the villages, in consequence of the men being engaged in the service of Government, at Urabokke, reconstructing the dam which some time since was carried away by the inundation. In other respects, our work continues according to my former letters. I may also observe, that at Patagama, sickness has prevailed so as to cause almost a suspension of teaching in the school: the Master has been dangerously ill; and is now very slowly recovering. Under these circumstances, I became rather anxious to know whether they had, according to former customs, had recourse to devil-ceremonies; and am happy to state, that, so far as my inquiries have gone, it appears they have not been performed. I will endeavour to ascertain further; and shall regard it as no small proof of the success of our Mission in that place, if I find that they have abstained from this prevalent superstition. As the sickness abates, I expect our work will resume its usual activity. In the town of Matura nothing interesting has occurred. The Sunday-evening congregation remains as usual, and those who attend appear to hear with attention. The rains have not prevented us from taking steps to establish our cause at the new station, Goddapitiya. A small house has been procured, the repairs of which will be finished in a few days, and Mr. de Sylva will immediately occupy it. It has a bad character, being reputed to be haunted; but the natives are impressed with the idea that evil spirits cannot exercise their power over real Christians, and they therefore expect Mr. de Sylva will not experience any inconvenience. I hope this impression will be strengthened, and lead them to take refuge in the Saviour, that they may be delivered from the evil one. The country appears to be more populous than was first reported; and some large vil lages seem to be without any religion. The temple is not well attended, although the established system is Buddhism. It would be premature to express expectation of success; but the field appears to be highly worthy of Missionary culture. Under all the circumstances of the case, I think it will be advisable to do more than was agreed upon at the DistrictMeeting. The arrangement then made was, to send an Assistant alone; but in the midst of so many villages he would be able to do but little: I am therefore arranging to send up a Catechist also. Don Simon, whom you all well know, has cheerfully engaged to go there for six months, and, at the expiration of that time, if our expectations succeed, to remove his family also. This will weaken me much at Matura; but with the assistance of the Student, David, I hope to be able fully to attend to this neighbourhood. Mr. de Hoedt's attention will be confined, in a great measure, to his own Circuit of Dondra and Pata gama, with the adjacent villages; the work there being quite as much as any one man can attend to. As our Missionary operations at Goddapitiya will com mence within another fortnight, I hope in my next letter to be able to day before you something interesting. It is a decided attack upon the enemy's camp; the place being the abode of the Naiaks, or head Priest of the District. At Belligam, I am thankful to say, we have rather encouraging prospects. Mr. Poulier, the late Student, is indefa tigable in visiting from house to house, and distributing tracts. The latter are not given, but lent, and when read are replaced by new ones: by this means it is ascertained that they are not destroyed or neglected, as is too frequently the case. The congregation, although not large, is steady, and gradually increas ing. The native male class now contains fifteen members, being an increase of four since the beginning of the year. The female Burgher class there remains as before. We have in contemplation to re-organize the girls' school in that place, but the arrangements are not yet completed; yet they are such as to afford some hope of success. The school at Pellane has been given up, owing to the continued bad attendance of the chil dren. That bane of all good, an arrack distillery, ruins the morals of the whole neighbourhood, the inhabitants being represented as bees, having their heads always in the toddy-pots. Instead of this school, the one we formerly had at Dennipitiya is being re-established, which had been discontinued upon the removalsť the Assistant-Missionary from Belligam, in consequence of our inability to visit the village. This is obviated now that Mr. Poulier is stationed there; and there is hope, both of a tolerable school and a good congregation. He has also suc ceeded in establishing a weekly prayer meeting, in private houses; which, ! trust, will prove a blessing to neigh bourhood. In these respects the pros pects are pleasing. Belligam has long proved barren ground; but I hope it will now, in some degree, yield fruit. My station thus contains four Circuits; May God grant us an outpouring of his all of which will, I trust, be well worked. Holy Spirit ! MISSIONS IN CONTINENTAL INDIA. THE accounts which the Committee continue to receive from this important section of the Mission field are of a most encouraging nature. They are thankful to state that Mr. Crowther's health is fully restored. Letters have been received from him to the date of the 30th of August, when he was maturing his plans for the further efficiency of the Mission, and purposing to visit some of the distant stations, when the rainy season should have elapsed. The subjoined letters show that even the moderate scale of operation which the Committee have long authorized in the Madras and Canarese Districts cannot be efficiently worked without an increase of Missionaries, and consequently an increase of expenditure. Prayer that God would raise up suitable labourers for this part of his vineyard, and Christian liberality in providing the means for their support, are equally and urgently enforced upon us by these communications. It is scarcely necessary to recommend them to the attentive perusal of our subscribers and friends. MADRAS.-Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Jonathan Crowther, dated July 23d, 1838. I HEAR encouraging accounts from Bangalore, Goobee, Manaargoody, and Negapatam. I have been anxiously expecting to receive an answer to the remarks con·tained in our District-Minutes, of which an extract was sent to you by the overland dispatch, on the subject of our im. mediate occupation of Mysore. Mr. Hodson is now pressing me on that point; and is joined by all the brethren in that neighbourhood, in his request for 'the appointment forthwith of a Missionary to that city. The proposition which they make is, that Mr. Hodson go to Mysore with one of the Assistant-Missionaries from Bangalore; the other appointments standing as they do at present. I think that, under these circumstances, the thing must be attempted; only we must have, by the next DistrictMeeting, the re-inforcement expected from England. Your silence on that subject makes us a little afraid that the men are not forthcoming. Since I last wrote, the disorder with which I was afflicted on landing, assumed an alarming character, so that I was compelled to leave my family and my work, and take a temporary residence in Nungumbaukum, for the purpose of being perfectly retired and quiet. The case was very obstinate in the first instance, but has ultimately yielded to the means employed to subdue it. One of these means, which I regret to say has been found absolutely necessary and only just sufficient, has been an entire release from public service for upwards of two months. During that time my place has been well supplied by Mr. Griffith, whom Mr. Hardy sent up to me at my request, and who has not only kept up the congregation, but added considerably to its number. It would greatly serve our cause, as well as gratify myself, if he were appointed at an early period-as my Assistant in this Circuit, The thing that I should wish, if it might only be accomplished, would be, that there should be three European Missionaries at Madras. ⠀⠀MANAARGOODY.-Extract of a Letter from the Rev. James K, Best, dated May 1st, 1838. IN our voyage out we had nothing very particular, excepting at its termination. Mrs. Best suffered considerably from sea-sickness. I was very sick the first week or two, but afterwards not so much so; though when the vessel had much motion, I generally felt qualmish. We were very seldom interrupted in our Tamul studies during the voyage; and I think we made some improvement. We found Mr. Crowther a valuable companion in these engagements. I had a Tamul sermon, as I thought, nearly ready, and had been making some additions and corrections a short time before our vessel struck; but this was of no use to me, as such was the confusion and hurry in which we were, when we found our vessel was a wreck, that I forgot my Tamul work just then, and was glad to reach Madras, which I did with scarcely anything but a change of apparel. I had to begin afresh, and in one week managed to have a sermon in Tamul ready for the following Sabbath. I am now applying myself to the study of the language as a chief pursuit, though I frequently devote my evenings to visiting the surrounding villages; where I distribute tracts, converse with the people through an interpreter, and have already made arrangements for establishing several schools. The ignorance of the natives of the villages I have visited is most deplorable, and makes the necessity of schools very apparent. I have met with great encouragement, so far, from the headmen, when I have proposed a school, and have the promise of their assistance. I hope they will continue in the same mind. As to the instructions I received in Tamul while in London, duty requires that I express my gratitude, and assure you that they have been of great use to me since. I am now reading Tamul regularly with my moonshee, and com posing a little. I have not been able to obtain a Christian moonshee. The one I have is a Heathen, but I think a respect. able Tamul scholar: his knowledge of English is only moderate, but sufficient for the purpose of answering my ques tions concerning any difficulties which I meet with in the course of reading or composition. In addition to reading the Tamal prayers in the school-room in Manaargoody every Sabbath, I have my servants called in every morning to family prayer, when I read the Scriptures and suitable prayers in Tamul, that by this means, as well as others, I may become more fami liar with the language of the people for whose benefit I have been sent to this place. I am not at all disappointed with my field of labour, which is both large and open: hitherto I have had unre stricted access to the people wherever! have gone. But I often think, and sometimes say, "What am I among so many thousand idolaters?" I hope you will be able to send us more help very soon. I feel happy and contented in my work; yet I should be more so if I could see the "arm of the Lord revealed" in the real conversion of those who often hear his word, and appear very attentive. May the Lord hasten the time when this shall be the case! BANGALORE.