bave doomed their infants to destruction without compunction, should now glory in their preservation, and doat on them with fondness." It is added, that, as the visit was premeditated, several officers and gentlemen assembled to witness so extraordinary a scene. The Jarejah fathers, who but a short time back would not have listened to any proposal which should have been made to them for the preservation of their daughters, now exhibited them with pride and fondness. Their mothers and nurses also attended on this interesting occasion. The emotions of nature here exhibited, were extremely moving. The mothers placed their infants in the hands of Colonel Walker, calling upon him and their gods to protect what he alone had taught them to preserve. These infants they emphatically called "his children." And it is likely that this distinction will continue to exist for some years in Guzerat. deavours to produce in the minds of the various tribes in that part of the country, a conviction of the guilt and cruelty of this horrid practice. The answer, however, which in 1807 was made by the principal chieftains of the tribe in which this dreadful practice subsisted, was sufficiently discouraging. They alleged, that for 4900 years they had been in the habit of killing their daughters; and that none of the great powers which from time to time had been sovereigns of Hindostan, had ever interfered with them; nay. hints were thrown out in some of the letters which would have been enough to intimidate a man of less firmness as well as sagacity than Colonel Walker; still he persevered, and his conduct, with the effects of it, affords an useful lesson to those who, in their endeavours to diffuse the light of Christian truth in India, may tremble at the first symptom of opposition from the Brahmins. He persevered, and it is Doubtless if any of those who scarcely credible, but it is never have argued against all endeavours theless indisputably true, that within to enlighten, and I had almost said twelve months of the date of the to humanize, those who have been very answer above-mentioned, the for so many hundred years given writers of it themselves formally over to a dark and depraving superabjured the practice of infanticide, stition, had been consulted beforeand with their wives, families, and de- hand on the practicability and expendents, declared themselves happy pediency of effecting the abolition in entering into an arrangement for of the above horrid practice of intanthis purpose. I should greatly wrong ticide, they would have pronounced you if I were not to go on to the attempt at once utterly hopeless; state what passed, when, about two nay, highly dangerous; yet in the or three years after, Colonel Walker short space of two or three years was visited that part of the country. I this detestable custom voluntarily abanwill quote Colonel Walker's own doned. And here, in order to guard words: I had all those infants in against misrepresentation, it may not the immediate neighbourhood who be improper to state, that, of course, were capable of attending" (the fe- it must be intended, that only the male infants who had been rescued methods of reason and argument and from death by his humane exertions) persuasion should be used. Not only "brought to my tent; many were no force, but no influence, beyond too young to be brought to any dis- this should be exerted. Perhaps the tance. It was extremely gratifying hand of Government should not be on this occasion to observe the seen on the occasion. Happily it triumph of nature, feeling, and pa- has at length become an established rental affection, over prejudice, and opinion, though it is a truth which a horrid superstition; and that those, was so long undiscovered, that perwho, but a short period before, would, as many of them had done, " See Moor's Hindoo Infanticide, to wards the end of the volume. secution in all its forms only serves to diffuse the opinions which it endeavours to extirpate. It is needless, however, for me here to go into particulars, probably even the legislature itself will think it best to leave these to the judgment and prudence of the friends of religion on the spot; acting, as they will have to act, under the constant superintendence and controul of the executive government. The vary ing circumstances of different provinces, and probably the progressive changes which may be expected to take place during a course of years, will suggest suitable, but probably different, modes of proceed ing. I will only state, that I look with the fondest hopes to the diffusion of the holy Scriptures in the different native languages, and probably to the education of the native youth, any offers of which would most likely be accepted with thankfulness. Happily several occurrences have lately taken place, and many considerations might be urged, besides those which are suggested by the two instances already stated, which may justly excite the delightful expectation, that, if our countrymen do at length proceed to wipe away the reproach which has been so often expressly cast on them by the Roman Catholic writers, that we Protestants have ever shewn ourselves indifferent about the conversion of the benighted Pagans, their endeavours will not be in vain. But surely it would fix this stigma upon us in deep and indelible characters, if now, when, throughout the whole island of Great Britain, the mercantile and manufacturing classes are calling on the House of Commons, as it were with one voice, to put an end to the commercial monopoly, and to exclude them no longer from the benefits of a free trade with India, the Christian world of all denominations, all who, however differing in circumstantials, "name the name of Christ," and profess to believe his religion to be a revelation from God, should shew themselves indifferent respecting the continuance of an exclusion of a still more important kind, the exclusion of Christian light and moral improvement. Truly, might it be in that case said, our blessed Saviour's remark is here exemplified, that "the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light." It is likewise a consideration well worthy of being remarked, that while every other religion in India is left to its own undisturbed operation; while the various classes and sects (for they are very numerous) of the Hindoos, with all the other varieties of Paganism, are left to their own free unobstructed course, difficulties and obstacles have been interposed in the way of Christianity alone: and ever let it be kept in mind, that all which is desired is, that Christianity and its teachers may be tolerated. Yet (the very statement of the proposition will shock every reader who believes Christianity to be a Revelation from Heaven) there have not been wanting those who in plain terms have called on the British Government to exert its power, in order to bar out every scattered ray of that religious and moral light, which, through the endeavours of any charitable individual among us, might otherwise shine on the inhabitants of that benighted land. Excuse the importunate earnestness with which I press this most important topic; and let me once more repeat the declaration, that if we admit the divine authority of the Scriptures, and the doctrine of a superintending Providence, so explicitly inculcated, and so fully itlustrated by innumerable examples in the word of God; still farther, if we believe that the decline and fall of states are the judicial inflictions of a Divine hand; that national misfortunes and miseries are God's punishments of guilty nations; let Great Britain beware lest she provoke the Divine displeasure by continuing to take idolatry, with alluts guilt, into her special patronage, and endeavouring to shut out all knowledge of the God of Christians; I had almost said, to bar out all access to the Almighty. But let every individual in this country beware also that he do not incur, by his negligence, only the next inferior degree of guilt, by silently conniving at the continuance of such a system, and by not plainly and publicly, though respect fully, declaring to the two Houses of Parliament, the deep interest which he feels on this great occasion; by forbearing, in short, to express his conviction, that any Act of Parliament which shall lay down the future system of government for India, ought to prescribe some regulations for communicating to the natives, or rather for preventing the door being barred against those who might wish to communicate to them the blessings of Christian light and moral improvement, thereby introducing them by degrees to an increased measure of social and domestic happiness. We perfectly know, from experience, that the Directors of the East-India Company are, to speak in the softest terms, not of themselves disposed to communicate to Hindostan the light of Christian instruction. We must also add, with whatever pain, that hitherto that part of the executive government of Great Britain which superintends and controuls the Court of Directors has not shewn any disposition favourable to this great object. Perhaps they might not feel themselves warranted by the Act of 1793, to promote the conversion of the natives, however indirectly. But under such circumstances, can the public be justified in giving over once more into their hands, for probably a fresh period of twentyone years, that vast country, with all its immense population, without securing for such well-recommended persons as may wish to engage in so benevolent a work, the right of endeavouring to communicate to the natives (let it again be observed, by such safe and prudent means as shall not in any degree disturb the public peace) the blessings of true religious truth, and moral and social reformation. It was justly remarked by one of the abiest and most active of the writers who have opposed all attempts at converting the natives of India, that the guilt, if any, of having, wholly abstained from such endeavours, was not justly chargeable on the East-India Company's Directors, nor yet on the Board of Controul, but on the Legislature, which prescribed to both the principles on which the government was to be conducted. The Legislature, on its part, if it should be censured for neglecting these most important of all interests, would be able, with no less justice, to shift the blame on the constituent body, if the people of England, being thoroughly aware that on former occasions Parliament had shewn no concern about the religious interests of the natives, should forbear expressing (as they never fail to do, by petition to the two Houses, when any occasion worthy of notice requires their interference), but more especially to their own representatives, the deep interest which they take in the decision of this great question. Let every one, who calls himself a Christian, regulate his conduct on the present occasion by the golden rule of doing to others as in similar circumstances we would have them do to us; and the path of duty will be clear before him, and I will add, the decision of the Legislature would scarcely be any longer doubtful. I am yours, &c. A CHRISTIAN. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. HENRY SCOUGAL, the author of the well-known treatise entitled "The Life of God in the Soul of Man," was one of the brightest ornaments of the Protestant Episcopat Church of Scotland; and I flatter myself that It is observed by Dr. Kippis, in his Life of Doddridge, that " Scotland, in the middle of the 17th century, produced some divines who had imbibed, in a wonderful manner, the genuine spirit of devotion, and the gennine spirit of Christianity." To which observation he adds, "The name of Scougal will occur to every one who is tolerably acquainted, either with the history of theology, or with compositions of a practical nature." This truly primitive divine was born in 1650, at Salton, in EastLothian, of which parish his father, Patrick Scougal*, was minister. The seeds of religion and virtue were sown in his mind at the earliest period, by the pious care of his excellent father, who had the satisfaction of seeing those blossoms expand which afterwards produced such abundant fruit. He was educated in the grammarschool of his native parish, where he endeared himself to all who knew him, by the suavity of his temper and the gentleness of his manners. He seldom betrayed any freaks of childish levity; and the little jealousies and envious competitions, which are so common among school boys, seemed to have no place in his breast. He took no pleasure in those diversions which usually