thought, which as a common right themselves assume, and who cannot be of their opinion against common sense, and the common reason of mankind. If a man were to express his sense as to this matter, in a solemn prayer to God, would he not say, "Lord, let me rather be the most monstrous, deformed creature, in external shape, that ever was produced in this world; only let me have in me a right, nor give me up to a reprobate mind.' What can we conceive more essential to man than these two things, reason and love; but both these are abandoned and lost in those men whose character has been given. Their reason and love do, at least, suffer the highest violation together. They believe themselves, and they would have all others believe, against the common reason and sense of men; and are become haters of mankind, if they do not fall in with their absurd sentiments, and become subservient to their cursed designs."*

It may, indeed, be objected to these statements, that they are matters of history, with which the Catholic church of the present day has nothing to do; and that many of her members in the present day, as well as in past ages, have lamented if not disavowed the bloody and

Howe's sermon on "Deliverance from the Power of Darkness."

heartless persecutions, of which she has
been guilty. It must be granted, too,
that the diffusion of knowledge, and the
maintenance of political rights, with the
various civil associations that trade and
commerce supply, have had a great ten-
dency to soften down some of the cruel
asperities of the Romish faith. But
while we grant this, and would willingly
grant much more,-especially on the
score of personal piety and excellence of
character, we ask whether the Roman
church does not still maintain its infalli
bility, its immutability, its dominion over
the consciences of men, its alliance with
the secular power, and consequently its
right to punish disobedience by pro-
scription, by confiscation, by banish-
ment, and by death? If all this cannot
be denied, then while we exhibit such a
fearful record of the past, in this perse-
cuting church, we may warn some, where
warning may be needful, to
"beware,
lest ye also, being led away with the
error of the wicked, fall from your own
stedfastness." Say, therefore, in full
dependence on Divine mercy, with our
devout poet:

"Should all the forms that men devise,
Assault my faith with treacherous art,
I'd call them vanity and lies,
And bind the Gospel to my heart."

LETTER OF THE LATE MRS.

To the Editor of the

MR. EDITOR,-The following original letter of that eminently devoted missionary, Mrs. Judson, to my late beloved wife, has been read with great interest by many. If you think it will be acceptable to your numerous readers, it will afford me a mournful pleasure to see their names thus united in your excellent miscellany.

W. C. L.

Herne Bay, Aug. 26, 1839.

"Rangoon, July 20, 1813. "MY DEAR MRS. LOVELESS,-The anxiety you manifested for my safety and health when we parted, induces me to embrace an early opportunity to gratify your feelings by informing you of occurrences during the voyage and arrival at Rangoon. I was taken ill soon

JUDSON TO MRS. LOVELESS.
Evangelical Magazine.

after our embarkation with alarming appearances, occasioned by the shock my frame and feelings received in witnessing the sudden death of the unhappy woman with us. I took my bed immediately after our good friend, Mr. Blair, left us, to which I was confined for several days, and was reduced to a state of great weakness. I began to recover, and was strongly inclined to think I should escape the unhappy effects which my first illness had threatened. But a storm came on before I was entirely recovered, which, together with contrary winds, occasioned so much motion of the vessel, that my illness returned with renewed force, and again obliged me to take my couch, which I never left until our arrival. I suffered much, but all my sufferings were mixed with mercies. I

