tary of State, under Governor G-d, who had been a celebrated Baptist preacher, and a man of respectability. Mr. Secretary T-n proselytes the governor to his principles about 1801 or 1802, and prevails upon him to republish certain tracts on the doctrines of the Trinity, which made no inconsiderable noise in the world. This was the first publication of the kind in Kentucky. Among the individuals who were poisoned by this malignant potion, was the unworthy author of these humble Essays. Now we will hear Mr. Benedict, vol. 2. p. 241: giving an account of his church about 1802, he says, "Mr. John Bayley was one who had propagated the doctrine of universal restoration." "The association soon became divided into two contending parties; and what was still worse, the greater part appeared on the side of error." Page 231, "About the year 1802, the Rev. Augustin Easton, a preacher of considerable eminence, and the pastor of a respectable church at Cooper'sRun, in the county of Bourbon, and his excellency James Garrard, a member of the same church, formerly a preacher in the Elkhorn association, but then governor of the state of Kentucky, began to disclose some speculations of an Arian or Socinian cast." "For some time the minds of many were much agitated by these new subjects of speculation; and the eminence and the ability of the men by whom they were propagated, excited fearful apprehensions of their extensive prevalence." We discover now that this disclosure was first made in Mr. B's church, however reluctantly he may appear to admit it; and the pamphlets containing these speculations, were extensively and gratuitously circulated. These wavering Separatists were unquestionably influenced by them: this is evidently proved by their subsequent steps, as they appear to verge to the same point with Messrs. E. and G-d, by uniformly immersing their members on admission, and re-baptising those once admitted by themselves on a different mode. But even on this ground, however highly Messrs. E. and G. are extolled, Mr. B. thinks that they" can be no great acquisition to the Baptist cause, unless they are much reformed, both in principle and practice."

These unfortunate people (the Schismatics) from the time they first broached their malignant principles, were followed up with the more enthusiastic and wild exercises, again admitting Mr. B's authority, vol. 2. p. 252. "These strange exercises of zeal, which have made so much noise abroad, came in at the close of the revival, and were, in the judgment of many, the chaff of the work." Now it was that the humiliating exercises of involuntary dancing, jirking, barking, rolling, &c. made their appearance simultaneous with the above "disclosure" of abominable heresy. And amidst these difficulties, to add to their miseries and misfortunes, being ripe for such a catastrophe, a company of Shakers from the state of New-York, found their

way amongst them, proselyted several ministers and a number of the members of the Schismatic body. The remnant, after a wild career, have dwindled to a mere handful, compared with their former numbers.

THEOPHILUS ARMENIUS.

(To be concluded in the next.)

In our last number we laid before our readers a letter from Dr. A. CLARKE, giving an account of the two Budhu priests under his care. We have now the pleasure of publishing an account of the motives which led them to leave their native land and visit England, lately written by MUNHI RATHANA, published in the Methodist Magazine, London.

and

There are twelve more, containing the actions of Budhu, called Soutre.

These books above mentioned I have thoroughly read, and endeavoured as much as I am able to understand; but there are so many things contradictory and opposed to common sense, that I find them impossible to be reconciled to my judgment. The two grand doctrines of which I could not see the reason, are these; the transmigration of souls, and the bowing down to images.

Why, for instance, my father's soul (he being a good man) after death, and after enjoying a state of happiness, should descend into the body of a cow or pig, I could not comprehend. My books tell me that a man's goodness can be worn out, unless kept up by a continued series of good actions, in the same way as a field, if not continually sown, produces nothing, and that this is the reason why the soul comes into another state of trial. after all the good is worn out. This doctrine I could by no means underVOL. II.

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stand. The worship of idols is still more ridiculous. For why should we worship a thing we ourselves have made, and which has no sense or perception? When these things had been considered a long time, I took the New Testament, read it, and found nothing in it but what was consonant to reason. I then thought, if I were to go to baptism, I should get a clearer view of this book. But my evil sense told me, if I were to be baptized I should lose every thing, my money, my friends, my dwelling, my reverence among the people, and indeed every thing I held dear. This my better reason told me I must not mind; I wanted truth, and that I must get. In this way my mind was agitated like the sea, sometimes raised into the greatest tempests, by warring winds, and at other times a still calm. In this state, I thought of studying the Testament, and read the fifth chapter of Matthew. In this chapter I saw a palace, a place of glory, was prepared for me, if I would take my sword firmly in my hand, determined to fight bravely, and manfully overcome all the suggestions of my evil imaginations.

