been given up, a vessel arrived in the harbour of Cork, and an intimation was conveyed that the whole crew had returned safe! They came home that night; it appeared as though there had been a resurrection from the dead; and they all joined in joy and thanksgiving to God for his great mercy. On board the vessel was a little boy whom he (Mr. Beamish) had had educated in the Sunday-school; he was anxious that the boy should remain at home, but he was bound apprentice to Captain Griffiths, and went with him. As soon as he came back, he went to see Mr. Beamish, who questioned him as to particulars, and asked him if he had brought his Bible back safe. The boy replied that he had not; that he had left it among the Esquimaux. It came out that the vessel had been cast on the coast of Labrador; that the crew became frostbound; that the boy had there become acquainted with two Esquimaux families, whom he had instructed to read, both old and young, and to whom he had made known the wonderful works of God. The boy said, he believed serious Christian impressions were made on the minds ofthe two families; so that he was probably made the instrument of their conversion. Mr. Beamish then spoke of a regiment which had been quartered in his parish, and among the soldiers of which he had done duty. The officers were always anxious that he should give instruction to the men under their command. Some of the men were exemplary for their piety. A young man was brought to the hospital in a dying condition, who had been a bigoted Roman Catholic. His family had been visited by a Scripture Reader, and two of its members were induced to become Protestants. That circumstance so en raged him that he refused to sleep under his mother's roof. The Reader expostulated with him, and soon convinced him that his mother and relation had not changed their profession without reason. He then became persecuted; and having entered the regiment, and being taken ill, he was placed in the hospital. There Mr. B. visited him; and, though he was fast sinking under a pulmonary consumption, and was reduced to a mere skeleton, he proclaimed the grace of God to all around him, and urged upon them the necessity of being born again. A young peasant, who had received a wound in his leg by accident, was taken to the same hospital; he was a poor bigoted Roman Catholic, who could not speak a word of English. He was laid exactly opposite to young Green, whose countenance was lighted up with holy joy, and who gave evident proofs of his being ripe for glory. After some time the wounded peasant began to weep bitterly; and, after much entreaty, he at length confessed that it was the astonishing spectacle of a poor dying man so full of joy and rapture, which had so powerfully affected his mind. That was the result of the Bible given to a soldier. Another case related by Mr. Beamish was that of an officer. On the 25th of December, 1805, a regiment, which had been quartered at Kinsale, embarked for the West Indies. A friend, who had lost an arm, embarked in it, fully devoted to God, and to the good of his brethren. He took with him two large trunks filled with tracts for circulation in the West Indies. He was of a cheerful disposition; and well knowing that a long, demure face was no recommendation to religion, he occasionally joined in the pas times of the young men. Being so engaged one day with a book in his hand, he was bantered by some of the officers, who asked him if that was not a hymnbook? He replied, "No;" but added, "that if it was, it was but proper; as those who wished to sing glory in heaven, must begin to practise upon earth, or they would not be proficients." One of the officers then said, that he supposed it was some stiff, dull, starched book. It proved to be "The Retrospect." He lent it to the officer, who the next day said, "I have read your book, and think I shall never curse and swear any more." His friend encouraged him in his resolves, and lent him "The Swearer's Prayer;" on reading which attentively, he exclaimed, "I am a lost man for ever! I find that when 1 have sworn or cursed, I have prayed to God to curse me or others, and that I deserve to have my prayers answered! What shall I do?" His friend assured him that God was able to save to the uttermost, and urged him to pray to God for salvation. Soon after the regiment had embarked, the Major going to dine on shore, left his friend in command. The agent for transports went on board; he was of a very hasty, passionate temper; and having asked a soldier to do something for him, which the man did not choose to do, he knocked him down. His friend, who was in command, said, that he was very sorry to see a gentleman act so; if he asked the men to do any thing that was right, he had no doubt it would be done. "Sir," replied he hastily, "if you want the satisfaction of a gentleman, you shall have it; let us have pistols, and instantly settle it." His friend intimated what an awful thing it would be to go into another world in a fit of passion; he was, he said, no coward; he had got scars about him, and had received medals: but though he did not fear man, he feared God, and could not do that which he knew would be displeasing to God. The gentleman retired abashed. The next morning he visited the Commander, related what had occurred, and told him how truly he was