they were moved by the Holy Ghost, we should prefer the words the Holy Ghost useth. They are surely, on their own subjects, the most definite and significant. They are also well known and it is a great advantage in addressing hearers, that we are not perplexed with terms and phrases; but have those at hand which they understand. What a difficulty do we feel in dealing with those who are ignorant not only of the doctrine, but of the letter of the Scripture! It is probable that a very judicious critic and eloquent Divine would censure the writer as in an extreme here yet he seems to allow it to be an error on the safer side; and thinks that a great and original writer has condemned the copious use of Scripture language with too much severity. We avail ourselves of his striking remarks in his review of Mr. Foster's Essays. "To say nothing of the inimitable beauties of the Bible, considered in a literary view, which are universally acknowledged; it is the book which every devout man is accustomed to consult as the oracle of God; it is the companion of his best moments, and the vehicle of his strongest consolations. Inimitably associated in his mind with every thing dear and valuable, its diction more powerfully excites devotional feelings than any other; and when temperately and soberly used, imparts an unction to a religious discourse, which nothing else can supply. Besides, is there not room to apprehend, that a studied avoidance * Mr. Hall. of the Scripture phraseology, and a care to express all that it is supposed to contain, in the forms of classical diction, might ultimately lead to neglect of the Scriptures themselves, and a habit of substituting flashy and superficial declamation, in the room of the saving truths of the Gospel ? Such an apprehension is but too much verified by the most celebrated sermons of the French; and still more by some modern compositions in our own language, which usurp that title. For devotional impression we conceive that a very considerable tincture of the language of Scripture, or at least such a colouring as shall discover an intimate acquaintance with those inimitable models, will generally succeed best." If it be allowed from all these considerations, that the language of the Bible has such claims, will it not follow that the frequent use of it will tend to bring the Preacher's own language into some degree of keeping with it? Surely that style is best for religious instruction which most easily and congenially incorporates the composition of the Bible with it. This is not the case with some modes of writing and speaking. But if there be unsuitableness, and difficulty, and discordancy, in the junction, which is to blame? and which requires to be altered in order to their readier coalescence? the language of Scripture, or our own? Knox has affirmed, that no writer or speaker will ever be so tender, and pathetic, and touching, as he whose diction is most imbued with the manner and phraseology of the sacred authors. CHARACTER OF THE CEYLONESE. To the Editor of the Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine. THAT variety of talent which exists in Britain, is not to be found in Ceylon; for the means of acquiring knowledge are so limited, and the native mind so indifferent, that, generally speaking, a man of superior rank in life is only equal to his inferiors in attainments. The Master converses with his Slave, as with an equal, and relates with pleasure any thing which is calculated to excite his surprise. Has he visited some distant part of the country, or been the subject of an adventure? He relates it many times over; and it invariably excites a similarity of feeling. The capacity of the natives to retain and repeat what they hear is very great for although one story may have been told by many persons, it will vary but little from the original: hence it is, that num * bers who have never perused their sacred books can make long quotations from them, simply from having heard them read by others. Their minds when confined to Tamul literature cannot receive much improve ment: for them no press pours forth its weekly, monthly, or annual publications: amongst them there are no discoveries in philosophy, no projects for the amelioration of distress. Their knowledge of geography, astronomy, navigation, agriculture, and the arts, (independent of what they have learned from Europeans,) is the same as it was many ages ago. Antiquity is with them a kind of demi-god: their ancestors are venerated for their attainments; and their highest ambition is to walk in their steps. The passing circumstances of the day seldom affect their minds with pleasure or pain; and their short history may be summed up in a few words. They lived, they ate, they drank, they died. See them in the morning of life listening with fond attention to the history of deified heroes, who are said to have arrested nature in her progress, and bequeathed mysterious doctrines, precepts, and fables, to mankind. Their young souls become fired with the mythologic story, and they feel bound by all the ties of custom and of blood to worship the gods of their fathers. Their retentive memories treasure up with care the oral communication of a father or a friend: the period of seedtime and harvest; the peculiarities of season, or of soil; the productiveness of the cocoa-nut, or palmirah tree, are known to them with almost numerical accuracy. Thus equipped they begin the voyage of life; and although they may not greatly increase their earthly possessions, they seldom make them less. The acuteness of a native man, on all subjects which affect his present interest, is very great. He soon appreciates the value of any article he inay wish to possess; and yet affects to deliberate, as if in doubt. He re This remark is confined to exertions made by the natives; there are, however, two or three Newspapers published in or about Calcutta, in the native languages. tires to ask advice; and then returns in a careless kind of manner, accompanied by some friends, who endeavour to elicit from the owner any thing he may know of the value of the