couple were married last year, some of the members of the church were much impressed with the solemnity of the transaction; and, in talking to the people, made the difference between it and the idle ceremonies of the heathen an argument in favor of Christianity. The ceremonies being concluded, the parties and their friends partook of some fruit and cakes; after which the bridegrooms, having according to the custom of the country presented their brides with a wedding garment, and tied on their necks the tali, (a small gold ornament worn as a sign of marriage,) went, accompanied by their friends, in a kind of procession each to the house of his bride's father; or as we should here say mother, for the property generally belongs to the females. It is customary for the new married couple to remain with the family of the bride, but in some cases they form separate establishments, or even go to reside with the parents or relations of the bridegroom. off the more absurd forms of idolatry and are perhaps deists, all the labors of Ram Mohun Roy and others of similar views in India and in other countries, have not raised any considerable number of these "enlightened Hindoos" so high as the standard of pure theism, according to the doctrines of natural religion. But, however easy it may appear for rational heathens to become "rational Christians," this single step, to be taken by the aid of reason alone, is more difficult than that from the depths of vice and barbarism to the heights of evangelical Christianity, through the influence of the cross of Christ. The preaching of Christ and him crucified is still the wisdom of God and the power of God unto salvation unto all, in every situation, whether savage or civilized, ignorant or learned, bond or free, who receive the truth in the love of it; and though the aids of philosophy, by which the preacher's reasoning may be apprehended, are not to be despised, yet if these are not found, he is 27. Held an evening village meeting at not to wait for them, but as he goes, he is to Inneville, in which was assisted by Messrs. "preach," and to preach not to the enlight- Spaulding and Woodward. The attendance ened only but to "every creature." was good, but some of the people present Admissions to the Church-Marriages-school for having become a Christian; and complained loudly of the teacher of the Meetings. April 21. Our quarterly communion was to-day held at Oodooville, and thirty-four natives were received to the church. The congregation was large, about 700 natives being present, and the exercises of the day interesting, particularly those connected with the admission of the members. To see so many, the largest number received at any time except once, come forward together and profess the name of Christ; and to see them after having assented to the articles of our church, approach the communion table, one by one, and kneel down to receive baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as a seal of their covenant, was affecting as well as cheering. Some at least could not restrain their tears. Though the larger proportion of those received were members of the seminary, yet there were several adults, schoolmasters and others, and the members of the seminary were a few of them very young. May 3. Celebrated the marriage of two girls of the school, Susan Huntington and Joanna Lathrop, with two young men who are Christians by profession; one of them a member of the church at Oodooville, and the other connected with the press at Nellore. They were married, as is usual here, according to the forms of the church of England, and in presence of a large number of the most respectable people of the place, who collected to witness the ceremony, and seemed interested in it. After both couple were married Mr. Woodward, who was with me, delivered an appropriate address to them, and to the people assembled. On a similar occasion, when two especially for not letting them know beforehand that he was going to be baptised, as he was at the last quarterly meeting, that they might be baptised with him! They had, in fact, intended to prevent his uniting prise. On being asked if they had any with the church, but were taken by surcomplaints to make against the schoolmaster's conduct since he had become a Christian, they said, "No he is a true man." Early in June, on account of the protracted illness of one of his children, Mr. Winslow went with his family to reside at a bungalow on the sea shore, a mile east of Jaffnapatam, with the use of which he was kindly favored by Mr. Roberts of the Wesleyan Society. He enjoyed good opportunities for laboring in the vicinity. June 29. We are still at the bungalow. I preached at Oodooville on the Sabbath and on Monday was there with Messrs. Poor and Woodward, who held various meetings with the children of the native free schools, schoolmasters and others. The meeting with the schoolmasters, was particularly encouraging. Most of them professed to be resolved to follow Christ. To-day, with Messrs. Knight, Roberts, Spaulding, and Scudder, attended a meeting at Accheragte, where there are two or three schools, and where special efforts have been made to secure the attendance of the people; and a temporary shed had heen erected near a wide branching tamarind tree. There were many present, and