true God, by proclaiming his greatness, asserting his glory, and inviting all nations to magnify him, and bow to his dominion.

6

"Such a proclamation," says Dr. Buchanan, to the na❝tions of the earth was a noble act of a king, and ought to "be had in perpetual remembrance. It reminds us of the "last charge of Him who ascended up on high;' Go, "teach all nations.' It discovers to us the new and extend❝ed benevolence, greatness of mind, and pure and heavenly "charity, which distinguish that man whose heart has been "impressed by the grace of God. How solemn his sense of "duty! How ardent to declare the glory of his Saviour! His "views for the good of men, how disinterested and enlar"ged! It is but too evident, that all our speculations con"cerning a Divine revelation, and the obligation imposed "on us to study it ourselves, or to communicate it to others, "are cold and uninteresting, and excite not to action, un"til, through the tender compassion of God, the day-spring "from on high visit us, to give light to them that sit in "darkness;' to humble our hearts at the remembrance of ❝our sins against God, and to affect them with a just admi"ration of his pardoning mercy.

6

"Let Great Britain imitate the example of the Chaldean “king; and send forth to all the world her testimony' con"cerning the true God. She also reigns over many nations, "which worship idols of wood and stone;' and she ought, "in like manner, to declare to them the signs and wonders "of the Almighty.' And in this design every individual "will concur, of every church, family, and name, whose

heart has been penetrated with just apprehensions of the "Most High God; who have known his judgments, and ex"perienced his mercy."

The circulation of the Christian Researches was immense. The first edition of seventeen hundred copies was soon exhausted; and before the end of the year three others had been printed. The labour, however, which their excellent

a Daniel, chap. iv.

Author had undergone in preparing this interesting volume for the press, probably led to a painful, though apparently unimportant seizure, which was evidently the prelude to one of a more serious nature. It is to this illness that he refers in writing thus to a friend.

"Kirby Hall, 19th Feb. 1811.

"I have had an illness of a peculiar kind; a slight debili"tating stroke, affecting the voice and right hand, of the pa"ralytic kind. My hand is not itself yet, as you may see; "nor is my voice perfectly restored. The faculty ascribe "the immediate cause to study, a sedentary habit, and anx"iety of mind on Mrs. B's illness. But whatever the cause "may be, it is a memento from the Lord, that this is not my "rest. Nor do I wish it to be so.

****The town of Leeds have sent me an invitation "to succeed the late Mr. Atkinson, their worthy minister, "who died last week. I have not yet answered them; but "my late repeated attacks of illness will determine me to "decline it. My constitution is evidently not settled suffi"ciently for laborious study. But the Lord is my shepherd. "He will lead me in green pastures, and make darkness "light before me. The people of Leeds deserve a better "pastor than I am, and the Lord will be their shepherd " also."

"26th March.

"I am now well enough to be able to write a few lines. I "have been gaining strength with the returning spring; for "I love the sun, and to look at it in this cold climate. It is "a fine object in this evil world. But I like the sun chiefly, "as it is an emblem of the Sun of Righteousness.' It gives "light and heat. I love your letters, for they have light "and heat, reflected from the same glorious luminary.

"You will be happy to hear that Mrs. L. has become a "most serious and intelligent Christian. Her only desire is "to live to the glory of her Saviour. She weeps at the re"collection of her obdurate heart in India, loves Mr. Brown, "and thinks him a man to be wondered at.' I mean to

send two of her letters to Calcutta, and to ask whether "they can shew such things in India! Perhaps they will "answer, Yes we can; behold S.'

"My love to Mrs. S. and the sufferer. Surely she must "be all pure gold by this time. The dross and tin, a miner "would say, must now be at the bottom of the furnace.

"I have received letters from India so late as October. Mr. Martyn was expected in Calcutta in fine health and "spirits, with his Hindostanee and Arabic translations."

