amined, exhibited good proficiency Mohammedan infidelity; others from in Christian knowledge, in translating the apathy and ignorance of a nothe history of England into Hindoo- minal profession, worse than heastanee, and in English grammar. thenism; all, I have much reason The Europeans are becoming in- to hope, seriously in earnest to give terested in the proceedings of the themselves to God. Our dear and society at Benares; and the city respected Bishop has left an impresschool is often visited by some of the sion behind him which, I think, will residents. Mr. Bowley continues not soon or easily pass away. Proofs the services in Hindoostanee at indeed are continually before me, Chunar. Of the Bishop's visit to that the savour of his truly Apostolic this station, the Archdeacon gives visit dwells generally in affectionate the following account:-"At Chunar, remembrance. He interested himwe beheld more than had been told self about every minute circumus. On Saturday morning, fifty- stance, accompanied me to my seven of Mr. Bowley's congregation native congregation, visited my were admitted to confirmation, to- native school, and saw and conversed gether with nearly the same number with many of the Christians who of Europeans. Next day, a still Next day, a still were introduced to him, with the greater number of native Christians affability and kindness which we had communicated, together with a large been prepared to expect. We all number of Europeans. The whole cherish the hope that the blessing had the appearance of a jubilee; of God Almighty was abundantly and the fine church, which the with him, and that the peace of God, Bishop calls handsome and appro- which he bequeathed us through priate, was entirely filled. The Jesus Christ, remains upon our Bishop preached, in English, on the souls." At Delhi, Anund Messeeh parable of the Good Samaritan; and speaks of many as favourably dishere, as at Secrole, ministered to the posed towards the Gospel. 'The native Christians in Hindoostanee." Bishop visited Agra, and his inspecThe church at this station was tion of the native church and school erected in 1819 by the Church Mis- was as satisfactory to his mind as sionary Society, aided by a donation the other visits that have been refrom the Marquess of Hastings and corded. He was particularly pleased the contributions of benevolent in- with the society's faithful missiondividuals. The Rev. Henry Fisher ary, Abdoul Messeeh, who is reportgives the following interesting ac- ed to be proceeding with Christian count of the Bishop's visit to Meerut: simplicity; and the blessing of God "When the lord Bishop held his appears to have attended his labours. confirmation, the whole of the na- Turning to the Madras and Southtive Christians, whether resident in India Mission, the committee lament Meerut or within convenient reach the final return from India of the Rev. of us, came forward with peculiar Marmaduke Thompson. At Madras meekness and simplicity of deport- Mr. Ridsdale's English congregation ment, and (as I venture to believe had so much increased, that the too) with consistent warmth of feel- church became insufficient for its ing, and a just understanding of the accommodation; and it was in connature and benefit of this ancient templation to enlarge it. At the and holy rite, and received the im- seminary, under Mr. Sawyer's care, position of hands. Two hundred the difficulties which had been exand fifty-five Christians (European perienced, with reference to caste, and native Christians included) were have been overcome, and the stupublicly confirmed in the church, a dents are going on well. Some have considerable portion of whom were died, exhibiting evidences of piety, converts to the faith as it is in Jesus; which have favourably impressed many from Hindoo idolatries and the minds of the surviving students. Female schools have also been esta blished, which contain about 200 scholars, and are likely to be supported by subscriptions on the spot. At Tranquebar, the schools shew the following classes of scholars :-Protestant Christians, 118; Brahmins, 61; Soodras, 1388; Mohammedans, 51; Pariahs, 5: total, 1623. At Tinnevelly there is evidently an increasing desire after Divine truth. Large congregations, composed not only of the inhabitants of Palamcottah, but of persons from the neighbouring villages, usually assemble. The Missionaries report-" The schools continue to give us satisfaction and encouragement. In the seminary there are thirty-four students; and the Divine blessing appears to be continued to the institution. During the year, five of the students have been appointed teachers in the new congregations." The seminarists were employed during the beginning of the year in making excursions among their countrymen, for the purpose of reading and distributing tracts. In the female seminary, there are thirty-two girls. The Epistles to the Colossians and to the Romans, in Tamul, have issued from the press. Between nine and ten thousand tracts have been distributed. At Travancore, in the college at Cotym, under Mr. Fenn's superintendence, there are forty-two students, of whose general conduct and proficiency he speaks in favourable terms. In the grammar-school, under the superintendence of Mr. Fenn and Mr. Ridsdale, there are forty-two boys. All the boys daily attend family worship in Malayalim, with the teachers and servants of the institution. Mr. Baker has the charge of the parochial schools. The children attending them are nearly all Syrians. The Roman Catholics, Mohammedans, and Heathens still keep at a distance. Mr. Bailey, who conducts the press, has been much occupied, during the last year, in the preparation of the Malayalim types: and he has now a sufficient number ready to enable him to commence printing. There appears to be but little improvement among the Syrian clergy. From Bombay and the Western India Mission, it is reported, that there are many openings for missionary exertions on the Western coast of India, of which the committee would gladly avail themselves, if they had the means. The three schools under Mr. Kenney's care consist of 113 scholars. No female schools have yet been established in Bombay. The translation of the Liturgy into the Mahratta language is now completed: and when the Bishop of Calcutta visited Bombay, he