were, from week to week, provided for their accommodation. The congregation increased so much, that it was soon found necessary to build a chapel, which was opened Sept. 11, 1808. About 700 people assembled, and Mr. Wray preached from Luke xix. 9. "This day is salvation come to this house." This chapel was erected chiefly at the expense of Mr. Post, who laid out for the place of worship, and the minister's house, more than a thousand pounds!—a noble example of liberality! This good man, who did not live long to enjoy the pleasure of witnessing the increasing fruits of his labours, died on the 23d of April, 1809; and within the building, at the west end, a stone, bearing a suitable inscription, has been erected to his memory.

their pocket handkerchiefs, and their fingers sparkling with gold and diamond rings. Many of the slaves, on the contrary, come almost naked.

The attention of the blacks to religious instruction, and the happy influence of the gospel on their hearts and lives, were such as to encourage the directors to send another missionary, Mr. John Davies, who settled at George Town, and built a chapel there. He was afterwards joined by Mr. Elliot, who had previously laboured in the island of Tobago, and who has built a second chapel in George Town, and also recently erected another on the west coast of the Demerara river. Both the congregations are large. The members of the churches diligently employ themselves in the instruction of others, by teaching them the catechism. The scriptures are highly valued, and read by many. The monthly missionary prayer meetings are well attended. Auxiliary missionary societies have been established at all the chapels, and considerable sums cheerfully contributed by the slaves, from their scanty pittances, for the general cause of missions. Much opposition has been made, in various ways, to the pious efforts of the missionaries; but the testimony of respectable proprietors of estates, that the religious negroes are the most valuable and trust-worthy, is an argument which their opponents are not able to answer.

The chapel itself, in which a gallery has lately been erected, like all other buildings in the colony, is entirely of wood. It is 70 feet long, and in the widest part about 50 broad, but in the narrowest not more than 40. Its exact shape cannot easily be described. It is neither round nor octagonal, neither square nor parallelogram. The pulpit is at the east end. There is only one glass window, and this is small, and so situated, that the light it admits is thrown on the top of the sounding board, on which account it is rendered nearly useless. The other windows, which resemble Venetian blinds, but are much longer, the colonists call jeloucies. They do not open and shut like windows, but merely turn up and down, as blinds are turned to admit the light or exclude the sun. Hence, when rain descends during the service, the jeloucies are shut, and both minister and congregation are nearly in the dark. The situation of the chapel is in a populous district, being surrounded with Mr. Smith, whose melancholy fate plantations containing multitudes of we have had to record, succeeded slaves. Extending along the coast Mr. Wray at Resouvenir, where he eastward about four miles, and just continued his ministerial labour with about the same distance in a west- the most encouraging prospect of sucwardly direction, the enslaved negroes cess, until the late revolt among the belonging to the different plantations slaves, the consequences of which have been estimated at 10,000, of cost him his life. In the course of whom the greater number were per- two years he baptized about one hunmitted to attend public worship. dred and eighty adults, and his conThose who compose the congrega-gregations were large and attentive. tions present a motley appearance. Some of the free black girls come to the chapel in fine white lace veils and silk stockings, with a retecule to hold

In the year 1813, Mr. Wray having received an invitation from some gentlemen who had the management of the crown estates in the neighbouring colony of Berbice, removed from Demerara, with the consent of the directors, to establish a mission there, and has since built a chapel at New Amsterdam.

But he is gone to his reward; and his chapel stands as a silent monument of the legal persecution under which he suffered.

as illustrations of effects of which the manner cannot be comprehended, in order to shew the absurdity of rejecting the belief of a Creator, because we cannot understand the act of creation. In fact, if the case be accurately examined, it displayed, perhaps, a greater exertion of divine power to superinduce, on rude, uninformed matter, that symmetry, beauty, and admirable construction, which the universe exhibits, than to call into being the chaotic mass. But, be all this as it may, it has been, already, proved, that matter cannot be selfexistent, and that it must have had, without itself, a self-existent, and eternal cause.

* "Some Atheists have maintained, that, at first, vast numbers of animals, many of which were monstrous, arose; that those only, which were furnished with organs fitted for the purposes of life and propagation, remained; and that the others, which were destitute of these, perished. Epicurus, and other ancients, had their atoms, which were the eternal, constituent parts of the material world. Buffon has supposed, that the universe was replenished with particles, or molecules, endued with life, but, without organization, or senses of their own; and endued also with a tendency to marshal themselves with organized forms. The concourse of these particles, by virtue of this tendency, but without intelligence, will, or direction, has produced the living forms which we now sce.'

