* The present is a reprint from Payne's translation, collated with an ancient Latin copy; and is no further abridged, than by omitting the exclusive sentiments of a Catholic recluse, and some occasional redundances of style. The language, wherever it seemed susceptible of improvement, either as to elegance or brevity, has been modernised; and where he seemed to have missed the precise meaning, or not to have expressed the force of the original, the passages have been entirely re-written. To prevent the too frequent occurrence of breaks in the text, chapters on similar points have in some instances been conjoined. The whole revision has been performed with the most scrupulous care and diligence. The editor has retained no sentiment, which it was thought could offend the most scrupulent Protestant ear; and on the other hand, has conscientiously avoided making the author speak sentiments not contained in the text. He felt himself at full liberty to expunge, but not authorized to add or alter.'

The work is well adapted to be read, a little at a time, and whenever it can be taken up for a few moments. It is divided into short chapters; and it often assumes the form of a dialogue between Christ and his disciple. The following extract, from the 152nd page, may serve as a specimen of the spirit and manner that characterize this excellent book.

Four Steps that lead to Peace.

CHRIST.

'I will now teach thee, my son, the way to peace, and to true liberty of spirit.

DISCIPLE.

"Gracious Lord! do what thou hast condescended to offer. Such instruction I shall rejoice to hear, for such I greatly need.

CHRIST.

own:

'1. Constantly endeavor to do the will of another, rather than thy 2. Constantly choose rather to want less, than to have more :

3. Constantly choose the lowest place, and to be humble to all : and

•4. Constantly desire and pray, that the will of God may be perfectly accomplished in thee, and concerning thee.

• Verily, I say unto thee, he that doeth this, enters into the region of rest and peace.

DISCIPLE.

"Lord! this short lesson teacheth great perfection; it is expressed in few words, but it is replete with truth and fruitfulness. If I could faithfully observe it, trouble would not so easily rise up within me; for as often as I find myself disquieted and oppressed, I know I have wandered from the straight path which thou hast now pointed out. But do thou, O Lord! who canst do all things, and evermore lovest the improvement of the soul, increase the power of thy grace, that I may be enabled to fulfil thy word, and accomplish the salvation to which thou hast mercifully called me.

""O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help;" for a multitude of evil thoughts have risen up within me, and terrible fears afflict my soul. How shall I pass them unhurt? How shall I break through them, and adhere to thee?

353

CHRIST.

'I will go before thee, and humble the lofty spirits that exercise dominion over thee: I will break the doors of thy dark prison, and reveal to thee the secrets of my law.

DISCIPLE.

A Prayer against Evil Thoughts. • Do, O Lord! what thou hast graciously promised: lift up the light of thy countenance upon my soul, that every thought which is vain and evil may vanish before it. This is my strength and comfort, to fly to thee in every tribulation, to confide in thy support, to call upon thee from the lowest depths of my heart, and patiently to wait for the superior consolations of thy Spirit.

"O most merciful Jesus! restrain my wandering thoughts that are carried out after evil, and repulse the temptations that so furiously assault me.

RELIGION, THE UNFADING FLOWER.

By cool Siloam's shady rill,

How sweet the lily grows !
How sweet the breath beneath the hill,

Of Sharon's dewy rose !

Lo such the child, whose early feet

The paths of peace have trod;
Whose secret heart, with influence sweet,

Is upward drawn to God.

1

By cool Siloam's shady rill

The lily must decay;
The rose that blooms beneath the hill

Must shortly fade away.

And soon, too soon, the wintry hour

Of man's maturer age
Will shake the soul with sorrow's power,

And stormy passion's rage.

O Thou, whose infant feet were found

Within thy Father's shrine,
Whose years, with changeless virtue crowned,

Were all alike Divine,

Dependant on thy bounteous breath,

We seek thy grace alone,
In childhood, manhood, age, and death,
To keep us still thine own.

HEBER.

FOR OCTOBER, 1829.

SUBSCRIPTIONs and donations to the General Convention of the Baptist Denomination in the United States, for Foreign Missions, &c. should be transmitted to Heman Lincoln, Esq. Treasurer, Boston. Persons visiting the city, to whom it may be more convenient to call at a central place, can lodge their communications with E. Lincoln, No. 59 Washington-Street, who is authorized to receive moneys for the Treasurer.

LETTER FROM MR BOARDMAN.

BURMAN MISSION.

Soon as L. Ke-Cheang began to teach The Baptist Board of Foreign Mis- English, the school began to flourish; sions have determined on sending an

and in less than one fortnight, the

scholars amounted to the present numadditional Printer to the Burman em- ber. Several other applications have pire. Communications addressed to been inade for adipission, and considMev. L. Bolles, the Corrresponding erable additions are daily expected. $ecretary, at Boston, from persons of Chinese, have requested me to teach

Many of the parents, particularly the suitable qualifications, whose views of their sons the principles of the Chrisduty lead them to this service, will tian religion. meet with attention.

