SHORTLY after the date of this letter, Mr. Graves returned to Bombay from the Neilgherries, where he had spent more than a year and a half, on account of his impaired health. His health, though much improved, was not perfectly restored; and it was doubtful whether it would not be advisable for him to remove to some of the numerous large villages on the continent, whose more elevated situation and cooler atmosphere might encourage him to expect firmer health and a longer period of labor. After noting the bereavements the mission had experienced in the removal by death of Mrs. Allen, Mrs. Hervey, and Mr. Garrett, the missionaries remark respecting the Public Religious Meetings at the Chapel. The different operations of the mission have been continued without any material alteration. The services in the chapel in the native language continue to be attended much as stated in our previous letters. The English service on Sabbath mornings has been better attended for some months past than formerly. Those who attend consist of the families connected with us as a relig ious society, a few Europeans belonging to the English and Scotch churches, who, living near the chapel, find it convenient to worship with us on Sabbath evenings, and a considerable number of Indo-Britons. The last mentioned class, who are the de Number and State of the Schools. The number of boys' schools is now twenty, and they contain about 1,200 children. All the schools on the continent, except three, were visited by one of us a short time before the rainy-season commenced. We have a native superintendent who generally visits them every month, to pay the teachers and examine their state, progress, &c. This man is a Jew, and appears to be attentive and faithful in his business. It has been a subject of much regret in years past, that, on account of the ill-health of some, and the frequent and ursmall number of laborers in the mission, the gent duties to be performed in Bombay, it has not been found practicable to give more personal attention to our schools on the continent, and spend more time in distributing books and in preaching the gospel in the villages where they are established, than has been done. We hope now, however, as our number is increased, that we shall be able to give more time to this interesting part of our labors. These schools are situated in villages which have a popu lation varying from 3,000 to 1,500. All these places are easy of access, as boats are almost daily passing between them and Bombay, except during the severe part of the rainy season. Should Providence spare our lives and health, we trust that some of us will often visit these villages to examine the schools, distribute the scriptures and tracts, and make known among the people the gospel of Christ. The female schools continue in much the same state as described in our last communications. A few years ago the_introduc tion of female education into India was generally regarded as quite impracticable; and though the experiment has succeeded beyond the expectations of those who were acquainted with the difficulties to be encountered, and a change in feeling and opinion is seen to be gradually taking place among the native population, yet the edu cation of females is still but lightly esteemed by those who think most favorably of it; while many, and those not uncommonly the learned and the great, retain all their old prejudices in full force; so that our teachers, though generally of the brahminical caste, are not unfrequently obliged to encounter opposition and endure reproach on account of their employment. For these reasons, though we regard the cause of female education as being firmly established, and continually making progress, yet the state of particular schools is sometimes quite variable and fluctuating for months together. It has been our practice not to In addition to the stated services of the commence a school in any place, without chapel, we are daily engaged in making previously ascertaining, as far as practicaknown the gospel of Christ in our school-ble, the character of the people and their houses, at the dwellings of the natives, and in the streets and more public places of scendants of European fathers and native mothers, are quite numerous in Bombay, and are supposed to be yearly increasing. As they are generally educated in the English language, and seem likely to exert an extensive influence over the native population, their moral state is regarded with much interest by all who desire the spiritual good of the heathen. We are happy in being able to say that the prospects of this longneglected class of people is becoming better, both in respect to their moral state and general character. resort, feelings on this subject. And when a school has been commenced, and expense thus incurred, we do not think it expedient to abandon it on account of any difficulty, || rienced the renewing influences of the unless we become satisfied that a school Holy Spirit, he was publicly baptised at the cannot flourish in that place till prejudice native service in the mission chapel. We shall subside and the feelings of the people are happy in being able to add that his conshall change. In a few instances, we have versation has hitherto been such as bewith much regret seen schools, after con- cometh the gospel of Christ. He is now tinuing a short time, decline, under circum- usefully employed in superintending a part stances which made it clearly expedient to of our schools, and we hope he will become discontinue them. But most of our schools qualified to preach the gospel to his counhave been continued without interruption trymen. from their commencement, and their state at the present time is such as to afford us much satisfaction. Operations of the Press. For some months past our press has been principally employed in printing for religious societies, and in doing work of a miscellaneous kind for the government and for individuals. We