ashamed, and what a miserable night he had passed. He was ready to make an apology; but the person he had offended told him that he wanted no apology for himself, he might make an apology to his coat, and all would be at an end. He did so, thanked him, and, shaking him by the hand, promised that he would be benefited by what had passed. CAPTAIN LAYARD said, that having himself tasted that the Lord was gracious, he wished to bring all present to engage in that great and glorious work. Many would interrupt them in their progress by declaring that religion would make the men cowards,-that it would prevent them from using the scaling-ladder, or from mounting bulwarks. But it was not so: the man who had the truth of God in his heart, who was strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, who knew that no weapon formed against him would prosper, who knew that if he fell in battle his soul would be safe, and that his widow and orphans would be protected by Him who is a Father of the fatherless and a Judge of the widow; such a man was not likely to be terrified at the prospect of danger. All denominations of Christians should come forward and unite in the work; for all had received benefits from soldiers and sailors. By such union they would best paralyse the efforts of the foes of Christianity and they would at the same time enable soldiers and sailors to go forth to all parts of the world, each aiming to bring souls to Christ, and to reflect glory to God in the highest. He had come from India in an ill state of health, but, he trusted, in spiritual prosperity, and with an ardent desire to promote the glory of God. About the year 1831 five hundred Bibles were distributed to His Majesty's 44th regiment, consisting of seven hundred and sixty men. Two-thirds of that number were Roman Catholics. One of the band of his corps, who was a Roman Catholic, requested some religious work to read. On some surprise being expressed, he stated that he had been to a was Roman Catholic Priest, and had held some conversation with him respecting a person who had just left the communion of that Church. The Priest said, "He may depart to hell, if he pleases; let us not mind him!" The man startled, and never went to the Priest again. A few days after, he (Captain Layard) was taking one of his men, who was a Roman Catholic, in his gig to the hospital: the man to whom he had before referred was staggered at seeing him pay such attention to one of another persuasion, and said, "his own Priest was sending him, as it were, to hell, and this person is treating him with such kindness!" It made him determine to become a Protestant. CAPTAIN GAMBIER stated, that some Islands, he fell in with a wreck which years ago, when coming from the Sandwich was level with the water. There were six persons on board, two of whom were women. They had been tossing about thirty days, for twenty-two days of which they had lived on the dead. One of the women was to have been married to the very person a part of whose flesh she had eaten in that dreadful extremity. Yet she had taught the crew to trust in the divine Providence, assuring them that they should be saved! That, he believed, was the result of prayer. In the parish where he now resided he had recently visited a poor lad in the last stage of a consumption. He did not know the Saviour, nor how to pray; he was in great distress and pain. He spoke to him with as much plainness as he could about Jesus Christ, and taught him a few very short prayers. He was gradually wasting away and in great pain; but he remembered the prayers, and he said, "While I am praying I feel no pain." Might it not be the same on board ship? He wished also that the officers would become Bible teachers, as well as introduce daily prayer: if they did so, and were careful to set a consistent ex ample, good must result. If it was thought proper to have daily prayer in families, why should it not be introduced where the dangers were greater, and where temptations were stronger? Many ships were without Clergymen, in which cases the officers should act as Chaplains. By means such as these they might further the designs of the Society much more effectually than by simply giving their money to it, and then thinking about it no more. X. SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIANITY AMONG THE Annual Meeting of this Society was held at Exeter-Hall, on Friday, May 8th: Sir Thomas Baring, Bart., in the chair. The Speakers were, the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry; the Rev. H. Stowell; the Rev. Joseph Wolff; the Rev. Charles Simeon; the Rev. E. Bickersteth; J. P. Plumptre, Esq., M. P.; the Rev. Professor Tholuck; the Rev. H. Beamish; the Bishop of Ohio; the Rev. J. W. Cunningham; and the Rev. T. Woodroffe. The Report stated that the receipts of the past year amounted to £12,328. 11s. Id.; being an increase over those of the preceding year of £2,140. 3s. Of this sum £1,231. 8s. 7d. had been raised by Auxiliary Societies, and £540 were contributed in behalf of a Hebrew church Mission to Jerusalem. At the beginning of the year the Society was in debt; but on balancing accounts at the close, there was a balance of £357. 