proposed that it should be printed at the press of Bishop's College. An Auxiliary Church Missionary Society has been formed for this presidency. The The missionaries at Ceylon have had the benefit of their diocesan's presence; of whose paternal interest, in all their concerns, they speak in the highest terms of affection. The missionaries assembled, and attended the Bishop's visitation. Bishop's visit to Ceylon afforded the missionaries an opportunity of obtaining his lordship's counsel on several points connected with their work. At Cotta there are eight schools under Mr. Lambrick's care. Mr. Lambrick reports favourably of the three youths maintained by the society. The buildings designed for the Christian Institution had not been commenced. There have been issued 500 copies of a Singbalese tract; 100 copies of the Gospel of St. Matthew; and 250 copies of the first part of a Singhalese grammar. At Kandy, a school-house has been lately erected, and will soon be ready for use. At Baddagame, the service on Sunday morning is attended by the boys and girls, generally amounting to upwards of 100; and by a number of adults, the average number of whom may be about sixty or seventy. In this service, our Liturgy is used in the native tongue. In the evening, prayers are read in English; and are followed by an expoposition, which is interpreted into Singhalese. The missionaries express their sense of the necessity of strict caution in the admission of adult natives to baptism. The total number of youths and children maintained and educated by the society, in the hope of their becoming teachers of their countrymen, is fourteen. Last year, Nellore experienced a visitation of the cholera morbus; by which the schools were, as on former occasions, much diminished. One new school had been opened, which makes the total number eight; in which there were about 280 boys, and twenty-five or thirty girls. In the family school there were eighteen boys. Fifteen hundred copies of a tract on idolatry were struck off and distributed at the annual festival at the great heathen temple near Nellore. AUSTRALASIA MISSION. An Auxiliary Church Missionary Society was formed in New South Wales, in the beginning of last year; the governor, Sir T. Brisbane, having accepted the office of patron. Sir T. Brisbane has granted 10,000 acres of land to the Auxiliary Society, for establishing a mission among the aborigines. The buildings for the seminary for New-Zealand youths are nearly completed. There were with Mr. Marsden five New-Zealand youths who had made considerable improvement. There were twelve New Zealanders in the colony; with some natives of Otaheite, the Friendly Islands, and other parts. In New Zealand, to the three stations mentioned in the last year's Report, a fourth has been added, called Kauakaua, from Kiddeekiddee about thirty miles. Mr. King visits the natives at Rangheehoo and other places. He states, that the children had been irregular in their attendance at school; some having gone on a war expedition, while others were employed in assisting their parents. Mr. Hall writes, "The natives at Rangheehoo are certainly much civilized; and, in general, are well disposed toward us." At Kiddeekiddee twenty or thirty natives usually attend the chapel. The schools have suffered much from continual wars, which greatly unsettle both adults and children. The missionaries complain, that the great cry of the natives is, "Who will supply us with muskets, lead, and gunpowder?" But notwithstanding the numerous difficulties which they have to encounter, they express confidence as to the ultimate success of the mission. Shunghee and his party being engaged in preparing for a war expedition, the missionaries held a conference with the chiefs, for the purpose of dissuading them from the war. Shunghee said that he must go to revenge the death of his son; but the conference has had considerable effect, and comparatively few had attended him. The missionaries write," There is great encouragement from the rising generation: those who live with us manifest a great desire to read and write; and many of those about us have, during the last twelve months, made considerable progress. Our visits among the natives on the Sunday are also encouraging: by going out among them, we have a greater opportunity of extending our usefulness. The chiefs manifest a pleasure and delight in seeing us, and generally are very attentive to what we say: they often ask questions about our religion. We see a much greater spirit of inquiry among them."-From Pyhea Mr. H. Williams writes;-" It is with gratitude to God that I now prepare these documents for England. You, no doubt, will have felt distress of mind at the appearance of affairs here, at the close of our last communications. All is now quietness around. We are treated with as much attention and respect as we could possibly wish; and the people receive us with kindness, wherever we go. Their behaviour has been universally respectful for several months past. They are now urgent for our visits on the Sabbath, and professedly abstain from work on that day." WEST-INDIES MISSION. The visit of the Bishop of Barbadoes to this country affording the committee an opportunity of communicating with him on the subject of their proceedings in the West Indies, his lordship, the Report states, in several interviews which the senior secretary had with him, manifested a friendly disposition toward the society; and assured him of his readiness to receive its schools under his protection, on the same footing as those which have been established by the "incorporated Society for the Conversion and religious Instruction of the Negro Slaves." The committee, having been invited by a friend to assist in the instruction of Negroes on his estates in Jamaica, sent out two schoolmasters. One of them, Mr. Jones, had commenced the instruction of the adults on Sunday mornings and Thursday evenings; and between thirty and forty attend every evening for instruction. Mr. Taylor, not having had a school-room appropriated, had not commenced a regular system with the children, but had assembled the adults for instruction on the Sunday. The returns from the schools connected with the Society on the island of Antigua, give a total of Coloured men 15, women 8, boys 88, girls 77; Black men 96, women 