ANECDOTES.

One of the Missionaries in the West Indies has given the following pleasing anecdote, to shew how highly the converted Negroes value their religious privileges:-"A slave wished his owner to give him leave to attend with God's people to pray: his answer was, 'No, I will rather sell you to any one who will buy you.' 'Will you, (said he) suffer me to buy myself free, if me can?' 'If you do, you shall pay dearly for your freedom, as you are going to pray. £250 is your price.'* 'Well, Massa, it a good deal of money, but me must pray; if God will help me, me will try and pay you!' -He has been a long time working hard, and at last sold all he had, except his blanket, to buy his liberty to pray in public; or in other words to meet with those who love Jesus Christ."

Some years ago, the clergyman of a parish, a man of great Christian kindness, had occasion to rebuke one of his people in very plain terms for some gross misconduct. The reproof was so severe, as to surprise a friend who was with him; and who declared, that if he had addressed one of his own flock in such language, he should have expected a quarrel. The Clergyman gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder, and with a smile of Christian wisdom, said, "Oh! my friend, when there is love in the heart, you may say any thing." —Martyn, the Missionary, somewhere observes in his Diary, that he was determined never to reprove another, unless he felt his heart full of love to him. How much mischief would be prevented and good done, if Christians would thus watch their own spirit, and daily act towards others under the influence of love. We shall do well to watch our motives. The disciples thought they were doing Christ service, when they prayed that fire might fall from heaven upon the Samaritan villagers; but they were indulging their own temper. And thus it too often is with reproof. Under the cloke of regard for a friend, men gratify some angry feeling towards him. A loving spirit, if it does not turn the offender, will at any rate overawe him.

*The common price of a slave is £140---if a good servant.

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BURNING OF WIDOWS IN INDIA.

It is well to know something of the horrid customs of the poor heathen, both that we may see the use of sending the Gospel to them, and likewise be thankful for our own mercies. Many of my readers are aware, that one cruel rite observed in India, is the burning of a widow on the funeral pile of her husband. Nothing can exceed the cruelty attending this act. The poor widow is bound fast to the corpse of her husband with bamboos and cords to prevent her escape. She is made senseless by powerful drugs, so that she scarcely knows what she is doing. Her cries are attempted to be drowned by music of different kinds, and the noise and shouts of the crowd. When all is ready, her eldest son is chosen to apply the blazing torch: and thus becomes the destroyer of the mother, to whom he owed his birth! Few persons are at all aware to what an extent this custom exists. Dr. Carey supposes that the number of widows burnt every year in the whole of India, amounts to ten thousand: others reckon them at five thousand. It is known

exactly by official returns, how many suffer in the presidency of Calcutta, and it is truly painful to see that the number has of late increased.

This increase is owing to the following circumstance: in the year 1815, rules were laid down by the British Government in India, only allowing the widow to be burnt with her own will, and according to the laws of the Hindoos: and a magistrate's leave was to be obtained for the purpose. Before this took place, the practice was confined within narrow limits, by the supposed abhorrence of the British: but now that the rite was allowed in all instances where it was performed according to the Shaster, the Hindoos concluded that the ruling power gave a sanction and support to it. Thus the means intended to lessen the evil, had on the contrary increased it. And indeed it cannot be supposed, that there are many instances in which the widow is a willing sacrifice, though she may tell the magistrate she is. For she knows too well, that if she shrunk from the burning, the persecutions of her husband's family would render the prospect of life as terrible to her, as that of the most dreadful death. Painful as it must be to a Christian's mind to hear of such cruelties, it is natural to ask, if nothing can be done to prevent them? We answer that much may, and we trust, will be done. For in the first place, as Providence has given to England the government of India, it is our bounden duty to improve our authority for the good of those over whom we rule. It is our duty to send Missionaries and Chaplains, whose labours we trust in time will be blest in shew

ing the Hindoos "a more excellent way." In the mean while, it is our duty to prevent a custom, which in most cases deserves no better name than that of murder; murder wilfully committed!

And in the second place, there is every reason to believe, that our government might forbid the custom altogether, without any difficulty. For the burning of widows is not commanded in the Hindoo law; it is only permitted. And moreover, other Hindoo customs have been put down by the British without exciting the least disturbance. The sacrifice of children was prevented in the year 1802, and the name of Col. Walker is still endeared to India. So far from being visited with their anger on account of his active interference, the mothers used to present their children to his arms, and hail him as the friend of themselves and their preserved offspring. But indeed many of the Hindoos themselves have said, that there only wants the positive prevention of our government, and the custom would end at once.

Let then the readers of the Friendly Visitor make it their earnest prayer, that He, who has all hearts in his hands, will dispose our rulers to exercise their wholesome authority on behalf of these poor deluded people. We hope that the next Session, Parliament will be petitioned on all sides to interfere; and that the time will soon arrive, when the poor Hindoo children shall have the comfort and the care of a surviving mother, under the affliction of a departed father.

Mr. Townley speaking of the Hindoos, says, cr as to their cruelty, one of the most dreadful instances is the burning of widows. I have seen it take place. I was told that a woman was about to be burned, and I wished to be present for once, that I might be able to say I had myself seen what people in England will scarcely credit. I went to the