THE MISSIONARY HERALD. VOL. XXVIII. JANUARY, 1832. No. 1. BRIEF VIEW OF THE MISSIONS OF THE AMERICAN BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS. small THE Annual Report of the Board comes into the hands of but part of those, who patronise the missions of the Board, though it is sent over the country so as to be accessible to nearly or quite all. The printing of a very large number of copies would not be expedient, on account of the expense. It has therefore been found desirable to insert an abstract of the more important matters of the Report in the Missionary Herald. Such an abstract will now be given of the last, or 22d, Report, read at the annual meeting in October, 1831. MISSIONS. THE missions under the direction of the India. The missions are in Bombay, one of the Presidencies of British India, and in the northern district of Ceylon. The first was commenced in the year 1813; the second, in the year 1816. BOMBAY. * Allen Graves, Cyrus Stone, William Ramsey, Garrett, Printer, Mrs. Garrett; and Cynthia Farrar, Mr. and Mrs. Graves are on the Neilgherry Hills, in pursuit of health. Mrs. Allen died on the 5th of February, and Mrs. Hervey on the 3d of May. Vol. xxvii, pp. 365,378. Messrs. Ramsey, Read and Hervey, with their wives, joined the mission in the early part of the year 1831. The Report contains a general view of the progress of Christian missions in this Presidency since the commencement of the American mission in 1813. It is about eighteen years since the American missionaries first landed in Bombay. The na *The term Missionary is used to denote an ordained preacher of the gospel. VOL. XXVIII. tives had then never heard the gospel preached in their own tongue. No part of the scriptures had been translated. Nothing had been done to attract attention to the Christian religion. Indeed, when Hall, Newell, and Nott first took their stand in Bombay, without a knowledge of the language; without books, or printing-press, or schools; without a chapel; without the countenance of government, and wholly unknown to the native population; when they contemplated the structure of society, so artificial and so connected with the idolatrous systems of religion; and also the laws of India, which made the forfeiture of property the penalty for renouncing Hindooism, or Islamism; they must have regarded the visible and tangible results of their labors as certainly remote. And so they did, But the note of preparation was heard, imme diately on their arrival. The language was acquired; the New Testament and some portions of the Old were translated and printed; books for scriptions, were published; schools were estabelementary instruction, and tracts of various delished; a chapel was built in the centre of Bomthe markets and other public places were frebay, and opened regularly for Christian worship; quented for conversation and preaching; journeys were taken, and schools multiplied. After twelve years, Mr. Hall declared it to be his conviction, that the facilities for employing ple had multiplied ten fold since his arrival in the appointed means of salvation among the peo 1813. The means are now still greater, and they are continually increasing. There are eight missionary stations within the Presidency of Bombay, connected with no less than five different societies in Great Britain and Americaa fact which makes it delightfully certain that a vast amount of benevolent interest, in different parts 1 of the Christian world, is concentrated upon the Mahratta people. And in the city of Bombay itself there are, also, seven societies of various names, formed expressly for co-operating with kindred institutions in Great Britain in spiritually illuminating that part of India. The government, too, notwithstanding the complaints of natives that the divine origin of their religion and its obligations are publicly denied, tolerates the Christian missionary in every part of the country, and protects him in his labors. There has been no material change in the labors of the missionaries, or the number and character of the schools. The native attendance at The the chapel had somewhat increased. schools, of which there were 17 for boys and 18 for girls, comprised about 1,000 boys, and not far from 500 girls. TILLIPALLY:-Levi Spaulding, Missionary, and Mrs. Spaulding. Timethy Dwight, Teacher in the Preparatory School, John Codman, Assistant Teacher; Seth Payson, Native Assistant; Charles Hodge, Catechist; Azel Backus, Cyrus Kingsbury, and others, Readers. OODOOVILLE:-Miron Winslow, Missionary, and Mrs. Winslow. Charles A. Goodrich, Native Preacher; Nathaniel, Catechist; Saravary Mottoo, Superintendent of Schools; Rufus W. Bailey, Teacher in the English School; John B. Lawrence, Reader. PANDITERIPO:-John Scudder, M. D. Missionary, and Mrs. Scudder. Native Helpers not reported. MANEPY:-Henry Woodward, Missionary, and Mrs. Woodward. Sinnatumby, Catechist; Nathaniel, Superintendent of Schools; C. A. Goodrich, Teacher of English; Catheraman and