the doctrines contained in it. He particularly referred to the ordinance of the LORD's Supper,- Eating the flesh, and drinking the blood of the SON OF MAN.'" A Letter dated May 6th has been subsequently received, detailing the further satisfactory progress of MAHOMED ALI. Our limits prevent us from making extended extracts at present. His father, acting under the influence of his Persian friends, and his own inveterate prejudices, has treated him with the utmost harshness. He has been exposed to much contumely and reproach; and has also been confined, and beaten with great severity. The Missionaries, under the impression that his life even was endangered, conceived it to be their duty to provide for his safety, by soliciting the aid of the Civil Governor, by whose authority he has been lodged in safety in the Mission-house. A few extracts from this Letter will unfold the nature of the trials to which this Convert has been exposed, and the blessed state of mind which he has been able to preserve under them all. "April 26th.-MAHOMED ALI called this morning apparently in good spirits. When he went home yesterday, his father sought to disgrace him in the presence of many of his countrymen, whom he had collected together for the purpose, and to whom he complained of the apostasy of his son; and in the presence of them all, he demanded that he would now renounce the new opinions which he had embraced, which the son refusing to do, the old man in a great passion sent for the Persian Consul, and told his son that he would get him bound hand and foot, and sent off to the policeoffice, unless he recanted. MAHOMED ALI replied, Father, I cannot recant,my flesh would willingly become a Mohammedan, but my conscience cannot permit it.' Here his father reminded him, that all their controversies in matters of faith were determined by the sword. 'A sure proof,' replied his son, 'that your religion is not of God; for GOD does not need such carnal weapons to decide in matters of faith.' His father, now full of rage, ordered the servant not to give him a particle of food, nor even to allow him to dip his fingers in the same dish with him, as he was unclean. A summons had now come to the father to go out on business; and his command was but too faithfully obeyed, so that poor MAHOMED ALI had to go to bed fasting. About eleven o'clock his father came home, but he had not seated himself long till he came to MAHOMED ALI's bed-side, and gently awakening him, thus addressed him: My son; you see I am an old man; have compassion upon my white beard,-do not grieve me by becoming an infidel.' To which the young man replied, Father, you are my parent, and it is my duty to obey you in every thing; but why should you demand of me that obedience which I owe to GOD only? In this one thing I cannot obey you.' This seemed to produce some impression on the mind of his father; for afterwards, in the presence of two or three of his countrymen, among whom was the gentleman who acted as day's-man, the learned HAJI exclaimed, Son, if you can bring a Jew of character who will corroborate the averments of the Englishmen, that the Scriptures of the Old Testament now in their possession are the same as those of the Jews, then you have my permission to become a Christian, (for MAHOMED ALI had made it manifest that the MESSIAH, as predicted in the Law, the Psalms, and the Prophets, was none other than JESUS of Nazareth,)-and perhaps I myself may join you.' His countrymen, above referred to, also declared, that if he could prove the Hebrew Scriptures in the hands of the English, and the Jewish Scriptures, to be the same, then they also would acknowledge the truth of the christian faith, and become Christians. MAHOMED ALI agreed to procure the evidence demanded. On hearing the above narrative, I told him he might keep his mind easy on that score, for the Jewish Scriptures and the original in our possession were one and the same. MR. MITCHELL, who was present, corroborated the truth of my statement, by informing him, that the Jews who are in the habit of visiting Astrachan frequently call at our depository to purchase our Hebrew Scriptures. He said he was fully satisfied in his own mind; but was afraid that should he even procure a Jew to give evidence, his father and friends would say the Englishmen had bribed him. **** "About nine o'clock, on Monday, MESSRS. GLEN, M'PHERSON, and HoNACKES called upon the father: -he was surrounded by a number of Persians and savage-looking Turks of Shirvan. MAHOMED ALI, on being called, appeared clothed in a dirty shube, and seemed to be trembling during the conversation that ensued. They were received in the usual manner. MESSRS. G., &c., spoke of the account that was due to the son, and requested him to call on us and settle it ;-it was here intimated that he was a prisoner, and could not go out. They then stated to the father, that they 2 B VOL. III. Third Series. MAY, 1824. had heard that he not only was a prisoner, but that he had been beaten and deprived of food, and asked if that was true? The father said, Ask him.' It was replied,' He is bound; we will ask him nothing.' It was then stated that we would have immediately applied to the Governor to protect the son, but to save the father trouble we had first come to him. The father, in a rage, declared that neither Governor nor Emperor could interfere in a matter of this kind; that he had power not only to imprison him, to beat him, and to starve him, but even, according to the Mohammedan religion, to kill him. The people who were in the house seemed to catch the spirit of the father, and some of them planted themselves against the door, as if to prevent our escape. But conceiving it to be improper to expose themselves farther, MESSRS. GLEN, M'PHERSON, and HONACKES took their leave, and passed out without interruption.