fortunes of his family. I heard him out; and then endeavoured to ! shew him, that all worldly ex-pectations were thus deluding; and that, though we should gain our end in the world, we must leave it, and go to give account to God: whilst those. who know and love the true God, have a never-failing portion. Abdool, who was present, took up the subject. The young man was roused to attention, came to see us day after day, and expressed very freely in public his approbation of the Gospel; becoming daily more serious and earnest in his religious inquiries. At length he became suspected of an inclination to Christianity. Crowds, both of Hindoos and Musselmen, visited him daily to dissuade him from associating with Abdool. On the 2d inst. he took up his abode with Abdool in the city; and now the whole city seemed moved. Day and night, during Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, he was beset by people, many of whom had never seen him or heard of him until now; and the agitation of mind occasioned thereby made him quite unwell. To-day he is much indisposed, yet came out to see me. After some previous conversation, I said to him, "If your intention of embracing Christianity be sincere, I do most heartily invite you to occupy these rooms," in which we were sitting," and in all respects to consider me as a brother: only I am anxious that no worldly motive should enter into your resolutions, and that no one should be able to say, you were influenced by temporal considerations." He answered, very deliberately and distinctly," Sir, in respect of name, what can I propose to myself by the change? My family is the chief among the Hindoos being Bramins, and Lords of the Holy City. In respect to provision, you know how I have lived, and could still live:"-he told me before, that he could collect 400 rupees a month, and subsistence for 300 or 400 followers among the Mahratta Princes :"What earthly end can I have in view? But, among the Hindoos or Mahometans, I never heard of any whose birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension can be compared with Jesus. I perceive he is the only Saviour, and I see I may obtain remission of sins through him." July 8, 1813.-In consequence of the above visit, the friends and adherents of the Rajah became quite violent with him; and threatened, by some means or other, to put an end to his life. They threatened Abdool also; who quietly, but resolutely, answered, "If you should accomplish my death, it would be a cause of joy to me, as bringing me at once to Ilim whose I am: but, be assured, your lives would be forfeited to the law; and, at the throne of God, you would find Raim, or any other you depend upon, quite unable to save you from the guilt of murder." They were dismayed at his resolution, and have kept aloof from him since; but have persuaded the Rajah to make a journey to Gualier, where another widow of Cheyt Sing's is, and of a brother of his own. He says he will come back alone shortly; appears in deep distress; and said to-day," I go with them because I fear they will otherwise murder me; but I know, if I do not become a Christian, I shall go to hell with my eyes open. My faith is in Jesus Christ alone, and beside him there is no Saviour." A Mahometan in the service of the Rajah has been the chief opposer, and has tried to get others to say that Abdool wished to compel people to become Christians. A Molwee, who lives near, and to whom he first addressed himself, told him at once he lied, and was an infide for opposing an Idolater who wished to believe in Revelation, though not in Mahomet. The Hindoos to whom he applied, said he was mad; that they saw and heard all that passed in Abdool's house, and saw no violence offered to any one. One Hindoo said, "I hear him forbid people to kill, or to commit adultery, or to steal, or to tell lies: if this be Christianity, it is a good religion: there are no such good words even in the Sanscrit Books. (To be continued.)` Miscellanies. CONFLICT OF ONE OF THE MORAVIAN MISSIONARIES AT GRUENEKLOOF WITH A TIGER*. WOLVES having done much mischief in the neighbourhood, and making såd havoc among the Hottentots' cattle, a day was appointed to hunt and destroy them. The Brethren Bonatz and Schmitt, with about * See page 148. thirty Hottentots, set out with loaded guns. After about an hour's ride they wounded a wolf, but he made his escape. They pursued him for some time, but could not find him. After fruitless attempts to discover his hiding-place, the two Missionaries resolved to return home, and had left the Hottentots a short distance, when the latter cried out, that the wounded wolf was in a thicket close by. Brother Schmitt rode back to help them, but Brother Bonatz remained behind, not having his gun with him. Brő. Schmitt gave his horse to an Hottentot to hold, and entered the bushes with the Hottentots. When