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 THE LIBRARY 
 
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 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
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 LOS ANGELES
 
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 THE LIFE 
 
 OF 
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON, 
 
 MISSIOXABT IN CALCUTTA. 
 
 COMPILED FOR THE AMERICAN SUXDAT-9CH00L UKIOIT, 
 
 AKD BEVISEB BT THE COMMITTEE OF 
 
 PUBLICATION. 
 
 PHIL^DELPHTJi: 
 
 AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION. 
 
 WO, 146 CHESTXUT STREET.
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1833, 
 by Paul Beck, Jr., Treasurer, in trust for the American 
 Sunday-school Union, in tlie Clerk's Office of the District 
 Court of the Eastern District of Peniisj'lvania.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. Page 
 
 Birth — Education — Visit to the West Indies - - 7 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 Education for the Ministry — University of Cambridge 10 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 Tutor — Ordination — Settlement — Cambridge - -16 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 Shelford — Wishes to be a Missionary - - - 22 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 Appointed Chaplain to Calcutta — Voyage — Wreck - 32 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 Calcutta — His Employments ..... 49 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 His Preaching — Henry Martyn - - - - 62 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 Calcutta Bible Society — Fire at Serampore — Ameri- 
 can Missionaries 74 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 Travels witli Earl Moira — Reproves Sabbath-breaking 
 — Bishop Middle ton 94 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 Orphan Asylum — Hindoo College — Other Employ- 
 ments — Bishop's College — Parting with Congrega- 
 tion 112 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 Voyage to England — Death of Mrs. Thomasoii— Chel- 
 tenham — Returns to Calcutta — \'oyage to the Isle of 
 France— Death 125 
 
 3
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 The young readers of this volume will 
 please to remember, before they begin it, that 
 it has not been written merely to amuse them, 
 or to praise Mr. Thomason. It has been writ- 
 ten and pnnted because it is believed that it 
 may do great good to those who shall thus see 
 how benevolent and active those men are who 
 are true Christians ; how humble they are, 
 whatever may be their piety, how anxious 
 to tell men of the mercy of God through 
 the atonement of Christ, and how happy when 
 they are engaged in this work. In publishing 
 the history of pious men, born in different 
 places, and belonging to different churches, 
 our hope is, that the readers of such books 
 will see a proof of the power of religion, and 
 the way in which it is shown to exist ; and 
 that this will lead ihem also to desire to be th€ 
 disciples of Christ, and to become holy and 
 happy 4
 
 THE LIFE 
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Thomas T. Thomason was born at 
 Plymouth, in England, on the seventh 
 day of June, 1774. Before he was a year 
 old his father died, and in his fifth year 
 his pious mother removedJ:o London, and 
 placed her son in a school in the neigh- 
 bourhood of that city. This school was 
 taught by a master and several tutors. 
 Thomas was happily put under the care 
 of a pious tutor, who took great pains 
 to give him religious instruction. He 
 gave him lessons in the Bible, and when 
 he examined him, he not only asked 
 questions to know whether Thomas had 
 studied them, but would show him that 
 A 2 5
 
 6 THE LIFE OF 
 
 he had a great concern in what the Bible 
 taught. He led him to compare his 
 own feelings with what the Scriptures 
 say of the sinfulness of mankind. And 
 w^hen Thomas saw that he was a sinner, 
 the tutor showed him that the only 
 way of being pardoned was by repent- 
 ance and trusting to God's mercy, through 
 Jesus Christ. The blessing of God at- 
 tended his faithful instruction, and young 
 Thomas soon began to be affected by 
 these truths. Thomas might have be 
 lieved that he was a sinner, and that Christ 
 is the only Saviour ; but if this had not 
 led him to repent of his sins and seek 
 salvation, his knowledge would have been 
 worse than useless to him. But he was 
 not so unwise. When he felt that he 
 was so guilty that he must depend on the 
 mercy of God for pardon, he began to 
 seek that mercy. And when he found 
 that God was so holy, excellent, and good, 
 he desired to love and serve him ; so 
 that before he was nine years old he woukl
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 7 
 
 rather spend the play-time alone, thinking 
 of God, praying to him, and reading the 
 Scriptures, than join in the amusements 
 of his schoolmates. For this the boys 
 ridiculed him, but, as he said afterwards, 
 "I began to find confidence in prayer; 
 and in proportion as I did so, happiness ; 
 this happiness was so great that I bore 
 contempt without murmuring." 
 
 I cannot help observing here how much 
 good might be done by teachers of day- 
 schools, if they would faithfully instruct 
 tlieir scholars in the Bible. This is done 
 in Sunday-schools, but every teacher ought 
 to be willing and happy to teach his 
 scholars those truths which may lead 
 them to pardon and everlasting happiness. 
 Let children pray that there may be more 
 teachers like the tutor of young Thomason. 
 
 Thomas was also attentive to his other 
 studies, and made such progress, that when 
 he was only thirteen years of age, he be- 
 came a tutor himself; and when about 
 fifteen, he was so well acquainted with the
 
 8 THE LIFE OF 
 
 French language, that Dr. Coke, a mis- 
 sionary of the methodist church, took him 
 to the West Indies to assist him, as his 
 interpreter. This employment increased 
 his desire of becoming useful to those who 
 are destitute or careless of the gospel. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 After his return from a short stay in 
 tlie West Indies, his friends believed that 
 his character for piety and usefulness made 
 it proper that he should be encouraged in 
 his desire to become a minister of the gos- 
 pel in the episcopal church. His mother 
 being unable to afford him proper educa- 
 tion, he was assisted by a society esta- 
 blishedforthe purpose of aiding youngmen 
 in circumstances like his. He commenced 
 his studies in 1791, being then in the 
 eighteenth year of his age. His teacher 
 was a venerable clergyman, named C^ark,
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 9 
 
 who undertook to prepare him for college 
 without charge. He had one fellow-student 
 who was also studying for the ministry, 
 and who is now the Rev. Charles Jerram, 
 They soon formed an intimate friendship, 
 and found great happiness in studying, 
 conversing, and praying together. Some 
 sentences from Thomason's letters to his 
 mother at th s time may be interesting and 
 useful. 
 
 " In the evening we heard Mr. Clark 
 expound, when he considered, among 
 many other verses, that one which is a 
 part of our Saviour's prayer for his apos- 
 tles, ' I pray not that thou wouldest take 
 them out of the world, but that thou 
 wDuldest keep them from the evil.' Ah ! 
 thought I, that is the grand point, to be 
 kept from the world, from its evils, its 
 vanities, its snares. The means of grace 
 are very precious : the wearied they re- 
 fresh, the bewildered they guide, to the 
 mourners they administer comfort, the
 
 10 THE LIFE OF 
 
 careless they awaken ; will they not rise 
 up in judgment against us, unless received 
 in the spirit of thankfulness and prayer ?'' 
 
 '-'Feb. 17, 1792. 
 " INIr. Clark has been with us and given 
 us some rules which I copied down from 
 his own mouth. Being dressed in the 
 morning, let each meditate on the divine 
 perfections ; his dependence upon God ; 
 his obligations to obey him. Let each 
 recollect his own particular defects or 
 weaknesses, and wherein he is most likely 
 to fail in the duties which he owes to God 
 and man ; remembering his reliance on 
 the Redeemer for the forgiveness of his 
 sins, and for power to discharge every 
 duty. Having meditated on these sub- 
 jects, let each separately apply himself to 
 God in prayer ; begging that he may have 
 more enlarged views of the extent of 
 God's laws, and of his own sins, whether 
 in temper, words, or actions ; entreating 
 for an increase of dependence on the
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 11 
 
 Redeemer in every office, and for ability 
 to discharge every duty, and to suppress 
 every wrong temper. Thus runs our 
 preceptor's advice. that we may be 
 enabled to follow it ! The word of God 
 — our own consciences — our parents — our 
 tutor, unite in teaching us the necessity 
 of meditation and prayer ; and shall we 
 after all neglect it ? May we receive 
 grace to withstand every opposition, and 
 to love the Lord with all our hearts ! 
 May our hearts be submissive and humble ; 
 our actions Christian and becomino;; our 
 words gentle and loving. My dear mother, 
 let this letter put an end to all anxiety on 
 our account. Fear not, we shall be blessed 
 while we are careful to pray for a blessing." 
 
 ''March 5, 1792. 
 " How ought I to make it my continual 
 prayer, that God would so sanctify my 
 aims, that I may be enabled in all things 
 1o behave as becometh a person whose 
 profession is to be sacred. I feel much
 
 12 THE LIFE OF 
 
 the importance of a greater conformity to 
 the will of God. Shall I, who am to 
 stand up between God and man, behave 
 in a manner which shows my contempt 
 of him whose messenger I pretend to be ? 
 How dreadful the consequence of this ? 
 The profession which a minister makes 
 is very awful ; he professes to be called 
 by the common Maker and Redeemer 
 of all, on an errand which concerns the 
 salvation of all ; this call he professes to 
 be moved to by the Holy Spirit ; this 
 profession presupposes a knowledge of the 
 efficacy of that redemption which he 
 preaches. He professes that he has felt 
 the happiness of God's children, and of a 
 life devoted to the service of God. How 
 careful, then, ought such a person to be 
 not to oflfend God or man ; how vigilant 
 should he be, lest by giving way, and 
 consenting to the evil of his own heart, 
 he should be led into actions disgracefiil 
 fjo him, both as a learner and teacher of 
 good things. Every action of such a per-
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 13 
 
 son is exposed to peculiar scrutiny ; and 
 every sin, no doubt, will be punished with 
 peculiar weight. His employment makes 
 him as a city set upon a hill, which can- 
 not be hid ; his life, therefore, should be 
 such as will bear the most accurate obse^ 
 vation and notice, and the principles of 
 his life such as will bear the searching of 
 God's omniscience, who sits as a refiner's 
 fire on every soul of man. 0, who is 
 equal to this ? Cleanse thou me, God, 
 from my secret faults. See what sin thei'e 
 is in me, and dispel it by the operations 
 of thy Holy Spirit. Make me to lov€ 
 thee more and serve thee better, that when 
 thou in thy providence shalt call me to 
 speak in thy name, I may, having myself 
 experienced the happiness which results 
 from being at peace with thee, be enabled 
 to commend this happiness to those whom 
 thou mayest commit to my care. 
 
 " I am well persuaded that nothing 
 would tend to make me so truly happy, 
 or so consistent in practice, as a continued 
 B
 
 14 THE LIFE OF 
 
 sense of my own nothingness and sinful- 
 ness. Whether it be through the incon- 
 stancy of youth, or a temptation peculiarly 
 strong to me, so it is that I am continually 
 forgetting this. Highmindedness will find 
 it5 way into my soul, and disturb my 
 peace. What have I to boast of ? Surely 
 nothing ; I have sinned much, and have 
 been forgiven much ; I do still sin, and 
 am still forgiven ; shall I be proud ? My 
 dear mother, do not forget to pray for me, 
 that my strength to withstand evil may be 
 increased, that I may improve in the 
 knowledge and love of God, and that his 
 peace, which passeth all understanding, 
 may enlighten the natural darkness of my 
 soul, and be my safeguard against the 
 world, the flesh, and the devil.'* 
 
 In October, 1792, Mr. Thomason was 
 sent to the university of Cambridge, where 
 JNIr. Jerram joined him a few months after- 
 w'ards. His feelings and wishes in expec- 
 tation of this event were thus expressed :
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON, 15 
 
 **Indeed the prospect before me requires 
 much circumspection : a false step at my 
 first entrance may imbitter a whole three 
 years' residence. How easy a matter to 
 forget God ! How easy to connect my- 
 self with persons who care not for God, 
 nor the things of God ! How happy will 
 it be if I should find grace, and come off 
 conqueror ! May I be enabled, knowing 
 my Master's will, to do it ! May my 
 life be regulated by a proper rule and 
 conducted in a proper spirit ! 
 
 " that I may be enabled, day by day, 
 to act as a dying creature ! May I im- 
 prove in the knowledge and love of God, 
 and make every thing subservient to the 
 one great end ! I am determined, with 
 God's assistance, to begin afresh. I am 
 determined, by his grace assisting me, to 
 devote my powers to Him ; and work, 
 act, think, speak, and live for Him. No- 
 thing is worth a thought but how I may 
 please Him, and this is worth all my 
 thoughts/'
 
 16 THE LlfE OF 
 
 The separation from his beloved teacher 
 was painful ; they took a last walk toge- 
 ther, and the pupil received his parting 
 advice. " Watch strictly," said he, "over 
 your heart ; be much in prayer, cleave 
 closely to God. Pray for spiritual dis- 
 cernment, that you may have a clear per- 
 ception of the path you should walk in. 
 Pray to walk in that way in spite of all 
 opposition ; thus knowing and doing the 
 will of God, you must be happy." 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Ix the university Mr. Thomason was 
 distino-uished bv his diligence and success. 
 He gained one of the annual prizes by 
 an essay to prove " that the Holy Scrip- 
 tures, rightly understood, do not give en- 
 couragement to enthusiasm or supersti- 
 tion." He was very attentive to the study 
 of the language in which the Bible was 
 written. He had read the New Testa
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 17 
 
 ment in Greek so often, and with so much 
 care, that it was scarcely possible to men- 
 tion a passage in English, for which he 
 could not immediately quote the original. 
 He had the Hebrew Bible divided into 
 several small volumes, and was never w^ith- 
 out one of them in his pocket. He U'sually 
 read this whenever he could spare time 
 from his other studies, and by this means 
 became familiar with the whole of the 
 Scriptures. 
 
 The happiness and advantages of his 
 life in college were much promoted by the 
 society of his friend Jerram, and another 
 Christian student, the late Rev. Mr. Cock- 
 er. They lived in the closest intimacy, 
 and spent many happy hours in reading 
 the Scriptures, in prayer, and in singing 
 their favourite hymns. They rose at the 
 same time and met in the same room to 
 study, and made both their duties and 
 their leisure contribute to their religious 
 improvement They had also the advan- 
 tage of the friendship of the Rev. Mr, 
 b2
 
 18 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Simeon, of Cambridge, who is so well 
 known by Christians as a pious author, 
 and as the friend of Henry Martyn. 
 
 In a letter to his friend Mrs. Thorn- 
 ton, jNIr. Thomason says, " Mr. Simeon 
 watches over us as a shepherd over his 
 sheep. He takes delight in instructing 
 us, and has us continually at his rooms. 
 He has nothing to do with us as it respects 
 our situation at college. His Christian 
 love and zeal prompt him to notice us." 
 
 During his last )"ear in college, Mr. 
 Thomason was offered the care of the 
 mission church at Calcutta, which he 
 resolved to accept ; but some events in his 
 family obliged him to decline the appoint- 
 ment, and the celebrated Buchanan was 
 sent in his place. In the spring of 1796, 
 Having finished his course at college, he 
 became tutor in a private family at Bal- 
 dock, that he might gain the means of 
 support until he finished his studies for 
 the ministry. In this place he enjoyed 
 much spiritual happiness. "My soul,"
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 19 
 
 he writes, " has been much blessed, and 
 I have been enabled to live more in a 
 state of prayer than I ever remember to 
 have done. I long to know more of the 
 power of religion, and to realize the things 
 of eternity ; — blessed be God for what 
 he has done for me in this respect My 
 birth-day was distinguished by nothin-g 
 but a firm determination to give myself 
 more unreservedly to God, with the divine 
 assistance. When I look back and con- 
 sider what has been done for me, I am 
 like a traveller at the foot of the Alps, — 
 he sees mountains above mountains, — I 
 see mercy beyond mercy." 
 
