Church Missionary Record No. 2.] FEBRUARY, 1836. Obituary. BRIEF ACCOUNT OF FREDERICK, A NATIVE CHRISTIAN AT MADRAS. [VOL. VII. FROM an account drawn up by the Rev. G. Pettitt, and printed in the Madras Church Missionary Record, we select the following particulars concerning the life and death of one of the Native Christians under his care. Frederick was born of Christian Parents; belonging originally, I believe, to the Tranquebar Mission. Of his childhood I know nothing; but when a youth, he was taken by the Rev. W. Sawyer, late Missionary at Madras, into the Seminary at Perambore, where he was under instruction a considerable time. While in the Seminary, he was noted for his pride, and the haughtiness of his spirit and behaviour; which was so offensive to the other boys, that they used to select a chapter on pride in their Reading Lessons, when they could, in order to expose him, and make him feel how foolish he appeared. Mr. Sawyer was very fond of him, but quite aware of his faults; and both privately and publicly endeavoured to show him the sinfulness of his disposition, and to humble his mind. But all his advice appeared to be lost, and Frederick remained the same. Once, Mr. Sawyer was walking, and saw at some distance a finely-dressed person, with a scarlet border to his garment, whom he supposed to be a native gentleman of high caste; but, as he approached nearer, he found, to his astonishment, that it was his pupil Frederick, who, according to Hindoo notions, was only a pariah. There was one day the funeral of a Native Christian in Madras, to which some of the elder Seminary boys asked leave to go; but for some, now unknown, reason, Mr. Sawyer refused them. However, four of them, among whom was Frederick, ran away to the funeral; and for this act of insubordination they were expelled from the Seminary. After a short time, as they repented and begged pardon, they were re-admitted: but not long after, Frederick's spirit led him into RECORD, Feb. 1836.] a dispute; in which he was so faulty, that Mr. Sawyer gave him his choice of receiving a flogging, or leaving the Seminary. Being too proud to endure the disgrace of a flogging, he chose the latter; and thus voluntarily threw up the valuable and kind instructions of his affectionate Minister. After this, he obtained the situation of a Writer, under his brother, in an office connected with the Military; and, after some time, he married very creditably in his rank of life. While filling this situation, he became more sober-minded and humble, especially after his marriage. This change, as it would appear, was not merely caused by his growing older, or by the thoughtfulness produced by entering upon the marriage-life; but by the Spirit of God, working within his mind, and applying to his conscience the truths that seemed to have lain fruitless in his memory. Whether this change was produced at any peculiar period, or by any remarkable impulse, I cannot say; but I rather think it was by a silent and gradual enlightening of his mind, and subjugation of his heart to the Gospel of Christ. His conduct was not unobserved by those placed over him; for the Major of the Regiment, about five years after he had left the Seminary, gave him a letter of recommendation to the Rev. C. Blackman, who had succeeded Mr. Sawyer at Perambore; and he was then employed as a Reader under the Christian-Instruction Society in Madras, the object of which is to furnish Religious Instruction to the Native Servants of Christian Families at their masters' houses. One of the boys, a European, who was together with him under Mr. Sawyer's E care, and who is now grown up, and, under my care, employed in the Mission, had very frequent intercourse with Frederick after his admission to the Perambore Institution. This young man writes concerning him-" He used frequently, when conversing with me, to refer to his former worldliness and vanity with expression of deep regret, and also to his folly in leaving the Seminary; where, as he said, by a few years' study, he might have been qualified for that office for which he was now obliged to begin his studies again. He said, that he was never happy after he left, although he was well off in worldly things. The thought often occurred to him, that he had been educated and supported for a long time by the Church Missionary Society, but that, by his conduct, he had shown, in return, the great est ingratitude. In discharging his duties as a Reader, he had sometimes doubts and difficulties as to the meaning of Scripture passages, and at such times was in the habit of coming to speak with me on the subject, and we used together to refer to Scott's Commentary. We often spent an hour or two, in the evening, in conversing on Christian doctrines and duties, and our own experience of the Truth." As a Member of the Committee of the Christian-Instruction Society, I had opportunities of knowing much concerning the manner in which he discharged his duty as a Reader; and, as he was under Mr.Blackman's especial superintendence, I frequently saw him, and conversed with him. He was diligent and regular, always very cheerful, and much interested in his work; and in some families I know, his coming to read was looked for, even by the Heathen servants, with pleasure; and he had the respect and kind notice of several of their masters. He always kept, with great care, a copy of Bagster's Polyglott English Bible, which a Christian gentleman gave him, as a token of his friendship. While he was thus doing his duty, I applied to the Society with which he was connected, to give him over to my charge, to be qualified for the office of Catechist, in connexion with the Church Missionary Society; and having obtained it, I communicated my wish to him. After he was satisfied that it was for the Church Missionary Society that he was to study, in order to be employed as a Catechist, he was very glad indeed, and said it was his earnest desire to be altogether em ployed by those from whom he had received so much; and, as a proof of his sincerity, he cheerfully took a smaller salary. Some time after he came under