0s. 10d. in the Treasurer's hands, besides £1,200 in Exchequer Bills. The Report detailed at great length the operations of the Society's agents in Hamburgh, Holland, Berlin, Frankfort, Marseilles, Magdeburg, Königsburg, Warsaw, Tunis, and Jerusalem. In all these places the Scriptures had been distributed, the Gospel preached to the Jews, and some converts baptized. A great demand prevailed in some parts for the New Testament; the Jews of Tunis and other cities purchased several copies. At Jerusalem a church was established agreeably to the discipline of the Church of England, where service was carried on in Hebrew morning and evening, and in other parts of the day in Greek. There was also a great request for the establishment of schools. PROFESSOR THOLUCK said, he was told that the English people were matterof-fact people. The Saviour's command was a matter of fact,-"Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." It was a fact that more Jews had been converted to Christianity during the last twenty years, than since the first ages of the church. This could not be denied by any one well acquainted with the Continent. Proofs could be found not only in Germany, but in Poland; and some had come under his own notice in the capital of Silesia, his native place, which is full of Jews. In the University of Breslaw are three Professors, of medicine, chemistry, and philosophy, who were formerly Israelites. There might be more, but he spoke of only what he knew. There is also a Clergyman who was formerly a Jew. In the University of Halle there are five Professors, formerly Jews. He merely stated facts; he would not say that in all a change of heart had taken place, but there were thousands impressed with the truth of Christianity, and hundreds belonged to the true Israel of God, who had not only been baptized with water, but with the Spirit. Even when some embraced the profession of the Gospel from mere outward motives, it was productive of good, because their children were educated in the doctrines of Christianity; and in his situation the Lord had made him useful in the conversion of several Jewish youths, who had been since educated for the ministry, and he could point out where they were now labouring in the Lord's vineyard; and one of them had written to him from Russian Poland, stating that his ministry was constantly attended by Jews. Three Professors he would name,--Dr. Neander, of Berlin; Dr. Branis, of Breslaw; and Dr. Stahl, of Erlangen. These men, who are esteemed for their literary acquirements, are faithful followers of the Lord, and were formerly Jews. They were converted late in life; and in a country like Germany, where so much has been said and written against the divine authority of the Scriptures, a great change must necessarily take place in the mind of a learned Jew before he can embrace Christianity. He asked one of those Professors, whose reputation stands high among all the literati of the country, how he got over these difficulties. He confessed that he was much perplexed at first to prove, to his satisfaction, the divinity of the Scriptures on certain philosophical grounds; but, said he, "I read my Bible to my children, and explain it to them; and I endeavour to receive it as a child ?” This was said by one of the most learned men in Germany. XI. THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN SCHOOL SOCIETY. the chair. The Speakers were, William Esq., M. P.; the Rev. J. Burnett; the Rev. Dr. Humphrey, of America; Henry Pownall, Esq.; the Rev. J. Williams; the Rev. Professor Vaughan; Joseph Hume, Esq., M. P.; C. Lushington, Esq., M. P.; and the Rev. W. Broadfoot. The Report stated that the late J. B. Wilson, Esq., had bequeathed to the institution the reversion of £2,000, three per cents. The model schools, under the direction of Mr. Crosswell, continued to maintain their high character. During the past year 103 young persons had been sent to different parts of the country, who had received that assistance without which they could not have occupied spheres of usefulness. A number of new schools had been opened, presenting the fairest prospects of success. Since the last year Government had made a further grant of £20,000; but only £6,800 had been devoted to schools conducted on this system. The foreign operations of the Society had been attended with the greatest benefit. WILLIAM ALLEN, Esq., as Treasurer, presented his accounts. The total sum received during the past year was £2,645.10s. ; the expenditure was £3,482. 78. 1d.; leaving a deficiency of £836. 17s. 1d. He would, he said, take that opportunity of stating, that this institution, rising from small beginnings, had now arrived at a point beyond anything which could have been expected at its origin in 1818. The Society had been extremely important in drawing the public attention to the subject of providing education for the poorest classes of the people. No other institution with which he was conversant was capable of instructing so rapidly and perfectly a great number of Teachers as the Central and Normal School. In the course of the next year, if they were properly supported, they should be able to send out upwards of a hundred well-instructed Teachers. In consequence of the abolition of slavery, the Society was called upon to provide the means of instruction for the negroes; and it must ever be remembered, that unless school-masters and mistresses were properly qualified, the system could never