ever, that if my counsel should be rejected, the evil would be trifling; that if accepted, the advantage might be considerable. Rousing up all my courage, therefore, I told him my whole heart. Never could I wish any pupil to listen with more respectful and earnest docility, or greater desire to profit to the utmost by every remark. This was sufficient to win my heart. But this was not all. At the conclusion, he manifestly felt more gratitude than he could express. Such was the basis of our friendship—a friendship which continued rising and consolidating till the day of his death—a friendship, which I hope, is destined to flourish and ripen forever."

The object to which allusion has been repeatedly made, and in which Mr. Cornelius employed several months of the year 1816, was originally suggested by Gordon Hall, a missionary of the American Board at Bombay. It was supposed that heathen children might be obtained there more readily than in any other part of India. In addition to the Hindoos, there were many degraded and miserable Portuguese and half-cast children, who seemed to have no way of escaping misery both temporal and eternal, unless the arm of charity was immediately stretched out for their salvation. Bombay, especially in times of scarcity, swarms with beggars from the neighboring continent with their families, and not unfrequently parents die and leave their orphan children friendless and wretched in the extreme.

It was

It was on behalf of this interesting portion of the pagan world, that Mr. Cornelius commenced his labors. obviously a department of the missionary work, into which he could throw all his energies. He could portray human suffering in its most touching forms.

The first letter which he wrote in reply to an official communication of Dr. Worcester, the Secretary of the Board, informing him of his appointment, we quote. He had previously made some efforts for the same object in a private manner.

"Rev. and dear Sir,

"Litchfield, June 26, 1816.

"I have the satisfaction to acknowledge the receipt of your official communication, which came to hand two days after I had written a second letter to Mr. Evarts. I should not have written that letter, had I not been strongly urged to go in many directions, and had I not wished to be engaged in the service of the Board as speedily as possible, to prevent those solicitations. I hope, therefore, you will not wonder at my apparent impatience. I am sensible that I have taken upon me a concern of considerable responsibility, and I most sincerely wish it might have fallen to one more competent to execute it. But God, I trust, has warmly engaged my heart in the thing, and the success already given to comparatively weak exertions, encourages me to hope, that I shall, through the blessing of God, be able to do something for those dear missionaries whose sympathies are so much excited on account of the miseries of the thousand hapless orphans of India. I shall most conscientiously observe the particulars of the commission you have given me, and the more so, as the catholic feelings of the Board have ever been my own, since I turned my attention to those plans for doing good, in which the Christian world is now engaged."

At the time in which Mr. Cornelius commenced his agency, there was a freshness and interest investing the whole subject, which contributed greatly to facilitate his labors. Many interesting incidents came continually under his observation. He thus writes to Dr. Worcester..

"Litchfield, August 3, 1816..

"The object which you have commissioned me to lay before the public, I am happy to say is one which greatly interests the feelings of all who hear it presented. In

deed, I have never been openly opposed but by three infidels. In every society I have visited, many are subscribers, who never before subscribed to any benevolent plan, of a public nature. All classes, old and young, of different political and religious sentiments, I have seen united in this object. I could not but smile the other day, when in A., in the State of New York, at an observation of Mr. H., the minister. Casting his eyes over the gentlemen's subscription, he said with a smile expressing mingled joy and surprise, when he saw two names, and fifty cents annexed to each, 'That will prevent one of them from getting drunk, and the other from getting drunk and fighting, at least twice.' Happy, thought I, would it be, if charity could impose a tax on this class of society, that should compel them to forsake their drinking. In every place that I have visited, the feelings of children have been exceedingly interested, and I was not long since informed by Mr. H., of Goshen, that the children in his society, were to be organized with the design that they should support one child at Bombay. It is a very popular object among his little folks. Another advantage resulting from my mission, I hope, is that it enlists young Christians in the work of doing good, while their feelings. are ardent; and wherever persons approve this object, they of course, from the nature and plan of my sermon, enlist on the side of foreign missions generally. I think, therefore, this object an excellent means for breaking up new ground, if I may so express myself. I have gone with it into a society which has never before given any thing to foreign missions, and but eight or ten dollars, annually, to domestic charities, as their minister told me, and I have seen that people subscribe, immediately after sermon, to this object thirty-five dollars, thirty of which were an annual subscription. When I proposed to go into A., in the State of New York, several persons said

I should obtain nothing worth going for, as the design was one with which they had had no connection, the females excepted. The result of my labors in that place, however, was eighty-two dollars, forty of which are an annual subscription. A man in W., who depends for support entirely on his own exertions, subscribed five dollars annually. His friends inquired, 'Why he gave so much, and how he could afford it?' He replied, 'I have for some time been wishing to do something for Christ's cause, but I cannot preach, neither can I pray in public, to any one's edification, nor can I talk to people. But I have hands and I can work.'

"I hope, Sir, you will forgive me, if I do wrong by telling these little anecdotes, which I confess have given me great pleasure. I will add one more. Old Mrs. Robbins, the widow of the former minister in Norfolk, came forward after sermon to subscribe her name. On being asked what she wished to subscribe, she said to Mr. Emerson, 'I suppose the women will not generally give more than fifty cents, but I am old, and what I do I must do soon, for this good object. You may therefore put me down two dollars a year.' This was as nearly her language as I can recollect. Many such anecdotes I have met with, which have greatly animated me.”

In the course of the autumn, Mr. Cornelius intermitted his missionary labors for a few days, in order that he might assist the Rev. Dr. Morse, of Charlestown, Mass. whose people were then enjoying a revival of religion. He thus writes to a friend who had been previously engaged in preaching in the same town.

"Charlestown, Nov. 4, 1816.

"I have for some days been thinking of writing a long letter to you, but the old reason has prevented. I gladly

accept the offer which R. has made me, of a part of his sheet. I have now preached for Dr. Morse two Sabbaths, and spent most of the last week with his people. On Monday night of last week, I had a very interesting meeting. I delivered a lecture from these words, 'Behold, now is the accepted time, behold,, now is the day of salvation.' After meeting, as many as twenty stopped, and it was with difficulty I could dismiss them. The Sabbath before, I preached in the afternoon to Christians, from Rev. ii. 4, in the evening from Psalm xiv. 2, 3. Tuesday and Wednesday I was obliged to spend abroad. Thursday I returned, and aided in forming a female Sabbath school society, which I am happy to tell you is in a very flourishing state. Will you be so good as to send them all necessary documents from your society, as soon as possible? Thursday evening I preached from Mark viii. 38. I hope the sermon was blessed. One woman, the next day, expressed to me the hope that she was brought to the Saviour while hearing the sermon. Friday, I attended a meeting in the evening, at the Neck, I believe it is called, where you had preached once to the rope-makers. My text was, 'There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.' It was a solemn season. Friday, and a portion of Saturday were also spent in part, in visiting. Saturday, the officers of the church met to examine the candidates. Sabbath morning, attended meeting at sunrise, in the chapel, to pray for an increased revival of religion; at nine o'clock, attended and aided in the organization of the children of the Sabbath school into classes,-at twelve preached to the 'spirits' in the State prison. It was affecting to see some of these hardened creatures weeping. My text was the resolution of the prodigal, 'I will arise and go to my Father.' In the afternoon preached to Dr. M.'s people, from Mark viii. 36, on the worth of the soul, and danger of losing it. Blessed be God, I do think