N. B. The Treasurer corrects, by request, a part of the Report of May: it should read thus-Joshua Wallace Collett, the infant grandson of the late Joshua M. Wallace, who was one of the projectors of this society, and one of its most zealous advocates and active promoters, a member for life, by a friend, $30.

The issues from the Depository of the American Bible Society, for the month of June, have been Bibles, 1666; Testaments and Indian Scriptures, 1230. Total, 2896. Value, $1919 95. J. NITCHIE, Agent A B. S.

OBITUARY.

Died, on Thursday, May 11th, the Rev. LEVERETT J. F. HUNTINGTON, in the 34th year of his age, pastor of the Presbyterian church, in this city, (N. Brunswick, N. J.) The memory of this excellent man, and eminent servant of Christ is blessed.-His course was short, but it was filled up with usefulness. His life was an illustration of some of the most shining qualities which can adorn the man, the Christian, and the Christian minister. As a man, he was distinguished for the equable serenity of his temper, for his frankness and candour, for the warmth and permanency of his attachments-As a Christian his piety was of an elevated and fervent character, and his whole deportment was that of an humble, meek, and unassuming disciple of Jesus. As a Christian minister, he seemed deeply conscious of the awful responsibility of his office, and delighted in every way, to fulfil its important requisitions. He was remarkable for the zeal and fervency with which he enforced the truths of the gospel, and for an unwearied assiduity and diligence in the discharge of his pastoral duties.-During his last illness he furnished a noble example of the triumph of faith, and frequently expressed to his friends who visited him, his confident assurance of an interest in the merits of his Redeemer; and we confidently hope that he has been removed from a world of sorrow and of sin, to enter upon an inheritance incorruptible and which fadeth not away, eternal in the heavens.-His loss will be deeply felt.-It will be felt by the church at large, and the numerous benevolent associations to which he belonged, in all of which he was an active and zealous member.—It will be felt by the particular church of which he was a faithful and useful pastor, but most of all by his bereaved and afflicted family, whose loss is irreparable. By this afflictive dispensation, his beloved companion has been deprived of a most affectionate husband, and his fatherless children of a most tender parent; long will they need, and may they long receive, the sympathies of friends, to mitigate their sorrows, and minister consolation to their bleeding hearts. On the last Sabbath, his funeral was attended by several of the neighbouring clergy and a large number of sincere mourners followed his bier, anxious to pay their last tribute of respect to one so highly esteemed in life, so deeply regretted in death. His funeral sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. Miller, of Princeton, from Rev. xiv. 13. The exercises were peculiarly solemn and impressive and eminently calculated to excite in every bosom the fervent desire, O that I might die the death of the righteous, and that my latter end might be like His.

VOL. VII.]

Saturday, August 5, 1820.

[No. VII.

Miscellany.

Some account of the Life and Adventures of Brother John Gilek, an emigrant from Bohemia.

(Concluded from p. 166.)

MANY being put under arrest at that time, for attempting to emigrate, or for other reasons suggested by suspicion, he gained a temporary respite, as these cases principally engrossed the attention of his persecutors. He appropriated this time of rest to searching reflections upon himself and his past conduct, and to bring all his concerns before the Lord. He immersed himself in these reflections as in a sea, and often he had such a refreshing feeling of his Lord's presence, that his heart, in the midst of the torture chamber, was filled with celestial joy, and his mouth overflowed with songs of praise. His hope, also, of once more acquiring his liberty and returning to Gerlachsheim, was more and more confirmed: even in his dreams he sometimes had comfortable views of futurity. But these hours of refreshment were also followed by others, in which, not his faith, but merely the hope just mentioned, received a powerful shock. At one time the Jesuit brought him the ill-founded report, that the Elector of Saxony (then King of Poland) was about sending all those Bohemians back into their country who had migrated into his hereditary dominions. This news threw him into such an excess of grief, that for three days he wept almost constantly, and could not sleep in the night. His grief, however, was afterwards assuaged by divine consolations, and his hope once more revived.

