making allowances for what he knows. O does it be come me to be judging others? Did Jesus canvass the proceeding of Government with the spirit of one of this world? I pray to be preserved from ever falling into this snare again. May I with poverty of spirit, go on my way; and never again trouble myself with what does not belong to me! I trust I shall be able to distinguish between zeal and self-will. Let me never fancy I have zeal till my heart overflows with love to every man living."

On the 13th of September Mr. Martyn received his appointment to Dinapore; by which time, notwithstanding all his vigilance, the comforts of the life he had been leading had so far won upon him, that he suffered much at the thoughts of his removal.

"It

is an awful and arduous thing," said he, "to root out every affection to earthly things, so as to live for another world. I was astonished at the attachment I felt

for earthly things. The happiness of invisible and eternal things seemed something like a dream; the faint remains of what I had formerly known. In great melancholy, I determined, before God, to leave this wretched world once more; but my soul was greatly cast down. The affections were entwined around something or other here; so that it appeared like death to be torn from it." So far, however, was he from yielding to selfishness or sloth, that, as the day of his departure drew near, he stirred himself up to the consideration of the greatness of his calling, and panted to begin his work.

At the beginning of October, Mr. Martyn prepared to leave that Christian family, in whose bosom he had received such unremitted kindness; but not before he had welcomed the joyful arrival of two more fellow-labourers from England, who, following his bright track, and imitating his self-denying example, had turned their backs on the beloved land of their nativity. This was an inexpressible joy to his heart. "I went down," (says he in his Journal) "to Calcutta, where we had the happiness of meeting our dear brethren.

I rode out with them in the evening, and passed most of the time in conversing about European friends." And when afterward he heard one of them (Mr. Corrie) preach, he thus expresses himself:-"God be praised for another witness to his truths. O may abundant grace and gifts rest on my beloved brother, that the works of God may show themselves forth in him."-By these various circumstances, together with the letters which at the same time he received from those to whom he was so attached in England, his affections of love and joy were excited to such a degree that it was almost too much for his frame.

A few days before he left Aldeen, several of Mr. Martyn's friends came together to his pagoda, in order that they might unite with him in imploring a blessing on his intended labours. Such a meeting could not fail of being highly interesting, and it was not the less so from a recollection of the place in which they were assembled a Christian congregation in a building which once had been an idol temple, seemed to supply a consolatory pledge as well as a significant emblem of what all earnestly prayed for, and confidently anticipated, in poor idolatrous India. "My soul," said Mr. Martyn, "never yet had such divine enjoyment. I felt a desire to break from the body, and join the high praises of the saints above. May I go in the strength of this, many days'—Amen. My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.' How sweet to walk with Jesus-to love him and to die for him. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."" And again, the next day, he says "The blessed God has again visited my soul in his power, and all that was within me blessed his holy name. I found my heaven begun on earth. No work so sweet as that of praying, and living wholly to the service of God."

6

6

On the 15th October, after taking leave of the Church at Calcutta in a farewell discourse, and of the family at Aldeen in an exposition at morning worship,

Mr. Martyn entered his budgerow, which was to convey him to Dinapore; and sailed up the Ganges, accompanied by his brethren, Mr. Brown, Mr. Corrie, and Mr. Parsons. Mr. Marshman,† seeing them pass by the Mission House, could not resist joining the party; and, after going a little way, left them with prayer. At night, Mr. Martyn prayed with his brethren in the vessel; and the next day they devoted the whole morning to religious exercises. "How sweet is prayer," said he, "to my soul at this time. I seem as if I never could be tired, not only of spiritual joys, but of spiritual employments, since these are now the same."

The day after, the weather becoming tempestuous, his brethren sorrowfully and reluctantly left him to prosecute his voyage alone. Before they parted, however, they spent the whole morning (to use his own words) in a divine ordinance, in which each of them read a portion of Scripture, and all of them sung and prayed. "Mr. Brown's passage, chosen from the 1st Joshua, was very suitable, said Mr. Martyn-'Have I not sent thee?' Let this be an answer to my fears, O my Lord, that I am in thy work; and that therefore I shall not go forth at my own charges, or fight any enemies but thine.-It was a very affecting season to me -but in prayer I was far from a state of seriousness and affection."

