100

mother of Swartz, with her dying breath, dedicate her
infant son to the Holy Ministry, and obtained a promise
from her husband and her attendant pastor, that he
should be trained up in remembrance of this sacred des-
tination. When we think of the forty-eight years of
eminent uninterrupted usefulness in the vineyard of
Christ, which that devoted child afterwards went
through, shall we not be convinced that the fervent
effectual prayer of a righteous mother availeth much?
At the age of eight years, young Swartz was sent to
the principal grammar school at Sonnenberg, "where"
says Dr Pearson, "he received very good impressions
from the moral and religious instructions of its rector,
Mr Holme." At a very early age Swartz used fre-
quently to retire from his companions and pour out
his heart before God, and it is unnecessary to say,
Accord-
that he found this practice highly beneficial.
ingly he mentioned in after life, that when conscious
of having acted wrong, he could never regain tran-
quillity of mind, until he had earnestly implored the
forgiveness of God. During his stay at this school, he
partook, for the first time, of the holy communion; but
although at the time considerably affected, these serious
Before entering
impressions were speedily effaced.
the university, he was sent to an academy at the town
of Custrin, where, by associating with thoughtless com-
panions, his affections were still more estranged from God.
At the age of twenty, Swartz, still undecided in religion,
entered the university of Halle, when Professors Baum-
garten, Michaelis, Knapp, and Freylinghausen were in
the meridian of their glory. But the pernicious in-
fluence of a brilliant literary theology was graciously
neutralized by the sacred and sanctifying atmosphere of
the orphan house in which he boarded, where he was
chosen to assist in the evening assemblies for prayer,
and where he enjoyed intercourse with the pious Pro-
fessor Francke, the zealous supporter of Missions. Here
he met with the amiable Schultz, and under his care
undertook to assist in correcting the printing of the
Tamul Bible, having studied the language simply for
this end. Little did he think, when first he sat down
to its knotty characters, that it would one day be fa-
miliar to him as his mother-tongue-that for nearly half
a century to come it was to be the medium through
which he would beseech idolaters to believe in Jesus.
Thus was the mind of the young student directed to
the far distant scene of his holy and happy labours; so
that he writes, soon after his arrival in India," It is a
sweet comfort to my heart that I am enabled to say, it
is Thou, oh my God, who hast conducted me to these
parts; I have not run hither of my own accord, but
would rather have declined the call, if thy unseen hand
had not retained me.'

"

At the time when Swartz was studying at the uni-
versity, Professor Francke was employed in procuring
Swartz determined
unissionaries to be sent to India.
to offer himself for this arduous enterprise; could he
Without delay he set
only gain his father's consent.
out for his native place, and there made known his
thoughts to his parent, who, after three days' consider-
ation signified his consent, and giving him a blessing,
bade bim depart in God's name; charging him, at the
same time, to forget his native country, and his father's
house, and to go, and win many souls to Christ. All
was now preparation for his departure, and although
an advantageous offer was made to him of entering
upon the ministry at home, his mind was so set upon
proceeding to India, that he refused to accept of it.
On the 6th of September 1749, he was ordained to the
sacred ministry at Copenhagen. It being intended that
he should proceed to India by way of England, on the
8th of December, he, in company with two other mis-
sionaries, arrived in London, where they remained six
The directors of the East India Company
wecks.
Lazing, at the request of the Society for Promoting

Christian Knowledge, kindly granted them a free pas-
sage out, they proceeded to Deal, where they embarked
in the ship Lynn, Captain Egerton. On the 12th of
March 1750 they set sail, and arrived in India about the
middle of the July following.

