XCV.

TO THE REV. D. BROWN.

MY DEAR SIR,

Dinapore, May 31, 1808.

Yours of the 24th arrived to-day, and relieved me from much anxiety respecting your own health. Still you do not say whether the Hindoostanee sheets have arrived. I do not wonder at your enquiring about the Persian. To-day we finish comparing St. Matthew with the Greek, if it may be called a comparison; for, partly owing to the errors of the scribe, rendering whole verses unintelligible,—and partly on account of Sabat's anxiety to preserve the rhythm, which often requires the change of a whole sentence for a single word,-it is a new translation. We have laboured hard at it to-day; from six in the morning till four in the afternoon.

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Some days Sabat overworked himself and was laid up. He does his utmost. He is increasingly dear to me, as I see more of the meekness and gentleness of Christ in him. Our conflicts I hope are over, and we shall draw very quietly together side by side.

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The cloud hanging over - seems to become more thick and black. I never thought it would come to this. With all their faults and prejudices I pity and love that unhappy house. O may it please God to bring them soon to a right spirit.

Yours ever,

H. MARTYN.

XCVI.

TO THE REV. D. CORRIE.

June 6, 1808.

To-day we have completed the Persian of St. Matthew, and to-morrow it is to be sent off to be printed. Sabat desired me to kneel down to bless God for the happy event, and we joined in the praise of "the Father of Lights." It is a superb performance in every respect. Sabat is prodigiously proud of it: I wish some mistakes may not be found in it, to put him to shame. Among the events of the last week is the earthquake ; we were just reading the passage of the 24th of Matthew, on "earthquakes in divers places," when I felt my chair shake under me; then some pieces of the plaister fell; on which I sprang up and ran out :—the doors had still a tremulous motion. This edition of the Gospel must be announced as 'printed at the expence of the British and Foreign Bible Society.'

XCVII.

TO THE REV. D. BROWN.

DEAREST SIR,

Dinapore, June 21,

1808.

At length the Lord has blessed you with another son. Your prayer for him I echo. May he be a missionary ! May he be an instrument in dispersing the thick darkness that covers the earth! Help me to understand what is the duty of a sponsor. I have never yet stood as godfather, but I have a notion that you rather desire it, and Corrie must be the other.

The translations have met with another interruption. Mirza has deserted me, and I know not how to supply his place. Last week was spent in seeking him out in Patna, to endeavour to accommodate matters, at least till the four gospels should be finished, but all in vain.

During my stay at Patna, I had two conferences with the Nabob Bahir Ali at his house, on Mahommetanism and Christianity. There is no appearance that he is seeking the truth. I formed an acquaintance also with a young Italian Padre, and tried to convince him of his errors. Meantime the translations were at a stand, but we now go on again.

Yours ever,

H. MARTYN.

XCVIII.

TO THE REV. D. CORRIE.

Bankipore, June 23, 1808. I groan at the wickedness and infidelity of men, and seem to stretch my neck every way to espy a righteous man. All at Dinapore treat the Gospel with contempt; here there is nothing but infidelity. I am but just arrived, and am grieved to find in my old friend less proofs of real acquaintance with the Gospel than I used to hope. On my way here I called on Col. and advised him to marry or separate ;-the alternative I am ever insisting on. As soon as I arrived, Mr. informed me that the reason why no one came to hear me was, that I preached faith without works, and that little sins are as bad as great ones,' and that thus I tempted them to become great sinners. A young civilian, who some ago came to me desiring satisfaction on the evidences of Christianity, and to whom I spoke very freely, and with some regard, as I could not doubt his sincerity, now holds me up to ridicule. Thus, through evil report, we go on. Oh! my brother! how happy I feel, that all have not forsaken Christ; that I am not left alone even in India. thy burden on the Lord, and he shall sustain thee," is the text I carry about with me, and I can recommend it to anybody as an infallible preservative from the fever of anxiety.

"Cast

XCIX.

TO THE SAME.

June 26, 1808. The day after I wrote to you from Bankipore, I called on the Nawaub, Babir Ali Khan, celebrated for his sense and liberality. I staid two hours with him, conversing in Persian, but badly. He began the theological discussion by requesting me to explain necessity and free-will; I instantly pleaded ignorance. He gave me his own opinion; on which I asked him for his proofs of the religion of Mahomet. His first argument was the eloquence of the Koran, but he at last acknowledged that this was insufficient. I then brought forward a passage or two in the Koran, containing sentiments manifestly false and foolish : he flourished a good deal, but concluded by saying, that I must wait till I could speak Persian better, and had read their logic. His whole manner, look, authority, and copiousness, reminded me constantly of Dr. This was the first visit, and I returned highly delighted with his sense, candour, and politeness. Two days after I went to breakfast with him, and conversed with him in Hindoostanee. He inquired what were the principles of the Christian Religion; I began with the Atonement, the divinity of Christ, the corruption of human nature, the necessity of regeneration, and a holy life. He seems to wish to acquire information, but discovers no spiritual desire after the truth. So