occupy the vacant hours at school; a peculiarity which did not proceed from sour * He was a venerable character. He became bishop of Aberdeen in 1664, and remained in that see until his death in 1682. He was married to Margaret Wemyss, daughter of a gentleman in Fifeshire, by whom he had three sons and two daughters; John, commissary of Aberdeen; Henry, the subject of this memoir; James, a senator of the College of Justice, by the title of Lord Whitehill; Catherine, married to Alexander Scrogie, bishop of Argyle; and Jean, mar ried to Patrick Sibbald, one of the ministers of Aberdeen, 1 ness or sullenness (for his disposition was cheerful and social), but from a strong sense of the value of time, a superior relish for reading, meditation, and prayer, and a predis lection for the society and converse of those by whose wisdom and experience he could profit. His leisure time, at school, was much employed in perusing the Bible; and he accompanied the reading of the sacred oracles with frequent and fervent supplication to the great Fountain of light and wisdom, that his eyes might be opened to behold wondrous things out of God's law." The piety of young Scougal was neither disfigured by superstition, nor overheated by enthusiasm, but the result of a serious conviction that the salvation of the soul is the grand concern of every human being; a conviction which he was not ashamed to avow. The following incident deserves to be recorded as a pleasing specimen of early piety. Having retired for the purpose of seriously considering what course of life would be most conducive to his happiness, temporal and eternal; after much musing, he took up his Bible, and practice of making a lottery of the though he was always averse to the holy Scriptures, yet the following made a strong impression on his words, which first caught his eye, mind: "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word." His relaxations from the business To borrow a passage from the ser of school were manly and dignified. mon preached at his funeral by Dr. Gairden," the diversions he was then most taken with, did speak out the greatness of his mind and spirits and he seemed to act all the grandeur of this world, while a child; for when, in learning the Latin tongue, he began to understand the Roman story, be retired, usually, with the most ingenious of his fellows, composed little orations, and acted the parts of the Roman senators." His memory, which was vast and retentive, was united with a judgment uncommonly sound; insomuch that, when a very young schoolboy, he not only digested well those parts of Scripture which were daily read at home; but could recapitulate, in a clear and connected manner, the discourses which he heard from the pulpit. His literary attainments were far superior to the usual standard of his years. Before he arrived at the age of fourteen, he was a master of the Latin language, wherein he had attained the art of composing with singular elegance. He had also, at the same early period, made considerable progress in the Greek, as well as in the Hebrew and other oriental languages, besides being well versed in history and the elementary branches of mathematical learning-nay, so clear was his apprehension, and so mature were his powers of reasoning, that only in consequence of overhearing a conversation between a party of young academics, he acquired an insight into the nature of a syllogism, and could readily form one upon any subject, before he had heard lectures upon dialectics from the professional chair. "Though children," says Dr. Gairden, "generally love only the society of their fellows, or such as can entertain them with silly and foolish stories, yet such was the seriousness of his spirit, and the love he then had for knowledge and good men, that when he had the opportunity of hearing serious and reverend persons, who used to resort to his father's house, he was careful to attend to them, and listen to their wise and pious discourses." "Such," continues the same writer, "were his attainments, and such was the temper of his spirit, in that early period of his life, which others for the most part spend in vanity and folly, and begin to repent of when they come to think themselves men; and we may see how much a prudent father's wise and pious care, when it meets with a fit temper and disposition in a child, may contribute to plant the seeds of those virtuous en dowments and good inclinations in that tender age, which will bring forth much fruit in their riper years; and with how much reason the Wise Man bids us Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.' The early indications which Scougal gave of genuine piety, together with his uncommon capacity for learning, encouraged his father to devote him to the service of the altar; with which view he was admitted, at the age of fifteen, a student of King's College, in the university of Aberdeen; of which see his father was now bishop. His conduct while an under-graduate, and his progress in every branch of science, established his moral and literary character upon a firm foundation; and the early dawnings of piety which appeared in the schoolboy, now shone forth with brighter lustre in the academic. To borrow a beautiful simile from holy writ, his path was like the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The scholastic philosophy which then obtained in our universities, was by no means to his taste. His penetrating and capacious mind, which thirsted for solid and useful truth, led him to view that philoso phy in its genuine light, namely, as having no better tendency than to puzzle and perplex the intellectual faculties, and to beget habits of mere verbal wrangling. In fact, he had acquired a relish for that new mode of philosophizing in physics and metaphysics which became current in England after the Restoration of Charles the Second; and which the example and influence of Mr. Scougal had no small share in introducing at Aberdeen. He valued speculative truths in proportion as they tended to establish morality upon a solid and permanent base, and to promote just views of religion. During his academical career, he composed ethical treatises fraught with ingenuity and eloquence, besides some devotional pieces, which breathed a spirit of piety worthy of |