they were in the middle of the thicket, the dog started some animal. Those that were within did not see what it was, but those on the outside cried out that it was a tiger, and ran away, leaving the Missionary and one of the Hottentots in the midst of the bushes, not knowing from which side to get out, lest they should directly come upon the tiger. They therefore proceeded slowly, with their guns pointed, intending, as soon as he made his appearance, to shoot him; but on a sudden, the animal sprang out upon the Hottentot, pulled him down, and began to bite him in the face. Brother Schmitt, being close to him, laid his gun on to shoot the tiger; but as the Hottentot lay upon him, it was not possible to také proper aim so as effectually to disable or kitt him. When the tiger perceived it, he let the Hotfenfot go, worked out from under him, and made a spring at the Missionary, whose gun being of no use at such close quarters, he threw it down, and held up his arm to defend his face, which the tiger directly laid hold of, close to the elbow, with his jaws, his fangs being at least an inch long. Still the Missionary was able, with the same hand, to lay hold of the tiger's fore-feet; and, seizing him with the other by the throat, threw him down, and knelt upon his body, crying aloud to the Hottentots to come to his assistance, as he found that he could not hold him down much longer; the tiger, all the while, biting his arm. Poor Philip (the Hottentot that was with him) would gladly have helped him; but the blood which flowed plentifully from his wounds blinded him: he being bit through the nose, the lips, and several other parts of his face. As soon as the Hottentots heard Brother Schmitt's cries, they all ran to help him: one of them laid his gun alongside his arm, and shot the ravenous animal through the heart. About three o'clock in the afternoon, they arrived with him at home. His blood was in the highest state of inflammation. The wounds inflicted by the bite of a tiger, are not like other wounds: for their teeth and claws being shaped like those of a cat, lacerate the parts. He had eight wounds from the elbow to the wrist, and in some places the teeth had penetrated into the bone. As much blood was taken from him as well could be, so as to leave him alive; and still the last portion of blood was as much inflamed as the first. The inflanimation began, at length, to abate; and, after some time, he was completely restored. The Hottentot, though dreadfully wounded, had not so much to endure from bodily sickness, as the shock had not laid so much hold of him. It was the third time that he had encountered a tiger; but this time he must, to all appearance, have lost his life; had not the Missionary ventured his own to save him. After the tiger had got the Hottentot down, Brother Schmitt could very well have made his escape, as well as the other Hottentots, but he could not bear to see the poor man lose his life before his eyes, without endeavouring to help him: in the Lord's name, therefore, he attempted it; and subjected himself to the tiger's attack in dependence on the Lord, that he would strengthen him; which he mercifully did, to the astonishment of every che. That he escaped with his life is a great wonder. His wife remarks, "The Lord my Saviour alone knows what anxiety and distress I have undergone during my husband's illness; but he has enabled me to bear it, so that I have not been quite overwhelmed, though sometimes almost ready to sink." And the Missionaries add: "We hope our dear friends will not be uneasy about us, after hearing of this event. We are in our Lord's hands, and assured, that he will suffer nothing to befal us but what is for our good. Pray for us, that our Lord's aim with us may be obtained." CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CHURCH MISSIONARY By the Rev. R. Howard and Friends, Stainton, near ....... By Miss Payne, Lamb's Conduit Street: Second ...... .... BEDFORD PENNY SOCIETY: Second Half Year. BRIXTON ASSOCIATION: by Rev. S. Arnott, M.A.: Produce of a Box placed in the Daily and Sunday LADIES' ASSOCIATION: by Mrs. Gason: paid at ..... ..... .... By Rev. John Rogers, Longtown, near Abergavenny LIDDINGTON AND STOKE ASSOCIATION, near Ups pingham: by Rev. H. Barfoot: Second Contribution £.3 6 0 5 0 7 13 37 Contributions to the School Fund. 6 0 82 5 6 3 12 0 0 11 14 S (The Names in Italic are those directed by the Contributors to be given to the liberated Slave Children toward whose support and education their benefactions shall be applied.) Miss Gason (Annual) ........... Mrs. Henry Palmer (Annual) · Mrs. Smith (Annual) ... From the Committee of the "Ladies' Association" (Annual): for James Haldane Stewart: as a token of respect and esteem for their President From several Members of the "Ladies' Association," Mrs. Louisa Smith (Annual): for Louisa Smith .... |