have, besides, reprinted 1,500 copies of a work containing 160 pages, partly in English and partly in Mahratta, which was originally written by Mr. Hall, and is designed to assist natives in learning English, and Europeans in learning the native language. This work we regard as well fitted, by the religious instruction it contains, to be useful among the native population. The sale of it will probably defray the expense of publication. We have also printed for our own use 1,500 copies of a catechism, 20 pages in length, commonly used in our schools, and 1,000 copies of a spelling-book, 34 pages in length. As the American mission press is the only English press at Bombay, frequent applications are made to the conductors of it to print various documents for the government and for the several religious and benevolent societies of the place, and for private individuals. These applications are complied with as far as the interests of the mission permit, and the receipts from them contributes considerably towards defraying the expenses of the establishment. Natives admitted to the Church. with us. On the 6th of March one of the teachers of the boys' schools was baptised. His name is Moraba, and he belongs to the Mahratta caste. Previous to his being baptised he had been employed in a school about six months, and during most of this time he appeared to be a sincere and earnest inquirer after truth. He continues to instruct the same school, but is suffering from the prejudices and hatred of people excited against him, because he has renounced Hindooism and embraced Christianity. There is one man of the brahmin caste now a candidate for baptism, of whose sincerity and piety we think favorably. Some others also make apparently sincere professions of belief in Christianity and of an intention to embrace it; but we have so often hoped for better things from such persons than we eventually found in them, that we would speak on this subject with much caution. while we would earnestly seek wisdom from above to guide us. In review of the past months, while we see abundant cause for mourning and humiliation, that so few have believed our report, and that in so few instances the gospel has proved to be the power of God unto salvation when we have preached it, we would yet be grateful that God has not left us without some evidence of his gracious presence, and of his designs of mercy towards the heathen around us. And while we mourn the recent death of three of our number we would praise him, who in his infinitely wise, though to us mysterious providence, has removed them from us, for the assurance we have that they have gone to be forever with the Lord and to behold his glory. After noticing the death of the Rev. T. G. Pettinger, of the Society for Propagating the Gospel, and Mrs. Cooper, of the Scottish Mis. sionary Society, the missionaries proceed Since we last wrote you two natives have been received into Christian communion One of them, whose name is Dajeeba, was employed some years ago as a teacher in one of the boys' schools. About two years ago he first professed to be a Thus one and another are removed from serious inquirer, and continued to appear so their interesting labors on earth to serve for a considerable time. He then yielded their Redeemer in his temple above. But to temptation and for some improper con- neither they who remain in the field, nor duct was dismissed. In a few months after those in Christian countries who aid the this his convictions seemed to revive with cause by their prayers and contributions, increasing force, and he came to us ac- have any reason to be discouraged. These knowledging his misconduct and request- dispensations of Providence, though dark ing religious instruction. From this time and incomprehensible to us, are in no rewe have seen no reason to doubt his sincer-spect contrary to the promises contained in ity. Having received instruction in the his word. God has forgotten none of the truths of Christianity for several months, glorious things he has spoken concerning and given us reason to hope he had expe-li Zion. He is not unmindful of the promise he has made concerning his church, nor is he slack, as unbelief would often suggest. in fulfilling these promises. He has clearly made known the duty which his church owe the heathen nations, and great will be their guilt if they neglect it. Nearly the whole of India is now open for the propagation of Christianity; and perhaps no country ever presented a more extensive and encouraging field for benevolent enterprise. Some will perhaps be surprised at our calling India an encouraging field; but we think the opinion supported by a view of the country and the history of benevolent Under a subsequent date, while on the same passage, Mr. Ramsey remarks upon the indolent habits of the Hindoos. The servants in waiting on the table consume as much again time as there is any necessity for. The fact is we have to wait on them, while they wait on us. At our table we have four men for us, ten in number, and I can assure you I have seen one man wait on a table of thirty, better and But quicker than these four do on us ten. moderation seems to be the order of the day in India. This may be illustrated by what occurs every day in Calcutta. Two, three, or four men generally rent one shop, in which they have their different wares. Each shop exertions that have been made in it. The great population of India gives it a claim on the Christian world above any other country to which missionaries can have access. In most places in this country where the gospel has once begun to take effect, its ad-keeper has his own lock and key, and when the business of the day is over every man vance has been steady and increasingly puts his own lock on the door. It is no rapid. And perhaps when the people genunusual thing in going through the bazaar erally shall have become enlightened to see the absurdity of their own religion and the