* * * "After this state of agitation and suspense in which we had thus been kept during the whole of the day, what may you conceive were our feelings, when notice was given us, after we had assembled at our monthly prayer-meeting, that MAHOMED ALI had been brought to the Mission-house by the PoliceMaster. MR. MITCHELL and DR. R. immediately went down to receive them, when the Police-Master stated, that, by the desire of the Archbishop, he had brought MAHOMED ALI to us, and delivered him over to our hands,-and that his Grace had also desired him to give us his compliments, and to say that he would gladly have called upon us himself, but could not conveniently do it. "Upon inquiring of MAHOMED ALI, as to the state of his mind during the time he had been confined by his father, he said that it was in the most peaceful and happy state, notwithstanding all the wrangling and abuse to which he had been exposed,-that his tongue was quite tired by the perpetual discussions which he was obliged to enter into withs crowds of Persians who visited at his father's, that GOD had indeed been a mouth and wisdom to him; for that upon no one occasion had he not been able to give them such answers, as they could neither gainsay, nor resist. So that the father declared to his son, The Devil has more power over you, than even the Englishmen have; for if they were to preach and argue as you do, all the town would renounce our Prophet and become Christians.' The meekness with which he was able to bear their ill usage, strikingly exhibited the deep influence which his christian belief exercised over his heart. One man called upon him, for the purpose of arguing with him, and after giving him many bad names, began to pray to that GOD who neither is begotten nor begets,' (this is one of the distinctive titles of GOD among Mohammedans,) that before this week was ended, he would show his just displeasure against this apostate, by causing him to die. After he had finished, MAHOMED ALI said, ' You have now prayed for me, I shall pray for you,'-and raising his hands and his eyes to heaven, he entreated that GOD, in his mercy, would lead this man into the true way of salvation, and deliver his soul from the pains of hell. After he was done, he added, You have called me by many hard names, and you know that if you had done so a few weeks ago, I would have broken your mouth for it; but now they produce no such irritable feelings; I am able to bear them all.' We have no doubt that the meekness he has all along displayed will have a strong impression upon the minds of those who have had intercourse with him. When he came to us, he said his head was still painful from the blows he had received from his father; and added, 'I have suffered much since I saw you, but CHRIST suffered much more.'-Is not this a brand plucked from the burning?' COPY OF AN ORIGINAL LETTER FROM THE REV. JOHN WESLEY TO MR. VALTON. (Communicated by THOMAS MARRIOTT, Esq.) "London, June 18th, 1782. "MY DEAR BROTHER, "I HAVE received the two first sheets of your Life. Be not afraid of writing too much. I can easily leave out what can be spared. It This was printed in Vols. VI. and VII. of the Arminian Magazine. pleased GOD to lead JOHN HAIME and you a long way through the wilderness. Others he leads through a shorter and smoother way; and yet to the same point: for we must not imagine that such a degree of suffering is necessary to any degree of holiness. In this God does certainly act I as a sovereign; giving what he pleases, and by what means he pleases. believe the holiest man that ever lived was the Apostle JOHN; yet he seems to have suffered very little. "You should take care never to write long at a time, and always to write standing; never on any account leaning on your stomach. GOD gives me just the strength I had thirty years ago. I cannot allow J S- to be any longer a Leader; and if he will lead the Class, whether I will or no, I require you to put him out of our Society. If twenty of his Class will leave the Society too, they must. The first loss is the best. Better forty members should be lost, than our Discipline lost. They are no Methodists that will bear no restraints. Explain this at large to the Society.