DR. COX'S HISTORY OF THE BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

IN October 1792, a few Baptist ministers met at Kettering in Northamptonshire, and, chiefly through the zeal of WILLam CAREY, afterwards the celebrated Orientalist, formed themselves into a society for "propagating the gospel among the heathen." At that time the subject was newer to the world, and men were distracted by the great events of the French Revolution and their conse- quences upon other nations; so that few, even of the zealously re- ligious, considered the project as sufficiently feasible to be encou- raged. "Hoping against hope," however, WILLLoa CARET and his friends persevered, and in a short time so far succeeded as to send a sort of mission to the East Indies ; which germ has now expanded to upwards of fifty stations in Asia, notwithstanding various obsta- cles from the caution of the Government, an internal feud, and the lack of funds. In 1813, the operations of the Society were extended to Jamaica ; in which colony their affairs have been more promi- nently before the public, from the opposition of the Planters and the alleged connexion of the Missionaries with the bad spirit displayed by the Negroes. The Baptist Missionary Society has also ex- tended itself in a small way to Honduras, the Bahamas, and the Cape of Good Hope, besides an attempt upon the Western coast of Africa simultaneously with the RUSSELL-BUXTON Niger Expe- dition; the Society's two missionaries sailing in a coal-tender, as the official corps refused to allow the irregular interlopers a pas- sage. However, Brothers CLARKE and PRINCE were more fortu- nate than their better-patronized rivals, for they both came back alive ; want of means and conveyance having confined them to Fernando Po, with the exception of some occasional excursions to the neighbouring coast. The detailed history or annals of this rise and progress, up to the first jubilee of the Society, may be found in the volumes : the statistical results can be briefly given here. The total number of stations in India, the Indian Islands Africa, and the West Indies, is 168, and of members 35,564; of which India and its Islands, after the labour of nearly half a century, only furnish 1,291, whilst Jamaica alone in about thirty years numbers 32,860,—a striking corroboration of the opinion we have often advanced, of the ease with which an ignorant and barbarous people take up a religion, in comparison 'with that displayed by a civilized nation— for as regards merit on the part of the teachers there was no com- parison between the Oriental and the West Indian missionaries, either in acquirement or capacity. The total number of the Society's day-schools is 143, of scholars 10,116; but in this India does not show so much disparity, the total number of schools being 74 and of scholars 2,738. The second year of the Society's ex- istence was that in which their income was at zero, being only 499/. for 1793-4; in 1841-2 it was 22,727/. The number of languages or dialects into which the Society's East Indian missionaries have translated parts of the Scriptures, and sometimes the major part, is forty-four; of which translations, up to April 1841, they have printed 434,465 volumes.

As a history, the work of Dr. Cox is not very attractive ; partly from the nature of his subject, partly from the way in which he has managed it. Seated in a highly-civilized country like India, where the natives knew as much of the arts of life as the missionaries could teach them, there are none of those curious instances of the effect produced by the mechanical arts when witnessed for the first time by uncivilized man. A similar observation applies to the Negroes ; for though much lower in the scale of civilization than the Hindoos or Asiatic Mahometans, they were familiar with all the processes of common mechanics. The Negro sentiments, too, suffer by their language, which is not merely broken English, but the language of an uninformed and limited mind, with so strong a taint of blarney as to look like cant. Nor is there much interest or variety of adventure in the story. Deaths by disease of course took place ; but beyond these inevitable evils, and the

troubles arising from their ill success with the natives, or an oc- casional interference on the part of the Government, the Eastern missionaries went on quietly enough. In the West Indies they were subjected to more inconvenience, and during the Negro in- surrection of 1832 were exposed to active persecution : and these passages have more the interest of story than any others ; though

there is a similar kind of interest, but in a much less degree, at- tached to the squabble about temporalities' that ended in the tem- porary separation of the Serampore mission from the parent Society. It also strikes us that there is a want of unity in the subject, as there certainly is of largeness. It seems sectarian. These inherent defects have not been diminished by the treat- ment. Dr. Cox appears to be more successful as a preacher than

as a narrative-writer. There is a minuteness and want of vitality about his story, which leave an impression of dryness, if not of heaviness, and will render his book of little interest to persons beyond the pale of his own persuasion, who may feel attracted by the subject.

The matter is not generally adapted for extract, but we will glean a few scattered anecdotes. Here is a trait of FULLER, one of the founders of the Society.

FULLER AND ROBERT HALL.

Fuller was slow in coming to a conclusion, chiefly lecause judgment rather than imagination or passion predominated: nor, till he bad frequently revised his thoughts, did he sufficiently feel his competency to give an opinion, or undertake a course of action ; but having once decided, be was the most im- moveable of men. Give him time and space, he was an admirable controver- sialist; but he was not ready as a reasoner, and therefore would not have been able, with the best advantage, to encounter the dexterous evasions and extern- Roraneous plausibilities of the more learned or witty of the Oriental disputants. The author was present at a vehement discussion between him and Robert Ball The latter, with his characteristic acuteness and volubility, fairly per- plexed and not a little displeased his antagonist. Fuller's replies were slowly conceived, as well as slowly uttered,; and stood little chance before the never- ceasing torrent of powerful reasoning, or confusing eloquence, rapid words, and pungent satire, of his friend. He was at length compelled, in his own empha- tic manner, to exclaim—" Well, brother Half, I cannot answer you off-hand ; but put it down on paper and I will meet you."

