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FEELINGS OF A MISSIONARY.

contraction, but extension: it is the whole World we seek to enlighten. The Heathen have been given to our Lord for His inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession. He has paid the price of our redemption; He has entered heaven as a mighty Conqueror; He has all authority and power committed unto Him; and He can pour out His Spirit in such a measure, as to make men feel that it is the highest privilege which they can enjoy upon earth to be allowed to return a portion of their gains to God, to promote His glory from whom they have received their all. Let us keep in mind the change which He wrought upon Matthew and Zaccheus, the publicans; and let us pray for the same measure of His Spirit to be poured out upon our fellow-men: there will then not be any impediment between us and the means necessary to extend the work of the Lord, till the knowledge of His Name shall cover the earth. Should God not answer our prayers as to an increase of means, let us pray that He would so wean the hearts of all of us who are engaged in the Missionary work from the love of the world, that we may view the gold and silver of it as thick clay, which only clog a man, and disqualify him for running with alacrity the heavenly race; and that we may be willing to practise any degree of self-denial which God may see fit to call us to endure in the execution of His work. In answer to the prayer of faith, God will cut the strings which bind the hearts of the friends of Missions to the world, and will set the will and affections at liberty, to act as impartially as they would were they standing before the tribunal of Christ giving a full account of their stewardship. May the Lord make the Christian World more liberal! Then shall the arm of the Lord be made bare among us, and then shall His work prosper in our hands.

We are exceedingly anxious to extend our Missionary operations in this part of the world. We believe the Lord is making way for us. The minds of the Heathen are fast preparing to receive the Truth. Their poverty, misery, and hopeless prospects, both as it regards the present world and the world to come, touch our sympathies, and dispose our hearts to do something for them. We see the leaven of true Religion, which has been hid among the mass of heathenism, now beginning to operate beneficially. This encourages us to persevere, in dependence upon the promise of God, that He will overturn, overturn, overturn, until He come whose right it is, and He will give it Him. A dispen

ON THE CONTRACTION OF OPERATIONS.

sation of the Gospel is committed unto us.

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We have ac

cepted it; we have pledged ourselves to give it publicity; and woe be to us if we allow the work to stand in our hands!

NEGRO CHURCH-BUILDING MEETING IN WEST-AFRICA.

THE following Extract is from the Journal of the Rev. C. A. Gollmer, the Missionary in charge of Bathurst and Charlotte, Sierra Leone :

Sept. 12, 1842-A bell was heard this morning, as also on Saturday evening last, over all Bathurst. I inquired the cause; and was told that it was to assemble the people in the market-place, in order to ask them whether they were willing to make a Collection for a New Church. Some of the principal persons at Bathurst had previously mentioned the subject to me; but I was not aware of their further proceedings. Being interested in the matter, I went to the market-place myself, where I found a great number assembled. Four of the principal inhabitants of Bathurst, having raised themselves on the butchers' table, addressed the assembly in the following manner:-" My country people! God brought me in this land; and here I was taught the Word of God, which can do good to my soul. The White People"- Missionaries come here, not on account of money, but to teach good fashion. Now, my country people, we come together this morning about the Church palaThis School-house there cannot do much longer; and then, by-and-bye, we no get a Church: we sit down with our children, and have no place for worship God. Suppose we can try for do something-we can die, and our children can worship there, and can say, Our fathers have done this. The Church Missionary Society will help we; but we must try for help them: and if we put money, the Missionaries all can put money; and so, by-and-bye, we get a Church."

ver.

66

After the four Speakers had finished, I also mounted the butchers' table, and told them, not only that they ought to show their faith by their works in this respect, but I embraced this opportunity to speak especially to those who never come to Church, and invited them to come for their souls' sake.All the people who were assembled agreed to make a Collection, which it is thought will be comparatively considerable. I hope they may succeed in their object, as the present School-house is but a temporary one.

ACCOUNT OF SORABJEE, A PARSEE CONVERT AT BOMBAY.

THE Parsees are a numerous body, who profess the religion of Zoroaster. Their whole number is estimated at about 300,000; of which about 40,000 are found in Bombay and its neighbourhood. They are usually called Fire-worshippers; but they deny the charge of idolatry, and say that they reverence fire only as the purest emblem of the Divinity. Those who reside in Bombay are a busy, thriving, and enterprising people, generally engaged in mercantile pursuits, in ship-building, and various kinds of handicraft. The Parsees have the appearance of being more liberal-minded than other bodies of the native community; but their opposition to Christianity is very decided and deeply-rooted.

