ous work, that is not attended with great difficulties and great expenditure; so this, the greatest of all works, must have its peculiar difficulties; but let us remember the strong arm of the Lord, and the zeal of the Lord of Hosts, that is engaged to accomplish all these things. In the prosecution of our work there are two things, which impede in a particular manner our labours; I may say, indeed, three things; the burning of Hindoo widows on the funeral pile of their husbands, the disabilities under which the native converts lie in consequence of their profession of christianity, and the pilgrim tax. It is calculated that not less than 700 widows are miserably sacrificed every year, to the genius of their degrading superstition, and shall we not put forth all our strength, and stir up all our zeal for the abolition of so detestable a system? Our brother, a little while since, asked if there were any missionaries sent to propagate the abominations of idolatry;-yes, there are missionaries, who are employed for the very purpose of promoting the observance of the idolatrous ceremonies of the heathens, who are sent through the country to extol the virtues of Juggernaut, and to urge them to undertake those pilgrimages in which so many hundreds die every year. These are some of the obligations to impel us onwards, if we would wish to see the glorious events of prophecy, respecting the latter day, fulfilled. But with what spirit shall we go forward? Truly we must proceed in a spirit of dependence on God alone; no arm but that of God can rescue an idolatrous heathen from the wretched captivity in which he is enthralled; no power but that which is divine, can produce a change in his benighted and superstitious mind; we must depend on an Almighty arm. At the same time, the difficulties we are called to encounter, require us to be steadfast, to be zealous in doing our duty, ready to sacrifice our feelings, and even to lay down our lives in this good cause. The Rev. Dr. Henderson, theological tutor of the Missionary College at Hoxton, on rising to second the motion, said, When I entered this place, Sir, I wished to be merely a spectator and a hearer of the interesting things that might be said; but called upon by your worthy secretary to take a part in the proceedings of this meeting, I could not refuse. I am under peculiar obligations to this society, and to the Baptist denomination, since, under the blessing of God, I owe much of the comfort, which I have experienced, to the simple views of the gospel that I learned from the writings of those able men of God, M'Clean, Fuller, and Booth. To the labours of Mr. Fuller in his visits to Scotland, on the behalf of this institution, and to his powerful appeals on the subject, I have to attribute that impulse which urged me to offer myself as a missionary to India. In company with Dr. Paterson I was proceeding to our destination, furnished, through the kindness of your society, with letters of introduction to their brethren at Serampore, when unforseen circumstances detained us in the North of Europe, and entirely altered our plans. Having my attention generally much confined to the duties of my own station, I cannot say much about the affairs of this society; but I may be allowed to express my confidence in the men that have hitherto conducted it, and my hope that God will appear for it, and cause light to arise out of the present darkness. It is impossible for us to reflect on the interesting things we have just heard in the report, and not to thank God for the blessings he has bestowed on the labours of your missionaries. I have been lately a great deal struck in reading the promise made to ancient Israel, in the eighth chapter of Zechariah, and thirteenth verse. It is there said, that as they have been a curse among the heathen, (that is our state by nature) so they shall be saved and made a blessing. Have we been regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit? then this latter character belongs to us, and such will be the influence we shall have on the nations: we shall be blessed ourselves and made a blessing to others. And what a scene is before us for the exertion of this blessed influence, for the manifestation of this spirit! How many millions, like those of old, are still lying under the curse! Have we found salvation ourselves, and shall we not hasten to their relief? Shall we not hasten to tell them of a saviour, infinite and omnipotent to deliver them? Let us then, both by our prayers and our contributions, aid this good work, and show our sympathy with those excellent men who are engaged in it. The Rev. J. Blackburn, Secretary of the Christian Instruction Society. The motion which I have to propose, is one of thanks to those ministers who have travelled for the benefit of this society. I fear, there are. some persons who think that ministers travel for societies from motives of selfgratification, that it is a very agreeable thing to make the tour of the country, and receive liberal entertainment wherever