early in the morning, to see four or five locks hanging to one door. In the morning, excellence of Christianity, they may at once break the chain of caste, and throwing off and sits down on the steps and waits for the when one man comes, he takes off his lock the shackles of superstition, a nation may others. Perhaps in an hour another man be born in a day. Considering the greatness of the population and the character of may come and take off his lock and sit down with the first; and thus they do till the Hindoo religion, it is not unreasonable the last man comes, and then the door is to suppose that the harvest eventually opened and they go to work. This may be gathered in India may be as great in proportion to the means employed as in any heaat twelve or two o'clock. If any thing hapthen country. pens to one man that he is prevented from coming, the shop is not opened for the day. The others put on their locks again, and go home and wait till the next day. The one who may have been delayed will not trust the others with his key. So little confidence have they in one another, and so wholly indifferent are they as to the value of time. JOURNAL OF MR. RAMSEY. Heathen Worship-Hindoo Indolence. THE first of the following paragraphs was written while passing out of the Hoogley river, on the passage from Calcutta to Bombay, and just after listening to the noise of heathen worship on shore. Jan. 23, 1831. Sabbath. We heard the sound of the drums this evening, calling the people together to worship it is true, not, however, to worship the true God, but gods of wood and brass. The sound of the tomtoms and the accompanying screeching noise of the jackalls on the banks of the river chilled my very soul, and threw a damp over my spirits that I cannot well describe. Oh when shall these shores echo the praise of the Lord, and when shall the solemn stillness of the night be no more broken in upon by the dismal sound of idolatrous revels, but with hymns of praise to God and to the Lamb. I would that Christians throughout America could but spend a night or two with me, and hear these soul-sickening sounds of heathen worship. Methinks they would prize the privileges they enjoy more and more, and would pray more and more for the salvation of the world. Blessed be God, the time will come when all lands shall be vocal with the praise of the Lamb. First Sabbath in Bombay. March 31. Sabbath. This morning attended the chapel. Mr. Allen preached in Mahratta. I could not understand any thing of what was said. About thirty or forty of the school children were present. They sat before the pulpit, and at the left hand of the preacher. The puntogees (school teachers) sat on the opposite side. By the door, on the right hand of the preacher, were six or eight old beggar women, who came to hear what the Lord has to say to them by his servant. They were the most devout in their attention of any of the natives there to-day. The children were restless, and the teachers were indifferent to what was said, with the exception of a few. A native congregation looks singular to the eyes of an American. The women sat on the floor, and so did most of the children. They always sit with their feet doubled under them. The teachers sat upon the benches, but all of them gathered up their feet. In their own houses they have no chairs, and seem to be awkward in using them or a bench. I was pleased to see so many of them out to-day. I hope and pray that the Lord may bless them and save them at last. In the afternoon, the children and teachers met. The teachers were instructed in the lesson for the week and the children were examined and catechised. They can learn and do learn fast. They need the grace of God much. At night Mr. Hervey preached, the congregation very small but attentive. This Is my first Sabbath in Bombay; and oh how different from a Sabbath in Philadelphia. While we were in the house of God to-day the heathen were marching to and fro, some carrying burdens, others driving their bullocks about, others blowing their horns; and just across the street a large house is building, where the noise of hammers and the tumult of people were heard. Indeed the noise sometimes was so great that I could scarcely hear the words of the preacher. The heathen have no Sabbaths. Wherefore do the heathen rage? To look at these heathen, it at first appears a thing impossible to bring them to God, the promise of God assures us that it will be done, but it requires strong faith to believe that it will be done soon. Visit to a Heathen Temple. March 19. This evening I went with Mr. Stone to visit a heathen temple in the native town. When we entered the enclosure, we saw a man who had covered himself with ashes, and stripped off all his clothes, sitting on a little kind of hillock and a fire close to him and thus roasting and smoking out his sins? Poor foolish man, to think that by roasting his flesh in this hot season, that therefore he will surely be happy at death! Another man we saw who has held a little basket of flowers, &c. on his head for years, till his finger nails have grown eight or ten inches long. He had his face smeared over with red and yellow paint, and his hair stood up on end in a most frightful manner. It really appears that the more ugly they can make themselves the better. Mr. Stone preached to them while I listened and made my observations upon what I saw. We then went into another apartment where there are something like a hundred idols, placed in order in their apartments, with bells hung before the doors which the worshippers ring as they go in to worship the idol, and also as they come out again. They truly sound the trumpets before them when they pray. The place was lighted up most splendidly, and the trumpets, horns, and bells made a most tremendously grating sound. While Mr. S. preached to them they listened. Many of them seemed to think, and others said it was folly to worship idols, but went right off and paid