are but too impatient for the results of their own feeble. efforts too ready to tire in their Master's service, unless they may see the grain ripening, as well as the seed sown. How prophetic too, that closing sentence. We have indeed heard from them again; tidings have come to us in the glad thanksgiving of rejoicing converts; the Bible too, has come home to tell us of Judson, and to show us the fruits of his toils.

We

Eight years subsequent to the date of that first baptismal scene, we find Mr. Judson alone in his room. left him standing by the water's side, rejoicing over the first fruits of his untiring efforts; now we behold him in the habiliments of mourning. How varied has been his history since 1819! How checkered with light and shade-joy and sorrow! At first cheered by the longdelayed blessing, he labored and prayed, wrote and preached, with renewed zeal and strengthened faith; then came trial and suffering. Then again success and failure encouragement and disappointment, followed each other in quick succession. Now the Burmans crowd the little chapel, listen attentively to the word of God, and inquire the way of salvation; and now, when they seem almost persuaded to be Christians, they turn again to their pagodas, and, like the children of Israel with their golden calf in the very presence of Sinai itself, indulge in all the riotous revel of heathen worship.

At length, however, the prospect brightens. The field which at first seemed so barren, and for long years was watered by the tears of missionaries, is now made verdant and fruitful by rich showers of divine grace. The little church already numbers eighteen native Burmans. But just at this season of high hopes and bright prospects, the unwelcome sound of war disturbs the peaceful missionary. Torn from his home and his little church, he is hurried away to the felon's prison. Then follow those two long years of cruel persecution-of bitter suffering and agonizing trial. Mr. Judson bore it all, with Christian meekness and Christian heroism. To suffer for Christ was a privilege; yet who can conceive of the emotions which must have pained the heart of the prisoner of Oung-pen-la, as he beheld the threatened failure. of his chosen enterprise; as he saw his little flock scattered abroad in the wide waste of heathen idolatry, with

no shepherd to guide or protect them! His faith, however, is still unshaken. Though himself a prisoner, with the almost certain prospect of speedy death; though the results of eleven long years of faithful toil are apparently destroyed forever; still confident that the ways of Providence, though often mysterious, cannot be wrong, he cheerfully looks forward to the time when even these frightful scenes shall work out ultimate and lasting good. What a sublime spectacle of unfaltering faith!

Peace is at length restored. The prisoner released from his chains, with a thankful and glad heart, resumes his welcome labors. Other trials, however, are before him; the grave takes from him the nearest and dearest of earth. "Widowed and childless," the mourner sits alone in his room, solitary, but not disconsolate. God has called his family home, but left him to fulfil his high commission. To that noble work he is now devoted. Behold him day after day in that little study, addressing himself, with ardent zeal and determined energy, to the toilsome but welcome task of giving to Burmah the word of God. After years of toil and weariness, the work is finished. We enter the study again-the missionary is on his knees before his God in prayer,-a sheet of manuscript is in his hand; it is the last leaf of Burmah's Bible. What a moment is this for the devoted missionary! What raptures of pure delight must thrill his bosom, as he brings before. his Master this acceptable offering-the oracles of divine truth in the language of perishing millions! To attempt to describe the thronging emotions of that moment, would be little else than mockery. We will not disturb his earnest devotion. With thoughts and feelings too big for utterance, he is dedicating to the glory of God the Burman Bible.

Eleven years more of faithful service, and the founder of American missions is welcomed back to the land of his birth. He brings with him the same devoted spirit which has ever characterized his missionary labors. He visits our churches, and new life is imparted to them. Behold him, a few weeks after his arrival, before the Convention in New York. It was a dark hour in the history of the missions. Our stations were crippled, and languishing from the want of means; home operations were embarrassed by a heavy debt. Under these circumstances, the 23*

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probable necessity of abandoning Arracan, had forced itself upon the attention of the Board. At this crisis, the veteran missionary arose-all turned to him for counsel. In him they beheld one who had made personal sacrifices, incomparably greater than had the whole Christian church in this wide and favored land,-one who had consecrated to the missionary enterprise, his all-propertytalents and life itself. There was a moral power in his very presence, which pleaded the cause of missions more eloquently than any language. It was this which gave to every word of this devoted man, such unparalleled significance and importance. That melting appeal in behalf of Arracan, uttered from the fulness of a heart burdened with emotions which it could not suppress, is worthy of apostolic days; it shows the true missionary spirit. That exhibition of devoted zeal inspired others; that appeal was heard, and Arracan now rejoices in the light of the gospel, and presents to her noble and disinterested advocate the welcome tribute of grateful hearts.

