Page images
PDF
EPUB

able. But, in the beginning of February, 1798, just when Mr. Gericke had arrived with Mr. Holzberg, the missionary destined for Tanschaur, he was attacked with a dangerous complaint in his foot. The mortification, which threatened to supervene, was indeed prevented; but he sunk into such a state of debility, that he was obliged to be lifted and carried about like an infant.

Concerning the last days of his life, and his conversation on his death bed, Mr. Gericke writes thus :

addressed himself. Till last Friday evening, he frequently said, that he did not yet think his end to be very near at hand, but that it would be attended with much pain. But since then, he said several times, "Now, I think, I shall soon go to my heavenly Father." Being once asked, whether he had the hope that, after his death, the king. dom of God would be further extended in this country? he answered, "Yes; but it will pass through trials and tribulation." Another time, when he was asked, whether he had any thing yet to say with regard to the congregation? he answered, "Do you help, that they may all come to heaven." He once said, "There is with many a good beginning of Christianity; but, if any one should object that there is nothing perfect to be seen yet, let him first examine himself." When we expressed ourselves rejoiced to see him so patient and resigned, he replied,

and I really suffer very little ;" and frequently repeated the words, " Our faithful God helps in distress, and chastens with moderation.

"I returned on the 7th of February, 1798, from a short visit which I had made at Tirutchinapalli, to Tanschaur, where I found that Mr. Schwartz's leg was become very bad, and full of black spots, which were continually spreading. The physician had begun to apply the Peruvian bark in embrocations. As we had every hour to expect the dissolution of our beloved brother, the rest of the brethren request-"Human misery is universal; ed that I would stay with them, and help them to bear the burden. But it was at the same time a great blessing to me to behold, in this expiring Christian, an edifying example of faith, hope, and resignation. When spirit val and heavenly things were the subjects of conversation, when he prayed, admonished, or spoke of the tranquillity and peace, which his soul enjoyed, through the mercy of God in Christ, it could never be perceived that his powers of recollection were impaired. Frequently he quoted texts of scripture, or verses out of hymns, which were very apposite, and always in the language of those to whom he

But how would it be if he should deal with us according to our sins? But yonder, pain will be no more; and for that we have to thank the Lord Jesus." To his Malabar attendants, who faithfully assisted him, he was very thankful, and said sometimes to us, "We must not complain much, were it only on account of these poor people, who certainly do their best, lest we should render their attendance more burdensome to them."

"On the 10th, in the morning, his tongue was quite parched,

furred, and blackish; and strong spasms in the bowels, with difficulty of breathing, came on. By his desire, we offered up a prayer, and thought this would be his last; but, towards evening, he again felt easier, and the fever had greatly abated. On the following day came Samuel, the physician, (who, however, had nothing to do with the patient in the capacity of a physician, but merely assisted in lifting him and applying the embrocations; and who yesterday announced to me his approaching dissolution) and said, "The Lord has worked a wonder; symptoms which yesterday gave reason to expect impending death have disappeared." The English physician also said, upon inspection of the foot, that he was astonished at the sudden amendment; adding, that he was no longer apprehensive that the patient would die of an external mortification, although a recovery was not to be expected.

"On the 12th, I intended, in the afternoon, to have set out on my return home. The patient also gave me my dismission, and said, "You intend then to leave us to day. Salute all the brethren, and tell them to attend always to the chief point. I shall now soon go to the Lord Jesus: if he will receive me, and not enter into judgment with me, but deal with me according to his mercy, all will go well with me, and I will praise him. He might reject us also on account of our works, because sin cleaves to them all." He thanked God that he suffered him to leave the world in the midst of his faithful brethren; and that he had conducted things so, that

he should come to him in his greatest weakness, in order to extol Jesus, as the only Saviour, the Resurrection, and the Life. "Now," he added, "pray still once more with me." I knelt down with Mr. Kohlhoff, who, in the mean time, had entered the chamber, and adapted my prayer to the contents of the hymn, "To thee alone, Lord Jesus Christ," &c.

