On Wednesday morning, at seven o'clock, a prayer-meeting was held, to implore the divine blessing on the institution. At eleven o'clock, the Rev. J. Clayton, A.M., preached from Acts xi. 13, 14. At three o'clock the annual meeting of the institution was held; when Thomas Piper, Esq., the treasurer, was called to the chair; and the meeting was addressed by the Rev. Messrs. Bull, Clayton, Castleden, Gilbert, Harry, Morris, Spencer, Wayne, and Wilkins; also by Henry Bateman, and John Foster, Esqrs. An appeal on behalf of this valuable institution will shortly be made to the religious public, as its annual income is nearly two hundred pounds below its expenditure. KENT ASSOCIATION. The Forty-eigth Annual Meeting of the Kent Congregational Association will be held (D.v.) at Greenwich Tabernacle, on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 9th and 10th. The Rev. Samuel Raban, of Marden, will preach on Tuesday evening; service to commence at seven o'clock. The Rev. Benjamin Slight, of Tunbridge Wells, will preach on Wednesday morning; service to commence at eleven o'clock. The annual public meeting will be held on Wednesday evening; chair to be taken at half-past six; when the report for the past year will be presented, and the general business of the association transacted. The ministers are requested to meet on Wednesday morning, at nine o'clock. The Annual Meeting of the Kent Auxiliary to the London Missionary Society will be held at Ebenezer Chapel, Chatham, on Monday evening, the 8th; and that of the Kent Union Society, for the relief of aged and infirm ministers, and widows and orphans of ministers deceased, will be held at Greenwich, on Tuesday afternoon. Chair will be taken at four o'clock. GLOUCESTERSHIRE CHRISTIAN UNION. A society was formed in the county of Gloucester in 1836, denominated the Gloucestershire Christian Union. Its nature and objects will best be understood by quoting its first two rules:-1. "That all ministers holding the doctrines of the Trinity-atonement by the death of Christthe necessity of the Holy Spirit's influence to renew and sanctify the sinner-and the immutable obligation of the moral law as the rule of their conduct, shall be eligible as members of this society." 2. "That the objects of this society be the personal improvement of its members both as Christians and ministers-the promotion of bro therly kindness and charity among themselves and their churches-the interchange of friendly offices, and the general diffusion of the gospel, especially within the limits of the county." The immediate object of this communication is to notice a highlyimportant arrangement which was fully completed at the last meeting of this society. For this purpose I quote an extract from a circular which was addressed by the secretary to each member of the union:"At the last meeting of the Gloucestershire Christian Union the important subject of out-door preaching in the towns and villages of the county was introduced. You may be aware that in London, South Devon, Worcester, Lincolnshire, &c., efforts of this order have been made with very great success and it has been thought that by such a union as our own such a plan might be advantageously pursued. It was suggested at the last meeting that the county should be divided into sections, and that two brethren, a Baptist and Independent, should be appointed to visit each section during the out-door preaching season. By this means it was hoped thousands who never hear the gospel, might be brought under its joyful sound, and, by the Divine blessing, a happy revival effected." A circular was addressed also to the congregations of the ministers composing the union, calling upon them for their aid in this good work. A meeting of the society was held at Stroud in February last, when 27 ministers were present. Letters were received from several of the members who were unable to attend, but who stated that they were ready to co-operate with their brethren in their endeavours to carry out the proposed plan. A map of the county divided into sections was laid before the meeting, and ere the brethren separated, each section had its two labourers appointed to it, with an understanding that at some suitable period during the summer the intended sphere of labour should be occupied. An application was made to the Religious Tract Society for a grant of tracts, to which the committee liberally responded, with an expression of the pleasure they felt at learning that the ministers of Gloucestershire had united for such a holy purpose. Thirty-eight ministers stand at present connected with the society, and several others, it is expected, will speedily unite. It is hoped that this statement will lead to the formation of similar unions in other counties, and that the brethren of the different denominations will unite for the diffusion of the gospel amongst the more neglected part of our population. W. J. CROSS, Secretary. General Chronicle. A LETTER from Shagdur, the Siberian convert, to Dr. Morison and those in his congregation by whom he is supported as a Native Teacher. Ona, March 4th, 1839. My dear Sir, About fifteen months ago our friend Shagdur wrote you a letter, which I forwarded with a short postscript from myself. It