what was particularly encouraging several respectable women. There was more disputing with the natives than was pleasant, but some important subjects were discussed, and many solemn truths brought before their minds. Though the village is several miles from Tillipally, the nearest missionary station, many of the people, in the course of the discussion, showed that they had a good acquaintance with the leading truths of Christianity. Indeed this is generally the case where there are schools, and the difference between a village where a school has been for some time established and one without a school is often something like the difference between the land of Goshen and of Egypt, when darkness to be felt rested on the latter, but in the former they had light in their dwellings. July 26. On Thursday of last week we held our quarterly meeting at Batticotta and received to the church twenty-five natives and two children of the mission. We have thus reason to rejoice in the privilege of gathering in the fruits of the late revival, to some extent; while we still hope that more will ripen for an early harvest. From ten to twenty at each of our stations, express a desire to be received to church privileges; and perhaps a majority of them give some evidence of being proper subjects. It is also peculiarly pleasing that for our congregations lately a larger proportion of females attend than ever before. This is not only an indication of good to the individuals themselves, but an indication that "knowledge is increased in the country." as it is a change of custom, a breaking down, as far as it goes, of one of the strong barriers to the progress of truth. Besides beggars the number of women who attend church now at Oodooville is generally about twenty. THE Catholics settled in Bombay and other places of India two or three centuries ago, and made a large number of converts. These retain nothing more than the forms of the Catholic church, and are as ignorant and debased as the || pagan Hindoos, and probably more superstitious, and more decidedly hostile to the simple gospel, than they. Catholic Temples and Superstitions. May 5, 1831. Last evening, while at Mr. Allen's, we were much annoyed by the confusion from without. The whole atmosphere resounded with outcries of the multitude. We supposed it to be the confusion of idolatry and went out to see. As we came near the spot from which the noise proceeded, we beheld a scene which makes Christianity blush for the degeneracy of multitudes who profess a zeal in her behalf. It was no pagan superstition, no obscene rite of idolatry, that now disgusted our eyes as we approached. It was one of the holy festivals of the holy Catholic church. For a time we could not imagine what festival this could be. Passion-week had but just passed. The scenes of Gethsemane, of Calvary, and the resurrection had all been acted over in the most solemn mockery. Ascension-day had not come. What the present occasion could be we knew not. On recollection, however, we found it to be the time of the celebration of an ancient festival called, "The Invention of the Cross." This festival is celebrated on the 3d of May in memory of finding the cross of Christ deep in the ground on Mount Calvary, by Ste Helena, the mother of Constantine. The cross was illuminated by a large number of lamps, and tinselled off in the most gaudy manner. Before the main cross stood a small one upon the platform, not more than eighteen inches long. On this was suspended a little image six inches in length, representing our Savior. The platform was covered with flowers, tinsels and whatever would please or attract the eye of the rabble. But what would astonish the Christian more was the character and deportment of the collection of people which this occasion had brought together. We should expect in a religious festival, such as the adoration of the cross, to see something of solemnity. But nothing like it was to be seen. There sat around the cross, forty or fifty of the rabble, smoking, drinking, joking, singing baudy songs, and revelling in the most low and disgraceful manner. They resembled more the inmates of a grog-shop amusing themselves with some silly shows, than the worshippers of Jesus Christ through the medium of the crossas those pretend who disclaim paying adoration to the wood of the cross. Thus wretchedly is Christianity exemplified among the heathen. Well may the superstitious Hindoo say, Why should we forsake our system of idolatry for another? The Hindoo worships his wood and stone, and so does the Roman Catholic. Disgusting and Absurd Account of the Origin of a Hindoo God. Some of the following paragraphs would not be admitted, were it not to show what amazing sottishness and stupidity the human mind can sink to, even when called to act on religious subjects. May 11. A few days ago I visited two of the pagodas, (Hindoo temples) in Mahim; or rather two places of idol worship which consist of several temples each. There are frequently a cluster of several temples together. Sometimes a dozen separate build ings are ranged in a line, six on each side,|| This is no common deity, but Siva, one with an open space between, forming a kind of court. The first of the reputedly holy places above mentioned contains five places of worship and a large