Tumber, Readers. EDUCATION. This is conducted in a The number of scholars. Theological School, Seventy-eight of the boys had Mohammedan parents, and 130 were of Jewish origin. Ten of the boys' schools were in different villages on theological School, Seminary, Boarding Schools, continent; the others, with all the female schools, and Free Schools, in which are the following were on the island of Bombay. It is an interesting fact, that most of the schools on the continent are under the instruction of Jewish teachers, who disallow the observance of heathenish customs in their schools. These schools exert a favorable influence on the character of the villages where they are situated, and the missionaries justly regard them as so many lights burning amidst the deep spiritual gloom which covers the country. They are an important means of preparing the way for the publication of the gospel, whether that publication be made through the medium of conversation, preaching, or the press. Six of the female schools are patronised by the Bombay district committee of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. The amount of printing executed at the mission press during 1829 and until Nov. 20th, 1830, is exhibited in the following table. Or nearly 3,000,000 of pages in little more than twenty-two months. The whole amount of printing executed at Bombay from April 1817 to the close of 1830, was about 10,000,000 of pages. Only about 10,000 of the above mentioned 103,520 copies were printed at the expense of the mission. The British and Foreign Bible Society and its Auxiliary at Bombay defrayed the expense of printing the scriptures in Mahratta; and the Bombay Auxiliary Tract Society, which was organized four years ago, paid the cost of tracts for gratuitous distribution. Some of the natives, and among them three brahmins, profess to be serious inquirers into the truth of the Christian religion, and hopes are entertained concerning a few, that they have been renovated by the Spirit of God, CEYLON. BATTICOTTA:-Benjamin C. Meigs and Daniel Poor, Missionaries, and their wives. Gabriel Tissera, Native Preacher and Tutor in the Seminary; Nathaniel Niles, Native Preacher; Ebenezer Porter, Superintendent of Schools; P. M. Whelpley, Native Medical Attendant on the Semimary: Samuel Worcester, John Griswold, I. W. Putnam, and others, Teachers. Whole number, 20 scholars. 91 51 37 3,367 3,566 The Theological School is under the care of Mr. Winslow, and is composed chiefly of young native men, who, having completed their course in the Seminary, are employed on a salary as assistants in the mission. They pay the expenses of their own board and clothing, and divide their time between teaching and study. Their services are important, and their progress in learning, especially in the knowledge of the scriptures, is highly gratifying and auspicious. A few have received license to preach the gospel. Mr. Poor is Principal of the Seminary. The first class contains 22, the second, 20, the third 19, the fourth 30. Including those who have finished their studies, and are employed as teachers in the Seminary, the number is 102. The principal building is called Otley Hall, in honor of Sir Richard Ottley, chief justice of Ceylon, corresponding member of the Board, and for ten years past an influential and liberal patron of the mission. This edifice, including virandah-rooms erected on one side and end, is 109 feet in length and 66 in breadth. Its height is two stories. It is designed for public examinations, lectures, the library, &c. A sufficient number of rooms has been erected within the college yard to accommodate one hundred stu dents. The Seminary has been furnished with a respectable philosophical and other apparatus. The pnuematical and mechanical instruments, with the orrery and telescope, have been found particularly useful in illustrating various branches of study, which could not be effectually taught without such helps; especially where the prejudices to be encountered are so inveterate, as not readily to yield even to ocular demonstra tions. The mission library contains more than 600 volumes, (besides class-books procured for the Seminary,) and is in general well selected. The members of the Seminary have the use of this library. The sum of $5,372 has been collected for this institution among the friends of learning and religion in Ceylon and India, all of which has been expended in erecting the necessary buildings. The residue of the expenditures for buildings, together with the cost of books and apparatus, the board and clothing of the students, the pay of the teachers, and the salary of the principal, has been provided for from the Treasury of the Board. The study of English, and of various branches of science principally in that language, occupies about two-thirds of the time of the students, and Tamul literature the remainder. The published journals of the Principal shew in what manner these studies are affecting the system of Tamul superstition. Malta is the