-I am your affectionate Friend and Brother, "J. WESLEY." "To MR. JOHN VALTON, at Birstal, near Leeds." COPY OF AN ORIGINAL LETTER FROM THE REV. JOHN WESLEY TO A FRIEND IN NEWFOUNDLAND. "MY DEAR BROTHER, "You did well in breaking through that needless diffidence; if you had wrote sooner you would have heard from me sooner. Although I have not been at Limerick for some years, yet I remember your father and mother well. They truly feared GOD when I conversed with them. Be a follower of them, as they of CHRIST. "The last time I saw MR. COUGHLAN, he was ill in body, but in a blessed state of mind. He was utterly broken in pieces, full of tears and contrition for his past unfaithfulness. Not long after I went out of town, GOD removed him to a better place. "If that deadly enemy of true religion, Popery, is breaking in upon you, there is indeed no time to be lost; for it is far easier to prevent the plague than to stop it. Last autumn DR. COKE sailed from England, and is now visiting the flock in the midland provinces of America, and settling them on the New Testament plan, to which they all willingly and joyfully conform, being all united as by one spirit, so in one body. I trust they will no more want such pastors, as are after God's own heart. After he has gone through these parts, he intends (if GoD permit) to see the Brethren in Nova-Scotia, probably attended with one or two able Preachers, who will be willing to abide there. A day or two ago, I wrote and desired him before he returns to England, to call upon our Brethren also in Newfoundland, and, perhaps, leave a Preacher there likewise. About food and raiment, we take no thought. Our heavenly FATHER knoweth that we need these things, and he will provide. Only let us be faithful and diligent in feeding his flock. Your Preacher will be ordained. Go on, in the name of the LORD, and in the power of his might! You shall want no assistance that is in the power of your affectionate Friend and Brother, "JOHN WESLEY." "To MR. JOHN STRETTON, in Harbour"Grace, Newfoundland." THE WESLEYAN-METHODIST. (No. XV.) DIRECTIONS FOR PERSONS WHO ACT AS THE CONDUCTORS OF PUBLIC PRAYER-MEETINGS: [FROM a small Pamphlet on "The better Regulation of Prayer-Meetings among the Wesleyan-Methodists,' lately printed at Sheffield, we have pleasure in extracting the follow. ing judicious advices. Prayer-Meetings among the Methodists are so general, and have been found so eminently useful, that the subject of their proper management is obviously one which demands the serious attention of the Preachers and People. EDITOR.] DIRECTIONS. I. BE faithful in attending to your appointments. Never be absent from the place where you are expected, unless you are sick or at a distance from home; and in such cases do all you can to provide a substitute. Endeavour to be at your place in proper time. If you can possibly avoid it, never go to the house of prayer in haste. Go in the spirit of serious reflection, and let your mind be calm. II. Strive to maintain an habitual sense of the presence of GOD on your own minds. "Thon, GoD, seest me," should be the language of our souls at all times. While we set the LORD always before us, we shall live in the spirit of watchfulness and prayer, and be ready to offer up prayers and intercessions in behalf of the Church and the world. III. Endeavour at all times to approach the Throne of Grace under a deep sense of your past sinfulness, and present unworthiness; remembering that CHRIST JESUS is the way, and that we have no right, no access, but through the merit of his sacrifice and prevalent intercession. "By faith in him we have boldness and access with confidence." (Eph. iii. 12.) We may come to the throne of grace with boldness, and find mercy and grace to help in the time of need. This boldness through CHRIST is to be connected with holy reverence and godly fear. (Heb. xii. 28.) Let us adore the wisdom and goodness which have been employed in the consecration of that way by which we draw nigh to GOD. IV. Be careful to keep the sacred fire burning with strength and brightness on the altar of your heart. As no person should undertake to officiate in the public worship of God who is not approved in CHRIST, so in order that we may approach GoD acceptably by CHRIST JESUS, we must stand by faith in Him; and to this end, should frequently stir up the gift of GOD which is in us, cleaving unto the LORD with purpose of heart. While we stand by faith in this grace of acceptance with GOD, and access to him, we shall be heard. It is the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man which availeth much. V. Let it be your practice, as often as possible, before you engage in public prayer, to enter into your closet, and there humble yourselves before GOD, and implore the help of the HOLY SPIRIT, without whose immediate aid you cannot pray as you ought to pray. (Rom. viii. 26.) Our heavenly FATHER has promised his HOLY SPIRIT to them that ask Him. (Luke xi. 13.) You would have but a low opinion of that Christian Minister, who would come into the pulpit to conduct the public worship of GOD, without having first sought direction and assistance from his Divine Master in private. And do not you need special help and preparation for the great and solemn work of calling on the name of the LORD, the God of all the earth? We honour God by frequently and fully acknowledging our entire dependance on him for the help of his HOLY SPIRIT. VI. Guard against praying too long at one time. In prayer-meetings this is a great and common evil. It is in general unpleasant and unprofitable. There are few persons who are prepared to pray fifteen or twenty minutes at once, without vain repetitions, which are offensive to GOD. Six or seven minutes is long enough. There are, no doubt, seasons when Christian Ministers and others are led out, under