number of gods. As I was permitted to do no more than to stand at a respectful distance and look in at the door, I know not how many there were within. I counted in all twenty. Except the cow which is one of the most sacred and venerated objects of worship, and a few small rude figures of men, I saw none that could be called an image or likeness of any thing in "heaven above, or in the earth, or in the waters under the earth." At one of the temples I was permitted to ascend the steps upon the virandah, but not to set foot in the holy place, where was the dwelling of their god. When it was seen that I stepped upon the virandah without pulling off my shoes, they were quite displeased and impatient for me to go. Observing a hideous figure at the door that led into the habitation of their great god, which had the body of a man (though such a body I have never seen a man have) and the head of an elephant, (which by the way I fancy the half-reasoning elephant would scorn to own,) I inquired who that god was, and what office he held among their 333,000,000 deities. I was told his name, and that he was the guardian of their houses. Hence his proper place is at the door of the temple. That he is fully competent to discharge the duties of his office, I think a Hindoo will not deny, if he understands and believes the story of his origin. The history of this clay god is this: A certain woman, in a certain country, known only in the silly legends of this superstitious people, went to the river to bathe. Finding herself well incrusted with dirt, as thousands of others might at any time, she, it seems, determined to collect the dirt as she washed it from her body and mould it into a god. Whether he was not at once fully deified, or whether his divinity was then asleep, the Hindoo shasters I believe do not inform us, but her husband, who had been absent, returning in the night and meeting some resistance at his door, drew his sword, and unconscious of the dignity of his antagonist, thrust at the god and with one blow severed his head from his body. On entering his house and relating what he had done at the door, the woman exclaimed, "You have killed my god!" Unwilling to lose her labor and have all her sanguine hopes of usefulness to posterity blasted, she flew to the relief of her god, and seeing him headless, the god Siva brought him an elephant's head, and this he took as a substitute for his own. Thus we see him now with the body of a man and the head of an elephant. I should judge, from what I have seen, that any thing which had been consecrated by a brahmin might be worshipped by the people. As the door of the temple was opened while I stood before it, I saw the god within. person of their trinity. It is nothing more than a dark colored stone, wrought in the shape of a hat block. There was suspended over it an earthen pot of water, perforated, as I suppose, at the bottom with very small holes, so that the water continually filters through upon the god. I inquired the reason of this, and was told that it is to give him drink. I asked those standing by if he drank. They said, "Yes." As it began to be dark, the brahmin came round with his torch and carefully placed a lamp before each image. Does your god know, said I, that the light has come? he surely shows no indication of pleasure or displeasure. They felt quite impatient, as they always appear to be, when pressed with such questions. They are evidently ashamed of idolatry, though not easily persuaded to abandon it. Numerous Requests for Books. One advantage which the missionary in India, and indeed in all the countries of Southern Asia, enjoys, is the circumstance that he finds a considerable portion of the people able to read. This opens the way for him, immediately on entering upon his work, to bring the press to his aid, and thus greatly to extend his sphere of action, and multiply his means of usefulness. The controversies respecting Christianity, noticed at p. 127, now prevailing in India, cannot fail to create a demand for Christian books. May 25. For some days past I have had numerous applications for books. I should think all the lads in the village of Mahim had by this time paid their salam, and urged their request. Most of these lads belong to heathen schools, which are not under the patronage of any mission, but are supported by the heathen themselves. Christian books have not to any extent been introduced. What gave the impulse now, or what change of feeling on the subject may have taken place, I know not. But this I know, that more than a hundred lads from ten to sixteen years old, of different castes, and of different origin, Hindoos, Mussulmans, Jews. and Catholics, have, since yesterday morning, been pressing their requests upon me for books with as much earnestness as a hungry child solicits bread from a parent. This has enabled me already to put in circulation about 100 copies of the different publications of the mission press; such as, the Gospels, portions of the Old Testament, Scripture History, the Commandments, Catechisms, tracts, &c. Notices of the Seasons. June 9. It rains-it pours down in torrents. What a grateful morning is this. If you would fully understand how welcome rain is at this season of the year you into a necklace, divested himself of his clothes, suspended