they go. I know a little by experience, Sir, of what it is to travel on such an errand, and though I rejoice greatly in the manifestations of christian hospitality that we often receive, yet I must say that it requires almost an iron constitution, to go through the fatigue that must be encountered. Not all the wear and tear of a minister's engagements in this great city, amidst all the institutions which claim his attention, is The Rev. Isaac Mann presented the fifth resolution with the following short address. It is not my intention to trouble this meeting with any lengthened address, but simply to my hands, which expresses our thanks for the chapels which have been lent us at this anniversary. These places of worship have beeu lent for a good work, and these excellent friends will, I am sure, rejoice in having lent them for so good a purpose. Though I do not mean to say any thing more, I may be allowed to declare that I am second to none in affectionate attachment to this Society, and I do most heartily wish it increasing success. equal to the labour of those who are en- | Society, and any society that is engaged in gaged in travelling by night, and preaching this good work. I esteem it a privilege to and speaking by day, the constant and daily have been associated with the founders of exertion which they are obliged to employ, this institution, and I am happy to say, that in order to excite and keep up that interest our friends in Birmingham and its neighin the public mind so necessary to the pro- bourhood, feel deeply interested in its promotion of our societies. We owe mach, gress; so much so, that during the last Sir, to those who will undertake this labour. year they contributed more that 800l. toTo the ladies likewise, this and all other so- wards its funds. I do most cordially cieties ought to feel great obligation, for second the motion, and have no doubt that the very zealous efforts and sacrifices they as there are many country friends here, they are disposed to make in every good cause. will go home determined to do much more Allusion has been made to the difficulties at- for this good cause, than they have ever yet tendant on this work; they are great, and I done. believe that until the Holy Spirit has baptised the church with a large measure of the spirit of prayer, we shall be able to do comparatively little in the work of God. I remember the words of an eminent clergy-present the motion which has been put into man abroad, who said, "We should succeed much better in the conversion of the heathen, were it not for nominal christians." But, Sir, the want of funds is, I think, the only gloomy subject in the report we have heard this day; as to the little difference that has arisen between the brethren here and some of those in India, it will be, I trust, only like that of Paul and Barnabas, and, like their disputes, it will be overruled for the wider extension of the knowledge of Christ. When I consider that 500,000l. are said to be spent in India, at one of the festivals of Juggernaut, a sum exceeding all that is expended in the different schemes of Christian benevolence, I am ashamed of the little sacrifices we make, after all, in the best of all causes. I have often, in looking over the subscription lists of our various societies, been struck with the melancholy uniformity that prevails, the almost constant recurrence of a pound and a shilling. The poor country pastor, whose income, at most perhaps, does not exceed 100l. a year, subscribes his pound and his shilling, and the wealthy London merchant subscribes just the same sum. When we are called to our last account, and we know not how soon this may be, shall we be able to say, "We have done what we could ?" The Rev. Thomas Morgan, in rising to second the motion, said, I am thankful to be associated with the excellent individual who has just addressed you, with whom I have had the pleasure of corresponding on the subject of that society, in which he is particularly interested. I earnestly wish success to that institution, and should rejoice if there were a similar one in every great town throughout the kingdom. I must say, Sir, that I do not like the term, our society, which has been so often used among us, on this and similar occasions. I am a member of the London Missionary Society; I love to hear of the progress and success of the Methodist Society, and the Moravian The motion was seconded by The Rev. J. Stephenson, Wesleyan Missionary, just arrived from Barbadoes, who said-I come, as you have heard, from Barbadoes, and therefore am in some degree acquainted with the genius and capacity of the negro population. Much has been said about the degraded and ignorant state of the negroes in the West Indies, and they have been represented as sunk so low, that it is impossible to raise them; but the missionaries have not found it so they have found them very ready to receive instruction, and very competent to understand it. They have not contemplated their state without making some exertion for their