-Extract of a Letter from the Rev. John Jenkins, dated HAVING lately paid a visit to Goobee, my intended station, and it being now nearly time for me to write to you again, I think that an account thereof, show ing our prospects in Goobee and its neighbourhood, will not be uninteresting to you. June 2d. This morning at half-past five o'clock, I accompanied Mr. Hodson and our two Assistant-Missionaries to the town of Goobee, which contains from five to six thousand inhabitants. The people appear to be very ignorant, but are quite willing to hear the truth. About thirty or forty collected together, and listened with some attention to the sound of the Gospel. They were addressed in succession by Messrs. Franklin, Webber, and Hodson; each of whom spoke for some time extempore, the only way in which they will willingly receive what you have to communicate. After the addresses to the people, we visited our native school in the Fort. The children get on well; and a little boy about eight years old, who I understand has not yet been in the school three months, read a portion of St. Matthew's Gospel with ease. I am much pleased with every thing that I have yet seen here; and the views which I had previously formed of Goobee as a Mission station, from the favourable reports which have been abroad concerning it, are more than con firmed. Although, however, there are these good prospects, and although we have not to contend with much Brahminical influence, yet there is a mighty mass of superstition and ignorance. But we have the Gospel, which is the power of God; and sooner or later we must conquer. Sunday, 3d.-This morning Messrs. Hodson and Webber, and I, went to that part of the town which is inhabited by shoemakers. These are not allowed to live within the walls of the town, because of their lowness of caste. They are a despised and degraded people, and most of them live in a state of great poverty. In the midst of several hundred of these people the Gospel is proclaimed every Sabbath morning; and the small square in which the Missionary takes his stand is generally filled with attentive hearers, and these not persons who drop in accidentally, but stated hearers. This morning we had about eighty, of whom half at least were women. They were more than willing, they were pleased, to hear. The order of the service was as follows:Mr. Hodson read a portion of Scripture, and addressed the people for a short time: I read another portion, and gave a short address; very imperfectly, of course, because extempore; yet thankfully, for it is misery to be in India without saying something to the people about their souls' salvation. Mr. Webber, who has now made very respectable progress in the Canarese language, concluded. I have not seen so interesting a spectacle since I have been in India. Glory be to God for our prospects! Who that believes the promises of God can doubt that this simple method of preaching Christ Jesus, even to the dark and benighted people of India, will succeed? The seed thus cast upon the waters shall doubtless be seen, though it may be many days hence, bringing forth fruit, some thirty fold, some sixty, and it may be even an hundredfold. A Tamul service was conducted by Mr. Franklin at ten o'clock: about twelve were present. At five in the afternoon, we all paid another visit. to the Pettah; when we again had a good congregation, it being market-day. There was not so much attention manifested as there was in the morning; though, for a heathen congregation in the open air, they were very orderly. At seven o'clock I addressed the Mission families in. English, and afterwards administered the sacrament: we were seven in number. The Lord was present with us to bless our souls, and to encourage us in our work. Thus the Sabbath is usually spent at Goobee; one of the most interesting stations that have yet been occupied. RECENT MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. HAYTI. After an absence of about seven weeks, near four of which have been spent in travelling, I, a few days since, returned from my long and dangerous but pleasingly successful journey to Samana. I found our far-distant society there in a much better state than their great lack of means had allowed me to hope. They were indeed doing well; and the success I had the happiness to experience among them was an ample recompence for all the toils and hazards of my unprecedent edly difficult journey. In addition to renewing the tickets of thirty members, I admitted twenty-seven on trial; and more appeared to be making the resolution to give themselves to the Lord. When shall all Hayti be made willing to embrace the Gospel like these? and when shall these have their ardent desire gratified, and earnest prayers answered, by one being sent to administer statedly the words of life?