You may easily find many treatises written on the gift of preaching, the eloquence of the Pulpit, the composition of a Sermon, &c. &c. both in our own language, and in foreign tongues; and he who has a good judgment may profit by them but I must confess, all I have ever read on the subject has never conveyed so much information to my mind on the original, and, in my opinion, only proper mode of preaching, as Neh. viii. 8. "So they read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading." A few moments spent in considering this subject will not be lost. Fourthly, They caused them to understand the reading. You may well exclaim, "Who is sufficient for these things!" and I may with equal propriety answer, He who is taught by the Spirit of God, and neglects not to cultivate his mind in the knowledge of his divine testimonies. While you are engaged in the pulpit in recommending the salvation of God, endeavour to feel the truth you preach, and diffuse a divine animation through every part. As the preacher appears to preach, the people hear and be lieve. You may set it down as an incontrovertible truth, that none of your hearers will be more affected with your discourse than yourself. A dull, dead preacher, makes a dull, dead congregation. Shun all controversies about The Israelites having been lately brought out of Babylonish cap-politics and especially that distivity, in which they had continu-grace of the pulpit, political ed 70 years, according to the pre- preaching. I have known this do diction of Jeremiah, xxv. 11. were much evil; but though I have not only extremely corrupt, but it often heard it, I never knew an appears they had, in general, lost instance of its doing good. It is the knowledge of the ancient He-not the bread which God has probrew to such a degree, that when vided for his children: and from the book of the law was read, they the pulpit, it is neither profitable did not understand it but cer- for doctrine, for reproof, nor for tain Levites stood by and gave the instruction in righteousness. If sense: i. e. translated it into the others will bring this chaff into Chaldee dialect. the house of God, copy them not: you are called to feed the flock of Christ; and this you cannot do but by the sincere milk of the word, and the bread of life. what is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord. What the nature of preaching was at this early period of its institution, we learn from the above eited text. For First, They read in the book of the law of God. The words of God are the proper matter of A sentence or two of affectionpreaching, for they contain the ate prayer in different parts of the wisdom of the Most High, and re-discourse has a wonderful tendenveal to man the things which make cy to enliven it, and to make the for his peace. people hear with concern and interest. On this subject, a great, foreign orator gives the ministers of the gospel the following advice. "When you have proved the truth of the principles you laid Secondly, They read distinctly: they analyzed, dilated and expounded it at large. Thirdly, They gave the sense: i. e. showed its importance and utility; thus applying verbal crit-down, you have done but little of icism, and general exposition, to the most important purpose. the great ministerial work. It is from this point, the proof of your doctrine, that you are to set out to triumph over the passions of your auditory; to strip the sinner of every subterfuge and excuse, that conviction may lead him to repentance. To produce this effect, leave your proofs and divisions behind you; address yourself to the conscience in powerful interrogatives; repeat nothing that you have before said; you have now to produce a new effect, and must use a new language. Employ the utmost energy of your soul to show them that happiness is to be found no where but in God. What shall I say more? Forget method, forget art itself. Lift up your soul in affectionate prayer to God;-become the intercessor of your auditory. that the multitude which withstood your menaces, may be constrained to yield to the effusions of your love." So preach and pray, that your congregation may be made better, or purpose to become better, in consequence of your labour. the sentiment of the poet, give it in plain prose. To say the least of this custom, it certainly is not agreeable to the rules of congruity to interlard prose discourses with scraps of verse. It is nothing but custom that renders this impropriety at all supportable. Reverse the business, and see how oddly a poem will appear which has here and there scraps of prose in it. While I have you in the pulpit, I will give you a concluding advice relative to this part of the business. Never ape any person, however eminent he may be for piety, or ministerial abilities. The providence of God has caused many of the natural manners of men to differ as much as their persons: and it is nearly as impossible for a man to imitate the peculiar manners of another, as it is to assume his features. It is on this account that no one has ever succeeded who has endeavoured to copy another and as the aiming to do it, is easily discoverable, the man who acts thus, is despicable : Seldom quote poetry in your sermons; if you avail yourself of" in the eyes of the people. MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE. BURMAN MISSION. er foreigners, who would otherwise be disposed to flock to Arracan or Martaban. For my own part, I feel assured, (from opportunities of knowing, which were afforded to no other person in a like degree) I feel confident that the nation has