the chief means of sustenance, have failed; and a famine is at the door. More than one hundred children are without a single article of clothing, and you may enter many huts, where from five to eight naked children are lying in straw, only just holding out their heads. My heart bleeds within me while I only hear of this: what must it be to be an eye-witness of it? Ah! how many of the rich could spare, without at all missing it, as much as would at once remove all this distress!"

See our former accounts of this case.

Contributions for this object will be received at the banking-house of Messrs. Hankey, Fenchurch-street; or by Dr. Steinkopf, Savoy, in the Strand; by Dr. Pye Smith, Homerton; by Dr. Morison, Hans-place, Sloane-street; or by the Rev. John Arundel, Mission-house, Austin-friars, Old Broad

street.

REV. WILLIAM HOWELS.

Early on Lord's-day morning, the 18th of November, died, the Rev. William Howels, the highly-esteemed minister of Long Acre Chapel. He was seized on the preceding Thursday with symptoms of inflammation, which baffled all medical skill. The nature of the attack prevented him from speaking much to his friends; but he were repeatedly engaged in earnest prayer for his church and congregation. To his nurse, and one of his medical attendants, who were seen weeping, he said, "You distress me-I am happythere is no guilt upon my conscience-I am in perfect peace.' His last sermon to his people was preached on Lord's-day evening, the 11th of November, from the last verse of the 87th Psalm-"All my springs are in thee."

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Our personal attachment to the deceased was peculiarly strong and tender; and we rejoice to say that we saw enough of his noble and devoted character to be enabled to form our own opinion. He was an Israelite indeed, in whom was no guile;" and, though an air of eccentricity belonged to his mental constitution, he was one of the warmest friends we ever knew. As a theologian, he was deeply versed in divine things; and his views of the character of God were so enlarged and profound as to stamp a distinct peculiarity on his ministry. He was a native of the Principality, and formerly Curate to the celebrated Mr. Jones, of Langan. He came to London in October, 1811, and was Curate to Mr. Good, of Blackfriars, till the death of that excellent man. In the month of March, 1817, he became minister of Long Acre Chapel; and there it was that his mind

was brought into full play, and that a character of distinguished usefulness began to attach itself to his ministry. The sensation occasioned by the death of this distinguished man is greater than the public in general can have any conception of. The Chapel-wardens had put up an announcement of his death in the porch of the chapel; when the congregation began to assemble, many learnt, for the first time, by this notification, that he was gone, and the effect produced can be more Some, easily understood than described. however, had entered the chapel without observing the notice; and when the officiating minister, in the course of his sermon, alluded to their " departed minister," two or three voices were heard exclaiming, "Is he dead? -is he dead?--is he dead?" and there was then, through the whole congregation, one loud and bitter cry.

We hope soon to present our readers with a full memoir of this extraordinary man.

THE REV. THOMAS HARPER.

We have just received the mournful intelligence in time to announce the death of the Rev. Thomas Harper, of Walworth, the respected Secretary of the Board of Congregational Ministers, which took place at his residence, Walworth, on Sunday, Nov. 11th, in the seventieth year of his age. His re

mains were deposited in Bunhill Fields' Burying Ground on the 19th of November, when the Rev. T. Russell delivered the address, and the Rev. G. Clayton offered up the prayer.

We are enabled to present our readers with the address of Mr. Russell, and hope

to give some memoir of Mr. Harper in a future number.

"There is no topic more common and familiar than that on which I am called to address you on the present occasion. Death meets us every where. We all do fade and fall as the leaves in autumn. We are instantly passing away from the present state of being; the place that now knoweth us shall shortly know us no more. But really we do not give this subject the consideration which its importance demands. We require to have death in its origin, its nature, and its consequences, more deeply impressed upon all our hearts. Men are too liable to regard it only as an ordinary event in the course of nature, to which we must submit when it arrives. They forget that the course of nature is reversed, and that man was originally made to live for ever. They do not reflect that by sin death entered into the world-that death is the wages of sin-that every child of Adam, brought under the dominion of the undistinguishing Destroyer of life, in the article of death, is bearing the impress of the curse of heaven.