Another circumstance would have still more affected him, had he not been timely undeceived in the matter. He thought a great deal of one of his fellow prisoners, whose name was Östry, and was peculiarly attached to him: he also knew that two priests came to him almost daily, and for half days together disputed with him, when he never failed to have an answer ready for them. Perhaps they once imagined they had gained him over; perhaps they boasted of their success without a cause, or for a particular purpose; suffice it to say, that one of these priests told Gilek, that his friend was going to turn Catholic again, and that he should imitate his example; for as Ostry, with all his understanding and wit, could no longer withstand them, how would he as a simpleton, be able to maintain his ground. 2 B

VOL. VII.

This

declaration considerably damped his courage, for he believed his friend to be stronger than himself. He wept and prayed during one half of the night; but then he was again revived by fresh consolations, and strengthened in his resolution to persevere unto the end. Shortly after, Ostry was set at liberty. He then came to his friend's window, and took leave of him in these words: "My brother, I commend you to the Lord Jesus Christ!" Ostry's enlargement was occasioned by the following circumstance: the clergy were not able to convince nor persuade him; but he had so completely discomfited them, that they gave over all hopes of gaining their point, and therefore sent him back to his sovereign. Gilek they would wait out, as they supposed he would yet alter his mind in prison; but the longer he stayed there the less troublesome did it appear to him. The Jesuit renewed his visits only occasionally, to inquire whether he intended soon to recant, lest he should be lost. To such, and similar questions, he coolly replied, that he had no distant idea of recanting; for he never doubted the purity of his faith, and would sooner have his hands and feet, yea, his head, cut off, than to resolve upon changing his faith. "What!" said the Jesuit; "why we have the apostolic faith, and I can enumerate to you, from Peter down in a direct line, all the names of his successors in the papal chair." Gilek replied, "Well, if your faith be apostolic, why do you not, in order to convert aliens to the same, act precisely in the manner the apostles did? You do not read of them, that they compelled the people by imprisonments and other violent measures to adopt their faith!" The Jesuit was struck, and went away.

Gilek having now spent almost seven months in prison, and cold winter setting in, his situation became very uncomfortable. His bread and water, for nothing more was given him, began to congeal, and his shirt had been so much torn by the straw, that he was obliged constantly to lie down and cover himself with his coat. After some time, this however became very troublesome; still he kept up his spirits, so long as he made no calculations upon himself and all upon his Saviour, whose strength is perfected in the weak only. Yet when once he uttered an expression savoring of self-confidence, he fell under a sore temptation. Somebody represented to him that it was truly and utterly impossible to hold out any length of time in this condition to this he replied, with a degree of presumption, that he would sooner freeze to death than give up. On that same evening, three drunken servants of the priests entered his cell and began a religious dispute with him. He knew how to refute them ably enough; but his wonted confidence was gone, and diffidence and timidity reigned in his agitated heart. These fellows having left him, he reflected on this case, to which hitherto he had been a stranger he wished to commune with Jesus about it, but could not; for he felt himself at a great distance from him and left to

But

himself. Thus commenced a period of total disconsolateness with him; and during this time, of no less than three weeks, he spent the nights, for the most part, sleepless, amidst tears and lamentations. Twice he fasted for three days together, without taking either meat or drink; his eyes became inflamed; his strength wasted away; and the cold penetrated his most inward parts. At last the thought arose in his mind, "The torments of hell cannot exceed this; I may as well dispatch myself. immediately something, as it were the voice of a sympathizing friend, was heard in his heart-" Do thyself no harm; if the Lord Jesus will bear and endure with thee, commit thyself to him and wait the issue!" Now he could once again take breath he was melted into tears before the Saviour; and was enabled to ery to him for grace and forgiveness. He likewise received comfort as his portion, and his faith was recruited with strength; but the recollection of this event was ever after painful to him.