 In October of the same year, Mr. 
 Thomason was ordained to the ministry. 
 His language at that time was : ^' I ear- 
 nestly pray God to take me out of th'e 
 world if his omniscient eye foresees that 
 I shall dishonour him by the unfaithful 
 ea&ercise of so holy a profession. — If I 
 have been hasty and forward in under- 
 taking so holy an office, I pray the Lord
 
 20 THE LIFE OF 
 
 to pardon me, and to qualify me for the 
 work that lies before me ; then shall I 
 preach as in the presence of the Judge of 
 quick and dead/' 
 
 He was immediately appointed to the 
 charge of a congregation in Cambridge, 
 and another at Stapleford, about five miles 
 distant. A great advantage to him in this 
 situation was that he was assistant to his 
 friend and adviser, Mr. Simeon. 
 
 Mr. Thomason had a peculiar fitness 
 for teaching the young, and took a great 
 delight in having them assembled for in- 
 struction. Every Sunday morning he 
 went to Stapleford, which he reached by 
 six o'clock, and spent two hours in teach- 
 ing the children before the service of the 
 church commenced. 
 
 But finding that the church at Cam- 
 bridge was not able to maintain two minis- 
 ters, Mr. Thomason applied for a situation 
 in the university, and in 1797 he was 
 chosen to a fellowship, and to be an assist- 
 ant tutor in one of the colleges of which it is
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 21 
 
 composed. In the next year he was apn 
 pointed tutor, and had to deliver daily 
 two public and two private lectures, on 
 the studies of his classes ; and when Mr. 
 Simeon was absent, he had to preach five 
 sermons weekly. 
 
 Heretofore he had only been a deacon. 
 According to the church of England, a per- 
 son is not permitted to perform all the 
 duties of a clergyman until he has passed 
 some time as a deacon. If he is then 
 Judged fit for the sacred office, he is or- 
 dained as a presbyter. To this rank Mr. 
 Thomason was admitted in 1798, and was 
 settled in the village of Shelford. In the 
 next year he was married to Miss Fawcet, 
 who was an excellent and benevolent wo- 
 man, and proved in all respects a suitable 
 companion.
 
 83 THE LIFE OF 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 The happiness of Mr. Thomason al 
 this period of life may be judged of by 
 his own account of his situation in a let- 
 ter to his mother. 
 
 " Do you remember a very pleasant 
 spot, where there are two bridges, and 
 you have a sweet view on both sides ? 
 Close to that spot is our mansion ; the 
 walks extend down to the river. A more 
 beautiful place I never saw : it is the 
 garden of Cambridgeshire. When I look 
 around me it seems a dream : I can 
 scarcely persuade myself it belongs to 
 me. If you think of me between the 
 hours of twelve and two, you may imagine 
 me walking in the shrubbery with my 
 little Hebrew Bible in my hand. Should 
 the sun be very hot, depend upon it, I 
 have taken my seat under the shade of a 
 thick chestnut ; there I endeavour to col- 
 lect my thoughts, and stir myself up to
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASOX. 28 
 
 diligent improvement and application of 
 the word of God. But, alas! I find it 
 easier to admire the landscape around me 
 than to raise my heart to Him who made 
 it ; easier to thank him for the walks and 
 gardens, than to besiege a throne of grace 
 for spiritual blessings : yet these are what 
 I earnest!}^ long for, and without which 
 my soul cannot be satisfied. Mr. Simeon 
 has a room on the ground floor, which 
 opens into a delightful pleasure-garden, 
 surrounded by a wall, where he can walk 
 privately, in which he so much delights. 
 One door of his room opens into my 
 study, so that we are as near each other 
 as possible. His friendship I must name 
 amongst my chief blessings : he is more 
 and more dear to us, as indeed he ought 
 to be ; his kindness to us is wonderful. 
 It quite overpowers me when I think of 
 jt. I hope we shall provoke one another 
 more and more to abound in the work 
 of the Lord. how short is the time ! 
 I am sure there is no time for idleness :
 
 24 THE LIFE Of 
 
 would to God that the preciousness of 
 each passing hour might be more deeply 
 impressed upon my mind. 
 
 " It has pleased God to send us pious 
 servants ; indeed our domestic comforts 
 are invaluable ; our seasons of family 
 prayer are seasons of refreshment I 
 have found my own mind stirred up to 
 make them as profitable as possible." 
 
 At this time he resolved to take a few 
 pupils into his house. He was induced 
 to do this, not only to assist in the support 
 of his family, but that he might be able 
 to repay all that had been expended for 
 his education by the society that had su]> 
 ported him at college. This he did by 
 saving nearly eighteen hundred dollars 
 from the pay of his scholars. Of his 
 labours as a pastor at this time Mr. Simeon 
 thus speaks: 
 
 " The parishes in which Mr. and Mrs. 
 Thomason were able to exert their influ- 
 ence seemed as their own family, — schools 
 of industry, as well as other schools, were
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 25' 
 
 established by them — the poor and the- 
 sick were visited and relieved — all that 
 Christian love could plan and devise was 
 planned and executed with the tenderest 
 assiduity and most unwearied constancy. 
 If I were to fix on one thing more than 
 another, where Mr. Thomason was at, 
 home, it was in his Sunday evening and 
 Tuesday evening lectures in his school- 
 room. There the poor were permitted 
 to come, and he was a father amongst his 
 children, or a pastor amongst his flock. 
 In his addresses there was an unrivalled 
 simplicity and divine unction, which left 
 a savour that is not forgotten to this hour.'* 
 He also still preached frequently at 
 Cambridge, and found time to write essays 
 for two prizes in the university, both of 
 which he gained, in addition to the one 
 which he obtained whilst a student. The 
 subjects of his essays were, "That the Chris- 
 tian religion has in its effects been favour- 
 able to human happiness,'' and " That the. 
 differences of opinion amongst Christians-
 
 36 THE LIFE OF 
 
 is no proof against Christianity.*' Seve 
 ral clergymen were in the habit of hold- 
 ing meetings for devotion and conversa- 
 tion in each other's houses. Mr. Thoma- 
 son found them very profitable, and opened 
 his own house for this purpose. A vene- 
 rable minister says, " One of my most 
 pleasing recollections of him is my meet 
 ing him about twenty-five years ago, when 
 he was curate of Shelford. At his hous<» 
 a clerical meeting was held once a year, 
 which was attended by about fifteen or 
 twenty clergymen. Being privileged to 
 be one of the occasional visiters, I cannot 
 describe the benefit, instruction, and hap- 
 piness which I enjoyed. It was the de 
 light of Mr. and Mrs. Thomason to re 
 -ceive their Christian friends, and a spiriit 
 of devotion, peaceful serenity, and Chris- 
 tian cheerfulness prevailed in their hospi- 
 table mansion, which has left an indelible 
 impression on my mind." 
 
 But notwithstanding the happiness of 
 his situation at Shelford, INIr. Thomason
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 27 
 
 was not satisfied that he was performing 
 his duty to his divine Master unless he 
 was doing all that he could do. He felt 
 tiiat there were many places in the world 
 more in need of the services of a minister 
 than his own happy village. And the 
 comforts he was enjoying there often 
 caused him to think of those who were 
 suffering so many hardships in foreign 
 countries for the sake of spreading the 
 gospel. This was not a new feeling: for, 
 as we have seen, he was near going as a 
 missionary to Calcutta before he had 
 finished his studies at the university. It 
 was now, however, increased in his mind 
 by two circumstances. The first was the 
 consideration of the devotedness of Wes- 
 ley and Whitefield to the service of the 
 Redeemer. When he thought how much 
 those men had done during their lives to 
 extend the blessings of religion, he felt 
 that he was doing much less than he might 
 do. The other circumstance that led him 
 to reflect much on the subject was the
 
 28 THE LIFE OF 
 
 departure of Henry INIartyn from Eng» 
 land, to spend his life in promoting reli- 
 gion in Asia. He thus wrote in the be- 
 ginning of 1805, alluding to the history 
 of Wesley and Whitefield : 
 
 " One good effect has already been pro- 
 duced on my mind, — an increased and 
 painful sense that I am doing nothing to 
 any good purpose. The reading the life 
 and labours of those excellent ministers 
 fills me with admiration of their zeal, and 
 with shame that 1 am such a blank in 
 creation. My sphere is contracted, and 
 I long for a more extensive field of labour. 
 God has given me an education and a 
 spirit, I trust, which might render me far 
 more useful in the church than I now am. 
 Where my present thoughts will lead me, 
 I know not ; but I look round upon this 
 lovely spot with all the indifierence of a 
 man who would, with the greatest cheer- 
 fulness, part with all, if a situation of 
 greater usefulness, however laborious,
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 29 
 
 should offer itself. Here I am. ' Lord, 
 what wilt thou have me to do V 
 
 " But more of this at a future time ; in 
 the mean time let us both remember, — 
 vou, that you have frequently devoted me 
 to God, — and I, that I have professedly 
 done so for years, — and that, as a redeemed 
 creature, I ought to be presenting my body 
 a living sacrifice to God." 
 
 Accordingly, in that year, Mr. Thoma- 
 son determined to seek an opportunity of 
 going to the heathen ; but upon advising 
 with Mr. Simeon and a friend who had 
 the chief direction of the appointment of 
 missionaries to India, they judged it pro- 
 per, probably on account of the unwilling- 
 ness of his wife, that he should give up 
 his design. His own humble account of 
 Uie reasons for this advice is as follows : 
 
 " It appears evident that a minister who 
 is not calculated for usefulness at home, 
 will never become useful abroad ; and that 
 change of place or employment cannot of 
 itself quicken the soul which for eight 
 c 2
 
 30 THK LIFE or 
 
 years has been sleeping over its labours 
 I feel the truth of this more deeply than 
 I can express, but not a thousandth part 
 so deeply as I should. Having now dis- 
 missed all thoughts of foreign service, 
 I hope to give myself wholly to the work 
 that is before me. ^lay God enable me 
 to live more to him, lest, after having 
 preached to others, I myself should be a 
 castaway." 
 
 He was still, however, not satisfied that 
 he was in the situation w^here he could do 
 the most good, and in 1806 hoped to be 
 placed in the town of South Shields. 
 This was a place of great ignorance and 
 wretchedness : but, he said, " I have 
 looked over the barren hills, and smoke, 
 and dirt, and feel that the consideration 
 of 15,000 souls outweighs every thing.'* 
 " Knowing,'' as he said, " how arduous 
 it is to become the minister in a town 
 so populous and opulent, where the minds 
 of men were either immersed in business, 
 cm: degraded to the lowest state of vulgarity
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 31 
 
 and profaneness ;" he argued thus with 
 himself, — " there are many who are re- 
 conciled to live here all their days in the 
 pursuit of wealth, and shall not the love of 
 Christ and the honour of souls engage me 
 in the same self-denial ? When a door is 
 opened for the extension of His kingdom, 
 shall a minister of Christ say, I will not 
 enter it, because the country is dreary, and 
 the place is full of filth and wretchedness ? 
 God forbid ! Here I am ; if it please 
 God to fix me here, I shall be contented 
 to live and die amongst them. These 
 things move me not ; the only thing that 
 moves me, is a fear lest I should not bring 
 a right spirit to the great work." But 
 those who had the right of placing a mi- 
 nister in this place chose another, and he 
 remained at Shelford ; continuing also to 
 assist Mr. Simeon at Cambridge.
 
 32 THE LIFE OF 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 In the spring of ISOS Mr. Thomason 
 was again offered an appointment as chap- 
 Iain to Calcutta. He now believed that 
 it was the will of Providence he should 
 go^ and he wrote thus to his mother : 
 
 " March 4, 1808. 
 " My acceptance of the appointment 
 has not yet come before the court of di- 
 rectors, yet I cannot help feeling that the 
 event v/ill assuredly be brought about. 
 I own that the more I consider the various 
 leadings of divine Providence, and reflect 
 on the unwearied tenor of my former 
 wishes and plans, comparing them with 
 what I now feel, the more am I convinced 
 that such a change of my situation will 
 be accomplished. And I think, my dear 
 mother, when you reflect on the course 
 of my life from the beginning, on the sin- 
 gular manner in which I was led to de-
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 33 
 
 vote myself to the ministerial work, oq 
 the course of providence by which the 
 matter was brought about, and above all, 
 on the earnest and repeated desire I have 
 felt again and again for this particular des- 
 tination, especially when you think that 
 the work of my heart has been uniformly 
 prevented by one great obstacle, and that 
 this is now entirely removed, I think you 
 will conclude that the time appears to be 
 come. The same person (Mrs. Thoma- 
 son) who was once decidedly adverse, so 
 as not to hear of it without tears, is now 
 happy in the thought of it. She no 
 longer thinks of the sea, nor of the cli- 
 mate, but counts it a privilege and an ho 
 nour to be exposed in such a cause. For 
 my own part, it appears to be of great 
 consequence to the work of God, that 
 help should be applied in that quarter 
 where it is most wanted, and that where 
 most lasting good can be done, ministers 
 should labour. Now certainly God is 
 doing a great work in India. The labour-
 
 34 THE LIFE OF 
 
 ers are few, and the field amazingly ex- 
 tensive : they want men who will work, 
 and whose habits are such as to render 
 them useful workmen in a business where 
 application and study are much wanted. 
 In this respect, my habits and inclinations 
 are favourable. It will be a pleasure to 
 me to acquire their languages, which are 
 so much studied in Bengal, the acquisition 
 of which is so important to usefulness, 
 and my heart leans to that part of the 
 world with the same desire it did just 
 before I entered into orders. I consider 
 that what others expose themselves to for 
 lucre and worldly honours, ministers ought 
 to endure for nobler ends. 
 
 " All this, I am sure, meets with corres- 
 ponding feelings, my dear mother, in your 
 own mind. You have ao;ain and again 
 given me up to God, and I have no doubt 
 you will be supported on the present occa- 
 sion. What an honour and happiness 
 there is in making sacrifices for Christ's 
 sake ! I am sure the more we are enabled
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 35 
 
 to do this, the more solid peace shall we 
 enjoy, and the more shall we know him 
 to be a good master. I trust that you will 
 be fitted for every trial, and strengthened 
 to do and suffer the whole will of God." 
 
 His appointment being confirmed, he 
 immediately commenced the study of the 
 Persian language, and other preparations 
 for his departure. He sailed on the 16th 
 of June, 1808, from the isle of Wight, in 
 England, having just entered the thirty- 
 fifth year of his age. His widowed mo- 
 ther's feelings on this occasion were thus 
 expressed : 
 
 " At some seasons I am so oppressed 
 I cannot command myself. I sorrow most 
 of all that I shall see that dear face no 
 more for ever, and only in proportion as 
 I feel a sense of the Divine presence, can 
 my mind bear this deprivation. I see 
 the suitableness of my dear son's charac- 
 ter for such a situation. I cannot doubt 
 a moment that whatever the Lord does
 
 36 THE LIFE OF 
 
 must be right, and excellent, and sure, 
 and good — but I exquisitely feel his loss ; 
 I wish and desire to call upon myself to 
 look beyond this vale of tears to that 
 celestial hill where God has prepared for 
 himself a city — when once entered there, 
 all tears will be wiped away from our 
 eyes for ever. They expect to sail to- 
 morrow. God's will be done." 
 
 She must have received consolation in 
 the views of this trial, which her son 
 gave in the following letter, written when 
 on the point of sailing. 
 
 " Tr aver sounder weigh, June 10, 1808. 
 " My dearest Mother — This morn- 
 ing we were summoned on board. The 
 wind has become fair, and we are proceed- 
 ing out to sea. Our dear and honoured 
 friend, Mr. Simeon, accompanied us to 
 the vessel, and is now with us. We all 
 retired to our cabin, and united in prayer, 
 desiring to consecrate this spot to Godp 
 and to commit ourselves and all the sliip's
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 37 
 
 company to his gracious care. Blessed 
 be Godj we know what it is to draw nigh 
 to him, and we feel but one concern — that 
 we may glorify Him in this world, and 
 enjoy him in the next. it is an un- 
 speakable mercy to part with a good hope 
 that w^e shall one day meet where sorrow 
 and parting shall be no more. 
 