-Rev. John Tindall, Cape-Haytien, June 23d, 1838. TONGATABOO.-King George is at present here on a visit: he arrived on the 5th instant. His fleet consists of twenty-three double canoes. The Heathen remain quiet, and appear very humble. The King has visited some of the heathen fortresses; but they are so frightened, that some of them have requested him not to visit their fortresses. brought very handsome presents to some of the heathen Chiefs; but nothing seems to make impression on their He minds, so awfully abandoned and hard- Rev. C. Tucker, Nukualofa, Tongataboo, December 14th, 1837. WESTERN AFRICA. The society, I am happy to inform you, is in a prosperous condition, and daily increasing in number. The Sabbath-school is exceedingly well attended, and continually increasing in number. I am happy in informing you, that I have at last succeeded in putting on the roof of the chapel, a work which some almost feared would never be accomplished. The natives are continually looking at the roof with admiration and astonishment, having never seen any thing like it before. The walls of the chapel are nineteen feet high; and, as I could not wait long enough to obtain scaffolding, on account of the near approach of the rainy season, the only thing I had to supply the place of a scaffold was a short ladder, with eighteen staves to it. On every side I find things to pain and distress my mind. Here are several places continually sending demands for Teachers and Missionaries, from twenty to eighty miles around me; and I scarcely know what to do for them. Rev. Thomas Freeman, Winnebah, near Cape-Coast, Western Africa, May 8th, 1838. BAHAMAS. Since this day week about one thousand captured Africans have landed on our rocky shores. Mr. West and myself went yesterday on board Her Majesty's brig Sappho, which brought in one of the slavers. Mr. Thompson, the surgeon, kindly accompanied us on board the slave-ship. Here I had an opportunity of reading over, if I may so speak, a volume which I had often before heard and read of, but with feelings very different from those which the real volume produced, I can assure you. The vessel appeared to me as a floating coffin of more than ordinary dimensions, but recently emptied of dry bones, now re-animated and caused to perform their accustomed functions by the breath of the Lord through British instrumentality. As I climbed up the sides I could not repress my mingled emotions of indignation, sorrow, and gladness. The first sight of the interior produced disgust: although in part cleansed of the pollutions of death which had only so recently reigned triumphant there, sufficient remained to make nature shudder. In one place lay a man, in form, said to have once commanded this dark receptacle of body and soul; in another place lay a heap of bars, literally once bars of death, now by the powerful hand of Mercy removed. But in looking into the place where the dead lay, neither grave-clothes nor napkin saw Iany; for they had been thrust into this hold naked and without covering. Bat their souls were cared for, and they were redeemed without money and without price of their own. On looking further around me, I saw men with open countenances, and with the emblem of hope embossed in spots of brass on their apparel, directing a company of joyful and happylooking men to convert this vile receptacle into a fit habitation for men to dwell in on the world of waters.-Rev. John Cerlett, Nassau, New-Providence, Baha mas, May 12th, 1838. ST. EUSTATIUS. Forty of our members have been removed to British Guiana; and still the stream of emi→ gration flows from these islands in that direction. The people are bought by British planters, and taken to English colonies, (chiefly to Trinidad, Babia, and Demerara,) where they land under an indenture of apprenticeship obliging them to serve till August 1st, 1840, according to certain stipulations therein contained, to which they have previously agreed. The slave population of this island are naturally anxious to escape from the miseries of their present degraded condition; and the high prices which the British speculators offer for little more than two years of their time as apprentices, are strong inducements to their owners to part with them. Many slaves have therefore been sold; and many free people have also removed to British Guiana, as indentured apprentices, but under more favourable terms; and the result is, the population of this colony has been considerably diminished. There is at present a gentleman here from Demerara, for the purpose of buying people, whose presence, as you may suppose, creates among the labouring classes a degree of excitement, and anxiety to escape from slavery. It is to be hoped that those of our members who leave this island for colonies in which we have Missions established, will join themselves to the churches there. Rev. H. Cheesbrough, St. Eustatius, April 23d, 1833. It is our painful duty to announce the death of Mrs. Bewley, the widow of the late Rev. Thomas H. Bewley, of Jamaica. She died at Kingston, on the 9th of September, not having been able to sustain the inroads made on her constitution by grief for her recent loss. A young |