65, boys 621, girls 712. At the school on Byam's estate, the ladies of the family attend daily, to teach and catechize the children. At Barbadoes the Bishop has taken the colonial charity school under his own charge: it contained 114 boys and 44 girls, making a total of 158 scholars; of whom 81 were slaves, and 77 free. NORTH-WEST AMERICA MISSION. With reference to this mission, Mr. Jones writes-" The Lord is daily adding new encouragements to the friends of religion in this country every thing in and out of the colony wears a very highly interesting and promising aspect. I preach at both churches every Sunday, and, if I have no calls to visit the sick, &c., catechize the Indian school, at my own house, in the evening. I have two weekly lectures; one on Tuesday evening, at Image Plain, about ten miles from my residence; and the other on Wednesday evening at the upper church." The new church has been completed, and opened. Mr. Jones gives a favourable account of the readiness of parents to send their children to the schools, and of the disposition which the children manifest for instruction. Many Indian boys, sons of chiefs, have been received into the school. Mr. Jones mentions several circumstances, to shew the improving spirit of industry among the people. In concluding their Report, the committee desire to impress on the mind of every member of the society, that, amidst the various wants which it experiences, the most urgent is that of faithful and zealous missionaries. The committee trust, that the statement of this fact will have its influence on the friends of the missionary cause; "that they will become more adequately impressed with the greatness of the harvest, and the fewness of the la bourers; and will, with uplifted hands and hearts, in secret and social prayer, commend this subject to the Great Head of the church." He To the Report is prefixed a highly interesting sermon, preached before the society, by the Rev. E. Cooper, from that most appropriate of missionary texts, Mark xvi. 15. The preacher directs his chief attention to shewing that this country is, at the present time, peculiarly selected to the high office of diffusing the treasure of the Gospel among heathen nations in all the world. argues this, 1st, from the large portion of this treasure which England herself possesses; 2d, from the distinct and impressive manner in which the state of the heathen world, and its need of the Gospel, are now placed in this country before the public view; 3d, from the peculiar facilities which England now providentially possesses for fulfilling the commission in the text. LONDON SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIANITY AMONGST THE JEWS. THE Committee, in laying before their subscribers a report of their proceedings during the past year, state their satisfaction that they are enabled to repeat their conviction, that the interest felt by British Christians in the spiritual welfare of the Jewish nation is progressively increasing. This fact has been confirmed by the united testimony of those clergymen who have, during the past year, visited the Society's auxiliaries. The committee acknowledge the important aid derived from the contributions of their female friends to the resources of the past year. The sale of work, during four years, has added nearly 1000l. to the funds of the society. The friends of the cause of Israel in Ireland have remitted to the parent society the sum of 10501. The whole income of the society has amounted to 13,1931. In the last three Reports, the committee have expressed their conviction, not only that a diminished hostility has been evinced by the Jews of England towards the labours of the society, but that a degree of attention towards Christianity itself has been awakened amongst them. This conviction has been strengthened and confirmed by the events of the last year. A disposition, on the part of some of their rabbies, to discuss the points at issue between Christians and Jews continues to be manifested. There is also an attendance of some Jews and Jewesses at the monthly typical lectures, at the Episcopal Jews' Chapel. At the meeting of the Liverpool Society, a considerable number of Jews were present; and about fifty attended a sermon afterwards, addressed to them from the pulpit. Soon after the last anniversary meeting, Mr. Alexander, the officiating reader of the Jewish synagogue at Plymouth, made a public profession of his faith in the Saviour, before a large congregation in the parish church of St. Andrew. In CHRIST. OBSERV. APP. becoming a Christian, he has forfeited a situation which yielded him a comfortable support. Mr. Alexander has since removed to Dublin, where he is endeavouring to obtain a maintenance by giving instruction in the Hebrew language. The committee also mention the baptism of two other Jews; one at Exeter, and the other at Bristol. In both cases, due caution is stated to have been used in admitting the candidates to the holy ordinance. Of the schools of the society, the committee present a satisfactory report. Nine boys and eleven girls have been admitted during the past year. Seven boys have been put out as apprentices, and ten girls have been placed as servants in Christian families. The number of publications issued by the committee has not been so large as in some former years. Of the holy Scriptures entire, a little more than two thousand copies have been sent out; and of tracts containing distinct books of the Bible, either together or separate, about four thousand. Of English tracts, about 131,000 have been circulated; and of Hebrew and German-Hebrew, about 19,000. In addition to these, about 15,000 have been printed in Holland and Germany at the expense of the Society, and circulated there. A new edition of the whole Scriptures of the Old and New Testament in Hebrew is in progress. The committee with deep regret report, that there has been no increase in the number of missionary students in the seminary during the past year. There are at present only five students in the seminary of the society. The committee call, with renewed earnestness, upon the friends of Israel to be fervent in their supplications to the Lord of the harvest, to raise up and send forth an increasing number of faithful, patient, and devoted labourers into this part of his harvest. 5 H |