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"I was left alone (he writes, October 17, in his Journal) for the first time with none but natives. The wind and rain became so violent, that the men let the

* A budgorow is "a travelling boat constructed like a pleasure barge. Some have cabins fourteen feet wide, and proportionably long, and draw from four to five feet water. From seventeen to twenty miles a day is the greatest distance a large budgerow can be towed against the stream during the fair season."- -RENNEL. † One of the Baptist Missionaries.

"The North-westers are the most formidable enemies that are met with in this inland navigation-whole fleets of trading boats have been sunk by them almost instantaneously. But it is in great rivers alone, when increased in width, that they are the most formidable."- -RENNEL.

budgerow stay upon the shore the whole day, which, in consequence of beating on the ground, leaked so much that the men were obliged to be in my cabin to bale her. Read with Moonshee one of the tracts which he had himself translated from the Bengalee into verse. Perceiving him to be alarmed at the violence of the waves beating against the boat, I began to talk to him about religion. He began by saying, 'May God be our Protector,'-this was a favourable beginning. The hurricane abated before midnight, through mercy."

Oct. 18.-"Reading hard all day-wrote out a list of the errata in one of the tracts, and read Sanscrit Grammar. In the evening, walked along the bank with my gun, and fired at some wild fowl, which the servants ate. At night, read part of a Nagree tract with Moonshee. Learnt some Arabic roots. Felt an occasional depression of spirits; but prayer instantly removed it so that, in general I was near to God and happy."

Oct. 19.-Sunday. "The first solitary Sabbath spent among the Heathen: but my soul not forsaken of God. The prayers of my dear friends were instant for me this day I well perceive: and a great part of my prayer was occupied in delightful intercession for them. The account of the fall of man in the first chapter of Genesis, and of his restoration by Christ, was unspeakably affecting to my soul. Indeed every thing I read seemed to be carried home with ineffable sweetness and power by the Spirit to my soul; and all that was within me blessed his holy name. In the afternoon, sent to the Moonshee that he might hear the Gospel read, or read it himself. Began Mark-but our conversation turning from Christianity to Mahomedanism, became deadening to my spirit.-Our course to-day was still along the Eastern bank; which seems to have been lately the bed of the river, and bare of trees for a considerable distance from the water. The Western bank covered with wood. In my evening walk saw three skeletons.' 99

Oct. 20.-Employed all day in translating the first

chapter of the Acts into Hindoostanee. I did it with some care; and wrote it all out in the Persian character; yet still I am surprised I do so little. In my morning walk shot a bird, with a beautiful plumage, called a Culean; and, in the evening, a large bird, called a Minca.-Putting my gun into the boat, I walked into the village were the boat stopped for the night; and found the worshippers of Cali by the sound of their drums and cymbals. I did not think of speaking to them, on account of their being Bengalees. But, being invited to walk in by the Brahmins, I walked in within the railing, and asked a few questions about the Idol. The Brahmin, who spoke bad Hindoostanee, disputed with great heat, and his tongue ran faster than I could follow; and the people, who were about one hundred, shouted applause. But I continued to ask my questions, without making any remarks upon the answers. I asked, among other things whether what I had heard of Vishnu and Brahma was true; which he confessed. I forebore to press him with the consequences which he seemed to feel, and so I told him what was my belief. The man grew quite mild, and said it was chula bat (good words;) and asked me seriously at last what I thought-" was idol worship true or false?" I felt it a matter of thankfulness, that I could make known the truth of God, though but a stanimerer; and that I had declared it in the presence of the devil. And this also I learnt, that the power of gentleness is irresistible. I never was more astonished than at the change of deportment in the hot-headed Brahmin. Read the Sanscrit grammar till bed-time."

Oct. 21." Morning at Sanscrit, without gaining any ground. Afternoon, with Moonshee, correcting Acts i.; and felt a little discouraged at finding I still wrote so incorrectly, though much pleased at his great apparent desire of having it perfectly accurate. Though not joyful in my spirit as when my friends left me, I feel my God an all-satisfying portion; and find