 " I hope, my dearest mother, you still 
 experience the gracious support of our 
 heavenly Father. When I look back 
 at this moment, I can discern innumerable 
 mercies vouchsafed to us both in times 
 past. This is the greatest trial we ever 
 had — who knows what jo}^ we may here- 
 after find in this trial ? Who know^s what 
 joy may be reaped by thousands ? What 
 abundant cause of thankfulness shall we 
 have, if by temporal sacrifices many 
 should become partakers of everlasting; 
 happiness. This indeed will be a rich 
 reward. 
 
 " I leave you with many dear and ten- 
 der friends ; above all, with a gracious- 
 D
 
 «8 THE LIFE OF 
 
 God, who has guided, preserved, and 
 blessed you, from the beginning even 
 till now. To his gracious keeping I 
 commit you, humbly hoping and believ- 
 ing that he will supply your every want 
 out of the riches of his grace in Christ 
 Jesus. May He be your portion, your 
 shield, and your exceeding great reward ! 
 Amen. Amen." 
 
 They had a pleasant voyage of five 
 months, and were expecting daily to see 
 the shore of Hindoostan, when they met 
 with a calamity which can best be told 
 by copying his own account of it in a 
 letter to his mother ; inserting a few sen- 
 tences from another to Mr. Simeon. 
 
 ''Nov. 13, ISOS, Off the Sand Heads. 
 " ^ be thankful unto the Lord, for he 
 is gracious, and his mercy endureth for 
 'ever.' Let the redeemed of the Lord 
 say so ; ' Bless the Lord, my soul, and 
 all that is within me bless his holy name.'
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 39 
 
 You will read the narrative of the Lord's 
 mercies to us with tears of joy and thank- 
 fulness. Our voyage had been singularly 
 propitious, from Madeira down the coast 
 of South America, to the cape of Good 
 Hope, and from thence to the bay of 
 Bengal. We had fine weather all the 
 way ; no gales to alarm, no calms to de- 
 tain us. I was chiefly occupied in a dili- 
 gent study of the Persian language, Mrs. 
 T. in instructing the children : our days 
 passed quickly and profitably. But what- 
 ever may have taken place during the 
 voyage, the conclusion of it has been 
 marked by so signal an interposition of 
 divine Providence, that we have neither 
 time nor inclination to fix our mind on 
 any other object. How will your heart 
 be filled with thankfulness, and your lips 
 show forth his praise, when you hear that 
 the unworthy writer of the following nar- 
 rative, with his beloved wife and children, 
 have been almost miraculously saved from 
 destruction.
 
 40 THE LIFE OF 
 
 " Whilst events are still fresh in my 
 recollection, and in order that they may 
 ever continue so, I will endeavour to re- 
 late that most wonderful deliverance from 
 shipwreck, by which God has been pleased 
 to preserve my wife and family, with 
 many other persons. Early in the morn- 
 ing of the 7th, we approached cape Ne- 
 grais. Soundings were made, which left 
 us no room to apprehend any immediate 
 danger. At half-past four they were 
 twenty-one fathoms ; which, being cer- 
 tified to the captain, he immediately came 
 on deck, and gave orders for heaving the 
 ship to. The words were scarcely pro- 
 nounced, when the ship struck upon a 
 rock. At this time the Earl Spencer was 
 so near, the captain hailed and cried out, 
 they were amongst breakers. The Earl 
 Spencer providentially escaped, and actu- 
 ally passed over the reef without striking ; 
 but our own ship, notwithstanding every 
 exertion, continued to strike with violence 
 The first shock brought down the mizen
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 41 
 
 top-mast ; the wind then blowing fresh. 
 In a moment the cry of distress was 
 raised, which was heard by the Spencer, 
 and which it very soon appeared was not 
 made without reason. The passengers 
 and all the ship's company were soon 
 upon deck, and saw with the deepest 
 anguish the danger in which they were. 
 I had previously gone down and informed 
 Mrs. T. that the ship had struck, and that 
 none but God could save us. The heel- 
 ing of the ship was now tremendous, and 
 the blows continued, till the rudder was 
 broken with an awful crash, that seemed to 
 portend that the ship should immediately 
 go to the bottom. Who but those who 
 have actually borne a part in such scenes 
 can conceive the dreadful sensations thus 
 produced ? We endeavoured to commit 
 ourselves to the mercy of God, and then 
 Mrs. Thomason, snatching up our dear J.^ 
 followed by Mrs. , with , re- 
 paired on deck. She had nothing on her 
 but a counterpane, and the dear children 
 d2
 
 42 THE LIFE OF 
 
 each a sheet. We ckmg together near 
 the round house, and lifted up our hearts 
 to God, It was an awful scene : every 
 countenance was filled with terror and 
 despair. Thus in one short moment they 
 had exchanged their peaceful slumbers 
 for all the horrors of threatening destruc- 
 tion. Through the mercy of God the 
 wind soon moderated ; a circumstance 
 which gave time to take proper measures 
 for saving the crew. The mainmast was 
 first cut down, which fell over the side. 
 After, the foremast was cut away, and we 
 were thus left a mere hull, which was 
 momentarily coming to pieces ; at this 
 critical juncture, the cutter unfortunately 
 went adrift; the jolly-boat was despatched 
 after it, and in the mean time the crew 
 were all employed in clearing and launch- 
 ing the long-boat. This was a long and 
 difficult operation, but as all our lives de- 
 pended on its success, the men exerted 
 themselves to the utmost. Before they 
 had fairly raised it from its place the
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 43 
 
 ship's back was broken, and at this mo- 
 ment I felt that nothing but a miracle 
 could save us. I lifted up my heart to 
 God, and exhorted Mrs. Thomason to do 
 so too. I committed myself and all my 
 concerns to Him. Meanwhile, a squall 
 of wind and rain caused the ship to beat 
 violently ; w^e all stood on the deck 
 drenched to the skin, looking with anx- 
 ious impatience to the launch of the long- 
 boat. The ladies and children, having 
 been roused suddenly from their beds, 
 were wet and half naked, and most piti- 
 able objects. I ran down into my cabin 
 to secure something from the wreck which 
 I might preserve, if saved from destruc- 
 tion, as a memorial. In vain I sought in 
 the confusion of the moment for my 
 pocket-bible ; at length, hastily snatching 
 up my Hebrew psalter, with a volume of 
 the Greek Testament, and my mother's 
 last and valued present, the Golden Trea- 
 sury, I put them into my bosom, and flew 
 to my dear Mrs. Thomason and the chil-
 
 44 THE LIFE OF 
 
 dren on the deck. In passing through 
 the cabin to the ladder, it was painful to 
 hear the rushing of the water in the hold, 
 and to see the decks giving way, and the 
 boxes floating about on all sides. Arrived 
 on the deck, I remained with my deal 
 
 B , and had the pleasure of seeing the 
 
 long-boat launched into the water. The 
 captain then called for the ladies, who 
 were one by one conveyed into the boal 
 by a rope. The gentlemen followed, and 
 the crew, to the number of ninety-one : 
 more could not be admitted with safety. 
 In the cutter were eighteen, in the jolly- 
 boat eleven. A sail was hastily thrown 
 into the boat, and we left the wreck with 
 mingled sensations of joy, regret, and 
 apprehension. New dangers indeed were 
 now before us. Our other boats were out 
 of sight, and though we could see the 
 land from the ship, it was at a great dis- 
 tance ; our boat was crowded, the sea 
 high, the weather boisterous, and the shor^ 
 ^yhen reached, barbarous and inhospitable.
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 45 
 
 This was a trying situation. How little 
 did we think, a few hours before, that we 
 should in such circumstances cast a long- 
 ing, lingering look on the Travers. The 
 WTeck afforded a distressing spectacle ; 
 we turned our heads from the scene, and 
 looked before us, and committed ourselves 
 to the guidance of Providence. Danger- 
 ous as our situation was, I found it ex- 
 tremely difficult to realize the nearness 
 of death. I kept lifting up my heart to 
 God, and relied on his gracious protec- 
 tion. We had brought a little sail from 
 the wreck, which, with the help of our 
 oar, kept our boat before the wind. It 
 was about seven o'clock when we com- 
 mitted ourselves to the boat ; soon after^ 
 a heavy squall of rain came on, which 
 rendered our situation still more gloomy 
 and distressing. At the end of an hour 
 and a half we saw the other two ships 
 at a great distance, and they, after we 
 perceived them, made sail from us. 
 This was a distressing moment, as our
 
 46 THE LOE OF 
 
 last resource seemed to fail us. Mean 
 while a tremendous squall involved us in 
 darkness, and drenched us with sheets of 
 water. The boat shipped much water, 
 and it was extremely difficult, on account 
 of her being so heavy loaded, to keep her 
 before the wind ; at length, however, by 
 tlie good providence of God, the weather 
 cleared up, and we saw the other two 
 ships heave to, in order to receive us. 
 This was a cheering si2;ht, and with inex- 
 pressible joy we looked toward them, and 
 thanked God as we observed the lessening 
 distance. However, a third heavy squall 
 came on, and hid them from our view : 
 through this we were preserved by the 
 same gracious Providence, and as we ap- 
 proached the Earl Spencer, we saw the poop 
 and deck covered with spectators, behold- 
 ing our progress, and longing to receive 
 us. Passing under the stern, I felt quite 
 overpowered : it was indeed an affecting 
 sight. Above a hundred fellow-creatures, 
 rescued from a watery grave, were joy-
 
 THOMAS T. THOMPSON. 47 
 
 fully received aboard, cheered by the loud 
 and cordial congratulations of their de- 
 liverers. It was a feast to the benevolent 
 captain of the Earl Spencer and the crew 
 to be instrumental in the preservation of 
 so many lives, and it was on our part a 
 deliverance never to be forgotten. The 
 continued emotions of joy, surprise, cor- 
 diality, gratitude, cannot be described ; 
 the thing must be seen to be felt. It was 
 half-past ten when we arrived at the ship, 
 having been three hours and a half ex- 
 posed in an open boat on a heavy sea, 
 during which time we had sailed about 
 ten miles. Before we arrived, a gentle- 
 man on board the Earl Spencer saw the 
 Travers break in the middle, and the fore 
 part go down. It afterwards blew very 
 hard, and there can be no doubt but that 
 before the afternoon, every vestige had 
 disappeared. I have omitted to say that 
 my dear E., awakened by the violence 
 of the shock, immediately fell on her 
 knees, and prayed with much earnestness
 
 48 THE LIFE OF 
 
 that God would pardon her soul. It was 
 with difficulty she could be torn from the 
 bed. On deck she renewed her cries, 
 saying, ^ Let me die with papa. Lord, 
 forgive my sins for Christ's sake.' B.'s 
 agitation at first was very great, after- 
 wards it subsided. We stood all by one 
 another, and solemnly gave ourselves up 
 to God : and neither then, nor now, nor 
 at any preceding moment, did we feel the 
 smallest regret at having left our native 
 country. I had almost forgotten to men- 
 tion the attention of passengers towards 
 us. One of them ran hastily down and 
 recovered my watch, the alarum which 
 you gave me several years ago, and which 
 will be one hundred times more valuable 
 than ever. That, with the trifling articles 
 above mentioned, are all the riches that 
 remain to us. When we were obliged to 
 leave several of our fellow-creatures on 
 board, it was out of the question to en- 
 cumber a boat already overloaded. One 
 of the servants, seeing Mrs. Thomason
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 49 
 
 standins; in the heavy rain, without shoes 
 or stockings, approached her, saying, 
 * You have no shoes ; take mine.' I never 
 can forget this. Another brought her a 
 coat, a third a blanket for J. and a coat 
 for E. But I cannot convey an adequate 
 idea of the scene." 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 On his arrival in Calcutta, he met the 
 Rev. Mr. Brown, the missionary, there. 
 
 "We both," he writes, "sat down, but 
 it was long before my tears suffered me 
 to speak. They were tears, as I told him, 
 not of sorrow, but of joy and thankful- 
 ness, wonder and praise. He told us to 
 look around the walls — the furniture and 
 the house were ours. It was a house built 
 in faith and prayer as the residence of a 
 missionary, out of the contributions of a 
 number of poor persons, who, many years 
 past, had subscribed towards a fund for 
 E
 
 50 THE LIFE OF 
 
 the support of the gospel, and united their 
 prayers that God would send them a mi- 
 nister. Need I say that every chair and 
 table spoke to us with a voice that thrilled 
 through our hearts and overwhelmed us? 
 Truly we could then praise God for our 
 shipwreck. We could see a good reason 
 for the dispensation. It was plain that 
 God had thrown us upon this praying 
 people, that he had cast us from the rest 
 of the world, and laid us under the obliga- 
 tions of Christian love, in order that we 
 may be devoted to the sacred charge of 
 feeding his sheep. He has placed us in 
 circumstances where every thing is actu- 
 ally the fruit of faith and love, in order 
 to teach us that we have but one thing to 
 do. Mr. Brown introduced us into the 
 church and vestry, where many had assem- 
 bled the evening before, to thank God for 
 our deliverance, and pray for a blessing 
 on the minister preserved to them. Since 
 we came here, we have had nothing to do 
 of a worldly nature ; all care has been
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 51 
 
 taken from us by our Christian friends 
 Think not of our hardships, losses, dan^ 
 gers, but of the honour He has put upon 
 us in sending us to a praying people — 
 sending us, with loss of all, to persons who 
 supply our wants with tears of thankful- 
 ness ; let not a thought of assisting us 
 enter your minds — know all of you, we 
 stand in need of nothing but your prayers : 
 these we implore." 
 
 On the second Sunday after landing, 
 Mr. Thomason preached his first sermon in 
 India. Mr. Brown preached the same 
 day on the duty of thanksgiving for the 
 preservation of so many lives in the ship- 
 wreck. It has been often remarked that 
 neither the remarkable judgments nor 
 mercies of God often lead men to repent- 
 ance. It is generally the case that as soon 
 as their alarm is over, they return to 
 greater sin than before, and forget the 
 Lord that has afflicted and delivered them. 
 This has been observed in our own coun- 
 y when dreadful diseases, such as the
 
 i>iC THE LIFE OF 
 
 cholera, have prevailed. Then men were 
 afraid for their lives, some left off their 
 open sins, and many went to the churches 
 to pray that the disease might be stopped. 
 But when the sickness was over, very few 
 remembered their resolutions and their 
 prayers, or returned thanks to God for 
 his mercy. So when our Lord cured ten 
 men of leprosy, one only gave glory to 
 God.* When the day of thanksgiving 
 was held at the church in Calcutta, very 
 few of the hundred and twenty -two who 
 were saved in such a wonderful manner 
 from death were present ; and when the 
 Lord's-supper was administered on the 
 same occasion, only four of them, besides 
 Mr. Thomason's family, were present 
 Nor was he contented with the mere ser- 
 vice of thanksgiving. He knew that the 
 event was intended for his good, and often 
 looked back to it, not only with new grati- 
 tude, but as a warning that he should be 
 more faithful and zealous in the cause of 
 * Luke xvii. 11—18.
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 53 
 
 his Saviour. Five months afterwards he 
 wrote to Mr. Simeon as follows : — 
 
 " I bless God the shipwreck has not been 
 wholly forgotten, though I seem to be only 
 beginning to improve it. If the Lord 
 himself had not been on our side, even 
 such a mercy would have been wholly 
 forgotten. Experience shows us that ex- 
 cept he give us grace to improve his dis- 
 pensations, no judgments, no mercies, no 
 warnings, will avail any thing. In our 
 almost miraculous escape from the deep, 
 God has given us a new and impressive 
 call, for which we have reason to bless 
 his name ; but moi^e especially have w^e 
 reason to bless him for not having suffered 
 rt to escape from our wretched hearts. 
 It has in some measure led us to renewed 
 earnestness and deep humiliation before 
 God, and now, at the end of five months, I 
 feel a growing sense of gratitude to the 
 Lord for having brought us to India in 
 the way he has. Many of our friends at 
 E 2
 
