of the sanctuary. The fact is, that a great many ministers, both in cumbents and curates, must do this or starve. Nineteen twentieths of them are doomed, in compliment to Bishop Gardener and Thomas a Becket, to atone for the principles of the Reformation by a stipend inferior to that of many menial servants. Under these circumstances, they have no resource but to turn from the duties which will not feed them, to those that will; and, thus to take from their flock the time and energy they might otherwise faithfully dedicate to them. The mischief of this is felt, not merely in the diminution of the frequency of pastoral visits, but in the dimination of power and weight in their sermons. We are too often fed from Sunday to Sunday with the "skeletons" of others, instead of flesh and blood of their own. A poverty, especially in respect to scriptural knowledge, and the fruits of personal study and observation, is apt to steal upon their pulpit addresses. The same texts are quoted, and precisely in the same connexion; the same arguments dutifully accompany the texts; the same images, like so many natural and necessary shadows, with little or no exception or irregularity, wait upon the arguments; and the consequence is, that the church too often becomes the dormitory of the parish. Let us not be understood as intending to confine this delineation to the class of clergy to whom we have just referred. To the main body of the clergy, indeed, the argument applies a fortiori. A worldly spirit is a ten-thousand-times-worse enemy to preaching than a college of pupils. But our complaint now is, that those whose preaching might be all we wish, should have their powers thus crippled by burdens and bonds from which they cannot escape. It is, however, a high consolation, under these circumstances of regret, that, in consequence of this arrangement, large numbers of the youth of the country pass through the hands of some of the most respectable of the clergy; that an asylum for the young is thus provided in the interregnum between the public school and the university; and that those perhaps who have hitherto heard little of any God but Jupiter, catch a glimpse of the "truth as it is in Jesus," and enter upon a college life better steeled against its follies and trials. This consequence, however, it ought to be observed, is the last which is intended by those who conceive it their duty so systematically to condemn this body of clergy, for their high misdemeanor of orthodoxy and zeal, to bread and water and hard labour. But, to return, in conclusion, to Dr. Chalmers, our readers will, we think, agree with us, that the public are much indebted to him for this first essay. The others which follow, as we hope soon to prove, serve only to increase the debt. And we shall be surprised and distressed if the public do not discharge the obligation in the only coin which we are sure will in this instance satisfy the creditor-that of improved energy, devotion, intelligence, and love, in the discharge of the highest duties of humanity. This is any thing but an age of insensibility and quiescence. Every thing is alive. The whole elements which surround us are in motion. Happy those master spirits who avail themselves of the movement, "ride on the wirlwind and direct the storm;" or who, in plainer language, inculcate upon us that capital maxim of old Cotton Mather, "A capacity to do good not only gives a title to it, but also makes the doing it a duty." A people of antiquity are said to have expelled the best of their citizens on the ground, that "nemo de nobis unus excellat; sed si quis extiterit, alio in loco, et apud alios sit." Whatever they might think of the inestimable value of mediocrity, we are free to thank Dr. Chalmers for THE return of Mr. Ward, one of the most distinguished of the Baptist Missionaries in India, to England, after an absence of twenty years, could not fail to be an interesting, event in the progress of missions. It is one of the singularities in the case of India that, till lately, the greatest part of the residents in that distant region had been among the individuals who had most contributed to mislead the public mind as to the real circumstances and wants of the native inhabitants. At an earlier period of our work, some of the causes have been detailed which assisted to render so many of the Anglo-Indian functionaries the least trust-worthy of all the moral topographers of the land where they had spent so large a portion of their lives. The absence of personal religion, the want of an enlightened education, the eager pursuit of gain, their mistaking (a mistake so easy to individuals tempt ed to employ the Hindoos rather as machines than as men) the pas sive habits of those people for virtues, all these causes either contributed to prevent their thinking on the subject, or, if they did think, to lead them to false views and erroneous conclusions. The evidence therefore which they delivered to the public on the subject was often of the most inaccurate and even distorted description. And when at length Dr. Buchanan came forward, openly and honestly, to impeach such testimony; to drag Hindooism, with all its abominations of blood and impurity, into the light, and to paint its followers in their proper colours; not merely were his intentions traduced, but his facts were promptly and peremptorily denied; and every argument was rejected at once, with scorn and indignation, which was made to rest on his authority. We can perfectly remember an instance in which a minister of religion, who, when describing the horrors of the festival of Juggernaut, adduced the work of Dr. Buchanan in testimony of his facts, was charged with the most childish folly and credulity, in listening for a moment to any of the idle, tales of that mendacious writer. Happily for the interests of truth, that period has passed away: that truly admirable writer and Christian, has for some time been occupying his proper place in the public estimation; and that justice has been done to the dead which was denied to the living man. Other authorities have from time to time arisen to confirm his testimony. Before his day the interior of India had been very imperfectly known. Now, however, almost every corner of that idolatrous