Bishop's pronouncing the blessing in Tamil. The venerable missionary Kohlhoff bore witness to its being spoken correctly and distinctly. After this service he inspected the Church, the schools, and the Mission house. A great part of the Tamil congregation being still present, he addressed them from the steps leading to the house, exhorting them to be Christians not in name only but in reality, and to shine as lights before those among whom they were living. He promised soon to send them a missionary, and prayed God to pour down His blessing upon them. Immediately on his return he went to Mr. Robinson's room, and stood talking by his bed-side for half an hour with more than his usual animation, the subject being the condition of the Mission. He then left to take a bath and prepare for breakfast. He sat a few minutes apparently absorbed in thought, and went to the bath-room, which was a separate building a few yards from the house. The bath contained some seven feet of water, being supplied with clear, cold water from a spring. As he was longer than usual, his servant became alarmed and opened the door, when he saw the lifeless body of the Bishop below the surface of the water. He ran at once to Mr. Robinson, who plunged into the water and took it out, and a young missionary and he carried it into the nearest room. Every possible remedy for restoring animation. was applied in vain. The saintly spirit had fled, and had returned to the Lord who had given it. To him to live had been Christ, and to die was gain.*

Thus swiftly and suddenly the message had come to

*Last Days of Heber, p. 182.

SUDDEN DEATH IN A BATH.

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Reginald Heber, and we fully believe that few had been more ready to receive it. Called to serve the Lord in youth, he began to work for Him early. From early manhood he devoted himself to the sacred work of the ministry, and, while not neglecting society and literature, he was first and foremost the Christian minister. Though he had evidently been marked out for higher service in England, he gave up all at the call of duty, and went to India to supervise and govern the English Church in that country; but, above everything, he considered himself a Christian missionary, and his last thoughts and last words were on behalf of the Indian Christians. The latest words he uttered in public were an earnest exhortation that they should be real and true, and should shine as clear lights in the midst of surrounding darkness.

Bishop Heber's character was peculiarly sweet and amiable. His temper seems to have scarcely ever been ruffled. The irritation and petty annoyances which so frequently accompany life in a strange land, do not appear to have had any perceptible effect upon him. He was eminently a peace-maker, and he was enabled by his Christian tact to exercise the art of conciliation to a wonderful degree; and it was pleasing to observe that the humbler members of society were influenced by him as well as those in higher position such as Lord Amherst, Mountstuart Elphinstone, and Sir Thomas Munro. Like all who inherit the fallen nature of man, he had faults and failings; but they were softened and refined by Christian grace, and genuine affection for his divine Master. We can scarcely call it an infirmity that he exerted himself beyond his strength; but he certainly

worked harder than was prudent in such a trying climate as that of India, and his death was brought on by a sudden shock to an over-wrought brain.

Though he had been only a short time in the country, he had rapidly acquired a liking for its people. His journal abounds with instances of his tender sympathy for them and of kindness to them. Of the Hindus in Northern India, of whom he saw most, he wrote: They are men of high and gallant courage, courteous, intelligent, and most eager after knowledge and improvement. They are sober, industrious, dutiful to their parents, and affectionate to their children, of tempers uniformly patient and gentle, and more easily affected by kindness. and attention to their wants and feelings than almost any men whom I have met with. If it should please God to make any considerable portion of them Christians, they would, I can well believe, put the best of European Christians to shame." The chief desire of his heart was to be used as an instrument in the Lord's hands for the conversion of many in India; and we feel persuaded that the greater advance towards Christianity made in more recent years, and the inclining of more hearts towards the Lord, are in a great measure due to the exertions and the prayers of Reginald Heber.