Death is the separation of our souls and bodies. There is a moment when the close and mysterious union between them is dissolved. Every function of the animal frame ceases. The tongue no longer speaks, the ear no longer hears, the eye no longer gazes, the pulse no longer beats. All is still. We see a motionless, lifeless corpse. Is there now an utter extinction of being? Has my father, my mother, my sister, my brother, my child, or my friend, ceased to exist for ever? Had I been born in Greece or Rome in the zenith of their splendour, and possessed all the light of nature, by the aids of the most refined philosophy, I should have feared so, or I should have believed so. But, with the New Testament in my hand, I know betterI know that it is not so. The poor, wretched, pitiable infidel comes too late now to tell me that the sleep of death is everlasting. It may be his interest that it should be even thus, but it is not mine, and I trust it is not yours. I rejoice in that gospel which has brought life and immortality to light. I feel a celestial glow thrilling my inmost soul, while I hear the voice of the Son of God,' I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.' I hail the restorer of our fallen race. I believe that, as by man came death, so by man came also the resurrection from the dead, and that, as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. I see Jesus, in the wonderful economy of human redemption, dying for my sins, and raised again for my justification. By believing in him, I am united to him-made the subject and heir of all his promises-the inheritor of his glory. All things are mine, whether the world, or life, or death, or things present, or

things to come; for I am Christ's, and Christ is God's. Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I there ye may be also.'

am,

"I exclaim, with triumphant exultation, for myself and my brethren in Christ, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us, who are kept, by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation. O death, where is thy sting?-O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ.'

"We are come to this astonishing recep tacle of the dead, to inter the remains of a beloved brother in Christ, and a revered minister of the gospel, the Rev. Thomas Harper. Here around us are the tombs or memorials of our Owen, and Bunyan, and Watts, and Lardner, and Neal, and Price, and Hunter, and Simpson, and Townsend, and Waugh, and Orme, and a long list of Christian worthies, which time would fail me to recount. They have served their generation, and their record is on high. Some of them have performed the same office for one another, as that in which we are now engaged for our departed friend. In a little time some of us may be added to the number-how soon God only knows. Let us attempt, for a few mo ments, so to review, and meditate on, the character, the life, and death of him whom we now commit to the grave, that we, each of us in this assembly-relatives, friends, ministers, spectators-may be better prepared to follow him, and those who have preceded us, through the valley of the shadow of death, to the judgment-seat of Christ.

"I could say much respecting our brother, for I knew him well and loved him, and he loved me, and that love was strong in death. But I will not trespass farther than I can help on the province of my esteemed and dear friend by my side, who will, next Lord's-day, preach the funeral sermon at his chapel in York-street, Walworth. I will only bear my testimony, in few words, to what I do know, and which it may be useful to this auditory to hear. I affirm, then, that, as a man, he possessed, in an eminent degree, many of the noblest qualities of our nature, and was what a man should emulate to be among his fellow-men. He was above all that is mean, servile, and sycophantic. He had an uneven path to tread, and he trod it

with a firm step; he had difficulties to meet, and he met them with an undaunted spirit.

"As a Christian, the peculiarities of the man, new-modelled, were subordinated to the advancement of the glory of God and the good of mankind. On the basis of deep personal religion and a sound mind, by much laborious self-cultivation, he became, as a minister of the gospel, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed. After five or six and twenty years' acquaintance, long since ripened into a generous friendship that would allow us to tell each other of our faults, I have seen stand out prominently, in his character, the sterling virtues of integrity, fidelity, independence, and disinterestedness. If, on any occasion, any individual did not meet with so much of the suaviter in modo as he might wish, he could not fail to carry away the conviction that he had to do with one who was sincere, upright, and honest, without any deceptious covering. As a pastor, he was both faithful and affectionate, a searcher into the meaning of scripture, a textual, practical, and useful preacher. His flock laboured as well as himself under many discouragements; but they devotedly adhered to their shepherd to the last; and, in so doing, reflected both honour on themselves and their guide. I see them around me, dropping the tear of affection, and offering their heartfelt tribute of respect to his memory.

He

Although our friend had, in consequence of his growing infirmities-for he has long lived a dying life-for some time resigned his charge, yet he delighted in the work in which he had been engaged nearer fifty than forty years, and he preached four or five successive Sabbaths before his decease. On the Thursday before this event I spent some hours with him, as he sat in his chair, and conversed and kneeled down with me, with his family, around his domestic altar. On the Sunday evening, on calling to see him, I found a considerable change had taken place. dozed and breathed with difficulty. On recognizing me he held my hand and prayed, 'God bless you!'-and on my observing that nature was sinking, and that he could adopt the words of the psalmist, My heart and flesh fail, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever,' he made an effort to speak on, either in continuance of his desire that God would bless me, or in reference to the cited passage; but all that could be understood was, With my whole heart, and my whole soul.' In a short time after, without a struggle, he ceased to breathe. So gentle and peaceful was his departure, we could scarcely perceive or persuade ourselves he was gone. It was entirely accordant with the description of the excellent Newton

"One gentle sigh their fetters breaks, We scarce can say, They're gone! Before the willing spirit takes

Her mansion near the throne.'

"Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his.' You are all ready to unite with me in saying this, but, let us remember, if we would die like him, we must live like him. Let us hear his voice. He being dead yet speaketh. He addresses us from that grave with the solemn accents of eternity. He tells us not to deceive ourselves, that he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, while he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. He speaks to the widow and daughter, in the deserted habitation of the chamber of mourning, and calls upon them to put their trust in that God who is the husband of the widow, and the father of the fatherless, in his holy habitation. He charges you, my dear young friends, his sons, to remember his prayers, his instructions, his solicitude for your salvation. Oh! give yourselves no rest till you can call your dear departed father's God your own God and Father. From this hour choose him for your portion, and cleave to him, and he will never leave you, nor forsake you, but guide you by his counsel, and afterwards receive you to glory.

"He speaks to every relative in terms suited to your circumstances, temptations, and responsibilities. You have your talents: Occupy them. Here is an end of all the world calls great or good. See the perishing, evanescent nature of every earthly possession. We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. Love not the world, nor the things of the world, for if any man love the world, the love of God is not in him. Beware of covetousness. The love of money is the root of all evil, which, while some have coveted after, they have pierced themselves through with sorrows, and sunk into perdition. What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?--or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? May we each remember that we must appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, to receive according to the deeds done in the body, whether good or evil!

'He speaks to us, ministers of religion, and exhorts us to watch for souls, as they that must give account-to be instant in season and out of season-to save our own souls, and the souls of them that hear us-to be faithful unto death, that we may receive the crown of life, which the Lord will give unto all them that look for his appearing.

"To all he says, Prepare to meet thy God. Whatsoever thine hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might; for there is no work, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither thou goest. May we, then, brethren, be stedfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as we know that our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.'

SOUTH SEAS.

EIMEO.

Extracts of a Letter from the Rev. William Henry, Missionary, dated Afareaitu, Eimeo, March 22, 1832; addressed to the late Treasurer.

DEAR SIR,

Having just been informed that the ship "Harriet," Captain Read, now in Wilks's harbour, at Tahiti, is to sail for England in a few days, I hasten to prepare this to send over. My last communications went by Captain Lock, in the beginning of last November, soon after our settlement here. At their date, Vara, the pious and worthy principal chief of this district, who had been long a zealous and valuable deacon of the church, was in dying circumstances, which I noticed in the above communications, and in a day or two after he had a happy dismissal from an emaciated body and a world of sin and sorrow. His death proves to be a most serious loss to this part of the island, and to the church; but, there is good reason to believe, it is his own unspeakable gain. Several other members of the church have been since taken off, apparently, in the faith and hope of the gospel; and, at present, there is another member, who is a chief of some consequence, apparently at the point of death. Since my last, a number of children have been baptized at this station, but no adults: a few have been received into the church, and one or two excluded for improper conduct. A few marriages, also, have been solemnized. No addition has been made to the schools, and the attendance at them is, at present, discouraging. About the middle of December, a violent storm so shattered the old building of the institution here, in part of which we resided, as to make it necessary for us to take shelter in one of the school houses, which was formerly a chapel, and in which we still reside. The people are building us a house, which is in a state of for

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wardness, but it will probably be a considerable time yet before it will be fit for us to reside in.

Visit of Judges of the Supreme Court at Tahiti, to decide a Law-suit respecting Land.

On ap

We have witnessed much contention among some of the people, and several law-suits about land, since we have been here. In a late one, the person who lost the suit, and was censured by the judges, made an appeal to the supreme court at Tahiti; in consequence of which, two of the supreme judges, Tati, the principal chief of Papara, and Utami, the principal chief of Atakuru, with one or two inferior court-officers and other attendants, came over to decide the business. They held their court in a large public native building, near our present residence. About 10 A.M., a crier was sent about the town to give notice, and to assemble the people. While the people were assembling, I went into the court to learn whether we might expect the judges to honour us with their company to dinner. proaching and saluting them, they immediately desired me to take a seat by them on the bench, which I begged to decline; and, making known my business, and having received their answer, I withdrew. I should gladly have remained to witness the examination of the case, and the proceedings of the court, but knowing that the judges would have me to sit near them, had I remained, and that I might be suspected of using my influence with them, in favour of one of the parties in preference to the other, thought it prudent to absent myself. The two judges were dressed nearly alike, and had a very respectable, yea, venerable and noble appearance, being robed in long scarlet dresses which reached nearly to their feet, which, from the waist up, somewhat resembled military uniform, with other parts of dress suitable thereto, and under which one of them wore a fine purau, the fringes of which appeared gracefully below the scarlet robe. had not been long returned to my study

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