"I'take the trouble of stating the following considerations, with regard to the notions of chance, not because I think that the doctrine of universal casualty deserves a serious refutation, but because it may be of use to unfold what it implies, and because one set of Atheists have laid a good deal of stress upon it, namely, the ancient Epicureans, and those who, in modern times, have revived their opinions, under different forms.

3

"1st. I must, in some measure, anticipate what I mean to produce, under the head of moral arguments, in proof of the existence of Deity. But, this is necessary to expose the gross absurdity of ascribing, to chance, the formation of the universe. What must be thought of a person who professed to believe that a large city, such as London or Paris, with all its admirable, elegant, and curious structures, with their appendages of furni ture, and exquisite decorations, was only a casual assemblage of stones, bricks, mortar, timber, metals, and colours? It is unnecessary to put, as has often been done, the same question, in regard to a picture, a poem, a book, or machine, of any kind : as referring the first to a fortuitous concurrence of canvass and colours, the two following to an accidental jumble of the letters of the alphabet; and the last, to the accidental 7 meeting of the materials of which it is composed. Would not the person, who expressed such an opinion, in rela. These animals existing, fur- tion to these different cases, be connish what he calls internal moulds, sidered either as in jest, or as deprivinto which the organic particles, or ed of his judgment? But, why should molecules, run, and supply the means he be thus considered? Plainly, beboth of growth and propagation.' cause he holds that to ben Now, the grand objection to both which has not the probability of these opinions, last mentioned, is, a million, and, I might, perhaps, add, that they are perfectly gratuitous, of as many millions more, of being supported by no appearance of fact, and, when analyzed, are resolvable they presume to be, will answer-Certainly it into the notion of Chance, or absolute names with levity, and I apprehend, that their was not God. I am very sorry to treat great Fate, on both of which I shall, now, adherents will be wroth at my doing so. This make some observations. wrath I must incur; and will say, without hesitation, that the assertors of such opinions would have just been as near their purpose, if they had maintained, that particles and molecules had a tendency to dance a hornpipe, or to play a tune on the fiddle. We must call things by their proper names. These grave Atheistical philosophers will say, that we, believers in Deity, are very petulant. But, good gentlemen! your petulance towards us believers, in spite of rational conviction, and common sense, is known to all who have perused your writings.

60.

See Paley's Natural Theology, pp. 459

To say that particles, or molecules, have a tendency to run into such and such moulds, is to use words without a meaning. What produced this tendency? Was it necessarily inherent, or imparted by an external cause? That it could not be necessary, is evident from what has been already said. If this tendency proceeded from an external cause, what was that Cause? The Atheistical philosophers, as

to

true. Must not he, then, be viewed, | of Trophonius! Phædrus. Why so? as a decided madman, who believes M. You look so miserable, that one that all that regularity and harmony, would think pleasure was abhorrent those astonishing operations, that from your nature. Ph. Men usually nice adaptation of means to ends, assume something of the appearance and those inimitable and captivating of the things with which they are conbeauties which appear in every de- versant; what wonder then, that I, partment, on every aspect of nature, who have been attending the dying imply no design, no contrivance, and beds and funerals of two very dear are produced by mere chance? Who friends, should look melancholy? can believe that the sun was not M. Who are those to whom you alformed, and placed in the centre of lude? Ph. You know George Baleaour system, to enlighten, warm, and ricus? M. By name only; I do not fertilize the revolving orbs; and that know his person. Ph. The other is these maintain their courses by blind altogether unknown to you: I mean and precipitate accident-that the Cornelius Montius, with whom I have seasons change, undirected, with that been on the most intimate terms for uniform regularity which they ob- many years. M. It has never hapserve-that the eye was not made for pened to me to attend the death-bed seeing, nor the ear for hearing, nor the of a friend. Ph. It has been my fate hands for executing mental volitions; too frequently. M. And is death so but, that all the members, and parts terrible as it is generally believed to of the human body, the most curious be? Ph. The road that leads to it is and admirable structure of which we more terrible than death itself; for possess any knowledge, are composed, whoever can divest himself of the fear and thrown together, at random? This of death, is free from the worst part of scheme, then, of the world's having the evil; and whatever is afflictive in been produced by chance, is, to say no sickness or death, is much alleviated more, till we have advanced farther by an implicit submission to the diin discovering its absurdity, devoid of vine will. I do not believe, that, in all appearance and shadow of truth. the instant of death, when the soul leaves the body, there is a consciousness of pain; for the natural powers at this period seem to be too much exhausted to be sensible of any thing.