would have been gratifying and encouraging to this brother if a line of acknowledgment had been sent him. Perhaps upon the receipt of this, you will have the kindness, either directly to myself, or through Mr. Ellis, to acknowledge it, and add a word in the spirit of the precept, "Encourage him." With much esteem, and with cordial wishes and humble prayers for your comfort and prosperity in the work of our common Lord, I remain, my dear sir, Yours, very sincerely and faithfully, WILLIAM SWAN. (Translation.) To my fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, beloved in Christ Jesus and become as branches of the tree, the members of the respected Dr. Morison's congregation. The I Shagdur, once lost but now found, once dead but now alive, send salutations, bowing, and wishing you prosperity. Truly the power of God Jehovah of Hosts is infinite, and his mercy toward men is great. power and grace of Christ are wonderful. He still makes the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the lame to walk, the diseased to be whole, the dead to live, casts out devils, and gives the tormented peace and liberty. Thus has Christ, in his mercy, saved sinful me. Ah, what a salvation! what blessedness! To whom shall I make this known? and who, hearing of it, will give praise to Christ? To them who worship idols, who are given up to drunkenness and all manner of sin, who fill their habitations with revelling, scorning and contempt (of the truth)? Ah no! not now, but afterwards they too may hear. You, however, my brothers and sisters, who belong to the flock of Christ, will give thanks for me, and pray for me, while I write a few things of myself. If a tree of the forest, by the summer beats, or by a wasting fire, or any such cause, should be blasted and wither away, how wonderful it would be should it again begin to put forth leaves and become a living tree! So wonderful has been the mercy of God displayed towards me, who was truly like a blasted tree; a sinner against God, without a thought about Christ; a poor idolater. Whence then this mercy? My brethren help me to praise God for it. We cannot now meet; but there is a great river to cross, and beyond it a golden gate; when we have crossed the river and entered through the gate into the city, we shall meet, and unite in praising, and be perfectly blessed. Whence was it that Christ's dear servants, the missionaries, came to Siberia, and made this known to me and others, before the silver cord was loosed, or the golden bowl was broken, or the pitcher was broken at the fountain? Ah! while I live, may I continue cleaving to Christ, and may his service be my chosen delight. To you who assist me in giving my little and weak service to Him, by sending money for my use, I offer my thanks. It is not, however, for my good merely, my beloved brethren and sisters do this, but that the Saviour's name may be magnified among my kindred according to the flesh; and that this may be effected, may Jehovah, the God of heaven and earth, give his blessing. But shall I now say that, assisted by the money you send, I am engaged without ceasing in the work of Christ? Alas! I come far short. Yet, from time to time, I go among my brethren, distributing the word of God, and this I count my happy work. I sometimes meet with opposition, contempt, and illtreatment, even as Christ forewarned his disciples. Were I to meet with the praise of men, and nothing but encouragement and approbation, that would create suspicion and make me wonder that Christ's words were not verified. But oh, his words are true and wherever his truth is made known, it will be opposed and his servants persecuted. I now wish to acquaint you with some of my engagements. I have just returned from a tour of twenty days, having been employed in distributing God's holy book. I shall now write something of what occurred. At one hut I stayed five days; during that time many friends were coming and going. I gave away a number of books, and conversed about the things of God, testifying and reasoning about the vanity of idols. One old man spoke thus, "Friend, where is God? These men-made gods are here; but the God made known in your books, where is He?" I said, "Dear friend, there is no place where God is not; He fills all things; He is the perfection of all living existence. He is the Creator, the Giver, the Lord of all; but this God you do not worship, and to things of human workmanship you bow down." On my saying this, the old man, looking upwards said, "O God, look upon me, bless me with this thy book," and approaching a book that was lying near bowed to it. He then said, "Is this God you tell us of, He who has given to me a son in my old age, and made the heart of my wife and my own heart to rejoice?" I said, "It is He." "Well, friend," answered he, "please give my son a new name.' I told him it would be vain for him to offer up prayer to the idols which were in his tent on behalf of his son or any of his friends; but told him that he must, in the name of the great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, seek the forgiveness of his sins and leave off all evil." "What is sin ?" said he. I repeated and explained the Ten Commandments, adding many words, to which he