"After fresh dressings had been applied to the diseased foot, and we had given him some refreshment, and had him removed into another chamber, (which was done once every day, because the air in the close room was very much vitiated by the embrocations, the coal-fire used in preparing them, and the many attendants that were required) we for the first time perceived the extreme state of debility to which he was reduced, and he seemed even nearer to his dissolution than he had done the Saturday before, I was therefore again detained. In the afternoon he conversed much with Mr. Jænicke. In the evening I came to him with the physician, whom he knew very well, and said to him, "Let us all take care that none of us be left behind." He expressed his gratitude for the attention of the physician and the assistance of his brethren and Malabar attendants. The latter did every thing in their power with the greatest alacrity: their love to their paternal teacher made every thing easy to them; and every word of instruction, which he spoke to them, they caught up with the greatest avidity, and delighted to be about him. The physician was much affected, and said, he hoped I

would not leave the patient and set out on my return, as he was so weak.

"This evening he suffered more than he had done before; for the lifting him and moving his body, on account of the embrocations, which it was necessary should be often repeated, and even sitting and lying in bed were extremely burthensome to him. But his patience and resignation did not diminish; not a complaint was beard from him; his sighs only expressed how much he suffered. I said to him, among other things, "God grant that we may one day, in our last extremity, await our dissolution in such peace, and such a happy frame as you, to our comfort and satisfaction, now enjoy." "May he grant it!" he rejoined, "in the richest measure." All our hearts were moved by the affectionate energy with which he uttered these words.

"In the night between the 12th and 13th, he enjoyed some sleep in the intervals when he could be left quiet; and the following forenoon he fell into a kind of stupor; and his pulse were very feeble. When he awoke he spoke indeed; but only detached words were intelligible; however, he seemed clearly to understand whatever was spoken to him. We thought he was about to slumber thus out of the body; but about noon he became again more lively. We sung the hymn, "Christ is my life," &c. in which he began to join us. He spoke very humbly of himself, and in praise of his Redeemer, wishing to be dissolved, and to be with Christ. "Had it pleased him," he said, "that I

had remained here longer, I should have liked it, for then I might have spoken a word more to the poor and sick; but His will be done! May he only receive me in mercy! Into thy hands I commend my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, thou faithful God!" The Malabar attendants afterwards sang the last verses of the hymn," Head full of wounds and bruises!" in which he frequently joined. He then rested a little; after which he desired to be raised up, and suddenly he opened his mouth, (out of which so much instruction and comfort, so much fervent prayer had issued till the 73d year of his life) and expired between four and five o'clock, in the arms of the faithful and affectionate Malabar fellow labourers of this place. It was very affecting to hear the wailing and lamentations of the inhabitants of the two Christian villages on both sides of the garden, which wo could do the whole night through. The sorrow at having lost him, who had been their teacher, their comforter, their tutor, their benefactor, their adviser, their advocate, was universal. Not only we, the congregations, the schools and the mission, but the whole country has lost a father. Whoever had but known him, wept.

"On the following day, between four and five in the afternoon, we deposited his remains in the grave, which was dug in the church in the garden. Serfogee, the Tanschaur prince, whose tutor he was, came to see his corse before the coffin was nailed down, bedewed it with his tears, and accompanied it to the grave. The Malabar assistants wished to carry the body; but as Euro

peans had already been engaged the day before for the purpose, we let it remain so. We had intended to sing hymns on the road to the burial place; but the lamentations of the people did not permit it. In the church we sung, before and after the interment; and when the English were gone, the Malabars also sang a hymn, and expected an address from me; but I could scarcely utter a word; and was obliged to summon up all my resolution to enable me merely to read the prayers. The servant of the deceased stood next to me, and said, in the tone of one ready to sink into a swoon, "Now all our hopes are gone!" This penetrated my heart; for this is the sentiment not only of one, but of many, old and young, great and small, far and near, both Christians and Heathens.