progressed at least a century at once in knowledge and civilization; and should God be pleased to smile upon our labours, it might in a very short period, like Otaheite, be induced to throw away its superstitious forms, its senseless idols, its false astronomy, and more fatally false system of Geography, and thus be laid open for the glad work of apostolic men, to enter the breach, to force the ramparts, and save the souls of the enslaved benighted, waiting multitude. The prospects for our mission were never more bright. The terms on which the war has been concluded have afforded an asylum for thousands of Burmans, who will prefer the English government to their own; and of course a place of refuge for those of our missionaries whose sufferings have given them a decided preference to a milder and more tolerating power. At the same time, both these considerations will be a constantly operating principle to make the Burman government more cautious in oppressing their own people, and more During our long captivity, we were anxious to encourage merchants and oth-enabled to see and feel the gradual change ocular demonstration that we were safe. Our life was more than once despaired of by each of us. On the first night of our imprisonment sleep was banished from our eyes, for death seemed sure. No language can describe our anxieties. Separated as we were from all those we held most dear, death seemed doubly which was effected in the mind of the nation at large. At first, we were treated rather worse than dogs-chainedfastened to a pole, and allowed to have no food except what our friends should provide. Afterwards, by degrees, we received the benefit of the liberty of the yard, and finally, very considerable respect and attention, both from our keep-frightful in the certainty of the miseries ers and visitors, which increased as the British approached Ava, and finally terminated in our liberation, and a call to take a part in the counsels of the country. This circumstance through the blessing of God has given us a new hold on the government; and I believe has evidently excited a very strong feeling of grateful regard to our mission, which, backed by the English power, and a resident at Ava, must, through Providence, make our stay safe, and our prospects bright. Already have I been asked by many of the great to teach them the arts, the sciences, and the religion of these superior white men; and when I have told them of the fundamental truth of a God-the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, they have asked again and again, and finally taken out their black books to write down the interesting words for future inspection. which awaited them. But even death I am happy to inform you in the general that we have enjoyed our health in a particularly providential manner. We have also in the midst of the darkest prospects found the barrel of meal not yet empty, and the cruse of oil unfailing. Blessed be his name who feeds the ravens when they cry, and clothes even the lilies that ery not unto him. I trust your afflicted brethren were sensible of the hand of God in all their trials, and endeavoured to improve them that they might soften their hearts, and make them more fit for future enjoyment of Christian privileges; for all opportunity was debarred, and even internal devotion made extremely difficult by the horrid society-murderers -robbers and felons of every class,||ject. who were crowded upon us. In addition to these evils the constant presence of our keepers whose awful responsibility obliged them to trust not to bolts, or locks, reached Ava on Lord's day, May 23d, or stocks, or fetters, but to have constant 1824, when nothing could exceed the Nov. 1826. Fall of Rangoon. The news of the fall of Rangoon, 44 rage and bustle of the population. A|| privy council appeared and questioned considerable force was hurried off the me as to my country, my calling, my acnext morning, under the Kee woongee, quaintance with Mr. T. Mr. M. A. Mr R. with particular instructions to make all &c. of Rangoon, and finally, whether I imaginable haste,. lest the audacious ma- had seen a bundle of newspapers, brought rauders should escape the vengeance in up to Ava, by Capt. L. and said to constore for them. On Monday morning tain an account of the intended attack on about 25 gold boats, each mounting a|| Rangoon; my reply in the affirmative small piece of artillery, and well provid- to this last query, decided my crime, and ed with muskets, started with orders to I was remanded to the guard room, when raise the whole country if necessary, to Mr. J. was called and questioned on the drive out the insidious banditti, who had|| same points; likewise Mr. G. Mr. R. come thus unawares upon an unoffending and Mr. L by whose separate examinatown. The current of feeling was now tions it came out too plain to be denied, so strong against the English residents, that the said five white men were in the that Mr. G. sent over to me to inquire, if dangerous practice of visiting at each it would not be more safe for him to re- other's houses, eating and talking togethmove to Sagaing, and put up with me er, and that each and every one of the out of the way of the popular fury. I said five, together with Mr. Arrekill, informed him I should be very happy to an Armenian, and Mr. Constantine a entertain him at any other time, but at Greek, were past all doubt acquainted present, I thought our herding together with and communicated information unto would only excite suspicion, and hasten all or most of the foreigners in Rangoon, the ruin of us both. who had all