a special enlargement of heart, and an extension of their views of the goodness and mercy of GOD in CHRIST JESUS; and at such times it is right for them to protract their prayers and supplications with thanksgivings. But when there is nothing more than an ordinary feeling, it is better to be short. In some cases there may be but few persons to conduct a prayer-meeting, and then there * may appear something like necessity for long prayers. But the more excellent way would be for the same persons to pray twice, rather than tire their hearers. VII. To render prayer-meetings the more lively and interesting, there should be a proper attention paid to the singing. It would be well if each company of prayer-leaders had, at least, one person among them, who understood music, so far as to be able to set the tunes with propriety. To a thinking and well-informed person it is disagreeable and painful to hear a light and cheerful tune set to a solemn and awful hymn; and, on the contrary, to hear a dull, heavy tune put to a hymn of praise, or one calculated to promote holy joy in the hearts of Christians. As the mind is assisted by variety, it is not well to sing too long. Three or four verses in the beginning of the meeting, and, at intervals, during the service, two or three verses, will, in general, be better than giving out whole hymns. These verses should be appropriate and striking. In places where the people are ignorant and careless, it might be well to sing our solemn hymns on death and judgment; and where the people are more intelligent, those of prayer and intercession. It would be proper for those who are employed in conducting prayer-meetings, to have in their memory a number of suitable verses, to be given out on various occasions. It often produces considerable unpleasantness in the minds of the people, when a person is seen for a long time turning over the pages of a hymn-book, and cannot find what he wants, but in the end, and in his haste, makes an improper choice. VIII. Let all who consider it their duty to pray in public, diligently search the Holy Scriptures, that they may be come well acquainted with those directions, precepts, and promises, which have a more immediate relation to this sacred duty. Let them approach GoD as he has taught them, with his own words in their mouth, and his own SPIRIT in their hearts; and then they shall be heard and answered. Some persons professing religion err in this, as in other duties, not knowing the Scriptures. Beside, there is something so simple, and yet so grand and appropriate, in the language of Scripture, that it is infinitely more calculated to impress the minds of all who hear you than any thing you can utter that is exclusively your own. IX. It may be proper when you hold prayer-meetings in obscure parts of the country, and in some parts of large towns, to read a portion of the Scrip tures. Some of the Psalms would be highly proper. Our LORD's Sermon on the Mount would be still more appropriate for such a purpose. It would be well also to turn the substance of what you read into prayer,—the more deeply to impress the subject on your own mind, and on the minds of those to whom you wish to be useful on these interesting occasions. X. Carefully guard against all affectation in your public devotions. All unnatural tones of voice are highly improper. Whining and canting tones of voice might work on the feelings of the weak and credulous among your fellowcreatures, but you should avoid adopting such methods of address before Him who searcheth the heart. Be on your guard against the use of lofty and pompous expressions in your prayers. Let the simple language of your hearts be the language of your lips. Do not, under the idea of appearing zealous, affect in your manner and loudness of voice that which your state of mind does not warrant you to do before God. Be jealous over yourselves, with a godly jealousy. Do not offer strange fire on the sacred altar. XI. In your private and public devotions endeavour to keep the eye of your mind fixed on the great object of your worship. Maintain a humble frame of mind. GOD resisteth the proud; but He giveth grace unto the humble: He filleth the poor with good things, while the rich are sent empty away. Let your faith be in exercise. Give full credit to the promises of the Gospel, and expect a present blessing. Watch against envy, and all unholy jealousy. Learn to rejoice if another excels you, or is preferred before you. We may be tempted with these things; but let us resist the temptation. ABRAHAM drove away the fowls when they came down on the sacrifice. (Gen. xv. 9.) By holy watchfulness and resolution drive away these unholy thoughts and feelings, or they will spoil your sacrifice. Let your great design be to please GOD. Keep a single eye to his glory. XII. It becomes all Christians in these days to pray, particularly, for the success of the Gospel. Our increasing knowledge respecting the heathen world, and the union and exertions of good men of all denominations of Christians, should excite in you a spirit of ardent supplication. Prayer avails very much as to this great work. In answer to prayer, GOD touches the hearts and opens the hands of such as have property; He raises up and qualifies men to preach his Gospel to the perishing |