As the spring advanced, Dr. Buchanan's physicians having agreed that his complaint was chiefly a nervous debility, for the removal of which cessation from study was desirable, he formed a plan with a view to an object which he had long cherished, and which might, he hoped, prove beneficial to his health. This was no less an undertaking than a voyage to Palestine, with the view of investigating subjects connected with the translation of the Scriptures, and the extension of Christianity. We have already noticed his proposal of returning from India overland, for the purpose of visiting the churches in Mesopotamia and Syria, the names of upwards of one hundred of which he had received from the Syrian Christians, and also of inquiring into the present cireumstances of the Jews in those regions and in Palestine. This was the design to which he was now anxious to render an intermission from sedentary occupation subservient. Another object of Dr. Buchanan's inquiry in his proposed visit to the Holy Land, was to be the state of the Syriac printingpress of Mount Lebanon, from which various works have issued; and to ascertain whether it might be practicable to establish presses in Jerusalem or Aleppo, for the Hebrew, Arabic, and Syriac languages; and to open a correspondence with England for their encouragement and support. He wished also to learn, what language (with a view to the translation of the Scripture) is most generally used at this time in the Holy Land.

It was Dr. Buchanan's intention to touch at Alexandria, in his voyage to Palestine, and to return from his tour by

Lesser Asia, through the region of the seven primitive churches. He proposed to pass over from thence to Athens and Corinth, to visit the principal Christian churches in Greece, and afterwards those of the larger islands in the Archipelago. A chief object here was to ascertain, whether a translation of the Scriptures in one dialect of modern Greek would suffice for the continent of Achaia and the Archipelago, (which he did not think to be likely,) or whether some principal dialects had not been already cultivated.

In order to give publicity to his proposed voyage, Dr. Buchanan transmitted a notice of the preceding particulars to the Christian Observera, adding a request, that the queries of the learned concerning the present state of the countries he intended to visit, in connection with the promotion of Christianity, might be communicated to him, and intimating that he would take charge of Bibles for distribution in his way in Portugal, Spain, and Malta, and would endeavour to establish a channel of correspondence in those countries with England, for the supply of the authorized version of each country respectively, as far as the existing governments might be pleased to countenance the design.

Such was the intention of Dr. Buchanan with respect to this distant and laborious undertaking. Greatly, however, as we must admire the ardour of his piety which could prompt him to form such a plan, it was, perhaps, originally of too extensive and difficult a nature for the already debilitated state of his constitution. He seems, in some measure, to have felt this in announcing it to a friend, to whom he sent a notice of his design, adding, “I cannot tell the pur"poses of Providence. Perhaps I may lay my bones in the "Holy Land."

Towards the end of May, Dr. Buchanan paid a short visit to Buxton; where, intent as usual on doing good, he embraced the opportunity of preaching a sermon, the occasion of which may be explained in his own words.

For May 1811, p. 321.

"Buxton, 3d June, 1811.

"Having had some revival of spirits these three last days, "I was not willing to allow the Day of Pentecost to pass "without notice, particularly as the company here were de"sirous that I should preach. Viewing them from my win"dow all day drinking at the medicinal waters, I composed "a discourse from John v. 2, 3, 4a, which I delivered yes"terday (Whitsunday) in the great dining-room here; Cap“tain Payne, aid-de-camp to Lord Wellington, who return❝ed wounded from Busaco, acting as my clerk. This ser, "mon I mean to publish immediately, for the benefit of the "company during the gay season. I shall not, however, "send it to the press till my return to Kirby Hall, (whither "we go on the 5th or 6th inst.) for I have no Concordance "here, nor indeed any other book but the Bible."

The sermon thus hastily but benevolently composed was published in the course of the summer, under the title of "The Healing Waters of Bethesda." It was, as might be expected, altogether of a practical nature. But though devoid of that peculiar attraction which his preceding publications derived from their connection with oriental objects, it abounded with sound Scriptural instruction, and was well calculated to awaken in the minds of those to whom it was originally addressed a salutary train of feeling and reflection, and to lead them to associate with the spring to which they were resorting for bodily health, the thought of that heavenly fountain which can alone purify and refresh the soul, and strengthen it unto life everlasting.

In the month of June, Dr. Buchanan wrote to Colonel Sandys as follows.

a" Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep-market a pool, which is called in the "Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of "impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: who"soever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of "whatsoever disease he had."