In 1839, three Youths of this religion embraced Christianity, with the doctrines of which they had become acquainted in the General Assembly's School. The following account of another, who was educated in the Money School, is given by the Rev. G. M. Valentine, Missionary at Bombay, in a Letter dated June 16, 1841:

I shall embrace this opportunity to give you some account of a Parsee Youth named Sorabjee Cursetjee, a pupil in the Money School, whose determination to become a disciple and follower of Jesus has lately caused a considerable stir in the Parsee community. The attendance at the school of the two Converted Brahmins from Nassuck almost necessarily gave rise to much religious discussion among the boys; and about three months ago, Ram Krishna informed me, that, in consequence of these discussions, two Parsee Youths had had their minds much drawn toward the Gospel. Sorabjee gradually took up the Christian side of the argument so warmly and boldly, that the two Brahmins began to fear that he would bring upon himself trouble and persecution.

Various reasons made me refrain, for a season, from inviting these young inquirers to a private conference. They had been at the school but a few months, and were quite unequal to conversing in English, and could speak Mahratta but very imperfectly. I also feared, that, after all, it might be a mere temporary excitement; or that perhaps, uncon

ACCOUNT OF SORABJEE, A PARSEE CONVERT.

29

sciously to themselves, they might be influenced by unworthy motives. With a view to guard against the operation of such motives, I directed that they should be told to expect no worldly emolument or advantage from a profession of Christianity, as it would most probably expose them to many trials and sufferings. Still they persevered; and on the first of last month I was informed that they were very desirous to see me in private. Accordingly, they came up to my room, where I was confined by indisposition; and after much conversation, with the help of Dajee and Ram Krishna, I commended them to the Lord in prayer, and sent them away. The youngest boy did not come to me again ; but Sorabjee continued to visit me about once or twice a week.

On the 21st of May I returned with Mrs. Valentine from Najotna, after an absence of two days: and on the same evening, Dajee and Ram Krishna, on their return from school, informed me that Sorabjee's friends had prevented him from attending on the two days preceding; and that on this day he had escaped from them and come to school, but that one of them had come after him and fetched him away. Their account made me feel deeply concerned for his safety; but I knew not how to interpose on his behalf.

The next morning, at Family Prayer, the boys told me that Sorabjee had come to me for refuge. He had got away from his relations the evening before; and meeting with Mr. Robertson, accompanied him to the gentleman's house with whom he was staying, and passed the night there. He remained with me during the day; and in the evening, two of his relatives came, who were so courteous and respectful in conversation as to remove from my mind all apprehensions of violence being used in my presence. I told them that they might use any arguments they pleased to induce Sorabjee to return with them; but if he were apprehensive of danger among his own people, I felt it to be my duty to afford him shelter. They declined attempting to persuade him; but said that they would bring his mother to see him.

The next day was the Lord's Day. Soon after day-break I heard the voices of native women in the house; and on leaving my room, found that Sorabjee's mother and wife, and other female relatives, were trying to prevail on him to return with them; but he was firm in his resolution to remain where he could freely profess his faith in the Saviour.

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ACCOUNT OF SORABJEE,

While I was engaged in endeavouring to soothe the mind of his distressed mother, three or four men came up, and, civilly accosting Sorabjee, drew him aside, as though they wished to speak with him. They put their arms round his neck, and were leading him toward the door; which, as soon as I observed, fearing what might be their intentions, I stood between Sorabjee and the way down stairs, and told the men, that they might say what they pleased to him, but that I would permit no violence. After a long altercation, more Parsees began to come from the street into the house, which rather alarmed me; but still I did not think that they would have recourse to violence while I was close at hand. After in vain attempting to decoy me from Sorabjee's side, they suddenly began to drag him away, and at the same time set up a shout, or rather yell, of defiance. I laid hold of him, to keep him back; but by dint of numbers—for the staircase was now nearly full of Parsees-in a few moments they had him out of the house and compound, and were hurrying him along the street. Providentially, the Bazaar Master was passing by, and, seeing the tumult, most actively bestirred himself. Calling the police to his assistance, he succeeded in rescuing the poor youth; whom he took, with some of the ringleaders in the outrage, to a neighbouring Chowkee. I immediately went there with Mr. Sargon: and having arranged that the parties should be taken without delay to the police-office, I waited on the Superintendant of Police, who promised that Sorabjee should be sent back to me at once, and that the matter should be investigated the next morning. When the parties reached the office, the Superintendant, after consulting with the European Constable, considered that it would not be safe to send Sorabjee to my house, on account of the irritation of the Parsees: he therefore remained at the office.

On Monday morning, at 10 o'clock, I went to the office with Mr. Sargon, and the case was inquired into by the Magistrates. Sorabjee, under most trying circumstances, in the presence of a great crowd of Heathens, courageously professed his renunciation of the Parsee religion, and his belief in Christianity. He said that he could not return to his relations, because they would send him away from Bombay, and place him under restraint. He did not wish the persons who had assaulted him to be punished; but only to be himself protected from further violence. The Magistrates therefore took security from six persons, whom he named