To all which must be added the conclusive consideration, that were the Romanizing innovation, by any chance, to succeed in throwing out of use the native character among European students of the native languages, and among any considerable number of the youth of the country now educating in our Schools and Colleges, one of the most singular and fatal consequences of such an unparalleled anomaly in educational philosophy, would be the setting aside, at one fell swoop, of the whole indigenous literature of the land, the entire writings of its purest and most valuable original authors, and the reduction of the native library of the rising literati and the European student, to a few miserable volumes of Romanized exotics, a Primer or two, the Pilgrim's Progress, and one or more similar specimens of a foreign idiom in a foreign dress! How monstrous a consummation!

I might indefinitely enlarge, but must yield to the restraint imposed by the limits to which the small space afforded in a periodical confines me: enough has been stated I should hope to shew

1st. That it is a manifest fullacy to represent the Roman alphabet, as modified in the Romanizing system, as a fitter expression than any other alphabet, under the same plan of modification, of the sounds of eastern or of any other languages.

2nd. That the attempt, futile as it really is, to substitute the Roman for the native alphabets, were it actually to succeed, must be pregnant with the most mischievous results to the philology of the native languages; both as to the etymological distinctness of words, (on which the clear perception of their sense and the perspicuity or obscurity of construction so much depend) and as to the purity of native pronunciation.

I will only in conclusion observe, that, as applied to the expression in European books, and for the information of Europeans, of native words and sentential quotations, the Romanized system, originally fixed by that eminent scholar Sir W. Jones, and now but very slightly modified indeed, is immeasurably more accurate, complete and philosophical than any other that has been put forth; and all who take an interest in oriental literature must heartily rejoice in the fresh impulse that has been latterly given to it; an impulse which bids fair, ultimately and at no distant period, to put out of use for ever those other, at once crude and tasteless, systems, equally unphilosophical to the mind and uninviting to the eye, which have been applied by some learned but injudicious scholars. This alone were result enough, amply to reward those active and philanthropic individuals who have stirred up the present question. Would they but rest bere, they would be justly esteemed benefactors; beyond this their labours are either mischievous, or absurd, or both at once; of which, besides the philological arguments above given, may be adduced the fact, that while occupied with more than Quixotic hopes, excitement, and confinement of view, in this vain attempt at more than an Herculean task, they are dividing the warmest friends of native education and general improvement, they do positively retard the period of the regeneration of India; a consummation that can only be brought about by united exertions; by "a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull altogether," of that chain of instrumental truth which is to pull down for ever the monstrous edifice of the superstitions of

ages.

CINSURENSIS.

IV. Paul's Prayers answered, Part 2nd.

"Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; that I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; that I may come unto you with joy-by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed. Rom. xv. 30-32.

This prayer of the apostle consists of three parts. 1, That he might be delivered from the disobedient in Judea. 2, That the service which he had for Jerusalem might be acceptable to the saints. 3, That he might come unto the Romans with joy, and might, with them, be refreshed. Let us consider these several petitions, and the way in which they were answered.

1. The apostle prays, that he might be delivered from the disobedient in Judea. At the time at which he penned this, he was at Corinth, and was on the point of proceeding to Jerusalem with something which he called "the service" for the saints. What this was we shall presently see. All who have read the history of Paul are fully aware of the determined hatred borne him by the Jews. He was one of their most famous men, and they consequently were bitter in the thought of having lost him. Hardly was he converted when they took counsel to kill him; and wherever he went, they, and not the Gentiles, were his chief persecutors. This was the case at Iconium, from which he had to flee.-at Lystra and Derbe, where he was stoned and drawn out of the city as dead,-at Thessalonica and Berea, from which places also he had to make his escape, and in all probability at many other places not mentioned. Read his own words: "In perils by mine own countrymen. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one."-Hence the necessity and importance of his prayer, that he" might be delivered from the disobedient in Judea.” And "he was heard in that he feared:" he was delivered. At first indeed, every thing seemed to indicate that he had striven in his prayers in vain, and that in vain had he asked the Roman Christians to strive with him. But the end shewed that this was not the case, and also proved to him that God was not unmindful of the prayers of his servants. On his arrival at Jerusalem, it is true, he was apprehended by the disobedient, and was nigh being cut off by their hands. But the Lord so ordered events, that he was first delivered from the mob who went about to kill him, next from the conspirators who had bound themselves with a curse that they would neither eat nor drink till they had destroyed him, and last of all he was sent away to Rome far beyond the reach of every one of them. Could there be any realization of his prayer more exact than this?

2. He prayed that the service which he had for Jerusalem might be acceptable to the saints. What this service was is obvious, from what is stated in two of the verses immediately preceding his prayer-"Now I go to Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints at Jerusalem." Several circumstances had combined to render the poor very numerous at Jerusalem. 1, Famines, accordingly to the Saviour's prediction, had become not unfrequent. "There shall be famines, and earthquakes, and pestilences in divers places." One is mentioned in Acts xi. 28. 2, The richest Jews had, for the most part, dispersed themselves through the surrounding countries, for purposes of trade. S, The land had become "barren for the iniquity thereof." And, 4, what is more to our present purpose, the believers in Judea had long since, in anticipation no doubt of the destruction of their city and country, disposed of all their property, and distributed it to those who had need, Acts iv. 34, 35. Hence the great body of the saints in Jerusalem were very poor. But their Christian brethren in other places were not unmindful of them. Having been made "partakers of their spiritual things," they felt it their duty to minister to them in carnal things." An extraordinary collection was, at this time, made in their behalf, by all the churches throughout Greece; and the apostle's principal object, in now going to Jerusalem, was to deliver the sum so collected, it having been confided to the care of him and some others who accompanied him.

