Page images
PDF
EPUB

Mr. Charles Grant, that Mr. R. had experienced great kindness and attention from you since his arrival for the mission church at Calcutta ; for which, in the name of the Society, I am to return you their best thanks. "I am, &c.

"July 17th, 1797.''

"GEO. GASKIN, Sec."

To the Rev. David Brown, Calcutta.

From the same.

"Reverend Sir,

"It gave the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge much concern to find, that Mr. Ringeltaube had disappointed their expecta tions, and abandoned the mission to Bengal! *** He is now altogether connected, I hear, with the Moravians; but how precisely he is occupied I do not know. The Society's efforts, with respect to Calcutta, have so often failed, that there is little encouragement to make another attempt there. God grant that means may be discovered, and attempts still executed, to introduce to the natives of Bengal, the knowledge of Christ, as the world's only Saviour!

"The Society having lately reprinted Mr. Leslie's Short Method with the Deists," and his 'Truth of Christianity demonstrated,'

one

one hundred and fifty copies have been forwarded to Calcutta, and directed to you; the Society trusting that you will be disposed to distribute them wherever you may see the probability of their becoming useful. * * *

"I am, &c. your faithful, &c.

"Brother in Christ,

"London, May 17, 1800."

"GEO. GASKIN, Sec."

To the Rev, David Brown, Calcutta.

(Close of Extracts from the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge.)

[ocr errors]

MR. BROWN'S PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE

RESUMED.

"Calcutta, 24th Sept. 1800.

My dear and reverend Friend,

"On the 16th instant, I received your most affectionate letter of the 7th of September 1799, together with your book on the scriptures. I am unworthy to be called your son, or in all these years I should not have failed to have written to you. I have however always thought of you with the highest respect and veneration; and I have treasured up your counsels in my heart, and made them the constant

U 3

constant topics of my ministry. About three years ago, I renewed my acquaintance with you in a most unexpected manner. Among some old books, sold by a native, I found your Parochialia. I was delighted with the doctrines which I had heard drop from your lips, more than twenty-five years ago, and which then distilled as the dew into my ears. The foundation, under God, which you laid in me, and upon which the beloved man of God, Joseph Milner, of blessed memory, built, has never been shaken; 'Jesus Christ and him crucified' has been my almost only theme, since I entered the ministry; and I have witnessed the power of the name of Jesus on the hearts of several in this country, some of whom sleep in him. The doctrine of the atonement has ever been the great object of my zeal; and through the grace of God, I still go on to teach and preach Jesus Christ. I shall pay attention to your valuable present. I doubt not but I shall recognise you, in the whole, as I have already done in the preface and some of the chapters, which I have read. Your humility suggests, I may find something to disapprove. This is not likely to happen; while in reading your work, I feel myself sitting at the feet of my Gamaliel. Happy

shall

shall I be, my dearest Sir, if with your few prejudices, I heartily embrace the whole body of truth. It has pleased God to shew me great troubles and great mercies; to carry me through evil report and through good report; and it is because his mercies fail not, that I am not consumed. Since I arrived in this country (more than fourteen years ago) I have been constantly employed in preaching, three or four times every week. I have for some years been first chaplain at this presidency, and for above ten years have had a Sunday evening and weekly lecture at the old mission church, at which I commenced my labours in Calcutta, soon after my arrival in the country. I have a full church, and several of the first rank in this settlement attend. Some of them know the truth as it is in Jesus, and feel the power of his resurrection on their hearts. God has given me to find favor in the eyes of our Governor Generals, Marquis Cornwallis, Lord Teignmouth, and Marquis Wellesley; the last has lately founded a college at Fort William, of which he has been pleased to appoint me the provost; and my friend Mr. Buchanan, (a man of eminent learning, and an able minister of the New Testament) the vice-provost. It is to be my peculiar office to teach the christian religion

U 4

religion to the junior servants of the Company, who are to enter the college. I rejoice at this wonderful call; and pray that I may have grace and wisdom to declare the whole counsel of God; and I entreat your prayers, my dear, reverend sir, that I may be found faithful-faithful unto death.

"I thank you for the account you have given me of your family. God hath dealt bountifully with you. When I read what you say of your present labors, I long to be your curate, that I might copy still closer after you in example as I do in doctrine. When I have read your work, you shall hear from me again on the subject of it.

"I shall close my letter with a brief account of my family. By my former marriage, I have a daughter eight years of age; (I had three sons, who died under inoculation in their infancy.) In my present wife, God hath given me a help meet for me; one who truly fears him and delights in his law, and meditates therein day and night. I have two sons, one three years old, and the other two; all these have been carried safely through the small-pox.

"I thank you for your kind mention of my Father, to whom I have written by this dispatch.

« PreviousContinue »