unequivocally gone over to the side of the enemy. These facts being plainly established, the said prisoners were remanded into close custody in separate guard rooms near the secret council chamber, with the exception of myself, and Dr. J. who were permiteed to return to our houses with orders to be ready against we might be wanted. On the 8th of June an order was given For three or four successive days, we were informed of repeated attempts to get permission to lay violent hands upon us. But Mr. L. as often defeated them, by means of his great influence with the king. Finally our friend, a musselman, with a long beard, went in to make a particular complaint against us. This I was informed of on Saturday noon, while on my way to the house of Prince M." to keep safe all the foreigners." On On my return I met Mr. G's. horse without the rider, and was then made acquainted with the too fatal success of the diabolical accuser. Fear for my own safety, now succeeded that of sympathy for my friend, and I firmly expected on my arrival, to find a band of ruffians to take charge of my person also. But my time was not yet. this very morning I had unwittingly resolved to visit once more our friend Prince M. On my way I heard a friendly voice calling out to me, when turning aside, I found it to be no other than my first and oldest friend Moung yay, the keeper of the king's wardrobe. He just gave me a hint of my danger, and then hurried away. Darkly lowering seemed my prospect, yet I pushed on to the house of Prince M.; but all his kind soothing could not dissipate the cloud which hung like night upon me. While I was sitting here the five white men were taken from the king's guard room, stripped of all their articles of clothing, except the shirt and pantaloons, dragged out to the Loots or House of Lords, thence hurried for ward to the Court-house in the greatest imaginable suspense, and delivered over to the keeper of the king's prison, called Barbarous Treatment. Moung Ing with 10 ticals of pure silver, when his arms were somewhat relieved, so as to allow a more free respiration, and he was again hurried forward a distance of nearly two miles to the prison house, and there, after being fettered, strung on the same bamboo with the preceding five unhappy men. In the mean time, I had left the house of Prince M. at 3 P. M. having just missed the horrid sight of Mr. J's. agony, and had reached the river side with a heavy heart, which was not at all lightened by a black look I there received from the chief man of the golden navy, Mr. J. came forward, and without any who had on all previous occasions met warning, was immediately seized, thrown me with a smile. I passed over to on the ground, and his arms tied with all Sagaing, fully impressed with the idea the force the barbarian was capable of. that something dreadful was approaching, Mrs. J. came forward (in agony better though I knew not what. Having arrivto be conceived than described,) and of ed at home, the sight of my dear wife fered to give money to have the rope and child was painful in the extreme. eased off her husband. But the wretch, I dared communicate nothing of my apinstead of listening to the grief impas- prehensions, but after a slight attempt to sioned request, cried out, She is also a dine, hurried to the top of my house and white foreigner, tie her too. For a moendeavoured alone to compose myself, ment, Mr. J's. own exquisite torment but all in vain At dusk I was joined was forgotten in the heart rending appre- by Mrs. P. and child; we had taken only hension, that Mrs. J. was about to un- a few turns, when a dreadful noise was dergo the same cruel indignity. The as- heard below; knowing too well the surance, however, that this was not the cause of the uproar, I hastened down, case, softened the pain occasioned by the and was informed that more than 50 men violence offered in dragging him roughly were preparing to surround and take away towards the town, so tightly bound, possession of my house My scattered that he could not half draw in his breath. senses seemed to collect of themselves; At a quarter of a mile's distance, he was I saw the long dreaded hour had arrived, again thrown down in the street, the || and I was myself again—yea more, I was cords drawn more tightly, with repeated or seemed to myself to be supernaturally strokes of the knee on his back, so as assisted; I looked down on the treacheralmost to induce fainting, and money de- ous breach of all formerly plighted roymanded in order to their being loosened. al faith; I felt a martyr, and determined to shrink from nothing which was before me. In answer to loud demands from without, I opened the door, was ordered immediately to sit down on the floor, to give an inventory of my effects, to shut and bar the doors and windows, and follow them. Having committed all to the care of my wife, who by this time had found her way to me, I commended her to our common Protector, and took my leave of my newly built mansion, never expecting to enter it more. My conductors attempted at first to extort money A christian native who had followed at a distance, now came forward and offered to go back for the money, but before his return, the anguish endured was so great, that Mr. J. was obliged to appeal to the numerous bystanders.-"Is there no one who knows me, is there no one who will be my security for the money, no one who pities me? I am a priest, and though a foreign one, deserve not such indignity, such torture." But none stepped forward, and the cruel monster persisted in tightening the cords until the arrival of |