peculiar properties of his mind, which were solidity, depth of judgment, calmness, and self-possession, rather than intensity of feeling, or fervid passion. But valuable as these public labours were, the character of Mr. Thomason would be but imperfectly estimated were it taken from these alone; he must be known out of the pulpit as well as in it; in his family, in the social circle, and above all in his unwearied efforts for the promotion of the welfare, both temporal and spiritual, of his fellow men. He was connected with, and in many instances took the lead in, almost all the benevolent institutions in Calcutta. To him, under God, the Bible Society in this city owes much of its efficiency. As Secretary to that institution he consecrated much of his valuable talents to its service; and as a translator, still more. The Church Missionary Society received his full and hearty co-operation and every object of distress in him found a friend; his house was the home of the stranger, and the asylum of the destitute and afflicted. Few men in any country, more especially in this, ever possessed a greater buoyancy of mind, than he did. Happy himself, he diffused happiness around him; and the combination of cheerfulness, wisdom, and piety, which there was in his social intercourse, imparted to it the freshness of a flower, with the mellowness of fruit. With a character of so much simplicity, innocence, and benevolence, he did not entirely escape censure and reproach. His "good was evil spoken of," and in one of the most benevolent efforts of his whole life, his motives were misinterpreted and misunderstood. The case referred to, was the establishment of the European Orphan Asylum; an institution which will long embalm his memory, and carry his name down to posterity joined with a title which God himself has deigned to assume, who in his high and holy habitation is the "Father of the fatherless." The point in which we consider the conduct of this good man open to animadversion, and which we should have been glad, had his Biographer noticed more fully, was his removal from the Old Church to the Cathedral. To persons who look to the office of the Christian ministry with no higher views than that of a profession by which they are to gain a livelihood, every step in advance is one nearer the attainment of their object. "They have their reward." But these we are convinced were not the views entertained by this eminently devoted servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we should have been happy, had his Biographer furnished us with some of his motives for that important change-the more so, as we know it was at the time the occasion of some heart-burnings amongst his people, and on the face of it evidently is of doubtful aspect. In the Old Church, his influence was established, and he had the entire confidence of his people: his labour had been blest to many: their families had grown up under his ministry, and they looked up to him with a respect bordering on veneration. He was to them as a tree planted by rivers of water, whose leaf never withers; he had taken deep root in their affections, they sat under his shadow with delight, his fruit was the food and solace of their spirits, and whatsoever he did appeared to prosper. But by his removal many of these tender fibres which entwine themselves around the best feelings of our nature, were violently burst asunder. There is another ground on which we always considered that removal of doubtful propriety: Mr. Thomason's great fort lay in the direct and immediate duties of a Pastor ;-in preaching the Gospel, and all that is immediately connected with building up the people of God on their most holy faith. By his removal, his time and attention, were to a great degree, occupied in subordinate concerns; in the mere appendages of his office, which any man, with one-fourth of his talent, could have performed as well as he. To have entered into some explanation of this event would, we think, have been the legitimate province of his Biographer. An illustrious example of what we mean may be seen in the very celebrated life of John Knox, by Dr. McCrie. The character of that stern Reformer was certainly open to some remark for his apparent severity of temper and rudeness of manner. By a certain class of writers he has been represented as a perfect savage, and no language seemed to be too severe to describe his behaviour toward Mary. Such writers seem to have thought it was a fine subject for effect, and after the manner of artists, they have made the sterner features of the Reformer's character serve like a dark frowning rock, to throw out the feminine graces of the Queen. Men of this class generally judge more from feeling than from reason or truth; or we were about to say, that it would be difficult even for them to rise from the perusal of those volumes of Dr. McCrie without being convinced, that if at times the Reformer was rigid and uncompromising, the occasion called for it: he had to deal with a woman who, whatever may be said of her subsequent hard fate, was artful, deceitful and wicked A man of a milder temperament,-a man of no principle, as has been the character of some who have thought themselves at liberty to write contemptuously of John Knox ;-would have been blown down by the strong wind that was then stirring, or as is common with light and worthless materials, such as sticks and straws, would have been drawn into the eddy of a licentious court. What the author of this volume has said on this subject had decidedly better have been