region has been explored. The torch of truth has been carried by many successive observers into the dens and "habitations of cruelty," and the "vast pantheon" of Hindoo absurdities and horrors stands, at this moment, "unveiled" to the public eye. Among the individuals who have most largely contributed to these discoveries, is the author of the Letters now before us. Other works had presented us indeed with facts illustrative of the evils, both of the system and conduct of the Hindoos. But his elaborate "View of the History, Literature, and Religion of" that people, "including a minute description of their manners and customs," has spread them before us in one great unvarying perspective of cruelty, folly, and vice. A residence of twenty years in the East; a function which called him to the especial examination of the moral diseases of the people; his close alliance with some of the most learned and able of the Eastern Missionaries; his cordial devotion to his employment; his thorough knowledge of the native languages; his peculiar facilities, by means of his intimate acquaintance with Hindoos converted from Hindooism to Christianity, for obtaining clear and accurate information, and thus arriving at the truth ;all conspired to create high expectations from this important publication, and those expectations have not been disappointed. -- The little volume which is now before us may be considered as, in part, a continuation of the preceding work, or rather as containing the practical inferences to be deduced from it. But this is not the only circumstance which renders it valuable. It also contains many interesting observations suggested to the writer by his recent visit to this country. Indeed, it was impossible that twenty years, so pregnant with changes in the religious and moral condition of society, should not present to so acute and penetrating an eye many interesting points of inquiry. It was impossible that Bible and Missionary Societies should have sprung up with such extraordinary rapidity; that a system of general education should be in operation; that the number of serious and zealous ministers should have been so greatly multiplied in the land; that the public attention should be so powerfully drawn to the duty and means of reform at home, and of conversion abroad; and yet that a reflective and pious mind like his should not have found much both to employ itself, and to furnish materials for instructing others. -Having heard so often what we think of ourselves and of our circumstances, it is no small advantage to hear what others make think of us, whose minds are less warped by our particular and local prejudices, and less habituated to our deyiations. In the present volume are contained many speculations of a sound and practical observer; and therefore we cannot but think that some account of them will prove ácceptable to our readers. The nature of the book will lead us to bring into view more of the author than of ourselves: nevertheless we shall probably find occasion as we proceed to make as many remarks and drop as many hints of our own as the reader may be willing to listen to. From a careful usal of the work itself, we are disperposed to anticipate the most favourable results. It seems to us powerfully to confirm both the facts and the reasonings of the advocates in and out of parliament for the employment of all peaceful means for the further conversion of India; and to supply many new arguments increased confidence, to the great to encourage them to go forth, with ́ work of applying to the ignorance and irreligion of the East the only remedy which can remove them. The first letter of Mr. Ward is dated, "The Hercules at Sea, March 26, 1821." In this letter he describes his sensations when, lying on the deck of the vessel in which he first sailed for India in 1799, be read the account of the missionary voyage of the Duff, theu recently published. At that time neither the Bible Society nor its kindred institutions had yet risen into existence; and it needed more than ordinary prescience to expect that such institutions would ever arise, and especially that they should originate in a country so nearly affected by the agitations of the French Revolution, and apparently so entirely absorbed by the war which they produced. He could not then but exult in the happy progress which had been made during his absence in advancing the interests of Christ's kingdom. of Divine justice, instead of expanding the mind and stimulating it to exertion by exhibitions equally scriptural, in which we behold the whole world brought into the fold of Christ;"-and others, to a far greater extent, are sacrificing their duty to the heathen to the eager and criminal pursuit of the world. It will at once be perceived that the causes above named, with the exception of" selfishness" and "love of the world," are not those which are of chief influence in the Established Church: and some of them, we will own, have not fallen within the immediate scope of our own observation. They are chiefly to be found among the Dissenters. At the same time, we can have no doubt that they are in full operation wherever exaggerated views of doctine prevail; and we consider the faithful enumeration of them by this sensible examiner as of great importance. Nothing unquestionably ought to bring a doctrine more into suspicion with its holders, than its impairing or paralyzing the charities of the heart and one of the most appalling images that can be presented to the mind, is that of a congregation calmly inhaling all the promises of the Gospel as their own peculiar inheritance, and as calmly, Consigning the millions without their own circle to perdition, without an effort to rescue them. The third letter relates to the future state of the heathen. On this delicate and difficult topic the author speaks with hesitation; but he puts the following questions, to which the contender for the future happiness of the heathen will not feel it easy to reply : "What becomes of numerous passages, speaking such language as the following? That whosoever believeth might not perish; They that sin withont law shall perish without law - Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, &c. &c. shall inherit the king dom