this hideous necklace from his neck, and in this ridiculous shameful plight, danced among the dead in the place of burying. Again, he appeared at another time before one of their renowned saints, dancing in the same shameless manner. The saint, disgusted at the conduct of the god, cursed him. Let it be sufficient to say that the tendency of the worship of this image, which is to be met in temples, in private families, by the tank, the river, or wherever you go, and is performed by persons of both sexes, is most corrupting to the mind and most degrading to humanity, and its history is too obscene to be uttered by decent lips. must place yourselves in our circumstances. || large number of human skulls, formed them There are, you know, in this country three seasons, the wet or rainy, the cool, and the dry or hot season. Each continues about four months. The rains commence generally about the 10th of June, and continue till the latter part of September. October, I am told, is a hot month. Then succeed four cool delightful months. In March the weather becomes warm, and in April still warmer, but in May the heat becomes quite intense. The mercury in the thermometer does not rise so high as it often does in New England. Still, the heat there is much more tolerable than it is here. The thermometer has no day, as I have observed, risen above 90 of Fahrenheit in the shade. But this degree of heat is less comfortable than 95, and perhaps I may say 100, in New England. It relaxes the whole frame, and unnerves a person for all kinds of business. The earth has been accumulating heat for eight months without so much as the dust laid by rain; brooks and streamlets of water dry up; fields of a clayey soil become baked down as hard as brick, and crack open; those of a more loose, sandy soil become as it were a great bed of sand. All herbage dies, and all vegetation, but such as is deeply rooted in the earth, or such as is artificially watered; man and beast and bird and every creeping thing, the hills and the vales, the tree in the forest and the vine upon the wall, all cry aloud for rain. The next in order came Ram and Kristnoo. Ram we found renowned in fight. Many were the prodigies of his valor; many were the thousands of the human race he has slain in battle; many were the multitudes he destroyed for his own gratification; but in vain do we search for his mercy. Not a single expedient did he devise to save an individual. What a god is this! Nor did we find the character of Kristnoo fairer than that of his compeers. Against him stood recorded, theft, lying, adultery, murder, deception, fraud and treachery. Such being the acknowledged character of the Hindoo gods, said I, what can we expect the people to be? It is not to be expected that they will view with abhorrence an action which is achieved and Shameful and Corrupting Character of the commended by the gods which they serve. Gods. For the purpose of leading the scholars of a school to reflect on the absurdity and abominations of the religious system of their country, Mr. Read requested them in the morning to be prepared at evening to give him an account of some of the principal Hindoo gods. He also directed them to portions of the Shasters, or Hindoo religious books, where accounts of the character and exploits of the gods might be found. June 13. At evening they gave me in brief the history of the gods above mentioned. Brahma the first of these principal gods, and as a brahmin informs us, half brother to the devil, committed incest with his own daughter. He is their creator. Vishnoo, the preserver, and the second of the three, was found in the shasters frequently guilty of lying, fraud, and deception of the grossest kind. Siva, to whom are applied some pretty hard appellations, which he has inherited from some supposed trait in his character, or from some achievement, is called the destroyer. Among his renowned deeds which have found a place in their sacred oracles are these two. One day, in a wood, as we should think, ill becoming the dignity of a god, he gathered a And among the whole catalogue of sins among men, perhaps there is not one which has not the sanction of some one or more of their gods. Constantinople. EXTRACTS FROM THE JOURNAL OF MR [Continued from p. 186.] Circumcision among the Turks. Sept. 19, 1831. Went in company with our American friends to the large valley, called Haidar Pasha, between Scutari and Kady Keni to witness the ceremony of circumcision, performed on the son of the grand signior, a lad about ten years of age. Not being in time to reach the station, that had been previously assigned us by the seraskiar pasha, we were, for nearly an hour, surrounded by an innumerable host of Turkish ladies, all in their richest dresses; their eyebrows and eyelashes painted fresh for the occasion; their fingernails of the most approved die from the recent Khenna; their yashmacks white and pure as the mountain snow; their coaches the most superb that could be found in the "Refuge of the world;" and their arabas drawn by white buffaloes, fantastically ornamented as was befitting the occasion, and having, as usual, their tails tied up in the best style of proud Stambool. We at length succeeded in making our way through their ranks without receiving the slightest insult, or noticing