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CHAPTER XI.

1811-1830.

ORIGIN OF THE MEDITERRANEAN MISSION-MR. MAIR AND DR. NAUDIPROPOSAL TO SEND LITERARY REPRESENTATIVES-THE REV. WILLIAM JOWETT DEVOTES HIMSELF TO THE WORK-CORRESPONDS WITH DR. BUCHANAN-RECEIVES HIS FINAL INSTRUCTIONS FROM MR. PRATTPROCEEDS TO MALTA-TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES INTO A NATIVE LANGUAGE OF ABYSSINIA-THE REV. JAMES CONNOR GOES OUT AS A SECOND LITERARY REPRESENTATIVE-MR. JOWETT RETURNS HOME

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-PUBLISHES CHRISTIAN RESEARCHES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN RETURNS AGAIN TO MALTA-PUBLISHES THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN IN MALTESE-RETURNS TO MALTA FOR THE THIRD AND LAST TIMEREMARKS ON THE MEDITERRANEAN MISSION.

In addition to the Missions already noticed, there was another, which differed greatly from them in its character and operations. The idea of occupying a position in the Mediterranean had been suggested to the Society as early as the year 1811, in consequence of a letter addressed to Mr. Pratt by a member of the Romish Church, resident in Malta.

It was represented that, the revolutions on the Continent having cut off, for the time, the resources of the ancient Romish Society De Propaganda Fide, the Missions maintained by that body were dwindling away; and the design of Mr. Pratt's correspondent (himself obscurely feeling after better things) was, to urge the Church Missionary Society to meet this opportunity by sending some well-qualified men to carry the Gospel into the Levant, and throughout the Greek Archipelago,

where there were promising prospects of usefulness. The objects proposed were, to revive decayed Christianity, and to instruct Mahomedans in the faith of Christ.

Dr. Naudi, the gentleman above alluded to, opened the correspondence with Mr. Pratt through the means of H. C. Mair, Esq., a warm friend of the Society, who had been spending the previous winter in Malta on account of his health.

In what light the Society regarded this new proposal, will be seen by the following reply of Mr. Pratt to Dr. Naudi, dated October 19, 1811:

"It gave me great pleasure to receive your letter of June 2d last by the hand of our friend Mr. Mair. I laid it before the Committee of the 'Society for Missions to Africa and the East,' of which Society I am Secretary. The Committee feel the great importance of the object which you propose. They beg you to accept a copy of the 'Proceedings' of the Society. By these you will perceive that our Society is as yet in its infancy, and that its attempts to diffuse the light of the glorious Gospel have been hitherto principally directed to the western coast of Africa. We have also in our country such a demand for the service of pious and zealous Ministers, that but few can be found inclined to go abroad on foreign Missions. I have conversed with Mr. Mair on this subject. He tells me, that the Archbishop of Aleppo would ordain any proper young man whom we should send out. It would be more easy for us, perhaps, to send out men not yet ordained, than to send out such as are already employed actively as Ministers at home. Yet we do not despair but that, on representing the case of the East in our next Annual Report, some zealous Clergymen may be disposed to come forward and offer themselves as Missionaries to that quarter of the world. If two or three pious Greeks could be found who would come over to this country for edu

cation, I suppose our Society would gladly take them under their protection.

"Allow me, my dear Sir, to congratulate you on the means and opportunities which your situation affords to you of assisting the efforts of your fellow-Christians, in enlightening the countries around you, and on the zealous desire which God has given you to avail yourself of these opportunities. He that watereth shall be watered himself. And surely there is no employ so noble, or so suited to a sinner redeemed by the precious blood of the Son of God, as to labour to his utmost power to bring all men to their Saviour, that they may not perish but have everlasting life. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with you and all the Church of God. Amen."

The disturbed state of the Continent, as well as the difficulty, alluded to in this letter, of immediately engaging proper agents, for a long time prevented the Society's following up the suggestion of Dr. Naudi : but it was felt, as Mr. Pratt wrote, " that Malta had not been placed in our hands merely for the extension and security of our political greatness:" and the Society accordingly endeavoured to secure the services of some young men to carry out the desired object.

It was about this time that Dr. Buchanan published his work on Colonial Episcopal Establishment, already noticed.* In that publication he recommended a plan of sending Literary Representatives of the Church, to reside at places contiguous to the scenes of Christian antiquity; whose office it should be, to gather

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and communicate information upon matters connected with the diffusion of Christian truth,-to point out proper places for Christian Missions, and generally to interest themselves in whatever might be serviceable to religion and the promotion of Christianity.

He

The Society at length met with one willing to devote himself to this interesting sphere of labour. was a near relative of Mr. Pratt-his brother-in-law, the Rev. William Jowett, then Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge. It was in October, 1813, that Mr. Jowett offered his services, and was accepted by the Society as their Literary Representative for Malta and the Levant. From this time he began assiduously to occupy himself in preparation for his future labours.

In the meantime Dr. Naudi visited this country, when Mr. Pratt made his personal acquaintance, and obtained what fresh information he could for the direction of the new operations which the Society were about to commence. On his departure to his native island in the spring of 1814, Mr. Pratt wrote to him to thank him for his assistance, and to express his personal regard towards him :

"You will return to your native isle after your sojourn in ours with renewed desires and resolutions, I doubt not, to devote yourself to the spiritual good of mankind: and I cannot but hope that through the means of those Societies*, of which you are the zealous friend, the moral and religious state of the

* The Church Missionary Society, British and Foreign Bible Society, and the Jews' Society.

Levant will rapidly improve. I shall not cease to remember you in earnest prayer, that, in those great things which accompany salvation wherein we both agree, we may be daily making advances towards perfection. God is dealing in a wonderful manner with the nations of the earth; and we cannot doubt that, in this "shaking of the nations," His kingdom will come. "I wish you a happy and prosperous voyage, and beg a remembrance in your prayers."

Concerning this gentleman, to whose correspondence the origin of the Malta Mission may in a slight degree be traced, it is unnecessary to make further mention except only to notice, that in subsequent years he rendered cheerful services to many Missionaries; though he continued to the last a member of the Roman-Catholic communion. He died of cholera a few years since, in his native island.

It is to Dr. Buchanan that the honour may more properly be awarded, of having laid, in conjunction with Mr. Pratt, the foundation of this Mission. In the year 1811 he had formed the design of personally visiting Syria and the Holy Land: and in 1813, as above stated, he threw out the idea of Literary Representatives. He was consequently prepared to enter with peculiar interest into the plans of the Church Missionary Society for the Levant. Mr. Pratt, who had a natural sympathy with minds of a highly practical character, entered into Dr. Buchanan's feelings, and suggested to Mr. Jowett that he should correspond with him on the subject. He accordingly did so; and a few very brief extracts from the reply to his inquiries are here inserted :

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