them their homage. He gave away a great many Mahratta tracts, for which they expressed much thankfulness. || April 18. While a heathen was at the wedding of his daughter last night, another came and stole his gods and waterpots., I thought of Micah, Judges xviii, 24. The poor man, when he came home and found his gods gone, filled the air with his lamentations. These heathens are a faithless race. They will sell their own gods for money, and then steal some from somebody else to save the expense of getting others made! Who ever heard of such depravity before? Oh how much they need the gospel! Beyroot. EXTRACTS FROM A LETTER OF MR. WHITING, DATED NOV. 9, 1831. Re-establishment of the School. THE return of Mr. Bird and his family from the mountains, where they had spent the warm months, was mentioned in the last number. The school established at Beyroot previous to the suspension of the mission in 1828 was discontinued on account of an opposition so violent as to prevent any one from teaching or any scholars from attending. I think I mentioned in my last that our friend Tannoos El Haddad, who had taken charge of our school in this place, had concluded to go to Alexandria to engage in the employment of schoolmaster there. He afterwards changed his mind, and determined to stay with us. For the sake of our own school we are glad to have him remain, although it was thought he might be usefuĺ in Egypt; for we know of no other man to whom we should be as willing to commit the care of this school as to him. It is now about three months since he took charge of it, during which the number of boys has considerably increased, and they seem to make good improvement. Hitherto the school is increasingly popular, and no opposition has been made to it. How soon a storm may be raised against it we know not: but we see no special reason at present to expect difficulties of this kind. There seems not to be interest enough felt in regard to the gospel, here in Beyroot, to stir up much opposition. Political Disturbances. In my last I think I said something respecting the disturbances in Damascus. The newly arrived pasha had obtained possession of the city; but the populace soon afterwards rose in rebellion against him, and he was compelled to take refuge in the citadel, in the centre of the town, with, perhaps, a thousand men. Here he was closely besieged by the insurgents; his supIplies were cut off; and he reduced to the Influence of Wortabet at Sidon. The character of this zealous advocate of Christianity in this land of error and formality, together with an account of Mr. Bird's visit to him at his residence in Sidon were given in the last number. Our friend Wortabet is with us on a visit. His health has been bad for some time past, but he is now better. His wife also and his oldest child have been seriously ill. We are much pleased with his appearance. He seems to receive all his afflictions with a necessity of capitulating with the people; or at least of coming to some understanding with them. Some ten or twelve days ago information was received in Beyroot that he had taken such a course, that he had consented to suspend the enforcement of the new measures he had adopted in accordance with his commission, until further instructions from Constantinople; and that the people were quietly returning to their business. The pasha himself was meanwhile to occupy the palace of the mufti, in consideration of his own having been destroyed during the insurrection, and to be allowed a guard of five hundred men. This information was followed the next day, by the news that the pasha had been treacherously attacked in his palace by night, and himself and many of his principal officers assas-ing a small store, and trading principally in sinated. This report is since confirmed, and there seems no doubt of its truth. Since the perpetration of this last desperate act, we are told that many of the inhabitants of Damascus, as if terrified at the horrid extent to which they have pushed their rebellion, and as if aware that they have exposed themselves and their city to destruction, are fleeing in various directions to escape the serious reckoning to which, as they may well expect, the sultan will bring them. The long talked of expedition of the viceroy of Egypt against Acre, it appears, is at length actually undertaken. Nearly a week ago authentic news reached Beyroot, of the arrival of Mohammed Ali's troops on the southern frontier of Syri, and of their having taken possession of Gazza (Gaza.)| A powerful fleet under the command of Ibraham pasha, it is expected, will soon arrive; and the capture of Acre, which will in effect be the capture of the whole pashalic, is looked for with equal confidence. What are the ultimate designs of Mohammed Ali, or of the sultan in this enterprise, or whether it is undertaken with or without the approbation of the latter, we know not. The British consul at Alexandria, Mr. B., writes that the viceroy himself makes no secret of saying that he acts without orders from the porte. Mr. B. says, "he will take Acre first, and ask leave afterwards;" and adds, "That is not rebellion in this empire." Some suppose that Ibrahim is to be made pasha of Acre and Damascus, and that these two pashalics are to be united in one. This, however, is mere conjecture. I think I have before mentioned, that the people of Syria seem rather to desire the success of this expedition than otherwise. They think their condition will undoubtedly be improved, and are confident that it cannot be made worse, by the change. For ourselves, we trust that whatever changes occur will be made subservient to the wise and gracious councils of the King of kings, and tend to prepare his way in these disturbed regions; and that we shall not be molested in our quiet labors to disseminate the gospel of peace. truly Christian spirit, and they have evi- dry goods. He is, according to the best of Whatever may have been the fate of poor |