On
We shall now proceed, as briefly as possible, rapidly
to sketch the labours of this great and good man.
laboured in the Danish Mission there for fifteen years.
his arrival at Tranquebar, in Southern India, he
His first endeavour was to make himself master of the
language, and in this he was indefatigable. "At
Tamul almost the whole forenoon. Three days in the
seven in the morning," says he, “we begin, and practise
week Mr Maderuss comes to us at ten, and gives us a
lesson in Portuguese. From two to three we again
read Tamul. Afterwards, every one remains above till
five. From five to six, I and dear brother Auttemann
practise speaking Tamul. We perceive that God helps us
on from day to day. In the morning and evening we ex-
cite each other by joint prayer and reading the Word of
God." In consequence of this diligence he preached
in Tamul four months after his arrival in India; and in
a few months after, entered upon more regular labours.
These included a catechetical hour in the Malabar school,
"with the youngest lambs"-almost daily excursions
into the villages, speaking with Christians and heath-
ens and preparations for baptism with native converts,
most of whom he afterwards baptized. Catechising the
Portuguese school, and preaching in Portuguese, were
also parts of his regular labours. During his first years
he read through the Mythological books of the Malabars,
His extra labours consisted in a pedestrian
which gave him great power in arresting the attention of
tour as far north as Cuddalore, and south to Negapatam,
the natives.
preaching, administering the sacrament, distributing
books and tracts," and rejoicing at the evident proofs
God." He also made a five months' visit to Ceylon.
afforded by many, of a cordial reception of the Word of
From Point Pedro to Point de Galle, the northern to
the southern extremity of the Island, he preached to
Danes, Idolators, and Mahommedans visited hospitals
admonished clergymen-advised governors and, af-
ter due preparations, administered the Lord's Supper
five times.

Trichinopoly was the next scene of the labours of Swartz, during twelve years, under the auspices of the English" Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge." A room in an old Here his income was £48 a-year. Gentoo building was his lodging, just large enough to hold himself and his bed. A dish of rice and vegetables, dressed after the manner of the natives, was his ordinary food. A piece of dimity, dyed black, his anHe preached incessantly to nual supply of clothing. the natives, both in the town and villages round, and was not long without a congregation of converted Hindoos. From these he chose four or five catechists, whom he contrived to maintain. He daily instructed them how to preach Jesus to their benighted brethren in a winning On their return in the evening they related The their labours, their difficulties, and their success. English garrison had no chaplain-Swartz cared for their souls-gradually made himself master of the languagefirst read the English service, and sermons from evangelical English divines, then preached himself, and with wonderful power persuaded whole garrisons, so that they soon subscribed money enough to build him a church. He also held a prayer meeting with the most a blessing. pious of the soldiers, which God did not leave without

manner.

During his residence at this place, while he was one day reading an English tract, on the fifteenth chapter of St. Luke, under a shady tree, an old Hindoo, who had often entreated him not to trouble him with his Christian tenets, approached him, in company with several others, and begged to know what he was read

102

being clothed in his righteousness, my sins will not
appear in judgment against me-they are blotted out
He is likewise my
by the atoning blood of Jesus.
sanctification. In his holy life I best learn the whole
will of God, and by his Spirit I shall daily be encour-
aged and strengthened to hate every sin, and to walk
in the way of the commandments of God. He is, and
I hope he will be, my redemption. By him I shall be
delivered from all evil, and made eternally happy.

"Let others glory in what they please: I will glory
in Christ Jesus, the only and perfect author of all hap-
piness. Should I presume to rely on my own virtue,
I should despair. Though I heartily wish to obey God,
and follow the example of my Saviour; though I will
endeavour by the grace of God to subdue my inclina-
tion to sin-yet in all this there is, and ever must be,
imperfection; so that I dare not stand upon so rotten
a ground. But to win Christ, and to be found in him,
in life and death, and even in the day of judgment, was
St. Paul's wish; this has been the wish of all genuine
Christians; this shall be mine as long as I breathe.
This was not a peculiarity in St. Paul's character. No;
he admonishes all to follow him in this point. This
close adherence to Christ will not make us indolent in
the pursuit of holiness. It will rather impel, strengthen
and cheer us in the work of true and Christian holi-
St. Paul wished to be made like unto the death
of Jesus, which is the summit of true holiness.

ness.

