other.

Who does not feel his mind united to Wilberforce and his associates in the glorious work of extinguishing human slavery, however different may be his own ideas, either of a political or religious nature? Who can fully trace the oblique effects of the Bible Society in uniting the minds of men, even of different countries? The writer of this cannot recollect without delight a slight incident which occurred during the late contest between Britain and America, the interposition of the friends of humanity in America to replace a number of Bibles, sent by the British and Foreign Bible Society as a present to America; but taken by an American ship of war. May we not discern in an action of this nature, the germ of universal peace ? Could two countries carry destruction into each other, in one of which the public mind had voted a present of bibles to a part of the other ;-and which act the public of that other country had so respected, as to aðvance money to renew the purchase that the gift might be rendered efficient when incidentally frustrated? If enmity and war be perpetuated between these two countries, it must be by discouraging and utterly suppressing all societies of this nature; for if they continue to grow, (and it is said that in America the Bible Societies are already increased to two hundred,) they will surely unite the best, the wisest, and most powerful minds in both so firmly, that it will be impossible for any thing to cause them to wage war with each other.

Such then is the gradual but mighty effect of benevolence when unequivocally displayed, whether in private or more public circles, It must create mutual esteem and mutual confidence, and bring kindred minds together, whatever walls of separation, folly and malevolence may have erected between them. If this then be the oblique effect of this generous spirit, what shall set bounds to its operation ? Shall poverty and indigence? that in Britain it has appeared most conspicuously; the scene of It is among these the Widow's mite, witnessed and duly appreciated, but not reprehended, by Infinite Wisdom, has been renewed in Britain of late, beyond all former times. But this leads to poverty and indigence.

Point out then a few of those individuals who are now reduced to a state of poverty through their indulgence of this principle. For one such, it will be easy to point out a hundred reduced to indigence, by the gratification of other desires. Surely the feelings of these martyrs to benevolence must be such amidst their indigence, as almost to take away every thing in that state of a painful nature. But the fact is, that instances of this nature are so rare, as almost to render them worthy of being recorded with other phenomena, in the public annals of a country. While there is, a withholding more than is meet which tendeth to pover ty, though it wears the appearance of prudence and good husbandry, there is that scattereth, and yet increaseth," through the secret blessing of Him who hath declared, that," he that watereth shall be watered himself of the Lord." Nor is this at all wonderful; if this spirit in its oblique operation has such an effect on society in promoting union and mutual esteem, while its direct effect is to confer blessing, it is no wonder that the Author of blessing, the God of peace, should delight therein, and in his providence constantly preserve and bless those who nourish it, although this may be in a great measure unperceived by themselves.

With this spirit it cannot be denied that British India is favored in a high degree; a spirit which they who love India will never wish to see repressed ;-a spirit that forms one of the charms which render Indian Society so amiable, and often causes those who return to their native land to look back with pleasing fegret on the years they spent in India, as among the happiest of their mortal existence. Of the truth of this assertien no proof is needed beyond what the Numbers of the "Friend of India” have already furnished; in which will be found brief notices of no less than Eleven Institutions at this Presidency, the object of which is either the diffusion of knowledge, or the alleviation of human misery under some form or other. We are now called in chronological order to notice another, which although now extinct, was not with

out its appropriate merit, nor unworthy of being recorded among other instances of public benevolence. We allude to,

The Lying-in Hospital.

The first idea of this Institution may be traced to the Right Honorable the Countess of Loudoun and Moira, a name endeared alike to the friends of virtue and the sons and daughters of misery. To her feeling and en ightened mind, the distresses to which many of our country-women are subject, particularly in the military line, at a time when humanity pleads for every degree of assistance, appeared such as to deserve the most serious consideration; and an Institution, which, while it afforded relief of the most valuable nature to some, should afford opportunity to others of acquiring a degree of knowledge which might in many instances be the means of preserving highly-valued lives, appeared worthy of the labor and expense it might involve. This idea was warmly supported by Dr. Luxmore, who, both in his pri vate circle and in his more public capacity, laboured greatly to promote the Institution; to which, after it was formed, he gener ously devoted his gratuitous labors.