 04 THE LIFE OF 
 
 home have pitied us, but indeed it is a great 
 matter of joy. I value it as a most pre- 
 cious jewel, and would not on any account 
 recover from the deep what we have lost, 
 even were it in my power. The Lord 
 moves in a mysterious way, but all his 
 doings are in faithfulness and mercy. 
 We were coming to India flushed with 
 hope, full of ardour and sanguine expec- 
 tations, much animal fervour, and an 
 amazing portion of self-sufficiency. He 
 casts us upon a rock ; it was a hard blow, 
 and it spoke loudly, ^ Mind what you 
 are about.' We were richly furnished 
 wuth books and stores of various kinds ; 
 he takes them all from us ; sends us here 
 as castaways, completely stripped of 
 every thing but our trust in him and hope 
 in his word. Blessed be his name, I say 
 again and again, that he gives us also a 
 heart to think of these things, and to pray 
 for a right improvement of them. The 
 searchings of heart on this occasion have 
 been very salutary, though painful ; and
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 55 
 
 we can testify to the praise of his grace, 
 that we are labouring with new earnest- 
 ness, new zeal, new love, new thankful- 
 ness, to live wholly for God. And now, 
 my dearly beloved friend, you have ex- 
 pressed a wish to hear something appro- 
 priate, w^hat can I say to you ? What can 
 I communicate to you but the actual work- 
 ings of my heart ? You will reasonably 
 expect that such an introduction to India 
 ought to be accompanied with important 
 effects on my own mind, and ought to lead 
 to a new and more devoted surrender of 
 myself to the Lord. I beseech you when 
 you write express freely your views upon 
 this subject. Tell me what effects ought 
 to follow from a dispensation of this na- 
 ture. I charge you before God, as you 
 value the cause of your blessed Redeemer, 
 and desire to promote it, to put me in 
 mind of these things with authority. 
 Ask whether I am living more nearly to 
 God : remind me of this very request I 
 am now making, that I may be stirred up
 
 56 THE LIFE OF 
 
 to diligent self-examination, lest I be put 
 to shame before God and man. I pray 
 God that his blessing may rest upon you, 
 both in your public and private, and in 
 all your social duties : to all the dear 
 people at Shelford and Cambridge, pre- 
 sent my Christian love. I look back upon 
 my ministry amongst them with deep 
 shame and grief of heart I have injured 
 them all, and I shall never be able to ex- 
 press ihis to them in person. I cannot 
 but do it before God, and implore God 
 for my innumerable neglects and want 
 of spiritual zeal and faithfulness whilst 
 amongst them. I never loved them so 
 much as at this moment, and never so 
 earnestly desired their spiritual welfare.^ 
 
 And on the return of the day a year 
 afterwards, he wrote thus : — 
 
 " The time, and situation, and circum 
 stances of the present moment are all si 
 hiteresting, that my full heart knows not
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 57 
 
 how to commence the present communi- 
 cation. It is the day after the memorable 
 7th of November, which we have been 
 spending together in retirement, six miles 
 down the river, at the house of a friend. 
 Yesterday we endeavoured to recall to 
 our minds the event of that day, and were 
 enabled, blessed be God, to humble our- 
 selves before him in some measure, and 
 to encourage ourselves and our beloved 
 children anew in his service. It was to 
 us a solemn and profitable day. The 
 situation is on the banks of that river to 
 which we came through such a mysterious 
 train of providences, and along which we 
 proceeded naked and destitute to the place 
 of our destination. The circumstances, 
 too, under which I write are peculiar. 
 At family prayer we had renewed our 
 vows of yesterday, and had withdrawn 
 into my study, and were conversing 
 together in the most serious manner, 
 when letters from Europe were put into 
 •ur hands, containing all the affectionate
 
 58 THE LIFE OF 
 
 congratulations, sympathies, prayers, and 
 praises of our beloved friends. How af- 
 fecting a close to the profitable scene ! 
 My mother's feelings were anticipated — 
 so were yours : but your kind and tender 
 expressions far exceed any thing we looked 
 for, and fill us with an overwhelming sense 
 of the undeserved goodness of God." 
 
 Whilst he was studying the languages 
 of the country, his services as a minister 
 could only be given to the English in- 
 habitants of Calcutta. His congregation 
 was at first not more than two hundred 
 and fifty persons.* He preached on the 
 
 • The first protestant mission in Bengal was esta- 
 blished by Rev. John Z. Kiernander, from the society 
 for promoting Christian knowledge, in 1766. He 
 formed a church in Calcutta, which was the only pro- 
 testant one in Bengal for about thirty years. He was 
 a successful minister in this church until 1787, when 
 the house was purchased and devoted to the purposes 
 of a missionary church. Rev. David Brown was the 
 successor of Mr. Kiernander until about 1811, when 
 he was followed by Mr. Thomason.
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 59 
 
 morning and evening of every Lord's- 
 day, and on every Thursday evening ; and 
 on Saturday he instructed the children, 
 who met in the church with their parents 
 and friends. One evening in the week 
 was spent in meeting at private houses 
 for prayer and the explanation of the 
 Scriptures. His daily employments were 
 thus regulated : 
 
 ^* We rise very early, and return from 
 our morning rides by six ; at half-past 
 six we have family prayer ; at seven we 
 breakfast. Between that and two, I am 
 in my study ; at two we dine ; at three I 
 am in my study again till five, then we 
 have family prayer ; from six till nine or 
 ten is occupied in riding and visiting 
 friends ; in private parties and public 
 duties. I have found it necessary to de- 
 cline all invitations to dinner, without 
 exception. This has enabled me to be 
 regular, and very retired without giving 
 offence." 
 
 "You have no idea in England (he
 
 60 THE LIFE OF 
 
 writes, alter a somewhat lono;er residence 
 in India) of the peculiar difficulties which 
 oppose the progress of the gospel in this 
 place. They are prodigious, and in the 
 highest degree discouraging ; arising partly 
 from the nature of the climate, and partly 
 from the nature of society, and chiefly 
 from the close intercourse with the 
 wretched natives, who are more degraded 
 than you can imagine, and who have the 
 entire charge of children, and manage- 
 ment of household matters. The natives 
 swarm around us, and corrupt the minds 
 of children from the earliest years. To 
 an Englishman, the effect of their exam- 
 ple, and the contagion of their language 
 and practices, cannot be adequately repre- 
 sented. Some favourable exceptions, but 
 only a few, can be mentioned. Religion 
 alone raises them — this gives a solidity 
 of character — they become trusty and 
 well-behaved. These form a great ma- 
 jority of our congregations. The number 
 of rich people and company's servants
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 61 
 
 who come to church is comparatively 
 small. The better sort of people send 
 their children home at five or six ; until 
 then, they are under the charge of native 
 servants, and their minds are poisoned as 
 far as they can be at that tender age. 
 The parting from them is heart-breaking. 
 They part with them very often never 
 to see them more. This produces a sad 
 derangement in society. There is no 
 such thing as a domestic circle. The 
 olive branches round the table, so delight- 
 ful in England, are unknown. The chil- 
 dren cannot even speak their mother 
 tongue ; they have to learn English on 
 their way home. There is a dissolution 
 of all the tender, amiable, cheering house- 
 hold virtues. These observations apply 
 to' the far greater number amongst us. 
 Some there are who diligently labour 
 against these disadvantages. They live 
 retired, and do all they can to counteract 
 the influence of the native servants. If 
 very conscientious, they may succeed ; 
 F
 
 62 THE LIFE OF » 
 
 but the instances are very rare — the sacri 
 fices of liberty and pleasure are so great. 
 The business of a minister lies in encou- 
 raging those who are making some en- 
 deavours for the good of their families ; 
 in assisting and presiding over their efforts 
 — but the progress must be slow. It is a 
 fixed rule with us, that the children are 
 always in the presence of one amongst 
 us. We never suffer them, not for a mo- 
 ment, to have any intercourse with tl\e 
 servants alone.'' 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Mr. Thomason's congregation soon in- 
 creased, and his discourses were received 
 with deep and solemn attention, and he 
 knew of several instances in which they 
 were blessed to the conversion of souls. 
 Before he had preached six months the 
 house of worship had to be enlarged, and 
 he found great happiness in his work.
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 63 
 
 " You know," he wrote to Mr. Simeon, 
 * the nature of regular employment in 
 the pulpit ; the word of God does not ap- 
 pear to be very rapidly advancing, yet we 
 hear of much that encourages us. The 
 work of catechising seems to promise 
 good. But we want the outpouring of 
 the Spirit ; and until the Spirit be poured 
 upon us from on high, no very great good 
 can take place amongst us : we are pray- 
 ing for this ; without this we may toil all 
 night and catch nothing. that the 
 preacher may catch the sacred fire, and 
 the people rejoice and be glad ! 
 
 " I find our Thursday evenings profita- 
 ble times. We are going through the 
 gospel of St. John : the congregation 
 does not much exceed one hundred and 
 fifty people. But they come to hear plain 
 truths, and we often find the Lord is with 
 us indeed. We are in the sixth chapter — 
 the bread of life. My subject this even- 
 ing includes these two verses, ' He that 
 eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood,
 
 64 THE LIFE OE 
 
 dwelleth in me, and I in him. As thc> 
 living Father hath sent me, and I live by 
 the Father, so he that eateth me, even he 
 shall live by me.' What can a poor 
 empty creature say of the fulness there 
 is in Jesus ? what can I say of Jesus 
 dwelling in me, and my dwelling in 
 Jesus ? how we fritter away these 
 passages, if we are not living nigh to 
 God, and enjoying the glorious knowledge 
 of the gospel in daily dependence on the 
 Redeemer. This I want very m.uch, very 
 lamentably, and my people will be mea- 
 gerly fed. That word ^ dwelleth in me, 
 and I in them,' fills my soul with wonder, 
 and abases me to the dust. I would know 
 it, and feel it, but know not how. I would 
 speak of it and recommend it, but have 
 no heart for the marvellous theme. Will 
 God in every deed dwell in this diseased 
 polluted heart ? Does He dwell there } — 
 and can I, a vile and wretched sinner, be 
 said to dwell in him ? Though I scarcely 
 dare say, Yes, yet I fain would come and
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 65 
 
 cast myself upon the Saviour. It is my 
 only refuge and hope, and if this reposing 
 of the soul in Jesus be indeed to eat his 
 flesh, and drink his blood, I would now 
 do it, yea, I must do it. Still I cannot 
 lay hold of that word — ^ dwelleth in me, 
 and I in him.' I feel very remote from 
 this ; it is too high, I cannot reach it. 
 I feel like a blind man leading the blind. 
 My comfort lies in the freeness and sove- 
 reignty of God's grace ; for while it gives 
 ^rong meat to those who are fall grown, 
 it administers milk to the babe. 
 
 " My dear and honoured brother, you 
 know not how very far I am from being 
 a minister of the gospel. I am no gospel 
 minister, for I know it not. I sit down 
 and pen some miserable thoughts on Scrip- 
 ture, and occupy a certain portion of time 
 in talking about the love of God, and the 
 sufficiency of Jesus, and the work of the 
 Spirit ; but it is sad trifling with myself 
 and my hearers. Surprising is that blind- 
 ness which hides from me the glory of 
 F 2
 
 66 THE LIFE OF 
 
 the gospel, and that unbelief which puts 
 it away from my soul, and that dishonesty 
 which starts from the presence of a holy 
 God, and excludes me, if I may so say, 
 from the holy of holies : but where am I 
 wandering ? — this is very unprofitable to 
 you. my brother, pardon me, and 
 weep over me, and pray for me. One 
 good end will be answered by this com- 
 munication, you will know better how tG 
 pray for me. I want, for myself and 
 people, more of the simplicity of the 
 gospel. I want to come to Christ and 
 bring them with me : I long for the 
 time when the glory of the Redeemer 
 and fulness of this salvation shall so oc- 
 cupy my mind, that in studying and 
 preaching I may have no other object in 
 view, but speak always out of the abun- 
 dance of the heart. 
 
 "There are great snares attending 
 our technical mode of sermon-making. 
 Though I speak to a man famous for 
 Helps to Composition, I speak the truth;
 
 TKOMAS T. THOMASON. 67 
 
 and know the danger of this *art of 
 preaching ;' we are apt to chalk out our 
 work, and cut and prune, and then what 
 a judicious, fine, persuasive discourse is 
 this ! And oftentimes our love of Christ 
 and of souls evaporates in our neat exor- 
 dium, and luminous distribution and close 
 application to the sermon. I am ashamed, 
 and tired, and sick, heart-sick of this. 
 I have smarted for it, and do every day." 
 When a ship was taken by the French, 
 by which his friends at home had sent 
 him a number of books and other tokens 
 of their affection, he said : " It seems as 
 though God would complete the weaning 
 he has begun ; and we bless him for it. 
 Every thing by which England could be 
 remembered is swept away : but what is 
 above all price, the bond of love is in- 
 creased a thousand fold ; we are more one 
 with you in spirit ; more closely united 
 in Christ, more endeared by the common 
 interest we feel at the throne of grace, 
 and the common prospect of glory."
 
 68 THE LIFE 01' 
 
 In the second hot season of his resi- 
 dence in Calcutta, he suffered so much 
 from the climate, that he was obliged to 
 leave his duties for several weeks, and 
 take an excursion up the Hoogly river. 
 His description of the climate shows how 
 trying it must be to persons who come 
 from one that is milder and more re2;uiar. 
 
 " April : it is the middle of the hot 
 season, we have fiery days and stormy 
 nights. Thus it has pleased a gracious 
 Providence to temper the severities of the 
 climate. If the hot days were to con- 
 tinue long, we should sink at once. When 
 the refreshing winds fail us, the sultriness 
 is almost insupportable. Then comes a 
 storm that cools the air. Then the heat 
 returns. Then the lull. Then again the 
 storm for several days successively. We 
 rise to go forth and inhale the cool of the 
 morning and rejoice. About June comes 
 the rainy season for two months. This 
 refreshes us. From the middle of August 
 to the middle of October, the clouds having
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 69 
 
 poured forth their contents, the country- 
 is soaked. The winter having left us, 
 the heat of the sun draws forth the mois- 
 ture, and we live almost in a hot bath. 
 All nature seems to droop — man, beast, 
 and vegetable sympathize with each other. 
 Were this season to be prolonged, few 
 could endure it. About the middle of 
 October we have sharp mornings and bra- 
 cing airs. Thus the years go round." 
 
 He tried to make every occurrence use- 
 ful to his own heart. Dating his letter 
 Chinsurah, October 1, 1810, he writes 
 — " We are thirty miles up the river : 
 this change has been rendered necessary 
 by the state of my health, which began 
 to suffer during the last rainy season. 
 I have spent a month on the water. I 
 went to the mouth of the river for sea 
 air, and then proceeded up the river. 
 Through the great mercy of God this 
 has been very useful. God only knows 
 what is to be the end of all our attacks, 
 and what the term of our lives. Te
 
 70 THE LIFE OF 
 
 be in his hands, who has the keys of 
 death and hell, is an unspeakable privilege. 
 I feel it to be so, and rejoice. The cli- 
 mate has begun evidently to affect me, 
 and it will be necessary for me to contract 
 my exertions of body and mind. The 
 constant employment of mind in this 
 country is unfavourable to health and 
 even dangerous. Before I was laid by, 
 I began to visit the hospital once a week, 
 from which little labour some good has 
 sprung up. But we are all in a low state, 
 our proceedings are slow and infantine. 
 The reflections which have passed in my 
 mind during my excursion on the water 
 have been rather of a discouraging nature. 
 Yet though discouraging — the discovery 
 of the truth, painful as it is at the time, 
 may be an unspeakable blessing. Who 
 knows but that the discovery of my own 
 barrenness and manifold neglects, by the 
 blessing of God, may lead to more -enlarged 
 usefulness in his church. I have lately 
 liad much to think of, much to mourn
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. "71 
 
 over, much to pray for, and much, very 
 much, to be thankful for. And now, with 
 renewed strength of body, I would fain 
 take up my charge again in a new spirit. 
 