book-manufactory for the whole mission, as well as a central point of intercourse and union. The library collected at this station is already valuable, both in the materials and helps for translations. There are three printing. presses, two of which are in constant use. There are founts of type for printing in English, Italian, Greek, Greco-Turkish, Armenian, ArmenoTurkish, and Arabic. The printing, however, has been chiefly in the Italian, modern Greek, and Armeno-Turkish languages, the last being the Turkish language written in the Armenian character. The press has ever been perfectly secure in Malta, and has operated without any embarrassment from the government, though the publications have been subject to a mild and tolerant censorship. Boarding Schools. The one at Tillipally contained 51 boys at the close of 1830. The one at Oodooville contained 37 girls, of whom seven were members of the church.-It is a singular fact, stated by Sir Richard Ottley to be peculiar to the district of Jaffna which contains the mission stations, that the landed property is princi-printed are known to be the following: viz. one pally vested in the females. No regular and full report of the publications at the Malta press since the year 1829, has been received. Among the works subsequently of 48 pages, called the Child's Assistant; a small Free-Schools. The number of free-schools arithmetic; a simple grammar of the modern connected with the five stations is 89, containing Greek; Pinnock's catechism of Greek history, 2,732 boys, and 635 girls; or 3,367 in the whole. with remarks, containing about 150 pages; and a PREACHING, etc. Each of the five missiona-reading book of about the same size, made up of ries has a congregation of natives on the Sabbath varying in numbers from two to five hundred-composed chiefly of the children and youth belonging to the schools. The native preachers, though received with less respect and attention than the missionaries themselves, are useful helpers in the publication of the gospel in the high-ways and villages. The Mission Church contains 148 native members in regular standing. The mission has been repeatedly blessed with effusions of the Holy Spirit. Previous to the year 1824, thirty-four natives had been received into the mission church. During the first three months of that year, the mission was visited with very special divine influence, and 41 natives were added to the church. Another time of refreshing was experienced near the close of the same year; and there were hopeful conversions in the succeeding years. A third revival of religion was experienced near the close of the year 1830, as the first fruits of which 34 natives were added to the church in the April following. All the buildings at the station of Manepy, with the principal part of Mr. Woodward's effects, were consumed by fire March 30, 1831. interesting and useful selections. The lives of Joseph, Abraham, Moses, Samuel, Esther, and Daniel, had also been printed, or were in the press; and Mr. Temple was employed, when he last wrote, in making selections of the most important events and narratives recorded in the Old Testament, for the use of the schools in Greece. In these works he has the valuable assistance of Mr. Nicholas Petrokokino, who was educated by the Board in this country; and there can be scarcely a doubt but they will be popular and useful among the people for whom they are designed. But the most important work executed at the Malta press, during the last year, was the translation of the New Testament in the ArmenoTurkish language. The printing of this was commenced on the 8th of January 1830, and the last sheet was corrected in the press before the expiration of January 1831. This translation was prepared by Mr. Goodell from one made by himself, with the aid of the Armenian bishop Carabet, from the original Greek, and another made at Constantinople, from the Armenian version, under the superintendence of Mr. Leeves, agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society; and was carried through the press by Mr. Goodell, at the expense of that noble institution. The whole amount of printing performed at Malta since July 1822, cannot be less than 12,000,000 of pages. GREECE. Jonas King, Missionary, and Mrs. King. Mr. King has removed from Tenos to Athens. While at Tenos he supported and superintended a school of 60 or 70 females, and distributed many copies of the New Testament. In this school he freely expounded the scriptures. Athens is the place, which Mr. King has been desirous, ever since he entered Greece, of making the centre of his operations. But in the autumn of last year, there being a prospect of its speedy evacuation, Mr. King visited that celebrated spot, and made arrangements for his future residence. In April of the present year, he made a second visit to Athens and opened a Lancasterian school for both sexes, at the head of which he placed Niketoplos, formerly master of the Orphan school at Ægina, and author of an