succeed. XII. LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY. Rev. Dr. Morison; the Rev. J. Wil- South Seas...... Beyond the Ganges East Indies The Report, upon the whole, was very encouraging. The following is the number of Missionary stations and out-stations belonging to the Society, in different parts of the world, Missionaries labouring at the same, &c., &c. :— Stations and Native Teachers. Missionaries. stitutions in Frussia alone, each of which was connected with a Missionary semiPrussian Missionaries had gone nary. forth to the pagan world; and beautiful spectacles had been witnessed. The wall of separation which sin had erected between mankind (he alluded to difference of language) had, by Missionary exertions, been thrown down. German Missionaries had united with French, Dutch, and English Missionaries in brotherly love; and wherever a new Society had sprung up, he was happy to say that it enjoyed royal distinctions of various kinds. Missionary Societies were central points around which every Christian heart assembled; nor was that an insignificant consideration, because not only in England, but also in Germany, party interest had separated those who laboured in one cause; and it was on that ground that he could not but express his heartfelt thanks to the preceding speaker for the excellent sentiments he had uttered. Without the boundaries of Prussia the same interest had been taken in Missionary efforts; and this was manifested by the predominant influence of Christian love. He trusted that each country would go on in this good work, so that there should not be found a single human being who was unacquainted with the truth as it was in Christ. If they did not do it from motives of love to the poor Pagans, he entreated them to do it for their own sakes; for Missionary Societies had proved the strongest means of exciting love amongst Christians themselves. It was a beautiful saying of St. Augustine, that there was nothing in the world that was not diminished by im. parting to others, except Christian charity. That grace increased in the precise proportion in which it was imparted to others. He trusted, therefore, that they would exercise it for the welfare of the Christian church and their own country, until the whole earth was covered with the word of God. Dr. REED stated that he had been deputed, with a brother in the Christian ministry, to pass over the Atlantic, and to offer their congratulations to the sister Missionary Society in America. The deputation attended the Anniversary of its Meeting in New-York, and were received with all kindness; yea, with an excess of love. The Meeting was celebrated in that high and holy Christian spirit which he desired might baptize the present assembly. He had left that land with many recollections dear to his heart, but with none so likely to attend him to the grave, as the recollection of those serious manifestations of godly fear and of devout worship which were evidently connected with the assemblies of the churches in that place. The Meeting would rejoice to learn that the American Missionary Society was in a most healthy, vigorous, and prosperous state. The report of its proceedings was, that the receipts were one hundred and forty-five thousand dollars; the Missionaries sent out during the year were forty-eight; and a resolution was taken up to send out fifty Missionaries during the ensuing year. He loved to be in the midst of those who seemed disposed to do the work of the Lord; and he hoped that before the present assembly separated they would also determine to send out fifty Missionaries to the heathen world. The American Missionary Society was only about twenty years old; yet it was moving forward with a geometrical progression, and it would quickly be in advance of the London Missionary Society, if the latter did not move onward. Did he say that with lamentation? Far from it; he prayed that America might move on still more rapidly, but he also prayed that British churches might not move behind. It became him to refer distinctly to the fruits of that visitation of love and charity. He was happy to say that three of his American brethren were now present, and that their hearts were gladdened to witness what was passing. One was well known as a laborious and successful Pastor in the metropolis of the new world for twenty-five years; second was well known in his own country, as being among the first in the mighty movement on behalf of temperance, which had become a principle of renovation; and the third had been for thirty years in the neighbourhood of Boston, and there he stood, like Milton's angel, faithful while all around were faithless, in testifying to the truth as it was in Jesus. He (Dr. Reed) wanted that union to be cemented; and he knew no place where it could be so well recognised as in that assembly, the very leet and representative of all the churches. Why should it not be there recognised? He wished them to pledge each other, that the two nations should be now at peace, and that there should be war no more. He was satisfied, by a careful regard to the question, that if the churches here and there would use their legitimate influence, as they had done on the question of slavery, it would be impossible that war could happen. But he also wished them to be as one, that they might co-operate in promoting the cause a |