my care, his pride and love of display made a struggle to gain ground. A very smart red turban passed by my study-window, and attracted my notice; when I found it was Frederick, who had put off his plain white turban, and altogether dressed himself like a Native Gentleman. The next day, at his lessons, I told him of it;and asked him, whether it was pride or humility that induced him to dress in that way he acknowledged it was the pride of his heart. I said no more, neither did he; and I never after saw him attempt any thing of the kind, or assume any thing beyond his proper station. All Natives have a way of concealing the sins of others; and there is scarcely a person who will disclose another's guilt, except there be some strong selfish motive inducing him. Frederick was not free from this; yet he was more free than any Native I have seen. He was not without faults of his own : he could be perverse and stubborn sometimes; and sometimes would waste his time, and try to put off a bad lesson with a good grace; and many other faults he doubtless had, which I never saw. But it was a good trait in his character, that, when his fault was plainly told him, and the sinfulness of it before God shown, he would give way, and acknowledge, often with much feeling, that he was wrong; and, I believe, endeavour to avoid it in future. While he was proceeding in his studies, he was taken ill: and though for a short time he recovered, yet he soon fell sick again, and a long fever brought on consumption. For two months, he was so ill as to be scarcely able to walk. During this time, he was living, for the benefit of his health, too far off to allow of my seeing him: indeed, I was not aware that he was so ill as he was. He then returned to his own house, where I saw him frequently; and we hoped he would recover, but he did not. One evening, his father (who is now cut off from the congregation for living in open sin, and for the act of idolatry about to be mentioned) came to see him, and brought a heathen Andei (partly doctor and partly exorcist), to perform a heathen sacrifice over him, and give him some new medi cine. This they did, in Frederick's presence; and from this time he became worse and worse, and died in less than a week. When I heard of this, I was exceedingly grieved, and took all the pains I could to know the truth. I was glad when it appeared that, at the time they performed the heathen sacrifice, Frederick was in a state of delirium, as he frequently had been, and did not know what was being done. I questioned him afterward; and he told me no such thing was done, and said that he would never, never allow such a thing; and when I told him I believed him, that he was ignorant of it, he thanked me heartily, and seemed greatly consoled. His death-bed was not of a joyful and triumphant kind. By the force of sickness and fever, his hearing was affected, his mind greatly weakened, and often bewildered, and his bodily strength allowed him to say but very little. Several times, when I visited him, he seemed impatient and restless: sometimes he asked questions, as if doubts were harassing his mind: but, whenever he was questioned and could answer, it appeared that he had but one hope, his dear Lord, Jesus Christ-his Master, Jesus Christ." And I firmly believe, that, both in sickness and in health, he was constantly looking to Him, and Him only, for his whole salvation. He gave proof of this in a former illness; in which he not only showed no fear of death, but even a willingness to die, and go to his Saviour, who, he said, was his only refuge. I saw him the afternoon before he died, and he was then in a very calm state of mind; and his conversation, little as it was, confirmed what has just been said. He was very thankful when I prayed with him; and I believe he continued in the same peaceful state, till he departed. His death took place, May 19, 1835; and he was buried in the church-yard at Perambore. I regretted much not being able to attend his funeral, as I had an English Service at the same hour. A great number of Native Christians attended; and sung a Hymn over his grave, when they committed his body to the dust. CALCUTTA AND NORTH-INDIA MISSION. FROM the Nineteenth Report of the Calcutta Corresponding Committee, which has just arrived in this country, we extract a series of passages, which will give our Readers a full account of the various Stations in that Mission. It will carry on the statements of the Society, from p. 201 of our last Volume. NINETEENTH REPORT OF THE CALCUTTA CORRESPONDING COMMITTEE. The Report opens, among other topics, with the following Introductory Remarks. There is nothing more useful, in the different Societies established for the promotion of religion and piety, than the periodical review of their proceedings. It is a sort of test of the soundness of their principles--an examination of the ground on which they stand-an embodying of their history for future guidance. When this is done with truth and fidelity, it affords matter for encouragement or reproof, for correction or instruction; and cannot but be useful, both to those who are directly engaged by their actual labour in the great work, and to those who are indirectly engaged by contributing to its support. The principle of concentration of effort in Missionary exertions has been steadily kept in view; and, in consequence, Patna and Chittagong have been given up for the present, in order that the larger and more important Stations may have undivided and more abundant labour bestowed upon them. The Corresponding Committee would mention, with gratitude, the great interest taken in the Mission by the Lord Bishop, in his Examination of Candidates for Baptism-in his valuable instructions to the Christians who have been confirmed-and in his watchfulness, care, and advice, on the general business of the Mission. Calcutta, and its Environs. The Rev. Messrs. Sandys and Hæberlin prosecute their labours here with unabated vigour and zeal. The former, for the most part, takes charge of the Mission in Calcutta: the latter directs, more especially, his attention to the |