article. If he tell the price, the person who wishes to buy walks off as in a great amaze at its exorbitancy but should there be any thing to gain by the matter, he soon returns and closes the bargain. If the man bring any thing to the house to sell, he never thinks of asking less than twice the sum he intends to take; and should you offer him any thing less, he pretends to be much offended, and walks off in great haste: but in the course of a few minutes he will return and present the article in a stooping posture, saying, "Master's pleasure, what can do?" When ships arrive from England, they are soon surrounded by canoes; and the natives beg, half in English and half in Tamul, to be allowed to come on board. If this be not granted, they go alongside, and present for sale trinkets and precious stones. The officers and sailors are all anxiety to buy; they have heard of the gems of Ceylon, and wish to procure some as a present for a friend. Tamby asks a most shameful price, and yet declares, "It is plenty cheap." "" It is one good ruby, or amethyst, or sapphire;" when perhaps it is nothing more than glass. The inexperienced sailor thinks, if he get it for half price, it must be cheap! He makes an offer; and after much hesitation Tamby takes it, and sheers off in his little canoe. In the course of an hour, perhaps, another merchant comes alongside, to whom the sailor shows his bargain: it is at once declared to be nothing more than glass. The sailor storms; but it is of no becomes tired, and returns to his ship in no gentle mood. These merchants are generally the most complete thieves; and they have so many opportunities of disposing of stolen goods, either on ship-board, or by their agents at distant towns, that they are seldom found out: but should they by some mishap be detected, they declare they have purchased the article of a person who has removed to another part, or who is since dead. I remember one of them being found out, and in a singular way. In our Mission-School at Trincomalee, I saw an elegantly bound volume in the French language. I inquired whose it was: Mine," said a little boy, "My father gave it to me." The father, who was a dealer in trinkets and precious stones, was sent for, and asked where he had procured the book. "Lieutenant L. of the Royal Artillery gave it me, for my boy to learn English by." I told him it was absurd to suppose the gentleman would give a French book for his boy to learn English; and altogether improbable, that he would spoil a regular set of works by giving one of the volumes away. As I had seen the work in some library at Trincomalee, I detained it; and a short time after, when spending the evening at Captain W.'s, of the Royal Artillery, I saw the work in question, with one volume wanting. The circumstance was mentioned to the Captain, who said Lieutenant L. had given it to him, before he embarked for England; and remarked also, that some one had stolen one of the volumes. This book was sent for, and found to be the one that was missing: the man was found guilty, and would have been severely punished the next day, had I not, at the intercession of the first native merchants of the place, requested the Collector to forgive him. But, generally speaking, their schemes are so well concerted that it is next to impossible to find them out. often excited the surprise of civilians to see and hear these little creatures in courts of justice. In such a situation a child at home would be all confusion; but here a native child will answer any common question in the most ingenious manner: scarcely any thing will put him out of countenance; and when he has finished his story, if the Judge ask him, through the interpreter, If these things be as he told them, he answers in the most fearless manner, "Appady thaan," So it is. But on religious subjects also the natives show great acuteness; and such is the depth of their sophistry, that if a person follow them, he is sure to be more or less puzzled. Should they be too closely pressed with a question, instead of giving an answer, they ask another question. A Brahmin once in argument was led to confess, that to worship gods of wood or stone was wrong, and being requested to give a reason for continuing in this practice, after such an admission, he inquired, "Is not God every where?" "Yes." "Then he is in our idols: therefore we may worship them!" I remember also, about five years ago, the acuteness of a heathen school-boy. A Missionary had travelled to the village-school, on the Sunday, to conduct divine service. After this was finished, a little boy, with a fine countenance, stepped forward, and requested to know if he might be allowed to ask a question? This being granted, he began to read, "Remember the Sabbathday, to keep it holy," &c. At the conclusion of which he asked, "Have you not broken this command by travelling to-day?" Here we see the ingenuity of a child. He first reads what he has been learning in his own language, and asks a simple question; proving that he understood its meaning, and that the subject had occupied his thoughts. We have here a proof, that the native mind is possessed of a power, which, if properly trained and applied, will prove a blessing both for time and eternity. Jos. ROBERTS. Nor are these qualifications coufined to adults; for children also display the most astonishing acuteness in any emergency; and it has Mission-House, Jaffna. ORIENTAL MANNERS. To witness the daily family-habits, in the house in which I lived at Deir el Kamr, at Mount Lebanon, forcibly reminded me of Scripture scenes. There was one custom by no means agreeable to a European; to which, however, that I might not seem unfriendly, I would have willingly endeavoured to submit, but it was impossible to learn it in the short compass of a twenty days' visit. There are set on the table, in the evening, two or three messes of stewed meat, vegetables, and sour milk. To me the privilege of a knife, and spoon, and plate was granted: but the rest all helped themselves immediately from the dish; in which it was no uncommon thing to see more than five Arab fingers