 "We are become weaned from all 
 Europe expectations. The losses by capn 
 ture and shipwreck of late have made the 
 heart sick. You cannot conceive the ge- 
 neral mourning that has been produced 
 amongst us. It has been dangerous to 
 mention the missing ships in company, 
 lest the heart of some bereaved parent or 
 husband should be made sad. 
 
 " After being laid low from official en- 
 gagements for six weeks, it was not with- 
 out the greatest emotion I resumed my 
 labours. It has pleased God to teach me 
 something by shipwreck, but he has taught 
 me more by bodily affliction. The dan- 
 ger and alarm then were temporary, but 
 illness gives many opportunities of serious 
 reflection. I have had long seasons of 
 pain and depression, which have, I trust, 
 through the mercy of God, been sancti-
 
 72 THE LIFE OF 
 
 fied to my soul. I have seen much ol 
 the unbelief, pride, impatience, and dis* 
 honesty of my heart. Here I am begin- 
 ning my work as it were again, and I pray 
 God to enable me by his good Spirit to 
 press forward toward the mark of the 
 prize of my high calliifg. 
 
 " We have never yet seen Mr. Martyn, 
 but hope to be gratified in the course of a 
 few months. He has at length determined 
 to try the sea air. He has been brought 
 very low.'' 
 
 Soon after this, the religious people at 
 Calcutta had the happiness of seeing 
 Henry Martyn, who stopped there a short 
 time in travelling from Cawnpore to 
 Arabia. The interview of the mission- 
 aries was full of joy, though mingled with 
 apprehension for Martyn's health. Mr. 
 Thomason wrote to Mr. Simeon. 
 
 " He is on his way to Arabia in pursuit 
 of health and knowledge. You know his 
 genius, and what gigantic strides he takes 
 in every thing. He has some great plan
 
 THOMAS T. TIIOMASON-. 75^ 
 
 in his mind, of which I am no competent 
 judge. But as far as I do understand,, 
 the object is far too grand for our short 
 life, and much beyond his feeble and ex- 
 hausted frame. Feeble indeed it is ! how 
 fallen and changed ! — his complaint lies in 
 the lungs, and appears to be incipient con- 
 sumption. But let us hope the sea air 
 will revive him, and that change of place 
 and pursuit may do him essential service, 
 and continue his life many years. In all 
 other respects he is exactly the same as 
 he was : he shines in all the dignity of 
 love, and seems to carry about him such 
 a heavenly majesty as impresses the mind 
 beyond all description. But if he talks 
 much, though in a low voice, he sinks, and 
 you are reminded of his being dust and 
 Ashes. — It would have filled your eyes, 
 with tears to have seen dear [proba- 
 bly ^Nlrs. Thomason] when she saw him ; 
 you know her smile and hearty counte- 
 nance, and eyes darting p;ood-nature, but 
 vou never saw them so called forth. We 
 
 a
 
 74 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Avere all filled with joy unspeakable, and 
 blessed God for the rich opportunity of 
 loving intercourse." 
 
 Whilst in Calcutta, Martyn preached 
 his sermon for the Bible society, which 
 Avas followed by so much blessing, and 
 his other labours during his short stay 
 were highly useful.* 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 The institution of the Calcutta Bible 
 jociety gave great joy to the friends of 
 religion. It caused inquiry among the 
 people, and the opposition that was made 
 to it only caused the subject to be more 
 talked of, and the Bible to be examined. 
 ^Ir. Thomason said, "It is impossible to 
 .describe the joy I feel in contemplating 
 the probable harvest of knowledge, piety, 
 .and happiness which will arise from this 
 
 * The life of Henry Martyn has been published by 
 dhe American S. S. Union, in a volume of 246 pages.
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 75 
 
 institution in this quarter of the globe. 
 It gives greater stability to our proceed- 
 ings than the most splendid conquests." 
 
 Shortly after this, Abdool Messeeh, a 
 native of Hindoostan and a Mohammedan, 
 was baptized at Calcutta. His first reli- 
 gious impressions had been received whilst 
 hearing Mr. Marty n, and he became a 
 'iseful missionary to his countrymen.* 
 Mr. Martyn^s translation of the New 
 Testament into Hindoostanee was finished 
 and about to be published. In addition 
 to these causes of encouragement, INIr. 
 Thomason's own ministry was greatly 
 blessed. " It would fill your heart with 
 joy," he tells iNIr. Simeon, "to see us 
 here. Whatever reason we have had for- 
 merly to see the hand of God in our 
 coming to India, has been greatly increased 
 of late. New scenes of usefulness open ; 
 my hands are now quite full, and through 
 
 * An account of Abdool IMesseeh, and of his minis- 
 try, with a portrait, is given in an appendix to the life 
 of Martyn, published by the Am. S. S. Union.
 
 76 THE LIFE OF 
 
 mercy, I see the gradual operation of a 
 gospel ministry. Some persons of late 
 have been brought to a serious concern 
 for their souls. Those who were once 
 scoffers hear and weep, and endeavour to 
 promote the cause they formerly despised ; 
 and our own people, which is a great 
 mercy, and received as an answer to 
 prayer, are more united amongst each 
 other." 
 
 His views of his own insufficiency 
 for the great work that was before him, 
 though perhaps just, show that he was 
 not forgetful of his own heart, in try- 
 ing to do good to others. '' I feel the 
 necessity of a close and diligent reading 
 of the Scriptures. It is in:ipossible to 
 occupy the teacher's chair with advantage 
 to our hearers, except we are very much 
 engaged in experimental reading of the 
 Scriptures ourselves. what treasures 
 are to be found in the word of God ! 
 Blessed be God for a little sense of them ! 
 -would that I could give my whole
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 77 
 
 heart and soul to them. But I am as yet 
 only on the surface of things ; this at the 
 age of thirty-seven. God knoweth I de- 
 plore my Ignorance, and count myself to 
 be a mere novice, and feel unspeakably 
 unworthy to preach Christ to lost sinners. 
 I want to have my heart warmed with his 
 love. But oh, my exceeding vileness and 
 hardness of heart!" At the same time 
 the difficulties and discouragements that 
 he had to meet ought to be remem.bered. 
 '"' The state of society here, and the state 
 of the climate, oppose difficulties which 
 you can hardly appreciate if described. 
 The climate has influence upon one's 
 natural sloth in a thousand ways ; and 
 society is so constituted, that we are op- 
 posed at every step by the pride of rank, 
 and office, and colour, to a degree surpass- 
 ing all conception. Had I chosen to live 
 here in the state and dignity of chaplain, 
 my path would have been easy, but in the 
 attempt at a parochial line of labour [that 
 is, not only preaching, but visiting his 
 o 2
 
 78' THE LIFE OF 
 
 congregation, &c.], the difficulties are pro- 
 digious. I find my heart sick sometimes, 
 aiid learn the drift of that verse in Eccle- 
 siastes, ' that which is crooked cannot be 
 made straight.' In England, different 
 classes mingle easily : here, even after 
 religion has its decided hold on a man, 
 he remembers his little insulated sphere, 
 and finds it hard to be cordial with those 
 who are above him, or with those who are 
 beneath him : not with those above him, 
 the,pride of the great produces a reaction 
 in the lower order ; not with those below 
 him, for obvious reasons. To relieve my- 
 self from such painful inconsistencies, I 
 find the best practical remedy is to be 
 much in company with the most wretched, 
 the diseased, the poor, the sick, and dying. 
 These are thankful to hear the words of 
 life. I have much comfort at times with 
 the poor invalid soldiers in the hospital. 
 About fifty attend, and I visit them twice, 
 on Tuesday and Friday evenings. With re- 
 spect to the sick — the miserable sick peo
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 79 
 
 pie in this truly miserable place— I mourn 
 over m3'self and them ; I go rather with 
 tlie hope of good to myself than to them. 
 So rich is the mercy of God, and so pre- 
 cious the service of our master, some of 
 the happiest moments I enjoy are in going 
 to, or returning from, these unhappy crea- 
 tures." 
 
 Several disastrous events occurred in 
 the year 1812. The printing office of the 
 baptist mission at Serampore, fifteen 
 miles from Calcutta, was burned on the 
 11th of March. There were in the house 
 at the time of the fire two thousand reams 
 of paper, and types in fifteen languages, 
 all of which were destroyed. Nine edi- 
 tions of the New Testament, and five of 
 the Old, in various Eastern languages, 
 were in the progress of printing at the 
 time, besides various other works of the 
 missionaries. The loss was immense. 
 Mr. Thomason went to Serampore a? 
 soon as he heard of the fire. ^' I could 
 scarcely believe the report ; it was like a 
 
 I
 
 80 THE LIFE OF 
 
 blow on the head which stupifies. I flew 
 to Serampore to witness the desolation. 
 The scene was indeed affecting. The 
 immense printing office, two hundred feet 
 long and fifty broad, reduced to a mere 
 shell. The yard covered witli burnt 
 quires of paper, the loss in which article 
 was immense. Carey walked with me 
 over the smoking ruins. The tears stood 
 in his eves. ^ In one short eveninsr,' said 
 he, * the labours of years are consumed 
 How unsearchable are the ways of God ' 
 I had lately brought some things to the 
 atmost perfection of which they seemed 
 ^apable, and co^Jiemplated the missionarv 
 establishment ^-ith, perhaps, too much 
 self-gratuk. /. ^ The Lord has laid me 
 low, tnat ■- ^f.': look more simply to him.' 
 Who could uj \ d in such a place," he asks, 
 ''at such a tir .:, with such a man, without 
 feelings of s?i^;p regret, and solemn exer- 
 cise of mind. I saw the ground strewed 
 with half consumed paper, on which, in 
 the course of a very few months, the
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASOX. 81 
 
 words of life would have been printed. 
 The metal under our feet amidst the ruins 
 was melted into misshapen lumps — the 
 sad remains of beautiful types consecrated 
 to the service of the sanctuary. All was 
 smiling and promising a few hours before 
 — ^now all is vanished into smoke and 
 converted into rubbish ! — adding with 
 self-application, — ' Return now to thy 
 books, regard God in all thou doest 
 Learn Arabic with humility. Let God 
 be exalted in all thy plans, and purposes, 
 and labours ; he can do without thee.' '' 
 
 Dr. Marshman, in writing an account of 
 the calamity to England, says, "Poor Mr. 
 Thomason wept like a child on hearing 
 of it. He begs us to make a minute 
 statement of our loss, and says he will 
 use all his interest in our behalf.'' 
 
 Another affliction was the sickness 
 and death of his friend, the Rev. Mr. 
 Brown, who had laboured in Calcutta 
 without compensation, and deserved the 
 tribute which is inscribed on a mar-
 
 82 THE LIFE OF 
 
 ble in the church : " To the poor the 
 gospel was preached in this church by 
 the Rev. David Brown, during a period 
 of twenty-five years." This was followed 
 by the death of Henry jMartyn, in Persia, 
 in October, 1S12. " Few," he exclaimed, 
 " have reason to mourn individually as I 
 have : with him I hoped to spend my 
 days in mutual deliberation and united 
 labour. Here in a short time he would 
 have been fixed, and hence we neither 
 of us would have wished to stir a foot. 
 He has often said it to me. 1 fondly 
 counted on his return full fraught with 
 health and Arabic. On this his heart 
 was set, though not for itself It has 
 pleased God to remove him to the rest 
 for which he had been panting, and from 
 which nothing but the love of his work 
 here would willingly have detained him. 
 With his presence in Calcutta, the Persian 
 and Arabic versions would have pro- 
 ceeded with spirit ; he was so eminently 
 qualified with all needful endowments
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASOX. 83 
 
 for a good translator. The great Head 
 of the church lives, that is our consola- 
 tion. I have learnt more than ever what 
 that Scripture means, ' Cease ye from 
 man, whose breath is in his nostrils.' " 
 
 "We are deeply wounded," are his 
 words in another letter ; " his walk was 
 so grand, his labours so important, his 
 attainments so rare ! how fondly we 
 counted upon his future labours ! how 
 the heart leaped for joy at the thought 
 of Martyn's successful career in Persia, 
 and hoped-for return to Calcutta. Here 
 . he hoped to return and spend his days, 
 having often said to us there was no spot 
 in the world so dear to him as Calcutta ; 
 we responded with affection to his notes 
 of love, and panted with eager desire to 
 see him. Often have our petitions been 
 offered up at our social meetings for his 
 preservation and success. Once espe- 
 cially the conversation at table was 
 wholly engrossed with Martyn, and the 
 prayers w^hich followed were unusually
 
 ?'4 THE LIFE OF 
 
 fervent. The very next day we heari] 
 of the termination of his career. 
 
 "You can judge of the extent of my 
 disappointment and depth of my sorrow. 
 Here I had hoped to spend the remainder 
 of my days with that honoured minister, 
 participating his labours, administering 
 to his comforts, and roused by his exam- 
 ple. But it has pleased the great Head 
 of the church to take him to himself — 
 it hath pleased Him, and dare we repine ? 
 No event within my recollection has filled 
 me with so much sorrow, and caused so 
 hard a conflict between faith and unbelief, 
 from which I have learnt much of the 
 idolatry of the heart, and of its rebellious 
 opposition to the will of God. We idol- 
 ized this rare creature : so the Lord lias 
 removed him, and taught us more simple 
 dependence upon himself The expe- 
 rience has been bitter, the ultimate fruit 
 I hope will be sweet. Our great Head 
 remains, and He shall see of the travail 
 of His soul and be satisfied. If He is
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 83 
 
 satisfied we may well be so ; who knows 
 how He may bless us in our bereaved 
 state ? 
 
 " Where are all those zealous young 
 men who assembled in your town-hall, 
 and helped forward your Biblical associa- 
 tions ? that they would take the map 
 of India in their hands. that the Lord 
 would dispose their hearts to look upon 
 this immense country with Christian ten- 
 derness and compassion. — The labourers 
 must be disposed to cheerfulness — a melan- 
 choly turn of mind is highly unfavourable 
 in India. The climate itself depresses 
 more than you can conceive. In all your 
 estimates of characters let cheerfulness 
 be considered an essential requisite." 
 
 From the time of Mr. Brown's death 
 until the end of IS 13, Mr. Thomason's 
 labours were unusually great. Until that 
 time he had no assistant in the church, 
 and considering his duties to that congre- 
 gation as first in importance, he did not 
 neglect them for any thing else. Besides 
 H
 
 86 THE LIFE OF 
 
 these duties, he was engaged in revising 
 the Arabic version of the Scriptures, and 
 in conducting through the press INIr. Mar- 
 tyn's Hindoostanee New Testament. He 
 executed, also, at the desire of the govern- 
 ment, the office of examiner in Arabic, 
 in the college at Fort William ; and as if 
 this were not enough, he was preparing 
 further work for himself by inviting the 
 Church Missionary Society to place two 
 missionaries in his house, whom he under- 
 took to instruct gratuitously in oriental 
 literature. But the project that, of all 
 others, lay nearest his heart, was the 
 establishment of native schools ; and, as a 
 preparatory step, a school for schoolmas- 
 ters. 
 
 Of the plan of native schoolmasters, 
 ^Ir. Thomason said, " This school would 
 be a noble establishment. I despair of 
 seeing any great good done in a place 
 where the objects of ignorance and vice 
 are innumerable, until some such institu 
 tion has been formed. But I fear it would
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 87 
 
 not suit the adventurous and grand and 
 dasliing spirit of the age. The good 
 people of England would suppose that a 
 free school containing 1000 children, must 
 be tenfold more productive than one con- 
 taining 24 children, not considering the 
 great importance of having one school- 
 master, they would suppose the money 
 almost wasted. Schoolmasters must be 
 made here, not in England. Those in 
 England expect more pay, and can bear 
 less fatigue, and must be formed here after 
 their arrival. Much is to be learned be- 
 fore they can labour here efficiently. The 
 thing to be most earnestly prayed for is, 
 that government would support this esta- 
 blishment. It would be a noble item of 
 expenditure. The benefit would be dis- 
 tant, at present scarcely perceptible, but 
 future generations would arise and call us 
 blessed. This plan has been long in my 
 mind. It is far from being new, but in 
 this place the application of it to prac- 
 tice is very difficult, arising partly from
 
 88 THE LIFE OF 
 
 localities which it is not easy to explain 
 to an European, and partly from the indo- 
 lent spirit of the place, and partly from 
 the great paucity of efficient labourers 
 The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice ; 
 sure we are, that the good that is done upon 
 earth, he doeth it, and when he acts, none 
 can stay his hand." 
 