Dr. Judson's stay in this country was short, but long enough to impress upon the minds of Christians the vast importance of the missionary work. To that work he has now returned. Difficulties still beset his path; intolerance and persecution, though in new and disguised forms, are still striving to thwart his high and noble purposes. The struggle may be severe and long, but truth must triumph.

Dr. Judson is now at work upon the Dictionary of the Burman language. Soon we may hope to hear that this too, is finished, and that, like the Bible, it has been consecrated to the glory of God and the good of his cause. Then may the faithful missionary contemplate, with grateful satisfaction, the noble work which he has been permitted to achieve. He who gives to Burmah the Dictionary, the church, and the Bible, will not have lived in vain. Who shall estimate the results of such a beginning? Eternity alone shall reveal thern.

The life of Dr. Judson, we have said, presents a beautiful illustration of the true spirit of missions. That deep and abiding interest in Christ's cause, which is the first element of such a spirit, seems never to have abated, even in view of the sternest trials. It has gone with him in all his wanderings, prompting him to almost unparal

leled sacrifices, and sustaining him under the severest sufferings. The spirit of entire consecration to his Master's cause, has marked the whole course of his life.

Another element of the missionary spirit is pure Christian benevolence. This finds in every man a brother; it seeks its own happiness in making others blest. Thus it was with Dr. Judson; it was this spirit of disinterested benevolence that enabled him to toil so long and so devotedly, for those who had cruelly imprisoned and persecuted him. No malice, or thirst for revenge was permitted to rankle in that tried heart. In the spirit of Him who prayed, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do," he too prayed and toiled and suffered for their highest good. He gave them the oracles of the true God in their own language.

Again, the missionary spirit demands Christian fortitude and unwavering faith-qualities which Dr. Judson possesses in no ordinary degree. They stand out in bold relief in all the trying crises of his eventful life. Without these, the scenes of 1812 could never have been enacted, and never would the missionary have ventured to unfurl his banner on Burman shores. Abandoned as this field had been by the English missionary, who but a man of undoubting faith and intrepid courage would have attempted it? Who else would have dared to plant the Christian cross under the very shadow of the Burman pagoda?

Dr. Judson is eminently fitted for the very position which he has so long and so nobly occupied. He is the man best qualified by his bold traits of character to lead in a great and daring enterprise, for a high and Christian end. To be the pioneer in such a work; to set before the world an example worthy of study and imitation, seems to have been his high commission,-a commission which has thus far been nobly fulfilled. May the Spirit which first moved him to his Christian work, continue to animate and strengthen him in his toils, till the sacred trusts of his mission are fully discharged. May the close of his missionary life be worthy of its noble beginning.

A. H.

ARTICLE VIII.

With

THE MIDDLE KINGDOM. A Survey of the Geography, Government, Education, Social Life, Arts, Religion, etc., of the Chinese Empire and its Inhabitants. a new Map of the Empire, and Illustrations, principally engraved by T. W. Orr. By S. WELLS WILLIAMS, Author of "Easy, Lessons in Chinese," "English and Chinese Vocabulary," etc. In two volumes, large 12mo. pp. 590, 614. New York and London. Wiley &

Putnam. 1848.

BY THE EDITOR.

FEW Countries have been described more largely than China. A person familiar with the books that have been written respecting it, could sit in his study and write with ease and accuracy a volume giving a complete account of that interesting part of the world,-of its geography, its inhabitants, its customs, its history, its arts, literature and laws. There are many salient points in them; and every traveller, missionary and geographer has taken pains to exhibit a striking picture of a people so unlike, in many respects, to all the other people of the earth. So useful are these printed manuals to authors of new works on the same topic, that many of them are without doubt mere compilations from previous publications. We have heard of a gentleman sailing for China, and designing, during a brief absence, and in a station whose duties would necessarily confine him to the capital and the coast, to write a work on China in extenso; before his departure he diligently purchased whatever could be found relating to that country, to carry with him,-that from the observations. of others, he might make up for the deficiency of his own opportunities. Most of his books were lost by disaster on the voyage, and, after a short period, he returned home. The new work on China did not appear. But the volumes cited at the head of this article are not of this sort. Mr. Williams resided twelve years at Canton and Macao,