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been long vacated, was fitted up by Government as a chapel, and one of the regular chaplains was appointed to do duty there. On the first Lord's day that it was opened for divine service, I was much surprised on going to our place of worship, to behold a huge bell mounted aloft, and a native tolling it. I at once thought how the matter stood, and was not deceived. A gentleman in the neighbourhood, desirous of having a bell at the new church, had bought a very large ship's bell, and directed a native mistree to go and put it up at the greejah, or church: the poor mistree knew no other greejah but ours, and there he fixed it, whilst the man who had orders to toll it fell into the same mistake: thus for that day we were favoured with its call; but on the succeeding morning when I rode past it had vanished, and the next Lord's day it was heard to emit its sonorous tones at the other end of the village; so that Howrah, from a state of complete destitution, was speedily accommodated with two places of Protestant worship. Our congregation continuing mightily to increase, a subscription was commenced for the erection of a commodious chapel, and so liberal were the benefactions, that in a short time a neat edifice was erected and paid for, although the cost was much above a thousand pounds. Two bungalowes were also built for native worship, one near the English chapel, and the other in Sulkea bazaar; as also school-houses in all the villages around, for the instruction of native boys and girls, and I became

a resident at Howrah. It was then suggested how desirable it was that an academy for the children. of European and Indo-British families, residing in the neighbourhood, should be established. This I also consented to attend 'to; and in a short time the school was formed and filled, as I received children from almost all parts of Bengal, and soon numbered between fifty and sixty boarders. None but those who have lived in a tropical clime can possibly form an idea of the toil and fatigue attendant upon such an undertaking there. Besides the vexations and trials continually arising from the large establishment of servants of necessity retained, the constant visitation of diseases amongst the children is a never-failing source of disquietude. Had I not been blessed with a vigorous constitution, I never could have borne up so long as I did, under the fatigue of body and mind to which I was subjected; especially as, from engagements of various sorts in Calcutta, being Secretary to the Calcutta Bible Association, and to the Calcutta Bethel Society; and also one of the Managing Committee of the Calcutta Apprenticing Society, &c. &c. &c. I had to cross the river, during the intense heat of a meridian sun, several days in the week, which incurs no small risk of danger, even to those who are born in the clime. Indeed, many of my contemporaries, who were not half so much exposed to the sun as I was, fell beneath its piercing rays, and were laid in the silent tomb, far from the place where the bones of their fathers

were deposited, and were thus deprived of the melancholy satisfaction of bidding a final adieu to those who had shared the scenes of their childhood; but, thanks to a sparing Providence, I was permitted, though enfeebled and exhausted, to reach my native land once more, and to have the pleasure of greeting and being greeted by those most dear to me.

I trust my readers will excuse this digression, as my "Indian Recollections" comprise the removal by death of many fellow-labourers in the cause of the Gospel, whose death-bed scenes (many of them at least) I witnessed, and with the whole of whom, excepting Messrs. Colman and Albrecht, I had enjoyed pleasurable intercourse, Yes the names of Chamberlain, Ward, Rowe, Peacock, Colman, Burton, Harle, Keith, Bankhead, Warden, Albrecht, Maisch, and Lawson, will remain graven on my heart, till all earthly scenes vanish away, and life itself decays. The recollections of Lawson are still fresh upon my mind. He was a genius of no common mould: in all that he undertook he excelled; and the longer you were conversant with him, the more would admiration be excited. In the succeeding chapter, I shall make a feeble effort to rescue his memory from oblivion, by giving a brief memoir of this talented man, the materials for which are taken from a small periodical, of which he was the editor, viz. The Calcutta Auxiliary Missionary Herald, published in January and February, 1826.

Of the whole of the little band of worthies before mentioned, it may with truth be said, that the following lines were the aspirations of their souls:

As the chill snows, when western breezes play,
Before their softening influence melt away;
As night's dark shades, when morning beams arise,
Flee from the reddening lustre of the skies ;
So might I view hell's mould'ring empire fail,
And the bright coming of th' Almighty hail.
But ah, too bold the wish-in distant years,
In distant ages, that fair scene appears.
Ere that appear, these eyes in dust will sleep,
This tongue a long, a death-like silence keep.
Yet still, before that solemn day arrive,
Before I cease to labour, cease to live,-
Though not to me the blessing shall be given
To see o'er earth complete the reign of Heaven,—
Still may I, gracious Lord of life and light,
Snatch some lost heathen from eternal night;
Plant the first church upon some pagan shore,
Gaze on its offsets branching into more;
Where undisturb'd thy great opposer reigns,
Make the first inroad on his dark domains;
And see, before life's transient meteor flies,
On heathen lands the blessed day-star rise.
Oh then would others reap where I had sown,
Others would make this gracious cause their own;
And I, exulting, view the dawning ray,

Though they might have the fuller blaze of day.

CHAPTER XV.

"Oh! happy was thy exit, blissful saint;
No pining sickness tir'd thee-care opprest―
No grief domestic marr'd thy coming rest;
Short was thy warning-sweet thy dying plaint:
Calm, sunny were thy thoughts-thine accents faint;
By virtuous children lov'd, by friends carest,
Thy sorrowing flock thou leavest, peaceful, blest;
Oh! happy was thy exit, blissful saint.

So falls the goodly palm tree, as it grew,

With clust'ring dates, and graceful foliage crown'd:
Nor lightning scorch'd, nor age consum'd its hue;
Its dirge is sung, in most pathetic sound,
By grateful pilgrim, who had often staid,
Refresh'd and cheer'd, beneath its cooling shade."

SIGMA.

BIRTH OF MR. LAWSON-EARLY RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS MANIFESTS GREAT GENIUS -ARRIVAL IN LONDON-RELIGIOUS DECLENSION-IS MERCIFULLY RESTORED-JOINS THE CHURCH IN EAGLE STREETOFFERS HIMSELF TO THE MISSION-IS ACCEPTEDPLACED WITH THE REV. J. SUTCLIFFE MARRIESPUBLICLY SET APART FOR MISSIONARY WORK-SAILS FOR INDIA viá AMERICA-ARRIVAL IN INDIA-PURSUITS THERE, AND HAPPY DEATH.

THE principal events which constitute the history of a nation are often few: those which form the history of an individual are fewer still. The

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