After Christmas, he was brought into a spacious arched room, which was heated occasionally; a friend presented him with at shirt, and he had to spin for the jailor. In the beginning, he regarded this change as a melioration of his condition, but he soon had reason to wish himself back into his torture cell; for the most abandoned criminals, who had been apprehended for murder and robbery, were confined there. Here too his life became actually endangered: a broth was once handed to him, which he immediately suspected, and of course did not eat; for merely the steam of it occasioned him a violent vomiting.

From one period to the other, he waited for his emancipation, but it did not appear; and he saw no other way of escape but to elist as a soldier. He therefore declared he would faithfully serve the emperor, only on this condition, that he would persevere in his faith unto the end. Upon inspection, he was declared to be unfit for the service; and, besides, they dared not enlist him, till his sentence had been awarded to him.

Towards fall, of the next year, he was put into another prison, where there were mice, frogs, and vermin, in abundance. It was pitch dark there, and on that account he was compelled continually to sit or lie, on the ground; when the mice and frogs would crawl over him. For want of exercise, one of his feet grew quite lame, so that he could not stand upon it: then all hopes of effecting his escape forsook him, and he grieved exceedingly about it. Literally lying in the dust, and agitated to such a degree that the sweat broke out over his whole body; he prayed to our Lord, and concluded in these words-" Thou knowest that I cannot help myself."-Hereupon he fell into a sound sleep, and when he awoke again he felt quite happy he could use one foot as well as the other, and the serenity of his mind was again restored. For both these mercies he praised the Lord with a loud voice. Some time after, the Jesuit paid him another visit, and affected

to sympathize with him. His daily ration consisted of one "creutzer" worth of bread and some water.-The Jesuit likewise offered to assist him in his prayers, promising to pray in such a manner, that he should be able to speak the words after him without the least hesitation; but Gilck replied-"How can we pray together, when we are not of one mind? You would pray that I should embrace your religion; and I would pray for you that the true faith might be bestowed upon you; how then could our prayers be answered?" The Jesuit left him with great indignation, and did not call again for a great while. In the mean time Gilek had to appear twice before the Bishop of Chrast, during his stay at Leutomischel: here, too, the object of his being summoned was not attained; still the prisoner was again admitted into the great room, perhaps because winter had once more set in. Here he met with a man who had been confined there once before, during the great persecution in the year 1724: he informed him, that things at that time had worn a much more terrible aspect; that they had whipped and tormented the prisoners most unmercifully; that the room had been crowded with people, shockingly maimed by such treatment; that they were not able to lie along side of each other, but could only kneel, and at best, rest a little upon their elbows; that some had been harnessed like horses to the plough, and so on.

The second year of Gilek's captivity being elapsed, time began to lay very heavy, not only upon him, but also upon those who kept him confined. The latter now seriously began to think of terminating the business, that the expences incurred might not run still higher. Accordingly, they again resorted to violence and threats. About midnight the oldest judge entered the prison, in a high state of intoxication; his first question was-"Gilek, of what faith art thou?" Receiving for answer, "Evangelical," he gave him such a terrible box on the ear, that he dropped down on the floor. Having lain there senseless for some time, the judge gåve him several strokes into his side with his Spanish cane, which brought him to again. He was once more asked whether he would turn Catholic; and replying that he could never consent to it, the judge ordered him thirty stripes on the spot. The servant was just going to apply them, when he observed, that the prisoner would not be able to keep on his legs: "Then let him lie down!" said the tyrant. Kneeling down, in order to stretch himself out at full length, Gilek recommended himself to the mercy of his Saviour: at that instant the judge said, the execution of the sentence might be postponed till the next day.Quite as much in.vain, as at this first interview, did the judge, for seven nights together, continue his visits and his threats.

The council, thereupon, again took the business in hand, kept long sessions, and sought to terrify the prisoner by an enunciation of several, and partly very singular means of compulsion