the least impropriety in their conduct, and were kindly admitted by takir pasha into a small inclosure, occupied by the tents of the seraskiar and other officers of government. Here coffee was served up for us, first in an ordinary way, by the coffeedgi bashy, and next in silver cups by order of takir pasha. The religious festival was to continue four days, during which time the soldiers were to remain encamped. The tents were pitched nearly in the form of a semicircle, on a gentle accliv ity one side of the valley, while those of the rich and great ones were pitched on a corresponding elevation on the other; thus occupying a space of several miles in circumference. The crowds in the valley between were immense, being assembled from all quarters to the distance of many miles. The boats, that were the whole morning employed between Constantinople and this valley in conveying the people over the majestic Bosphorus, seemed, at a distance above, like a perfect bridge of boats. They were about a quarter of a mile deep, and in length extended from shore to shore, at least three miles; and were so thick that a ball could hardly pass between them. All those in the region round about, who had sons of a suitable age (say from eight to eleven) to be circumcised, carried them to have the ceremony performed on this memorable occasion. The Moslem priests of the different parishes, also, took with them all the boys of the parish schools; and during the operation, these boys continued shouting, "Afareem! Afareem!" an exclamation in Turkish of applause and encouragement. After this was finished, takir pasha appointed a soldier to conduct us to the royal tent, as the sultan had now retired from it to partake of some refreshment. The tent was the most splendid and magnificent thing I ever saw. We judged it to be about one hundred and fifty feet long and thirty feet wide, as with heads uncovered we stood and surveyed it. The canopy was supported by twenty-one pillars, from fifteen to twenty feet high, all wreathed with gold. Near the farther extremity was a majestic throne, and at the back of it was a representation of the sun, made of pure gold, and weighing twenty-two English pounds; silver seemed to be, as in the days of Solomon, "not any thing accounted of." But gold, diamonds, brilliants, and other gems, were used in the richest profusion, and the whole was truly an oriental display of wealth and magnificence, surpassing description either of the pen or pencil. Notwithstanding the immense concourse of people, the most perfect order was every where observed. I saw but one man, who attempted any resistance to the guard; and he, although confiding apparently in the sacredness of his green turban, was immediately led away by the soldiers. We took some refreshment at Kady Keni the ancient Chalcedon; and visited what is said to be the very church, in which the council assembled in the year 451. The church belongs to the Greeks; and it has recently, as it doubtless has many times before, undergone some very considerable repairs. Turkish Police-Cholera. After I had prayed with a poor man, who morbus, on board the Corvette, United was apparently dying with the cholera States, we started at a late hour of the day to return to Buyuk-Dere. Night overtook us before we had gone half the distance; and we were at several different times chal lenged by those on duty; and once we were stopped, and examined very strictly by the until after much explanation on our part, officers of one of the fortified posts; and not, were we permitted to proceed on our way; indeed we were at first peremptorily prohibboth in the city and in all the villages on ited from going any further. The police, the Bosphorus, have received most positive orders to take into custody every person found abroad, without a sufficient reason, after dark. The streets are patroled the whole night; and yet, in spite of every precaution, the conflagrations are frequent and terrible, and the perpetrators in most cases escape detection. Several suspected or convicted persons have, however, been recently beheaded, and their bodies, with their accusation written and labelled upon their breast, exposed for three days in the public streets, in order to strike terror into the guilty. And if any individual is found at the fires, looking on as an idle spectator, and unable to give a good account of himself, or a satisfactory reason for his being there, his head is without further ceremony severed from his body. 25. Sabbath. Preached as usual at the American minister's. Several of our German, Greek, and papal Armenian friends were present to witness the baptism of our infant child. His name, Constantine Washington, was given him to commemorate the fact of his being the first child of American parents ever born in this country. 27. During the whole month past, there has been plague or cholera in some or other of the villages about us. We have had alarms, now of one, now of the other; now in this village, now in that; sometimes one appearing to be subsiding and the other on the increase; and then vice versa. Last week a sailor, mentioned under date of the 19th died on board the corvette, United States; but it was not agreed whether it was from the real cholera, or something akin to it. But early yesterday morning a |