epitome of the gospels printed at Malta. On the 30th of May, this school contained 176 scholars of both sexes. The Committee have sent Mr. King 500 slates and a proportionate number of pencils, and he will be amply furnished with school-books from the press at Malta. He expected to have opportunity to supply many small schools in Attica, Thebes, and other parts of continental Greece, with books, and thinks it will soon be desirable to establish a college in the renowned seat of ancient learning, where he is now residing. The school at Syra, under the superintendence of Doct. Korck, Church missionary, in the commencement and partial support of which the Board has been concerned, have been of great service to the cause of education in Greece, especially in the islands called the Cyclades. Syra is one of these islands, opposite Tenos. The schools are three in number. The Lancasterian Boys' school, containing In all, Scholars. 275 534 Mr. Whiting is employed in learning the Arabie language. Mr. Bird is occupied in scattering the seeds of divine knowledge, which fall, like The three schools have grown out of the one those of the sower in the parable, upon every deestablished in January 1828, by Mr. Brewer, at scription of soil. Among all classes of the peothe expense of the Board. When Mr. Brewer ple, there is a distressing apathy on the subject was about returning to this country, he gave that of education, as that does not enter at all into the school into the hands of Dr. Korck. In the sum- ecclesiastical or civil policy of the country. mer of 1829, there were 330 scholars of both There is but little demand for the Arabic copies sexes. The house for the school was erected by of the word of God, though from twelve to twenty the government and people, and the salary of persons meet the missionaries every Sabbath for the Greek master, since the expiration of the first the purpose of reading a few chapters in the New three months, has been paid by the Greeks. In Testament, which is accompanied by brief ex1829, another school-house was reared by the pository and practical remarks. Many are beGreeks, with some foreign aid, having two apart-lieved to be dissatisfied with the religion taught ments; one for the accommodation of females, in their churches, and it is generally conceded, the other for a scientific school for boys. A that there is no such thing as vital godliness found great increase of pupils was the consequence of in the country. Indeed a great amount of prethis division. The teacher of the female school,paratory labor is yet to be performed, before the a Greek young woman, has derived her wages foundations of the spiritual temple can be laid, from the Treasury of the Board; and all the and the walls begin to rise. three schools were under the free, personal superintendence of Doct. Korck and his associate Mr. Hildner, until the close of the last year. They have since experienced considerable embarrassment in their relations to these schools, from circumstances growing out of the policy of the government. It should be stated, however, that the connection, which these schools have had with the government, were the result of necessity, not of choice and design. The Committee have never had any thought of embarrassing their operations in Greece, by any sort of connection with the Greek government. They were long doubtful, indeed, what measures were expedient. The inquiries addressed to the President of Grecce in the spring of 1829, were merely for the purpose of gaining information, and they elicited some facts, which deterred the Committee from a class of expenditures, that would have been in accordance with the popular feeling then pervading our community, but might have proved a fruitful source of disappointment and regret. The Committee resolved to direct almost their whole efforts, for a time, so far as Greece was concerned, to the production of books for elementary instruction, and to the introduction of these into the schools of that country. This they believe to be within their commission to publish the gospel to every creature, and the most direct and effectual CONSTANTINOPLE. William Goodell and H. G. O. Dwight, Missionaries, and their wives. Mr. Goodell was instructed to leave Malta as soon as he had carried his Armeno-Turkish version of the New Testament through the press, and take up his residence at Constantinople, where he would be more favorably situated for exerting an influence upon the Armenians, and determining the value of his translation. This was in accordance with a plan of operations concerted at Malta, in the year 1829. Accordingly he embarked for Constantinople, with his family, on the 21st of May, in the Banian, captain Smith, which was to touch at Smyrna. He arrived at Smyrna on the 29th of May, and at Constantinople on the 9th of the following month. Before leaving Malta, Mr. Goodell had commenced a translation of the Hebrew scriptures into the Armeno-Turkish; and the prosecution of this important work