unsaid; it not only savours of weakness, but shews that he was altogether unacquainted with the state of the case. His remark is, "Doubly gratifying was advancement thus received. On many accounts the decision was pleasant; a station in the Cathedral produced closer contact with the Bishop, it opened also a more extensive intercourse with the lower classes, affording employment more distinctly parochial than before." On the first of these assertions we refrain from making any remark, and on the last, to any person acquainted with the subject, none is needed; it carries its own refutation. But this by the way the volume, with this slight exception and another omission which we will just notice, meets our warmest approbation. The omission we allude to is this: It is well known, and is mentioned by Dr. Gregory in his life of Mr. Hall, that during the time Mr. Thomason was at the village of Shelford, Mr. Hall resided there too, and they often rode together into Cambridge, and were upon terms of intimacy. But not the slightest intimation is given of this friendship; an intimacy which would have been honourable to any man: the name of Hall, does not however occur in the volume: on what principle is it omitted? We hope it was an oversight of the Author, and no party prejudice, which led to the omission. Of the selections which we shall make from the work, we shall confine ourselves chiefly to those which have a reference to this country. The first we shall insert contains his own statement of his views in prospect of coming out to this country. In a letter to his mother he thus writes: "My acceptance of the appointment has not yet come before the Court of Directors, yet I cannot help feeling that the event will assuredly be brought about. I own that the more I consider the various leadings of divine Providence, and reflect on the unwearied tenor of my former wishes and plans, comparing them with what I now feel, the more am I convinced that such a change of my situation will be accomplished. And I think, my dear mother, when you reflect on the course of my life from the beginning, on the singular manner in which I was led to devote myself to the ministerial work, on the course of Providence by which the matter was brought about, and above all on the earnest and repeated desire I have felt again and again for this particular destination, especially when you think that the wish of my heart has been uniformly prevented by one great obstacle, and that this is now entirely removed, I think you will conclude that the time appears to be come. The same person who was once decidedly adverse, so as not to hear of it without tears, is now happy in the thought of it. She no longer thinks of the sea, nor of the climate, but counts it a privilege and an honour to be exposed in such a cause. For my part it appears to be of great consequence to the work of God, that help should be applied in that quarter where it is most wanted; and that where most lasting good can be done, ministers should labour. Now certainly God is doing a great work in India. The labourers are few, and the field amazingly extensive: they want men who will work, and whose habits are such as to render them useful workmen in a business where application and study are much wanted. In this respect, my habits and inclinations are favourable. It will be a pleasure to me to acquire their languages, which are so much studied in Bengal, the acquisition of which is so important to usefulness, and my heart leans to that part of the world with the same desire it did just before I entered into orders. I consider that while others expose themselves for lucre and worldly honours, ministers ought to endure for nobler ends. "All this I am sure meets with corresponding feelings, my dear mother, in your own mind. You have again and again given me up to God, and I have no doubt you will be supported on the present occasion. What an honour and happiness there is in making sacrifices for Christ's sake. I am sure the more we are enabled to do this, the more solid peace shall we enjoy, and the more shall we know him to be a good Master. I trust that you will be fitted for every trial, and strengthened to do and suffer the whole will of God." The following is a very striking picture of devotedness to the cause of his great Master, under difficulties and discouragements of no ordinary kind or degree. "I feel the necessity of a close and diligent reading of the Scriptures. It is impossible to occupy the teacher's chair with advantage to our hearers, except we are very much engaged in experimental reading of the Scriptures ourselves. O what treasures are to be found in the word of God. Blessed be God for a little sense of them!-Would that I could give my whole heart and soul to them. But I am as yet only on the surface of things; this at the age of thirty-seven. God knoweth I deplore my ignorance, and count myself to be a mere novice, and feel unspeakably unworthy to preach Chirst to lost sinners. I want to have my heart warmed with His love. But oh, my exceeding vileness and hardness of heart! Were I not assured of your tender affection, I could not write thus: at such a distance we ought to communicate with each other in strains of grateful praise and love :-to which, with all my unprofitableness, I am led, when I think of the amazing riches of His grace. "Now, my beloved brother, go on to write to me. I never needed so much the kind communications of a Christian friend and brother:-the state of society here, and the state of the climate, oppose difficulties which