From the view we have taken of this subject, it also appears that the doctrine of unconditional reprobation to eternal perdition, finds no support in the case of Esau. "I hated Esau," that is, I loved him in a less degree than I loved Jacob. I denied him the privilege of being the progenitor of the Messiah. His posterity I did not raise to all the temporal advantages which were enjoyed by the Israelites. Their land I laid waste and their children I scattered sooner than I scattered the descendants of Jacob.

How different is this from saying that God from all eternity did pass by and ordain to dishonour and wrath Esau and all the human family except a "certain and definite number" whom he had fore-ordained to eternal life. The sentiment contained in the text is as different from the above doctrine as light is from darkness, as truth is from error, or as heaven is from hell. And I verily believe there is not a solitary passage in all the word of God, when properly explained, that would afford the above does trine any support whatever. T. S.

Miscellaneous.

From the Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine.

NARRATIVE OF THE CONVERSION OF MIRZA MAHOMED ALI

A LEARNED PERSIAN.

(Concluded from page 347.)

We now conclude our Extracts from the interesting Journal of MR. M'PHER SON; and subjoin some additional information, respecting the progress of MAHOMED ALI in Christian knowledge and piety, extracted from the "Scottish Missionary and Philanthropic Register."

"APRIL 23d.-MAHOMED ALI still professes his attachment to the doctrines of the Cross, and says that he is determined, by the grace of God, to make an open profession of his faith in CHRIST. The Persian gentleman already adverted to, whom the, learned HAGI had requested to advise his son, has been using every means in his power to withdraw him from the faith of the Gospel; but MAHOMED ALI tells his Friend, that the subject is too important for him to be laughed out of. That gentleman acts in the capaeity of daysman or mediator between the old man and his son.He is a man of extensive knowledge, and approved piety in the Mohammedan faith; yet so successfully has MAHOMED ALI applied to his conscience the arguments with which the Gospel furnishes him, that he has come to the following conclusion:Perhaps you may be right; you may have truth on your side.' MAHOMED ALI has given his adviser particular instructions to inform his father that he has renounced the religion of ISLAM for that of CHRIST. And now he hopes, when all his friends know of his having become a Christian, he will feel his mind more at ease,

and be delivered from many of those restraints which he is necessarily laid under in associating with his Mohammedan brethren. He appears, indeed, to be making daily progress, not only in a theoretical knowledge of the doctrines of our holy religion, but in ardent desire that he may experience the saving influences of the HOLY SPIRIT upon his soul. MIRABULTALIB, the Mission Teacher, took him aside to-day, and very seriously inquired how it came to pass that he called in question the truth of the religion of his ancestors? He replied, 'Because I am not satisfied with the evidences which support it.' 'But,' said MIRABULTALIB, 'the Law, the Psalms, and the Gospels which they (the Missionaries) have, are not the true books; for the originals have been taken up to heaven.' 'I learn from the Koran,' answered MAHOMED ALI, 'that the Law, the Psalms, and the Gospels, did once exist, and there is the strongest presumptive evidence to believe that the Scriptures now in the hands of the Christians, are the inspired volume. Mark the care with which our friends (the Missionaries) endeavour_te trace out all mis-translations :—with what assiduity does MR. GLEN labour to give the true meaning of the original in his translation of the Psalms; and you know an inhibition was laid upon the circulation of the Persic New-Testament, when it was discovered that in many parts it did not correspond with the original Greek. Now, why all this care if it were of human invention'?' 'O,' said MIRABULTALIB, 'I have been here two years teaching, translating, (and still he is MR. GLEN'S Moonshee,) &c., and I have never troubled myself about these things!' "That is the very reason why you do not believe the Gospel,' said MAHOMED ALI. This was too much for MIRABULTALIB; and he ended the conversation by saying, 'You are a free agent, do as you please."

"24th.-MAHOMED ALI seems now to be in his element when talking of the kingdom of GOD. He says the LORD is carrying him on in the good way, and trusts that he will perfect that which concerns him. He prays much for himself and for his father. His friends and companions now mock and ridicule him, but he is enabled to bear it. He informed me, that the Gentleman, whom his father had appointed to converse with him, had not yet delivered his message, but promised to do it to-day; and added, However painful, I shall be happy to learn that my father knows my determination. We spent a good part of our time in reading WOOD's Catechism, which I have translated into the Persian language, with which he was much pleased; but said, he was afraid when put into the hands of his countrymen, they would make a bad use of some of the doctrines contained in it. He particularly referred to the ordinance of the LORD's Supper,- Eating the flesh, and drinking the blood of the SON OF MAN.'"

A Letter dated May 6th has been subsequently received, detailing the further satisfactory progress of MAHOMED ALI. Our

limits prevent us from making extended extracts at present. His father, acting under the influence of his Persian friends, and his own inveterate prejudices, has treated him with the utmost harshness. He has been exposed to much contumely and reproach; and has also been confined, and beaten with great severity. The Missionaries, under the impression that his life even was endangered, conceived it to be their duty to provide for his safety, by soliciting the aid of the Civil Governor, by whose authority he has been lodged in safety in the Mission-house, A few extracts from. this Letter will unfold the nature of the trials to which this Convert has been exposed, and the blessed state of mind which he has been able to preserve under them all.

