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Your Committee have been very solicitous, to avail themselves of the information which they have received respecting the great want of schools in the island of Ceylon, and of the circumstance which seems to favour their establish ment. Sir ALEXANDER JOHNSTONE, to whom they are principally indebted for directing their views to that island, has most kindly and humanely entered into their feelings, and aided them with his advice.

Their attention has naturally been turned to the important advantages which might result from sending out a suitable person to establish schools in this popu

lous island; but even if the means which your Committee could command had been sufficient for that purpose, the sphere of usefulness of such an individual must have been much less extensive than that of a Cingalese, who, being sent to this country to study our plan, should carry back to his native shores a perfect knowledge of the British system of education.

The execution of this design has not yet been within the power of the Committee; but they anxiously look forward to it, and, in the mean time, have gladly opened the Central School to two missionaries, who under the auspices of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, are now on their way for Ceylon, and another for Bombay, there to join their fellow-labourers of the same Society, who have already, with eminent success, spread knowledge and improvement among the inhabitants.

FORMATION OF MISSIONARY SOCIETIES.

To our Foreign Missionary Societies, we have the pleasure to add, the recen formation of one at Gibraltar, and another at Madras. Mr. REES states, that no fewer than seventy collectors had offered themselves, to apply for subscriptions to carry on the work of God in heathen lands, and that they had entered with great spirit into their work. Mr PINE, and Capt. TRIPP, were appointed Treasurers. Mr. LYNCH proposed an association for this purpose at Madras, and subscriptions to the amount of between eight and nine pounds per month had been immediately obtained, notwithstanding the infant state of the cause there, with the prospect of increase. A Missionary Society has also been formed in July last at Lancaster, through the activity of Mr. DIXON. Twenty collectors, and 200 subscribers, have been obtained.

Contributions to the Missionary Fund, received by the General Treasurers since the account published last month. £ s. d.

Rotherhithe Branch Society at the School Room of S. Jennings, Esq.

by J. Bulmer, Esq.

From Spilsby Circuit, by H. Holland, Esq. Treasurer of the Lincoln

District

For Louth circuit, by Ditto

Llanelly Circuit, by William Morgan, Esq. Treasurer of the First Welsh

District Auxiliary Society

Swansea Circuit, by Ditto

Haverford West Circuit, by Ditto

Carmarthen Circuit, by Ditto

10 12 6

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Legacy received from Mrs. Brackenbury, Executrix to

the late R. C. Brackenbury, Esq. Raithby Hall,

Lincolnshire

Deduct Legacy Duty

£1000 0 0

100 0 0

900 0 0

The Committee express their grateful thanks to an unknown friend, at or near Leeds, in Yorkshire, for the generous and seasonable donation of a piece of superfine black cloth, presented to the Society.-Articles of a similar kind will be most gratefully received, as whatever assists in the outfit of Missionaries, is a direct contribution to the Funds of the Society.

POETRY.
LINES

Occasioned by reading the Memoir of the Rev. HENRY MARTYN, B D. late Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, and Chaplain to the Hon. East India Company.

Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, for they rest from their labours, and their works do follow them, Rev. xiv. 13.

So, bending o'er his dying bed,
When not one earthly friend was nigh,
To MARTYN whispering angels said,

And watch'd his last expiring sigh:
The struggle past, their wings of light
Convey'd him to the world above;
Where linger neither pain nor night,
The world he sought, "Where all is love."
Yes! there the traveller rests at last,

By cruel Tartars urged no more;
The fever's fiery rage is past,
The palsied ague's tremors o'er:
No scorching sultry suns exhale

The vital spin's balmy breath;
Nor night-dews o'er his forehead pale,
Diffuse the chilling damps of death.
How chang'd the scene! where glorious now,
Among the sons of light he reigns,
No infidel, with scowling brow,

The Christian minister disdains: There no unhallow'd tongues blaspheme That Name above all names ador'd; The song of heaven, the angel's theme, Is Christ, his Saviour and his Lord. That Name how dear! let Albion's coast, By whitening cliffs encompass'd round, Of wisdom, truth, and peace the boast, With science, love, and friendship crown'd: That coast, with all its prospects fair, Forsaken for a land unknown; Let that attest no name was dear,

No cause, but that of Christ alone. Yet not the Stoic coldly breaks

The bonds he never knew to prize; No! but the Christian nobly makes

His bleeding heart the sacrifice. For one high aim, one work sublime, He counted life and all things loss; His friends were those in every clime Who bow'd to Jesus and his cross. For this across the stormy deep, Through Indian wilds, o'er Persian plains; By barren rocks, and mountains steep,

Where nature throu'd in terror reigns: He urg'd his long and lonely way,

The dearest joys of life forsook; And there Jehovah was his stay, His counsellor the Sacred Book.

