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At this decision, Mr. Martyn was as keenly disappointed, as he was delighted at the complete success of the Hindoostanee version, which, on the minutest and most rigorous revision, was pronounced to be idiomatic and plain. But meeting the disappointment with that spring and elasticity of mind, which is the result of lively faith, he instantly resolved, after committing his way to God in prayer, and consulting his friends, Mr. Corrie and Mr. Brown, on the subject, to go into Arabia and Persia, for the purpose of collecting the opinions of learned Natives, with respect to the Persian translation, which had been rejected, as well as the Arabic version, which was yet incomplete, though nearly finished.

Mr. Brown's reply, on this purpose, being communicated to him, is too characteristic, both of himself and Mr. Martyn, to be omitted. "But can I then (said he) bring myself to cut the string and let you go? I confess I could not, if your bodily frame was strong, and promised to last for half a century. But as you burn with the intenseness and rapid blaze of heated phosphorus, why should we not make the most of you? Your flame may last as long, and perhaps longer, in Arabia, than in India. Where should the phoenix build her odoriferous nest, but in the land prophetically called 'the blessed;' and where shall we ever expect, but from that country, the true comforter to come to the nations of the East. I contemplate your New Testament

springing up, as it were, from dust and ashes, but beautiful as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers like yellow gold."

Towards the end of September, therefore, Mr. Martyn put himself in readiness to leave Cawnpore; and on his preaching, for the last time, to the natives, and giving them an account of the life, the miracles, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus, as well as a summary of his heavenly doctrine-exhorting them to believe in him, and taking them to record that he had declared to them the glad tidings of the Gospel-it was but too apparent that they would never again hear those sounds of wisdom and mercy from his lips. On the opening of the new church, also, where he preached to his own countrymen, amidst the happiness and thankfulness which abounded at seeing "a temple of God erected, and a door opened for the service of the Almighty, in a place where, from the foundation of the world, the tabernacle of the true God had never stood," a mournful foreboding could not be suppressed, that he, who had been the cause of its erection, and who now ministered in it for the first time, in the beauty of holiness, would minister there no more. They beheld him standing on the verge of the eternal world, and ready to take a splendid flight. "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof," were the sentiments with which many gazed on him. One

of his auditors on this solemn occasion, describes, in the following words, the feelings of many others, in depicting her own:-"He began in a weak and faint voice, being at that time in a very bad state of health: but gathering strength as he proceeded, he seemed as one inspired from on high. Never was an audience more affected. The next day, this holy and heavenly man left Cawnpore, and the society of many who sincerely loved and admired him. He left us with little hope of seeing him again, until, by the mercy of our Savior, we meet with him in our Father's house."

On the first day of October, the day following the delivery of this affecting discourse, after fervently uniting in prayer with his beloved friend and brother, Mr. Corrie, not again to meet him and worship with him, until separations shall cease for ever, and prayer shall be changed into endless hallelujahs, Mr. Martyn departed from Cawnpore, for Mr. Brown's residence, at Aldeen, which he safely reached on the evening of the last day of the month. In his voyage down the Ganges, nothing of particular moment occurred, except that he visited the remains of his flock of the 67th, at Gazeepore, "where, (said he,) sad was the sight-many of the most hopeful were ashamed to look me in the face, and sorrow remained in the faces of those who had remained faithful.-About nine of

* Mrs. Sherwood.

these came to me in my boat, when we sung the hymn which begins, 'Come ye that love the Lord;' after which, I spoke to and prayed with them, earnestly and affectionately, if ever I did in my life." This painful interview was succeeded by another, not uninteresting, with Antonio, a monk, at Boglipore. "We sat in the evening, (Mr. Martyn writes,) under a shed on the banks of the river, and began to dispute in Latin about the Church. He grew a little angry, and I do not know what might have been the end of it, but the church bell rang for vespers, and terminated the controversy. The church is in his garden; a very neat building, hung round with some little mean engravings. A light was burning in the chancel, and an image of the Virgin behind a curtain, as usual, over the table. Antonio did not fail to bow to the image; but he did it in a way that shewed he was ashamed of himself; at least so I thought. He read some passages from the Hindoostanee Gospels, which I was surprised to find so well done. I begged him to go on with the Epistles. He had translated also the Missal, equally well done. He shewed me the four Gospels in Persian, very poorly done. I rejoiced unfeignedly at seeing so much done, though he fol loweth not with us. The Lord bless his labors; and while he watereth others, may he be watered himself!"

Restored, after an absence of four years, to an intercourse with his friends, who, on beholding his

pallid countenance and enfeebled frame, knew not whether to mourn most or to rejoice, Mr. Martyn partook largely of that pure and refined happiness, which is peculiar to one of his vivid feelings and heavenly affections, in that society where they that "fear the Lord speak often one to another, and the Lord hearkens and hears, and a book of remembrance is written before him for them that fear the Lord, and think upon his name." Malachi iii, 16. The following letter to Mr. Simeon expresses the heart-felt sentiments of one* of these friends, to whom India in general, and Calcutta in particular, stand so greatly indebted, after an interview chequered alternately by the varying lights and shades of joy and distress. "This bright and lovely jewel first gratified our eyes on Saturday last. He is on his way to Arabia, where he is going in pursuit of health and knowledge. You know his genius: and what gigantic strides he takes in every thing. He has some great plan in his mind-of which I am no competent judge, but as far as I do understand it, the object is far too grand for one short life, and much beyond his feeble, exhausted frame. Feeble it is indeed! how fallen and changed! His complaint lies in his lungs: and appears to be a beginning consumption. But let us hope the sea air may revive him, and that change of place and pursuit may do him essential service, and continue his life many years. In all other respects he is exactly the same

* The Rev. Mr. Thomason

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