listened with attention. After saying "mendy," I went away. At At another tent, where I spent the night, we continued till past midnight in conversation. The tent was full of people. I began at the history of Adam and Eve, and continuing the sacred narrative downwards, they heard with great interest. An old man who caught the meaning of every thing very quickly, explained and made observations to the others as I proceeded. another tent I found a woman whose son could read; her husband was from home; I gave the boy a copy of the Psalms, and entered into conversation with his mother about her idols, the true God, and the way of salvation. There were idols set up in their tent, but the husband, I learned, was a Shaman. The woman while we were conversing, rose up and began to prostrate herself before the idols, then turning towards me, she said, "Please put your God's book on my head and bless me with it," adding, "what should we do to be freed from this sinful way?" meaning their Shaman worship. I said, "Do not worship a man like yourself; do not trust in man at all." While I was saying this, as I had not at her request, blessed her with the book, she took it and put it to her forehead herself. After endeavouring to show her the truth, I departed. At another tent we spent five days, and there it was a pleasant time. The master of the tent said, "I wish to be always engaged in worshipping God. I have long been unwell, and may not have long to live, I am much afraid of death, for all my prospects beyond it are darkness; but to hear of the true God is very comforting to my heart." Then addressing his wife and children, he said, "Do you understand these things?-Think of them." His wife said, "No; because if we worship the true God we shall have to forsake our idols; and would not that be bad?" The man said, "Not at all; if these idols are no gods, to : forsake them is no matter. I have worshipped them many years, yet find no peace." One day this man entering the tent with a smile on his face, his wife asked him what he had seen and wished to know what made him laugh. Looking up to heaven, he said, "My heart is glad you nor any one else can know my heart, but I know it. To worship the true God and obtain his forgiveness, is not this a great thing?" When some of his relatives and friends came into his tent, he said to them, "Hear from this friend about God; listen to his word." They, however, did not care to hear, and asked their friend, "If he also wished to be of this religion? if his own gods were bad?" He said to them, "If I believe in the true God and worship him, I will be afraid of no man, and will neither conceal it nor be ashamed of it; do not mock me." Although this person may not yet have a right ap prehension of the faith of Christ, he seemed to be very decided in his own mind as to which was the true religion, and in his resolution to follow it. At another tent, one man was very violent against me, saying, "When you are dead the dogs will devour your body; who then will save you? are all the gods and ongoons (spirits worshipped by the Shamans) bad?" I answered, "Friend, I revile no one; but these idols themselves, if they could speak, would testify against you and say, People, do not worship us! we are the workmanship of men's hands, and by God's true commandments it is forbidden to worship images." I said also to the man, "Do not think of what will become of my body, but think about what will become of your own precious soul; where will it go? You should be concerned about this." He said, "Well, you speak truth; if the soul is to live for ever, the present time and all its possessions are of no importance. I think if I should hear this word often, my heart would become soft;" and then saying "mendy," he went away. Ah, my friends, while I write of these my brethren, I seem to see them clearly before me; and I wonder if they shall be saved or lost. God is omnipotent, and his word shall not return to him void. For this unite in prayer to Him. And so I bid farewell to my brothers and sisters of whom I have heard through my dear friends, Mr. and Mrs. Swan. I remain, a partaker of Christ's grace, Your assisted friend, 12th day of the middle month of winter, 1839. MUSSULMAN MOSQUE NEAR BERHAMPORE. THE following notice of a peculiarly interesting fact in relation to this Mohammedan temple, with the just and impressive reflections of which it forms the occasion, has been received from one of the Missionaries of the Society, stationed at Berhampore, in the north of India : "The Mussulman mosque or temple, of which the above is a representation, is situated at a populous place called Chuna Kalee, about six miles north-east from Berhampore. When preaching in the neighbourhood, a Missionary inquired to whom it belonged, and a shabbily-dressed young man was pointed out as the proprietor. The only part of his dress, seemingly worth sixpence, was a piece of coarse red flannel carelessly thrown over his shoulders; and even of this he was divested when the Missionary saw him next day. Altogether he did not appear to possess property more than sufficient to afford him a bare subsistence. The Missionary entered into conversation with him. His father, he said, had built the mosque, and