them with great attention, and expressed his willingness to do any thing in his power to meet our wishes, or to fulfil the desire of our late respected friend; but at the same time, stated difficulties so numerous and insuperable, that, after maturely weighing the subject, we thought it proper not to persist. The Captain wished us to adopt our own mode with respect to the funeral, and politely sent me a note, requesting to know how we intended to proceed; stating his desire " to shew every respect to the memory of so excellent a man."* Five o'clock in the afternoon was the time appointed for the funeral service. The awning was spread, and the soldiers drawn up in ranks upon the deck. A coffin had been made out of some planks; this was filled with holes to admit the water; and four heavy cannon-shot tied in four bags, were fixed two at each end. The body was decently laid in the coffin, and the lid nailed down. It was then placed upon the leeward gang-way, and was respectfully covered with signal flags, as a substitute for a mourning pall. It was the first time I had been on deck since my illness, and a chair was provided for me. The ship's bell summoned the passengers and crew, all dressed as suitably as circumstances would admit, who all seemed struck with `silent awe. The Captain kindly conducted Mrs. Harvard to the spot, and supported her during the solemn service. When the bell ceased tolling, I rose, and read the burial service, with emotions I shall never A copy of the entire note may be acceptable to the reader. "After you have determined about the burial of our worthy friend, you will favour me, by letting me know, as we all wish to show every respect to the memory of so excellent a man. "I sincerely condole with you all on the occasion. "Your's, my dear Sir, very truly, "Rev. Mr. Harvard.' "J. BIRCH." forget, and which I could scarcely perform through weakness and agitation. At the appointed part of the service, the coffin was lowered from the gang-way, with great decorum, and committed to the deep; to be seen no more till the resurrection of the just. When the reading of the burial service was finished, Mr. Ault delivered a suitable address; and, from the sudden and unexpected death of the venerable Doctor, who the day before was walking the deck in company with them, urged the necessity and importance of habitual preparation for a future world. Mr. Lynch then read the hymn, which begins, "Hark a voice divides the sky, 'Happy are the faithful dead!"" and concluded with prayer. The whole missionary party retired to our cabin, and after partaking of some refreshment, our friends were taken on board their own ship. The remains of the venerable Doctor Coke were committed to the deep in about 8 degrees South latitude, and 39 degrees East longitude. CHAP IV. Difficulty of reconciling the death of Doctor Coke, with his actual call to embark in the Asiatic Mission-Destitute situation of the Missionaries, and their painful exercises-Spend several days in searching for, and examining the deceased Doctor's papers-Disappointments-Anecdote on "Trust in Providence". - Captain Birch's generous and humane attentions-Extracts from the Author's Journal-Recommendatory letters to the Governor, and to W. T. Money, Esq.-Conversation with J. Anderson, Esq.-Divine service on board.-Exchange signals with the party on board the Melville. The statement furnished by the Author to Captain Birch, at his request, of the doctrines, discipline, &c. of the Wesleyan Methodists; the character and extent of their Missions, and the circumstances connected with the formation of the present Mission to Ceylon-Captain Birch's reply to the Author. THE unexpected decease of the venerable Doctor Coke, viewed in connection with the immediate obligation under which he conceived himself to be laid to engage in the Asiatic Mission, may produce a suspicion as to the reality of that obligation. It may, indeed, be supposed, that the subsequent dealings of Divine Providence furnish an intimation, that he could not have been designed to undertake a work, from which he was removed at its very commencement. With the Doctor's surviving companions there exists no doubt, that his embarkation in the Asiatic Mission was of GOD. Though he was not permitted to land on the shores of India, yet he had, in fact, brought his party far within the limits of ASIA-that quarter of the globe which had been so long the object of his pious solicitude-and had, in a good degree, formed the plan of their future operations, before his spirit was called to its reward. The progress of the narrative will fully reconcile any apparent discrepancy between the opinion of the Doctor, respecting the source from whence he divided his missionary ardour, and the apparent disappointment of his expectations. It is true, he never saw the idolatry and superstition which he was so anxious to abolish; he never, on Asiatic shores, wielded the missionary weapons, he had so assiduously prepared for the intended conflict. But it was in his heart so to have done. He came forth, at the head of his little band, to the help of the Lord against the mighty; and by his death he gave such an impetus to the cause, both at home and abroad, as made him, like another celebrated agent of Divine Providence, a greater and more glorious conqueror in his death, than he had been throughout the whole of an active and laborious life. The Christian's note of time for endeavouring to do good is opportunity. He must avail himself of every opening; while the result must ever remain with Him, who accomplishes his own purposes of mercy by means which baffle the calculations of men, and secure the glory to himself. It would be difficult to furnish any adequate idea of the painful apprehensions produced by the unexpected death of the venerable Doctor, in the minds of those by whom he was accompanied. Bereft of him whom, under God, we had been accustomed to regard as our counsellor and guide; our deficiencies and unfitness for the great undertaking in which we were engaged broke in upon our minds with greater force than they had ever done before, and caused us to tremble beneath the serious responsiblity which now devolved upon us. In addition to this, we beheld ourselves most critically circumstanced, with respect to immediate pecuniary support, in the strange country to which we were hastening. No provision for such a melancholy event had been even thought of, we had reason to apprehend, before our departure from England. Our inexperience and limited acquaintance with the world also tended to increase our apprehensions. But our trouble, though great, was graciously sanctified to the production of that entire dependence on the Divine Being, so essential to the success of the work in which we were engaged. How far our bereavement tended to further the interests of the mission, it is unnecessary here to notice; but it certainly contributed, by the blessing of God, to moderate our expectations, to discipline our impetuosity, and to exercise our faith. Thus, by the most acute suffering at the commencement, preserving us in the end from errors into which we otherwise might have fallen. A few days after the death of Doctor Coke, by the advice of Captain Birch, we took possession of his apartment, in which we passed several succeeding days, the agitation and grief of our minds rendering us unfit for any society but our own. The day succeeding the funeral was, indeed, a solemn and mournful one to us! We could hardly believe the reality of the transactions of the previous day. The change, to us so eventful, was so sudden and unexpected, that we frequently started from our seats, and enquired of each other, whether it were real, or only a dream! We were, however, compelled to realize the affecting change. In the evening Captain Birch paid us a visit, sympathized with us in our painful situation, and offered his assistance in any way in which he might be able to help us. He informed us, that by law he was constituted the Doctor's executor, unless a will could be found, placing |