OBITUARY.

A Brief Account of the Melancholy Event, which lately occurred at Rochester Bridge, (on the River Medway, England.)

ON Friday, the 13th of September, 1816, Thomas, son of the late Mr. Gilbert, of Chatham, having attained his twenty-first year, a party was formed to enjoy the pleasure of a fine afternoon in a water excursion: it consisted of a gentleman, his wife and child, and 12 other young persons, from 6 to 21 years of age.

The party walked to Rochester about three o'clock, and took the water above bridge, from whence they proceeded up the river, and went as far as Halling, where they passed the afternoon, in the most social and harmless hilarity; little anticipating the fatal doom which so speedily awaited them; and, after taking tea, reentered their boat, in order to return. On leaving Halling, they passed away the time, and amused themselves by singing hymns, as the boat glided down the stream. On approaching Rochester Bridge, many persons were arrested in their progress, and stopped to listen to the joyous harmony of the happy party, rendered more melodious by the serenity of the evening. It was particularly remarked, that the hymn they were singing, as they approached the fatal spot, was that interesting piece which concludes with the following verse.

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"The hour is near, consign'd to death,

I own the just decree;

Saviour! with my last parting breath,

I'll cry remember me."

This was their theme when they approached the bridge. The boat shot under the arch with the velocity of lightning, the tide. being about half ebb, at which time it dashes through the arches of the bridge with immense force, and the deepest fall of about four feet. In a moment a sudden crash was heard, and one general heart-piercing shriek of agony announced to the trembling passengers above, the dreadful work of desolation. A beam, at that time about a foot under water, against which the boat had struck, was the cause of the accident. On looking over the balustrades, thing was seen but the boat driving impetuously over the boiling surges, with its keel upwards, and a little dog which was fastened to it by a string. Nothing was heard but the roaring of the waters. Thus, in a moment, were engulphed fifteen persons, who, in the innocent enjoyment of that pleasure which youth, health, and religion bestows, were suddenly consigned to a watery grave. Not one was sayed-every soul instantaneously perished.

The arch which they entered was under repair; and the workmen, on the morning of that day, had placed a piece of fir-timber, about twelve inches square, from one starling to the other; and secured it with cleets and chains. As the tide rose it was hid from sight, and the waterman had gone over it in the afternoon in going up the river, without perceiving it.

To attempt to describe the agonizing feelings of the families and friends of the unfortunate sufferers would be as vain, as the tearless agony of parental affection, searching all night in a solitary boat to discover the remains of a beloved daughter. The breathless anxiety for hoped-for intelligence, but too frequently disappointed, together with the despair produced by the certainty of their fate, may be conceived, but defies description. The bereaved Mrs. Gilbert, aged 64, is by this afflictive dispensation deprived of ALL her family!-two daughters, her son, granddaughter, and son-in-law, all that remained to console her widowed heart-all--all is lost.

To expatiate at length upon the characters of the individuals who were so fatally and so prematurely lost to society, would be to castigate the feelings of the reader. They were all respectable, chaste, worthy, and devout members of the community-and the remembrance of their virtues will be cherished by their friends, as long as "memory holds its seat." But we cannot dismiss this notification without alluding most particularly to Mr. Mills; who united every qualification which adorns the Christian and the man. He was alike pious, humane, philanthropic, and generous ;-but expressions of our feelings or regrets, will not reduce the calamity: -we only hope that the Divine lesson it teaches, will have a profitaole influence upon mankind: for a Divine lesson it may truly be called!-It piously refreshens the remembrance of what we are all too apt to forget the mutability of human life. It forcibly awakens our recollection of the very frail tenure upon which we hold our existence in this world; it has the most powerful claims upon our best feelings and strongest affections; and whilst it affords an additional proof of the uncertainty of worldly things, we hope it will also prove a salutary beacon-that mankind, not knowing how soon they may be snatched from this world, may ever be prepared to depart from it; that those unfortunate schisms which so frequently embroil society, may be averted; and that the differences which so often tear asunder the closest ties of relations, families, and friends, may be healed or prevented, by a constant recollection of Rochester Bridge !

NEW BIBLE SOCIETIES.

A Bible Society was some time since formed in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and another in Delaware County, Pa. auxiliary to the Bible Society of Philadelphia.

A Bible Society was also formed in December at Somerville, N. Jersey, Auxiliary to the New-Jersey Bible Society.

A Bible Society was formed in November last at Detroit, (Michigan TerriLory) Auxiliary to the American Bible Society.-Governour Lewis Cass is President, and Rev. John Monteath Corresponding Secretary.

A Bible Society was likewise formed at Bardstown, (Kentucky) auxiliary to the National Society.

The Female Bible Society of Rahway, (N. J.) has also recently declare itself Auxiliary to the same.

These make the number of Auxiliaries-70.

THE

CHRISTIAN HERALD.

VOL. II.]

Saturday, January 18, 1817.

[No. 17.

[In our last Number we gave the account of the origin and formation of the AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR EVANGELIZING THE JEWs, ordered to be published. We now insert the Address of the Society to the public.]

ADDRESS.

WHETHER WE contemplate, dear Brethren, the general signs of the times in which we live, or the particular providences which have recently occurred in this city, and which have marked the case before us, does it not appear that we are called to do something in favour of the Jews?

That we are not destitute of encouragement, nay, that we are in duty bound to make the attempt, will, we think, appear from various and important considerations.