"As this, perhaps, may be my last letter to you, I cannot but entreat you to follow St. Paul, that excellent pattern of true goodness. By doing so, you will easily withstand and overcome the temptations of a vain world; you will live and die in peace; and, at last, be received into glory.

"We have known one another a long time on earth. May we know one another in a blessed eternity, where sin and sorrow never shall disturb us! Watch and pray, that you may be counted worthy to stand before the Son of man your Redeemer."

During his last year, when he was 72 years of age, having been 48 years in India, he pursued his usual laHe preached bours and studies with great fervour. every Sunday in English and Tamul by turns, and on Wednesdays lectured in Portuguese and in German to the soldiers of the 51st regiment. He explained the New Testament at morning and evening prayers, and dedicated an hour every day to the instruction of the Malabar children in the truths of Christianity. He took particular delight in visiting the members of his congregation, telling them plainly whatever was blameable in their conduct, and animating them by every powerful argument to walk worthy of their profession. He listened to the accounts given by the Catechists of their conversations with men of all creeds and characters— and directed them to a wise and faithful discharge of their office. But his strength was visibly on the decline, and he frequently spoke of his departure, to which he looked forward with joy.

What mind can turn away from such a picture as this, without remembering that it is written,

The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree;
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon;
He shall still bring forth fruit in old age;
He shall be fat and flourishing.

Or, if the excursive fancy may change the simile to a
tree more suitable to the clime, it might compare him
to the fig-tree-

"Such as at this day to Indians known
In Malabar or Deccan, spreads her arms-
Branching so broad and long, that in the ground
The bended twigs take root, and daughters grow
About the mother tree a pillared shade,
High overarched, and echoing walks between."
From a remote corner of Germany he came, unaided
by birth or splendid talent, or by what the world calls
God planted him in
riches an humble Missionary.
Southern India, watering his roots with the streams of

| purest evangelism, warming him with the beams of his reconciled countenance, till he sent his branches far and wide along the rich coast of Coromandel-over the well-watered plains of Tanjore and amid the cinnamon groves of spicy Ceylon. His faithful Catechists, the chief of his spiritual family, became, like the bended twigs of the banyan, themselves taking deep root, and in forming a pillared shade," where many an idolagrowing up around the venerable parent tree, to unite trous Hindoo, wearied with the vain search for peace from his miserable idols, sat down to hear the glad tidings of salvation by grace.

But if

There are many features in the character of Swartz well worthy of our study. His singular disinterestedness in regard to money-his unbounded charity, combined with the faculty of carefully husbanding, which enabled him to leave between £8,000 and £10,000 to the Mission, "that the cause of Christ might be his heir," may well claim our attention. His peculiar openness of mind gave him amazing power over Hindoos and Europeans of all sects, made way for him to the heart of the Rajah, commanded the reverence of the despotic Hyder Ali himself, and obtained for him an ascendancy with political governors of all principles, which no other Missionary ever possessed. His powers of speaking to the heart of outwitting metaphysical Brahmins of convincing supercilious Mahommedans of winning the attention and affection of children-are amply testified by the multitudes whom he drew over to confess the superior excellence of Christianity, and the goodly company of upwards of six thousand, whom he was instrumental in turning to the open profession of the Gospel. The romantic features of his character were few and simple; as when before leaving Ceylon, he travelled to Point Pedro, for the purpose of seeing, and preaching under the very tree under which the celebrated Buldæus first preached to the natives. we were asked to point out the leading trait, which, above any other, gave a peculiar colouring to Swartz's whole history, we would point to his pervading cheerfulness. He seemed to preserve the equal mind in ar duous circumstances without an effort. Light-heartedness, without a shade of levity-unbroken tranquillity, without a tendency to slothfulness-distinguish him from almost every other Missionary. He lived careful for nothing-and the peace of God fortified his heart "We sung the says Gerické," when he and mind. He died as he had lived. spoke very humbly of himself, hymn, Christ is my life,' began to sing with us and extolled his Redeemer and wished to be dissolved, 'Had it pleased him,' he said, and to be with Christ. to spare me a little longer, I should have been glad. I should then have been able to speak yet a word to the sick and poor, but His will be done. May He but in mercy receive me-into thy hands I commend my spirit-thou hast redeemed me, O God of truth.' After this, the native assistants sung the last verse of the hymn head so full of bruises'-he joining with After which, he exthem. He then rested a little. pressed a desire to be raised up, unexpectedly opened his lips and expired in the arins of the faithful native fellow-labourers of this place."