had no medicines which I dared to take, no physician, and no attendant but Mr. Judson. I felt myself near the gates of death, and thought it probable I should find a watery grave. The idea of leaving a life of toil, hardship, and suffering,and entering on a state of perfect holiness and happiness, divested death of its terrors, and caused it to wear a pleasing aspect. But the thought of leaving my dear Judson alone in this thorny wilderness, was exquisitely painful. Rest and quiet seemed the only thing which could afford relief, and this, it appeared impossible to obtain. But our heavenly Father did not leave us to sink in this distressing state, but turned our darkness into light. In the height of my sickness, and when the sea was most violent, our Captain discovered that we were near the Andaman Islands, and in no way could we escape being driven on to them except by entering a narrow channel which is between two of them. We were in much danger, but to this providence I impute, in part, my release from death, as we were immediately in smooth water, and the force of the wind was broken by the islands. But, my dear Mrs. Loveless, though our heavenly Father has seen fit to afflict, he has not suffered us to be cast down or discouraged. We never were so sensible of his faithfulness, his paternal care and protection, as in our late voyage; and we can still testify that there is no God like our God: none so worthy of our highest love and confidence. The Captain was extremely kind, and did every thing in his power to make us comfortable. Our good friends, Messrs. Strachan and Mortlock, know not how much they contributed to our comfort on our passage, by the wine and candles they kindly put up for us, as we had neither of them at our command on board. We were not detained at the Nicobar islands as we expected to have been, contrary winds prevented our making them. We arrived July 13, after a passage of three weeks. I felt much dejected the first night we arrived in view of our gloomy prospects, and my weak state of health. I did not go on shore till the next morning, as there was no method of conveyance but a horse which I was not able to ride. The only method of conveyance that was finally procured, was an arm chair through which they put two bamboos, and four of the natives carried me.

Weak and dejected as I was, I could

not but smile at this mode of conveyance, and the ludicrous appearance I made. We were politely received on the shore by Mrs. Stephen's brothers and other European gentlemen. When I had ascended the stairs which lead into the town, the bearers set me down under a shade, when the natives crowded around me having seldom seen an English female. Some of the females came very near, and with smiling countenances looked under my bonnet. I looked up and smiled at their innocent curiosity, at which they set up a loud laugh. I was next carried to the custom-house, a small open place much like a native bazaar. There were seated on mats a number of officers who treated us very politely. One of them asked liberty for a native woman to search me, to which I readily consented. I was again taken up by the bearers to be carried to the missionhouse, when the crowd gave a general shout. These novel scenes quite enlivened my spirits, and made me almost forget that I was in a heathen land. The mission-house is large and comfortable, made entirely of teak wood, consequently it is very dry, though this is the rainy season. We were disappointed in not finding Mr. Carey at home. He had been ordered up to the capital a few days before we arrived. The reason assigned by the king, to inoculate for the kine pox. I think it probable we shall all continue here, though we must suffer many privations. Mr. Judson thinks this a most important missionary station, and just such an one as he has always wished to be in. I have never scen him so happy since he left America as he is now. My health is almost perfectly restored, and to-morrow we commence the study of the language. Oh, that God will bless us, preserve us in safety here, and make us useful to the poor Burmans! We long for the society of dear Christian friends, but to this privation we must submit, until it please God to raise up some among the natives.

"As it respects our food, we get along comfortably. It is true we have no bread, but our biscuits are yet very good. We have not yet attempted to make bread, as they have no place to bake. When Mr. Carey comes, we shall have an oven built. We are very happy through the day, but when night comes, I am filled with distressing apprehensions of thieves the furious mob, and a thousand horrid scenes, my imagination pic

tures. I do not know that we have much reason to fear, though there are frequent robberies and murders committed. I fancy, however, time and further acquaintance with this people will entirely erase such feelings.

"I need make no apology for writing so long a letter. I have been thus particular because you desired it, and have written every thing I think any ways in

teresting to you. Do, my dear Mrs. L., write me every opportunity, animate and encourage me in my lonely situation. With best respects to Mrs. Loveless, and love to the children,

"I am, my dear Mrs. Loveless,
"Your affectionate,

"N. JUDSON." P.S.-The butter and jellies kept perfectly good, and are now quite luxuries.

sermon

My friend thinks there is frequently a great sameness between the "introductory discourse," and what the young minister says, when he states his reasons for wishing to exercise his ministry among Congregational Dissenters; and, therefore, that there might be an alteration here, tending to edification. But he enlarged principally on the " to the church and congregation," and remarked very truly, that this was generally delivered when the attention of the hearers was quite exhausted, and when many of the constant attendants on sabbath days must necessarily be absent. The remedy suggested was, that the sermon" to the people,' should be preached on the Lord's-day following the ordination, and that the newly ordained pastor should rest on that holy day; this would be a great and profitable relief to the young minister, who has been feeling aright on the sacred morn of his ordination vows; and would leave (for the blessing of the great Redeemer would be there) deep and lasting impressions on the whole of his charge. Neighbouring congregations would know of such an arrangement, nor would the pastor and his people be forgotten in their prayers. I have frequently heard of " special meetings for prayer at the place where an ordination was to be solemnized; and I lately heard of such a meeting being held by a sister church in the vicinity, which created a pious

interest for the youth about to be set apart to the pastorate, and for the people who had chosen him to take the oversight of them; and I would most earnestly recommend this practice to Christian churches generally. All our ministers and congregations will be blessed more than they have been, if, by any means, they are brought to feel a deeper and permanent interest in each other's prosperity." They shall prosper that love thee, O Zion!"