 In the year 1812, Messrs. Judson, New- 
 ell, Nott, Hall, and Rice sailed from the 
 United States as missionaries to India. 
 A few days after their arrival in Calcutta, 
 an order of the British government was 
 read to them, directing them to leave the 
 country. Mr. and Mrs. Newell accord- 
 ingly sailed for the isle of France, in the 
 Indian ocean, where JNIrs. Newell died 
 soon after her arrival. INIr. and Mrs. 
 Judson and iNIr. Rice soon joined Mr 
 Newell.* 
 
 • The American S, S. Union have published the 
 life of Mrs. Judson, prepared for that purpose by Kev 
 Mr. Knowles, in a volume of 266 pages ; and the life 
 of Mrs. Newell, in a volume of the same size.
 
 THOMAS T. TH0MA90N. 89 
 
 These proceedings caused Mr. Thoma- 
 son great pain, and it was a severe trial 
 to him and the friends of religion every- 
 where to see these men, who had devoted 
 their lives to the welfare of a nation of 
 idolaters, driven by a Christian govern- 
 ment from the land. Whilst the Ameri- 
 can missionaries were still at Bombay, the 
 earl of Moira, the new governor-general 
 of India, arrived in Calcutta. Mr. Tho- 
 mason and his friends were consulting at 
 the moment of his arrival what could be 
 done to change the sentence of the mis- 
 sionaries. '' Our new governor-general," 
 he said, " is arrived. Hope is revived. 
 His language will not, I hope, be altered 
 by the climate of India. He comes with 
 noble intentions and great promises. What 
 he w^ll do cannot be conjectured ; but 
 he is about to be put to a hard trial. 
 The late governor having peremptorily 
 ordered all the missionaries away who 
 came from America, they went to Bombay. 
 There a government order followed them, 
 h2
 
 90 
 
 THE LIFE OF 
 
 commanding sir Evan Nepean to send 
 them off by the first opportunity. Sir 
 Evan is their friend, but cannot resist 
 authority. •Nlr. Udney, Dr. Carey, and 
 myself are about to prepare a memorial 
 to the new government on the subject, 
 entreating permission for the missionaries 
 to reside quietly in the country. We 
 should not have chosen so early and strong 
 a test of lord Moira's principles, if we 
 had been left to our own judgment. But 
 the ship in which the dear missionaries 
 are ordered away is on the point of sail- 
 ing. If speedy exertion be not made, 
 they will be gone. May it please God 
 to touch the heart of the governor-general, 
 and incline him to comply with our re- 
 quest ! They are good men, full of zeal, 
 ripe for usefulness — the harvest great 
 The expense of their journeying already 
 is enormous — what a reproach that a 
 Christian government should turn them 
 back, and sport with the best interests 
 of its subjects !''
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 91 
 
 But nothing could be obtained favoura- 
 ble to the missionaries, and they departed, 
 leaving with the governor of Bombay a 
 vindication of their character and inten- 
 sions. 
 
 In 4814 the governor-general requested 
 Mr. Thomason to propose a plan for the 
 education of the natives, a subject which 
 was of the greatest importance to the 
 country and to the progress of religion, 
 for, as he observed, " If we would reform 
 effectually, we must instruct, and if we 
 would instruct effectually, we must have 
 institutions in which instruction holds the 
 principal place." He also appointed him 
 to perform service statedly at Barrackpoor, 
 his country residence, and as his chaplain 
 to accompany him on the journey he was 
 about to take through the provinces of his 
 ";overnment. 
 
 " Public and private duties," he writes 
 " increase upon me. Where ^here is too 
 much burden, part must be neglected, and 
 very much imperfectly sustained. I see
 
 92 THE LIFE OF 
 
 SO many things undone, and so many 
 things ill-done, I am continually sighing 
 for help. Relief I trust is near. This 
 important field of labour will not, I hope, 
 be left unprovided with labourers. It 
 seems strange that young men have not 
 been more ready to follow up the work 
 of God in India. Perhaps the danger of 
 the sea and climate are overrated. They 
 are not so formidable as timid people con- 
 sider them. But even if they were, when 
 we see them continually encountered in 
 the pursuit of honour and wealth, it is 
 somewhat reproachful that pious students 
 of the ministry should be deterred. Last 
 Thursday I finished my lectures on St 
 John ; — I have been four years and a half 
 in going through that edifying gospel ; 
 and I may add^ with thankfulness to the 
 great Head of the church, not without 
 many cheering tokens of his presence. 
 Our congregation on Thursday evening 
 evidently improves. On Sunday evenings 
 too we are well filled, in the mornings wo
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 93 
 
 have a regular congregation. Whilst the 
 power of religion is progressive among 
 Europeans, it is a matter of great joy to 
 see that the work prospers in different 
 parts of the country. The Scriptures are 
 in continual motion, in different languages 
 and with increasing success. To God be 
 the glory. It is surprising how all do- 
 mestic arrangements on your side of the 
 water and ours dwindle into insignificance. 
 It seems a matter of unspeakable indif- 
 ference whether our children are in town 
 or country, in India or in England, or 
 what becomes of them and ourselves, pro- 
 vided we are all at our posts, serving the 
 Lord in our respective spheres, living to 
 his glory, and labouring for his cause. 
 Then all prospers. We sometimes feel 
 however as if we should like to have all 
 things our own way — many Martyns — 
 a host of Corries — daily conversions.'^
 
 94 THE LIFE OF 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 In the summer of 1S14, ]Mr. Thoma- 
 son left Calcutta in company with earl 
 Moira, the governor-general, on his tour. 
 As this was expected to occupy nearly 
 a year, the length of the journey beina 
 upwards of two thousand miles, lie fel 
 great anxiety about undertaking it. But 
 he left his church in the care of a faithful 
 minister, and thought that he could not 
 have a more favourable opportunity of 
 attaining information to assist him in pre- 
 paring his plan for the education of the 
 people ; he also thought he could by this 
 means be more able to engage the govern- 
 or's attention to the moral condition of 
 the ignorant and depraved inhabitants, 
 than he would be at home. '• Whilst 
 Mr. Robertson takes care of my cluirch, 
 I am proceeding on a new work, under 
 very new circumstances. Tlie governor's 
 party is very large ; near 500 boats at-
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. ' 95 
 
 tended him. He is splendid and stately, 
 and his march through the country will 
 be more magnificent than that of any pre- 
 ceding governor. The opportunity of 
 seeing the country, and conversing with 
 every person of intelligence and piety 
 may be highly important. I mean to keep 
 the grand object in view, the formation 
 and execution of school plans. Sabat, 
 the translator, accompanies me ; our Ara- 
 bic version therefore continues, and the 
 proof sheets follow us up the country. 
 My public ministerial work will be one 
 service on Sundays, in the family boat 
 of the governor-general, to which the 
 party will have access. Corrie [the prin- 
 cipal European clergymen] has been again 
 attacked with his old complaint. He 
 Avrote to me a fortnight ago, begging my 
 advice as to his going home. I could 
 not hesitate to recommend the measure ; 
 strongly as we shall feel and mourn, yet 
 forasmuch as the work of Christ is the 
 most blessed of all works, it is fit that he
 
 96 THE LIFE OF 
 
 should flee, that his precious life may be 
 prolonged for future good. I expect we 
 shall meet on the river ; when we come 
 to his widowed church at Agra, we shall 
 find sorrow, where we looked for joy. 
 Corrie goes, who is the leader, the pattern, 
 the father. 0, when shall we see more 
 labourers arrive in our vineyard ! Yet 
 we rejoice in the Lord's presence, and 
 believincr that he acts in a manner to us 
 invisible and inscrutable, we can look to 
 him through the gloom, and go forward 
 with hope. I felt much at parting with 
 the dear people ; the affection of many 
 was called forth. On the last two Thurs 
 day evenings, I have been taking leave, 
 conceiving that the important concern for 
 us all is to see that we have the grace of 
 God in truth, and walk consistently with 
 such a profession, I spoke on the parable 
 of the virgins for the former subject, on 
 that of the talents for the latter, conclud- 
 ing on Sunday with a sermon on follow- 
 ing peace and holiness. On these occa-
 
 THO:\IAS T. TMOIVIASOX. 9? 
 
 sions I have delivered my whole soul, 
 and now looking back on my ministry, 
 I mourn over its unprofitableness. that 
 the blessing of God may come down on 
 Mr. Robertson, and prosper his ministry ! 
 Separate in body, I am still with him and 
 his flock in spirit ; if spared to return to 
 my charge, may I come to it in more life, 
 and love, and earnestness." 
 
 Shortly before setting out he sent his 
 eldest son to England. " The bracing air 
 of Europe, we hope, will do him good ; 
 how greatly shall I rejoice, if he should 
 prove willing and qualified to follow his 
 father to India, and labour here in the 
 gospel. But this is with the Lord. I 
 dare not plan ; but blessed be God, I can 
 pray. I cannot convey to you what his 
 poor mother felt ; my own pangs seem to 
 have been forgotten in hers. it was a 
 bitter parting ! However, it is now over, 
 and we both acquiesce in the step as wise 
 and proper. It is one of the greatest 
 I
 
 98 THE LIFE OF 
 
 parental duties to send him home — can a 
 parent then hesitate ?'^ 
 
 The first eight hundred miles of the tour 
 was by water, most of the rest was over- 
 land. Mr. Thomason's letters will furnish 
 the best history of his cmploynicnts and 
 feelings durins: the time. 
 
 " At i>Ionghir I was asked to preach 
 in the evenino; for the benefit of the sta- 
 tion. A few invalids attended, and a 
 band of eight or ten European residents. 
 We were detained a week, the weather 
 wet and gloomy, and all beginning to feel 
 the effects of a very unwholesome spot 
 We were anchored in a low marshy place, 
 at a distance from the hills. I can ill 
 describe the vexation, and discontent, and 
 complainings of almost all in the fleet. 
 It was indeed a sufficiently dull week, 
 where there were no resources. What a 
 mercy to be relieved from the tedium and 
 disgust to which we find so many a prey. 
 Here we are in one little cabin, cheerful
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 99 
 
 and happy, and constantly employed. 
 When we are engaged in our morning 
 and evening readings, the heart overflows 
 with thankfulness for the distinguished 
 blessings God confers upon us, in having 
 given us a love for his word, and a desire 
 after a remembrance of his name. W 
 sung together this morning the hymn 
 
 , and could rejoice in the thought 
 
 that the fountain is opened to us guilty 
 polluted sinners. The defilement of sin 
 is not more felt, because the glory of God 
 is not more seen. One glimpse of his 
 holy character will make us lie low in the 
 dust. I have heard of thee by the hear- 
 ing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth 
 thee ; but fallen man is without God in 
 the world ; how great is the blessing to 
 have his authority in some measure re- 
 stored, and his throne set up in the heart. 
 I hear Mr. Robertson is not quite well, 
 pray tell me the truth ; he must not be 
 overworked. I am within call — when- 
 ever you say ^ it is time to come back,
 
 100 THE LIFE OF 
 
 the church wants you/ I shall apply for 
 dismissal. 
 
 " In ascending the Ganges, and visiting 
 the towns and villages on its banks, we 
 see the enormous population of degraded 
 beings with our eyes. The first place 
 of in;portance was Moorshedabad, the 
 once famous metropolis of Bengal, an 
 immense city, swarming with inhabitants, 
 but exhibiting the sad marks of decayed 
 greatness. Oh, it was an affecting sight 
 to look around at the countless throngs. 
 and observe moral, political, and religious 
 degradation, without one cheering symp- 
 tom of improvement. We have destroyed 
 the political importance of the natives, 
 stripped them of their power, and laid 
 them prostrate, without giving them any 
 thing in return. They possess neither 
 learning, nor emulation, nor power. 
 Every spring of action seems deadened ; 
 they wallow in the filth of a senseless 
 and impure religion, without any prospect 
 of deliverance. You can conceive no-
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 101 
 
 thing more wretched than Hindoo towns 
 and villages. Nothing like architecture, 
 except in their temples ; the streets nar- 
 row and dirty, the houses inexpressibly 
 mean, filled with inhabitants whose ap- 
 pearance is disgusting in the extreme. 
 At Benares, I ventured to visit the shrine 
 held so sacred. It was an oppressive sight 
 I hastened from the place, and thanked 
 God for the gospel. If I do not return 
 to my charge with more of a missionary 
 spirit, it will be my own fault. To behold 
 such a mass of putrefied matter, and not 
 be concerned about providing the means 
 of life and health, is criminal in the ex- 
 treme. Blessed be God for some little 
 zeal. Had I obtained nothing more than 
 an increased sense of the importance of 
 ministerial labour, I should be richly re- 
 paid." 
 
 But notwithstanding this proof of the 
 necessity of instruction, Mr. Thomason 
 was distressed to find that the governor 
 I 2
 
 102 THE LIFE OF 
 
 appeared to take little interest in providing 
 the means. 
 
 At Cawnpore, which Henry ^Nlartyn 
 had left to go to Arabia, the governor met 
 one of the natives, of great wealth and 
 rank, who was encamped on the bank 
 of the Ganges. A bridge of boats was 
 made across the river, and trains of ele- 
 phants and rich presents were constantly 
 passing from one party to the other, Bui 
 another object filled more of the mission- 
 ary's thoughts than all the splendour of 
 that scene. ^* In these sandy plains I have 
 been tracing again and again the days of 
 Martyn. Close by me is the house that 
 dear minister occupied, leading to which 
 is the gloomy line of aloes spoken of by 
 ]\Irs. Sherwood. — Ofor INIartyn's hum,ility 
 and love (he afterwards wrote) : those who 
 knew him can bear testimony to the truth 
 of his Christian walk. His standard of 
 every duty was the highest, and his feel- 
 ings of joy, sorrow, love, most intense ;
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASOX. 103 
 
 whilst bis conversalioii was always in 
 heaven, the savour of liis holy disposition 
 was as ointment poured forth. Many 
 parts of his experience can only be appre- 
 ciated by those who enter deeply into the 
 divine life. In proportion as we discern 
 wiiat is spiritual in its excellence and 
 glory, we shall understand his lowly self- 
 abasing reflections on what he observed 
 within. He was transported by a glory, 
 of which common Christians only obtain 
 a glimpse. And how is all explained, 
 when we behold him entering his closet, 
 and holding communion with God with 
 such delight, such unw^earied constant en- 
 joyment ! Wo unto us if we do not pray 
 more, live more above the world, and deny 
 ourselves more, and love Christ more. 
 Are we not hoping to see him in a happier 
 state ? the Lord quicken us, and enable 
 us to go forward : ' laying aside every 
 weight, and the sin which doth so easily 
 beset us, let us run with patience the race 
 that is set before us.' ''
 
 104 
 
 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Leaving Cawnpore, IMr. Thomason oe- 
 gan what to him was a novel and strange 
 mode of life ; marching and living in 
 tents. The party proceeded by easy 
 stages twelve miles a day, rising by gun 
 fire, when it was quite dark in the morn 
 ing, they arrived at their ground a little 
 after sunrise. '* Conceive," as he says, 
 describing his journey, — " an immense 
 plain, on which are scattered thousands 
 of villages, a few principal towns without 
 variety, and a vast multitude of inhabit- 
 ants : when you have seen one village 
 or town, you have seen all ; they are with- 
 out any of those marks of opulence, civili- 
 zation, or elegance which delight the Eng- 
 lish traveller. Those persons who are 
 distinguished for their wealth are few, 
 and they shun the presence of Europeans : 
 their manners and their dress are similar 
 to those of their inferiors: the efiect of 
 English superiority is of the most gloomy 
 nature. '^ 
 
 ]Mr. Thomason was grieved to find that
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 105 
 
 the governor intended to continue his 
 land-journey without stopping on the 
 Lord's-day. As his chaplain, he felt it 
 to be his duty to remind the governor of 
 his obligation to keep that day holy. 
 When he found that this had no effect, 
 and that on Saturday the usual prepara- 
 tions were making to proceed on the next 
 day, he remonstrated against it. The 
 consequence was that he was ordered to 
 leave the camp ; but he was given to under- 
 stand that if he would make an apology, 
 the sentence would not be executed. Mr. 
 Thomason could not apologize for doing 
 what he believed to be his duty, and wrote 
 to the governor, expressing his surprise 
 at this order, but his readiness at the same 
 time to comply with it; adding that he 
 felt as strongly as ever the importance of 
 the subject, and thought it the duty of a 
 minister of religion to explain his views 
 when the honour of God and interests of 
 religion were concerned ; but that he 
 lamented, that any thing should have ap-
 
 106 THE LIFE OF 
 
 peared in the expression of his sentiments 
 that was thought disrespectful. Upon 
 receiving this note, the governor not only 
 permitted him to remain, but for a time 
 observed the day of rest. 
 