But why pray so earnestly that this service, or collection, might be acceptable to the saints? Was there any fear of the contrary? Yes: much. No attentive reader of the New Tes tament can fail to have observed, that there existed a most unhappy prejudice in the minds of the Jewish against the Gentile Christians. Traces of this are to be found in Acts xi., in the Epistle to the Galatians, and in several other places. The apostle, therefore, feared, that what was done by the Gentile Christians might not be acceptable to the Jewish believers: hence his prayer. He wished to see "the wall, of partition" completely broken down; and for the Lord Jesu's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, he was desirous of seeing the whole body of the faithful "knit together in love." This was a most important point; because hereby God would be glorified, and the world be brought to believe that Christ was the sent of the Father, John xvii. 21. And was his prayer fulfilled? Let the historian tell." And after those days we took up our carriages (baggage) and went up to Jerusalem. There went with us also certain of the disciples of Cæsarea, and brought with them one

Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge. And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord." Every thing was here realized. The service was gladly accepted, and God was glorified, (thankfully praised and adored) by the Jerusalem Christians, on account of what had been done among the Gentiles.

3. He prayed, also, that he might come unto the Romans with joy, and might with them be refreshed-and was not this likewise fulfilled? Though a prisoner when he went to Rome, yet he entered it thanking God and taking courage: and though in chains all the time he was there, yet was he abundantly refreshed. He was cheered by the sympathy shewn him by the Roman Christians, Acts xxviii. 15,-by the converts made, through his ministry, from among his own brethren in the flesh, verse 24.-by the disciples raised up in Cæsar's household, Phil. iv. 24.-by the confidence infused into the brethren at Rome by his bonds, by which they were even the more bold to preach the word without fear, Phil. i. 14,-by the conversion of his dear son Onesimus, Philemon 10,-by the visits of Tychicus, Mark, Jesus called Justus, Aristarchus, Luke, Timothy, and a number of others,-by the collections sent to him from the Philippian Christians for his support, Phil. iv. 10-18,-and last, though not least, by the abundance of the Spirit given unto him, by which he wrote the noble epistles directed to the Ephesians, to the Philippians, to the Colossians, and to Philemon. If this was not being refreshed at Rome, what is refreshment? Verily, a tithe of this was worth twenty years of imprisonment instead of two!

Thus was this whole prayer of the apostle fully answered. Who can help admiring the truth and faithfulness of God; "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him; and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." Quaintly but truly has the poet said:

"He frees the souls condemned to death;

And when his saints complain,

It shan't be said,That praying breath
Was ever spent in vain.'

This shall be known when we are dead,
And left on long record,

That ages yet unborn may read,

And trust, and praise the Lord."

L.

V.-Eleventh Report of the Calcutta Seamen's Friend

Society*.

Through the good hand of our GoD upon us, we are permitted once more to meet you, and relate what the Great Head of the Church has enabled us to accomplish towards the moral and spiritual improvement of Seamen, since our last Report. The statements we have to offer, though brief, are such as to induce us to thank God, and take courage."

Foreign Labour.-It is with much pleasure the Committee are enabled to assure the friends of Seamen in India, that the efforts made by the Societies in England and America are not only continued but increased, and have been rendered progressively efficient, up to the date of our last communications. The instances of good effected have been many and refreshing. In fact, in nearly all the principal ports of the two countries, Seamen's Chapels have been established, and Chaplains appointed. Nor have these efforts been confined to

British Christians have established Seamen's Churches on the shores of once hostile France and in the Baltic. America has imitated her example in France, and, with a benevolence of a wider range, has extended her Christian charities to the islands of the southern ocean and the ports of China. Nor has she been unmindful of British India; so that not only may we see the flags of England, America, France, and other states, waving in proud triumph in all the ports of the earth, but the peaceful and uniting Flag of the Bethel Union spread, in peaceful ascendancy, over them all.

Foreign Aid.-We have just observed that America has not been unmindful of British India. It will be in the recollection of the friends of this Society, that in our last Report it was stated, that the American Seamen's Friend Society had appointed our friend the Rev. Amos Sutton to be permanent Chaplain to the Seamen visiting this port. Arrangements beyond the control of Mr. Sutton obliged him to decline the office. The Rev. George Pickance was appointed to the situation at the commencement of the last year, and continued to perform the duties until its close. The printed papers of Mr. Pickance's labours are stitched up with the Report. The

The deep interest now taken in the spiritual welfare of our Seamen, has induced us to transfer the whole of the 11th Report of the Seamen's Friend Society into our pages. We have done this in the hope that the facts it contains, together with the statement that the Society, from its extended operations, is now involved in a debt of nearly 3,000 Co.'s Rs., may induce the benevolent to lend that aid to the Committee which shall >enable them to prosecute their labours with alacrity and pleasure.-EDD.