of God;'- At that time ye were without hope; The fearful, and the unbelieving, and idolaters, &c. shall have their portion in the lake,' &c. How shall we account for the feelings of the Apostle of the heathen, for a life of incredible exertion like his, and for all men, if by any means I might save his language,' I became all things to some, if the heathen are not in danger of being lost? Finally, if heathens are not in a perishing condition, and if carrying the Gospel to them will bring them into such a state, then the very reverse of this passage will be true; How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings!" &c." pp. 30, 31. The following statement is both striking, and, we think, truly awful. "I have no objection, if such an idea can be fairly established, to believe, that Cornelius's prayers were heard while a heathen and destitute of faith in Christ; and that God may, by his Spirit, change the hearts of heathens, as he does those of dying infants, imparting to them the blessings of salva tion through the Redeemer. But then I must observe, that, amidst a pretty large acquaintance with the heathen in India, I have never seen one man who appear. ed to fear God and work righteousness.' " pp. 31, 32. We are far from meaning to contend that the heathen are excluded from all possible benefit of the mediatorial sacrifice; it must be admitted, however, that meetness' for heaven is always spoken of in Scripture as an essential qualification for it. But where is the ' meetmess,' generally speaking, of the heathen? Is it to be imparted by the charms of the Obi man, or the prescribed austerities of the Brahmin? Will a penitent find it on a bed of spikes, or under the car of Juggernaut; in the mud of the Ganges, or amidst the wanton dances and songs of the attendants on the temples? It is not our wish to push the argument to its almost necessary conclusion as to the final condition of the heathen; but surely it is impossible not to infer from it the strong, and even imperious, duty of toiling hand and heart in the promulgation of the Gospel among them. When eternity is at stake, it is not necessary to prove that they must be miserable. It is more than enough to doubt whether they will be happy. The fourth letter of Mr. Ward, is on the philosophical systems of the Hindoos; and as it comprehends in a short space the substance of some obscure and tedious volumes on this subject, we shall make a few extracts from it. Mr. Ward sets out by stating, that three of the six schools of India are, strictly speaking, Atheistic; and that he considers these Atheistic systems as substantially prevalent throughout China, Japan, the Burman Empire, Siam, and Ceylon; so that, probably, not less than three hundred millions of human beings are, to this hour, living under a system of avowed Atheism. Nor do the systems of their professed Theists approximate much more closely to real religion than those of pure Atheism. Let Mr. Ward himself describe one of those in the highest reputation among them. "These philosophers, of whom Véd. vas, the compiler of the védú, was one of the most distinguished, taught, that every thing we can see, or form any conception of, is to be referred to one or the other of these two principles: it is either spirit or matter, since, besides these, nothing else exists; that all spirit is God; that God exists without attributes in a state of eternal repose, intangible, unconnected with any of the -forms of matter. A state of profound sleep, in which the individual has no mental exercise whatever, and the state of the unruffled ocean, are alluded to by this philosopher as emblems of the state and blessedness of spirit. Speculations like these, making known a Being without attributes and having no counexion with creatures, is surely nothing better than pure Atheism; nor is the practical system founded on these theories an atom better than the theory." 1 p. 39, 40. These instructors further teach, that "the spirit in man is individuated Deity;" that the great bu CHRIST, OBSERV. No. 236. siness of life is to seek emancipation from matter; that this emancipation is to be sought by bodily austerities; and a list of such austerities is supplied for the benefit of the devotee. These devotees are termed "jogees ;" and, where they are sincere, the most terrible severities are perpetrated on their own persons. A more questionable class are described by Mr. Ward, in language which conveys a lively picture of the state of Hindostan. "Amongst the religious mendicants, the mimicry of jogeeism manifests itself in a variety of shapes :-here comes a man having a tiger's skin thrown over his shoulders: in the dress of a forestresident he is aware that he has access to the heart of a Hindoo, and that by this means, he can open the hand of charity. Another mendicant, from the same motives, professes to have made a vow of perpetual silence: the villagers crowd around him, and present to him milk, sweetmeats, rice, &c. With such a proximity to the jogee he is sure not to starve, although he dare ask for nothing. I have seen several individuals of the order of Oorduvahoos, having the right arm, stiff and withered, raised above the head, and unable to lower it. Such a devotee, with his long hair, clotted with mud, tied round his head like a turban, with his emaciated and vacant face, rendered still more dismal by being besmeared with ashes, and with his body nearly naked, exhibits one of the most pitiable sights on earth. The Asiatic Researches contain an account and an engraving of an ascetic who constantly lay on a bed of spikes. I once saw at Calcutta two Hindoos, each of whom had surrounded himself with three large wood fires, so near to his body as almost to scorch him, while the vertical sun beat upon his bare head. Each day was passed in the practice of these austerities; and it was said, that these men remained up to the neck in the Ganges during a considerable part of the night. They thus exposed themselves to the greatest degree of heat and cold they could endure, to dry up all the juices of the body, and to annihilate all sensible connexion between spirit and matter, that they might be prepar ed for absorption into the ocean of spirit, Some modern jogees go without clothes, 3 Y |