good, and we see the blessing that has attended their labours. I know not, Sir, your missionaries in the West Indies, but I know their success; many have been converted to God by their means, have learned to read the Holy Scriptures, and died rejoicing in the faith. From my own observation I can say, that the poor negroes have manifested singular aptitude in learning to read the word of God, and I have frequently heard them pray for the spread of the Gospel and for those good friends in England, who had sent missionaries to teach them the knowledge of salvation, and never did I witness more ardent and sincere feeling than on such occasions. I have listened with great pleasure to the Report that has been read, and rejoice in the success of the missionaries; but still how much remains to be done! how many millions still most loudly call for our exer- great work will depend greatly on our con-> tions! But my feelings were not altogether versation being in heaven, and our reliance without a mixture of something unpleasant. being placed on the almighty power of God. I will, Mr. Chairman, make you my confes- This should be our state of mind, as we are sor on this occasion. When I heard so engaged in preaching the Gospel to our felmuch said of the East Indies, and the suc- low-men; if we would preach faithfully and cess of your missionaries there, I began to successfully, we must have our conversation be rather afraid that the West India missions in heaven. Much depends upon this as to would sink in your estimation, and I felt as the spirit we should manifest: "let the if I must rise and say something in behalf same mind be in us that was also in Christ of that quarter, and plead the cause of the Jesus ;" it is the spirit of confident expecpoor negroes. For my own part, I owe a tation, and of calm and patient waiting, in debt of gratitude to this Society; for two the assurance that all the promises of God of your missionaries, one of whom was Mr. regarding his cause shall be fulfilled, whatTinson, paid us a visit at Barbadoes, on ever difficulties may intervene. Animated their passage to Jamaica, and preached for by this spirit, then, let us go forward. And us, and the sermons are much spoken of to let us also remember that it is the spirit of this day. In this great work it is little that love; that this is the test of our discipleour united exertions can do; but let us do ship. "By this," says our blessed Saviour, what we can, and we trust that God will" shall all men know that ye are my disbless our efforts, and that our friends at ciples, if ye have love one towards another." home will aid us by their prayers and con- It is necessary also for our own individual tributions. We are willing to labour with all our might, but we must have some bread and cheese to support us. We do not go abroad, I assure you, to be gentlemen; we only want to have something to live upon, while we are engaged in the work of the Lord. enjoyment; for the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, flies from the realms of discord and strife. Possessed by this spirit, we may go on, assuring ourselves of final success. The motion was seconded by the Rev. D. Clarabut of Tring. After which, a motion of thanks to the The Rev. S. Nicholson of Plymouth, on Chairman was proposed by J. B. Wilson, moving the resolution fixing the day of the Esq. Treasurer to the Society, and secondnext meeting of the Society, remarked-ed by the Rev. John Dyer, the Secretary. The character of that meeting will depend Mr. Gurney replied in a few words; the much upon the events that have recently 117th Psalm was sung; and the Meeting. occurred, and the improvement we are en- separated, evidently much gratified by the abled to make of them. Our success in this proceedings of the day. * * Contributions are unavoidably postponed till next month. Printed by Littlewood & Co. Old Bailey. BAPTIST MAGAZINE. AUGUST, 1828. LETTERS OF THE LATE REV. ANDREW FULLER. (Continued from p. 246.) LETTER V. a murderer, who was prowling about the outskirts of a town for the purposes of plunder, than to quiet the alarms of the people by procuring the circulation of an opi On the Influence of Satan upon nion, either that no such person the Human Mind. MY DEAR FRIEND, In reply to your observations on the influence of Satan on the human mind, I am free to acknowledge that it is a subject of such a nature, that in speculating upon it we may presently lose ourselves. But this is true of every subject connected with the operations of spirit. To the opinion of Mr. R. on this subject I was not wholly a stranger; nor, probably, are you ignorant that it is one of the tenets of Dr. Priestley and the modern Socinians. That writer thus expresses himself:- "The word devil, or Satan, in the Old and New Testaments, signifies only the principle of natural or moral evil, personified by a well known figure in rhetoric. The devil is only an allegorical personage." I presume Mr. R. would not go quite so far as Dr. P., to deny the existence of evil spirits; yet