“_Feb. 3d._—A packet arrived from India, without a single letter for me. It was some disappointment to me; but let me be satisfied with my God; and if I cannot have the comfort of hearing from my friends, let me return with thankfulness to his word, which is a treasure of which none envy me the possession, and where I can find what will more than compensate for the loss of earthly enjoyments. Resignation to the will of God is a lesson which I must learn, and which I trust he is teaching me.” In the earlier part of his life he felt a great increase of spiritual feeling and enjoyment, in consequence of having for a time scarcely any other book to read than the Bible. Mr. Martyn was sometimes encouraged to believe that the constant perusal of the scriptures had made a serious impression on the mind of Mirza Seid Ali, his assistant in translation. He was evidently interested in his employment, and even went so far as to acknowledge his belief in Christ, as the Son of God, and to express his willingness to trust in him for salvation, and make a public profession of his faith. But his conduct at other times manifested, that he had only a belief in these truths as facts, and that he did not really submit himself to God by faith and repentance. His candour was evinced in a confession which he made, on a point in which the natural disposition of his countrymen inclines them to be very perverse. He had been boasting of the humility and simplicity of his sect, the Soofies; upon which Mr. Martyn remarked, that if he was really humble, he would not dispute so boldly as he did, but would be like a child. Upon hearing this he did not speak, except to acknowledge, “True, I have no humility;” and afterwards, in a tone of distress, said, “The truth is, we are in a state of compound ignorance; ignorant, yet ignorant of our ignorance.” When their translation was finished, Mr. Martyn remarked, “Mirza Seid Ali never now argues against the truth, nor makes any remarks but of a serious kind. He speaks of his dislike to some of the Soofies, on account of their falsehood and drunken habits. This approach to the love of morality, is the best sign of a change for the better, which I have yet seen in him. As often as he produces the New Testament, which he always does when any of his friends come, his brother and cousin ridicule him; but he tells them that, supposing no other benefit to have been derived, it is certainly something better to have gained all this information about the religion of Christians, than to have loitered away the year in the garden.” [Illustration: _Eng^d. by J. H. Nesmith_ HENRY MARTYN _Published by the American Sunday School Union. Depository N^o. 146 Chesnut Street Philad^a._ ]