every enemy of God; they assiduously cultivate every Christian grace; they pant for holiness and glory. They look not at those who are behind them, but at Him who is before them.

"I hope that my aims are higher than those of the first, but must utterly disclaim the privilege of ranking with those of the third class. The second class is my proper place.

"But while I assign myself to the second class, the question comes with immense and solemn weight, why I should remain there? Why not press forward, and join those who have taken the highest ground, who live so near the throne, and are comparatively so blameless in the sight of God? Is there anything in my outward circumstances to prevent my being as much devoted to God as Edwards, Brainard, Pearce or Baxter? I am constrained to acknowledge there is nothing. I ask myself again, if I am not under as solemn obligations as these men were to be holy? Why should I say as holy as these men? Let me rather ask, am I not under the most solemn obligation to be holy as God is holy? I surely am. He claims from me all that I can give him-my heart, and soul, and mind, and might, and strength.

"But a great difficulty remains-my strength is perfect weakness. It is a great effort to oppose the whole tide of human corruption. Who can successfully contend against all his spiritual foes? Who can, of himself, live as holy as God requires.

'How can a feeble, helpless worm,
Fulfil a task so hard.'

My past experience teaches me, that I have not the strength for the desperate undertaking. I fear to engage. I pause and hesitate before I dare proclaim a war of utter extermination. Who can live, even a day, without sinning? But this is for life. Is there a helper at hand? One on whose strength I can lean and be supported? THERE IS, THERE IS. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. It is written,

My grace is sufficient for thee.' 'He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.'

Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees; say to them that are of a doubtful heart, be strong, fear not.'

"God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will, with the temptation, make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.'

"Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.'

"I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee in the right hand of my righteousness.'

"Is this all true? Canst thou, O my soul, embrace it as thy strength? Is this for thee? Canst thou stay thyself upon it? If so, thou canst add, God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he is also become my salvation.' But thou art still fearful, still distrustful. Say then, Lord,

increase my faith.

*

"June 8. I propose, on the whole, to adopt Dr. Doddridge's plan of spending my time, that I may live in the fear of God all the day long. I also propose to spend a portion of time, each day, in meditation, in conformity to Mr. Baxter's advice.t I do not enter into a covenant to prosecute this plan through life, but I hope never to neglect. the prosecution through press of business, or indifference, or a want of enjoyment in so beneficial an exercise.'

We may judge what was the effect of the adoption of these measures from the following entry in his diary, made two months subsequent to the above date.

Aug. 7. This evening I have had an impressive sense of the holiness of the Divine Being, the excellence of the Scriptures, and the purity of the blessed Spirit. I have felt an unusually sweet sense of supreme love to God, as the holiest and best of beings; indeed, as the only source of true holiness, the infinite fountain of excellence and goodness. Every thing else has appeared in its comparative insignificance. I wanted to be with God, to be like him, and to praise him forever. Without God, I could have no home, no heaven, no happiness, no holiness, no rest."

*See Rise and Progress, chap xvi.

† See Saints' Rest, last four chapters.

The following extracts are from "a letter of Christian friendship" addressed to Dr. Bolles. They show us how his mind was affected by special favors long after they were conferred, and breathe the same spirit into the bosom of his friend, which runs through the preceding pages:

"As I have no particular news to write, I will fill this sheet with observations of a more private nature than those I have usually communicated to you in your official capacity. The present letter may be considered as a letter of Christian friendship.