Here allow me to introduce a paragraph from a letter, which I have lately received from a venerable and most honoured minister, who was among the first of the revered William Roby's students:

"I feel much, very much, for the rising ministry amongst us: I wish that with all the other advantages our young friends have at our academies, more could be done for them, to preserve and increase their piety. I have been much distressed by observing how soon, after going to an academy, young men lose that simplicity which adorned their character, and much of that piety by which they had been distinguished.

The Lord in mercy preserve all our young friends! I feel much interest in your dear nephew, (a student,) and am glad he is with you for a few weeks. I have no doubt but you will take every proper opportunity of warning him and cautioning him in these matters. I hope he will become a good minister of Jesus Christ; whose whole aim shall be to preach for Christ, and for souls, and he may be assured he will be blessed, and made a blessing."

Yours truly, &c.

August 21,

LESS THAN THE LEAST. 1839.

How sweet, from crowded throngs,
Zion, ascend thy songs,

With choral swell through echoing aisles!
Where breth'ren breth'ren meet,
Those songs rise doubly sweet,
From humbler rooms or loftier piles.

But here, not made with hands,
A nobler temple stands :

Here 'mid thy works, O God! we bow,
Where all around, above,

Proclaims thy power, thy love;
Oh! tune our hearts to praise thee now.

We bless thy gracious care
For many a house of prayer,
Where saints may meet with conscience free,
To keep the simple rites,

In which thy church delights, And, unforbidden, wait on thee.

But now, beneath the sky,

We raise our songs on high, To Him who gave all nature birth; While the free air wafts round To distant vales the sound,Praise to the Lord of heaven and earth.

So to the mountain air

The Saviour breathed his prayer;
So 'mid green hills or deserts rude,
The poor he meekly taught,
And gracious wonders wrought,
Or fed the famished multitude.

So did apostles teach;

So did our Whitefield preach;

These hills have heard his fervent prayer: Oh let the saving word

Throughout our land be heard,

Free as the light, and open as the air.

The ENGLISHMAN'S GREEK CONCORDANCE of the NEW TESTAMENT.

B. Wertheim.

THIS work adds another valuable help to the many facilities which have of late years been afforded to the critical study of the New Testament.

The amount of this assistance may, perhaps, at the first glance, be undervalued ; but we think that a little consideration will convince the reader that the volume before us, though simple and unpretending, is of a character essentially useful, that it in fact precisely meets the greatest evil connected with the existing state of our Lexicons of the Greek Testament, and provides for it the fittest, we had almost said, the only remedy.

Our best Lexicons, not only of the Greek Testament, but of the classical languages generally, are either translations from the German, or at all events derived from a German origin. But unfortunately a love of subtle distinctions seem to be inherent in the German mind, and hence works that are admirable for the labour and learning

which they display, have been overloaded with much that is superfluous, and obscured by much that is frivolous and trifling. We lay it down as a principle, that each single word in a language is originally the representative of a single idea. Its other

uses

are secondary; either metaphorical, derivative, or the results of a change of signification gradually and insensibly effected in the lapse of centuries. Hence it would seem to follow, that it is the first business of a lexicographer to interpret each word by a single corresponding word, which shall represent its primitive meaning. The variations from that meaning are anomalies, which he should treat as such, showing how they have been produced, and in the case of changes effected by time tracing those changes by apt quotations from a succession of standard authors. Our lexicons generally have been formed upon an opposite plan, their compilers appearing to have considered each Greek or Latin word, to be strictly synonymous with every English word, by which it may, under any circumstances, be conveniently rendered. In Lexicons embracing the en