at the outset, for the prosecution of its undertaking. Its friends pursued their labours in the faith that God would not forsake them, and the mission has now obtained a degree of importance which justly claimed the attention and esteem of every kindred mind, amongst men of the different classes to which he had adverted.

Before concluding, he should, however, just advert to one remarkable fact connect

missionaries at Serampore. Was it not a remarkable fact, that one, to whose bust the highest nich in the temple of Fame would, by general suffrage, be assigned, now professor in the college of Fort William, and acknowledged as one of the principal agents of government, in effecting its designs for the advancement of oriental literature, was once a. shoe-maker, and supposed to possess, even in this humble employment, no adequate means for carrying it on.

This circumstance may serve to show us, that God is accustomed to use means, humble in our estimation, to effect his gracious purposes, and that "the excellency of the power'? may be seen to belong to Him, without whose divine aid all the efforts of human skill and human power must avail nothing. Having made these few preliminary remarks, as introductory of the business now before them, and as they were favoured with the attendance of the Rev. Mr. Cox, and the Rev. Mr. Hoby, from the parent society, in order to present them with the latest accounts of the progress of the mission, he now begged to call on Mr. Cox to address them, to whom, hẹ felt persuaded, they would listen with great pleasure.

had placed him, whether exalted, or comparatively mean, he felt the obligation of devoting his labours, whether few or many, to this important object. He recognized too, the encouragements given in the Bible to perseverance in those labours, under the persuasion that they would not be lost, but that where the motives are pure and scriptural, those labours should, in the end, whatever obstacles were opposed to them, be productive of the most important bene-ed with the translations effected by the fits to the human race. The Christian recognizing, moreover, in these exertions, the means sanctioned by heaven for the fulfilment of the divine promises in communicating the benefits of revelation to the nations now sitting in darkness, and in the region of the shadow of death, could not but unite to the most delightful anticipations of success his own active exertions in the cause. None, therefore, who felt properly interested in all that was truly valuable in society, could possibly remain indifferent to the subject of missions at large. Having stated this, he took the liberty of remarking, that, in advocating the cause of that one mission, to which more particularly their attention was invited this evening, they were, in fact, advocating the cause of missions generally. For himself (and he could say the same for his friends near him) they would feel the utmost reluctance, in recommending the cause of this mission, were there any ground for thinking that, by so doing, the interest of any other would be compromised. But the case was otherwise. By advocating its interests, they advocated (as he conceived) the interests of Christianity at large, and of all Christian missions. God had, in the exercise of a wise providence, marked out different fields of labour, and their objects being one, many blessed effects arose from this appropriation. One only he should specify, and that was, a happy degree of emulation without any of those feelings that could be termed hostility. This stimulated them all, and rendered them all in the aggregate, the means of doing more good than could be expected to arise from a more restricted union. He should only detain them a moment or two longer, while he adverted to the society the interests of which they were called upon this evening to support by their presence and aid. The proceedings of that society would be detailed more at large by the friends who surrounded him. It could not be far from the recollection of any of them, that it arose from very small beginnings, It made its way in the dark, and during that early part of its progress, accomplished much, even while nothing presented itself as a guide. Its beginnings, he had remarked, were small. They were so indeed. About thirteen pounds was the amount of the first collection, and constituted all the funds which the Baptist Mission possessed

Mr. F. A. Cox then rose and addressed' the meeting. To introduce, on an occasion like the present, (said Mr. C.), one's own personal history in the form of expressing those feelings of solicitous anxiety, which naturally agitate the mind in the situation I am in at this moment, might appear obtrusive, but I must bespeak your candour, while I represent the deep sense I cherish of the importance of the duty I am called upon to discharge this evening, in advocating a cause so interesting in itself, so vast in its extent, so mighty in its operations, and which has attracted so powerfully the attention of the religious world. Even the holy angels, who rejoice at the penitence of one sinner, must surely look down with peculiar interest and joy on such a meeting as the present, and if I am betrayed on this occasion, into language indicative of warmth, of zeal, and even of enthusiasm, I have only to say, in my own vindication, "On such a theme 'twere impious to be calm."

