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No. 52.—— V01. If. INDIA/ ■ x- H CGIWWSHtfON OF A HINDOO, I Inconsequence of finding part of a New Tei- I lament under a tree. I JTnfi following is taken from a letter written by I the Rev. W. Reeve, Missionary at Bellary. w We extract the part of the letter, which con ,| tains the account which this converted Hindoo |X gives of himself, and a few reflections from Mr. Reeve. We are persuaded that our readers i will take great interest in this simple narrative.] [Missionary Chronicle. j 4 Let the Lord God who created the •great heaven and earth, and all things, be , greatly loved in Jesus.—To the good pleas • S ure of our compassionate guides and teach- | ’ ers: may you be blessed with grace and r .peace from the Lord Jesus and the Holy Ghost. We, the little congregation in this wish to have clearly made known to J you the troubles which we are suffering in K our low condition, from the injurious cere- S monies of caste, and the grievances brought ■ upon us by the Roman Catholicks. ■ I We having been awakened toconsider 8* ation by the warnings of our brethren, and ■ become the subjects of grace; the dark ■ ness that surrounded us being dispersed, land we having entered into the light, hope lit will be your good pleasure to listen to ’ |our complaint, and to have compassion up-j |on us. [ *As to my own private history, you must lnow,0! jnerciful teachers, that formerly ■ was what is called a fortune-teller, and Silled with Paganism. I am now 26 1-2 ■rears old. My native village is Parbanada W norum, in the country of MaUeyalum, the Kfovince of Rama Rajah. I and my family ■ere the disciples ofVishnu. My father is I Serang in the service cf the Honourable Kotnpany, and I am a servant of a European Bentleman, upon a pay of between four and Ive pagodas per month. Six years ago 1 Ktt my country, and entered into the above Hind of service. After having been travel ing about a long time, 1 came into a village Ailed Matne, and under a certain tree these Hind a book, with several other things. Hpis book contained the Gospels of Mat ■few, Mark, Luke, and John: this ccm- Hhteiy engrossed my attention, I read it Ipsely, my heart became greatly affected, ■b yielded a full assent to the truths it I Since that time I have been very anx l to see the preachers of the Gospel— * associated with the congregation of faithful, and to read and know more of j book, which is filled with my Lord’s ns. However, soon after this, I had jsion to travel about a good deal by sea. J jbr days subsequent to the close of this |>d, a Mr. Saithuma came to this coun |and 1 was engaged in his service, and Bis circumstance brought to Seringapa- I The Lord being merciful here, caus |e to meet with a congregation, but it | entirely cqmposed of persons that |p English, therefore it was impossible £e to profit.—ln this place there were ly Catholicks and many heathens, and ffe were some books printed by the rais ifftoqaries among them. These I obtained ■HKlxving the price of them ; i. e. a New Iroent, and two Tracts entitled, 4 True. m,’ and ‘ Short Prayers.’ For these thanks unto the Lord, ter some days, had elapsed, tny master commenced travelling. We went to h. In that place there were many j, but I could find none among them i Christian religion, except a few licks. I had to associate with the •ous servants, and lived quietly among for a time adoring my Lord.— lgh bis help and cultivating a peacea iposition, I formed a little agreeable cy, and endeavoured by this means se known to them the glad tidings of ion. With kind words l gave them ;tion. By this means, and by medi on the Gospel day and night, my mve me a few from among them to r brethren. But as there was no nary there to administer Baptism, oa being near that station, we sent a > request a priest to pay us a visit.— y after, 17 men, eight women, and a hildren, received the initiatory rite ling to the forms of the church of From this time we constantly met European church, and worshipped, nth all the people. Some Catholicks’ apprised of this, assembled together e purpose of disputation. But the vas with me, and enabled me to qui multitude. After this we with ooe 1 dwelt happily together. AboutJ me, five men and one woman from r the Catholicks, from frequently ng in our place of worship, were bt to unite themselves with us alto r—making in all 34 souls who became persuasiOT. These walked before ord with great faith and steadfastness, a khort time, the British troops at that i being scattered in various directions, vere separated. I and my mastet to Bombay, took shipping and pro dto Cananore. Remaining there one ind being informed that there were brethren, I went and made known to all the things that kad befallen me, my seemed pleased with the relation f little narrative.—l wished to have ined with then) a short time, but my THE MISSIONARY. GO r E INTO ALL THE WORLD , AND PREACII THE GOSPEL TO EVERT CREATURE —Jrsra Cwuw. master was in a hurry to recommence hit jtturoey,& this therefore was impracticable. But previous to my departure, John, a Catechist, gave me books; one con taining ‘ Short Prayers,’ and the other en titled, ‘The Pope’s Spectacle?.’ Coming to Seringapatam, I immediately went to my brethren, and made known all things. Shortly after this my master settled at My sore. I was grieved to find no followers of (he Gospel there with whom to associate. On this account 1 supplicated the Lord—he graciously gave ear, and raised me np a few brethren. These were 9ix heathen men, two women, and one child, in the service of Dr. S. which were ail baptized in the same manner a9 those mentioned above. Shortly after, a Homan Catholick from Capt. Gore, and three Catholick serr vauts of Col. S. together with two other heathens, frequented the house of prayer which F had built. These all, by reading our books and giving ear to instruction, became faithful and steadfast brethren. These 15 and myself live together at My sore, in peace, praising the Lord God. ‘ In April 1819, a youth amongst us wish ed to get married, and there was no means of accomplishing this without going to Madras; therefore he find eight of his re lations went thither to conclude the core I mony.—Afterwards Col S. removed to Hydrabad, and thereby three more of our brethren were obliged to take their de parture. Capt. G. became a Major, and two others went away with him to another place. Os all these 1 indulge a confidence in the Lord that they will not again associ ate with other heathens, bat endeavour wherever they go to bring more to the faith. These brethren being separated from me, l prayed to the Lord to raise up more. In those days there were under the government of Mysore, many Catho licks and heathens that could read Tamul. 1 went in anxious pursuit of them into the street of the former, and made every in quiry. At length I was informed of a man wiio had been a Catholick from his forefa thers, and who they said was accustomed to read a Tamul printed book. I soon found him out, and asked what books he bad ; to which he repffed * I have the Old and New Testament.’ I never having seen the former was very desirous to get a sight of it, and borrowed it from him. From that time great friendship subsisted between us. Many Catholicks came to me, to know the meaning of that Old Testament, and the way of our worship. By the help of the Lord I expounded this'And our other books to them iu the best manner that I was able. By frequently coming to hear, and by the goodly words that were spoken to them from time to time, at length several of them steadfastly adhefed to -the truth. A Cate chist named John, together with an Alex ander and a Paul, courageously renounced Catholickism, united with us, and became firm in the protestant faith. Then by the grace ofGoil there were nine of us. As we were in the haSit of going backwards and forwards from Mysore to Seringapatam for the purposes of publick worship—one day a few people seeing me, said, 4 We will come with you, bus we are very unlearned—there are very many of us who wish much that you would !f"";llv teach us to read.’ This circumstance lea to resolve upon The es tablishment of a Charity-school. Whilst we were engaged in teaching the children, the jealousy of the Catholicks was excited. Some of the chief among them assembling and consulting together, said, ‘ If we do not punish these people they will become ex ceedingly numerous.’ So they resolved to disgrace us. In the night ofDecember 25, 1819, they threw a shower of stones upon our chapel, and seizing the übove mention ed John, Alexander, Paul, and many others of the Catholicks that had united with us, taunted them with having become Protest ants,tied theirarms with ropes,kicked them, and beat them with their sandals. Thus with much abusive language, and with many other nameless and shameful usages, they most cruelly intreated us. ‘ Three days after! wentto Seringapatam, and made our grievances known to Messrs. KT., TANARUS., and C., and besought them, if possi ble, to put us in the way of getting redress. These and several others met to consult to gether, and afforded us much assistance, by writing a letter to the Honourable Mr. C., Resident of Mysore. I brought this to him myself, and made known to him all the persecutions that we had suffered.—Thro’ the Lord, I got justice done to the cause which I stated. Asa heathen I fell with humility prostrate at his feet, and said, ‘ Sir you know that 1 believe firmly in the Gospel, therefore kindly take cognizance of this cause—that all which i past may be for gotten—that we may no longer suffer from their abuse and interruptions, I entreat you to order them to molest us no more.’ To this he listened with attention, and spoke with much kindness iu reply. As the Catholicks were the subjects of the Mysore government, in order that the matter might be fully investigated, he sent me and them to the court of Crishna Rajah. The counselors having examined the business, found the fault to be on the side of the Catholicks, and charged them that if ever they acted in this* way again they should be sent out of the country. Aft Mr. C, soon MOUNT ZION, (HANCOCK CO. GA.) FRIDAY, MAY 25, 1821. after went to Bsfegalore, and the Catholicks not be]ng able to break this verdict, they improved the f pportuaity, and again rose up “in jo great mefltitude to abuse and perse cute. But we being- aware of Mr. C’s. absence, and seeing the great wrath of our adversaries, endeavoured to make them peaceable by speaking kindly to them, and we are now patiently praying to our Lord for deliverance. ’ If Mr. C. comes again tc Mysore, we hope he will so settle things that the Catholicks may annoy us no longer. We believe that the Lord God is with us ; and we know that the persecuting spirit of the Catholicks, tkcept indicting cruelties upon our bodieft can do nothing to our soul 9. I pray that the will of the Lord may be done both by me and my brethren. It is not our wish to tut stoned and hated by these people; bul all 1 desire is, to be able unmolested to circulate among the Gentoos and Canarese, in tieir own language, those books which a! our spiritual guides, you have sent here for distribution. I feel much compassion fpr these poor heathens, that they may brieve what God has de clared, and what my ministers haye taught, and give ear to mylnstructioos, and worship the Lord as we di. I make constant sup plications on theiiibehalf, and by kind and nSbetiosnto lrinAUi|> uociat with them night and day. - 4 I have no desire whatever to be at en mity with the Gathilicks, but if there should be any sensible men found amongst them, I would wish by kind words to represent to them the errom-s in their creed, and the had practices in thejr conduct, and to show to them clearly and orderly what is contained in the Sacred Scriptures. But to be a com panion of wicked Catholicks I have no in clination. In the name of the Lord lam resolved never, like them, to be wrathful, make wry faces, &c. &c. but rather submit patiently to them,and with a smiling coun tenance always tell the truth without fear. ‘ The Catholicks, we are told, are pri vately giving bribes, in order if possible, to prevent our having a church in this place. But the government is not in their hands. To the Lord belong the kingdom and the glory—-he will prosper what I ask at his hands. This 1 believe with all my heart. I continually entreat the merciful God to bless my ministers, teachers, and instructed, and his church, and that the heathen may be brought to unite with us. At present there are with me eight souls. There are 23 others, composed of Catholicks and hea thens, that were anticipating shortly to join us, but from the fear of our enemies they are still hanging back. I trust our God will again send success and cause them to come. 4 I have farther to add respecting myself, that my family are all still sunk in heathen ism. My parent! and brothers are people of some property and respectability. Be cause my Gcd chose me, I have no longer any part with them, hot am cast out.—They live 40 days journey distant from hence. 4 Since the time that God called me, until thi day I have never had an opportunity of being near any Opsfionaries or instructed; and because 1 did got like to receive bap tism among tle, Catholicks, God has not seen (it thal 1 should yet be bapti zed. I have beta thinking of trying to come to Bellary for this purpose, and to get also a good 9upplj of Books ; but these troubles from the Catholicks have been a great hindrance. When I am baptized, I should like my name to be David Solomon. The people now generally call me Daiwa Sagayam, 4 The lord’s my helper.” Aftef this the good man expresses his kind regards for all comected with the mission and church at Bellary, and adds a long list of books, which he beseeches us with many entreaties to send* for the use of himself and the inquiring heathens at Seringapatam and Mysore, and then concludes, in a very humble and affectionate manner, entreating that he may soon receive some reply. This, I think, must be considered by all Candid persons asan exceedingly interesting communication. Have not the bare Scrip tures, without note or comment, and with out a missionary present to expound them, done much for this once benighted pagan 1 1 not here a most powerful encourage ment held forth, to disseminate the Holy writings widely and indiscriminately ? What the real state of this man’s heart may be, is only known to Him who scruti , nizes its every corner, and takes cogni zance qf its very inmost recesses. But certainly.theTe are many things in the un varnished tale here recited, which, at least to my mind, wear a most pleasing and hope ful aspect. What a hungeriog and thirsting after di vine knowledge is here discovered 1 and shall not such be filled? Will not the com passionate Saviour regard the pantings of this inquiring heathen ? He has promised, * I will give unto him that is athirst of the water of life freely, and it shall be in him as a well of water springing up into ever lasting life.’ Wherever this Hindoo has , been since he fouod the Holy book beneath the solitary tree, bis uniform inquiry has been for God’s people, and hpoks pf reli gious instruction; and if the latter could not be obtained gratuitously, he has readily given the value of them. In a concluding paragraph of the above letter, which has not bgejj translated, he beseeches ti° in the most humble and affectionate language, to send him any, and all the books that may b* the means es establishing his faith, and furthering his .knowledge in divine things. What an anxious desire does he manifest to bring others to an acquaintance with the Saviour! not that be might be put in the priest’s office and thereby get a piece of bread, foV, throughout the whole course of his labours of love be has been able to say, 4 These hands have ministered to my wants.’ Has not the love of Christ constrained? Does he not judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead, and that He died for all, that those which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him that died for them and rose again.’ In every place in which he has sojourned, he has been ready to say to his countrymen, with Moses to his father-in-law Hobab, 4 Cctne with us and we will surely do thee good.’ Or, like the woman of Samaria, having, we hope, felt the preciousness of Christ himself, he is now ready to cry to his kinsfolk and aO> quaintance, 4 come, see a man that told me all things that ever I did—is not this the Christ?’ His giving money for good books—his building a house for prayer—and his sup porting a Charity-school, by his own limi ted means—are things that look well, and I am sure, we mast trace their origin to a better system than Hinduism. Has be not borne persecution with an admirable spirit, and discovered towards his enemies, a temper mild, heavenly, and cbristian-like? O! popery how hast thou by thy bigoted and unmerciful spirit de graded and put to the blush the religion of Jesus! How hast thou mangled and distor ted that system of moral? so celebrated for its simplicity, as delivered to us by our great Master and bis apostles ! Let thy narrow minded benevolence be expanded. Suffer thy persecuting hostilities to cease ; and allow the followers of the meek and lowly Saviour to worship at his cross according to the dictates of their own conscience, lest the divine vengeance descend and erase thee from the earth. This half-enlightened pag3n, like our Lord on the Cross, prays for his enemies, and seems deeply in the spirit of Stephen, the proto-martyr, who, amidst the agonies of martyrdom, cried, 4 Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.’ He has forgotten his fa ther's house, and certainly, as to relations, taken up the cross and testified, at least as far as his outward deportment goes, that he love 9 Christ better than father or mother, brother or sister, house or land, or any thing that this life contains. We shall immediately institute a corres pondence with this man, and have, we hope, in future, farther means of ascertaiping whether indeed 4 the root of the matter’ be in him. An uncommon press of buisness has obliged me to scrawl the above in great haste, and in a short time. lam therefore afraid it will be found in many parts very incorrect and incoherent. I cannot enter’ upon other things at present; but hope, in tho course of a few weeks to send you sev eral other interesting i nro, my dear Sir, with sentiments of the highest esteem and respect, Your’s obediently. W. REEVE. EFFECT OF FAITHUL PREACHING. Extract from Memoirs of Rev Thomas Eng lish, late of Woburn , Bucks, (England.) Published in 1812. 44 I have been tried this day. Some peo ple who attend my ministry, are continually sitting in judgment on my conduct, and draw ing such conclusions from it, as, God is my witness, are foreign from my motives: What an evil is prejudice ! How busy is Sa tan with some people, and how successful in making them see, or think they see, un favourable things in ministers, by which means the word is unprofitable, as ‘‘the best food will do a bad stomach no good.” This is a subject of great temptation to hearers of the word. Satan endeavours to fill their minds with jealoasies against their minister; his attention towards the persons and fami lies they dislike; a supposed preference in him of some others in the church; and sus picions of his ministry being pointed; arc frequent causes of evil surmisings, heart burnings, unkind language, and ungenerous conduct towards their pastor. With preach ers in general, nothing is more unfounded than these ‘suspicions; most have a variety of anecdotes in their own experi ences to confirm this assertion. Many have waited on their ministers to charge him with being personal in his.publick address es, who have themselves been the first to inform him of the case in point, about which he had never heard a syllable, or bad the smallest suspicion; a guilty conscience, a te nacious temper, and a petulant spirit, have betrayed unpleasant circumstances to a pas tor, with w hich probably he would Dever have been acquainted, bad not the person concerned given him the information. “ I was once applied to by a stranger, in a place where I was labouring for a few Sabbaths only,for a sight of a letter which l had received, calumniating his character. 1 looked at the<rpan, and pitied him and cool ly replied,— 4 It would he a breach of the commpn principles of society, to show con- in advance.