mere shadow of a feast, at which the guests are starved; and an amusing display of ingenuity, instead of an assault on the strong holds of Satan by the power of divine truth."* Is there no evil in this ?

But it does not rest here. Such is human depravity, that multitudes, even among those who have been accustomed to "hear the word," are pleased with such attempts. Nor is

* Scott's Comm. 1 Cor. i. 17.

the native principle of pride, which is common to ministers as well as to others, likely to be an opponent. Indeed, as a desire to please men operates, as is frequently the case. under the specious pretence of greater usefulness, the evil here alluded to will advance, and the correctness as well as the benefits of pulpit ministrations will be esti-mated by the number of hearers, and other circumstances, rather than by the effects of divine infu-· ence, through the medium of the understanding and the affections. Thus the vanity of the preacher and hearers is likely to be nourished at the same time, and the labours of the faithful and devoted servants of Christ are brought into comparative disrepute and disesteem. Men are: led to substitute an attendance upon a particular preacher for spiritual worship. If, by reason of any awa kening providence, or from any other cause, the mind becomes alarmed, and anxieties are felt respecting futurity, instead of the attention. being directed to the only refuge, every thought vanishes in the prospect-I will go and hear such a oneand get comfort, his voice is sweet. Thus, instead of impressions being. deepened they are effaced; pride is supported by self-complacency, feelings in no wise characteristic of true religion are cherished, instruments are regarded instead of the Holy Spirit, and, although directly contrary to the preacher's avowed desires, such is the effect of depar ture from the plain impressiveness of God's holy word, hearers of the class now mentioned are composed,. and even stupefied.

To enumerate the evils incident to the course now under re view would be tedious. It need only be added, that the Holy Spi rit must needs be grieved t

"Alas, what would preaching do, if we could suppose it never so general, while the