Before an enlightened assembly like that which Mr. C. saw around him, he deemed it unnecessary to expatiate on the general

general proceedings from their commence-operation. The accounts from that station, ment to the present hour, he might venture where those venerable men, Carey, and to say, had been unostentatious. It had Marshman, and Ward resided, could not not so much sought, as attracted, notice. fail of affording peculiar gratification to all It had not come forward ostentatiously to who read the statements of their continued solicit patronage, but had received it; and zeal, persevering diligence, unwearied acmen of distinction and high eminence in the tivity, and glorious success. Calcutta was world, had felt it their duty, honour, and a most interesting station, and he was happy privilege, to lend their aid to so great and to say, that there the junior missionaries noble a cause. were co-operating in the same great and glorious cause. In the month of March, 1821, the new chapel was opened for English worship. The cost of it was about £3000, and nearly the whole expense had been defrayed on the spot. A few miles from Serampore, there was a missionary station, where religious worship had been renewed with exceedingly good effect; and oh how interesting the intelligence, that there were several soldiers there, deeply impressed! How interesting to reflect, that soldiers, whose habits indispose them, when in their native country, to attend public worship, had, on these distant shores, heard the word of life, and drunk of the cup of salvation presented there by our faithful missionaries. Yes, they had tasted there of the sweetness of that cup, which they had dashed from their lips while in England, and were now enjoying the delightful influence of the truth of the gospel.

Mr. Cox proceeded to detail, at considerable length, the labours of the mission in the preaching of the gospel, the establishment of schools, and the translation of the Scriptures. We can only furnish a brief outline of his detail. He commenced with India. The church at Dinagepore consisted of seventy-two members. A member had been recently added, and it is still increasing. Mr. Fernandez writes, that Idolatry is declining, and many of the temples hastening to ruin. This came from the very spot-was, therefore, authentic and important, because it presented an instance of the success of those efforts in which they had all engaged, and were concerned to be still more actively engaged. He should not trouble them by dwelling on individual stations, yet there was one he must not pass over in Jessore. There Mr. Thomas, and five native missionaries, whose names it was unnecessary to repeat, and who assisted him, travelled from village to village, in order to circulate the Scriptures, and to impart divine truth. By recent accounts, they learnt that, in two months only, four and fifty villages had been visited in this manner, and the people every where cherish and express an interest in the reception of the word of God, and in the labours of our faithful missionaries. On a late occasion of an Hindoo festival, it was calculated that two hundred thousand persons were assembled. Mr. Leonard being absent from the station at the moment, one of his family adopted the resolution of distributing Bibles and Tracts, and circulated them as far as possible. He engaged five days successively in this great work; and on the first day only, distributed three thousand to willing multitudes; and these would go, like faithful missionaries, where others could not go, to preach in the silent and solitary hour, and to appeal to men without the passions of men, to present to them the faithful word of God in all its purity, to insinuate themselves into their families, their neighbourhoods, and villages, and send them from those idols, to a feast of fat things, full of marrow-to wines on the lees well refined to the feast of the gospel-to that table of mercy, overspread with all the rich productions of the paradise of God, and to enjoy which, these Bibles were sent them, that they might eat and drink, and

live for ever.

Serampore, and its missions, were in full

VOL. VIII.

After noticing the labours of several missionaries in the distribution of the Scriptures and Tracts, with the establishment of schools in different parts, Mr. Cox proceeded to give some account of the progress of the TRANSLATIONS. Though, at the present moment, they had no very precise additional information, the probability was, that there were now twenty-one translations of the New Testament, completed and published. Five, of the whole Bible, had long been in circulation. But upon this subject, it was painful to him to add, that no less than fourteen translations had been discontinued for want of funds. This had induced the British and Foreign Bible Society, to devote the sum of £2000 to the carrying on of these translations; yet he could not but feel deeply concerned, that the work should still be suspended. However, four of these tronslations had pro bably, by this time, been given over to other societies, who probably would be enabled, in their zeal and love, to carry them forward. While adverting to the subject of translations, he could not but be reminded of a sentence in Carey's first letter of the 26th or 27th of January, 1794. It was as follows: "22nd January. Began the translation of Genesis." 27th, he says, This day finished the first chapter of Genesis. Now these circumstances might appear very trivial at first view, but he could not but recommend them as highly meriting consideration. At the glorious period of the Reformation, Luther, Melancthon, and