he is very little behind him, in denying their influence on the human mind. It is no contemptible instance of Satan's policy, to get the notions of his existence and influence exploded; well knowing that, in that case, no prayers would ascend to heaven, and no vigilance be exercised on earth, against his allurements. Nothing would discover more admirable policy in a thief or VOL. III. 3d Series. existed, or that if he did, he could not possibly enter their houses; in fact, that the whole was a popular prejudice, invented by designing priests, and perpetuated by a few old women, to frighten the vulgar. It is allowed, that the devil has no power over our minds without divine permission; yea, further, that he has no such power over us as to draw us into sin without our own consent. I will not say, that he cannot suggest sinful thoughts without our consent; but certainly he cannot, without our consent, draw us into sin. If we yield not, we may be said to be tempted, as Christ was; but sin does not consist in being tempted, but in falling in with the temptation. - Farther, it is allowed that the principal and immediate objects of our dread ought to be, the snares and allurements of the world.These are sometimes called temptations, being the means adopted by the god of this world to draw away the heart. But not a fish that swims need fear the most subtile and expert fisherman, provided it keep clear of his nets and baits. Once more, it is allowed, that the doctrine of Satanic influence has been greatly abused by some who profess to maintain it; as when they consider themselves merely passive, and that all the evil of their minds is to be charged Ꮓ upon foreign agency; thus im- | against principalities and powers, puting all their wickedness to the against the rulers of the darkness devil, for the purpose of exonerat- of this world, against spiritual ing themselves. But this is no wickedness (or wicked spirits) in proof that the doctrine itself is high places." not true. Multitudes abuse the doctrine of human depravity; and by imputing their sinful conduct to their poor wicked hearts, or to the old man, as they express themselves, endeavour to elude the blame. But shall we, on this account, deny that doctrine? Surely not. In considering the above testimonies, it is only necessary that Satanic influence, literally speaking, is possible; and no man ought to dispute it, unless he can prove it absolutely impossible. But by what mediums will that be attempted? Can it be proved that Satan cannot communicate ideas to the human mind? That simple finite You will receive my present thoughts on Satanic influence un-spirits can convey ideas to each der three observations. First-The language of Scripture on this subject is such, that nothing but an absolute impossibility of its being understood literally, should render any other sense admissible. He that other, and influence each other, cannot be denied, without denying the possibility of reciprocal communication between angels, and between the spirits of just men made perfect. And that simple spirit can influence spirits dwelling The language of inspiration, it in bodies cannot be denied, withmust be allowed, not only repre-out denying the influence of the sents the devil as a real, intelligent Holy Spirit on the souls of men. agent, but describes him as having If there be any impossibility in the an influence on the human mind. matter, it must consist in this: Among others, let the following for a finite simple spirit to convey passages be seriously considered: ideas to another spirit dwelling in "The god of this world blindeth flesh. But wherein consists the the minds of them that believe not. impossibility of this? The prince of the power of the can prove it so, let him undertake air, the spirit that now worketh in it. But let him reflect, that in the children of disobedience. Be proving this, he will also prove sober, be vigilant, because your that there has been no fellowship adversary the devil, as a roaring between the spirits of just men lion, walketh about, seeking whom made perfect, and the spirits of he may devour. That they may Enoch, Elijah, and our Lord; for recover themselves out of the snare their spirits inhabit bodies. On of the devil, who are taken captive this principle, the translation, inby him at his will. For this pur- stead of the death of Enoch and pose the Son of God was manifest- Elijah, is a disadvantage, rather ed, that he might destroy the works than a privilege; and the resurof the devil. Satan hath desired rection of our Lord's body must to have thee, that he may sift thee occasion, for the present, an unas wheat. Resist the devil, and speakable loss to the church above. he will flee from you. Put on I am inclined to think the man is the whole armour of God, that ye not yet born, who will undertake may be able to stand against the to prove the impossibility of Sawiles of the devil: for we wrestle tanic influence on the human mind. not against flesh and blood, but I have been given to understand |