Inspir'd with apostolic zeal,

He laboured for his Master's sake;
Nor fainted, though the powers of hell

Combin'd his steadfast faith to shake;
To spread the truth from pole to pole,
The light to all mankind to give,
In one desire absorb'd his soul,

For this alone he sought to live.

For this he preach'd, and wept, and pray'd,
Incessant urg'd the student's toil,
And hailow'd learning lent her aid,
To bless the long benighted soil.
On dark Hindostan's gloomy skies,
The light of Revelation broke;
And Persia's sons may know and prize,
The words which the Redeemer spoke.

Expos'd to grief, reproach, and shame,
Yet fearless in his Saviour's cause;
In sight of foes of every name

He way'd the banner of the cross:
Uumov'd by philosophic pride,

The atheist's or the pagan's sneer; The champion of the Crucified,

He lov'd the sacred badge to wear.

By wisdom taught, and sway'd by love,
He tried instruction's gentlest arts;
By mild persuasion sweetly strove
To win to Jesus, Gentile hearts:
Himself in virtue, meekness, grace,
A comment on the truths he taught,
Witness'd for Him in every place,

Whose message to the world he brought.

His work is done! the Master found

The five-fold talent well improv'd; No earthly cares his spirit bound,

His heart was in the heaven he lov'd.
To God, in solitude his friend,

In grief his comforter and guide,
He heard the summons to ascend,
And gladly bow'd his head and died.

Brother in Christ! thy flight we view,
Thy works which trace thee to the skies;
Fain would our spirits follow too,
And to thy height of glory rise.
O might the mantle of thy zeal,
Thy faith and prayer on us descend!
Might we thy kindling ardour feel,

Our all in Jesu's cause to spend.

Short has thy earthly journey been,
Thy spirit found no home below;
Too hallow'd for a world of sin,

Too tender for a world of woe.
Our course shall too be soon fulfil'd;
O might we for that day prepare!
See the new heavens and earth reveal'd,
And meet our elder brethren there.

A. B.

* Mr. Martyn translated the New Testament into the Hindoostanee and Persian languages.

Printed by T. CORDEUX, 14, City-Road, London.

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METHODIST

THE

MAGAZINE,

FOR DECEMBER, 1819.

BIOGRAPHY.

SOME ACCOUNT OF MR. JOSEPH WEBB,
late of Portsmouth;

Who was a worthy member of the Wesleyan Methodist Society more than THREESCORE YEARS; and whose valuable labours as a Local Preacher, Class-Leader, Steward, and Trustee, are earnestly recommended to the notice of those Methodists, of the rising generation, who may be called to fill these important offices.

By JONATHAN EDMONDSON.

THE sacred Scriptures have furnished us with many valuable accounts of holy and useful men, which we should read with deep attention and earnest prayer, that we may imbibe their spirit, and follow their example. Those accounts were not published as eulogies on the dead, but, as instructions and encouragements for the living. The pious dead are removed from this world of sin and sorrow, to a world of purity and joy, where human praise is neither known nor desired; but the gracious dealings of God with them, and their exemplary conduct, while passing through this vale of tears, may be made a peculiar blessing to true believers from generation to generation.

In imitation of the inspired writers, the Christian church has from time to time carefully written, and published, memoirs of good men; who in different ages and nations had adorned the doctrines of God their Saviour; and these have been made a blessing to thousands, and tens of thousands, on their way to a better country. Indeed, it is generally acknowledged, that pious biography is better calculated, than any other kind of reading, to instruct and edify the church of God; especially those articles which are written with faithfulness, perspicuity, and brevity. The author of the following account has endeavoured to follow this plan, and humbly hopes that this memoir, of one of the best of men, will be read with pleasure and profit, by the pious of every denomination. VOL. XLII. DECEMBER, 1819.

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