Of this Institution the Countess of Loudoun while in India was the Chief Patroness; and much benefit was reaped from it by the lower class of our country-women in the various regiments, which have been stationed at Fort William. Nor could it be altoge ther useless to others in the town of Calcutta, who had an opportunity of deriving that assistance from it, which however ne cessary, they could scarcely have obtained from any other quar ter. Happily, however, those who would form its proper objects, are not numerous in this country; the natives confining their applications of this nature generally within themselves. not, therefore, the same extensive necessity for an institution of this kind, which is found in many of our cities and large towns at home; and hence the encouragement it needed was not of that pressing nature.

There is

In my former letter I endeavoured to prove, that divine influ ence was promised to the church, and had been in many instances wonderfully poured out, so as to produce the greatest effects on the minds of multitudes, and the most thorough change of character; and that these influences were greatly needed to render effectual the means of Christian instruction in India.

Admitting these premises, it seems to be a reasonable enquiry, What is the duty of real Christians, in reference to this need of the influences of the Holy Spirit in this country?

As the Holy Spirit condescends to employ human agents, and human speech, in imparting his saving gifts to men, it cannot be doubted, but that it is the duty of those agents so to acquire the language of the natives, as that what they deliver shall convey ideas in a clear, and distinct, and impressive manner. Paul in his epis tle to the Corinthians, shows the greatest anxiety that the speakers in their assemblies should use language which could be well understood, adding, that in this case, if "there come in one that believeth not, or unlearned, he is convinced, and the secrets of his heart are made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth." If this anxiety to be understood was necessary in apostolic times, how much more necessary now. But it is to be feared that the discourses which have hitherto been addressed to the Hindoos by Europeans, have either been very imperfectly understood, or the idiom in which they have been delivered has been so awkward and barbarous, that they could not fall with weight on their minds. The same objection, it is to be suspected, lies against most of the tracts hitherto published: they have not enough of the native idiom, nor of similies drawn from the natural scenery, poetry, history, and manners of the country. The native preachers also, even those

who have been the most useful, are, it is to be feared, as yet too little acquainted with divine subjects, and too little impressed by them, to become powerful and persuasive preachers. Is it not then a most important duty, that those who have devoted themselves to the conversion of the heathen should endeavour to remove these obstacles, by perfecting themselves more entirely in their language, especially in those features of it which carry the addresses of a speaker to the heart?

Another duty to which we are called, if we would wish to reach the hearts of the natives, is to be more familiar with them, and to borrow those manners, as far as possible, which most attract the native mind. To gain a familiar, a thorough knowledge of the Hindoos, &c. we must see them unfold their whole characters in the most familiar intercourse. To hope to persuade men without a knowledge of their predilections and antipathies; of the springs which move their passions of love and hatred, joy and sorrow; of their modes of reasoning; of their reflections on the events of life; or of their ideas respecting a future state-is nearly as hopeless as that the pleasures of harmony should be excited when a mere rustic, destitute of knowledge, puts his rough hands on the keys of a piano forte. The only possible way for European Missionaries to acquire this knowledge, is for them to reside in the very midst of the heathen,* to mix as much as possible with them in all their domestic engagements, and to witness all their national customs. Such a familiarity as is here supposed, is, I believe, far more possible in the country than in large towns. These observations, if correct, point out also the vast importance of enlarging the minds of the native teachers, and as far as possible filling them with Gospel truth. The children of Missionaries,

* In reading the Fifth Report of the Columbo Auxiliary Bible Society, I was much struck with the spirit of genuine Catholicism which pervades it. It reports in the most liberal manner every thing done by all denomina tions in that Island for the spread of the Gospel. Respecting the Ameri ca Missionaries the Report says, “They have shewn extraordinary zeal in thus fixing at once among the natives, entirely secluded from European society,"