It is a very happy circumstance, that both the teachers are devoted Christians. The boys, besides wit

nessing the pious conduct of their Tavoy, Sept. 8, 1828. teachers, are daily called together at Rey, and dear Sir,

sunrise, when I read the Scriptures A few days since, I had an inter- and pray with them, in Burman. On view with A. D. Maingy, Esq. Civil Lore's days, their attention is directed Commissioner for these provinces, chiefly to lessons in Scripture and rewhen, after expressing a deep interest ligious tracts. in native schools, he generously au

Moung Shway Bwen has become a thorized me to draw on him monthly, boarder; and two of the boys from for fifty Madras rupees, to establish the town have also been admitted to and support a boy's day school, for the the boarding school, which increases English and Burman languages, and the number to

These are the inore familiar and useful sciences. more fully taught the Christian reli. Such a school has since been opened, gion, and are under our entire inspecand nineteen scholars are now

tion and control. We hesitate about cessfully pursuing their studies. One admitting many more to the privileges of these scholars is Moung Shway of the boarding school, before hearing Bwen, the young Siamese Christian; how large a degree of patronage the four are the boys belonging to the friends in America will afford to this boarding school; the rest are Burman- object. Chinese, and Tavoy boys. One third

We have endeavored, by a most rigof the day they study Burman with id economy, to reduce the expenses of Moung Shway Bwen; the other two the boarding school, and are in hopes thirds they study English, with L. that we shall be able to support a boy Ke-Cheang, the Chinese Christian. for twenty dollars a year,--perhaps After paying the wages of these two less, if the number should be consid teachers, there will remain of the erably increased. I am happy to add, fifty rupees, enough, I hope, to defray that the superintendance of both all the incidental expenses of the schools, does not require more of my school: Such as books, stationary, time than that of the boarding school school-room, &c.

alone did before the present arrangeOct. 1829.

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seven.

SUC

а

ment was made. It is also a source of a great part of our fellow travellers to much satisfaction, that the boarding eterni y, to accompany our contribution school is, by the new arrangement, with our ear nest prayers, that the Lord entirely relieved of the expense of of his infinite mercy may be pleased even a Burman teacher, while it en- to attend the exertions of his people joys the additional advantage of Eng. with a divine blessing, until the rays lisb instruction, with no less of Chris- of the Sun of Righteousness shall entian instruction than before.

lighten the world. And we cannot I hope that before long, I shall be but express the satisfaction we should prepared to submit to you a digested feel, were all the followers of the plan of enlarged operations in the de- Lamb, to lay to heart the indispensable partment of boys' schools; and that the obligations they are under, to use all liberality of the American churches the means in their power to send the will, as usual, be found equal to every gospel to every creature; and to bear reasonable demand upon it, for an ob- of their united exertions in that blessed ject so important as that of raising the cause, for which the Saviour suffered cramped and depressed, but powerful and died. If to endeavor to promote intellect of the Burmese youth, to a the spiritual good of millions of undying general knowledge of moral and reli- souls, be a duty devolving on any of gious truth.

those redeemed by Christ from ruin Mrs Boardman is about commencing and wo;-then certainly it is ina boarding school for girls : but as yet cumbent on all who profess to be numwe cannot furnish any details on this bered among his people. The sad state subject. As her heart is much set on of the heathen“ lying in wickedness," the object of drawing forth the hidden demands the combined and unceasing and smothered intellects of the poor exertions of all who wish well to Zion. Burman females, and of raising them It is enough to excite gratitude in to a knowledge of God and salvation, every benevolent mind, to contemplate of which they are most perfectly ig- the vast amount of good which has porant, I have no doubt her endeavors already been accomplished, through will prove eminently useful.

the instrumentality of missionary operLet us enjoy a constant remem- ations. But at the same time, it bebrance in the prayers of the Ameri- comes all the friends of Zion to rememcan churches, that a divine blessing ber, that very little has been done, in may abundantly rest upon us in all comparison with what remains to be our attempts to instruct this degraded, done. The heathen in different parts but dear people.

of the world, and in vast multitudes, With our best Christian regards, as are living and dying without Christ usual, I remain, yours in the service of and without hope ; and while that inthe Gospel G. D. BOARDMAN. finite duration on which they enter, Rev. Dr Bolles.

will sweep its everlasting rounds, it will bear them still onward upon a

boundless ocean of wo. How impor. From the Spring Hill Female Mis. tant, and desirable, it is therefore, that

sionary Society, N. C. to the Edi. Pastors of Churches, Missionaries of tor.

