The friends of the Missionary Society are firm and fast friends to the Bible Society. And, we could most devoutly wish that, prejudice and bigotry apart, all the friends of the Bible Society (with Dr. Marsh at their head) were warm friends to the Missionary Society. un object. From the formation of this Sir, I am your sincere Friend, and ON ITINERANT PLAYERS To the Editor. If the amiable Doddridge can A FRIEND TO CHRISTIAN MISSIONS, look down from Heaven, what new rapture must his pious soul experience at seeing the united efforts now making to benefit the poor benighted Heathen! I confess, my dear brother, I respect the good men who are gone forth as Missionaries; I feel that I ought to take my place at their feet. How great is the sacrifice which they make How arduous the venture!-What holy zeal must animate their minds! -I feel myself nothing when compared to them! Were I to be at B- with what animation would I urge the sacred subject, and endeavour to make the good people there feel it in all its grandeur and importance. Though I would not say it is the duty of a poor man already in debt, to give of that property which, in all legal right, is not his own; yet I would urge him to be industrious, sober, prudent; to pay off his just debts, and then bring his contribution to this noble cause with a heart flaming with love to mankind. But all such as have it in their power should vie with each other who should do most for the general IN the country town where I reside, a set of strolling players have, at different times, intruded themselves, to the great grief of many of the sober inhabitants, who consider such persons as the occasion of much immorality and extravagance. As it was generally understood that they came with the sanction of the magistrates, no one attempted to prevent them; and it is but very lately I learned that, except in places where there is peculiar jurisdiction (such as corporation towns) every person who shall for hire, gain, or reward, act any play, or other entertainment of the stage, without first obtaining a license at a general quarter sessions, is, by an Act of 28th Geo. III. cap. xxx. considered a rogue and vagabond, and subjects himself to the penalty of £50. for every such performance. A recent attempt was made by the manager of a provincial com pany to get a footing amongst us, and a place was fitting up for a theatre; but by stating to him, that if he presumed to act without a license from the sessions, an information would be laid against him, and the penalty enforced, his plan was abandoned, and the threatened evil prevented. This statement is made with the hope you will insert it in your widely-circulated Magazine, from an idea that, if it were generally known, many of the friends of religion and morality, in various parts of the country, would exert themselves to oppose these illegal theatrical exhibitions. In any place threatened with the introduction of this mischief, every individual has it in his power to prevent it, by sending to the manager a notice of his intention to lay an information before a magistrate in case he persists; which notice I conceive will be quite sufficient to deter him. It should be distinctly understood, that the consent of one magistrate or more does not license the performance of any stage-plays, or secure the manager from the penalty of £50. I am, &c. May 1st, 1816. R. S. He A weary thirsty traveller in a wilderness knows full well the literal meaning of this text. hears of a brook a few miles distant, and receives the information with much satisfaction; he hastens to the spot; but, how mortified and disappointed must he feel, when he finds the brook dried up! and particularly so when he observes the channel in some parts still damp, thereby intimating that it has but lately disappeared. Suppose afterwards he falls in with another brook, and drinks with pleasure of its refreshing water, and expects future supplies by travelling along its banks; but probably before the day's journey be half finished, the stream loses itself in sand, to appear no more. The passage forcibly expresses such an occurrence by speaking of the brook as dealing deceitfully, by raising expectations which it does not satisfy. Job xxxviii. 25, &c. To convince Job of his ignorance, God proposes a number of ques tions for him to answer. Among these, he asks Who hath divided a water-course for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder, to cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness wherein there is no mun; to satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth? To rain in a wilderness wherein there is no man, proves that rain is not the production of man, but of God; but the object of God in sending it to such a land is beautifully expressed, viz. to satisfy the desolate and waste ground, &c. which, from its sickly and faint appearance, seems crying earnestly for water; and this longing desire God is represented as satisfying, accommodating the displays of his goodness to the inanimate as well to the animate part of his creation. J. C. gious world; a desire of gratifying her surviving