supposed) belonging to a Christian from Armenia, then residing at Cabul. In the Mahometan states it is death for a man of rank to become a Christian. Abdallah endeavoured for a time to conceal his conversion; but finding it no longer possible, he determined to flee to some of the Christian churches near the Caspian sea, He accordingly left Cabul in disguise, and had gained the great city of Bochara, in Tartary, when he was met in the streets of that city by his friend Sabat, who immediately recognised him. Sabat had heard of his conversion and flight, and was filled with indignation at his conduct. Abdallah knew his danger, and threw himself at the feet of Sabat. He confessed that he was a Christian, and implored him, by the sacred tie of their former friendship, to let him escape with his life. "But, sir," said Sabat, when relating the story himself, "I had no pity; I caused my servants to seize him, and I delivered him up to Morad Shah, king of Bochara. "He was sentenced to die, and a herald went through the city of Bochara, announcing the time of his execution. An immense multitude attended, and the chief men of the city. I also went and stood near Abdallah. He was offered his life if he would abjure Christ, the executioner standing by him with his sword in his hand. 'No,' said he, as if the proposition were impossible to be complied with, I cannot abjure Christ.' Then one of his hands was cut off at the wrist. He stood firm, his arm hanging by his side with but little motion. "A physician, by desire of the king, offered to heal the wound if he would recant. He made no answer, but looked up steadfastly towards heaven, like Stephen, the first martyr, his eyes streaming with tears. He did not look with anger towards me. He looked at me, but it was benignly, and with the countenance of forgiveness. His other hand was then cut off. But, sir," said Sabat, in his imperfect English," he never changed, he never changed. And when he bowed his head to receive the blow of death, all Bochara seemed to say, What new thing is this?"-Dr. Buchanan. 89. WORSHIP OF THE IDOL Juggernaut. THE idol Juggernaut is one of the deities worshipped by the Hindoos in India. The following account of this idol and its worship is extracted from the journal of Dr. Buchanan, who visited the temple of Juggernaut, in Orissa, in 1806. "We know," says Dr. Buchanan, "that we are approaching Juggernaut (and yet we are more than fifty miles from it) by the human bones which we have seen for some days strewed by the way. We found large bodies of pilgrims coming from various parts of northern India; some had been two months on their march, travelling slowly in the hottest season of the year, with their wives and children. Some old persons were with them, who wished to die at Juggernaut. Many of the pilgrims die on the road; their bodies generally remain unburied; and their flesh is devoured by dogs, jackalls, and vultures. "The temple of this idol is a stupendous building, and the walls and gates are covered with indecent emblems, sculptured upon them. The ground in many places about this temple is literally whitened by the bones of the pilgrims who have perished in this place. "At the grand Hindoo festival of the Rutt Jattra, Juggernaut, the Moloch of Hindoostan, was brought out of his temple amidst the acclamations of hundreds of thousands of his worshippers. When the idol was placed on this throne, a tremendous shout was raised by the multitude, which gradually died away; after a short interval of silence, a body of men, having green branches or palms in their hands, approached with great celerity. The people opened a way for them; and when they came up to the throne they fell down before him that sat thereon, and worshipped. The multitude again sent forth a voice like the sound of a great thunder.' "The throne of the idol was placed on a stupendous car or tower about sixty feet in height, resting on wheels which indented the ground deeply, as they slowly turned this ponderous machine. Attached to it were six cables, of the size and length of a ship's cable, by which the people drew it along. Upon the tower were the priests and satellites of the idol, surrounding his throne. The idol is a block of wood, having a frightful visage painted black, with a distended mouth of a bloody colour. His arms are of gold, and he is dressed in a gorgeous apparel. "The car, as it was drawn along, would stop at intervals, at which time the priests would mount it, pronounce their obscene stanzas, and perform the most indecent actions, which would be responded by the people. After the tower had proceeded some way, a pilgrim offered himself as a sacrifice to the idol. He threw himself down in the road before the tower, as it was moving along, and was crushed to death by its wheels. A shout of joy was raised to the god. said to smile when the libation of blood is made. He is “This festival continued a number of days, and numbers devoted themselves as sacrifices to the idol by falling down before the wheels of his car. As to the number of people who attend these festivals, no accurate calculation can be made. The natives themselves, when speaking of the numbers at particular festivals, usually say that a lack of people (100,000) would not be missed. It is said, however, of late years, such has been the influence of Christianity in India, that the number has been greatly lessened. 90. HENRY MARTYN. THIS useful man was born in Truro, England, 1781. At the age of seven or eight years he was sent to a grammar school, where he made a great proficiency in his studies; and at length entered St. John's college, Cambridge. At this time he had a great dislike to religion; and he afterwards confessed that "the sound of the gospel, conveyed in the admonitions of a sister, was grating to his ears." While settled in college, his whole mind was wrapped up in the pursuits of knowledge, to the neglect of his spiritual concerns, until the death of a father; after which he became deeply im pressed upon the subject of religion, and finally a devo ted Christian. He still continued to make rapid progress in literature; and in 1802 was chosen fellow of St. John's college, at the same time assuming the character of a minister of the gospel; and towards the last of this year was invested with the title of a "Christian missionary." He offered himself to the society of missions to Africa and the east, to go to any parts whither they deemed expedient to send him. He continued to exercise his pastoral office in Cornwall until July, 1805, when he sailed for Calcutta, where he safely arrived. But he soon left Calcutta for Dinapore, where his object was to establish schools to study the native languages, in order to preach to the people, and to prepare translations of the Scriptures, and tracts for distribution. In March, 1808, he completed "the version of the New Testament into Hindoostanee." In 1809 he removed to Cawnpore. Near the close of this year he began his public ministrations among the heathen, by appointing meetings and preaching to them. The following account of his first essay in his new labour is full of simplicity and meaning:-" I told them," says he, "that I gave with pleasure the alms I could afford, but that I wished to give them something better, namely, eternal riches; and then, producing a Hindoostanee translation of Genesis, read the first verse, and explained it word by word. In the beginning, when there was nothing, no heaven and no earth, but God only, he created without help, for his own pleasure. But who is God? One so great, so good, so wise, so mighty, that none can know him as he ought to know. But yet we must know that he knows us. When we rise up or sit down, or go out, he is always with us. He created heaven and earth; therefore every thing in heaven, sun, moon, and stars. How then can the sun be God? or moon be God? Every thing on earth; how then can Ganges be God? If a shoemaker make a pair of shoes, are the shoes like him? If a man make an image, it is not like |