salaried for its service a reader or expounder of the Mohammedan ceremonies, and a crier, whose business it was to announce five times a day to the people, the hour of prayer. Since his father's death, this poor Mussulman youth has contributed to the support of the two functionaries thus employed four rupees a month, that is, two shillings a week, which he constantly pays towards the maintenance of what he conceives to be the religion of God. "The Missionary conceives it to be his duty to endeavour to give publicity to this interesting fact among the followers of Jesus, who generously contribute towards the spread of the Gospel throughout the world; and he accompan.es it with the preceding sketch, that they may compare their own liberality with that manifested by the poor follower of the false prophet. Shall Mussulmans excel Christians in self-denial, and devotedness to what they respectively conceive to be the cause of God? Oh, let it not be said! Mussulmans believe-at least all with whom the Missionary has conversed-that all their liberality, fastings, and prayers, cannot exempt them from the punishment of sin; that all their exertions to avoid temptation, to resist sin, to obtain the intercession of Mohammed, to live a holy life, and to secure the favour of God, will not prevent Hadjraël* from beating them at death with iron clubs until they confess their sins; after which they believe they will be sent to hell to suffer adequate punishment for their transgressions, and all their failures in duty. And yet with the prospect of enduring the pains of hell for a longer or shorter period before entering heaven, this young deluded Mussulman devotes a large part, perhaps one-fifth, of his whole property to the support of his religion. Oh, let Christians blush, who profess to believe that "there is now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus," and yet consider they have done their duty, when they have given only of their superfluities to the cause of the Redeemer, and never denied themselves a single comfort of life for the sake of those who are perishing for lack of knowledge!" DESTITUTE CHURCH AT HANOVER STATION, BERBICE. WHEN the Directors received the deeply distressing intelligence of the death of their devoted brethren in Berbice, the Rev. John Wray and the Rev. James Howe, it became their duty to bring the state of the churches and congregations, left destitute by these afflictive bereavements, under the notice of their brethren of the ministry in England, and to invite communications from any amongst them suitably qualified to act as successors to those honoured servants of Christ whose names have been just mentioned. As the result of the appeal then made, the Rev. H. S. Seaborn and the Rev. James Edwards resigned their pastoral charges in this country, and went forth to break the bread of life to the flocks in Berbice, whose circumstances at that time made so strong a claim on the sympathy and self-denying compassion of the British Churches. Mr. Edwards entered into the labours of the departed Howe in June 1838, delighted with the prospects that lay before him among the affectionate, generous, docile, and pious people of Hanover. But at an early period he was grieved to find that his constitution was not adapted to the climate of the country, and that he could cherish but little hope of being able to continue there for any lengthened period. The apprehensions felt on this head were speedily confirmed, for not more than six months elapsed when, from increasing indisposition, he found that no alternative remained but that of abandoning his delightful field of labour and returning to his native country. Mr. Edwards has arrived in England and the station at Hanover is again destitute. With respect to the general character and condition of the people, the amount of duty which would devolve on a Christian pastor labouring among them, the prospects of eminent and peculiar usefulness by which he would be encouraged to the exercise of his best and holiest energies,—on these and other points of inquiry, full and explicit information will be readily supplied, in connexion with the object of the present statement. Ministers of Christ are now earnestly invited to consider the strong claims of this destitute church and congregation on their personal devotement and consecration, and from any whom the Lord may graciously dispose to go forth on the mission of love and mercy, thus opened in his providential arrangements, the Directors will be happy to receive communications. In justice to Mr. Edwards and their own feelings, the Directors cannot close the present appeal without bearing honourable testimony to his character as a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ; nor can they omit to declare their full conviction that nothing but the cause already stated led him to relinquish the important post in Berbice, on which he had so recently entered. This testimony is amply corroborated in the sentiments expressed with reference to Mr. Edwards by the brethren of the Berbice Mission, to whom, as well as to the people at Hanover, the Directors have rejoiced to learn he became greatly endeared during his brief stay in that country. • The Angel of Death. |