466

2dly. The inconsistency of this scheme will, further, appear, if it be considered, that, on the supposition of the casual production of the present frame of the world, the parts, of which it is composed, were either in motion, or at rest, from eternity. If they were in motion, as the Atheist asserts, whether he maintains his doctrine of atoms, or particles, and molecules, or of an infinite number of monstrous and regular animals, the last only remaining; then, this motion, being an inherent, and essential property of matter itself, it would be impossible that even the most minute particle of matter could ever be at rest. If, on the contrary, matter was, from eternity, at rest, it could never be put in motion, but by some power external to it. We know, however, that matter is capable of both these states, and thence it follows, that chance could not possibly have altered its original form, or have put it in motion."

(To be continued.)

THE DEATH-BED-FROM ERASMUS.

Marcolphus. How now, Phædrus, you seem to have come from the cave

M. We are born without consciousness of our own; why should we imagine, that the Deity has ap pointed death to be such a painful act? Ph. He has so ordered our birth as to be with pain and danger to the mother, that feelings of regard might be excited towards the offspring; and he has represented death as formidable, lest men should be tempted to make an end of themselves: as it is, we see many die by their own hands; what then would be the case, if the act itself were pleasant? As often as a son or a servant should be corrected, a wife angry at her husband, a loss encountered, or any other affliction occur, immediate recourse would be had to the rope, the sword, the wave, the precipice, or poison. The sharpness of death now renders life dear to us; more espe cially, as physicians, with all their skill, have never been able to restore life to one actually dead. I have ob served a great deal of difference in

the circumstances of death in differ- | tympany, and another an absoess; ent persons. In some, it is soon over; some of them denied that it was either others, go off very gradually. Some of these complaints. At all their seem to fall asleep before death ac- visits to the sick, they used to distually seizes them, and so they depart pute violently on this subject. without knowing it; but I have never seen any one in circumstances that appeared difficult to endure.rotat

M. Of your two friends, which seemed to die most like a Christian? Ph. The death of my friend George, appeared to be attended with the most honourable circumstances. M. Has ambition any thing to do with our last moments? Ph. The death of these two friends was attended with the most dissimilar circumstances imaginable: if you will attend, I will describe the case of each, and you shall judge which was the most de(sirable for a Christian. M. Nothing (will afford me greater satisfaction than such a narrative. Ph. I will begin with George. When the approach of death became evident, the physicians, who for a long time had been in attendance on the sick man, dissembling their knowledge of the danger, began to throw out hints about the fee...

M. The condition of the patient must have been admirable in the midst of all this! Ph. As the only way to end their disputes, they resolved to request of the sick man's wife, permission, after death, to make an anatomical examination of the body. They pleaded, that such a thing was respectful to the deceased, being often done to the great through a principles of honour; and that it would greatly benefit the community, by affording a guide to the judgment, if such a case should happen again; finally, they engaged to purchase, at their own charge, thirty masses for the benefit of the deceased. At last, when, with much difficulty, the requisite consent was obtained, the physicians went away; for they entertained an opinion, that it was not becoming men, whose business it is to assist the living, to stay and witness the decease of their patients, or to attend their funerals. Then Bernardin, the reverend chief of the Franciscan friårs, was called, that he might take the sick man's confession; which duty he had just performed, when a host rushed into the house, composed of the members of the four orders of mendicant friars.M. So many vul

M. How many physicians were there? Ph. Never less than six; sometimes so many as twelve.M. Your friend could not expect to survive amidst so many prescribers. Ph. After pocketing the cash, they whispered to the friends, that there was much reason to fear the worst, sotures to one carcase? Ph. The parish far as regarded the body, and that they would recommend.. an earnest attention to the state of the soul. The friends then approached the sick man, and in the gentlest manner possible, requested him to commit the care of his body to God, and to atténd more especially to those things which concerned his eternal welfare. When the sick man heard this, he cast his eyes round on the physicians, with an expression of anger, as if to accuse them of unkindness in leaving him to his fate. They observed to him, that they were not in the place of God, to save life when it is in his pleasure to take it they then withdrew into another room.

!

M.How came they to remain in the house after having received their fee? Ph. They had not been able to settle it among themselves as to the nature of the disease. One said it was a dropsy, another asserted it to be a

priest was then summoned, that he might perform the office of extreme unetion, and administer the sacrament of the body of the Lord. M. Very religiously done! Ph. There was very little religion in the case here, for it presently gave rise to a furious contest between the priest and the monks. M. In sight of the sick man? Ph Ay, and in the very presence of the host or body of the Lord.

1

M. What was the occasion of this tumult? Ph. When the priest had understood that the sick man had confessed to a Franciscan, “he declared, he would neither administer the extreme unction, nor the eucha rist, nor perform the rites of sepulture, unless confession were made to him; he asserted that, as parish priest, he was accountable to the Lord for each individual sheep of his flock, in which he must fail, if he were not made acquainted with the secrets of