We cannot refrain from quoting the following beautiful description of the funeral of this truly eminent man. It is written by Mr Kohlhoff, who was present at the mournful ceremony:-"His funeral was a most awful and very affecting sight. It was delayed a little beyond the appointed time, as Serfojee Rajah wished once more to look at him. The affliction which he suffered at the loss of the best of his friends, was very affecting. He shed a flood of tears over his body, and covered it with a We intended to sing a funeral hymn, gold cloth. whilst the body was conveyed to the chapel; but we were prevented from it by the bitter cries and lamentations of the multitudes of poor who bad crowded into the

garden, and which pierced through our souls. We were of course obliged to defer it till our arrival at the chapel. "The burial service was performed by the Rev. Mr Gerické, in the presence of the rajah, the resident, and most of the gentlemen who resided in the place, and a great number of native Christians, full of regret for the loss of so excellent a minister the best of men. 0 may a merciful God grant, that all those who are appointed to preach the Gospel to the heathen world may follow the example of this venerable servant of Christ! And may he send many such faithful labourers, to fulfil the pious intentions and endeavours of the honourable Society for the enlargement of the kingdom of Christ! May he mercifully grant it, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ."

An interesting summary of his virtues is contained
in the lines inscribed on the granite stone, which covers
the grave of Swartz-peculiarly interesting, as being the
composition of the young Hindoo Rajah, who, by the
influence of Swartz, had been raised to the Musnud of
Tanjore-and though the rhyme be rude, yet does it
possess the invaluable properties of truth and sincerity.
Firm wast thou, humble, and wise,
Honest, pure, free from disguise,
Father of Orphans, the widows' support,
Comfort in sorrow of every sort.
To the benighted, dispenser of light,
Doing and pointing to that which is right;
Blessing to princes, to people, to me-
May 1, my father, be worthy of thee,
Wisheth and prayeth thy Sarabojee.

A WALK TO CALVARY.
PART II.

BY THE REV. MARCUS DODS,

Minister of the Scotch Church, Belford.

LET us resume our walk to Calvary, and our contem-
plation of the dying thieves. We last week pointed
out the lessons which their fate is fitted to convey to
parents; we shall now attend to some lessons of a
more general kind with which they are fitted to fur-
nish us.
We shall attend, in the first place, to the

The following character of Swartz, is from the pen of Mr Cammerer:-" Nothing could possibly afford me more lively satisfaction than the society of Mr Swartz. His unfeigned piety, his real and conscientious attention to every branch of his duties, his sincerity, in short, his whole demeanour filled me with reverence and admiration. He treated me like a brother, or rather like a tender parent, and instructed me in the most agreeable manner in the Malabar language. The same did Mr Kohlhoff, who is meekness and humility itself. Many an evening passed away, as if it had been but a single moment, so exceedingly interesting proved the conversation of this truly venerable man, and his rela-import of the penitent's prayer, "Lord, remember me." tions of the singular and merciful guidance of God, of This prayer implies a firm conviction of the immorThis may seem to be a remark which he had experienced so many proofs throughout tality of the soul. his life, but particularly during the dreadful war in India. The account he gave of the many dangers to which his life had been exposed, and the wonderful manner in which it was often preserved, his tender and grateful affection towards God, his fervent prayers and thanksgivings, his gentle exhortations constantly to live as in the presence of God, zealously to preach the Gospel, and entirely to resign ourselves to God's kind providence all this brought many a tear into my eyes, and I could not but ardently wish that I might one day resemble Swartz. His disinterestedness, his honourable manner of conducting public business, procured him the general esteem both of Europeans and Hindoos. Every one loved and respected him, from the king of Tanjore to the humblest native.

