tive truth, government, and discipline, in the very regions from whence the light of the Gospel first beamed, and where the perfect day will soon appear. And if we may carry our thoughts onward, and compare by the standard of prophecy the signs of the times, and the prospect of coming events, we may lay to heart the Apostolic warning: "The time is short." Mahommedanism and Popery took their rise about the same period; and they are surely falling together, according to the Scriptures. The Jewish nation will be restored, and many circumstances seem to denote the predicted shaking of "the dry bones" in the Valley of Vision, to have already begun. The distress of nations with perplexity, the flickering gleams of antichrist proclaim the times of the Gentiles to be in course of speedy fulfilment; all these are signs of a new era and "when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth ?" May the Lord grant unto us such a measure of grace, that we may not shut our ears to the earnest cry of the Missionaries in the East, "Come over and help us." With entire deference therefore to your Lordship's judgement, and kind reception of these details, I humbly submit them to the consideration of the Bishop of London, in the hope that the imperfect state in which they are presented may not detract from the real importance of the subject-If our Episcopal Societies, The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, The Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts, and The Church Missionary Society, could either separately or unitedly, and consistently with their principles, provide men qualified for the work, a deputation of two or three clergymen might be sent out with suitable instructions and under the immediate sanction and direction of the Bishop of London. This authority would open for them a free access to the Patriarchs, Archbishops and Bishops of the Oriental Churches, and facilitate brotherly and friendly communications, pregnant with blessings both to our own and foreign churches, and to the cause of Christ through the world. It would be unjust if I were to close this address without bearing my humble testimony to the valuable service already rendered by The Church Missionary Society, to the cause of the Gospel in the East. Through her agency, properly supported, much might be done, and it is to be hoped that the Lord may yet "raise up labourers to go forth into His harvest," and we may be assured, that if an effort were made, such is the increasing interest which Churchmen in England take in the present state of the Churches of Christ in the East, that nothing would be more likely to enlarge the hopes and cause the liberal love of Christians to abound towards the grand object which the Society has in view. I beg to apologize for thus venturing to express my opinions, to those who are my superiors, and who have better opportunities of judging of the proper bearing of the question-mine is but personal observation, aided by the kind advice of those who have visited the same country, among whom I cannot but enumerate the Rev. H. Tattam, Rev. C. F. Schlienz, and the Rev. J. Nicolayson, who after 12 years residence in the East, is fully per A suaded of the principle which I have endeavoured to lay down. Nor, my Lord, am I ignorant of the real difficulties which must be expected from the worldlymindedness and party-spirit which prevail among the Priesthood,—the climate, the politics of the East— and that just in proportion as any begin to discern the light of truth, and confess it, we may certainly calculate upon their meeting with trials and persecutions from those who love darkness rather than light-So it was in the Reformation of the Western Churches, and so it will be in the East-but the God of all grace is mighty to overcome evil with good. Had the Reformers been deterred by these difficulties, Protestant Europe would still have been in the darkness and bondage of Popery. Results are with the Lord-the work is ours. And He "who giveth seed to the sower and bread to the eater," can revive His work in the midst of the years, and cause the wilderness to rejoice, and blossom as the rose. The Holy Ghost-as the Spirit of Truth and as the Spirit of Peace, can as at the first-brood upon the dark face of the waters: The command may again be issued, with the same result, "Let there be light, and there was light, and God saw the light that it was good, and God divided the light from the darkness." I remain, With great respect, وو Your Lordship's obedient servant. APPENDIX, [A.] [Extracts from Heber's Life. Vol. II. p. 443, &c.] 1. Letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Feb. 15, 1826. "I believe, I mentioned to your Grace in my last letter, the sort of amicable intercourse, which I had maintained with different sects of Oriental Christians, and particularly with some bishops of the Armenian Church; Mar Abraham a Suffragan, dependant on the Patriarch of Jerusalem, was much with me—he, like the Syrian Metropolitan, attended service in the Cathedral-his sect is Monophesite, and the Liturgy of his church, grievously crowded with superstitious observancies, approaching to those of the Roman Ritual. They disclaim however, earnestly the pope, and some of the distinguishing tenets of Popery; and both my friend Mar Abraham, and some others of his nation, express a great admiration of our Liturgy, and a desire (which I think claims all the encouragement in our power,) to draw near us, and learn from us. One of their nation, named George Avdal has offered his services to Bishop's College, to translate our Liturgy into Armenian to which may be prefixed, if God gives me health and leisure to finish it, a short account of the English Church, which I am led to believe, may do us great service among the Eastern Christians; and may be advantageously circulated, not only in Armenian, but the other languages of Asia. And if Mr. Avdal does his work well, I think of employing him still further, in rendering into that language some of the Homilies of St. Chrysostom, and of such other fathers as the Eastern Church hold in most honour, but of whom, except by name, they know nothing: by such means, duly persevered in, and practised with meekness, and without the appearance of dictation or superiority; it may be hoped under the Divine blessing, that some of the grosser ignorance may be removed, and some of the more crying abuses reformed, which have for many centuries, overspread the most ancient and illustrious sects of Christianity. Bishop Abraham complained with much feeling, that almost all the books of devotion or instruction, which the Armenian nation possess, are printed at Venice, and in many instances, interpolated there." 2. [Extract from the Circular of Mar Ignatius Georgious, Patriarch of Antioch, to the British Authorities in India, recommending to their protection, his envoy, Mar Athanasius,-1823.] After the Salutation and Seal, &c. "The cause of writing these lines of friendship and blessing is &c. Praise be to God, the zeal or assistance in matters of religion, of your exalted nation the British, is famous in all parts, more especially with respect to our tribe of Syrians, and this has been the case from times of old, but particularly of late, our mutual friendship has been increased. We beseech God, that this may last between us, until the last day." 3. [Letter from Bishop Heber, to Mar Athanasius Metropolitan of the Syrian Church.] After the Salutation, &c. 66 Especially I have been desirous to hear from thee, of the good estate of our brethren, the faithful in Malabar, the Bishops, Presbyters and Deacons; and also of my own children in Christ, the English Presbyters, who sojourn among you at Cottayam. May God reward you, according to your kindness toward them, and may the brotherly affection between you and them, be daily increased and strengthened; and I desire, with God's pleasure to pass on thence to salute thee my brother. Moreover, I entreat thee, brother, to beware of the emissaries of the Bishop of Rome, whose hands have been dipped in the blood of the saints, from whose tyranny our |