at one time. Their bread, which is extremely thin, tearing and folding up like a sheet of paper, is used for the purpose of rolling together a large mouthful, or sopping up the fluid and vegetables. When the master of the house found any dainty morsel, he took it out with his fingers, and applied it to my mouth. This was true Syrian courtesy and hos pitality; and had I been sufficiently well-bred, my mouth would have opened to receive it. On my pointing to my plate, however, he had the goodness to deposit the choice morsel there. I would not have noticed so trivial a circumstance, if it did not exactly illustrate what the Evangelists record of the Last Supper. St. Matthew relates that the traitor was described by our Lord in these terms," He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me." (Chap. xxvi. 23.) From this it may be inferred, that Judas sat near to our Lord; perhaps on one side next to him. St. John, who was leaning on Jesus's bosom, describes the fact with an additional circumstance. Upon his asking, "Lord, who is it?" Jesus answered, "He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the sop Satan entered into him." (Chap. xiii. 25-27.)-Jowett's Researches. D. JEAN-ANTOINE LLORENTE. To the Editor of the Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine. HAVING observed, with pleasure, your recommendatory notice of the abridged translation of Llorente's History of the Inquisition of Spain, I beg leave to transmit for insertion in your excellent publication the following brief account of the unfortunate author, with which I was favoured a short time ago, by a Spanish gentleman, one of his intimate friends: "The learned and unfortunate Llorente, author of the History of the Spanish Inquisition, died in the year 1823, at Madrid, of a fit of apoplexy, which struck him in the street on his going to call upon one of his friends. Llorente had been Canon of Calahorra, and Secretary of Abbad and La Sierra, and one of the first Inquisitors of Spain, during which commission he had the opportunity of taking notes of the more celebrated trials in all the courts of the Spanish Inquisition. It is stated, that he formed a large collection of Notes, in thirty volumes, folio. In the year 1810, or 1812, he began to publish a pamphlet, similar to a review, under the name, "Anales de la Inquisicion: two numbers only were published, small volumes, in 12mo. He also published several other works, among which is one called, "Colleccion Diplomatica," containing the auswers of many Bishops of Spain to the questions of the Minister of Justice, concerning the manner of arranging some ecclesiastical affairs according to the canons of the Spanish Church, on the death of the Pope, Pius VIth, which happened in France in the year 1799. "Llorente had been persecuted for the liberality of his political and ecclesiastical opinions. It was, perhaps, the preponderance of these sentiments in his heart, which induced him to enter into the party of those Spaniards called Afrancesados, in favour of the conqueror Napoleon, during the invasion of the Peninsula in 1808. He resided in Paris, as well as several other Spanish refugees of the same party, till 1820; when, availing himself of the political constitution which had been given to Spain, he returned thither; all the learned men forgiving his political errors, for the sake of his great and sound instruction and zeal, and his love for the liberty and glory (espe AN EXCUSE FOR THE NEGLECT OF SALVATION CONSIDERED. To the Editor of the Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine. WHEN the truths of the Gospel are closely pressed upon some persons, they labour to avoid the arrow of conviction, either by pleading necessity for their conduct, or the littleness of their faults. Hence it is often said by many of these, "If I do nothing worse, I hope I shall go to heaven." This excuse is frequently made by persons who profane the sabbath by buying or selling on that sacred day, or by seeking their own pleasure, in walks, visits, company, self-indulgence, or sloth; by such as take the name of God in vain, or who, by jesting and folly, excite others to do it; by some persons who are delighted with theatrical amusements, or are charmed with the splendours of the ball-room, who are accustomed to kill time at the cardtable, or to waste their strength in a mixed dance. Such persons, with many others, are ready enough to say, if expostulated with by their pious friends, "If I do nothing worse, I hope I shall go to heaven." Let us for a moment examine this excuse. Is the way to heaven so wide that such characters as these may walk in it? Are the practices, just mentioned, at all compatible with the spirit or the letter of the Gospel? According to Jesus Christ, strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be who find it." But if this plea be admitted, wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be who miss it. The excuse itself is an acknowledgment that the very practice which it is designed to extenuate, is itself bad. Now, according to the apostle James, "Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." (James i. 10.) And He who is infinitely greater than the Apostle, hath affirmed, "He that shall break one of the least of these commandments, and shall teach men so," whether by precept or example, "he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven;" he shall have no place in it. St. John says, "He that committeth sin is of the Devil;" (1 John iii. 8;) and in the following verse he adds, "Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit sin." Hence it fol lows, that any person living in the practice of known sin, is not born of God, and cannot either see or enjoy God; but is of the Devil,-is under his government, and belongs to his family. It farther appears, that persons who thus plead, hope to go to heaven on the ground, of works; a sentiment completely at variance with the Gospel plan of salvation, which declares, " By grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." (Eph. ii. 8, 9.) And again it is said, "Not by works of right |