 Amongst the native iroops who attended 
 the earl on his journey were a few pious 
 men who had been under the ministry 
 of i\Ir. Corrie, at Calcutta. Mr. Thoma- 
 son did not know them until they had 
 been many weeks on the route, when they 
 came to his tent to join in prayer and hear 
 the vScriptures. He said, *^ even in this 
 jungle, we could rejoice together in re- 
 membrance of the love of Christ. All 
 the places (he added) where troops are 
 usually stationed, are empty. There is 
 nothing to amuse a traveller who does not 
 hunt : however, I hope my time is not 
 wholly lost; my little Hindoostanee church 
 has lately received an accession by one 
 of the converts from Agra, a pious humble 
 Christian : we are now a little company, 
 and spend many a happy hour together
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASOX. 107 
 
 over the Scriptures. With these heloved 
 fellow-travellers, I am often solaced amidst 
 the sickening frivolities of the camp. 
 Since we left Hindostan, Sunday has not 
 been observed as a day of rest ; yet the 
 governor halts to get ready for a tiger 
 hunt. The kingdoms of this v.orld will 
 have their own pursuits and enjoyments, 
 they are not those of the kingdom of 
 Christ. The experience I have had of 
 this will, I trust, be useful to me, and 
 certainly, intercourse with native schools, 
 and daily Hindoostanee preaching, have 
 contributed much to enlarge my heart 
 towards the perishing heathen. Corrie's 
 fatherly attention to his flock was truly 
 lovely. Nothing of an abiding nature 
 can be done without love, that love which 
 arises from Christian principles, and is 
 kept up by close walking with God. 
 I pra}^ for more of it. By love God 
 works with us, and by love we must work 
 with others. Enoch's walk was a walk 
 of love. Sometimes I try to examine, in
 
 108 THE LIFE OF 
 
 a practical way, this one word, love, and 
 find it full of afiecting truths. We know 
 little about it. Humility, holiness, faith, 
 hope, gratitude, all these, working in their 
 degree, enlarge the contracted heart. In 
 proportion to the intenseness of them, is 
 the intenseness of our love. Where there 
 is nothing of them, all that looks like love 
 is selfish, depraved, earthly principle. I 
 could prove this, and do so to myself 
 every day. I see a vast quantity of rub- 
 bish, spurious love, animal warmth, san- 
 guine self-complacency, self-righteous ex- 
 ertion, usurping the place of love, wear- 
 ing its garb, talking its language. Is this 
 wonderful, when there is so much pride ? 
 The first step in the ladder is humility. 
 The Lord help us to gain it, and to go 
 step by step, till we have got to the region 
 of love." 
 
 The governor having determined to 
 stop some time at Agra, on his return 
 home, Mr. Thomason obtained permission 
 to leave the camp, and on the 6th of
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 109 
 
 March, 1815, arrived again at the Ganges, 
 and took boat for Calcutta, where he 
 arrived in May, after an absence of eleven 
 months. In looking back upon this jour- 
 ney, Mr. Thomason remarked : — 
 
 " To have once taken the tour of the 
 Bengal provinces, will be of great advan- 
 tage in future operations. But there is 
 nothing to tempt a second visit. To a 
 feeling heart, the prospect of desolation 
 is most distressing. The country affords 
 much to gratify a naturalist and an anti- 
 quary ; but the pursuits of such persons 
 require time and leisure. We only passed 
 through, and saw the immense plains of 
 Hindostan, in all their nakedness, the dire 
 effects of those contentions which, for 
 centuries, have depopulated the country, 
 and covered its face with ruins. The 
 ruins of Delhi are of surprising extent, 
 reaching sixteen miles or more ; a sicken- 
 ing sight ! it makes us sad to go 
 through the awful scene of desolation. 
 Mosques, temples, houses, all in ruins ; 
 K
 
 110 THE LIFE OF 
 
 piles of stones, broken pillars, domes, 
 crumbling walls, covered the place. The 
 imperial city presents nothing but the 
 palace to give an idea of its greatness, 
 and only appears grand from the magnifi- 
 cent wall with which it is surrounded, 
 which still retains its beauty — being buiit 
 of hard stone. Within is poverty and 
 departed grandeur — all is going to decay 
 The famous hall of audience remains, 
 built of marble, richly inlaid with stones 
 sufficiently beautiful to realize all our ex- 
 pectations. We saw in the gardens the 
 reigning prince, the poor representative 
 of Timur's house. He was taking an 
 airing, carried on a tonjoh (a chair 
 borne on shoulders), preceded by a train 
 of attendants bawling out his titles ; he 
 bowed to us, and appeared an intelligent 
 man. The courts of the palace — the at 
 tendants — the offices of the servants — all 
 gave an appearance of wretchedness one 
 could not behold without a sigh. 
 
 " We had a pleasant parting with his
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. Ill 
 
 lordship ; he expressed his hope to me 
 that something would result from the in- 
 formation we had collected on the journey, 
 and that the hints which had heen fur- 
 nished would be gathered up and become 
 productive of some beneficial plans of in- 
 struction, of the need of which he fel 
 as much assured as ever. On the whole, 
 I felt as if my connexion with this party 
 had not been without its use. I have had 
 frequent opportunities of suggesting what 
 appeared advisable, and now part from 
 them with a promise of communicating 
 from time to time what may be interest- 
 ing in my department Having now seen 
 all the principal stations and principal 
 people in the parts, I return much better 
 qualified to judge of many things than I 
 could have been if I had continued in 
 Calcutta. But schools have not yet been 
 formed. The prospect indeed has becom 
 darker rather than otherwise. For want 
 of the true rallying point, philanthropic 
 benevolence sinks before the opposition
 
 112 THE LIFE OF 
 
 and indifference which oppose efficient 
 plans of usefulness." 
 
 During his absence Dr. Middleton, the 
 new bishop of Calcutta, arrived, and his 
 hopes were raised that he could gain his 
 influence in promoting the moral welfare 
 of the people. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 One of the first acts of Mr. Thomason 
 after his return was, to use his influence for 
 the establishment of an asylum for the 
 female children of the English soldiers 
 who died in India. These children were 
 not only left in poverty, but exposed to 
 the worst example, and were almost cer- 
 tainly brought to ruin. Mr. Thomason 
 obtained subscriptions for the asylum, and 
 a large house was built, in which seventy 
 orphans were soon comfortably placed. 
 
 In 1816, the plan, which was so deai 
 to him, of finding means for the educa
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASOy. 113 
 
 tion of the natives, was commenced by 
 the natives themselves establishins; a school 
 and college. The object was that which 
 he had so strongly recommended to the 
 governor, the instruction of the people in 
 the English, as well as in their own lan- 
 guage and sciences. This college they 
 maintain at their own expense, and the 
 professors are Hindoos. 
 
 Mr. Thomason was also active in the 
 formation of the School-book Society, the 
 design of which was to furnish proper 
 books for the instruction of the natives in 
 the English language. In 1817 he be- 
 came secretary of the Church Missionary 
 Society in Calcutta, which greatly increased 
 his labours. He established a monthly 
 missionary prayer-meeting at his church, 
 on the plan of the concerts for prayer 
 on the first Monday of every month, 
 which are now observed by Christians 
 in all parts of the world. In addition 
 to these duties, he translated the book 
 of Psalms into Persian, not knowing, 
 k2
 
 114 THE LIFE OF 
 
 probably, that Henry Martyn had done 
 this at Shiraz ; he revised the Old Tes- 
 tament in Arabic, and superintended 
 the printing of the New Testament 
 in Arabic and Persian. " I am filled 
 with astonishment," he said, " at the 
 opening scenes of usefulness : send us 
 labourers — send us faithful, laborious la- 
 bourers. Being obliged to undertake so 
 many departments renders me sadly in- 
 efficient. Preaching, translating, writing 
 letters, attending committees, all is feebly 
 and unprofitably done." 
 
 In 1818, bishop Middleton engaged 
 with great zeal in promoting the efforts 
 to instruct the people. This animated 
 Mr. Thomason to still more diligence. 
 
 " To the joy of many," he writes, 
 *' our bishop has come forward in behalf 
 of the heathen. The public was moved — 
 a school committee formed — a noble fund 
 raised for school purposes ! What could 
 the heart desire more ? We are not strait- 
 ened for means or for patronage, we want
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASOV. 116 
 
 only instruments. As a member of the 
 school committee, I have felt it my duty 
 to rise to the great occasion, and have laid 
 my shoulders to the work, and have for 
 some time past been busily employed in 
 learning the Bengalee language, organizing 
 schools, examining classes, looking out for 
 teachers. The bishop's chaplain is the 
 only one who takes an active part in our 
 committee. He is in fact the secretary ; 
 but as he always travels with the bishop, 
 he leaves me to act for him as secretary 
 to the diocesan committee ; and thus I 
 have for months together the concerns of 
 the society for promoting Christian know- 
 ledge upon my hands. Now that they 
 have come publicly forward in the cause 
 of the heathen, I rejoice, and feel it an 
 honour to serve them. By throwing in 
 all my little influence, and using all my 
 exertion for them, I am enabled to help 
 forward a mighty instrument of good ; 
 and truly it is a matter of rejoicing that 
 the great and gay amongst us have been
 
 116 THE LIFE OF 
 
 forward to give their silver and gold at 
 the call of the bishop." 
 
 The next employment of jNIr. Thoma- 
 son was to revise the translation of the 
 Old Testament into Hindoostanee, which 
 Henry Martyn had left in an unfinished 
 state. About this time the bishop pro- 
 posed the establishment of a college at 
 Calcutta, for the education of missionaries. 
 This was carried into effect, and the insti- 
 tution is called Bishop's college. Its 
 principal objects are to prepare native and 
 other Christian youth to be preachers and 
 schoolmasters, to teach useful knowledge 
 to the Hindoos and Mohammedans, and 
 to translate the Bible and tracts. The 
 government now made a grant of nearly 
 fifteen hundred dollars yearly to the or- 
 phan asylum. 
 
 Bishop Middleton died in July, 1822, 
 and bishop Heber succeeded him in the 
 next year. On the arrival of the latter, 
 Mr. Thomason was appointed as a minis- 
 ter in the bishop's church, but continuing
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 117 
 
 to preach in the mission church once a 
 week. 
 
 In 1825 the health of Mrs. Thomason 
 had become so weak, that the only hope 
 of her recovery was in her leaving the 
 climate. Her husband felt compelled to 
 take her to England on this account, and 
 having seen a minister settled in his place 
 in whom he had great confidence, he pre- 
 pared for his departure. Before he left 
 Calcutta he received a long letter from 
 members of the congregation whom he 
 had faithfully served for fifteen years, 
 thanking him for his labours, and men- 
 tioning many sermons in particular, which 
 they remembered as having been instru- 
 mental in doing good. One of these, 
 which had been preached on new-year's 
 day, ten years before his departure, they 
 quoted in the letter, and it may be profit- 
 able for the readers of this book to have 
 part of the letter copied, not only as con- 
 taining solemn thoughts for their reflec- 
 tion, but as an example of the attention
 
 il8 THE LIFE OF 
 
 that should be paid to sermons and all 
 other instruction. The letter said : — 
 
 " We shall in this place advert more 
 particularly to one of your affectionate 
 addresses to the old church congregation, 
 delivered on new-year's day, 181 G, as 
 being quite suitable to our present pur- 
 pose, and to the avowed object of this 
 address. The text was taken from the 
 4th chapter of Amos, and the 12th verse, 
 ' Prepare to meet thy God.' You said, 
 ' My dear brethren, we have often met 
 together in this house : the years roll 
 round, and life sinks apace ; our connexion 
 together as minister and people has sub- 
 sisted now more than seven years ; I feel 
 my own heart deeply impressed with the 
 importance of the relation which unites 
 us, and hope you will bear with me in 
 saying this, on an occasion when, by the 
 providence of God, we are assembled to 
 consider how we may best improve the 
 year which this day opens upon us. Can 
 we better improve it, than by carrying
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASOX. 119 
 
 our thoughts forward to that great day 
 when we shall meet together at the bar 
 of judgment, when minister and people 
 shall meet their God ? The thought of 
 this meeting, which we are quite sure 
 must take place, ought to lead us all to in- 
 quire into the preparation we have made 
 for it. I say, we are quite sure of it, we 
 cannot get rid of the thought if we would. 
 Every day hastens forward that solemn 
 event. It will be a meeting without any 
 disguise on either side — a meeting in 
 which we shall be perfectly known to 
 God and to each other — a meeting in 
 which every soul will be deeply inte- 
 rested, and unless we are prepared for it, 
 it will be a meeting of unutterable anguish. 
 Two questions I would propose for present 
 consideration : First, with what feelings 
 shall we meet each other on that day ? 
 Secondly, with what feelings shall we 
 meet God?' Again, ^ Many a precious 
 hour of our lives has been spent in this 
 place ; many a precious passage has beea.
 
 120 THE LIFE OF 
 
 brought before us out of the word ol 
 God : promises, warnings, expostulations, 
 threatenings, precepts, exhortations, have 
 been the subject of our meditations. Some 
 of your ministers, dear and honoured ser- 
 vants of God, have been removed by 
 death : others have laboured amongst you, 
 and are now absent at their respective 
 posts. Inroads have been made in the 
 congregation by death, and now we, who 
 are spared to consider the lapse of years, 
 should consider ourselves called upon to 
 serious self-examination, and faithful deal- 
 ing with ourselves. 
 
 "'Are there not many who must testify, 
 if they would speak the truth, that they 
 have received no profit ; as ignorant of 
 divine things, as much strangers to the 
 power, as much in bondage to sin and the 
 world as they were ? Surely, your meet- 
 ing with your ministers must be a painful 
 one. They will be a swift witness against 
 you in that day, if you die in your pre- 
 sent condition. Are there not others who
 
 THOMAS T . THOMASON. 121 
 
 have declined from the ways of God, who 
 neither have the comfort they once en- 
 joyed, nor do they manifest the same 
 fruitfulnesG ? I am sure there is a marked 
 difference in their attendance at the house 
 of God. They used to attend both on 
 Sundays and week days. Now they only 
 come on Sundays, and very often but 
 once on that blessed day.' " 
 
 Among the services which his congre- 
 gation remembered with gratitude, they 
 mentioned the following : — " On your 
 first arrival amongst us, you commenced 
 a round of pastoral visits to the families 
 of many of the old church congregation. 
 These parochial visits led to the adoption 
 of social worship amongst families wher^ 
 such a practice had not been observed 
 before, whilst they added fresh fervour 
 and earnestness amongst those with whom 
 family worship had been already esta- 
 blished. And we have heard that your 
 first visit of this kind to one of your old 
 L
 
 122 THE LIFE OF 
 
 • church congregation and his family, — on 
 an occasion when you selected, for the 
 meditation of the evening, the fourth 
 chapter of St John's gospel, wherein is 
 recorded the story of the woman of 
 Samaria coming to Jacob's well, to draw 
 water, and the conference she had with 
 our Saviour, — has been remembered with 
 thankfulness in that family to this day. 
 