you can hardly appreciate if described. The climate has influence upon one's natural sloth in a thousand ways; and society is so constituted, that we are opposed at every step by the pride of rank, and office, and colour, to a degree surpassing all conception. Had I chosen to live here in the state and dignity of chaplain, my path would have been easy; but in the attempt at a parochial line of labour the difficulties are prodigious. I find my heart sick sometimes, and learn the drift of that verse in Ecclesiastes, "That which is crooked cannot be made straight." In England different classes coalesce easily: here, even after religion has its decided hold on a man, he remembers his little insulated sphere, and finds it hard to be cordial with those who are above him, or with those who are beneath him: not with those above him, the pride of the great produces a re-action in the lower order; not with those below him, for obvious reasons. To relieve myself from such painful inconsistencies, I find the best practical remedy is to be much in company with the most wretched, the diseased, the poor, the sick and dying. These are thankful to hear the words of life. I have much comfort at times with the poor invalid soldiers in the hospital. About fifty attend, and I visit them twice, on Tuesday and Friday evenings. With respect to the sick, the miserable sick people in this truly miserable placeI mourn over myself and them; I go rather with the hope of good to myself than to them. So rich is the mercy of God, and so precious the service of our Master, some of the happiest moments I enjoy are in going to, or returning from, these unhappy creatures." Of the fire which broke out in the Mission premises at Serampore in 1812, Mr. Thomason, in a letter to Mr. Simeon, speaks in terms highly creditable to him as a Christian. "This fearful prodigy was succeeded by that desolating disaster, the Serampore fire. I could scarcely believe the report; it was like a blow on the head which stupifies. I flew to Serampore to witness the desolation. The scene was indeed affecting. The immense printing office, two hundred feet long, and fifty broad, reduced to a mere shell. The yard covered with burnt quires of paper, the loss in which article was immense. Carey walked with me over the smoking ruins. The tears stood in his eyes. In one short evening,' said he, the labours of years are consumed. How unsearchable are the ways of God! I had lately brought some things to the utmost perfection of which they seemed capable, and contemplated the Missionary establishment with, perhaps, too much self-congratulation. The Lord has laid me low that I may look more simply to him.' Who could stand in such a place," he asks, "at such a time, with such a man, without feelings of sharp regret, and solemn exercise of mind? I saw the ground strewed with half-consumed paper, on which, in the course of a very few months, the words of life would have been printed. The metal under our feet amidst the ruins was melted into mis-shapen lumps-the sad remains of beautiful types consecrated to the service of the sanctuary. All was smiling and promising a few hours before now all is vanished into smoke, and converted into rubbish!”— adding with self-application,-Return now to thy books, regard God in all thou doest. Learn Arabic with humility. Let God be exalted in all thy plans, and purposes and labours: he can do without thee." The subjoined account of the strong faith, meek submission, and sublime views of that devoted man of God, David Brown, during his last illness, will be read with interest by every sincere believer. "Those who are acquainted with Mr. Brown's labours, have seen an example of patient continuance in well-doing. He maintained his post here, under circumstances that would have dismayed others who possessed not the same humble dependence upon God. The attendance at first consisted of no more than two or three families; still this faithful servant kept his course, and he lived to see much encouraging fruit of his labours. "About two months before his decease, he wrote in pencil some recollections, which contain an account of the consolations he enjoyed in his low estate. March 22, prostration of strength to the utmost degree, without the least check to the disease. I feel myself to be sinking fast. I said, My times are in thy hand. I ascended into the chamber of the divine attributes, and had a pleasing assurance that Jehovah is good; that great is the Lord, and of great power, and that his understanding is infinite, and I rejoiced in his sovereignty. He made me sensible that for aught I know, that every day was the best for my dissolution. I was persuaded that if it were his will, that very day were best in all respects, how muchsoever appearances might be contrary: that it would be best for my soul, whose dealings I could commit to Christ, and even best for my family, dark and very stormy as the dispensation must appear within, and awfully afflictive. Thus my view of God in Christ delivered me from depression of mind; from all fear that hath torment, and from apprehension of evil of every kind, both with respect to mind, body, and estate. I could trust all confidently with God. Nor was the adversary permitted to assault me for a moment. Isa. lix. 9, assures me of mercy infinite: "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." "My crimes are great, but not surpass, "The glory of Christ and his kingdom occupied my thoughts: my heart prayed, Thy kingdom come. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive all |