any provincial tongue in much shorter time, and more correctly, in the country where it is spoken than at a distance.

As it is probable that to some persons the utility of these studies may not appear, I will give an instance of the good account to which they have been turned by a missionary in South India. Describing his distribution of religious tracts, he writes—

"The tract, No. 8, I dropped near a temple. On the day following, a large company of respectable natives, accompanied by their priest, who is a man of some learning and of great influence, came to my house, desiring an interview. The priest had found a tract, and had carefully perused it. Thinking it possible that he did not understand it, he requested me to listen to the tract, and also to his interpretation of it. Should it appear that he did not understand it, he wished to be informed: but in case he was correct in his interpretation, he had many questions to ask concerning it. The tract was read and explained by the priest (Pandâram), sentence by sentence, with a fair representation of the truths it contained. Being informed that he was correct in his explanation of the tract, he proposed seventeen questions in the presence of many people, who had assembled to hear a controversy: among which were the following queries: Why do you distribute such tracts among this people? Does not our religion teach us to be holy? Why then do you take so much trouble to tell us that which we already know? Are there not ungodly men in your own country? Why not first convert them, and then come to this

er a few days had elapsed, I sent him tracts, and 2, requesting him to read them carefully, ired him to ask of me an explanation of any e did not understand. He received them and ith the messenger to my house. At the coment of our interview, I made some remarks, ng my native country, which led him to the y that my views of the figure and motion of differed from those entertained by the Tamul -To say that the earth is globular, and has olutions as you describe, is contrary to comse. No one can believe such absurdities.' I him to listen to demonstration, to which he ch attention and manifested child-like admirthe discovery of truth. He wondered that the eople could be so blind; that common sense led them to the discovery of the truth. the subject of eclipses-he was sure he was wished to know if our astronomers do not do the Tamul people. I explained to his on and astonishment the cause of eclipseson he inquired 'Is there any connection beour religion and astronomy? can a man be

learned in your astronomy and still not be a Christian?' Being assured that there was no such connection as he apprehended, he said 'These things which you have now demonstrated delight me much; I will always come to be instructed in this manner, but beg you will never trouble me with your religion.' He desired me to introduce some other subject on which to instruct him. I did so, and continued our conversation five hours and a half. When rising to go out, he assured me that he had not language to express the pleasure he had felt in listening to so interesting subjects. He again assured me of his conviction of the truth, and in the most plain and positive language condemned Tamul astronomy, geography, &c. He also assured me that he would come often, but desired me not to bring up the Christian religion to trouble him. I assured him of my willingness to give him all the instruction I could, and as to the Christian religion had only one question to ask him. You remember that when I began to tell you respecting the form and motion of the earth, of eclipses, &c., you, without any hesitation, condemned what I advanced did you not?' 'Yes.' 'Having candidly listened to reason, you are fully convinced of your error and have condemned in toto what you have firmly believed for more than thirty years: have you not?' Yes, I have.' 'Are not your reliconnected?' There

gion and astronomy inseparably

is a very intimate connection.' 'Have you not till this day been confident that both Tamul religion and

astronomy are true?' 'Yes.' Now, as by candid attention, and fair examination of one, you have

ered it to be false, is it not possible that by a at investigation of the other, you will come to me result?' 'It is possible.' He desired me to e him, and hastened away."

language spoken at his station will be the bject of a missionary's attention, and he must o study it immediately on his arrival. This sugn was offered me by a venerable missionary fter my landing in India. He told me that he lways observed, and at that time he was of fifty years' standing in the vineyard, that those s who deferred the study of the language, either ted it altogether, or picked it up afterwards in perfunctory manner and I must confess, that n observations have abundantly confirmed the of his remark. A man soon begins to feel the ting effects of a tropical climate; and if he ot sufficient rectitude of principle and energy acter instantly to resist its influence, it will ■crease upon him, and he will very soon feel y himself incapable of exertion, and be fit for - nothing.

e anniversary of the Religious Tract Society 9, the Rev. William Jowett, of Malta, is reto have mentioned an anecdote which is so ■point, that I will here transcribe it ::ave often thought, that, for some wise pure dying moments of the Christian are atwith a perception of that which is fitting and yond what has ever attended the previous s of his life. Under the influence of this ation, I put a case to my departing brother''

G

(a fellow-labourer in the Mediterranean mission) : "I said to him, 'If a man had a great house to build, without any previous knowledge of architecture, what should he do?' The simple answer which he gave me was summed up in one short word

Begin.' Now I would say to you, in reference to the point on which I am about to address you, that every thing depends upon a proper attention to that one rule, that a good beginning constitutes more than half the work, and that an early beginning is the first duty which attaches itself to the performance of any considerable undertaking. Hence, then, I would once more call on you to remember the dying man's advice, Begin *.'"

Such is precisely the rule which I would recommend every missionary to follow, immediately on his arrival in a foreign country, in reference to the acquisition of its language-" Begin."

It will generally be advisable to confine his attention to the language of the place where he is stationed, until he has acquired it. More than this, indeed, is seldom required; and to write correctly and speak intelligibly in one foreign tongue, is as much as the generality of men can accomplish. To this I know some honourable exceptions; and if a man be unquestionably a linguist, he will find ample scope for the employment of his talent. But I sup

pose myself to be addressing those engaged in more active duties; men who have a specific end in view, the preaching of the Gospel to the heathen,

*The Record. May 11, 1829.