expressed an apprehension lest this should interfere with their more enlarged plan, and a wish to amalgamate the funds. Mr. Fuller was commissioned to make inquiries respecting Mr. Thomas,-his character and proceedings. A curious circumstance was related by the late Mr. Campbell of Kingsland, as having occurred to himself in relation to Mr. Thomas. He had heard of him by letters from Malda, sent to one of the Scotch bishops who had "an enthusiastic friend, that was always pestering him about the success of the gospel in Bengal, and with questions about religion at home.” "The bishop," says Mr. Campbell, "knew little of the religion which the Bible contains. I answered his friend's questions as well as I could. I then heard nothing more of the affair until 1792, when in London." While there, he called on Mr. Abraham Booth, and found a gentleman with him in the garb of a minister. It appears that Mr. Booth had felt some doubt about the claims of this gentleman, and did not know what weight to attach to his testimonials. Mr. Campbell reckoned it providential that he went in "just at the nick of time" to authenticate them; for upon the conversation turning upon Malda, he asked, "Did you ever hear of a Mr. Thomas, a surgeon, who began to preach in India?" After allowing him to proceed with some remarks, he said, "I am the man. He was much struck with this coincidence. It was at the time when inquiries were making, and the Society forming its first arrangements. Mr. Campbell was accustomed quaintly to say, "Thus I had a finger in that pie too." *

* This statement is derived, substantially, from Philip's Life and Times of Campbell.

At the meeting in January, 1793, the report given by the secretary, respecting Mr. Thomas, was highly satisfactory; and "the committee, being fully of opinion that a door was now open in the East Indies, for preaching the gospel to the heathen, agreed to invite Mr. Thomas to go out nnder the patronage of the Society; engaging to furnish him with a companion, if a suitable one can be obtained." Brother Carey was then asked, whether, in case Mr. Thomas should accede to our proposal, he was inclined to accompany him. To this, he readily answered in the affirmative. The same evening, Mr. Thomas himself arrived at Kettering, and fully acceded to all our prosposals.”* "It was late in the evening," says Mr. Morris, who was an eye-witness, "while they were in full deliberation, his arrival was announced. Impatient to behold his colleague, he entered the room in haste, and Mr. Carey rising from his seat, they fell on each other's necks, and wept...... 'From Mr. Thomas's account, we saw,' said Mr. Fuller, 'there was a gold mine in India, but it seemed almost as deep as the centre of the earth. Who will venture to explore it? "I will go down," said Mr. Carey to his brethren, "but remember that you must hold the ropes." We solemnly engaged to do so; nor while we live, shall we desert him.'"+

Mr. Thomas had been educated for the medical profession, and practised for some years in London; but ill success compelled him, in 1783, to go to Bengal, as surgeon in one of the East India Company's ships. In 1785, he returned to London, joined Dr. Stennett's

*Period. Acc., No. I. p. 35. † Morris's Mem. of Fuller.

church, and became a preacher. In 1786, he again proceeded to Bengal; and was, for some time, supported by a few pious episcopalians, while he acquired the language, and aimed to instruct the natives. In two or three years, having dissolved this connexion, he returned to England, to seek that encouragement which might enable him to devote the rest of his life to a mission to Bengal. At this crisis, the events of the preceding narrative occurred.

On avowing his determination, Mr. Carey found himself encompassed with difficulties. His church at Leicester, indeed, with a noble and disinterested zeal, at once relinquished their claim; but his wife was utterly averse to the thought of accompanying him. Still, he considered his duty to God as paramount, and amidst the severest struggles of mind, resolved to go, intending to return for her, as soon as he had secured a footing for the mission. He presumed that she might be persuaded to unite in his undertaking, when no longer required to pursue an untrodden and adventurous path. She consented, however, to their eldest son Felix being his companion.

In the mean time, an effort was made in London, by calling a meeting at Devonshire Square, to consider the propriety of forming an auxiliary society. Thirty-one persons were present, of whom eight were ministers. In a letter to Mr. Fuller, the chairman states that some who were invited felt indisposed to attend; and that two of the principal people in a leading church spoke decidedly against the formation of such a society. The objection was sustained by a very long appeal from one of the most distinguished of the ministers. "I asked," says

he, "what must be said, in ease any one wants to know the opinion of the meeting." It was universal, so far as I observed, that they were willing to assist it (the design) as individuals; but if they were formally to take up the Society, they should commit the whole denomination. This was the expression used again and again." It was also inquired of the particular friends of a well known individual, whether he would receive subscriptions; and it was intimated that the probability was he would not, for he had considered it as an "Utopian scheme."

This is an instructive, though a melancholy page in our early missionary history. It indicates too plainly the low state of religious feeling, and the general deficiency of that expansive benevolence which ought to distinguish the disciples of Jesus. A comparative estimate of the denomination then and at the present time, will show what an element of moral power the missionary spirit is; how it elevates, purifies, and blesses,-filling the soul with charity, the life with action, and the church with joy; and how eminently is fulfilled, through its instrumentality, the declaration of Solomon, "there is that scattereth and yet increaseth;" and the still nobler sentiment of him who was greater than Solomon, "it is more blessed to give than to receive."

While, however, some who were presumed to possess a leading influence in the metropolis, were afraid of "committing the denomination" by their public acts, many in the rural districts evinced a proper sympathy with the Northamptonshire movement. Mr. Thomas, Mr. Pearce, and others, visited several parts of the kingdom, in which there was a response to their appeal;

and even where some hesitation was manifested at first, both ministers and people speedily concurred. Some curious details are given in private letters, of which the following is a specimen. At Worcester, Mr. Thomas writes, that on his arrival, he had poor encouragement; but there was speedily a change. After a collection, "one poor woman, who had put five shillings into the plate in the evening, came next morning, with tears in her eyes, and blessings in her mouth, and willingly gave 16s. 6d. more. I asked her name, but she would not have it used; 'but set me down as worthless dust and ashes; which I did." Mr. Thomas displayed considerable tact, as well as zeal, in his missionary excursions. After getting wet through in a journey from Horsley to Bath, where he arrived at a very late hour, he preached the next morning; but as they had made it a rule not to have more than one or two cases in a year, and no collections, "I thought," observes he, "that I should have nothing there; but some woman, after hearing the case, sent in a penny. I thanked them, and said I should set down-Bath, one penny! On farther thinking of it, the emergency of the case, &c., they agreed to a collection, and, at my brother's table, there was a plate handed round, and £7. 7s. collected, which, together with what was collected at the doors, amounted in all to £22. 6s. 8d."

Previously to the departure of the missionaries, a farewell service, of great solemnity, was held at Leicester, March 20th, 1793. They soon afterwards proceeded to Ryde, in the isle of Wight, and embarked on board a ship for India. But their joy was almost instantly turned into sorrow, by the reception of an