the cross, and conductors of religious

publications, should unitedly, and conMontpelier, Aug. 20, 1829. stantly endeavor to impress on the Dear Brethren,

minds of the followers of Christ, every Being associated together, for the where, the forlorn condition of the express purpose of uniting our feeble heathen, and the duty and importance strength, to aid in sending a knowledge of sending them the gospel. of the gospel, which is so well calculat

Every reflecting mind will readily ed to promote the eternal welfare of perceive, that inuch greater exertions mankind, to the millions who are yet world, than has been done heretofore,

could be made in behalf of a perishing destitute of the invaluable blessing; could the whole strength of our denomwe now forward our small mite of fif. ination in this country be combined in teen dollars, to be used in any of the this glorious cause. departments of missionary efforts among and important missionary stations

In Burmah, new the Burmans, in which it may be most might be occupied. The millions of wanted. We humbly hope that we South America, Mexico, China, and are constrained by the love of Christ, Greece, urgently need every possible and a view of the forlorn condition of

ENGLISH BAPTIST MISSIONARY

SOCIETY

with a deep impression of the danger; that he wished for deeds as well as effort to tend them the gospel. We words ; on which the chairman ansincerely hope, that the time is not nounced his intention of presenting distant, when all the friends of the Re. £200, and presented £100' from his deemer will feel more deeply interest- son, and another £100 from a young ed than ever in this glorious undertak- friend. This was followed by the ing; when they will use all means in Treasurer, who presented £300, and their power, to furnish perishing mil. engaged to procure £200 more. A lions with the bread of life; and their great number of liberal contributions prayers and exertions be constant and were then handed to the platform, and unremitted, till the wilderness and before separating, the sum of £3000 solitary places shall be made glad, and was obtained. During the period of the deserts blossom as the rose.

the annual meeting, 14,000 dollars In behalf of the “

Spring Hill Fe. were secured to the society, which male Missionary Society," Auxiliary to awakened devout thanksgivings to the General Convention.

God, and inspired increasing hope and CATHARINE WHITE, Pres. joy in the bosoms of his people. SARAH MONROE, Treas. The customary votes of thanks were

judiciousy dispensed with, from a conviction, that to be engaged in the cause of missions was in itself a sufficient re

ward. On the 18th of July, the Baptist Mis

The Society gratefully notice some sionary Society held its annual meet. of the circumstances attending this ing in London, and the scene was most unexpected pecuniary aid. deeply interesting, as it evinced an un.

1. This extension of Christian becommon spirit of Christian benevolence nevolence occurred at a time, when and liberality in pecuniary aid.

the Society was in a most difficult and Domestic affliction having prevented embarrassed condition. the attendance of John Foster, Esq.

2. It was, at the same time, at a pewho was expected to preside, W. B. riod of great commercial embarrassGurney, Esq. was called to the chair.

ment; thus imitating the Macedonian In consequence of a continued ex.

churches, whose “deep poverty a. cess of the expenditure above the in- bounded to the riches of their liberalicome for the three preceding years, together with a diminution in the re

3. This great liberality took place ceipts for the present year, a debt had without concert or pre-arrangement.

4. accrued of £2000. The annunciation

There was no particular exciteof this debt appeared to produce a very

ment on the occasion, no sudden bursts general conviction, that some efforts of feeling, no sparks of enthusiasm should at once be made to reinove this kindled. heavy incumbrance; but the result of

5. There was the most ready cheerthe meeting exceeded the highest ex

fulness manifested by the contributors pectation of the Society's most sanguine themselves, evincing that they were friends.

governed by principle in their liberal Rev. John Dyer, the Secretary, read benefactions. the annual Report, detailing the Soci

This heart cheering and successful ety's operations in the E. and w. In effort of our English brethren should dies, adverting to the death of two mis. awaken increasing efforts on this side of sionaries, Mr Burton of Digah, and Mr the Atlantic, and lead our churches to Chater of Ceylon, and stating the re

devise liberal things, for by liberal markable success of efforts in the West things alone can we stand. Indies, 12000 negroes being connected with the various churches in the island

ARRIVAL OF MR YATES. of Jamaica. The whole was closed by The London Magazines contain a a statement of the deficiency of funds, letter from Mr Yates, dated Calcutta, and a forcible appeal was made to the Feb. 5, 1829, giving information of his audience for increased aid.

safe arrival at the seat of his missionaVarious addresses of a highly inter- ry labors. A tremendous storm occur. esting character were presented, in ed on the passage, which threatened moving the various resolutions which the vessel with shipwreck. Mr Yates were offered; and at the close, the remarks, “ After going up, and witRev. J. Smith, of Ilford, romarked, noasing the terrific scone, I descended

6

ty."