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April 26th.-MAHOMED ALI called this morning apparently in good spirits. When he went home yesterday, his father sought to disgrace him in the presence of many of his countrymen, whom he had collected together for the purpose, and to whom he complained of the apostasy of his son; and in the presence of them all, he demanded that he would now renounce the new opinions which he had embraced, which the son refusing to do, the old man in a great passion sent for the Persian Consul, and told his son that he would get him bound hand and foot, and sent off to the police-office, unless he recanted. MAHOMED ALI replied,Father, I cannot recant,-my flesh would willingly become a Mohammedan, but my conscience cannot permit it.' Here his father reminded him, that all their controversies in matters of faith were determined by the sword. A sure proof,' replied his son, that your religion is not of God; for God does not need such carnal weapons to decide in matters of faith.' His father, now full of rage, ordered the servant not to give him a particle of food, nor even to allow him to dip his fingers in the same dish with him, as he was unclean. A summons had now come to the father to go out on business; and his command was but too faithfully obeyed, so that poor MAHOMED ALI had to go to bed fasting. About eleven o'clock his father caine home, but he had not seated himself long till he came to MAHOMED ALI's bed-side, and gently awakening him, thus addressed him: My son; you see I am an old man; have compassion upon my white beard, do not grieve me by becoming an infidel.' To which the young man replied,'Father, you are my parent, and it is my duty to obey you in every thing; but why should you demand of me that obedience which I owe to GoD only? In this one thing I cannot obey you. This seemed to produce some impression on the mind of his father; for afterwards, in the presence of two or three of his countrymen, among whom was the gentleman who acted as day'sman, the learned HAGI exclaimed, Son, if you can bring a Jew of character who will corroborate the averments of the Englishmen, that the Scriptures of the Old Testament now in their possession are the same as those of the Jews, then you have my permission VOL. VII.

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to become a Christian, (for MAHOMED ALI had made it manifest that the MESSIAH, as predicted in the Law, the Psalms, and the Prophets, was none other than Jesus of Nazareth,)—and perhaps I myself may join you.' His countrymen above referred to, also declared, that if he could prove the Hebrew Scriptures in the hands of the English, and the Jewish Scriptures, to be the same, then they also would acknowledge the truth of the Christian faith, and become Christians. MAHOMED ALI agreed to procure the evidence demanded. On hearing the above narrative, I told him he might keep his mind easy on that score, for the Jewish Scriptures and the original in our possession were one and the same. MR. MITCHELL, who was present, corroborated the truth of my statement, by informing him, that the Jews who are in the habit of visiting Astrachan frequently call at our depository to purchase our Hebrew Scriptures. He said he was fully satisfied in his own mind; but was afraid that should he even procure a Jew to give evidence, his father and friends would say the Englishmen had bribed him. * * * *

"About nine o'clock, on Monday, MESSRS. GLEN, M'PHERSON, and HONACKES called upon the father:-he was surrounded by a number of Persians and savage-looking Turks of Shirvan. MAHOMED ALI, on being called, appeared clothed in a dirty shube, and seemed to be trembling during the conversation that ensued. They were received in the usual manner. MESSRS. G., &c., spoke of the account that was due to the son, and requested him to call on us and settle it;-it was here intimated that he was a prisoner, and could not go out. They then stated to the father, that they had heard that he not only was a prisoner, but that he had been beaten and deprived of food, and asked if that was true? The father said, Ask him.' It was replied, He is bound; we will ask him nothing.' It was then stated that we would have immediately applied to the Governor to protect the son, but to save the father trouble, we had first come to him. The father, in a rage, declared that neither Governor nor Emperor could interfere in a matter of this kind;-that he had power not only to imprison him, to beat him, and to starve him, but even, according to the Mohammedan religion, to kill him. The people who were in the house seemed to catch the spirit of the father, and some of them planted themselves against the door, as if to prevent our escape. But conceiving it to be improper to expose themselves farther, MESSRS. GLEN, M'PHERSON, and HONACKES took their leave, and passed out without interruption.* ***

"After this state of agitation and suspense in which we had thus been kept during the whole of the day, what may you conceive were our feelings, when notice was given us, after we had assembled at our monthly prayer-meeting, that MAHOMED ALI had been brought to the Mission-house by the Police-Master. MR. MITCHEL and Dr. R. immediately went down to receive

them, when the Police-Master stated, that, by desire of the Archbishop, he had brought MAHOMED ALI to us, and delivered him over to our hands,-and that his Grace had also desired him to give us his compliments, and to say that he would gladly have called upon us himself, but could not conveniently do it.

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Upon inquiring of MAHOMED ALI, as to the state of his mind during the time he had been confined by his father, he said that it was in the most peaceful and happy state, notwithstanding all the wrangling and abuse to which he had been exposed, that his tongue was quite tired by the perpetual discussions which he was obliged to enter into with crowds of Persians who visited at his father's, that God had indeed been a mouth and wisdom to him; for that upon no one occasion had he not been able to give them such answers, as they could neither gainsay, nor resist. So that the father declared to his son, The Devil has more power over you, than even the Englishmen have; for if they were to preach and argue as you do, all the town would renounce our Prophet and become Christians.' The meekness with which he was able to bear their ill usage, strikingly exhibited the deep influence which his Christian belief exercised over his heart. One man called upon him, for the purpose of arguing with him, and after giving him many bad names, began to pray to that GOD who is neither begotten nor begets,' (this is one of the distinctive titles of GoD among Mohammedans,) that before this week was ended, he would show his just displeasure against this apostate, by causing him to die. After he had finished, MAHOMED ALI said, 'You have now prayed for me, I shall pray for you,'and raising his hands and his eyes to heaven, he entreated that GOD, in his mercy, would lead this man into the true way of salvation, and deliver his soul from the pains of hell. After he was done, he added, 'You have called me by many hard names, and you know that if you had done so a few weeks ago, I would have broken your mouth for it; but now they produce no such irritable. feelings; I am able to bear them all. We have no doubt that the meekness he has all along displayed will have a strong impression upon the minds of those who have had intercourse with him. When he came to us, he said his head was still painful from the blows he had received from his father; and added, 'I have suffered much since I saw you, but CHRIST suffered much more.'-Is not this a brand plucked from the burning?