"After I had changed my apparel, I went to the prince, who still remained in the neighbourhood, and endeavoured to comfort him. The principal servant of the widow of the late king also begged me to come to her and comfort her; but she lives at too great a distance. The next morning we all went to the physician, and thanked him for the kind attention, which he had shewn to our deceased brother

A monument to the memory of Mr. Schwartz has been executed by Mr. Bacon, at the expense of the East India Company, which is now on its way to India, where it is to be erected.

The missionary labours of Mr. Schwartz being so well known in that country, it was thought unnecessary to represent him (as the artist at first intended) in the character of a missionary; and that to give in his monament an idea of the correspondence

in his last illness. I also examined the papers which he had left behind him, as I am appointed executor to his will; and I found that the mission at Tanschaur, and all the poor, and the establishments belonging to it, are his heirs. In the afternoon I spoke for an hour with the assistants, and prayed with them. In the evening the Malabar congregation assembled in the church, and wished to hear a discourse: I took for my text the words of Jacob on his death bed: "I die; but God will be with you." I quoted many things said by the deceased respecting the congregation, and his hope that the kingdom of Christ would be established here. I endeavoured to animate them to the demonstration of such a mind as dwelt in our departed brother, whose tomb we saw before us.'

"On the following day, I prayed once more with the brethren, and departed." Thus far Mr. Gericke.

Thus this excellent man, who has been of such importance to the mission, is no more! O that his upright mind may animate all who labour in each of our missions; and thus the hope of the deceased, for the extension of the kingdom of Jesus in the East Indies, be fulfilled!

of his last moments, with the well known course of his life, would be a more desirable plan of design.

The principal compartment of the monument is, therefore, occupied with an alto-relievo representation of Mr. Schwartz in the closing scene of his existence. He is surrounded by a group of the infant pupils to whom he gave an asylum in his house, and several clerical friends who attended him at the time. One of the children is embracing his dying hand; and a

My Son,

Religious Communications.

LETTERS FROM A CLERGYMAN TO HIS SON.

LETTER IV.

IT is too common an error among men, even in this enlightened age and country, to confine religion to particular times, circumstances and occasions, and to treat it as if it had no concern in our ordinary business and daily occupations. But how contrary is this partiality to the language of scripture ? "Whatever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord." "Whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God." "Let all your things be done with charity." "Adorn the doctrine of God in' all things." "Let all things be done to edifying."

How many are there, that pass through life, as custom or inclination leads, without reflecting on the nature, or looking to the the consequences of their conduct?

In a time of sickness or affliction, they will think of God and commit their case to him. But in days of health and prosperity, God and another world are scarcely in their thoughts. They plan their worldly business and deliberate on the means to ac

brother missionary is supporting his head; but the attention of Mr. Schwartz is directed to, and his hand. raised towards, an object in the upper part of the bas-relief; namely, the CROSS, which is borne by a descending angel, implying that the grand subject of his ministry is the chief support of his soul, when " flesh and heart fail."

Over the bas-relief is the Ark of the Covenant, which was peculiarly the charge of the priests, and was a striking emblem of the constant theme of his preaching, before referred to. Vol. III. No. 6.

complish it; but never realize their dependence on God's blessing for success, and their accountableness for the benefits which his providence bestows. Their secular works they never commit to him, but pursue them in their own way, as if they were accountable to none but themselves. The fruit of this industry they never yield to God, but use it as if it were absolutely their own, acquired by their own ability, or given for their own sakes.

On the Lord's day they desist from their usual labours; but little think of the sacred purpose, for which this is sequestered from other days, and pay no great attention to the holy exercises, in which it ought to be employed. They repair, in a formal manner, to the sanctuary of God; but hardly think of committing to him the works there to be performed. They retire, and close the day, as carelessly as they began it, without applying to themselves any thing which has been spoken, or imploring divine grace to give it efficacy on themselves or others.

Ни

Under the bas-relief are further emblems of the pastoral office; namely, the Crosier; the Gospel Trumpet, distinguished by the banner of the Cross, which is attached to it; and the open BIBLE, on which is inscribed the divine commission, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

We rejoice that the Honourable Company have borne this public testimony of their approbation to a Christian missionary, who laboured in their territories.

« PreviousContinue »