relatives, and of preserving the memory of departed worth; together with a hope of benefiting your readers, have induced a place in the Evangelical Magazine; request that you will give them by doing which you will greatly me to oblige yours, &c. R. T. MRS. MORGAN, sister of the late Rev. Charles Buck, came with her husband to Taunton for the benefit of her health, being in a decline, in August, 1815. The change, however, did not produce the desired effect; for the disease continuing to inOctober 3d, 1813. What comfort crease, terminated her life. January do I find from reading the 27th 25th, 1816. During her illness, my Psalm, father and myself frequently visited her; nor can we soon forget the pleasure and the profit which we derived from her interesting conversation. Fervent devotion, ardent love, deep humility, lively faith, cheerful resignation, and holy triumph, shed a lovely lustre around the death-bed scene of this eminent Christian. It was good to be in the room where she breathed her last. "It was privileg'd above the common walks of life, Quite on the verge of Heav'n.' Her thoughts and affections, to use the quaint expression of Mr. Herbert, appeared to be all pack'd up and gone.' She resembled (as she once expressed herself to a friend standing by her bed-side) a merchant about to embark for a distant country; his merchandise having been exported some time previously. He is now waiting to weigh anchor, and set sail himself. With peculiar pleasure and delight, Sir, she hailed the breeze that wafted her from the shores of mortality. At the period of her death, imagination might have realized the beautiful description by Dr. Watts, in his Lyric Poems, of "The soul's launching into eternity." "She spreads her wings Wide to the wind; and as she sails she sings, And loses, by degrees, the sight of mortal things. As the shores lessen, so her joys in The following papers were unexpectedly found by her husband, subsequent to her death. Respect to her worthy brother, so well known, and deservedly esteemed in the reli it contain; it gives me, as it were, October 15, 1815. I have this day been hearing two sermons on faith; the one shewing the nature of it, the other exhorting us to hold fast the profession of it without wavering; and now, as in the presence of God, I would wish to examine myself, whether or not I do possess that saving faith in Christ, without which I never can be saved; and here I must try the foundation of my heart by the word of God," that whosoever confesseth his sins, and believeth in Christ, He is pure, faithful, and just to forgive them their sins," &c. Now I do confess that I feel myself a wretched, lost, undone sinner, without a gleam of hope of being saved by any other means than the blood and righteousness of Christ, which I do firmly rely upon, to satisfy the justice of God, and to purchase eternal salvation for my soul. My faith, I hope and trust, is genuine, seeing it produces in my heart a love to the Father for the gift of his Son,love to the Son for so great a redemption, and a love to the Holy Spirit for his communicating and sanctifying influences. I have, indeed, to lament that my love to the Lord for so great a blessing as the a salvation of my soul, is so languid; but I hope it is sincere. I not only believe in the blood of Christ, but I also believe in the promises of Christ, that as He has given me faith to apply to him for the pardon of my sins, he will give me grace to persevere in the path of duty to the end of life. I feel, alas! an awful propensity, at times, to backslide; yet he has mercifully kept me hitherto, and I doubt not but he will keep me the few short months longer I expect to be in the flesh, for he has promised that none of his sheep shall perish, neither shall any pluck them out of his hands. I do firmly believe that Jesus has died for my sins, and that I shall surely be with him one day in glory; for "He hath made with me an everlasting covenant, even the sure mercies of David." November, 1815. And could I view death with such composure when in good health, and immersed in the cares of the world, as I was when I wrote the above few lines! How does he appear to me now, that 1 stand on the verge of Jordan waiting his approach? Blessed be God, not as an enemy, but as a friend, sent to convey me safely over the river, and land me safe in my heavenly Father's kingdom. Blessed be God, who has taken away the sting of death. If sin be pardon'd, I'm secure," &c. How precious then to my soul ought Jesus to be, who has redeemed ine with his own precious blood, pleads my justification before an holy God, and will finally present me pure and spotless before his heavenly Father's throne. Blessed be God for that assurance of faith which affords me such comfort, now that the awful prospect of death is continually be fore me. Oh, that I could but honour and glorify Him as I ought, while in this frail tabernacle! Although I cannot praise him as I would, yet I rejoice to think I shall soon drop this mortal body, and my spirit will ascend to those realms of bliss where my songs of praise shall begin never more to end. MRS. ANN