son got up and made a speech; after which I could no longer decline. I therefore began with saying, that as they, the Chairman and Mr. Wilson, had forced me to speak, I would wreak my vengeance upon them. Accordingly, in a jocose way, I began with the Chairman, and found fault with a toast he had given, viz. the Oxfordshire Bible Society. I observed that Oxford was the place from whence wisdom and knowledge emanated to the ends of the earththat the Scriptures contained all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge-. and that I thought the University should have the honour of sending forth that which was sacred, as well as that which was profane-and that I hoped the next time a toast was given on that subject, it would be the Oxford and Oxfordshire Bible Society. This gave a very interesting turn to the Meeting, for the Chairman, with equal good humour, got up and defended himself, shewing that the County had done everything, and the University nothing: that the electric fluid had collected all the County over, but had shot over the University, without touching one of its pinnacles; and that if they would now exert themselves, he would admit them to the firm; but they should hold their place as junior partners, and the firm should stand, The Oxfordshire and Oxford Bible Society. Thus we had our jokes, which greatly enlivened the party; and I thought no more of it: but within four days afterwards, a public Meeting was called, and the name which I had proposed was given to it; a name which is of amazing importance in the eyes of the world. It is very pleasant to see from what little incidents important things frequently arise.

"I mentioned above that the Bible Society had done great things for Mr. Dealtry; and I will now mention another, who by means of it has obtained a rich blessing to his soul; it is the Hon. Dr. Ryder, brother to Lord Harrowby, and Dean of Wells. He will be most probably the next Bishop. He visited me at Cambridge, and preached for me on Commencement Sunday, a most excellent sermon; and he seems determined to give himself up wholly to the Lord. He applied to me also for a Curate; and has taken one of my recommendation. How delightful is it to see Dignitaries in our Church thus coming forward, and disciples springing up in Cæsar's household.'

"The week previous to our journey was the Shelford Meeting. It had been fixed for the first week of Mr. Preston's holidays instead of the last, on account of my journey; it being inexpedient to drag your mother and myself from the extremity of Kent, if we could manage without. Circumstances intervened to rob us of a great number of our party. The Edwards, Hankinsons, Steinkopffs, Mrs. Whincop, Mr. Michell, Mr. and Miss Clarke, Mr. Clarkson, Mr. Prebendary King, (King of Trinity), and another most blessed clergyman, a Mr. Marks, who is Mr. Michell's Curate, and acts quite as a Missionary at Waterbeach, near Cambridge; but, notwithstanding the loss of these thirteen, we had a goodly company of twentytwo; and a very blessed season we had together....

"Our Confirmation was a profitable season to my young people. I instructed them twice a week in the Chancel, and had a public Catechising and instruction on the Sunday afternoons. On the evening of the Confirmation I preached to all who had been confirmed. I took the same text as you had

done, and told them that it was to be considered as a second part of your Sermon. Your's I had given to them at the beginning, (for there were about seventy of them left in Mrs. Farish's hands), and it was delightful to me to be a follower of one so revered by them, and so beloved by me. Ever, ever yours."

To Rev. T. THOMASON.

66

Sandgate, Aug. 16, 1813.

"My dearest friend and Brother,

"Your critique on my Answer to Marsh I perfectly approve. Vansittart is doubtless a pattern for controversialists: he is a rasor-I am a hatchet. But what will you say to Milner? He is like one of those immense hammers moved by steam-engines for the hammering of anchors. I sent one to you the moment it came out. He has actually crushed his adversary to atoms. Of all the men in Britain that have done good to the Bible Society, there is scarcely one, except the Secretaries, that can vie with Dr. Marsh. In doing all that man can do against it, he has advanced it a thousand times more than if he had written in its favour.

"I am very much struck with Mr. Ellerton's communication respecting Schools, and Translations. It shews us that the work of conversion must be very gradual amongst you, unless God pour out his Spirit in a most extraordinary measure upon you: and I cannot but approve in the highest degree what he says of one good translation in preference to forty that are crude and bad. I have always thought that the Missionaries were too much warped by a desire to appear great benefactors to India; and when I heard of the fire at Serampore, I could not but think that God

designed to teach them by it some valuable lessons. What a joy would it be to my soul, to hear from themselves some acknowledgement of their error in this respect! But that is too much to expect from such proud creatures as we are.

"As for Mr. E. himself, I should greatly rejoice to hear that he had enjoyed a little of your company. He seems to be in a state greatly needing your sympathy and advice. From what I have seen in the Christian world, I should be ready to judge that his morbid state of mind originates in an excess of worldly care. He has felt his spirits oppressed with the business he has undertaken; and having a tender conscience, he has imputed to a want of spiritual life, the languor that has proceeded from a defect of animal spirits and of physical strength. This is a process, which those who experience it scarcely ever understand; but we, who stand by and make our observations in a more dispassionate manner, can discern it clearly....

"I hope to get back to Cambridge about the 10th of October. It has been indeed a long vacation; and I hope I am essentially stronger than I was; but I never expect to be able to preach twice in the day for a continuance. I fear I must again suspend my family prayer when I come to have my public duties: for the family prayer alone is, even in my present renewed state, quite as much as I can go through with prudence."

CHAPTER XVI.

LETTERS- -TO REV. T. THOMASON ON DR. JOWETT'S DEATH-THE BIBLE MEETING SERMON AT ST. MARY'S-STRICTURES ON DR. MARSH ON SHARP CRITICISMS-SABAT-MARTYN'S PAPERS— PRESENTATION TO ST. PETER'S, COLCHESTER-ON SENDING CHAP

LAINS TO INDIA-TO MR. KING AND MR. RICHARDSON ON THE DUTY OF PATRONS-ADVICE TO A CLERGYMAN-ON OBEDIENCE TO HIS BISHOP THE DUTY OF CURATES TO THEIR INCUMBENTS -ABDOOL MESSEEH-BIBLE MEETING ON RECEIVING MR. THOMASON'S SON EFFECT OF MARTYN'S MINISTRY ON THE PICTURES OF HIS BROTHER, MARTYN, AND ABDOOL MESSEEHCAUTIONS ON GIVING OPINIONS-ARRIVAL OF MR. THOMASON'S BON JOURNEY IN QUEST OF HIM-LETTER TO MRS. THOMASON ABOUT HER SON-ON PLACING HIM AT MR. PRESTON'S LETTER TO MR. WILBERFORCE TO REV. T. THOMASON ABOUT THE JEWS' SOCIETY AND SCHOOLS IN INDIA-BIBLE MEETING AT CAMBRIDGE -FEMALE INFLUENCE.

1814.

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Rev. T. THOMASON.

"My dearest friend and Brother,

"Jan. 6, 1814.

66 "In my last I informed you of the heavy loss which we had all sustained by the sudden death of Dr. Jowett. His funeral was on the morning of the Bible Anniversary; and four of us, as a deputation from the Bible Society, attended as pall-bearers, viz., Mr. Brown (Secretary), Dr. Clarke, Mr. Farish, and myself: he was buried in the Chapel of his own College. The Report had been drawn up by Dr. Jowett; and that circumstance gave a great additional interest to it. Lord Hardwicke and Lord Francis Osborne were