"Nor was he less feared; for he reproved them, without respect to situation or rank, when their conduct deserved animadversion; and he told all persons what they ought to do, and what to avoid, to promote their temporal and eternal welfare. The king frequently observed, that much in the world was effected by presents and gold, and that he himself had done much by those means: but that with Padre Swartz they answered no purpose. This excellent man often told me, that the favour of God, and communion with Christ, was of greater value to him than thousands of gold and silver. Certainly, by the goodness of God, he has been made a great blessing to this country. What other men could not effect without military force, he has done by the personal influence which he possessed over the people, and which arose exclusively from his integrity and sincere piety."

Almost every Missionary that sets foot on the shores of India has had occasion to revere the memory of Swartz. The remembrance of such a man is sweet to every pious mind. Even his personal appearance becomes to the imagination an object of interest; and on this point our curiosity is gratified, by the following picture, drawn by the pen of an intimate friend :-" Figure to yourself a stout well-made man, somewhat above the middle size, erect in his carriage and address, with a complexion rather dark, though healthy, black curled hair, and a manly engaging countenance, expressive of unaffected candour, ingenuousness, and benevolence; and you will have an idea of what Mr Swartz appeared to be at first sight."

hardly worth making in these days, when, how careless
soever about the improvement and salvation of the
soul men may in general be, yet few or none will be
found seriously to call in question its immortality. It
is material to remark this, however, as developing the
The immortality of
character of the penitent thief.
the soul was little known at that early period; indeed,
excepting among the Jews, it was hardly known at all,
and even among them was far from being universally
received. His associate in crime would seem to have
been one of those who denied it.
of the doctrine is a new proof that he had been pious-
ly brought up in his youth.

His firm conviction

And the remark is not undeserving of being made, even on account of the state of matters among ourselves. Attempts, and these by no means of a contemptible character, are assiduously making to throw doubts upon the immortality of the soul, and banish this fundamental article from the popular creed. Materialism, which is intended to serve as an introduction to the denial of Christianity, has obtained the patronage of many scientific writers; while the insidious principles of German philosophy, in other words, of the most revolting atheism, have found a lamentably large portion of disciples among our manufacturing population.

Again, the prayer of the penitent thief implied a conviction of his need of a Saviour. He did not suppose that his sufferings in this world, however severe, would form any atonement for his sins before God. In this be shewed that he had arrived at a clearness of view, and a correctness of sentiment, with regard to the nature of sin, and the state in which it places us in the sight of God, which many professing Christians have not attained. Nothing can shew a more deplorable ignorance of the nature of the Gospel, than the supposition that our sufferings in this world are of an expiatory nature, and possess an atoning efficacy. Yet there are members of the Christian Church, and even

in the Protestant Church, who hope that their suffer- | power and glory he would come again. His prayer ings will be available to lessen, or altogether to avert the punishment due to sin in a future state; and writers, to defend this gross absurdity, have not been awanting. The thief was better taught; and even at the moment of enduring the most infamous and cruel sufferings, he felt and acknowledged that these sufferings could avail him nothing before God, and therefore sought a Saviour's aid.

Farther, the penitent's prayer implied a hope at least, if not a conviction, that his situation was not desperate. He was in circumstances that might have ❘ naturally led him to despair. Any expectation entertained by him might truly seem to be hoping against hope. Yet he does not despair of mercy. This is a farther proof of the care that had been taken of his early education. Men, when they become sensible of their guilt, do not naturally look upon God as a merciful being. On the contrary, they regard him as an inexorable judge, and all who know anything of the matter, know that nothing is so difficult as to convince the awakened sinner that God is merciful. That he has outlived the day of grace, and sinned beyond the reach of mercy, is the temptation into which he most naturally falls. The penitent must have been long familiar with the character given of God in Scripture, so contrary to that which a sense of guilt assigns to him, else he would of necessity have despaired.