"I have no doubt you sometimes feel a kind solicitude to know the state of my mind as it respects personal religion. From the time of leaving Andover in the autumn of 1824, till our arrival in India, my outward circumstances were unfavorable to my spending my time, and to my engaging. in devotional exercises, in that regular order on which the life and growth of personal piety so much depend. The consequence was, I had occasion continually to complain of my languor and listlessness. After reaching Calcutta, I had a better opportunity for cultivating and enjoying the religion of the closet, and hope I did, at times, feel the love of God shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Ghost, so that I had joys with which a stranger intermeddleth not. I then enjoyed more enlarged and glorious views of the work of redemption by the blood of Christ than ever before. Since our arrival in this place, God has been pleased to favor me again with some of those visits of his grace, which I formerly enjoyed, but over the suspension of which I have so long mourned. He has shown me the depravity of my heart, and the evil of sin in such a manner, as to make me feel that I richly deserved the fiercest tokens of his wrath forever. Such, at times, have been my views of the grace of Christ, and the glories of the heavenly world, that I have desired to devote the whole remaining period of my life entirely to his service. It has seemed but of little moment what my outward circumstances are, whether difficult or easy, if I may but labor for the glory of God and the good of souls. The honors, emoluments and pleasures of the world, have lost their charms; time has dwindled down into a moment; life has seemed desirable only that I might

fulfil as an hireling my day, and serve my generation. Eternity has seemed near, and its vast and boundless prospects bursting on my sight, have shown the emptiness of the world, and endeared to me the thought, that at a day not far distant I shall be called into the presence of Christ, where I shall see him as he is, and shall be made like him. Remembering my past unfaithfulness, and want of progress in divine things, I have desired to reach forward unto those things which are before, and to press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. I hope I can say, that it is my daily desire to set my affections on things above, and to feel daily and hourly the power of divine grace on my heart. I wish to be more influenced in all my conduct by the motives which the Gospel presents.

"The sight of my eyes daily affects my heart. In this place there are probably twenty thousand souls that are perishing for lack of vision, a large part of whom have never heard of the grace of the Gospel. To some few we have gained access. But the great mass of the people are too busy with the world to think of religion. O, that I could point those who are willing to hear to the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. This I sometimes try to do; but how imperfectly! But I do rejoice in the hope that before many months, my mouth will be opened and my tongue loosed. Then, if it please God, I will lift up my voice like a trumpet. From that time, I will delight to spend my days in preaching to the heathen Christ and him crucified.

"Do any ask if I regret having engaged in this work? Were I to answer yes,' I should do violence to all the feelings of my heart. No so long as I believe that the heathen are perishing in sin; so long as I believe that the blood of Christ cleanseth from that sin, and that he would have me engage in proclaiming his dying love to sinners; so long as I believe the realities of heaven and hell, and expect to meet the universe of mankind assembled at the bar of God, so long as I feel the constraining influences that emanate from the scenes of Gethsemane and Calvary; so long as this heart beats, this blood flows, or this tongue can move, I will, through grace, rejoice in embarking and employing my all in disseminating the glorious Gospel of the blessed God in these lands of darkness and of the shadow of death."

CHAPTER XI.

The thermometer at Maulmein-Mr. Boardman's religious discourse with his pupils-Death of Dr. Price-He leaves Maulmein and establishes a new station at Tavoy-Prospects of the mission at that place.

DURING the first three months of the year 1828, Mr. Boardman kept a regular journal of the state of the atmosphere at Maulmein, as ascertained by the thermometer which he kept on his study-table. From the 5th of January to the close of the month, mercury ranged at nine o'clock, A. M. from 70° to 80°. At three o'clock, it ranged from 84° to 88°. During the whole of this period, the atmosphere was in a cloudless state, with the exception of four days; and only two of these were cloudy throughout. This, he remarks, is, to many, the most pleasant season of the year, it being a medium between April and May for intense heat; and between July and August for cold chilling winds and rain. The inhabitants of the place have enjoyed excellent health, and the distress occasioned by the famine is some abated. The farmers are now harvesting their rice.

"The mornings of nearly one half of the days have been foggy till about nine o'clock, when the sun bursts out and sheds his uninterrupted rays upon us till he sets. The prev alent winds have come from the northward, (inland,) and have been in general very light.

"At break of day, the thermometer has sometimes stood at 64° to 663. And in some cases at about sunrise it suddenly sinks two or three degrees. On such occasions the poor natives wrap themselves up in their warmest dresses; but still, they are often seen shivering with cold. As for ourselves, we find a surtout or cloak exceedingly comfortable at such times. I would not advise a young brother who proposes to come to this country, to dispose of any of his thick clothes. He will need them here as much as in America."

"During the month of February, the mercury stood at 9