| fidential letters written to us, for the pur pose of doing people good.’ He retorted in an angry tone, — 4 1 demand a sight of it sir, as an act of justice, due to an injured man.’ I replied— 4 How did you know that. I have received t letter concerning you ?’ 4 Know, (said he) it was impossible not to know it, your language and manner were so pointed, that it was impossible I should be deceived.’ I. rejoined, 4 Do not be too positive; you have been deceived before now, I suppose; you may be so again.’ 4 lt is not possible, (said he); you described the sin of which I am accused, in the clear est language, and looking me in the face, and pointing towards me, you said, sinner, be sure your sins will find you out; l there fore expect from you, Sir, as a gentleman and a Christian minister, that you will give me a sight of the letter, that I may -know its contents and repel its charges.’ I ob served—l do not know your name; to my knowledge I never saw you before; and as you have not told me in what part of the sermon it was l was so pointed, if I show you any letter I may show you the wrong one ; I shall therefore certainly not exhibit any of my letters to you, nor satisfy you whether I have received any one about you, till you describe the case alluded to.’ He hesitated; but afterwards described the stu of which he was accused. When he had finished, looking him full in his eyes, assuming a solemn attitude, and using a grave and serious tone of voice, I said, —. ‘Can you look me full in the face, as you must your Judge at the great day of God, and declare that you are innocent of the sin laid to your charge? 1 He trembled, turned pale, and his voice faltered ; guilt and anger struggling in his breast, like the tire in the bowels of Mount Etna, and,sum moning up bis remaining courage, be said, 4 1 am not bound to make any man tor con fessor; and if I were guilty, no man'bas a right to hold me up to publick observation as you have done.’ 1 assumed a benignity of countenance, and softened my tone, 4 Do you believe the passage 1 cited— be sure your sins shall find you out —is the word of God ?’ Me said, —‘ It may be 4 surely it is, (said I;) he that made the ear, shall he not hear; he that made (he eye, shall he not aee ; can he have any difficulty in bringing your sin to light?—Now I will tell you honestly, I never received any let ter or information aLout you whatever, but I am persuaded your sin has found you out: the preaching of the word isoue meth od by which God makes men’s sins fad them out. Let me intreat you seriously to consider your state and character; who can tell, God may have intended this ser mon for your good ; he may mean to have mercy upon you; this may be the means of saving your neck from the gallows, and your soul from hell; hut let me remind you, you are not there yet, there still is hope.’ He held down his head, clenched his hands one into the other, and bursting into tears, said, 4 1 never met with auy thing like this—l am certainly obliged to you for your friendship—l am guilty, and hvpe this conversation will be of essential advan tage to me.” _ . PRAYER. I throw myself down in my chamber and I call and invite God and his angels thiter and when they are there, I neglect and his angels for the noise of a fly, for tl* rattling of a coach,for the whining of a door I talk on in the same posture of praying, eyes lifted up, knees bowed down, as tho’ I prayed to God, and if God or his angels should ask me .when I thought last of God in that prayer, 1 cannot tell; sometimes I find that I had forgot what I wa* sbont, but when I began to forget it I cannot tell. A memory of yesterday’s pleasures, a fear of tomorrow’s dangers, a straw under my knee, a noise in mine ear, a light in mine eye, an any thing, a nothing, a fancy, a chimera in my brain, troubles me in m v prayer, so certainly is there nothing in spiritual things perfect in this world. PERSIAN FABLE. Aadrop of water fell out of a cloud into the sea, and finding itselflost in such an im mensity of fluid matter, broke out into the following reflection ; “ Alas ! what an in significant creature am I in this prodigious ocean of waters; my existence is of no con cern to the universe ; I am reduced to a kind of nothing,and am less than the least of the works of God.” It so happened, that an oyster, which lay in the neighbourhood of this drop, chanced to gape and swallow it up in the midst of this its bumble solilo quy. ■ The drop, says the fable, lay a greet while hardening in the shell, till by degrees it was ripened into a pearl: which falling into the hands of a diver, after a long series of adventures, is at present that famous pearl which k fixed on the top of the Per sian diadem. MORAL. When you behold yourself surrounded by the infinitude of God’s works, and facl yourself dwindle into nothing amidst, the endless profusion,thinknqlthatyou are over looked by the Omniscient-eye of yoir Mak er. Your every action, word and thought is observed by the eye of Omniscience, arid. i$ registered 10 heavep. Yon wjlljJer^