will continue to occupy a portion of his time. Mr. Dwight, after completing his arduous exploring tour through Armenia and the neighboring countries, in company with Mr. Smith, proceeded to Malta; but is expected to become associated, for the present, with Mr. Goodell. Exploring Tour in Armenia. This occupied the year previous to May 25, 1831, and extended from Constantinople, through Tocat, Erzeroom, Kars, Tiflis, Shousha, Erivan, Etchmiazin, Tebreez, and from thence through Bayazid to Trebizonde on the Black Sea, and thence by water to Constantinople. Messrs. Smith and Dwight, always courageous and enterprising, prosecuted their object without rashness, until they appear to have ascertained satisfactorily what is practicable and expedient, and what is not, for American Christians to attempt for the religious improvement of the Armenians in the Russian and Turkish dominions, and also with respect to considerable bodies of Nestorians on the south. The larger portion of the results is yet to be submitted, with the facts by which they are sustained, which will probably be done personally by Mr. Smith, during a visit he is about making to his native land. But enough is known already to prove the expediency of the enterprise, and to justify all the costs, labors, and risks it has occasioned. JEWS IN TURKEY. William Gottlieb Schauffler, Missionary. Mr. Schauffler has gone to Paris, where he will spend three or four months in completing his preparatory studies, and then proceed to Turkey. His central position is expected to be Constantinople. He is supported by the Ladies Jews Society of Boston and Vicinity. General View. The missionaries of the Board have traversed a vast extent of country around the Mediterranean. We may trace their routes from Tripoli to Tunis -from Alexandria to Thebes in Upper Egyptfrom Cairo through the desert to Gaza-through almost every district of Palestine-from Beyroot in Syria across the mountains of Lebanon to Damascus thence to Aleppo and Antiochthence down the shore to Beyroot-from the ancient Tarsus through the southern provinces of Asia Minor to Smyrna-from thence through the central district of the same country to Cæsarea -from Smyrna through the country round about which embraced the Seven Churches-from Smyrna to the Bosphorus-from Constantinople through the northern provinces of Asia Minor to Erzeroom in Armenia-thence to Tiflis among the mountains of Caucassus-thence through the northern parts of Persia-thence through the inhospitable region of the Koords, and through Armenia, to Trebizonde on the Black Sea. We may trace their route, also, in Europe, to five of the seven Ionian Islands, throughout the Peloponnesus, in Attica, and to many islands in the Egean. We now know, to a great extent, the physical, intellectual, moral, and religious condition of those countries. We know what kind of moral power is most needed and most likely to succeed. We know what places are most accessible and most promising. We know, far better than we did six years ago, how to economize and direct our labors. But little more exploring, at the expense of long and hazardous journies, now remains to be done in that part of the world. The missionaries may now locate and concentrate their influence. The press may operate with greater certainty in its various languages. Books may be distributed with greater judgment, and far less danger of loss. In short, our operations for the spiritual benefit of the degenerate churches of the East, may be conducted with a most important knowledge of the work we have to do, of the obstacles to be encountered, and of the peculiar reasons for anticipating ultimate success. Sandwich Islands. 1. ISLAND OF OAHU. HONOLULU:-Hiram Bingham and Ephraim W. Clark, Missionaries; Gerrit P. Judd, Physician; Levi Chamberlain, Superintendent of Secular Concerns, and Inspector of Schools; Stephen Shepard, Printer, with their wives, and Miss Mary Ward. 2. ISLAND OF HAWAII. Missionaries, and their wives. WAIAKEA:-Joseph Goodrich, Missionary, and Mrs. Goodrich. WAIMEA: Samuel Ruggles, Missionary, and Mrs. Ruggles. KAAVALOA:-Now vacant. 3. ISLAND OF MAUI. LAHAINA:-William Richards, Lorrin Andrews, and Jonathan S. Green, Missionaries, with their wives, and Miss Maria C. Ogden. 4. ISLAND OF TAUAI. WAIMEA: Samuel Whitney and Peter J. Gulick, Missionaries, and their wives. A third reinforcement sailed from New Bed ford in the ship New England, captain Parker, on the 28th of December 1830, consisting of Dwight Baldwin, Reuben Tinker, and Shelden Dibble, Missionaries; Andrew Johnstone, Superintendent of Secular Concerns; and their wives. On the 26th of November 1831, a fourth reinforcement sailed from the same place, in the ship Averick, captain Swain, consisting of nineteen persons. John S. Emerson, David B. Lyman, Ephraim Spaulding, William P. Alexander, Richard Armstrong, Cochran Forbes, Harvey R. Hitchcock, and Lorenzo Lyons, Missionaries; Doct. Alonzo Chapin, Physician; and their wives; and Edmund H. Rogers, Printer. |