My second contention was with my mother, which began in this manner: I addressed her with, I want to go to England. My mother said, Why do you want to go to England? Because I want to be baptized, and to learn the Christian religionMy mother, weeping and crying, said, Who told you this greatly evil sense? I said, no man, but my good sense told me. My mother answered, I will tell you what. Very well, madam. 1, your father, grand-father, great grand father, all your relations, the Cingalese people, the Burma country, Siam, all these believe our god, and only you do not. Why do you not? why do you not like our god? tell me the bad things in our religion. I said, O yes, mother, I will tell you them in a very few words. If a carpenter take any kind of wood, make half of it into a stool or chair, the other half make into an image. put on paint, and having finished it, you call this your god Budhu, there is very little difference between them. Why do you worship, give gold and silver, clothes, food, and flowers to it? Mother, why do you not worship the stool or chair? Mother made no an swer. Mother, I continued, the people that live in this country are foolish; I will not stop. Those people had a sense of another kind than what was right. If a man be sick, he takes eggs, fowls, goats, and offers them to many gods; at the saine time calling out, Come and help, come and help, take away my sickness, and receive these things. This he does to many gods. Do you never believe these things. There is only one God, and do you pray, "Our Father which art in heaven." If a fire burns in your heart, and destroys it, these words will put it out like water, and keep you from being destroyed, if you will hear the truth. Farewell mother, I am going to England. MUNHI RATHANÁ.

THE following extract from the Journal of MR. CARVER, Methodist Missionary at Ceylon, affords additional evidence of the ignorance, superstition, and wretchedness of the people in the East, and convinces us how arduous and important the labour of the Christian Missionary must be.

March 31, 1817. It being thought necessary to visit the Island of Karadive (or Amsterdam) I set out this evening to Batticotte, which is a little more than half way, and about seven miles from Jaffna. Batticotte is a pretty place, having a very large church, but without the roof, a house in ruins, and the outbuildings are in a state of desolation.

The American Missionaries are fitting up the house, and mean to make this place one of their principal Mission stations. During the time of the Dutch, it was the residence of the second in command.

April 2. After passing over a hard country of hard coral rock, with here and there a tuft of grass, we came to the channel which separates the two islands. Here the poor people were going up and down the shallow parts of the water, catching a few small fishes, which in England would not be thought worthy the trouble of dressing; but England is a happy land, and many know it not. It being low water the Coolies ventured to carry the palanquin across without a boat; but it took them nearly one hour to wade through the mud and water. The church is about an English mile from the water's edge, and both it and the minister's house are in ruins. The island is very low and flat, and in the rains nearly inundated. It produces things common to Ceylon, and may perhaps contain one thousand inhabitants, who live by the cultivation of the land and fishing. They appear very little informed, further than what necessity compels them to learn. Many came to look at us, greatly wondering, never recollecting to have seen a minister on that island during their life time. They had no schools, no books, few that could read, and few inclined to learn, all heathens, worshipping they knew not what. About two hundred yards from the church stands a Hindoo temple, which has its Brahmins and its ceremonies, while the church, which bears the name of Christian" is deserted and in ruins. Wilt not thou revive us again, O Lord. I gave the head-man a copy of the NewTestament, which he promised to read, and to let any others read, who might desire it. At noon we got back to Batticotte, and at 5 P. M. I visited another village on my way home, called Changany. At this place we found the ruins of another church and house, after the same plan as the Mayluti establishment, but in a worse condition. This place bears sufficient marks of the glory and power of its former possessors; but is

now left to the mercy of the ruthless elements. The church and house are crumbling into dust together. This is one of the most fertile parts of the country; but the inhabitants are abandoned to the grossest superstition.

12th. Being the first day of the heathen new year, many of them came to pay their respects to the Europeans; among the rest came the head Brahmin of the heathen temple at Nallour. I conversed with him some time, asking many questions, which he had learned to answer by his former conversations with ministers. He remarked," their shasters taught every thing about the world." I asked, who wrote them? "Men from heaven." How do you know that? "Because it is written in the shaster." In what country did these men appear? What time did they remain on earth? Did they go back to heaven, or did they die? He replied, he could not tell me, and asked if I could answer so many questions respecting our shaster; being answered in the affirmative, I again requested to know, what is the reason that you hide your shaster, if it tell us about all the world, and will not let it be read, even by your own people? To which he remarked, "Sir, if a man have a stone or a treasure, will he not lock it up in a box, and not shew every one?" I said, if your book were from God, and if you were men of God, you would put it into the hands of all men that they might learn to know God also. He was confounded, begged to be excused, that he might go, and departed.

August 11th. Very early in the morning I went to see the grand procession of an heathen ceremony at Nallour, about three miles from Jaffnapatam. Crowds of people from all parts filled the road a mile before we came to the temple. The gentle opening morn dispelled the mist, and discovered to my view a vast concourse of people on the plain. The Brahmins were busily engaged arranging matters for the ceremony, while expectation sat on every countenance. Many of the people had come from far to behold the spectacle, and the dragging of the car round the temple was to close the idolatrous scene. Being surrounded by the people on every side, I spoke by an interpreter to many of them. At last coming to an old man, the following conversation took place. How old are you? Nearly eighty years of age. What brought you hither? I came to worship Swamy,* and pray to him to forgive my sins. What is Swamy made of? Gold. Can gold hear prayer, or forgive sin? You know it cannot: you are very old, and just stepping into eternity; there you will find that Swamy is no god. There is none that can forgive sins but Jesus Christ; Jesus died for you, none but Jesus can save you. And with many other words 1

*The name of the idol.