 "We cannot omit noticing another 
 branch of your early labours on your 
 first arrival in Calcutta. We allude to 
 your catechetical lectures to the younger 
 part of your flock, on a Saturday even- 
 ing. Numbers of your juvenile disciples 
 (most of whom have now grown to years 
 of discretion) have profited by your in- 
 structions to them, and through Divine 
 grace the good seed sown has not been 
 unproductive, but brought forth fruit unto 
 repentance and to a godly life ; some a 
 hundred fold, some sixty, and some thirty. 
 ".You have been a foster-father to them,
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 123 
 
 and they duly appreciate your tender 
 solicitude towards their spiritual welfare 
 and eternal interests." 
 
 In the conclusion of the letter his peo- 
 ple said : — " And now, belgved and dear 
 sir, we bid you an affectionate farewell 
 a farewell which is poignantly felt in the 
 very inmost recesses of our hearts. In 
 the year 1808 you came to us, and now 
 in this year 1826, you are about to depart 
 from us ! May he who ' manages the 
 seas' conduct the Thomas Grenville with 
 safety to her destined haven, and may 
 yourself and your dear wife, who has 
 verily been a Dorcas amongst us, full of 
 good works and alms-deeds which she 
 has done, be conveyed speedily into the 
 bosom of your revered mother, and all 
 near and dear to you in your native land. 
 Should you again come back to us (which 
 God grant that you may) how many will 
 you not miss ! Many who have walked 
 with you in the house of God, and taken 
 sweet counsel together, will have gone
 
 124 THE LIFE OF 
 
 before us to the heavenly Jerusalem, 
 where ministers and people will one day 
 all surround the throne of Him that sit- 
 teth upon the throne and of the Lamb 
 for ever. Should it be otherwise, we en- 
 treat your prayers for us, that ' our con- 
 versation be as it beeometh the gospel of 
 Christ, that whether you come and see us, 
 or else be absent, you may hear of our 
 affairs, that we stand fast in one spirit, 
 with one mind, striving together in the 
 faith of the gospel.' " 
 
 The congregation also lost a valuable 
 friend in parting with Mrs. Thomason. 
 She was kind and affectionate to all, and 
 spent much time in works of benevolence. 
 She took great interest in the orphan asy- 
 lum, and had the principal charge of the 
 management of the house, and it was re- 
 marked that no institution existed any- 
 where in which the arrangements were 
 more excellent for the comfort and wel- 
 fare, both temporal and spiritual, of the 
 nmates.
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 125 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 Mr. Thomason left Calcutta with his 
 wife in February, 1826, but they had not 
 been many weeks at sea before her illness 
 increased so much, that it was evident she 
 could not reach her home. She died in 
 the vessel, and was buried in the sea. 
 
 Three days before her death she ex 
 pressed to her husband a hope that God 
 vv^ould spare her, that she might continue 
 to be a comfort to her husband, and to 
 bring up her children : but when Mr. 
 Thomason said, " But what if it should 
 please him to dispose otherwise?" she 
 answered, "Then his will be done !" Be- 
 fore she was confined to bed she was 
 fond of reading hymns aloud. Reading 
 the hymn beginning — 
 
 O God, our help in ages past. 
 
 Our hope for years to come, 
 Our shelter from the stormy blast, 
 
 And our eternal home, 
 l2
 
 126 THE LIFE OF 
 
 she was very much affected ; but when she 
 came to this verse, — 
 
 In every scene of life and death 
 
 Thy promise is our trust, 
 And this shall be our children's song, 
 
 When we are cold in dust, 
 
 she was overcome. She thought of the 
 children she was going to leave behind 
 her. Who can describe the love of a 
 mother ? Who of the readers of this 
 book feel that they have loved and 
 honoured their mothers as they ought ? 
 Who are following their pious advice, 
 and seeking the blessing of God ?* She 
 became so low that it was difficult to con- 
 verse. All that her husband could do 
 w^as to read to her short portions of Scrip- 
 ture, and pray with her. When asked if 
 the Saviour comforted her, she answered, 
 " He does." Her countenance showed 
 
 • If any reader wishes to see the tenderness of a 
 mother illustrated, and the dreadful nature and conse- 
 quences of disobedience and want of affection shown, 
 let him read " The Only Son," pubUshed by the Am. 
 S. S. Union.
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 127 
 
 that she spent much time in earnest 
 prayer. " On Saturday evening/* said 
 Mr. Thomason, writing to his son in 
 India, " her precious remains were com- 
 mitted to the deep. The evening was 
 still, and all was solemn ; the service was 
 read by dear S , whose brotherly ten- 
 derness and sympathy I cannot adequately 
 describe. Being myself overwhelmed by 
 the bereavement, I was unable to perform 
 that last service ; but I saw from a dis- 
 tance the coffin dropped into the sea, and 
 heard the words, ' We commit her body 
 to the deep, to be turned into corruption, 
 looking for the resurrection of the body 
 (when the sea shall give up her dead), and 
 the life of the world to come, through our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, who at his coming shall 
 change our vile body, that it may be like 
 unto his glorious body, according to the 
 mighty working, whereby he is able to 
 subdue all things to himself.' 0, my be- 
 loved boy, I cannot tell you the consola 
 tion afforded by that hope. I earnestly
 
 128 THE LIFE OF 
 
 trust it will be as a healing balm to yom 
 own heart" 
 
 On his arrival in England, Mr. Thoma- 
 son found his mother still living, and she 
 had the happiness of seeing her son, from 
 whom she had been separated eighteen 
 years. After visiting his friends, Mr. 
 Thomason, finding that he might be use- 
 fully employed in Cheltenham, took charge 
 of a church there. All his children were 
 once more collected around him ; his son 
 having also returned from India. Whilst 
 at Cheltenham, he was active in his efibrts 
 to promote the interests of the people of 
 India. He held a monthly meeting in 
 aid of the missionary society, and was 
 engaged in other ways in endeavouring 
 to spread the gospel through the whole 
 world 
 
 But he found that he could not do as 
 much good in this way as by living among 
 the heathen themselves, and felt it to be 
 his duty to return to Calcutta. It was, 
 indeed, a severe trial to leave his motli
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 129 
 
 and friends once more, and probably never 
 to see them again, and to take his children 
 from the comforts and advantages of home ; 
 but he knew he must not let such feelings 
 prevent him from doing his duty, and ac- 
 cordingly offered himself, in 1828, to be 
 sent to his former station. As he ob- 
 served, " I clearly see the path of duty. 
 If God be our God, he can and will make 
 up every loss. I desire to make him my 
 dwelling-place, and to expect all happi- 
 ness and strength from him." He paid 
 a visit to Cambridge, the scene of so many 
 interesting events in his life, and a person 
 who was in the university at the time has 
 given the following account of it. 
 
 " During Mr. Thomason's last visit to 
 Cambridge, about twenty under-graduates 
 were invited to join a farewell party to 
 him at the Rev. H. Parish's rooms. After 
 breakfast he spent an hour in giving us a 
 view of the preparatory studies, the duties, 
 privations, and joys of a chaplain and of a 
 missionary in India. Most of us, 1 b^-
 
 130 THE LIFE OF 
 
 lieve, must date any distinct ideas we may 
 have on the subject from that conversa- 
 tion. His graphic views of the necessi 
 ties of India — his statements from expe- 
 rience of the blessedness of the work, 
 kindled a missionary flame in many ; 
 whilst his solemn warnings against secu- 
 larity of motive, and unadvised hasti- 
 ness in deciding, were well fitted to damp 
 any thing of mere animal fervour, or tem- 
 porary excitement. 
 
 "When about to part, the Rev. W 
 
 B took his hand and said, ' Christian 
 
 brother, we bid you God speed,' and gave 
 him a parting blessing. Mr. T. shook 
 each of us by the hand, and said, * I know 
 not your faces, but I shall be glad to see 
 you in India ; or, if not in India, I shall 
 hope to meet and recognise all of you in 
 that great day.' 
 
 " Few of us will forget his countenance 
 at the close of our meeting. Two of the 
 party have since gone to India as chap- 
 lains ; but they did not see Mr.Thomason "
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 131 
 
 He left England in the summer of 
 1828, two years after his arrival there, 
 taking with him a wife whom he married 
 there. After a passage of about four 
 months, he reached Calcutta. 
 
 But soon after his arrival, he began to 
 suffer from the dropsy. He appeared to 
 be cured of this disease, but was reduced 
 so low by the remedies that it was neces- 
 sary for him to take a voyage to recover 
 his strength. He accordingly sailed for 
 Mauritius, in the isle of France. The 
 use of sickness and suffering to a Chris- 
 tian may be seen by reading Mr. Thoma- 
 son's expressions at this time. They are 
 in a letter to his mother written from the 
 ship in which he was sailing from Calcutta. 
 
 " Through these painful months I have 
 been much exercised in mind ; and when 
 in the near prospect of eternity, could at 
 no time rise to any great joy. My soul, 
 through the mercy of God, could cast it- 
 self upon the Saviour, and there repose. 
 But oh ! how in the retrospect of my
 
 132 THE LIFE OF 
 
 past life, did I see cause to weep ; and in 
 what an affecting manner were the sins 
 of my youth and more advanced age set 
 before me ! How was I shocked at the 
 foolish chattering, and the defiled super- 
 ficial statements with which the deep 
 things of God had been handled ! Very 
 great and glorious they then appeared to 
 me, and I pray that the impression may 
 be deep and permament. I seemed to 
 have heard of God only with the hearing 
 of the ear, and now that mine eye saw 
 him more nearly, I abhorred myself. 
 During this whole season of suffering, 
 great was the mercy of God to me. The 
 attendance of my wife and children was 
 most touching ; and the keen solicitude 
 expressed by the members of the congre- 
 gation was soothing to the heart. Though 
 I felt myself to be utterly unworthy of 
 their love, yet I could not but consider it 
 as an evidence that my labour had not 
 been altogether vain. I could appeal to 
 the heart-searching God as to the sincerity
 
 THOMAS T. THOMASON. 133 
 
 of my heart, in desiring rather to be taken 
 away at once, than to go on in the same 
 superficial, unprofitable way I had hitherto 
 done. If it please him to restore me to 
 work, I pray that the fruit of this visi- 
 tation may appear. Little did I think 
 when I last wrote from this neighbour 
 hood, that I should so soon be compelled 
 to retrace my steps. It seemed on reach- 
 ing the sand-heads, and hearing of the 
 state of things, that I had come back to 
 Calcutta in the very moment of time, that 
 nothing could be more seasonable, nothing 
 more indicative of providential guidance ; 
 that I was, in short, just the person that 
 was wanted to fill up the gap. Thou 
 blind fool, said God, go back again, and 
 know that my work wants you not. So 
 I interpret the providence by which I am 
 sent back from the place to which my 
 heart had clung. God will do his work 
 with hallowed instruments. I pray that 
 he may sanctify and make me meet for 
 his work, and feel that he is righteous in 
 M
 
 134 THE LIFE OF 
 
 all his ways, and holy in all his works. 
 In the retirement of this cabin, I trust the 
 Lord will deepen his work in my heart." 
 The voyage lasted nine weeks, and ap- 
 peared to be of service. From the pen 
 of Mrs. Thomason we have this narrative 
 uf his employment and state of mind 
 during that time : — " He read twice over 
 the Harmony of the Gospels, which, as 
 he intently perused, he frequently said, 
 * I have been feasting on the bread of 
 life.' He appeared sometimes to be ab- 
 sent from all earthly scenes ; so elevated 
 was his soul with meditation on the bound- 
 less love of God in Christ, which was 
 heightened by a deep sense of his own 
 vileness : indeed, this characteristic much 
 increased as he ripened for glory : he 
 lamented his great defect in every rela- 
 tive duty, in his ministerial office espe- 
 cially ; and in deep humility of heart 
 used to break out in the publican's prayer, 
 and frequently said, ^ I cast myself on the 
 boundless mercy of God. I throw my
 
 TPIOMAS T. THOMASON. 135 
 
 self at my Saviour's feet; if I perish, I 
 perish there,' 
 
 " He was very earnest in his petitions 
 at the throne of grace for the spiritual 
 welfare of India, for the coming of Christ's 
 kingdom, and the fulfilment of those pro- 
 phecies relating to it. He left an affec- 
 tionate farewell to those most dear to him, 
 in the following words, — ^ To my dearest 
 mother, give my most affectionate love, 
 and may her last days be her best days. 
 To my very dear Mr. Simeon say, I feel 
 unworthy of the great love he has at all 
 times honoured me with. may his bow 
 abide in strength, and may he be, if possi- 
 ble, still more useful in his age.' " 
 
 They landed at Mauritius on the 7th 
 of June, 1829, on which day he entered 
 the fifty-sixth year of his life. From 
 that time he became worse. "On Saturday 
 morning, the 20th," says his wife, "he 
 requested me to read the appointed psalms 
 for the morning (as was my frequent 
 custom), the first of which being the
 
 136 THE LIFE or 
 
 102d, he said, * How descriptive of my 
 case.' On Sunday he had a very suffer- 
 ing day, but his mind was composed, he 
 was quite sensible his end was approach- 
 ing, and his frequent prayer was for pa- 
 tience : yet indeed he was an example of 
 patient suffering : towards the evening 
 I perceived evident signs of approaching 
 dissolution, and therefore requested a 
 Christian friend to be with me at the 
 closing scene ; he can bear witness with 
 myself, to the firm faith and strong hope 
 which disarmed death of its sting, and 
 shed a holy quiet and peace around. 
 
 " Many sweet expressions we heard 
 from his dying lips, in the midst of severe 
 bodily agony, such as the following : 
 * This is a dark valley, but there 's light 
 at the end.' ' Thanks be unto God for 
 his unspeakable gift' ' Lord Jesus, re- 
 ceive my spirit' ' Lord give me patience, 
 may patience have its perfect work.' 
 'When thou hadst overcome the sharp- 
 ness of death, thou didst open the king-
 
 THOxMAS T. THOMASON. 137 
 
 dom of heaven to all believers.' About 
 three o'clock in the morning, he inquired 
 -what time it was, and when told, he re- 
 plied, ^ I thought I should have been far 
 away before this.' " The last words that 
 he uttered were in reply to his wife, who, 
 observing that his last moment was near, 
 said, " The Lord is coming quickly.'^ 
 when he said, " I hope so." He died on 
 the 21st of June. 
 
 And now that my young reader has 
 finished the book, I would ask, has it 
 done you any good ? Do you love the 
 character of Mr. Thomason ? Do you 
 love him because he was a Christian ? 
 If so, why do you not love Christ, who 
 was the author of all that was good or 
 lovely in him, and therefore ought to be 
 loved most ? 
 
 Do you think that if you were very 
 ill, you would be glad to be told that you
 
 138 LIFE OF THOMASON. 
 
 were about to die ? Would you be will 
 ing to say, " I hope so V^ Do you think 
 you would go to Christ if you did die ? 
 
 These are solemn questions, and God 
 knows how you do, or ought to, answer 
 them in truth. Mr. Thomason began to 
 serve God in his childhood. Before he 
 was nine years old he loved prayer better 
 than amusement, and desired that others 
 should be as happy as himself. With 
 these feelings he grew up, and the Lord 
 enabled him to be useful to many souls, 
 and although he is now dead, he may be 
 useful to your souls by this life that you 
 have read. Pray to God that it may be 
 so ! May he grant your prayer, for 
 Jesus' sake. 
 
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