WILLIAM HEPBURN HEWITSON.

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WILLIAM HEPBURN HEWITSON, a principal actor in a movement which has been called "the greatest fact in modern missions," distinction, the exact justice of which we will not moot, though a great fact it undoubtedly is-was born at Culroy, in the parish of May bole, in Ayrshire, Scotland, September 16, 1812. His physical constitution was delicate, but that fragile tenement lodged a most aspiring soul. When a little boy, he used to say that he would be either a minister or a king. Of royalty he had no distinct notions, but his early religious education made him more familiar with the ministerial function, at least in its outward forms, and with the language of scriptural piety,

Such as grave livers do in Scotland use.

A chair for a pulpit and his sisters for an audience, one of them acting the precentor, supplied him with the needed apparatus for experimenting on his alternative object of ambition, and he exulted in being able to move his little congregation to tears by the energy of his declamation. After five or six years in England, his father was appointed in 1825 parochial teacher of Dalmellington, and he returned to his native Ayrshire. He was a prodigious reader in a desultory way, but he now gave himself to a more systematic course of study, in which he made remarkable progress. He went his own way to work, and made his own way. He gained by solitary and unaided exertion an unusual mastery of Greek and Latin, pored into Hebrew and French, and into ancient and modern history.

Feeble health, doubtless aggravated by intense application, prevented him from entering at once on the career he ardently expected, but in 1833 he entered the university of Edinburgh. The competition was eager, the combatants for academic honours were the flower of the principal Edinburgh schools, but at the close of his second session "the self-taught country lad" distanced all, and bore off the

palm both in the classics and in logic. In both, his attainments were not only brilliant, but thorough. He was not content to translate, decline and conjugate the classic authors, but, going beyond verbal analysis and textual subtleties, he read and digested them. He both acquired the art and the capacity of reasoning, and showed a force and fruitfulness of thought that exceeded the expectations of his best friends. This was abundantly shown after completing, in 1837, his university course in the arts, by an essay "on the Nature, Causes and Effects of National Character," a theme proposed for a university prize. It received the offered award, and Professor Wilson solicited its publication. A little while before, so flattering a request would have been complied with at once, but a change had already come over the student's mind. He was roused from his dreams of fame by remorse for the Godless, soul-destroying selfishness of his ambition. He had looked forward through all his course to the Christian ministry; he felt that he was without the needful preparation of spirit; nay, that in his insane pursuit of applause,-for such it now appeared he had done himself all but fatal injury. Thenceforth he essayed to enter on a new course, to deny himself and his worldly desires, and to give himself in all humility to his sacred calling.

In November, 1838, he entered the Divinity Hall of Edinburgh, then presided over by Dr. Chalmers. With seriousness and gravity, subduing but not suppressing his scholarly enthusiasm, he gave all diligence to master the heights of theological and biblical lore. But with all his earnestness he was yet a stranger to the simplicity of the gospel, and it was not till the lapse of about two years, and after severe wrestlings with unbelieving self-righteousness, that he found the peace and rest of genuine faith. The change was great. He had been known as a profound scholar, a sober and strict student in divinity, exemplary in his behaviour, and giving promise of unusual power and brilliancy. He was now, beside and above these, a devoted servant of Christ, desiring to follow his Lord in all things, counting it most blessed "to have an ear deaf to the world's music, but all awake to Him who is 'the chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely."" The distinctions he had sought with such ardour, and which, he believed, were a snare to his soul, he renounced, and even sold his university medal,-an act which may have been wise, but we must think was by no means a self-evident duty.

His severe and protracted studies had effected his body as well as his soul. Indeed, he was imprudent to the last degree, and in the

spring of 1841 found it necessary to seek relaxation by going into Fifeshire as a private tutor. While here, he was laid low by a fever, soon after recovering from which, symptoms of incipient pulmonary disease warned him that his hold on life could only be retained by the utmost care. The now sainted McCheyne had long desired him as a colleague in the pastoral office, and he desired no better station; but it was not so to be. He was licensed in the spring of 1842, and in June went to Bonn, in Germany, as the invited companion of a peer who proposed a temporary residence there. An inflammatory attack brought him to the verge of the grave, and in September he retraced his steps homeward. Here he remained till the autumn of 1844, in a state of strict seclusion, unable, in the opinion of his physicians, to preach with safety, but inwardly strengthening himself for what awaited him.* His letters show that he drank deeply of the wells of salvation, entered more intimately than ever into the spirit of his blessed Master, and was ripening for most effective service, should he be permitted to serve in the church, and for the most exquisite enjoyments of Paradise, should he be soon removed thither. He was ordained, November 6, 1844, by the (Free Church) Presbytery of Edinburgh, and appointed as a missionary to the Portuguese of Madeira, a hazardous service, but one from which he was not the man to shrink. His destination having been incautiously announced in a newspaper, he thought it best to go first to Lisbon, where he arrived early in December. With an ease that attests the native vigour and thorough training of his mind, he mastered the Portuguese language in about two months, and in February set sail for Madeira.

This island, from its salubrity much resorted to by invalids, contains a population of one hundred and twelve thousand, of a race apparently mixed of Portuguese and Moors,-more athletic and comely than the Portuguese, but ignorant, and, until lately, held contentedly by a superstition that exerted a stronger repressive force on the intellect and conscience than on the passions. This, which is true of Romanism every where, was especially true in Madeira.

* In this process we do not include his millenarian speculations, which he enthusiastically prosecuted. Without affirming that such a result is necessary—for it did not appear in his case or that of Henry Fox-it is certain that in many minds such opinions cut the sinews of missionary effort, and exert anything but a favourable influence on Christian character.

From the number of foreign residents, an Episcopal and a Presbyterian Church existed at Funchal, but nothing was done for the natives till about 1838, when Dr. Kalley, a pious English physician, commenced distributing the Bible and holding meetings for religious conference in his house. In 1840 the interest of the people in the Scriptures had so much increased that many adults went to school that they might learn to read the Bible. Soon the meetings had to be held in the open air. For several months in 1842, from one thousand to three thousand assembled, and once they were reckon d at five thousand. The great truths of redemption, of peace in believing and the hope of glory, became in some places topics of common conversation in the fields and highways.

The ecclesiastical authorities now bestirred themselves. A pastoral was issued, describing the Bible as "a book from hell," and threatening with excommunication all who should read it. An order was promulgated suppressing the schools, a number of which Dr. Kalley had instituted, that the people might read the Scriptures for themselves. Two persons only had openly renounced popery, and received the communion at the Presbyterian church. They were excommunicated. Dr. Kalley was forbidden to speak on religious subjects, The order was illegal, contrary to the charter of Portugal, and he paid no attention to it. Then the people were forbidden to hear him, and many poor persons were imprisoned or beaten for so doing. A wealthy gentleman at once broke the order, to test its legality. He was prosecuted, and the court decided that no person could be hindered from entering another's house with the owner's consent. Dr. Kalley was prosecuted, but discharged, no illegal act having been proved against him. The magistrate having left the island, another functionary arbitrarily reversed the sentence, and he was imprisoned six months.

In the summer of 1844, as if to make their baseness conspicuous in the eyes of the whole world, Mrs. Maria Joachina Alves was torn from a family of seven children to answer a charge of apostasy, heresy and blasphemy. The test of guilt was simple. She was asked if she believed "the consecrated host to be the real body and real blood and the human soul and divinity of Jesus Christ," and assured that her life depended on the answer. Pausing a moment, she calmly replied, "I do not believe it." Sentence of DEATH was immediately passed. The sentence was set aside on account of a technical informality in the wording of it; but the court at Lisbon, in communicating