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other distinguished individuals that were engaged in translating the Sciptures into German, kept a day every year to commemorate the completing of the translation. He (Mr. C.) should not object, were the ladies and gentlemen of Liverpool, or any other place, to unite in keeping a day in commemoration of this important work. The fact was delightful to the contemplation of every pious mind, and would be looked back to, in succeeding ages, to the end of time. Yes, it was an event which the records of India would continue to recount, when succeeding missionaries were no more, and the remembrance of which could never be forgotten, while that country remained, and while human beings existed in it. He would not dwell in terms of panegyric on living men, though thus distinguished; yet, must just advert to that point to which the chairman had alludedthe low origin of the distinguished Carey. Yes; so, indeed, was the fact. He was no more, originally, than a shoemaker, or rather a cobler, by trade. But what then? It was a consideration that involved, not him only, but the cause in which he had engaged; and was of importance in shewing what God could accomplish, and how he could adapt means, in our estimation, the most unlikely, to the promotion of his own great designs. Reflecting upon this, they probably would often revert to the facts, with peculiar sentiments of grateful feeling to that Providence, which had raised Carey, not to an imperial diadem-not to the sway of a sceptre-not to the dominion | of the east, but to be an evangelist—a | preacher of the everlasting gospel—a translator of the Scriptures, which is "the highest style of man!"

those unhallowed fires-had beheld the ashes of a once burning, blazing, pestilential superstition. But from those very spots whence sanguinary offerings to false deities once ascended, now the songs of Zion ascended-the strains of the new Jerusalem; and the time approached when, he had no doubt, every land would be overspread with Christian temples-resound with Christian songs be irradiated with Christian light, and “the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ."

Not wishing to weary their patience, he must pass over some other considerations, and hasten to a close. He could not help calling the period in which we live, a second reformation, but with this improvement, that, whereas, in the reformation that occurred three hundred years ago, a few individuals only took the lead, and diffused light around them; now a thousand lights emit their splendour, and shine around us with concentrated effulgence; and one could not go into any town, or stand on any platform, where we did not see the lights of the world blending their energies in the common cause of Christianity. Though circumstantially different,they are essentially one,identically the same in principle. Their object in the Society, whose cause he was advocating, was not the bringing over countries to the mere profession of Christianity, but to make real Christians—not to establish sects, but to circulate the word of God; and this object it was, that rendered this country so pre-eminent. Pre-eminent it was, indeed, in many other respects. It was so, as the land from which military prowess had so extended itself, in which respect it might be called, the Athens of the Reluctant as he was, to weaken the im-world-the Thermopile of the world; but, pression of the preceding facts by further remarks, Mr. Cox could not but notice, that, though they had seen how much had been accomplished, much yet remained to be done. There was yet a spacious field to be occupied. Empires were yet to be gained -nations still to be born. The light of evangelical truth had touched on a few lands; they had become interesting already -not for their picturesque scenery, but the state of their population. The light would increase. The sun had risen, and who should stop its course? Deplorable as was the state of the world, delightful was the prospect of its amelioration-delightful, because it was certain; and certain, because it was predicted. There was a period when cruel superstition sat enthroned on Britain. Mr. C. had seen, in interesting Cornwall, the remains of that unhallowed superstition, of which they had so often heard; but it was the remains only. He had seen their preparations for sanguinary offerings, but in ruins. He had seen how the light of the gospel had extinguished

viewed as the centre whence the word of God had emanated, it should be considered as the Jerusalem of the earth. But it was lamentable, after all, that we should be so distinguished. As a patriot, he might rejoice in this; but as a Christian, it was a matter of grief to him, and he should rather rejoice in the day, when England should not be exclusively, or peculiarly distinguished for Bible, Missionary, and Tract Societies. He wished to see it, in these respects, equalled, and if possible, surpassed, by other nations of the earth. It was such societies as these, that rendered it a privilege to be an inhabitant of the earth, small as it was, in comparative magnitude with many of the mighty orbs that roll over our heads, yet great in moral glory-resplen dent in moral light and truth, and worthy of attracting the notice of celestial spirits, for here was that cause going on, in which the glory of God, and the welfare of the universal world, were involved. In fine, he anticipated the day, when every enemy of the truth should be brought to yield be