MOFFATT. On the 12th of last December died Mrs. Ann Moffatt, wife of J. M. Esq. late of West Ham, in the county of Essex, in the 73d year of her age. This good lady was a remarkable instance of God's great power and goodness upholding and enabling her to bear with fortitude, resignation, and Christian patience under the most excruciating bodily pain, even ental derangement, for a period of four years without a murmur, only earn estly praying to God, from morning till night, to release her from her inc lancholy state of affliction and pain. RECENT DEATHS. A. H. June 17, 1816, died, at an advanced age, the Rev. John Crosse. M. A. upwards of 30 years vicar of Bradford, Yorkshire. He continued the duties of his office, though he had been blind for several years. He died exceedingly lamented by the whole parish, and by all his neighbours. On June 27th, 1816, died, in the 70th year of his age, the Rev. John Thomas, pastor of the Independent church, at Cam, Gloucestershire; at which place he had laboured for 40 years. He preached with his wonted energy till within about a fortnight of his decease. On the 6th of August, died, aged 31, at Tunbridge Wells, Mr. Benjamin Neale, son of the late Janies Nealc, Eq. of St. Paul's Church Yard ; who will be long remembered for his generosity in the cause of God, and his liberality to the poor. The death of this young man is a great public loss, as his eminent piety, sound judgment, and ardent zeal, gave pronothing but strong faith can realize mise of long and extensive usefulness. such felicity. O glorious hour; O bless'd abole, LUTHER'S BIBLE. Miscellanea. {Extracted from an elegant Work, just puhished by Mr. Ackerman, written by Mr. Fred. Shoberl, entitled “An Historical Account of the House of Saxony; with a Memoir of Leopold G, C. Frederic, Duke of Saxony, Prince of Saxe Cobourg," &c. Price 78. 6d.] THE last important undertaking of this great man (Luther) was an improved edition of his Bible, which appeared in folio, in 1541. sleeve) alluding to the lawn sleeves of his own order. 'No,' rejoined the prince sharply; they mean Verbum diaboli manet in archi-episcopis.' The word of the devil abideth in arch bishops. THE CLERICAL HYPOCRITE. ERNEST, the Pious, founder of the modern house of Saxe Gotha, in In a note, the author gives us this 1640, found the people in a state of remarkable information:- The most the grossest ignorance: his first care, common editions of this version are therefore, was to reform the church those printed in what is called the and establish schools. He obliged Canstein Bible-Office, in the Orphan ail persons to send their children to House, at Halle, founded by a Baron these schools at five years of age; Canstein, who died in 1719. These and such was the success of his reguBibles are printed with standing lations, that it became a common saytypes, that the books may be afforded ing, that the boors of Thuringia were at a lower price. The 230th edition better educated than the geutry of appeared in 1804; and as each edition other countries. He also formed the consists of 5000 copies, this institu- plan of publishing the Bible with tion had, up to that time, furnished 1,150,000 Bibles. In the 34th edition, which was confiscated, and is now very rare, occurred the same omission which distinguished an English edition of the sacred volume, and made one of the Commandments read thus, Thou shalt commit adultery. The copy of this cdition, in the library of Wolfenbuttel, cost 50 dollars, Page 81. JOHN FREDERIC, the Magnanimous, 1552, was a great friend to the doctrines of the Reformation. At that period, it was customary for every prince to have a peculiar motto. Frederic's was, Verbum Dei manet in Eternum (The word of God abideth for ever): The initials of this sentence, V. D. M. I. A. E. were worn by himself, as well as by all his servants upon their sleeves. While he was attending a Diet, a (Popish) archbishop observed to him," These let ters upon your clothes signify, I suppase, Verbum Dei manet im aermel" The word of God abideth in the XXIV. notes, composed by as many Protestant writers as there are books in the Old and New Testaments; which has always been in high esteem, under the denomination of the Weimar Bible. The duke carried about with him list of the curés and schools, with their ministers and masters. Passing through a village, he entered the minister's house, inspected his library, and perceiving his Bible covered with dust, he put à gold ducat at the be ginning of the book of Revelations, unobserved by the divine. The following year, he paid another visit to the same priest, and enquired concerning his method of reading the sacred volume. The minister told his Highness, that it was his practice to read over the whole Bible every four months, together with the critical observations; and that he spent some hours every day in the study of a particular book, and in perusing the best commentators who had written upon that book. His Highness then took up the Bible, opened it, and to the no small confusion of the clerical bypo crite, found the ducat where he liad laid it the preceding year. ་ |