QUESTIONABLE RHETORICAL " INVENTIONS."

Preaching was Chamberlain's great, his favourite work, and he pursued it to the last with unabating zeal. The skilful adaptation of his addresses, and his inventive powers in rousing attention, were often remarkable. He would some- times draw a striking picture of probable circumstances, and make use of them to address the conscience. Thus, on one occasion, he produced a powerful effect by pausing suddenly in his discourse, and looking round, uttered this bold appeal, which applied exactly to an individual present. "Tom, you vil- lain, you listed for a soldier, and broke your mother's heart—you know you did! The last thing she did for you was to put a Bible into your knapsack ; and, you villain, you have sold it for grog—you know you have!"

CONSCIENTIOUS CAREFULNESS OF A PREACHER.

The meeting-house at Guilsborough, Northamptonshire, having been rebuilt after it had been conaumed by fire, Mr. Pearce, Mr. Fuller, and Mr. Sutcliff preached on the occasion. At the rural repast in the afternoon, the persons assembled were privately expressing to each other their pleasure in listening to ;Mr. Pearce's discourse ; till, at length, a gentleman rose at the table, and made a public request to him to preach again the next morning at an early hour. With equal simplicity and zeal, he replied, " If you will find a congregation, I will find a sermon." The hour fixed was five o'clock, in order to accommodate the country-people. At the breakfast-table, Mr. Fuller addressed him thus- " Brother 'Pearce, I was gratified with your discourse this morning, and hope it will do much good; but I know you will excuse my freedom if I say, that I thought you did not seem to close when you had really finished. I wondered that, contrary to what is usual with you, you seemed as it were to begin again at the end ; how was it?" He replied, " It was so; but I had my reason." " Well then, come, let us have it." This was all said in a kind of jocular manner, which Mr. Fuller would sometimes assume. Mr. Pearce paused, and a little hesitated ; but on being once more entreated, said, " Well, my brother, you shall have the secret, if it must be so. Just at the momeut I was about to resume my seat thinking I bad finished, the door opened, and I saw a poor man enter, of the working class ; and from the sweat on his brow, and the symptoms of his fatigue, I conjectured that he had walked some miles to this early service, but that he had been unable to reach the place till the close. A momentary thought glanced through my mind,—here may be a man who never heard the gospel, or it may be he is one that regards it as a feast of fat things : in either case, the effort on his part demands one on mine. So, with the hope of doing him good, I resolved at once to forget all else, and, in despite of criti- cism, and the apprehension of being thought tedious, to give him a quarter of an hour."

The following letters are characteristic of WILBERFORCE,— pleasing and pious, but resolving nothing and doing nothing. The subject on which he was consulted was a law passed in Jamaica. The first letter is merely an acknowledgment. •• Brighton. 28th August 1807. "Dear Sir—Your letter found me at this place, to which Mrs. W. was ordered by medical advice. We mean to return (n. V.) in about a week, or possibly a fortnight. Till then, I cannot talk the matter over (as I should like to do previously to advising you) with two or three intelligent friends ; I there- fore merely acknowledge the receipt of your letter now, and hope to reply to it more fully hereafter. Meanwhile, what a shocking violation of all religious liberty does this law, as it is called, evince. It might almost claim kindred with that of Darius, into which his courtiers beguiled him. May the same gracious Being who frustrated that ungodly attempt defeat this also.

"1 am, with cordial esteem and regard, yours very truly,

" W . WILBERFORCE." The second letter, though longer, is not more conclusive than the first.

tt Near London, 19th November 1807.

"Dear Sir—Since I wrote last, I have conversed with my relation and friend Mr. Stephen ; who, I find, has been professionally consulted concerning the late Jamaica law. He is of opinion, decidedly, that the by-law is illegal, and ought therefore to be resisted in a legal course. Still, the Colonial courts and juries may suffbr the obnoxious religionists to be persecuted illegally : but so they might also if the by-law had never been made. The by-law, being illegal, will not be allowed, in any court or country which is governed by law, to protect from prosecutions and penalties any Judges, Justices, Magistrates, and officers, who may punish any man under colour of its authority. Still, in such a community, it is difficult to say what may not be done with impunity. As to your question concerning the probability of Dr. Coke's ordination being more respected than an ordinary licence, I really can give no decided opinion. Persons who have resided in that island would be better able to judge. But I am inclined to believe, that preachers in a white skin would be likely to be treated better and respected more than black ones. This is all I can now say. When the meeting of Parliament shall bring me within reach of West Indians again, I will try in private to soften the prejudices of some leading men con- nected with that country : but I fear that the prejudices of the resident colo- nists, and their irreligious habits, are such as to render all attempts to softeu them unavailing. May the Almighty open a door which no man can shut. " I am, in baste, dear Sir, yours sincerely, W. WILBERFORCE."