Testaments, which, on finding they who follow their flocks and their herds into the fields, and, separate from the world, they subsist in the Steppes entirely on their manual labour, and eat their bread with the sweat of their face. Whether this might be the beginning of a prepar ation for their return to their own land, I am not authorized to judge; but I could not help being struck with the idea that they might, even in those Steppes, be infinitely happier than their forefathers in Jerusalem itself, if they would but know Him whom their fathers saw only through types and figures. I hesitated not to declare this my opinion to them; and, when they said they would rather be in Jerusalem than in the Steppes, I told them that they might have here more than a Jerusa lem, a paradise itself, if they would with one heart and one mind return to Him whom their fathers have so unjustly pierced, but who was, notwithstanding, the bright glory that adorned the second temple at Jerusalem. There is one advantage which I had here above other places, viz. that I found among them much less difficulty of introducing the subject and obtaining their ear than among the busy Jews in the towns, where you may generally hear excuses similar to those in the Gospel, "I have no time to attend, I must first provide for my family." Here I heard no such thing; on the contrary, which ever colony I entered, I had no sooner alighted from my britchky From Ecatherinaslav, I directed than I saw almost all the inhabitants my steps towards the Jewish colo- around me, and the rabbi himself on nies in the government of Cherson, my side. Bibles, Testaments, and where I witnessed a scene as pleas- tracts, were brought in: we read ing and interesting as it is altogether them together, we pointed out pasnew in the annals of modern history. sages to one another, and the conI think it must be interesting to the versation was every where carried friends of Israel to hear that there is on with mutual candour and amity, a respectable body of Jews, consist- and sometimes for three or four hours ing of no less than four thousand together. In some places the rabbi souls, who have newly left their himself proposed we should meet in trades in Poland, and have returned the evening, or on the next day, ato their pristine patriarchal simplici- gain, and in the mean time they read ty of life who cultivate the ground the Testament in their houses. But, which the noble Alexander has grant. not to enter into particulars, I will ed them, with their own hands-only say, that, from all that occurred, FROM Our depository in the Bible Society House, we have, during the last month, sent away copies of the Scriptures, to the amount of nearly 100,000 roubles, to every quarter, and almost every province of Russia, whether European or A. siatic. Twenty cart-loads were sent directly across the Caucasus to Tiflis, in Georgia, for Christians and Mahometans. In Besserabia things are prospering greatly. The Moldavian Testaments were all distributed in a very short time; and pressing letters for 2500 copies more were received.. 2000 copies have since been dispatched. The printing of the whole Bible is advanced to the end of the Old Testament. Application has? also been made for 500 Modern Greek Testaments. Moscow is doing well. But the undertakings of last year have completely exhausted the funds of the Society; so that, 'when we last heard from our friends in that city, they had only 300 roubles (about L. 15.) in hand, and heavy works going forward. They are indebted to us from 20,000 to 30,000 roubles, so that we can do no more for them. MISCELLANEOUS. A numerous and respectable Meeting was held at the City of London Tavern, on the 11th of August last, when a Society was formed, called, THE HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY.Nearly L. 200 were received at the close of the Meeting. Dr Morrison, in a letter dated Jan. 24. 1819, expresses the high de. gree of satisfaction and delight which he felt on receiving from Malacca a specimen of a commentary on the New Testament by Mr Milne, elegantly printed; and a sermon in the Chinese language, by Mr Medhurst. Gospel light, says Dr M. is rising in the East, glorious and exhilarating as the sun shedding his beams in the morning to illumine the earth.' • The Chinese are a reading people, and God is providing for them books full of Christian truth. O that he may hasten the work still more! O that this nation may in a short time be turned from idols, and rescued from the slavery of Satan!' The efforts of the British Government to suppress the brutal custom of burning widows on the funeral pile of their husbands have been highly meritorious, and to a great degree successful. Some time since a peti. tion was presented to the Government for a revival of the practice. A counter petition was in conse ́quence sent in last year, signed by a great number of the most respecta. ble Hindoo inhabitants of Calcutta. We are glad to hail every such indinative character and opinions. cation of the improved state of the A Society, bearing the designation of the Religious Tract and Book Society for Ireland, has been formed, under the idea of its becoming a National Association, having for its President, the Right Hon. Viscount Lorton; and for its Vice-Presidents, the Right Hon. Earl of Gosford, Right Hon. Viscount Jocelyn, and Sir Richard Steele. It is similar in its plan to the Religious Tract Society in London, and it has obtained the privilege of free postage for all letters transmitted within Ireland. Its object is to supersede the reading of infamous and seductive tracts and histories, which, it is well known, have long been in very extensive circulation among the lawer classes in Ireland. THE CHRISTIAN HERALD. NOVEMBER 15. 