plainly implies a knowledge which he could have acquired from the Lord's discourses alone; and which he could not even have acquired from them, had he not been previously well instructed in the Old Testament Scriptures, to the types and prophecies of which these discourses make so constant reference. What now, we may ask, becomes of the confidence with which the case of the penitent thief is so frequently referred to as a proof of the efficacy of a death-bed repentance? We are not going to deny that such a repentance may be genuine,—may be the work of the Holy Spirit,— and may be connected with salvation. We will not limit the grace of God. We will not even deny that, speaking of a man killed by a fall from his horse, it may, for anything we know, be a possible thing, that Between the stirrup and the ground,

Mercy was sought, and mercy found.

But while we admit most readily, that a death-bed repentance may be truly a repentance unto life, we must maintain that while this is a possible thing, it is by no means a probable thing. And, omitting at present all the other considerations which should lead us to distrust a death-bed repentance, we maintain that the case of the penitent thief holds out no encouragement whatever to rely on any such desperate contingency. The principles which he manifested on the cross, were principles which were not then first implanted in his heart. The knowledge which he then displayed, it was impossible that he could have then for the first time acquired. The whole circumstances of the case render it obvious, that he had been carefully instructed in his youth, and had been neither an unfrequent nor an inattentive hearer of the Lord himself. And who can tell how near he might be to the kingdom of heaven, when he was hurred into crime, and to death?

And finally, the prayer of the penitent implies a conviction that his fellow-sufferer was such a Saviour as he needed,-was in reality a divine person. There was unquestionably something peculiarly striking in the appearance of the Lord on the cross, and in the manner of his death. The centurion was struck with it, and said, "Of a truth this man was the Son of God;" and the people were struck with it, for when they saw what was done," they smote upon their breasts and returned." And the thief, too, amidst his own agonies, could see the glory of the Divinity shin-pentance, yet deliberately, and of set purpose, delays ing through the meanness and the sorrows of his fellow-sufferer, and made it his hope and his stay. What an affecting sight, to see a poor despised sufferer yet receiving worship, and hearing, and granting the prayer offered to him!

cross.

But it is obvious that he knew more of Christ than he could possibly learn by what he saw of him on the He knew that Christ was going to the possession of great power, and that after his death he would still be able to save the souls of them that trusted in him. Now, this augured a more extensive knowledge, and more correct views than the apostles themselves at this time possessed. His death led them to despair. "We trusted," said they, in the language of despondency, "that it should have been he which should have redeemed Israel." The very last question that they asked before his ascension shewed a narrowness of view which the thief had escaped. "Wilt thou, at that time, restore the kingdom to Israel?" In fact, we cannot escape the conclusion, that this thief had been a frequent and attentive hearer of the Lord's discourses; and the miseries of his situation had led him to form a juster estimate of their true character than the apostles themselves had previous to the day of Pentecost done. He understood that, through sufferings, the Lord was passing into glory; and that with

Does this case, then, bear any resemblance to that of the man who, while conscious of his need of re

seeking for that repentance till the approach of death shall compel him to admit that he can delay no longer? Or does it bear the slightest resemblance to any of those cases in which it is constantly referred to, and in which we are given to understand, that a man habituated to crime from his earliest years, has at last become a true penitent, when these crimes have doomed him to the scaffold? Far be it from us to deny that true repentance, and genuine conversion may be granted at the last hour of life, even to the man who has purposely delayed seeking repentance, while conscious of his need of it; or to him who has never in his life thought of repentance till the approach of death has compelled him to think of it. But we repeat, that the penitent thief affords no example of either the one or the other of these cases, and in neither the one nor the other, does it furnish us with the slightest ground of hope, much less does it afford ground for that unhesitating confidence which is so often drawn from it. Suffering may, and often does, awaken to the most active and beneficial operation principles that have long been dormant, or that have for a time been overwhelmed. This was the case with the penitent thief. But where good principles are wanting, no intensity of suffering can implant them. This was exemplified in the case of the impenitent thief. Could intensity of suffering