The restoration of that people to the Lord is positively contemplated and predicted in numerous prophecies.

Encouraged by this circumstance, the Church of God has never ceased, either before or since the destruction of Jerusalem, to offer prayer for them, and that to an extent which has not yet been, but will most assuredly be answered. They are also certainly included in the general còmmission, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature."

It is also believed, that there is nothing in their political, moral, or religious character at the present day, which presents a more formidable barrier to the spread of the Gospel among them, than when it was first propagated among them by the disciples of the Lord. Although to effect their conversion we have not the Spirit of God in his supernatural and miraculous works, yet we have him in the word of his grace, which is the power of God unto salvation, and in those Almighty operations of his providence upon the minds of men, by which he still conquers and subdues the most untractable and unyielding. Their civil relation to the inhabitants of this country is supposed to be favourable to the object we have in view; so far from being treated amongst us with insult and injury, as in other lands, they have enjoyed equal privileges with their fellow citizens: This circumstance ought to soften, and probably has softened, their prejudices against the Christians of these United States.

Although we recognize with pleasure that the Jews have suffered no immediate or direct persecution at our hands, yet we may not, and dare not assert, that they have never suffered at the hands of our forefathers. For this, so far as we have it in our power, we owe them reparation.

But is it not a fact, brethren, that the Jews have strong claims upon us on the score of gratitude? Were not the oracles of the living God in the first instance committed to that people? Have they not been the honoured instruments of preserving and handing down to us Gentiles those precious and uncontaminated records? To whom pertained "the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises," but to that people? Is it not true that of them were the fathers, and of them as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Rom. 9. 4. 5. Is not that nation rendered illustrious above all others, by that single circumstance of the descent from them according to the flesh, of Messiah, that great Prince; that Almighty conqueror; that eternal Saviour? And who were the first Heralds of the glorious Gospel of the blessed God to the perishing nations? Who were Peter, and James, and John, and Paul, with their noble minded associates? Were they not Jews? These were the men who fully calculating upon the loss of all that is deemed valuable on earth, took their lives in their hands, and impelled by resistless love and zeal for their master's bonour, and the souls of men, broke in upon that horrid darkness which overshadowed the nations.

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But for their efforts, their intrepidity, their tears, and groans, and blood, we might, humanly speaking, have been to this day, worshipping with horrid rites the gods of our idolatrous ancestors. As, then, the blessings of the Gospel we enjoy are of incalculable worth, we owe an unextinguishable debt of gratitude to the Jews, from whose hands we have received them. But there is another plea which must be offered on this subject, of no less .weight than the former. It is the strong plea of humanity.

"If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, this plea will not, and cannot be unavailing. How many millions of that people are scattered at this day among the nations of the world? The dreadful imprecation "His blood be on us and on our children," Matt. 27, has been heard and answered. In some instances they are either wholly or partially deprived of their own Scriptures, and in others incredibly ignorant of their contents. We may fairly presume that with the New Testament, which is founded upon and indissolubly connected with the Old, the great body of that people are almost wholly unacquainted. Infidelity in their own Scriptures is said to abound among them to an alarming extent, and is connected of course with corresponding Jaxness of morals. Though arr aigned and condemned before the bag

of God, and of their own consciences, as sinners, yet by the deeds of the law they still hope to be justified before God. The punishment of sin, if admitted at all, is supposed to extend only to this life, or at most to a future purgatory, in which personal suffering is to commute for transgression, and to make atonement for crime.

In vain do we look in their religious rites for that warm and devotional spirit which characterized the worship of their pious fathers. It is said, and we believe they have not been slandered, that their religious exercises are scarcely conducted with the form. much less with the spirit, of devotion.

The female character among them holds a station far inferior to that which it was intended to occupy by the God of nature and of providence; and their children, where semblance of regard is still preserved for ancient institutions, are in many instances taught to contemn and to blaspheme that worthy name which is connected with all that is valuable in life or cheering in death. Are the eyes of any of them partially opened to the truth? Do they discover a disposition to fly to the banners of the despised Nazarene? What contempt do they not experience? What opposition do they not encounter from their associates? What strong appeals are made, not to their reason, nor to the Scriptures, but to the love of kindred, to early attachments, and to their fears? These appeals, followed by corresponding acts, are certainly calculated in ordinary cases to arrest further inquiry, and to blast in its first appearance the very germ of hope. In this description of the Jews it will be remembered that we are speaking in general terms. We do not by any means intend to say, that all which is here stated will apply to every individual and family among them: -we still hope better things of some of them, and especially ot that part of the nation which is resident in this country. We believe, however, as a general statement, that what has been said of them is strictly correct.

Under these awful circumstances generation after generation are descending to the tomb, and entering the eternal world. How thick, how strong, how dreadful is the veil that is upon their hearts! and shall no effort be made by us to rend it? Shall they be suffered to perish before our eyes, and no attempt made to pluck them from the burning? Is not their situation calculated to excite our sympathy and call forth our exertions? And shall we slumber in apathy over their tremendous misery?

Can we behold a Jew without emotions of compassion, or contemplate his situation, without pain? If so, how can we flatter ourselves that we possess the spirit of our Master, or of the friends of our Master? Do we remember how he, the Lord Jesus, laboured among them? Do we remember his prayer for them on the Cross? Have we buried in oblivion the transactions of the day of Pentecost? Thousands on that memorable day, whose hands