1819. SOME ACCOUNT OF THE REV. DAVID BROWN. [Continued from p. 366.] IN the year 1766, the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge endeavoured to form a mission at Calcutta, and sent thither for that purpose the Rev. Mr Kiernander, who had résided for some time as a missionary on the Coromandel Coast. Mr Kiernander laboured with considerable assiduity, but with little success, for many years. He erected a church in Calcutta, which continues to be known by the name of the Mission Church, and in which he performed Divine Service. In consequence of this undertaking, and various other disappointments, his circumstances became embarrassed, and his property, being seized by his creditors, was exposed to sale. This happened in the year 1787, soon after Mr Brown's arrival in India. On this occasion Mr Grant came forward, with his accustomed liberality, and purchased the Mission Church for 10,000 rupees, with the view of devoting it exclusively to its original object. In October 1787, the property was vested in three trustees: Mr Brown, Mr Chambers and Mr Grant; Mr Brown undertaking, in addition to his other duties, to officiate in it. This engagement, however, was not satisfactory to the managers of the Orphan Establishment, who insisted on his either renouncing it or quitting their service. He chose the latter alternative, though it was attended with some pecuniary loss; and in August 1788, he left the Orphan House. The trustees communicated these proceedings to the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, sending to them at the same time a copy of the Memoir that had been drawn up on VOL. VI. 3 E the subject of a mission to Bengal. The reply of the Society is so creditable to both parties, that I have much pleasure in inserting an extract from it. "I have the pleasure," says Dr Gaskin, who was then as now the Secretary of this venerable institution, "to inform you, that the contents of your letter were received with much satisfaction, and the part you have acted respecting the concerns of the mission and the Mission Church hath greatly endeared you to the Society." "That you have stepped forward to rescue it from secular uses, and secure it for the sole purposes of religion, is a matter that speaks creditably for you as Englishmen, Christians, and members of our national church. Your act, therefore, is highly approved by the Society; and in the most cordial manner they fall in with your wishes of sending out a new missionary to carry on the sacred purposes they have all along had in view in Calcutta." "The proposal for establishing a mission on a more extensive scale in Bengal and Bahar, which you were so good as to transmit to my hands, has been listened to by the Mission Committee and the General Board with peculiar satisfaction. They approve its plan, and admire the judgment and piety with which it has been drawn up, and only lament that it is not in their power to give full effect to your wishes. The hope, however, may be encouraged that the time is shortly coming when efforts for introducing the knowledge of Christ throughout your parts of India may generally take place; and whereinsoever the Society can be aiding to forward such designs they will not be found wanting." Mr Brown's life at this period, as well as during the whole of his remaining course, was one of considerable labour. While he retained the superintendance of the Orphan Establishment, he was zealous and indefatigable in the discharge of its duties. Besides being chaplain to a brigade in Fort-William, he voluntarily undertook, with the approbation of his brother chaplains, the charge of the Mission Church; officiating at each of these points in succession every Sunday. On separating from the Orphan Institution, he received private pupils into his house, and this domestic school was much in request. He paid great attention at the same time to the Free-school of Calcutta, and statedly visited the hospital and gaol, in order to impart religious instruction to the inmates of these places. At the gaol, he was blessed with remarkable success, as indeed he had been in England, in his endeavours to awaken convicts to a sense of their sins, and to bring them to unfeigned repentance. Besides all this, he continued to apply himself assiduously to the acquisition of the native languages, with a view to his being eventually serviceable in translating the Scriptures. His studies in this line, however, were greatly impeded by the necessary at tention he was forced to pay to the increasing duties of his ministerial office, and at length gave place to more successful labourers in the same field. The following extracts from his journal will shew the devout and pious frame of his mind at this period :-" My anxiety and grief for the mission still continue upon my mind. Nothing remains for me but prayer to the Lord, that he will please to raise up men whose zeal shall never abate of its fervour, and whose exertions shall be unwearied in carrying on so great a work. I hope I may be permitted to say thus much, that I feel disposed to labour wheresoever the Lord shall open a door. My chief delight is, to meditate on and preach the unsearchable riches of Christ; and I would this were my only employment, but that the wish is selfish and shews me to be too fond of happy moments. I think I am now where God. would have me to be; may I be found faithful in his service!" My soul thirsteth after a better country, where the inhabitants follow righteousness, peace, and love, and where Jesus walketh in the midst, conversing as a friend face to face. The company of heaven is a most delightful meditation! My friends. will there appear in perfect beauty, and the Redeemer himself in the midst, the King of Glory! Oh, my Saviour! what earthly prince can do thus for his best friends? Thou art worthy of all my love, talents, strength, and time. Lord, help me to devote all these fully to thee alone." "O for the spirit of a Brainerd or a Howard, on whom I have been thinking and conversing this day!" 66 66 From the year 1788, to the year 1800, a period of twelve years, Mr Brown was indefatigably occupied in the various duties of his ministry in Calcutta. In the latter year, he was appointed Provost of the College of Fort-William-a situation he continued to hold till the college was reduced. The following extract from a letter written in the latter year, to his early and revered friend the Rev. William Jesse, will afford a brief but pleasing view of his employments, and of his success, during that period. "About three years ago, I renewed my acquaintance with you in a most unexpected manner. Among some old books, sold by a native, I found your Parochialia. I was delighted with the doctrines which I had heard drop from your lips, more than twenty-five years ago, and which then distilled as the dew into my ears. The foundation, under God, which you laid in me, and upon which the beloved man of God, Joseph Milner, of blessed memory, built, has never been shaken. • Jesus Christ, and him crucified,' has been my almost only theme since I entered the ministry; and I have witnessed the power of the name of Jesus on the hearts of several in this country, |